SPOILERS: Through Naruto chapter 342 and/or Naruto Shippūden episode 112/ the second year of Shippūden.
NOTES: Between working out how Kiba and Hinata's relationship could progress gradually, in a way that made sense to me, and figuring out what Hana would advise Hinata based on Inuzuka tendencies, this became the big stepping stone for the evolution of our couple's relationship and getting Hinata past her intimacy issues and lack of self-confidence. Since it's Kiba's POV, I'm taking this back a bit to before the last two chapters in order to make all the pieces fit.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.
CHOOSING FATE
Chapter 14: Bath
Living with Hinata was a blessing and a curse. Since he was never away from her for very long, his protective instincts were usually content, so he slept better. But being surrounded by her scent all night gave him intensely sensual dreams that had him running to the outhouse to cope nine mornings out of ten. The problem was, self gratification was not as satisfying as it used to be, and he had no mated Inuzuka male to talk to about it.
On top of being sexually frustrated, he had to resist temptation. It wasn't like he put Hinata into compromising situations or anything. It was just that, when her hormones would spike, she'd want to be close, to touch him. The tangy, taunting smell of her arousal made him desperately want what he couldn't have—her beneath him, gasping his name. The thought that he would never get to feel his mate climax made him want to climb the nearest mountain and scream until he was hoarse. He tried not to think about it, to live in the now, but sometimes he wondered how he would manage, years later, when Hinata was married to someone else. Given the resentment that had developed because of not being the center of her attention when they were kids, he honestly worried what might evolve from this unnatural situation. Somehow, knowing he loved her made it a little easier rather than harder. Maybe being a single father would keep him too busy to think about it.
He'd found the best way to burn off his frustration was chopping wood. The effort used up the excess energy that her arousal triggered in him and helped him work off his agitation. Being outside allowed him to position himself so he was upwind of her, though he always had to air out the cabin afterward to clear away the distracting odor. Fortunately, wood for heating and cooking and bathing was a legitimate need, so it didn't seem odd for him to deal with it regularly. If she thought the timing of his spontaneous attention to that particular chore was strange, she didn't say anything, and for that he was grateful. But sometimes he would catch her watching with a look of longing that made his insides knot. He hated being the source of her unhappiness.
After mulling it over for a few weeks, he decided to talk about it with the only guy he could.
Kiba had wrapped up his mushroom hunting early. The season was coming to an end, so every day there were fewer to harvest. It had him thinking about ways to use the unsold ones he dried so he might keep his bank account from drying up before the spring mushrooms began to sprout.
Having visited his regular customers and dropped off the excess at the cabin, he and Akamaru made their way to the nearby clearing the Akimichis had given him permission to use for sparring.
From the treeline, he watched his old teammates fight and admired the grace and beauty of his mate. Out of the classmates who'd made chūnin, she was the smallest while Shino was the tallest; but like the previous Hokage, Sarutobi, she had learned to use her size to her advantage, tucking under Shino's longer reach to pound him with fingers that, if properly charged with chakra, would drop their lanky teammate like a slaughtered pig. Of course, Shino was fighting with a handicap, having to take care not to do anything that might harm the baby, but Kiba couldn't help grinning at the sound of his teammate's grunt of discomfort. Both he and Shino knew Hinata's martial abilities were often underestimated by enemies and allies alike.
Kiba's teammates sprang apart and bowed to each other before turning to face him. Shino never showed exertion other than a change in breathing rate, but Hinata practically glowed. When timed just right, so she didn't exhaust herself, the flush of exercise combined with the endorphins of her efforts made Hinata as happy as he ever saw her, and her pregnancy just enhanced the effect.
"You're back early," she observed, accepting the towel he handed her to mop her sweaty brow.
Shino nodded his appreciation at the glass of water he offered, draining it in one long swig before handing the glass back. "I'll be going then."
"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about something, if you've got the time."
Although Kiba had said it casually enough, Shino and Hinata exchanged puzzled looks. It made Kiba wonder what they talked about when he wasn't around.
Hinata bowed again. "Thank you, Shino. Have a good evening."
"Good evening." Shino bowed back.
Then Hinata took the empty glass from Kiba and smiled. "I'll meet you at the cabin."
