Chapter 7: The Crystal Cave: Mending a Broken Friendship
Ever since we kissed Shino and I have been avoiding each other. When we end up seeing each other he says he has a mission and walks off. I've been staying at Hinata's place ,so I didn't need a home to go to. I wonder why we were avoiding each other. It's not like we hated each other. I think we are just scared to admit that we do actually love one another. Humph. Well I can't think about that now. Kurenai sensei wants me in the training field soon. I left the house with Hinata. "Why have y-you and Shino been avoiding each other?" Guess she noticed too.
"I guess we need time apart. I mean, it's kind of weird to be around someone who saved your life." I didn't want to spill anything that might mean trouble later. Honestly, I think my friendship with Shino has probably split right down the middle.
"I guess your right." She wasn't buying it ,but I guess she didn't want to get to pushy. We made it to the training field and there was Shino standing straight next to Kiba.
"There you two are. What took you so long?" Kurenai was next to Kiba. She didn't look angry ,but she did look surprised.
"Sorry. I-I slept late." Hinata was back to twittering her thumbs and fingers. I decided to stand next to Kiba.
"Well anyway. We have a mission. As a team. We need to find a treasure in someplace called the Crystal cave." Kurenai looked at me and then at Shino. She was obviously in tune with our whereabouts as well. At least she won't ask us yet. So we all headed out of the gates as soon as everyone had there things. I stayed on the opposite side Shino was on at all times. When we reached the cave it seemed pretty calm and inviting. Then again they all do. Of coarse Shino and I walked in first. Kiba came in after and decided to yell into the cave as loud as he possibly could. Big mistake.
"What the!" Kiba was trying to keep his balance on the shifting rock. He stepped out of the cave just in time for rock to separate us from the others. Shino and tried our best to move the rocks ,but there was just to many.
"Kiba. Hinata. Kurenai Sensei. Are you guys ok?" I could hear they were trying to remove rocks too.
"Yes, We're all ok! How about Shino and you?" Kurenai just had to say it as a pair didn't she. I looked at Shino who was looking around for light that would come from the outside.
"Us too, but there's to many rocks. It could take weeks to move them all." I looked at all the rocks. When you move one, another falls from the top to replace it. It was a losing battle to deal with these rocks.
"Listen. Look for the treasure then stay there. We're going to see if there is another way into the cave. Kiba will keep digging." Kurenai sounded like it was hopeless. There were two ways in. One was blocked by rocks now, the other was hidden and could only be found by tracking experts. Hopefully, talented trackers were enough.
"All right. We'll look." I heard footsteps leave the front of the cave and Kiba still moving rocks. I looked over at Shino and saw he had pressed on to look for the treasure. I caught up to him and walked near the opposite wall. We stayed quite. Thinking if anyone talked that would lead to the question of the day in the hospital. Finally I couldn't stand the silence no more. "How far should we go into the cave?"
"As far as we need to." Shino didn't even look at me. I know it was a stupid question ,but I thought it would start something. "Why would you ask such an obvious question?" Got you.
"Because weather we like it or not we're both stuck in this cave and we are both teammates. Weather this has anything to do with that night in the hospital room I don't know ,but I know one thing. Communication between teammates is crucial when we're trapped in a cave, Shino Aburame." I saw Shino turn his head in my direction. He noticed me now. I heard a faint owl from outside the cave. It was night now.
"Lets make a fire." He noticed it too. I walked over to some dried up vines and made a fire between two rocks that looked like stools. I sat down on the stools and waited for Shino to say something like. You started it or look who talking, you weren't talking to me. Instead I got. "Why did you kiss me?" That was hard question. I really didn't know why I kissed him.
"I don't know. Why did you kiss me back?" Two people can play at this game. I looked at him through the fire. His glasses were making it difficult to read his emotions. If he was feeling anything at all.
"Isn't the response to kiss back?" Shino was trying to speak logic. Time past and reality started sink in. It would get colder and the cave won't make it any better. I shivered and tried to stay close to the fire. It would do no good. There is no more vines to feed it and it was starting to go out. Obviously Shino saw me shiver. He looked through his bag and found a blanket. "Here."
"Your cold too." I looked at his hand which shook a little. I looked at the blanket and put it around Shino. "We'll have to share." I sat next to him and wrapped the blanket around me too. Shino looked at me then put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.
"Fine." Shino was looking at the fire now.
"I think I know why I kissed you Shino." I put my head on his shoulder and looked at the fire.
"Is that so." He looked at me.
"Shino. . .I think. . .I think I love you." I got off his shoulder and looked into the eyes. Shino looked into mine through his glasses and then leaned forward and kissed me. He wrapped his arms around me like he did the other day. I kissed back and wrapped my arms around his neck. Oh how I missed his lips. The last time we were in this position we were scared of people seeing us. Now there was no one to see. No one to interfere. He pulled me tightly against his body. It wasn't cold anymore, the warmth of the kiss made everything kind of foggy. Shino pulled away from my lips. I looked at him confused.
