Kiba's POV
I start stirring awake. I go to move my arms and stretch but notice I can't move much. I fully open my eyes and see how wrapped around me Maki is. I blush, big time.
I can't believe we slept like this all night. Truth be told it was quite comfortable. I honestly wouldn't mind sleeping like this again tonight. But of course, it's all up to her. I don't want to force her or make up an excuse to have her in my bed again.
I didn't expect her to be this much of a cuddler. Nor was I expecting her to put my hand on her bare skin. It must have helped her though. I really hope it did.
Her skin was so soft. I still feel bad that my cock touched her ass. I wasn't lying when I told her the cold made me that way. The cute little squeak she did though. It was really cute despite knowing the reason behind it. Maybe I can get her to do it again without having a repeat incident.
The way she wrapped around me, it felt so intimate, yet there wasn't anything sexual about it. Again, I really liked it, but I can't make her, and I won't ask her.
My arm twitches and I barely move it before it starts feeling numb. Arm's definitely asleep now if it wasn't before. I try to carefully untangle her from my arm. I've almost got my arm free when I start hearing whimpering. Maki then clutches my arm tighter.
Uh-oh, I hope she's not having a bad dream. "S-Stay, please don't go. I, I'll miss you." Maki sniffles in her sleep. This dream must be really upsetting her. Kind of makes me wonder who she's dreaming about.
Alright, time for plan B. I need my arm back and she still wants to sleep cuddle. I hope she won't mind having a new scenery when she wakes up. I lift her up a little and wiggle my arm free. She softly whimpers but it'll only be for a moment.
I lift her up again and pull her onto my chest. I wrap my arms snuggly around her. One hand on the back of her head while the other soothingly rubs her back. This seems to have calmed her back down.
She's so cute. I lean in and lightly kiss the top of her head. I kissed her head last night too. I don't even think she noticed. I don't even know what came over me when I did it. I just had a sudden urge to. I can't explain it even if I wanted. Why, why do I feel this way?
I lay my head back on the pillow and groan. I bite my lip before turning over to look at the clock. It's slightly past 7 am. Might try to go back to sleep for an hour or two. Maki doesn't seem like she's getting up anytime soon, so I close my eyes and try to get a little more sleep. I rub her back until I fall back asleep.
Maki's POV
I start stirring when light from the sunrise hits my face. I groan a little then mumble. "Stupid sun in my face." I wonder what time it is. I try to move my head but can't. My cheeks get hot when I realize I'm pinned against Kiba's chest.
I'm so embarrassed. When did this happen? Did I move in my sleep so much that I ended up on top of him? If that's the case, I can't sleep with him unless I absolutely have to. I don't know what else I'll do due to my hormones.
I know I move a lot in my sleep, but I didn't expect that to happen. I blow out a puff of air. I lie there and calm myself down. I feel a little better now. My thoughts feel less jumbled.
A few new thoughts decide to pop into my head. Why's he so comfy? And warm? Why do I keep thinking like this? I can't turn my head, but I can move it some. I move my head some and get an okay view of his face.
He looks peaceful. He's cute and sweet looking with his hair all tousled. I kind of want to play with his hair but I can't reach. His cheek however is reachable. Without thinking I start caressing his cheek. It's so soft and subtle.
I stroke his cheek for I don't know how long before I hear him stir. I sort of freeze. By the time I realize it, I don't have enough time to pull my hand away. Kiba sleepily looks at me with his dark colored eyes.
He grins and I blush. "Hey you." Kiba catches me glancing at my hand. He touches my hand with his fingertips making me blush more. He takes my hand in his and holds it gently. I stare at our hands and then look to him.
Next thing I know my hand's being dropped, Kiba sits up pulling me up with him. I sit between his legs with mine crossed over his. Kiba takes my hand again and wraps his arm around me tight. I stare at him curiously. He smirks and then presses his lips hard against mine. Surprisingly, I kiss back.
Kiba squeezes my hand. "Morning. Sleep well cuddle bug?" "Huh, what?" I asked, confused. We were just kissing not even a minute ago. "Cuddle bug. You did a lot of that last night." He chuckles softly. As I stare at him, it's then I realize we never moved, never kissed. "What? Oh, right, you don't like bugs. How about this. You were a very cuddly snuggle bunny." "Uh, s-sorry..." I squeeze his hand. "It's fine. You were cold." Kiba lightly squeezes back. I nod. "Did you.. Never mind." Kiba raises an eyebrow. "Did I what? You can tell me." He lets go of my hand. I watch, nervous.
