Chapter 13

The First Night

Kiba-kun loves me? But, why? What should I do? And it's not a bad thing. He's so strong, yet sensitive. He always knows how I feel before I tell him. And he did save me. I guess I like him, too.

"I-I d-do-don't know what t-to say, K-Kiba-kun." She rested into his arms. They were so strong, so masculine. She knew she would cry.

"I'm so happy," she said. Kiba smiled.

Suddenly, all the events of the past month caught up to her. She started crying, everything from when she had heard that Naruto and Sakura were going out, to when Gaara had attacked her, to when she had gotten lost.

"I was so scared. Kiba." She said through her tears. "I could feel the water pressing in on me, and I though I was going to die! I'm so sorry. I'm really annoying, aren't I?"

"You?" Kiba asked. "You could never be annoying in a thousand years." He smiled. He had thought she was going to die, too, though he had rebelled against the thought.

Hinata felt strangely warm, but it wasn't all unpleasant.

Later that day, the girls were all in Hinata's hospital room, relating the events of the last while. Temari spilled the story of her first date (with much prompting), Ino shared her conversation with Sasuke, which made Tenten feel horrible, and Hinata told them about her new-found relationship with Kiba. Sakura refrained from telling them about Neji's conversation with her, instead relating the joys of having a passionate boyfriend. Tenten told them about her training with Neji earlier.

"Well his problem is obvious," said Ino. "He figured out your feelings, and now he's clueless."

"But if he never noticed before, why now?"

They thought for a moment, before Hinata came up with a theory.

"Ino, do you think he heard your conversation with Sasuke-kun?"

Ino gasped. "I bet that's it!"

"He'll figure it out," said Sakura. "He's almost as smart as Shikamaru, who obviously figured you out, Temari." Temari blushed, remembering how tender his lips had been, on the first and second times.

Another thing came to mind. When Shikamaru had realized that she lived in the hotel, he had offered for her to stay with him. She still hadn't decided. She decided to tell the gang that detail.

"Well," she started. It got their attention. "When he found out I had nowhere to stay, he invited me to stay with him, until I found a real house."

"He did?" asked Ino. She wondered how he meant that. "Do you think he would try anything?"

Temari turned crimson. "No!"

"What did you say?" asked Tenten.

"I didn't reply yet." Temari said.

You should say yes!" exclaimed Tenten. "Even if he does try something, you can defend yourself. But I agree with you, I don't think he would do anything indecent."

Suddenly, Temari remembered something. "Hyuuga Hinata." Gaara said. "I'm in love with Hyuuga Hinata."

"Hinata, what about Gaara?"

"What about him?"

"He likes you, too. He'll be heart broken if he finds out that you're dating Kiba." Hinata looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"You're right." Said Tenten. "I saw it too."

"It seemed like you liked him, too, at the time." Said Sakura. "I know I wouldn't invite him to a tournament after he tried to kill me."

"What do you think he'll do to Kiba when he finds out?" asked Hinata.

Temari gasped. "This is bad," she said. "If he finds out, Kiba would be lucky to come out alive."

"Since when did you have feelings for Kiba?" Tenten asked. I would have noticed if you did, but I really don't think you did."

"Well he is strong, and hott." Hinata said.

"Yeah." Said Tenten. "Sasuke is hott, too, but I can't think of anyone I would like to date lease."

"Even Lee?" asked Temari evilly.

"Eeeewwww!" exclaimed Tenten. "How could you even think of something like that!"

"Speaking of Lee, Naruto's protection has saved me from him on numerous occasions over the course of our relationship." Sakura said.

"Really?" said Ino. "That's great!"

The girls shifted from guy to guy, comparing them. At one point, there was even a verbal fight between Temari and Sakura on whose boyfriend was a better kisser. Sakura won, in the end.

Hinata couldn't sleep. She kept thinking of Gaara and Kiba. She loved both of them, and didn't want them to fight because of her. She didn't know whom she liked better. They were both hott and sensitive, both of them seemed to know her moods before she did. Gaara needed her, and she knew it, but he scared her, sometimes. And Kiba was so easy to talk to, where talking to Gaara was like running through enemy territory, she never knew what to say.

Yet, she didn't get that warm, fuzzy feeling when she though of Kiba, but it was always there when Gaara was on her mind.

The concentration and tiredness combined to make Hinata dizzy, and she fell asleep, a sleep filled with dreams of blood: Kiba and Gaara's blood.

Kankuro watched curiously as Temari packed her bags, obviously leaving. Gaara was sitting in a corner with a vague look on his face, something that was becoming more and more common.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to stay with Shikamaru until we get a house or go back to Sand.

"And will you be sharing a bed?" he asked. Temari blushed furiously and slapped him.

"What makes you think that!"

Unfortunately, Gaara had heard them.

"What does that mean?" he asked. Temari blushed, smiled evilly, and left, leaving Kankuro to explain what happened between a guy and a girl to Gaara on his own.

She watched him struggle to put it nicely, and laughed when Gaara started asking more questions along the same lines, leaving Kankuro blushing and trying very hard to explain.

"What does 'seme' mean?" she heard from behind her and laughed louder. He deserved it, after the comment he had made.

She rang the doorbell on Shikamaru's house. A woman looking to be in her mid-forties answered the door.

"Is Shikamaru here?" she asked.

"Yes, but why you need him at this hour of the night is beyond me."

He didn't tell his mother about me!

"Shikaaaaa!" his mother yelled. "There's a girl here to see you!

Shikamaru ran down the stairs, his face crimson. He grabbed Temari's arm and pulled her into his bedroom.

"Why didn't you call?" he asked. "Mom is going to think we're…" Temari blushed.

"I didn't know you hadn't told her…"

"Well, it's too late, now."

"She took out her nightgown, and went into a bathroom attached to his bedroom. She changed, wondering where she would be sleeping. When she came out, there was the bed and a pallet on the floor. Shikamaru was in his boxers, sitting on the bed.

"I'll take the pallet." He said. Temari stared at him.

"But…"

"No buts," he said. "Unless you'd rather I slept with you." Temari blushed and looked down, her ears burning.

Shikamaru chuckled. "I was joking."

Temari's blush spread. "Oh." She said, feeling stupid.

Temari sat on the bed, and climbed in. She watched Shikamaru turn off the light and climb into the pallet, thinking how smexy he was without his shirt on.

She fell asleep faster than she had in years feeling strangely safe, and very warm.

Oops

She kept thinking of Gaara and Kiba. She loved both of them, and wondered what it would be like to kiss both of them. A threesome wouldn't be so bad…