Note from the Author: o.O ShinoHina request for MissMelody21. Enjoy.

Porny: Another uber-fast review. :applauds: Yes – this one did indeed turn out as I wanted it to. I'm quite proud of it. I seriously don't even know where this stuff comes from anymore though. -.- And yes, August is almost over – that actually scares the shit out of me. I'm a fucking junior!

Lunarxshinobi: Thank you, dahling.

Naash: -.- I write tons of yaoi – where have you been? Thank you for all the lovely compliments. And … that is the weirdest pairing I've heard of yet – but I'll try anything once. I could use a prompt though (an object, idea, thought, phrase, etc) because I'm not too big a fan of either character – so I'd have trouble thinking up something without an idea to go on.

LazyKitty: New reviewer! :happiness:

Live

"That's never happened before." Hinata's voice was soft – comforting and questioning.

Shino winced as her chakra-laced hands ghosted over the wound in his shoulder. "The insects panicked."

"But that's unusual, isn't it?" Her quiet tone held a note of demand, but she was attempting to hide her anxiety. "They usually defend you, don't they?"

He knew her well enough to recognize the concealment of her emotions. "I'm alright, Hinata."

"The bleeding's stopped."

"They were protecting you."

Her small fingers tightened on the bandages. "You should be able to start training again in a few days."

"It wasn't your fault."

Her busy hands faltered, shaking. "They shouldn't have protected me." She whispered haltingly, strained, finally acknowledging his words. "I was careless."

He sighed at the voice of her guilt complex. "The Sound nin masked his chakra perfectly. You couldn't be expected –"

"I should have seen him!" she cried suddenly, and he realized she wasn't reproaching herself – but hating herself. "It would have been better if they defended you – it doesn't matter as much what happens to me." Her shoulders sagged as a ragged breath shuddered through her. "You're a good ninja; you're going to help this village."

"It isn't a serious wound." Even as he reiterated that, pain sliced through his left side.

"Why did they protect me?" She was back to ignoring him, her form quaking with rage at herself. Why didn't they let me die?

"They have orders to always watch over you."

"Why?"

"I care for you."

The reply was blunt – it was the only way Shino ever spoke, when he did speak – and she flinched at the word care – as if it was foreign to her – unknown – strange.

The clearing they occupied fell silent – their only company that of deceased enemy shinobi. Her demeanor screamed of a bashful awkwardness; his of knowing patience.

Timidly, she fell against him, letting her wet face sink into his coat, shuddering into relieved relaxation against him. His eyebrows lifted – his only real expression of surprise – but he shifted gingerly, wrapping an arm around her waist as she curled meekly into his lap, like an abused kitten.

"I'm sorry you're wounded." She offered into the vacuum brought about by lack of conversation, tucking her head under his chin.

He smiled slightly behind his high collar, because she hadn't blamed herself. "I'll live."

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Additional A/N:pulls out a shovel that has "OOC" carved into the handle and slams it across the back of Hinata's head: