SPOILERS: Through Naruto chapter 662 and Naruto Shippūden episode 358/when Hinata collapses as Gaara whisks dying Naruto away with Sakura trying to save him.
NOTES: I can't be the only one to have considered this, and someone had to write it.
DISCLAIMERS: I don't own Naruto.
WHAT WE CAN DO
B-bump, b-bump.
Solid, steady, soothing, the sound was the first sensation she perceived.
B-bump, b-bump.
It came from the right, and she became aware of something warm and firm beneath that ear.
B-bump, b-bump.
She dimly realized she was exhausted, but she couldn't remember why. After all, it had happened many times before, becoming drained to the point of unconsciousness.
B-bump, b-bump.
The warmth and the sound were reassuring, yet she had this vague notion she should be worried, that there was something urgent and dire going on. But she was too tired to care just then, indulging in the lulling sense of gentle swaying, like an infant in a crib. If there really was anything imperative, would she be capable of feeling so safe and secure?
B-bump, b-bump.
She realized strong arms carried her with tender affection. Maybe it was her cousin, Neji? But no...he was dead. The pain of recalling that caused other recent events to begin to float to the surface of her mind. Then she remembered—fighting that white monster man, the Kazekage coming for Sakura, watching Naruto's heart stopping!
"Naruto!"
"Sorry, Hinata. It's just me."
Blinking, she opened her eyes to gaze up at her teammate's red-tattooed cheek. "Kiba?" It was then she noticed the scent of dog that had subtly surrounded him since childhood, an ever-present reminder of his clan's heritage of working with canine companions. "Why are you carrying me?" Although she was finally back to her senses, she was still too drained to object; just the thought of walking under her own power was enough to make her want to go back to sleep. After all, what could she do for anyone in her current state?
"Well, it's not like we'd leave you face down in the dirt." There was a hint of indignity mixed in with his isn't-it-obvious tone.
That was right. She'd passed out trying to make her way to Naruto's side, as she had vowed to herself, yet she had been unsuccessful once again. The thought drained what little energy she'd managed to muster. "Thank you."
His nod indicated he was mollified.
Glancing around, she realized they were in a deserted, desolate waste, save for Kiba's partner who was carrying Kiba's chunin vests. As the massive Akamaru gave her a friendly yip, she wondered how it was so quiet where they were. They'd been in the middle of a sprawling battle when she'd passed out. "Where are we?"
With a snort, Kiba gave her a scoffing look. "Heading toward Naruto, of course."
"What...?" The idea seemed ludicrous. Naruto and the enemy were so far beyond the rest of them, they might as well be children throwing pebbles at a castle wall. What good could they do for Naruto or against Madara?
"You want to be by his side." He used to tease her about her infatuation with Naruto, but ever since she'd nearly died for their sunny-haired classmate, Kiba had become a vocal proponent of her romantic aspirations. She'd idly wondered why he'd changed his stance on the issue but had never considered asking him. "So I'm taking you there." There was a stubborn set to his chin as he kept his slit-eyed gaze fixed on the barren landscape in front of them.
He made it sound so simple. Their pale, shape-changing foe had seemed as indomitable as its master and was determined to keep the rest of the world's shinobi out of the battle between Naruto and Madara. "How did you get past that White Zetsu thing?" It wasn't what she wanted to ask, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to question why he would help her, why he cared so much about her succeeding in having a meaningful relationship with Naruto.
"Shino used some of his kikai beetles to screen us from it."
Their other teammate and his clan had done something similar for the whole army. "Where is he? Is he all right?"
The nearer corner of Kiba's mouth quirked up in a smirk, revealing an elongated canine tooth. "He made clones of us and stayed behind with them so no one would know we're gone. That he has enough chakra to crank out three clones makes him better than most of the ninja still standing." Although Kiba seldom praised their teammate personally, he would boast about Shino's skills to others as though he held partial claim to them by simply being Shino's teammate. It was an aspect of Kiba that she had never fully understood, his pride regarding not only himself and Akamaru but also their whole team. While she always appreciated their shared accomplishments, they brought out a fierce gratification in Kiba.
Contemplating how much chakra it would cost their teammate to maintain such a ruse, it occurred to her Kiba had been carrying her long enough for them to be alone, with nothing but the wind for company. "Aren't you tired?"
"Nah."
Admittedly, he didn't sound tired. "But your chakra..."