"Thanks." He couldn't resist watching her leave. She wasn't wearing her jacket, so he could enjoy the sway of her hips as she made her way up the slope, her magnificent hair swinging in counterpoint to the enticing rhythm.
"You wished to speak with me?"
Had anyone else heard the words, they wouldn't have picked up the hint of mockery in them. With a sigh, Kiba turned back to his other teammate and leaned against Akamaru. Once Kiba realized he'd defensively crossed his arms, he consciously let them fall to his sides. "I need your help."
Shino's eyebrows rose, no doubt in surprise at the confession, but he said nothing, merely nodding for Kiba to continue.
"First, I want to make sure you...I don't want Hinata to know about this." Akamaru grumbled and Kiba patted his head. "Yeah, she's got enough shit to deal with without worrying about me, so..."
Tilting his head to the left, Shino deadpanned, "I am familiar with the concept of discretion. Why? Because I am a shinobi."
Kiba couldn't help laughing. "Well, you know how thick I can be." Restlessly, he snatched a handful of tall grass and started braiding the still slightly green stems together. "You know how Master Kurenai can sometimes be a bit...off because of her pregnancy?"
Nodding again, Shino shifted his weight, expressing discomfort. "I have read about the effects of hormones during pregnancy but have only once experienced such an event with our master." Kiba remembered when he and Shino had nearly been skewered by kunai when Master Kurenai flew into a rage over an offer to clean out her flower boxes to prep them for spring. "Is there something about Hinata's behavior that you feel is cause for concern?"
Glancing up from his weed braid, Kiba shook his head. "Don't worry. She's fine. It's just that..." He was surprised at how sheepish he felt discussing this with Shino when he would have rambled thoughtlessly to another Inuzuka. But it was one thing to discuss private details about your mate with family; it was another to discuss them with her teammate. Tossing the braid aside, he took a deep breath. "Anger isn't the only emotion that hormones can enhance."
Shino raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly with worry. "Does she cry?"
The subtle anxiety and care in the words caused Kiba's chest to tighten, and he felt like a jerk asking Shino for help with his problem, given his similar feelings for Hinata, but he had no one else to turn to. "Yes, but not often. And...that's not the emotion that I need help with." With a frustrated sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's the kind of emotion that, if we were married, wouldn't be a problem dealing with."
Shino's cheeks colored. "I don't think it's appropriate to-"
Kiba straightened and grabbed his teammate's sleeve before he could turn away. "I'm really sorry to dump this on you, but you're the only one who can help me." In response to Shino's scowl, he rushed on. "Even if I could talk to someone from my clan, this has never happened to an Inuzuka before, so there's no one who can tell me from experience what to do."
Tugging his sleeve free from Kiba's grip, Shino's frown diminished slightly. "I still don't understand how-"
"I want you to teach me to meditate."
That caused Shino's eyebrows to disappear under his protective headband.
"Please, I've done everything I can think of." Kiba started ticking them off with his fingers. "I move upwind; I do tiring chores; I go on errands; I take cold showers...but then she decides to go with me or the wind shifts..." He raised a hand, intent on biting it like he used to as a kid when he needed to calm himself and concentrate. Taking a deep breath, he let his hand fall to his side. "She's my mate. It's natural for me to respond to her, even in this, even though she doesn't love me. But I'm not allowed to—I won't." Akamaru leaned against him in support, and Kiba absently ran his fingers through the dog's fur, grateful for the comfort. "I've trained all my life to embrace nature, to enhance it. I don't know how to handle this." Even to his own ears, he sounded pitiful and desperate.
"All right."
Looking up at Shino, he wondered when he'd bowed his head. Had he become so pathetic that it was second nature? How might that affect his skills as a ninja? While there were plenty of Inuzuka betas who were perfectly capable shinobi, he had never heard what happened when someone slipped from alpha to beta. Ultimately, it didn't matter; only Hinata and their child mattered. "You will?"
Shino nodded, his face having returned to its normal, inexpressive calm. "Come to my estate at eight in the morning. My next mission starts in three days. We can continue once I return."
Impulsively, Kiba grabbed one of Shino's hands in both of his to give it a firm shake. "Thank you." He consciously tried to express his gratitude with his tone of voice. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
Shino surprised him by placing his free hand on top of their clasped ones. "It is what friends are for." After another shake, he let go. "I shall see you in the morning."
