Chapter 4
With her heart pounding in her ears, Hinata walked up to her father who was pacing about just outside the Aburame clan's large bamboo doors.
He didn't say a word to her; just gave her that unpleasant look that she knew meant that he was VERY displeased with her. She couldn't bring herself to say anything either, it would have only come out as incoherent stutters. She followed him home, head hung. She silently went up to her room and closed the door, before flopping onto her bed and breaking into a quiet sobbing pile of tears. After some time she slowly stopped, and hugged her pillow and wishing it was Shino. She felt helpless. It had been a long time since she felt this way. In her training with Shino and Kiba she'd gotten so much stronger, so much bolder. But for now, I was like she was her old 12-year old self again, fresh from the academy...
...
Meanwhile…
...
"Shino," the deep voice of Shibi loomed over his son who still lay on the bed. His mother in much a similar pose, both like vultures looking down upon him.
"Yes father?" He asked calmly.
"You…and Hinata…didn't…?"
"…No father," he sighed and scrunched his eyebrows into a displeased expression.
The two of them broke sighs of relief, "because Hiashi said something about her being pregnant…"
"He was jumping to conclusions."
They nodded.
"…"
"…"
"How are you feeling?" Kaho asked with a worried look.
"I…my body still hurts…like I pulled multiple muscles."
"Can you move?"
He shakily sat up, then slowly got to his feet. He could feel the pain and disorientation that his insects were feeling. He winced and held his side, feeling his moving skin.
"Lay back down, you're not going anywhere," Kaho put a finger on his forehead and pushed him gently, which was more than enough to send the wounded Shino back onto the bed.
"…But…Hinata."
"You're not to see her, we need to talk to the Hyuga clan and sort this out before it becomes an issue."
Shino frowned deeply at her.
"Don't give me that look."
"Rest." Shibi voiced.
The two went back downstairs. Shino sat up again and looked out his open window. It was almost noon. It was chilly outside. When the breeze coming in from the window hit his skin it made his kikaichu quiver in an effort to ward off the cold. He grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around him, fluffing it up over his head, cocooning his whole body away from the world. He let himself flop over; sleep could not be warded off forever…
…
"Arf!"
"I know boy, I dunno where they are…"
A confused Kiba looked about that January 3 morning. They were supposed to have training together today. But neither Shino, who usually arrived before he did, or Hinata were there, and it was 15 minutes past meeting time.
He sighed…and ruffled Akamaru's hair, "Guess it's just you and me today…we'll have to see Hinata and the Bug Freak later and find out what is the matter."
Akamaru nuzzled him with a worried whine, and they walked off towards home together.
…
Knock Knock
Ten year old Hanabi Hyuga opened her home's front door, to find two rather displeased pairs of sunglasses, just visible behind two high collars, towering over her head. She blinked her pale white eyes once and swallowed before speaking in an unwavering voice, "How may I help you?"
"We are here to see Hiashi-dono."
"My father?"
They nodded.
She ducked inside, and soon the door was reopened again.
…
Shino poked at his bowl of rice. He had discovered after he dragged himself downstairs that morning that his parents were no where to be found, so he made himself something to eat, as he was ridiculously hungry. And when he was really hungry, it meant he felt weak, and when he felt weak, his chakra levels dropped, which made his kikaichu hungry. So basically it was one, big unhappy situation, which would be remedied by eating the bowl of rice he was poking at…but as soon as he sat down to eat it, he instantly remembered again why he had a headache.
"Hinata…" he said to himself, staring at nothing in particular.
Just then the front door opened. Shino glanced up to see his parents. He could tell something had happened, and gave them that 'what's going on' look.
"We talked to Hiashi," Shibi said to him.
"And I think we have worked out the situation." Kaho said.
Shino's face lit up about as much as it could, "What happened? It's okay?"
His parents exchanged looks, Shibi spoke up first, "You can see Hinata again, even Hiashi couldn't come to the conclusion of trying to keep you two from ever talking or training together again. After all, you are still on a team that works well together, even if you all are chunin's now and work apart sometimes. You, Kiba and Hinata are still the best tracking team in Konoha."
Shino smiled, which was pretty rare for him to do. But as the room stayed silent the smile quickly faded.
"There is a 'but' isn't there?" Shino stated solemnly.
"Ah," Shibi nodded.
"We talked for a long time…and what Hiashi fears the most is that you will get Hinata pregnant, bec-"
"I have never violated her in any such way!" Shino cut her off raising his voice.
"We are not accusing you of anything, we trust your judgment," Shibi said in such a way that it was saying for him to let his mother finish.
Kaho continued, "…because if you two had a child, it would be a terrible situation for both our clans. But our ways it would be the next clan heir…and would be given kikaichu when it came of age…and by their ways it would be the next main house heir. The two bloodlines, we are both rather possessive of them…them with their bloodline ability, ours with our lineage and tradition…it's a touchy situation."
"…so what you're getting at is that we could still…love each other but never have children?"
"Basically yes."
"…" Shino looked down.
"Be thankful he agreed for you two to even be able to stay together! I can't believe he agreed to that…" Shibi said.
"You know Shino…we ourselves don't totally approve of the relationship either. No matter how much we just want for you to be happy - and I really do like Hianta, she's a wonderful young woman - but she was probably the worst choice of someone to fall in love with…ever." Kaho smiled nervously.
"Well…time shall tell I guess," Shino sighed. We can work this out…I know we can. At least we can still see each other… he smiled to himself.
There was a period of silence. Shino finally took up his chopsticks and ate his rice.
"You're feeling better I see?" Kaho gestured.
He nodded, "I was really hungry."
"After what Hiashi did to you, I'm not surprised," Shibi frowned, "Are your kikaichu alright?"
"Still a little disoriented, but…unharmed."
His father sighed with relief.
"Tomorrow you have training again, correct?"
"I missed it today…" Shino sighed.
"It wasn't your fault, now eat and then go rest, you should feel better tomorrow."
