Title: Happy Birthday
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Aburame Shino and Tenten
Challenge: Book
Rating: G
Length: ca 700
Content Notes: N/A
Author Notes: I bring the Shino x Tenten content I want to see in the world 
Summary: Shino knows of her, but doesn't know her. So why did she give him a gift? 

Shino and his teammates followed Kurenai-sensei through the streets, having just handed in a report for a C-Rank mission. Kurenai-sensei gave them advice how to improve their skills, and Shino listened attentively. Next to him Hinata and Kiba jabbed their elbows into each others side with hushed jeers and snorts about inside jokes. Shino was about to chastise them and remind them to pay attention to Kurenai-sensei, when—

"Shino-kun!" a nearby voice said. A girl's voice. Shino looked over his shoulder and saw a fellow genin jogging towards him. Shino stopped with a frown. Her name was Tenten, he remembered watching her lose in the chuunin exams. Her skill with weapons was impressive, although she had been defeated.

"Did you need something?" he asked as she stopped in front of him and rummaged in her shoulder bag. He'd had maybe one conversation with Tenten, ever. Had something happened?

Tenten looked awkward and grabbed something, seemed to steel herself and held out a book with a forced grin.

"Happy birthday, Shino-kun."

Shino frowned harder, blinking behind his round shades. He looked around the surroundings for signs this was a prank.

"Did you hear me?" Tenten asked, grin slipping. "Happy birthday. It's for you." She shook the book for emphasis.

Shino looked down at the book in her hands. It wasn't wrapped, but had a red bow attached with a sticker on the cover.

"..." Shino hesitated what to reply as he took it. Maybe this wasn't a prank. He hadn't given her a reason to prank him. He glanced up. Tenten avoided looking at him. Why did she look so uncomfortable?

"Thank you," he said after a moment of considering his words. "But why? We don't know each other."

"Well, you see, I've memorized everyone else's birthdays and given them gifts. I didn't want to skip you just because we don't know each other, like I was avoiding you on purpose," Tenten said quickly, a kunai appearing in her hand and she wove it around her fingers like with a pencil without cutting herself.

Yes, Hinata had recently shown up to training with a hairclip shaped like a tiny kunai, and she'd said it was a gift. It must've been from Tenten.

"You memorized everyone's birthdays? For what purpose?"

"My hobby is reading fortunes. Do you like it? I read you as a bookish type. But left the receipt behind the cover, just in case."

"I like it a lot. Why? I already own it."

"Aha! I read you right!" Tenten grinned genuine this time, fist pumping in self-perceived victory. "I'm getting better!"

Shino wasn't sure if he believed in fortune telling, but he didn't voice it. He was rarely approached by his peers, so he shouldn't alienate them when they did.

"You want to exchange it right now? The store is still open," she pointed down the side-street she had come running from.

"I'm sorry, but I'm headed to train with my team. They're waiting on me." He looked behind him and saw his team and sensei absent. Shino thought they were waiting on him, but had apparently not noticed him stopping and kept walking. He sighed. He should be used to it by now.

"All right. Just let me know what book you got instead, I'm curious. My readings get only more accurate the more information I have, you know!"

Shino put the book in his pocket with a frown. What should he do now? He was easily overlooked--a fine trait in a shinobi--but not for his social circle. Kurenai-sensei had encouraged him to not miss opportunities to make friends.

"Do you want to train with—"

"I've gotta run, I'm supposed to meet Lee ten minutes ago," Tenten said and backed off with a quick wave and turned on her heel.

Shino thumbed the edges of the pages in his pocket in confusion. Tenten was strange, like her whole team, but she seemed kind. He still didn't know what to make of her, but now he wanted to figure her out. He turned around and sent out a dozen insects from his sleeve to track down his team.