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ukrfeminism · 8 months

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Tens of thousands of sexual assaults and incidents have been reported in NHS-run mental health hospitals as a “national scandal” of sexual abuse of patients on psychiatric wards can be revealed.

Almost 20,000 reports of sexual incidents in the last five years have been made in more than half of NHS mental health trusts, according to exclusive data uncovered in a joint investigation and podcast by The Independent and Sky News.

The shocking findings, triggered by one woman’s dramatic story of escape following a sexual assault in hospital revealed in a podcast, Patient 11, show NHS trusts are failing to report the majority of incidents to the police and are not meeting vital standards designed to protect the UK’s most vulnerable patients from sexual harm.

Throughout the 18-month investigation, multiple patients and their families spoke to The Independent about their stories of sexual assault and abuse while locked in mental health units.

Rivkah Grant, 34, was targeted by an NHS staff member and sexually abused, while Stephanie Tutty, 28, made similar allegations. Alexis Quinn, a former GB swimming star, alleged she was sexually assaulted twice – once when she was forced to sleep on a male ward and a second time on a mixed gender ward.

Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, called the findings “horrendous”, while shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said it was a “wake-up call” for the government.

Among the key revelations were:

At least 19,899 sexual incidents were reported across more than 30 NHS trusts between 2019 and November 2023 – including staff assaults on patients and patients assaulting other patients

The figures suggest that just 982 – less than 5 per cent – of sexual incidents reported to hospitals were referred to the police over the same period

800 allegations of rape and serious assaults on women

Mixed sex wards, despite being banned a decade ago, are still in use across NHS mental health care with more than 500 reports of sexual assault since 2019

Just six out of 50 hospitals were able to prove they were meeting NHS standards aimed at protecting patients from sexual harm

Dr Smith told The Independent: “There is no place for sexual violence in society, which has a profound and long-lasting negative impact on people’s lives. Today’s horrendous findings show that there is still much to do to make sure that patients and staff in mental health trusts are protected from sexual harms at all times.

“It is deeply troubling to see that so many incidents in mental health settings go unreported.”

Mr Streeting said: “It will appal every decent person that these horrific crimes were committed against patients at their most vulnerable. The fact these have taken place in the NHS is chilling.

“Very serious questions must urgently be asked of hospital leaders, who have to explain why the vast majority of these incidents were kept from the police.

“The Conservatives promised to end mixed-sex wards in 2010, yet soaring numbers of patients are treated alongside patients of the opposite sex. Patients often find this humiliating and, as this investigation shows, it leaves women in particular vulnerable in hospital.

“The government must treat this investigation as a wake-up call and act against the soaring number of mixed-sex wards in the NHS today.”

Dame Vera Baird, the former victims’ commissioner, said attacks by people who were supposed to care for the vulnerable were particularly troubling.

“The results of this investigation are a national scandal,” she said. “The [figures on assaults] from staff on patients are the height of concern because it may mean that there is insufficient scrutiny and insufficient vetting of people coming into hospitals.

“These people are going to be let loose on the most vulnerable of people, whose testimony may not be believed when they say something.”

Sharon Brennan, from the patient charity National Voices, said the examples uncovered by The Independent were among the ”worst breaches of trust we have heard of”.

Our latest exposé comes as the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch prepares to launch a national inquiry into mental health care in England following a series of reports by The Independent over the past year.

Freedom of information figures show that patients are at risk from staff in numerous hospitals, with more than 300 incidents reported on patients over the five-year period.

Recalling her experience, Ms Grant told how she was sexually assaulted by an NHS staff member at Chase Farm Hospital in north London in 2016. Staff initially ignored her, she claimed.

She was then made to sleep in the same room the following night, she said, even though a complaint had been made to the trust and the staff member suspended.

Ms Grant says her trauma was made worse when she was then moved to a mixed-sex ward, making her too scared to leave her room due to the male patients outside.

“I have struggled with trauma since then and I’m scared of asking for help [from mental health services],” she said. “When I’m feeling bad, I don’t know where to turn to. You believe when you’re in a hospital, you should be safe. I’ve learned that there is no safety in mental health hospitals.”

Her attacker was convicted in June 2017 following a police investigation. North London Mental Health Partnership, which now runs Chase Farm Hospital, said it was “deeply sorry” for what had happened to Ms Grant and insisted the safety of its users was their top priority.

