Aburame Shino × Reader

Chapter 5

Shino's POV:

'Am I just taking advantage of her because she likes bugs? Am I afraid that I won't find anyone else apart from her? Is that why I am behaving like this?' I thought as I turned around again in my bed.
There she was, in my sight, sleeping peacefully. Like she didn't have to worry about anything else in the world.
'How do I know if this is love or is it just me trying to get companionship? Is it because I am insecure inside? Is it because I don't think I'm enough?' I couldn't deal with anymore questions. So, I decided to go on a stroll. Yes, a 2 in the morning, I have decided to go on a stroll in Konoha.
"So many questions" I muttered myself with my hands in my pockets, tears in my eyes and gaze to the sky. "How do I know that I love her? How do I know it's not just because she likes bugs? Is it because I feel lonely? Is it becaus I don't know how to be on my own?" I was talking to myself and saw a tired out, completely gloomy Naruto come my way.
"Naruto?"
"Ah. Shino." He said sighing, "A job at the Academy must be nice, nah?" He said as he dropped down right in front of me.
I sighed as I dragged him to the nearest bench and sat beside him.
"Umm... Naruto?" I asked, "How did you fall in love with Hinata?"
"Aah. I still remember that mission from the moon. I didn't know in the beginning that I loved her. I just thought of her as a good friend who I wanted to protect all the time, who I wanted to help, who I wanted to cherish. I had totally forgotten about the incident with Pain when she actually said she loved me." He said smiling sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, but suddenly all his exhaustion and gloominess seemed to go away as soon as he started talking about her, "But when on the mission, Toneri took her away from me, I couldn't imagine myself without her. She was with me since the academy, not that it matters. Every time I look at her, she makes me feel warm inside. I want to hold her to my chest. I want to protect her. I want her to always be happy." He sighed a little and a blush appeared on his cheeks.
"I think, that's when I knew. I think that's what love is. When you want them to be happy with you, when you want to protect them, and when something happens to them or they leave you, you feel like somebody is just crushing your heart. I think when you want to be with them all the time, that is love." He concluded.
"Wow. You've matured, that's because the way you talk conveys that you're an adult now, Naruto" I said as I smiled a little.
"You've started talking too, Shino. And I think that's nice." He said while gazing at the stars in the sky.
"I drop you home, that's because, I won't like it if you drop in the middle of the street again."
"Thank you, Shino. You're a lifesaver" he giggled as we continued to walk.
"So," he asked while walking, "why this talk about love suddenly? You worried about your teammate?" He joked.
"No. Actually, I just have a lot of questions on my mind." I sighed
"It's a long way. You can talk to me if you want." He smiled his usual bright smile.
"I don't know if I am in love or not. I think I am taking advantage of her just because she doesn't mind bugs and maybe I'm scared I won't find another one like her. She is beautiful with her long brown hair, onyx eyes, tanned skin, perfect body and even personality wise! She is kind, she loves kids, she doesn't judge someone based on her looks, she doesn't insist me on taking off my mask, she doesn't want me to change in any way, she's a great teacher, she doesn't always go around lecturing me about how my methods of teaching might be wrong, she is cute, she is deep and she is everything in this world that I ever thought I wanted and I feel like I will end up hurting her. I mean, if I am not sure myself, what will I tell her? I am not sure about my feelings but maybe I love you? Would you risk having a relationship with me?" I looked over at Naruto frustrated.
"I didn't know you were feeling so much, Shino" his expression changed from a shock to a soft smile and he calmly said, "You are in love-ttebayo"
"How can you know that?"
"It is from the way you talk. You think she's the most beautiful girl in the world. You are scared of hurting her-ttebayo. You are want to protect her even if it is from yourself. You want to spend time with her to get to know her more-ttebayo. I think you're scared of calling it "love."
"Mmhmm" I looked down remembering all the times we've enjoyed together, how much I love carrying her in my arms, how happy I get when she smiles, how I get bugs in my stomach when she imitates me, how my heart skips a beat.when she puts her hair down from the bun,
"Can't believe I'm getting advise from you." I joked.
"Yeah- ttebayo" we both laughed as we reached his home and he fainted.
I picked up, put him on my shoulders and dragged him to his house as my bugs barely lifted his feet.
I rang the bell at Hinata's place and she came angrily, "Naruto-kun the kids are sleeping. Don't you have keys!" Her back was turned at the door, checking their kids. "Anyways, I'll put the dinner on?" She turned around to no response and to the open door and she saw Naruto, on my shoulders.
"Shino-kun?!" She exclaimed as I put Naruto down in their hallway.
"He fell down from exhaustion near my house. I'll take your leave now, that's because I've gotta sleep too"
"Thank you so much, Shino-kun, and I'm sorry for all the trouble."
"Can I ask you something?" I asked her while leaving.
"How did you know you loved Naruto?"
"Oh!" She smiled. "I felt this warmth around him. I always wanted to be with him, but I was too shy. So, any other girl would make up excuses to be with me. Whenever I was in trouble, I wanted him to be the one helping me, so I could just hug him and he would hug me without any trouble. Remember when we went to find the bug? I was the happiest person ever when I fainted in his arms. I always wanted to be with him, but I knew I love him when all I wanted was Naruto-kun to be happy, with or without me."
She looked at his face, kissed him on the forehead, got his hand on her shoulders and tried to pick him up but to no avail. He was too heavy.
I took off my shoes and took Naruto's hand. I put it on my shoulders and let my bugs take some weight as well.
"This way" she directed and we put Naruto in his bed.
"Good night, Naruto-kun" she said and smiled at him.
"I'll make you something to eat, Shino. Sit down. Naruto-kun is pretty heavy. Now I know." She smiled.
"No. If you could just answer some of my questions"
"Ofcourse" she smiled and we started off with our question answer session.
"How do I know, if a girl likes me?"
"Oh. That's a tricky one. I think you will know when you look at her, like she will blush when you say something about you guys being together, she will try to do things for you, she will stand up for you when people say bad things about you even behind your back, she will get angry at you and most of all, she would want to be with you all the time and she will take efforts to make that happen." She said as she took hey hand off her chin.
"Okay."I said continuing to the next question. "How would a girl like to be proposed to?"
"Anything that is 'you'. Anything that shows you are interested in her genuinely. Anything that shows her you will take effort for her. It's not about the surroundings or anything. It's about you, like she will be the same amount of happy if you do it in television or if you arrange a nice picnic and ask her while looking at the sunset at the park. It just has to be personal."
"Mhhm."I registered it in my mind and moved on. "Should I kiss her when I ask her or?"
"S-Shino-kun!" She said getting flustered "I don't know that! It depends on you if you want to!" She said as she buried her face in her hands.
"Okay. I'll take your leave now" I said and rushed back home because it was about an hour now.
I remembered Naruto's face when I talked about her.
'Will she stand up for someone like me? Some weird loner bug boy like me?' I thought as I walked back. 'Well, if she likes me then she will, according to Hinata. If she doesn't she doesn't like me either. Easy enough, I guess' I thought and the rest of the walk, I just decided not to think of anything and just got back home.
What happened the next day was almost a surprise for me. It was like fate was trying to give me a sign.