Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
...
Time waits on no one.
Shortly after the war ended, it'd taken no time for business to plague the lives of every villager once again. Hinata found she began immersing herself in her own endeavors; taking solo missions that helped her reach some more self-actualization of her own. She'd taken small hiatus' in between, improving herself as both a person and shinobi. Not to mention that after the incident with the moon prince, Toneri, and his kidnaping of Hanabi… Hinata had finally connected with Naruto in the way she'd longed to for so long. It almost felt too good to be true for her that things had only gotten better, and still continued to get deeper between them since then.
But what she'd found most hard to believe was that the beginning of, well, their beginning was already 7 months behind her. And they were still together. The Hyuga woman had never been so consumed with elation. She'd never been so overwhelmed with the excitement to finally move forward…
But today would be a day of looking back. A day of catching up with old, lifelong friends.
It had been a considerable amount of time since Squad 8 trained together, since the trio had been even near each other. Period. It was Kiba who'd entertained the idea of making a change to their long-time-no-see streak. Hinata and Shino had agreed. But at the last possible minute, Shino was called on an urgent mission that requested his skills.
But Kiba had shown, needless to say with old Akakmaru by his side. As Hinata approached the young man was leaning against a tree and basking in the shade, and Hinata greeted him in her normal polite manner. She'd taken that brief moment to see his features. He still had the small go-t he'd decided to try out, nicely complimenting his face. His clothing, hair, along with his physical build had changed- barely noticeable to any eye. But It was amazing how much three months could change a person's appearance. The normal cheeky canine grin that flashed across Kiba's face was the hint of familiarity Hinata needed though. Kiba really hadn't changed a bit. He was still her teammate; the one she'd spent most of her years developing alongside. Once their greetings passed and an air of awkwardness began to settle between them, they'd both agreed that a bit of training wouldn't hurt.
That's what Hinata told herself.
"Ok, that's it. What gives Hinata?" The Hyuga's rambunctious teammate huffed as he ceased his attack. Akamaru ran to his side and he wiped a sleeve across his forehead. Hinata remained in her gentle fist stance, casting Kiba an astounded look as he leaned on his dog, eyeing her skeptically from across the training grounds.
Act while the ticking still pounds in the ears.
"W-why'd you stop, Kiba-kun?" She questioned his sudden change in mood. Just a second ago they were in the midst of a heated training session, with her having the upper hand at that. He remained silent for a moment, continuing to eye her, not helping in making the Hyuga girl any less comfortable.
"Aww, come on Hinata. Don't play dumb with me," Kiba drawled as he began to approach his friend. "We both know you've been a little off your game today," his concern seemed to grow as he could sense Hinata's now growing tension even from his far distance.
She lowered her raised arms, crossing them over her chest. "Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about Kiba-kun. I'm perfectly fine."
Kiba scoffed. "You can't hide anything from my dog senses. I could smell your nervousness a mile away."
"Huh? I-I really don't know..." Hinata glanced away, a bit flustered by his prying gaze, but genuinely confused as to what Kiba was getting at. She looked back up, meeting his curious stare as he closed the far distance between them, now standing only a couple feet away from her. She twisted her foot into the matted grass.
Suddenly she realized what it may have been Kiba was sensing from her: Nervous energy. Of course. She'd been feeling it constantly for a few days now, and she hadn't even realized how it may affect Kiba's sensitive sensors for mood. But what she knew Kiba didn't know was that the nervous energy she'd been feeling lately wasn't bad nervous energy. It was pleasant. Energy that left her stomach fluttering with angelic butterflies. But how would she tell him the reasoning behind the feeling?
It was too early!
"I umm..." She cast helpless glances around the spacious area, searching for something to say. "I just.. ate too many cinnamon buns than I should've for breakfast this morning, and I-I..." she muttered, trying futilely to ignore Kiba's bemused stare. "-was worried they might hinder my training for today. Yeah- that's all," she finished miserably. Telling Kiba the truth was the last thing she wanted to talk about at the moment.
She watched the Inuzuka's nose twitch, a smirk slowly forming on his lips. "Nice try, Hinata. But you ate pancakes for breakfast, not cinnamon buns."
The Hyuga paled, staring at him like a dear caught in headlights. Kiba suddenly burst out laughing, Hinata looking at him surprised.
"W-what Kiba-kun?" She squeaked as he double over in laughter.
"Hehe... nothing, Hinata," he chuckled, wiping his watery eyes. After a moment, he managed to pull himself together, standing straight up again. "It's nothing. Just... Even now after all these years, you're still so cute when you get all worked up like that," Kiba teased as Hinata reddened.
"Wha-?! Kiba-kun, I am not!" she protested, turning away to hide her growing blush. Even as Kiba continued laughing away, a small part of her mind was going off, not being able to help but notice the fact that after all of this time of knowing Kiba, not once had he ever called her, well, cute. After a few seconds a gentle hand on her shoulder nudged her from her thoughts.
