Chapter X: I love him, I love him not?
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and will remain as such… comprende?
AN: Today is the day that I send out my heartfelt gratitude and respects to four of my all-time favourite 'Naruto' authors…
Fangie-chan, SkyMaiden, Fanwoman & Hearts of Eternity (along with the 20+ others that I've missed out on!). It was their great work and 'way of expression' through their fanfics that had prompted me to attempt to turn this fic into a reality.
This is just a simple tributary message so… THANKS GUYS and keep writing even MORE masterpieces! =D
Onward!
Seated on a bench in the far-eastern corner of 'Konoha Park', hands folded neatly on her lap, a medic pondered over the events that she had gone through the night previous... trying to come to terms with all that had occurred during those unforgettable few minutes of her life. It was certainly no surprise that she was left baffled at how the unexpected meeting had left its significant mark on her heart and mind.
With her hands placed on her knees as she kept her head hung over slightly, Sakura felt an urge to hit something…
... too bad that 'something' was herself!
"Stupid…" The young woman nearly spit out the term in her frustration and shame at her recent actions around a certain blonde. "... so stupid…"
It was like a curse, a seal of idiocy that she wanted to brand on herself. Akin to a badge of dishonour that would reflect to the world just how downright selfish she had been all this time.
For so many years.
Choking back a small sob as her eyes began to well up with fresh tears, the kunoichi glanced up at the clear blue sky above her... feeling an ache in her chest that she just desperately wanted to get rid of, to dispose of as soon as possible so that new, more 'hopeful' emotions could bloom within.
I have to tell him… Green eyes glistening and a frown adorning her brow, Sakura clenched her right fist with raw determination coursing through her. I will tell him. No matter what…
Memories related to her master's old lessons... that centered upon the inner-strength and willpower of women, gave her the courage that she needed right then to lift her body off the wooden bench without the slightest hint of hesitancy or second thoughts... I think I know exactly where he will be right now.
Turning sharply to her left, Sakura began a small jog in the direction of the main gate that stood wide open, as if coaxing her to hurry…
... hurry before it resumed it's previous closed position and locked her away from her destination... forever.
Making it past the iron colossus in 'more than visible' haste, she headed off in the direction of the place where she was absolutely positive he would be. Please… let him be there.
Although it was unclear whether her silent prayer had been acknowledged or not, the distant sound of a swallow, chirping happily in a sing-song voice whilst chasing after its partner in mid-air, made her smile softly... with renewed hope at the indirect answer from the heavens above.
He will be there… I just know it!
Recollection of the event that had occurred the previous night made her even more resolved towards her task at that point…
He was right. I... have always been wrong.
Flashback
"S-Sasuke-kun?" she nearly croaked out in slight disbelief.
"..."
Meeting her shocked look with an indifferent gaze of his own, Sasuke responded icily, like he always did when acknowledging someone, "Sakura."
His voice, normally a more reserved type (and one with a hint of boredom in it)... was unusually cold towards her tonight.
Known to pretty much keep to himself ever since Naruto had dragged him back from the cusp of making the biggest mistake of his life, for the past few years to be exact... it seemed, at least to her then, that the last Uchiha was on edge about something.
Something was, no doubt, eating away at him from the inside and he did not like it, of that anyone could be sure with just one glance into his dark eyes.
A mere glance at his onyx eyes, as he stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of her, was enough to make Sakura wince. He was angry... she could tell that much. She didn't, however, have the 'slightest' idea as to why. ("Was it something I said?")
"Sasu-"
He held up his right hand as if to halt her vocal approach in its tracks, "Sakura…"
Voice's tone sharper than any katana known in history, he continued, "… what do you think you're doing?"
"...?"
Now completely confused about his awkward interrogation out of the blue, she just held up her apartment keys and nearly whispered out, "I was just g-going to-"
He cut her off again, somewhat 'irritably' this time; mouth formed into a thin, unreadable line.
"I wasn't talking about that." His eyes flickered towards the pieces of metal in her closed left palm, which were slowly being drenched with their nervous owners sweat as the seconds between them dragged on painfully.
"What I meant was, why are trying to ignore the dobe?"
"..."
His tone was suddenly icier and had an underlying emotion to it that Sakura was finding hard to mentally describe. If she wasn't so 'downright nervous', she could have sworn that Sasuke had used a defensive tone in his voice as he mentioned Naruto's name in his statement.
"W-What? How did you-"
The medic almost lost her next words and swallowed the rapidly forming lump in her throat in uncertainty at her current situation. ("Why is he talking about Naruto all of a sudden?")
Easing his frown marginally and glancing towards his left as if wishing he wasn't even there with her, Sasuke sighed quietly in mild annoyance, "I have my ways… don't ask."
Sakura, although still curious, decided to not press the obviously agitated Uchiha further, lest he really felt offended by her constant prodding.
Cricking his neck with his right hand and letting out his signature unassuming grunt, the man turned back towards his former teammate and continued, "Anyway, why are you trying to run away from him when the twerps trying to tell you about his feelings?"
"...?!"
Flabbergasted, more than ever before, the female somehow managed to hold on and remain on her stumbling feet, "N-Nani?"
Smirking with almost 'outright' sarcasm at her emotional state, Sasuke pressed on as if nothing had even occurred with her, "You know that he's had you as his fancy for more than a decade right?"
She simply failed at giving her reply, "I-I…"
Tucking his free hand into his pant pocket, the raven-haired male sighed again... disappointment and a bit of dismay lacing his next words... "I expected... better from you Sakura."
Her gaze met his half-lidded one in surprise.
"You talked of love, of companionship, of never leaving my side the day I had left the village, remember?"