He gave her a confused and disgruntled glance. "I'm not using chakra, so don't worry about it."
For some reason, realizing he was carrying her with pure physical energy made her suddenly conscious of him as a man—the brawny shoulder she rested her head against; the powerful muscles of the arms that surrounded her; the fingers of the broad, strong hands splayed along her thigh and ribs. It had been several years since anyone besides her cousin had carried her. Before her figure had blossomed into womanhood, when she and her teammates had still been children, Kiba or Shino or even Master Kurenai would carry her across their back, not like Kiba was carrying her now. This way felt too intimate, and it made her blush.
She simultaneously felt and heard Kiba's chuckle. "You thinking about Naruto?"
It wasn't as though she could tell him the real reason she blushed; it might make him self-conscious. Then again, Kiba was not easily embarrassed, so maybe it was her own self-consciousness that kept her from saying anything? Fortunately, the topic of Naruto was an essential one for her, so she could easily focus her thoughts away from this awkward dynamic with her teammate. Naruto had been her motivation and goal long before he'd become a renowned hero with saintly powers. He was the axis around which her life and heart revolved, and just before she had passed out, his heartbeat was stopping. She had seen it with her byakugan, the penetrating vision that was her clan's legacy. The prospect that Naruto could have died brought tears to her eyes.
"Hey! Cut that out." Kiba gave her a little shake. "If anyone saw you crying like that, they'd blame me, and then my mom and sister would find out, and I would not want to deal with whatever they'd do to me for it."
"But Naruto might be..." She couldn't say the word out loud, as though it might make it real.
Another scoffing snort. "Fat chance of that. He's pretty much indestructible, and Sakura's the best medic of our generation. She'll keep him alive." His dog barked in agreement.
The thought was reassuring and depressing all at the same time. That the pink-haired medic was the one Naruto cared for romantically was enough to make her heart ache, but that Sakura was also the one beside him, helping him, being his support in this most desperate time, while she herself had to be carried by a teammate because she was so exhausted, was enough to make her heart break. "I want to help him."
There was a rumbling sound in Kiba's chest, like a repressed growl, yet his tone was cheerful. "You have helped him. Last time I checked, you were the one that kept him from giving up when Neji died saving you two. If it wasn't for you, we'd have already lost the war!"
Oddly, she hadn't really thought of it that way; she'd only thought of it as saving Naruto, keeping him true to himself while upholding the intent of Neji's sacrifice. Even with the misery of having just lost her beloved cousin, it had been the most fulfilling moment of her life of struggle and minimal success. "But I want to help him now, too."
Kiba was silent a moment, then he leaned close and slid his cheek against hers, wiping away the tears there. The gesture was shockingly sensual, yet she somehow understood it was meant to be consoling and comforting. He was such a physical being, specializing in tracking and hand-to-hand combat, so he was sometimes physical in expressing his subtler emotions. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and as gentle and serious as she's ever heard him. "Sometimes, we can't be everything we want to be for the people we care about." His gaze remained ahead of them, his brow slightly furrowed as though hunting for his words along the horizon. "So we do what we can do and hope it helps."
The sentiment resonated keenly with her. It was similar to what the First Hokage had said and the core value of the ninja of the Land of Fire. None of them could succeed alone. Everyone was connected to each other, helping each other in ways great and small. It made her feel a bit better, and she nodded. "Thank you. You're right."
"Of course I am." He was back to his normal, brassy attitude. "But it's always nice to hear it." When he caught her small smile that his banter had induced, he grinned in return then lifted his chin to indicate the huge and hideous flower rising in the distance. "We still have a long way to go. You should rest some more."
"Are you sure?" She felt a twinge of guilt, but fatigue was dominant. Their little conversation had spent her.
"Yeah. The noise will wake you when we're close." His sense of hearing was sharper than hers, so she accepted his word for it.
With a nod, she let her eyes drift shut. As she sank back into unconsciousness, she fleetingly wondered how Kiba could empathize with her so well. He had a family that was loving and supportive, in its own wild way, and he and Akamaru were always there for each other. What made him feel like he wasn't good enough? Who was it he felt he couldn't do enough for?
B-bump, b-bump.
Just like her, all of their age-mates wanted to help Naruto win the war. Maybe that was it?
B-bump, b-bump.
Yes, that must be it.
B-bump, b-bump.
What else could it be?