Hinata (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
softer_strength) wrote2009-07-31 07:58 am
softer_strength) wrote2009-07-31 07:58 am
Confessions
She'd stayed a whole day at the inn, resting and recovery some strength before going back. With the rest and tight bandaging it was far easier to climb out of the ravine and find her teammates. They, to, were bedraggled, but all the enemy nin (four including the one she had defeated) had been killed.
She made them all wait while she bandaged her teammates; and all three found it interesting to see how much their job patron was sweating as the minutes stretched on.
He was stingy, their patron, not wishing to pay even the full amount for the lower-rank job they had been originally assigned. Had he not been bruised? How could he prevent bandits from striking on a long road? Shino reasoned with him of course. Their team leader was a very convincing man at times. They left Mist country no more than a day later than intended.
Only then did Kiba fish out the coins he'd 'liberated' from their patron. Was it his fault that the man's purse had ripped a little during the rescue?
Certainly Tsunada-sama would be pleased that the patron had paid all that was due the higher rank mission it had become. The man would still be blacklisted as a liar though. That was all to the good. In truth, like many of their missions, they were lucky to win.
Kiba was running ahead of them on the road back, teasing and playing with Akamaru despite the pairs injuries when she felt Shino come up beside. This was certainly no cause for alarm but...he had that expectant, waiting air about him that usually meant there was something she should have noticed...
"Hinata" just that word and she turned to blink up at him, worried that a wound was paining him, or that he had sensed more ninjas or..."You are favoring your left arm. You are injured."
Oh.
Oh.
And she hadn't asked either of her teammates to help bandage her own wounds! Because...they were taken care of. "Y...yes." she agreed. "I l-landed poorly after the flood. I will be alright though! I am f-fine!" she smiled, and just knew that he wasn't going to be put of by such assurances.
Indeed, nothing would do but that she remove her coat and show the tight, clean bandages under her net shirt. He examined them in silence as they walked...her teammate did a lot in silence. Often she thought it was to balance out Kiba's noise. Today she didn't know why he was so quiet. "Explain, Hinata."
She felt herself flushing as she slid back into her coat. She had to bury her chin in the ruff just to compose herself enough to answer. "I did not c-compromise the mission! I...I didn't think you would believe me!"
Shino simply arched an eyebrow above his sunglasses, inviting the full confession.
It was incredibly hard to tell him about the inn. About the strange things and the way things changed. How she'd checked to see if it was an illusion...the people she'd met. All of it told in a stuttering, worried whisper to her teammate down the long road. She wasn't insane. She wasn't...she was worried he would think she was though.
He was silent for miles more as they traveled. It wasn't until dusk, with Kiba and Akamaru still far ahead, that he broke the silence once more. "Can you get there deliberately?"
Hinata blinked, his question catching her off-guard. "I...don't know."
Shino nodded, as if expecting no other answer from her "Here." a Destruction flitted into his palm, then he casually reached over and placed the ticklish little thing in her hair. "He will stay with you. Try to go to your inn when our mission is completed. You can both tell me what happens afterward."
She actually missed a step at his pronouncement. He believed her! HE BELIEVED HER! "Yes! We will!"
She made them all wait while she bandaged her teammates; and all three found it interesting to see how much their job patron was sweating as the minutes stretched on.
He was stingy, their patron, not wishing to pay even the full amount for the lower-rank job they had been originally assigned. Had he not been bruised? How could he prevent bandits from striking on a long road? Shino reasoned with him of course. Their team leader was a very convincing man at times. They left Mist country no more than a day later than intended.
Only then did Kiba fish out the coins he'd 'liberated' from their patron. Was it his fault that the man's purse had ripped a little during the rescue?
Certainly Tsunada-sama would be pleased that the patron had paid all that was due the higher rank mission it had become. The man would still be blacklisted as a liar though. That was all to the good. In truth, like many of their missions, they were lucky to win.
Kiba was running ahead of them on the road back, teasing and playing with Akamaru despite the pairs injuries when she felt Shino come up beside. This was certainly no cause for alarm but...he had that expectant, waiting air about him that usually meant there was something she should have noticed...
"Hinata" just that word and she turned to blink up at him, worried that a wound was paining him, or that he had sensed more ninjas or..."You are favoring your left arm. You are injured."
Oh.
Oh.
And she hadn't asked either of her teammates to help bandage her own wounds! Because...they were taken care of. "Y...yes." she agreed. "I l-landed poorly after the flood. I will be alright though! I am f-fine!" she smiled, and just knew that he wasn't going to be put of by such assurances.
Indeed, nothing would do but that she remove her coat and show the tight, clean bandages under her net shirt. He examined them in silence as they walked...her teammate did a lot in silence. Often she thought it was to balance out Kiba's noise. Today she didn't know why he was so quiet. "Explain, Hinata."
She felt herself flushing as she slid back into her coat. She had to bury her chin in the ruff just to compose herself enough to answer. "I did not c-compromise the mission! I...I didn't think you would believe me!"
Shino simply arched an eyebrow above his sunglasses, inviting the full confession.
It was incredibly hard to tell him about the inn. About the strange things and the way things changed. How she'd checked to see if it was an illusion...the people she'd met. All of it told in a stuttering, worried whisper to her teammate down the long road. She wasn't insane. She wasn't...she was worried he would think she was though.
He was silent for miles more as they traveled. It wasn't until dusk, with Kiba and Akamaru still far ahead, that he broke the silence once more. "Can you get there deliberately?"
Hinata blinked, his question catching her off-guard. "I...don't know."
Shino nodded, as if expecting no other answer from her "Here." a Destruction flitted into his palm, then he casually reached over and placed the ticklish little thing in her hair. "He will stay with you. Try to go to your inn when our mission is completed. You can both tell me what happens afterward."
She actually missed a step at his pronouncement. He believed her! HE BELIEVED HER! "Yes! We will!"