The pinkette noticed a hidden sadness and guilt sneaking out ever so discretely past his composed voice... in spite of his calm demeanor.
Opening his dark eyes and making her feel as if he could see right into her very soul at that moment, the jounin said, "The fact of the matter is, you could never even be your own person… and you wanted to be someone else's companion and wanted to share in their joys and sorrows."
Her ears may have easily picked up his composed tone of voice as he told to her his opinion but the bitterness of his words 'stung' her deep inside... somewhere deep inside where she had shut a vital part of herself away from the world ever since he had openly rejected her upon his return to the village.
Hidden and never again to be accessed…
... her heart.
"Sasuke-kun I…"
She had no words left to offer in her defense because of the bombardment of pent up feelings that were slowly 'but surely' bubbling up towards the surface from within her.
Trying hard not to smirk at her terrible observational skills, Sasuke thought it best to get to the point so that he could take his much-needed leave.
"You know…"
Green eyes met their black counterparts once again… tears of inner-shame present in one being the main point of difference between the two.
Ignoring her look of guilt and misery as if he had never seen her like this before, Sasuke ploughed on 'albeit' in a more quiet tone... "… Naruto, loves you."
Not getting a reaction out of her seemed to back his previous theory of her being aware of the jinchuuriki's feelings. ("She knew about it from the start but never gave it any thought. Guess the dobe just wasn't that 'lucky' back then…" he fought off another amused smirk as he struggled to contain his laugh at the ridiculous situation that his two ex-teammates had bound themselves in)
"But you... don't."
Dark orbs narrowing slightly, he inquired, "Why?"
It was a simple question really, one that would usually be followed with the almost instantaneous answer of 'But I love you Sasuke-kun!' had this been the scene that had occurred seven years ago... near the stone bench on the gravelly path out of the Academy.
Yet for some odd reason, Sakura didn't want to answer him this time. It seemed the right thing to do too, considering how emotionally confused she had been in recent times and was, right now.
The medic-nin tried to head back towards the door to the apartment building where she currently resided, eyes on the verge of shedding a new set of tears that plain refused to remain hidden.
Then…
... his voice hit the back of her skull like a sledgehammer; physical position remaining unchanged.
"That's not an answer Sakura."
"..."
Biting her lower lip to contain a colourful retort within the confines of her mouth, Sakura whipped her head around and nearly snarled out of aggressive self-defense, something that even she knew was simply a case of running away from the situation at hand... like a coward.
"What would you know about it? HUH?!"
Trembling all the way down to her fingertips as she forced her next words out, the woman lowered her heated gaze, finding the dried autumn leaves lying by her compatriot's right foot much more better to look at.
"How could you?"
He merely raised a thin eyebrow in interest.
" Y-You've never... loved me either have you?"
Not really in the best of moods to listen to her 'self sacrificial' sob story, Sasuke simply nodded and agreed with her point to avoid the new topic outright, "No. I never did…"
...
That made her nearly cry out in a pained wail as she felt the sudden urge to hit him, to smack him hard across his arrogant, conceited, flawless, handsome... face.
Resisting the temptation by clenching her fists shut and looking away from him, cheeks drenched in tears that had been kind enough at that point to flow freely down south from her bright green orbs, Sakura let out a shuddering sigh.
"But…"
His oddly compassionate tone made her turn towards his call slowly.
"… I know someone who does…"
Sasuke's smirk returned, but it had a small trace of laughter hidden behind it this time around as he observed the emotions play out on his female associate's face under the clear moonlight. "… and… being the idiot that he is, will continue to do so till his dying day, of that I'm sure."
Sakura found her brain unable to come up with an adequate response at that point... her lower lip beginning to slightly tremble as realization slowly but surely dawned upon her.
Satisfied with his work, the sharingan-user concluded, "It's simple… if one has a brain." Her look of incredulity went completely unnoticed by the dark-haired ex-avenger as he laid out the main points of his proposal for her.
"Forget about me, go to him and make sure he doesn't die out of excitement."
His words proved to surprise both her and, to a certain degree, even himself. ("Hah! I guess the idiot got through to me too at some point.")
...
"S-Sasuke-kun…"
Feeling her mouth widen into a smile and then an outright grin, the medic almost felt the urge to hug him but again held herself back, opting to just admire how much her old teammate had grown to acknowledge and accept the blonde jinchuuriki as an equal and a comrade... especially after all that the both of them had gone through a few years prior.
("You really care for him don't you Sasuke-kun?" she silently mused) Sakura dared not ask him that 'out loud' for fear of upsetting his proud nature relating to such topics but...
... was apparently shocked out of her wits when he stepped forward noiselessly to give her a 'coy' embrace, without a shred of hesitancy or disgust at performing such a weak act upon his person.
Frozen solid in pure astonishment at the impossible gesture, Sakura could barely breathe and, just when the fleeting thought of how she would have, at one time, given almost anything for him to hold her like this came about, Sasuke released her from his bodily contact…
... the kunoichi however, felt no sadness at the sudden loss of the contact... almost imagining a certain ramen-loving shinobi to be in his place, much to her surprise and unexpected joy.
Giving her an extremely genuine smile, which made her blush like her old self once more, he whispered to her, as if unsure whether he should say what he wanted to or not but deciding to go ahead with it anyway, "Thank you… Sakura."
Unable to look away from this 'new' Sasuke, the pinkette just nodded dumbly and watched as he walked away from her, his usual gait making her stare at his effortless style statement in wonder once more, just like the days of old…
...
Smiling sadly about the unintentional 'hurt' that she had inflicted upon the man who had loved her unconditionally for so long, Sakura regained her bearings and began the short climb up to her flat, thoughts of what the raven-haired man had just said to her minutes ago racing through her head.
("Arigato… Sasuke-kun.")
