Ever since you had escaped from your kidnapper a little over a year ago you had looked for a place to call home. You've gone from village to village looking for a place to call home but no where seemed right. You were walking through a forest on the way to your next destination, the hidden leaf village, Konoha. Your long red hair bouncing as you walked and your green eyes focusing on the trail before you, along the way you began to sing, ~ "I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons. Finally content, with a past I regret. I found you find strength in your moments of weakness, for once I'm at peace with myself. I've been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long. I'm movin' on. I'm movin' on, at last I can see, life has been patiently waiting for me. And I know, there's no guarantee but I'm not alone." ~ You suddenly felt something cold and wet nudge your leg, you stop and turn around seeing a big white dog looking up at you.
"Hello there, who are you?" You say as you reach out and begin to pet the dog.
The dog nuzzled your hand then your stomach.
"Your friendly aren't you." You say with a smile and start to scratch behind its ears.
It sat down beside you and licked your hand.
"AKAMARU!" A voice yelled nearby. Soon after a man about your age with brown hair and red fang shaped marks on his cheeks appeared out of the bushes. "There you are!" He said approaching the dog, "Who's your new friend?" He asks looking at you one of his hands on Akamaru's head.
"My name is, Tsukiko." You say taking your hand off Akamaru, "I better be going." You say before turning to walk away but stopped by Akamaru grabbing your shirt with his teeth. You turn back and look at him, "I need to go, I have to get to Konoha before nightfall."
"We're from Konoha. You should come with us back to the village. Its easy to get lost out here." The man said with a smile.
"I'm ok, I know the way." You say and turn to walk away again but this time instead of being stopped you were picked up and placed on Akamaru.
"I insist." The man said from beside you, "Akamaru, especially wants you to join us." You blush and look down at Akamaru who barked in response.
"O-ok." You say as you began to pet Akamaru again.
"Oh, by the way, my name is, Kiba Inuzuka." The man said as the three of you began to make your way to Konoha.
Not much later you were at the gates of Konoha and Kiba was talking to the guards, you got off Akamaru and approached the gate guards, "I'm Tsukiko, would it be alright if I stayed here in Konoha for a while?"
"Thats not up to us to decide." One of the guards said .
"You'll need to talk to the fifth." The other said.
"I'll take her to see Tsunade." Kiba said gesturing to the Hokage building towards the middle of the village.
"Alright, we'll leave her in your hands." The guard said leaning back in his chair.
"Shall we?" Kiba said offering you his hand.
You looked from his hand to the Hokage building nervously but then slowly placed your hand in his. A warm feeling crawled up your arm and into your heart as you walked with him and Akamaru to the Hokage building. Soon as you neared the building the sky had started to turn gray and gloomy as you were lead into the building and the Hokage's office.
Kiba knocked on the door, "Tsunade, there is a girl here who would like to know if she could stay in Konoha for a while."
"Come in." You heard from inside the room before the door opened.
You saw a blond woman (with the biggest chest you had ever seen) sitting at the desk in front of you, "Do we know anything about her?" She asked Kiba.
"All that I know is that her name is, Tsukiko, and she is asking permission to stay." Kiba said approaching the desk and bowing.
You did the same, "Ms. Tsunade, please allow me to stay in this village for a while. I'm just looking for a place to call home." You say trembling slightly.
"At this point I have no reason to suspect you and you do seem to be a ordinary girl. Do you like animals Tsukiko?" Tsunade asked hands now folded in front of her.
You stand erect now confused, "Y-yes I do." You say nodding.
"How would you like to help Kiba's sister as a job?" Tsunade said now with a small smile.
"I would love to!" You say with a smile your trembling now stopped.
"Good Kiba, take her to your sister and explain the situation." Tsunade said now standing.
"Yes, Hokage." He said and bowed.
"Good luck on your time here." Tsunade said extending a hand.
"Thank you so very much!" You say shaking her hand.
"Now get outta here, I've got work to do." Tsunade said sitting back in her chair.
You and Kiba both bow before leaving, "Didn't think I'd be taking you to meet my sister so soon." Kiba said as you walked through the halls.
"What do you mean by that?" You ask slightly blushing.
"I was planning on you sticking around, that way we can get to know each other better." He said with a grin.
