Fever
A One-shot
By Nyssa Benthin
((Author Note: This story kinda would take place a month after my other fic, "Filling in the Emptiness", cause in this Hinata and Shino have been dating for a month. However, to understand this reading that fic is not necessary.))
((I randomly thought up this story while sitting in bed awake one morning on a lazy weekend, you know, where you don't want to get up but are too awake to go back to sleep?))
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"104.5…"
Shino's mother, Aburame Kaho, said in a low tone, looking at the thermometer and feeling Shino's forehead. Kaho sat on her son's hospital bed leaning over him. Shino was laying flat on his back with the covers up to his chin. His breathing was slightly labored and, although an onlooker could not tell because of his dark sunglasses, his eyes were closed. Aburame Shibi, Shino's father, stood over her watching carefully, "is that really how high his fever is?"
"Yes," she replied sadly, sitting back up again, putting the thermometer on the bedside table.
Shibi groaned slightly, straightening his back up, "That's…not good."
"You know what we have to do then?"
"Yes…"
"Hey!" A rowdy voice yelped from behind them. They both turned their heads quickly around and saw the familiar sight of his teammates, Kiba and Hinata.
"Is he feeling any better?" Kiba said with a hopeful smile, walking up to Shino's parents. Akamaru sat in Kiba's shirt, poking his head and front paws out. He smiled in a similar manner to his human master, except his tongue was hanging out a little as well. Hinata stood just behind Kiba, embarrassed-looking as usual, but peeking over Kiba's shoulder to try and see Shino. She was very worried about him too, and now it was as more than jus ta teammate and friend. The two quiet ninja had just started dating a few weeks ago. It had only been a month since the mission where he confessed his feelings to her, and that night at his clan when she told him she felt similarly.
"He is unfortunately worse," replied Kaho, standing up. Her tallness, at 6' 6" (7 inches taller than her husband), never failed to intimidate Kiba and Hinata.
"Oh…" Hinata said softly with a sad look at the floor. Kaho smiled a knowing glance at her, she and her husband were fully aware of their son's relationship with her.
"His fever is staying at a dangerously high temperature," Shibi said to the two gennin, "…not just dangerous to Shino."
Kiba tilted his head, "Huh?"
Kaho walked past them and picked up a gourd that had been sitting next to the doorway, which Kiba and Hinata didn't see before. It reminded them of Garra's gourd, being of similar shape. It was however, even larger than Garra's, and decorated with subtle carvings. She walked back to Shino's bedside, and plunked it down, leaving a hand on its top. "I brought this because we feared this would happen."
"Can we ask you two to step outside?" Shibi turned to look at them.
"O...oh, umm…." Kiba still was confused.
"Come'on Kiba," Hinata lightly tugged on Kiba's jacket, "Please excuse our intrusion," she said with a bow to the Aburame parents. She tugged Kiba outside and closed the door quietly.
"Oy!" Kiba yelped, "What was that all about?"
"They obviously need to be alone to do something for Shino," she replied.
"I know that, but what are they doing?"
"I…I'm not sure but…I hope Shino is alright, either way…"
"Yea…he's had the flu now for three days."
"Yes."
"Well, we'll go and ask him what was going on after his parents come back out."
"I…I guess so," Hinata said, looking at the door, worried, having a bad feeling about what his parents said, and wondering what the gourd was for.
---
"Shino," Shibi said softly, looking down at the sick boy.
He opened his eyes slowly, and looked up at his mother and father standing over him. He had been awake this whole time listening, resting without being really asleep, as people tend to do. "I…I know," he replied.
"You have not had to do this yet, and it is troublesome you have to so young. But, most every Aburame goes through it at least once…because long, high fevers happen with illness sometimes," his mother said reassuringly, trying to muster a smile up.
"How long, do you think it will be?"
"Only a few days. If you are lucky and your fever breaks sooner, maybe only a day." His father said, also trying to reassure him.
Shino was not looking forward to this. He had hoped when he got sick his fever would not go above 104...because at that temperature, for more than a day, would be lethal to the kikaichu insects living inside him. The kikaichu liked being at the warm temperature of a normal human body, but that extra 5 degress makes all the difference between a comfort zone and dangerous temperatures.
It would mean temporarily having his kikai bugs, ALL of them, leave him.