In a blur, he was gone, leaving Kiba to marvel at the new, powerful appreciation he had for his old teammate and to wonder how he might ever repay him.
Shino was a surprisingly good teacher. Or perhaps Kiba had finally allowed himself to learn from his Aburame teammate. Either way, after a few lessons, Kiba was feeling more in control of his reactions to Hinata's periods of arousal. By the end of the month, he was comfortable enough to occasionally reciprocate Hinata's gentle touches and desire to be close to him without the fear of giving in to temptation.
Their life fell into a pleasant routine. He'd wake and prepare breakfast. They'd eat. Then she'd go visit her family or Master Kurenai or train with Shino while he would hunt mushrooms or, once the season had ended, look for and do odd jobs he could find around town. They'd meet again for dinner, followed by chores or bathing, with a little leisure time before bed.
Sometimes he'd have a day with no work, and he'd experiment with his dried surplus mushrooms. Chōji's mom would let him use the Akimichi kitchen and offer advice while taste testing the results. At home, Hinata bravely offered to be his culinary guinea pig. He kept having issues with either taste or consistency, but as frustrating as it occasionally was, he thought it was good training to get Hinata to be honest and open about what she thought.
While she would occasionally help him cook or contribute by bringing ingredients from her clan's pantry, for the most part, Hinata left Kiba in charge of food. Although she had never been one to do much takeout, when she offered to buy some to ease the burden on his finances and time, he'd explained home cooking was better for her and the baby. She had accepted that, but then she came home one day with two containers of dango and the scent of his sister and the Haimaru brothers. She said she'd run into Hana at a new dango shop and suggested they invite his sibling for a visit sometime. Kiba thought nothing of it and enjoyed the dango while discussing when might be a good time for Hana to visit.
The next day, Hinata suggested he bathe first, claiming she felt guilty that he always ended up with colder water.
Torn between accommodating either her physical or emotional comfort, he decided to indulge her odd request. It was nice to wash when the water was at its hottest, and since he'd bathed Akamaru just two days earlier, he felt no need to share the luxury with his beloved dog. Besides, if he did wash his canine partner, it would take so long to rinse all the dog hair out that the water would be stone cold by the time the bath was clean enough for Hinata's turn.
He had just finished rinsing himself after a good scrub when he heard the bath's outer door open. The sound caused his breath to catch. "Hinata?"
"Mm-hmm?" Her response was followed by the scrape of a clothes basket being moved.
Kiba's pulse picked up a notch, and he began to feel cornered, something Inuzuka were trained to avoid at all cost. "What are you doing?"
Heightening his hearing, he picked up the swish of moving fabric. After a moment, the door rattled open. Heart in his throat, he turned to see Hinata wearing nothing but a towel, a blush, and a golden chain he'd never seen before. "I'm joining you for a bath." Her pale skin practically glowed in the candlelight, and he wondered if he'd ever seen anything more mesmerizing, more tempting.
Fortunately, he hadn't been facing the door, so with a well-orchestrated squirm, he was able to hide his body's immediate and eager reaction to seeing his mate all but naked. Snatching up his bathing bucket, he covered his erect manhood. Despite taking a deep breath to calm himself, it didn't do much good because all of his blood was rushing away from his brain to destinations further south. Trying again, he found his voice. "Wh-wh-why would you do that?"
She smiled, apparently amused by his stammer. "I want to be close to you in a way that's comfortable for you. Your sister said it would be okay."
"Hana's never been in-" He managed to stop himself from blurting out his heart. Maybe he was getting more careful, like Shino'd said while teaching him to meditate. "...in this situation. No Inuzuka has." Hinata didn't need to add his one-sided love to her list of worries.
They stared at each other for a long moment, and he managed to start getting his hormones under control. She leaned over to set down the little caddy she stored her bathing supplies in, and the pendant of the golden chain slipped free of her cleavage, causing his heart to skip a beat. Her meeting with Hana couldn't have been accidental if she had a Mate's Call. So Hinata had been thinking about it for a while. Between that realization and the determined look in her eyes, he decided to accept his mate's offer of controlled intimacy. He'd been all about taking what he could get lately.
"You'd better grab another stool and bucket." Turing around, he tied a bathing towel around his waist for the sake of her modesty. Her potentially exposing herself to him was one thing, but he wasn't so sure she'd be okay with his privates hanging out. "And close the door. You're letting out all the warm air."
