Character(s): Tenten, Aburame Shino
Pairing(s): Extremely light Shino/Tenten... if you squint a little.
Warning(s): None.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but these words.
Note: Part one of four. Written for the ShinoTen FC fanfic contest held over at NarutoForums.
Dedicated to: All you ShinoTen fans out there!
Their first real exchange of words to each other outside of the profession had been relatively simple. Tenten remembered the night clearly, as if it had happened yesterday. Because of what she liked to call the River of Lights. There were no talks of missions. No mention of training or threats against the village. Just a boy and a girl sharing what she liked to view as a closely kept secret. Because in all the years that Tenten had continued the tradition since her mother's death -- in all the years that she had the pleasure of experiencing its wonder -- there had been no one else who had been there to stand by her side. No one to share this treasure with. None alive, anyways. That is, until the moment when he appeared out of the shadows like a silent phantom.
"I should've known this would be something you'd show up for."
It was the spring of her fifteenth year. They were standing on the edge of the tree line, facing out to an open field not too far from the walls of the village. There was a soft breeze blowing and the last rays of the sun were slowly fading into the night, bringing a close to what had been a fairly typical day of filling out reports and paperwork. The usual mundane routine that would follow the completion or failure of a mission. An annoyance to all active shinobi who worked in the field. But considering the amount of effort Tenten had placed in arriving back to the village on time, it was one that she managed to tolerate, if only momentarily. Because the quicker she completed the desk work, the quicker the kunoichi could be on her merry way.
After spending previous years missing the festival due to missions, injuries, and personal issues, nothing could defer Tenten from her goal. Not even the Hokage.
If he was shocked at her unexpected presence, the young shinobi had given no indication of it save for a long pause at her comment. At least from what Tenten could see or discern in the dimming light. "I have never known many others who would."
"Well... that just means they're missing out on the secret." Here, she gave him a brief glance before turning to face out towards center stage once more.
It was nothing traditional or openly celebrated in broad sense of the word. Because in all technicality, it was not an official holiday or festival. But it had been a commonly known fact that around the first bloom of spring, all of the animals and insects woke up from their long winter hibernation. Even those that lived in the relatively warmer climate in the Fire Country. In Konoha , the day was usually marked by the arrival of the fireflies. Or, perhaps, it was more in like with an awakening. The swirls of light and movement in the fading sun did give off a sense of a long dormant creature coming alive once more. Of the rebirth that came with the start of spring.
It was a perfect and natural metaphor.
And the beauty of the experience was that it could be seen from any number of locations within a mile of Konoha's gates. Because different clans of lightning bugs were scattered all throughout the village. Most patrons stayed within the town limits, too consumed with their busy lives to set aside more than a few minutes to indulge and observe the marvel. Tenten , on the other hand, traveled the distance and separated herself from the noise and lights of civilization. Because only then could she fully immersed herself in the experience.
Shino, apparently, had the same idea.
She considered stepping aside from where she stood leaning against a tree and offering him a space to sit or stand. But the thought was quickly cast aside when the kunoichi recalled just who she was dealing with. Because it was a known fact that Aburame Shino held a slight aversion to touching. Or rather, it was a common rumor among those who had ever inquired or speculated about the tendencies of the Aburame clan. One that she was in no position or mood to test out or question any time soon. If ever. Whatever personal preferences he held, it was his business and his alone. Shino was a good shinobi, and that was all that Tenten needed to know. Even if...
All thought on the matter was quickly set aside as the first zip of movement caught her attention, the only signal she received before it started.
As always, it had begun with one. One spark of life from the lead bug. One singular blink of radiance in the lingering light before the others followed behind. Another fluttered to life. Then another. And another still, until the entire swarm was flickering throughout the field. And then it was like the stars had come down from their heavenly place in the sky to appear before them, swirling in streams of light from one end of the field to the other.
"It's almost like a dance," she murmured quietly, mostly to herself. Although that did not stop the kunoichi from turning to regard her companion for his opinion on the matter.
She had expected little to no response from Shino. Just a simple nod of acknowledgment or a tilt of the head in consideration to her comment. If even that. So when the deeper tones of his voice came out in clear words, she had almost been too startled to respond accordingly. "It is."
