Author's Note:
Emiko is an original character that I developed for the sole purpose of giving the story a little more depth.
The story is dedicated to Deserter who enjoys a good tale with a lot of drama… I hope I was able to deliver that in this chapter and more… enjoy.
This is the raw chapter and is subject to revision at a later date.
Read always - review at your leisure.
A sentence in Italics denotes the private thoughts of a character.
Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Naruto, nor do I profit it from it, which is a good thing because Kakashi would be doing stripper-grams on his days off. Enjoy, beautiful people, enjoy.
I need your grace If I lay here Forget what we're told All that I am
To remind me
To find my own
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Chapter Three – Shaking the Family Tree
Sakura took a final sip from her now empty wine glass and looked over her friend in quiet contemplation. "When do you plan on informing the prospective grandparents of the news?" asked the pink-haired woman in a quiet voice.
"Well, I can't put it off for too long but I'm thinking in the next couple of days or so. Shino and I need to sit down and have a talk first." sighed Ino.
The pinkette nodded in agreement. This pregnancy certainly changed things between the young couple. She knew Shino would be more than willing to put a ring on her friend's finger in a heartbeat but it was obvious that Ino was still nursing some deep emotional scars from her disastrous relationship with Shikamaru. Sakura sighed silently to herself. While Shino respected the fact that his lover still needed time to heal, the medic nin knew that the respective clans were going to be none too thrilled with Ino's decision to not get married in her current condition.
Yes – the shit was going to hit the wall in a big way!
Sakura scooted over to sit closer to her blonde friend and gently clasped her hand.
"Ino-pig, if you and bug-boy ever need help or support… I will be there for you two," whispered the pinkette.
Ino felt tears sting the back of her eyes at her friend's offer and nodded softly in reply – overwhelmed with the offer. The young woman secretly knew that she was going to meet with some staunch opposition from her family at the very least over her decision to not marry in the immediate future.
Ino glanced over at the daisies with hooded eyes.
She loved Shino deeply and unconditionally but she wasn't ready to make that commitment yet. Shino bless his handsome and reserved hide, understood her fears and wasn't pushing.
"Forehead Girl… thank you," croaked the blonde, her voice cracking with emotion.
Both women looked up when they heard the gentle click of the door unlocking and saw Shino step hesitantly through the door.
"Ino, you okay?" asked the bug wielder concerned at the odd brightness he saw in her eyes.
Ino cleared her throat and replied, "Sweetheart, I'm fine. Why don't you close the door and take the food into the kitchen. We can eat in there."
Sakura watched the tall man walk into the kitchen and suddenly remembered something she wanted to ask her friend. "Ino-pig, I'm curious… what did Shino say to you before he left to get food?" whispered Sakura into her friend's ear.
She was surprised to see Ino give her a cheeky grin. "Oh that! He told me while he was relieved to hear that I loved him, he was still going to have a little chat with me later about my stubbornness."
Sakura grinned at that comment. Ino met her match with her Kikai lover.
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The trio sat down to a wonderful meal filled with good food and lots of laughter. Sakura had been pretty surprised at the side of Shino that was revealed at dinner.
He was witty, charming and rather intelligent. It was also obvious he was head over heels in love with her best friend in the way he kept touching her hand tenderly whenever he thought Sakura wasn't looking. She felt like a third wheel watching these two expressed their devotion to each other in little glances and small smiles. They looked so happy and the pink haired woman was pleased to see a man make her friend smile like that when that smile had been absent for such a long time…
The medic nin was reluctant to say goodnight to the two young lovers but knew that she needed to get up bright and early for her shift at the hospital.
Shino stood nearby as Ino walked the pink-haired woman to the door.
"Ino-pig, give me a call when you two are ready to come in for a follow up appointment, okay?" murmured the medic nin, touching her friend's arm lightly.
Ino nodded in response. She felt Shino's arms wrap around her in mute understanding of her emotional state. Sakura smiled softly at the two of them standing together and murmured before finally leaving, "Bug-boy, make sure Ino-pig takes her pre-natal vitamins, okay?"
He couldn't help but smile at that and nodded in reply.
Shino felt his lover pull away and walk over to lock the door.
The bug wielder shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her to return. He jumped a little when he felt her arms slide under his jacket. He felt her lay her cheek against his broad back. "Shino… I'm sorry that I didn't tell you my concerns. I was scared that you would reject me when you found out… and I'm sorry for thinking that," murmured the blonde brokenly.
