Author: It's finally completed! I can't believe this story is coming to a close. I really want to thank those who left me reviews, favorited, and followed this story. I didn't expect much. It was just something I had dreamt up that I wanted to get out of my mind and onto paper. Your kindness, patience, and that you've stuck with this story meant a lot to me. This last chapter is my longest, at almost 6,000 words. I really didn't feel like splitting it up into two chapters and felt that it flowed better as one. Hope you enjoy! (I obviously don't own Naruto. I only own the OC's.)
"I've had to go days and weeks and years without you. But not for one single second did I ever stop loving you."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kiba stood in front of the door to the Hokage's office, trying to work up the nerve to knock. It wasn't necessarily that he was nervous, but that he was embarrassed. Incredibly embarrassed. He was about to open himself up in a way that he didn't do often. Really, the only person he'd ever opened up to was Nanami. But she wasn't here.
He scratched the back of his head. "Okay, I'll start off with... No, wait that's stupid... Maybe...no..." Kiba groaned and put his head in his heads. "Ugh, what do I do, Akamaru?" His dog looked at him with an expression that read perfectly as 'how the hell should I know?'
"Stop blubbering out there and COME IN ALREADY!" An impatient female voice shouted from the other end of the door.
Kiba jolted to attention and immediately opened the door, Akamaru following behind him. On the other side stood Lady Tsunade and a flustered looking Kakashi. Tsunade-sama had been preparing Kakashi to take over as the new Hokage. If the look on his face and the files stacked everywhere was any indication, the transition was daunting.
"Well, what is it?" Tsunade rounded the desk and took a seat, waiting for him to reveal why he was in her office
Kiba gulped and began, "Well, I, uh..." Tsunade glared at him with harsh brown eyes so Kiba took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and forged on. "I'm wanting to know if there's any way possible for Nanami to move to the Leaf village."
Tsunade cocked an eyebrow at him and he noticed Kakashi smile playfully beneath his mask.
"Are you sure that's something Nanami would want?" Tsunade asked.
"I... Yeah. I think so."
Tsunade tapped her finger on the desk for a few moments while she studied him. Kiba shifted beneath her gaze and it felt like an eternity had passed before she finally spoke up again. "It's not something that would be simple. There's only one way a ninja from a shinobi village and prominent clan to leave their home without becoming a missing-nin." She paused again, studying him before finally saying, "They would have to marry another shinobi from an allied village."
Kiba said nothing and merely nodded at the news.
Kakashi lifted his eyebrows. "You don't seem all that surprised," he said, clearly amused.
"I kind of assumed," Kiba admitted.
"Is that something you're prepared to do? Proposing?" Tsunade asked while sizing him up.
Despite this, Kiba suddenly felt more determined and surer of himself. "I am." Akamaru barked happily as a confirmation.
"Well, then." Tsunade smiled at him. "I must warn you then if this is a path you're prepared to take." She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, her stern expression returned, daring him to refute whatever she was about to say. "You are far too young to get married. For a marriage that would require the Land of Waves to lose a shinobi, you would both need to be at least 18 years old."
Kiba opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. "If you two truly love each other, something like distance won't stop you from ending up together."
He closed his mouth and nodded.
"Dismissed."
Kiba returned to his home, ignoring Hana's greeting when he walked through the front door. Instead, he went straight to his room and closed the door once Akamaru entered behind him. He fell on to the bed and put his arm over his face. Akamaru whined and Kiba sighed before reaching over to pat the large dog on his head.
"I'll be fine, buddy. Don't worry about me."
Akamaru looked at his owner uncertainly and then laid down to rest at the foot of the bed. Kiba looked to his bedside table and grinned at the framed photo that sat there. A smiling Nanami had her head poked over Kiba's shoulder. One arm was wrapped around his neck and she used her other hand to make bunny ears on top of his head. The Kiba in the photo looked adoringly up at her, his own smile painted with love.
