Thanks to Masashi Kishimoto, whose characters and story this story is based on.
This is set when the Team Eight members are 16-17 years old. It doesn't follow along with the major plot of Naruto Shippuden, but there are spoilers.
The explosion of smoke bombs; Arrows and kunai whizzing by alarmingly close; Ambush.
This escort mission, a mission they had not foreseen any trouble on, had turned into a free for all battle. The smoke did not hamper Hinata's vision, and normally long distance projectiles would be no problem for her, but she felt faint, dizzy. She deduced it was from the smoke. She attempted to make her way to clear air, but time was not on her side.
She stumbled, and her vision swirled; the chakra from her teammates, the enemy ninja, trees, insects, birds and animals fleeing the area was now indistinguishable. She was making the lightning fast decision to deactivate her Byakugan to give herself more energy to escape when she felt someone put her arm over their shoulder. Only from long time familiarity did she recognize this as Shino. But still this was not enough, and she felt herself losing consciousness.
She came to lying on her back, looking up at the tree canopy, Akamaru by her side. When she reached out to him, he licked her hand and barked. Kiba landed silently on the ground next to her a moment later.
"You okay?"
"I will be. What happened? Did you pass out too?"
"I didn't, but I've been better. Akamaru and I got the smoke out with fang over fang, then Kurenai-sensai took out the rest, but we can't find Shino. We captured the enemy scouts, but they said they've got no idea where he is. No one said they killed him, or thought they even gave him a bad injury. Maybe they're lying but, I don't think they are. I can smell it, people get nervous when they lie.
"And these guys... Let's just say these guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Even if they are pulling a fast one on me, there's no reason for them to take Shino. They were only interested in the Prince."
Their current mission: Two adjoining nations were making a political alliance with the marriage of their heirs. Another nearby nation had sent a team to kidnap the husband to be – the Prince, thereby preventing the marriage – in the hope the Princess would marry their nation's son instead.
It was a foolish plan, and when rumors of it reached the Queen, many of her advisors thought their rivals would never attempt it. But the Queen was cautious and hired Konaha ninja to escort her future son in-law. Their team was chosen.
Kiba continued. "They admitted they didn't even have approval from their government to do this. They're just a bunch of rogues. But back to Shino, there's no trace of him. Those damn smoke bombs – me and Akamaru's noses are all stuffed up. Can you check for him, when you're up to it?"
"Of course." Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan. The surrounding forest was returning to its normal activity, after the brief skirmish.
"I'm not seeing him. I don't like this, Kiba."
"That makes two of us."
The Prince was sympathetic to their dilemma, and they camped overnight after repeatedly searching the area, but they couldn't stay in the woods forever. They had a mission to complete. Without any further incident, they escorted the Prince to his wedding, and brought the rebels to the Queen's guard. They then watched over the ceremony and celebrations afterward. The rebels' nation sent effusive apologies and gifts, and it looked like the whole incident would be smoothed over. Hinata had hopes Shino would arrive during the festivities, but he did not.
As they left the love-struck nation, their moods became increasingly grim. Kurenai sent word ahead of Shino's disappearance. The Aburame eventually made their own sweep of the area, and found nothing.
Weeks turned to months. At first, people in their dealings with her were hopeful – after all, nothing proved Shino was dead.
She and Kiba kept each other company, almost constantly, but as hope for Shino's safe return faded, she found him intolerably painful to be around, particularly after Shino's name was added to the memorial. That day had been horrendous, but she drew upon her ability to fade into the background, disappearing in plain sight.
She didn't worry too much for Kiba. He was gregarious and friendly with their peers, he had the support of his clan, something she had always secretly envied, and of course his constant companion Akamaru. He would be alright. Besides, she was much calmer by herself, she always had been.
She was dimly aware that others were starting to worry about her. Her father began including her in her sister's one-on-one training sessions with him. She appreciated the distraction from her own thoughts.
Hanabi pointed out to her that she wasn't stuttering. She couldn't remember when that started, if it was really a sign of her own weakness, as her father had said to her on many occasions, or if it was something she was born with.
If this had happened at any other point in her life, she would have been so grateful, so hopeful that maybe her and her father's relationship was changing. But now, was it out of pity? She did not dwell too long on his reasoning, because his kindness only coming after the disappearance and assumed death of her teammate only served to start a cold fire in her heart.
Sakura and Ino began inviting her out for meals after their medical ninjutsu training. Brother Neji even sent Ten-Ten to talk with her. Of course neither Ten-Ten or Brother Neji said this, but Brother Neji was not the only one gifted with powers of observation. She appreciated the sentiment, and didn't want to belittle Ten -Ten's genuine effort as only due to his request. Again, if this had happened under any other circumstances, she would have been thrilled, but as of now, she couldn't shake the sense that she had lost something – someone – critical, and nothing seemed they way it did before.
