Slices
A/N: Well we've time jumped to just before the chunin exams. This chapter takes place before Hinata talks to Naruto. This is still an AU however it breaks off around the Sasuke/Orochimaru bit. Though if you haven't read Slice of Life this note won't make much sense to you. Don't worry it's not required to read this though.
"I don't think I can do this..." Hinata couldn't stop the hopelessness from over taking her features. She'd been training non-stop with her teammates and it was still hard to say she had gotten any better. Sure her team had made it to the Chunin exams but she didn't feel it had anything to do with her own improvement as much as Shino's cool leadership and Kiba's hot headed determination. Somehow they all seemed to work well together even with her rather weak moments.
"You can do it Hinata," Kiba smiled he was excited for her. Hinata had finally decided to step up and talk to the guy she'd practically been stalking half her life. Really talk to him not just a passing hello. Of course he was routing for her. Unlike the ugly rumors said, that he was sure Ino had started, he was not in love with his teammate and secretly planning to sabotage her love life with anyone else. He pushed those thoughts aside though Hinata needed his support right now not his temper. He nudged Shino for his input, after all Hinata was joint project in some regards. They both wanted the best for her and had been steadily working on making her less shy.
"What if he..." Hinata started her cheeks glowing once more. Eevery time she even thought about the blonde it was hard for her to keep her cheeks from coloring and her fingers still. With everyone else she was getting better but not him.
"Hinata." Shino only said one word but his teammates could feel his exasperation and the command in his words. In his own way he was doing the best he could to show his support. Something they had been working with him on. His social skills or the lack there of. "You can do it." He waved her on as he saw Naruto approaching the training ground. He and Kiba would stay in position watching discreetly from a distance. They would be able to hear everything and see her. So ne nodded to her as she moved away towards her target.
Kiba did his best to hide his smirk, Hinata wasn't the only one that had come a long way. All of them had in their many awkward ways of communication. He hadn't talked about it with anyone but in moments like this it was hard not to acknowledge the difference from those first two weeks. In the beginning Hinata had been shy around them, finding it hard to express herself and speak her mind. Something he was sure was from the way her family treated her as he learned more about it. Shino had seemed cold at first and rather stuck up expressing himself slowly and not quite vocally. And to himself he could admit that he was too much of a hot head in the beginning thinking that he was supposed to be in charge and knew everything. A few missions in had proved them all wrong. They needed to work together and be open. This had led to many fights and several heart to heart chats late at night. Now he was sure they were moving in the right direction.
"We've come a long way." Shino surprised the brunette out of his thoughts while voicing them. Hinata could still be heard expressing herself as he listened. But he wasn't watching her anymore. He couldn't help examining his usually loud companion reading him like a book. Kiba still needed to work on hiding his thoughts, not that anyone other himself or Hinata would be able to tell. Most of the other genin thought the dog trainer didn't think as much as he did. But he could tell the other was worried about Hinata, which was probably why Ino had started that rumor. It wasn't that she was entirely wrong either, he and Kiba would sabotage Hinata's relationships if the guy was not deserving. Not because they were in love with her though, they did love her, she was like their sister. But he found his relationship with Kiba more complicated as he was quickly becoming something else, something he'd never had. A friend he might be able to confide in about his family secrets without being judged.
"We have." Kiba readily agreed still watching Naruto judging his feelings from his reactions. Of course he was going to win against him but he didn't mind Hinata supporting them both. He just hoped that Naruto would turn out to be worth Hinata's attentions. "You've even managed to become more normal." He chided him lightly liking the results he was seeing from Naruto. He never been sure what the blonde had ever seen in Sakura to begin with but everyone knew of his crush on her. Hinata was by far prettier and a much nicer person.
"And you've stopped ignoring people over your dog." Shino smirked at the look of irritation thrown his way by both dog and master. He had found it rather entertaining to tease them both. "We should go." He nodded towards Hinata who was slowly making her way back to them. They had a fight to attend.
"You're lucky I like you." Kiba replied jumping down from the tree with all the grace of a dog chuckling to himself because Hinata was smiling like the sun had landed in her hands. He could feel Shino following him and he couldn't be happier for his teammates. They were coming along nicely.
End Note: I'm not really sure how this ended up so much in Kiba's perspective but trust it to change.