Kiba slowly sits up and holds me in his lap. "This more comfortable?" "Yeah." My voice was soft. "Good. Now what is it you wanted to ask me?" He asks, rubbing my back. "T-The cuddling..." I start, but don't know how to finish. "Yes. It was nice. I just hope I was able to keep you warm." Kiba answers, understanding my unfinished question. "You did." I wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.
I pierce my lips together. I try to hold the tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. "What's the matter? You can cuddle me any time you get cold. You don't even have to ask. I'll know." He asks, being sweeter than I can handle. I press my nose and forehead against his neck.
His arms waste no time wrapping around my shoulders. He hugs tightly and gently rocks me. My tears slowly start to escape. "M-Maki..." "W-Why..." I choke out. "Why what?" He continues to rock me. "W-Why are you being so sweet?" I sob. "Because I'm your friend and as your friend I'm obligated to care about you." I can't see it, but I know he's grinning. Hearing this makes me feel better, but only a little.
I'm starting to worry about someone finding out how we are around each other and giving Neji the wrong idea. I know we're not really doing anything wrong but someone else might. I just feel guilty. I feel guilty how close we are. It's kinda scary.
I sit there and cling to him while he rocks me. "Please don't cry Maki.." He attempts to console me. "You don't understand." I sob with a whimper. " I want to if you'll let me. You don't have to talk about it right now. Just don't keep it all bottled up, alright." His voice gets all sweet and tender. I squeeze him tight. "I, I know." "Don't worry, it's okay. I'll hold you until you feel better. Scratch that. I won't let go until you feel better." He squeezes me tight. The way I'm feeling right now I don't know if I'll feel better any time soon.
I sniffle and pull my head back to wipe my face. Kiba wipes his neck with his shirt. I wipe off my tear stained hand on my shirt. This time I lay my head under his chin. Moments after he rests his head atop mine.
Kiba gives me another gentle squeeze. He holds me and holds me. Rocks me. Rubs my back and strokes my hair. My sobs started to lessen at some point during the back rubs.
I don't want to let go but I have to. I know he said he wouldn't let go until I felt better, but nothing's happening. I'm just here. A lifeless confused shell. The healing feeling after crying isn't there.
Whether or not I feel better, I need to let go. I keep telling myself this over and over. Yet my body won't listen. I'm stuck here until I find an excuse to make my body react. I feel myself crying again. "Uh oh. Tears again. What's it gonna take to make you happy again?" He sighs, worried. Everything to not be so complicated. But I can't get the words out. My throat is too tight. "Alright, something's gotta give. I will make you happy. Or at least smile. Kiba puts his arm underneath my leg and starts getting off the bed. What's he up to?
Kiba gets off the bed and holds me bridal style. I stop asking myself his plans and continue to cry on his chest. He starts moving in a way I can't process right away. "Please don't be sad. I don't like it." He coos. "I can't help it." I sniffle. "I know, but you can fight it. I know you can." He reassures. "I'm, I'm trying. It's just so hard." I do my best to keep from going into hysterics. "Okay, how about this. I'll bundle you up in bed while I take a quick shower. You can try to relax in the meantime. Sound good?" He sounds so calm. He's also being really patient with me. "I'll t-try." "Okay." I can feel his smile. So sincere and loving.
Kiba tucks me back in bed. His bed. I watch as he gathers up his things. Without thinking, he starts to strip, making me blush. He quickly comes to his senses and readjusted his pants. Kiba grabs his clothes and heads for the door. On his way out he stops in the doorway. "I'll be back before you know it. Try to cheer up some while I'm gone." He smiles. I have no words and simply nod. With a turn of his heel he's gone, door quietly clicking shut.
I dry my eyes and try to quit crying. I snuggle up to the pillow. His scent is still strongly being held by it. My spot's probably gone cold by now hence why he placed me in his. Like usual he smells so nice. I'm kinda curious as to how much it's natural to the scent of their laundry detergent. I wanna say mine is mostly natural.
I've realized I've calmed down some. Good. I need to. I'm getting myself worked up for nothing. Kiba's just my friend. He means no harm. I'm just easy to please and charm. It's how I fell for Neji. Although why does saying it out loud in my head make it sound like a bad thing? I groan at this thought.
My hormones are the majority of my emotions right now. Doesn't help they're being amplified by times five. I take a deep breath, holding it and counting to three before releasing it. I do this a few more times. At least until I feel more at ease.
I finish my cleansing breaths. I stare at the door with a huff. I thought only women took long showers. Who'd have thought there were guys who actually knew how to bathe themselves. I giggle to myself.
I stretched a little before closing my eyes. I'll just lay here like this till he comes back. Any minute now. The door is gonna open any second now.
