Triple Dog Dare (KankuroxKiba)

Chapter Eight

a/n: hey guys! Sorry i haven't posted classes started and got really intense really quickly. Fun fact about me, I'm majoring in mathematics! So i have a lot of homework lol. Thanks for being so patient. also the fan art as the cover for this chapter is a piece I got commissioned for real life money. the artist is tagged in both corners.

This chapter has the beginning of the second verse of the song this story is based off of "Triple Dog Dare" by Lucy Dacus.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter Eight

The dreaded topic.

My mother.

Kiba doesn't know, so I guess this is how he's gonna find out. It always makes people uncomfortable when it's brought up.

"Oh uh, my mother..." I say, my heart racing. I haven't had to say it in awhile. "She actually passed away when I was young."

"Oh goodness!" Mrs. Inuzuka says, putting her hands on her chest. "I'm so sorry!"

"I had no idea..." Kiba says slowly, looking down.

"That's tough, I'm sorry to hear that," Mr. Inuzuka says.

It's always so awkward! Everyone offering their condolences. I don't even remember her so I feel like I don't deserve their sympathy.

"It's alright," I say, rubbing the back of my neck.

"How old were you?" Kiba asks.

"Kiba!" His mother scolds in a whisper-yell. She gives him a look that tells him to shut up.

"It's okay," I say even though I don't really want to talk about it. I'll answer his one question then we'll move on. "I was a little more than a year old. She died giving birth to my younger brother."

Sad faces all around the table. No one has taken a bite since the conversation started. They give their condolences again even though I wish they would just drop it. Kiba has a nice family and I appreciate them being kind to me but I really wish they would just go back to talking about other things.

...

"I had no idea your mom passed away," Kiba says, pulling the fitted sheet over the air mattress we just blew up.

Dinner ended about an hour and a half ago. Kiba and I had just been hanging out until his mom finally found the air mattress in their attic. It's a twin and fits right next to Kiba's bed in his room.

"Yeah..." I mumble, not sure what else to say. I help him put the sheets over the air mattress and take a fuzzy comforter he hands me.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I look at him, curious by his tone of voice. He's looking down. He sounds sad.

I shrug and get back to making the bed. "It just never got brought up."

...

After we make the bed and get things set up upstairs, we go back downstairs and play some more of this new video game.

The night goes by super fast! We play the car game and eat snacks. We hang out with the dogs and talk about school. When it gets later, we retire upstairs in his little room. Kiba showers and I brush my teeth. Then we sit on his bed and play cards. It's a lot of fun! So by the time we realize it's well past midnight, I'm able to fall asleep pretty quickly even though the air mattress isn't that comfortable. Akamaru and Kiba sleep on the bed above me and we snicker a few times about jokes from earlier until we fall asleep.