Flowers and Flu
by migume-san a.k.a. miss coco/aragon asten
A/N: This was intended for a HD anniversary.. (Himitsu-desu forums) of which I have become a..er.. former member… so I decided to post this just for kicks.
"Poor Kiba…"
Hinata sighed.
" Poor Shino…"
It was a dreary day. The sky above was filled with a canopy of massive gray clouds that signaled flu and coming rain. It was a gloomy day in the streets of Konoha. And above its damp, paved streets walked pensive Hinata, sighing softly to herself.
She had just been to the hospital, where Shino lay riddled with flu. Meanwhile, Kiba was at home being nursed by his mother because of the same disease. Influenza was rampant these days, and it seemed to have hit hard upon the two. She was especially grieved about Shino's case. His family was away with a mission, and he was all alone with no one to care for him. He seemed so sad, and so out of place.
Soon, Hinata's mouth trembled.
It was her fault. During the last mission, the two took the hardest blow.
If only she did more… If only she had been stronger…
Hinata stopped. Then, shaking her head vigorously, she shook all those self-depreciating thoughts off her head.
She shouldn't be thinking this way, she thought. Instead, she should be finding ways to lighten up Kiba and Shino's day.
And she knew just how to do it! Hinata smiled happily to herself.
A flower would brighten up this dreary day.
A special wildflower, to be exact. It was a beautiful, wild blossom with golden petals, and in the middle of it all was sapphire blue bud.
Her most favorite flower in the world!
"Stop it! Let go of me, right this minute!"
The sudden outburst broke the trail of Hinata's thoughts. Looking towards the direction of the female voice, she immediately noticed her cousin, Neji and beside him was a red-faced Tenten who seemed to be extremely sick.
"Tenten, listen to me. You're sick. You need to go to the hospital." Neji calmly replied, while his hand gripped Tenten's arms tightly.
Tenten shook his hand off, and shouted ferociously, "I'm not sick!" Just because everyone's catching it doesn't mean I'm also infec-" and Tenten words broke off to give way to a long sequence of racking coughs.
Neji looked at her, his pale eyes growing darker each second.
"Fever, sore throat, painful joints, and now cough… Those are clearly symptoms of influenza. Tenten, go to the hospital now!"
"Don't!" Tenten whispered, already weakened by the coughs. "Please don't force me to forfeit this mission. I'm needed there, please…"
"Tenten" Neji spoke, starting to get annoyed. "The mission's useless if you're dead. Anyway, Gai sensei is sick, too. Mission might soon get aborted."
"Really?" And Tenten let out an unexpected grin. "Wow! For once Gai-sensei's burning flame of youth failed him. He-" And Tenten grin was quickly replaced with another string of coughs. With one hand at her mouth, and the other at her knee to support her, she bowed low as each cough went on.
Neji sighed in exasperation.
"Alright, if you can't do it, I will." And with one forceful but gentle pull, he took Tenten's hand, which was followed by her body, and soon she was lying piggy-back on Neji with her pale head resting on his shoulder.
"No! I can-" she weakly protested, trying to get out. But her strength failed her. Neji just let out, "Shut up. Just pay me later. That should ease your worries. Is that alright with you?"
"oh! okay…" Tenten whispered, extremely surprised, but now, extremely comfortable. She can finally be at rest.
"Neji?"
"What?"
"Thank you."
"…You're welcome."
And with those words, Neji raced off.
Hinata watched the interchange with a little bit of awe.
So Gai-sensei and Tenten was also sick. She wanted to help her, but somehow, as she gazed into her cousin's eyes, she knew Neji was absolutely in control. So she didn't do anything. She just watched the scene while thoughts revolved inside her brain.
'It must be nice to have someone protect you, someone who will be strong, while you're weak. Some one who will let you be weak, but at the same time hold you, and make you feel safe and sheltered. It must be a nice feeling…
It must be the one of the best sensations in the world.'
Suddenly, rain began to fall.
"Oh no!" Hinata gasped in dismay. She looked around. She was in a place barren of any form of shelter. And to top it off, she forgot her umbrella!
"Stupid! Stupid!", she reproached herself. Why didn't she see it coming? The clouds, the icy air, and many other things a Hyuuga like her should have seen or noticed. She felt herself going red with embarrassment.
All because she raced all the way here, eager to get a flower who resembled that boy she knew.
"Stupid!"
Well, there was no choice. It was either go back and have nothing to give her two ailing teammates, or continue her mission through the falling rain.
"I'll get those flowers! I promise! " she decided determinedly. And with that vow in mind, she ran.
While the rain poured, cascading through her raven hair, and soaking the clothes around her, her mind drifted towards her goal.
That blossom.
It was a lovely flower. Many people told her it was useless, that it was just a weed amongst the grass. But she knew otherwise. It was a flower with good, different qualities. For one thing, it had the power to brighten up a gloomy day. It made her happy, even when she felt that everything else was wrong.
In her eyes, it was beautiful. And she still remembered the first time, she laid her eyes upon it. It was many, many years ago. But the weather then, was like that of today…
Hinata gazed at her male classmates with great envy. They were there, out in field, playing with the falling rain. She wasn't allowed to do that now.
She sighed.
She was a Hyuuga, and she had to train always so she could be the best.
Once again, her eyes drifted towards the happy scene in front of her. And this time, it was focused on one particular boy.
Naruto-kun…
She knew he was lonely. She could see it every time, though no one else seemed to notice. She wanted to talk to him. But she was shy.
