Aburame Shino × Reader

Chapter 4

"Hello everyone! I am Hinoiri. I will be your teacher from now on for Shinobi Ethics, Values and Morals. So, let's introduce ourselves but in a different way."
I pointed to the first bench and asked the student to stand up. "Tell the entire class what's your name and the question you ask yourself most often"
I got all kinds of varieties of questions.
"So?" I continued "Anyone wants to answer any questions" and the bell rings. Everyone stands up, says good evening and leaves for home.
I feel like something has been bothering Shino-san. I'll just go ask him directly, he feels weird today.
"Shino-san? Good evening!"
"Good evening, Hinoiri" he responded coldly. "Umm... Can I talk to you about something?"
"About yesterday, Shino-san?" I guessed correctly.
"I just wanted to tell you that whatev-" I cut him off "You don't have to explain. Just tell me what Sakura-san said regarding my injury"
He told me everything Sakura-san said and also that it would be convenient for the both of us if I lived together with him"
"Well, if you're uncomfortable, I'm not going to do that." I was stubborn.
"But your health is to be monitored! It's a mission!" He argued.
"Fine, but we will set ground rules then. Rule 1: I will pay you half the rent I am paying rn at the hotel.
Rule 2: We won't engage in any kind of romantic or sexual activity with another person in the presence of the other roommate.
Rule 3: We live as if we are roommates and nothing more." We both agreed on these three rules and I moved in to Shino-san's home.
It didn't have much stuff, just the essential furniture for 2 people and a small fridge.
"Welcome to my home, Hinoiri-san. It isn't very good but make yourselves as home." Shino-san said.
"It's clearly seen how much your house needs a woman. Well, after we're done washing up, we can divide the chores." I smiled at him and he smiled back.
A few days past like that at home and in the academy.
I don't know what to do Reith these feelings for you. I can't just discard them, but I can't just ignore them either. I have to do something. Something has to happen. It's so difficult to stop staring at him. I was going back send forth in my thoughts and a paper flew in through the window.
"I want to talk about something. Meet me at The Great Stone Faces at sunset. -Shino"
Well, if Shino-san wants to talk to me, I'll have to go. Sunset is in a while. I'll see him over there itself.
I finished my chores and went to the Great Stone Faces at sunset.
"Shino-san?"
"Yeah. Listen now. You are really becoming a burden for me. You are really becoming a constant energy drainage for me. Like for how did you think I could be nice to you? You are a complete stranger! I don't know if I came even trust a word you say! Any idiot would understand that even if they just read in between the lines!" My vision became blurry as a familiar voice said hurtful words. "That is true, I do not deserve to be trusted by you. But I would like to thank you for the kindness you've shown me, whoever you are." I knew something was wrong. "What did you think? You could just become someone based on their appearance and voices? No. You cannot! All you can do make a cheap copy! If we are done here, I'd like to back to the real Shino-san who is very considerate, that's because someone who cares about something as small as bugs, would never do something like this to a human." I was just intuitively saying things that came to my mind! Even I didn't believe what I just did, but it really didn't feel like him. "Your rude words, your demeanor and your aura, all are clear signs to me that you're not Shino-san" I walked off in the other direction angrily, with my eyes closed and cheeks puffed.
"Why were you at the Great Stone Faces?" Shino-san asked me while panting as he came running to find me. As I had thought, someone was trying to get me away from him. But who? And why?
"Shino-san, can I ask you something?" I initiated.
"Do you trust me?"
"Where is this coming from? Why are you asking this? I am surprised, that's because I have complete faith in you and I would like to know if something happened when I was gone"
"Somebody tried to get me away from you. He pretended to be you and said all kinds of nasty things to me."
"Oh, I see. Who are they? And more importantly, why are they trying to create a rift between us?"
"A rift between us?" I felt something foggy foggy coming in my memory. "They have created a rift between you and him. Run away or you will be killed." It echoed in my head and said the same thing over and over again. I didn't know what to do. "Stop it!" I said covering my ears, "No! Stop it! Stop saying that!" I couldn't take it anymore. I knew I was about to pass out this time, but I was glad. This time, I get to be unconscious in Shino-san's caring arms and sweet worry.
"You alright?" He asked as I woke up from my bed. He had prepared supper for me.
"You can cook?" I exclaimed with joy, "Ittadakimasu" I couldn't help but relish how balanced and carefully it was mad.