Your blush got a shade darker, "O-ok." You say now looking at the ground.
Kiba wrapped his arm around your shoulder, "Calm down Tsukiko, you'll love it here." He said with a smile.
You nodded, the blush disappearing as you left the building and began heading towards his sister's clinic.
About an hour later you were at the door step of the animal clinic, lightning struck and thunder rumbled over the sky as it began to rain. Kiba knocked then opened the door, "Hey sis, you finally have an assistant." Kiba called in.
"Good cause I need one now!" You heard from a back room, "Get 'em back here, I need help!"
"Come on." Kiba said taking your hand and leading you to the back.
There stood a horse with a gash along its side that obviously need stitches but it was on edge because of the storm, "Come on! Hold her down so I can give her something to knock her out." His sister said with a needle in her hand.
"No." You simply said as you approached the horse.
"What are you doing?" Both Kiba and his sister said.
"She doesn't need to be held down, she's just scared because of the thunder." You said now standing in front of the horse.
The horse shook its head and drug a hoof across the floor. Another clap of thunder could be heard making the horse winy and struggle.
"Shh shh shh, its ok girl." You say taking the rope tied to her neck and head in one hand and placing the other hand on the horses cheek. You closed your eyes then began to sing, ~ "Little child, be not afraid. The rain pounds hard against the glass, like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger, I'm here tonight. Little child, be not afraid. The thunder explodes and lightning flash, illuminates your tear stained face, I'm here tonight. Someday you'll know, that nature is so, the same rain that draws you near me, falls in rivers and land and forests and sand. It makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning."~ The horse began to calm down and relax as you continued to sing, ~ "Little child, be not afraid. The storm clouds mask our beloved moon, but its candle like beams still keep pleasant dreams, I'm here tonight. Little child, be not afraid. The wind makes creatures of our trees, and the branch that are hands are not real understand, and I'm here tonight. And someday you'll know, that nature is so, the same rain that draws you near me, falls in rivers and land and forests and sand. Makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning."~ By this time the horse had rested its head on your shoulder and your hands had moved to its neck and shoulder. Thunder again clapped but it was as though it wasn't there the horse was so still and relaxed. Kiba's sister approached with the needle, "Don't drug her. Shes asleep, go ahead and stitch her up while I keep singing." You whispered as you continued to pet the horse.
"Are you sure she'll stay asleep?" Kiba's sister asked as she walked around.
"If you want you can keep the drug on hand just it case." You whispered before you continued the song, ~ "For you know, once when I was a little child, and I was afraid. But a gentle someone always came, to dry all my tears, sweep simple fears and to give a kiss goodnight. Well now I am grown and nature has shown, the rains apart of how life goes but its dark and its late, so I'll hold you and wait, till your frightened eyes do close. And I hope that you know, that nature is so, the same rain that draws you near me falls in rivers and land and forest and sand, makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning. Everything's fine in the morning, the rain will be gone in the morning, but you'll still be here in the morning."~ While you finished the song, Kiba's sister did the stitches and even cleaned and bandaged the wound.
"Thank you. You helped a lot." She said taking off her gloves and shaking your hand.
"Thank you for trusting me." You said with a smile, you then got out from under the horses head and turned to see Akamaru and Kiba fast asleep. You couldn't help but smile.
"Well, isn't that cute. I haven't seen my brother fall asleep to someone singing since he was little." His sister said with a smile, "But someone needs to walk you home." "Please don't wake them yet. I'm sorry, they just look so peaceful." You said looking from her to Kiba and Akamaru, "And I don't exactly have a home yet. I just got here today." You say smiling and rubbing the back of your head.
"Really?...wow..." She said watching Kiba as well.
"What?" You ask looking at her.
"I've never seen Kiba and Akamaru so relaxed around new people before. Usually their on edge and more worried." She said now looking at you. You blush and look at the ground. "How about you stay the night with us tonight?" She asked now walking over and cleaning up the mess from before.
"I wouldn't want to impose." You say as you begin to help her.
"Its not imposing when your invited." She says getting things put away.
"Thank you." You say with a smile as you start to clean up the blood that had dripped onto the floor.
"Anytime." She said now helping you.