When this had to happen to an Aburame clan member (thankfully it was not a common occurrence), the sick would have a family member or fellow clan member keep their kikaichu inside a specially made gourd for as long as needed. The gourds were made by Tesuro and his father, Kuroji. They were porous and let chakra from whoever wore the gourd flow through it's shell, allowing the kikai to stay alive and feed off of it as if they were inside their body. Some Aburame's used these gourds daily, allowing them to keep more kiaki with them than they could hold inside of their bodies. Shino's father was one who practiced this, since he wore a smaller, round gourd on his back all the time.
Kaho twisted and removed the gourd's cork, "Whenever you are ready, Shino,"
Shino sat up, removed the blanket covering him, and unbuttoned his long-sleeve, black shirt, setting it aside. This revealed the permanently open holes along his lower arms, through which he usually released his kikaichu for most attacks. He lay back down, now only wearing his (black boxers) underwear. Last to go was his dark glasses, which he gently laid on the bedside table. His blank eyes sockets stared up at the ceiling; he was able to see using the kikaichu's eyes (who see the world just like that of humans, with the addition of the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums; so if anything Aburame's see better than a normal person.).
The young bug shinobi breathed in and flexed his hands, silently telling his kikai their orders.
A soft humming buzz could be heard, before a dark cloud of kiaki bugs swarmed out from the holes in Shino's arms and eye sockets. However, since he had ordered all of his kikai to leave,some also broke out from his chest and legs in the flurry. His back arched up away from the bed slightly, almost as if being pulled up from the escaping insects.
"Ahhg…!" Shino cried out softly in a wince of pain.
As the mass of black bugs swirled out of the young boy, more bugs than you would think could ever fit into a person; they obediently flew into the gourd held under Kaho's hand. When the last of them had flown into it she corked it closed. Shino flopped back down onto the hospital bed; limp. He breathed heavily and a few beads of sweat mixed with blood ran down his face and chest. His eyes were closed tightly shut and his brow was furrowed even more than it usually was.
Most noticeably his skin now hugged his skeleton far tighter, as would be expected if someone took that much mass out from inside of your body. His upper ribcage and carpel bones of his hands were visible as one would expect to see from a slightly starving person.
Shino was surprised at how painful it was with all of his kikaichu out of him. It felt like someone was jabbing thousands of pins into his body and organs, like when your feet fall asleep and the feeling begins to return to them. At one time he only ever had, at the most, 65-70 percent of his bugs out at a time, and at those situations he noticed the absence of their mass, but…it was never anything like this. Not only that, but this would not be temporary, they would not be returning to him within a few minutes...it could be days.
Kaho took her large summon and jutsu scroll from its usual place on her upper back, and handed it to her husband, who held onto it under one arm. She then slung the gourd onto her back, clasping the sash across her chest.
"Are you alright son?" Shibi lay his free hand on the boy's chest, also checking with his chakra for any stray kikaichu. Shino opened his eyes but still could only listen to his father's words. With all of his kikaichu gone he was rendered completely blind.
"…y…yes…I am...aright." He replied softly.
Kaho looked down at him sadly, "…Oh Shino…I am so sorry...we both know how you feel…" She adjusted her own dark sunglasses.
Shibi stood up straight again, "Yes, we both have gone through this as well."
"Hopefully it will not be for long..." She paused, "But, I will take good care of your kikaichu, you can be assured of that." She smiled as only a mother can.
…
There was the sound of rustling and Hinata and Kiba looked up to see Shino's parents opening the hospital door. Their faces lit up, "Hoy, what is going on?" Kiba spoke up. Akamaru barked. Hinata looked at the gourd on Kaho's back. "Is Shino okay?"
"Shino is going to need to rest, I don't know if you should talk to him right now," Shibi replied gravely in his ushal deep voice .
"O…oh," Kiba looked saddened, and lowered his head a little.
"Even, if only for a minute?" Hinata said softly.
Shibi drooped his head in a moment of thought, "Please, just be easy on him."
Shibi and Kaho walked past them, giving respective nods, and left. They watched the Aburame parents go silently, and as they disappeared around the corner of the hall Kiba turned to Hinata, "I'm sure he won't mind us visiting him, and only for a minute."
Before Hinata could reply he ran into the room. She followed hesitantly. They both hovered over Shino from the side of the bed. His cover, shirt and glasses were on him as they were before they had left. They instantly noticed how pale Shino looked. Shino opened his eyes from habit, but could tell who was there without being able to see them. Shino recognized the familiar smell of Kiba, who smelled strongly of puppies, and Hinata, who smelled like green tea.
