Hello all! Had lots of fun writing this chapter. Please read and review! :D Some major character development. Enjoy!
She grinned to herself, grabbing a mug from the cupboard and setting it on the counter. The tea would be done soon and she was sure she'd need some either way; Kiba would be awake soon and when he spots Yuka in his room things may go from bad to worse. Then again, the slight hope that Tsume Inuzuka held was that he'd be happy or at the very least tamed enough for Hana to perfect the seal. We shall see…
"So am I," he growled, his grip tightening, the blood trickling down her arm. She glared up at him, her frustration with his actions barely hidden. She knew getting emotional, getting angry with him would make it worse. He was, after all, a dog. She had to prove her dominance. She was, after all, a master in lying.
"You really think I'm that deceptive, don't you?" she asked, her voice solid yet gentle. She then glared up at him, the pain he was inflicting on her wrist making tears spring up in the corner of her eyes. She dug her nails deeper into his shoulder now, gripping his collar bone. The blood trickled from her nails in small sliding drops. His dark eyes were roaming her face, her feet barely able to touch the ground. Even with pointed toe it barely scraped the surface of the hard wood floor. "You're hurting me," she whispered, keeping her voice level. He really was hurting her. If he applied any more pressure he'd break her wrist.
He glanced from her to her wrist, his eyes roaming over the seal on her hand. Then, as if remembering something important he pulled away, loosening his grip so that she could stand upright, still pressed against the wall. His hand was still over her wrist, moving to hold her destruction seal away from him or any surface. She noticed and smirked, shaking her head slightly.
He just watched her, unsure what to do now. He had made it bitterly obvious that he didn't trust her and the surge of power that was coursing through his body was more than he could handle. He saw the long claws form and could feel the sharpness of his canines with his tongue but he didn't know he was putting so much force into his grip. He felt alive, truly rushed with an unexpected energy that made his vision keener, his sense of smell sharper, and his aggressiveness felt like it was going to overwhelm him.
He knew his impatience fed the aggravation he felt with Yuka but he hadn't intended to become so angry, so dangerous. He noticed her looking up at him now, her eyes slightly wide as she watched his face. She looked somewhat frightened but at the same time her curiosity was alight in her eyes. She was truly fascinated with him. This set him on edge. He wasn't anyone's experiment.
"You're lying to me, to everyone, Yuka," he said. "You pretend to be something but the reality is you're not at all what you seem."
"You don't know anything," she said, her eyes looking away from him now, her hand pulling away from his chest. She'd dug into him with three nails, the blood leaking from the wound trailing down his chest and stomach. She sighed, running her finger underneath each droplet to wipe it up. She then licked it off her finger, shrugging. "You want to know?" she asked, her eyes roaming his. "You want to know about my miserable and short childhood?"
"Don't be self righteous," he said, shaking his head. "If you're going to try and make yourself out to be a victim, you're crazy. You said it yourself a few minutes ago- our bonds are selfish."
"They are," she said, glancing down. "You have no idea what it's like to be a seven year old orphan in this shinobi world. You've been sheltered by friends, family, and that delightful notion that you Konohagakure nin are a family, that you're comrades."
"We are," he hissed. "That is certain. None amongst us would betray a comrade; we are all brothers and sisters in this world. That was a lesson we learned long ago."
"Ridiculous," she said, pulling her wrist from underneath his hand and moving around him in one swift motion. He barely registered it with his eyes, her body moving as if it were floating away from him. He turned quickly to catch her from leaving only to find that she had circled around him to sit on the edge of his bed. "If that is what you believe than that is your own problem. I won't get involved in trying to change your mind. It's your mind, after all."
"Then what are you hiding? Just because no one else has become suspicious of your motives doesn't mean your going to get away with this. I can track you from ten miles away, Yuka," he said, moving to stand in front of her. He then smirked; his nails retracting slightly, his eyes still glossy black. "I've become quite intimate with your scent."
Yuka glared up at him, her cheeks tinting red. She couldn't stop that, no matter how much she willed herself to stop- she blushed. "Shut up," she said, moving to stand but he placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back into a sitting position. "Let me go. I'm done here. I've checked your wounds and I've said all I wish to say. The sight of you is starting to make me sick."
"That's convenient," she teased, still not moving. "I guess it'll be easier to get answers from you if you're that desperate to leave."
