Chapter 10: Everything
Kiba held his breath at those words, he knew the real meaning of those words. Usually whenever a girl uses them it means she wants to break up with the guy. But how can they break up if they weren't even dating? Wasn't Sakura here to finish saying what she wanted to say at the hospital? That had to be the only reason why she came over tonight. He couldn't think of any other reason other then that.
"Ok, what do you wanna talk about?" He was trying to keep the atmosphere light and easy. He didn't want her to be nervous or scared or for her to run out again. He didn't know what he'd do if she ran away again. He'd probably chase after her and tackle her to the ground until she told him her feelings. He wasn't a genius but he knew that tackling a girl to the ground was not the way to win her over.
"Kiba…" Sakura took in a deep breath and kept her eyes focused on the ground in front of her. Her heart was beating so fast that she wasn't sure if she was breathing or not. She knew what she had to do, she needed to tell him the truth about what she wanted to say to him before. She had to explain everything to him, that she had feelings for him but she also liked Sasuke still. She didn't want him to think of anything weird or bad of her, besides she didn't even know if he had any sort of feelings for her. So far she hasn't seen any signs that he does. "Back at the hospital I had something important that I wanted to tell you but couldn't when the others walked in. Now I think I should continue and explain what it was I was going to say."
Kiba felt like his heart was going to pop out of his chest. It was beating so loud that he was sure that Sakura and everyone else in the compound could hear it. He moved closer to Sakura so that his hand was just barely touching her leg. "Sakura, you don't have to explain anything. I…" Sakura cut him off before he could finish.
"But I do." She finally turned to look at him and almost forgot what she was supposed to say. She was losing herself in his eyes, his eyes that were showing warmth and care. Eyes that were the complete opposite to what she normally see, eyes that make her feel different from what she normally feels. "I like you." She finally said it.
A wide grin spread out onto Kiba's face. The girl that he's loved ever since the moment he meant her finally told him that she liked him. So maybe she didn't say she loved him, it was fine. They still had a lot of time to get closer before she said it. She probably didn't say it because they only just became friends again, once they spent more time together then she probably would tell him that she loved him. But for now he would take the like and be together with her. "Sakura…" He moved his hand to grasp hold of hers, to tell her that he held the same feelings for her but she moved her hand away.
"There's more." She moved her hand away from his and turned back to stare back at the ground.
"Sakura?" This action was confusing him. Weren't they supposed to be moving closer to each other? She told him that she liked him so they should have been getting closer, but she was moving away from him. Was she scared that he was going to reject her? "Sakura I…" He had to tell her his feelings and reassure her that she wouldn't be rejected. He would never reject her, not ever.
But once again she cut him off before he could finish. "I do like you Kiba, a lot. But I still like Sasuke." She kept her eyes on the ground; she didn't want to look at him right now. She couldn't. "I know I probably sound stupid, saying I like two different guys, but I can't help it. I've been in love with Sasuke for a long time that I doubt the feeling would just go away because of my feelings for you." She took in a deep breath and finally turned around to face him. The look he was wearing was a look of confusion and hurt. She hurt him and she knew it. "I like you and want to be with you but I can't when I still like Sasuke. It's not fair to anyone for someone to say that they love them when their whole heart isn't into it."
Kiba understood her words and knew that she was speaking the truth but that didn't mean that didn't mean his heart wasn't in pain. She liked him but she still had feelings for Sasuke, so what does that mean? That they can never be together? That he would always be second best when it came to Sasuke?
When he didn't say anything she figured that he probably wouldn't. She should just leave him alone and try to pretend that none of this ever happened. "I should probably get going." She stood up to leave.
"No!" Kiba had to act fast. He couldn't let her leave, he had to make her stay and understand where she stands in his heart. He grabbed her wrist and spun her around until she was pulled into his arms. He buried his nose in her hair and wrapped his arms around her body keeping her close to him. "Sakura, I love you." He confessed his feelings to her after keeping them in for so long. "I've always loved you, that's why I would play with you and Ino when we were kids. Because I wanted to be near you but when I heard that you liked Sasuke it hurt too much to be near you so I stopped. I didn't want to accept that you liked him instead of me so I acted stupid and made you think that I hated you." He was babbling he knew it, but he needed her to understand his feelings. Maybe if he could help her understand them then maybe, just maybe, she would see that he's always been there and forget about her feelings for Sasuke.