"Shino, you better get well soon or I'll have to beat you up," Kiba said playfully.
Hinata blushed and reached out her hand, putting it on Shino's forehead. His fever very high. She blinked in surprise when she looked at his face and saw that his cheekbones looked slightly more pronounced than usual. She could tell something was amiss. "Shino, are you okay?" She said quietly.
Shino turned towards her voice, "I don't…want to lie to either of you…my teammates…" he said with effort, "because of my prolonged….high fever…it was necessary…to temporarily….remove all of my kiaki-." He coughed, not quite finishing his sentence as he wanted.
Their eyes both widened, "N…no way? You can DO that?" Kiba winced.
"Oh my," Hinata put her fingers up, clasping her hands together, "N…no wonder you look so bad all of a sudden."
"I…I really should rest…" he closed his eyes again. His head hurt like hell, along side his entire body aching.
"We'll be sure to visit you again, alright?" Kiba smirked. Hinata nodded as well.
"T...thank you." Shino said softly.
…
The first thing Shino did when he woke up the net morning was check his temperature…his parents had left him an electronic thermometer that read off the temperature for you in a little computerized voice.
"104.2…degrees F" The little computerized voice said.
…all of .3 degrees lower. With a groan, and some effort, he laid the thermometer back down on the bedside table (by feel alone). The aching was even worse. Even breathing was painful now. He also found his heartbeat was erratic. He figured this had to do with not having the kikai nestled around all his organs, and their slight drain on his chakra, causing the irregularity in the chakra signals (like electric signals) to them, including his heart. He figured it would not be enough to kill him, otherwise his parents, or any Aburame for that matter, would not have gone through with the removal.
He sighed to himself, which of course hurt. All he wanted was for this to be over and behind him.
…
Later that evening he heard the door open, and the sound of two pairs of footsteps walking in.
"Aburame Shino," the instantly recognizable voice of Tsunade-sama said.
"Hokage-sama," Shino said, and his instant reaction was to sit up for her, the respectful thing to do. However, as he was doing so, shooting paint seared up his entire body and he fell back down to the bed. He moaned slightly in both pain and frustration.
"Please don't try to sit up, it's okay!" She smiled at his formality. Next to her stood Shizune, who was holding a cup of hot water with a spoon in it.
"I, and the other jounin, heard about your situation from your parents. The Nara's gave me some of their special medicine from their deer farm for you, it should help with fighting the flu virus," she took out two packets from her pocket. Shizune handed her the cup of hot water, and she mixed one of the packets into it, "and also I brought medicine from your clan, what they say should ease the aches you're most likely feeling by now, and slow your heartbeat." She mixed in the other as she was saying this. Tsunade did not like the thought of how disruptive it must be to his flow of chakra, having all of his kikaichu taken so suddenly like that. But there was not much she could do about the methods inside the various clans of Konoha, even if she disapproved.
"Unfortunately, now you DO need to sit up a little," she smiled slightly nervously. Shizune nodded to her partner and put her hands behind Shino's back and helped him up. He sat up slouched forward enough so that he wouldn't fall backwards again. Tsunade knew he was blind without his kikai, so she placed the cup in his hands slowly, enough to let him react to it and grasp it. He put it to his lips and drank it quickly. He could feel the warmth from it inside him, and it already eased his pain a little just from that. It reminded him of the feeling of his kikai bugs inside him again.
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," he quietly said.
"Get some rest, that's an order, and I'll expect you back soon because I have plenty of missions for you and your teammates!" She said with some jest, and then left with Shizune following behind her.
…
It was the second morning…and Shino could swear he felt cooler, his fever must have come down a lot!
"103.0…degrees F" said the little computerized voice.
Shino moaned again. That was definitely better, but it wasn't enough. His fever needed to break before he could get his kikaichu back. That meant no higher than 99.6 degrees. He stared into the darkness that was his world for the past 48-some-odd hours. The thought of actually being able to see crossed his mind suddenly. That thought brought to his attention how SILENT it had been for the past two days. He never quite realized the constant, soft hum the kikai bugs had, that is until it was gone. He missed it...
He closed his eyes, not that it mattered, but it was the usual thing you do when trying to sleep.
…
"Shino-kun?" A small voice woke him sometime later that evening.
