To Kiba's delight, Hinata smiled as he skidded to a halt beside her.

"Kiba-kun?" she asked politely. "Weren't you going with Shino-kun?"

Kiba waved a hand dismissively.

"Nah, Shino said he'd go on ahead." Hinata peered over his shoulder. Far in the distance, Shino remained in his spotlight of angst, rather obvious against the rest of the darkened street. She blinked.

"A-are you sure?" she asked anxiously. Kiba's grin faltered a little.

"Yeah!" he said quickly. "Yeah, don't worry about Shino: he likes to be alone." Hinata didn't look entirely convinced. So, he hastily wrapped an arm about her shoulder and steered her around the corner. "Come on! I'll walk you home."

Hinata smiled bashfully, looking at her feet. "Thank you, Kiba-kun. That-That's very sweet of you."

Kiba's cheeks reddened a little under the distinctive Inuzuka markings at her use of the word "sweet". It was not at all how he would describe himself, or really stand to be called by anyone else. Rather: he tried very hard to keep a rough, tough, manly-man reputation. However, hearing it from Hinata was… Nice.

He chuckled nervously, quickly removing his arm from her shoulder and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Heh. Well… My pleasure."

They walked at a pleasant but slow pace, winding in and out of darkness through the maze of Konoha's streets. The air was warm and humid, but not horribly so, and echoed with cricket song. There was little cloud cover above and thus the half-moon and the stars shone unhindered, casting long slivers of white light through the spaces between buildings.

Despite Kiba's initial opinion it was actually quite late: the evidence being that they passed hardly anyone at all on their journey. The neon lights of the downtown area hummed brightly, and the splashes of colours they cast at the far edges of a pedestrian's vision gradually lessened as the two chunin pressed on towards the residential area.

Their conversation was varied and comfortable and pleasant, as it should be between two close friends. They discussed everything from past missions to village politics; Hinata laughed guiltily at Kiba's very accurate Shino impressions; a very embarrassed Kiba chased and eventually tackled Akamaru, who had grabbed Hinata's purse in jest (who didn't mind in the least): he scrambled through two alleyways and across a main road to catch him; Hinata was horrified when she remembered that Kiba lived on the opposite side of town, and it took fifteen minutes of Kiba's constant reassurance that he wouldn't be missed to calm her down.

They walked side by side, for both had the route mapped clearly in their heads. So it was much to Kiba's surprise when Hinata suddenly veered down an alley on an unfamiliar route. Kiba hesitated.

"Uh, Hinata?"

"Mmm?"

He hesitated for a moment, simply to stare. She stood in the entrance to the alley, looking at him over her shoulder. Her fair, porcelain face was half-illuminated by light from a doorway lamp; the rest was cast in shadow. The low yellow light glowed softly against her pale irises. Hinata's dark, glossy hair shifted over her jacket; her long, white neck became visible. In short: she was gorgeous.

Kiba swallowed. A rush of affection warmed him from top to toe.

"Kiba-kun?" Hinata shifted uncomfortably and he shook himself, hastily regaining his composure.

"Aren't… Er, aren't you going the wrong way?" He prodded his finger towards the street ahead pointedly.

For some unfathomable reason, Hinata turned a very deep shade of red. He cocked his head curiously.

"I… Ah… Mmm… I always go this way…" she stammered, pressing her index fingers together anxiously. "It's a-actually a sh-shortcut, Kiba-kun."

"Oh." That made sense. Stupid Kiba. Of course it's a shortcut. It was funny: he could have sworn he'd worked out every possible route to the Hyuga residence. He could hardly believe he'd missed one. Still, a shortcut… Kiba ignored the pang of disappointment in his gut at the idea.

Akamaru happily trotted after Hinata into the alley, tail a-wag. Kiba shrugged.

"Okay, you're the boss!" Digging his hands a little deeper into his pockets he strode after her.

The alley was very dark: he could only see brief flashes of Hinata's hair shining in the staggered moonlight; Akamaru was a pale smudge. Since his vision was no longer of any use, Kiba's keen sense of smell was instinctively kicked up a notch. In the long run this did little to help him.

"Not much light here," he grunted conversationally. "You don't ever think of walking where you can actually-"Kiba swore loudly as he stubbed his toe very hard on a pile of bricks.

A familiar wave of cinnamon washed over him, and he felt Hinata's little hand squeezing his arm.

"Kiba-kun! Oh, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault… It's never been a problem before… B-but I hardly ever go this way with anyone else, we should have- Akamaru-chan, I think he's alright, don't worry – H-here… Byakugan!"

Oh. Obviously. No wonder the lack of light didn't bother her. Kiba mentally throttled himself.

He told Hinata it was alright, not to worry, he was fine, though she continued to fuss until they reached the end of the alley. Kiba could almost feel the heat radiating off of her presumably cherry-red cheeks. Despite the throbbing pain in his big toe, Kiba managed a grim chuckle. Hinata's firm grip on his forearm and murmured commentary in his ear of the geography of the alleyway were very comforting, and he had to supress shivers as, upon occasion, her warm breath tickled this neck.

Perhaps if Kiba had less restraint he might have stopped them in that alley, pressed Hinata up against the wall and kissed her senseless, and he later regretted the missed opportunity. Also, he was far too distracted in trying to block the said thoughts from his hormonal, teenage mind.