I open my eyes when I feel movement on the bed. I think I see Kiba putting on a clean shirt. When I blink again, he's looking at me with a goofy grin. "What a bad girl. I said to cheer up and relax, not go back to bed." My cheeks flush pink. "S-Sorry.. I hadn't realized I nodded off. "Silly girl. Now let's pick up where we left off." He chuckles. Kiba stands up and lifts me out of bed. He holds me tight to his chest and sways back and forth. He starts humming a song I don't recognize. It's sweet and comforting. I loosely wrap my arms around his neck. I'm slowly starting to feel a lot better now.
I start feeling like I'm sliding down. I tightened my grip. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not gonna drop you." Kiba reassures as he props me back up. My shirt rises and I feel the heat of his skin on my back. Before I know it, he's fixing my shirt. "Sorry 'bout that." He apologizes. "You didn't mean to." Good thing he can't see my face. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. Kiba's touch is starting to feel less foreign and brotherly.
He goes back to singing that comforting song again. "What's the song you're humming?" I ask two or three minutes later. He stops humming and pauses. Is this a common song or a curated one? He soon clears his throat. "It's a song my sister wrote for me when I was little." "Oh. Are there lyrics?" I hope I'm not asking too much. "Yeah. She eventually wrote them down for me. I'll show you in a little bit." He holds me a little tighter. "Can I hear a little bit of it?" I can feel the blush creeping up on my face.
Kiba doesn't say anything for a few long seconds. He seems to be contemplating it. When I think he's going to shake his head and say no, he surprises me. It takes me a moment to realize he's singing. I rest my head on his shoulder as he sang.
"You tucked me in, turned out the light
Kept me safe and sound at night
Little boys depend on stuff like that
Brushed my teeth and combed my hair
Had to take me everywhere
You were always there when I needed you
Mom had to do it all alone
Make a living, make a home
Must have been as hard as it could be
And when I couldn't sleep at night
Scared things wouldn't turn out right
You would hold me tight and sing to me
Caterpillar in the tree
How you wonder what kind of shinobi you'll be
Can't go far for now but you can always dream
Wish you may and wish you might
Don't you worry, hang on tight
I promise you there will come a day
Butterfly, fly away
Turned around and you were there
The three of us made quite a crowd
My little brother was here at last
Looked away and back again
Suddenly a year turned ten
Don't know how you got so big so fast"
His singing voice is adorable. My cheeks are very bright red.
"And yeah, little brother, you don't understand
It's nothing mom and I had planned
Kind of makes you think it was meant to be
With how mom is kinda crazy
I always knew the day would come
You'd stop crawling and start to run
Handsome as handsome can be
Caterpillar in the tree
How you wonder what kind of shinobi you'll be
Can't go far for now but you can always dream
Wish you may and wish you might
Don't you worry, hang on tight
I promise you there will come a day
Butterfly, fly away
Butterfly, fly away
Got your wings, now you can't stay
Take those dreams and make them all come true
You've been waiting for this day
All along you've known just what to do
I hope you find your ninja way
And all the things that you love
Butterfly fly away"
As soon as the song seemed to be ending, I kept expecting more. "T-That's it? That's the whole song?" He stops rocking me. Something's telling me the song's really over. "I was just gonna sing the first half, but I couldn't help wanting to sing the rest for you." His voice seemed nervous yet accomplished. "I'm really glad. I'm sorry I have trouble showing you mine. I can't help it." I lightly rub his back. "You're just shy. There's nothing to be ashamed of." I sigh. "I know. Although, that song is right though. You are very handsome." I don't know how I was able to say that so calmly. I'm glad. It was just a compliment.
Whatever emotion is on Kiba's face, I feel it. "T-Thanks." I snicker. "You're not the only one who can give a compliment." "Yeah, but you're the one who has trouble accepting them. But I can understand why. We have trouble accepting ourselves more than those around us. At the end of the day, you need to remind yourself to give yourself some slack." He rubs circles in my back. "Yeah. I need to try harder to remember that." I pull back a little and look at him. "Hm?" Kiba tilts his head to the side. "I think I'm feeling better now." I rest my head on his forehead and smile. "Good." He smiles back. "So, what you want to do today?" He asks, neither of us pulling our heads away. I just stare at him dumbfounded.
Everything then hits me at once. I'm supposed to hang out with Neji for a while today. My cheeks began turning pink. "S-Sorry Kiba, We'll have to hang out later. I'm hanging out with Neji this afternoon." I shyly answer. "It's okay. I can do some chores while you're gone." He smiled sadly. Of course he didn't think I'd notice. "I promise I'll be home just before dinner." I ruffle his hair.
The sad look begins to slowly disappear. "You better be. I don't want to think about you getting in trouble. I worried about that the last time you didn't come home." "Home?" I stare at him dazed. "Uh." Kiba's face turns pink as he nervously reaches back to scratch his head.