In another alleged case, Ms Tutty, a mother of two, told The Independent her harrowing story after seeking help from Essex mental health services having been raped in her youth.

Instead of getting treatment, she claims she was subjected to five months of horrific sexual abuse by a staff member.

A year later she says she was traumatised again after being admitted to another Essex-run unit, where a security guard sent her sexually explicit text messages, seen by The Independent. The police later said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute in relation to the alleged sexual abuse.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, which is currently facing a public inquiry into 2,000 patient deaths, refused to respond to questions from The Independent when asked about the serious allegations.

Our investigation shows at least 500 sexual assaults and incidents have been recorded on mixed-sex wards or mixed-sex communal areas within trusts since 2019.

Ms Quinn, a former swimming star and teacher, was admitted to Littlebrook Hospital in Kent in 2013 after seeking support from mental health services following her brother’s death.

Within hours of her admission, she claims she was sexually assaulted by a male patient after being placed on an all-male ward.

Ms Quinn immediately ran to tell staff who tried to send her back to the ward where her attacker remained, she claimed. Distressed and panicked, she was restrained and then placed in solitary confinement.

Ms Quinn said: “You know, I blame the system for putting me in that situation, for not safeguarding me – this is a systemic problem. I thought it was just me, but it’s not just me, it’s thousands.”

The trust eventually apologised. However, within months she was placed in peril again in a mixed-sex ward, where she alleges she was the victim of a second assault.

Kent and Medway Partnership Trust, which runs the hospital, said it continues to offer its “sincerest apologies” for the “unacceptable behaviour” she experienced in its care, and that it was fully investigated and acted upon at the time.

As part of our investigation, The Independent and Sky News uncovered thousands of allegations of sexual incidents, ranging from abuse and rape to sexually inappropriate behaviour or language across more than 30 out of 52 NHS mental health trusts since 2019. The scale of the scandal is likely to be even worse as figures do not include private hospitals where hundreds of NHS patients are sent to each year.

Among them was Nima Cass Hunt, who was groomed and abused in a Huntercombe Group hospital when she was 16. Her abuser, care worker Marcus Daniell, was jailed for 11 years in 2020 for his crimes. Ms Hunt warned that under-staffed mental health services are failing to protect patients.

“Nobody at the hospital looked or listened to obvious signs,” she said. “There is something terribly wrong with the protocols that intend to keep patients in mental health hospitals safe when patients are still exposed to sexual abuse despite obvious signs, indicators and even disclosures.” Former owners of the hospital, Eli Investments, were approached for comment.

Melanie Leahy told The Independent that staff in Essex failed to investigate her son Matthew’s claims of rape while he was an inpatient in 2012 – he died just two days later.

“It makes me sick,” she said. “I believe this incident led to the loss of his life. I believe this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

A report in 2019 by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found staff failed to take appropriate action in response to his allegations. The trust said in response it offers its condolences for Matthew’s death.

Meanwhile, in 2014, Gaia Pope, who was a victim of rape in her youth, reported sexual harassment while in a mixed-sex ward at Dorset NHS Hospital but staff failed to issue any safeguarding alerts.

Her cousin, Marienna Pope-Weidemann, said: “I believe the failures [to address her concerns] directly contributed to her death later that year. They took absolutely no action and they discharged her 48 hours later without any [support].”

Dorset Health Care chief executive Matthew Bryant said the trust acknowledges it should have done more to make sure Gaia felt safe in its care and ensure she felt her concerns were taken seriously.

In 2020, after the Care Quality Commission raised national concerns over sexual abuse in mental health services, the NHS set up guidelines under its “sexual safety collaboratives”.

Despite the known risks, NHS trusts are not meeting their requirements of the standards to this day, with just six hospitals providing evidence they have met the collaboratives’ guidelines.

Gemma Byrne, Policy & Campaigns Manager at the charity Mind, said the investigation’s findings were “horrifying” and called for greater accountability for trusts who are failing to address such serious sexual safety incidents.

Professor Charlie Brooker, one of the few academics in the UK who has examined the relationship between sexual assault and mental illness, told The Independent and Sky News there should be an inquiry into sexual safety in mental health wards.

He said: “It would be fascinating to see how many people came forward and wanted to give evidence. I won’t be at all surprised if it wasn’t several thousand.”

