Routine
Summary: A series of drabbles revolving around Shino and TenTen while they're on a diplomatic mission together.
I...don't know if I like this but I procrastinate with posting it anymore then I know this little series will die and never get updated.
Over on the Shino/Tenten FC we're running a fanfiction contest ^__^ The theme is 'winter' and there are prizes avaliable for the winners- I'm going to try and post a link to the details in my profile but you're welcome to contact me directly to find out more as well :D The contest is open to anyone and we'd really like people to give it a go, get some more ShinoTen fic out there :).
Tenten is very tired.
Tired of avoiding Shino, tired of the unceasing annoyance that is thrumming in her veins, tired of wishing she'd behaved differently when he kissed her.
But mostly she is just.....tired.
A good night's sleep has become a thing of the past and every time she looks at herself in the mirror she thinks she looks more and more haggard. The other visiting shinobi and even members of a daimyo's court have started to go out of their way to avoid her as word about her short temper and unfriendly attitude obviously gets around. Either that or her bloodshot eyes really do look as scary as she thinks.
It's not her fault that she is verging on exhaustion the entire time. No, somehow in some undefinable, basic way.... this is all Shino's fault.
Exactly how it's Shino's fault she has become unable to sleep she's not quite sure, the specifics (much like most of the details her exhausted brain is trying to store) are hazy... all she knows is she misses him badly, it's messing with her head and that it's all his fault.
She misses his constant presence, his understated sense of humor, his reliability. She even misses how hard she had to work for his acknowledgement, for that slight turn of his head towards hers as she spoke, the slight tilt of his lips when she said something funny. Everything slight, everything subtle but still all the more fulfilling for how hard she had to work for any reaction... and god she misses it badly.
He looks understandably wary when she marches up to him on unsteady legs, after all she had nearly brained him with her bo-staff last time they spoke. It shifts from wariness to slightly alarmed when she decides to grab him by the collar and slam him into the nearest wall. It is a weak effort, she knows that, the wall doesn't even crack where he hits it. Her arm is shaking slightly from the effort.
He can probably break out of this if he wants to, her hold on him is that damnably weak, but for some reason he allows her to pin him against the wall.
'You are exhausted.'
His voice sounds chiding, exasperation tinged with concern and it makes her hand clench tighter where it is fisted into his coat.
'Shut up! It's.... your fault...'
Her legs start trembling and she blinks in an effort to keep her eyes open. Waves of exhaustion roll through her, causing her entire body to loosen momentarily before she gains control of herself. Because she has to....do something.....
Her knee's buckle and Shino catches her mid-fall.
He picks her up carefully, weathering her weaker than normal but still bruising blows with little more than a long-suffering sigh and begins to carry her towards her room.
'You were supposed to come after me,' she murmurs, slurring her words through somehow numb lips.
'I'm sorry,'
'Thought you weren't apologizing..'
''Hn.'
'You're a bastard.'
'Just as you say,'
'And I don't need you to carry me.'
'Indeed.'
'You're humoring me aren't you?'
'Yes.'
'....Bastard.'
