Cravings
"Are you sure you don't want to stay in longer?" Kiba asked with worry, his gaze moving from the injury on his wife's head to her stomach. They had decided to keep her in over night when she was sick not long after they informed their family about the triplets. Though she assured them it was just her morning sickness, the doctors wanted to be on the safe side. He watched as Yukiko pulled on her shoes and looked up to stare at him in exhaustion. It wasn't particularly all directed at him, but a mix of things.
"I know you mean well, and that the doctors mean well." She began before covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. "But I really cannot spend another night in here unless it is absolutely necessary. I'm fine, I just want to go-" she stopped mid sentence and sighed, looking away. "I just need to go back to Shino's and rest." Kiba became thoughtful as he watched her gather her things.
Was she about to say she wanted to go home but stopped to correct herself so he wouldn't get upset or annoyed? That was certainly possible. She was doing a lot of things for his benefit after all. Kiba remembered their heated conversation in the hallway the night before she ended up in hospital. She had said she wasn't going to come home unless she was wanted there. He wanted to insist again that she come back home but after all that had happened over the last two days, he knew it would just seem like it was just because of her being pregnant with his children. Yukiko had explained it all clearly that night and he could understand it, so he would respect her wishes.
When she turned to head for the door, he stood and walked to her side. They walked in silence and for Kiba, he felt very tense and uneasy. Was he standing too close to her? Or was he not standing close enough? Did she even want him to stay with her? Should he offer to take her bag? He glanced to the bag, it wasn't heavy since it was just the towel and clothes she had worn the day before. Kiba knew she could manage it but should he at least offer to take it anyway to show that he was trying? But even if it was with the intention of being helpful, would she take offence and think he thought she was weak? This was all so confusing for him! What the hell was he meant to do?!
"Kiba?" he jumped at the sound of her voice and looked down at her. He looked around in confusion to see they were in the lift. Quickly he looked back to Yukiko. She stared at him with an intent expression. "What's wrong?" Was there any point in lying and saying he was fine?
"Just my head going out of control." He began softly. "Worried about saying or doing the wrong thing around you."
"Just go at your own pace Kiba, this whole situation is tiring and stressful and all we can do is handle it in a way that suits us individually." Yukiko told him gently, reaching out to squeeze his arm in reassurance. Kiba could have almost gotten lost in the willowy sound of her voice and clear purple of her eyes. "So take a deep breath and relax. Otherwise another doctor is going to try and make one of us stay another night." She added with a small smile that grew when he let out a laugh and nodded.
Stepping outside of the wonderfully air conditioned hospital and into the hot open air made Yukiko's breath tighten in her chest for a moment. She had thought she was adapting but today seemed to be the hottest day in a long while. Yukiko had slept horribly the past while; the heat being one of the factors and her night in the hospital had done little to replenish her strength and she knew if she so much as swayed, now there would be someone there to insist she go back inside for another check over and stay over night. Refusing to let that happen, Yukiko managed to keep her pace matched with Kiba.
Suddenly Kiba veered and wasn't heading in the direction of Shino's apartment anymore; he wasn't even heading for the estate for that matter. Yukiko opened her mouth to ask where they were going when she finally spotted what had taken his attention so sharply. The park lay ahead of them and not far away was a bench sitting under the shade of the trees.
"Do you make a habit of not telling people things when it comes to your own wellbeing?" he asked as he gestured for her to sit down first. His knowing smirk grew when she threw him a small glower as she sat down. "So a lot then."
"It's not that far, I would have managed the rest of the walk." Yukiko stated, not needing to give him an actual response if his satisfied expression was anything to go by. Though she did have to admit sitting in the shade was a pleasant feeling. She glanced over at Kiba sitting next to her and noted the space he purposely left between them. Sitting back on the bench, she looked out at the park in front of them; for a moment she looked at the play area and saw the children and their parents but looked away again to instead watch people walk by, and the groups of teenagers lying out in the sun talking and laughing. Yukiko let out a content hum and tilted her head back as she got comfortable. "It feels like an age since we last relaxed like this together."
Kiba smiled and looked at her relaxed form. He supposed it had been a while for her when she counted the time he had been away, then in hospital and then when he didn't know who she really was. Then he grew curious at her words. "Were we always relaxed around each other?" he asked, watching her turn her head and smile at him.
"I might be biased but I believe we were very much so. In the beginning I think we were both guarded for different reasons but I don't think things were ever awkward or tense." Yukiko told him. "I think after we kissed for the first time was when we started to properly adjust…" she paused and smiled fondly at the memory. "Funny how long ago that seems. Sorry, that was insensitive of me to say." Kiba frowned when her smile faded and she looked away from him.
