Enjoy! Another angsty Hinata story to join the hallowed annals of .
This is kinda stupid, though. Brain appetizer win!
You know, I don't understand disclaimers. The whole point of fanfiction is to write about fandoms that don't belong to you. By the way, this was a disclaimer.
Part of Kiba's speech was totally from Oishii Kankei Chapter 16. 8)
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Hinata put down the phone on the receiver gently. So that was it. Over. Fifteen years of longing and love condensed into three words, and even that was lost now. Bitter tears glazed over her vision, and she bit her bottom lip tightly. A burst of bright scarlet welled up on her lip, and she licked it away. The salty, coppery taste lingered on her tongue, but she was numb to it.
Suddenly, there was the sound of the shoji doors rattling as it slid open, and a husky, low voice called out, "Yo, Hinata! Are you there? You're late today! Kurenai-sensei sent me to look for you!"
Quickly, Hinata wiped her eyes with a tissue and tried to look as if she was about to leave. A moment later, Kiba bounded in. She sniffed and smiled brightly. "Sorry. I…I had some business to take care of."
"You've been crying."
"I…"
"What happened?"
Hinata paused. "Do you know what real disappointment is? It's when you've put everything into something, and that something…it just falls apart."
"I confessed to Naruto." Hinata looked at Kiba and smiled sadly. "And…he rejected me."
Somehow, saying it out loud made it seem like the truth, like reality. She felt her vision blurring again, and a tear rolled out from under her eyelashes. The tears were flowing fast and thick now, and Kiba led her to the bed gently.
He watched Hinata cry her heart out; the scraps of her fifteen years of bittersweet love, unrequited love forming into fat, salty teardrops which dotted the plain white bedspread like tiny eclipses. He watched Hinata cry till she was empty and spent, and only then did he speak.
"Can I say something?"
She glanced at him with pale, blank eyes.
"It's better to just give up. He won't even look your way, right?"
Silence. There was only the sound of the rustling leaves in the balmy, breezy wind and the mewing of some cat far away.
"All you can do is let him go."
Kiba rose from his seat and moved towards her gently. He rubbed her tears away with his thumb and walked towards the door. "You still have me. Us. Team 8. I'll tell Kurenai-sensei you're ill."
The shoji door rattled again, somewhat quieter, and Kiba was gone.
Hinata lay down and drew the covers up to her chin. Exhaling, she forced back the tears and closed her eyes.
Then so be it.