"Kiba…" She didn't know what to say. She had no idea that he cared for her like that, she never knew of his feelings for her. How could she? She was always busy focusing on Sasuke that she ignored Kiba and didn't see his feelings for her. She tried to move away so she could face him but he just tightened his grip on her.
"Don't go. Don't pull away from me, please just stay here with me." He begged her. He finally had her in his arms and he didn't to let her go. He didn't want her to go back to Sasuke. "Sakura I've always been there for you, I've always cared for you. No him. Sasuke doesn't care about you, I've seen how he treats you. He's always belittling you. No real man would ever treat woman he cares about that way." He relaxed his grip on her body and moved his hands to her cheeks, making her look up at him. He needed to see her eyes; he needed to see what she was feeling. "I love you. I can protect you, I've always been there for you, so please, forget about Sasuke and just be with me." He lowered his head down and moved his lips closer to hers. He would always be there for her; he wanted, needed, her to see that. She just had too.
Sakura did understand what Kiba was telling her, he loved her and wanted her to be only be with him. Wanted her to look only at him. She could understand because for so long that's how she was with Sasuke. She moved her hand to his chest and placed them there. She had to make things clear for both of them.
Kiba felt her hands on his and thought that meant she would push him away. He stopped to look at her, he still had his hands on her cheeks keeping her head facing him. Did he over do it? Maybe he shouldn't have told her everything, he should have just kept his mouth shut and go with what she said. At least then she would still want to be near him, now he probably freaked her out and made her hate him.
"Sorry." He let his hands fall from her face and moved them back to his side. "I shouldn't have said all that." He felt like an idiot. He didn't even want to think of how he looked to her. He wanted so badly to scream and cry, to make pain that was engulfing his heart leave him. He should probably just let her leave before he does anything else.
"No." Her voice stopped him. Her eyes looked up into his hurt ones and somehow erased the pain that was once in them. "I'm glad you did." She stepped closer reaching up on her toes and placed her lips on top of his.
Kiba's eyes widen in shock at the sudden contact and his whole body froze. Sakura was kissing him. His cheeks were so hot that he was sure Sakura could feel the heat radiating off of them.
'Sakura, she's kissing me and I'm just standing here like some stupid statue!'He acted quickly before she could pull away. Kiba placed his hand on Sakura's shoulders and responded to the kiss, his mind became on big blank, all he could concentrate on was Sakura and the kiss he was sharing with her. Everything was perfect. His feelings and heart felt so alive and so calm at the same time. Her kiss had such an effect on him, he couldn't believe it.
When the need for air became too great they broke the kiss but Kiba never moved his hand off her shoulders and Sakura kept her hands on his chest. They were staring up into each others eyes trying to catch their breath. The world around them disappeared and only the two of them remained. It was amazing how one kiss could have such an effect on them. They wondered if that would always happen or was it just a first time deal.
"That was…" Sakura didn't know what she should say. She's never kissed anyone before, and she didn't think her first kiss would have such an effect on her. Would she feel this way if she kissed Sasuke? For some reason she doubted she would feel this warm in Sasuke's embrace.
"Amazing." Kiba knew there was probably a stupid grin on is face but he didn't care. He had his first kiss with Sakura and it was great. He felt like he was invincible, like he could take the title of Hokage right at this very moment.
"Yeah." Sakura's cheeks were starting to match her hair. She wasn't really sure why she kissed him but she was glad that she did. It felt…right. "I know this is probably confusing, after all that I said before but I wanted to do it. I wanted to kiss you, I mean for a guy who's loved me all his life, he should get the honor of having my first kiss." She giggled at her little joke. She looked up at him for a moment, suddenly she felt very embarrassed but she didn't look away. "I can't say I love you yet because I don't want too."
"Huh?" That caught Kiba off guard. She didn't want to say she loved him? What was that supposed to mean? Was she trying to play with him or make him solve some weird riddle?
"I will only say the words "I love you" when I can put my whole heart into it. If I say it but all my heart isn't in it, then it's nothing more then empty words." She explained to him. She would say the words 'Love' to Kiba or Sasuke unless she could put everything into those words. Whoever she said them too, she wanted to say them when she could give that person everything.