At this she snapped, springing up and slapping him hard against his face. The force of the slap was so hard that his head was forced to the side, a burning sensation instantly radiating heat. "You're disgusting," she spat, stepping around him but this time he grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back so he was standing directly behind her. She struggled against his hand, trying to shrug him off but he held her fast, his other hand going to her other bicep.
"Tell me why," he whispered now. "Why the hell are you putting on this face?"
She sighed, tears welling up in he eyes again. Not from pain but memory. She hadn't acknowledged her memories of her family since before she met Orochimaru-sama. Kiba noticed because his grip loosened and he inhaled slowly, no doubt taking in her scent of fear, anger, annoyance, and sadness.
"Fine," she finally spat, wiping away the misting tears and turning to face him. "You want to know what happened? You want to know why I'm so cautious, why I put this face on?!" By now her voice had raised so that she was almost yelling at him. He just nodded, stepping back from her. She sighed, shaking her head and moving to the side, her eyes peering up and out the window. The moon was almost full, a perfect replica of the moon on that fateful night 14 years ago.
"We lived in a small village, not far from Amegakure. In fact, we took frequent trips when it wasn't raining to the village to attend festivals and things like that," Yuka began, concocting a lie to cover her run in with Orochimaru. "We were happy. I remember my mothers long ruby red hair. It was soft and long, it held me when I was sad and we'd always braid it when spring came around." She paused, a lump forming in her throat. She bit it back, taking a deep breath and shoving it away.
"My mother was going to have another baby," she continued, deciding that the truth about her family and Konan would bring believability to the story. If she was convincing enough it would end his questioning. "Father was so happy. He was building a baby crib and I was going to be a big sister so I started collecting old cloth to sew together as a doll. It was mid summer when it happened."
"We were all outside; mom was tending flowers and herbs in the garden, her belly barely three months along. I was helping father tend our chickens and our cow." At this she grinned, glancing over at him. "Her name was Mura; spots, get it?" she asked, grinning at the name she had chosen as a child for the spotted cow. He just nodded, Yuka noticing that his eyes were back to their normal slit like pupils.
"Well, anyway, I was heading up to the house with the eggs when we heard an explosion. Of course dad came running from the barn and I ran to find my mother. She was standing near the house, watching a cloud of dust rise in the distance. Before we even had a chance a tall man with long black hair and a pale white face appeared."
"You don't mean-"Kiba began but she stopped him, nodding her head and clenching her fists angrily.
"My father had tried to approach my mother and me because we were near the house, unable to get away. He should have known he wouldn't stand a chance," Yuka whispered angrily. "The snake didn't even give him a chance," she lied, remembering the true events with just as much emotion. She swallowed hard, sniffling a little bit. Tears had not fallen yet but she knew it was only a matter of time before they threatened her hardened exterior. Maybe this would be good. "He died, struck down right in front of my mother and I. The grief set her over the edge that she revealed her powers. She should have known better as well."
"She should have known that she was no match for this devil," she said, her voice quivering slightly. "She didn't even consider her odds; didn't hesitate to face overwhelming odds to protect me and her unborn child." At this a tear leaked from her eye and she sighed, wrapping her arms around her stomach and letting her head hang limply between her shoulders. The tear fell slowly, too slowly for her liking. It felt like an itch, a spreading itch that irritated her almost as much as this conversation.
"I was knocked unconscious. I don't know what she did, or how she chased him away but in her final moments," Yuka said, raising her hands to show him the identical seals on her palms. "She embedded these into my hands. She used her own chakra, the last of it, to pass on this secret jutsu. I still remember cradling her head in my burned and bleeding hands, her long red locks encasing me for the last time. She told me of her secret scrolls hidden under the house and she also told me that I had to stay strong. Those were her last words. Not I love you or I'm sorry but… stay strong."
By now tears were falling down her cheeks freely. She didn't care about them really, they were falling quickly and though no sobs racked her chest she still felt the sadness welling up and threatening to burst. She pushed it back down, wiping the tears from her cheeks quickly. "I became strong, tending the farm and training on my own with the scrolls she left me. However, when I turned ten I ran into someone I didn't expect."
