Aya knew that Shino was not the type for beaches. It wasn't stripping for the warm sun and refreshing water that dissuaded him. It was the sand.
Shino didn't like sand.
Aya would still try to get him to go on a beach though. She could persuade him to do that...Or try anyway.
She had to smile to herself though.
He was compromising by watching the beach from atop the cliff.
Aya was happy. She had a dream of marrying Shino and it eventually happened.
...Eventually.
As the wind danced along the grass; Aya brushed her hair out of her face, irritated at its constant attack on her eyes; propelled by the winds. She looked out towards the beach from the cliffside and smiled.
Why go on the beach when you can watch it from high above? As Aya turned to face Shino; she gave him a small grin before her vision became blurred from her ever so irritating black hair and its wind propelled tirade.
"I thought you said you was going to cut your hair Aya."
"I was...I will. I should...I really should."
"Yes you should. You know if you don't cut it soon, it's going to become even more of a nuisance than it already is and we're only taking a walk along the cliff." Shino continued walking at a slow but calm pace before he caught up with her.
"Do I get a kiss if I do?" Aya smirked a little as she looked at Shino.
He stayed quiet and the winds picked up a little before they came to a calm halt, ceasing their dance along the healthy plains.
Silence between the couple met Aya's ears.
"Maybe."
Until it was broken.
The green eyed chunin beamed before composing herself. She gave Shino a gentle kiss on the cheek before their hands joined together.
"Love you Shino."
"I love you too."
The happy cries of the seagulls in the distance.
The familiar splash of the gentle ocean.
The sound of the wind dancing around the couple and along the cliff.
Such peace and tranquility reminded Aya just a tiny bit of her home and for a brief moment; she forgot that she was a Leaf Kunoichi. Something that she never quite got used to but was happy to embrace. Shino himself smiled a little. Content with the scenery and the company he had to share it with. Whilst he preferred the deep forests surrounding Konoha; he knew that Aya had always wanted to take him to the beach.
He wasn't quite comfortable with the idea yet. He wasn't a fan of the beach plain and simple but even he had to admit that watching it from the cliffside with his girlfriend was a lot more pleasant than he thought it to be.
This was just one of their special places where they liked to get away from it all.
Work.
Family.
Missions.
Life in general.
A simple escape.
A very short holiday.
The two of them chose a spot and sat down on the grass before Shino enacted a parasol made of his own kikaichu. Aya turned her head before raising an eyebrow.
"Did you forget the parasol Shino?"
"I did...But only because you was rushing me out of the house."
"All the more time to spend outdoors...Looking at all this." Aya fixed her short white and green kimono and tightened the large white ribbon around her naval. She pulled it from underneath her bum, not wanting to get dirt on it.
She gazed at the beach and the calm waters before she rested her head on Shino's shoulders. She lifted it up slightly as he took his jacket off before.
She pouted quietly at her love not taking his sunglasses off but she knew better. He only took them off at home.
It mattered not however as he was here with her.
Compromise was a beautiful thing.
"Thank you." She whispered gently before she felt Shino put his arm around her.
"You don't need to thank me. You wanted to go to the beach but I...Am not a fan of beaches. So instead, we're watching the beach from up here."
"And?"
"I quite like it."
Aya felt giddy and cheery with his words.
"Do you think we could go on the beach?"
"Maybe not today...But...Soon Aya."
"What's soon?"
"Next week?"
"I can work with that." She sat up straight and put her knees in a little, revealing her brown shorts underneath her kimono.
"Shino."
"Hmm?" He turned his head towards her and their eyes met. Her green eyes met his dark brown.
"Do you remember when we first met?"
Shino glared at her before shortly smiling.
"How could I forget? It was the exact opposite of the fairytale meetings you hear in stories."
"That is true. It was certainly unique. Awww you was so cute back then!"
"Implying that I have lost that cuteness?" He teased.
"No no no but...Well you're not cute now. Now you're handsome and sexy!" Aya held her hands up with another toothy grin before Shino slowly nodded his head. He took his arm away and their hands embraced once more.
"You were the first woman to ever think that about me you know."
"Well...You have what I like to call an acquired cuteness."
"Acquired cuteness?" Shino raised his eyebrow slightly.
"Yeah. Like...Like an acquired taste. Let's take a peanut for example. Some people love them and some people hate them. Similar thing. Some people just...Love peanuts. Some people just love Shino. I am one of those people."
At this point, Shino was used to his girlfriend's strange mannerisms. Not a day went by when she didn't say something weird and random. Not that he minded.
"Are you comparing me to a peanut?"
"Why yes. Yes I am." Aya giggled a little.
"Point being Shino, you're such a unique person that you are much like a unique peanut."
"Are you going to call me your peanut now?"
"Maybe in the morning. Good morning peanut. Okay that was pretty bad...I'm not gonna say that."
"It was bad. Even by your standards of witty jokes." Shino smiled at her again before they both looked out at the seagulls flying over the ocean in search of their lunch.
"Did you think I looked like a peanut when we first met?" The Aburame asked.
"I wish. All I saw was your sunglasses and that was it. I thought you was...Intriguing. You piqued my interest with your mystery."
"Guess it worked out in the end." He said calmly.
"Best mission ever if you ask me. I got to meet you and it was a fun meeting...Right?"
"That mission was certainly a workout."
"You know what they say. No rest for the wicked." Aya looked up at the sky and then down at her feet as she reminisced of days past.
'How we met. Such a long time ago now…' She thought to herself and smiled as she thought back to her past and one mission in particular.
I hope you all enjoyed that sweet prologue. This is my first Naruto fanfiction so I cannot wait to get my writing juices flowing and bringing you all a story you can sink your teeth into. Thanks for reading! Golbez.