Slumber Party : Inviting the Guests
A/N: Hey, I know this is a different kind of fic, I usually write for Yu Yu Hakusho, but here it goes. I know this is a crack pairing, but give it a try. I'm not like a "die-hard" fan of this pairing, but I do think it's cute. Enter Shino and Hinata! (By the way, this is after the time skip.)
I
Hinata Hyuga pressed her two pointer fingers together as she walked down the roads of Konoha. Her long purple hair was trailing behind her as she tried to push down the knots in her stomach. She held a small piece of paper in her hand. The Hyuga stopped suddenly when she came to her first stop. She entered an apartment complex.
You can do this. They are your teammates after all!
Hinata knocked on a door labeled 168. She heard a loud voice come through the thin wood of the door.
"COMING!" A bark followed. Hinata had a small smile creep up onto he face as the door was thrown open, blowing some of her hair back as a disgruntled fifteen year old boy stared at her. "Hinata?"
"Good evening, Kiba-kun."
The boy looked around, the red stripes on his face contracting as he frowned.
"Is something wrong? Did someone hurt you?"
A low growl as already forming in the back of his throat as he questioned Hinata.
"No. Here, I just wanted to..." She did not look away. She refused to look away. "I am having a slumber party... and it's just for us." Her smile grew wider, obviously an event that she was looking forward to. "Team Eight I mean."
Kiba blinked. It took him a few moments for his brain to load.
"Oh great! Sure! I'll be there!" He took an invitation from Hinata, but he saw a flash of worry cross her features. "What is it?"
Akamaru darted through the door, licking Hinata's slender hands. She bit her lower lip, gazing at Kiba with her pale eyes.
"Um... do you think... Shino-kun will come?" Kiba lowered his eyebrows, urging her to continue. Hinata took a breath, trying to patch together her weak self-confidence. "I mean... he's not all that social, but he's still a really good friend of mine." She continued to chew on her lip. "Do you think he would bother to come?"
Kiba crossed his arms. His black leather jacket crinkled at this action as he frowned.
"Shino is a bit strange... but he is our friend." A toothy grin broke across Kiba's face. "He'll come." He tapped the side of his leg, and Akamaru instantly was back with in the apartment. "Besides, how could he say no to such a cute face?"
The door closed and Hinata was left alone to let her face turn bright scarlet. Her bulky sweatshirt wrinkled as she brought her fingers up to her lips, her eyes widening.
I-I'm cute?
II
Hinata was on the street again. She was moving faster now, her eyes narrowed as she sped across the small village. Her purple hair was dancing in the cool summer breeze. Her cheeks were rosy because of the air. Finally, she arrived at her destination.
The Aburame complex.
The Hyuga marveled at its size. She had only seen it once, when Kiba, Shino, and herself were all walking home together. He had stopped and said that this was his stop. And he stopped at the large house. Not big enough to be considered a mansion, but Hinata was still intimidated by it.
She stepped on the first stone of the walkway. Instantly, insects rose into the air. Beetles, moths, butterflies, and other sorts of creatures buzzed. Hinata took another step. The bugs did not swarm menacingly, but they seemed awful curious.
Smiling a bit, Hinata jumped as she stepped. The insects rippled, startled by her fast movement. She was close to the door and some butterflies strayed out of the pack. She giggled as a few landed in her hair and on her fingers.
Her free hand reached to knock on the door, but it swung open. She turned, the butterflies shifting in her hair as her eyes landed on who answered the door.
Shibi Aburame towered above her. Hinata's heart beat rapidly as one of his eyebrows raised. She couldn't read him, not that she could read Shino any better, but he was probably wondering what she was doing with his insects.
"H-hello." She bowed slowly so she didn't startle the butterflies. "My name is Hinata Hyuga." She raised her head to look up at Shibi. "I'm on Shino-kun's team."
He was silent as he stepped aside and motioned for her to come inside. Taking a breath of relief, Hinata gently said goodbye to the butterflies. She even had a few beetles in her hair, which she let crawl on her fingers and then fly away.
Shibi watched the entire even unfold. This girl, whom he had never met, was handling the fact that bugs were crawling all over quite well. Once she was clean, Hinata gracefully hopped inside, Shibi closing the door after her.
He paused, and Hinata took off her shoes, trying not to turn too red. Meanwhile, Shibi frowned a bit. The name Hyuga was familiar with him. Ah, this was Hinata! If his mouth were visible, you would have been able to see the smirk twitching on Shibi's lips.
Hinata was the only girl that Shino had ever mentioned in his entire life. It wasn't anything major, but then again, Shino was never one to open up. To anyone. The young teenager looked up at him, bringing Shibi back from his thoughts on his son.
"Um... I was w-wondering if Shino-kun was around tonight..." Silence. "I just wanted to talk to him." Silence. "I... if you don't want me to–"
"I'll get him." His voice startled her. Hinata almost jumped at his low voice. Her pale eyes widened as Shibi moved, still beckoning her to follow him. "Wait here."
Hinata stepped into a large room and the door was quickly slid shut behind her. She didn't even hear Shibi's footsteps fading away. He just... vanished.
She smiled as she thought about Shibi's appearance. Large overcoat that covered his mouth with dark glasses covering his eyes. Sound familiar. Well, they always say, like father, like son.