Kiba slung his legs around and sat on the bed, then reached to grab the photo album next to the picture frame. The ninja hound user gently flipped through the pages filled with photos of their time together. As he studied her features, Kiba marveled at how he managed to fall in love with someone so opposite of him in such a short time. He was sure other people may paint his affection as puppy love, but the ache in his heart and the stirring in his gut demanded that it was another sensation entirely. Kiba had never been in love before, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was it.
Flipping another page, Kiba came across a photo of Nanami that he'd snapped the moment she'd opened her apartment door for him early in the morning. Her long silver hair was flowing freely, not pulled back by her barrette. Her long nightshirt skimmed the top of her thighs and her hand was partially covering her face as she yawned. Nanami hated the photo and had demanded he throw it away, but it was one of Kiba's favorites. He drank in the sight of her long, toned legs and silver bedhead.
Finally, he flipped the page again and came across his family photo. Part of the picture was torn so his father's face wasn't shown. Kiba ran his fingers gently over the picture and wondered what it would be like to be married. How would it feel to stand next to Nanami in a photo like this, their two small children posed in front of them? Growing up, Kiba never thought he'd be the type to consider such things. But now, he studied the torn portion of the photo and vowed he'd be a better husband and father than his dad if only Kiba were given the chance.
Two years. That's about how long Kiba would need to wait before he could ask Nanami to marry him. How often would they get to see each other during that time? Would they get to see each other at all? Would she move on from him through the distance?
The only thing Kiba could do was pray that she loved him just as much. That their bond was strong enough to last the distance and time between.
Nanami rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand, as she rapped gently on the door with the other. Murai flung the door open excitedly and beamed like the sun as if it wasn't six in the morning. The girl was fully dressed, her long dark blue hair braided neatly.
"Lady N!"
Startled by the strong wave of energy while the rest of the world was still quiet, Nanami took a step back. The cat ninja user had never really been a morning person, but Murai clearly was.
"H-Hi, Murai." Nanami frowned. "Please, I've said before that you can just call me Nanami."
"No way, Lady N. Especially not now! That would be disrespectful," the 18-year-old girl said stubbornly.
Murai had called Nanami by the title of Lady N since they were children. Now that Nanami's father was no longer of this world, they'd finally had the chance to rekindle the friendship that had been forced to end when they were young. Even after these last two years together, Murai still hadn't dropped saying the title, regardless of how casual they'd become.
She stepped aside and welcomed Nanami and Aozora into the cozy home. Blankets and throw pillows littered every seating surface and the soft blue walls made Nanami feel at peace. Family photos hung proudly on the wall and the room smelled like lavender. Her own home, by contrast, seemed pitiful and gloomy.
"Ah, Nanami." Shifuku entered the room looking as put together as her daughter but calm rather than overly cheerful. I guess the excitement of today was getting to Murai. Shifuku, on the other hand, was more used to the upcoming occasion. Shifuku nodded towards the hallway. "Come on, I have something I want to show you."
Nanami's aunt led her to a bedroom and immediately opened the closet door. From there, she pulled down a dusty trunk and undid the clasps to open it. Shifuku smiled fondly at its contents and, feeling curious, Nanami knelt beside her aunt to take a peek.
She gasped, not quite believing her eyes. Nanami rubbed at them furiously, convinced she had to be dreaming. But when she removed her hands, the dress remained snuggled into the trunk space. Shifuku lifted it to reveal a silky white dress that gleamed an iridescent blue. The delicate straps hung from Shifuku's fingers and, turning her head, Nanami could see that the straps crisscrossed against the open back.
"It was your mother's." Shifuku smiled warmly and handed it to Nanami. Nanami took it carefully from her, afraid that the slightest touch may cause it to disappear. "She wore it on her wedding day. Believe it or not, your father was a bit more kind back then. His heart just hardened more and more over time...Well, anyway, I thought maybe you'd like to wear it today."
"Oh, wow!" Murai popped her head over their shoulders and beamed at the fabric in Nanami's hands. "Lady N, you'll look beautiful in that!"
Nanami stifled her sob and Murai looked at her with great concern. She wiped the tears away quickly before they could fall, in fear that they might disturb the perfect, smooth surface of the dress.
"What's wrong?" Murai asked.