"Aww, I was just kiddin', Hinata. You don't have to tell me what's wrong if you really don't wanna."
Hinata looked at her teammate for a second. Something about his still slightly amused expression spiked her nerves. Something about his almost smug look, as if he knew her all too well gave her an ounce of optimism, and she glared at him halfheartedly. She wasn't exactly the same little genin.
"F-fine. You really want to know what I was thinking, Kiba?" She tried hard not to stutter as Kiba eyed her with a raised eyebrow of surprise. She hadn't been ready to tell anyone yet, especially the likes of Kiba, but she knew it would have to come out eventually. She clenched her eyes shut, balling up her fists. "I'm... Well-!"
"Oh boy! Wait, Hinata, don't you dare tell me!" Kiba shouted, interrupting the already burning girl. He didn't wait for her to respond, pointing a finger at her in disbelief. "You're goin' on a date with Naruto, aren't you?" His dog senses never failed him and he laughed once again as the Hyuga's eyes snapped open. She wanted to shake her head slightly, but at the moment, she felt frozen in place. She was getting more and more anxious. Kiba hadn't even guessed correctly, but the prospect of him being a little close made her suddenly very shy and fidgety, just like back then.
"Well... no, you're wrong," She trailed off as another realization hit when she registered part of his last sentence.
'You're goin' on a date with Naruto, aren't you?'
Going. Going on a date. Wait, didn't Kiba already know...? Wasn't he already aware that she was actually dating Naruto already? Their relationship had gone much farther than a single, simple dinner date. She'd thought Kiba was already aware of that, she thought word had reached everyone about their status. She stared at Kiba's face that held an odd expression she'd never quite seen before. Apparently he didn't.
Well... letting him in on that little fact could wait for another day. She wasn't exactly in the mood for all of the teasing at the moment.
After a few seconds of silence, the dog man waved Hinata off, deciding to give up on trying to make her spill the reasons he could sense such a vibe from her. Eventually they got back to their training for another good hour until finally they grew in need of a rest and settled down together under the shade of the tree rooted alongside the training field.
"Hey... Hinata?" An air of seriousness had shoved its way between the two. Just minutes before their laughter had died down, they'd spent the last half hour catching up with each other and seriously, really talking for the first time in so long. All the while, Hinata had managed to keep Naruto from coming into any of her briefings. Instead she talked of recently completed missions, funny run ins with different people during her journeys, and even some of the latest 'sister drama' with Hanabi. Kiba had talked of the same things, how he'd also been helping his mother move into her new apartment. He'd went into detail of how much of a nagging pain she'd been during the entire two-day long process; his imitations of her during the storytelling brought the Hyuga into hysterics, and they were soon both laughing together. Their hearts had soared, and for the first time in a long time, though she still missed Shino and Kurenai, Hinata remembered how much fun it was simply hanging around her dog friend. With all of his occasional hot-headed episodes, stubbornness and teasing aside, at the end of the day, Hinata knew that Kiba was a truly genuine and kind-hearted person who always put those he cared about first. In many ways, Hinata acknowledged that he was very similar to Naruto.
But now registering the look on his face Hinata put her water canteen down to rest near her lap, putting her full gaze on him. After seconds of unbroken eye contact the Inuzuka looked down at the grass for a second before glancing back up. "Look Hinata, I-" Hinata's curiosity climbed when Kiba's face suddenly resembled a mask of uncertainty. But it was gone in a flash. He sighed again. "There's... somethin' I gotta tell you."
She noticed his knitted eyebrows. She watched as his sharp fingernails began to rub the fur of Akamaru's head subconsciously, and her apprehension grew. Knowing Kiba for as long as she had, she'd been able to pick up the small quirks and signs of when he would rarely be anxious himself. This put her on edge. Even more so when he let out a nervous laugh followed by a sigh as he seemed to struggle just to look at her again. "Hinata. I've been holding this in for a while now, and it's totally unlike me to keep it in like a wuss, so..."
Expose your mind and worst fears.
Akamaru whined, squinting up at his owner who brought his hand down to rub his dog's back. Hinata's pupils trembled remaining glued to Kiba. "Eh... Okay, I'll just say it, alright? I- argh, w-well, I just was thininkin' a bit lately- well- alot a bit actually - uh- o-oh, no, wait! Okay, I've been thinkin' here and there, you know? A-and-"
Hinata's kind-natured eyes were now glowing with wonder and amusement as she witnessed her long time friend suddenly looking so oddly, well, un-Kiba-like. For some reason she couldn't help but laugh softly as she leaned closer to him, urging him to go on. "Hm? What is it, Kiba-kun?"