Professor Brooker said a big factor in the development of mental illness is sexual trauma, adding: “What is happening to these vulnerable people, these vulnerable women, is retraumatisation which seems to be occurring in an environment where they're [meant] to safe. They end up worse than when they came in.”

Eli Investments which owned Huntercombe Group said it was “saddened” by the allegations and regrets that the hospitals owned by the group failed to meet standards expected for high quality care.

NHS England said sexual assault would not be tolerated and said it was rolling out better reporting mechanisms and training for staff as part of its new NHS Sexual Safety Charter.

It said all trusts will have to appoint a domestic violence and sexual assault lead. However, it did not specify how it would monitor and hold trusts to account who were failing to meet its new guidelines.

The Department of Health and Social Care said NHS organisations have a responsibility to protect both staff and patients.

If you need to seek support for anything sexual that happened to you without your consent you can call Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222, 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

#Articles #health #MVAWG

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sweatermuppet · 9 months

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Favorite moment(s) of 2023?

sweetheart came to boston & NH. kayaking with friends. met willi carlisle. laura jane grace concert. ariana grande shared my work (& made that month my most profitable of all time). got followed by chen chen. am currently a guest editor for beaver magazine (first time ive done any magazine work). moved out. back on T for the first time in years. spent lots of time by the ocean. started writing poetry consistently again. horseback riding. read 80+ books. dressed up as a clown. got a new laptop. got my first tattoo. jeffrey lewis + burning hell concert. took a ferry for the first time. shipped almost 6,000 orders

#anonymous

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thatsonemorbidcorvid · 5 months

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“An 11-year-old girl who was misdiagnosed with sickness bugs and migraines was assessed by doctors about 30 times before they found that she had a brain tumour, according to her mother.

Tia Gordon, from Northampton, was admitted to hospital as an emergency despite previous visits to GPs, A&E and calls to 111.

Imogen Darby, Tia’s mother, said her daughter’s glasses prescription had also been changed four times before the tumour was found.

Darby had sought help regarding Tia’s migraines and vomiting for more than three years, before being told that the wait for an MRI scan would be at least eight months. It was only when Tia’s balance and ability to walk were affected that she was given an emergency scan, which found a brain tumour measuring about 3.5cm.”

Darby said: “I was told Tia had stomach bugs and migraines. The first thing I was told, because it was the summer, [was that] she just needed to drink more water.

“After probably a year, she got diagnosed with migraines and they gave her paracetamol for that. She was also given another medication for that and her final diagnosis in January from paediatrics was migraine with sickness.

“Over more than three years, I took Tia to doctors, she was refused MRIs, she was refused to be seen by emergency paediatrics, I called 111, I went to A&E. She had her glasses changed four times, she was given medication and she had a consultant, but it took for her to be unable to walk for her to get the care she needed.”

Darby first noticed Tia’s symptoms in March 2020 when she started vomiting with increasing frequency. Darby twice tried to get her daughter referred to emergency paediatrics, but was declined both times and told it was not an emergency.

Later, Tia began holding her neck in an unusual way and complained about stiffness, for which she was referred to a physiotherapist.

Despite several visits to A&E and calls to GPs and the NHS’s 111 service, Tia’s remained undiagnosed. From November 2023 to January 2024, Tia was vomiting violently every day, and began to lose her balance. “She was tipping her milk out in the kitchen sink,” Darby said. “She was standing there and … she didn’t notice she was doing it at all.”

After a phone call from Tia’s school, which said Tia was holding her neck and was off balance, Darby took her to Northampton General Hospital. While there, Tia was unable to walk in a straight line, and a CT scan revealed a pilocytic astrocytoma — the most common type of brain tumour in children.

Tia was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she had a ten-hour operation to remove the tumour. “It was quite a horrendous day,” Darby said. “They managed to get 96 per cent of it out.”

Tia called the growth her “astronaut tumour”. Since the procedure, she gets very tired and can sometimes lose her balance. Her recovery will consist of an MRI scan every three months for the next five years, and she is having regular physiotherapy and meetings with neurologists.

She is keen to get back to her hobbies. Darby calls her “Dr Doolittle” due to her love for animals, and added that Tia is a keen reader and enjoys playing dodgeball.

Cameron Miller, director of external affairs and strategy at the Brain Tumour Charity, said “We wish Tia all the best with her continuing treatment and thank Imogen for sharing her story.

“Sadly, it’s one that we often hear. For many brain tumour patients, it simply takes too long to be diagnosed — and this is one of the reasons why we’re calling for a National Brain Tumour Strategy.”

