A/N: And here we are again, dear readers. Enjoy.
XIII: Shadows
Akamaru's cold nose in his neck roused him from the abyss he seemed sunk in.
Hey! Hey, are you all right?
The 'speaking' Akamaru did thundered in Kiba's ears. Painfully.
"Uhn."
The light seemed intent on drilling into his skull. Kiba blinked against the blinding sunshine and shifted slightly to get out of its way. Bad move. His aching head and body rebelled, agony lancing through limbs, up his torso, and exploding his brain.
There was a long, queasy moment where Kiba thought he would get sick, but it passed. A cold sweat stuck to his skin.
He panted, feeling weak. "Ino?"
Even speaking hurt.
She's alive.
Thank God- -thank God. When he felt the stinging tears, he reached out to stroke Akamaru's fur. Ino was alive and that made all the difference in the world. Some of the hurt didn't seem as bad, now.
He glanced around, careful to avoid moving his head so as not to cause pain. They were home on the front porch and based on the temperature and the position of shadows, going on mid-morning. Roach must've dropped him off after knocking him out last night.
Gingerly, he pulled himself up to lean against the side of the house. He had to breathe long and slow through the sharp pain, as Akamaru shifted to lower his head into Kiba's lap.
"What happened?"
Akamaru nuzzled Kiba's hand. We were ambushed. Ino…she didn't have to take those needles. She…she protected me…got between me'n'the needles, but I was too slow…too surprised.
Ino…protected Akamaru?
I couldn't get away to warn you. Next thing I know, you're waking me up. As soon as I was out of the house, I took her to the hospital. I left when I was sure she'd be okay. You were here when I arrived just a few minutes ago.
"Good boy," Kiba said, scratching Akamaru under his chin, "good boy."
Thanks. A pause. Then, You know, I never considered Ino as a very strong shinobi. I'm ashamed I ever thought that of her.
"Yeah."
Kiba and Akamaru sat in silence for a while. Thinking required so much effort at this point, but he needed to figure something out. And fast.
He swallowed with a dry mouth, focusing his stubborn mind through the discomfort. His top priority was to protect Ino. She seemed to be the main target since he had stupidly displayed his emotions regarding her.
For right now, giving Yukari, and consequently Mrs. Nakamura, what she wanted would guard Ino against an attack. He'd have to be the proactive one by visiting Yukari and playing nice. That would keep Mrs. Nakamura off his back long enough for him to prepare a better strategy.
The hardest part…the hardest part would be avoiding contact with Ino. Already he itched to see her, to ask her how she was, to kiss her and run his fingers through her hair. Hell, he missed her very presence. But he'd resist his gut instinct to go running to her.
A brief thought wondered if he could send Ino a message warning her that her life was in danger, even more so after the botched mission. But how omniscient was Mrs. Bitch? The part that worried about Ino wanted to send the message anyway, but all his shinobi instincts warned against such a rash move. Anyone could intercept that message and then there'd be a real problem.
Whatcha thinking? Akamaru interrupted his thoughts.
"I'm thinkin' I'd better be a damn good actor."
You're planning on playing the prince?
Kiba frowned. "Old Nakamura is the one to worry about. She holds all the power and uses her lackey to maintain it. Without that guy, her power to threaten vanishes. We have to keep her happy while we find a way to take down Roach. I can keep her happy by courting Yukari."
Roach is…
"The one who did all the fighting. He was probably the one who ambushed you."
That guy…I didn't even smell him coming. I couldn't hear him either. There was too much…scuttling…going on around the house.
Kiba had heard Roach step down the stairs back at the manor- -had that been intentional? And he hadn't thought to use his advanced hearing while they fought.
"Yeah. He uses roaches like Shino uses destruction bugs."
Akamaru popped his ears. Fuck. That's…that's…fuck. And you know how long it took us to discern Shino's scent. Canine noses are notoriously bad at picking up insects' scents. But Inuzukas can do it, I think, with practice. His tail thudded when Kiba scratched a good spot. Overall, we've got our work cut out for us.
