Wedding Dress | sixteen

Shino shifted uncomfortably. He usually liked sitting in silence, but this gloomy, depressive atmosphere didn't suit him at all. Kiba looked tense and angry, shifting back and forth restlessly from where he was leaning against a tree.

Finally, he burst out, "You know, there obviously isn't going to be training today. We should be comforting Kurenai-sensei, not thinking about getting stronger or rubbish like that." He shot Shino a dirty glare, folding his arms.

Shino glared back. "I didn't suggest that we wait here." He forced the words from between gritted teeth, unwilling to let Kiba infuriate him more. Everyone was already upset enough.

"I didn't say you did," Kiba shot back. "We should go. The funeral's in, what, half an hour?" He stalked off without waiting, Akamaru padding along at his heels, his big white head hanging sadly. Hinata bit her lip, battling with herself for a moment before grabbing Shino's hand and pulling him along behind Kiba. Shino grudgingly let himself be dragged along.

If Kurenai-sensei wasn't in mourning now and we weren't headed to her husband's funeral, I wouldn't be following Kiba like some sad puppy, Shino thought derisively. I just don't want to risk upsetting her more. Hinata must be pretty upset too; she looks so…fragile.

Shino almost facepalmed. Somehow Hinata kept dancing around in his mind, even in serious moments like this. He looked down at her soft hand on his, blemish- and scar-free even though she had been on numerous missions. Shino, who had never been a fan of bodily contact with anyone, didn't pull his hand away.

Kiba slowed when they reached the funeral site. When he turned back to face Shino and Hinata, there was no trace of anger on his face, only sadness and anxiety. Hinata took his hand with her free one, the weaker comforting the stronger. Together they weaved through the mass of people, knowing that Kurenai would be near the front.

Team 8 found her standing apart from everyone else, head bowed, hair falling across her face. Grief was wrapped around her so thickly it was almost palpable in the air. Her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs, but her back was straight, her shoulders tense. The people around her murmured words of pity but stayed away, not knowing what to do or say for her.

"Sensei…" Hinata threw her arms around Kurenai, and the older woman seemed to shrink as she finally let herself cry, pouring out her grief. Kiba laid a tentative hand on her back, blinking rapidly to keep back his own tears. Shino just stood there, feeling useless and awkward in such an emotional setting.

All around them, people were sobbing, breaking down. A few metres away, Ino stood staring at the grave, weeping silently, tears leaving silver trails down her cheeks. Beside her, Choji was wailing openly. Shikamaru was nowhere to be seen.

Shino felt very detached from this crowd. Asuma had been friendly, but he'd never known the man very well. He didn't understand why his team was crying; Asuma hadn't been to them what he'd been to others: a lover, a friend, a teacher. Then Hinata raised her head from Kurenai's shoulder, and Shino saw her red-rimmed eyes, her face twisted with sorrow. A dull ache started in his chest at the sight of her tear stricken face.

It hurts, he realized, when those you love most are hurting too.

.

.

.

Hinata was, quite unusually, late for training. Kiba wanted to go and look for her, but Shino restrained him, thinking it unnecessary. Just minutes before Shino got tired of holding Kiba back, a lone figure came into view down the road: Hinata. But she seemed different in attitude and bearing—her shoulders were slumped, her eyes downcast.

Kiba fell silent and they watched as she approached, concern radiating off both of them. When she neared, she looked up and gave a wan smile of greeting. Shino's eyes roved over her face sharply, taking in her paleness, the slight droop at the side of her mouth, her exhaustion. She looked broken.

"What happened?" Kiba demanded right off the bat, striding up to Hinata and taking her firmly by the shoulders. "Who bullied you? Neji? I'll go beat up that stuck-up Hyuga for you! Just tell me where-"

"No, Kiba-kun," Hinata interrupted tiredly. "It's not Neji-nii-san. I-it's my own fault." Her bottom lip trembled and she turned her head away, hiding the tears swimming in her huge pale eyes.

"Tell us. We'll help," Shino said calmly, but inside he was as close to raging as he'd ever come. Whoever had hurt Hinata would pay.

"I-I told Naruto-kun t-that I liked him!" she finally burst out, "and he s-said he liked S-sakura-san and he only saw me as a very g-good friend." A single shining tear fell as she closed her eyes. Shino didn't say anything as Kiba wrapped his arms around Hinata, hugging her tightly, his face buried in her silky hair.

They kept the training short that day, and Hinata left quickly on the pretext of having errands to run for her father. Neither Shino nor Kiba made any move to stop her.

Shino was sitting at the base of a tree, resting from training. It was unbearably hot in this coat of his, but if he took it off and his bugs all spilled out, he'd never hear the end of it from Kiba. After playing catch with Akamaru for a few minutes, Kiba whistled to the big dog and ran over to Shino, panting and dripping sweat as he moved. Shino looked up. The sun was behind Kiba and he had to squint slightly to make out Kiba's face, which looked more serious than usual.

"Hey, Shino, what do you think?" Kiba said suddenly, sinking down onto the grass by Shino, but not so close that it made him uncomfortable. "About Hinata and Naruto, I mean." There was an odd note in Kiba's voice that Shino couldn't really pinpoint; he sounded nervous yet eager at the same time.

Shino shrugged. "I'm not happy with Naruto, but it's not his fault. Hinata will get over it," he replied matter-of-factly. He looked curiously at Kiba, waiting for the inevitable spilling of what was on his mind. Kiba could never keep anything to himself.

"Yeah…" Kiba's voice trailed off as he sat back, looking up at the sky thoughtfully. "Remember when we were put on the same team, and you always fought with me? And Hinata was just…I don't know, it was like she just faded into the background."

Kiba was looking expectantly at Shino, waiting for a reply, so he gave the obligatory "You always fought with me." He didn't really like where this was going. Kiba wasn't really the deep, reflecting sort of person.

Kiba grinned. "Whatever. Anyway, I think as she got stronger, I noticed her more. And because she's so sweet, I dunno…but I think…" He paused hesitantly. "No, I know that I like her. I mean, we've known each other for so long, I'd like to think I know my own feelings. And now that she's finally found out Naruto doesn't like her, I guess I have a chance, huh?" His smile was tentative as he watched for Shino's response.

"Why are you telling me this?" Shino didn't like how he was feeling, like his emotions were warring with each other. A mixture of anger and sadness and despair churned within him. He couldn't voice it out—who would listen?—and anyway, he didn't know how to.

"You're my best friend! Who else would I tell? Plus I'm telling you first so you don't feel like a third wheel," Kiba said with a huge laugh and a wink, back to his infuriating old self. "You can be my best man at the wedding!"

Shino nodded slowly, staring blankly into space, trying to rearrange his thoughts in a way that would allow him to put them away, where he would never have to look at them again. He tried to repress his emotions, as he had been so good at doing so many years before. But no, Team 8 had effectively destroyed that ability of his.

"That's good, Kiba," he finally said, because he was supposed to be happy for his friend. But his thoughts were filled with Hinata—her glowing eyes and her radiant smile and her sweet voice, her bravery and her kindness and her sincerity.

Inside, Shino wasn't happy at all.