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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 6 months

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By: Gabriella Swerling

Published: Mar 21, 2024

An NHS Trust is investigating accusations that pro-Palestine nurses denied a nine-year-old Jewish boy care.

Elliott Smus, who is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, wrote on LinkedIn on Wednesday about an alleged incident at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital involving his young nephew, who suffers from a rare blood disorder.

Mr Smus said that his nephew, who has suffered with his condition for most of his life, requires a blood transfusion every month or two, spending up to days in hospital for treatment.

He said that his nephew is from a religious Jewish family and wears a kippah and tzitzit, clothing typically worn by orthodox Jewish males.

But he claimed that the child was “kicked out of his bay” by nurses wearing “Free Palestine” badges and forced “to lie on the floor with a canula in”.

As a result, Mr Smus said that his nephew is now scared that if he wears clothing that identifies him as visibly Jewish, he will not receive treatment.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has launched an investigation.

Incident was ‘horrendous’

Countdown presenter Rachel Riley, who is Jewish, described the alleged incident as “horrendous” and called on Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, and the NHS to investigate “with urgency”.

Mr Smus, who has been contacted for comment, said on social media: “As a religious Jewish family, my nephew wears his black kippah (yamulka, religious hat whatever you want to call it) and his tzitzit proudly.

“Not today. Why you ask? The nurses (NHS employees) are all walking around wearing “Free Palestine” pins and he was scared.

“Beyond that, the last few times he went in he was denied correct medical care by the same couple of nurses every time.

“This culminated the last time he went in, when my visibly Jewish nine-year-old nephew, with an autoimmune blood disease was kicked out of his bay by one of the nurses who was covered in pro-Palestine badges and stickers, and had to lie on the floor with a canula in.

“Now the damage is done and my proudly Jewish nephew (and his parents) is scared to not get treatment if he wears his kippah and tzitzit.

“Coincidentally, today when not visibly Jewish, he received quick care. Also worth noting, prior to the conflict he received excellent care.

“It is terrifying to be a Jew in the world again.”

Anti-Semitism at all-time high

The Community Security Trust, which records anti-Semitic incidents in the UK, said that anti-Semitism hit an all-time high in 2023 in an “explosion of hatred” following the Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

The charity said the surge in anti-Jewish attacks, threats and abuse amounted to a “celebration” of Hamas’s Oct 7 massacre by anti-Semites whose own hatred was fuelled by the brutality of the attacks.

Its annual report said that there were 4,103 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in 2023, nearly double the previous record in 2021, covering all types of “hate” against Jewish people.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are aware of images and very serious claims which are circulating on social media.

“We are rapidly investigating these to establish the situation and are discussing them with the family involved. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is committed to providing high-quality care to all patients.”

Mr Burnham said: “I have seen the troubling reports shared on social media and have asked the Royal Children’s Hospital to launch an urgent investigation. No one should feel treated differently in our hospitals because of their race or religion. I’ve asked the hospital management to provide regular updates as they gather the facts.”

The "be kind" "right side of history."

Let's put aside for a moment that it's unethical for medical professionals to be wearing political paraphernalia of any variety.

Whether or not the accusation is true, literally nobody doubts that people who are pro-Hamas and support Islamic terrorism are completely capable of this kind of atrocity.

#Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital #NHS #National Health Service #antisemitism #pro hamas #hamas supporters #pro palestine #israel #free palestine #free gaza #ethics violation #religion is a mental illness

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covid-safer-hotties · 3 days

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Also preserved on our archive

By Alex Croft

Lower levels of protective antibodies could leave the UK population vulnerable to a rapid spread of the XEC Covid variant

The new Covid XEC variant could spread rapidly through the population as many people have not been vaccinated in a long time, an expert has warned.

Scientists believe the XEC variant will become the dominant Covid strain over the next few months, with a few mutations which may help it spread through autumn.

The variant, which derived from the omicron variant, is likely to take off in the next few weeks as it spreads through Europe after being first detected in Berlin in June.

An immunologist has told the The Independent that due to “reduced levels of protective neutralising antibodies”, the XEC variant could sweep through the UK at a rapid rate.

Current NHS guidance states that the Covid vaccine will be offered to people over 65, pregnant women, people with health conditions or treatments which increases their risk of serious illness, and people in care homes.

