-DISCLAIMER- My apologies I don't own Naruto or Konoha, y'all know this! Kishimoto you are an inspiration and I hope that my fanfic doesn't make you sue my pants off! Cuz frankly I'm too poor to only just cover my internet bills each month x]] lolz. But yeah seriously guys, you get the picture ;D
ENJOY THE READ!
..The Aburame clan..
For as long as he could remember, Shino Aburame had always been a unique kind of weird and that was something he accepted about himself, it was others his age he had but an inkling of understanding. And although he wished to, he was never able to grasp the noticeable differences of the others that piqued his interest. As a child growing up in near isolation and loneliness, silence surrounded his existence. While he would never admit it, Shino truly felt alone, misunderstood and most of the time forgotten.
His own mother couldn't bear to hold him as a baby and left shortly after giving birth to what she called a 'freak of nature'. Women who married into the Aburame clan, often the marriage was arranged and only to give birth to one child before they would succumb to disgust, and face two options; kill the baby or to leave. Shino's mother had been one to attempt to kill her own, but Shibi being the protective father he was, spared her life but exiled her from Konoha and forbade anyone in the clan from discussing what had happened and Shino was never to know anything about his mother. Shibi made it clear to his son that his mother had died in an accident days after his birth.
By the age of five, he had mastered the use of the Kikaichu insects residing within his small body. Shino loved his insects dearly; they were as close to friends, as up until that age, he knew.
The many days Shibi would be away on missions, Shino would spend time with a caretaker or the few servants of the clan, in the Aburame mansion. Every day was a new adventure for him as he would play strategic games with all his bug buddies. Besides the adult/servants were way too boring and often looked at the boy with a certain look that brought about a slight unease within him. They weren't being rude, just cautious by the looks of it. Like he carried a disease or more he was weird.
Shino had been always been a polite person and never knowingly tried to insult others no matter their wrong doings. It wasn't in his nature to act up or treat others like scum due to his status of being the Aburame clan's leader's only child. Therefore he would quietly eat his food, alone, read his books, by himself, and play, once again alone.
One particular day, a worker brought a child with her to the mansion. Shino's eyes opened wide for this was the first time he had ever seen another child and he was truly stunned for words. He hid his shock well behind his dark shades and this comforted him when the worker walked towards him. He readied himself for whatever was going to happen..
"Shino-cha.. I mean Shino, I'm sorry I bring a stranger with me; I had no time to find anyone to care for her while I work. She's my friend's daughter and my friend is terribly ill. If it's okay with you, may she stay while I work or may I have the day off to take care of her? She won't be a bother I promise. Please, Shino."
He looked at the servant, who was covered in dirt and soot kneeling before him with her head bowed to the ground. Shino was uncomfortable at the sight and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Will you please stand up, you bowing down makes me feel weird" he managed to spurt out to which the worker stood up straight quick as lightening.
"I'm so sorry I meant no disrespect sir." Her eyes wouldn't look at the small boy below and her breathing began to quicken, Shino could easily tell the servant was becoming frightened.
"If you are fit to work, she may stay." He spoke quietly looking up at the tall lady who allowed a breath of relief to escape from her lungs.
"Thank you so much Shino-cha.. Shino. Maybe she could play with you in the garden you're so fond of?"
"No I would prefer to be on my own." He turned and began walking away.
Shino didn't know why, but he didn't want anyone else to be with him, scrutinizing his every move, judging his every action. He had enough of that within the mansion and didn't want to deal with it anymore. His ways of dealing with it would be to simply ignore it, but people's constant gazes on him really bugged him.
He was playing in the garden with his bugs until one of them died. Shino became instantly sad and began to dig a hole in the ground. He was familiar with death, his bugs one by one, passed away, but this still caused him to be unhappy. A life is still a life, regardless of shape or form. That's what he believed. He was so focused on his digging that he didn't realize he had an audience.
"What are you doing?" a girl asked sharply, with a hint of worry in her voice.
"What are you doing here?" Shino replied instantly, surprised as he was, he wouldn't allow this other person to see him feeling down. "You shouldn't be here."
"But I got bored! Besides I thought you could do with some company, Makoto worries for you."
"Who's Makoto?"
"My auntie who works for you, she spoke to you before.. wait you don't even know her name?"
"There are many workers here, and no I don't know their names. Could you please leave me be?" Shino was becoming increasingly irritated. Who was this girl to snoop the way she was? Why was she even in his presence? He didn't know why he was responding to her, and this annoyed him even more.
"I don't want to go, can't I stay?" the girl kneeled besides him and this forced him to jump away.