Ino could feel the Kikai buzzing and his heartbeat thumping erratically before he turned around to face his lover.
"Sweetheart, never hide something like this from me again… I was worried that you didn't want me anymore and you were planning to leave me." replied the bug wielder, his voice cracking slightly from suppressed emotion.
Ino pulled away from him and covered her face with her hands, horrified by the conclusion her lover had come to over her strange behavior in the past two weeks.
Oh god! He had been worried that she didn't want him… she never considered how her actions would be interpreted…
Ino took a calming breath and removed her hands from her face. One hand reached up and carefully removed his glasses. She saw his eyes shining with deeply rooted emotions simmering just below the surface and knew he was upset.
"Oh kami, Shino… I never realized you were thinking that! I-I do love you dearly. I don't know what I would do if I lost you…" whispered the young woman now openly crying.
"Shhh… sweetheart. its okay." crooned the bug wielder in a soothing voice, his kikai beetles buzzing loudly and betraying his unease over the sight of her tears.
Shino scooped his lover up into his arms and took her back to the bedroom. He switched on the soft lighting and tenderly laid her on the bed. He knelt down, removing his jacket and stretched out on the bed beside his woman.
He touched her face lightly, cradling her against his lean form and softly asked the one question that had been nagging him since he found out his impending fatherhood. "Ino – sweetheart, I need to know… how do you feel about this pregnancy?"
Ino's eyes opened wide in surprise, the blue irises shining brightly in the soft glow.
"Oh, Shino… I'm thrilled. I know it wasn't something we planned…but…I want our children… I just didn't know that you wanted them too." whispered the blonde in a sad voice.
He sighed, a little relieved hearing her obvious delight over her pregnancy.
That was good news, at least… knowing that she was happy being pregnant and she loved him… it was certainly going to make the rest of what they needed to discuss easier to deal with…
"Sweetheart, I know we have a few things we need to sort out before we tell our families but I wanted to give you something first…" murmured the bug wielder. He'd been carrying it around for a while now, trying to pick the right time to give it to her and now seemed like a better moment than any...
Ino frowned in confusion as she saw him shove a hand in his pocket and fish out a box.
He gently placed the box into one of her hands and softly said, "Ino, I know you're not ready for that level of commitment but I still wanted to give you a token to reflect the love I have for you in my heart."
She opened the box up with trembling fingers and was stunned by what she found.
The scarlet enameled lady-bug hung suspended on a fine white gold chain. The little black dots were chips of onyx and the eyes were little diamonds.
It was most beautiful thing she'd ever seen or received. She knew she was going to cry!
"Shino, it's so beautiful!" whispered the blonde in an awed voice.
One finger lovingly touched the beetle as a lone tear finally streaked down her cheek.
Shino leaned forward and traced the path of the tear with his tongue. The blonde gasped at the contact and reached out with the other hand to pull him closer.
"Do you want me to put it on for you?" whispered the bug wielder urgently.
"Only if you promise to make love to me afterwards…" replied the blonde.
The Kikai master groaned and gently retrieved the box from his lover's hand. He removed the necklace with a small tremor in his hands and carefully hooked it into place.
The delicate chain caressed her neck as the little bug settled in the hollow between her breasts.
It was a deceptively simple pendant, and yet it eloquently made a statement that she was cherished.
"Sweet Ino, we will continue our conversation afterwards…" groaned the bug wielder as she captured his lips.
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Ino laid in the shelter of his arms, feeling his breath tickling her neck as he gently nibbled on her collarbone. It always amazed her how someone so outwardly calm like Shino could unleash his passion with the same force of a summer tempest.
She heard him sigh sadly and knew that he was making good on his promise to continue their conversation.
"Ino – you know our clans aren't going to be thrilled with the idea that you're not ready to marry me right away… there's going to be talk. Are you prepared for that?" murmured Shino against her shoulder. He continued to tenderly caress her belly with soft strokes.
The blonde sighed sadly, "Yes, Shino… I know. My father is especially not going to like it but there's not much he can do about it…"
"Actually, sweetheart… I have given that a great deal of thought as well as taking into consideration the fact that we need to figure out what to do about the living situation." murmured the bug wielder.
Ino looked over her shoulder at her lover, "Really? Do tell, Shino… What have you come up with?"