He instantly opened his eyes to see who is was…which of course was useless. He thought for a moment.
"Hinata?"
She smiled, "Yes…I…wanted to come and tell you that Kiba can't come because one of his sister's dogs is sick now too, and he needs to watch over him," He heard the 'tink' of metal against ceramic when she shifted her body.
"T…that's unfortunate….I hope he gets better soon as well,"
"Yes," She said softly. She fingered the hot bowl in her hands.
"Is…there something you wanted?" Shino turned his head towards her a little.
"I…umm…" she blushed, "I figured if you were hungry…I brought you some soup I made…"
Shino smiled as much as he could, he only ever smiled for her and his fellow clan members,"…oh?"
"Yes," she nodded,happyto see the attempt at him smiling for her,"Can, you sit up?"
Shino groaned slightly to himself, sitting up was most likely no more fun that it was yesterday, "If you help me, I…it's painful if I try on my own."
"Oh! Alright," she laid the bowl on the bedside table and stepped up close to him, and put her hands on his back and chest, helping him sit up. Ignoring the pain, he inched back a little so he could lean against the wall.
Hinata smiled, "you don't feel as warm, did your fever go down?"
"A little bit,"
"Can you get your kikaichu back then?"
"No, my fever….has to break before that,"
"Oh," She picked up the bowl, "Umm….can you….do you want me to do it for you?"
"I may be blind…but I can tell where my hands and face are," he replied softly.
Hinata could tell he was just trying to keep what was left of his pride right now, so she didn't argue (she kinda wanted to feed it to him… X3 ) and handed him the bowl.
She held her breath and watched him take a bite. She winced a little at how his hands looked, wondering what it must feel like, "It's very good Hinata, you made this…?"
She smiled and breathed out, "Yes I did! I'm glad you like it…" She smiled to herself, and took a seat on the chair that was near his bed. After he finished she took the bowl from him. "I hope you get better soon," she said.
"I hope so too," he looked towards her voice with a solemn look, "I…I wouldn't say this with Kiba here, but," he paused for a moment, and looked back down in the direction of his hands, "I don't think I can take much more of this…I…really want my kikaichu back…" He slouched his shoulders forward in a defeated look.
"I'm sure your fever will go down tomorrow! You've been sick for about a week almost, and flu doesn't last for longer than that usually," she tried to make him feel reassured. She still was trying in her mind, ever since knowing Shino when they first became a team, to think about what it was like to have thousands upon thousandsof bugs living inside you, much less what it would feel like to have them all suddenly taken away. She stillfound it hard to imagine.
"I hope so…"
There was a long silence.
"I should get back, my father will worry,"
"Thank you….for visiting me Hinata," He turned back towards her.
She stood up and leaned towards him, placing a hand on the bed, and kissed him on the cheek softly. Blushing profusely, she turned, grabbing her bowl, and scampered out.
With the jolt of happiness he got from that, he was able to ignore the aches in his body and laid back down again on his own….and went back to sleep.
…
…
…
Meanwhile, back at the Aburame Clan...
"Uhhh…!" Kaho stumbled slightly as she tried to reach for a book on the top shelf of the living room bookcase.
"Dear, be careful, I thought I told you to rest," Shibi stood on tip toe and got the book for her, as he directed her towards the couch.
"I…can get a damn book, I'm not helpless…" she pouted, sitting down forcefully sideways on the couch, because of the large gourd on her back she could not sit any other way.
"The drain of so many kikai bugs is making you feel weak, it's to be expected," he handed her the book.
She took it with a jerking motion, then sighed and relaxed, "I'm sorry…I…I didn't think I'd feel…this weakened by it."
"I told you I could do it,"
"You already have a whole slew of your own kikaichu to worry about."
"You're taller than me, therefore you most likely have just as many total yourself, but they all fit INSIDE you."
She groaned, "Don't bring that up again…"
"What? I'm jealous," he smirked in jest from behind his tall collar. She of course could tell he was without being able to see it.
"Shino is a strong boy, he should be better soon," She smiled hopefully.
"We did send him that medicine,"
"I know it's hard to not want to be with him now, but…he needs his rest really, and I'm in no shape to go anywhere unnecessarily."
"You're right," Shibi nodded sadly. He really did want to go see his son; he worried about him more than he showed.
Kaho opened the book and then realized her head hurt like hell, so she shut it, "dammit."