"What are you doing! Can't you see I don't want you here!" now even the insects were beginning to feed on his increasing fear of this one little being.
"But why not, I don't bite! I'm just a girl."
Sure that made plenty sense –NOT! Shino didn't care that she was a girl or a kid or a snake, he didn't want anything to do with her. At the moment Shino had come up with something to bark at the young girl in front of him, she had found the kikaichū whom Shino had been making a grave for. When he saw her small hands pick up the insect and gently cradle it in her hands. She closed her hands and her eyes and began to pray.
After a short moment, the girl closed her eyes and got onto her feet and approached the stunned Shino. With her free hand she took his and lifted it with his palms facing up and then placed the tiny bug in his palm.
"I'm sorry I interrupted your ceremony, I shall leave now."
As the girl turned to run, Shino unknowingly had stopped her by grabbing her hand. She turned to him with a small hint of a smile and eyes burning with curiosity. Shino smiled ever so gently and they walked over the grave and continued the ceremony.
The colour of the sky had begun to turn orangie-purple, and they had spent the entire day asking each other questions and being curious about each other. It shocked the girl to know Shino had never left the mansion even once, and she suggested that he tried at least a few times. There were plenty of things to see and people to meet more interesting than her. She admitted that she envied Shino for the way he lived safely in peace and quiet. Shino was oblivious to most of her subtle hints of her way of living due to the fascination of all the new information. She wanted to be a ninja one day and was enrolled in the local academy in the village. She had many jobs to cover her own costs. She never gave up on anything or anyone. More importantly, she said she never forgets people either.
"Bugs don't freak you out?" his face turned to hers who was lying beside him watching the sky.
"Sometimes they do, if I don't know they are there. But most of the time, they're just looking for something to do. I think that bugs like us get bored and go looking for trouble." She was sincere enough Shino thought to himself.
"Where do you live?" he asked her, knowing full well that it was a forward question, but then in the world of a five year old, it was allowed and answered just as easily as the question was asked.
"I don't have one address; I'm all over the place."
He sat up, slightly confused at her reply. "Wait, what do you mean?"
With an obvious sigh she replied. "The main point is I live, right, Shino-kun?"
Shino fought against a sudden blush to his cheeks and won. This girl was interesting, but also a complete mystery; never giving away too much information but always having an opinion.
"I don't understand you, but you interest me. What's your name?"
"..."
Makoto called from a distance. "There you are honey; I've been looking all over for you. You know you're not supposed to annoy Shino-ch-, -Shino! My shift is over, we're going home."
The girl got on her feet and began walking backwards towards Makoto. "Thanks for the interesting time Shino-kun. Maybe we'll meet each other again. Bye bye." With a smile bright enough to put the sun to shame she skipped over to the servant until they were out of his sight.
Shino sat and stared for a few seconds before falling back to the ground with a simple smile on his face. He hoped for more days like this one, and perhaps he could even meet more kids as unique as the girl he just met.
"But I didn't catch her name. I'll try next time we meet."
"Shino, your father has arrived. He wants to have dinner with you, be ready in twenty minutes. It's an important dinner; members from the clan will be present as well." The female servant gently spoke before turning around to leave him be.
"—Wait please?" Shino instantly stood up and began to walk toward the servant who now wore a genuine worried facial expression. When he reached her, Shino looked at the lady who was very clean compared to the other one named Makoto, and he wondered what her job at the mansion was.
"Is there anything I can do for you Shino?" she asked.
"Please, tell me your name."
"Shino I mean no disrespect, but why are you asking all of a sudden?" the tan skinned servant smiled awkwardly.
"I would like to know, that way, we won't be awkward with each other and we can be friends." Shino continued to look up at the worker who was now smiling with no awkwardness present.
"I'm Sumari, young mister Aburame. Shall we?" she offered her hand to him and he shyly accepted.
That night Shibi announced to his clan that within a few months Shino would be admitted to Konoha's Ninja Academy to one day become an impressive ninja like him. Shino was shocked but glad his father believed in him to follow his dream of following in his father's footsteps. He promised himself right there and then, he would do his best in the Academy and no matter what, wouldn't give up so easily. The girl he had met had changed his outlook on life and wanted to experience it all. He wanted to thank her for being his first human friend as well. No matter if she was a girl or a boy, she was special to him already. Now if only he could see her again.
Author's note: I hope this has piqued your interest :3 I'm writing this story for my sister who's a Shino fan =] Oh italics mean a lot of time passes in the parts if those parts don't make sense to yaz. I'm sorries! I fail as a ficcer -