"This stew thingy, what is it? It's so perfect! The flavours aren't too strong, not to bland plus the vegetables are super tasty!" I was so surprised because he didn't look like the domestic type of guy.
As soon as, we got out of the house a stroll, I looked up at the sky and saw stars like I had never before in my life. Shino-san and I sat down near the river and we were just talking.
"Shino-san, have you ever pranked someone?"
"No. I have not, that's because I don't want to hurt the other person's feelings."
"Well let's not make the other person sad then and play a prank that is going to make them happy? You up for that?" I asked him encouragingly.
"If it makes someone's life better. Okay." Shino-san said hesitantly.
"Okay! Shino-san! We're going shopping!"
"We can't, that's because all the shops are closed now."
"I know. We'll go tomorrow." I figured.
"You're a bug user, na? Shino-san?"
"Yes. That is true."
"So, you can't go near water?"
"That isn't true. I can go near water but my bugs don't like it, that's because one dipped in water their wings become heavy and they can't fly"
"So basically they will drown. Oh."
We talked for hours about every other thing that was of importance and also wasn't."
"When we go shopping tomorrow, I'll get my first salary because it's the end of the month and I can buy some change of clothes for myself."
"I'm sorry. I didn't notice, that's because you seemed okay with it and like it didn't bother you."
"It is okay. I am already very grateful to you accepting me for my health reasons, keeping a watch for probably dangers and mostly, thank you for giving me all this amazing time. I don't know if I will forget this memory or not, what I will never forget is the feeling. This feeling of intense admiration, being cared for and trusted is something I know for sure I'm experiencing for first time in my life." I told him as tears dropped from my eyes without me even realising it.
"Don't cry, that's because a beautiful girl like you should always be happy." Shino-san said as he whisked away a tear for my cheek. Just the touch of his hand made me blush intensely, his entire demeanor of not wanting to hurt anyone and just be loved for who he is, was something that was very similar to me. Though we are polar opposites, when it comes to outer shells, we're the same on the inside.
"Did I say something wrong? Are you not happy? That's because you're still crying." Shino-san asked concerned.
"No. Not at all. I just haven't felt this kind of happiness before. Thank you, Shino-san" I said.
"Do you mind?" I asked before I laid down on him while he was sitting.
"Uh... u-umm...n-n-n-no. I-I-I don't m-m-mind." He stuttered again with a nice rosy cheeks on his pale skin. I laid down, on his lap and saw the rosy become bright scarlet.
"You look really good like this, Shino-san" I chuckled as I put my head on his lap and I felt so ecstatic. I felt so right in my heart, as if it knew that this is the one for me.
I looked over to the stars from his lap and I could see the extent of the sky. All of them shining brightly, even after their death, for us to see them. Such kindness, the stars exhibited.
"Who's there?" Shino-san threw his Kunai into the bushes. A figure just jumped out the bushes. Shino-san put me behind him immediately. The person vanished without a trace and in his place just lay a piece of paper.
"I bet it's a note. We should see. It might be a threat or something, or maybe he wants to make a deal with money or something." I said as I tried to rush to the note.
"No. You can't" he said grabbing my wrist "that's because it might be an explosive. I'll put a Kunai first to check."
Well, it wasn't an explosive but wouldn't hurt to be cautious. I wouldn't want it blowing up right in my face. So, I let him make sure, and then we proceeded to read it.
"She will only bring despair wherever she goes. If you want to regret it, hand her over. I'll be waiting to make a deal tomorrow near the Great Stone Faces at sunset." Said the note.
"You should make the deal." I said to him with a sad face.
"Are you scared of this or something?" Shino-san asked me surprised by my answer.
"No, Shino-san. I am not scared but even if there's a slight chance, that it might be true. Even if there is a slight chance that I will only bring despair to you, I don't want that. I don't want to bring you anything other than happiness, Shino-san." I explained my point of view to which he listened and thought intently.
"Come here" he said. I ran over to him. I couldn't look at his eyes, because he constantly had his mask on. But he took it off, and I couldn't look away from those deep dark eyes. He looked at me with care and concern. He looked at me like he believed I was anything but sadness.
"Shino-san?" I tried to speak but couldn't utter a single word being so captivated by his presence. His tall body, so close to mine as he held on to my waist.