This is my first (!) fic for Naruto, and it is a KibaHina one-shot. I HEART this pairing, as well as HEARTing the Narutoverse. I hope no one is going to flame me for pairing these two up but, I mean, I can't help but love them together! First off, Hinata is so cute and shy, and she has a thing for loudmouths. Secondly, Kiba is her teammate and he doesn't think she's a weirdo like Naruto does. Thirdly, look at Kiba. He has to be one of the top three most attractive boys in Naruto. How could you NOT want to write about him smooching people and stuff!
Well, anyway, this is called Ultimate Goal and you'll see why later. Every other section is Hinata narrating, and while the narrated parts and the story parts may correspond with each other, they don't always. Um, also...I hope that I didn't go OOC with any of the characters, but, er, I may have. Yeah. And by the way, this doesn't really follow the timeline of Naruto at all… BUT, ANYWHO, TIME TO READ!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, the characters, the places, or anything but the plot and idea for this short little story!
Ultimate Goal
I've sat next to Kiba since the very first day at the ninja academy. Iruka-sensei told our class that we would sit in these seats for the rest of our time at the academy, unless we couldn't see or caused trouble. He explained that it would teach us patience and how to deal with difficult customers.
But I wasn't really worried at all about switching seats, because the moment he said hi to me I knew in my heart that he was to become someone very special to me.
The only thing I grew to be upset about concerning the seating was that another boy that became very precious to me wasn't also sitting near me. I was disappointed that I couldn't sit near Naruto as well as Kiba.
But sitting next to Kiba was a lucky thing. I was shy by nature and he tried to get me to open up. His boisterous nature was certainly beneficial to me over the years.
"Hinata-chan…" Kiba whispered, his eyes on their teacher who was going over a jutsu they had learned the day before. "Are you bored?"
Her eyes flicked momentarily to him. "A little." She said softly.
"You want to sneak out of class with me?" He asked her hopefully.
"But…! But Kiba-kun, you'll get into trouble again!" she stuttered nervously. She secretly would love to sneak out with Kiba. She wondered what they would do. A picture of them both walking through the fields nearby together entered her mind, but she shook it off. He sighed, disappointed.
"Yeah, I guess. Too bad…" he groaned under his breath. Sakura, who sat on the other side of Hinata, elbowed her lightly.
"You should pay attention!" she hissed warningly. Hinata nodded her head slightly and faced the front. Next to her, Kiba dropped his head into his arms and drifted off to sleep. If he couldn't leave class, he at least wouldn't listen to the lesson. Hinata kicked him anxiously under the desk as she saw Iruka-sensei's eyes wander to their table. He lifted his head lazily, and turned slightly to look at her. She motioned with her eyes towards the front of the class, where Iruka was slowly walking over towards him.
"Kiba, were you sleeping during my lesson?" he asked in a calm voice. Hinata, as well as all her classmates, knew that Iruka could snap at any second, and was prepared for the worst.
"No." Kiba said simply.
"Yeah? Then what's the name of this jutsu?"
"Henge no jutsu?" Kiba said apprehensively. Iruka's head hung in disappointment.
"That's…right." He said slowly. Clearly he had been expecting Kiba to say something else and that he would have to put him into detention. Kiba grinned at their sensei cheekily. Iruka treaded back to the front of the room. While his back was turned, Kiba leaned very close to Hinata and whispered to her "Thank-you!"
I enjoyed almost everything about sitting next to Kiba, but there were two problems. The first problem was that he didn't pay attention and I grew nervous that he would get in trouble or fail. The second problem was that I fell in love with him.
In the beginning, I didn't think it would matter much that I loved him. But as the weeks passed I slowly came to realize just how bad it was. My love felt suffocating and he was always near me. I became unsure of myself and had trouble concentrating. I felt hot whenever he spoke to me and the brush of an arm or leg practically lit me on fire. I quietly obsessed over the littlest things he did and I was constantly sending glances his way.
