There was a nervous look on Tsume Inuzuka's face as she sat across from me at the small, kitchen table. According to her, her son Kiba was alive and well, but-...I just couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something grave going on with him, wherever he was. I could tell by the fact that Tsume hadn't even sipped at her tea yet. I hadn't either.
Up until now, Tsume had been trying to reassure me that her son had been doing 'alright for the most part' somewhere far away, and that he had reason to lie to me about his whereabouts. She promised me that this was all just something he had done in fear of losing my friendship or scaring me off.
Yeah, like that'd ever happen. I loved Kiba and nothing would have changed that. Ever.
"Hinata-...Look, uh..." Tsume fiddled with her spoon, her fingers shaking at the tips. I noticed that she had been biting her nails. Normally, they were long, crimson, and filed to a point, but now the polish that stained them was peeling off and her flesh had marks of blood and irritation. "Inuzukas...We-...We and other clans alike go through a long and painful process in our lives. It starts at a very young age; before hormones even kick in."
Where was she going with this?
"Let's use an Inuzuka as an example." She gestured away from her tea. "Okay...Say the Inuzuka is a little kid, maybe six or so, or even a bit older. It's different for everyone. Anyway, sooner or later, this Inuzuka will run into someone who smells exceptionally well to him. You already know how our people are sensitive to scent, of course, Hinata."
"Yes." I nodded attentively.
"Great. Then I should tell you that when my boy was-...Well...A little boy," Tsume smiled, "and not a big, handsome man, you were the girl he found that smelled 'exceptionally well' to him."
My cheeks flushed before my heart could even begin a race with my thoughts. Kiba really thought I smelled so nice? That was so sweet, but-...What did all of it mean?
"We call that good-smelling person a mate." She explained. "Each Inuzuka identifies a mate early in life...And Kiba identified you."
"U-um..." I began scratching my finger, nervously fidgeting. "Okay...But-...What does any of this even mean?"
Tsume smiled again and sighed lowly. "It means that his body chose yours. He subconsciously identified you as his mate, according to how well you two balance with each other. Everything from chakra-flow to personality falls into that."
"His body..." I repeated, leaning forward and tilting my head slightly as I squinted at Kiba's mother, almost as if trying to find the answer like it were written on her face. "...Chose mine? For what?"
"We call that good-smelling person a mate." She explained. "Each Inuzuka identifies a mate early in life...And Kiba identified you."
"U-um..." I began scratching my finger, nervously fidgeting. "Okay...But-...What does any of this even mean?"
Tsume smiled again and sighed lowly. "It means that his body chose yours. He subconsciously identified you as his mate, according to how well you two balance with each other. Everything from chakra-flow to personality falls into that."
"His body..." I repeated, leaning forward and tilting my head slightly as I squinted at Kiba's mother, almost as if trying to find the answer like it were written on her face. "...Chose mine? For what?"
"For-...Well, mating, Hinata." She bluntly shrugged as if the answer were obvious.
"Mating as in...?"
"As in reproducing?" Tsume raised her eyebrow questioningly. "Duh?"
I yanked myself back and gasped at what I had just finished hearing her utter, plastering my hands over my gaping mouth. "A-as in having children?"