Or else ignorance prevails.
A blanket of silence covered their heads, slowly settling down over their bodies like ghostly sheets. "I... Fine, just listen. I Kinda like you Hinata. Okay, I really like you, okay?! There, I said it!"He finally blurted. His fangs flashed as he clenched his teeth shut as soon as the words had passed his lips.
Hinata felt the world around her pause. She took a rasping breath as everything was suddenly dizzy. She soon felt firm hands gripping each of her arms, holding her upright.
Oh...
"Hinata! You alright! Don't lose me now, not right after this!" If she had been fully alert, Hinata would've better acknowledged the color that was flooding Kiba's cheeks. She may have even been bold enough to appreciate it with with a small, playful smile. If it had only been an entirely different situation.
Her mouth, dry. She soon couldn't swallow. She deftly opened her mouth, unable at first to find the words to say, the sounds to make. "Kiba-kun... I ... A-a boyfriend. I already have a-"
"No." It came out so suddenly as if the voice couldn't bare for her to finish that sentence. Slowly, with an effort to pull air into her lungs, she locked eyes Kiba who was staring back his mouth agape. She'd never seen him look so anxious, so devastated towards her. "Don't tell me. Not-"
"Kiba, I've been d-dating Naruto-kun for over a few m-months now." She paused, not able to take the look in his eye anymore. She gazed guiltily at the grass trying her best not to start twiddling her fingers. "The rest of our friends already know! I-I thought you'd known too, but then e-earlier when I saw you didn't I couldn't bring myself to tell you then!" she said in a rush.
"Months. Months...?" Kiba couldn't seem to register this.
"I-I, Kiba..." Hinata got out through her haze. She never thought she'd be so dreading of her teammate's usually reassuring grip keeping her from hitting the hard ground beneath her. Now, if anything, the hands protecting her were only succeeding in making her feel all the more faint. Kiba didn't seem to notice.
"Damnit. Damnit!" He shouted, letting go of her. He spun around, combing through his wild hair. He seemed to be muttering things to himself that Hinata could make out, things like, "He always wins, doesn't he? He always gets what he wants!" She couldn't hear the rest. She hated what this was doing to him. She hadn't been keeping Naruto a secret because she knew Kiba's feeling for her! She'd simply wanted to wait for the right time to tell him, and everyone else that-
She had to tell him. This was the worst, yet the best time.
Before she could even open her mouth, Kiba had seized her arms again in a gentle, yet desperate grip. He was staring her dead in the face. "Hinata, I need you to look at me. Please." His usually cocky voice was now lowered to a near whisper that sounded as if it were packed with emotion. It gave Hinata chills. Through her lightheadedness, she could still make out Kiba's piercing dog-like eyes that remained trained on her cautiously. They were now filled with urgency. "Let me just say this. And I need you to stay with me. I've liked for a few months now, too. Over the course of the war-"
"K-Kiba-kun..."
"-I've gotten to watch how strong you've become. Every waking moment that I was by your side, I saw something in you that I'd never seem in you before. A confidence bigger than even mine." He smirked weakly, trying to ease off some of the awkwardness. Hinata looked on struggling saddly to speak again.
"No, you have to listen, Kiba-"
He squeezed her shoulders again. "You've changed, Hinata. blossomed, really- and I've gotten to watch it all. I think it's just... Beautiful, and -ah, damnit- it wasn't until- until then that I realized that you are too- beautiful in every way, and- and I can't believe it's taken me even this long to tell you that-"
"N-no! Please, stop!" Hinata cried, pulling herself from his grasp. Her arms instantly folded in on themselves, her body's automatic miserable attempt at trying to shield her from the painful feelings that filled her as she yelled. "Y-y-you have to understand! Naruto and and I a-are- we're ENGAGED!"
Her chest heaved and as her nose tinged and her eyes welled with tears, could make out was Kiba's mouth that had gone slightly agape in utter shock. Her hearing swimmer and she could barely hear anything. All she could see was Kiba's lips as they moved silently, nothing a single word.
'En...gaged?'
Decades and decades passed the silence and the Hyuga still did not look up at his eyes. Kiba hadn't moved another muscle. His arms had gone limp at his sides. Everything was chillingly frozen.
"K-Kib- I... have to go." She could not bribg herself to look into his eyes. She knew if she did, surely her heart would nreak and shed maybe even lose her mind. Shed always dreamed if the day she would announce those five words to her friends proudly. Shed always envisioned that moment filled with excitement and triumph, and a pleasant beginning of a eternal future of love and promise with Naruto Uzumaki.
She'd never once seen that with Kiba.
And now as she ran she was terrified of looking back. Because if she did, she was terrified of what shed still see standing there.
And she was terrified of what she might see within herself if she did.
Either way could end a blessing or will end in tears.