"I... I saw this dress. In there. The Infinite Tsukuyomi. S-she made me wear it." Nanami blinked hard a few times, unable to grasp the reality in front of her. She whispered, "I can't believe it's real."
Murai moved to comfort Nanami but Shifuku stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's let Nanami have a moment to herself," Shifuku said.
Murai opened her mouth to argue, but then decided against it. She cast Nanami a concerned look as her mother led her out the door. Aozora's small form crawled into Nanami's lap in order to comfort her owner. Nanami patted her head absentmindedly.
"Why do I have to wear this thing? It's way too formal!"
Mother stood behind Nanami and placed her hands lovingly on her daughter's shoulders.
"Because today is special."
Nanami recalled the moment of the intense Jutsu-casted dream. This... It really was her mother's dress. It existed on this plane. She remembered distinctly how it looked on her in the mirror. Though Nanami had been 16 at the time and now looked a bit more filled out being that she was two years older. But the touch, that felt the same.
Her mother's wedding dress. Nanami knew she should be happier, but wished that she could be wearing this dress on a more joyous occasion. Everyone was looking forward to it, it seemed, except her. What would it be like to wear this dress to my own wedding? She wondered.
A picture of a beautiful spring day filled Nanami's mind and she imagined Kiba smiling at her as he vowed to be with her always. Nanami shook the image out of her mind. She was being silly. They had seen each other only a handful of times in the span of a little over two years. Both being shinobi and living in different villages hadn't made things easy. It would take at least three days for them to travel to see each other. It always seemed that the other was on a mission or with too many responsibilities to be able to leave the village. She couldn't touch him whenever she wanted or hear his voice whenever she most needed it. But she loved him and Nanami was much too stubborn to let him go simply because they couldn't physically be together.
Today... Today's responsibility would make being with her love seem even more like a distant dream.
Kiba's stomach twisted when they arrived in the Land of Waves. Lord Kakashi (Kiba still felt a little weird saying that) had sent them on a special mission that he knew Kiba had been itching for since the moment he'd turned eighteen. The hound ninja user fussed with his wavy brown hair, trying to fix it due to all the moisture in the air.
"What are you so nervous about?" Shino asked, in his trait monotone voice. "It's not like she'll say no. Why else would she stay in contact with you?"
Kiba turned around and shook his fist at his calm and collected teammate. "I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, DO I?" He gritted his teeth and continued, "I'd like to see you propose to a girl without completely creeping her out, ya bug freak!"
Hinata laughed nervously and held her hands up. "I'm sure Kiba didn't mean that. He's just nervous." She approached Kiba and reached up to help him fix his hair. Once she was satisfied, she stopped and smiled kindly at him. "It's a big moment. Naruto knew I'd say yes, but he was still nervous about proposing. Everything will be fine. As long as your bond is strong, there's nothing to worry about."
Kiba smiled back at his female teammate who he'd fondly grown to think of as a sister throughout all their years together. "Thanks, Hinata."
Despite her reassuring words, Kiba still couldn't shake the nervous excitement building in him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, staring at it. The delicate ring's sapphire stone glinted in the light and Kiba wondered if Nanami truly felt the same way. He felt as if their bond was strong, but how did she feel? Maybe she'd only kept in touch with him these last two years out of pity. Maybe she'd take one look at him and turn him down.
He shoved the ring back in his pocket and forcibly pushed the negative thoughts away. He knew Hinata was right. The only option was to believe in their bond. The trio traveled around the Hidden Mist Village, looking for Nanami. After speaking to various villagers, they arrived at a large, important-looking building that her entire clan was said to be at.
Great, Kiba thought. Like I really wanted to do this in front of a crowd.
As Kiba faced the doors, he found himself unable to move. Hinata stepped up beside him and gently pushed him forward.
"You just have to get through asking. The question is the hardest part. Then, you'll be getting married just like me and Naruto."
She's right, Kiba thought. I mean, if Naruto can do this then so can I. I'm not going to let him beat me again!
Kiba felt a rush of determination and opened the door before his nervousness could overcome him again. After wandering around the building for several minutes, the trio finally found the silver haired girl, no woman, on the fifth floor facing large double doors etched with intricate patterns.
