#swarmhost

                 “Oh no. . “ Her voice is soft and filled with concern as she peers at Shino’s open palm.  “I’m sorry.”

         In his open palm lay a few deceased members of the insect colony that lived within him.  While she knew death was inevitable for all lifeforms, it was always especially painful to see something so small and fragile, like an insect, taken by Death’s cold hands.  Many a time had Hinata had moments of silent sorrow in her garden over lost butterflies with mangled wings, starved mantises, and crushed beetles.  And these had just been some of her favorite species in the garden.  The bugs before her were different— part of something bigger, part of her beloved close friend.  The loss was different. The sadness was different.  

        And she realizes this wasn’t something she’d seen before.  Not up close, anyway.  Part of her feels guilty for never reaching out when something like this had occurred before.  Hinata’s pale gaze lifts to peer at Shino’s face, desperately trying to view the eyes that were hidden by dark glasses and thick clothing.  Emotion could always be seen in the eyes.  But when she finds that she cannot see clearly through the glasses she uses her voice.  It’s just as soft and concerned as before.  Gently, a hand is placed on his shoulder.  

“Just sit there.  I’m going to make you something to eat.”  ...Says @swarm-host​ ‘s Shino to Kurenai, selected from the affectionate prompts list.  Accepting! 

                “Thank you, Shino.”  Kurenai gives an affectionate smile in her former student’s direction, for he’s already turned his back to her and is busying himself in her small kitchen. 

       He knew his way around the space, as the rest of Team 8 did. Kurenai had made sure it was a space that they could feel at home in, especially considering one child that had been under her care did not have a loving home.  But her thoughts don’t linger on Hinata’s childhood for long as crimson eyes continue to study the back of her tallest former student.  She knows he can probably feel her eyes on him, but she continues to look anyway.

        How is he holding up? She wonders to herself.  Both Kiba and Hinata had always woren their emotions on their sleeves and Kurenai could easily pick up on how they were.  But Shino was different.  He’d always been the calm and collected one.  Always.  And part of her had expected that to change following a war. . But it hadn’t.  And that concerned her. 

   It had been a good minute since the two had been paired up to take on little Mirai whilst Kurenai took a well-deserved break from the chaos of raising such a rambunctious toddler on her own. Well, perhaps more than a good minute as such an occasion hadn’t occurred since Mirai was in her early stages of being a toddler but that was simply because their respective teams often just paired up amongst themselves. Today just so happened to be a day in which they were the only two available. She didn’t mind though, as this time she had managed to figure out the perfect place for them to take Mirai to that would suit all three fairly well. 

    Given that Mirai was very much in her curious stage, Ino was ready to take full advantage of it by bringing her to the fields she had roamed around as an academy kid. A perfect way to introduce Mirai to the world of flowers and she figured that Shino could educate her on any insects that caught her fancy. Not that Ino couldn’t herself, being around flowers all the time made left her well-acquainted with all sorts of bugs, but she figured she’d leave that part of the fieldtrip to him. Just because she was no stranger to them didn’t mean she needed to be up close and personal with them beyond necessity. 

   As she mulled over the plan in her head, the Yamanaka turned the last corner to find that the Aburame had reached the entrance of Kurenai’s home before her which caused her to let out a laugh as she approached him at the entrance.

                  “Shino-san!” Lee’s voice is filled with relief as he calls for the other’s attention.

          Oh, and what a relief it is that he’s caught Shino out and about.  As brave as Lee was, the idea of journeying onto Aburame land to seek out his acquaintance sounded utterly nerve-wracking (for he knew little about Aburame; Did they loathe unexpected guests?), especially when his concern was so. . Peculiar.  Roaches had made themselves comfortable in Lee’s home after having travelled across the great plains that were the walls of the noodle shop that Rock Lee lived above.  Lee wanted to get rid of them- But how? He had pets and didn’t want to endanger them with chemicals.  Having to ask something when Shino’s family was potentially around. . What if they thought he was an idiot for not knowing how to get rid of a common species like the cockroach?

         Though Lee hadn’t the slightest clue if the Aburame knew anything about insects outside of their own colonies; He was just guessing they would.  This thought is in the forefront of his brain as he approaches.  It’s apparent on his face, too, for his lips twitch with nervousness and sweat beads his brow.  Even if Shino didn’t know anything about roaches, it was still a good guess on his part to ask someone who housed insects, right?