The lightweight wooden door greeted her with all of its lifeless charm and she proceeded to unlock it with her keys, which were by now damp with her own sweat from before, during her initial nervous fit when in the 'redeemed' Uchiha's presence.
("Naruto… I'm so sorry. You'll never be alone. Ever again…")
With that she unlocked her door and, glancing at the hand that had been held that afternoon outside of the ramen stand in slight wonder, shut her door with a quiet click, hoping to get a good nights sleep so that she could think over the new found 'feelings' blossoming in her heart for the Uzumaki male…
End Flashback
There he is…
Her bright green eyes picked up the mop of blonde hair just a short distance ahead of her, it's owner trudging along while kicking a stray pebble every now and then while exuding a morose mood about him.
Most likely due to her rather 'rude' behaviour at the ramen stand the day before.
Her powerful, toned legs raced towards her targets direction without needing further invitation, as her heart nearly leaped at the thought of finally being happy… at the side of none other than…
... Naruto Uzumaki.
He's mine, Sakura grinned, the nervous coil forming in her gut at the upcoming confession that she would 'undoubtedly' have to make in front of the former egging her on.
You'd better believe it Naruto!
A short distance away from Team Guy's 'special' training grounds…
Seated in an oddly relaxed posture for once seemed to be doing wonders for the dark-haired jounin's mood as of late, making his mind wander… if only slightly. His hair was being blown easily with the gentle breeze and his eyelids were closed, as if giving off a sense of inner clam and tranquility to all those around his 'unusually' unguarded form at that moment.
Hmm, this isn't… too bad I suppose.
The Hyuuga felt a pair of arms encircle around his neck and couldn't help but let loose a small smirk of amusement at the affectionate gesture.
Twisting his head a bit so that he could catch a glimpse of his culprit, he caught a good look at his 'interesting' partner.
"Can't keep your hands off of me for even a second, hm?"
The pink tinge on her cheeks made his smirk grow in density and the mischief in his pale eyes intensify further, overall expression as relaxed as ever.
Bingo… the male felt his 'ego points' begin to stack up.
Placing her smaller frame beside him with her legs stretched out in a similar manner as his, Tenten just sighed and looked at him with an exasperated frown on her brow. "If I had known that you would be like this Neji… I swear I wouldn't have even considered going out with you!"
He raised a thin eyebrow in good-natured humor briefly before responding in a hushed tone, "Oh, you don't quite know just what I'm 'capable of' now do you Tenten?"
Her now red face made him almost chuckle out loud but he was, rudely, interrupted by the arrival of their hyperactive and 'youthful' teammate in all of his spandex clad glory.
"OI! Neji! Tenten!"
"..."
In place of responding to his old friend in his usual disinterested tone, Neji tried his level best to not let out a growl of annoyance instead.
Don't get him wrong now, he liked and (somewhat) even cherished the moments that he spent together with the, slightly odd, young man. But... now was definitely not the right place or time for his shenanigans... at least according to him.
His timing couldn't have been worse even if he tried...
Meeting his owl-like gaze, the Hyuuga nodded as a way of showing his team member that he was listening and had acknowledged his sudden appearance.
Tenten simply waved uneasily with a friendly smile at the bushy-browed man due to the amount of tension that she could somehow sense emanating from the 'normally composed' male seated on her right.
Way to spoil our mood Lee… she couldn't help but sigh inwardly... whilst thinking about how it was about time that the taijutsu master was informed of the new 'relationship' that she and Neji now shared with one another... just to avoid any future issues regarding a lack of information.
It's better if we tell him now instead of waiting for a more appropriate time. Who knows how he will react if he finds out from someone else… Her eyes met with those of her boyfriend for a passing second and she nearly smiled at the thought that he had 'understood' her nonverbal point.
Disguising his smile effectively, Neji faced his spandex wearing friend and said, without batting an eyelid...
"Lee, there is… something that you must know."
Cocking his bowl-cut head to one side in newly peaked curiosity, Lee just complied with a simple, "What's that Neji?"
Gathering his next words with an effortless finesse, the Hyuuga replied in an even tone, as if he was discussing something as normal as the weather, "Me and Tenten have, quite recently, conjoined ourselves into a relationship that goes 'beyond' the boundaries of mere friendship."
"..."
"...?"
Slapping a frustrated palm onto her face with a groan after getting a look at her 'charmingly' dense teammate's face, Tenten cleared her throat and thought it necessary to step in and clarify things up at that point.
Mo! In the end it's always me who's got to translate the whole statement for him!
"What Neji means…" she glanced toward the stoic male in exasperation at his 'unblemished' pattern of speech, "… is that both, he and I, are going out... as in dating."
The kunoichi patted herself on the back after her statement. Yatta… that should do it.
...
Scratching his head as the newest piece of information successfully sunk into his brain, Lee took a step forward and spoke, "A-Ano, so does this mean that…"
Quirking an eyebrow at his flustered visage, Neji decided to just hear the man out first lest he... 'regret' it later.
Rubbing the back of his dome-shaped head sheepishly, like he normally would around someone like Sakura, the black-haired jounin continued, "… that you're leaving the team for good?"
Knowing where he and his honest thoughts were coming from, Tenten just smiled softly and took the tall man's bandaged right hand into both of her own, "I guess that's what we'll have to do now… right Neji?"
The 'still' seated male merely nodded in response at first but soon complied with a defeated sigh (having been at the receiving end of one of his lover's death glares), getting up from his perch to pat Lee on the back with a well-meaning smirk. She never has let me put him down has she?
Looking at his longtime rival and comrade, the taijutsu master just smiled awkwardly and nodded, feeling a strange warmth build up in his chest, the kind that left him feeling extremely relaxed and satisfied with himself.