"She was a ninja, travelling with a group of rebels throughout our country to bring peace," Yuka whispered, glancing back at the sky through the window. "She was my first sensei and she trained me well. She trained me to see through others, to keep a strong face, and above all to perfect my jutsu and skills. This, she said, was my highest priority. She also taught me to keep a hardened heart. Though she said it would keep be strong but also weaken me beyond anything I've ever experienced. Her name was Konan."
"The Konan from Akatsuki? The paper user?" Kiba asked, standing up from his spot on the bed.
"Yes, she taught me all I know, all I've ever known," Yuka said, glancing over at him. "She was strict but at the same time her own brand of loving was what made me into the strong shinobi I am today. Unfortunately when I turned fourteen she disappeared, leaving a single letter for me to learn from." Her voice grew cold and annoyed as she spoke now. "The note simply said to follow your heart. It was absolutely useless."
"What I never understood was why she kept me hidden, why she only came to train me once in a while; maybe twice a month if I was lucky. I didn't figure out until later that she was hiding me from Orochimaru. He was still on the look out for jutsu and a strong body to use his jutsu on. Only now do I realize that distance wasn't voluntary. She kept me from the village and from her comrades but after her death I decided to hide in the most obvious place. I decided to hide right under their nose in The Hidden Rain; I was doing a pretty damn good job until the fourth war broke out. Only afterward did I go back into hiding. That is where you came in."
She turned to face Kiba now, her eyes narrowing. "So, now you know. You know every excruciating detail of my hidden past and my childhood. You know my weakness and you know why I put on this mask. It's my way of keeping me from being hurt and it keeps the real anger from leaking out and latching onto others." She then turned away from him and toward the door, crossing the distance quickly and sliding the door open.
"Get some sleep tonight; we can continue this sometime tomorrow. Right now it's late and I've already over-stayed my welcome," she said, shutting the door behind her as she disappeared.
Kiba was floored by her confession. He was floored by how honest it seemed, how she had gotten emotional and how she had spoken, as if everything she had said justified her actions. It was only after a few moments of thinking that Kiba realized she had completely avoided the subject they had started on. He wasn't sure why she thought bonds were useless but he had an idea. She had had bonds before, strong ones and they had done nothing but hurt her. This could be easily understood but at the same time he wondered if that was all there was to it.
Yuka said her goodbyes to Tsume, apologizing for the longevity of the visit before disappearing to her own home. She needed to get back there quickly to entertain her new guest. As she walked down the gravel path out into the street she couldn't help but glance back over her shoulder at the Inuzuka compound.
Kiba had saw through her mask, treated her like she was some sort of toy, and then pried into her past. No, she'd let him see that to gain his trust again. It was crucial. If he was the only one to notice the act she was putting on it would be easy to deceive him; he wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. This set her on edge. How did someone like Kiba, an act-now-think-later type of guy figure out her disguise? It was almost impossible. If Kiba knew then that meant that Shikamaru knew. It was the only logical explanation that she could come up with.
Though Kiba had said that she was fooling everyone else but him, it seemed the other way around. She wasn't fooling anyone but Kiba. She growled at this realization and quickened her pace to get home. The seal she'd placed that morning would not hold much longer into the night and she couldn't afford another slip up. Suspicion from Kiba was bad enough but the seal around her home would keep out any unwanted visitors. After learning that the Hyuuga clan were keeping an eye on her she had to make doubly sure that she made a strong enough seal to block their Byakugan. Luckily Hinata was a sport about it.
She did it when Hinata and her had a lunch date the day Kiba and the others went on their mission. She did it nonchalantly, asking the Hyuuga to check and see, as they were leaving her street, if she had left her keys on the counter in her home. She did of course but they were surrounded by an activated seal. The Hyuuga couldn't see them and this was a very good step in the right direction. If she applied the technique to keep smells concealed she'd be set. Of course, all she would have to do was alter the seal slightly to make her home seem normal, occupied but never the truth.
As she turned down the wide road that leads to her apartment she could feel the eyes on her. She didn't necessarily see them but she could feel them, always watching and always wary of her intentions. She'd complete her mission or die trying; there was no turning back from this point. As she approached her front door she pulled out her key, turning it in the lock and entering quickly. She locked the door behind her, making a few hand signs to reinforce the seal already around her home.