She saw her boyfriend give her a rare half smile and knew that he'd come up with a feasible plan that would work for the interim.
"Sweetheart, my family has a special requirement for anyone wishing to enter into a union with a clan member."
Ino's eyes widened in shock and gratitude as she realized what he was saying. She licked her lips to ease the dryness and asked breathlessly, "What's the requirement?"
"We have to live together under the one roof for six months…" replied the bug wielder hesitantly then continued, "Ino, I don't know how much time you need but I do know that will take the pressure off us for a while."
Ino stared at her bug wielding lover in shock, suddenly overwhelmed by the feelings she had for this man beside her.
While there was a sense of urgency about their situation, he still understood her private fears and was trying not to pressure her into a decision she wasn't ready to make.
She closed her eyes in relief and felt the tears coursing down her cheeks. Ino could feel her lover tense up from her reaction. She opened her eyes in understanding and quickly turned in his arms to touch his face in a tender caress, feeling him vibrate slightly from the contact and the agitated Kikai within him.
"You're wrong, Shino… I really do want to marry you but I wasn't expecting you to give me this much time." Murmured Ino brokenly, feeling the vibrations get stronger under the man's skin.
"Y-you do? Really? Are you serious, sweetheart?" asked Shino in a shocked voice.
She could feel him trembling now from the effort to keep his beetles in check and knew that was the last thing he was expecting to hear from her. Ino reached up and licked his bottom lip and watched him groan from the contact.
"Yes, my sweet Kikai lover… I'm serious." Whispered the blonde… "You'll be the first person to know when I'm ready, I promise…"
He pulled her close to him and that's when she felt them on her shoulder… tears.
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Shino had gone home a short while after their chat to let Ino have some much needed sleep. It was clear that she was exhausted from the emotional stress of keeping this secret for so long and he knew that sleep would be the last thing she would get if he spent the night with her…
He managed to corner his father in the kitchen this morning with the news that he needed to have a chat with him later and he was bringing someone home to meet him.
Shino had been secretly relieved when his father mentioned casually whether this someone was aware of the six month requirement. He was pretty sure that was the case when he told Ino last night but it was nice to get reassurance that his information was correct.
He nodded his agreement and was about to leave the house when he heard, "As long you two are married before my first grandchild arrives, I am content."
Shino was flushing behind his collar and kept walking, his father's soft knowing chuckle still ringing in his ears.
-----------------------------------------
Ino looked over at her lover and felt him give her hand a reassuring squeeze. He had showed up at her apartment early with fresh bread and a soothing touch when her morning sickness made its presence known. It seemed to worse than usual this morning.
Ino was nervous, despite having Shino's company for this particular chat with her family.
A small hand fluttered over the front of her dark purple dress, plucking at tiny specks of lint.
Oh, she wasn't worried about her mother – she would be thrilled about having grandkids to show off. No – she was more worried about what her father would say, especially when he found out about her and Shino.
The fact that she had kept her relationship with Shino firmly under wraps was going to cause some friction.
She also didn't know how her father was going to react when he found out that her lover's family was a bug wielding clan.
The young couple strolled down the street at a leisurely pace holding hands and was obliviously to the stares and sly whispers they were receiving from curious onlookers.
The blonde stopped suddenly, feeling a little light-headed and gripped her boyfriend's hand tighter. The worry she'd been feeling all morning about having to tell her father was starting to affect her. Shino looked over at his lover, secretly alarmed at how pale she was…
He wrapped his arms around the young woman and picked her up. "Sweetheart, do you want me to take you home? We can do this later when you're feeling better..." murmured Shino in a worried tone.
Ino shook her head slightly, her lady bug swinging a little at the movement and whispered in his ear, "Honey, I'll be fine... I think I just need to sit down for a little bit."
Shino looked around the street and caught sight of a little tea house in a nearby side street.
"Ino, can you walk?" asked the now-stressed bug wielder.
He was relieved to see her nod.
They sat down at a small table towards the back of the shop and Shino ordered them a pot of ginger tea to help settle her nausea.
He held her hand and stroked the top with his thumb while they wanted for the hostess to bring the tea.
The Kikaichuu master waited for the woman to leave before he poured two cups of the fragrant tea, carefully adding a little honey before handing the cup to Ino.
"Sip it slowly, sweetheart… it will help." murmured the bug wielder soothingly.
