Disclaimer: Haa I don't own it.

Plot info:AU Shippuden. Spoiler warning.

I hope you like my first KibaHina fic Reviews are loved! 3 Special thanks and kisses to Fanficfanatic940 for helping me edit. 3

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There are many things in this world that make me feel weak and afraid. Honestly, I think it would be easy to say these are all bad feelings to have, but you need to understand a woman's feelings to understand how, in so many ways, to feel weak and to feel afraid can be good. I never understood that until one terribly stormy night.

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We had just returned from a week long mission that evening, and I could feel my body slowly sinking into complete numbness from the lack of relaxation. Everything from the toes upon my sandals to the crown of my head was tired. As I stumbled into the familiar streets of Konoha, I took sight of the closest bench and sat for a long time. Time, which had gone so fast since the days I first joined team 8 with Kiba and Shino, now stood still as my eyelids shut like a final curtain after the performance of a lifetime.

Time slipped and to this day I don't remember falling asleep or for how long it was, but I do remember waking up in his arms.

The black, leather jacket clinging to his muscles,

his short brown hair flopping over a leaf headband,

and of course his best friend's soft bark as my eyes eased open to the scene.

"Hinata," Kiba whispered, "I'm sorry for waking you up."

I could feel my cheek's warmth and I wiped the sleep from my eyes, trying to hide an enormous blush that was spreading across my face. "Kiba! Akamaru! I'm sorry for the trouble of finding me. I hope I didn't make you wait for long." I couldn't really think of what to say because all the words that came to mind were of how nice it was to have his strong arm around my shoulder and to know I was probably sleeping on his chest, close to his heart, where I often longed his feelings for me were.

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Of course my feelings hadn't always been for Kiba.

Even with the vast vision of my Byakugan, I was blinded by a flash of yellow and orange. Naruto. Even his name made me blush. There was even a time when I couldn't even look him in the eyes when he spoke to me. The year passed and I grew more accustomed to looking face to face with my first love.

Eventually, he left to train with Jiraiya, and I was forced to train harder than he was in order to keep up. I put everything into my training. Sleeping was my free time. Along with my teammates, and Kurenai-sensei, I worked hard and grew into a stronger and more open woman.

After such a long time, I couldn't wait to see Naruto return. It was two long, lonely years I had spent training with team 8. Best friends I'd known since childhood were growing up all around me during those years. At long last, we had made it to the level of chunin.

Naruto's return was short lived, as he was faced with the task of taking on Akatsuki. We spent numerous days together during those months, fighting and growing together.

When the storm finally passed, and peace was creeping back to Konoha, I felt the need to tell Naruto my feelings once and for all. Fortunately, I caught him eating his lunch, as usual, by himself one afternoon. So, I collected all the courage in my heart and confessed my love for him.

I can still remember it.

Word for word.

"Naruto-kun, I... " I felt myself stutter and I shook free from my shyness. "I like you!"

Naruto, however, just looked down and then turned away. He replied after a long silence. "I'm sorry, Hinata. You're a great girl but..."

I don't know what came over me, but I cut him off. I knew what he was going to say next. "You like Sakura, don't you?"

He grinned maturely, trying not to hurt my feelings and his own. "Yes, I'm in love with her."

When I realized I was already too late, I picked up my feet and ran away. I sped as fast and as hard as my legs could carry me. It was getting late and the forest amplified the darkness. Hours had passed since I started running and night was covering the sky. I was absolutely lost, both physically and mentally.

I found a hollow in a tree near a clearing in the woods and fell to my knees and cried. My dreams of that moment being the best moment of my life were only nightmares. My life long hope of being with the one I loved so greatly was crushed. I felt like such a fool. I held my limbs close to my chest and sobbed for hours. The only other voices in the lonely forest were animals. A hooting owl, a chirping cricket, and the shrill howl of a wolf. But even with all of those sounds filling the air, I felt so alone. I had never felt that alone in my entire life. I didn't care if anyone could find me ever again. I just wanted to die.

"I.. can't ever be like Sakura... I could NEVER be like Sakura... I'm not strong like Sakura..." I kept repeating to myself through the tears, beating my fist into the earth.

"Why would you ever want to be like her?" I heard someone say from above me.

"Because Naruto would accept my feelings. That's what I really wanted." I didn't care who it was I was talking to; I could have been talking to myself. But I heard a branch creek and someone land in front of me.

It was pitch black; I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Whoever it was, I hoped they would kill me and get things over with. I could never live with the humiliation of my feelings lost in the dust.

"Well," the voice spoke again in a growl. "Your first love... doesn't have to be your only love." And with that, a large, fluffy head smiled up at me, barking softly, and a young man followed behind the dog. It was Kiba and Akamaru. "Everyone's looking for you. Guess I win."

"W-... was there some sort of prize?" I said, cursing them for looking for me, only making me feel worse.

"Yeah, heh. You." He leaned down and held me closely. "Hinata, don't scare me like that. I knew you could make it on your own, but I can't."

My emotions took over at this point and I sobbed into his embrace. "Kiba..." I tried to make any kind of sentence come out. "Naruto, he..."

Kiba pushed my shoulders away from his body and looked me in the eyes, with an expression of wolf-like intensity. "What did he do to you?" His words sounded more like a howl than a real statement.

"N-nothing..." I hesitated telling him the truth, thinking he may hurt Naruto or I may have to admit my weakness.

"As long as you're okay, I believe you." He held me again and let me cry on his shoulder as I told him everything that had happened. He promised never to tell anyone and I knew I could trust him. We talked until a light blue bloomed in a corner of the violet night sky. "We should head back now." He said, helping me to my feet as we climbed onto Akamaru.

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