He abruptly stopped, drinking in the sight. She was facing away from him, wearing a breathtaking white dress that gleamed an iridescent blue. Kiba wondered how long her hair was now, as he couldn't tell because the silver locks were braided in an updo that had the braid pinned, framing her neck. This allowed her back to be fully exposed, as the dress was open with nothing more than delicate straps crisscrossing over her shoulder blades. Her signature sapphire barrette was safely nestled above the braid. Despite not facing him, Kiba could tell she was nervous. Nanami's shoulders were tensed up and her hands were in front of her, clutching at the fabric of her dress.
Nanami didn't notice their presence, likely due to her nervousness. Even Aozora didn't detect them, who was looking up at her owner with an obvious expression of concern. The only person who noticed the group was a girl with dark blue hair, who Kiba vaguely recognized as Murai who he'd only met during the war. She stood there, mouth hung open in surprise, not saying anything.
Kiba was too preoccupied and awestruck by the vision of the girl of his dreams to care. Nanami looked like a bride, and he wondered if he was somehow dreaming. His nervousness faded at the sight and was replaced by an intense longing. Only when he felt Akamaru's cold, wet nose nudging his hand did he break from his trance.
"Kitten?"
Nanami swiveled around, the loose silver locks framing her face swaying at the movement. She gasped and every trace of worry completely vanished from her expression as she lit up at the sight of him.
"Kiba!"
She immediately sprinted towards him with her dress billowing behind and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He held her with his arms around her waist and nestled his face into the crook of her neck, breathing in the familiar scent he'd missed horribly. She giggled at the hairs on his chin that tickled her. It was the exact melody that he'd replayed in his head for two years now.
Only when Shino loudly cleared his throat did they finally part. Kiba shot him an annoyed look and Nanami blushed, embarrassed at the obvious show of affection.
"Hi, you guys." Nanami greeted them.
"You look beautiful, Nanami," Hinata commented.
"Thanks, Hinata."
"You really do." Kiba knew he was openly ogling her, but he couldn't help himself. He noted smugly how her blush deepened under his gaze.
"You don't look so bad yourself." Nanami quipped, running her fingers through his hair that had grown a bit over the last two years. She trailed her fingers down his cheek and across his jaw to the bit of facial hair there. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine and now Nanami was smirking at the heat filling Kiba's cheeks.
Deflecting, he asked her, "What are you dressed up for?"
"Oh, um..." Nanami cast her eyes sideways at the large double doors then down to the floor, clutching at her dress again. "We're having a ceremony today that's special to the Nekoyama clan. Basically, I'm being sworn in as the official leader of my clan, now that I'm of age." Nanami looked down at Aozora and smiled at the small cat, although it was a little uneasy. "Aozora and I will be bonded by blood and chakra, making us stronger than ever."
"You're being sworn in as clan leader at eighteen? That's impressive." Shino said in a way that, if you didn't know him, it would sound like he wasn't impressed at all.
Meanwhile, the words that escaped her lips felt like a million knives stabbing into Kiba's heart. Clan leader? Kiba lowered his gaze, crushed that she had already come to her decision before he'd even had a chance to ask.
As if the thought had just struck her, Nanami raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but is something wrong?"
Kiba opened his mouth but no sound came out. He stood there with his mouth open, like a fish out of water. A painful moment of silence passed with Nanami looking at him expectantly with a slight hint of concern. Unable to take the silence anymore, Shino nudged him painfully in the ribs.
Kiba took a breath.
"Everything will be fine. As long as your bond is strong, there's nothing to worry about."
Hinata's words rang in his thoughts and Kiba stuck his hand into his pocket, feeling the cool metal against his palm.
"The question is the hardest part."
Kiba took both of Nanami's hands in his and decided to go for it, without hesitation.
"I love you, Nanami. And I know now isn't the best timing considering what you're about to do... But I have to let you know. If you wanted to, you could come back to the Leaf Village to be with me. Or... or you could stay here and become the leader of your clan. Whatever you do, I just want you to be happy. And if staying here would make you happy... Well, I understand. But if staying together with me, forever, would make you happy... Then I'd work the rest of my life to make sure it stays that way."