And because I sat next to him, I learned what he was like, and I loved who he was. I adored every aspect of him, good or bad. He grew to be my ultimate goal, and I was certain that if I could gain his love, I would never need to worry again.
But I was an unconfident girl, and the berating of my family did nothing to help me. I began to think to myself that Kiba could never like me in the same way. He was so wonderful, and I simply was not. He was loud where I was quiet, he was quick where I was slow, and he sure and brave and proud and everything I would never be. How could he possibly want someone as meaningless as me?
"Kiba-kun?" Hinata said breathily. Their lessons were over and they were both walking home together like always. They lived in the same direction, so it was only natural that they would walk with one another. Kiba's dog Akamaru trotted faithfully beside them "Do you think you'll pass the exam and become a genin?"
Kiba turned towards her and grinned. She instantly blushed at the look in his eyes. He was proud and self-assured, and she was hopelessly attracted to it. "Of course!" he answered.
She smiled hesitantly. "Do you think…I'll pass?"
He stopped walking and grabbed her wrist to stop her as well. He pulled her gently so she was facing him. Her heart was racing and she tried valiantly to burry the feeling that rose in her chest. "Are you afraid that you won't pass?" She slowly nodded. "Well, don't be!" he assured her with a friendly smile. "You paid much more attention than me and you're one of the top girls in our class! There's no doubt in my mind that you'll pass!"
She smiled back at him. "Thank-you Kiba-kun." She murmured sincerely, averting her eyes to stare at his shoulder as she blushed brightly. "Also…what do you think about the three-man genin teams we'll be put into?" she questioned. She personally hoped she could be with Kiba and Naruto, but wasn't sure what to expect.
He started walking, and since he was still holding onto her wrist she was pulled along as well. Akamaru had never stopped and was well ahead of them, so Kiba began to run to catch up to his dog. She was practically dragged along, seeing as she did not posses the speed the Inuzuka clan had. They quickly reached the dog and Kiba scolded his animal companion while they walked. Akamaru barked back at him, and Hinata was thrilled as always as she watched Kiba respond to whatever the dog said. It was an incredible thing, to see Kiba and Akamaru have a conversation, no matter how many times she had witnessed it happen.
Kiba turned back to her eventually. "You asked what I thought about teams?" he checked. When she nodded he continued speaking. "I think it'll be interesting…my sister is always telling me how glad she is that she was put into the team she's in." he smiled at her. "I hope we're in the same team, Hinata-chan, don't you?" he asked expectantly.
She was hardly able to hold in her joy. "Hai! I would like to be on your team very much!"
I was quick to believe that my affections were never to be returned and resigned myself to a Kiba-less fate. I couldn't help but continue to love him, but I learned how to keep a lid on my emotions and gained a fragile control over my heart.
I turned my attention elsewhere, with the hope that I could find a boy who was like Kiba but achievable. I saw Naruto and I felt the strange fluttering feelings of a crush. I watched him and saw that he was loud, he was confident, he was prideful, and he was energetic. And as I watched I also saw his pain and misfortune. No one seemed to acknowledge him in a way he would like, and my heart went out to him. I realized that because he wasn't given much good attention and he really had no one it would be much easier to win his love. He would be much more accepting of me and my faults than Kiba would probably be, because he certainly would crave love and attention after being deprived of it for so long. It wouldn't matter to him that I was shy and useless because he would be grateful for anything, I believed.
I soon fell in love with Naruto, and while it was not like the love I felt for Kiba I was happy and contented with it. I turned my gaze to him, and tried to flush out all the images of Kiba that flooded my mind and heart.
"And now, I will assign your three-man genin teams! The people on your team will be your most vital friends and together you will train and carry out missions. You will later meet your jounin sensei, who will guide you though the aforementioned training and missions." Iruka-sensei explained to his old class. Hinata sat next to Kiba as she had always throughout her years in the academy, hopeful and unsure, as well as anxious about the teams and jounin teacher.
Iruka listed team after team. Hinata was disappointed to hear that Naruto would be on a team with the smart and friendly girl who had sat on her other side, Sakura, and the cold hearted but handsome Sasuke. Then she heard her name for the next team and perked up quickly.