"So when was our first kiss?" he asked, not realising he had moved closer and draped his arm across the back of the bench until his fingers lightly touched her hair. Yukiko didn't seem startled or annoyed by it, he observed. In fact she barely seemed to notice as she looked back to meet his gaze with hers. She seemed conflicted to answer. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know. Anything you say won't be insensitive or offensive."
"It was after you threw me in the pond." Yukiko explained and he snorted with laughter.
"Okay, I didn't see that one coming." He chuckled. "I was expecting an answer like 'after our first date' or something like that." Kiba watched Yukiko's head tilt slightly and her lips press together in a momentarily tight line. "What? Don't tell me that was our first date?"
"We actually never went on a date…"
"We never went out?" he repeated in shock
"We would meet Naruto and the others at the bar but I don't think that's what you mean." Yukiko explained with a tiny shake of her head and he was left staring at her slightly dumbfounded. What the hell was wrong with him when he got older? Even when he had flings with women, he at least took them out on a date! He sat back when Yukiko suddenly got to her feet and stretched. "We should start moving again or I'm going to fall asleep here." Kiba smiled and stood with her.
Yukiko trudged into the apartment, suddenly feeling deflated and disappointed. She had thanked Kiba for walking her back and insisted he didn't need to stay with her any longer, knowing he'd have training scheduled with his genin squad. For a while it had felt like it used to be but she had to remind herself that it probably wasn't the case. Tiredly she rubbed her eyes and looked into the bedroom she had been staying in.
As exhausted as she was, she knew sleep wouldn't come easily for her and when she did sleep, she'd just wake up after a couple hours and still feel just as tired as she had before. She smiled at Amaya who came to greet her by rubbing her head fondly against her side. Yukiko's gaze drifted to her stomach. She had three babies to prepare for, to protect and care for even before their arrival. Being exhausted wasn't going to do them any good; she had to make them a priority. Sighing she walked into the bedroom and closed the curtains and door before climbing into the bed and shut her eyes. Surprisingly she felt her body getting heavier quicker than she thought. Sleep would come soon.
A sudden knock at the front door came and her eyes snapped open. With a long groan, she pulled herself from the bed and shuffled to the door. Opening it she blearily stared at her guest with heavy eyes.
"I leave you for a few minutes and you manage to look worse…" Kiba sighed down at his wife who scowled at him. Then he winced. "You were asleep weren't you?"
"About to be…" she grumbled tiredly. "Why'd you come back?" she asked moving to let him into the apartment. With the door closed, she began to move to the kitchen to get him a drink but was lifted so swiftly from her feet that she yelped in surprise and woke up enough to stare at her husband with widened eyes. "Kiba what are you doing?"
"I should be asking you that. I didn't come here to chat and drink tea. I came here to look after you." He explained, carrying her to the bedroom her scent was strongest in.
"You have your squad Kiba. I can look after myself." Yukiko protested weakly, being against him like this and feeling his body heat radiate into hers was lulling her to sleep like it had always done in the past. "I don't need babysitting if all I'm doing is lying in bed."
"Never said you needed babysitting or that you couldn't look after yourself." Kiba smiled as he settled her back on the mattress. "But you did manage to end up in hospital from taking a shower because you're that worn out. If I'm here to keep an eye on you until you're back to normal it'll ease me and everyone else from worrying too much."
Even though her body had slackened Yukiko's eyes still refused to fully close now that he had pulled back. Forcing her hand to move, she managed to curl her fingers around his sleeve. He could have easily pulled free if he wanted but he had stopped.
"Stay here, please." She asked softly. "Just until I'm fully asleep?" Kiba stared at her pleading gaze and the dark circles under her dimmed purple eyes. Had she been unable to sleep properly without him for all this time? Sighing he stood up straighter and stepped back.
At first Yukiko felt hurt tighten in her chest to see him walk away but he wasn't heading for the door, she realised he was going to the other side of the bed. She watched him shrug out of his jacket and heard him kick off his shoes before he propped himself to sit on the bed beside her.
"I'm only going to do this on one condition." He said, watching her frown in confusion. "I'll stay if you go on a date with me." Kiba listened to her tired laughter and grinned.
"Deal, but you have to lie down beside me." She countered.
"Oh such a terrible condition!" he declared dramatically before lying down fully, he stared at her seriously. "Will you please sleep now?" Yukiko yawned and moved close enough to settle her head against his shoulder. He watched to see her smile in contentment and give in to sleep immediately.
