I'll Walk

The dance floor was crowded with people dancing away to the intoxicating beat of the loud music that reverberated against the walls, while those who were either tired or just plain didn’t feel like dancing either sat on the chairs that lined the walls or stepped outside the gymnasium to enjoy the cool night breeze. As the music began to fade into something a bit more slower, two couples exited the building to catch their breaths and to cool off.

“You guys want something to drink,” said the boy with short brown hair.

“Sure,” came the voices of the other three.

“Ha ha you volunteered yourself, now go fetch us some punch dog boy,” laughed Shikamaru.

He rushed off to where the drink and snacks were stationed, leaving the three boys to talk alone.

“So, have you two slept together yet?” came the blunt question from Shikamaru.

“I don’t see how that is any of your business, but if you must know we have decided to take things slow and wait,” came the reply from the blonde as he rested against the brick wall.

“Kiba...slow...wait,” Shikamaru couldn’t help but laugh at those words, “are we talking about the same guy?” He suddenly stopped laughing and looked straight at Naruto and said, “You know all he wants from you is the sex, right?”

Now it was Naruto’s turn to laugh at his friends words. “Your just jealous that our relationship is being built on something other than sex,” he looked to Shino and then back to Shikamaru, “like yours.”

“For your information, Shikamaru and I have a perfectly happy relationship and just in case your wondering the sex is amazing,” replied Shino as he wrapped an arm around his boyfriend..

“Listen, you’re one of my best friends Naruto and that is why I don’t want to see you get hurt, its always the same with Kiba, first he brings you a rose when he picks you up for your first date...”

“Actually he gave me a carnation on our date,” interrupted Shino

“As I was saying, then takes you out to a nice candle lit dinner overlooking the beach. Then after dessert he takes you for a barefoot walk in the sand, the waves washing under you as you walk. Shall I continue of do you get the point?”

The grin on Naruto’s face slowly faded as what his friend told him sank into his brain. Unfortunately, this was the moment that Kiba decided to come back with everyone’s refreshments and a cookie sticking out of his mouth. Naruto looked at Kiba, his eyes trying to hold back the pain from the truth he had just found out.

“Ok, who died?” Kiba jokingly asked when the drinks were given out and he could remove the cookie from his mouth.

“Is it true?” came the unsteady words from the blonde.

“Is what true?” came the ignorant reply.

“That all you care about is getting me into bed.”

Kiba locked his gaze on Shikamaru and, as if knowing what Kiba was thinking answered with, “He may be your boyfriend, but he was my friend long before that and he deserved to know the truth.”

“And what truth is that? The fact that your jealous that I’m with him and not you?” his voice going way over his usual everyday tone, his drink sloshing in the cup as his hands waved and pointed.

After a few minutes of hearing the two brunettes argue Shino interrupted them.

“WHAT?” both boys yelling in unison.

“I just thought you’d like to know that Naruto left.”

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” blurted Kiba as he ran after the blonde.

Said blonde didn’t get far when a strong hand grabbed on to his wrist and he was spun around to look into the eyes that he loved getting lost in, but wondered if the other felt the same way.

“Leaving so soon?” were the only words the brunette asked.

Naruto noticed a hint of worry in those gorgeous eyes at those words and made his heart hurt that much more. “I just need to go for a walk to clear my head,” Naruto paused as if thinking about what to say next when he added, “do you love me Kiba?”

The brunette was taken aback at this question because he himself had never really thought about it. Sure, he loved spending time with Naruto but was that just friendship or love. When he didn’t respond to the question and just stared off into space, the blonde shook the hand off his wrist and started to walk away again leaving Kiba standing all alone in the parking lot.

Kiba returned to the dance to find Shikamaru and Shino still standing outside, probably waiting to see how it went. When they saw that he returned alone, they asked if he wanted to dance and when he refused they left him and went back inside. Now completely alone Kiba slid down the wall until he was sitting on the ground, his head between his knees and his hands intertwined in each other and his hair as he thought about all the time the two of them spent together. The memory of the first date they went on flashed in his mind and he realized that he did love Naruto.

He jumped up and raced to his car, fumbling to get the key in the door to unlock it. Before he started the car he texted Shikamaru telling him that he was going to look for Naruto and to find another way home, seeing as all four boys came together in Kiba’s car. He started the car and quickly pulled out of the parking lot, onto the rather calm streets looking for his boyfriend. Soon, he came upon a traffic jam of some sort and decided to take that time to phone Naruto’s house and cell.

“Hi, you’ve reached Iruka and Naruto’s place, leave a message after the beep.”

“Naruto, it’s Kiba. Are you there? I just wanted to tell you that I love you and couldn’t imagine my life without you. When you hear this, will you call me?”

Next, he tried the blondes cell and was not expecting Iruka to pick up. “I thought you told me that you were going to take care of Naruto, that I didn’t have anything to worry about,” the choked words said over the phone.

“What are you talking about,” Kiba asked as sincerely as he could, trying not to upset the man even more.

“Naruto is in the hospital.” Kiba’s phone fell out of hand when he heard that and turned onto a side street, racing as fast as he could towards the hospital.

“What room is Naruto Uzamaki in?” Kiba asked the nurse behind the desk as calmly as he could.

“Room 107. Take the elevator to the first floor and take a right.”

After thanking the nurse, he hastily walked to the elevator and pushed the up button several times before he heard a ‘ting’ and the metallic doors opened. He exited the elevator and headed right like the nurse said, passing room 103, 104, 105, his hands shaking the entire time as he neared Naruto’s room. He took a couple deep breaths to ready himself for what was waiting for him behind the door.

His heart sank and tears threatened to spill from his eyes when he entered the room and saw Naruto hooked up to all the different machines. Iruka nearly jumped out of his seat and was standing in front of Kiba in seconds, sadness was replaced with anger as Iruka glared at the teen.

“How dare you show your face here after what happened,” growled the man.

“What happened?” came the voice of Kiba, saying as little as he could for fear that he wouldn’t be able to control his voice if he said anymore.

“Paramedics say it was a hit and run drunk driver,” sadness began creeping back onto the mans face as he recalled what happened to his son.

“Is he going to be alright?” Kiba looked at the blonde again and quickly closed his eyes, forcing the tears to stay put.

“He has a broken arm, a few cracked ribs, his right leg was badly injured and they say he has a fractured skull. You promised that you were going to take care of him, I don’t know what I would do if he doesn’t make it.” The man was now crying into Kiba’s shoulder as the teen reassured him that it was going to be alright.

He wanted to tell the man about the fight they had and how Naruto has stormed off, but realized that was not what was best and suggested that he get some fresh air. When Iruka left, Kiba sat in the chair next to the hospital bed and held Naruto’s hand in his own while his head rested on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know if you can hear me Naruto, but the answer is yes, I do love you. You’re the first person that I have ever cared for, the only person that actually wanted a relationship with me,” tears were now flowing from his eyes as he spoke these words, “I can’t imagine my life without you. You are the sunshine that brightens my day and I want to be with you forever.”

For the first time since being at the hospital Iruka smiled. Hearing the words of his sons boyfriend gave him hope that everything was going to be alright and he decided that his son was in safe hands as he walked out of the hospital to get some fresh air.