Chapter 26
The date was sorted and the plans were ready. Ino and Sakura made sure of that. 14th March, Hokage Monument over looking Konoha. It was February and the wedding was 2 and a half weeks away and I was so nervous. I increased training again for my genin. The Chunin exams were only a month away and this year was supposed to be really intense. Kiba's Shikamaru's and Chouji's were entering plus ours. I trained them the whole week last week and they earned 2 days off this week. One their first day of it they tried to get my mask and goggles off to see my eye but I managed to escape. It was fun at the beginning but eventually it got harder. Today is the second day of assaults in the result of this.
"Haya!" shouted Akane jumping out of a bush to ambush me. I stuck my arm up and blocked his kick and carried on walking with my goggles pulled over my eyes.
"You won't manage to hit me if you don't hide your chakra trail, I felt it a mile away, you too Kumo and Yuki," I called to them and smiling I carried on. I felt a trickle of liquid go down my face and my vision go blurry for a minute. Shit it's that time I screamed at myself.
"I will never give up!" he shouted attacking again "Lemme see!" he cried, suddenly all the other genin from the group appeared.
"Not now Akane," I shouted back blocking a hit,
"Never!" shouted Kaito smiling and running over, the blood was filling my goggles and I needed to get home. This was going to get ugly unless it stopped. I could show them but not now. But wait they'll be grossed out by it and not want to. While I was deep in thought Isamu got me on my goggles and they moved, the blood trickled down the ridge of my nose, over my cheek and lips and started dripping to the ground. Yuki gasped and backed away.
"Leave me alone," I yelled at them,
"But sensei why are you bleeding? Are you hurt?" asked Yuki
"No, it's the discolouration, it makes me bleed which is why I'm not letting you see my eye," I shouted at them, they backed away and I quickly wiped my face with my glove, staining it.
"But, but we want to we don't care!" said Kaito defiantly
"Kaito, Isamu, Akane just leave it," said Kumo by the tree with Yuki,
"Who asked you!" shouted Akane at them
"Because I said so," he retaliated
"Enough," I shouted "Look you can see it okay?" I added lifting my hand to my goggles and lifting it slowly. The river of blood flowed down my cheek and face to drip on the dirt path. I blinked a bit and opened my blind eye. They stared in horror at the blood and finally saw my eye colour emerge from the bloody colour. The gaped like fish and I smirked. I pulled my forehead protector over my eye and smiled.
"There curiosity satisfied?" I asked they nodded their heads vigorously.
"Oi, you look like Kakashi-sensei!" cried Yuki pointing to me,
"Hai, but I way cuter," I replied smiling. I waved bye to everyone and vanished quickly. The blood was staining my shirt and it was my favourite one. I appeared at home and rushed inside. Shino was in his room and heard me run and slam my door. I jumped on my bed not worrying about cleaning my eye. I screamed into my pillow and started crying. I hated living like this. I hated having a 'bloody eye' or 'Aka manako Aiko' I almost exploded when the others gave me that name. They don't know how much it hurts. It hurts me in my heart for what they think of it. I have no idea how Shino could like it. I felt like I was having a period all over again. But then again it did happen the week after my period so it was extended. I just screamed into my pillow. I heard the door open and the person climb onto my bed and hug me from behind. Muttering soothing words they hugged me tighter and kissed my cheek.
"Everything will be okay Aiko," he said softly trying to calm me down.
"No it won't be alright Shino, my leg is scarred, I have a blind eye, my 'friends' take the piss out of me, my genin are afraid of me and yet I don't know why you're still marrying me," I cried harder into the pillow. I heard the humming of him grow more irritated.
"You know full well why I'm marrying you. Don't you remember all the times you have showed love to me and cared about me, that's what I fell for Aiko, not your appearance or your beauty but because you didn't see me as a monster but as a person," he said quietly by my ear "I just don't know how to make you see that I love you more then you know," he added kissing me lightly. I sighed still sniffing. I hadn't really thought this whole time I was thinking about how upset and horrible I felt but….I forgot about everyone around me. They took the piss out of me as a joke, to laugh and cheer me up about it. The red eye effect increased my intimidation to people and I was still the strong Shinobi I once was. Nothing had changed, Shino loved me and me for him, and we were going to be married for life. I smiled remembering the first time he kissed me. It felt right. I turned to hug him tightly and he carried on kissing me. His hands reached up my shirt and slowly pulled it over my head. We stayed kissing and embracing the life of the other. Everything felt right and I liked that feeling. The feeling of knowing he was always going to be there for me.
"Are you sure you want this?" he said huskily to me. I nodded. Yes I wanted it; I wanted it to stay like this. Forever…..