He then cutely bites his lip and averts his gaze from me. "Well yeah. This will always be home for you. Consider it like a second home. Or third since you said you lived with Neji for a number of years. It's a mi casa, su casa sort of thing." He gradually turns back to face me. In a matter of seconds I start smiling really big. "And you'll always be welcome at my house." It's Kiba's turn to ruffle my hair. "Good to know." "I'll let him know we should wait until the project's over to spend the night together again." I sigh.
He gives me another sad smile. "It pains me when I see you have a partner separation anxiety attack, but I promise I'll do everything I can to ease that pain." "I know. To the teachers it'll look like project abandonment. I don't want you to get in trouble and get a bad grade because of me. School's important to Neji so he'll understand." "I mean he better considering he's the school's genius." He chuckles. I blush a bit.
Kiba starts getting all nervous again. "So do I um.." "Do you what?" I ask curiously. "Do I do a good job?" He goes all shy on me and it's really cute. "Comforting me?" I tilt My head to the side. "Mmhm." "You do a really good job." So good that my emotions are all over the place. But I don't say that out loud so that way I don't have to explain what I can't even explain to myself. "That's good to hear. I'm relieved that I don't make it worse." I feel him gently pulling away. I slowly inch myself off his lap. "I should start getting ready." I boop his nose like the cute little doggie he is. "Hey, what was that for?" I shrug my shoulders and giggle. He rolls his eyes at me.
Kiba grabs me and hugs me tight before letting go. "Kiba, what the.." I question, embarrassed. "I don't know. Same as you." He grins. It's my turn to roll my eyes at him. Although he does have a point. I don't know why I did what I did either. "Alright, I'll be in the shower if you need me." "Don't worry, I'll stay away until you need me." He winks. "Nah I'm kidding but I'll be there if you really need help." He smiles innocently. My face feels really red. "O-Okay.." I grab my bag quickly and almost trip and stumble out the door. I didn't look back to see his face. I couldn't let him see how red my cheeks were. They got so red I could almost be considered part of his clan.
I get in the bathroom and lean on the door when it's shut. I try to calm down and even out my breathing. I don't need to be in the shower this worked up. I could flip out and pass out. I don't need to have Kiba see me passed out in the shower from embarrassment. That's worse than what originally happened.
I get relaxed enough to take my shower. I turn the water on and let it heat up while I take my clothes off. Once stripped, I reach my hand in and test the water. It got a little too hot So I turned it down just a smidge. I take a deep breath and step in the shower.
I wash my hair first. I rinse my hair then wash my face. When I think my face is covered in suds, I plunge back under the cascading water. I step back and wipe off my face. I reach for my body wash. I go to squirt some on the wash cloth before I realize it's about empty. I thought I had enough for one more shower. I guess I was wrong. Looks like I'll have to use Kiba's instead. Great, now I'll have to awkwardly explain why I smell different. Not only to Kiba but Neji too.
I suck it up and wash my body with Kiba's body wash. At least it smells good. I mean it should considering this is what he smells like after he gets out of the shower. I finish up and get out of the tub.
I snatch up my towel. I dry my face and hair first. I shake My hair like a dog a bit. I laugh at myself. I know I'm being silly.
I wrap the towel around my body. I secure it the best I can and grab my bag to dig out my clothes. I change into a warm outfit. A long sleeve sweatshirt with a netted shirt and tanktop over it underneath along with a pair of black pants. I take my brush and comb out my hair. I don't feel like blow drying it today so it can air dry this time. After all the tangles are out, I throw my brush back in the bag.
I hang up my towel and grab my bag, walking out the door and closing it behind me. I head back to Kiba's room to put my stuff up. When I'm outside the door I give a little warning knock. Just as I'm about to open the door, Kiba's voice filters through. "Hold on, give me just a second." I snicker and wait for the okay.
A moment later he gives me the okay to come in. I walk in as he's fixing his shirt. "Well don't you smell good." Kiba says while I'm putting my stuff back. "Yeah, about that." I nervously laugh. He raises an eyebrow. "I have to get some more body wash next time I go to the store. I hope you don't mind but I kind of had to use yours." I look away before I can see his reaction. "I thought I recognized that scent. Doesn't smell half bad on you." He laughs. " Really?" I get the courage to look at him again. "Yeah. You can use my body wash whenever you want." He chuckles. "O-Okay, but just till I get my own." I fool with my hands. He walks over and messes with my still damp hair. "You really do smell good with your shampoo mixing in with the scent of my body wash." "T-Thanks." I smile. He smiles back. We stand there staring at each other for what feels like forever.