"Team eight… Hinata Hyuuga, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka." Iruka said. Hinata bit back and excited squeal. She was thrilled that she would be on Kiba's team, as well as excited to be on a team with the mysterious Shino. Kiba turned his head to grin at her, and she readily returned it with a grin of her own. Kiba looked over her head at Shino and grinned at him as well. Hinata turned to smile at her other teammate, and was slightly surprised when the boy simply nodded at them. She didn't let this strange behavior affect her, however, and continued to smile happily, facing the front of the classroom again.
Kiba's hand found hers under the table and he squeezed it for a moment before letting go and placing his hand back on is lap. She was unable to stop the blush that rose on her cheeks and hid her face from him shyly. She felt a pang of apprehension at the thought that she would spend much more time with Kiba than she already did. Hopefully she would be able to keep up her mental barricade, and would not submit to her emotions. After all, a shinobi was not supposed to show their feelings.
However, when I was assigned to the same team as my beloved Kiba, my resolve began to shake. I spent the days with him training, and I spent my night dreaming about him. I tried as hard as I could to up-play my feelings for Naruto, which shrunk when up against my love for Kiba. I swore to myself that I loved Naruto and that it was him I was after. But because of my close proximity to Kiba, my love for him grew and grew while my affections for everyone else seemed to shrink in comparison.
I worked hard and tried to busy myself with training and growing stronger to distract myself. I slowly became better and was pleased as Kurenai-sensei, Shino, and Kiba commented on and congratulated me for my improvement. I felt as if I could drown in the world of being a shinobi, and that if I kept busy with it I could ignore everything else.
But I wasn't so lucky. My newfound strength was still too little for my clan and my love was still to powerful for me. I lost all hope that I could overcome all that I was up against. It seemed as though every time I improved in one area, my chances in another decreased. While my family was down on my skill level, Kiba was there to comfort me, and in the moments that the clan paid attention to me they told me to stay away from the Inuzuka boy. I couldn't hide behind my title as a kunoichi, and the troubles of my life pressed heavily upon me.
"Hinata, you want to work a bit on chakra control today?" Kiba stood in the foyer of the large Hyuuga estate. Hinata felt strange when she heard his voice, which was cold and hard; so unlike his usual cheerful tone. He had a determined expression on his face and his hands were in his pockets. She was momentarily reminded of Shino, but shook it off and nodded in agreement. Akamaru barked from inside Kiba's hood.
"Hai, that would be good. Thanks for coming and asking me, Kiba-kun…" she said in her soft voice. She walked briskly out of the door and was followed by an even more brisk Kiba. As soon as they had exited the large gates in the front of the Hyuuga manor, Kiba's shoulders slumped and he seemed ten times more comfortable.
"God, your house always makes me feel so insignificant…" he muttered to her, raking a hand through his messy hair. "Does it make you feel that way too?"
She looked to him as they walked, treasuring the concern in his voice. "Yeah." She mumbled. "It's not the most inviting place…"
Kiba laughed. "You've sure got that right!" he said. Minutes later they reached the training grounds they often used together. Today was a rare day off, but they often took advantage of these to try and hone their skills. Just as she was wondering about Shino, Kiba spoke up again. "Shino is actually getting special training as we speak. Kurenai-sensei wanted to work with his taijutsu skills. You know how he doesn't often practice those…"
Hinata nodded. "So…" she started. "Let's begin." They went though many exercises to improve their chakra gathering and utilizing skills. Hinata and Kiba were dedicated and by the time the sun began to set, she felt as if they were better than before.
"Good job today!" she complimented Kiba as he walked her home. He grinned back at her, his face slightly red.
"Thanks, Hinata-chan. You did a good job as well!" She blushed at his words, proud. She gently squeezed Akamaru, who was resting in her arms. "Hey, sometime…" Kiba trailed off, looking at the trees they passed as they walked. "Sometime, we should get together to do something other than train. We used to walk around town together when we were younger, remember?"