Neji's voice brought him back from his meandering thoughts soon enough however.
"True, But I highly doubt that we'll be seeing the last of you... Lee..." the pale-eyed male declared good-naturedly, earning a set of laughs from both of his teammates, as well as himself, in the process.
Now feeling more comfortable with the idea of his two closest friends dating each other, Lee gave both of them his signature 'nice guy' pose and declared with genuine pride, "HAI! You two are meant for each other Neji… I can actually feel the flames of your youth burning right through me at this moment!"
Pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing in defeat once more, the Hyuuga glanced at his kunoichi partner in desperation... finding her with similar thoughts present upon her face, much to his relief. There he goes again...
His brows furrowed as he transferred to the brunette, his most 'personal' of personal thoughts... Would you kindly make him stop before the entire village finds out?!
Giggling at her boyfriend's exasperated state whilst feeling sympathetic towards him throughout, Tenten moved to reprimand Lee for starting up again with his 'youthful speech' all over again... like he always did whenever happy, excited or just trying to 'spread' optimism to all those around him.
"But Tenten…!"
Frowning at him just to put her point firmly across, she nevertheless gently continued, "No buts Lee. If you keep that up then the whole village will definitely find out about the both of us."
The woman glanced towards Neji once more and grasped his offered hand as a form of comfort.
"That's something which neither of us want at the moment."
Nodding his head in compliance at her request, the spandex clad shinobi just striked another 'classic' pose and assured them both that their secret would remain safe and secure with him.
"Now don't you worry Neji, Tenten, no one will know about this, that's a promise!"
His mildly 'boisterous' voice carried a tone of confidence that made his female comrade smile and his male associate groan in slight dismay.
Holding his head in his hands, Neji couldn't help but fear the worst, as he began muttering to himself... I know this will end badly but why now? Why him?
Ignoring her man's exaggerated displays of pessimism, Tenten just returned her teammate's pose with equal gusto and watched him head off with a wave to locate their sensei in the hopes that he would get to have a rematch with him... or at the very least manage to squeeze another sparring session out of him.
Hmm… hmm! When those two fight, it only ends up with the hospital getting two new bed warmers!
"..."
Calming his agitated nerves down a notch, Neji smirked at his old friend's departure and thought, his mood lightening up into an oddly amused one, Regardless of his eccentricities, that man sure is 'reliable' if anything…
Grabbing her arm candy playfully by the elbow, the kunoichi pulled him along towards her house, blushing at the scenario that temporarily played out in her mind as she envisioned the 'activities' that Neji and her would be soon partaking in… now that they once again had their little privacy.
I hope he doesn't chicken out too soon though… hmm… hmm!
Looking up at his puzzled expression, Tenten simply grinned and pecked him on the cheek, much to his embarrassment.
"T-Tenten! What if someone sees us… here... like this."
Noticing that he had lost the contradictory effect towards the end of his spoken statement, she only smirked and tugged him along in the direction of her humble abode.
Yep, he'll do just fine…
In another clearing on the opposite side of Konoha's boundaries
"Buzz! Buzzzz!"
Despite the musical call, a dark-coloured insect landed noiselessly on the pale palm of it's familiar, carrying with it valuable 'information' that seemed to hold great importance to said palm's owner.
Needless to say, the unaware givers of the invisible data were the other two members of the former Team Kurenai... currently situated on opposite sides of their third squad member's location.
Hmm… interesting.
Dark goggles hiding the real targets of his vision from the outside world, Shino observed his two associates with unbridled curiosity, instantly picking up on a sort of 'tension' between the two… more predominantly emanating from the indigo-haired Hyuuga heiress, much to his surprise.
Since when did they start avoiding each other so much? the bug-user questioned himself while trying, and failing, to come up with a reasonable clause for the former. Maybe... Kiba has some answers.
With that decision made, the Aburame male leaped down from his perch atop the tree branch with the skill of one who had done the same countless times in the past and tucked his hands inside his deep pockets… approaching his old friend and teammate in as relaxed a manner as if taking a leisurely stroll in one of Konoha's streets.
Hmm, he seems to be rather quiet too... I wonder what they've been upto during my absence. His eyes narrowed slightly, Guess I'll have to unravel this mystery all on my own.
"..."
Cracking his knuckles and deciding to take a much-needed break from his grueling training session with Akamaru (who was also panting with exhaustion), Kiba, being the carefree soul that he was, told the ninken to go and wander around for a bit... before...
"Say Akamaru..."
The large dog turned his furry muzzle in the direction of his owner and best pal; bright red tongue lolling out.
Scratching his cheek and glancing upwards at the canopy of branches of the large oak that both of them were currently resting under, he continued in a slightly hushed tone, "... do ya think what I did yesterday… was the right thing to do?"
"…"
A small whine and a farewell bark was all he received in response, much to his dismay and irritation. "Ch-Chotto matte! You can't just leave me here like this Akamaru!"
Apparently the K-9 could, as his final gruff in his direction seemed to signify… "Arf!"
The dog then trotted off in search of some peace and quiet, having had just about enough of his friends somber love-life stories for the day. His thoughts too, were not of the pleasant type at that point.
Seriously... humans, their minds and their stupid melodramatics. Why can't they just be as simple as us dogs?
...
"It seems that he wants no part in your little discussion Kiba."
?!
That cold and calculated tone could be easily recognized by the dog-nin even in his sleep. Heh, why am I not surprised...
Turning towards him and smirking good-naturedly with unabashed amusement, he gave the tall jounin his customary greeting, "Yo Shino! Done with your bug training already?"
Ignoring the undisguised sarcasm aimed by the man towards his 'less-than strenuous' abilities, the Aburame heir just stared at his face, trying to figure out exactly what all thoughts had he been hiding away from the outside world since the past few weeks.