Kiba released her hands from his and looked into her silver eyes. They were wide, somewhat uncomprehending, of what he had just admitted to her. After a few moments, she blinked, realizing that there was something in her palm. She turned her hand over and opened it to reveal the sapphire ring he'd placed there.
The silver-eyed beauty gasped and kept her eyes fixed on the ring. Kiba waited, painfully, for her to say something, anything. But she stood there in quiet disbelief. After what seemed like hours, Murai cleared her throat and walked up to Nanami to place a hand on her shoulder.
"It's time," Murai said softly.
Nanami looked over her shoulder at Murai. "Oh...uh, right."
She turned away from him and took a few steps toward the large double doors. Akamaru whimpered and Aozora cast a sad look at Kiba, appearing disappointed as well. Kiba's face contorted in pain and he couldn't take his eyes off her back. Nanami stopped then and paused.
"Lady N?"
Nanami looked at the ring again and slipped it on to her finger. Reaching behind her head, she undid the clasp of the sapphire pin. Kiba half-expected her hair to fall against her back, just as it had the last time she'd released it from her hair while fighting Sou. He remembered the moment where the side bangs of her hair that had been braided, loosened and flowed delicately over her shoulders. But her up-do stayed in place, no doubt being held by more pins than that.
The girl turned to Murai and placed what Kiba knew to be a hidden scroll in Murai's hands.
"W-what?" The girl questioned, staring widely at Nanami.
Nanami smiled back to her and answered, "I want you to take my place."
"But... but, Lady N, I can't do that."
"Of course you can!" Nanami smiled warmly back at her. "This was never my dream. But it's always been yours. You'll do a much better job than I ever could. And I'm sure Shifuku will help you."
"This is your mothers, though! I can't take this. Wouldn't you miss it?"
Nanami's smile turned sad for a moment and she clutched at her dress once more. "Yeah, I will. But now I have her dress so... It'll be okay. Besides, I know this is the best choice and I know that my mother would be happy for me."
"Lady N..." Tears welled up in Murai's eyes at the gesture.
"It's Nanami."
Murai laughed and nodded at her. "Nanami."
Nanami grinned widely and bowed her head. "Lady M."
Then she turned to Kiba who was standing dumbstruck during the entire exchange. What had just happened? Was she actually saying yes? Warmth for the kunoichi in front of him filled his stomach and he crossed their distance to take her hand in his. Kiba smiled then, running his thumb over her left ring finger. The metal felt much better to his touch now that it was against her skin.
The Nekoyama clan allowed them to witness the ceremony. Normally something such as this would have never been allowed. However, things were different now, not only because Nanami and Kiba would be married, but also thanks to the strong alliance that had been formed during the war.
Kiba watched next to Nanami in a dimly lit room, her hand in his, as Murai walked down a path towards an altar. It was surrounded by candles and clan members stood on either side, watching the spectacle. Murai's cat followed beside her, a small black feline with a white patch of fur over its right eye.
When Murai and her ninja cat reached the altar, she undid the sapphire barrette from her braid. She placed it between her palms and did a few hand signs that turned it back to its true form, a sacred scroll. He heard Shino and Hinata make a small noise of surprise next to him. He smiled, remembering clearly the moment he'd first found out.
Murai grabbed the end of the scroll and pulled it to unfold. She then placed it onto the altar and took a kunai from the pouch on her leg. She used the knife to make a cut on her hand and her ninja cat's paw. With blood on her fingers, Murai used the red liquid to write her and the cat's name on the scroll.
"What are they doing?" Kiba asked Nanami in a hushed tone.
Nanami leaned her head on Kiba's shoulder and replied, "Their bonding as one. This scroll will fuse their blood and chakra together. It'll allow them to use our secret technique."
"Didn't you already do this?" he questioned.