Despite the moist heat of the bath amplifying Hinata's magnificent scent so all he wanted to do was stick his nose in the crook of her neck and inhale it like a drug, it seemed Hana was right. Once he'd gotten over the initial flush of hormones, it wasn't too difficult keeping himself in line. Baths were for bathing. Of course, it didn't hurt that there was no hint of Hinata's arousal in the air.
Settling herself beside and slightly behind him, she touched his shoulder, and he only shivered in excitement a little. "Have you already scrubbed your back?"
It was an important part of family bathing for the Inuzuka, promoting reliance on the pack and family bonds by having another clan member do a task they could do for you better than you could do for yourself. "Yeah. I wanted to get done quick to leave you with more hot water, but I haven't done my hair yet." Hair washing was more intimate and required greater trust, so it was done by immediate family only.
"May I?"
Nodding, he chuckled. "You sound like a kid getting candy. Why would you be so into washing my messy mop?"
"Straighten up," she commanded softly. Then she poured water over his hair with one hand while the other skillfully brushed his forehead to keep stray rivulets out of his eyes. "Everyone in my family has similar hair, so other kinds interest me."
With a snap and a squirt, she poured some of his shampoo into her hands and began to massage it into his hair. Her lingering touches may have been sensual to her, but to him it was simply bliss. Having someone else wash his hair was a comfort, a reassuring psychic balm. He'd never gone without it for so long in his life; to have it again tapped into some hidden need in his soul. He couldn't help his sigh of contentment.
Her fingers paused for a moment before continuing their sublime stimulus. "You and Shino have especially different hair, and I've always wondered what it feels like. The way yours is spiky when dry but not when wet is...intriguing."
"Intriguing," he mused with a disappointed sigh, "but not sexy?"
Apparently she didn't realize he was teasing, because she made a little gasp like she'd said something impolite. "It's intimidating when dry, and that's kind of-"
"I've always thought your hair was gorgeous, even when it was short." He didn't want her to reassure him about his attractiveness. Every time her hormones made her interested, her scent said it all; there was no need for words. "Do I get to do yours when you're done with mine?"
"Sure." There was a quiet thrill in that one word.
They fell into silence as she rinsed his hair. Tilting his head and pouring with care, she managed to do it without any getting into his eyes.
"You're good at this."
She set down the bucket and ran her hands over his hair one last time, forcing out the excess moisture. "I used to wash Hanabi's hair when we were little and bathed with my mother."
"You like being a big sister." He hadn't meant to say something that might stir bad memories for her, but he was feeling so comfortable after getting his hair washed, it slipped past him.
"The happiest times with my family were when it was the three of us." There was no sadness in her voice, just quiet acceptance and love. "I still miss her."
"I miss my mom, too." He was beginning to wonder if he needed to literally bite his tongue to keep harmful things from spilling out.
"I'm sorry..."
The last thing he wanted was for her to feel self conscious. "Don't be! I'm the one who should be sorry for not thinking before opening my big yap." It must have taken a lot of nerve for her to join him; he could only show her the pleasures of family bathing if she stayed.
He heard her shift on her stool and turned to see her slip her towel off and offer him her back. While a part of him was turned on to the point of distraction, for the most part he felt profoundly privileged. Only so many men would be trusted to see her unadorned beauty; this most personal demonstration of her implicit faith in him made his heart swell.
Giving himself a shake, he returned his focus to the task at hand and brushed her hair over her shoulder so he could sluice a bucket of water across her back. She let out a little startled noise and looked back at him. "I thought you were going to do my hair."
"Huh?"
Her voice took on her patiently-explain-the-obvious tone. "I always do my hair first, that way I can tie it up so it's not in the way. Plus it keeps from needing to rinse my body twice, once for the bathing and again for the shampoo."
"Huh." He couldn't argue that her method made a certain sense, but it was not how he'd been raised. Maybe it was because she'd never bathed with a dog? If she had, she'd no doubt appreciate that shampooing the dog always came last. But all that mattered was that he make her feel as comfortable as possible. He hadn't enjoyed anything in months as much as he had the shampoo she'd given him, and he sincerely hoped she'd be willing to do it again in the future. "Sorry. I'll do your hair first."