The next morning I woke up to a warm feeling on my bare back. Flashes of the night before re appeared and I blushed bright red and knew it in the dark from the rising heat in my cheeks. I rolled over to come face to face with a sleeping Shino. I smiled and snuggled closer and felt myself being pulled closer to his bare body. I sighed and kissed his forehead.
"How do you feel?" he asked gently
"Sore but alright otherwise," I said smiling up at him
"Hai I'm sorry about it," he said looking away
"Its okay I really don't care," I said "It was….. I mean it felt…."
"Great?" he asked
"Better," I cheered sitting up. The clod air hit me and I grabbed the sheets and pulled them up "Ahhhh it's so cold!" I cried, an arm snaked around my waist and dragged me down again. I cried out and relaxed at the warmth again. He nuzzled my neck and sighed.
"I love you so much," he said
"I know but we're married in two and a half weeks," I replied smiling "Look we have to get changed, Hotaru usually wakes me up so its best if you're clothed when she comes," I started but speak of the devil she came running in shouting.
"Aiko-chan! Wake up!" she shouted "Eh? What's Shino-san doing in here?" she asked then it clicked and she screamed "Ew!" I lunged forward and slapped my hand over her mouth stopping her. I fell forward and Shino caught me and held me still.
"Shut it Hotaru," I hisses at her glaring "If you tell I will get you while you sleep," I threatened, she nodded and backed away. She ran out screaming and I sighed and plopped down. I rolled over to Shino and snuggled up again.
"Oi, Aiko have you seen Shino?" asked Reika walking in and stopped mid-step when she saw two pairs of feet sticking out the bottom of the bed. "Oi, you could have done that after you left Shino-kun," she said "I won't tell your father about it if you get out!" she shouted, Shino sidled out of bed grabbing his jacket and sliding it on and grabbed the rest of his clothes and out the door. I pulled the sheet up to my nose and tried to look innocent.
"You know the rules!" said Reika "But congratulations for becoming a woman," she cheered
"Eh and to think I'll be related to you in a few weeks," I muttered
"Hahaha the roll of the evil mother in-law, I've been looking forward to this!" she said darkly, I shivered and tried to back away from the now hellish looking woman. "I'd get changed we're going to go meet your friends at the café for lunch," she said coolly walking out. I shuddered and crawled out of bed. I winced at the pain between my legs and ignored it while putting on my clothes. I sighed and flopped onto my bed.
"Aiko? Are you sure your okay," said Shino from the door,
"I'm fine, I told you already," I answered smiling and sitting up "Don't worry about me," I added kissing him and walking out the door "I'm meeting the guys at the café by the Stadium if you want to come then I'll meet you there. You might want to have a shower as well you smell," I said bluntly before waving and running away before he could react.
"Oi, Aiko hurry up we'll be late," said Reika now dressed as an Aburame again with the high collared jacket and glasses. I nodded and pulled my goggles on and followed her. We walked in silence watching the market setting up.
"Are you nervous about your wedding?" asked my soon to be mother in law
"Hai, I'm nervous I won't live up to being an Aburame or that I'll not be a good wife for Shino. Sounds silly but I don't want to hurt him or anything, and it'll feel different," I said quietly
"Its okay to be nervous and I've seen how you are to him, you'll do fine as a wife for him. He loves you and you love him," she said
"There's something I have to ask," I stuttered, she moved her head as if asking what "Will we live in the compound?" I asked
"Well there's no rule saying you have to but many prefer to, I did because Shibi is the head of the Clan and of course has to live there. You and Shino can move out until he has to become Clan leader," she explained
"Okay, because I kind of want to live near where I used to by the gate," I said "No offence," I said waving my hand in front of me to show I meant no harm.
"Its okay, I understand…..wanting to get busayyyyyyyyy!" she cheered; I turned bright red and tried to hide my face.
"Shut it pervert!" I shouted at her
"Is that any way to treat your elders," she said, I sighed and resigned myself to the horrible fate. As we arrived at the café we heard crying and screaming and rushed in. Ino was sitting with Shimai trying to calm her down and Tenten was holding Inoki also trying to calm her down. I rushed over to them to help. Sighing Reika followed and took Inoki and started burping her over her shoulder. The baby calmed down after it burped and started gurgling. She then took Shimai and did the same thing. Soon after she followed her sister and fell asleep. I grinned at her as Ino and Tenten sighed leaning back.
"They just wouldn't go to sleep and I didn't know what to do," said Ino sighing again in relief "Arigatou,"
"Its okay Ino it's hard for a first time mother," said Reika sympathetically I nodded in agreement and sat down slowly removing my goggles and pulling my forehead protector instead.