Kiba nodded his head saying he understood. He knew what she wanted, it was what he wanted too. To give a person your whole heart and have them accept it and they give you theirs. "So what do we do until that time?" He asked her. What were they supposed to do? They couldn't just ignore their feelings. Now that he's finally spoken his he didn't want to have to hide them anymore.
"Not really sure." She didn't have an answer for him or herself. She never imagined herself in this kind of situation. Loving two people, this was something new to her. "I guess for now, we act like we normally would and see what happens." It was the best answer she could give. It was the only answer she could think of, this whole thing was confusing and she needed more time to think properly about what to do.
"Do we have too?" He whined. He was glad that he at least had a chance now but he still didn't want her to be with Sasuke. "How about instead you and I go out on a date and get to know each other even more?" He suggested with a goofy grin. He thought it was a good idea, it would not only keep her away from Sasuke and give him a better chance at wining her heart, but he would finally get a date with Sakura, something he's always wanted to do, and show her what a good boyfriend he would make.
Sakura laughed at Kiba's attempts at trying to woo her and moved away. "Kiba, you're starting to sound like Naruto." She giggled and went back inside the Inuzuka compound.
Kiba followed after her and huffed. He was annoyed that she turned him down and compared him to Naruto. He was nothing like that little idiot. "I'm nothing like that fool." He mumbled loud enough for her to hear him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the back of her head. Even though they were inside and there wasn't any wind he could still pick up her scent. She smelled of cherry blossom and cherries, his favorite.
Sakura giggled again and turned around to look at him. "Well right now you do, he's always asking me for a date that for a moment I thought it was Naruto again." She told him not knowing how her words affected him.
Kiba growled when she said that. He knew that Naruto liked Sakura, but hearing her say it made him angry. How dare he ask Sakura out when she was his! "Naruto, that little…!"
"Sakura!" Hana came in between them, Sakura's clothes in her arms. "Your clothes are all clean and ready for you to put on. You can change in my room." Before she could even reply Hana pulled Sakura with her up to her room.
"Hey!" Kiba moved to follow after them but Kuromaru stopped him. "Kuromaru, move it!" Kiba tried to walk past him but the wolfish canine refused to let him pass.
"Hold it, pup. If you approach the girl the way you are now, you'll say something stupid like you always do and it'll be like everything that's happened tonight didn't." He growled at Kiba making his step back into the kitchen.
"But…" Kiba tried to argue back but Kuromaru just gave him a warning growl, telling him to shut up and listen to him. "Fine." He sighed in defeat and sat at the table eating a bowl of cherries that his sister had left out for him.
He had eaten half the bowl by the time Sakura returned.
"I see that you still like cherries." She had her regular clothes on as well as her leaf village head band. "I remember you would always bring them as a snack when we were still in the academy." She reached out and took a cherry for herself.
"Yeah, well I can't help it. They're sweet and I love 'em." He popped three cherries in his mouth and smiled when he tasted their juices. He always loved eating them, they were so sweet and chewy. He could live on cherries for the rest of his life if someone made him.
"Yeah, I know." Sakura took a few more for herself. "I remember how you tackled Chouji to the ground when he stole a few from you." They both laughed remembering that incident.
"Yeah, Iruka-sensei was really mad at me that day. He yelled at me for the rest of class." Kiba rubbed the back of his neck thinking back to his old teacher. He was use to getting in trouble but that day Iruka was ready to kill him. He wouldn't stop yelling at him and if he remembers correctly he had to clean the entire classroom for punishment. "Thought I would lose my hands after all that cleaning he made me do."
Sakura had a look of wonder on her face. "I still don't get it." She said.
"Don't get what?" He asked finishing off the bowl. There were only two left and they were in his hands. He would have to remind Hana to buy more for him.
"You and your cherries. You would be furious if anyone ever tried to eat your cherries or even asked you to share them but you never had any problems giving them to me. I never got that." She said looking at him for an answer. She had only ever asked him about this once and the only reply she had gotten was just a simple "I don't mind with you". "So why only me?"
Kiba looked at her and was ready to scream. Did she really forget everything he had just told her outside? "Are you kidding me! How the heck are you supposed to be the brightest Kunoichi of our class?" He couldn't believe she was asking him this after everything that happened outside.