Sweeping her hair back around, he carefully poured water over it...and then poured and poured. Between the length, thickness, and some mysterious property of her hair, it took forever to get it all damp enough to begin shampooing. While he had switched to something cheap from a shop in town, Hinata used shampoo made by her clan. Its delicate floral scent complimented the warm earthiness of her natural odor, and the pasty quality of it intrigued him. It also did an amazing job. Unlike the water, the shampoo worked its way into her hair easily, and he enjoyed the smooth, slippery texture of it beneath his fingers. Her little noises of contentment made him smile. Maybe he didn't need to worry about her wanting to bathe together again.
"It's kinda unfair, how the Hyūgas have such good looks to go with all their power." He muttered as he rinsed her hair, disappointed that he would soon have no excuse to touch her glorious, silky locks. "At least the Akimichis are heavy and the Aburames are creepy."
She made a funny sound, halfway between a gasp and a squeak.
He glanced around, looking for a bug or something, but found nothing. "What?" Setting the bucket aside, he began squeezing the water from her hair as she had done with his.
"You think I'm good looking?" There was a hint of surprise in her tone.
"Thinking means it's a matter of opinion. So no, I don't think you're pretty, I know you are." A part of him wondered how the hell she could ask something so ridiculous. "Why on earth would you even begin to think you aren't? Don't the Hyūgas own any mirrors?" Once he'd said it, he couldn't recall seeing any in the few rooms he'd seen.
She shook her head. "No one has ever shown an interest in me, so I..."
It hadn't taken long after becoming her teammate for Kiba to realize growing up with her genius cousin and extremely talented sister had undermined Hinata's faith in her abilities as a ninja, but he'd never quite understood her lack of confidence as a woman. Sure, the guy she loved barely noticed her, and smaller breasts were preferable for martially oriented kunoichi. But she was hot, and if his explaining it to her helped her gain the self-assurance to snag her dream guy, it was a minor payment against his karmic debt for her carrying his child.
Leaning past her, he ignored the gasp she made when his chest touched her back, focusing on using a bath towel to wipe the moisture off the sliding glass door. Then he lifted her sputtering, luscious body by the armpits. Once she was on her feet, he turned her so she faced the door. The darkness of the changing room behind it caused the surface to act like a hazy mirror, reflecting them from head to toe.
He momentarily forgot his plan as he realized how good they looked together. His larger body and dark skin framed her pale, petite form perfectly, and the hard lines of his muscles accentuated her soft curves. As he admired how their contrasts highlighted each others beauty, his heart ached that he couldn't have her.
The touch of her fingers against his on her shoulder brought him out of his reverie. He wasn't completely sure what that look in her eyes meant, but he marveled that she didn't seem too shy about what she saw.
Gesturing to the girl in the reflection, he smiled. "Meet Hinata. I know she comes from the top clan in Konoha, but she's not the least bit stuck up. She might seem a little reserved, but she's really just shy. Once you get her talking, you'll see she's sweet and kind, and she's got the cutest giggle." He tickled her sides like he used to when they were younger, and she squirmed and giggled. "She has one of those smiles that makes you want to smile, too." Brushing back the long, straight, blue-black locks that had fallen over her shoulder, he resisted the urge to lift some to his nose. "Don't bother asking her the secret behind that awesome hair, because even when she's been on missions for a week without a bath, it looks just as good." Sliding his hands along her shoulders, he caused her to straighten from her tickle-induced hunch. "Although she's modest and hides it, her body is just as gorgeous. Can you believe a girl this amazing doesn't have a boyfriend?" He shook his head in mock surprise. "It's only because she's so quiet that the stupid boys don't notice her. Plus her dad's the scariest guy in town." Pulling a serious face, he nodded. "One day, she's going to make some lucky bastard the happiest guy in the world."
She smiled at him as a blush dusted her cheeks. But it wasn't the kind of smile and blush that would make a guy want to learn just how flushed she could get. It was the kind of smile that let him know he'd done right by her, and it warmed his heart to see it. Even so, he was becoming a little overfond of the view, and her hips could tempt a saint. Since he was no saint, he needed to get back to safer territory.
"Now, has that issue been settled so we can get back to getting you clean before the water turns cold?" He said it in an intentionally huffy manner, but that didn't diminish her smile.
