OPrincess ShinigamiO here! Am I early or am I early? Ok-ay, I actually don't know my posting schedule whatsoever, so let's just ignore that question! The reason why I posted now is because I might be taking a break for awhile, which means that the next chapter will prob'ly come out next Wednesday or Friday. I don't know, just tired I guess. By the way, I was so happy with the results last chapter! My 10th chapter garnered more than 10 reviews in one day and my drabbles finally reached over 10,000 views as well as reaching more than 100 reviews! The number 10 is such a lucky number for me this week! XD
This chapter will be the third of the "Friend's Point of View" edition, and it features our dog-loving ninja Kiba Inuzuka! Rejoice Kiba fans! ;D This chapter will be leaning more of the family-genre, as well as how Kiba's opinion on SasuHina changed over time. SasuHina will have some sweet fluff here, with some kids around, of course! I actually didn't expect it to be that long, but I hope I did well. So please enjoy this light-hearted chapter! ;)
Of course, I would never forget the awesome reviewers who took their time to give their thoughts and criticisms! I'd like it if some of the Guest reviewers could make their own account so that I could answer their questions or suggestions directly, but I suppose that I shouldn't complain. Anyway, thank you Jeabird, NanamiYatsumaki, KariHitsugaya, blablablabla, kai-itachi21, Ayuzawa Shia, Saki-Hime, Serene-Aspiration723, FlameOfAFriend94, Sayuri-hime, mariarassie, soulfighter17, God Boy's Girl, BlackMoonTiger, and TP Tigers! I think I'll stop replying for thanks coz it might start becoming annoying now, especially to the older reviewers who's been with me from the beginning. But I will reply to those with questions! I will continue to thank you all in my chapters and I hope that you'll continue to stick with me till the end! ;D
Disclaimer:... I don't think I see a little kid with a Sharingan and Byakugan at the same time, do you?...
K- Kindergarten
…
"Hey, mister! Are you really the Sasuke Uchiha that ran away with a girly snake?"
"Are you gonna take our toys and feed it to your pet snake?"
"Can you bring Chii-kun here?"
"Mister, I think I need to go potty…"
"Ew! He poopied on his underwear!"
"Is that a black chicken on your head?"
"I wanna have red contact lenses with swirly things in it too!"
"You're weird!"
"Can you really make lighting appear in your hand?"
"I wanna see that!"
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
Sasuke Uchiha was beyond miffed with the annoyingly loud kids crowding around his legs. Tsunade must've been dead drunk when she assigned him to watch over Konoha's daycare center a few hours ago. Or maybe she really had this sadistic bad humor in her blood.
But it just so happened that a bunch of foreign rogue ninjas were on the loose that week. Because some rich clan's kids were in the daycare, it was insisted that a professional ninja guard the daycare in case any of the rogue ninjas were stupid enough to attack defenseless children.
"… I hate kids."
"I-I don't think they're that bad, Sasuke-kun." Hinata giggled as a brave little boy started climbing on Sasuke's shoulder so he could swing on his arms like a monkey. The other kids continued nagging the older man to show them his "super-awesome Chidori fireworks".
"Hahaha! To think I would see the day the Uchiha would care for little brats!" Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata's dog-like teammate, guffawed at the sight while slapping a tiny pink kids' table in laughter, ignoring the death glare that was directed at him from the Uchiha. Akamaru barked in agreement while the other little kids in the daycare started climbing around his fluffy white body.
"Shut up, Inuzuka. What are you doing here anyway? Oh, wait. Don't tell me, after all."
Kiba ceased his laughing, flicking out a tear from his eye and slyly smirking at the Uchiha.
"Well, there really wasn't anything to do back at home. And since missions are pretty much scarce right now, figured that I should hang with Hinata and Shino." Kiba scrunched up his face, "Shino had to stay at home for this weird insect season thing. I guess his insects were reproducing or something. But then I found Hinata, not surprisingly, with you." Kiba grinned slyly, "What I didn't expect was to see you guys in the daycare center. To take care of annoying snot-filled thumb-sucking brats during this beautiful spring day."
"Kiba-kun!" Hinata gave a disapproving look at her teammate, "It's not right to call these kids 'brats'. They're still innocent little children."
"If these kids are acting exactly like how Kurenai-sensei's kid's acting, then they're definitely little selfish monsters." Kiba snorted.
"Oh, I don't know, Inuzuka." Sasuke smirked, ignoring the kids who were already climbing all over his shoulders and arms, "I think you're completely compatible with these brats. Why, if someone placed you and the dumb blonde in the kindergarten level, no one would ever notice the difference."
