A/N's: Aburame OC's in this one! Gotta get that clan building ball rolling some more! As always, thank you for reading! And please be sure to review your thoughts, they really do mean a lot to this stressed out gal! :)
Chapter 12: Family
The three heavily-clothed gentlemen slowly made their way throughout the bustling village hidden in the leaves.
Despite physical exhaustion from their latest recon mission in the Land of Honey, fatigue was not at all evident on their concealed faces.
A few civilians stopped to stare, a few of them not so discreetly. It only made sense. Those that have lived in Konoha most of their lives were sure to know that the trio were members of Konohagakure's Aburame clan. Intimidating, reserved, modestly poised, quietly noble.
Many would openly describe them as 'creepy' or 'off putting.' Widened circles of distance, flashes of fear in the eyes, quiet whispers along the streets. The aversion that some had to the trio—to the Aburame clan itself— was not lost on the three young noblemen. Even eating establishments cautioned having their village's resident insect handlers as patrons due to rumors that their mere presence summoned pests.
The trio spoke amongst themselves in a hush, indistinguishable to anyone else besides each other and the insects housed within their bodies. An outsider could only speculate on the topic of their conversation.
Consequential matters befitting serious men, no doubt. Mission battles, report details, clan affairs…
"What's that song you're humming, Genji? I feel like I've heard it before," one interjected, breaking the long-held silence between them. Always one to instigate, Aburame Shunji—grandson to one of the Aburame's most politically active clan elders—interrupted the youngest of their group just as quickly as he was to address.
"Wait, no. Nevermind, don't tell me. I want to remember it on my own."
The tallest of the three, who had been the most silent for the duration of their trip, spoke up with a deep timber. His light brown hair, held in a loose ponytail, flowed as he shook his head with exasperation.
Aburame Manzo always strived to uphold an image of quiet reservation as intended for members of their proud clan and thusly, had little patience for the shenanigans of his cousin. He had little patience for ruckus in general.
"Seriously, Shunji?" He snorted. "It's one of those kiddy new radio pop songs. I've even heard of it. Regardless, we were doing so well getting back to the compound in silence until you just had to say something."
The youngest and shortest—though still rather tall by Konoha's average—of the three frowned beneath his tall collar, attempting to dispel his blush at having been caught. He had hoped his relatives were too exhausted to notice his humming.
Aburame Genji was perhaps the kindest of the trio relatively speaking, though retained issues with confrontation and a bit of people-pleasing that his other relatives didn't appear to struggle with. Though typically grouped with the common characteristics of his clan members, his interests were of the softer variety, one could say. Like his cousin Shunji, Genji's grandfather was also an active member of the Aburame's elder council.
"I overheard it once at a tea house. I like it."
"You have a nice voice," the tallest complimented, earning the surprise of his younger cousin. "The song is just overplayed. And frankly a bit... dirty. You actually like that kind of music? Maybe you could sing something else?"
"Like what?"
Shunji gave his younger relative a look. By the standards of Konoha civilians, the man may as well have been mute. Aburame standards of silence were a whole different story, however. The man was abrasive and crude at times, often earning him the ire of a few of his family members.
"Perhaps you might want to hide that little talent of yours, Genji," he said pointedly. "Especially from your grandfather. He might kick you out of the house. But not before calling you immature."
The tallest groaned.
"Just let it go, Shunji."
"Grandfather is…" Genji paused. "... old-fashioned. He feels that us younger Aburame have become too lax with missions. We don't hold up the standards of the past." He shook his head with a sigh, wanting to fully disagree with his older cousin's brash comments. There was truth to Shunji's words.
The eldest of the three laughed sarcastically, quite unbecoming for an Aburame.
"He's a hardass-"
"-Enough, Shunji. I would like to return to the compound without any squabbling."
"No need to act all high and mighty, Manzo. You know as well as I do." Shunji frowned as he turned back towards the youngest of their group. "Sorry to say this Genji, but that grandfather of yours is downright insufferable. My own grandfather even says so, and they're supposed to be friends or something along those lines."
Genji sighed. "Grandfather has experienced a lot of hardship… the war was a bit much on him," he answered with a hint of reluctance. It was hard to defend his grandfather. The old man had his good sides, but the good in his character was usually overshadowed by the fact that he was, indeed, a bit of a hardass.
"That's not an excuse, the war was hard on everyone. Even before the war, Genpachi-san has been like that."
Manzo sighed irritably, causing his older cousin to give him a look.
"Just because the war was hard on him doesn't give old man Genpachi the right to be overbearing towards us," Shunji continued, gesturing with his long sleeve. "Don't you remember what he said to us before we left for our mission? 'Try to act your age'—We're adults! I'm only a few years younger than Shino, and the old man wants to look down on us, act like he's the head of the clan or something."
