Dog Kisses

Summery

Hinata wasn't sure why she let him, though he insisted it was for her own good. Thinking back on it, she couldn't help but think about the way a dog kisses.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Naruto, although I made the fanfiction, it rightfully belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

...

"Come on Hinata, I promise it'll help!" He pleaded, his position on the ground below her reminding her every bit of the dogs he resembled, as if he were a loyal hound whining as it sat patiently on the ground, their large puppy eyes boring into the eyes of their master until they succeeded in gaining whatever it is that they wanted.

Though Kiba's eyes were not the least bit like the adorable puppy that accompained him. His eyes had once terrified her, for they were slitted and ferocious looking in their own animalistic, feral way. Now they only brought her comfort and happiness from their closely bonded friendship, and though she was simply too flustered to muster a reply, she could not help but giggle a bit as he continued.

"Just one time! I don't want it to get infected!" He added, this time Akamaru joining in as he leapt from the collar of Kiba's lowered hoodie and into her arms. She nuzzled the white hound lovingly for a moment, watching as it too whined, nudging the stinging cut that graced her face from cheek to chin.

She gasped at the contact, the small cut stinging with the pain of infection as the puppy's cold, wet nose touched it gently. The cut had been a result of one of the many kunai that had been throw at her when she unfortunately triggered an enemy ninjas' trap, and her resulting shock had startled her into a clumsy attempt to dodge, therefore having it graze her skin instead of sinking into her skull.

She had been lucky, but even so Kiba hadn't stopped fretting over it since he discovered it soon after the trap was disengaged. Though she was grateful for his concern, she simply couldn't bring herself to willingly accept his offer in an attempt to disinfect it. The mere thought of it colored her face a startling tomato red.

He had insisted that the Inuzuka Clan held massive healing properities, and was often used for disinfection as well as key elements in other medical serums. She had heard of this beforehand, though she often felt it was just a mere rumor. Of course, she had been too niave to clearly comprehend his true meaning until he deliberatly stuck his tongue out at her in his attempt to sway her.

And she had gasped, and blushed madly. For now she understood what he had meant. He intended to lick her cut.

Once he noticed her sputtering and stuttering incoherently, he had gawked and immediantly attempted to right himself. "It's not like that I swear! I just want to help!"

She had still been too flustered to speak, though she was saved from that horror when Shino materalized from the nearest tree, no doubt having scouted a suitable campsite for the night. Forunately, Kiba sensed her suffocating discomfort, and dropped the issue for some time as they set out to make camp.

But now they were alone once again, Shino having fallen asleep shortly after they had eaten a rather tasteless and meager meal of edible berries and the rabbit Akamaru had caught. And there was no avoiding it now.

"I-I...I j-just c-can't...I-it's j-just...t-too..." She stuttered on, focused intently on the ground as she poked her fingers together in the overwhelmingly constant nervous habit she had.

"Gross? Probably. But seriously, it's either let me lick you or get infection!" He insisted still, knowing this conversation was making her more and more flustered with every passing second. Of course, he understood her concern, Hinata was always shy for any sort of attention and wouldn't know the first thing about intimacy. Her innocent nature simply couldn't allow it, therefore this was probably a huge shock and a hard decision.

At her reaction to his words however, he knew he'd done more harm than good, because she only stutttered more, now not even being able to interperet her meaning as her face grew even redder and her feet shuffled along with her wringing hands. He growled, teeth grinding against each other in frustration as his own nails bit into his hand's palms as he clenched them too hard. He knew she was uncomfortable, but sometimes even he grew frustrated by her overly timid nature.

Her lip quivered when she sensed his fury, she knew he'd never harm her intentionally, and she had outgrown her unbearbale fear of him some time ago, and yet, she still found herself breathless and trembling each time she witnessed his outright rage. Though now, instead of fear, she felt only guilt. She did not mean to make him angry, he was just concerned for her, after all.

She also didn't have to look at her reflection to tell that infection was already setting in either. Some time ago it had began to burn, and she knew by running her fingers over it that it was inflamed and most likely red and puffy, not that this humid and earthly atmosphere of the Forest of Death was helping.

"...Don't tell anyone." She whispered, her voice very soft and steady despite her roiling stomach and growing fears. She knew he'd hear though, for his hearing was very much like that of a canine such as Akamaru's. As was constant in his Inuzuka Clan.

"I won't. I swear it." He replied, speaking with an equal amount of quietness and soothing, as though they were sharing secrets for no one else to hear.