Professor Sheena Cruickshank, an immunology expert at the University of Manchester, says protection may be lower for much of the population, after a long time without being vaccinated.

“Predicting the rate of infection is complex,” she said.

“We haven’t yet seen data on how good XEC is at ducking our antibodies, and in the absence of effective ventilation measures in buildings or masking in UK [the new variant] may thrive.

“The rate of spread depends on exposure but also how vulnerable a population is.

“Many are some way from last vaccines and may have reduced levels of protective neutralising antibodies if so.”

The government currently rolls out the vaccine throughout two annual programmes: the spring and autumn booster programmes.

Since 2023, the spring programme has been for all over-75s, immunosuppressed people and care workers. The autumn programme vaccinates for all over-65s.

Those with good health between 50 and 65 have not been included in the free vaccine programme since 2022.

There is no indication that any further restrictions will need to be introduced “at this stage”, says Prof Cruickshank.

But preventative measures are vital in further reducing the need for future restrictions.

Track and trace, good ventilation, masks in clinical settings and paid-for vaccines for those who aren’t eligible for a free booster, would all help secure the UK’s health security.

“We have learned from the inquiry so far what not to do,” Prof Cruickshank said.

“Hopefully they will look at that, and learn and consider measures like track and trace or ventilation etc, to reduce the risk of the country needing to shut down.”

#mask up #covid #covid 19 #pandemic #wear a mask #public health #coronavirus #sars cov 2 #still coviding #wear a respirator

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roisinivy · 24 days

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September is PCOS Awareness month. Last year I made a post including all of the common symptoms. As it's nearly a year since my diagnosis, I thought I would share my story of being diagnosed...

I started showing symptoms of having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS for short) when I was 14, in 2018. I went 9 months without a period, started growing body hair in places that are not considered 'normal' for women, gained a lot of weight, started getting very oily skin and acne.

When my mum queried this with a doctor, she was told I was just a teenager having an irregular phase and that no doctor would seriously look at a diagnosis for me until I was at least 16.

(what my mum didn't know is that I was being groomed and had been assaulted, which is when I developed binge eat disorder, which also accounted for the weight gain...)

By the time I had turned 16 in 2020, covid had put the uk into a second national wide lockdown and completely ruined an already struggling NHS.

I didn't see a doctor about my PCOS until a month before I turned 19, due to all of the backlog.

My doctor ordered a blood test, and an ultrasound of my ovaries at a nearby hospital. The blood test was completed within a week, but it took me 6 weeks to get my first scan. I am still a virgin, and due to being sexually assaulted when I was younger, I was extremely nervous about having something in me and to have a nurse/doctor see me like that.

The external ultrasound was incredibly painful, having a bladder full of two liters of water pushing down onto you. The nurse couldn't get a good enough view, so I went to relive myself before having what would be my first of three ultrasounds.

The nurse took one look at my scan and confirmed I definitely had polycystic ovaries, she could also see I had ovulated. I knew I would be having my first period in 4 months in December of 2023. This was the last period I had, it was the worst I'd had in a very long time.

On my first scan, a large cyst was spotted, so I would need a second one due to the size of it. It was roughly the size of a ping-pong ball. My ovaries are also swollen to about three times the size they should be.

By my second scan, it had disappeared. I had a third as a precaution, which was also clear of anything concerning.

I then started taking Cerelle birth control in February.

I have had two bartholin cysts (infection of the vagina), hives, extremely sore breasts on and off, nausea, low libido, acne, increased body weight, tiredness, rashes and so much more caused by my birth control...

But it's preventing me from having an increased risk of developing cancer when I'm older, masking my symptoms so that I can have a 'normal' life whilst living with PCOS.

Although I still grow a better beard than my 18 year old brothers thanks to the increase androgen lol

I don't know how long I'll stay on birth control, or if I'll have to use other treatments, but this is my PCOS journey so far.

#pcosawarenessmonth #pcos things #pcos awareness #pcosjourney #pcosawareness #pcos #pcos treatment #polycystic ovarian syndrome #polycystic ovaries #fuck pcos #chronically ill #chronic illness #chronic pain #chronic fatigue

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shirii · 10 months

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naruhina month day 3: cuddle 💜🧡🍥

#nh month 2023 #nhmonth2023 #naruhina #naruhina fanart #naruhina month #naruhina month 2023 #nh fanart #naruto #naruto x hinata #hinata x naruto #hinata hyuga #my art

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dayseternal-blog · 9 months

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Summary: Hinata meets her new neighbor in a very unconventional way.

