1. Smile/Smirk/Grin

Hinata sometimes sneaked peeks at Shino to see behind his glasses. Sometimes the stolen glances would cause Shino to look at her, causing her to fumble and twitch and stutter and cast her gaze away in the opposite direction. It was often to her frustration that she wasn’t being as surreptitious as possible and he always caught her staring, which was even more embarrassing. Yet her girlish heart would fantasize what kind of eyes Shino had. It might have been rude, come to think of it. She knew Shino valued his privacy and perhaps Hinata shouldn’t attempt to peek behind his glasses. Though Hinata never used her Byakugan to pry his secrets away from him, even though she easily could have.

She vowed not to. Also, an air of intrigue and mystery surrounded the bug jutsu user. Her heart skipped and frolicked when her mind conjured imagery of what his eyes might look like. What color were they? Dark, mysterious, and smoldering? Icy blue with a hint of calm like a placid lake underneath a wintry sky? Were they wide and doe-like, or narrow and sharp with calculating schemes, or were they sleepy and droopy with boredom?

Shino kept his face hidden behind his glasses and the collar of his jacket. A sense of mystery surrounded him and Shino wasn’t very forthcoming when it came to information. A ninja’s priorities lay in concealment and they halted the spread of information to guard their fabled clan secrets. However, Hinata believed she could improve their teamwork by opening up to him and getting him to communicate with more than silent glances and grunts of affirmation or denial. Hinata listened to Shino when he was willing to speak. She tucked in the words he mentioned in the dark corners of her mind and reflected on them. She scribbled neat, girlish handwritten notes in her diary entries about his spoken dialogue she kept by her bedside before she retired for the night. She paid attention to Shino more these days, especially since her affections toward Naruto stalled and didn’t go anywhere.

A part of her always harbored a special fondness towards the blond haired boy. Though Hinata decided she must tuck away her feelings for him like old toys into a treasure box to be forgotten in a remote corner of the manor. She must put away such childish things. She wanted to have her feelings reciprocated, and as much as she loved someone, she knew when to move on. It took courage to move on from her original love. She decided, at that moment, she would be brave and confront her feelings on Shino, who had become the object of her amorous affections as of late. When she turned her attentions to Shino, she found subtle gesture and mannerisms that made her mouth dry and the words die in her throat every time he watched her from behind his glasses.

She never noticed Shino before, especially since her feelings for Naruto eclipsed any feelings she may have towards Shino. Though Hinata knew Shino was reliable and had confidence in her when other people didn’t. Had he not proved he devoted himself to her training, tirelessly sparring on the small encirclement where training dummies stood sentinel and a circular crop of trees bore witness to their tireless and relentless punches, kicks, and pummeling. All to improve her stance and abilities in Jyuken. He observed the techniques Neji Hyuga, her cousin, performed in his best fights and modified training so Hinata went at her own personal pace. He never berated her for making mistakes, but gently guided her towards another stance more suitable for her when she struggled with her posture. She noticed how his gaze would linger after her when training finished, a lingering touch on the shoulder or some other non intimate part of her body for a second too long. Hinata’s breath caught in her throat. Was it possible he shared a mutual pining towards her? She didn’t know. Yet she appreciated these things about him. Her resolution to knowing Shino better came down to this.

“Shino-kun?”

She attempted to sneak another peek behind his glasses, but couldn’t glimpse even a corner of his eye. People sometimes rudely mentioned Shino’s eyes were multifaceted like a bugs, though Hinata quietly protested these unkind words. She protected Shino’s honor, even though she trembled in her sandals for disagreeing openly with someone, but she disliked rumors meant to tear people down.

“Yes?” Shino said.

Though she couldn’t glimpse his expression, Hinata wondered if a sort of lilt in his question raised his voice to a slightly higher pitch than its usual baritone murmur that showed he was in deep ponderous thought before her voice derailed him.

Hinata poked her fingers together.

“I was wondering if you could, um...” She chewed the bottom of her lip.

It was such a stupid request, an absurd request. What if Shino rejected her outright? Maybe she floundered and flailed like a dying fish outside of its element and appeared hopelessly foolish in his eyes. A silly lovestruck girl who had flighty interests. If she claimed to love Naruto with her whole heart before, didn’t it seem she moved on too easily? She tried to form the words, but they wouldn’t come. Just say something, she tried to urge herself, but her heart hammered in her throat and she turned away, trying to calm herself down. She could do this.

Shino urged her in a gentle tone.

“Go on.”

Hinata spoke in barely above a whisper.

“Could you...take off your glasses?”

An inscrutable expression left Shino’s face carefully blank. Hinata bit her lip.

He thought she was stupid after all. Why would she want to see him without glasses? Didn’t she have eyes for Naruto?

And it was a selfish request, as Shino never, in the times he’s known Kiba and Hinata, taken off his glasses around them.

“For you I would,” he said slowly. “Though why?”

A hint of caution surrounded him.

Hinata averted her gaze to the ground. “I just...want to remember your face. Before I go on a long trip to train. To become stronger.”

Silence stretched between them. Then Shino’s hand lifted towards his face and rested against his shade’s spectacles. Hinata held her breath. This was the moment where she would finally see his eyes. The very thing and moment that she fantasized about. Sometimes she would make crude scribbles in her sketchbook about what those eyes might look like, and draw Shino when she had a few stolen moments to herself. She would see Shino-kun without glasses after all, and something made her heart flutter that this would be their little secret. Something that was only between the two of them.

When Shino removed his glasses, a soft gasp escaped from Hinata’s lips. She smiled when his eyes locked onto hers, leaving her breathless with wonder. He had the most beautiful eyes that she’d ever seen. Dark eyes with a vivid intensity that reflected a mature soul and a hidden strength.

Hinata was truly blessed to have this privilege.

“You future wife would be very lucky,” Hinata admitted.

Shino simply smiled towards her and his eyes crinkled in amusement. Hinata liked that, very much.

Shino had an a smile that was unusually mirthful for is usual stoic facade.

“You do realize you could’ve used the Byakugan to see them, right?”

Hinata’s hands fluttered to heart. The thought never crossed her mind, because...she cared about Shino too much.

She poked her fingers together.

“Ah, well! If I did that...that would be an intrusion of privacy, don’t you think? I know you don’t like talking about yourself much, but...I just wanted to get to know you better. That’s all. Perhaps I was out of line or maybe...”

Shino silenced her with a kiss. Hinata’s heart thudded against her chest, heat spreading through her face and the rest of her body, before Shino finally parted away. Not only did he take off his glasses towards her, but he also kissed her. Her very first kiss! IT was an event that was so fleeting, but the weight of it imprinted in her heart forever.

“I appreciate you respecting my sense of privacy,” Shino said. “I hope you are satisfied.”

He put his glasses on again. The small smile still lingered on his lips after that kiss. Hinata still thought about it. Surely she’ll remember this kiss for years to come.

“I am.”

She looked towards the sunset. She tentatively wrapped her fingers around Shino’s. His hand clasped her as they both watched the sunset together.

Notes: Editing Pass Number 1 – November 4, 2020