"This above all: to thine own self be true."
"Why are you in love with Naruto?"
The question causes the hand holding the serving tray to shake, and Hinata places it down onto the table slowly. She turns, eyes wide, to face Shino.
She had invited him and Kiba over for a small dinner as a way to thank them for helping her out when she was crashing and burning-leaving more work for Shino at the office and scaring the shit out of Kiba.
"Uhm...what?" She knows she heard him correctly, she's just hoping she's wrong.
He shifts on his feet, but he faces her steadily. "I think you heard me. Why? Because you're suddenly tense."
She doesn't know how to answer that. Doesn't even really know what the answer is. There's so many reasons to love Naruto. She couldn't list them all if she had eternity.
But that's not really what he wants to know.
He wants to know why she wants to go back to a relationship that was clearly draining her.
Why she wants to pretend to be okay when she's drowning in worry and concern and self-doubt.
Why she can't let go of her false ideals and misguided intentions.
Okay, maybe he doesn't want to know that.
Maybe she does.
And his question is uncomfortably close to making her think about those answers.
"Because whatever your answer is-I think you should love yourself just as much," Shino hastily adds, derailing her thoughts. "More, actually." He says, nodding. "Before you move back in with him."
Hinata blinks and feels that maybe she should be sitting for this conversation.
"Shino...I have no plans to move back in with Naruto." At least not anytime soon.
"But you two had a date, right? You do have plans to reconcile, yes?" He asks.
"I don't know. Maybe?" She blinks confused eyes between him and Kiba. "I don't...I don't know what's going to happen. I haven't decided anything."
Because I've been avoiding it.
"Well, we've been thinking," Kiba interjects, patting Argus on the head. "That before you decide anything, maybe you should think about why you want to be with him. Really think about it."
Shino nods, sunlight reflecting off of his glasses. "Ask yourself some difficult questions. Like, is he what's best for you?"
Or was she what was best for him? That tiny voice in her mind whispers.
"We're not saying don't go for it. It's just that...you've been sad for so long." Kiba steps to her, nudging her chin affectionately, his voice rough with repressed emotion. "Even before…"
It hurts her to hear that her pain and sadness had been visible to them.
Hinata has always believed that if the cost for Naruto's happiness and well-being was her own, then as far as Hinata was concerned it was a small price to pay.
Apparently her friends did not share in that philosophy.
"You matter," Kiba tells her. "As much as he does." He exchanges a look with Shino. "More, to some of us."
"We only want you to be happy," Shino says, voice quiet-sincere. "Your pain is our pain."
"Even if you hate us for it-we wanted to tell you how we felt. We will support you, in whatever you decide."
It's humbling to see how much they care about her.
How willing they are to bare themselves to help her.
"Thank you." Leaning forward she pulls Kiba down into a hug and opens her other arm for Shino. "Thank you both for loving me enough to want me to be happy."
"Ah, Hinata," Kiba sighs, kissing her temple. "That's all we've ever wanted." His fingers curl into her back. "Even if it's with that asshole."
Hinata gives a watery laugh, wiping at her eyes. "Kiba-kun!"
He chuckles too, hand rubbing his nose.
"Be true to yourself, Hinata. The rest will fall into place," Shino echoes. "We want to see you make yourself as happy as you can be, okay?"
She hugs them tighter, "Okay," she whispers.