Kiba clears his throat and steps back. "I better get started doing my chores." I push my hair back behind my ear. "I should probably get going too." I start to head towards the door. I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. A shiver passes through my body. I turn to look at him. "If you don't want to walk I could take you on Akamaru's back. Neji's isn't far but it is a good walk from here." He offers. "It's okay Kiba, you don't have to do that." I assure him. "I wanna make sure you get there safe. But if you wanna walk by yourself I won't force you." He gently rubs my shoulder before moving his hand away. "I appreciate the offer Kiba, I really do, but won't you get in trouble by your mom if it looks like you're trying to get out of chores?" I ask, worried. I would love a ride there but not if it means getting him in trouble. "No worries. Turns out one of my chores is on the way. I have to pick up some dog food for my mom." I sigh. "Okay, long as I don't get you in trouble." "So you want me to take you or do you wanna go by yourself?" Kiba asks. I shift my weight a little. I guess I've already thought about it.
I begin to reach for his hand but quickly take it back. I hope he didn't notice. "Um, I, I'll..." The words get caught in my throat. I feel so embarrassed when there's nothing to be embarrassed about. He just wants to know if I want a doggy back ride or if I want to walk alone. It's not that hard. But for some reason it is. "What is it? Cat got your tongue?" He snickers. I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out. "Alright, if I count down from ten and you still don't answer, I'll take that as a no." He starts counting down as promised. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-" I cover his mouth with my hand and nod my head before he can get to zero. "If ooh eep or and air eye ick it." His voice is muffled by my hand. I don't quite understand what he's saying.
The next thing I know my hand feels wet. I yank my hand away and wipe it on my pants. "K-Kiba.." I pierce my lips and try to hide my face by looking at my feet. Kiba chuckles and snakes his arm around my shoulders. "I tried to warn you." I look at him dazed. "I said, If you keep your hand there I'll lick it." I roll my eyes at him. "Come on, let's get you to the Hyuga's before it gets too late and I keep you home to do chores with me." I nod, still embarrassed. We get outside and Kiba calls for Akamaru. He comes out happy as a lark.
Kiba talks to Akamaru and he bends down for us to get on his back. He helps me up and gets behind me. I pet Akamaru to calm my nerves. He softly howls, content. Kiba slips his arm around my waist as Akamaru rises to attention. He holds me close to keep me from falling off. Akamaru then starts trotting off to our destination.
What would have been about thirty minutes on foot only took ten minutes by Akamaru. I leaned over and snuggled Akamaru. "Thanks for the ride boy." He happily barked. I sit back up and go to get down from my adorable furry ride. "Here, let me help you." Kiba tightens his arm around my waist. I feel us slide off of Akamaru's back. "There you go." My feet touch the ground and his arm is gone. "I'll see you later Kiba." I smile sweetly at him. "I'll see you at dinner time." He smiles back. "Until then." I wave and then start heading to the door.
I hear Kiba talk to Akamaru in the background. I walk up to the door and knock. When I turn my head they're gone. I quickly turn my head back when I hear the door open. The door opens and reveals Hinata. "Hinata!" I hug her. "Hey Maki!" She hugs back. "What are you guys up to?" I ask as I pull away. "Not much. We're eating lunch at the moment." She smiles innocently. At that very moment, it dawns on me that I forgot to eat before I left. I sweat dropped and nervously laughed. "Something wrong Maki?" Hinata looks at me worried. "Oh, hey Maki." Naruto's voice floats in. He stops next to Hirata as he takes a bite of a rice ball. I open my mouth but nothing comes out.
Naruto looks at his rice ball and back to me. "What's wrong, Kiba forget to feed you?" He offers his partially eaten rice ball. I blush and wave my hands. "No, it's nothing like that. I'm not really a breakfast person so I prefer lunch. I just forgot to grab something before I left." I explain. "It's alright Maki, we've got plenty." She grabs me by the arm and drags me to the dinning room. " You know I was just messing with you, right Maki?" Naruto asks, worried. "I know Naruto." I giggle. "Great, I was worried there for a second." He chuckles. Hinata releases my arm as we walk into the dinning room. Naruto wraps an arm around me and pulls me over to Neji. " Neji, look Who's here!" Naruto shouts excitedly. "N-Naruto..." Neji looks up and smiles. "Well look Who we have here." Naruto gives me a quick squeeze before sitting back down next to Hirata. "Come here beautiful." Neji stands up and pulls me in for a kiss. I happily kiss back.
Neji breaks the kiss and sits down, pulling me into his lap. No matter how much time passes, I'm always gonna be a little shy with public displays of affection. "Hungry sweetheart?" I know you don't care much for breakfast." I nod. He kisses my cheek and hands me a rice ball. I take it and start munching on it. I look up as I chew and see TenTen across from me. She smiles and waves, also having food in her mouth. I swallow and wave back. Before I knew it, there was a spoonful of curry in my face.