The alley ended after an abrupt turn, and thus they both winced at the sudden light. Hinata more so, with her added sensitivity thanks to the Byakugun. As the two blinked furiously to adjust their eyes to the brightness of the street lamp, Kiba's nose picked up on several very familiar scents.

Instant ramen.

Expired milk.

And someone he'd encountered many times before.

Kiba's heart sunk like a stone in his chest. Now, he understood. He had been right in his assessment of Hinata's chosen route: it wasn't a shortcut.

He imagined Hinata walking home after a mission, perhaps late at night or lit in the glow of the setting sun, pausing under the very lamp under which they were now. She was staring longingly at the top apartment of the oblong building, adoration shining in her eyes. A kind of look that, he knew, would never be meant for him.

Something snapped.

There was a sour taste on his tongue, and his stomach clenched painfully. His fists curled unconsciously, and Kiba glared at that apartment with a stare that, had the occupant been aware of it, would have set him ablaze.

By now Hinata's eyes had adjusted to the light, and she watched Kiba with a fraction of alarm.

"K-Kiba-kun?" she asked nervously. "What's wrong?" He didn't answer her. Instead, she watched in bewilderment as his jaw tensed and he narrowed his eyes to mere slits.

"Tell me Hinata-chan," he said quietly, causing Hinata to start. "Why is it you walk this way again?"

Her eyebrows creased in confusion.

"Why… This… Way?" she echoed, baffled. Her eyes followed the direction of Kiba's, and fell upon the target. Her eyes widened with realization, and she turned a deep shade of red. "Oh," she gasped breathlessly. "I-I… I didn't even realize Kiba-kun, I'm j-just so used to coming this way, I-I've always…" Hinata's voice trailed off, and she looked instead to her shuffling feet.

"Always," repeated Kiba in a bitter voice. "…Yeah. I know. I get it."

"I-I… I'm so sorry Kiba-kun, I've wasted so much time… Y-you could have been home an hour ago if I'd been t-thinking-"

Kiba laughed harshly.

"An hour? You think you've only wasted an hour of my miserable life?" His voice was cold, and his eyes finally fell on her. Hinata took half a step backwards: he looked crazed. He laughed again – an icy, humourless laugh that she instantly hated. "An hour – if only! Try years!"

Hinata blinked back tears. She was hurt, but she didn't know why: what on earth was he talking about?

"I-I don't understand, what-"

"Just answer me one thing," he snapped. Suddenly, he was right in front of her, Kiba's wild eyes boring into hers. Hinata squeaked in surprise, flinching when he raised a hand. He didn't take his eyes off her as he pointed slowly towards the building. "Why him? Why him? What's so special about… About that Uzumaki kid?"

Hinata opened her mouth to give her automatic answer. They had talked about Naruto before. Kiba had pressed her for details and eventually she'd opened up to him. She had always thought it to be one of the best parts of their friendship: that she could discuss something so private so openly. Kiba had laughed with her about him; he'd comforted her when she felt about ready to give up; he'd encouraged her when she wondered aloud if she should confess. Kiba Inuzuka was whom she could depend on, always, when there was no one else… He had walked her home, hadn't he?

A trickle of dread ran down her spine. He was always so kind to her… What if he thought that he wasn't getting anything out of their friendship? A pit of guilt drilled its way into the bottom on her stomach. She had never once talked to Kiba about his love-life; she hadn't stepped in to protect him from harm nearly as often as he had for her; she never offered to walk him home… He had asked earlier this evening if she would stay out a little longer, and she had selfishly said… Selfishly… Selfish…

But Kiba spluttered onwards before she had a chance to say anything.

"What's he got that-that I-" he choked on air for a moment, unable to get the words out. Hinata hung her head in shame.

Then Kiba said something he didn't mean to. It was cruel, and it was awful, and it was definitely the wrong thing to say. But Kiba wasn't thinking straight.

"Naruto Uzumaki is a waste of your time, and you're an idiot if you think he'd ever choose you over Sakura!"

What he'd meant of course was that Naruto was too infatuated with the Haruna girl to notice any other living thing around him. Naturally, this did not occur to Hinata.

A lot of people over her lifetime had openly expressed her hopelessness as an individual. And now Kiba Inuzuka was just another one.

There was a time when Hinata simply would have turned and ran, but within the past three years (with the express help of said teammate) she had truly blossomed as an individual.

Hinata slowly raised her head, tears of shock and hurt pouring silently down her face. She met his panicked gaze unwaveringly.

"Inuzuka-san," she said quietly after a moment. "Thank you for walking me this far. I think I can manage the rest of the journey alone. Good night."

For the second time that night, she turned her back on him, and walked away. She managed three steps before she broke into a run.

Kiba gaped after her, his expression pained. What have I done.

"H-Hinata!" The message that his brain had been screaming to his legs finally reached them, and he stumbled forward. "Hinata, wait! I'm sorry!"

But she was already gone.

Kiba dug his fingers into his hairline, baring his teeth in a silent growl. "Shit!" Akamaru yelped as Kiba slammed his fist into the pavement, jumping back a few feet. The cement cracked and buckled, and the skin on the shinobi's knuckles split wide open. Kiba yelled in pain, and crouched in the light of the street lamp.

Shit.

A stray tear rolled down his cheek, and he frantically wiped it away.