"Right. We have to start training. Now."
Agreed.
Together they stood and entered the house. Over a meal quickly wolfed down- -Ino's leftover dinner, cold- -they discussed their plan for training, cleaned and bandaged their wounds, and soon after, left the house for Team 8 training grounds.
- -N- -
Two days passed.
From sun up to late at night, Kiba and Akamaru honed their listening and smelling skills. Insects of all types were targeted in their practice; at first a few, then gradually more and more until hundreds of insects were snatched from the air, foliage, and hiding places and examined and sniffed at until their scents and sounds were memorized. In this way, Kiba thought they'd be able to sniff out or hear Roach for sure.
When Kiba and Akamaru dragged their sweaty, chakra-exhausted bodies back late the second night, they found the porch light on, and their family back. All the dogs jumped forward, barking, yipping, to greet each other. Playful nips and nuzzles were exchanged.
He saw his mother approach him, and he went to evade the inevitable embrace, but she was too fast.
"Oof!" Mom's hug crushed him. "Mom!"
She squeezed harder until he hugged her just as hard, and after showering him with kisses, she let him go to look at him. He felt too tired to complain about her embarrassing display and slouched in front of her as she examined the fading bruises on his face.
"Didja miss us?" she asked. "Looks like you've been training hard."
Before he could answer, Hana pounced, putting him in a headlock. Since he was happy to see her too, he let her give him a noogie.
"Shorty-pants has gotten bigger," Hana said, laughing. "He's nearly up to my waist now!"
Kiba pushed her. "Shuddup, I'm nearly as tall as you! And don't call me that, you weakling!"
As he and Hana exchanged teasing insults, they followed Mom and Kuromaru inside where everyone congregated in the living room. The dogs found favored spots on the floor; Mom plopped down in an armchair while he and Hana occupied a sofa.
"So how was the mission?" Kiba asked when everyone had settled. "Didja kill anyone?"
His sister and mother roared in laughter. "No," Mom said, "we didn't kill anyone. We had to provide aid to Suna."
It clicked. Kiba's mouth went dry. "And Kankuro? Was he there?"
Mom answered, scratching Kuromaru's head. "Kankuro's fine. As sadistic and loud as usual, though."
"What kind of help did you give?"
"Heh…protectin' some sorta important shipment."
That meant one thing. From what those bandits had said, and based on the timeframe- -if the bandits had split because of the security on the product, they would have arrived in Konoha before his sister and mother- -so the mission Hana and Mom had been on foiled the bandits' attempt to get the product.
Then, his mother said, "Yer sister got hit on while we were over there."
Kiba didn't register her comment until Hana snorted.
"Mom! It was a tease!"
Mom shook her head- -No, it wasn't- -to Kiba. "His clan works with ninja-dogs too. A perfect match, I'd say."
Hana grunted and fidgeted. "Except that he's in Suna, and I'm in Konoha. It wouldn't work!"
"Long distance relationships can work." Mom smirked. "Shikamaru, for example."
Hana growled and glared at their mother. "Nobody asked you. And that's gossip anyway, Ms. Nose."
His mother chuckled, and although anxiety nipped at his stomach, Kiba felt in sync again; his family being gone threw the ebb and flow of his life off balance. Home was home once more with Hana and Mom and all the dogs there. And now he could keep watch over them.
The clock in the living room chimed two o'clock in the morning, signaling bedtime for the weary household. Tired of thinking, tired of everything, Kiba stood, stretched, and over the general hubbub of the family heard…scritscritscrit.
His heart skipped a beat.
Kiba tilted his head, using chakra to amplify his hearing. He waited. A second. Two. Nothing. Five seconds. Ten. Still nothing. And when a stinging jolt in his inner-ear caused bells to ring in his head, Kiba cut off the chakra flow. Had he imagined the sound, the result of too much strenuous training?
