Part XLI

The vacation continued on much as it had the first two days, although with less physicality between Kiba and Naruto. The two would fight some days, other days they would get along. Now they were leaving, heading back to Milan on the train from Como. Kiba was in a black mood, as he always was at the end of a vacation. He became moody and distant, and when Naruto tried to hug him, he pulled away, making Naruto angry, which in turn caused Kiba to withdraw further.

They didn't speak at all on the train ride to Milan or on the train from Milan to the airport. Then, in the airport, Naruto asked Kiba if he wanted anything to eat, but he said simply that he wasn't sure.

"Well, I'm going to get something then," he said. "Do you need to change your euros back to dollars or anything?"

"It doesn't matter," Kiba said. "I like to keep some…"

"I'll be back then…"

He wandered off down the terminal looking for a food vendor, bought a sandwich and a drink from one, and was checking out when he decided to buy a cookie for Kiba.

Things are so shitty right now Naruto thought to himself as he sat down in the small cafe to eat befoere returning to the gate where Kiba was waiting. We fight all the time. I miss Sasuke all the time and I want to see him the second we get back… Maybe I'm not right for Kiba after all. I tried to help him, but he's so depressed all the time. Fuck…maybe we just grew apart.

Naruto flipped through his contacts as he ate, nearly sending a text to Sasuke, but then rethinking it. He didn't want to annoy the Raven. He had occasionally sent him messages throughout the vacation, but Sasuke had only rarely replied. Naruto had become depressed a little himself at this, which had caused him to fight more with his boyfriend.

I did enjoy this trip Naruto continued thinking. It's just that the timing wasn't right…but how could either of us known that at the time. It sucks, and I wish Kiba would have had a better time. He probably was hurt when I would go out on my own, but I felt so guilty being around him when I want to be with someone else…

He had finished eating, barely registering the taste of the food. He picked up his soda and the cookie he had bought for Kiba and walked back down the terminal. He stopped in at a duty-free store and wandered through it.

Meanwhile, Kiba had pulled his knees up to his chest, his sadness was peaking and he felt bad that he was shutting out Naruto, but at the same time, he was terrified that Naruto had changed because they had been fighting so much lately. He pulled out his iPod from his bag and put his headphones in, turning on his music, skipping through the songs and only playing the most melancholy ones he came across. He settled on one particular song and put it on repeat, listening to it over and over again.

Naruto doesn't love me anymore he thought, echoing the sentiment in the song he was hearing.

"Of course he doesn't" his conscious replied. "He never did!"

He used to Kiba thought. I'm sure he did…he said so…

"He just wanted to fuck you because you're no good…it was just a thrill, now he's bored."

Kiba put his head on his knees and tried to remain objective.

I'm just going to be alone again, as always…Akamaru is all I need anyway.

"That's right, go back to hiding from the world. It's for the best…"

Naruto finished browsing around the duty free store, not finding anything worth buying. He walked out again and went back to where Kiba was sitting. He sat down next to him and tapped him on his shoulder. Kiba turned to him, but remained silent.

Naruto tentatively put the cookie onto Kiba's knee and Kiba looked at it before putting his head back down.

"Eat it," Naruto said. "I bought it because I thought you would be hungry."

"It's fattening…" Kiba said.

"You're an asshole," Naruto said, becoming angry. "I'll just throw it away then."

"No!" Kiba cried out, grasping the cookie and holding it in his hand. He started to cry softly, pressing his head down to his knees.

"Why are you crying?" Naruto said. "It's just a cookie; eat it if you want, but don't cry about it."

Kiba opened the cookie and ate it weakly as he tried to calm himself. Naruto sighed and sat back in the chair wishing the flight would start boarding soon, but they probably had about another half hour before that happened.

Once they finally did get on the plane, Naruto promptly went to sleep and Kiba was left pondering his thoughts.

Upon landing back home, the two went through Customs without speaking, retrieved their luggage, and took a tramline to the long-term parking lot where they had left Kiba's car. Naruto drove them back and they went to sleep after they ate the fast food they had picked up on the way back.

The next morning, Naruto got up early and stood looking out the bedroom window for a long time while Kiba continued to sleep. He quietly went over to the closet and took out his large duffle bag and began putting his clothes that were still in the closet into it. His suitcases were still in the living room, unpacked from the trip. He took his things from the dresser and bathroom as well.

As he was packing up, Kiba awoke and slowly realized what Naruto was doing.

"You're leaving me…" he said.

"Kiba," Naruto started. "I think we need some time apart. We've been fighting so much. I'm going to go back and stay at the dorm for a while…"

"No…" Kiba cried. "Don't go."

"It's for the best, Kiba," Naruto said. "I'll be back, we can hang out…"

"No," Kiba said. "If you leave, I don't want to see you anymore."

"What?" Naruto said. "I want to work this out, if we can. Are you saying you can just forget me as soon as I close the door?"

"I don't want you to leave…"

"I have to. I don't like who I am right now. I need to figure myself out, but don't shut me out."

"You don't love me."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to. Go if you want to, but it's all done if you do…I guess it was inevitable."

"Don't be so dramatic," Naruto said in exasperation. "People fight and argue and change."

"I don't."

"Maybe that's part of the problem. Not everything is black and white. I'm going back to the dorm, but I guess it's up to you if you'll see me again. I don't just cut people out of my life, and I'll always consider you part of mine. No matter what you decide."

Kibe turned over and pressed his face into the pillow. Akamaru stood up and looked at his master and then to Naruto.

Naruto turned and walked out to the hallway and stopped to look around the apartment. He saw the sailboat paintings that he and Kiba had bought at the art fair earlier that summer and he suddenly become unbelievably sad. Tears slipped slowly from his eyes as he made his way to the door. Akamaru ran out to him as he was taking his things downstairs. Naruto patted his head and kissed him on top of his head. Downstairs, he realized that he didn't have a way of transporting everything all at once. He quickly called Shino.

"Can you please come and pick me up at Kiba's apartment," he said before starting to cry harder.

"Fuck, what's wrong, Naruto?" Shino asked. "Are you ok?"

"Please just come get me!" Naruto said and then hung up.

Shino arrived a short while later with Shikamaru and Naruto started to put his things into Shino's vehicle without explaining what had happened. He climbed into the back and they drove back to the university. From the apartment, Kiba had been watching from the window in the sun room. As they drove away, he turned and slumped against the wall, sinking down to the floor.

That appears to be what is in the book.

To be continued in The Lonely Life.