The Breaking Hearts

Hinata snuggled into her bed, wrapping the light blankets around herself tightly. She couldn't bear to think of Kiba's sad, worried face, but it kept swimming into her mind anyway, his eyes pleading with her, his voice a whisper in the back of her mind, keeping her awake. A solitary tear slid slowly down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand, closing her eyes, so as to stop the flow of any more. The moonlight streamed in from the window, illuminating the room with a ghostly glow. Hinata sighed, and nestled further into the nest that was her bed. Hopefully sleep would find her soon, and all these thoughts running around her head would go away.

*

Neji stood outside his cousin's door, listening to the faint sound of her breathing. When he was sure she had ceased crying and had eventually drifted off to sleep, he slid down the wall, finding himself a spot to sit, somewhere he could protect her.
But I can't protect her from this… he thought to himself, biting his lip, holding back the tears. And who is here to protect me?

*

Kiba lay on his bed, fully clothed and staring at the ceiling. Shino wasn't back yet, and Akamaru had retreated to his basket in the kitchen, irritable and tired. Frustrated, the ninja grabbed a kunai and threw it at the roof. It hit with a thud, and stuck there, the sharp tip embedded in the bricks and mortar. Rolling off the bed, Kiba slipped his feet into his shoes and stood, slowly stretching. He looked down at his bedside table, where his team photo stood, and the photo of him and Hinata on their first date. He'd taken her to the cinema, and they'd sat at the back, while Neji sat a few seats away as the chaperone. A smile played on his lips as he remembered managing to escape from Neji, even if it were for a few minutes. Those moments alone with Hinata were so rare, he treasured them especially. His face grew hot as he recalled her lips upon his, his body pressed against hers, and Neji's anger upon their discovery.
He whistled to Akamaru.
"We're going to talk to Hinata." He told his friend, and with that they set off.

*

Sasuke sat heavily next to Gaara. Strange how this scarlet-haired leader was once his opponent, and quite possibly a homicidal maniac. The dark haired ninja smirked as he thought of this. If they can accept him, they can surely grow used to me again. he thought. After Sakura had run away from him, he'd come back to the garden to find more drama kicking off between the Hyuugas and that damn Inuzuka, always so cocky, who else would you expect to pick a fight with a ninja-genius?
It was then, while lost in his musings, that Sasuke felt eyes upon him, and looked up to see Ino staring at him from across the circle of people. She looked away quickly and got up, walking briskly off towards the bench a few metres away. Sasuke excused himself and followed, smiling as he approached his old admirer.
"May I join you?" he asked, sitting down anyway as he said it.
Ino nodded, looking at him as if in awe.
"You've grown up a lot Ino." Sasuke said, his eyes roving unashamedly over her body, from her long legs, over her breasts and to her lips, where his eyes rested.
She gulped, watching as he hungrily looked over her.
"You look different too." She managed to say, as she tried not to look into those deep black eyes.
"While I was away, I often thought about what you'd all be like. How much you might have grown. How different you could be. If any of you had…gotten together." Sasuke directed his gaze towards her eyes now, edging closer on the bench.
Ino tried to get up, but couldn't quite make herself do it. She knew that one look in those eyes would have her squealing like a fangirl again, and falling straight into his strong, masculine arms…
Her thoughts trailed off as she felt herself leaning slowly forwards. The sake had definitely had an affect she thought, as she parted her lips slightly.
Sasuke watched as Ino crept closer, as she leant towards him. Her eyes were closed and her lips were ready to receive a kiss. How could he possibly say no?
His hands grasped her shoulders, and he pulled her roughly to him, his lips meeting hers suddenly, but surprisingly quite softly. One of his hands reached to her hair, and he ran his fingers through it.
"You kept your hair long…" He murmured.

*

Kiba hurried through the streets of his hometown, towards the Hyuuga house, towards his love. Upon reaching the outer walls, he found the same spot as last time and climbed carefully, leaving Akamaru as a lookout.
Once inside the garden behind the outer wall, he crept silently through the plants and flowers, pausing occasionally to get his bearings, to listen carefully. Now he just had to remember where Hinata's room was.
A light cough behind him filled him with dread, and he turned slowly. How had he not smelt this person? How had he not felt their presence?
Neji faced him, his skin an unearthly pale, like Hinata's, in the moonlight.
"Hinata is sleeping." Neji said, "And you should not be here."
"I need to see her!" Kiba barked, then remembering where he was, he quietened down, "I need to know what's wrong."
"She'll tell you when it's the right time. Now leave, please, before I'm forced to call for reinforcements."
"Neji, please! I need to speak to her. Imagine if this had happened with you and Tenten, wouldn't you want to know what was going on?" Kiba moved closer to Neji, pleading with him.
"This is happening with Tenten and I. Something has happened in the Hyuuga household, and it has nothing to do with you. Nothing!" Neji turned away from the Inuzuka, "I'll give you 10 minutes to talk to her. Second room on the right." He said as he walked away.

Hinata woke suddenly. She was sure she'd heard her door open.
"Hanabi, come out! You're not scaring me." She called, although her voice shook.
Out of the dark came a whisper, "Nata? It's me."
"Kiba?!"
She jumped out of bed and ran to the boy, who stood just near her doorway. He hugged her close to his chest, feeling her hot tears seeping through his shirt.
"I needed to talk to you. What's going on? Neji says something's going on in the Hyuuga household. Please tell me? Maybe I can help you?"
Hinata clutched at him, burying her head into his chest, not wanting to look into his eyes. How could she tell him? What could she really say?
"Kiba… Kiba-kun…" She looked up at him, tears falling down her face. "I am 19 now. In the Hyuuga household, 19 is the age that we…that we…marry."
Kiba's mouth dropped open.
"This is happening with Tenten and I. Something has happened in the Hyuuga household, and it has nothing to do with you. Nothing!"
"Marriage? To who… Let me guess. Neji?" Kiba clenched his fists and breathed in sharply as Hinata confirmed his fear.
"Father thinks it's th-the best f-for the c-clan… Me: the Hyuuga heir, and N-Neji-niisan: a genius."
"Hinata! This can't happen, please… I love you… Don't let this happen. Can't we talk to your father? Can't we make him see that we love each other…?" Kiba trailed off. It was useless to think that Hyuuga Hiashi would listen to them.
Instead, he held Hinata tightly, his mind whirling with hundreds of different plans, things he could do to save her, as she cried on his shoulder.

*

Neji stood outside his cousin's door, listening to her and Kiba sobbing. He hugged himself, breathing deeply. He didn't want to interrupt, but he knew he had to get Kiba out of here before someone detected his presence. He gulped, his hand reaching out for the door handle, but as he did so, he noticed that his hand shook. His face felt wet and hot. It was then he realised he was crying. For the first time in years he was actually crying. He couldn't get Tenten's face out of his head, her voice, her laugh. He clenched his eyes shut, hoping it might stop the salty tears, but it was no use. They continued to flow, as he clutched his chest and felt a pain there. What is this feeling? It's as if my heart…is breaking…