"Somethin' crawl in yer ear?" Mom called, her voice muted by the ringing. "I can smack it outta there if you want."
"No…I thought I heard somethin' is all."
Weird. His own voice sounded muffled. Mom's face became serious as he shook his head to clear it. He had to watch her lips as she spoke.
"Heard somethin'? Like what?"
If it was Roach and his cockroach spies like he thought it was, he couldn't very well blurt out what was going on. So he lied, and prayed that she wouldn't call him out on it.
"I'm…not sure. I think I might've thought I heard it."
When she beckoned him closer, he came and docilely let her peer at his ears. Her finger dabbed something at his ear canal, and when she showed the blood to him, Kiba stared at it, terror shortening his breath.
"Am I gonna be deaf?"
His question must've reflected his distress, because she kissed his forehead after laughing.
"No, no. Yer not gonna be deaf. But you should take it easy." She gazed at him. "What kind of training did you say you were doin'?"
"I wanna be able to detect insects."
She clucked his chin. "Oh, ho. Tracking bugs is somethin' that'll come in time. You still have some developing to do."
"I still…hunh?"
"Fully grown Inuzukas come equipped with special glands at the back of their throats," Mom explained, gently squeezing under his jaw with two fingers. "The glands are helpful for special circumstances, like minute traces of chemicals that chakra in our noses can't fully pick up. When you've developed those glands, you'll be able to detect a flea in a pack of wolves. The hearing though…that's somethin' you have to train for."
She chuckled when Kiba sighed. He needed those glands now, or how else was he going to defeat Roach? More training, probably.
"C'mon. You need some rest, kid."
Kiba didn't protest when she herded him to his room. Hana had already closed the door and switched off her light. The dogs, always welcome in the house, chose to cuddle together in a furry mass on the living room floor. Kiba accepted a goodnight kiss and hug from his mother, and without changing into his pajamas, fell face-first into bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.
- -N- -
Something interrupted his hard sleep.
Kiba jerked up, gasping. His heart pounded, and as the sleepy fog lifted, he felt his clothes clinging to him. A fringe of sweat cooled on his forehead as he peered into his pitch-dark room.
What had woken him?
Hair stirred on the back of his neck. The something that woke him was a wrongness in his room- -a feeling of being watched. Testing, he gathered chakra to his ears. Waited. Over the pounding in his chest, Kiba heard it: scritscritscrit.
The dry scuttling was faint, but there. Roach was moving around. Kiba pushed off the bed to stand in the center of his room. He could find the spy and kill it, he just needed to concentrate. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could just make out the lines and shapes of the furniture in his room.
He waited.
Scritscritscrit.
There. He pinpointed the noise this time and flew to the wall where pictures of his parents and sister and friends were hanging. He wanted to punch it through and mash the insect into a disgusting pulp, but he had to take one shot to kill it. If he missed, Roach would discover his developing ability, and Kiba's advantage would be lost.
Besides this, his mother would kill him for punching a hole in the wall- -if he didn't have a good reason to show for it. Pressing his ear against the cool plane, he waited again to be sure.
Long minutes passed. Nothing. He drummed his fingers against the wall, hoping to scare the insect into moving, but nothing. Gathering the chakra to his nose, he tried picking up traces of the insect, but all he smelled was paint, wood, insulation, and some traces of mold. More minutes passed as he listened and sniffed, but reluctantly, Kiba stepped away.
Maybe Roach was messing with him. He seemed psychotic enough to know how to screw with someone's head. That left Kiba with a couple choices: he could patiently wait for the insect to move and destroy it or he could try to go back to bed. Either way, Kiba felt like Roach could control him.
Deciding that he needed the rest and sleep more than he needed to stay up all night wasting his chakra, Kiba changed out his clothes into his pajamas and slid into bed. Ahh, the sheets were nice and cool.