And just like that, he was next to her on the log she procured for herself that night. His breath was hot on her cold skin, and she hadn't realized just how cold she had been before. She closed her eyes as she waited for the contact, and her eyes betrayed her and snapped open the moment his moist tongue touched her soft skin.

Despite her fears of the cold feeling, it was surprisingly hot. His tongue held warmth and his silivia was almost a warm sort of temperature until it hit the cold forest air. It probably lasted a mere few seconds, though it felt like an eternity as she felt it sliding up her face, starting at the tip of her chin and working it's way up to the very tip of the cut, just below her eye.

The tongue left a trail of silivia as it did so, and in no time Hinata could feel her skin warming considerably as it reddened yet again, feeling the sharp tinge of pain for a mere moment as it slid over the cut, his large canine like teeth grazing her skin a bit as his jaw widened, and the pain was numbed.

And then it was over, and she blinked. Face still quite red she swallowed with difficulty, unable to bring herself to look at him as all at once he retreated back a safe distance away on the log. Gone with a last gust of hot breath on her neck. Many moments passed in silence before they spoke again.

"...T-thank y-you, Kiba." She murmured, fingers once again poking at each other nervously as she brought herself to gaze at him in her perephrial vision.

"...Anytime Hinata." Was all he said, his eyes trained on the ground below him as Akamaru curled up in a ball as his side, a small pink color tinting his usually bronze tan skin.

The sight of his flusterment made her feel guilty all over again, and her stomach roiled. For a moment, she feared she may retch or even faint, for this was unbearable. Kiba never became embarrassed, and the fact that she had just made him so unnerved her. Had she done something wrong? Did he regret his actions?

It was then that she felt his hand on her shoulder, eyes meeting his for a mere moment as he informed her he would take over her watch, for he could not sleep. She sputtered a thanks, hesitating in the moment as she argued with herself whether or not it would be wise to inquire further. In the end however, she gave up, just as she always did, and retreated to her sleeping bag, curling up inside as though it would protect her from her own worries and grant her sleep.

However, it was not until she worked up the courage to touch the previously licked cheek, and feel the hardened silivia that coated it, that she was able to sleep.

...

It was hours later when Shino woke to relieve Kiba of his watch, though he had been expecting to find Hinata in his place. However odd it was, it was not nearly as odd as the stone still expression that coated Kiba's face, as though the hound like boy was lost deep within his own thoughts.

How very unlike Kiba, for the boy was one of many expressions, as dogs, much like Inuzukas, did not believe in masking ones own emotions regardless of the circumstance. Though Shino did not question as he gently tapped him on the shoulder, his shaded eyes meeting the hollow slitted ones of Kiba's in a silent exchange.

Without words Kiba rose, Akamaru at his side, as he trudged his way over to his own sleeping bag and relunctantly crawled inside with Akamaru. Stroking the small pups white fur in a absentminded gesture, turning his back to the rest of them as he attempted to sleep.

But Shino was no fool. He had saw how Kiba's eyes rested at Hinata's sleeping body for the smallest of seconds before he rose, and he had also seen the sheen of some sort of salve that coated Hinata's face as he walked over to Kiba. Something had happened between them, that much was for certian, though he could not place what for sure.

...

It was the early hours of the morning when Hinata was woken by Shino, and they had all wordlessly gathered their belongings and assembled themselves for the next trek towards the temple. It wouldn't be much farther now, and even less so with Kiba's impatience pace leading them.

It was nearly midday when Hinata remembered the previous nights events, and the memory brought a bright flush to her cheeks and she looked at the ground with fascination. Strangely enough, her cheek had stopped throbbing. And hesitently, she reached up to her face. Fingertips grazing the tender skin, expecting a twinge of pain and yet feeling nothing.

He had been correct, the Inuzuka Clan's healing properties were strong, it seemed. For the once puffy and angry red cut had nearly vanished, and in a few days would seem to never have been there at all. She looked up at that moment, only to find Kiba some paces ahead of her, looking over his shoulder at her with intense eyes. Was he still mad? Did he regret still?

Instead however, he grinned, baring his canine like teeth in a bright smile as Akamaru leapt into her awaiting arms. The small puppy fixating himself on her face as he licked the nearly nonexistent wound frantically. She giggled, her own grin matching his as they took comfort in the fact that they had recovered from their unbearable discomfort.

It was many hours later that she smiled slightly to herself yet again, watching Akamaru and Kiba sleep, sprawled out together in the darkness of the night. For she could not help but compare his 'healing technique' to the proper liking she had recieved from Akamaru later on. Kiba had said that Akamaru was kissing her, and though she had not thought of it at the time, now it was clear.

Dog kisses were much like regular kisses. And her first had just been taken that day.