Kuromaru, who was resting under the table, snorted at her question. "Just explain it to her, pup. You aren't the easiest ninja to understand." He said going back to his nap.
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Kiba glared down at Kuromaru, who only yawned in response and ignored him.
"Kiba?" Sakura brought back his attention to her. "Are you going to tell me or not?" She asked him again waiting for an answer.
Kiba looked at her and sighed, he still held the two cherries in his hand. He grasped hold of Sakura's right hand and dropped one of the two cherries in her palm. "I would only give them to you because I liked you. I wanted you to like me too so I would do everything I possible could to impress you." He explained eating his final cherry. He had to admit that it was much easier to explain his feelings now, if he had known how easy it would be then he would have confessed along time ago.
Sakura stared at Kiba and listened to his words. All that time he was with her, he wanted her to be impressed with him. He wanted her to praise him because her opinion mattered to him. She looked down at the cherry in her hand and smiled down at it. She never knew being loved by someone could feel this nice.
"Kiba." Hearing his name, he turned his head in her direction opening his mouth to ask what she wanted. With his mouth open, Sakura placed the cherry inside and placed one finger on his lips. "Kiba Inuzuka, you are one great ninja." She stood up from her seat and left the Inuzuka compound and headed home. She had to get ready for tomorrow, she and Ino were going to meet up for the Chunin exams and she had something to tell her childhood friend.
Kiba watched her get up and leave, the cherry still inside his mouth. The feeling of her finger still residing on his lips. He sudden felt very light and very hot. At that moment he wanted nothing more then to chase after her, wrap his arms around her, and tell her to stay. To remain in his arms for the rest of their lives. His feelings have never felt as strong as they do now, his love for Sakura has grown even more in this one day.
When the front door closed and Sakura's scent began to disappear, he finally swallowed the cherry placed inside his mouth. "Best Cherry Ever." He got up from his seat and went to his room. He wanted more time to think about everything that had passed between the two. Kiba wanted to laugh at himself once he laid down on his bed. He would normally never think over something this much, but this was Sakura and she deserved his full attention.
The entire night's events passed though his mind and he made a decision. One way or another, he vowed that he would make Sakura fall in love with him. He knew that he already made this vow before but this time it was different. He would work harder to win her affection, he would become strong to keep her safe from jerks like Sasuke and anyone else who wanted to hurt her. He would do whatever he had to do, even becoming a rouge ninja, to keep Sakura safe and be able to hold her heart.
"Arf!" Akamaru jumped up on the bed next to his master and laid down next to him. He understood what Kiba was going through and wanted to help him anyways he could.
Happy that his companion was with him, Kiba began to pet Akamaru's head. "Hey buddy." He scratched Akamaru behind his ear, his favorite place to be scratched and smiled. "Guess what boy, I've found my mate." He told his companion his choice. He chose her as his mate and would protect her as that. He would remain loyal to her until the end of his days. Nothing could ever change that.
Downstairs Tsume and Kuromaru were in the kitchen discussing what they should do. They had heard and seen everything that had happened between Kiba and Sakura and though they approved of the girls actions and words, were more then annoyed that she was toying with his feelings.
"The girl knows he loves her and yet she still wants that Uchiha brat." Tsume huffed from her seat. She wasn't necessarily mad at Sakura, she could smell the confusion in the girl and the feelings she held for her son were genuine, but damn it pissed her off that she was still chasing after that Uchiha.
"The girl is too confused; she doesn't know what her feelings are anymore." Kuromaru said to his mistress. He could also sense Sakura's confusion and her feelings. "The pup too, he's acting like a new born puppy who's trying to win over their owner with their cute face." He said looking up towards Kiba's room.
"I couldn't agree more." Hana joined them at the table. "He goes from puppy to full adult canine." She folded her arms on the table and looked towards her mother. "He just announced to Akamaru that he's chosen Sakura as his mate." She told them what she heard Kiba say from inside his room. She had wanted to talk to him and see if he wanted any help with Sakura when she heard him tell Akamaru his decision. "I know we were joking with him before about finding his mate but it looks like Kiba is serious. If he sees the chance, I'm positive he'll try and mark her."
