Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto Drabbles ❯ Chapter 11

Name: For want of my pride

Pairing: Shino/Kiba

For: fallen-angel-of-repression

Prompt: -teaching Kiba how to eat at a formal dinner... havoc ensues

 

Kiba scowled down at the silver items in front of him, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck prickle as he slanted a quick look sideway and back to see his silent teammate watching him. He snorted indelicately and glared back at the plate filled with a artfully sauced duck and golden crisped potatoes. He had taken a deep whiff of the mouth-watering food but he had sat adamantly refusing to pick up the so-called utensils before him.

He growled low in his throat, annoyed beyond belief that the Hokage would request this of him. He sent his watcher a scathing look as he spoke, “Why the fuck do I have to do this? Why am I the only one here, huh?” He watched Shino shook his head in response, which set Kiba's teeth on edge as he fought not to lose what was left of his temper.

Kiba turned his eyes from his friend's avid gaze and stared back at the items on the table. Shino had given a succinct explanation of the items, their uses and why he was here but he felt as though he was being singled out and that didn't agree with him at all. He reluctantly reached out, shoulders hunched as he cautiously handled the rather dainty looking implements. He spent a good ten minutes attempting to use the knife and fork that Shino had labelled before he tossed them down none to carefully in disgust, turning on his teammate with bone-deep annoyance writ across his features, “Why the fuck can't I just use chopsticks? The bastards are coming hereto see our Hokage they should follow our customs!”

He heard Shino hum softly, eyebrows creasing above those ever present dark glasses as he spoke in that soft voice that sent odd tingles down Kiba's spine as though he had been stroked with gentle fingertips, “Because that man is the daimyo - ruler of the Fire country and we are just shinobi in his service.”

“Bullshit - we shinobi work damned hard for that ungrateful piece f shit and we have to follow his sense of whimsy like we were tamed pets!” Kiba sat, hands clenching the thing wooden arms of the chair he sat in, feeling the wood creaking under his straining grip.

He heard Shino's soft sigh of breath before he spoke again, tone a little more forceful than before, “You have to do this Kiba. It's not as hard as learning a new jutsu so stop being and idiot and try. “

Kiba glared once more at his companion before whirling around in his seat and giving the other man the cold shoulder as he attempted once moiré to use the God forsaken cutlery. When he felt a presence move silently up behind him and lean a little to close he felt the hairs on his nape rise and his instincts started to hum in anticipation.

Shino's voice whispered across his ear, “You should sit up straight.”

When he heard those words something inside him snapped, and he lunged up out of his chair turning to face his friend, “Don't say another fucking thing. I am not from some prissed up aristocratic house - I'm an Inuzuka. What the fuck does the Daimyo want with seeing someone like me!”

Kiba watched as Shino just stared back at him, the other man turned and silently walked to his thick coat, slipping an arm inside as he paced to the door never looking back once. The brunet felt something painful and heavy settle on his chest but he refused to back down from this. He turned his gaze to the ground fists clenching tightly at his sides when he heard a soft voice drift to him from the doorway, “Shino-kun?”

He caught site of the third member of their team - Hyuuga Hinata. He saw Shino look back and shake his head, hands shoving into deep pockets and politely excuse himself around the quiet girl, “Excuse me Hinata-chan.”

Kiba felt that weight in his chest grow heavier, his chest felt tight and uncomfortable as pale eyes turned from the retreating back to his own scowling features.

“Kiba-kun....” Her quiet voice echoed around the silent room.

He tried hard not to growl in response, his emotions running close beneath his prickling skin, “I don't want to hear it.”

“S-shino-kun took it upon h-himself to show you how to do this - h-he wanted to help you make a good impression - f-for you and the Inuzuka's.” Kiba felt his lungs squeeze shut, pain constricting his breath as he looked back with wide chocolate coloured orbs.

He shook his head in denial even though he knew it was something there team member, his closest friend bar Akamaru, would do this. It was just like him. “Fuck...just... fuck.”

He grabbed his jacket quickly from the ground and jogged to the door, passing Hinata with a quick squeeze to her delicate shoulder. He called back over his shoulder “Thanks Hinata.”

He jogged quickly out into the street, head whipping from side to side searching for that familiar scent. Shino always smelled like almonds and something else, warm and earthy. He trailed left and right before turning and going left remaining at a jog so he could continue scenting the air. He trailed his friend from the Aburame family complex into the busy streets and down to the shopping district.

Kiba caught sight of Shino as he was buying some meat from the butchers, he yelled out, “Shino - wait.” He watched as those shade covered eyes looked up and he knew Shino wouldn't run - it wasn't his style. Kiba strode forward, hand coming up to rub self-consciously at the nape of his neck as he kept his eyes downcast. When he saw familiar worn sandals and the dark khaki coloured trouser cuffs come into view. He looked up feeling like a thoroughly chastened puppy when he stumbled over what he wanted to say, “I…shit…uhm… Shino…I'm so…”

“Don't.”

Kiba looked up, startled by Shino's blunt command and what he saw there told him very little about what the other man was thinking. He tried to question again, “Shino…?”

The brunet stood transfixed as Shino pulled a hand from his pocket, reaching out slowly and Kiba could help the instinct to flinch back, eyes shutting, it wasn't a very ninja like thing to do but he had said something that hurt this man and he would except some sort of recompense for it. What he felt was the soft brush of a calloused fingertip stroke across his cheek and as warmth spread from that spot radiating outwards his eyes fluttered open as he leant into the soft brush of skin-on-skin.

Kiba felt a hand cup his cheek as a soft pad ran across his lips and he let out a soft sigh at the comfort that the simple gesture created. Kiba hadn't noticed Shino move forward, decreasing the space between them, shielding the vulnerable man from the crowd surrounding them. He felt the tickle of soft hair brushing his cheek and the soft whisper of breath across his ear before that familiar, soothing voice whispered, “You have to much pride… and yet I admire you for that.”

Kiba's hand came up as he felt that warm body shift away, his hands locking around Shino's against his cheek and the other tangling in the fabric of his coat stopping his withdrawal. He looked up seeing deep purple orbs glinting back over those dark sunglasses he rarely saw his friend without. He gave his slightly taller friend his trademark grin, “so you planning on training me?”

His grin widened showing sharp canines as that thumb stroked across sensitised skin when Shino gave a curt nod and replied, “I could do that.”