I take a bite. Beef curry. I had this for dinner two days ago with Kiba. I feel Neji snuggle closer to feeds me another bite. I just sit there and let him hand feed me. "Are you having fun feeding me?" I ask after swallowing my current spoonful. "What, can't I feed my girlfriend just because I love her?" He asks, his breath tickling my ear. I scrunch up my shoulders. "I never said you couldn't." I softly giggle. He repeatedly kisses my cheek. "Let me know when you get full." He puts another bite to my mouth. "Okay." I take the bite, slowly getting full.
After a couple more bites and a second rice ball, I'm full. "I think I'm done sweetheart." I say before he can give me any more. "Alright then." He puts the spoon down on the plate. I kiss his cheek. "Thank you." "You're welcome." He pecks me on the lips. "I love you." I nuzzle him. "I love you too." I look at the others and they're just about done eating too. "You want to go to my room for a moment?" He kisses the side of my head. "Sure." I start to get up. Neji helps me up and then gets up himself. I give the others a soft nod. "See you later." They smile and wave. Neji takes my hand and leads me to his room. I give it a little squeeze.
Once in Neji's room, I spin around and kiss him lovingly. He kisses back as he wraps his arms around me. After a few seconds, we pull away. "How have you been?" He asks. I try to keep from blushing. All the thoughts and memories from this morning flooding back to me. "I, I've been alright." "You and Kiba's family getting along?" Another question but this one's less awkward. "Yeah, they're really nice. They're silly but pretty welcoming for the most part." I smile. "You two getting anywhere in this project?" He asks with slight annoyance. "Um, I think so. We just tell each other new things and report back. You?" I'm actually curious. What could he learn about someone that's been his teammate for years? I guess it's possible he doesn't know much about her despite it.
It took me a while to open up to my team. Sasuke helped a little much to Sakura's dismay. She relaxed once she realized I wasn't interested in him. "I haven't really learned much new considering Tenten's my teammate." His response brings me out of my thoughts. "Right, I only knew a little about Kiba from him being on Hinata's team." He relaxes but seems a little tense, stotic even. "Kiba treating you well?" He kisses the top of my head, partially erasing those thoughts. "He's very nice and hospitable. He makes sure I feel like a friend staying over and not a stranger passing through." I smile sweetly.
He sighs softly. "I'm glad you feel safe. But I do miss you being here most of the time." He strokes my hair gently. "Um, speaking of which, it's best to wait for me to spend the night again when the project's over. I'm worried they'll deduct points or even fail us if I'm not with my project partner." I explain. I hope he understands. "I understand. I don't want you getting a bad grade because I miss you." I let out a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding in. "I was worried for a second." "Why? Yes I think this project is stupid but I'm sure there's a deeper meaning than what we're thinking." Neji raises an eyebrow. "I, I don't know. Nerves I guess." I shrug my shoulders.
I knew he'd understand. I did. I just felt like this would be the one time he would be selfish. All things considered I am staying with another guy. I'm relieved he's not letting that bother him. I really hope not anyways.
I bite my lip and look around nervously. "Something wrong Maki?" He asks. I calm myself and smile. "Not really. Just wondering what you want to do today." I kiss his nose. "Hm, how about I push you on the swings at the park?" He says close to my ear then kisses it. I blush. That's the place I first saw him when we were smaller. He was getting ready to leave by the time I noticed him. I think he caught me staring at him cause he turned and smiled at me. I was too shocked to respond. I opened my mouth to say something but froze and blushed instead.
My mom giggled at me and told me I was having my first crush. I didn't fully understand what she meant back then. She had taken me to the park while dad made dinner. She gushed on and on about it on the way home and then all over again to my dad. She told me it would be so cute if we ended up together.
Spoiler alert. We did. Just not till right before that day I would never see them again. Although we kept it secret till we knew for sure what was going on between us. Mom swore up and down that Naruto and I were going to get together before Neji and I would. I hid my feelings for Neji for a long time. I never thought he would feel the same. Naruto and I got close from where I didn't treat him like an outcast. My parents didn't either. They knew the truth. They were also friends with his parents before the attack. Naruto was due any time and my mom had just found out she was carrying me. They both hoped we would be friends.
I giggle and smile widely. "Sure." "Let's go then." He unwraps my arms from his waist and then takes my hand in his. I gently squeeze his hand. "I love you." "I love you too." He leans in and kisses my cheek. Neji opens the door and we head off to the park.