Kiba was lost in the thought of how easy and comfortable the whole day had been. Walking with her, talking and sitting together on the bench. Listening to her reminiscing about a moment they had shared that now only she remembered was surprisingly enjoyable to hear when he thought it would have hurt or annoyed him. Instead he had tried to force himself to remember it and settled for picturing it. Picturing kissing his wife for the first time and the strange circumstances that brought it on.
Her presence was so powerful yet so subtle that it wasn't until she left him outside the apartment building that he had felt its absence and his want for it again began to grow. Kiba had gone to reschedule the training session with his squad before going back to the apartment. Now here he was watching her sleep deeply. Carefully, he moved to put his arm that she was lying on was now around her waist. Enjoying the feeling of her body against his, Kiba tucked his free hand under the back of his head. It wasn't long before he felt his own eyes beginning to drift closed.
When Kiba awoke, he was expecting only a couple hours to have passed but when his eyes opened he was met with pitch black. Letting his sight adjust, he looked down to see Yukiko was still fast asleep. Slowly and carefully he sat up and lifted his hands away without disturbing her. Creeping out into the living room he saw the clock on the wall reading it was half four in the morning. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and stretched before making his way into the kitchen, suddenly in need of something to eat.
As he sat on the sofa, eating leftovers he found in the fridge he kept glancing towards Yukiko's bedroom. While he knew she was only a few feet away, he worried if she was okay. He would have preferred eating in the room with her but also didn't want to disturb her. Suddenly he paused in his chewing as he realised how much he physically wished to be close to her. It seemed that even though his mind had forgotten his wife, it seemed his body hadn't; there was still some memory of her presence that it still craved. Sitting in silence, he thought of her face and tried to remember something about her, he tried to force his mind to bring something back. With a frustrated growl, he slammed his fork into the last of the food and ate in annoyance.
With the meal finished and cleaned away, Kiba stood at the counter and glanced towards the door of Yukiko's bedroom. He scowled to think that. It shouldn't be 'her room,' her room was back at the Inuzuka estate. He thought back once more to when they were leaving the hospital and she stopped herself from saying she wanted to go home and as cosy and enjoyable as it was to be in Shino's apartment, this was not home for her. Kiba wondered if he should ask her to come back to the estate but like before he was struck with the worry that it would seem he was only doing so because she was pregnant. Groaning, he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to work out what it was he was supposed to do about this situation.
Sighing he approached the bedroom door but stopped when his hand hovered over the handle when he heard something. Heightening his senses he could hear her stir but with he could now also sense the presences of two other people and both were in Shino's room. Kiba looked to the other door and remembered he still had yet to figure out who Shino's mystery girl was especially since he had thought it was Yukiko the entire time. Suddenly the door opened and he smelt the strong smell of violets and jasmine. Looking down he met Yukiko's stare and saw the surprise in her eyes.
"You stayed?" she asked, her soft voice still heavy from sleep. Kiba then realised how it must have looked to her when she woke and saw it was just her in the bed.
"Yeah, sorry I would have stayed sleeping but my stomach wouldn't let me. Sorry, I suppose I should have left you a note or something." He said nervously while scratching the back of his head. But Yukiko gave a tired smile and shook her head.
"No, you don't need to apologise or explain. You promised to stay until I fell asleep you could have gone home after that." She told him sincerely as she rubbed her eyes and forced herself to wake up more to offer him and brighter smile. "I'm glad you stayed though."
Yukiko looked briefly to see Shino's door was still opened halfway meaning he wasn't asleep or in the apartment and seeing as he hadn't mentioned a mission that only left one option about where he was. She smiled to herself and continued towards the kitchen but her glance and smile didn't go unnoticed by Kiba. A curious look crept over his face and he followed close behind, leaning his elbow on the countertop as he watched her prepare food for herself.
"You know who Shino's seeing, don't you?" Yukiko sighed and glanced at him, merely giving him a single nod but refused to say anything. "And you aren't going to tell me who she is, are you?"
"It's not for me to say Kiba," she said pulling open the fridge to gather the food she wanted which was just a container of strawberries. Yukiko took the fruit and grabbed a jar of peanut butter from the counter Kiba was leaning on and she paused only realising her body was almost pressed against his. For a moment she looked up at him and cleared her throat. "If you're that curious, ask him. He's actually nervous so getting it over an done with will be a blessing." She moved around him and out to the living room, sitting on the sofa with her legs tucked under her.
Kiba settled into the armchair closest to the sofa and watched his wife open the jar and begin to dip the bright red strawberries into it. His lips quirked into an amused smile as he saw the anticipation and delight in her bright eyes before they slid closed when she took the first bite. Though seeing the bliss and pleasure on her face and hearing the soft moan come from her lips made his smile fall and he suddenly felt a new feeling creep over him. He could see her face in his mind as he imagined her moaning for completely different reasons and it frustrated him to not know if they were just his imagination or if they were in fact memories. His hands itched suddenly to close the distance and be closer to her again.