He shifted around, feeling twitchy, and waited for sleep. Seemed he heard the whole house. The hum of the refrigerator and the click of the ice-maker. The snores of the dogs. Hana rolling over. The tocking of the clocks in various rooms.
Scritscritscrit.
Instantly Kiba flew from his bed and pounded his fist through the wall above his dresser. A long second passed before he realized what he'd done, staring at his fist through the plaster.
Had he gotten it? Slowly, he removed his hand and sniffed tentatively. Loads of chemicals, mostly for the plaster, but something musky, too. Kiba stepped over and grabbed a flashlight off his nightstand.
He inspected the hole- - a slow smile spread on his face. He'd punched through to a stud, the sturdy wooden beams under the plaster, and on the clean wood was a dark, juicy splat. Insect guts.
Satisfied with the night's work, Kiba washed his hands and listened for his mother's and sister's footsteps.
- -N- -
"KIBA? KIBA!" His sister. "GET AROUND FOR BREAKFAST!"
Pounding, at his door and in his chest. His sheets were damp with sweat. He rolled over, flinging an arm over his eyes. Air- -he had to breathe.
"Just a bad dream," he said to himself. "Get a grip."
After a few minutes, he calmed, his heart rate returning to normal. A peek at the alarm clock showed nine o'clock. He'd slept later than he intended, but after waking up in the middle of the night to smash Roach's bug spy, then dealing with his mother and sister about the hole he'd put in the wall, he thought he deserved an extra couple of hours.
But he still felt tired. Poorly rested. And what had been up with that dream? His eyes burned, eyelids drooping, and he had a vague headache. No matter how he felt, though, he could get in some training time today.
He and Akamaru had gotten much better at bug catching, but they both had sensed a need for more skill…more practice. They had discussed at length going to Shino for help, but Kiba didn't want his teammate to ask a lot of questions.
How should he ask for Shino's help without revealing the nature of his plans? As he pondered the question, Kiba stirred and hopped into the shower. Ino's extra toothbrush and towel were in the places she left them. Each day the items served as a reminder for him to do his absolute best, but after that dream…
Kiba should put the things out of sight. He'd been careful not to think about her, but in the shower where they'd fooled around, and then to be surrounded by her stuff, it was impossible not to. Her image in his mind- -her scent in his nose, even- -stirred up thick, raw anxiety that squeezed his chest.
The questions were the worst: Where was she? Was she safe? Hurt? Scared? Did she blame him for what happened? Would she ever talk to him again? When could he see her? How could he ask about her without dropping hints to others?
Probably the hardest thing to consider was faking a relationship with Yukari. How long would he have to pretend to enjoy her company when his mind forever returned to Ino? Showing physical affection would be a pain in the ass, but he'd do what he needed to figure something out.
After his shower, he ate breakfast quietly and left quickly with Akamaru. He'd stepped outside his door, when Akamaru woofed and dashed away.
Shino and Hinata're here!
His two teammates were walking up the sidewalk. Hinata waved; he waved back and hurried over, pleased to see them when he'd been so stressed. Akamaru was accepting love pats and scratches from Hinata; Shino looked as imperceptible as usual.
"Hey, guys!" Kiba said. "I was headin' over to the training grounds!"
Hinata smiled, her pretty lavender eyes warming. "I'm glad we didn't miss you."
"Why's that?"
"Allow me to explain," Shino answered. "One of my cousins has recently graduated from the Academy and has requested to meet all Team 8. Being as I promised her, I would like for you to join us."
"Um…okay. Right now?"
"Yes."
Kiba dug a fang into his lip, considering. He really needed to train. And why did this cousin of Shino's have to meet them so suddenly? But Shino and Hinata had done favors for him in the past, so…
"Let's go." He'd just have to double up on training later on.
The four of them began walking to the street, where they would follow the usual route to the Aburame compound. They were a little more than a block down the road when Hinata perked up.
"Oh! Kiba, I almost forgot!" she said, turning her face up to look at him. "Ino's in the hospital!"