It's nice and sunny out. Hardly any clouds in the sky. Not too chilly either. It's warm enough that a jacket isn't necessary yet. We walk hand in hand the whole way there. Light small talk and chatter in between. I casually watch his hair swing and flow with the light breeze following our steps. It's mesmerizing. So pretty. It's been so long it's hard to believe it was ever pulled back and bound. I guess you could say his hair has symbolism. Tied back were the days when he believed everything was set in stone and couldn't be changed. Now it's loose and free now understanding fate can change.
Neji, realizing that I must be staring, looks my way. "What are you staring at?" I blush. "How pretty your hair is." He chuckles softly. "I don't think I'll never not hear you say that when I catch you looking at me." "I can't help it." "Yours is beautiful. I love running my fingers through it when I hold you in my arms." He grins, gently squeezing my hand. I can never not blush when he says things like that.
I stop walking and really look him in the eyes. I reach up on my tip toes and gently kiss him on the lips. He kisses back, never letting go of my hand. Our fingers stayed tightly laced together.
I pull back and giggle. I feel light and feathery. Kiba was the last and farthest thing on my mind in this moment. Some days are normal and then there are days where I fall for him all over again.
We make it to the park. When the swings come in view, I shake off his hand and run. I feel Neji run after me. I feel the warm metal chain against my palms when I reach my destination. I feel arms grab me and squeeze me tight. I squeal in surprise. "Gotcha." Neji coos in my ear. "Only because I wasn't trying to race you." I playfully roll my eyes. "Although you could evade me if you really wanted to." He reminds me. "I know. I've done it enough times training with you." I stick my tongue out. "And you're an exceptional kunoichi." He snuggles me close and kisses my shoulder.
Seconds later, he pulls away. "I better let you go before you don't get to swing at all today." I laugh and sit on the swing. I give myself a push before using my body weight to do the rest. When I swing backwards, I feel Neji give me a little more momentum. Before I know it, he's next to me on the other swing.
We swing beside each other. Sometimes in sync, sometimes not. We spent the day at the park. We enjoyed each other's company. The swings weren't the whole day. We walked around too. I sat in the sand box. I made little sand castles with a cup that was left behind.
I make one last cup tower before standing up and dusting myself off. "It's starting to get late. I'm sure it's almost dinner time for you." Neji says as he inspects me for sand particles. "Probably." I smile and pull him into a hug. He hugs back and kisses my head. "I'll see you later." "Yup." I step back. "Love you princess." "Love you too." We kiss and part ways.
I'm on my way home when I feel something grab me. I squeak and struggle to get free. It's not the warm comforting touch of Neji or Kiba. It's a pure stranger danger moment. Before I can yell for help, something gets pressed against my face. I cough on the weird smell.
My head and body begin feeling light and fuzzy. I was losing strength fast. My thoughts go blank. My voice silent. My strength gone. My vision blurry, fading fast.
Kiba's POV
It's almost dinner time and Maki's not back yet. Gah, I hope he didn't talk her into staying for dinner too. I should probably go check on her. Last time I didn't. But this time for some reason it feels different.
I hurry up and put my shoes on. I dart out the door to the Hyuga compound, Akamaru not too far behind me. Since I'm running I get there a few minutes faster than earlier. When I get to the entrance I slow down to catch my breath. I don't to concern their uncle if he's the one to answer the door with my face all red and out of breath.
After composing myself, I knock on the door. Too many seconds later, the door opens. Hinata's scent filters through. "Oh, hey Kiba. Is everything alright?" Hinata asks. "Yeah, it's nothing to worry about." At least for right now anyways. I don't wanna worry her when I don't know anything yet. "That's good." She smiles. "Is Neji here?" I ask, getting antsy. "Yeah. He's in his room with Maki." I relax a bit. "Okay. I just need to ask him something real quick." "Okay, I'll go get him." "I'll be here." I face palm when she leaves. Could I be overreacting? Maki could have just lost track of time and was probably getting ready to leave.
I straighten up when I hear footsteps. "Kiba?" "Hey there Neji." I give a nervous wave. "Is everything alright?" He raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah. Is Maki ready? My mom's almost done with dinner." "Wait, she's not with you?" He asks, surprised. "No. She said she'd be home in time for dinner." "That's odd. She left about thirty minutes or so ago." He got quiet. "What did guys do today? Did you go anywhere?" I start to panic. He sighs. "If you let me finish.. We went to the park earlier. We parted ways then so she wouldn't be late for dinner." Neji explained. "Alright, we'll start there then." Hang in there Maki, we'll find you.
Neji gets his shoes. We then rush off to the park they went to. When we get there, the park's empty. I start looking for her scent. It's still faintly on my clothes so I don't need any sources. Besides that I'm used to her scent. Moments after sniffing, I catch her scent.