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a packet of crackers. "Shino… how?" asked the blonde in wonderment.
Shino blushed at his lover's question. He knew what she was asking… "I heard it helps too…" murmured the young man awkwardly.
They stayed at the tea shop until Ino felt well enough to continue to her parent's home.
Shino continued down the road, still holding his girlfriend's hand and gently caressing it with his thumb.
He was relieved to see some color back in her cheeks when they finally reached the front gate of the Yamanaka Household. Shino opened the gate for his blonde vixen and let her enter first, still clasping her hand.
They were about to walk up the front steps when the couple heard an enraged voice shout, "Who the hell are you?! And what the hell are you doing with my daughter!?"
Shino's reaction was instantaneous. A wall of destruction beetles immediately formed between the couple and the swiftly approaching and highly irate Inoichi Yamanaka.
A glacial voice came out from behind the wall of bugs, "If you would prefer to wait until we're inside, I will be more than happy to tell you, Mr. Yamanaka. So, are you going to invite us in or are you going glare at me all day?"
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Inoichi Yamanaka sat on the other side of the coffee table with his wife. They were curious as to why their daughter had insisted on seeing them this morning and why she was accompanied by a man who wielded beetles with deadly accuracy.
Ino sat serenely next to the young man in the dark glasses and all encompassing hood, still holding onto his hand. Inoichi was mildly surprised to see her looking as calm as she waited for the tea to be served. His wife, Emiko, on the other hand, looked positively delighted to see that her daughter had found someone else finally, no matter how strangely garbed.
Shino pulled off his hood and carefully folded down the collar before gently handing Ino her cup of green tea. Emiko and Inoichi were a little surprised and shocked by the young man's handsome features. Emiko looked at the man sitting next to her daughter over her cup of green tea, quietly contemplating the subtle interaction between the two. She had secretly watched the little incident in the front yard involving the bug wielder and her husband with great interest. She was impressed that the elegant man had dealt with the possible threat to Ino quickly and calmly. It was the young man's cold tone however, that had given her a clue as to what role he played in her daughter's life.
"Ino, sweetheart… that's a pretty necklace you're wearing… where did you get it?" asked Emiko casually. When her daughter had walked into the room, Emiko has noticed it straight away. It was quite a stunning piece of jewelry, elegant, understated and perfectly suited for her daughter. In fact, she had a sneaking suspicion that it had been made expressly for Ino.
The young man took a sip of his green tea and continued to gently caress her daughter's hand. He gave Ino a small smile before she turned and addressed her mother's questions.
"Thank you, mother… I'm glad you like it. Shino gave it to me." replied the blonde with a soft smile.
So, his name was Shino… it suited him. He did remind her of an elegant reed of Bamboo.
"Emiko, Ino – enough of the women's chat…" growled an impatient Inoichi, "Ino - what was so important that you needed to tell us both?!"
Emiko watched Shino frown slightly at the man's tone. She could tell that the young man didn't like her husband's attitude at all. She was intrigued now. She had a premonition that her husband was about to receive a set down and he didn't even know it yet.
Shino stroked his lover's hand slowly, detecting the fine tremors after feeling the lash of her father's sharp tone. He was more than well aware that he was not Shikamaru.
What this pompous pig didn't know that he was better than Shikamaru… for Ino at least.
Aburame men did not treat their women the way this one did! They were adored, gently teased, worshipped and above all – loved!
"Ino… I find your father's attitude to you and your mother offensive. A real man does not treat his women like this!" growled the bug wielder in response to Inoichi's question.
Emiko couldn't see the young man's eyes but she got the impression that he was a little upset. She could now pick up a tiny hissing sound which seemed to coming from within the young man…
Inoichi stood up, now furious with the young man's impertinence.
"How dare you!?" roared an irate Inoichi, "Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Shino pinned the man with a cold stare through his glasses and in a deathly quiet voice replied, "I dare because Ino is my woman. No man treats her like dirt, not even her father!"
He stood up and gave him a steely glare through his glasses, at the bristling Inoichi before hissing, "As to who the hell I am? I am Shibi Aburame's son, heir of the Aburame clan."
The Kikai beetles hummed louder and rippled under the skin dangerously from within Shino as a warning to the older man.
He coolly adjusted his glasses with one hand and gently pulled Ino up from the chair.