She sat on her bathing stool and turned her back to him again. Pulling an elastic band from her caddy, she tied her hair into a haphazard swirl with an absent grace he thought he could observe for a lifetime and never grow tired of. Once she was done, she waited a moment before glancing back at him, her gaze skimming slowly over his torso before reaching his eyes. "Aren't you going to do my back?"
Drawing a deep breath, he counted backward from ten and tried not to feel guilty for staring and stupid for standing there like a dazed moon calf. "Of course. Which container is your soap?" Despite all of her personal care products being homemade and coming in nearly identical containers and consistencies, he knew which one it was by the smell, but it gave him something to cover the awkwardness her frank gaze had caused him.
Reaching into her bathing caddy, she pulled out a slightly wider, more brown than black container and handed it to him.
"Do you use a wash cloth or scrub brush or...?" He wanted to do whatever she was used to, since he's already messed up by trying to wash her back first.
"I usually just scrub it on with my hands then rinse it off." She said it very neutrally, but he could hear her pulse pick up its pace in anticipation.
What perverse god had put a healthy, teenaged, Inuzuka male alone with his beautiful, interested, naked mate when he couldn't have her? Was it a blessing or a curse? He wasn't sure, but he managed to keep his hands from trembling as he rubbed the gritty paste on her pale, perfect back. While her chest sported a nasty reminder of her cousin's cruelty during their first chūnin exams, and her arms and legs had the same scars anyone in their profession collected over the years, it was a testament to his efforts and Shino's that she had never been seriously wounded from behind. Apparently she had fared just as well in missions without them because, as he indulgently ran his fingers over every inch of her back, he didn't find the least trace or pucker of a scar.
His enjoyment of his task, of being allowed to touch her without hesitation or reserve, as a mate should, was distracted by the oceany smell of the soap that made him realize salt was what made it grainy. Curious, he licked some off his finger, but it was so nasty he hastily spit it out.
"Are you all right?" There was a hint of amusement in her concern that made him wonder if she'd somehow seen what he'd done.
"I, uh..." Glancing at the door, he saw it had been fogged over again, so she couldn't have seen him without using byakugan, which he couldn't imagine her doing in such a situation. "I just got a hair in my mouth."
Nodding, she leaned back into his touch with a noise of pleasure so quiet he was sure she thought he couldn't hear it, if she was even aware of it. She might be playing by his rules, but she was doing it for herself, not that he disapproved—he figured she could stand to be a little more selfish.
"Is that good?" He had intended to find out if her back was done, not sound so encouragingly sultry.
"Mmm." She sighed and straightened. "Rinse me, please?"
To dip his bucket into the tub, he had to reach past her, causing him to brush her back with his chest again. This time, he was the one who gasped at the contact. The line between bathing and something more was suddenly getting blurry, and he realized it was because he could smell her hormones beginning to rise. Not wanting to tempt fate further, he rinsed her thoroughly and thought of his mother and sister instead the desirable creature in front of him.
Inspiration struck, and he pumped some cold water into his bucket to rinse himself one last time before hopping into the tub to soak. Between that and a few, careful, deep breaths through his mouth—a trick Shino had suggested to diminish his sense of smell—he managed to get his own hormones under control. And then he watched her with avid interest, wanting to know what her personal hygiene habits were like, charmed by how she daintily swirled a little toe brush around each toe the same way she brushed her teeth, one at a time. Even with her alluring, maturing body, she was adorable, and he didn't understand how her cousin, someone who'd grown up with her, could ever have been so messed up as to nearly kill her, how arrogance and pride and hurt could keep someone from doing what came so naturally to him, could keep anyone who knew her from wanting to do anything other than protect her and make her happy. For a clan that prided itself on the clarity of its eyesight, the Hyūgas could sure be blind idiots.
"Hana made it sound like bathing was a time for being social, but you're awfully quiet." She didn't look up as she rinsed off the leg she'd been working on and started on the other.
"We see each other every day, so there's no real news to catch up on." He huffed and moved to the other side of the tub, further from her and her alluring scent. "Besides, bathing makes me think about family stuff, and I'd rather not spoil the mood by talking about that."
"It's all right, Kiba. I don't mind."
