Warning: This chapter's gonna be a bit heavy and long (that's what she said LMAOOOOO). I feel like the layout of this is pretty confusing, since I played around with time a bit in this chapter. For those that haven't caught on, scenes in italics are either gonna be flashbacks of the past and/or dreams. Good luck deciphering the mess of emotions that is this chapter.
Onto the chapter!
Chapter 8: Meetings of Impending Doom
The woman was crying.
All around her, dark cypress trees were ablaze.
Her elegant robes were tattered, and her hair was in disarray. The heat of the sun couldn't begin to compare to the searing warmth around her. She couldn't move an inch to help the forest. She needed to stay right where she was if she wanted to stay alive.
The beautiful flowers she loved so dearly encircled her, restricting her, forming a never-ending barrier between her and the forest. She needed to stay right where she was. There was no longer shade from the sun. All she had now was the glen.
"I'm sorry..." She cried, unable to do anything to help.
But she could help, couldn't she? The cool stream was right next to her. If she wanted, she could use the water and help the forest.
She gasped as a familiar hand placed itself on top of her head.
"You don't need to help that old forest, my little one," the owner said.
The woman turned to find a taller figure, beautiful and majestic, powerful and cold. She fought the urge to cling onto the older woman's robes so she wouldn't feel so small. She looked up and gazed into steel-gray eyes not unlike her own.
"We have each other. That's all that matters," she said, watching the forest burn around them. "The forest is trapped in its flames. We should count ourselves blessed to have this glen."
The young woman, now feeling like a child as the older continued to pat her head, wiped her nose and took a step forward into the flowers. She gasped at the painful prick that shot up her leg.
Looking down, she saw the blood that began to trickle, dying the soft green grass around her into a shade of red.
"We shall always have our glen," the older woman said, unaware of the blood dripping down her foot.
The flowers around her were covered in thorns, sprouting up from the ground in acres upon acres. She looked around her.
"Don't you like our glen," the older woman asked, "My little honey bee?"
She continued to search, looking for a way out as the flowers bloomed and bloomed. The glen wasn't on fire, but that didn't mean they were any less trapped.
Shino observed himself in the mirror.
Despite his reluctance the day before, the man had to admit he looked rather handsome.
The navy shirt Hinata suggested was more form-fitting than he typically preferred, but the fabric was nice and thick, and the sleeves were thankfully longer, ending just below the elbow. He partnered the top with long black slacks, completing the ensemble with a new pair of glasses.
Kiba had urged the man to get them. The lenses were circular, connected and held up by thin wire frames. The shape was more casual and open than what he usually wore these days, but they reminded Shino of the glasses he used to wear back when he was a Genin.
He even argued with the Inuzuka that he could simply dig up his old optics and wear those.
"They're top brand, you cheapskate!" Kiba had retorted, forcing the item in his basket.
The man made his way to the door and slipped on his new dress shoes. He thought the shoes were a bit much, considering this wasn't a date, but Hinata wouldn't hear the end of it.
Arguing with Kiba was one thing, but arguing with both Kiba and Hinata was an idea doomed for failure. Just as he was about to reach for the doorknob, the Aburame paused, feeling a tingling uneasiness beneath his skin.
A voice in the back of his mind itched at him, telling him that he shouldn't go after all. That he should simply limit his interactions with the kindly honey vendor, letting their newfound friendship fade away with time.
When he awoke this morning, a large amount of his kikai were scattered around his room in a panicked swarm.
As of now, the insects were tense all around, and it was starting to impact the man's energy levels; had it not been for this little outing with the woman, Shino would have gone straight to his father.
His dream last night told the man it definitely wasn't a coincidence. Mitsumi seemed to be the catalyst towards the strange occurrences.
But it wasn't as if she was doing such a thing on purpose.
Right…?
Shaking his head, the Aburame reached for the door handle. Regardless of what he felt now, he promised to show the woman around Konoha, and he intended to keep that promise.
He was thankful for his spectacles. If he didn't regularly wear them, no doubt the honey vendor would see the circles underneath his eyes.