"Ino, sweetheart… I'm sorry… maybe you were right after all. We should have told my family our news first…" murmured the kikaichu master contritely to his disappointed girlfriend. They started to walk to the door.
Ino was distraught by this turn of events but wasn't surprised by her father's attitude.
She felt a tiny beetle land on her right shoulder blade and looked up to see a small smile flash briefly across her kikai lover's face. She wasn't surprised to hear Rex's irate buzzing. He and Spike were pretty territorial where she was concerned…
They were about to leave, when they heard an equally irate female voice behind them screaming, "You Baka! Inoichi – keep your trap shut!"
Shino grinned knowingly at his woman.
So, this was where she got her fire from…
A soft pleading voice called out, "Ino, sweetie… Why don't you and your nice young man sit back down and tell us what it was that you needed to talk about in person…"
Shino quietly closed the door and gazed down at the delicate blonde at his side.
Ino looked over at her boyfriend in surprise and saw the raised eyebrow above his glasses.
He was a crafty devil! He knew the right things to say to get her parents to listen to her…
A little kikai beetle flitted out and sat in the hollow of her left shoulder blade. Shino shrugged when he saw the second beetle come out… It seemed both of them were ready to protect their mistress if the moment arose.
Ino smiled at her lover, giving him a slight nod before they turned to walk back into the sitting room.
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It was beginning to feel like Deja vu. Ino and her Kikai lover were sitting back down, drinking tea but this time, Inoichi was keeping a civil tongue in his head.
"So, sweetie… what is it you need to tell us?" wheedled Emiko eagerly.
Shino's comment about they should have told his family their news first, was telling. If it was what her women's intuition was telling her – there was no way her Baka husband was going to rob her of this moment.
Shino gently squeezed his woman's hand to let her know that it was okay to tell them now and continued to stroke his thumb over the hand he held.
Ino blurted out, "Mother, I'm pregnant. Shino and I are expecting your grandchildren in six months time…"
Emiko and Inoichi looked at the young couple in stunned silence… then Emiko hesitantly said, "Ino… did you say grandchildren as in plural?"
Emiko watched the young man pick up her daughter's hand and gently kiss it. She certainly couldn't fault her daughter's taste. He definitely seemed a better catch for her than Shikamaru Nara.
"Yes, mother… I'm carrying twins." replied the young woman serenely.
Ino was surprised to hear her father's gruff voice and see the suspicious sheen of tears in his eyes"So, when's the wedding."
Well, at least he seemed thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandfather… that was a good sign. Ino thought privately to herself.
Shino answered the question, "My clan has a requirement that Ino needs to live with us for six months prior to taking vows…"
He saw her parents beginning to protest over that. He knew exactly what they were thinking… they didn't want their grandchildren to be born illegitimate!
"There is one small exception though… because of her condition and the fact that she is willing to enter into a union with my clan - if Ino wishes to shorten that time period of her own free will, my father has agreed to let us marry earlier."
Ino's parents nodded thoughtfully and understood what the young man was saying. It was obvious that the Aburame Clan was unusual and for a woman to want to willingly live with a clan filled with beetles seemed rare. For that reason alone, the clan leader was willing to make certain concessions to Ino but any pressure from them and the deal was off. They would have to wait to get married after the birth of the twins…
They knew when they had been outwitted by a worthy adversary and reluctantly nodded their agreement.
"Mr. Yamanaka, my father will be in touch later with the documents." murmured the bug wielder, giving the older man a slight bow of respect.
Ino felt tears sting at her eyes, relieved that Shino got her parents to agree to the terms of the Aburame Clan.
She suddenly felt exhausted from the stress of the visit and felt herself feeling lightheaded again. Ino felt the shadows engulf her as the floor rushed up to meet her.
"Ino!"
She had fainted before Shino caught her.
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Ino blinked her eyes, trying to figure out what happened… She recognized the room but she was confused as to why she was in her old room, her head on Shino's firm lap.
"S-Shinnnoooo…." moaned the pale blonde. The bug wielder continued to press the cooling cloth to her forehead, occasionally scolding two little buzzing blobs…
She squinted and saw her two insect bodyguards flitting around, vastly irritated.
"Rex? Spike? Behave! I'm fine… honest." admonished Ino gently.
Her mother's nervous face popped in the doorway and was relieved to see her daughter awake.
"Shino, here's that pot of ginger tea you asked for…"murmured Emiko.
