he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
Misplaced Lens Cap
cherry valley forever
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
@theartofmadeline
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
roma★
Three Goblin Art
trying on a metaphor
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One Nice Bug Per Day
if i look back, i am lost
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
祝日 / Permanent Vacation
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Product Placement
ojovivo
dirt enthusiast
noise dept.
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@shinosays
I might delete or archive this blog. I know it’s been inactive for a while, but I feel like I need to just get rid of it or maybe just make it clear it’s archived so people stop following it.
Idk. There’s like five years of history here.
I have no idea how the fandom is, but I hope it’s not as bad as when I departed so long ago.
Still, I hope those of you who I knew back then are safe and doing good.
“Who I’m going to… focus on?”
She’s lost again, I’m afraid.
“Well if the goal is to get used to getting close to women, then you need practice. So who are you going to work with first?”
Ino almost winced at the reminder. When she had been young, Shino had always been the weird kid who would always have a strange affinity to bugs. It grossed her out, whereas Sasuke was cool and adorable.
Now, she was just sad about that time. There had been plenty of lonely children back then, hadn’t there? How had she only noticed Sakura? Was it because she had cried?
“Hmm… well, I hope your memories become nicer.”
Ino had a mix of memories. She had been very popular at the academy, always surrounded by friends and yet- she had never been satisfied.
“Things are different now. Maybe the children will be kinder,” she suggested gently. Better than she had been, at any rate.
She glanced at him, working out the kinks in her neck. Wow, she was tired…
“Hm, is that so?” the woman remarked. “Everyone is working hard though… as for being the head, well, I have to make sure I don’t let anyone down.”
He moved up beside her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Far from it for me to ask, but you certainly feel tense. Besides, you could never let anyone down. You work too hard and are too good a person to do that.”
Shino had always known he would never be popular; so he never worried about that. The aburame were the masters of being unknown, but that was why they cherished their friends so much. Those that took note of them were always well regarded.
“You really should be in bed, or at least not on your feet. Would you like me to come back with you?”
“I s-suppose it was mostly that p-picture talking,” It wasn’t. “She’s my friend, that sort of thing doesn’t just… happen! Aha…” Aaand she was back on Sakura again. She couldn’t help herself. When they worked out together, she would catch herself stealing glimpses-
“But that could work, Shino! Let’s- Let’s just go with that plan! Yes!”
“Alright, we have a plan. Now, we must decide if we are to act upon it and how. who are you going to focus on while you figure things out?”
“Wait- What if during one of the dates find out I have feelings for that person? Romantic feelings? I can’t tell them it was a date all along, but-”
Hinata clearly wasn’t fixated on her and Sakura’s friendship being in danger anymore, but now she’s worried about having to face a parade of girls who might actually be interested in her…
“For the moment, you are focused on Sakura. However, if you end up focused on one of the others, then you will be closer to understanding their feelings than you are with Sakura now, meaning you are less likely to ruin their friendship with you. In fact, if you find them interested in you, and you are interested in them, then the problem solves itself. And you can always say it was not intentional, it just happened.”
That seemed- Easy! She could handle that! Probably! “Is that all? Just- Figure out how to talk to them?” Hinata thought it would be simple. She was pretty good friends with a lot of girls already- Talking to them should be a snap! Of course, she didn’t consider she’d never talked to them in a romantic setting before…
“B-but- I don’t want to ruin my friendship with anyone else, either! What if they find out that it’s a d-date?”
“Well, that should be easy enough to avoid. Don’t talk about it being a date. Just focus on figuring out what sorts of things make them bashful and nervous... sort of like what happens when people compliment you. If they leave feeling like they couldn’t miss it for the world, then you’ve done a good job, and you’ll be closer friends without them knowing it was a date. Which means that you’ll never need to worry, because you’ll get put into the best friend category.” Unless she ended up with one of them starting to crush on her, but he hadn’t really considered that.
Trial dates… She was going to object, but now that she thought about it- That could actually work.
“That’s… a pretty good idea, Shino.” Of course, there was the issue of finding interested parties, setting up the dates, and, of course, actually getting Hinata to function in a romantic setting with a stranger.