Hinata blushed, trying to stop her heart from racing. She calmed her excited mind down, sternly fighting the thought that he was asking her on something like a date. "We should. I like walking with you." She confessed bashfully.
Kiba grinned. "Yeah? Well, I also want to do other things, like…we should eat out this Friday. We've never done that before!" she pressed a sleeping Akamaru closer to her chest in excitement. "We always bring lunch to training, and we haven't ever eaten dinner together…"
Hinata turned red. "Would you like to eat dinner together then?" she asked him, feeling suddenly bold.
He nodded, and she almost sighed in relief. "I would love that."
We became closer, which displeased my father greatly. He and the other members of my clan insisted that I shouldn't spend too much time outside of training with him or Shino. Shino didn't really need to spend much time with others, it seemed, and he would much rather spend it with Kiba anyway. Kiba, however, craved company of any sorts and I was pleased to join him in doing whatever he wished. We spent out days together and eventually began to spend our nights together as well. We went out to eat dinner at least once a week, usually at the ramen place.
We often saw Naruto eating ramen, and my heart would speed up apprehensively. I wasn't sure whether Kiba noticed the way I acted around Naruto or not, but I hoped he didn't. I felt guilty whenever Naruto and Kiba were in the same room; angry at myself for not sticking with one or the other.
I continued to love both boys, and the pressure put upon me by the clan continued as well. I began to wonder what would become of me, which made me feel strange and hopeless. I felt even worse when I made predictions. I feared that I would end up an unsuccessful kunoichi and forced to marry Neji, in hopes that his skill would be passed down along to the main family via our children. I dreaded each morning and feared each night. I thought there was nothing I could do.
"Two beef ramen, please." Kiba ordered. They were sitting at the ramen place and eating their weekly dinner together. Hinata smiled at him while he wasn't looking. She thought it was the best thing in the world to eat out with Kiba. He was fun to talk to and, quite frankly, was an attractive companion to spend time with. She always enjoyed their outings and cherished each moment they shared.
Kiba turned to her with his usual grin. "Hinata, were you staring at me?" he asked playfully. Hinata blushed shyly.
"Hai, gomen!" she squeaked.
Kiba leaned forward towards her. "Nah, it's fine, it's fine!" he smirked. "I don't mind at all…"
Her blush increased, but she was shocked out of the moment as their bowls were placed in front of them. "Arigato." She thanked the man who ran the ramen place before beginning to eat. Next to her, Kiba also began eating, though with much more excitement than she had. She slowly slurped up the noodles while Kiba dug right in. She mentally joked that it was part of his doggy side showing.
"Hinata."
Hinata and Kiba swung around to look behind them. There stood Neji, his hands in his pockets and his posture confident. "O-ohayo, Neji-kun." Hinata said softly. Neji's white eyes roamed from her face to her teammate.
"Kiba Inuzuka." He said simply. Hinata had always assumed that Neji was too arrogant to say hello, and she was always slightly disturbed when he would greet someone with just their name. She turned her head to look at Kiba.
His expression mirrored Neji's plain one. Kiba nodded in acknowledgement. "Neji."
The aforementioned turned his hard gaze back to Hinata. "What are you doing?" he asked with an indifferent tone. "Your father has said time and time again that he doesn't want you to go out with him." Neji tilted his head towards Kiba to show who he meant.
Kiba growled. "Yeah? Well, Hinata-chan can choose who she wants to spend time with on her own!" He was scowling. Hinata blushed and sent him a small, gracious smile.
Neji still looked disinterested, and Hinata wondered why he was here. She considered the notion that her father had sent him to get her, but she hoped it was just that he was going out to eat and decided to talk to them. "Why are you standing up for Hinata-sama?" Neji asked carelessly. "She's not supposed to go out with you and that's that."
"Neji-kun, please don't be so rude to Kiba-kun—"
"What? And she's supposed to hang around with you or something?" Kiba asked angrily, cutting Hinata off.
