#hinabae

Today is... Apparently, a day dedicated to a certain plant that him and many in his clan indulge in for both medical and recreational purposes. This is where he was planning to go after training; a little hangout with his cousins. Shino never really thought to offer the plant to his teammates, mostly because in his mind, if they want to relieve pain or want a substance to have fun, their options are much more diversified than his. Hinata's question comes as a surprise - not a bad surprise! A fun surprise!

And he just happened to have a pre-rolled joint in his pocket, on he rolled this morning!

"O-of course!" Shino takes it out of the plastic bag - usually a bag like this should contain a sandwich, not a joint. Then, he brings it to his lips and lights it up with a cheap lighter. He can join the hangout with his cousins later.

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"Hinata! Your new haircut looks good on you!" A greeting and realization at once, a bright smile painted all over his face. It had been over two years ago when he last saw her.

"Though... is it a haircut when you let it grow?" Was that wrong girl-terminology? Or the right one, but it made little sense?

"Mhm… anyway! Tell me, what else happened?" His eyes focused on her again, leaning forward just slightly, truly curious. After all, the last time he had met her was during the chunin exams, and that had been a rather transformative time for everyone involved... good and bad... for some truly horrible.

✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺 / pt 2.

Kurenai had not maintained her composure with Hiashi simply because she was inclined to appease him when discussing Hinata's further training. She wasn't. It was just that she was so stunned at how easily he could say such cruel words when it was evident that the very person he was speaking about was right outside the room that she couldn't find it in herself to be anything but silently incensed.

She couldn't fathom having what it took for a person to be so needlessly cruel to someone- much less one's very own daughter. His very first child, even. And for what? Because she wasn't born with ruthlessness he deemed necessary carved into her very being? Because her surface wasn't saturated in disinterest and contempt? It was her first time with her own team, she had sought out their parents to understand their strength- but all Hiashi had offered was permission to do what she will to make something out of her. She knew strictness, her own father had raised her with it. This wasn't that.

Her voice is so soft that Kurenai barely catches what she says, her eyes finally looking away from the door she had just closed not too long ago after a fruitless conversation to the girl huddled against the wall on the floor.

❝ did i do something to deserve this? ❞

The woman feels her chest tighten at the question, her heart aching already for a student she had just barely been given. Somehow, she felt that she had already held more room in her own heart for this girl than her father had ever tried to muster. Her jaw tightened briefly. She refused to let this girl be defined by parameters that would never fit her. Hiashi had measured her worth incorrectly. He had given Hinata no choice but to cocoon herself when what really had been needed was guidance on how to grow.

one-eyed gaze drops with a sigh; though the stray hyuuga girl's talent for 'stealth' is no bad thing in the shinobi world, he's come to notice that, coupled with innocent interest, its potential to turn into a textbook-recipe for disaster cannot be underestimated. "... it's alright. it would've been difficult to leave without being noticed." about as difficult as it would've been for him to cut the preceding discussion short and preserve a sense of privacy without rousing suspicion or drawing more resentment. alas, he's not the kind of person one should ask for a honest assessment and expect minced words. harsh words from either side were a given from the start.