“Alright, here’s what we do then.” He had the formation of a plan... but it would come down to figuring things out. “As I said, we can use your other friends; but we do not tell them it is a trial date. The best dates when you’re trying to figure out if you like someone are casual. So really, all you need to do is inquire about them, get them talking, and then learn to compliment them without being too over the top. If you can get them to blush, then you know that you’ve done well. Then, when you’re ready for the real thing, you’ll be able to say it without freaking out.”
“You mean you didn’t know?” Hinata had discovered she was attracted to girls around the same time she had passed her chuunin exams. She thought it had been obvious, that’s why she had tried to hide it.
“Well, if you think a test would help- But I hadn’t even considered l-love…” Was it possible? Could this feeling actually be love? She was quite certain it wasn’t- but if it was…
Sadly Shino had had no idea. Mostly because every time he suspected and asked Kiba, Kiba told him he was crazy, and he wasn’t about to ask her and make things awkward.
“I had my suspicions. Still, perhaps you need to focus on getting confident. Perhaps go on trial dates with others first?”
“Shino- I meant ‘what do I do to keep my friendship with Sakura-san from being ruined’! She’d never be comfortable around me as her friend if she knew I was… like this.” Hinata’s goal wasn’t romance, it was the preservation of her friendship! Though, she was still curious about Kiba’s “hidden pictures”. If they were what she thought they were, she would have to chastise him later.
“Yes, I understand that. But you said you just decided that you liked women because of the feelings you said that you have for Sakura. Unless I am mistaken and you had them all along, in which case my test is not needed, and we simply need to confirm if you are actually in love with Sakura. Perhaps we can see if you will fall in love with Tenten or Ino? After all, they are single as far as I know, and you can still keep your friendship with Sakura.” Clearly shino was missing the point here.
“Unless you are looking to fall in love somewhere else?”
“Oh? Why not…?” She tilted her head. “You’d make a good instructor. You’re impartial and you have a good grasp on various jutsu.”
And Shino tended to love lecturing… a lot.
However, she was smiling at the compliment. Radiant? She had been travelling at breakneck speed to Konoha so that she could meet the mission deadline in time.
“Ahh, this mission got tricky! I wasted a lot of chakra and ended up changing my mind on the techniques needed. Sorry for worrying you, Shino.”
“I do not like being made fun of and forgotten. My memories of school are not exactly good ones.” He was never exactly popular. “That, and I do not believe children will listen to me when most people do not.”
“As for you, I have been worried with how hard you’ve been working as of late. You certainly have been giving it your all... but its no secret that many are looking to play politics with you because of your new position as head of clan.”
“Hidden p-pictures!?” What had Kiba been doing in his spare time? “I’m pretty sure I’m interested in women, Shino- This is just… different!” She’d caught herself staring at women before, but this was Sakura! Her friend!
“Shouldn’t we be certain? After all, you just decided that a few minutes ago. Shouldn’t we make sure that you are indeed interested before you do something you regret?” After all, there was nothing wrong with who she was interested in, but it was good to avoid the ruination of friendships.
“A test?” What could he possibly be testing? But it was Shino, so she could trust him. “Sure. If it will help..”
“Clearly we must acquire Kiba’s hidden pictures. I have never seen them, but it is the best way to determine if you are truly interested in women.” Clearly. Actually, he really had no idea, but he figured it was the easiest way that could be done in private.
“Ah, yeah. It’s been a while. What have you been up to? I heard rumours that you were considering a post teaching at the ninja academy?”
“Not really. They desire me, but I do not truly desire it... You seem well, by the way. Still radiant. I admit, I was somewhat worried.”
“Oh gosh- Oh geez-” There’s no way Sakura-san would want to be her friend anymore if she found out about this! “You’re right! I do think things… W-what do I do?”
Well, he certainly wasn’t expecting that to be true. “Alright. Well, there’s only one thing to do. We need to test you.” This can only end badly.
“Th-THINGS!?” The Hinata is alarmed. Oh geez. Backwards progress is being made. “What- What things!?”
“Well... romantic things? Possibly sexual things? The sort of things that makes you turn the color you are turning right now?”
“Well- I don’t think we have to worry about that.”
“That is good. I would hate for you to undergo such a thing.”
“Greetings. I believe you are Samui, correct? I am glad to see Tenten was able to rescue you from the gourd.”