"There's no reason to be so upset." Neji glared at him. "It's only Hinata-sama, after all."
Hinata gasped quietly, whishing she could be brave and stand up to Neji when he spoke like that. Luckily for her, Kiba would always come to her rescue. "'ONLY Hinata-sama'? She's a much better person than you, so you shouldn't speak about her that way!"
Neji shrugged. "Whatever. I'm just doing my duty as a Branch House member. It's my job to look after her. I could care less who she decided to date, but her father doesn't." He said, before walking off down the dark street. Kiba growled at his retreating figure. Akamaru, who had been lying at their feet, barked angrily at the Hyuuga's fading backside. Hinata was blushing at the implication Neji had made about them dating, but Kiba didn't seem to notice.
"A-arigato, Kiba-kun." She breathed. He turned to look at her, his expression fading from an angry scowl to a warm smile.
"No problem. Now, lets eat our soup before it's too cold!"
Kiba tried to comfort me in any way he could. He didn't know why I had become so gloomy and sunk back into my shell, but he did anything he thought would help to make me happy. We spent hour upon hour together, and I grew desperate to show him how I felt.
There was absolutely no hope at all, I knew, but I tried to enjoy myself while I could. Neji warned me periodically that I shouldn't spend so much time with and Inuzuka, and that there was no way a relationship between us would work out. I ignored the warnings to the best of my abilities, but they nagged at me in moments of calm.
I continued to train and go on missions with my team, dedicating most of my time to becoming a shinobi the clan could be proud of. I thought that maybe if I was strong enough, my father would ignore the fact that I was obviously interested in Kiba. He had told me many times that it was an unsuitable match.
I later learned that there were plans to marry me to Neji. We were both against it, but it was what was best for the clan, my father told me. I was not happy with my fate, but I knew that there was little hope that I could get out of it.
However, despite the fact that I would be wed to Neji shortly after my eighteenth birthday, I felt like I was getting closer and closer to my ultimate goal that I had so long ago given up hope on. I no longer felt any real love for Naruto, especially after seeing the way he looked at his female teammate, and accepted the fact that I would always love Kiba most of anyone. Kiba and I were always together by this point, and the mood of our meetings changed from simple and fun into a heady feeling I couldn't get rid of.
Kiba started to touch me for no reason; he'd hold my hand on walks or drape and arm over my shoulder when we sat and talked. It got to a point where it felt like we were always touching and I always felt like I was burning up. I would never tire of the simplest touch from the person I loved so much.
They were walking through the forest together for no reason. Training had been canceled for the day because Kurenai was sent on a special mission, and Shino was nowhere to be found. Hinata and Kiba were aimlessly discussing their friend's absence.
"I bet he's playing with bugs somewhere around here." Kiba guessed. Hinata giggled.
"Maybe he's gotten himself a girlfriend…!" Hinata put in. Kiba looked shocked but his expression turned into a grin as he lazily put his arm around her shoulder.
"Yeah, I hope that's it! I can just imagine him…going out on a date with her..." His mouth twisted into the toothy smile she enjoyed so much. "But, I can picture her being a giant cockroach or something!" he laughed, while Hinata shuddered.
"D-don't say such creepy things! Bugs are okay when they're the little ones he's got in his jacket and all, but when you talk about g-giant c-co-cockroaches it makes me feel gross!"
Kiba laughed chuckled delightfully, lifting his hand form her shoulder to play with her hair. "Yeah, it's not such a pretty sight…" he said quietly. Hinata felt his mood change from the silly and amusing way it often was to the rare, serious, and thrilling one. "Hinata…" he murmured pointlessly. He already had her full attention. "Don't you think it's high time we all were dating?"
"…Huh?" she asked, practically inaudible. He twirled some of her hair around his finger.
"We're sixteen and none of us have ever dated." He explained to her. "Don't you think we should've by now?"
She nodded in agreement. "I'm surprised you and Shino aren't dating yet; I always thought you at least would be q-quick to catch e-every girl's attention…" she blushed bright pink.
