The Game *Kiba x OC* (COMPLETE)

Winning

Kiba Inuzuka

The preliminaries end with only Shino and Kitara moving on. I would have won my match if it weren't for Naruto. I'm not sure what she and Shikamaru talked about but he came back after a short while and she reappeared an hour later with her arm in a sling and her mouth drawn into a thin line. She wouldn't say anything about her injury or what they discussed so I settled with watching the matches alongside her. I wanted to tell her the truth so many times during the exams but none of it worked out. Now that we're free from the exams until she and Shino return for the final stage, I'll finally get the chance to tell her. I can't hide it anymore.

I duck the shoe flying at my head as I leave my house, freshly showered and thoroughly chewed out by my mother. She didn't want me to leave since I just got back a few days ago but I'm not going to wait anymore. I'm going to tell her the truth whether it turns out alright for me or not. I just pray that I can find some way to have her in my life still or she doesn't hate me for lying to her. I reach the door to her apartment and hesitate before knocking. I don't hear anything so I knock again. Maybe she isn't home? I look up as her neighbor comes out of his apartment and tells me that she got home a few minutes ago. I thank him and wait for him to leave before picking her lock. I've tried to talk to her every day since the exams but she was always busy, asleep, or super distant. Today I'm not taking no for an answer.

I step into her apartment and look around before noticing her sipping coffee on her counter top, her sketchbook balanced in her lap. The sling is on the counter beside her as she draws and I notice her flinching slightly every so often. I lean against the wall and ask why she didn't answer the door. She doesn't speak immediately but finally says that I would have come in regardless, her voice sounding flat and emotionless.

"Are you okay? You've been acting weird since the exams started."

"I'm fine. My shoulder is almost healed. It's just stiff. I was too lazy to use more chakra on it. I wasn't really injured otherwise."

"That wasn't what I was referring to. You're distant and I can tell you're hiding something." I press, moving to stop her as she slips from the cabinet and tries to move around me. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." She mumbles, still trying to escape my grasp.

"You're lying to me. Stop it."

"I'm not."

"Then look me in the eye and say it. If you can honestly do that, I'll drop it."

I feel her tense as she sighs and keeps her gaze on the floor.

"I-I'm calling the bet off. For good this time."

"What? Why?"

"I can't do it anymore... You can consider yourself the winner since I tapped out."

"Tell me why."

"I don't have to give you a reason. Just be happy that you win and you're free of me. Now, please let me go."

My heart hurts at her words. I was coming to end this but now she's stomping on my heart. I don't want to let her go in any sense of the words.

"If you're going to do this then I deserve an answer."

She jerks free and goes into her room and I follow closely behind, continuing to ask for an answer. If she doesn't want to anymore, fine, I'll leave her alone but I'm not leaving until I find out why. I voice that thought and she turns on heel to glare up at me, her temper at it's end. I hate having to push her there but now I should be able to get her to cave.

"Why do you want to know so badly? Why the hell do you care? You didn't even want to do this in the first place but now that I'm freeing you from the burden you won't leave me the hell alone!"

She shoves me but I ground myself so I don't move.

"I'll leave if you want me to but only if you tell me why."

"Just go!" I watch patiently as she continues to try to push me out of her room. She has the strength to do it but she's not putting effort behind it. Her control is slipping quickly.

When she finally launches herself at me, I catch her and gently toss her on the bed, using my legs to trap hers as I pin her arms. She glares up at me as she fights against me but I'm stronger than she is and I'm not giving up. A few minutes pass before she stops struggling and accepts defeat. I wait a few more minutes before calmly asking her to tell me why. I have to know what I did to make her hate me enough to call it off. I have to know what I did wrong. As I look into her eyes, I feel my anger die away, leaving me with nothing but hurt. I can't say what I wanted to for fear of what she's going to say. It doesn't matter anymore, does it? She doesn't want me around.

"Kiba..." My breath hitches at the sound of my name leaving her lips.

"Yes?" I mumble as I look down at her tear-filled eyes. All I want to do is wipe them away.

"I-I can't do the challenge anymore... b-because you won..." She whispers.

My eyes widen as shock takes over everything. I... won?

"What did you say...?" I ask, wanting to make sure I heard it right.

"You won. I-I lost the bet... Somehow I... I fell for you."