Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto and probably Shonen Jump, with license to Viz Media

Dedicated to some awesomely supportive reviewers kik kibou, Idle Writer of Crack, Dalli1526,Sophia666, Hinata Lovers, Sincerely-Miss J x-ChocoLatte, salute, Piisa, winterkaguya, tatski .k kiba lover, SarahiNia, Lotos-Eater, Overly Dramatic Angel, CobaltHeart, Ilyichlenin, raggedywings, dumdeedum, Kaotic312 and more…thanks for your encouragement and taking the time to review. This chapter would not be here without your support.

To be Kind

Something was wrong with Hinata. She had skipped the weekly Team Asuma and Team Kurenai group dinner. Only Shikamaru, Shino, Chouji, and Kurenai had dined together. Ino had not yet returned from her mission and Kiba was in the hospital recovering from his last one. While everyone tried to make the weekly dinner, Hinata was exceptionally diligent.

Hinata had reduced her mission schedule to help the very pregnant Kurenai. Shikamaru noticed that Hinata helped Kurenai in a hundred small ways. She made sure Kurenai always had fresh fruit juice and small healthy snacks available. She brought home scrolls or books on child birth or childrearing. Hinata became an expert at collecting and organizing hand-me-down clothing, blankets and other baby supplies from other friends.

She did all these things to help Kurenai with the day-to-day reality of becoming a single parent. But Hinata also did these things to remind her former sensei, that Kurenai was still loved by others. That Kurenai Yuhi may be a single mother, but she and her child would not be alone.

Shikamaru was a little surprised when he saw Hinata putting a small picture of Asuma in a wallet case and placing it with Kurenai's bag for the hospital. "So Asuma can see his child born."

Hinata was thoughtful and kind in all the quiet and small ways. More then anyone else, Hinata was helping Kurenai move through her grief and focus on the future and her baby. Shikamaru had helped Asuma's spirit find peace. Hinata was helping Kurenai find life.

So there must be something wrong with Hinata. She wouldn't skip out on dinner with the gang. All through dinner, Shikamaru kept expecting her bedroom door to open. She would wobble out of her room rubbing sleep from her eyes and blush with embarrassment from waking up late from her nap.

But it didn't happen.

Chouji's dinner was tasty, albeit Hyuuga-less. Shikamaru glanced at Hinata's closed door for the umpteenth time. After dinner, Shino offered to take Kurenai for a walk. She accepted while Chouji and Shikamaru stayed behind to clean up the dishes and leftovers.

"If you are so worried, just check on her." Chouji said as he rummaged through the refrigerator, pulling out older leftovers to through out and making room for the dinner leftovers.

Shikamaru grimaced. Chouji knew him so well. The lazy genius was worried. Probably about nothing. Hinata could be working on a mission report or some Hyuuga business and might not want to be distrubed...or she could be sick or injured and unwilling to ask anyone for help...

"I can't barge into her room." He replied to his friend while washing the last few dishes.

Chouji looked up. "Afraid to get your tenketsu blocked?" He joked.

Shikamaru turned away, but not before Chouji noticed a slight pink blush appear. "Wait a minute, what are you not telling me?" Chouji asked bluntly. Shikamaru almost never blushed. Being embarrassed was "too troublesome." Shikamaru just didn't care enough to get embarrassed about, well anything. Sure he changed after Asuma's death, but Shikamaru was still unconcerned with the small things in life. And almost everything was small. So what could have happened that had his friend blushing? Chouji grinned at the possibilities.

Shikamaru paused. He didn't keep secrets from his friend, but he didn't want to compromise Hinata's privacy either. 'Especially when we ended up in bed together.' He thought. Admittedly it was a relatively innocent night together, but still...

"Just go check on her." Chouji repeated. "We are done cleaning up. I'm heading out."

Shikamaru nodded goodbye to his friend. He looked at the bedroom door.

It wouldn't hurt to just check in on her. She wouldn't mind.

……………………………………………………

Hinata lifted her head from her pillow when she heard the light knock. Kurenai was probably worried about her. The Hyuuga heiress felt awful. Her stomach knotted again. Definitely mild food poisoning. Enough to drive her as far away from food as possible for a day or two. Thankfully it was not contagious, so Kurenai would not be at risk of getting sick. "Come in." She called to the door.

She rolled toward the door in a feeble attempt at good manners. Her stomach roiled at the motion. Hinata blinked in confusion and then immediately blushed in embarrassment when she realized Shikamaru was crouched next to her futon. The slight green tinge overtook her blushing complexion and Hinata closed her eyes to control her nausea.

"What's wrong?" Shikamaru asked simply.

Hinata replied without opening her eyes. "Some bad shrimp at the Hyuuga lunch today. Hanabi is probably even worse. She loves shrimp."

She cracked open one eye to look at her bemused visitor. "I don't care if I ever see another shrimp again." She groaned. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, I was just thinking. With the Byakugan, I thought you might be able to 'see' that the shrimp was spoilt." He explained.

"I'll try that next time." Hinata said wryly. Maybe that was why Neji stopped her from a second serving and did not have any himself...

"Do you need anything?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata blinked again. He was...being kind to her...again. She blushed deeply as she remembered waking up wearing nothing but a towel and pressed almost intimately against Shikamaru's lean hard body.

"Could you refill my water pitcher? I…I need to stay hydrated." She answered quietly. Normally she would never trouble someone else while she was sick. But with Shikamaru, she knew that he wouldn't bother offering if he wasn't willing. He took the time to ask, he would take the time to help her.