Shino waited by the woman's shop, leisurely crossing his arms as he leaned against the counter.
He looked up when he heard his name being called, and turned to find the woman animatedly waving at him from a distance.
He dropped his arms to his sides, unintentionally staring.
She wore a light pink blouse that somewhat resembled a turtleneck. It was made of a lighter material and had no fabric covering the shoulders, leaving the freckled skin bare. It was a full long sleeve, but the ends poofed outwards before cuffing around the wrist. The sleeves and top of the blouse were of a looser nature, but the lower half seemed to hug around the figure, similar to Shino's own navy sweater.
Out of her loose, work attire, Shino observed that her frame was on the more slender side. She wasn't as a shapely above as someone like Tsunade-sama or Hinata, but the woman's hips were noticeably wider, giving her a more pear-shape.
The woman paired her top with a black skirt ending just below her mid-thigh. He was surprised at how toned the woman's legs were, but Shino supposed that was a by-product of having to lift heavy jars of honey in her shop.
That, or she may just have a strict gym regimen.
Even with the heels she wore, however, Mitsumi was still rather short. She was likely a few centimeters shorter than Hinata. Her hair was fully down, flowing loosely around her in russet-brown waves that reached her lower back.
"Shino-san!" she greeted, clutching onto a small black purse, before abruptly pausing. Mitsumi stared at him, eyes wide.
The Aburame cleared his throat under the woman's gaze. "You look… very lovely, Mitsumi-san."
Upon hearing the man's words, the honey vendor shook her head, bashful that she had been caught openly staring.
"I-you too! I mean handsome," she nervously laughed. "You look very handsome, Shino-san. I…" The woman trailed off, looking away as her hand hovered above her warming cheek. "...I'm sorry if I was staring."
"No, that's quite alright," Shino assured. He didn't want to mention how he was staring at the woman's outfit, as well. Times like this made the man very thankful for his optics.
"I… I'm not used to wearing clothing like this, so I suppose it would make sense that I look outside of the norm." He shuffled, finding the ground suddenly very interesting. "I wanted to look nice for today, however."
The woman tilted her head and placed her hand over her heart at the man's sweet nature. "Well, I hope you didn't dress outside of your comfort zone for me, Shino-san."
"You would've looked handsome regardless!"
The man looked away, unsure of what to say to the honey vendor. She lightly tugged on his arm, wanting him to face her.
He stared back down at the woman and his breath caught at the tender smile she gave him. It reminded him of something sweet from his dream, but the man couldn't remember what.
He shook his head.
"I'm sorry if I'm making you nervous," she told him gently. Her eyes lit up in an 'a-ha' moment. "Ooh! You can think of this as a regular outing between friends if that makes you more comfortable! Think of me like Kiba-san today, or something!"
The honey vendor attempted to emulate the ninken user's toothy grin and posed dramatically.
The Aburame vocally groaned. "Please don't say that, I spent enough time shopping with Kiba yesterday to last me three lifetimes."
The woman laughed at his response, giving him an empathetic pat on the arm. "That makes you and me both! I went shopping with Tamaki-san the other day, and wow! When she has her mind set on something, there's no arguing, let me tell you!"
Shino quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "You went shopping with Tamaki yesterday?"
"Yes! I'm astounded by how many department stores there are here in Konoha! She wanted to go and visit all of them, but my feet just couldn't keep up! They really make quite the pairing, don't they? Anyway, what was shopping like for you..."
Before he knew it, the two began walking, continuing their little conversation.
The two leisurely strolled towards the Konoha marketplace, engaging in easy conversation as they moved about the bustling streets. Shino attempted to point out all of the big landmarks they passed, helping the woman get a better idea of Konoha's layout.
The woman would point at certain buildings, and the Aburame would answer to the best of his ability. He even tried to throw in some interesting facts about some of the older sites with historical significance.
"Teacher, counselor, tour guide," Mitsumi commented merrily, "You're really a jack of all trades, Shino-san."
Their hands brushed up against each other a few times as they walked, and Shino fought off the bashfulness that rose up.
