Note: This takes place right before the time skip, soon after Naruto left.
Title: Teammates and Ticks.
Author: CobaltHeart
Rating: PG
Challenge: June Bugs
Pairing: ShinoHina
Hinata smiled at her findings, something she'd always wanted to see, to lay in, and just enjoy being there, she'd finally found it, a meadow of wild flowers, where she just knew her prince would find her and they'd kiss. Blushing at her thoughts, the heiress shook her head, that was silly, but she was happy even if there wasn't going to be a blond knight show up and sweep her off her feet, he wasn't even in town. Walking out to the middle, she was careful not to trod on to many of the beautiful plants.
When the indigo haired twelve year old laid down she smiled, this was nice. Closing her eyes she relaxed, listening to the gentle breeze that teased her skin with the petals. Reaching her hand over her she unzipped her jacket and sat up, taking it and folding up for a pillow, she figured no one would run across to see her like this.
Placing one hand on her stomach the other arm was stretched out, her slender fingers stroking the strong stems of the flowers. The indigo haired child stayed like that for a while, enjoying the feeling of just being apart of nature, not a ninja, not n heiress, just another animal laying amongst the beauty of the peaceful world. Slowly the sound of the breeze and the birds became distant, a feeling of serenity washed over her and she feel asleep.
"Hinata?" A low moan of displease escaped pinked lips, who was waking her from her slumber. "Hinata." A gentle shake made lavendar eyes open quickly.
"Huh?!" Instantly the thin haze that had covered her eyes while she slept was gone. "Sh-shino-kun? W-why are you here?"
"I suggest you get up."
"A-ah...okay..." From missions and just all around knowing Shino, Hinata knew not to question him. Still a little sleepy the usually graceful girl fell, landing with a soft thump. Her face lit up when she saw a large hand, for a twelve year old, offer to help her up.
"Th-thanks." Using the hand to help steady herself she manged to stand up straight. "W-why are you h-here Shino-kun?"
"There's a specail tick that live in this feild."
The color of the blush faded and her face went deathly pale, "W-what?"
"A meadow of flowers is a large meeting place for incests. This happens to be where a special breed of them live."
Everything spun, "H-here." Hinata had no promblems with bugs, b-but ticks where a whole other story, she could even stand fleas, but not tick, never tick.
"Hai."
Lavendar eyes widened before they darted and looked at her coat. Much to her dismay, they're were ticks, black in color, standing out against her tan jacket.
"O-oh my..."
Hinata felt hands on her shoulders keeping her steady, "Hinata, are you alright?"
Black was edging in her vision, taking a deep breath to calm herself, "H-hai." She stood there staring, pleade mentally for the bugs to get off her jacket.
"Hinata?"
"Mmm?"
"You have a tick on your arm." Shino's had cover Hinata's mouth a less than a second after she screamed. "Calm down." The bug master's hidden eyes saw her try to breathe, taking his hand off her mouth, he turned her around, her back to the coat, and cradled her arm one of his hands while the other hovered over the bug. "Close your eyes."
Nodding Hinata closed her eyes, trying not to whimper. A few seconds later her eyes felt open when she felt the tick being gently pulled off of her. Lavendar eyes watched Shino's concentration, he was careful not to pull to hard to hurt her. His head bent down so Hinata could see his whole face if she wanted, but she looked closed her eyes instead, she understood why you'd want to hide in a coat.
He looked at her once he was finished, "S-shino-kun," The boy nodded to show he was listening as he reached into his coat to get a glass jar, "thank you."
"Your welcome, Hinata."
The heiress smiled an upbeat smile, "W-well now that th-their's ticks on my c-c-coat you don't h-have to look a-as much."
A soft 'thrump' was heard when the tick hit the bottom of the jar. Some how the indigo haired girl knew her team mate was smiling under his high collar. "Yeah."
"I-I can hold the jar for y-you."
A nod of thanks was his response as he handed her the large mason jar. It didn't take long for him to get the ticks off of her jacket, when he did she noticed something, where the ticks where there were holes. Sensing her question Shino answered, "They eat cloth as well as blood."
"W-what?!" Finally it hit her, she didn't have her jacket on!! Instantly her arms crossed infront of her chest. Shino had large hands for a twelve year of, she had something else.
Noitcing something was wrong with his friend Shino looked quizzically at the red face girl, "Hinata?" He noticed her eyes were doe-like and staring at her coat. "Do you want your jacket back."
The color drained out of her face, she was stuck, walk through town with out her jacket or wear one that had tick-holes in it. "Ah..."
"What's the matter?" '
Are you really that dense! Her mind screamed at him, but she just blushed darker and looked down. He'd seen her before with out it, but the town hadn't, and she'd had wraps on the missions when her jacket wasn't on her. The one day she didn't wrap herself.
"Hinata," he stopped and looked at her, finally seeing her embarrassment. Things clicked in his head, he knew she was mature for her age, mentally and physically, and still very shy. "you can borrow my jacket, if it bothers you that much."
"I-I don't want t-to be a b-bother."
His veiled eyes looked at her, she'd voiced that he didn't want to bother him, but her eyes pleaded to let her borrow his jacket. It took a couple seconds for him to strip the khaki cloth of himself, leaving him feeling almost naked in his black shirt. "Here."
"I-I..."
"Teammates help each other in need."
Hinata smiled and pulled the jacket on, she was swimming in it, the sleeves went past her index finger and the hem was to nearly to her knees. "Th-thank you Shino-kun." Lavendar eyes kept contact with the ground, not allowing her eyes to wander to her friends reviled face.
"You can look up." She went to protest but he continued, "It's fine. I saw you vunerable, it's only fair."
"N-no." That's not how she wanted to see him, only of it was of his own free will. "I-it's okay."
"Thank you." The Hyuuga knew if she looked up she'd really see her teammate's smile. "Let's get you home."
"B-but..."
"The Aubrame house hold isn't to far from here, we'll stop there first."
"H-hai."
No one glanced twice when they saw Shino and Hinata walked down the street together, it was usual. The matching jackets caused thoughts to wander though, in the villagers mind the Hyuuga'd finally fully jumped on the conservative band wagon, more so than ever. Others thought the Aubrame'd admitted he liked her, that he asked her to be his mini me.
When they got to the Hyuuga Manor the guard watched the two enter the complex, a small nod as greeting to the heir and heiress of two of Kohna's strongest clans. Neji was opening the door the moment Hinata reached for it.
"Hinata-hime, whe-what are you wearing?"
"Hinata's jacket is no longer fit for her, I allowed her to borrow mine."
Gray eyes blinked, well he could tell TenTen that the Aubrame had more than one jacket, unlike Hinata. "Hinata-hime?"
"T-ticks destroyed it."
Nodding like he understood, "Where is it now."
"Kuranei w-wanted to k-keep it."
His cousin was on a strange team, "Come Hinata-hime, it's time for dinner. Aubrame, thank you for helping Hinata-hime."
"Teammates help each other in need."
Not the worlds best ending but I hope you all like it.