Tsume held her gaze up to her son's room. Her hearing and sense of smell told her that he was already sleeping at this point. "He's only a young pup and he's already acting like a full grown male Inuzuka. We'll have to watch him closely from now on." She said moving her gaze to her daughter.
"I thought the kid would mark her more then once this evening." Kuromaru said jumping onto a chair to join the two girls at the table. "He may go into heat sooner then we would expect him too." He added.
Hana and Tsume nodded saying they agreed with that. "Kiba needed to be taught how to control his urges now. Now that he knows he has a chance of being with her, his primal instincts will kick in. He'll become even more protective of the girl, any male threat he'll want to get rid of, he may even try and mark her out in public if it means she'll be his." Tsume crossed her arms thinking about her son and what he may do.
"What should we do then?" Hana asked her mother. She was worried about her brother and she didn't want to see him get into trouble. His feelings for Sakura for so strong that she could almost feel them herself.
"Train him. Teach him to control his body and fight off these urges until it is the right time." Tsume stood up from her seat, Kuromaru did the same, and moved to go to her own room. "Right now that's all we can do for him."
Hana watched them go and sat there for a moment. She was thinking about her brother and Sakura. Her and her mother along Kuromaru and Akamaru had watched the two when they were outside. They were able to see and hear everything that went on between them. Kiba loved Sakura and though her feelings were mostly that of confusion, Hana could feel the love that Sakura held for Kiba. She knew her mother had sensed it too but she doubted that Kiba had felt it, he was to busy concentrating on other things at the time.
"Kiba, I hope everything works out for you." She stood from her seat and followed what the rest of her family did. She went to her room and fell asleep.
Morning came fast for Kiba, he jumped out of his bed and quickly changed out of the clothes from last night into new one. Not surprisingly it was the clothing that Sakura had worn yesterday. He had slept so peaceful because of her scent that he didn't want it to leave him jus yet. Well there was that, but it was also because Sakura had worn them and that made him want to wear them. It was like he was in her presences, like she was embracing his whole body.
"Come on, Akamaru. We'd better hurry or else we'll miss the Chunin Exams." Akamaru and Kiba exited the room and went to the kitchen to get some breakfast. He didn't want to miss the Chunin exams or Sakura. He was still confused on where he was in her heart but whenever he thought about it his mind went back to the kiss they shared. He was hoping that they would meet up at the exams today. He could already see hoe the day would turn out.
They would meet up with each other on the way to the arena, sit next to each other while they cheered on Naruto and the rest of their friends. With all the excitement going on that would mean there probably wouldn't be a lot of room so they would be close together. Maybe he'd wrap is arm around her shoulders. From there they would talk about whatever interested them and as they got closer and closer to each other, they would lean in and share another kiss.
"Kiba!"
His mother's shrieks brought him out of his daydreams. He looked to see her arms crossed and her staring at him.
"You need to focus or else you'll become lost in your own thoughts." She threw an apple at him. Luckily he was able to catch it.
"Yeah, whatever." He didn't have time for this. He had to go and find Sakura so his daydream could become reality.
"I swear…" Tsume ranted on to herself thinking of how clueless her son really was. "I hope you didn't forget that you promised Hinata that you two would meet up and go to the arena together?" She eyed him out of the corner of her eyes.
Kiba froze at her words. He had forgotten. He was so busy thinking about Sakura and his plans to be with her, that he completely forgot about Hinata. "Aw man!" He ran a hand through his hair. He didn't have his headband on, he didn't want to smell anything on him other the Sakura.
Tsume sighed at her son. He really was a clueless pup. "You'd better go and meet the girl before she thinks you stood her up." She left her son after that hoping he wouldn't do anything stupid on his way to pick up on his teammate.
Kiba let out a sigh of his own as he left his house. "Well there go my plans of getting together with Sakura." He said aloud watching the clouds go by. He really wanted to see her again, even though they saw each other last night, he wanted to see her again. He loved being in her presences. "Maybe I'll get lucky and meet up with her on my way to get Hinata." Kiba looked down at Akamaru, asking for his opinion.
"Arf! Af!" Akamaru gave his response and shook his head.
"Yeah, you're right. No way, I would get that lucky." Kiba sighed thinking how bad his luck in love was. He only hoped that he saw her after the exams were over. Maybe they could garb a bite to eat.