Shino, of course, was obviously doing so to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with the temperamental Inuzuka, lest the information that he sought out turned out to be of the 'personal' type.
I had better tread carefully from here on. He obviously seems to be covering up whatever has been bothering him quite well...
... so far atleast.
Having been at the receiving end of his squad members mysterious… and goddamn creepy… stares for quite a few years now, Kiba simply raised an eyebrow in question and stood up from his position so that he would be face-to-face with the slightly taller man, looking him right in the eye with his lips held together firmly in a thin, unreadable line.
Wonder what the guy's thinkin' about now. Heh, I'd better ask him about it before he decides to make me melt under his gaze! Ha-ha! Kiba thought, mind trying to be bittersweet about the awkward situation surrounding the both of them.
"Oi… what's the matter Shino?"
Noticing how the skin around his forehead and his eyes subtly moved inwards, the dog-nin easily figured that his bug-friend was 'unhappy' or just plain disturbed about something.
Somewhat impressed that Kiba had managed to notice his frown in spite of his rather 'limited' observational skills, Shino replied in a calm tone, "It's nothing Kiba, although I would like to know what exactly has been going on between you and Hinata since the last few weeks…"
"...!"
Feeling as if he had been sucker-punched in the gut at point blank range, the Inuzuka somehow stood firm and prevented a psychological collapse at the same time.
Keeping his gaze undeterred and fixed on the hooded man in front of him, he thought with genuine disbelief, Man, is he perceptive or what!
Knowing that, like him, Shino was also (or rather had always been) highly 'protective' of their female teammate and wanted to look out for her best interests, the dog-nin decided it wise to not end up in one of his bad books.
He inevitably decided, with a heavy sigh, to spill the beans once and for all.
"Uh… well, ya see Shino…"
A raised eyebrow by the other jounin, signifying solid interest at the flow of new information, egged him on with his confession.
Gathering his words properly, Kiba continued, "I've uh… since the past few weeks, before your stomach bug hit…"
A few minutes later
Having related to his 'tactical genius' of a friend all that had occurred before, during and after his illness, Kiba felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his burdened chest as he sucked in a welcome gulp of air after finishing his lengthy statement.
It had been quite simple really, and not as difficult as he had previously assumed, since he just wanted someone to hear him out and give him advice... in a manner similar to like he had been doing since the past few weeks for his shy angel.
Who would've thought though... that Shino would be my bug in shining armour!
Close observation of the other male's reaction at his admittance and narration of those past events made him familiar with a pair of raised eyebrows and… was that a smirk? he wondered, albeit in shock.
"Well, I suppose it was about time that you realized your feelings towards her..." Shino calmly stated, as if sharing with his comrade the date of his birth.
N-Nani?
Raising his hands up in front of him, the dog-nin stared at his teammate in sheer doubt and, he would in later years 'genuinely' admit, slight fear.
"So… what you're saying is…"
Understanding almost immediately what his rather 'slow' friend was trying to convey, Shino finished his statement for him with a hint of smile, after adopting his previous serious demeanor... "… that I knew from the very beginning? Very much so my friend."
Glancing over at their other companion... who was busy practicing her jyuuken some distance away on the opposite side of the grassy clearing, he continued, "Have you told her yet?" That would definitely explain their awkwardness towards one another so far.
Shuffling his feet and placing his hands behind his head in uncharacteristic nervousness, Kiba followed his gaze and muttered out in a simple, flat tone, "Nope."
Placing his sharp, contemplative eyes back on the wild haired man's indifferent expression, he questioned him further... almost guessing the former's answer in the meantime, "And why is that Kiba?"
Looking away from the bug-users questioning gaze in obvious discomfort, the Inuzuka replied in as composed a voice as he could muster in that tense moment, C'mon give it a shot Kiba…
"Well… uh… I just didn't want her to feel 'pressured' into anything to be honest."
Scratching his cheek in deeper thought, he further added as his friend listened to him in complete silence and with rapt (yet subtle) attention, "She was going through a lot Shino… I just couldn't have her face that type of situation too."
Shino couldn't help but sympathize with the man in front of him in spite of the 'obvious' flaws that he could clearly see in the latter's theory... thanks to his rational psyche. Well then...
Adjusting his dark goggles and walking away from Kiba without so much as a clue to his leaving the conversation, he turned his head around and muttered in an even tone, "What you are doing is highly respectable and honorable Kiba. Why?"
The tattooed man waited with unusual patience for what the 'normally' to-the-point bug-user had to say, feeling a new found respect for the individual grow within his heart as his next words reached his ears... the mysterious man's smile well-hidden behind his jackets high collar.
"Because... you have Hinata's best interests at heart."
With that said, Shino felt no reason to remain in the Inuzuka male's presence any further and promptly took his leave from the vicinity…
"..."
Watching the all-too-familiar green jacket slowly vanish beyond his range of vision, Kiba felt himself smile... in spite of his mildly relieved, yet overworked mind. Thanks… Shino.
On the other side of the clearing…
Trading continuous blows with hopes that the act would help to lighten the new found load on her heart and mind, Hinata soon found it to be one of the worst ideas that she could have ever come up with.
(Sigh) I was hoping that this would help me clear my head up but…
Slowing down a notch, she felt the strength in her arms start to momentarily fade and eventually decided to just stop the meaningless physical effort and take a break from the continuous exertion.
A sigh escaped her lips again, If only I could talk to him about this…
Eyes moving over to temporarily rest over her best friend's (and 'now' love interests) tall figure in the distance, the woman found her cheeks heat up suddenly in embarrassment. If only…
Feeling weak all of a sudden, Hinata reached out towards the practice stump to regain her balance but surprisingly found a pair of strong arms wrapped 'snugly' around her waist.