"We should continue looking for the treasure." He got up and started walking to another part of the cave. I stepped forward and took his hand.
"Why did you kiss me Shino?" Time I taunt him back. I wanted to hear him say it. Come on you kissed me, now spill.
"I think I love you too." I saw a slight smile. Then I pulled him into another kiss. This time I decided to let his lips wander. He did just that. He went down and gave me a kiss on the neck. I held his head tight and then brought him up for a kiss on the lips. We kissed like normal for a few minutes then I managed to slip my tongue past his lips and stroke the top of his mouth. I felt a slight tingle in Shino's body like his insects were humming to the delight of my surprise. Shino returned me gratitude my moving his tongue around mine. Then I moved my foot just a little to get in a better position and I slipped on the wet cave floor.
"Ow!" That snapped me back into reality that we were in a cave and it was getting colder. The worse part is I think I sprained my ankle landing on it when I fell. "Shino. . .My ankle. I think I sprained it." He bent down beside me and took my ankle in his hand and examined it.
"It's sprained." He took out a bandage from his pouch and picked up two long sticks enough to fit my ankle. He wrapped them around my ankle and then helped me up. Holding me up so I didn't put pressure on my ankle. "You'll have to stay off it." He looked at me and raised his eyebrow. What was he thinking? Then he picked me up and held me in his arms. "I'll have to carry you until we get out."
"I don't mind." I gave him a devilish smile. "Just don't get any ideas." I saw him raise his eyebrow again.
"Wouldn't dream of it." It's not like I would mind ,but I just thought I would mention. He started to walk and I decided to take a little nape until I saw something through my aura.
"Shino I see the treasure. It's over there." I pointed to a spot near the cave wall. Shino walked over and place me next to the spot and we both started to dig. A few minutes later we were walking with a treasure in my hands. Shino is really strong to be carrying both me and the treasure. I finally fell a sleep in his arms. I could faintly feel his fingers run through my hair. I opened my eyes a little to see that we stopped. Shino had made another fire and was sitting me next to me with his arm around my shoulder.
"It's night now. Sleep and we'll look for the exit in the morning." Shino was looking at the fire and listening to the sound of a cricket.
"Oh Shino. I would stay in your arms forever if I could." I was telling the truth.
"Your not afraid of loving a human hive?" Shino sent some insects to my cheek. I simply closed my eyes and smiled.
"I don't mind." I nuzzled my head into his chest and whispered into his chest. "I have my own little cheer squad." I listened to the insects hum and buzz. Oh how I loved his insects. I didn't care he had insects inside him. It was the sense that Shino was my friend and no one treated me more like a person then he did.
"Thank you Rose." Shino put his head on mine then drew his insects from my cheek.
"For what, Shino?" He drew his head from mine and looked at my ankle.
"For not treating my like a freak." He looked up at the wet, watery ceiling. Oh Shino, I thought of you more then that.
"Shino your nothing like a freak. You have a heart just like anyone. That makes you like everyone and since you caught my heart that makes you something more." I yawned and sat my head back on his shoulder.
". . .Is that so." Shino. With the few words he said he took my heart. Figures. Oh well. I don't mind anything he does. I fell asleep.
"Yahoo!!!!" Kiba comes crashing through the rocks using his fang over fang.
"Kiba." Shino was holding me and I woke from my wonderful sleep in his arms. Kiba shook off the rubble and looked at Shino and me.
"Did I miss something? Yesterday you guys were hating each other. Now Shino's carrying you like you're his girlfriend?" Kiba leaned back a little and stretched his back.
"You can say that." Shino looked at me and then looked at Kiba. Wait! Did he just call me his girlfriend?
"Shino?" I looked up at him and tried to read what he was saying. I was shocked at what he just said.
"That is if it's ok with you?" Shino looked at me and then sent insects to my cheek. How cute.
"Of coarse I'll be yours, Shino." I went to kiss him but then remembered Kiba was standing there. I looked at where Kiba was and saw Kurenai and Hinata standing there smiling their pants off.
"Mission complete you two." Kurenai was looking at Hinata and Kiba. Wait why was she only talking to them. I got out of Shino's arms and looked at them strangely.
"Why are you congratulating them? We did all the work." I showed them the treasure chest on Shino's back.
"Not that one. You see we heard about that little kiss in the hospital." She what!! Dang! "We knew that neither one of you were brave enough to admit your love for one another so we figured we would give it a push and trap you in a cave." She is such a meddler.
"So our mission was to get Shino and me together?" I was looking a the three with piercing eyes.
"Pretty much." Kiba had no idea I was going to explode. I was walking toward them cracking my knuckles.
"You guys trapped us in that cave. When it was freezing cold. And…." I was interrupted by Shino wrapping his arms around my waist. "Oh never mind." I smiled. I guess Shino didn't want me to be mad at them. So we went back to the village ,but this time Shino and me were walking back holding each others hands. We were walking back as a couple.