A few moments later, a large glass building caught the honey vendor's attention.
She gasped excitedly, pulling the man's hand with no hesitation as she moved closer. Shino was taken aback, but found he enjoyed the feeling of their hands fully clasped together. The two paused in front of a large poster in front of the building.
"Look!" Mitsumi said, pointing at the bold Kanji. "It's a conservatory! They're having a seasonal botanical garden display here! 'Be one with nature as you walk through a display of Konoha's brightest plant life! Including an exotic array of flowers unseen throughout the Five Great Shinobi Nations!'" she read aloud, voice rising.
Shino leaned in closer to read the page. "This certainly is an excited poster," he commented offhandedly. He looked up at the shiny building, wondering if it was newly built.
"I know!" Mitsumi answered, softly nudging him in animated excitement. "Two exclamation points!"
The Aburame's eyes focused at the poster's smaller print towards the bottom reading 'Tickets on sale now!'
"Ah, that would be so much fun," the woman grinned happily to herself. "I could finally see plants from Kirigakure! We should go sometime when you're not busy."
Shino's head snapped at her in slight disbelief. "You… you'd want me to go with you?"
Mitsumi tilted her head, giving him a lopsided grin. "Don't act so surprised; there's no one else I'd rather go with," she concluded.
Unsure of how to respond, the man remained quiet. He shuffled a bit as he quietly observed the tall building.
"Oh!" Mitsumi piped up, her shoulders slightly dropping at the man's silence. "Oh, but don't feel like you have to go with me! I'm sure you're really busy with work and all. I'm sorry, I didn't even think of that..."
A few moments later, Shino peered at her from the corner of his eye.
"I'll look through my schedule, Mitsumi-san," he gently replied, giving the woman a light smile. His chest warmed at the way her eyes glittered.
"However," he continued. "We still need to buy your materials, don't we?" He gestured towards Konoha's fresh market drawing in flocks of villagers from a few blocks away.
Mitsumi lightly knocked on her head. "Oh, right! I almost forgot about that," she laughed. She leaned forward in a dramatic bow, gesturing with her hands.
"After you then, Shino-san," the honey vendor spoke, as if she were ushering in a royal.
"Why thank you, Mitsumi-san," the Aburame responded with an open lilt in his voice and light strut.
As the two made their way towards the market, Shino discreetly glanced back towards the shining conservatory, noting the number of young couples making their way inside.
"Wow, look at these beauties!" the woman exclaimed, pointing at a finely crafted terracotta jar. This particular market tent was known for their fine clay making and pottery, but it was the light purple flower blooms sitting on the edge of the table that caught the honey vendor's attention.
Mitsumi brushed a gentle knuckle against the stems. "Your owner must take amazing care of you," she commented quietly, as though she were talking to the plant itself.
The old man behind the counter took the vintage-looking pipe outside of his mouth. "Ah, you like?" He smiled. "They were a birthday present from my daughter over in Kumogakure. Made the nicest pot I could craft with these old hands to put them in, but for the life of me I can't seem to remember what the darn things are called."
He hummed in thought.
"They're hyacinths," Mitsumi cooed, "And such a pretty shade of lilac too. That's so sweet of your daughter."
Moving her eyes away from the flowers, the young woman began to peruse the man's vast collection of pots and jars.
"That's it!" He exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "That's the one. I take it you're a fan of flowers and the like then, little lady?"
She nodded enthusiastically, focusing on the older gentleman. "Oh yes! I actually came into the market today to buy seeds and plants for my own garden. And… well now that I'm here, I actually think I'd like to buy a pot of yours, sir."
Her gaze fell on the endearingly awkward man browsing metalworks a small distance away. "I want to give something to a special friend of mine."
"Special friend, huh?" The older man echoed slyly. "Wouldn't happen to be that tall fellow over there, huh?"
He pointed in the distance, the both of them now watching Shino. Mitsumi fought the urge to laugh when she saw her bespectacled companion quickly shake his head to reject a persuasive-looking vendor offering him a metal necklace.
She giggled to herself quietly. "That would indeed be the fellow," she answered fondly.
"Ah, how sweet," the older man replied with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Well, have it then, little lady. All of our pots here are homemade either by me, or other members of my family. I'm sure you can find something nice to give to your… special friend."
Mitsumi nodded as her eyes roved over the jars and pots on display. Each one was entirely unique and had their own character to them, from size, length, shape, and color. Some had handles, and many even had holes in the exterior to add a flare to the design.
The honey vendor could be horribly indecisive when it came to shopping, but she could easily rule out the pots with holes despite their fun look.
She didn't want soil or water to leak out when she transferred a plant into it, after all.
Her steel-gray eyes moved up and down the rows until they finally transfixed on one pot in in the corner.
"That one," she said, pointing at the relatively simple item. "If you would please."
The shape of the pot wasn't too out of the ordinary, nor was its brown coloration. No, what caught the woman's eye and held it was the design of a ground beetle in the pot's center. The beetle was filled in with decorative green glass, emulating the shiny, round body of its live animal counterpart.
She watched attentively as the older man wrapped the pot in a protective cloth and placed it into a bag for her. Mitsumi nodded gratefully before handing over the money.
The pot was a bit more expensive because of the decorative glass, but the honey vendor didn't mind.
Shino was worth every penny.
The old man smiled. "You said you were looking for plants earlier, right? I'd suggest visiting old lady Himari's tent later on, if you have the time. Towards the center of the market," he said, pointing down the lane. "She sells a remarkable amount of plants and plant seeds."
Mitsumi happily thanked him, making a mental note of his suggestion.
Hopefully the tent would have it. She had been searching for a particular plant for awhile now, but couldn't seem to find it anywhere she looked.
Before she had the chance to wander off, a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. Her chest warmed at how much she liked hearing the smooth baritone.
"Mitsumi-san?" Shino said. He smiled as he rejoined the woman.
"Ah, there you are!" Mitsumi exclaimed, brushing her hand against the man's arm. "There's so much to see and do here at this market! I need to make sure you keep an eye on me so I don't overspend," she laughed.
Shino softly chuckled. "I'll do my best. I think I've located a tent with good quality gardening materials, Mitsumi-san…" He began, falling in sync with the woman's steps as they continued on.
"Ah! I can't begin to thank you again for coming with me, Shino-san," Mitsumi chirped. In one arm, she cradled the bag with her recently purchased jar. In the other arm, she held two lighter bags containing painting materials. She wanted to paint a nice sign for her store.
"It doesn't have a name, yet," she had said to Shino, "But I want to be sure I have painting materials when a good one comes to me!"
The Aburame paused as they found a small bench nearby. In his own arms, he carried a heavier bag of gardening materials for the honey vendor, ranging from flower seeds to spray bottles to new gloves. The tulip bulbs at the bottom of the bag took up the brunt of the weight.
He saw the woman plop down tiredly on the bench and took a seat next to her, placing the bag gently next to him.
"Would you want to get something to eat?" she asked next to him, stretching contently.
The Aburame nodded. "Of course." He paused before continuing. "However, I realized that I myself need to pick up a few things from the market."
The woman looked up in interest. "Oh, did you want me to come with you?"
Shino shook his head as he slowly got up. "I shouldn't be too long, Mitsumi-san. I simply wanted to pick up a few items for my home while I'm here," he said. "You can stay with your own materials until I return, if that's alright with you."
"Of course," she replied, looking at him. She grinned widely at him, the action entirely natural and unforced. The Aburame couldn't help but return it in his own reserved manner.
"Just let me know if you need anything, ok?"
The Aburame exhaled in quiet satisfaction.
He left the ticket booth situated in front of the shiny conservatory, now the proud owner of two tickets to the "Exotic Plants of the Five Shinobi Nations Walkthrough."
He carefully pocketed the two slips of paper, valid for one visit on any day, into his pocket. He hadn't even thought of the price of the tickets when he purchased them. All he thought about was the way Mitsumi looked positively elated at the prospect of seeing all of those plants.
