Author's Note: I've just discovered that this website completely messed up my formatting, making this story incredibly hard to read. I'm so sorry about that. I'm way too tired to fix it though, and I doubt this story will get much more traffic now that it's almost a week old. Still, I wanted to apologize - the original story was a bit more readable.
Taken from pages 7-10 of the Guidebook for Aburame Genin
"Shibi, is it normal for Shino's eyes to look this...this blank?"
"Yes."
"You're telling the truth? I realize I'm a bit more sensitive than the rest of your clan, but if something's wrong with our son, I need to know."
"All Aburame have these eyes."
"Even you?"
"Would you like to see?"
"…No, that's fine. I believe you."
Due to our bloodline limit, our eyes are very sensitive. If your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight for more than ten minutes, you may temporarily go blind. Thus, you should wear sunglasses at all times. Goggles, visors, and masks are also acceptable for eye protection, though sunglasses tend to be the most practical.
You should know that sunglasses also provide physical defense. Many Aburame have had their eyesight spared because their sunglasses blocked the chakra of an enemy attack. Because our sunglasses are so easily broken or scratched, it is recommended that you always carry a spare pair.
"You guys, the spider's on Chiyo's desk!"
"Oh my god, it's in my lunch! Somebody kill it!"
"There. Got it."
"Tanaka, you're my hero!"
"Hey, Aburame. What are you glaring at?"
"Yeah, are you looking to pick a fight or something?"
It is traditional for Aburame to wear jackets with high collars at all times. The practice stems from our history as a desert clan. In the harsh, windy climate of our forefathers, high collars were very useful for keeping wind, sand, and dust out of our faces.
Though we no longer live in the desert, our high collars still protect us from psychological dangers. It is common knowledge that one's emotions affect one's battle strategy. When we are angry or confident, we act offensively. When we are fearful or tired, we act defensively. The more emotion you show, the better your enemies will be able to predict your movements. Your collar will hide your facial expressions from the enemy, allowing you to fight without inadvertently revealing your strategy.
"Shino-kun, your hands are so cold! Are you all right?"
"That is normal for people in the Aburame clan. How can that be? Because the kikkaichu are cold-blooded creatures, and so they must absorb their host's body heat to survive.
"Ah. Um, okay then."
"You can warm your hands with me, Hinata! The Inuzuka are so hairy we've practically got mittens!"
"Your coat is shedding, Kiba. I think it will be a few years yet until you grow any significant amount of hair on your hands."
"Kiba's right, though. His hands really are warm…"
Due to our pact with the kikkaichu, our bodies do not conserve heat very efficiently. As such, you will need to dress warmer than any non-Aburame peers you may have. It is very important you do so, as the kikkaichu's combat performance will drop if they are too cold.
In general, you should stick to two to four layers of clothing. Any more than that tends to obstruct movement in combat. However, it is far safer to dress warmly than conservatively.
"Aaaagh!"
"Ino-san, are you all right? What happened?"
"I'm fine, Shino, I just…ugh, nevermind."
"Ino-san, we are in a battlefield. You need to focus."
"Well it's kind of hard to do that when your teammate has bugs flying out of his face!"
"I cannot help that. Why not? Because I attack with my bugs."
"I'm fine with the bugs. It's where they come from that bothers me. Even you have to realize that seeing insects crawl out of another person's
skin is really…distracting."
"…Would it help if I only released them under my coat?"
"Would you? At least that way I don't have to watch them burrowing out."
"Very well. If that is what you need to concentrate."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
In a battle for one's life, the element of surprise cannot be underestimated. It is important to avoid telegraphing one's attacks until the last possible second. Here, Aburame have a distinct advantage, as we do not need hand signals to release our kikkaichu. However, your opening pores will still alert the enemy that an attack is coming. Thus, it is recommended that you hide as much skin from sight as possible. Long sleeves are especially important, as most of your kikkaichu will exit from there.
Covering one's skin has the added benefit of comfort. As insects, the kikkaichu naturally prefer dark, dry places. The space in your sleeves is one such place, and so kikkaichu will feel more at ease exiting through there than directly into the open world.
"Sasami! I just saw bugs crawling in that boy's hair!"
"He's an Aburame. That's normal for them."
"Oh my god, that is disgusting. Do we have to let him in? I know Aburames serve the village, but those bugs are going to ruin
everyone's appetite."
"The boss says we can't turn any customers away. Shh, here he comes!"
"Hello sir, and welcome to Takana's. Would you like Sasami here to show you to the patio? It's got a very nice view. I don't know why
everybody's sitting inside on a day like this…"
As a ninja, you will be expected to work in many harsh environments. A proper hood will protect your face from sunburn, rain, wind, snow, and many other environmental hazards. Its intimidation factor is also not to be underestimated. Because of its light weight and practicality, it is recommended that every Aburame attach a hood to his or her jacket.
"Hey bugboy. Can I ask you a question?
"You just did, Kiba."
"Very funny, smartass. Seriously though, why do you wear that huge freaking jacket?"
"Why do I wear it? Because it makes me feel comfortable."
"But with your hood and your vest, the whole outfit has to be at least fifteen extra pounds. You'd move a lot easier without it."
"Nevertheless, it suits my needs."
"What needs, though? I mean, it can't be to hide your identity, because you're the only person who wears that particular jacket. And I know
it's not for stealth, because you've gotten that thing caught in tree branches more times than I can count. So what's the deal?"
"I need it. I apologize, but that is the only explanation I can give.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! As always, critiques or comments are very appreciated.