He had to shift his gaze to the ceiling so he wouldn't ogle her leg as she scrubbed. Ten, nine, eight... "How could Neji have grown up with you and done what he did?" He had always wanted to know but had never felt like he could ask. If the pompous jerk was going to be even remotely related to his child, he figured it was okay to ask in the confines of the bath.
He heard her pause before continuing, her voice no different from before. "I forget that you weren't there for his fights against me or Naruto. I heard from Hanabi what he said after you took me to the hospital." She sighed sadly as she dipped her bucket into the bath and rinsed her leg. "His father died because of me."
"What?" Knowing Neji was disgruntled about being a Branch member and his father's death was one thing, but Kiba had never heard that Hinata was somehow involved.
"When I was three, I was kidnapped; and father killed the kidnapper, who was an important dignitary from Kumo. They demanded my father's body in the name of retribution, but it was really so they might get the byakugan they didn't get from me. It was that or war." Dipping her bucket in again, she rinsed a final time then climbed into the tub without meeting his gaze, but her hushed tone told him how important it was to her without needing to see it in her eyes. "My uncle took his place, but father never told Neji that my uncle had willingly chosen his own death for the sake of the clan and for my father. Neji's airing of his grievances shamed my father into acknowledging what had happened. It was that day my father finally started grieving the loss of his brother and Neji began mending the part of his soul that was broken all those years ago."
Unable to resist, he moved close and drew her into his arms so he wrapped around her like a protective coat, though it wasn't something he could protect her from. "It wasn't your fault."
"I know, but it's sad that I never got to know that part of my uncle. All I ever saw of him was bitterness. I'm relieved that Neji is growing away from the misunderstandings and hatred, that he's been freed from them." She leaned against him with a little hiccup that told him she was fighting tears, but her tone was still soft and reverent. "I owe my uncle so much. Because of him, I have a father and a cousin, and from him I leaned to choose my fate whenever I can. Without his example, I might never have fought father to keep our baby, and without the lessons my uncle and Neji taught father, he might never have let me."
Without thinking, he nuzzled the side of her face and kissed her temple, but it turned out to be the right thing to do. She sighed and her shoulders relaxed. When he could hear her pulse and breathing stabilize, he loosened his hold and carefully wrapped an escaped lock around her makeshift bun. "Does he have a grave here?"
She nodded.
"Would it be all right if we visit tomorrow morning? I'd like to burn some incense and say thanks." He was glad he sounded as sincere as he felt.
"Thank you." Tilting her head back, it fell so naturally into the crook of his neck it was as though they were made to fit together.
It took effort not to kiss her temple again. "Look, the way I see it, I owe the guy. There's nothing you need to thank me for."
Running her fingers along his arm that was still wrapped around her shoulders, she shook her head a little. "Not just for that, but for this." He could hear her smile in her tone as she gave his arm a squeeze. "I'd missed being able to be close to you, comfortable with you."
He wanted to say they'd never, ever, been this close, but instead he just nodded. "I'm sorry." It had become his token response to everything. Sometimes he was really sick of being sorry. "I don't think I can be like this outside of here."
"It's all right." She rubbed her cheek along his neck with an honest hum of contentment. "I know it hasn't been easy for you, either."
"Hinata..." He was pissed at himself for the way he'd practically purred her name and how her pulse sped up in response. Clearing his throat, he decided to move to a related but safer topic. "For the record, there have been plenty of guys interested in you."
She stiffened in his embrace. "What? Who?"
"Remember that tall, skinny chūnin with the long hair in Iwa?"
Gasping, she twisted so she was sideways in front of him. Her eyes were rounded in surprise. "Ishitari?"
"Yeah, I guess that was his name." Kiba shrugged in indifference, though he had been anything but indifferent at the time. "You didn't notice, but he couldn't take his eyes off of you until Akamaru and I explained that you weren't interested." He resisted grinning as he remembered the stench of fear he'd gotten off the guy by the time he'd finished "explaining."
Her lips puckered into an indignant pout. "How would you know I wasn't interested?"
Having teased her mercilessly about her reactions to Naruto over the years, it surprised him she could ask that. But he had never openly discussed her crush, and he didn't feel like starting. Instead, he just gave her a knowing smirk. "Were you?"
She flushed prettily. "Well, no..."
He bumped her back playfully with his knee. "Then I did both of you a favor, since it's not cool to lead on a guy you're not interested in, even if it's just because you're too shy to say, 'no.'"
