Shino, the Stronghold

No one would probably believe her, but Aburame Shino knew how to cuddle, and when he was affectionate (which was quite rare), he actually knew how to be affectionate.

Hinata half-smiled at her serious teammate, who was fighting with Kiba for a large space on Akamaru on which to take a nap. Team 8 had just finished a long day of strenuous training in order to pass the upcoming ANBU tracking qualifications. There was no doubt they would pass, but they trained hard, nonetheless. Now, they were taking a break at the river's edge to take a quick swim and cool off. Hinata suppressed a giggle as she watched him shove Kiba off harshly to the side and claim his spot, crossing his arms in defiance and ignoring Kiba's snarls. He would never admit it, but Shino enjoyed napping in the comfort of Akamaru's fur just as much as the Inuzuka boy, and she noticed he enjoyed it more when it was all three of them wrapped up in the safety of the large dog.

But it was true, Aburame Shino knew how to be affectionate.

After all, his was the first hand she ever held. Quiet Shino was obviously never one for words, but just the simple gesture of holding her hand gave her the strength she needed in arguably almost any and every situation. That small squeeze he gave her said more than he ever could in simple words. It said that he believed in her, he trusted her, he acknowledged her, and he recognized her emotions as valid, which was what she always had looked for and always knew she could count on to find in her stoic teammate. While Kiba knew how to predict her, Shino knew what she wanted to say when she kept quiet, as if he could hear the storm of thoughts she had inside her mind, as if he could feel her uneasiness and turmoil rolling inside her skin. And with that small, gentle squeeze, he answered her questions or told her what she needed to hear without her needing to utter one word.

She wasn't one to talk much either, and it was hard to speak up in the midst of people who were always heard. If she had had a bad day with her clan, if she had just finished a fight with Sasuke, if she needed someone, just someone who wouldn't try to give her advice or lecture her or tell her all the things she was doing wrong—if she needed someone to just listen! When she felt at a loss and a mess inside, it was him she would go to—it would be Shino she would look for. All she needed to do was find him, usually at the edge of the forests, and just look at him. She didn't need to explain herself. He would see the unrest in her eyes and then he would simply take his hands out of his pockets and hold out his hand or open his arms.

If there was one word that would come to mind when Hinata thought of Shino, it would be "safe." She knew that Shino always looked out for her. Making sure they were cared for in his own, silent way. He insisted on keeping one of his beetles on the edge of her jacket, just to keep track of her chakra, just to be sure she was okay. And while Kiba insisted he didn't need Shino's "bugs," he had secretly named his and urged Hinata to do the same. She absentmindedly held Shino's large jacket over her head, crouching under the shade it produced, careful not to tan too much in the hot, late summer sun, lest she get scolded by her relatives.

There wasn't one place she felt safer than being wrapped in his big coat with him, other than, of course, being held in Sasuke's arms. Being engulfed by Akamaru's fur took a close third place.

The habit formed one stormy day back when they were genin. Her father was especially harsh on her, his words especially cutting. All she could do was cry, cry and run away. And she ran clear towards the end of the forest to the farthest place her legs could take her, outside the gates of Konoha. The tears mixed with rain on her face so much so that she felt as if the whole sky was just a magnification of herself, the heavens crying in time with her. She wished she could just drown in her own tears, it would probably be the best for everyone, anyway, she had thought. But when her legs failed her—why did they always seem to fail her?—she collapsed in a heap on the ground, a sobbing mess. In a few hours, Shino's beetles—always reliable Shino—had found her. She was still a soaking, sobbing mess staring unseeingly into nothing, just standing in the rain.

"You're going to get sick," his deep voice had rumbled. His jacket was unzipped, and she thought he was going to take it off and hand it to her. Instead, he opened his arms. "Let's go home."

He always knew what she needed. With one last, shuddering sob, she ran into his arms, wrapping her arms around him and feeling him wrap his around her. He surrounded her with his warmth, with his jacket, shielding her from the rain. Once again, he hardly needed to say anything. In that embrace, she felt the words he wouldn't say out loud and that she needed to hear—"You are loved."

His jacket was a symbol of safety, of shelter. Even Kiba came to understand, although he drew the line at being in the same coat as Shino at the same time, like Hinata would do. There was a time when he also had a bad day and was frustrated and upset. Kiba screamed and shouted and cried and wrecked everything in his path and then fell asleep on Akamaru, the angry tears drying on his face. He woke up with Shino's jacket covering him. He admitted that he felt safe and calm and the jacket seemed to be a part of the reason why. From then on, when it looked like Kiba was going to have a fit or totally lose his temper, Shino would simply unzip his coat and hand to him. Kiba would snatch it away, his lower lip trembling (because Kiba was really just a sensitive loudmouth) and stalk off to sit under a tree far, far away from where his teammates were relaxing. He would make Shino's coat into some kind of a tent or a fort and wrap it around himself and mumble and grumble and let off his anger.