"What? And I suppose you're too good for us? I admit that I agree on Naruto's case, but comparing me to him is plain ridiculous!"
"Why? I honestly don't see the difference. Maybe he's got the bigger brain? If you call it a brain at all."
"You bastard! You wanna piece of me?"
"Bring it on, mutt. Although I doubt you can do anything good without your dog."
"The heck? Why I'll show you-!"
Kiba snarled at the Uchiha while baring his sharp fangs, while the latter looked about ready to activate his blood-red Sharingan.
The kids all around them, such sadistic sports they were, began cheering on each sides for a fight. The daycare teachers were still making their snacks in another room, so it was a surprise that they haven't heard any of the ruckus the kids were starting to make.
Hinata bit her lip nervously, seeing that it was up to her to stop this madness.
"Sasuke-kun! Kiba-kun! Not in here!" Hinata stood in between the two growling men, giving both a disapproving yet pleading look. "I-I don't want the children to see such violence. Both of you are acting like, like immature children!"
Some of the kids began snickering and singing aloud about them acting like big babies, happy that it was the grown-ups who got a scolding instead of them.
The Uchiha and the Inuzuka didn't stop glaring dangerously at each other, but they eventually gave in and huffed as they sat down in little pink kiddie chairs. Hinata gave a sigh of relief before sitting down herself while the kids began groaning in disappointment and returned to pestering Sasuke for the Chidori show.
Suddenly, Akamaru's head shot up and began whimpering. Kiba groaned and stood up from his seat.
"Oh great, can't hold it in anymore, buddy? Let's go. Be right back, Hinata." The dog owner walked to his dog, and together they went outside while most of the kids excitedly followed to watch the giant dog take a piss at the bushes in the garden.
A little girl with curly brown pigtails, who looked no more than four, stayed behind and stared in awe at the former heiress.
"Your eyes are pretty," the little girl smiled shyly. The sight somehow reminded Hinata of when she was younger. "And you have nice long hair too. When I grow up, I want to look pretty like you."
Hinata blushed softly. She then gave a gentle smile to the little girl, almost like a mother does to a daughter who has just made her first drawing.
"Thank you, sweetie. I think you look pretty too. What's your name?"
The little girl's chubby cheeks reddened slightly, her amethyst eyes sparkling brightly after the compliment.
"M-Miki."
"A 'beautiful princess'? Well, Miki," Hinata grinned as she brought the shy girl to her lap, "I think your name says it all. You will grow into a very beautiful and kind lady, just like a princess in a fairy tale."
Miki beamed, her eyes sparkling with adoration for the kind-hearted woman.
"Are you a princess?"
Hinata's eyes widened slightly, her cheeks reddened in surprise.
"Ah, um-"
"Yes, she actually is."
The two girls turned to the dark man beside them, who surprisingly had a soft wistful expression on his face. Hinata gasped and blushed even harder after realizing that he was actually watching the whole scene unfold.
Sasuke in turn smirked at the flustered Hyuuga, and then turned to the curious little girl.
"She is a princess who was supposed to become queen of her kingdom. But her father and his advisors weren't so sure if they wanted her to take his place, so the princess worked hard for so many years so that she could prove them wrong."
Miki's eyes widened in anticipation, staying silent seeing that story telling time was starting.
The other kids who were bored watching Akamaru came back just as Sasuke began his story. They excitedly sat around Sasuke and Hinata on the ground like obedient little puppies, as if none of the ruckus earlier had happened at all.
Sasuke smirked. Well-told story telling never failed to do wonders to calm a noisy kid.
He remembered fragments of his childhood when his mother would use story telling to keep him from misbehaving when he was a toddler. She would tell of how an Uchiha prince fought against a scary fire-breathing dragon, and how that prince learned the fire jutsu from it and used it to save the princess that was kept inside the dragon's cave. The story wasn't true, of course. But it did help motivate him to learn more about the fireball jutsu when he grew a bit older.
The melancholy from his memories flooded his head for a second, but he shook it off after seeing Hinata looking worriedly at him.
Turning to the waiting kids, he plastered another proud smirk on his lips and continued on with his story. At least they weren't pestering him for some ridiculous Chidori fireworks show anymore.
"As I've said before, the princess continued working hard, day and night, to prove to her father that she could become a great queen. Also, to impress a…" Sasuke scoffed, "stubborn, idiotic, yet hardworking peasant boy, who also happened to be her inspiration. Since she was a little girl, the princess had always loved her peasant friend, and wished that someday the boy will like her back."
The girls began sighing contentedly, while the boys stuck out their tongues in disgust.
"But then, a mysterious prince from the neighboring kingdom came by…"
…
It took awhile for Kiba to wait for Akamaru to finish his business.