Apparently thinking back, her expression became uncertain. "Are you sure...?"
"Yes!" Rolling his eyes for dramatic effect he raised his free hand to his head and pulled it away in an expression that questioned her perceptions. "And it's not as though he was the first."
"He wasn't?" Her eyes widened in surprise then narrowed in suspicion. "Who?"
If it would help her feel more confident in herself, he'd list every ignorant, young foreigner he and Shino had chased off since her boobs started to grow. Besides, it was a lot more entertaining and comfortable than dodging a discussion about his own interest.
Kiba used his usual post-bath bath cleaning as an excuse to let her dress and leave first, because he really wasn't sure he could handle watching her put on her clothes without wanting to take them back off. Once he finished and left, he whistled for his dog. Akamaru bounded up happily, only pausing when he was close enough to sense his partner's tension.
"I thought I told you to help me out when Hinata wanted to get close."
The big dog sat with an irritated huff and explained that Hinata hadn't been hormonal and they had been bathing. Admittedly, from an Inuzuka point of view, bathing and sex were as unrelated as laundry and tracking.
"Yeah, well..."
Akamaru asked if there had been a problem and if he should keep her from bathing with Kiba in the future. There was a hint of mockery in the dog's tone that implied any problems would indicate a lack on Kiba's part.
"Nah, she can bathe with me again." He felt an unexpected relief, having said it out loud. No matter the difficulties and temptation, it had been worth it just to have his hair washed by someone else. "But I expect you to warn me and help me out better next time she gets..."
Nodding, Akamaru got up to lean against him affectionately.
"Thanks, buddy."
Patting the big dog's head, he felt reassured and marveled at all the people who were supporting him through his hard times. He had even found help in the unlikeliest of people—a long dead Hyūga. Shaking his head at the mysteries of life, he made his way to the cabin and contemplated what he would cut from his budget to buy incense, because the man responsible for his mate being able to keep their baby deserved the best he could afford.
Inside, he found Hinata embroidering the curtain. Her back was to him, and he admired her beautiful hair and the lush curve of her hips that even her modest, baggy pajamas didn't hide. He couldn't help the spike of desire that ran through him as he observed the domestic scene in front of him, and his fingers itched to touch her skin again.
Half sympathetic, half teasing, Akamaru asked if he was going to be all right.
Always preferring honesty, Kiba laughed. "Who knows?"
DETAILS
As can be seen in films like "Tonari no Totoro"/"My Neighbor Totoro," traditionally, Japanese families bathed together. Given the energy, time, and effort involved in pumping and heating water, it is a sensible habit. There are still Japanese communities with public baths, though those are usually separated between men and women. Spas and resorts will often have private bathing rooms, which can be used for couples, families, etc. All that aside, anyone who has owned a large dog knows that bathing them means you're likely to end up all but bathed, yourself. Since the series has twice shown that Kiba bathes with Akamaru (see the Naruto filler episode 184 and the extra at the end of Naruto Shippūden episode 94), I expanded on that and worked together Inuzuka habits with the Japanese cultural elements that connect sharing certain personal hygiene tasks with trust and intimacy. Hopefully I made it all make sense to you, too.
There are two versions of what happened to Kiba, Hinata, and Akamaru during the chūnin finals. In the manga, and then again in the Naruto Shippūden filler episode 192, Kabuto healed Hinata on the top level of the bleachers then knocked out Kiba (and Akamaru, somehow). I think the Naruto TV series resolves a major problem with this plot detail: How is it no one noticed two passed out kids next to the top of the stairs that lead to the exit of that seating section and, presumably, bathrooms, etc., during the rest of Neji and Naruto's fight as well as Shikamaru and Temari's, most of the in-stadium fight between Gaara and Sasuke, and all the breaks between? In the TV version, after Kabuto heals her, Kiba takes Hinata to the hospital and returns right before the people in the stands are put under the sleeping jutsu. This makes much more sense to me, so it's what I'm using, even though it's ultimately a tiny detail.
THANK YOU to all my reviewers—especially NicoXChiku says Cata, Hellewise14, Little Hoarder, DreaminginOctober, heartsXkisses, and Greatness Alone for reviewing multiple chapters—I really appreciate it!