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Kiba Inuzuka knew how lucky he was.
It hadn’t taken very long for the group of Shino-admirers, in which Kiba himself once held membership, to pick up on the change in the nature of his relationship with the object of the group’s collective affections. It was difficult to miss how the decrease in friction between the two personalities during class and around campus weighed in against the increase in glances -- reciprocated glances -- between them.
Hell, even their professors could tell.
The ‘Aburame Admiration Society’ shortly closed their ranks, pushing Kiba out. The buzz continued, but now included barbs about him. What does Aburame see in that meathead? some questioned. What does Inuzuka have that we don’t? others mused.
Kiba never dignified the silliness by reacting to it. He considered himself too classy for that, and anyway, what would have been the point? It had never been a contest for him, because he’d never viewed Shino Aburame as some prize to be won.
Aburame was amazing …
Kiba had been too single-sighted, too laser-focused on his goal of getting closer to Shino, to consider anything so plebeian as openly competing against anyone for the student’s attention.
Besides, that would have indicated weakness Kiba did not possess.
He had a knack for knowing when someone had the hots for him. Aburame, to his credit, had always done his best not to give himself away … but Kiba knew. He knew the moment Shino’s feelings evolved from mere curiosity about him to being interested. And once that happened, well … Kiba Inuzuka wasn’t prepared to give up. He wanted to be with Shino.
Now lucky Kiba was the one who got Shino’s help with his studies. He was the one who got to witness Shino get excited about some new aspect of nematology he’d discovered. He was the one who knew what Shino’s eyes looked like, and what his favorite foods were. He was the one who got to see the way Shino’s hair curled up when it was wet, to know how Shino’s skin tasted right after a shower, and to know how like an angel Shino looked when he slept …
Lucky Kiba was the recipient of Shino’s affection, his passion, his fire … he was Shino’s friend, rival, confidant, and lover.
He was Shino’s.
And Shino was his.