She didn't hesitate in the slightest over wanting to spend another day with him, and the man felt confident that now would be a good time to reveal his full identity to her.
The Aburame envisioned it. He would return to the honey vendor and have a nice lunch with her. He would reveal how he went to purchase the tickets in secret and offer to meet with her again, this time on a formal date to the conservatory.
He would gently inform her of his lineage and hope for the best.
In an ideal world, the fact that he was an Aburame wouldn't change anything between them, and the woman would even show an interest in his clan. Perhaps she would even show elation to the fact that he was slated to be the next head of a royal family.
The man walked back towards the bench from before. To his suprise, he noted that Mitsumi's goods were gone, and the honey vendor was nowhere to be found.
Before could properly search for her, however, a loud scream interrupted his thoughts.
Looking up, he found the source back towards the center of the market where a large crowd was forming.
Pushing his way through the shocked civilians, the Aburame found himself staring at a man holding an elderly woman hostage with a Kunai.
Shino remained quiet, observing as the man addressed the crowd.
Demanding all the 'gold' from the individual market booths, the madman pushed the weapon closer to the woman's throat. He screamed how he wouldn't hesitate to kill the woman and anyone else if someone even thought about calling the police.
In a flash, an explosion erupted in the distance. Smoke appeared as a few market tents caught fire. The owner of the booths quickly fled, hoping to salvage any products that they could.
A few people rushed towards the flames with water buckets, hoping to put out the fire before it could spread.
"Me and my comrades will burn this whole market down if you don't comply," the man screamed, drawing out worried gasps from the civilians around him. "I...I want to see the gold now, or else everyone here's gonna go up in smoke. Do you understand me?"
He looked about the crowd with crazed eyes, something not entirely right. He twitched, a look of confusion flashing in his face before he hit his head with his fist. A gash appeared on the man's forehead where the kunai struck, but he didn't seem to register the pain.
The Aburame found himself flinching at the way the man scratched at his neck until blood began to trickle down. This man was definitely out of his wits.
"I need… Please, I need-gold!" He snapped back to reality, if one could call it that for him. "Give me the gold now, didn't you all hear me? I know you have it!"
Shino carefully observed the way the man held the kunai. The way he faltered with his words. How only one explosion seemed to go off in the distance, in a rather impractical area due to its close proximity to the Hokage's office.
He concluded that this was simply an ill-planned attempt by a madman in order to gain wealth by threatening innocent civillians.
He was also quite sure that the man most likely only had one bomb set up and was using the threat of camaraderie as a ploy.
The Aburame discreetly walked towards the front of the crowd. He summoned his kikai, having them move about near the ground to avoid detection.
The man's eyes bulged out as he moved the kunai closer to the neck of the crying woman. He didn't seem to pay attention to Shino in the slightest.
Before he knew it, a long chain of parasitic insects wrapped themselves around his ankle, flipping the man upside down into the air. Caught off guard, he promptly dropped the weapon.
He made sure his insects secured the hostage before he ordered them to bind the man's arms, rendering him immobile.
The man screamed and thrashed about, but Shino's insects held on with a steel grip. He approached closer to the man and delivered a fast hit to the back of his head, promptly stopping his movements as he fell unconscious.
The civilians gathered around began to clap, praising him for flawlessly taking care of the madman threatening to bomb their little fresh market.
The Aburame couldn't help but relish in the small ego-boost the crowd gave him. Putting on a little show, his insects swarmed about him in a synchronized circle before slowly retreating back into his body.
Thankfully, in the distance it seemed that the fire had been put out thanks to the joint effort of the civilians, and there were no major casualties save a few scratches. He gently held onto the hostage, who was visibly shaken, but didn't have any major injuries on her.
One man stepped forward from the crowd and notified him that the police would arrive soon. Said man also happened to be the son of the elderly woman that was taken hostage and gratefully thanked the Aburame for his aid.
"You Shinobi really are heroes," he praised tearfully, holding onto his grandmother with a gentle hand as he guided her away to a nearby infirmary.
From what Shino could see, the marketplace was still in a state of chaos, but it seemed to be returning back to normal now that the threat was no more.