Shibi put his hands back in his pockets, "forgot your head hurt?"
"Shut up…" She pulled him onto the couch next to him, and leaned on his shoulder, nuzzling into him. They both then sat in silence, listening to the crickets and cicadas starting their evening chorus outside.
…
…
…
Shino awoke the next morning, feeling as if a cloud had been lifted off him. It's the feeling you get when you were sick terribly for days, then suddenly your fever breaks, and everything seems as clear as a morning after it rains. He knew at once his fever must have broke.
"99.2…degrees F"
Shino wanted to cry for joy at that, but crying would probably hurt so he decided better against it (not to mention someone might see if they walked in suddenly). He called for one of the hospital nurses, who sent out the message to his clan. His parents, who had been excused from missions until their son was better, came at once.
Kaho walked into the room breathing as if she's been running, supported by Shibi who was helping her stand, "Shino, your fever broke?" Shibi asked him as he helped Kaho into the chair by Shino's bedside. After helping her, he closed the door.
"Yes, it did!" he said with about as much happiness as someone could in his state.
"Thank goodness," Kaho breathed.
"Mother…are you alright?" Shino had noticed since she entered the room how out of breath she was, and how she had flopped into the chair.
"I…am fine. Don't worry about me," She took the gourd form her back, and stood it on the floor in front of her on its end.
"Whenever you are ready Shino," Shibi's low voice rang out.
Thus came the fun of the reverse process, which is just like removing all the kikaichu only backwards. Kaho un-corked the gourd and Shino's kikai instantly flew out, quite happy to be returning to their master. They burrowed their way back into every nook and cranny inside of him where they usually stayed, nestled in-between his organs and muscles and skin. It was extremely painful at first, for his body gotten slightly used to them NOT being there, but once they had all settled in the pain started to subside quickly. He relaxed onto the bed, and reached out his arms upwards above him. His muscles no longer ached as they had for the past three days. The soft buzz of the insects filled his ears and reverberated in his bones for a moment, before it went back to being the backgroundhum of his life. Light flickered back to his eyes, but his vision was still slightly blurry, as his hands were nothing more than a pink fuzz. He was just happy to not be in darkness anymore.
Shibi and Kaho smiled approvingly, "You feel alright…?" Shibi asked.
"My vision is blurry,"
"It will return to normal in a few hours, your nerves need time to readjust."
He laid his hands back down, and sat up, finding it no longer difficult, although he was still slightly sore, "T…thank you mom, for keeping them so safe for me."
Kaho smiled, feeling some of her strength returning, "They were very well behaved."
Just then, to an arguing nurse Kiba came barging in, followed by Hinata. Shino quickly put his sunglasses back on and grabbed his shirt, fumbling to get it on as Kiba ran over.
"Hoy, Shino! You're finally better! Sis's boy felt better this morning too, so I was able to pull away to come see your sorry face," He grinned. Akamaru jumped up onto the bed, "Arrooo-row!" He yipped.
"Nice to see you too, Kiba," Shino rained an eyebrow and looked at the gray-whiteish-black blur was Kiba and Akamaru, as he buttoned the top of his shirt.
"Glad to see you're better," Hinata poked her fingers together and walked up next to Kiba.
Shino smiled at her, "Thank you, Hinata…"
"You got your bugs back!" Kiba pointed out, seeing he was no longer pale.
"Yes, just now, you could knock first," He adjusted his glasses in Kiba's direction.
"Heh…sorry…" Kiba smirked.
"I tried to tell him to wait," Hinata blushed.
"Arf!" Akamaru nudged Shino's leg.
Shibi and Kaho stood off to the side behind the youths, feeling a little out of place, "Will you guys help Shino home then? He still is slightly sick," She said to her son's teammates. She knew he was no longer a child, and most likely would rather be with his friends than his parents.
"No problem!" Kiba gave her a thumbs up.
"…what?" Shino blinked.
"See you later son!" Shibi and Kaho waved quickly making their exit.
"…" Shino made a face and looked at the grinning Kiba.
"Don't bother Shino, Kiba-kun…" Hinata smiled nervously.
"It's my job to bug you two," He smiled at Hinata.
"…joy." Shino said in his usual low voice.
With many nervous looks, grins, raised eyebrows and blushes the three got out from the hospital, and Kiba and Hinata walked Shino home. It was business as usual again for genin Team 8.