The Game *Kiba x OC* (COMPLETE)

Frozen

Kiba Inuzuka

I stare off at Kitara as she walks beside Shino while I absently tease Hinata. I don't mean any harm by it, but it's fun to watch her get so easily flustered by Naruto. I'd never admit it out loud, but it makes me slightly jealous that Naruto has someone who cares for him so deeply. My ears twitch as I hear Shino bring up my relationship with her and a lie easily comes out in response. It's good to know she can hold up the facade in public at least. My mood sours the more they talk, his words insulting me by telling her she deserves someone better than me. Technically we aren't even actually together but our lack of feelings for each other aside, I'd be great for her, I'm sure. He has no business butting in anyway. I leave Hinata behind and put my arm around Kitara and cut him a glare, asking who said I didn't care about her. He comes up with a witty remark as an insult and I feel my anger flaring. He needs to shut up before I hurt him.

"She deserves someone better than you, that would treat her properly and would never insult her in the ways you have."

"And why do you-" I trail off as it all clicks. "Wait a minute. I get it now." I chuckle darkly as I move to stand in front of Shino. "You have feelings for her, don't you? You're jealous that she's with me because you missed your chance."

I smirk as his fists clench at his sides.

"Inuzuka-"

I can hear her warning me to drop it but I ignore her. He shouldn't talk if he can't back it up.

"No, no. By all means, let him speak. If he wants to run his mouth about me then there has to be a reason. So what is it, Bug Boy?"

I smirk at him, ready to fight, but I'm jerked backward by my hood a moment later. As I look up at her I can see her temper barely held in check. She glares down at me before shooting him a look and walking off to join our sensei at the front of our formation.

I'm drawn from the challenging stare down with Shino as I crash into something, earning a nose full of coffee and strawberry scent. Why did she stop suddenly? I ask if she's okay as I notice Kurenai-sensei had stopped and turned back toward her as well, her expression full of concern. I step around her and look into her eyes. It's like she's frozen in a mix of shock and panic. I can't even see her chest moving to breathe.

"Hey, hey. Takeda, breathe." I tell her as I lightly touch her cheek.

Her lips are starting to change color and I curse before blowing harshly into her slightly parted lips. It's enough to make her sputter and her chest starts to move again with rapid, shallow breaths.

"There you go, just breathe. In and out... What's wrong?"

I gently rub her arm and she finally blinks and it seems to draw her from her trance. Her lip trembles slightly as she stares at me with tear filled eyes. I quickly pull her to my chest and wrap my arms around her as her hands grip the fabric of my coat. If she weren't so upset, I'd use the moment to make Shino jealous but I'm not going to do that to her right now. Maybe another time. Her shoulders shake as she cries softly into my chest and I look up at Kurenai-sensei who gives Hinata and Shino assignments to start setting up camp for the night since the sunlight has faded, leaving us with just a few dying rays peeking through the trees. She drifts off to check the perimeter, leaving me alone with Kitara.

"Hey," I mumble as I gently pull her head from my chest. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"D-Did you know about the mission?" She asks.

"We're just picking something up from a village. Why?"

"Kurenai-sensei just told me what it is..." She whispers while wiping at her tears. Her voice is still crackling from crying and she tries to clear her throat before continuing. "My parents were going to bring Aya home... but instead, they hired the village. W-We're picking up her ashes."

Holy shit. Why didn't Kurenai-sensei tell us? If I'd known, I wouldn't have let her come.

"I'm so sorry." I mumble, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you." She giggles suddenly and I realize that Akamaru had woken up from his nap inside my coat and licked her cheek. "Thank you too, Sweetie."

Kitara rests her head on my shoulder as we eat around the fire a short while later. Once she had calmed down, we helped to finish setting up camp and I gave her a cookie while the food cooked. I noticed her shivering against the cool breeze, so I offered her my jacket as well even though she had her own. She ended up using it as more like a blanket and snuggled up under it, only leaving her hands out so she can eat her sandwich. She's only picking at it, eating little nibbles here and there. I'm sure the stress from our mission is the cause. I also noticed her sneaking bits of food to Akamaru on the other side. Even though he betrays me when it comes to her, I like that they get along, but it's going to suck when the challenge comes to an end. He was upset enough when we didn't see her for almost two weeks.

"Kurenai-sensei, how far away is the village?" Hinata asks, drawing my gaze from Kitara scratching under Akamaru's chin.

"It's a week and a half journey if we go slow. If we move faster, we could cut it down to maybe a week."

I start to run my fingers through Kitara's long blonde hair as I sigh. This whole mission is going to be really rough on her. We have at least a week before we get there for her to think about it, then dealing with actually receiving the ashes of her sister and returning on another full week of traveling with the ashes. Why the hell couldn't her parents be bothered to do it themselves? To see their living daughter who has been on her own for years. How could they just leave her like that?