"Yes and no," Nanami said. "I was a stand-in as the scroll's keeper while Father was a clan- leader stand-in until I came of age. Or, in this case, until the official clan leader was chosen. We were allowed to use the scroll, but we never officially bonded as one so it was only half power."
Half power? Kiba thought. He remembered how she and Aozora basically transformed into a humanoid beast. With pitch-black eyes, she looked like a beautiful demon. Cold-blooded and terrifying, but also mesmerizing. Kiba had to resist a shudder, imagining what full power would have looked like.
"The Nekoyama clan is a somewhat matriarchal society," Nanami continued, oblivious to Kiba's reaction. "We have men on our council and as part of our clan elders, but only women carry the scroll. It's something about the nurturing side of women that allows the fusing of chakra to blend more seamlessly. Knowing I was set to be the leader, my father tried so hard to shape me in his image."
Kiba understood this. Most medical ninjas tended to women as they usually had better chakra control. He watched as Murai and the cat pressed their hand and paw onto the scroll parchment, making their prints.
A thought struck Kiba and he asked her, "What about your brother? He was the elder of the two of you. If he was still here, would that mean you would've still been chosen?"
"Not necessarily. Men can still be chosen as clan leaders. A woman is typically both leader and keeper of the scroll. But there have been times in the past when a man was made the leader and a woman kept the scroll. It's easier that way. My mother did both. There have been times in the past when a husband ran the clan and his wife kept the scroll. Sometimes it's a brother and sister. It's up to the discretion of the council. Similar to the choosing of a Kage, they must come to an agreement. And much to the annoyance of my father, they couldn't agree to him as the permanent leader."
A strong charka surrounded Murai and her black cat that became visible to the human eye. As the chakra built up around them, it began to touch the other and then fuse together. The exchange of chakra took about three minutes, and the room was deathly quiet as Murai and the feline concentrated their entire strength into the exchange.
When it ended and the chakra faded, Murai smiled widely. The scroll quickly folded back in on itself, snapping shut. It then turned back into the barrette and Murai pinned it into her hair. She turned to face the clan, she and her cat nearly glowing. The clan erupted into claps and cheers, congratulating their new leader.
It was a powerful experience and Kiba felt a pang in his chest, feeling a little guilty for taking this from Nanami. Sensing his remorse, Nanami gently squeezed Kiba's hand. He looked down at her and saw she was genuinely smiling up at him in reassurance that he was what she truly wanted. Warmth flooded his heart and he wondered what he had ever done in life to deserve this moment.
As they traveled on a boat back to the Leaf Village, Kiba could hardly take his eyes off Nanami the entire time. He ached for a moment alone, which they hadn't had. The silver hair that touched the small of her back was pulled together by a long white ribbon. She kept her hair loose and in a low ponytail against her neck. She pushed back the tendrils of hair framing her face that swayed in the salty breeze.
The beauty in front of him was wearing her ninja gear, which included a long dark blue skirt with slits on the sides that revealed her tall, toned legs. Black, knee-length fishnet peaked beneath the skirt, which had a high waist. The dark blue loose cropped shirt she donned revealed her small midriff. The look finished off with black ninja sandals, gloves, and her mist village headband around her forehead.
When they finally made it back together to his home, no their home, he led her towards her old apartment. He handed her the key and she smiled then excitedly opened the door.
Kiba quickly whirled around to face Akamaru and Aozora.
"Look do you guys think you could, like, leave us alone for a few hours?"
Akamaru obliged him and to Kiba's surprise, even Aozora listened to him, although she still snubbed her nose at him a little. Kiba smiled and turned back to Nanami, closing the door behind him. The apartment was exactly as she'd left it, although that wasn't saying much considering she had never decorated it in the first place. Nanami made her way to the couch and flopped on it.
"I'm so tired," Nanami whined.
Kiba chuckled as she turned onto her side, facing him. Her silver eyes caught sight of the vase of lilies on the coffee table and she smiled.
"You knew I'd be back," she stated, blushing.
Kiba rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was hoping that you would."
