Take care of him

(Age 22)

I was running on the roof tops of the Hidden Leaf Village heading towards mine and Shino's secret rendezvous spot. It's a secluded spot in the forest where we go to get away from people and the busy lives of the Village. There's a small lake, and a flower field where we admire all kinds of bugs and wild life.

Shino sent Kiba to tell me and meet him where the flowers will never wilt and to hurry. As I approached the flower field Shino stepped out from behind a bush, a cute yellow and black caterpillar on his finger.

"Hello Y/N." His voice is low and monotoned as he walked towards me.

"Hey Shino, what's up? And whose this little guy?" I asked putting my finger up to his and letting the caterpillar wiggle its way onto my finger and into the palm of my hand.

"This is Haku. He's been in my care for a while. But I have to leave on an important mission tomorrow for three months." He said with sadness in his voice.

"Okay? So what do you need me to do?" I asked looking at him confused at what he was trying to hint at.

" I need you to take care of him for me. He close to cocooning and I can't take him with me." Shino smiled as I was paying more attention to Haku then him.

"Oh! Okay, I can totally do that Shino! But, what if I get my own mission? What do I need to do?" I asked worried that he would take Haku back and give him to someone else to take care of him.

"I will supply you with a tank in case that problem should arise and advise Kiba to keep him, but I do ask that you keep him out of it unless you're sleeping." He reached over and slid his finger down Haku's body. "He will be a very rare monarch butterfly when he molt's his chrysalis."

"Wow this is so exciting! Thank you for entrusting Haku to me!" I hugged Shino tightly, careful to keep my hand with Haku out of the way. "It sucks that you're leaving for so long though." My smile soon turned into a frown remembering that he will be gone for three months.

He tilts my head up by my chin and smiles, "It'll be okay Y/N, I'll send some of my bugs back here and check up on you and Haku, it'll only be for a little while. Promise."

My smile returned as me and Shino began to walk back to the Village so he can pack for tomorrow. He walked me to my house and stopped at the bottom of my front steps. "Haku likes dark leaves to eat, and doesn't mind a small twig to perch on. He will need a bigger twig to hang from though." Shino said and he waved to me.

"Okay I'll get to work on that right away. Bye Shino be safe on your mission!" He hugged him once more and walked up my steps into my house with Haku held close to my chest.

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It's been two months since Shino left, I've been making sure Haku is comfortable and eating plenty before he starts to grow his chrysalis.

I woke up this morning and found him already tucked safely away. I smiled with excitement, because now when Shino returns, Haku will be a beautiful monarch butterfly! I felt like a proud mother, like I was doing everything right. I picked up the small tank that Shino had left on my front porch before he left and admired Haku's handy work.

I heard buzzing in ear and slightly turned my head to see one of Shino's bugs flying near, "Oh hey little guy. I held out my finger and the bug safely landed on it. "Just checking in huh? Well Haku is now in his chrysalis, I think he did it last night while I was asleep." The bug moved it's legs and tapped my finger. "See you soon Shino." I said and the bug flapped his wings and flew away out of my bedroom window.
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Another month has past and Shino is almost back home. Haku has shed his chrysalis and is now a beautiful butterfly, he is pink, with white and black dots on his wings. I placed him on my shoulder and began to walk to our secret spot.

I placed Haku on a white flower and laid down beside him and closed my eyes waiting for Shino to find me.

My eyes soon felt heavy and Haku landed on my nose as I drifted off to sleep.

"You know Haku really likes you." Shino's voice startled me awake, I jumped with a gasped making Haku fly off my nose. I looked around rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and saw Shino kneeling in front me, a smile on his face.

"Oh Shino you're back!" I hugged shim tightly but cause him to fall back on his ass, me falling with him. We laughed together but neither made a move to get up. I cuddled into his chest wrapping my arms around his waist.

" I missed you Shino." I said as He patted my back, "Oh and Haku missed you too." I giggled, I felt the vibrations of a chuckle in his chest. "So I've heard. I missed you too."

So me and Shino laid in the flower field with Haku flying around us and I listened to him tell me about his mission as we held hands.