A member of the Konoha police department pushed his way through the crowd.
"Thank you for your hard work, Aburame-san," his voice boomed as he handcuffed the man. "We can take him from here."
Shino nodded silently in response. As the crowd began to dissipate, he stood rooted in his spot. The Aburame wanted to assure that the marketplace was indeed still safe for the civilians. He observed the police taking action, examining each individual tent for any additional bombs.
He turned in a circle before his eyes took notice of one figure remaining from the crowd. He froze in a moment of confusion before his heart began to race in nervous anticipation.
She was watching him from a good distance away, but the Aburame recognized her immediately. His eyes latched onto the sight of long, russet brown hair, and Shino felt his skin tingle.
Earlier…
Mitsumi gasped excitedly.
She finally found it! Her chest filled with giddy delight as she stared at the vibrant red, yellow, and green leaves.
After waiting a good five minutes or so on the park bench by herself, the honey vendor stowed her materials away by a nearby tree, figuring she would try her luck and visit the plant stand she was informed about before Shino came back.
She hadn't seen him anywhere around the market, so the woman wondered exactly what the Academy Instructor was doing.
An anxious thought flashed through her mind that maybe the man had simply left her, but she pushed those thoughts aside. Despite her having just met the man, she knew he wasn't like that in the slightest. Past his rather intimidating and quiet exterior, Shino was a good man with a good heart.
In any case, she was glad that she tried her luck. After searching for the past few days, the honey vendor finally found the plant she was searching for!
"Houttuynia cordata," the old woman behind the counter—Himari-san— said with a knowledgeable air. "Also known as the Chameleon plant. No one's really taken an interest in these little ones, what with their strange leaves and unimposing flowers. Are you sure you'd like this one?" She asked with raised eyebrows.
Mitsumi roamed light fingers over the leaves affectionately, finding the plant absolutely delightful.
"Yes," she replied with soft eyes. "I would."
The honey vendor thanked the woman, the potted chameleon plant safely tucked away in the bag she held.
Just as she was about to make her way back towards the park bench, pondering exactly how she would hide the item from Shino, a loud explosion from nearby shook her to the core.
In just a blink of an eye, civilians were running about the market, either trying to save their products or use water to put out the growing fire. Her heart raced in confusion, unsure of what to do. She made sure to secure the plant as she noticed a large group of civilians crowd around something.
The honey vendor hoped with all of her heart that Shino was safe wherever he was. She hid her plant away with the rest of her materials.
Steel-gray eyes followed the large crowd that was forming. With a bit of hesitation, Mitsumi stepped forward to watch the spectacle.
Present…
Shino gave the woman a tremulous smile before reaching a hand out. He was positive she had seen him using his kikai earlier.
Though this wasn't how he had planned to inform the woman, there was no way he could evade the topic now. He wasn't able to read what she was thinking as she stood there in the distance, but he was clearly able to see that she was staring at him.
"Mitsumi-san…" He tried to take a step towards her, but paused in the way she immediately flinched.
No.
A heavy feeling began to bloom in his chest. Shino could physically feel his heart sink with every second he stood in place.
The familiar sensation of disappointment began settling in, but this time…
… This time the pain was tenfold. Not only did disappointment begin to eat away at him, but an unshakable sadness mixed in with the cocktail of emotions brewing within his chest.
He could see it clearly now.
Shino saw the look in those eyes. Had seen the familiar expression etched onto the faces of the women he had encountered before.
He swallowed, his throat dry.
Steel-gray eyes that had once looked at him so gently now looked at him with fear.
Wanting to deny the truth, Shino tried taking another step forward, wanting to say "this is me, Mitsumi-san. Aburame Shino. It's still me. We can still go out to eat if you'd like. I even have a surprise for you... Please say something. Don't stand there and look at me like that."
In his ideal world, the woman would clap and applaud the man's efforts, praising his strength and abilities. They would retrieve the honey vendor's belongings before going to lunch.
They would engage in polite and easy conversation just like before, until Shino would finally reveal the tickets to her. She would clap her hands in delight, holding onto his arm from across the table where they sat, before the two planned a weekend to visit the conservatory she was so keen on visiting.