She watched the young man fish around his pockets and pull out a packet of dry crackers.
"Sweetheart? I need you to sit up slowly, so I can give you some tea and crackers to soothe your nausea." crooned the bug wielder softly.
She watched in amazement as Shino patiently fed her daughter ginger tea and dry crackers, a little bit at a time until it was all gone.
"This has happened before, I take it?" asked the woman, looking a little chagrinned.
"Yes – just before we got here… She was nervous about telling her father and got herself all worked up…" sighed Shino.
Emiko felt awful… they were to blame for this latest episode.
"Do you really need to leave soon?" asked Ino's mother a little worried.
She heard the Kikaichuu master sigh again before replying, "Yes – I'm afraid so… We need to inform both families before the village find out… the sooner there is a formal agreement in place, the safer Ino will be from unsavory village gossip."
Emiko was impressed. He had given this a great deal of thought.
"When did you find out, Shino?" asked Emiko gently. The bug wielder continued to keep watch over his lover, slowly seeing the color back into her face.
"Yesterday… in the late afternoon." murmured Shino.
"Shino? I'm ready to go now…" came a soft voice from the bed. He noticed the little watch dogs were sitting in their usual perches, looking calmer. That was a good sign at least…
He gently pulled her up, and quietly thanked Ino's mother for the tea, bowing slightly before gently escorting his beautiful vixen down the stairs and out the door…
Emiko couldn't help thinking as she followed their retreating figures that Ino had gotten herself one hell of a man…
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The stress of telling her family behind her, Ino was feeling a little more relaxed about breaking the news to Shino's family.
She had the impression that his father at least, was going to be thrilled.
The Aburame Family Compound was on the outskirts of the village, so it was late afternoon by the time they reached Shino's home.
Shino opened the gate and let his blonde beauty go first.
They got to the front steps when two things happened simultaneously. A cloud of his father's destruction beetles came out to greet the newcomers, only for Shino's own destruction beetles to get aggressive and push the new bugs away from Ino. They were on the defensive after the situation at the Yamanaka Household. The young woman's two faithful bodyguards then zipped off their perch on the blonde's collarbones and raced inside the huge house.
They soon heard Shibi's bloodcurdling screams, "Shiinnnooo, tell your woman to call these little bastards off me!!"
Ino looked at her lover horrified as Shino chuckled, "Sweetheart, you better call them back!"
"Rex, Spike… come home!" crooned the blonde. Two little black blobs flitted back and lovingly went back to their mistress, buzzing happily. She absentmindedly put her finger up and gently stroked the beetles.
They soon heard Shibi's voice get closer, "Shino, those two are the most vicious little pricks I have ever had the misfortune of meeting… Is there a reason why they are that nasty? There was only one time I saw this and it was with your mother… she had this one cantankerous bug that had the worst attitude…"
Shibi's voice died off when he beheld the vision standing next to his son.
She wore a conservative looking short sleeved purple dress that came to her knees. Her blonde hair fell to her waist in soft waves and eyes as blue as the open sky danced back at him in greeting.
Oh my god! This was his son's woman? No way in hell! He had heard that Yamanaka's daughter was a beauty but he thought it had been pure exaggeration.
Then he saw the two little hellions, purring with delight whenever she gently stroked their wings.
His eyes widened in shock behind his glasses when he realized where the vicious little bastards like to perch.
Fucking little perverts!
The two kikai suddenly noticed the Aburame Clan Leader watching them and starting hissing in warning.
Shibi frowned at his grinning son and growled, "Can't you control the fucking little monsters?"
He was disgusted to see his son shake his head and reply, "Not really… they only come to me occasionally for food… but they will only listen to Ino most of the time..."
Shibi's brain almost had a meltdown when he heard a soft sultry voice murmur, "Boys… you need to behave now. Stop being so bad!"
The two little kikai beetles calmed down at the sound of her voice and Shibi shook his head in amazement.
Shibi frowned slightly as another thought crossed his mind, "Shino, what's wrong with your beetles tonight? They've been acting aggressively and actually attacked mine when I sent them out to say hello…"
The Aburame Clan Leader came closer to the young couple still standing on the top step, abruptly stopping when he noticed two things now that he could see them clearly in the early evening light.
The little enamel ladybug twinkled brightly at the young woman's neck proudly proclaiming his son's claim to her affections and his beetles could now detect two strong little heartbeats, coming from her.