W-What the…
Turning around to see the very face that she had wanted to avoid facing for the entirety of that day, the lilac-eyed female just blushed and stuttered helplessly in response as the very same arms tightened their hold slightly to make sure that she remained stable and on her feet, "I-I… um…"
Catching on to her embarrassment, Kiba readily complied with her silent request and relinquished his hold on her curvy frame, though reluctantly. Shouldn't have squeezed her so hard I guess…
"There ya go… don't you think that you're pushing yourself too hard lately Hinata?"
"..."
Looking down at her feet in slight frustration at not being able to decide what she really thought of him emotionally, the kunoichi just mumbled out a small 'thanks' and quietly walked past him to gather up her bulky jacket that she had previously taken off to prevent early fatigue... while she vented out her confusion on the 'now' nearly destroyed tree stump.
Raising an eyebrow out of confusion rather than disappointment at her unresponsive actions, while trying his best to ignore the beautifully pale skin of her exposed arms, Kiba shook his head and kindly offered to walk her home.
"Uh, how about I walk you home today Hinata?" Crap, I shouldn't have avoided her that much after all. Maybe she's mad about that…
Finally gathering together enough nerve to look him in the eye again, Hinata politely refused his friendly offer... much to his visible dismay.
"N-No that's quite all right Kiba-kun. I'll… go home by myself." I'm sorry Kiba-kun but I just can't be around you right now. Please understand.
Walking away from him at an unsure pace, the kunoichi shook her head and added a sudden rush to her steps until she was far, far away from the one man who had been troubling her heart and it's innate emotions since the previous night's midnight oil had burned out by her bedside table.
"..."
Watching his other squad member walk away from him, Kiba felt a frown appear across his brow... The hell is she ignoring me now for?
Sucking in a couple of deep breaths to calm his agitated nerves, the confused man shoved his hands deep into his pockets and trudged his feet all the way back to the Inuzuka compound.
Well, she does need her space especially after what the idiot did to her yesterday but… he couldn't help but sigh to himself, I just wish that I could do more for you Hinata.
Needless to say, it was a long, silent walk back to his home as his mind kept giving him the guilt treatment.
This sucks...
Meanwhile
She was (unsurprisingly) feeling awkward, afraid and uneasy, having never faced these type of emotions before in her life... not even during her days of crushing on a certain blonde savior.
I don't feel so sad now about… about Naruto-kun's rejection.
Hinata unconsciously rubbed her left elbow as a form of partial reassurance, much like she used to do as a genin. I wonder why? Is it because of… Kiba-kun?
Her thoughts led her all the way back to her home at an easy pace despite her mind racing at the speed of a race horse, rhetorically speaking.
It was true that her pain had subsided by a great amount ever since yesterday afternoon's disastrous attempt at a confession on her part but... it seemed that this new found 'inner satisfaction' at having finally gotten a concrete answer from the Uzumaki was one which opened up a whole new bunch of unanswered questions in her heart and mind.
Remembering all of those times when her best friend had ceaselessly encouraged her (to confess her unrequited love to Naruto), the Hyuuga heiress smiled to herself with a small blush… already knowing just how honest and truthful Kiba's heart was. She was well aware of the fact that the man had never failed to be there for her when she needed someone the most.
Just 'thinking' about his cheeky grin made her heart beat faster as she temporarily pictured the both of them together as a couple…
... and... as lovers.
"K-Kiba-kun…"
Her small hands found themselves on her slightly parted mouth out of sheer embarrassment at her small unintentional outburst.
I should be more careful… hmm… hmm! Hinata giggled in spite of herself and her surroundings, which just 'happened' to very much resemble the Hyuuga estates in all their glory and splendor. Nani? I already made it?
Looking around her, the indigo-haired kunoichi realized that she had indeed made it back to her home quicker than initially expected.
...?
Spotting her younger sister seated near the steps that led to the inner training area (where they had both often sparred during their childhood), Hinata slowly walked over and greeted her sibling with surprising enthusiasm… something that went 'unnoticed' by her but not her sharp sister.
"Ohayo Hanabi, have you finished training with your squad?"
Hanabi Hyuuga had already made it as a chuunin at her current age of 14 due to her natural 'genius', her prowess in regards to her clan's abilities being similar to the type seen in Neji himself.
Smiling at her older sibling, the girl got up from her resting position and reached for her hands, which were readily 'handed' over to her by the smiling Hyuuga heiress. "Hai neesan. Although…"
Her voice dipped slightly.
"… Konohamaru made me and Moegi mad again."
The pale-eyed girl glanced away momentarily with a small blush forming on her tanned face... but not before noticing her sister's interested gaze upon her change in demeanor.
Gathering her flustered self with the 'grace and poise' of a woman used to such situations, in stark contrast to the older female's reactions around a certain ramen-lover, Hanabi simply continued in a merry tone, "Anyway, how was your day? Wait…"
It seemed she had just realized something.
"Why are you back so early? Did you and your... 'pup' have a fight again?"
Her sisters teasing remark caused her to immediately become flustered as her next words turned into something akin to a mumble, thankfully not for the duration of the statement, "U-Um… no. I just felt tired after my training... that's all."
Raising a curious eyebrow that accentuated her large, milky eyes further, Hanabi simply smirked and said, "Now I wonder what 'Kiba-kun' did that would leave my hard-working sister so exhausted this early in the day?"