His throat tightened. "Really? That's…too bad. Is she…is she okay?"
"Sakura said she's stable, but needs to remain under careful watch. Someone got her with some terrible poison. Ino, that is," Hinata corrected, "not Sakura. Who would do that to Ino?"
The temptation to spill his guts was strong. Too strong. But he answered, "I don't know."
"It was a special type of poison," Shino commented. "And Ino hasn't been able to answer any questions about her attacker."
Because Roach had nailed her when she'd seen the needles coming, not the ninja who threw them. If Kiba had been more careful, more prepared, Ino would be healthy and safe and oblivious. He should have tried harder to incapacitate Roach. He should have listened better. He should never have gotten involved with Yukari.
Fucking hindsight. Guilt racking him, feeling lightheaded and nauseous, Kiba slowed his walk to get himself together.
Hinata touched his shoulder. "Kiba? Are you okay?"
Yeah…your scent is all screwed up, Akamaru said from beside him. What's wrong?
"I'm…" He cleared his throat and couldn't bring himself to look at either of them. "I'm fine."
"You look very pale," said Shino. "Should we let you rest?"
"Ah, no. That's…that's okay." He felt Shino, Hinata, and Akamaru looking at him. Their pregnant silence indicated their skepticism. "Really, you guys. I'm good. Let's go."
Kiba sped up and led them onward, anxious to get on with it, and when he cast a glance over his shoulder, Shino and Hinata were exchanging a look. The rest of the trip to Shino's was made in silence, shy Hinata and impenetrable Shino had nothing else to say to him- -which suited him just fine.
Akamaru, though, seemed to want to press the point. His dog kept pestering him with questions that Kiba couldn't answer, so he ignored him. He had Ino on his brain and wanted to brood in peace; after one question too many, Kiba snarled at Akamaru, silencing him.
At last, they entered the collection of neat, well-kept buildings emblazoned with the Aburame clan's crest. Smaller houses surrounded the main house, and waiting patiently with the door open was Mrs. Aburame.
"Ah! Shino! Hinata!" Kiba saw her squint at him. "And-bless-my-heart, is that Kiba?"
Mrs. Aburame rushed out of the doorway and enfolded Kiba in her arms. She was an average woman, about the same height and weight as his mother. Her light eyes crinkled in the corners from smiling, and several gray strands streaked the dark hair, but none of that aged her in the slightest.
She exuded love and happiness, and Kiba couldn't help but accept the hug- -and hug her back. He could smell oatmeal cookies and sugar on her skin and he had to swallow the extra salvia forming in his mouth.
Feeling a touch embarrassed, he answered her quietly. "Yes'm."
"Look at you!" she sang, pushing him to arm's length. "You've grown! Goodness, come in here and get something to eat."
Kiba liked the way she fussed over him like he was a son of hers. Even now she dipped a hand in her pocket and pulled out a milk bone for Akamaru, who politely took it and left without saying anything.
Apparently his dog was upset that he hadn't talked about his feelings. Whatever. He could deal with it.
Mrs. Aburame continued gaily. "I can put together something quick…maybe eggs and rice? Oh, but we have that fruit that would taste good, too, and then your father-"
"Mother," Shino interrupted. "We've just had breakfast."
"Pa-shaw. You're both growing boys! You need to eat," she admonished her son, swooping in on him to give him a hearty hug. "Hinata's skin and bones! Ah, but I suppose you have 'secret ninja business' to attend to. How exciting!"
Chuckling, Shino's mom shooed them inside the house. On first appearances, Shino's clan seemed shadowy and dark, but their homes were open, airy, and full of light. Things in the house were clean and streamlined. No extras or frills got in the way of the folksy art on the walls and the look of the comfortable, high-quality furniture.
"Do I hear some of our youngsters?" another voice called from the back of the house.
"Yes! It's Kiba and Akamaru and Hi-na-ta!" Shino's mom called back.
