I have a feeling this will raise a lot of emotions.

Chapter 11

Off on the wrong foot

A few quiet days passed as Shino monitored the female kikai laying her eggs and letting them hatch. He kept them carefully contained until they were fully grown to adulthood and chose a female to give to Sachi.

Sachi waited anxiously for news from Shino. The few times she saw him in the coming days she would immediately ask for an update. With each minute that ticked by she was convinced that she could feel Kai-san grow weaker. In the quiet of her room, she would whisper soothing words to the insect, more for herself than anything else.

Just 3 days past when Shino returned and her nerves were wound tight in anticipation. Sachi could hear the faint buzzing that indicated Shino was walking up to her house. She ran down the stairs two at a time and crossed the kitchen so fast that Shino hadn't had time to knock before she threw the door open.

"Shino-san!" She shouted a little too loudly.

"Sachi-san," he acknowledged, "would you like to take a walk."

"Yes, definitely." She closed the door behind her and walked the familiar path with him to the pond that had become their default meeting place.

"I have selected a female to give to you."

"Will this one be any different from Kai-san?"

"In terms of care, no. Female kikai are used to track. Wherever you are I will be able to find you. This kikai will live up to a year."

"Shino-san?" her voice was quiet and serious. He looked to her. "Why are you giving me another insect anyway? I know that clans guard secrets very carefully and I know Kai-san was just an accident but isn't voluntarily giving me one a bad thing?"

"No. In some cases, it can be considered a good thing."

They arrived at the pond and sat on the grass under one of the trees.

"I have the female here. Hold out your hand, please."

She did as he asked and felt the insect crawl from his hand to hers.

"You need to gather chakra into your hand to feed her."

She pushed chakra to her hand. Its antennae wiggled excitedly, taking in its meal.

"She is your's now."

Kai-san flew down to Sachi's outstretched hand to see the newcomer. Sachi could feel the two moving gently across her palm as they wiggled their antennae and ruffled their wings. She was puzzled at the sounds that came from both insects. They buzzed and hummed alternatively, almost like human speech.

"What are they doing?" she asked.

Shino listened to the unrefined communication between insect to insect.

"I suppose you can say Kai-san is explaining the job to the female."

"What do I do with Kai-san now?"

"He is nearing the end. You may leave him with me if you like."

Sachi knew that was for the best. She wouldn't know what to do with her little friend when he finally died. Friends, family and some pets would get funerals at the end of their lives. Even as dear as Kai-san was to her it seemed strange to hold a funeral for a bug. But it seemed disrespectful to do anything else.

She sniffled lightly, sad to know she would be parting with her friend. "I'm going to miss you Kai-san. You were so good. You can go now." She touched her hand to Shino's knowing Kai-san was likely too weak to fly much more and knowing how stubborn he was about leaving her she added, "go on." He chirped tiredly and crawled onto Shino's hand, joining the others of his kind.

"Now what do we do?" Sachi asked.

"You haven't named this one yet."

She laughed dryly. "Don't be silly, Shino-san," she said. "I've had a name picked out for days. I'll call her Kai-chan." She smiled and lifted the newly named Kai-chan to her forehead where she began her vigil.

Shino let out a breath of amusement and a corner of his mouth turned up. She amused him greatly and the names she chose seemed to fit a theme of the kikai's general name.

"I saw you smile!" Sachi exclaimed.

He felt the familiar tingle of her chakra around him as she sensed his expression. Her own smile returned his in greater intensity.

"I'm glad I met you, Shino-san. You've changed my life so much." Shino definitely agreed.

"Would you like to get lunch?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

They sat in a booth where Sachi spoke to him about anything and everything that took her fancy. She didn't jabber on incessantly or awkwardly and Shino was willing to hear her commentary. He enjoyed hearing her talk of new things she experienced through her chakra sense. She marveled over the new detail of the world around her and it was interesting to hear about the world from her perspective.

"I knew there would be a lot of signs outside of shops and on the road but I didn't think there were that many."

This was one of the many things she mentioned to him as they ate. He listened avidly to her words and watched her innocent expression of fascination turn to bemusement as she fell silent. Her forehead wrinkled and her lips pouted slightly. He couldn't help but wonder what thought paused her so suddenly to leave her hand hovering her spoon over her meal.

She finally laid her spoon down and addressed him.

"Shino-san, what's all this?" She waved her hands around in no particular order, rhyme or reason. She tapped her fingers around in the air as if she was trying to catch wisps of smoke. She continued by making semi-circles over and over and tapped her fingers together, her nails making a series of small clicks.

Shino's silence told her he didn't have an adequate response, so she explained.

"The man behind me," she said quietly, "every time he speaks he moves his hands." Shino hummed his understanding.

"He is talking with his hands. The movements mean nothing."

"Is that what that is? I heard about it but I assumed it was some kind of nonverbal code like sign language, at least from what I've heard. Why do they do it if it means nothing?"

"Some people find it useful for their thought process."

"I think it's weird," she said idly, taking another bite.

She would think things strange. Suddenly perceiving the world beyond hearing and touch would take some getting used to.

When they were through with their meal Shino walked her back home like any other day. They made their way mostly in silence as Sachi concentrated on sensing her way through the streets.

"Thank you so much, Shino-san. You have no idea how much you have given me. I'll see you soon won't I?"

"I'll stop by the bookstore tomorrow if I'm not called for a mission."

"That's great. See- uh-" Her parting stopped as her head tilted slightly to the door. Shino had seen this before and prepared himself. But it was not the flamboyant Noriko that opened the door. A tall, well-built man with the same vivid hair color as Sachi stood in the doorway, looking down at the both of them. He couldn't have been more than a half an inch taller than Shino, but from the scowl he wore and the well-worked muscles framed by the door, Shino could tell this man was used to looking intimidating.