III
Shino was laying in his bed, his beetles swarming over his body. His glasses were off when he heard a knock on his door. Scratching his head a bit, Shino had his insects open the door for him.
His father stood. His eyebrows were raised and Shino could tell that his father was amused. Which was odd. Shibi Aburame rarely became amused.
"You have a visitor."
Shino put on his glasses. Brushing off his green jacket, he slipped it on, but did not put the hood up. He frowned.
"What kind of visitor?"
Shibi did not answer his son but just left. A voice was heard coming from down the hallway. It was emotionless, as usual.
"She's in the spare dining room on the first floor."
Shino's bugs were now all contained in the confines of his jacket. He left his room, his frown darkening.
She?
Shino descended the stairs silently. He closed his eyes and tried to hear if his "visitor" voice. Unfortunately, she wasn't talking. She was, however, moving around. Her clothes were very soft. Either made of fine silk or thick and warm material. She moved slowly, and suddenly, that he heard her giggle.
He appeared at the door, throwing it open roughly. His guest's pale eyes widened as she looked up. A few of his beetles were on her fingers. Her purple hair shifted on her shoulders as she looked his way.
"Hinata?" Shino pushed his glasses up, feeling that they were sliding downwards because of his slightly shocked expression. "What's happened?"
She smiled faintly.
"Good evening, Shino-kun." Shino frowned as he pulled up a chair so he was sitting directly across from her, staring at her intently. Hinata began to stutter, her nervousness beginning to show through. "I-I was wondering if y-you would like to c-come..."
She looked away and took a piece of paper out of her pocket. She held it to him, silently begging him to take it. Her lips were pressed tightly together. She was shaking a bit.
Shino took the slip and opened it. His eyes scanned it behind his glasses. A few moments passed and there was a pained silence. Shino didn't believe what he had read.
"A... slumber party?"
Hinata almost sighed when he broke the thick quiet air.
"Yeah. It's for Team Eight." She was almost grinning. "Just us three having a good time." Her eyes looked at her hands, to the beetles that were crawling across her skin, tickling her a bit. "Will you come? It would be great if you would..."
Shino didn't sound happy. He didn't sound annoyed. He didn't sound sad. He sounded like Shino.
"Sure." She looked into his eyes. "Yes. I'll be there."
Shino's eyes widened (not that you would have been able to tell) as Hinata bounced. She actually smiled genuinely. She stood up suddenly, almost knocking her teammate backwards. Shino got up slowly, leading her out and to the door. She stepped out before she heard his cold, tenor voice.
"Hold on, Hinata." She stopped and turned back. He took her hand, brushing the tips of his fingers against hers. His bugs crawled back to his hands. As soon as the last one left her skin, he drew back. The two friends stared at each other. "Thanks for inviting me."
With a slight nod of her head, the door was closed.
IV
Hinata walked home, even though the journey would be long. Her thoughts dwindled. Her crush on Naruto had faded. It wasn't really gone, but it was pretty much over. They had tried dating. The both of them had agreed it was better to 'just be friends'. Hinata remembered crying. She felt like a fool. She had only gotten a hug from him.
Kiba and Shino were very nice to her about it. Hinata remembered one late night during a small mission she couldn't sleep because of it.
She was in a small tent with Kiba and Shino sleeping on either side of her. Moving like a cat, Hinata slipped out of the small slit of the tent and was in the woods.
Her pale eyes gazed at the half crescent moon. She cried softly. Why did she try to fool herself that Naruto would love her? Well, he did love her. Like a sister. That got her to smile, even as the tears still fell from her eyes.
"Hinata?"
It was a whisper. She turned to see Shino leaning against a tree. She quickly wiped away her tears and bit her lips.
"Did I wake you up? I'm sorry."
He shook his head, staying right where he was.
"No." Silence. "Just because one love fails doesn't mean that none can come at all."
It was such a sudden statement. It wasn't said with tenderness or warmth. It was just Shino. It was Shino's... advice. Hinata began to cry again, but it wasn't because of Naruto.
"T-thank you, Shino."
She looked up, but found that he was gone.
About ten minutes later, Hinata was back in the tent. She pulled back the blankets and curled up in her spot. She closed her eyes. Her arms covered her chest, making an X as her knees bent slightly. She made sure not to touch anyone, so she wouldn't wake them up.
Hinata was falling asleep when she heard a very soft whisper close to her. But then again, it could have been a dream.
"You're welcome."
V
Hinata smiled, a skip in her step. I'm so lucky to have such great friends! Her purple hair trailed behind her as she broke out into a run back to her apartment, ideas of what to do already in her head.
VI
Shibi found his son sitting on his bed. His insects were on the walls, their movements creating a harmonizing sound.
"Your business is taken care of?"
"Yes, father."
Shibi leaned against the frame of the doorway.
"Hinata... right?" Shino nodded, his eyes blank, his glasses on the table. "She's very comfortable around the insects." His son grunted, just letting his father know that he heard him. "So... are you going to ask me if you can go to that party?"
VII
A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading if you have, and please... PLEASE review. If you don't like this pairing, well, review, but flames are lame. Good criticism is wanted. Were all the characters In Character? I haven't really watched a lot of Naruto, so please, any advice or just plain telling me what you think would be nice. Thanks!
-mia
p.s. Oh, and about Shino's eyes... I will describe them, but later on in the story! If you want that, you better review! Hahahahha!