Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Regular: blah

Thinking: blah

Writing: blah

Speaking to a Wall

"You are the most Sound-like ninja I have ever seen from Konoha!" the Sound-nin said to him.

"Don't let that keep you down!" Kiba laughed.

"Of course, my young friend. Now, I shall take away the most important thing in your life!"

Kiba held tightly onto Akamaru and yelled, "Just try!"

The Sound-nin lunged at him, a kunai in hand. Kiba ducked, but not fast enough to feel his throat burn in pain like eternal Hell.

Kiba was sitting up in his hospital bed, looking down at his hands. Wasn't this ironic?

The white-paned window was open, and a small breeze was drifting through, slightly lifting the thin white drapes.

The chirps of birds, the laughter of children, the cries of babies, the songs of street entertainers, the rush of pounding water against rock, the clicking of chopsticks, and the simple shuffling of feet on the wide dirt roads all rushed into Kiba's ears. So ironic.

Kiba had been the loudest ninja in Konoha, and now, he was the quietest. He had no voice.

His vocal cord had been ripped in two during the fight with that Sound-nin, during the Great Battle of Orochimaru. There was even a scar on the side of his throat to prove it.

A nurse appeared at his side. "Do you need anything, sweetheart?" she asked. Kiba blinked at her. He wanted to say that he had to have Akamaru, but no words came out.

With his hands, Kiba tried to imitate a dog. He had never realized how un-doglike he was. Irony.

"Ah! Yes, I shall get one of my assistants to retrieve your companion. Kiku-chan! Go get the dog!"

Kiba saw a girl run past the door. "It's alright, sweetheart. You'll get your dog soon."

For the first time, Kiba wondered if Konoha knew where he was. Even he didn't know where he was.

All he knew was that he had woken up in a strange place to be told that a nurse had found him near death at the outskirts of a village and dragged him up to the hospital. They had then performed an operation that had saved his life, but ruined his chances of talking forever.

The older woman ran a hand across Kiba's forehead. Her wrinkled skin was soothing to the touch. He settled deeper into the white pillows.

"There you are, Kiku-chan. Took you long enough. Now, I want you to occupy him until I can get him some fresh water." And with that, the middle-aged medic left the room.

Kiba stared up at the girl who was so carefully holding Akamaru. She stared back at him. They just looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence, until-"Um...Ohayo! I'm Kiku. Uh, here's your dog." He smiled. This girl reminded him a little of Hinata.

She was wearing a light purple dress that was cropped at her knees. The sleeves ended on her shoulders. A white ribbon was tied around her waist to tighten the dress, ending in a bow that hung down limply. Thick black boots came up to her shins. What a very unmedical thing to wear, he mused.

Kiku's hair was wavy, light brown, and the under layer of it came to her shoulders. The upper half was tied in a messy bun. Kiba looked at her eyes. They were a sweet grayish blue.

She stood there for a moment, watching Akamaru whimper and slide under Kiba arm. He licked Kiba's cheek softly. "Can I get you anything?" Kiku asked him.

Kiba looked back to her and started to shake his head, but stopped and nodded. She smiled a kind smile and put a pale finger to her pink lips. "I love guessing games!" she said softly.

He balled up both of his hands into fists. One looked like it was holding something up, while another acted as if it was carrying a pen across paper. Kiku's smile broadened.

"Do you want something to write with, Nanashi-san?" Kiba nodded, but gave her a confused look. Nanashi?

She noticed his look. "Well, when you came to us, we had no idea who you were, and we still don't. So, we are calling you Nanashi." Kiba just blinked down at Akamaru. It means 'no name'.

Kiku left, but shortly returned, holding a notebook and pen. "Is this what you need?" Kiba nodded again. She gave an open smile as Kiba greedily took it as one might take a bag of money.

He wrote down his first words.

Ohayo Kiku-san. My name is Inuzuka Kiba.

"Ohayo Inuzuka-san. Where are you from?" she asked.

I'm a jounin of Konohagakure. Where are we?

"We are in Waterfall village, Takigakure No Sato."

This is Akamaru. He's my best friend ever.

"He's very cute."

And I'm not?

"I never said you weren't," Kiku laughed. "How old are you?"

I am 16 years old.

"Good. I'm old enough to date you."

Kiba cracked a grin, knowing she was joking.

Are you sure? I might have some ladies waiting for me back in Konoha.

"I think I have a big enough chance for anyone."

Kiku flipped some of her hair with her hand.

Take it off! Take it off!

Kiku laughed, but immediately stopped when the old woman returned. "Oh! Um...O-ohayo Amaya-sama." She bowed respectfully and kept her head down.

Kiba's smile disappeared.

"This is disgraceful, Kiku-chan! I told you to occupy him, not bore him to death with your unsightly chatter! We could all hear you down the hall! You should be ashamed," Amaya scolded her, the water sloshing in her hands.

Kiba watched as Kiku winced and nodded. "I am very ashamed," she murmured.

"Well, not enough in my mind!" Amaya hissed."You'll have dish duty for the rest of this week!"

Kiku nodded sadly. "Y-yes Amaya-sama," she whispered, looking back at Kiba as she left the room.

Sayonara, Kiku-san.

Kiba was still lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, petting Akamaru, when a knock at his door made him look over. It was well past midnight, and he had grown accustomed to the peace, dark, and quiet.

A certain brunette poked her head in. Akamaru raised his head. "How are you feeling?" Kiku asked quietly, sneaking into his room silently. Kiba shrugged.

Kiku sat down on the edge of his bed. "I'm...sorry...you know...about this morning..." Why is she apologizing? "You know...I don't really talk with patients like this," she whispered. Kiba blinked. What did she mean?

She looked absent-mindedly out the window into the dark night sky. "Most of the people I help, they want to be left alone. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you..." Kiba reached for his pad and pen. Quickly scribbling something down, he showed it to her.

You aren't annoying. I've known a LOT more people than you that are annoying.

Kiku smiled weakly.

Let's see, there's me, Naruto-kun, Neji-san, me, Choji-kun, Ino-chan, Shikamaru-kun, me, Shino-kun, me, Sakura-chan, me, Sasuke-san, me, Asuma-sensei, me, Kurenai-sensei, me, Kakashi-hentai, me, Jiraiya-hentai, me, that Amaya-bitch, the Godaime Hokage, um...ME!

Kiku giggled a little bit. "That's nice to know," she whispered. Kiba suddenly winced and his hand flew to his neck. "Inuzuka-san?" she asked in shock. Akamaru stood up and whimpered. Kiba mouthed 'my neck' as if he were shouting it.

Kiku shot into action. She ran to his bedside table, pulled out a tall bottle from a bottom drawer, yanked some cotton balls along with, wrenched Kiba's hand from his neck, applied the alcohol, and gently pressed a group of cotton balls to the scar that had mysteriously reopened.

"Shh, shhh..." she murmured soothingly. "Just relax. The pain will go away faster if you relax your muscles." Kiku looked at his shoulders and bit her lip. He isn't cooperating, she thought.

Kiku slowly took one of Kiba's hands and placed it where hers was. "I need you to relax." She made their hands switch places. Kiba looked up at her in curiosity and shock. Her hands touched his shoulders. Kiku began to murmur as she gently massaged him.

"Shh…relax…you're fine…"

So this was what being in a hospital was like.

Kiba smiled.

He could get used to this.