"Shino, can I ask you a question?"

The boy in questioning looked to the side, where Kiba was sitting beside him. "What is it, Kiba?"

"Do you ever really… feel anything?"

Stunned by the sudden inquiry, Shino was unable to find a quick response.

"Because I… I feel a lot of things. For you," Kiba continued. "And I just wanna know if you… actually feel anything. For me."

"Kiba…"

"No, it's fine. Just don't lie to me."

"Kiba, I care about you. I do, truly," Shino said honestly, looking down at his feet.

"Then why do I always feel like I'm the only one in this relationship?" Even if the other boy wouldn't look at him, Kiba wouldn't let his eyes leave Shino. When Shino didn't respond, Kiba grabbed his face, pushing off his hood and removing his sunglasses. "Look at me, dammit!"

Shino instantly flicked his eyes upward to meet Kiba's gaze. He said nothing, but Kiba could read him like an open book.

"I'm sorry, Kiba," his eyes said.

"No you're not," Kiba's eyes said.

"I wish I could love you," Shino finally voiced.

"But you don't," Kiba assumed.

"I can't."

Kiba tore his gaze away, screwing his eyes shut. He stood from the park bench they'd been sitting at together. It should've been romantic, but Kiba often had a hard time finding anything romantic when Shino was involved. "I can't even believe I love you. You're just an unfeeling dick."

"Kiba, I-"

"Just don't. Please. You'll only make it worse."

"I'm sorry, Kiba. But, please, don't leave…" This was the first time Kiba had ever heard Shino plead anyone for anything. "I just… I want to love you, I want to so bad, but I… I just don't know how."

Kiba wanted to stay, he really did. He didn't want to leave the boy he loved or the only relationship he'd had. But being with Shino wasn't doing him any favors. Why should he waste his time loving someone who couldn't love him back?

"I can't," Kiba said. "As much as I want to be with you, Shino, I just… I can't take the pain that comes with it. If you ever figure out how to show some goddamn emotion, I'll be there with you. But otherwise, I just can't do this. I just can't do us."

As Kiba walked away from him, Shino watched after him. He was startled to find that a single tear had fallen from his eye, slipping off his chin to land on his hand. It was soon followed by several more, and Shino hung his head as he did nothing to stop their descent.

After all, you never know what you have till it's gone.

FIN.