Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind

Lipstick and Coffee

"Do you do anything?" I asked aloud, wondering if perhaps verbal prompting may entice any signs of life from the glassy eyes before me.

And I was yet again disappointed as the dog didn't so much as wag her tail in response, she just sat there, staring at me. I shouldn't have been surprised, Lipstick seemed to only animate ever so often at the most comedic of moments with the apparent goal of putting herself next to the person she liked the most at the moment. That was at least what I had gathered upon studying her behavior.

She would be there, standing at the end of my bed every time I woke, and would stay there as I got ready. Never having seen her move, she would somehow place herself in the perfect position to scare Neji as much as possible once he got up, and then she would animate and follow him around. Whenever I would sit down to read, she would join me, and I couldn't yet tell if she preferred silence or me reading aloud to her. Most of the time I didn't know where she was, but her schedule seemed to fall close enough to mine to sense a pattern.

I was pulled from my musings when Neji walked into the living room, stopping in his tracks in confusion, which was fair given that I was lying chest down on the couch staring deeply into the eyes of Sakura's dog.

"Is there an explanation for this that will make sense?" by now he knew better than to just ask me 'what are you doing?'

"Science, my dear Neji," I hummed, propping my head in my hand and giving the dog a scrutinizing glare, "I'm trying to see what makes her react."

"Tormenting me does." he crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes at Lipstick.

"I think she might have a sense of humor." I replied, tilting my head at her, "She seems to feed off of the responses people give her. If you are unnerved by her, she'll try and freak you out. If you treat her normally, she won't."

"How the hell do you treat her normally?" Neji asked incredulously, smiling despite himself.

"Don't be scared of her?" I shrugged, not entirely knowing the answer myself, "I think she can sense fear."

Neji pinched the bridge of his nose and chuckled, "What the hell..."

"She's the perfect dog for Sakura, isn't she?" I smiled at Lipstick, patting her on the head.

"I suppose she is." Neji sighed, "So, you said someone else would be caring for her?"

"Yep." I rested my head down on the couch, wondering if her eyes would follow mine. They didn't.

"When are they coming?" he followed.

"Today." I rolled over to the side, wondering if that would net me a response. It didn't.

"Who would want to take care of her?" Neji placed his hands on his hips as he studied us, seeming more interested in my behavior than the dog's.

"Gaara." I hummed, now on my back, tilting my head to keep my eyes on the dog. She still stared forward into the abyss.

I sat bolt upright when Neji let out an outraged sound, "The Kazekage is coming here today, and you didn't think to let me know!?"

"Uh... no?" I frowned at him, "Relax, it isn't a big deal or anything. He's just picking Lipstick up."

"He's the Kazekage!" Neji blurted in disbelief, "'Not a big deal?'"

I shrugged, "He stayed how many months here living amongst you guys like a normal person?"

Neji made another sound of disbelief, gesturing at me in utter bewilderment, "So?"