"Kiba…" I whispered out sadly as my eyes took in his mangled body as it lay on the hospital bed, connected to many, many wires. A breathing mask covered his mouth, helping him do something that he should have been able to do on his own. That's how hurt the young Inuzuka was. I barely noticed the nurse leaving, closing the door behind her as I slowly walked over to his bedside. "Why…? Why couldn't I have been there? Why did I have to be such a…such a moron…? Why didn't I see it sooner? All of your teasing…all of your mean quips…they were out of…out of…" I couldn't finish my sentence as I felt the first tear fall and I sat on the bed and started to cry onto his bandaged chest.

If I hadn't said such a horrible thing…he wouldn't have been so distraught…he would've fought back when those ninja attacked him…he wouldn't be here…like this…

~ "You're such a klutz, Mitsuki! I'm surprised that you haven't killed yourself yet! What if I hadn't been there to catch you? You could've broken your neck!" I glared up at my fifteen year old teammate. We'd been getting paired up almost all of our lives and it seems that it was finally getting on his nerves. We were in the middle of training up in the tops of some trees and I, wanting to prove to him that I could get really high and not fall, started jumping higher into the trees. Then, he decided to start showing off and using his Whirlwind Wolf Fang, ultimately distracting me and causing me to step too far over the edge of a limb. He caught me before I fell, us both hitting a few tree limbs on the way down.

"I was doing fine until you started trying to show off! I can't concentrate with you spinning around like that!" I turned away and crossed my arms, huffing out a breath. He snorted, scowling at me.

"Just because I'm better than you at everything doesn't make me a show-off! I swear, I get so sick and tired of saving you every time we go out for a mission! If it wasn't for me, you'd probably be dead right now!" I turned a hateful glare to him. Why did he have to do this to me? Why did the one person that I wanted to accept me over everyone else have to be such a jerk and hurt me like this everyday?!

"Well, then how about next time, DON'T save me! Let me kill myself! Then you can save yourself the trouble of having to come to my rescue and live happily knowing that I'm not around to burden you anymore!"

"What-How could you even say that, you Stupid Woman?! Why would I ever let you die?! You're important to me!" I almost blushed at his words, until he spoke again. "you're my teammate! The others would kill me if I just let you die! I don't know what I'd do if you-"

"You stupid Jerk! Is that all I am to you?! A TEAMMATE?! I HATE YOU! Just go jump off a cliff for all I care!" I turned and ran back to my house, pushing back all of my unshed tears. That was the last thing I said to him before he went on a mission. The team that he had gotten assigned to were attacked by rogue ninja and Kiba had apparently been so out of it that he hadn't noticed anything until they were ambushed. I cried on Kiba's chest. "Why?! Why couldn't I just have told you that I loved you before?! Before I said all of those things? Before, when we were young! When you didn't hate me so much!" "Mitsuki…that hurts…" My eyes snapped opened and I jerked up to see Kiba's thin, dark pupil's show from his eyes, fatigue apparent in them. I got off of him, careful not to move him anymore.

"A-Ah! I'm sorry! Umm…" I felt more tears fill my eyes as I watched him blink wearily. "Kiba…I'm…I'm so sorry…for everything…." I covered my face with my hands and started to weep. I felt a hand place on top mine gently and pull them away. I looked to see that he had pulled off the breathing mask and was watching me with a concerned look.

"Mitsuki…did you mean it…? Since we were little, you've loved me…?" My eyes widened when I realized that he'd heard what I'd been saying. I couldn't hide it any longer. Even if he hated me forever after this, I was just happy that he was alive.

"Of course I meant it, Kiba! There are times when you make me want to pull my hair out, but if I ever lost you, I don't know what I'd do!" I hugged his neck, trying to make sure not to jostle him. "I just don't know what to do with myself anymore."

I was surprised when he hugged me back weakly. "Mitsuki, I don't want anybody else…I can't get enough of you…your face…your eyes…the way you make me laugh…the only reason I scold you so much…about always getting yourself in trouble…is because I worry about you. Mitsuki, I love you…"

I pulled back and stared down at him, my blush vivid; my eyes wide. "Kiba…" I breathed, seeing him smile in a way that I'd never seen before. It wasn't his usual toothy grin. There was no cockiness lining those lips. For once, I saw him smile the smile I'd always dreamed he'd smile at me. A smile full of love. "I…I love you, too, Kiba!"

I was going to hug him again, but decided against it and just settled for a small kiss on his forehead. He breathed out of his nose and laced his fingers with mine. When I pulled back, I noticed a hint of his usual smile.

"You missed…" I smiled at him, a few happy tears filling my eyes as I leaned down and gently kissed his slightly busted lips. I felt a little pressure as he tried to kiss back, but he suddenly groaned. I jumped back. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

He started to laugh weakly, causing me to join in. It'd been a week since that day, and I'd gone to visit Kiba everyday until they finally discharged him. Luckily, he hadn't broken anything, but he still needed help getting home. I, of course, helped him.

Most of the people on the way stared at us with shock. Everyone knew how Kiba and I got along, so, seeing me helping him walk willingly was a strange sight.

"Which do you think would freak them out more? You helping me out, or if they knew that you're my girlfriend?" Kiba smirked at me, causing me to blush. I was still trying to get used to such an endearing term.

I smiled, nonetheless, "Probably the latter." We laughed out, when he suddenly grabbed me, using the wall beside us as support, and started kissing me. Right there, in the middle of the street. Loud gasps were heard all around us and I had to fight not to laugh out. After a few short kisses, we both ended up in small giggles and continued on the way to his house.