He couldn't blame his best friend and partner though. No one would want people, especially annoying little brats, to watch while they're leaking.
Right after the kids got bored of watching and went back inside the daycare, much to Kiba's relief, the snow-white dog was able to concentrate until he finally finished his business.
"Geez, those kids were annoying." Kiba muttered to himself as he and his dog walked back inside. Akamaru bobbed his head as if nodding in agreement.
"I know right?" Kiba grinned after seeing his dog nod. He then lifted his arms behind his head. "Wonder how Uchiha's faring with the brats now. It's hard to act nice around him, but I have to for Hinata's sake. Poor Hina needs a break from that brooding bastard."
"Rarf!"
"Right. You're a great buddy, Akamaru."
As he opened the sliding door, he stopped in his steps when he saw what was happening.
Sasuke Uchiha, the dark former avenger who used to be full of hatred, was sitting there on a tiny pink stool in the middle of kids, who were surprisingly quiet in contrast to earlier, telling stories like an experienced babysitter.
Kiba wondered if Orochimaru made Sasuke babysit some experimented children as part of his training. As far as he could tell, Sasuke did a better job with the kids than his own mother (she was a VERY impatient and restless woman that only her family and children could handle, Kiba thought with a shudder.).
Hinata was sitting right beside him with a little brunette girl on her lap, slightly flustered while listening along to Sasuke's story. But Kiba could tell that Hinata was enjoying every single second of the moment.
Kiba didn't really know what stopped him from coming forward. Instead, he leaned on the door with his arms crossed and a tiny smirk on his face while his dog, understanding what Kiba's doing, just sat down and wagged its tail happily at the scene.
Somehow, seeing the Uchiha with Hinata and a bunch of kids wasn't so surprising and strange at all. In all reality, it looked kind of … fitting. As if it was meant to happen.
As if they were meant to be a family.
As much as Kiba disliked Sasuke, he knew deep in his heart no matter how much he denied it that Hinata was in good hands with him around. He was so angry at first when Hinata told him and Shino about her mission to watch the Uchiha, and he was even angrier when he found out of the verbal abuse Hinata had to endure for the first few months. He tried convincing Hinata to give up her task, but she stubbornly refused and reassured him that everything would be fine and that Sasuke would eventually change for the better. He didn't believe her then, but after seeing them together like this, there was no doubt left in his mind that his beloved teammate succeeded.
That's when he realized of how scary Hinata could be.
"- and so, the princess gave up her throne to her sister. But she was happy, because she found something, or someone, much more important to her."
"Ah. I see." Kiba thought to himself, understanding whose story Sasuke was portraying.
Sasuke paused, turning his onyx eyes to look at his companion's lavender-white hues. Hinata softly gasped at the soft gaze he gave her, blushing even harder after knowing that the kids could see them.
The kids began having mixed reactions. Some were cooing softly and cheering happily while some boys grunted in their usual boyish disgust.
Kiba chuckled at their response. They were definitely an interesting pair.
He didn't notice that an unexpected visitor had arrived to witness the scene.
"… What is going on here?"
Oh. Crap.
Kiba slowly turned his head, sniffing a very familiar scent. He grinned nervously at the visitor, who currently smelled as if he was ready to shed some blood (yeah, it's possible for Inuzukas to smell danger)
"N-N-Neji! What the heck are you doing here?"
"I was just about to pick up Hinata-sama because of some clan matters, and Shino pointed me to this place. Now tell me Kiba," veins began popping visibly around the Hyuuga's head, "why does it look like the Uchiha is looking that way at Hinata-sama?"
"Ah, um, well-"
"I thought I could trust you to keep them at a reasonable space away from each other."
"B-but! -"
"N-Neji-nii?" Hinata gasped as she finally noticed her cousin. Sasuke rolled his eyes and grunted.
"Hyuuga. Just great."
"Uchiha. Outside. Now."
"Oh boy! It's a fight!" A kid began shouting excitedly, the calm and sickeningly sweet atmosphere long forgotten. The other boys began cheering along and chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!" while the little girls rolled their eyes.
Kiba watched nervously as the two opposing ninjas began to walk outside, with Hinata following behind nervously while trying to stop the both of them from making a scene. The daycare teachers finally arrived and tried keeping the noisy children from going outside. In short, it was a ruckus.
Kiba shook his head as he and Akamaru left the out-of-order daycare.
"Good luck, Hinata. You're gonna need it."
…
Reviews once again are ALWAYS welcome for those who wants to inspire! XD And the next chapter? You'll find out what happened to Team Hebi after all this time! ;)