Chapter Eight

Tenten woke up starving and weak. He was covered in blood. Again. It seemed silly to wear so much white in her line of work the way things were going lately. She wondered if she could sneak to the kitchen with out the tall one finding her. She tried a different approach. She asked Shino's bugs if they could direct her to the kitchen.

A particularly eager to please bug flitted its wings excitedly and urged her to follow.

SCORE!

She also authorized them to warn them when someone was approaching.

She was hoping that would work. And it did, until she didn't understand why they were flittling like mad until she ran straight into the Aburame's chest turning a corridor. It knocked the wind out her in her weak state and she swayed and stumbled. Shino caught her," you need rest, what are you doing out of bed?"

"Tag, you're it," she mumbled shaking her head trying to regain her senses. Shino was a pretty solid guy. Her head, at the moment, did not feel that way.

"Back to bed," Shino commanded stabilizing and leading her with his arm. He noted that a few of the bugs that were on her came back to him.

"I am so hungry, can I please have something to eat," she asked more than begged. Her tummy rumbled as she spoke.

He turned her around. He would probably give her the shirt off his back if she asked for it. Big brown eyes. He was such a sucker for them.

Shino reached in his pocket and pulled out a small round brown pill.

"Eat this."

She did so willingly with out question. When she had swallowed it after chewing she asked,"Can I have more to eat than just that?" Her eyes were pleading, and Shino actually chuckled.

"That was a blood pill," he smiled to her. "You can have my bento in the fridge downstairs."

"Arigato."

He helped her downstairs and helped her perch on a barstool as he presented her with his bento. He made himself a sandwich, standing next to fridge to eat in case she needed anything else to eat.

He gave her a glass of water and asked if she wanted anything else to drink.

She shook her head.

The bento was properly balanced, not too much rice or meat with a variety of vegetables. What every growing shinobi needs. Itadakimasu!

They devoured their food in silence.

Tenten realized how disgusting her shirt was after swallowing her last bite.

"Any chance I can borrow a shirt from you?" She asked meekly with a slightly coquette smile.

Shino crammed the last corner of his sandwich in his mouth and promptly threw up his elbows grabbing fabric from his back and yanking the shirt over his head.

He offered the black ball to Tenten, now half naked, unaware how awkward that was. His arm outstretched, still chewing his sandwich, Tenten took it with a mumbled," I didn't mean the one you were wearing."

She couldn't help but notice how lean and muscular he was. She wondered if he secretly did it on purpose or if he was just being weird.

Shino pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "No, I am sorry; I should get you a clean one, not one that I have been wearing all morning."

"It's fine," She smiled, "I just didn't want to inconvience you any further is all." She slipped off the stool and walked over towards the Aburame. "So far I've taken your bed, your bugs, your food, and now," she playfully hit him with his own shirt as she looked deeply into his eyes, (she could barely make them out through his sunglasses), "I have successfully taken the shirt off your back."

Shino swallowed. She was staring at him with those beautiful brown eyes of hers.

"That makes me a lousy house guest." She ventured a joke again.

"It's too small for me anyways," he said finally regaining his composure and sidestepping her.

"Thought it was a fashion statement." Tenten joked again. Shino turned around and gave her a quizzical look. "Kidding." She brushed passed him heading upstairs.

"Tenten,"

"I know, rest, I got it." She recited without looking back as she walked up the stairs towards Shino's room.

Shino ran a hand through his hair after she disappeared.

"Son," Shibi addressed him from out of nowhere. He pretended not to be as startled as he was.

"Tousan," Shino addressed back.

"Put a shirt on."

"Hai."