Written for NaruHina Fair, NH Month 2023 Day 11: New neighbors - Thin walls.

Rated T.

"Proper Introductions" - Short One-shot (maybe part of a 2-shot?)

The next door unit at the end of the hall had been left vacant for so long, she thinks at first that all the thumping and yelling noises are happening right outside her own door.

Slightly afraid, she peeks through the door’s peephole, and…it’s some guys who might be around her own age…and they’re lugging boxes across the hallway and setting stuff down in front of that vacant unit.

A new neighbor! Or neighbors! She doesn’t know what to think. On whether to be happy or concerned. Despite the less-than-stellar living accommodations, she has at least been doing well with her neighbors on this floor. She recognizes and trusts her neighbors, even if they don’t really talk.

Tenants have come and gone from a few of the units over the past year, but for whatever reason, the unit next door has always been left vacant.

Until now.

Rather than go out there and be friendly to some guys she doesn’t know if she can trust, she tests that her door is locked, backs away, and returns to her dinner preparation for the next week.

The energetic yelling, the heavy thumping…she thought it would all become background noise.

It really sounds like it’s coming from her living room.

“This apartment really is crap! Check out his sink!”

She looks up from chopping carrots, attention at the wall where the vulgar speech is clearly coming through.

Her own sink is fine.

She returns to her chopping, but now her curiosity is piqued.

“Why did you agree to this shithole?” A different voice. Some laughter and agreements.

“His stove is a burner.” “The paint is peeling.” “You’ve got, like, one wall socket in the living room.”

“I can afford it, and it’s cheap!”

“How did you even find this place? I’ve been checking all the listings and I never saw this!”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? The landlady’s my godfather’s friend. And yeah, the other units aren’t like this one. It’s actually a part…” Suddenly the voice gets muffled, and she can’t hear the rest of his sentence.

“Whaaaaaat??” Laughter. Scoffs of disbelief. “Is that even legal???”

Frowning with bafflement, she dumps the carrots in the pot. Grabs a potato, washes it, and starts peeling.

The masculine conversation turns to the furniture and what’s going where, and she continues peeling potatoes.

About twenty minutes later, she’s got all the vegetables and chicken boiling in the pot, the curry blocks are melting, and her stove’s vent is noisily fanning out some of the heavy aroma.

She’s settling into her old couch when she hears the grunts of exertion and occasional discussion become something else entirely, tearing her attention off her phone to the wall.

“AGH, FUCK! Oh, shit! Shit! Naruto!!”

“Wha-, AH-”

A huuuge thunking, breaking sound.

And the top half of a shelving unit of some sort.

Is sticking through her wall. Their wall.

That was apparently hardly a wall.

Utterly shocked and uncertain, she stands, and voices fill the air again.

“Oh shiiiiiiiiit.”

“Ugh. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Oh fuuuuuuuck.”

She's never heard so many swear words so frequently as today, but concern has her taking a deep breath for courage. In the few paces it takes to get to the wall, she manages to ask the hole, “Are you okay?”

Deathly silence.

“Um.” She tiptoes to try to look through the hole, and just at that moment, the “wall” crumbles some more, the weight of the bookshelf too much.

Pieces of “wall” fall to the ground, and she finds herself standing in front of the group of boys. Guys. Young men? One is holding his shoulder and arm. Another is holding his foot. The others have their mouths gaping open in shock and maybe even amusement.

She stands there, taking in their interesting expressions, recognizing for herself how ridiculous this situation is.

“Oh, man.” The rather tall, blond guy who had been cradling his arm looks like he wants the earth to swallow him up. “I am so sorry. I’ll fix it. I swear. I’m so, so sorry.” Hands gesturing spastically, he’s the most apologetic person she’s ever seen in her life.

“Oh, it’s okay-”

“I’m really so sorry.” He bows so deeply, all his friends begin copying him.

She’s never had so many people apologizing to her all at once before. Pulling her eyes off the incredible sight of all these tall guys bowing to her, she quickly decides to pass the uncomfortable attention off of her. “It’s, um, the wall’s fault. I didn’t know it was so thin. It shouldn’t have broken so easily.” So really, this isn't his fault, but rather, the apartment complex's.

