Snow Cave Confession
"Promise me you'll get out of here." His voice, normally a rough growl, was soft and pained.
"Kiba... We will get out of here. I promise." Hinata looked around wildly. It was just her luck. The one day that Kiba had decided to let Akamaru stay home and rest, this had to happen.
The rocks shifted and Kiba's eyes snapped open. "Go." He was too weak to walk, to move, to even yell. "Leave now, Hinata. Save your life."
"No! I won't leave you here Kiba. I can do this. I can save us! I know I can!"
"Hinata... you're strong enough for it, but I'm not going to let you risk your life to save me. I can't make it out of here. We both know it."
Hinata turned away, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cursed herself for their predicament.
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After a particularly dangerous mission, Team 8 had returned to Konoha. Since the Sandaime Hokage's death, their missions had been increasingly difficult. This last one had cost them all something precious.
Shino had lost almost half of his bugs to a cloud of poison. Akamaru had been gravely injured and, as a result, Kiba had almost been killed. Kurenai had lost a lot of blood to the rock village's ninjas when her genjutsu had been broken. Perhaps, though, it was Hinata who'd lost the most. In a moment of genjutsu induced blind panic, she had lost her what little confidence she had at the illusion of her dead teammates.
Upon their return, in an effort to cheer her up, Kiba had offered to go for a walk with her after training. They'd been walking for a few minutes around the outer wall of Konoha when they were attacked by more rock nin. Common genin, they were quickly killed by Hinata and Kiba's teamwork. Before one of them died, however, he had formed several seals and, with his dying breath, activated a rock slide jutsu.
Barely sparing a glance at the dead ninja, Kiba had grabbed Hinata's hand and raced towards the cliff near them as the rocks began to fall. Near the base of the cliff was a tiny crevice. Hinata was shoved in first, then Kiba slipped in, or tried to, rather. The rocks had fallen too quickly and his left arm and leg had been trapped in between the rocks. He'd hissed in pain as he turned to Hinata. "Are you ok?" As soon as she had responded affirmatively, he had lost consciousness.
Hinata had pulled his arm free quite quickly, but when she had crawled over him to free his leg, she'd found it wedged firmly between rocks. The pressure was too great: either Kiba's leg would break, or the rock would have to. She'd sighed and turned to wake Kiba up.
"Kiba..." She had shaken his uninjured shoulder softly. "Wake up..."
As he returned to consciousness, he'd moaned. "Damn, my leg hurts..." He'd tried to move, felt the pain, and couldn't help the whimper that had escaped.
"Don't move your leg yet. I have to cut the rock, but... The rock could collapse..." She'd looked away from him. "There's a chance I won't be able to free you..."
"It's ok..." The fact that he had agreed told her, more than anything else, just how much pain he was in. "Just do it, Hinata. I trust you. You can do it."
She had nodded, and with a "Byakuugan!" began to work out the way to free Kiba from the rock. Startlingly clear as it was, Hinata had no trouble shaping her chakra just right to cut through the rock. When the rock had been mostly cut away, she'd turned to Kiba. "When I tell you, move your leg away."
He had nodded and waited. When her "Now!!" had rung through the cave, he'd pulled his leg away from the rock and, thankfully, managed to completely free it.
Hinata had turned to him. "Are you ok?"
"I'll be fine..." He'd shifted and groaned. "Or maybe not..."
Hinata had reactivated her Byakuugan, checking over him for internal wounds. Finding none, she'd softened her concentration of chakra and carefully checked his muscle and skin tissue, wincing as she saw the damage the rock had wreaked on him. "You have multiple abrasions, but no broken bones. You'll be fine as soon as I get you out of here and to some proper medical care."
She'd turned back to the rock, working with her chakra to widen the hole where Kiba's leg had been and reinforce the top. When she had turned away, Kiba had taken the opportunity to pull of his jacket and check his arm. The rocks had done their job: his arm would take very long to heal naturally. He'd looked up and been able to discern Hinata's shape in the almost pitch blackness of the cave. The rather small cave, which Hinata had been trying to expand. Her efforts, however, had been hindered by her perfect view of her teammate's sculpted body. Subtly, she'd shaken her head and tried to regain her concentration. Their safety had to come first.
Kiba had tried to move closer, but given away his intention to help when he'd hissed as dust had contacted his wound. Still, ever the gentleman, he offered to help.
"No Kiba! You're hurt, you have to rest and heal." She'd shoved him gently against the wall, being careful to not touch his wound. "Rest. I'll get us out of here."
He'd nodded and let her work.
That had been several hours ago.
Hinata opened the hole in the rock, trying to keep it from collapsing. Kiba turned and looked at it. It was small and shaky: strong enough for one person to pass. He knew what he had to do. "Promise me you'll get out of here." His voice, normally a rough growl, was soft and pained.
"Kiba... We will get out of here. I promise." Hinata looked around wildly. It was just her luck. The one day that Kiba had decided to let Akamaru stay home and rest, this had to happen.
The rocks shifted and Kiba's eyes snapped open. "Go." He was too weak to walk, to move, to even yell. "Leave now, Hinata. Save your life."
"No! I won't leave you here Kiba. I can do this. I can save us! I know I can!"
"Hinata... you're strong enough for it, but I'm not going to let you risk your life to save me. I can't make it out of here. We both know it."
Hinata turned away, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cursed herself for their predicament. She turned back to the rock and kept working feverishly.
Night was falling outside the cave. The dropping temperature was testament to that. Kiba moaned softly. His wounds prevented him from moving. He could not get his jacket or even curl up for warmth.
Hinata looked at him. She wouldn't tell him, but she'd run out of chakra. The hole was too shaky. Without the proper shoring, it would collapse. They were stuck there-maybe for good.
"Come here." Hinata looked at Kiba as his voice reverberated through the cave. She crept towards him. His eyes opened. "Go on, Hinata. You'll be safe. Go, get out of here."
"Kiba..." Her tears began to flow. "I can't." He looked at her. She looked away and closed her eyes as she took what little chakra she could salvage back from the rock. The tunnel collapsed instantly.
He looked down at her, then emitted a low, rasping laugh. "We're not getting out of here, are we?"
She shook her head slightly.
"That's ok. At least I get to be with you at the end..."
Her head shot up to look at him. "Kiba..."
He was shaking all over, his pain and weakness to great. The cuts and cold were taking their toll on his body. He knew it. He was close to death.
"No. No. No. You are not going to die!" Hinata reached towards him to shake him a little. Her hand came in contact with his cold skin.
"Shit! Kiba! You will live!" She pulled his netted shirt off over his head and pulled off her own jacket and netted shirt. She leaned into him and pressed her chest to his. "Dammit! You're too cold Kiba." She looked up at his face, his closed eyes, red cheek marks, and made her choice. "Stay with me. I'll do anything..."
For a few seconds, she closed her eyes and recalled her training. Her eyes snapped open and she bit her lip, then bowed her head. "This is the only way. I'm sorry, Kiba. Please don't hate me for this...or hate me if you want! Just come back..."
A/N:
Evil Cliffie...hehehe. Will only have one... or two chapters more.
This is a sorry for the crappy update on Watch me
DISCLAIMER
I do not own any characters in this story. ANY...