Stronger {Kiba Inuzuka Love Story} [2]

~9~

Sayuri POV

Dinner seemed a little...tense. For some reason. I sat beside Kiba, our knees bumping together under the table, Asuma and Kurenai and Akida also sat on the bench wrapped around the table.

Savory barbecue smells rose from the table where meat and vegetables were being grilled. My stomach growled, I hadn't eaten much of my hospital breakfast and the last decent meal I had was those fish last night.

Kiba squeezed my hand tightly under the table as he loaded my plate with food. He seemed awful quiet, which made me wonder.

What's up with him? I contemplated as I broke my chopsticks and began eating he's been acting weird since this morning, and he keeps looking over to Asuma and Akida

Conversation seemed a little dull, no one commented on the food and it seemed Kurenai was the only one actually trying to converse.

Asuma removed his cigarette and I recognized his thinking face, he's planning something.

Kiba shoved meat into his mouth and gives me a nudge, gesturing to the food on my plate "did I burn it?" He questions, face full of concern

I shake my head and shove some veggies in my mouth, giving him a thumbs up

Akida sighs deeply and stretches his arms across his chest. I hadn't paid attention to what he was wearing as I came in but I see now that he's dressed in the standard blue jumpsuit of the Leaf Shinobi, and not the casual outfit he wore at the hospital.

The realization came so quickly that I barely had time to swallow my food before I opened my mouth to speak "You guys are going to rescue them without me, aren't you!"

Kiba coughs beside me and looks toward Asuma, a slight smile on his face.

Asuma draws in from his cigarette and sighs "I trained you to be perceptive so I should've known you'd catch on"

"Sayuri" began Akida, leaning forward against the table "we already know that they're specifically targeting us for our chakra, we would just draw more unwanted attention if we both went"

"But you're going!" I protest, putting down my chopsticks

He almost scoffs "It's MY wife and children, I'd be going with or without the help of the Leaf Village!" He says, getting frustrated

"They're my family too!"

"Sayuri enough" Asuma puts out his cigarette in the small ash tray on the table "Lady Hokage herself has given explicit directions that you are to remain in the Leaf Village until we get this all sorted out"

I bite my tongue, knowing I had no argument worth making. With one last look at Asuma I slide off the bench and walk away from the table.

I could feel my throat tightening as I left the restaurant and the warm blast of summer night air blasts against my face.

Who cares what Lady Tsunade says? Who cares that people are after us for our chakra?

A tear escapes and begins rolling down my cheek as a hand grasps my arm from behind me

I just can't feel like that again, when mom and Raiden died, when dad didn't come back from that mission, when I couldn't protect grandpa. I can't lose them too...

The hand began to slowly turn me around

I can't lose Asuma. I can't lose Akida.

I can't lose him...

I come face to face with him, his brown eyes staring down into mine. His lips parted as an apology began to slip from their softness.

I can't lose Kiba

I'll do anything not to lose him

I grab his hair and pull him towards me, pressing my lips against his mid sentence.

His arms wrap around my back, molding me against him.

Another tear slips from my eye and runs down our cheeks pressed together.

He pulls back and his rough hand wipes the tear from my cheek. "I'm sor-"

I shake my head, holding my finger to his lips "stop, please"

He nods and we slowly begin walking, he wraps his arm around my shoulders as we make the turn for my street.

At the door he pauses but I drag him in, kicking my shoes off,  past all the boxes, and up the stairs.

I flop into my bed and pull him in beside me, he wraps his arms around me and I snuggle into his chest.

One of his hands runs through my hair and he presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

"I love you Kiba" I whisper

"I love y-"

I sit up slightly "I love you, so I can't lose you ok?"

He seems slightly stunned as he sits up beside me

I continue on, squeezing his hand "I can't lose anyone else Kiba" my throat begins tightening again "I've lost enough and I don't think I can handle anyone else leaving"

"Sayur-"

"Promise me!" I almost shout, tears running down my face "I heard you running towards me when that mountain was coming down, I bet you don't even know" my voice cracked "Ren wanted you to run towards me cause he had at least two dozen men waiting, they were going to beat you for" I scoff at remembering it  "' a little bit of fun before they left' and I just need you to promise me that you'll stay safe and not charge into things like that!"

"Sayuri-"

"Please promise me!" I cried squeezing his hand tightly

He slid his hand out of mine "I won't."

I choked on my sob , I was getting too emotional

"Sayuri" he stands up, pacing the floor next to the bed and rubbing his forehead, visibly distressed "you're asking me not to charge into things when you do the same thing!"

I cross my arms over my chest suddenly feeling cold, and try to calm my breathing

"You left us after that fight with the Claw village! to protect-" he pauses, watching my face fall "Sayuri" he says more calmly "I had to hold your dead body In my arms, your blood drenched my clothes, it's all I could smell for over 48 hours!"

I freeze, trying not to remember those long cold hours

He drops to his knees in front of me, leaning agaisnt my bed "everything I did, I did to protect you"

His hands grasp mine and he squeezed them tightly "we're Shinobi, Sayuri, we vowed to give our lives to protect the Village"

I sniffle as I squeeze his hands back. It was unfair of me to ask him that, I've been selfish and not understanding of others. I'm not the only one who's suffered.

"We can't promise to stay safe on missions or to run away from danger" he continues

I pulled one of my hands away from his and began running it through his hair, my eyes focusing on his.

"The only thing we can really promise is to always protect each other, to always fight to get back to each other, to always love each other. That's what I'll promise to you." He gaze turned rather intense as he brought our foreheads together, almost like he was staring into my soul.

I give him a small smile "then I'll promise you that too"

Then we sealed that promise with a kiss.

///

I've updated quite a bit lately. Whenever I have trouble writing I like to reread the past couple chapters to put me back in the story. I felt like my last chapter kinda sucked so I reread the first two chapters again and then I wrote this. Which I really like.
Thank you so much for reading!