"So what's everybody ordering?" asked Hinata
"Rice," I answered
"Noodles,"
"Ramen"
"Chicken" came the replies to the question; we ordered and sat down, gossiping and talking about life in general.
"The Chunin exams coming up soon are you all entering the teams?" asked Sakura "Because I know Kiba and Chouji are,"
"Hai Shikamaru is and you Aiko with Shino," asked Ino
"Shino's definitely are but my teams a team of two not three," I reminded her
"You haven't told them the rules!" she cried
"No because it's too sad to tell them they probably can't compete. Look I'll go see Tsunade-chan later okay?" I asked she nodded and Ino stared at Shimai and smiled as she took Ino's pinkie finger and gurgled sweetly.
"Your lucky to have a good husband and a family Ino, never forget that," I said quietly
"Hai I know but life will be a handful now. Shikamaru only wanted one daughter and a son but now he has two daughters," she said smiling. There was shuffling feet behind me and I turned slightly after seeing Hinata and Tenten giggle. Behind me were Akane and Yuki with Yuki holding something behind her back.
"I told you she'd know it was us," said Yuki I raised an eyebrow at her and she coughed. Akane nudged her to prompt her.
"Aiko-sensei we wanted to say sorry being horrible and chasing you to see your eye," she said quietly "Here we wanted to give you these," she added bringing out a flower. It was an odd looking one I hadn't seen.
"It's an Iris meaning truth and honour for the person." Stated Ino. Figures. She knows everything to do with flowers from her shop. I nodded and smiled at them. I spread my arms wide and they gave me a hug. I took the flower and stood it in front of me.
"Its beautiful, thank you Akane, Yuki it's as I said before beautiful and if you had tried asking again I might have showed you my eye. Want to see it again?" I asked, they brought their hands up in defence and backed away.
"No thank you Aiko-sensei but we came to ask about the Chunin exams," said Akane stumbling from Yuki's nudge.
"Hai what about the?" I asked
"Mikki said you had to have three in a team to compete, is that true?" he asked again I froze ridged and didn't answer "Its true isn't it?" he asked again getting angrier "So you mean to tell me that we worked our butt off for an exam we can't even enter!" he shouted I sighed and bowed my head forward.
"Hai its true, the death of TaiKan invalidated your chances of entering." I said quietly
"So what are we supposed to do? We're one of the strongest teams of genin. We've trained as five, the other three can compete but you didn't even have the decency to tell us! Me and Yuki worked so hard for it and now we'll have to quit or be ridiculed for being genin like the academy students. You call yourself a sensei! You can't even keep one of us alive!" he shouted crying. I stood to face him and my hand whipped out and punched him into the next wall. My curse mark was burning now and trying to extend outwards. Yuki gasped when I finally lost it. Blood flowed down my face from my eye mixing with the black colour of the seal marks. To tell you the truth I looked quite hellish.
"Damn it Akane! You're never happy! Always complaining about something! You and Yuki along with the others have surpassed almost Chunin level and I was going to go talk to Tsunade about it." I shouted angrily striking out again as he stood to charge, he was thrown back again. Sakura stood up to stop me but Reika stuck her arm out.
"It is a valuable life lesson for him, leave them. Yuki come over here!" she called Yuki nodded and raced over to get out the way.
"Always bitching and moaning about something. You have potential to become Hokage when your older but right now others look like a better choice, you lack care for others except for yourself, your one sided and one track minded!" I shouted lashing out for a third time.
"Aiko stop this!" rung out Tsunade's clear voice "You'll kill the boy!" she shouted
"She is true," said Sakura on the other side of me, I looked down and noticed that the hit had knocked him out. Shit. The curse seal pulsed and I lurched forward grabbing it and squeezing my eyes closed. Slowly I stood up over my student and blinked. I stumbled back as flashes of something flashed before me. Blood everywhere. Me standing in the room of them. The blood over me and me crying. Unknown bodies. Darkness. I screamed and turned and all I could see was red, blood. I snapped my hand up to my face and wiped the blood from my face. My vision cleared and I realised I had wandered outside in my anxious fit. People were staring and I looked down and felt for my forehead protector and noticed it missing. The blood flowed from my eye and I screamed running away form them and home. I once again like the previous night lay and cried for my sadness. Without Shino comforting me, he went away on a mission without telling me. I screamed, cried and bled again into my clean bed like I did most nights. Only to wake up in a mess. Tonight wasn't any different…….
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One other thing I know there are some mistakes in the last chapters but I was in a hurry to upload them……