In his ideal world, she would wholeheartedly accept him.
However, this was the real world.
And in the real world, Shino had to face the facts.
She was afraid of him.
This time, the woman physically took a step back as he took a step forward, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.
"Please don't..."
He stopped right in his tracks, finding it futile to try and explain himself to the woman. The Aburame suddenly felt very exposed, the mix of emotions that uncomfortably churned inside becoming unbearable. Never before had his longing for the comfort of his heavier clothing and the solitude of his own home been so intense.
Before he knew it, the man turned the other way, losing himself in the crowd.
Not once did he look back.
"Is he answering?"
Tamaki placed a concerned back on Kiba's shoulder. There was an obvious lilt of excitement in her tone as she observed her boyfriend on the phone. She had high hopes for Shino and Mitsumi's little date today, and from the look on Kiba's face so did he.
"Nah, not yet," Kiba replied, turning his head to grin at his girlfriend. "He's probably romancing it up. I'll give him some time, he might still be out or something."
The cat woman nodded before she paused to think. A bright red blush decorated her face and she gasped, as if she had heard a scandalous rumor.
She leaned in close. "You don't think…?"
The Inuzuka tilted his head in confusion before he understood. A mortified look crossed his face.
"Oh no! Don't put that image in my head!" He groaned loudly. "Besides, Shino's not the kind of guy to do that on the first date."
The Inuzuka paused. "... At least I don't think he is. In fact, I don't think he's ever done that kind of stuff. With anyone."
Tamaki's eyes widened. "Ever?"
Kiba shook his head. "If he has, I'd feel absolutely betrayed that he wouldn't think to tell his best friend!" After a few more moments, the Inuzuka groaned and finally hung up the phone.
"Damn," he said. "He's not picking up. I guess I'll just call him tomorrow or something."
"You better tell me how it goes!" Tamaki ordered, jutting out her hip.
Kiba hummed sarcastically. "I don't know… I guess." He smiled when the woman playfully punched him on the arm.
"In any case, any ideas on what we should do on the rest of your free Sunday?" She batted her eyelashes at the man, making a little purring sound.
The Inuzuka bit his lip as he scooped the woman off her feet and carried her bridal style to their bedroom.
"Oh, I think I have one…" He replied as he leaned in for a kiss.
He heard the phone ringing.
He had heard it ring, loud and disruptive, for the past 10 minutes or so, but he couldn't bring himself to answer it.
He exhaled when he finally heard the ringing stop.
Shino laid slouched upon his sofa, staring up at his ceiling. He knew from the persistence of the call that the man on the other end was most likely Kiba, but he couldn't bear to hear what the man wanted to say.
He didn't want to hear the excitement in Kiba's voice fade as Shino told him that Mitsumi was afraid of him, afraid of who he was.
He returned home, not sure of when nor how, and changed his outfit, haphazardly tossing the new clothes on his bed. The Aburame wrapped his arms around his body, finding some semblance of comfort in the long green sweater he wore to hide himself away.
For the first time in quite awhile, Shino could say that he genuinely felt disgusted with himself. The image of Mitsumi flinching away seared itself into his mind, replaying over and over and over.
The kikai beneath his skin were in a state of calm, and the man felt an unbearable emptiness creep in.
The words of his cousin replayed in his mind, further adding to his emotional turmoil.
"Are you happy, Shino-sama?"
He wasn't unhappy with his clan.
But at this moment, Shino wished he were someone else. Anyone else.
Turning on his side, the Aburame closed his eyes in a fitful slumber.
The little girl watched the older woman kneel down before the gravestones, clasping her hands together in a silent prayer.
She waited patiently, carefully holding onto a small handful of hyacinths as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. She smiled as she opened her palm, allowing a fuzzy bee to rest upon it.
As the insect flew away, she paused in her swaying to observe the graceful woman in front of her.
The little girl always found herself awestruck by the way her mother looked so flawlessly poised and in control. She moved with an air of regality and strength, commanding the respect of anyone that met her.