"Yeah?" he asked softly. "You're so nice, I think everyone should want to date you."
She smiled graciously, her white eyes clouded dreamily. "I'm too shy for most people's tastes." She said modestly.
Kiba shrugged and pulled her closer to him. "Mmmm. Well, personally, I think it's cute."
She slowed to a stop, her face completely red. He stopped as well, seeing as his arm was still around her. "R-really!" she asked hopefully. "Are you really serious!"
Kiba grinned, and her heart beat a hundred times faster. "Of course I'm serious." He said boldly, looking straight into her eyes. Hinata smiled gratefully, but averted her eyes timidly.
"A-arigato, Kiba-kun. That means a lot to me…" she whispered. She was shocked when she felt Kiba's hand on her chin, pushing her face up to look back at him.
"I think we should date, Hina-chan." He told her slowly. She didn't even have the time to fully comprehend what he had said before he leaned down and kissed her.
It was the most amazing and surprising thing when he kissed me so suddenly. I felt a thousand emotions at once and fell in love all over again. It was the greatest moment of my life, I'm sure.
I had achieved the ultimate goal…Kiba and I were now dating. I couldn't care less that my father and the entire clan was displeased and I ignored their demands that I break it off immediately. There was no way I would ever give up my most beloved person for the clan. Kiba, of course, supported this fully, saying that he would never let them take me away from him.
I was certain that Kiba loved me back, and I was in heaven. We passed the days together like always, but now we were intimate when we could be alone. I was greatly pleased at how everyone who wasn't from the clan supported our relationship, especially Shino and Kurenai-sensei. It was pure bliss, being with him.
By the time our relationship became public knowledge, Neji stopped warning me and began to look at me with strangely sad eyes. He told me one day that he actually felt bad that I would end up with him rather than Kiba. It broke my heart to hear that, because until then I had forgotten that I was definitely going to be married to Neji.
Kiba swore that he wouldn't let that happen, but I knew that it was. He insisted quite passionately that I should marry him instead. My heart soared at the thought but quickly sunk with the weight of the truth. I spent about two days locked in my room, thinking everything over. When I exited my room on the second afternoon, I had a smile on my face. I went to go train with my team and they were surprised when I told them that everything was perfectly fine.
I had thought up a plan.
Hinata stood at the altar in her beautiful wedding dress, only a month past her eighteenth birthday. Neji was facing her with a set expression on his face. Neither of them were happy on their 'special day', and it showed. The normally cheerful Hinata had traces of a scowl on her face.
They reluctantly kissed—just a short peck on the lips—when they were told to. They left the church unhappily, neither satisfied with their marriage. Hinata and Neji were brought beck home where they were given a set of rooms to share as husband and wife. Luckily for her, Neji had no interest in exercising his rights as her husband, so they spent the next few days hanging around, bored.
Soon they had to return to the life of a shinobi, and Hinata went back to training with her team and going on missions. Kiba, who had not been at the wedding, wouldn't look at her for many day, no matter how many times she asked him to.
One day she grew so fed up with being ignored that she followed him on his way home, to his displeasure.
"Hinata-chan, you have to go home to your husband! Don't be walking around with me!"
"Why not! I love you!" She said angrily. Kiba was so surprised he stopped walking and stared at her. Not only was this tone of voice rare from her, but the fact that she was married weighed heavily upon his mind.
"But…you're married! You can't say that sort of thing to me now!" He said unhappily. Akamaru whined at his feet.
"Who cares if I'm married to Neji-kun! I'd much rather be married to YOU!" she said loudly, trying to get Kiba to understand.
"D-don't say that…" he begged her. "Please…don't say that…"
She moved closer to him, and unflinchingly placed a tender kiss on his lips. Kiba didn't move an inch. "I love you forever and always. I want to be with you and only with you!" she put her arms around his neck. "I don't want to stay married to Neji-kun. We don't like each other at all, and I've always considered him to be my brother. What I really want is to spend my life with you, Kiba-chan and you know that!"