Heavy footsteps came towards them, and before she rounded the corner at the end of the hall, Kiba knew it was Chouji's mom. She was a sturdy woman, an inch or two shorter than Mrs. Aburame, with straw-colored hair gathered in a large bun held up with chopsticks. She had rosy cheeks and a quick smile. Unlike Mrs. Aburame's cookie smell, Mrs. Akimichi smelled of freshly baked bread.
"It's been too long since I've seen any of you! How have you been?" she asked.
The question was general, but for some reason, he felt like she was speaking specifically to him. He was being paranoid, probably, as Hinata answered in her quiet way.
When it was his turn, Kiba shrugged. "I've been training and on missions. The usual."
"Any time for a girlfriend?"
Whoa, loaded question. He had to really hang on tight to his reaction. "Yeah. Her name's Yukari. She's, uh, not shinobi."
Saying the lie made him feel like scum, as Mrs. Akimichi's eyebrow winged up, and there was a miniscule pause in conversation before she replied.
"Good for you, dear. I'm always after Chouji to get involved with girls. I keep hoping he'll come around to Ino…she's so very good to him and Shikamaru, you know. And then there's that Sakura…"
"Oh, you old girl, let Chouji make his own life," Mrs. Aburame said with a laugh. "And you know we're preventing them from their secret business!"
"I suppose you're right! We have to get that meal together for Ino. Hospital food is so dreadful!"
"Yes, you're right of course. And if any of you need anything," Shino's mom said, lightly brushing Shino's nose, "we're in the kitchen. Okay?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Yes, ma'am."
"You come down when you're ready…and bring your cousin." And as Mrs. Aburame bustled down the hallway, Kiba heard her say to Mrs. Akimichi, "She's such a nice girl, but skin and bones. Skin. And. Bones."
"Secret ninja business?" Kiba asked Shino when the two mothers were in the kitchen.
Shino's shoulders hunched and rose slightly. 'It is what it is.'
"She means our special guest," Hinata whispered. "Shino's cousin."
"Why…should that be secret ninja business?"
Shino answered. "Your questions shall be answered, Kiba. Follow me, please."
Kiba shot a look to Hinata; his teammates were acting strangely. She smiled at him, an odd, little smile.
The smile- -a tiny twitch at both corners of her mouth- -was the same as when she had hid a birthday present behind her back before giving it to him. It was the same smile she had when she'd found out about Kurenai's pregnancy before he and Shino had.
Hinata had a secret.
Kiba couldn't think what her secret could be as Shino led them through the house. The direction felt like heading toward the bedrooms, but Shino opened a side door and took them up a narrow flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs, a lone light bulb illuminated a door that was decorated with what Kiba knew to be seals.
Not the easy seals, either. These seals were there to keep in and keep out. And if Kiba was reading them correctly (his Sealing Kanji 101 days far behind him), then it seemed that the entire floor above their heads was sealed. Why would Shino's cousin need to be kept in? Or worse, why would everyone else need to be kept out?
Shino knocked a code at the door. Someone knocked a code back. Kiba watched, stupefied, as Shino's fingers formed a sign. He muttered a few words, and bright chakra burst around the cracks of the door.
After that, Shino simply opened the door. He'd brought them to an attic. The room was crowded with discarded dressers, wardrobes, and various other pieces of stuff, but here, nearest the door, was a clearing. A bed had been shoved under a window long-ways, and a bureau with a mirror sat directly to the right of the door. A half-open door on the left showed enough of the interior that Kiba assumed it was a bathroom.
"It's Christmas in July," a voice said. "Please, come in."
Somehow, blended into the sheet-covered backdrop of Shino's attic, was a person that looked like an Aburame. She sat on a couch, and a lamp at one end shed light on her. Kiba couldn't see under the hood or sunglasses.
But the voice- -the voice was Ino's.
A/N: A Plan of Action is next.
