Fragile Hearts

Fragile Hearts: Seven

"She lives," her spiky black haired co-worker said as she stepped through the store door.

Hinata offered him a sad smile and nodded, "sorry."

"Sorry? Hinata I've been worried about you. You haven't been taking my calls-or Kiba's. He comes here everyday looking for you and all you can say is sorry?" He asked in a cool voice.

The Hyūga flinch, "I-I'm sorry, there's no excuse f-for my absence."

Shino sighed and rounded the counter, his shades angled towards her. "It's fine...just don't do it again."

"Do I still have the job?" She asked once he was in front of her.

"Of course you still have the job, I don't want to work with anyone else." He admitted causing her to smile. She was foolish. Foolish to think that she could lock herself away in her house and be truly content. Despite being an introvert, she was a social being after all and was lucky to have people like Shino in her life. Someone to make her laugh when she's feeling sad and to smile regardless of the pain...someone like-

"Hinata." Shino's voice shattered her thought process.

"Eh?" She perked up.

"Get to work," he said going outside. With a small smile she nodded and took off her jacket. Placing it on the counter she made her way around the back. The sound of wire cages being scratched at and various animal sounds engulfed her. She passed the parrots at the front and went straight down to where the dogs were kept.

Her smile grow once she saw him, "hey there. Did you miss me boy?" The gold and white Shiba Inu nudged its head against the cage causing Hinata to giggle and rub his head. He was there for little over two months and she'd taken a liking to him as did he to her.

Pulling away her hand, she noticed the vermilion coloured hound at the back of the cage. He was lying with his back facing her, the slight movement of his body up and down indicated that he was still alive. But the fact that he was always in a corner by himself troubled her.

"Shino-kun." She called on her way out of the back room.

"Yes?" She found him behind the counter.

"Have you sold any dogs in the week I was gone?"

He looked up as he thought about her question, "about two. Why?"

"Well...has anyone thought about buying the last one Kiba brought in?"
Shino stiffened, "Hinata..." He trailed off as though he was choosing his words carefully. "No one wants to buy him. A kid came in here last week with his mom and she thought he was weird looking...I don't know what to do with him."

"Is he eating?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.

He frowned, "not particularly-no. I think he's intimidated by the other dogs." Hinata sighed and he looked back at the papers before him. "He could die at this rate."

The pale girl felt the urge to help him, but she had no where to keep a dog and she wouldn't want to put him through any discomfort. Though even if she took him, it wasn't guaranteed that he'd start eating. Being abandoned by his owner really took a toll on him. She shook her head and sat at her station, she'd find a way.

...

"Mr. Uzumaki...Mr. Uzumaki...Naruto!"

Naruto jumped in his seat from his counterpart's loud outburst. "Eh?" His blue gaze focused on the pale man before him showing him a new design.

"The remodel you requested," his black haired employee said.

"Oh. It looks great Sai."