~~~~~A Few Months Later~~~~~
It had been months since that day. Now you had your own home, you still worked with Kiba's sister and had even met the rest of the family and become friends with them. As everyday went by you thought more and more of Konoha as home.
You went to work that day as usual, it was a ok day compared to most as day began to turn to night, you began to help close up the clinic when all of a sudden all the lights went out.
"Tsukiko? You ok?" You heard Kiba's sister ask.
But unfortunately the clinic being dark brought up bad memories, by the time she called you were already huddled in a corner, curled up in a ball.
You heard the front door open and saw a small light, "Sis! Tsukiko! Are you guys ok?" You heard Kiba's voice call.
"I'm fine, I don't know about Tsukiko though. She hasn't responded to me at all." His sister replied walking over to Kiba.
You instantly stood and ran over to Kiba, hugging him trembling violently.
"Tsukiko? Are you ok?" He asked hugging you back.
You shake your head, "Remember what I told you about my past?"
"Yea, what about it?" Kiba asked handing off the candle to his sister and making you look at him.
"It made me afraid of the dark." You say pulling your head away, letting go, and looking down embarrassed and ashamed.
"Hey sis, do you think you can handle the rest?" Kiba asked still hugging you.
"Yea, what are you gonna do?"
"I need to talk to Tsukiko." He said leading you out of the clinic and over to Akamaru.
"Make sure to get her home safely." His sister said before going back inside the clinic.
Kiba helped you onto Akamaru then got on behind you, "Akamaru, you know where to go." Akamaru barked in response and began to run, you gently clung to the soft white fur beneath you still embarrassed of you fear. You weren't even paying attention to where Akamaru was going until he stopped and you looked up. You were in a small meadow with a small stream running through it. You looked a little closer and noticed that there was a strawberry plant in the middle of it.
"Kiba, what are we doing here?" You asked feeling him get off Akamaru.
"You told me a while ago that you loved strawberries. These have been growing here for a while and some ripened just today." He said helping you off Akamaru.
"Oh, thank you. You've been so kind to me ever since the first day I came here." You say with a smile walking with him and Akamaru over to the strawberry patch.
"It helped that Akamaru not only found you but instantly grew attached to you." Kiba said kneeling down and picking a few of the strawberries.
"Mmmmm, those look good." You say watching him then picking a few of your own.
Kiba walked over to the stream and washed the ones he had picked followed by you. You both then walked over to Akamaru and both gave him one before sitting in the moonlight beams lighting the seeming little patch of heaven.
"Would it be ok if I fed you a strawberry?" Kiba asked holding one of the strawberries that he had picked.
"Sure." You say with a smile.
He leans in with the strawberry, you also lean in and take a bite, "Oh man...its delicious." You say as the juices cover your mouth in a sweet yet tangy flavor. After that bite you take the other bite and almost get lost in a sea of sweet flavor, "You have got to have one." You say holding up one of the strawberries that you picked.
Kiba took a bite, "Mmmm, that is good!" He said chewing his piece.
You smile and kiss his cheek, "Thank you Kiba."
Kiba blushed slightly, "Well, I did bring you out here for another reason."
"What would that be?" You asked with a smile popping one of the other strawberries you had picked into your mouth.
"Well...I like you...more then a friend...do you think we could go out?" Kiba asked rubbing the back of his head and blushing before finishing off the strawberry you had been feeding him.
You swallowed the strawberry that you had been chewing on, "Wait...you wanna go out with me?" You ask blushing as well.
"Yea, I wanna call you my girlfriend." Kiba said now looking at you.
You looked down and away biting your bottom lip gently while thinking, you then realized that you liked him the same way he liked you. You turned to see Kiba looking at you with hopeful eyes that could challenge that of a begging puppies, "I would love to call you my boyfriend." You say with a sweet smile.
Kiba's eyes lit up and the biggest smile appeared on his face as he then dropped his strawberries and hugged you, "Thank you!" He said kissing your cheek.
You giggled, "No need to thank me." You said smiling as Akamaru walked over and licked the both of you before laying down in front of you both.
(Hope you like it! Oh, the songs used were I'm Movin' On By Rascal Flatts and Lullaby For A Stormy Night By Vienna Teng. ^_^)