Turning a beetroot red and fearing that her cheeks might burst under the emotional pressure, Hinata stuttered out her defense in sheer mortification, resorting to the old habit that she was sure she had outgrown years ago… of twiddling her forefingers together, "H-Hanabi it's nothing like that! W-We were just training and…"
Raising up a slightly bored hand, the younger kunoichi said, in a voice that had sympathy and understanding gushing out in a steady trickle, "I know, I know neesan... besides…"
The shorter girl grinned, "… you two, especially that dolt, wouldn't make any progress in your 'friendship' even if you both were locked up in a room for 24 hours with no way out!"
Her 'matter-of-fact' tone made Hinata stumble slightly in her reply yet she firmly attempted her retort, "H-How did you…?"
Finding the current moment as an opportune time for her to start grinning like a 'little' sister would, the darker-haired girl simply smiled and said, while giving her surprised and flabbergasted sister a tight 'loving' hug, "Trust me neesan, anyone could figure out that you two are made for each other. Don't you see?"
Receiving a coy yet warm embrace in return, Hanabi relinquished her hold on her older sibling and said, "That mutt suits you… he always has… more than that baka Naruto ever could... or ever would!"
"..."
Listening to her smart and outspoken sister's words with rapt attention and careful understanding, Hinata turned pink at her last statement and just whispered back a quite 'thanks'. I never knew Hanabi had gotten so big… I guess time really does fly by if you're not paying attention.
"Th-Thank you... Hanabi."
Her smile suddenly faded a bit, both in appearance and in meaning. "But…"
Tilting her head to one side in sudden interest, the younger girl urged her sister to spill it in as gentle a way as she could currently muster... "But?" What could she possibly be considering now?
Sighing before giving the other Hyuuga an honest answer, Hinata spoke out her inner fear, "I don't know if… if he even likes me in that way Hanabi."
"!"
Gaping wide at the female jounin with her mouth almost completely ajar in an unusually comic fashion, Hanabi nearly gasped out in an exasperated tone, "A-Are you serious neesan?!" Great Kami she needs help…
Taken slightly aback by the unexpected reaction to her genuine admittance, Hinata waited for her sister to say what she had on her mind. Why is she so surprised by that?
Clearing her throat but feeling as if she might 'just' pull her hair out due to her older sibling's naïveté, the chuunin continued in a deadpanned tone, "Have you ever even looked in a mirror for all these years neesan?"
Not letting her older sister interrupt her while she was on a verbal roll, the youngster ploughed on, "You're beautiful neesan! You're… you're one of the most gorgeous kunoichi's of the last generation! Heck, even girls from my age group couldn't hope to compare with you even in their later years!"
"..."
Blushing at the 'uncalled for' praise, one that came from her very own sister, Hinata gave her another 'thanks' in response… this time too in a humble and modest tone of voice as was her nature whenever at the receiving end of a compliment or praise for a job well done.
Scratching the back of her head in mild frustration but also slight relief at finally getting that piece of information off of her mind, Hanabi couldn't help but think, Kami-sama, really, what am I going to do with her.
Grinning all of a sudden, she said, "All I'm saying is… that there's absolutely no valid reason that Kiba wouldn't fall in love with someone like you neesan. I mean you're his teammate! You've known each other since you were little kids right?"
Hinata only offered her a meek nod in reply, her face red.
"There... I knew it."
"U-Um... hai."
With that said and done, the girl headed out to catch up with her wayward yet surprisingly upbeat teammates once more. As she reached the main gate, she turned her head back towards her sibling once more... opting to give the latter one last bit of advice. I'll nail it with this, Hehe…
"Neesan…"
"Hai?"
Smiling mischievously at the thought of being the future cause of her brother-in-laws sleepless and troubled nights, she finished her statement, "You'd better tell him soon or you'll regret it…"
Looking back ahead she ended her mini-speech with a few more words of caution... which were covered with a coating of genuine care and concern around their invisible form, "… and that's something, that I never want to happen."
H-Hanabi...
The pink tinge on her cheeks faded slightly as she heard, firsthand, her sisters open admittance for her emotional well-being.
It made Hinata smile back, feel wanted and, without doubt, certainly loved and cared-for.
Just like when I'm with Kiba-kun… she sighed as old, and rather recent, memories flooded her subconscious mind out of apparently nowhere.
Stepping out through the threshold of gate's archway and giving her sister one last wave, Hanabi made her way over to her squad, hoping against hope that the Sarutobi heir hadn't planned any 'mischief' involving her beforehand.
Moegi and me will have to bind him up for good if that's the case… she grinned, a hint of innocent evil lacing her tone as her footsteps found a new life arise within them.
Back with a shy kunoichi...
Hinata Hyuuga had been let down by her lifelong crush, had to be at the receiving end of her best friend's comforting arms during her near emotional breakdown... and had gotten a good, meaningful lecture from her younger chuunin sister.
Hmm… hmm! My life has really been all 'topsy-turvy' so far I suppose... she wondered with a tad hint of innate humour, feeling lighthearted and with a free mind at the moment. As if her sense of self had just found a new purpose in life, as if…
... her caged heart had at last been freed from the clutches of her impossible childhood 'fantasies'. And it's all because of... him.
True, she couldn't have found a 'better' specimen for a male anywhere in Konoha even if she tried. It would be next to impossible…
Kiba just had that effortless and roguish charm to him that had always managed to fascinate and captivate her... ever since their genin days.
He could be as bloodthirsty as a wolf on a hunt at one moment and as loving and affectionate as a curious puppy the next. Showing uncharacteristic kindness and compassion to others, particularly his teammates… and her, had been his trademark qualities for as long as she could remember.
He's always… Hinata reminisced fondly, the dog-nin had always been there for her through thick and thin, standing up against the 'unfair' discrimination done against her by the Hyuuga clansmen whilst making her realize her true worth and helping her find her feet after she fell below their 'supposed' expectations. The list seemed to be nearly endless for the lilac-eyed woman at that point.