Shikamaru returned from the kitchen with the full pitcher of water. "Kurenai and Shino went for a walk." He explained for no apparent reason.

"Oh, that's good. The walking is good for Kurenai-sensei and the baby." Hinata commented.

"Uh hum." He offered her a new glass of water as he sat by the side of her futon.

Hinata shifted to a sitting position and reached for the water. Shikamaru noted her slight trembling. "What's wrong?" He repeated.

Hinata sighed, "Probably just a little fever and chills. I can't seem to stay warm right now." She blew on her fingers to warm them, but even the warm breath brought little comfort.

After she finished sipping some water, Hinata slid back down to rest.

Shikamaru took the drinking glass from Hinata as she closed her eyes again and shivered.

He put the glass down and out of the way and pulled her hands in his to warm them. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled gratefully.

"That feels nice" she replied as she yawned and closed her eyes.

"Hm. Get some rest, I'll check on you in the morning." He replied.

She felt the warmth of her blanket settle on her and a gentle pressure as Shikamaru tucked her in. His warm breathe tickled her senses as he leaned over and pressed his palm to her forehead. The gesture comforted her as she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Shikamaru lingered for a moment by her side. He observed the stillness of the blanket. Beneath the blanket, the curve of the Hyuuga heiress back was curled adorably around another pillow. Probably the warmth helped her unsettled stomach. He resolved to check on her in the morning.

……………………………………………………

The soft warmth of the blanket was not enough. Hinata shivered again. "Stupid shimp." She muttered. She knew her body well enough to know that the fever must be spiking for her to feel this cold.

"Stop complaining." Came an unexpected response. "Move over."

Hinata looked up to see Shikamaru in the moonlight of her room. He was pulling his chunin vest off. His hair was unbound and messy. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed.

She shifted over automatically as he approached her futon. He laid down on top of her covers and then pulled her body towards his.

"Ah." Hinata gasped in relief. His body warmth through the covers was enough to bring some relief to her fevered senses.

Shikamaru repressed his hormonal response. "Try to rest, you'll probably start sweating out the fever in a few hours." He said.

Hinata nodded into his shoulder. "Th..thank you for coming back and…taking care of me."

"hm." He responded noncommittal. The young genius shadow master was embarrassed to admit how much he was worried about her. He had gone home, showered and slept for a few hours. But when he woke up in the middle of the night, he had woken up worried. It was easy enough to convince himself to roll out of bed and let himself into Kurenai's home.

Hinata shifted closer to Shikamaru and tangled her leg over his. Shikamaru sighed and indulged by shifting Hinata so she partially lay across him and he could place his hand on her lower back. The blankets were a mess bunched up between them. At least she had stopped shivering.

"This…this is getting to be to a habit." Hinata mumbled in her sleep.

"A nice one." Shikamaru whispered back.

Hinata yawned and pulled at the blankets. Shikamaru twisted and let her pull the blankets out from between them. She dropped back to her previous position. Half sprawled across her breathing space heater. Shikamaru wondered if she was even awake. Her breasts pressed against this chest and he found himself enjoying the sensation more than he should. His fingers skimmed her nightgown and down the length of her back. He replaced his hand to rest on her lower back.

"That's better." Hinata stated in a sleepy voice. Now, Shikamaru was convinced that the shy Hyuuga was asleep. Her modest would have caused her to faint by now if she was awake.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and relaxed into sleep. Hinata's small hand was fisted in his shirt. Her pale face was peaceful. Hopefully when she woke up next her fever would have broken.

………………….

Hinata woke up slowly. Her first impression was that she was sticky. But she felt a lot better. As she cracked her eyes open she remembered that Shikamaru had come back to check on her in the middle of the night. Hinata held her breath as she tried to remember how he had ended up in bed with her. Again.

A moment later she let her breath out in a whosh and realized she didn't care. Shikamaru was with her and she liked it. She shifted again to try to make her damp nightclothes more comfortable. She felt rather then saw when Shikamaru put his palm on her forehead again.

"You're much better." He stated.

Hinata nodded and smiled up at him. "Y…yes. Thank you."

Shikamaru smirked back. "Ah, I'm just glad you are feeling better." He blushed slightly. "I should go?" He half asked, half stated.

"Oh, um, you…you don't have to." What was she saying! "I mean, I need to get out of these clothes. Err." Hinata stopped at Shikamaru's eye's widened. "I…I mean. I'm going to take a quick shower. You can stay and rest. It's too late to go home. Or too early." She finally finished.

Hinata moved to get out of the futon and the tangle of blanket and boy. It was only as she was grabbed hard by the arms that she realized that climbing over Shikamaru was perhaps not the wisest course of action.

"Don't move so fast." Shikamaru whispered. Was his voice husky? "You'll make yourself sick again."

Hinata nodded and then looked directly in Shikamaru's eyes. She buried her head into his neck and hugged him awkwardly while practically on top of him. Hinata gently pressed her lips to his neck and he felt her tongue accidentally brush his skin. Hinata rolled away before he could react and wobbled to her feet.

"I'm feeling much better. I'm going to clean up. Please stay." She said quickly and left the room before Shikamaru could react.

Shikamaru lay still in her futon and wondered when he had fallen in love with Hyuuga Hinata.

………………

Author's Note: Please review!

I'm not sure when or if I will update this story again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.