Doors
Shino always closes doors. It is a habit ingrained in him since childhood (certainly not since birth, since an infant can't possibly understand such things). Every time he enters his room he shuts the door gently behind himself, hand lingering on the knob tiredly, because his room only ever means sleep or studying or other tedious chores. Whenever he leaves his room the door is closed carelessly, hand quickly leaving the knob, because whatever draws him outside his room is more important than whatever was within.
Even when Shino is living in his own apartment, alone, he closes doors. Not so much out of the need for privacy- for he lives in solitude, there is no-one to peer into open doors- but more out old habits ingrained in him since boyhood. He shuts the pantry doors when he has collected the items for his meal, he closes the one to the restroom, even when he is only stopping to rinse his hands or splash his face with cool water.
Kiba has never closed doors. He prefers to leave them hanging wide open, not caring about prying eyes or privacy or necessity, and whenever he visits Shino, Shino is constantly closing doors behind his friend. Kiba has his own apartment, too, though he spends more time at Shino's. At Kiba's apartment, all the doors are always open; even the entrance is left hanging open on many an occasion, because Kiba prefers to come and go easily, not liking the two seconds it takes to open and close a door.
There has never been a theft at Kiba's home, despite the openness of it all. Akamaru is a good guard, and Kiba's lighthearted manner of traipsing through life seems to repel sinners. Shino doesn't visit his place often.
Not just doors in houses, either; Kiba likes the conceptual doors in his mind and heart and soul to stand open to everything in life, as well. With a smile and open arms he welcomes everything into his life- Kurenai and her bossing, Hinata and her stuttering. Shino and his bugs and glasses and coats and closed doors.
Shino's theoretical doors are shut like everything other door around him. Shut very tightly. He is stiff and wary of new things, taking months to accept Kurenai's bossing and Hinata's stuttering. Kiba's loud voice, companion dog, and canine-like affection. He doesn't like to try new food or new clothes. He finds it difficult to adjust to new situations- for example, his new apartment. For weeks he owns it, but spends most days and nights back at the Aburame residence, whereas when Kiba purchases his own place, the Inuzuka immediately unpacks and settles in, enjoying his new freedom extensively.
Kiba recognizes that Shino's doors- the ones to his mind and heart and soul- are shut, practically sealed. He also knows that they are not locked.
The only door Shino locks is the front door to his apartment, and Kiba manages to worm his way past the abstract doors in Shino's mind and heart and soul. He makes himself very comfy, even though Shino doesn't recognize he's there yet, because Kiba has yet to fling those doors open and show Shino exactly what he has been- what he is missing. He's waiting, impatiently so, but waiting none the less, for the opportune moment.
He finds it on a mission, en route to Suna. Shino is shocked when he rises on his tip-toes and plants a soft kiss on unsuspecting lips. Shino is still not reacting when the brief contact is over, and Kiba steps away.
"Sorry, Shino," Kiba says, "But I love you."
At the moment, Shino has no answer. The kiss, the confession- they are not mentioned for another month.
For the first time, Shino realizes just how open Kiba is. How the exuberant man throws himself into every new experience, categorizing it as likeable or detestable, filing it away behind a uselessly open door in his mind. Shino sees how open the door to Kiba's heart is, how Kiba openly shows his brotherly affection for Hinata, and how Kiba loves Kurenai like a second mother. The way Kiba loves him, Shino, in a more than platonic way. He sees the open doors to Kiba's soul, but doesn't look there. Even if Kiba doesn't consider his very essence important enough to hide away, Shino does. Shino isn't ready for that kind of open yet.
Shino sees all these open doors, and he stops by Kiba's apartment one afternoon. He is jealous of Kiba and his open doors.
"Shino?" Kiba asks, surprised to see his once-friend after a month of near silence between them. Running a hand through his hair, he says, "What's the matter?"
Shino looks at Kiba, looks at all the imaginary doors open inside him. Looks past Kiba, at all the open doors- and even a few windows- in the apartment. And he is jealous.
"Shino?" Kiba repeats, confused.
"I left the door to my apartment open today," Shino finally states. Kiba gives him a quizzical look, and Shino returns to staring over his head at the open doors and windows. A look of enlightenment fills Kiba's face; he understands.
Shino is jealous of Kiba and Kiba's open doors. At the same time, he loves Kiba, and Kiba's open doors, the exact way Kiba loves finding ways around Shino's closed doors, poising to kick them open when the time is right. Shino wants these closed doors opened, and he needs Kiba's help.
He loves Kiba, but he needs Kiba's help to understand it.
So Kiba laughs.
"Careful," he warns, "You'll get burglarized."
Shino does not answer- he has already said what he needs to say. Kiba pulls him into another kiss, not so chaste or short.
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Chapter notes:Author's Notes: Yay! Another drabble! This time fluffy (I hope it is, anyways) and definitely not dark (even if it isn't fluffy like it was intended to be). The idea came to me yesterday when I realized that I was constantly closing doors behind me, even though I was home alone, and it didn't matter if I closed doors or not. Inevitably, Shino and Kiba came to mind, and... well... I tried to put it off, I swear I did, but... it didn't work so well. Here I am, approximately twenty-four hours later, writing the story.
But notice the pattern... light, dark, light, dark. At least I don't just turn out dark fics all the time... there are sometimes light ones. Makes me happy. Hopefully, it makes you happy too.
Prompt 21: Open (even though this is mostly about closed... opposites attract.)