The blond one stands straight, obvious stress still lining his features. “Ah, yeah-”

“I should call Senju-san-”

“No, don’t!” He has his hands out to stop her, nearly lunging over his fallen shelf and the pieces of wall between them. “Please, don’t call her, please!”

The begging has her take pause, and she recalls him talking to his friends about his personal connection with their landlady.

“She’ll kick me out if she hears about this! She’ll end me for sure! Please, please don’t tell her.” He’s bowing repeatedly and has the most kicked puppy, begging expression she’s ever seen in her life, and she feels bad that he feels this bad.

She’s never had anyone groveling this much to her before. “Okay, okay, I understand, I won’t tell her,” she soothes, and it’s such a relief to see him relieved.

“Thank you, you’re the best. I have such a nice neighbor!” he gushes in such a sincere tone that it feels like an exaggeration.

His friends apologize and thank her repeatedly in turn, and just to get them to stop, she runs away to retrieve a broom, dustpan, and trash bags.

They insist on doing all the cleanup, so she pretends to be busy in her kitchen as they go back and forth in and out of her living room, and before long, it’s just them and a giant hole between the two units.

“Excuse me.” That blond guy’s voice draws her attention up from her phone. He gives her a meek smile from his side of the hole. “I’ll try to get this fixed up as soon as I can… I don’t have the money for this right now, but-”

“I’ll help since it’s partially my fault!” The brown-haired guy who looked like he might've hurt his foot raises his hand.

“Oh, okay.” She nods her head, feeling the awkward tension still palpable in the air. She decides to brave it and venture closer. She steps out of the kitchen toward their shared wall.

They cleaned up really well.

She passes her scrutiny along the edges of the cracked wall, raises a finger, and feels the material. “Walls are supposed to have framing, right?” There’s none here. She’s not quite sure, but this wall might only be stiff, thick foamboard.

“You should tell her.” A guy with long black hair tied into a ponytail has his hands on his hips, looking at the blond one pointedly.

She turns a confused look at him.

Her new neighbor sighs heavily. “Umm, well, to be honest… My unit is supposed to be a part of yours.”

She turns this piece of information over in her head, and despite the cautious and meek look on her neighbor’s face, she’s not angry or disturbed. Instead, she feels interested, almost amused. “What? Really?” she asks, genuinely curious. “Why?” She ventures another step forward, and they make way for her to peek into his unit.

“Uhh…” he intones.

She spots the burner stove on a counter that looks like her kitchen counters.

“I’m not sure why. I’ll ask my godfather. He’s the landlady’s friend.”

She gapes at a toilet tucked in a corner of the room and one simple sink.

It’s like her living room and kitchen were supposed to be twice as big. Instead, this area got cut in half. His door should be her door. Instead, it seems like her door was cut somewhere it's not supposed to be. That closet next to his door should be hers...

“When you get a good deal, you don’t ask questions, you know?”

She knew her unit was cheaper than others. She didn’t ask why. “Yes, I know what you mean...” She certainly understands now.

“Ahh, I didn’t get to introduce myself.”

She blinks up at him, realizing that they completely skipped over introductions in all the chaos.

“My name is Uzumaki Naruto.” He bows and straightens. “I’m 22 years old and just graduated from the University of Konoha. I’m starting work at Representative Hatake Kakashi’s office next Monday. I swear I won't be a bother to you anymore.”

She bows. “It’s nice to meet you.” She offers him a small smile. “My name is Hyuuga Hinata. I’m also 22 years old, but I graduated last year from Biwako Women’s College. I work with Konoha Tourism Authority. I hope to get along with you.”

He gives her an impressed look that she shies away from and without letting her stew in her awkward feelings, he rapidly introduces his friends to her in a blur of names, schools, and jobs. A cry of “The smell of her curry is making me die! You promised to feed us if we helped you move!” and, before she can even offer them any, Naruto and company practically run out the door, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She stares at the massive hole in the wall.

She honestly has no idea how they're going to fix it.

After checking how much longer she still has to cook the curry, she settles back into her couch to finally relax, but her thoughts quickly return to her new neighbor.

Well, rather than a new neighbor... Nerves race up her legs, and a blush heats her face.

She thinks it might be more accurate to say she just gained a new housemate.

A housemate who's...a man!

#thank you for reading!#nhmonth2023 #naruhina fanfiction #hinata is a shy cinnamon roll here #“cookies” because I can only write small things

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