She then made her way into the home, past the dining room and to the kitchen, checking the back door to make sure it was locked. All was hidden, the seal working perfect to hide her true movements. She moved to the staircase leading from the kitchen to the second floor, quickly bolting up the stairs and down the hall. There were only three rooms up stairs. Her own bedroom and two empty ones, or so everyone thought. However, that was different now, now that her master was back.
She stood before the door, knocking lightly. "Orochimaru-sama," she whispered, waiting for a response. There was silence followed by a soft hissing sound. Then the door slid open revealing the room that was before her. It had hundreds of seals drawn on the wall, all of them working to restore her sensei's strength. They'd glow green occasionally and then dim, the small amount of light coming from a single lamp on an oval table the only other light in the room. Beside the table was the strangest object she'd seen. Orochimaru summoned it after she had placed her seals, the expanse of it taking up almost half the room. It was a huge stone chair and attached to it were tubes which looked like roots, feeding energy into the thin frail body that was seated in it. He was wrapped in a black robe, his slit like eyes resting on her. She bowed to him, crossing the room to kneel before the chair.
"Orochimaru-sama," she whispered. "Allow me to check your progress."
He adjusted in the chair, his movements stiff and painful. He peered down at her through his long black bangs with dead eyes, his breathing ragged. She held out her hand, placing it just over his chest. Immediately he started breathing easier, her eyes closing in concentration. After a few more seconds she pulled away, smiling slightly.
"It's only a matter of days Sensei," she said, looking up at him. He just grinned, his arm moving so that his cold pale hand could touch her ruby red hair.
"What would I do without you, Yuka?" he hissed, his voice broken. She just nodded, placing her hand on his over her hair.
"I can make you strong once again sensei," she said, funneling some of her chakra from her seal into his arm. This immediately relieved his trembling hand. Whatever he had been up to over the past five years had weakened him tremendously.
"I don't need you to make me strong," he said, leaning back in the chair. The root-like tubes twitched slightly. It was only in the dim light that she realized they were attached directly to the slime and casings of dead bodies attached to the wall. She recognized only a couple faces, ones that she had seen through Orochimaru's eyes. One was his former servant Kabuto.
"Your right, as always," Yuka whispered, looking back at him. "But you will have all the strength I possess; you will find that my body and chakra is strong, adequate for a vessel until you can find the ultimate body."
"I'd found the ultimate body," he spat, his breathing quickening. "The Uchiha eyes, those damned eyes that betrayed me up until the very end."
"The Uchiha are dead," she replied. "They are a weak clan, the eyes nothing but a joke. They can wear out like an old sandal. It is nothing to envy sensei."
"You do not understand," he spat, anger rising in his voice. "Those eyes were the key to the ultimate power, the power of the sage of six paths. Without them I cannot hope to use the rinnegan."
"I'm confused master," she said, looking down at the floor. "I was lead to believe that both dojutsu were destroyed during the war."
"I forgot," he said, his voice softening slightly. "You don't know the whole story." At this he started coughing, his body shaking and his breathing sharp gasps. She placed her hand back over his chest, quickly funneling her chakra to ease his breathing, inhabiting each cell of his body. After a few minutes he was relaxed, his voice steady as he began to explain.
"You know of the two dojutsu's, the sharingan and the rinnegan. Both were used by the sage of six paths in the beginning of this world to tame and separate the ten tails into nine separate beings," he paused, moving to grip the arm of the stone chair. He slowly rose, steadying himself on his own two feet. The roots were still attached to him, not allowing him to move far from the wall. "All nine have the ultimate power. Since the beasts themselves were destroyed in the previous war," he continued, staring out the window at the Hokage Mountain, its silhouette alight in the distance. "There is no trace of that power. However, my plans have changed."
"Changed?" Yuka asked, moving to stand near his side, his eyes roaming to look her over. He just nodded, looking back out the window.
"Yes, you see during the previous war there was one who tamed all the beasts, combined them within himself to become the sage once again. What I didn't know until after his death was that he had awoken both the sharingan and rinnegan within himself before dying. This is what that Uzumaki brat did before finally dying."
"His body was practically destroyed in the final fight," Yuka whispered. "Konoha made sure that any traces of his body couldn't fall into enemy hands."
"Yes, you are right however there is a very alive and very vital part of his body that still exists; and in plain view!" Orochimaru assured, his eyes darting over to look at her. "As I understand, my old rival and friend has been reborn into a child that shares his same name."
