Ai's Ama: Newest Chapter! Explanation of the Virus and how exactly it affects someone. Hope you guys like the story, if you do please review! This is a bit of Slow Burn to be sure.
" Thank you so much for bringing him back." Mei thanked them, bowing her head to the group, " We wouldn't have called so many Shinobi if it wasn't important."
The group watched as the male was shoved into a cage with gloves as he laughed, Mei staring at the skin that he was wearing, " As you can see." She murmured.
" None of us touched him Mizukage-Sama." Sai asserted as Mei looked to them critically with her bright green eyes before she smiled and nodded.
Shikamaru didn't exactly know what to say, after all he was perfectly fine after it happened, so he decided to be the curious one as he put his hand behind his head, " Um... Why exactly were we not allowed to touch him?"
" Well he had made off with a Virus we called 'Ai Urusu', simply the Love Virus."
All of them looked back to the writhing male as he was being surveyed by medics.
" N-Not very loving..." Hinata whispered, conveying what they were all thinking on some level.
" Well it's because of the first stage we call it that, afterwards it's just... worse." Mei answered sheepishly, " It gives it's host the feeling of being in love with the first person that makes contact with them after they are infected. It's an addicting feeling that gets out of hand and starts manipulating their kekkei genkai if they have one. Like... Hyuuga here, if she had caught the Virus then her Byakugan would change. We've never had an infected Hyuuga but more than likely you would be able to hone in on your target's chakra faster than you could with literally anyone else, maybe their signature changes to your sight and thus attracts you more. The Inuzuka would mark his scent on his target and be able to pick theirs up practically from lands away, that kind of thing."
Hinata figited, looking a little uncomfortable with that revelation.
" So they inevitably turn into things like that?" Sai asked pointing to the struggling prisoner.
" No, The Virus is different within each host. For example this man was already very aggressive as stated in his files, and likely the target wasn't accepting of his advances which caused such measures. We've recorded at least two instances with gentle people being infected barely showing a change in their personality, they mostly just become very, desperately clingy."
They nodded before the door opened and Kiba, Shino and Yamato stepped through.
" We were informed that the culprit has been apprehended." Yamato bowed his head as Mei beamed and nodded, taking out a pouch and tossing it to Shikamaru, " Here, the reward for being the ones to find him. Your payment for taking the mission should be waiting for you back in Konoha, Kiri thanks you for your service."
The group bowed to her before taking their leave from the Mizukage's office.
" You think we should stay the night here?" Kiba asked as he put his hands behind his head, Akamaru giving a yip.
" It is early evening..." Yamato hummed.
" I-I think w-we should." Hinata answered as she nodded, looking to Shikamaru, " Y-You can get something f-f-for Mirai."
The Nara looked to her before nodding in agreement, " Sure, it would be troublesome to head back now."
With that the rest of the group agreed and dispersed to do what they wanted, Hinata going with Shikamaru as Kiba wrapped his arms around Shino and Yamato demanding dinner, Sai dipping out to be the one to find the hotel.
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" Why are you coming with me?" Shikamaru asked as he looked to her in confusion, sure he didn't mind, but he never really saw her get gifts for anyone.
" Th-There's some herbs n-native to Kirigakure th-that I can get to help me w-with my medicines." Hinata smiled to him as he thought back to the Chunin exams with the shy girl gifting Naruto and Kiba ointment for their wounds.
" I didn't know you still did that." Sure he spent a lot of time around her when he was around Kurenai and Mirai but it wasn't as if she was showing off her medicine around them.
" I-It's useful for my t-team s-seeing as we have n-no medic."
He found himself agreeing as they got to the shopping district, all of the shops having metal awnings to ward away the rain as even stalls were tucked under sturdy roofs to keep away the rain as the sky darkened from more than the evening, a small sprinkle starting as both of them looked up before ahead, not bothered before dipping under the awnings, Shikamaru looking for a craft shop that would have ribbons and Hinata the herbalist.
Shikamaru felt his heart pitter from the two of them being alone together, which he chalked up to anxiety because he had never actually been alone with her, Kurenai and Mirai always a reach away or their teammates as the two of them walked together.
There was no stoic, almost passive-aggressive silence like with Temari whom was trying to come up with something to say, or the mindless gossip Ino always had falling out of her, just a comfortable silence and though he hated neither Temari or Ino he had to admit that just walking with someone and peeking into stores together wasn't too bad as the light sprinkle continued, almost a mist.
Hinata stepped a little closer to him and he looked the other way, not commenting on it as he was sure she had her reasons while her eyes were entirely on the shops before focusing on the place she wanted to go to, a smile lighting her face as she walked ahead and went inside with urgings from Shikamaru that he would stay outside.
The Nara looked out to the rain for a moment before he took out a cigarette and put it to his lips, a small ember of fire from the lighter gifted to him from Asuma lighting up his face and hands as he watched Hinata through the window while she scrambled around, asking questions as he snapped the lighter shut with a click, cancerous smoke filling his lungs, unable to take his eyes away from her before he pulled it away and exhaled slowly as if letting go of the stresses of the day, smoke curling around his vision of her as she ordered the things she wanted, the cigarette getting smaller and smaller until she bowed in thanks to the Owners, joining him not soon after.
He didn't understand why he didn't just walk to the craft shop while she was busy, but decided to not bother much with it as he threw down the butt and crushed it under his foot, looking to the Heiress as she smiled to him and he scratched his cheek.
" Let's get the ribbon and then get some dinner. Hungry for anything?" He asked as they continued on their trek together, getting a pretty ribbon for Mirai before going to eat Gyoza together.
And when Night time came and everyone got their separate rooms, he couldn't help but have dreams about hanging out with her, Kurenai and Mirai again.