Wild bees flew around her like a thin veil, attracted to her queen-like aura.
Despite how much the young girl looked like her, their personalities were as different as night and day. She was soft and overemotional, always one to cry easily. Her mother paid no head to the opinions of those around her, whereas she cared all too much.
She strived to be like her mother who she adored above all else. The little girl always clung to these serene moments where she could spend time with her, just the two of them.
Sweet wild flowers and tall grass surrounded them, lotting the quiet cemetery. A warm breeze passed by, making the strands of hair that fell out of her high bun tickle at the young girl's face. She blew at them with a frown.
Not turning around, the older woman lightly chuckled. "We need to do your hair again."
"It'll just get messy," the young one said with a pout. "Why can't I cut it short like Suzume-nee, mama?"
Her mother glanced behind at the young girl through the corner of her eye and smiled. Without saying a word, she ushered for her to come forward.
The young girl hesitated before she stepped forward as bidden. She rested the flowers on top of the gravestones.
"Thank you, my little honey bee," her mother replied as she patted the soft patch of grass in front of her. "Your grandmother and uncle will love them."
The little girl sat down, feeling her mother's warm fingers loosen the ribbon that held her hair up. Nimble fingers softly combed through the russet-brown waves, humming a tune to herself as they sat in the peaceful meadow.
The little girl leaned back sleepily as she felt her mother braid wild flowers into her hair.
"What was grandma like, mama?"
The older woman paused her humming. With a light sigh, she replied.
"She was... beautiful and strong, like the two of us. She was loving despite her harsh exterior. She cared deeply for our family just as I do," she felt her mother kiss the top of her head. "And someday just as you will."
The little one nodded as she clumped a handful of her silk robes in her small hands.
"But you have to be careful, my little honey bee," her mother continued, eyes hardened as she focused on the more recent gravestone next to her mother. "There are powerful forces out in the world we must be watchful of."
The young girl turned around in her mother's lap. "Like the Aburame?" she whispered fearfully.
Their history of defeat at the beetle handlers from far away had been ingrained into the young girl's mind since as long as she could remember.
She imagined them with fear. Eyes hidden away, clothes as dark as an evil forest, beetles that left nothing but destructive carnage in their wake.
Her mother grinned gently and brushed a finger along the young girl's freckled nose.
"You're absolutely correct, my smart girl."
Her steel-gray eyes widened as her expression became cold, eyes far away in remembrance. "You'll experience the world when you're older some day. You may even come across an Aburame in your lifetime," she said, giggling at the fear that crossed the little girl's face.
The kind of fear a child experienced when they thought of a monster underneath their bed.
"But you must remain strong, for me, and for Maru, and for grandma. You and your sisters are our clan's hope for the future. Will you stay strong for me, my little one?"
The little girl nodded, eyelids growing heavy as an evening songbird cried in the distance.
Her mother snuggled close.
"My little Mitsubachi."
A/N's: Please, please, please let me know what you thought! I wanna dig deep into the lore I've imagined for this fanfic without giving too much away this early in (8 chapters? Early? Really?) I'm sure you're all waiting for Shino and Mitsumi to finally do more romantic things, and that will happen with time! I really don't wanna rush the romantic elements in this fic, as I've stated before.
That was part of the reason why I felt the need to start over so many times. I didn't like the way I paced myself and the plot. This is gonna be the final version however! No more starting over. I'm happy with a set plot (that's pretty complex, if I do say so myself) and characters.
And for anyone curious! I envision the song that the mom hums as "Honeybee" by Elizabeth Mitchell. It's a v cute folk song, and Elizabeth Mitchell has an absolutely amazing voice :)
As always! Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you all next time.
I wanted to give a special thanks to last chapter's reviewers, Yakitori-chan and Nolwe! I absolutely love writing Shino's character (he's my absolute favorite Naruto character if you couldn't tell) bc of the complexities of his inward and outward personality. IMO he's definitely a person that shows love through actions or well-thought gifts, but he's an amazing listener that has a special appreciation for people that take the time to listen to him too.