(Sigh) Oh, how could I have never noticed all of those kind things that he did for me?
The man had gone against the set rules of shinobi conduct at various instances… just for her sake and had never wanted or expected anything in return, citing it as a requirement that had to be fulfilled by those who called themselves as 'true' friends and associates.
"Hmm… hmm!"
Muffling her oncoming giggles with difficulty as she recalled certain instances that had made the 'normally' confident and impulsive male flustered and near speechless, Hinata found herself recalling those moments with unbridled fondness and joy... which was more than a welcome change at that point, atleast for her.
A voice in the back of her head suddenly said, He isn't that bad looking either!
Gasping out loud at the untried and unexplored track of thought, the female blushed deeply as her mind envisioned her teammate without his normal apparel of clothing… at least from the waist up.
IEH?! (AN: Japanese term for surprise, pronounced as 'e-e-a')
Hinata nearly squirmed at the embarrassing scenario. Not that she hadn't ever seen the Inuzuka without his shirt off but... it was… just difficult to 'willingly' imagine the latter in that sense, thanks to her conservative upbringing as compared to his wild and free spirited growth from his infancy all the way to his glorious adulthood.
Once she found it difficult to rid her suddenly 'active' mind of images of her handsome comrade, the Hyuuga heiress simply gave in and began unconscious comparisons between him and the other males of their generation.
Physical comparisons that made her feel secretly guilty at having attempted the 'unusual' competition in the first place.
...
Now Kiba was a person who hardly ever denied others to have a full-on impression regarding his identity and position in society as a man. He looked and acted in a rather masculine way that was quite 'different' in relation to other men... atleast that's what Hinata thought.
Shino-kun is calm and composed… but he also possesses classically good looks while Neji-niisan resembles a proper and poised prince! Hmm… hmm!
Imagining her cousin in a prince's garb and showing off a similar kind of regality made the poor woman almost laugh out loud, something that she had not gotten the chance to consider or attempt lately... especially after her failed confession.
Calming herself down, the female found her mind wandering further and recalled the tanned, muscular frame of her teammate during one of her 'unintended' glimpses of his physique while he had been bathing in a river (apparently during one of their previous missions).
The sight of the water droplets cascading down the fine line of his spine, which was surrounded from both sides by well-formed chunks of muscle (as if being hugged by them), made her cheeks burn fiercely as yet another image popped up in her imaginative subconscious soon after.
A follow-up view of Kiba's ripped pectorals... that stared back at her in a proud manner and slid down teasingly, giving way to a washboard stomach with six-pack abs that 'literally' stood out from the rest of their owner's abdominal features, had made Hinata turn a deep, deep crimson and cover her face in mortification. The worst part of that incident being that the dog-nin had remained blissfully unaware of the accidental 'eyeful' that he had given his female friend due to his eyes being shut tight during the process of his peaceful bathing.
A sudden 'comparison' with Naruto's physical build made Hinata turn a bright red yet again as she recalled a similar (though no less embarrassing) incident where the same treatment had been given to her eyes by the blonde male... Oh, that was sooo embarrassing…
The Hyuuga female momentarily shut her eyes, trying to dispel those unwanted moments from her memory bank, wanting instead to fill her mind with silhouettes that very much resembled a certain dog-nin.
Smiling at the thought of her new found love's strong arms wrapped around her slightly smaller frame with all the protectiveness and warmth in the world... in a manner similar to how he had held her some time back, Hinata suddenly realized that Kiba also, currently, was the proud owner of the biggest pair of arms in all of Konoha!
I'd better stop now… she giggled inwardly and decided to end her thoughts then and there... lest she get too carried away with her fantasizing.
Having an abrupt brainwave, Hinata thought it wise to go and seek her sensei's advice on how to better handle her current awkward situation with the Inuzuka male... a ray of hope igniting itself in her heart.
Yes, Kurenai-sensei has always helped me out and given me advice before too. I think it would be good if I paid her a visit today.
Patting herself down absent-mindedly and straightening out her long locks, as was her self-conscious habit, the heiress then made her way out the main gate of the compound and followed the path that would lead her to her new destination.
I hope she's not too busy, with little Asuma… the kunoichi smiled warmly with a small blush as she recalled the last time that she had seen and cradled the mischievous toddler, having him pull on her hair in unparalleled glee and amusement.
She'll have her hands full with that little rascal! Hmm… hmm!
Hinata eyes widened substantially as she was instantly reminded of another, her own, rascal at that point.
"..."
Shaking her head in silent embarrassment as images of a semi-nude Kiba filled her head 'once more', the pale-skinned jounin hastened her steps towards her previous master's humble home, hoping that she would be able to guide her well… Kiba-kun… I hope you'll love me too, because… I know that I do.
Her lips twitched upwards into a bright smile; akin to the grace of a bird letting its wings spread free from their confines beside its body, letting the visual world be a part of its grand splendor and beauty.
The passing breeze wasn't feeling too 'generous' or it would have been all too happy to carry forward that silent prayer to the ears of the brown-haired man who, at that very same moment, had some emotional problems of his own raging within his confused heart.
A simple contrast when compared to his female associate-cum-love interest, who had finally managed to break through the shackles of her self-doubt and make a choice…
... a choice to be with him, the currently 'unaware' Inuzuka heir, as his companion for life.
Needless to say, that decision had been made by Hinata… of her own free will.
AN: Whoop-tee-doo! I'm deeply sorry for not updating sooner but, thankfully, things are FINALLY motoring on ahead at a faster pace, ne?
Expect some (ahem) intimate content for some of the other pairings soon folks! ;D
Read & Review WITHOUT FAIL! Please…?
See ya next time people!