Though Shino was far from being intimidated. He had fought off many more formidable and terrifying opponents. Meeting Sachi's father, as that's who the man logically must have been, fell more into the worrisome category of interactions for Shino. He did care for Sachi and being well liked by such a kind woman meant nothing if her father did not approve of their time spent together.

"Afternoon," he greeted gruffly."Sachi, is this the guy your mom has been going on about?"

"Tousan," Sachi began softly, "this is Shino Aburame, my friend. Shino-san, this is my father."

"Aoi Hara. Come in. I insist," Sachi's father said.

While Aoi seemed rather stiff in his greeting he did not seem entirely unwelcoming. Aoi seemed to be more perturbed as if the situation bothered him. They sat at the kitchen table, each man took up opposite ends as Sachi looked to be playing peacekeeper in her perpendicular position.

"You didn't tell me you made a new friend Sachi," he said gently to his daughter. His brow furrowed when his eyes met her form and he inquired curiously, "where is your cane?"

It seemed Sachi was caught. Her family knew she wasn't overly fond of using others to lead her around, always preferring to rely on herself and her cane. But now that she had obviously been out without it, she was faced with telling the truth.

"I left it at home. Shino-san has been teaching me to use my chakra to sense my surroundings. It's so useful and more accurate! I can walk around town and not bump into anything, even without my cane. It's amazing, Tousan! I'm just sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"And why haven't you told me sooner? Have you even told your mother?"

"No, I didn't know if you would understand. Where is Kaachan?"

"Out, at the market. She is going to be baking tomorrow." Sachi seemed to understand this but Shino didn't quite comprehend the connection. He let it go, baking and groceries were hardly important now. "Is that all you are learning to use chakra for?" Aoi asked, not to be swayed from the main topic.

"Yes. It's so I can get around on my own in a better way than using my cane."

Aoi sighed. "Well, I don't see why you can't do that. I just don't want you doing anything dangerous."

"I'm not, Tousan."

"Sachi, if you'll excuse us. I would like to talk to Shino-san alone."

"Alright," she whispered forlornly. Removing herself from the table she went up the stairs.

"Aburame, then, from the shinobi clan?" Aoi asked with a grunt after she had left.

"Yes," he responded plainly.

"What is your standing among the clan?"

"My father is the clan head. I am the clan heir."

"That so?" He responded rhetorically with a raised eyebrow. "Listen, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life. I'm not going to tell you that you can't be friends with Sachi. You seem to make her happy but I know how those clans work. Marriages are only to strengthen the clan and they only accept outsiders if they are strong and well-bred and I think we both know that isn't my Sachi. She's not a shinobi and clans will write her off the moment they know she is blind. They don't want to take the chance of more blind children in their clan, especially one's to a clan heir." His gaze softened to a more imploring look. "I love my Sachi but we both have to realize that she has no future with clan business. She cares for you a lot, more than just as a friend, I'm sure. You need to let her down easy. You know you can only ever be friends and you can't lead her on. I've seen plenty of girls get their hopes up only to be denied by clan policies." He sighed and shook his head. "Just do this for me, for Sachi, please. If you care for her at all you should set the record straight before she gets hurt."

"You're wrong. That is because Sachi-san possesses qualities that my clan would find highly desirable. I am also aware that her condition is not genetic. But all of this is made moot by the fact that we are only friends."

Aoi sighed.

"You'll have to forgive me for not believing your word over all that I have witnessed. Girls like her get their hopes up all too often and it never ends well. And, really," he shook his head again. "I've been around the block more than once. There is something between you two. I don't need to have seen you two long to notice it. Not to mention Noriko has been going on about it non-stop. She says you meet nearly every day. You know what they say if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..." He trailed off leaving Shino to believe that this man wasn't about to believe him anytime soon. "Whatever happens, please remember what I said. Don't hurt Sachi. I don't care if you are a clan heir or a shinobi I'll still kick your ass," he said with finality and a large finger pointed directly at Shino's chest.

"You shouldn't worry. Why? Because I will never hurt Sachi-san. Whether or not there is something between us is of little consequence. As I have said, I don't believe my clan would reject her if they knew all the details. I understand your reasons but you should put your concerns to rest."

Aoi sighed and rubbed his forehead with a large hand. "I believe we are at an impasse. Well, I think we have both said what needs to be said. Come on, then, I'll show you out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sachi didn't want to believe her ears. When her father had excused her from the conversation she had sat, halfway up the stairs to listen in to what they were saying.

To hear her father saying she wasn't worthy of a man like Shino...

She stifled her surprise behind her hand.

"Strong and well bred... that isn't my Sachi."

Part of her wanted to be angry, to burst down the door of every nay-sayer and force them to change their mind. But she could only rush to her music player and turn it on loudly to drown out the sounds from the kitchen. It was both a blessing and a curse to hear so well. Kai-chan circled her head keeping a look out for external forces that upset her mistress.

Sachi really did like Shino. He was a good listener and he was so kind and sweet. From all the help he had given her by teaching her a new way to rely on herself to giving her Kai-chan after he let her keep Kai-san, she was really taken with him.

All the time they had spent talking and walking around just being good friends had given her insight about him even during the times he barely spoke.

She didn't love him yet, it was far too soon for that. Sachi wasn't the type to take things fast and she guessed Shino was the same way. Two months was much too soon to think about anything so serious but she knew in her heart she was hoping their relationship was traveling in a romantic direction.

But it seemed everyone else thought otherwise. Was she really such a lost cause in a romantic sense? Would anyone want her for who she was and not discredit her because she was blind?

Did you all hate me for teasing you last chapter? Because I only had one review and none of the regular reviewers.