Yuka nodded, knowing full well what he meant. "Sensei, if this is true that means that Jiraiya Uzumaki has the kekkai genkai for all three dojutsu."
"Exactly," Orochimaru hissed, his tongue licking over his bottom lip. "This is my ultimate goal. In a few days time I will overtake your body and remain in Konoha, gaining trust and becoming close to the young Uzumaki. Only when he is older, when your body runs its course, will I take his body and awaken his true potential; he will possess the byakugan, sharingan, and rinnegan. He will be the most powerful ninja to ever live, even more powerful than his father."
Yuka nodded, averting her eyes back out the window. She didn't pretend to know Orochimaru's plan, not before now. She knew it would not be particularly advantageous for her but she allowed it to overtake her, allowed it to happen because this was her path. This is what she had been preparing for for over five years. No matter the sacrifice needed, no matter the cost to her body and soul, she would fulfill her duty to her sensei, to the one person who never abandoned her. She would also fulfill her mothers dying wish. She would stay strong.
"That is wonderful," she whispered, nodding. "But be warned, sensei… the young Uzumaki has traits that none can fathom. He became suspicious of me already, before I made contact with you. He has some of the nine-tails traits. He can sense evil intentions and emotions like his father and grandmother before him."
"But they have not banished you," Orochimaru said, looking back over at her. "This is good; the Uzumaki will sense the change in you when I take over your body. However, by then it will be too late and I will have what I came for; a body." He then moved away from the window, slowly lowering himself back into the large chair. "If he does not trust me after I have taken over your body I can make an easy escape. With your powers and my own there is no stopping us. I'll come back for him some other time, much like I did with my previous body."
"I will do my best to gain their trust while I can," Yuka assured, bowing to her master. "Is there anything else you will need tonight, Orochimaru-sama?"
"Yes, one last thing. In order to make your body compatible with mine I will need some of your blood. Enough to get a taste and assimilate with my own blood and chakra," he said, looking up at her expectantly. She just nodded, grabbing her kunai from her side and slicing a large gash in her arm, allowing blood to pour from it. She held it out to him and he took it quickly, his cool almost scaly hands pulling her flesh close to his mouth. She then felt it, his mouth cover her wound and start sucking. He was drawing blood from her and if he asked, she'd give it all to him.
After a few more seconds of indulging he released her arm, his hand trailing over the mark he had left. "You are by far the strongest and most willing of all of my bodies," he whispered, leaning back in the chair. "Your devotion since you were a child has moved me, so much so that I have decided that when I do take your body as my own I will leave some of your traits in tact. I will allow you to personally take revenge on those who have wronged you, Yuka."
"Thank you-"she began but he held up his hand, shaking his head.
"However, understand that you will soon cease to exist; everything you were and will be will be mine. Prepare yourself."
"I understand Orochimaru-sama," she said, bowing again before turning toward the door.
"And Yuka," he said, making her turn back to look at him. "That Inuzuka boy… I want you to find more information on him. I would love to collect some of his cells in that beast form of his to use on my body when the time comes."
She just nodded, leaving the room and closing the door behind her. These next few days would be crucial both in her and Orochimaru's plan. If she was lucky he would be strong enough to do the transfer within the week. She would be Orochimaru's vessel and the ultimate stepping stone to the most powerful and ultimate body; the body of Jiraiya Uzumaki.
"Yuka-chan," Hinata said, looking over at her. "Are you okay? You seem distracted."
Ino and TenTen, who had been looking through a couple of racks of clothes, turned to look at her now. Yuka just shrugged, biting her lip. Ino and TenTen gave one another a knowing look before looping their own arms with Yuka's.
"Alright," Ino said, pulling her with TenTen toward the entrance of the shop. "We'll shop some other time. Right now we need a meal, some movies and popcorn, and a long and fun girl's night at Yuka's."
"No," Yuka said, shaking her head. She then bit her lip, realizing she sounded suspicious. "It's just… I haven't even broken my house in. It's been less than three days since I got it. Maybe we should go to Ino-chan's or maybe even TenTen's!"
"My apartment is tiny," TenTen said, opening the door to the shop and leading her out onto the street. Ino nodded, grinning down at Yuka.