Anyway, today he didn't seem to be particularly unhappy. In fact , he was laughing out loud, running, playing, boasting out words of infinite self-confidence.
She stared with great admiration.
"How could he do that?" she asked
"How can he be so happy, and so strong?"
"He's so invincible… unlike me…"
Hinata sighed. Those thoughts reminded her of her training. Today, her father scolded her because she couldn't aim straight. Her kunai throwing ability was terrible.
That was why she was training. And she had to find a perfect thing to aim.
She left the group of her classmates, and strayed towards the mountain-y side of the field. She looked towards the high cliffs, searching for a target. She was all alone, now. The loud shouts of laughter were just dim echo from afar. Then she saw something.
Something bright caught her eye.
Scanning carefully , she finally saw a bright cluster of flowers glowing amidst the gloomy precipice of a cliff. She gasped! It looked just like him!
It was absolutely beautiful. She hastily climbed the mountain, and reached out, straining her fingers to reach them, almost breaking her back in the effort. But just as her hand were only inches away, her sandals slipped on the wet stone. Her chakra control was still deficient, and she failed to keep herself upright. She slipped! And to her dismay, she fell off the rocky cliff.
She landed with a thud! Bruised and dizzy, she lay on the damp floor sobbing fiercely at her stupidity, hating herself at that moment, so, so bad.
'She didn't get it! She failed to get it!'
The flower was all she wanted but she failed because she was so weak…
Incredibly weak… so, so weak…
"Wake up! Wake up Hinata!"
A voice woke her from her dreamy delirium. She was lying on something soft. What was it? A fog filled her senses, and her head throbbed.
"Huh?" her voice coughed out, weak, and raspy.
"You're hot, Hinata! You need to go home!"
Hinata opened heavy-lidded eyes, and to her great surprise saw a vision in front of her. Golden and bright, with a beautiful blue in the middle. It was the flower! The flower was speaking to her!
"I can't!" she whispered.
"Why not!" the flower exclaimed in great surprise and worry.
"I need to find another flower…"
"What!"
"A flower… like you…"
"What do you mean?"
"I need to get a flower with golden petals, and sapphire bud!" she burst out, then she quickly subsided, "I need it… so badly…"
The flower paused, then exclaimed in a happy laugh, "You mean that gold wildflower found on the cliffs!"
Hinata nodded.
"… with a blue bud right in the middle of it, right? I know that flower! I could get it for you!"
"Really?" Hinata asked happily, in spite of her light-headed condition.
"It's my favorite flower! I promise to get a bunch for you, Hinata! I promise."
"Thank you very much!" Hinata whispered, extremely grateful.
Then, the flower's tone became infused with worry.
"But first, I need to get you to a hospital… You look really sick!"
"You don't have too!" Hinata protested.
But before she could say more, a great warmth enveloped her, shielding her from the cold and the rain. She felt herself going up, supported by a strong arm, dissolving all worries and doubts from her mind.
"Say no more! I'll get you there in record time!" The flower said.
"You'll be safe. I promise!"
Hinata said no more. It felt so nice, so, so comfortable. She felt weak, but it mattered no longer. The feeling of being sheltered took away all inadequacies and vulnerabilities. Instead, she felt whole, happy and protected.
It was a nice feeling. It was the best sensation in the whole world!
Thanking the flower with all her heart, she drifted back to sleep.
Hinata woke up. The
feeling of clean sheets, and the smell of sterile surroundings
drifted through her consciousness.
She opened her eyes, tired but
comfortable, and her gaze landed upon Kiba's face.
"Kiba!" she whispered, very much surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Kiba frowned. "I'm here because a teammate of mine got sick and was sent to the hospital."
"Hospital!" Hinata exclaimed, suddenly realized where she was.
Guilt seeped through her, almost instantly.
"I'm sorry…"
Kiba frowned in bewilderment.
"What are you sorry for?"
Hinata dropped her gaze low.
"You and Shino were sick. I was supposed to give something to brighten up your day. But I got sent to the hospital, instead."
Kiba's frown deepened.
"But I thought those flowers were from you!" Kiba asked, pointing to some flowers in her bedside table.
"What!"
Her head snapped turned towards the blossoms beside her, and gasped.
She turned back to Kiba. "What exactly happened?"
Kiba shrugged. "The nurses said someone brought you here yesterday, and soon after, these flowers were sent to us. They said you were unconscious, and ill. But at least, now, the worst part is over for you…"
"Oh" Hinata whispered as her eyes went towards the vase, and her thoughts drifted towards yesterdays dream.
'Was it true? Did the flower take her here? Or was it just a dream? A figment of her dazed imagination? What happened?'
"…Good, thing I got well yesterday, but I heard other people were sent here yesterday. Gai-sensei, Tenten, that loudmouth Naruto…" Kiba's voice droned on.
Sudden realization hit Hinata's mind.
'Did the flower save her? Or was it someone she knew?"
Tears sprang to Hinata's eyes as the scene played across her mind. The feeling of liquid warmth filled up her whole being, and the wonderful sensations overflowed.
She looked towards the flower, her belief of that flower's abilities strengthened. Indeed, that flower brightened her day. In fact, it made her the happiest girl in the world.
She looked at Kiba, her eyes shining with joy and happiness.
Kiba started, confused by the look in her eyes.
"What is it , Hinata?"
Hinata smiled and whispered.
"Thank you, Kiba!"
"For what!"
"Thank you for being sick!"