"Ahhhh…. I see. Shino, it seems you need to teach those beetles of yours manners as well." Murmured Shibi. "They should know by now that I wouldn't hurt your woman, especially when she's carrying my grandchildren!"
The Aburame Clan Leader turned around and walked back inside, amongst a cloud of destruction beetles.
A voice drifted out from the darkness, "Well, bring her in son! The poor girl is probably starving!"
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Ino hesitantly walked into the large house and was decidedly overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.
"Shhh, sweetheart, it will be okay… you need to relax. Those two Kikai of yours are in tune to your emotions. They'll probably attack my father again if you don't calm down…" murmured Shino.
"Oh. I'm sorry, Shino… I keep forgetting Rex and Spike are sensitive that way…" replied the blonde.
They heard a soft chuckle coming from the kitchen, "Good god… She's named the little terrors as well, huh?"
Shino pulled out a chair for Ino and helped her get comfortable at the table. The younger Aburame went to the sink to fill the kettle while his father dug through the kitchen cabinets for some herbal tea for the young woman.
"Uh, Mr. Aburame…. Where's your bathroom?" asked a suddenly weak voice. Shino and Shibi both looked over in alarm at the suddenly limp blonde at the table and rushed over to her side.
Shino muttered to the little watch dogs, "Spike, Rex… bathroom, now… we'll be there in a minute."
The two beetles buzzed angrily as they went ahead. Shibi looked down at the poor girl draped between him and his son.
A look of compassion passed between father and son. Shibi raised an eyebrow and Shino nodded in reply.
They gently carried the frail looking blonde to the bathroom. Shino carefully draped his beloved into position at the toilet while Shibi waited outside.
"Protect, boys… Rex, come and get me when she's done, okay?" murmured the younger man.
He walked out of the bathroom and left it open a crack for the two destruction beetles.
"I take it things went bad over at the Yamanaka household huh, son?" muttered the Aburame Clan Leader.
"Yeah, dad… it wasn't the best situation to deal with." Murmured Shino in a tired voice.
The two men grimaced when they heard the unmistakable heart wrenching sounds of someone being violently ill.
Shibi was disgusted… if a simple visit to her parent's home had caused this much stress to the young woman, it wasn't a good omen.
"How many times did she did get sick, Shino?" asked Shibi grimly.
The younger man understood what his father was asking. "She was feeling weak on the way over to her parent's home and she had a serious fainting spell just as we concluded the contract negotiations."
"We'll talk more about this after we put your woman to bed." murmured the elder Aburame.
A Kikai beetle dashed out of the bathroom and buzzed frantically at Shino. "Okay, Rex… stop getting stressed and upset… she'll be fine. I promise." He walked over to his girlfriend and scooped her up from the floor of the bathroom.
"Dad, can you get me a robe for Ino… I need to change her out of this dress."
"Shinnooo…." murmured a weak voice.
"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay… I'm just going to change you into some clean clothes and put you to bed."
"…love..you…" murmured the weak voice.
Shino's voice cracked with emotion and felt his kikai thrashing wildly around inside of him as he replied, "Kami, I love you too, sweetheart…"
The bug wielder gently wiped his lover's heated flesh with a soft cloth and patted her dry while he waited for his father to bring the robe.
"Shino… call him off! I can't even slide the robe through the door…" called out his father in a disgusted voice.
"Reeeexxxx… bad buugggg… releassseee…" chuckled a weak voice.
Shino gently put the blonde into the robe and scooped her up in his arms. He found his father waiting for him when he exited the bathroom. Shibi could see the same thing that his son saw… Ino looked so fragile and pale with large dark circles under her eyes… The stress had finally caught up with the young woman.
Shino was walking past his father when his lover's fingers suddenly reached out and gripped his father's arm. "con…tract?"
Shibi could feel his heart clench painfully at her unspoken plea. "Shhh… Ino, sweetie… it will be fine. Let Shino and I worry about that... You need to rest."
He watched the young woman slide her hand off his arm with a sigh.
Shino came out of his room after a while and looked at his father worried.
"Son, we need to have an overdue chat…" murmured Shibi in a low growl, his kikai humming dangerously.
"Father… what about Ino?" asked Shino.
"Don't worry, son… We always protect our own." replied the Elder Abarame.
There was no question to the Clan Leader that Ino would be a lot safer amongst the bugs.