"You're place is huge, Yuka-chan," Hinata chimed in, keeping up with the group of girls. Ino looped her other arm with Hinata's as they walked down the street toward the barbeque place. "Besides, what better way to break it in than with your girl friends?"
Yuka knew there was no way out of this. She knew that they wouldn't give up on going to her home, especially since Hinata told them all about how big and beautiful it was. She also knew that if she resisted them going there it would look even more suspicious. "Well, you have a point," she said, a fake smile plastered on her face. "We can go to my place then."
"Great!" Ino exclaimed. "But first we need to go out to dinner. What do you think about barbeque-?"
"I think you ladies should show me how to cook in that fancy kitchen of mine," Yuka said, grinning. This would be perfect. "You three can gather all the groceries we'll need and I'll go back to my place and get it ready. What do you say?"
"Your house is a mess, isn't it?" Ino asked, her eyes narrowing. "I knew you weren't as perfect as you seemed. Fine… we'll go get the stuff; you get your house ready."
"Thank you, Ino-chan," Yuka said, a slight grin on her face. She was about to turn around when she backed right into someone. She jumped, nearly screaming as the person started chuckling. It was Shikamaru.
"Hey there ladies," Shikamaru said, a grin spreading over his face. "What's this I hear about a home cooked meal at Yuka's?"
"Oh," Yuka said, her cheeks tinting red with annoyance as he grinned down at her. He must have taken it as blushing because he just grinned wider. "We were going to have a girls night at my place and…"
"I'm in," Shikamaru said, nodding.
"Shikamaru!" Ino groaned, shaking her head. "Girl's night! Girls…you're not one."
"Oh come on, you ladies tried to do this last time too… going to the club without us would have been rude," said a voice from behind Shikamaru. Yuka leaned around him to spot Shino. He was standing with his arms crossed, a long sleeved hoodie and a pair of casual black pants replacing his abnormally long trench coat.
"Ugh! Do you guys enjoy stalking us?" TenTen groaned, shaking her head. "How is it that you-."
"That'd be my fault," said another familiar voice behind them. TenTen just grinned, turning to face Neji. He was dressed in a casual white t-shirt and bleached and faded jeans. He came up to TenTen and wrapped his arms around her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sorry, but we were all bored and needed something to do. Figured we'd come find you ladies."
"Ugh, you boys are impossible," Ino said, shaking her head. Hinata just grinned, biting her bottom lip.
"Well, if the guys are going to be there then I guess that means Jiraiya is done with his training for the day?" Hinata asked, looking over at Neji. He nodded and she smiled. "I'm sure mother wouldn't mind watching him for a night. I'll go back to the compound and check and meet you guys at Yuka's. What say we meet there in an hour?"
"Sounds good, the rest of us can go grocery shopping," TenTen said, nudging Neji playfully. She knew as well as everyone that Neji hated shopping.
"Great, see you all there," Hinata said before disappearing down the road into a crowd of traders. Ino now turned to Yuka.
"Alright Yuka-chan, you go get your house ready and we'll meet you there," Ino chimed, looping her arms with Shino's and Shikamaru's so they couldn't protest.
Yuka nodded, bolting off through the crowd toward her home. She needed to warn her master of their guests and to set up a new seal around the room that he resided in. If any one of them came across it she would have a lot of explaining to do and everything would be ruined. As she rounded the corner leading up the main street she spotted someone familiar in the distance. She almost winced, biting her lip harshly before dodging around him and up a side street. If she knew Kiba well enough, she knew he'd have already smelled her and knew exactly where she was going.
She cursed to herself before turning a corner to go down another street that leads to her own. What she didn't count on was Kiba intercepting her. He had cut up the side street as well, meeting her face on as she turned down her own street. She stopped quickly, nearly crashing into him as she regained her balance.
"K-kiba-kun," she said, catching her breath slightly. She hadn't realized she'd been running that fast. "What are you-?"
"Why did you avoid me?" he asked, his eyes narrowing on her. "You said last night you'd come find me today and you haven't."
"What is it with you?" she asked, her annoyance coming through in her voice. "I've done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment from you. First you accuse me of being some sort of terrorist, then you accuse me of being immature and frustrating, and now you're stalking me, seeking me out for no apparent reason. What do you want from me Kiba?"