She began using her Byakugan to avoid coming in contact with Aburame clan members, even just passing them on the street. She early on spoke with Shino's father, Gen. That she had last seen Shino just before she passed out, and nothing else.
She took to coming to the memorial stone every morning, and this particular morning she ran into Kakashi-sensai. He nodded to her. She nodded back. She knew, as did many in the village, how he came here each morning to honor a friend, and she timed her visits accordingly. He normally came early, but this morning he was here later than usual. She wondered if this was Kurenai-sensai's doing. She knew her teacher was worried for her as well, but had her hands full. She was nearing the end of her pregnancy, and Asuma-sensai's death had been crushing. She, Sakura, and Ino often visited, and Hinata did appreciate the reprieve, thinking of that new life, as a time to not think, even though she knew Kurenai sensai wanted to discuss Shino with her.
This morning, at the memorial, she surprised herself by speaking. "Does this ever get easier?" Kakashi appraised her for a moment, and she hoped he was reading her correctly. She did not want platitudes – she genuinely wanted to know, - because as of right now, this weight was crushing.
"I can't speak for everyone, but as for myself, the pain didn't lessen, but it got easier to bear."
"Everyone looks at me with pity, wherever I go."
"They did that with me, too."
"He never did that." Hinata said, as she started to choke up. "Shino never did that. He always treated me like I was capable. He didn't look down on me." - 'Like my family does.' she added silently to herself. "He didn't worry about me, like Kurenai-sensai and Kiba do. He just believed in me, and now he's gone."
A new voice – fierce and determined – made itself known. "Course I worry about you, 'cause you do stupid shit like this!" Kiba growled as he approached from the tree line, without Akamaru, unusually. He had on a large black coat, with fur lining the inside of the hood. She was startled to find she was scared of him. This hadn't happened in years. She'd been intimidated when they were first put on Team Eight. With his narrow pupils, the red fangs on his cheeks, and his penchant for elongating his canines, he looked ferocious, predatory.
She was also disappointed – in that she had dreamed she and Naruto would be put on the same team. She went into their first training session half hearted. She would try her best, but she didn't have high hopes for her performance.
But, as they spent more time together, she was reminded not to judge a book by its cover. She saw Kiba's edges soften, to reveal a someone who was passionate, courageous, and – to her astonishment – someone who actually took the time to get to her know her, saw past her shy, stuttering exterior, and liked who he found.
With Shino, she braced herself. He was so obviously skilled, that she expected him to treat her like her father, or Brother Neji did at that time – as someone far beneath him, as a burden that had been hoisted upon him. But he did nothing of the sort. She witnessed a level of patience she'd never seen before. His support was so matter of fact, as if, anything else would be illogical, and it did wonders for her self confidence. Before she knew it, these two were special, precious.
"Hey, Kakashi-sensai. Sorry – I don't mean to disrespect the memorial." Kakashi nodded to him.
"It's alright, Kiba, I didn't take offense." Kakashi turned to Hinata, placing a hand on her shoulder. "My advice is – honor the fallen, and cherish the ones you still have." Then he vanished.
Hinata took a moment to ready herself, before turning to face Kiba. She had a flash of intense anger. She knew Kiba was hurting, that her actions hurt him, but she didn't want that responsibility. But, just as Shino had a piece of her heart, a knowing that came keenly into focus only after she lost it – she too had a piece of Kiba's heart, and he had a piece of hers. She owed him this conversation. Once she'd looked him in the eye, he continued.
"You've been avoiding me, for ages now. What, you don't think I miss him too? You think I don't go through all the what ifs, that it doesn't keep me up at night? That I don't keep seeing him outta the corner of my eye, that I don't cringe whenever I see one of the Aburame in their stupid trench coats?
"But you know what the worst part of it is? It's you! I lost him, and that's damn hard to admit – that I couldn't track him down. But now I've got to lose you too? What the hell!?"
Kiba in the past and present shocked her in his willingness to feel and express himself. She tried so hard to hide her feelings- how much her father's words hurt, how embarrassed she was to be considered an unsuitable heir, how much the branch members hatred and despair affected her, even hearing people say how creepy her eyes were – but Kiba wasn't weakened, it made him stronger, and it helped others, because right now, she realized how much she missed him, his easy laugh, and his eyes that she now saw kindness in. While sometimes it felt like worry, she also missed how openly Kiba cared for her, and valued her friendship.
"I'm sorry." It wasn't enough, but it was all she had, and she hoped Kiba would understand. They looked at each other for a hard moment, before she saw his shoulders drop and he sighed.
"Yeah, yeah. Get over here and give me a hug." She walked forward - her legs felt like stone – and let Kiba wrap his arms around her.
"Geez, I missed you. And Ma misses you, Hana misses you, Akamaru. Come back with me, we'll have breakfast."
"That would be nice." she spoke quietly, resting her head on his shoulder, and felt she could breathe – for the first time in a long time.