The Bug Queen

Hard On Everyone - Shibi / Night Terrors - Ino

Dinner was just as uncomfortable as Shibi thought it would be.

They were finally home, and Shino was right: she didn't look good. She was putting on a pretty good face for dinner, but her eyes were sad, and she looked rather anxious. The young woman before him looked much different than he remembered from years ago. Inoichi would be wrecked if he knew that his little girl looked so gaunt and pale. And so sickly. 

 He tried to start the conversation at the quiet table.

"You two had a good mission?"

Shino nodded as he answered.

"It was productive."

Ino gave him a small, polite smile. Everyone was uncomfortable, trying to get used to this new situation, and Shibi just wanted her to feel comfortable. She spoke softly.

"Shikamaru got engaged while he was there."

Oh.

"Really? To whom?"

"Gaara's sister. They're good for each other."

Shino nodded in agreement.

Shibi hoped that their being together wasn't a quick fix for Ino's heart if her teammate was getting married. Maybe that's why Ino seemed so down tonight. Women got that way when other women became engaged. He'd hate to see his son caught in the crossfire; he had been before. But Shino teased her gently.

"You could go to the wedding with Gaara's brother."

Come on, Son. Don't sell yourself short, Shibi thought to himself. But Ino blushed.

"I don't want to go with Kankuro... I want to go with you. I told him that..."

Shino smiled at her, which was something for his son. He didn't see his son smile a lot, so this was a good sign. And Ino seemed to like him. Quite a bit.

He also noticed that she wasn't eating; she was only moving the food around her plate with her chopsticks. Shino noticed as well.

"Hey, you should eat at least a little something."

"I did-"

But Shino just stared at her, no longer smiling. Her face fell.

"I'll try. My stomach feels like it can't handle food."

"Just a couple of bites? Please? You've done so well this month."

Shibi watched her sadly. This wasn't because of an engagement; this young woman was suffering. He watched her struggle through the first small bite. She wasn't well.

And Shino was so tender-hearted; of course he was helping her. He was a good kid, and Shibi's pride. Ino struggled through another bite, visibly shaking now. Shino looked concerned. And all Shibi could do was sit there and watch this unfold, hoping that Shino hadn't brought home someone with no hope of recovery.

This was going to be hard on everyone.

***

"Ino... we need you to identify them. Please..."

Sakura looked ill as she pulled the sheet back on the corpse. Ino had been healing at the hospital for a couple of years, but this was too much.

As she saw her mother's lacerated, pale, lifeless face, she began to scream in horror-

"Ino! Wake up!"

Someone was holding her and shaking her gently. She awoke in a vaguely unfamiliar room. Her new bedroom. Shino was holding her, trying to wake her. This was the second night of terrors. Something about being back in Konoha was fucking her up; even Shino's presence wasn't helping.