He was the balance in the chaos that team 8 could be. With Kiba ruled by his emotions and Hinata trapped often in hers, it was Shino who brought logic and reason to bring them both back to reality, especially when Kurenai wasn't available to lead them. But for all his rationality and tact, as well his odd way of speaking and tedious methods of planning, there was no question that he could feel emotions just as passionate as Naruto could, behind his jacket's collar and under his shades. As Hinata learned, if you concentrated hard enough, you could feel it too, in the buzz, hum, and thrum of his beetles and his chakra.

And that's how Hinata found out that Shino felt pleased with himself after making a smart retort to Sasuke back when he was still wary of their relationship. She had felt his beetles somewhat swell with smug pride, probably an indication of Shino's own feelings. Or when he was furious, his beetles would thrum madly, a storm of chakra inside his body. When danger approached, all activity would stop for a brief second—and if they were on a mission and were completely in tune with each other, it was that small warning that often was a major factor in saving their lives.

It's how she learned that he had a small crush on Kiba's older sister. His beetles had always been somewhat flighty and anxious whenever Hana was around, but Hinata never understood why until they had switched suddenly from a relaxed state when they were lounging lazily at Kiba's house to an alert, excited state when Hana stepped in. At first, she had been alarmed. She didn't sense any danger. But she observed the way Shino watched her silently tease her younger brother and she noticed that his eyes followed her. She couldn't believe it—Shino likes someone? She stared at him for a while with a small "o" on her mouth before he noticed. "What?" he had asked, when he caught her staring. Hinata snapped her mouth shut before glancing quickly at Hana and winking at him. His cheeks had a pink tinge to them, but he covered it quickly by ducking further into his jacket. Hinata had stifled a laugh into Akamaru's fur, but she couldn't wrap her mind around how cute Shino was being.

It wasn't hard to believe that someone could actually fall for Shino if they weren't grossed out by his beetles, like many girls were, or actually find him mysterious under his hood and jacket, instead of creepy and weird, like most people actually did. If they looked past all that, they would see that he truly was capable of loving, which was proven with how well he cared for his teammates and comrades. And if they cared to look even further, they would see that Shino was just as handsome as Sasuke, the village heartthrob in all his splendor.

When they were first trying to get to know each other as a team, Kiba wanted Shino to take off his sunglasses.

"Come on! We're your teammates!" Kiba had protested, when Shino gave him a very definite no. "What if someone kidnaps you and strips you bare? How are we gonna now how you look like to come save you?"

"First of all, you'd find me by my chakra, you dumbass. Second, you, as an Inuzuka, would use your fucking nose." And he had turned away.

Kiba scowled and rolled his eyes at Hinata, who could only urge him with a smile. It would be interesting to see Shino without his usual cover.

It took a while, but Shino had finally gotten irritated by Kiba's constant nagging, so he allowed them a quick peek at his face.

"Y-yeah. Keep all that shit on," was Kiba's response. "The rest of us ugly people will have a chance at getting girls."

"You have blue eyes?" was Hinata's response. She had breathed it in awe. It was just as brilliant and maybe even more beautiful than Naruto's had been. He had a sculpted jaw and nose, as attractive as Neji's had been, and he was just as muscular as Kiba. She was surrounded by attractive people. She thought it'd be hard to keep up.

"What does it matter how I look?" Shino deadpanned. "Let's just train."

Always reliable Shino. Telling it to them straight and to the point. Acting like he didn't care when he did. Hiding his love for them all behind his blank face. She would have remember to thank him for all he had done for her, just to remind him that he was truly appreciated. Then again, all she would probably have to do is just to smile at him and he would know.

Hinata's vision focused as the sun found its way back onto her face, and she snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of snoring coming from the river's edge. Her eyebrows creased in affection as she observed the boys sprawled out in exhaustion under the shade of a large tree. Hinata stood up and draped Shino's coat over her shoulders, tiptoeing quietly on the grass towards them. She kneeled at their feet, just studying the rise and fall of their breathing, cherishing this rare moment when they can sleep in peace knowing that their lives weren't in danger. Shino's beetles must have woken him up because he stirred when she came closer.

Hinata only had to give him a smile when he peeked at her, and he shoved Kiba out of the way, opening a small space for her. He extended his arm out, motioning for her to come and join them.

Hinata's laid her head down on his arm and snuggled into Akamaru's fur. She spread the jacket over their laps. Kiba scooted closer to her, leaning his head on her shoulder, and tugged at the edge of Shino's jacket in his sleep. Hinata took one more glance at Shino and matched his smile as she watched his chest rise with a long sigh of content.

Yes, Aburame Shino knew how to cuddle, and when he was affectionate, he actually knew how to be affectionate.