Two Mornings Later

Before I left for the day my uncle stopped me.

"We will be having dinner at the Inuzukas. It's time you were introduced to the boy. Make sure you are presentable by six."

I got to the training grounds and waited. Kiba arrived early to. He was carrying a bag of something.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Food for you. When I told my mom and my sister, Hana, they gave me this to give to you. It's breakfast, lunch, and dinner for you and Akari."

I smiled.

"Tell them thanks for me. Speaking of dinner, I guess my uncle and I are coming over for dinner at your place, so act like we don't know each other very well."

He sighed.

"All right, I just wish we didn't have to keep our relationship a secret."

"I know, I don't like it either, but I don't have a choice."

"Why not?"

"Ask Neji about it."

I squeezed his hand.

"Anyway, after tonight this whole thing will go to the back of my uncle's mind for a few years. Oh yeah, tonight make sure to wear something nice."

"What, isn't what I'm wearing nice?" He said in an injured voice.

"No, its nice. I like it, I just meant something more formal."

"I know, I'm just teasing you." He said, hugging me.

That night when my uncle and I arrived at the Inuzukas house I was wearing a blue kimono with silver stars that my uncle deemed "acceptable".

Once we had sat down, Kiba's mother, Tsume, said:

"So this is the other girl on Kiba's team."

"You never told me you were on the same team as this boy." My uncle said.

"I assumed Hinata would've told you."

"Ah yes, she did mention it. Two worthless ninja on one team. I hope you two aren't dragging your team down." ~_~

"I try not and Hinata is very strong."

He sniffed. For the rest of dinner the others talked while I kept silent. Finally my uncle turned to me and said:

"Why aren't you saying anything? I suppose it's because your conversation skills are as useless as the rest of you. And you were never very friendly, always sullen. Oh never mind, I suppose we shouldn't bother these people anymore."

He got up and said to the Inuzukas:

"Thank you for accepting such a burden, but perhaps she will be of some use to you." ~_~

He grabbed me roughly by the arm and dragged me to my feet saying:

"Come on; get up, stop wasting time and space."

"Uncle, might I stay and talk to Kiba about our mission the day after tomorrow?"

He sighed.

"Very well, don't get in the way."

To the others he said:

"If she is, don't hesitate to throw her out."

To me he said:

"Don't come back late, or there will be consequences."

And with that he left. After making sure he had left I looked up and said:

"That went well. I'm sorry, he isn't the nicest person."

"If you call that well, I hate to see what you call badly." Tsume said

"Well, he didn't yell or hit. I say that's good."

"He hits you?!" They exclaimed O_O

"He hits us a lot. He doesn't usually hit Neji though, because Neji sort of hits back."

"How do you stand it?" Hana asked.

"Easy, I don't have a choice. Oh yeah!"

I stood and bowed

"Thank you for the meal, it was delicious. I've never eaten at anyone else's house before and this is only the third time I've ever even visited someone else's house."

They stared. O_O

"Surely you've been over to a friend's house, other then ours."

"I never had any friends, for obvious reasons. I was barely let out of the house and when I was, I followed Kiba around, though he never noticed me."

"Oh, I see." Tsume said looking at Kiba with a playful glint in her eyes. "And what kind of a shinobi are you, being unable to notice that your being stalked by a girl all the time?" she said teasingly.

Kiba blushed and reached over and grabbed my hand.

"Mom, we'll be upstairs."

And pulled me out of the room. When we got to his room he pulled me in and shut the door, still holding my hand. O_o Then he tugged me over to the bed and sat us down.

"Are you alright?" he asked looking concerned.

"I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?"

"Well, your uncle said some really bad things and I thought you might be hurt or something."

"I don't care. Even if I was upset, no one would care. Nobody ever has."

"I care" said Kiba, looking at me. "Why do you say you don't have a choice?"

"I'm a Hyuuga; I have no choice in anything. My uncle decides everything for us. Ask Neji for details." I looked at Kiba "Its nice to have some one who cares what happens to me other than Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji."

"Kurenai-sensei and Shino care about you. Is marriage the only way to get out of that place?"

"Yup, or unless I'm killed, which works for me."

"Don't die! I'm glad I'm marrying you."

I am to, I'm very grateful to you for agreeing to this, but I, I kinda wish that you had another reason to go through with this, though I guess it's a lot to ask. No one's ever really loved me…"

I was blushing and mumbling.

"Yuri." Kiba was blushing to, but looking at me intently.

"There is another reason. Yuri, I like you a lot, more than a lot. I, I love you."

He blushed even redder.

"No ones ever told me that before, but then again I've ever felt like this before. K, Kiba, I love you to." I said blushing.

"I, I'm glad we're in agreement."

"I, I should go, Uncle will be mad if I get home to late."

"Yuri, wait!"

Kiba grabbed my wrist and I half-turned. He put his arms around me and pulled me close.

"I really do love you." He murmured in my ear. Then his lips found mine and we kissed. For a minute time stopped. Then we broke apart and I put my head on his shoulder.

"I know. Thank you Kiba, thank you for everything."

I slowly and reluctantly pulled away. I smiled at him.

"You look cute and handsome, nice."

He blushed and smiled.

"You look great too. Beautiful. The kimono suits you."

"Thanks, I'll see you the day after tomorrow at the main gate. Bye."

I smiled and slipped out. Then I went back downstairs and bowed, thanking Kiba's family for the wonderful meal. Then I left and hurried home. When I got there Neji and Hinata were waiting for me. They asked me things like; are you ok, and how did it go?

Then Hinata gave me a ring.

"It's an engagement ring; Father says you have to wear it. Neji-kun has one for Kiba-kun as well."

I sighed. Oh well. I told them what had happened up to the point when uncle left. The rest I would keep to myself and remember for the rest of my life. Then I went to bed.