He was taken back slightly, his eyes widening slightly before lowering to the ground. She didn't mean to scold him and she didn't mean for it to sound so harsh but the way he was constantly getting in her way made her want to rip her hair out. Not only was his prescience and accusations unwelcomed but she had no intention of responding to the love interest he had for her. It was foolish. Then Orochimaru's voice rang in her head and she gulped, averting her eyes.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I… I didn't mean to sound rude it's just that I was in a hurry and I avoided you because I didn't want to loose any more time on a conversation like this."
"Ah," he said, his voice stiff. "Sorry to get in your way. I guess I'm just crazy for thinking that when you like someone, you want to be around them."
"Kiba… please, not this again," she said, running her hand through her hair. "You know how I feel about that-."
"No, actually I don't because ever since that morning at my house you've been avoiding me or pushing me away," he said stepping closer to her. She mirrored him by taking a step back. "See…" he said, sighing softly and ruffling his hair. "Listen Yuka, I don't want this to be awkward. I've told you that I have feelings for you. It's hard to explain how because like you said, we've only known one another a few weeks. In fact, it's been less than that."
"Which is why this is crazy," Yuka said, shaking her head. "Kiba, please; I'm not denying your feelings or turning you away. I just don't know how to deal with these things. You have to understand that it's not easy for me."
"Then let me help you," he said, taking a step closer. "You've revealed your past to me, you've saved my life, and you've seen right through my charade. You were right with what you said last night. I'm a hypocrite. I act like I'm happy, that everything is fine and moving on when in reality… I'm bitter and angry at everything and everyone."
Yuka looked up at the ninja standing before her, a soft sight crossing her lips. "Kiba…"
"Just consider it Yuka," Kiba admitted, reaching out and placing a hand on her upper arm. "Consider me if only for a few minutes. I cannot explain to you why or how I love you. It's a mystery to me. All I know is that the thought of you leaving, the thought of you being with someone else, and the thought of you hurting makes me-."
"Kiba," Yuka whispered, her body acting on impulse. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest before hugging him tightly. "Please, just be patient."
Kiba's arms quickly came around her and held her close, his scent musky yet floral. She stood there a second actually enjoying the feel of his arms holding her tight, of the warmth he provided. That familiar feeling from the morning a week or so ago started to come over her again and she bit back that feeling, nuzzling his chest slightly before pulling away completely.
"I have to go now, Kiba-kun," she said. "I'll come find you tomorrow and we'll talk all day and night if we have to."
"I can't," he said, biting his bottom lip. "I've got some things to take care of. I won't be around…"
"What? They are sending you on another mission already? That's cra-," Yuka began but Kiba stopped her, holding up his hand.
"No, I have family things to attend to. I'll be more than happy to explain if you'd like to get together tonight," he said, looking her over.
"Damn it," she cursed, looking down. "I can't tonight. I mean, I could have if… ugh."
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Well, at first it was just going to be us girls going shopping and to dinner but then they got this brilliant idea to go to my place for a girl's night," Yuka explained, speaking faster than she intended. "But then Shikamaru, Neji, and Shino overheard us and now their coming over too for a home cooked meal. That's why I was in such a hurry. I wanted to clean up and get ready."
"Oh," Kiba said, nodding. "I see, well then it can wait a couple days." Yuka looked up at Kiba to see that he had an angry look in his eyes; his tattooed cheeks tinted a slightly brighter shade of red.
"You can come too, you know that, right?" Yuka said, a grin spreading across her face. The second he looked down at her the anger disappeared from his expression and he couldn't help but grin back.
"Okay," he said. "But I will want some alone time with you later to explain myself, especially my transformation you had to see."
She just shook her head. "No need to explain your-self to me Kiba-kun," she whispered but then mentally kicked herself. She wanted to get her hands on some of his transformed cells for Orochimaru.
"No, I want to," he replied. "So tonight, after dinner, we can talk."
"Okay, are you going to be there for dinner?"
"No, I don't think I should. Mom is making my favorite tonight as a get well dish. Besides, I've seen Ino and TenTen cook. It's aweful."
Yuka couldn't help but laugh at this. "Alright, alright," Yuka said. "I'll see you tonight. There supposed to show up at my place in an hour so… I'll see you in a couple hours?" Yuka looked over at the standing clock just to the left built into the railing of the fence. "It's almost five so I'll see you at eight?"
"Wouldn't miss it…"