Hinata Week-Day 5-Friendship
A/N: I kinda found out about this event a bit late, but since Hinata is my favorite kunoichi, I’d be damned if I didn’t do something. Plus, I feel like the Naruto fan fic realms lack in Team 8-centric fics. So here’s a ficlet exclusively for Team 8, the best of friends. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were teammates and had been for about a year. They knew each others’ strengths and weaknesses; they knew each others’ likes and dislikes; and what made each one tick. They knew where each ones house was and where to find them if they weren’t at home, but they never really made a habit of just being together outside of missions.
"Um, Kiba, Shino?" Hinata phrased tentatively as the trio made their way to the gates coming back from a mission. Kiba and Shino both raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for the Hyuga to continue. "Do you guys want to come by the compound tonight? I mean, we’re a squad, but I can’t say I’ve actually ever spent that much time with you…"
Kiba let out a harsh breath which Hinata interpreted as a laugh. “Yeah, sure! I guess you’re right, we haven’t really spent much time together just…hanging out. What the hell? I’m game!” Hinata nodded and both she and Kiba looked towards Shino expectantly. Shino grunted out a “sure” and they all smiled (Shino inwardly). The game was on….
Every few weeks, or months, depending on Team 8’s frequently conflicting schedules, the squad would pick a day of the week and rendezvous at Hinata’s. And every time they met, one of them would bring food and they would just be for a few hours either caught up in catching up, or picking up where they left off last. This cycle had lasted for years, even after Naruto’s return to the village…
Yesterday, Shino and Kiba arrived together, complete with Kiba’s companion, Akamaru and a dish full of his sister Hana’s cooking.
“Hey,” Kiba smiled at the Hyuga when she greeted them at the front gate of the compound, “it’s been a few days, Hinata! How’ve you been?” He pulled her into a tight embrace and Akamaru skittered behind her and hopped up on her back, standing on his hind legs as his front paws rested on her shoulders.
“Shino,” Kiba called behind his shoulder, “get in this hug!”
Hinata felt an extra layer of love and warmth when Shino took to her left side and shocked her so much as to give her a small peck on her cheek. She couldn’t have asked for better friends, or a better team.
The group immediately went into Hinata’s room. The compound was so huge Shino and Kiba didn’t exactly feel comfortable being anywhere else. No one who happened to see the two boys (and a dog) enter Hinata’s room ever objected to it, even though with any other boys, such behavior would have seemed…improper. The fact was, Shino and Kiba had achieved sibling-like status in the eyes of the family. The boys were practically main-branch Hyuga.
Hinata and Shino perched on top of Hinata’s bed while the Inuzuka preferred to rest on the ground, using Akamaru’s body as a headrest. Shino had taken to braiding Hinata’s long hair, with Kiba as acting backseat driver, insisting that with a sister, he knew better than Shino on how to braid a girl’s hair. It was just like every other mission they had been on together, except there was no impending threat to this tranquility.
"So, Hinata," Kiba spoke while chewing on barbecue in his hand, "what’s going on with…y’know, everything with Neji?"
Hinata felt Shino’s hands stop working in her hair for a second, before he resumed the twisting and pulling again.
"Neji-niisan was going to do so much to change this clan for the better," Hinata began, a frown gracing her features, "I don’t know what the Elders will decide concerning what I proposed, but I’m hoping they will here me out. I’m going to meet with them in a few days…For Neji-niisan’s sake."
"You’ll be fine," Shino said simply and without fanfare, "It’s about time your clan starts realizing how strong you actually are."
"Thank you, Shino-kun."
"A plea to end Caged Bird sealing…" Kiba mused aloud, "Shit, you sure are brave, Hinata."
Hinata shook her head, “It’s the very least I can do.”
"If there’s anything you need from us," Shino chimed in again as he dropped her hair from his hands, "you know where to find us. Don’t be afraid to ask."
Hinata rubbed her hand on her new braid, turning to smile up thankfully at Shino. He didn’t look back. Akamaru yawned, the room was still with silence.
"Oh! Kiba-kun!" Hinata exclaimed, "How’d your date go?"
Kiba scoffed and smirked, “Lame. She wasn’t as interesting as I thought. She didn’t talk the whole damn time!”
"And here I thought you pick girls for their conversational skills," Shino deadpanned.
"Screw you," Kiba retorted, "I like cute girls, but also girls I can actually fucking say more than two words to without getting bored out of my skull."
Hinata chuckled, “Maybe you shouldn’t pick girls based on their appearance then, Kiba-kun.”
"Yeah, but you’re the only girl I talk to Hinata," Kiba sighed, "I mean, you and my sister but…Hey! Hinata, would you date me?"
"I—uh," Hinata stuttered nervously.
"Why would she lower herself to you, Kiba?" Shino had saved Hinata from the trouble of answering with a quip.
"Yeah, right, like I’m not on par with the village idiot." Shino had no reply to that and suddenly Hinata found herself pouting.
This was how their conversations went. Endless banter in between moments of pure understanding, kindness, and camaraderie. Hinata laughed after a few seconds—this was just how they were. The Hyuga grabbed a piece of the barbecue Kiba brought and bit into it daintily, eventually asking Shino about his attempts at developing new bug jutsu. Kiba would make some offhanded insulting comment and Shino would retort in his monotone way and somehow, they’d all end up back on taking the piss out on Naruto Uzumaki and suddenly all the male egos in the room would be soothed. Rinse and repeat.
"I’m glad I have you two as friends," Hinata said after a moment or so of silence, "Not just as teammates, but friends.”
"Yeah," Kiba agreed passively, "You don’t really get too many real friends in this life…It was a rocky start, but I’m glad we all ended up together."
Hinata was content with this response, but, to her chagrin, Shino cleared his throat and spoke, “I’ve only really had one person I considered a friend in my life and I don’t really express feelings like that….But, now, I can say that I have two other people to add to that brief list of those I would trust with everything.”
Hinata smiled and so did Kiba. Akamaru barked in delight.
Friends.
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