Yukiko's eyes snapped open and she realised Kiba was staring at her. In her need to feed her pregnancy cravings, she forgot she wasn't alone. Then she realised she was moaning and it was clear Kiba heard it. She licked her lips and glanced at the strawberries remaining and was too hungry and craving them too much to stop eating. With a small smile she held out the container to offer one to Kiba who glanced at them warily.
"Are you going to get annoyed if I take a big one?" he asked trying to lighten the mood and distract him for the inappropriate thoughts going through his mind. Yukiko laughed softly and shook her head, leaning closer to hold the fruit out to him. Relenting he leant forward as well and picked the first strawberry in reach and paused to look at the jar on her lap. Yukiko grinned and lifted the jar to offer it to him. Kiba laughed softly and let a small amount of the peanut butter spread onto the fruit before he sat back and took a hesitant bite. Immediately his eyebrows rose in surprise and he slowed his chewing to savour the mix of flavours.
Knowing it would be too awkward to keep leaning over, he got up and sat down beside Yukiko so the strawberries and the peanut butter were in reach. It also served to ease his want to be closer to her again. Yukiko watched Kiba's movements carefully and hiding her emotions as best she could. She was happy to see him willingly move closer but knew it was just to stop either of them leaning so much in order to get the food. She had to keep reminding herself that Kiba's feelings toward her were not the same as they had been but she could see that he was trying his best. But still she hoped and selfishly wished his memories would somehow miraculously return.
"So where do you want to go?" he asked suddenly and she looked to him in confusion. Seeing the look in her eyes, Kiba grinned and clarified. "For our date." His grin widened when he watched Yukiko pause and stare at him in slight bewilderment. Slowly she swallowed the bite of food in her mouth and shrugged.
"I don't know. Where do people usually go on a date?" she asked and Kiba blinked. "I suppose most people aren't pregnant when they date. Which will mean most places would be ruled out because of my condition…"
"Not necessarily." Kiba shrugged watching Yukiko glance at her stomach and shift uncomfortably. He frowned, not intending to make her self-conscious. "Most of my first dates, that I can remember obviously were usually relaxed. Dinner, walk in the park, dancing, that type of thing. Mostly it was about spending time and getting to know the girl…well if it was a proper date that is." He frowned at her and cleared his throat. "I'm not going to lie, I've probably done a lot more hooking up with women than I have dated them."
Yukiko allowed herself a small smile at Kiba's attempt to soothe her worries and at his honesty. She licked her lips and set the almost emptied container of strawberries aside. Turning to face Kiba properly, she pushed the hair from her face and thought about what he said.
"Wouldn't this be counted as a date then?" she asked looking around the apartment. It was just them at this moment. She blinked when Kiba gave a small snort of laughter.
"Yes, I suppose but I would rather my first date with my wife to be a little bit nicer than Shino's living room. I have a reputation to uphold." He grinned, watching Yukiko give a small laugh. She sighed and got to her feet.
"I'll just get ready and you can decide what we do. I'll be happy with anything." She instructed, leaving to the bedroom offering no room for arguing. Kiba gave a small chuckle and covered the peanut butter, glancing out the window he only just realised it was still far too early in the morning to do anything. Well anything that cost money that was.
Though he supposed this early in the morning, the temperature would be perfect for Yukiko. He got to his feet to clean up but winced when a pain suddenly flared in his head. Groaning, Kiba swayed and gripped the sofa to stay upright. Covering his eyes, an image flashed into his head. He didn't recognise the room but it was large and beautifully decorated. He saw the blurred figures in front of him and then a clearer image flashed. Yukiko. Yukiko was entering the room in a midnight blue kimono with an almost empty expression. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he blinked to meet concerned purple eyes staring at him.
"Kiba?" she asked urgently. "Kiba are you okay?" Kiba took a breath watching Yukiko intently while waiting for the pain and disorientated feeling to finally pass. He offered her a reassuring smile but he could see from her expression she was not going to let this be ignored. He didn't want to worry her though? What was the point in saying he had a brief flash of what? What was that really? A memory? If he told her though she might get her hopes up too high. All he clearly saw was her. Hardly something worth mentioning.
"Sorry, just-" he paused, the half-truth on the tip of his tongue and he cleared his throat. "A very brief headache and I saw you in my mind. I don't know exactly what it was or what happened but it's over now. Come on, some fresh air will help." He told her but glanced down to look at her hands; one tightly gripping his arm and the other on his chest. It seemed Yukiko noticed what she had been doing and misread his stare because she quickly dropped her hands and went to pull on her shoes. There was that feeling again, that craving to be close to her again, to feel her presence close beside him once more.