Kiba slowly pushed her away, his face red. "Hinata…" he whispered. It was strange; they seemed to have switched personalities.
"I'm going to find a way to get out of being married to Neji-kun. I swear I will." She said passionately. "You know I had to marry him, because he has to be a Main House member and it was the only way, Kiba-chan. But now, he's a member of the Main House and will be even if I leave him. It's happened in the past, and since the man is usually a better heir to the clan he will be readily accepted."
Kiba was looking uncertain. "What is it you want to do, Hina-chan?" he asked.
"I want to leave Neji and marry you!"
He slowly smiled. "Really?" he asked hesitantly. She nodded.
"And that's what I'm going to do." She told him, leaning in to kiss him again.
I married Neji and was very lucky that he had no interest in being newlyweds. We never touched and that was the way I wanted it. I wondered whether the clan realized that they would never get another heir out of us. I think they must have known, and maybe they had hoped I would do what I did.
After making sure that Kiba still loved me—still wanted to be with me like I wanted to be with him—I approached Neji and told him my intent. He actually sounded pleased that I was going to break our marriage, and I was glad that I had told him so he had something to look forwards to.
Next I approached my father and the other elders, plainly telling them that I was going to leave Neji and the Hyuuga clan. It came as a shock to them, which I found strange—I had believed that they were expecting it in a way. I said that since they now had Neji I wasn't needed, and they could pair him up with another Hyuuga and keep the blood thick. I told them I was stepping down as heir, and was willing to give up my Hyuuga name to be free of my title.
The elders and my father put up little fight. They were quick to accept my decision and called Neji and told him that I was no longer to be his wife, and that he would remain a Main House member. Unfortunately, there was no possible way to remove the curse seal on his forehead, but Neji was quite contented anyway.
I was allowed to leave the Hyuuga estate to live on my own. I finally felt like I had control over my fate, and I'm certain Neji did as well. Both of us had been freed from what we believed was our unchangeable destiny—I to be the useless heir and he to be the caged bird. I hurried to see Kiba with my good news.
"KIBA!" She banged on the door to his house. His mother opened the door, a confused look on her face.
"Hinata-chan…?" she asked, surprised at her behavior. "He's on the roof. Go right on up." She told Hinata, who obeyed. Just as she was about to open the door to the roof, Kiba opened it, Akamaru trotting beside him.
"Hina-chan! I heard you yelling! What's the…matter…?" he trailed off, unsure of what was going on. She was smiling elatedly and pushed him back onto the roof and closed the door behind them.
"Kiba…I'm free…!" She told him, and she pounced on him, giving Kiba a tight hug.
Kiba was very shocked but a grin crept onto his face. "You are?" he asked, just to be sure.
"Yes!" Hinata squealed. She hadn't been this happy in ages. She pulled back from him. "Now that I am a free woman, will you…"
Kiba's grin grew as she trailed off. "Hina-chan, will you marry me?" he asked. She smiled as the world stopped so she could let the moment sink in.
"Yes, I will definitely marry you, Kiba!" she exclaimed with a blush. Kiba hardly waited for her to finish the sentence. He moved forward and kissed her lips, claiming what had always truly belonged to him.
I was married to Kiba a few months later. The entire experience was worlds different than my brisk wedding to Neji. I was the happiest bride you could ever lay your eyes on, and my heart was filled with so much love and hope that I felt like I could burst.
Kiba was very interested in being newlyweds with me, and I was interested in return. We spent the most blissful time together, and nothing had ever felt better. Returning to the life of a shinobi was much harder than it had been the first time, but we happily joined Shino and Kurenai-sensei in training like we had in the 'good old times'. Everyone was happy for us, too, which made every minute feel like heaven.
Kiba wanted to start a family soon, and I agreed. We had a baby boy about two years later, and he was the most wonderful thing. I had the perfect family, and it seemed there was no way I could be happier. Yet every day, it seemed that my contentment grew and grew! I had achieved so much more than I had ever expected when I decided Kiba was my ultimate goal.