I follow her scent to a secluded wooded area by the park. There she is! I find her knocked out and slumped against a tree. I quietly make way to her. The enemy doesn't seem to be around at the moment. I told Akamaru to keep guard of the park area and to alert me if there was trouble.
I get to Maki's side and scoop her up bridal style. As I look her over, she starts to stir. "Maki, are you alright?" I ask her, keeping my voice low. "Y-You found m-me." I grin, happy she's safe. "Of course I did. I told you I'd protect you no matter what." She smiles and starts leaning in. It looks like she's about to kiss me. She must have been drugged and thinks I'm Neji. As much as I'd like that, I can't have Neji walk in on his girlfriend under the impression it's him. It wouldn't be right and it might cause problems for our friendship.
I place my hand on her head and stroke her hair. "Neji's on his way. He was probably searching the area for the enemy." As I finish my sentence, two unfamiliar scents come up. I hold Maki a little tighter. The two guys spot me. "I told you she probably had a boyfriend that would come looking for her." Neji comes up behind me and clears his throat. "Excuse me but I'm the angry boyfriend!" He shouts and proceeds to knock them out. He sighs and starts to calm down. "I'll report these two idiots to Lady Tsunade." "Alright. Sorry about the mix up back there." I look and see her nodding off. I gently hand her over to Neji. "You have nothing to apologize for. They were just idio who assumed." He carefully takes her in his arms.
We start heading back to my house. "I'll make sure she gets plenty to drink and eat something before bed." "I know you will. How she been adjusting?" He asks. "We're just taking it one day at a time but so far, so good ya know." I inform him. Neji seems to sigh in relief. Soon enough we're back at my house.
I watch as Neji caresses her face and pets her hair. He gently nudges her awake. "Maki." She looks at him and he kisses her. She watches him, dazed. Neji smiles at her before handing her over to me. I carefully take her back in my arms.
Maki looks at me and back to Neji. "Goodnight Neji. I love you." "I love you too." "T-Thanks f-for um r-rescuing me. I, I um, I was worried no one would notice me being gone." She hides her face slightly. "Silly girl. Don't you ever think that again." She nods and reaches for him. Neji comes closer and she hugs him tight. He kisses her one more time. "Don't worry Neji, I'll make sure she's drug free before letting her out of sight, promise." I feel Maki snuggle up to me as a breeze comes through. She must be getting cold. "I know you will Kiba. See you later." Neji smiles and heads off.
I walk inside and see my mom and sister on the couch. "Sorry about dinner. Some crazy stuff came up." I explain. My sister jumps up and walks over to me. She carefully starts examining Maki. "She's been drugged. Nothing too serious but keep a close eye on her." "Yeah I smelt it too. She should be fine in the morning." "Some knockout drug. Thankfully it seems they were only meaning to sedate and use her as bait. What for I'm not sure." Mom chimed in. "Yeah, I'm gonna go get her some water." "Sounds like you've got her covered." Hana smiles. "Is it safe to let her sleep down here by herself?" I ask, worried. "Should be. If anything happens just keep her in your room for the night. I'm sure she enjoys sleeping with you." Her smile turns into a smirk. "Sis!" I blush. She snickers. "You know where to find us if you need anything." "Okay." I turn and make my way to the kitchen.
I make her something light to eat from dinner and get her a glass of water. "Here's some water." I hand her the water. She takes it and slowly drinks. She sets it back on the counter and tries to get down. I don't want her to but I know she won't listen until she realizes it herself. I gently set her on her feet but don't let go. She tries to walk some but starts feeling wobbly and unstable. Maki groans as I pick her back up. "Don't worry, you'll feel better tomorrow." Maki pouts, making herself look so cute. I grabbed her dinner and walk over to the couch. I help her eat something since she's so out of it.
Once she's done, I tuck her in bed. Maki watches me as she dozes off. I smile and give her a quick, soft peck on the cheek. I then go to the kitchen and grab myself something to eat. I finish and then washed our dishes. I head upstairs to my room and go to bed. I get under my blanket and lie there. All the while remembering the moment when Maki mistook me for Neji and almost kissed me.
What if I didn't stop her? If she remembered, could I feign innocence? Could she have been subdued just enough that it wouldn't have even mattered? Drugged just enough she wouldn't have remembered and believed it to be a dream she had under the effects of the drug?
Somehow all these thoughts just make me want to kiss her more. But I'm being greedy enough. I sneak enough kisses on her cheek when she's not paying attention or almost asleep. "Why does everything gotta be so complicated?" I mumble. Right now I just want to go back down there and bring her up here with me. But sleeping on the couch is what she wanted. I have to respect that unless she says herself she wants to share a room. I sigh and just try to get some sleep.