With the dogs walking faithfully by their sides and no one else on the street, Kiba felt a sense of calm and contentment fall over him. With just them he didn't feel the stares of people as he passed, some who looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to return their greetings when he no longer remembered them. Others who knew of his situation looked at him with some measure of pity that they gave every shinobi who was still recovering from any lasting injury they brought back with them. At this moment in time he felt no pressure or pity and with Yukiko and their dogs he felt oddly happy and not as stressed as he had been.
"So what was I doing?" Yukiko asked when they reached the park. She glanced up at him and gave him a curious smile. "In your mind."
"That's a loaded and very unspecific question. You've done a lot in my mind." He thoughtlessly told her with a wicked grin but paused when he realised his words. "Sorry. I shouldn't have-"
"Kiba." Yukiko laughed, stopping by the trees and turning to face him. "Firstly, I'm your wife, secondly I'm pregnant and I didn't get that way by just us holding hands, thirdly even if it's just your imagination at this moment the chances are it's something we have actually done. Why are you apologising?" Kiba blinked at her unapologetic bluntness and he couldn't help but laugh when he found he couldn't argue with those points even if her wanted to.
"I don't know. I think I'm still adjusting to the realisation that you are in fact my wife. Especially when for a while I thought you were the one seeing Shino and any attraction I felt towards you was something I immediately felt guilty about." He watched as Yukiko's lips spread into a broad grin and heard the growing laugh building until she let it out. Kiba found himself mesmerised by the unrestrained sound watching the tears of laughter make her already stunning eyes shine more. She tried to stop to speak but it seemed impossible and in the end she had to lay a hand on her stomach and the other on his wrist in order to stay standing.
Something seemed to click in Kiba then. That craving feeling he had earlier didn't even seem to compare to this feeling now. Reaching out he lightly brushed the soft strands of blond hair from Yukiko's face and lightly lay his hand on her hip. His touch immediately controlled her laughter and she was left staring up at him trying to decipher the look in his eyes. Then he took a tentative step forward and she knew, her breath hitching in her lungs. Kiba paused when he was torturously close, both could feel the other's breath against their lips and both waited tense for the other to change their mind at the last minute. Yukiko closed the last of the space between them and captured his mouth with hers.
Then that need grew in Kiba and he felt a spark run through him. It was as he thought; his body remembered the feel of his wife even though his mind forgot. That lack of interest in any other woman seemed to be explained the second he felt Yukiko's lips move against his. The kiss grew more passionate and hungry with every second. Yukiko grinned into the kiss as both Kiba's hands settled on her hips to steady her when back pressed against the trunk of the tree behind her. Finally they both broke away from the kiss and Kiba lightly touched Yukiko's forehead with his own.
"Not bad for a first date…" Yukiko laughed breathlessly looking up at Kiba who was suddenly becoming more serious as he stared at her and she became worried and concerned. She remembered how he was this morning, was he feeling unwell again? Another headache? She was about to ask was he okay when he spoke.
"Move back home." He said and he saw the argument from the earlier night coming back. "I want you there. Not because I know the truth or just because you're my pregnant wife. Yukiko, hearing you were in hospital frightened me. I know you can look after yourself but now I'm going to worry when Shino's away about whether you've fallen from a lack of sleep or because the heat's getting to you. I want you to be safe but I also want you to be happy and I don't think you're happy staying at Shino's. Yes I'll admit I'm still wrapping my head around everything and trying to get over the loss of my memories but I do want you to come back home. Just please say you'll come back or at least consider it."
Yukiko stared at him for a long moment and finally sighed. She bit her lower lip, considering her words before finally speaking.
"Yes, I want to come back, Kiba it's my home and I want to be with you but I can't help but feel like this is all so strange. We're both at different points in all of this and your emotions are no doubt all over the place I just worry you'll feel pressured to meet me where I'm at just to make everyone else happy."
"Then we go slow. You said yourself we need to go at paces we're comfortable with and you moving back is something I'm comfortable with." Kiba explained but he could see where she was coming from, it had only been a couple days ago that they had their argument and he had been a complete jackass to her. "We can sleep in different rooms if you want, as long as you're back home were you belong I'll be happy." It took another moment of deep consideration before Yukiko smirked at him.
"One date, one kiss and you're already asking me to move in I must be an amazing kisser." she mused before continuing in a more serious tone. "Yes, I'll come back but for now we'll do as you say. Separate rooms, we go slow."