Nanami closed her eyes and sat up on the sofa. When she opened them again, she was looking at him with such intense longing that it startled him. Warmth radiating down his body and his gaze softened in return. She stood as Kiba crossed the distance between them and he put one arm around her waist and grabbed her with the other by the back of the neck, pulling her lips to his. Nanami took a sharp breath in and the pleasant sound made Kiba grip her tighter, his nails piercing skin.
He was momentarily worried that he may have hurt her but all inhibition left him when she returned his rough touch by running her claws through his hair. He licked her bottom lip and she opened her mouth without hesitation. Kiba's hands traveled past her waist to her thighs and he lifted her. Both of Nanami's legs wrapped around him and she squeezed his midsection with her thighs. Kiba growled and bit her lip, then moved to press her back against the wall. Her chest pressed tightly against his as he pinned her there. Kiba ran his lips past her jaw to her neck and he took a moment to breathe in her sweet and salty scent before nipping at the skin there. He could smell her arousal and how much she wanted him, which turned him on all the more. Nanami moaned and Kiba smirked against her. He had a feeling their night was about to get a little rough. Two years was much too long to wait.
In her late 20's, Nanami's life was better than she ever would have imagined it could be. The future had always looked bleak when she was a child, being pinned to a fate that she didn't want. For the first time since her mother died, Nanami finally had a home and a true family.
"Kaiyo don't forget your headband!" Nanami called as her son and his dog tried to race out the door.
"I wasn't going to forget it," Kaiyo grumbled as he back to his mother and took it from her. He reached behind his silver hair to tie it around his forehead, brandishing the Leaf symbol proudly. Nanami bent down and kissed his cheek, right where his red clan marking was.
"Mom!" he cried out, rubbing the spot with the back of his hand. "I'm not a kid anymore! I'm a genin now!"
Nanami rolled her eyes playfully and her daughter Natsu walked up behind her.
"You would think a real genin wouldn't be so forgetful and irresponsible," the younger girl quipped, tossing back her wavy brown hair.
"Shut it, squirt. Talk to me when you've graduated from the academy."
"I'm only eight and I'm already better than you!" the girl yelled back, annoyed.
"Hey, now," Nanami said in exasperation. "Both of you stop and head off before you're late."
"Listen to your, mother." Kiba walked up behind his wife and placed an arm on her waist. "You two are lucky you don't have my mother. Your heads would be through a wall for that kind of talk."
The two kids shivered, knowing their grandmother's temperament all too well.
"Bye, mom!" Kaiyo raced out the door and his dog followed behind.
"Bye momma," Natsu stood on her tiptoes, willingly allowing her mother to kiss the blue mark on her cheek.
"Have a good day!" Nanami yelled after her daughter, who's small ninja cat pranced alongside.
"Be safe," Kiba said, parting with them as well.
Kiba used the arm around Nanami's waist to pull her closer to him. Her back pressed against his chest and he rested his head on her shoulder as he sniffed her hair. Nanami giggled under her husband's touch and she lifted her hand to run her fingers through his slicked back, nearly shoulder-length hair. His goatee tickled Nanami's exposed skin and he placed soft kisses against her ear.
"You don't have to work at the veterinary clinic today, do you?" He whispered in her ear.
Nanami shook her head. "I have the day off."
Kiba smirked against her. "Come here, Kitten."
She turned towards her husband as he took her into a kiss that was his usual style, which was rough. Nanami's lips smiled against his. Between kisses, Nanami caught a peak at the framed photo in the living room. Kiba and Nanami stood alongside each other, smiling as their two small children posed in front of them. Who knew that she'd end up marrying a temperamental baka?
Author: THE END! Honestly, I'm not sure if marriage is the only way a ninja can move without becoming a missing-nin. I made it up a little, but I kind of assume that's how it is considering how they seem to take that very seriously. The only ninja's I've seen move are the ones who have married. But I have yet to see any episodes of Boruto sooooo if it's explained there then I'm sorry. Also, I wanted to keep this story T but I'm considering writing an M rated one-shot for Kiba and Nanami's love scenes (the one in this chapter and when they first hooked up). If that's something you're interested in then let me know. I've never written M scenes before so it would be a bit of an experiment. Thanks again for sticking until the end! :)