After taking a moment to recover and think over his words, Tenten could only quirk a curious brow. Although the kunoichi had not gone on quite as many missions with him as she had with others, she liked to think that the few that the two have shared had been enough to gain enough understanding of how Shino functioned. And above all else, the young Aburame did not speak unless he felt it was important to do so. Not a single word was ever wasted when he was inclined to voice his thoughts.
And that, in turn, sometimes added to the mystery surrounding his existence.
But that was not to say that he did so with the intention of isolating himself from the world. On the contrary, in fact. Shino, more than anyone else in their small circle of companions, sought to solidify his friendships with the others. He, above all others, felt the sting of rejection when that effort was not returned. It was through no intentional fault of his that the young man's actions were sometimes... intimidating.
So with a little bit of interest and that thought in mind, Tenten curiously tilted her head a fraction in his direction, encouraging him to elaborate on his claim. "...Oh?"
"The intricate flash of their bulbs and the path of their flight are a form of dance, most likely meant to attract an appropriate and adequate mate," he clarified. And for possibly the first time that evening, his gaze seemed to settle on her intently, appearing to carry with it a heavy weight of... something that the kunoichi could not quite place her finger on. Although it was difficult to tell with how his dark glasses seemed to do well in hiding just where Shino's gaze was aimed. But as far as Tenten was concerned, it was normal behavior from the young Aburame heir. And so she brushed the thought aside and continued the conversation.
"Does it always work?"
"...No."
And without seemingly any thought to his actions, the shinobi wordlessly slipped a hand from where it had been cradled in his pocket and held it out towards the swarm of lightning bugs. Almost instantly, a pair of beetles floated over to land with a soundless flutter in his palm. To which the shinobi reacted by curling his fingers slightly around the two in a sort of protective manner, an act that did not go completely unnoticed by Tenten. But she said nothing on the matter and merely inched closer, curiously watching the pair move about in his hand.
She could only smile when the two beetles crawled in closer to each other. Carefully circled around one another in a sort of dace that only they could make sense of. An unspoken understanding that only existed between the pair and the world their union created. It was beautiful in its own fashion. Although, she supposed, giving sentiment to what was an instinctual habit of nature could hardly be thought of as romantic or practical. Still, Tenten could find some comfort in it. Indulge in the irrationality of the concept, if only briefly before reality pushed the idea way from her mind.
"And what happens to them if it doesn't?"
"...Then they will spend the rest of their short lives searching until they have," he replied after a moment of thought, never taking his eyes off of the two, "It is the nature of all creatures."
True enough, she supposed. "Makes sense..."
There was a pause as the young man continued to watch the pair of fireflies circle around each other in his palm, beating their translucent wings to a rhythm all their own and strobing messages with their illuminating bodies. Signals that no other creature would understand. Could not begin to decipher unless they carefully studied their habits for some time. They were in an existence all their own. All the while, the soft glow seemed to play along the strong lines and soft curves of his face. Almost giving shape to what was hidden under the high collar of his coat. It was something she would later recall as mesmerizing, watching him observe something as instinctual as a mating dance between two lightning bugs that could care less of his presence. Their presense.
It was almost... sacred. Precious. Something she would cherish for years to come, Tenten was sure. And she felt priviledged to be a witness to it.
When the ritual was apparently done, Shino slowly straightened his posture and held out his palm once more, letting the pair of fireflies fly off to join the others in perpetuating the cycle of life and nature. And in the silence that followed, Tenten allowed her thoughts to wander once more while her body simply felt content enough to enjoy the experience unfolding before her eyes. As well as the lessons that they brought to light.
Humans were not so different from animals as they liked to believe, the kunoichi realized. They carried some of the same tendencies and habits. The same devotions and necessities, in a way. Even though people could only theorize and speculate about the reasons behind their behaviors did not mean that they were any more different than humans are from each other.
"They're beautiful this year, aren't they?"
"Yes."
"So... I'll see you next spring?"
"...Yes."
And they left it at that, spending the rest of the night in contented silence as the lightning bugs continued their beautiful dance around them.