A brief moment of silence passed as the trio meandered through the more bustling area of Konoha's central market. This did little to deter the somewhat impertinent Aburame. He was not one to be silenced.
"I mean," Shunji pressed forward, ignoring the subtle glares of the other two. "He even said something about Muta-"
"-Stop. Don't you dare say another word." Manzo stared down at his relative. He was particularly sensitive about the topic of his deceased older brother.
"Please stop, Shunji," Genji pleaded. "I know grandfather's personality and vocalizations aren't to your liking, but I really don't wish to fight right now. And it's not like I can personally do anything about it. Grandpa is… well, he's stuck in his ways."
The eldest sighed, struggling to relax his tensed shoulders. He let out an indignant huff.
"... Fine."
As the three eventually walked past Konoha's market, into the quiet forests near the Aburame complex, Manzo spoke up once more.
"Why don't you sing again, Genji?" he suggested, wanting to break the tense atmosphere. "It's just us. Please, just no pop music."
The younger bashfully shook his head, hiding his already concealed eyes beneath long, brown bangs. "No, that's alright. It's untraditional for an Aburame to be so vocal or have such a vocal interest."
"Who told you that? Nevermind," Shunji said with a frown, already knowing the answer. "Who cares if singing isn't traditional for the Aburame? You have a talent, be proud of it."
"Wait," Manzo interjected, stopping the group as he peered in the distance. "Is that…"
"Shino-sama?" Genji asked with a small gasp. His eyes were wide. The younger Aburame shuffled hesitantly as he focused in on his eldest and by far the most prominent of his cousins in the distance. He rarely interacted with Shino-sama, who was practically royalty within their clan.
"Let's go say hi." Shunji ordered rather than suggested, already making his way over.
Genji adjusted his circular spectacles nervously.
"He looks busy, though. Maybe we shouldn't bother him."
"He's right, Shunji. Shino-sama's with someone from the looks of it," Manzo commented, unsure of whether to stay put or follow his curiosity. He had always openly admired his older cousin.
The man was Shibi Aburame's son, the next future head of their powerful clan. Shino was a perfect example of what an Aburame should aspire to be like.
Shunji moved forward towards the dilapidated-looking shop, waving off the concern of his younger cousins. Genji and Manzo may have regarded Shino as a princelike figure because of his position as heir, but he knew better.
Aburame Shino was just as quiet, awkward, and easily forgotten as the rest of them. It was strange, however, to see their illustrious relative sitting down so casually in a place that looked like it should be condemned.
Shunji shook off the thought and approached regardless.
Genji and Manzo gave each other a look before following.
The Aburame heir quietly focused on the single dragonfly fluttering about near a small pool of rainwater collecting in the distance.
His eyes were drawn away from the woman sitting next to him, but he enjoyed the companionable silence between them nonetheless. He was actually enjoying the sound of her light humming and didn't wish to disrupt the light noise with small talk. After a few moments, he noticed the group of three heavily-layered figures approaching in the distance. His eyebrows rose.
"Hey," Mitsubachi commented, pausing her light hum. She nudged his arm. "I've seen those three men before! They walked by my shop the other day when I was talking to a customer. Do you know them?"
Shino nodded at the woman's question, wondering if they would notice him. Suddenly, the group paused as one stopped to look in their direction.
Mitsubachi inadvertently straightened her posture as they walked towards them.
"Shino-sama," Shunji called out. "Is that you over there?"
Shino looked towards his company for the evening, as if asking for permission to walk away. He didn't want Mitsubachi to become discouraged with the idea that his attention would be focused elsewhere. It felt rude to simply leave.
Noticing the hesitance in his movement, Mitsubachi gave the man a bright smile, moving her hands in a loose shooing gesture.
With a nod, Shino rose from his seat and greeted his approaching relatives.
Mitsubachi fondly observed his actions. She thought it was cute that Shino asked her of all people for consent to leave and greet his family. He really didn't need to, but the Aburame was very considerate despite what his outer appearance might suggest. He was like a big teddy bear underneath all those intimidating layers.
Shino paused in the middle of the road. He recognized Shunji, of course. It was hard to not recognize the rather loud Aburame who always used to pester him in their youth.
His eyes moved to the tallest of the three, and the man's eyebrows raised. He hadn't expected Manzo to have grown so much since he last saw him. The younger Aburame was almost taller than Shino himself.
The dispirited thought crossed his mind that with his more adult features, Manzo looked almost exactly like his deceased older brother, Muta.
Then there was Genji, the youngest of the trio. From what Shino remembered, Genji had always been more soft spoken and shy. In all honesty, he knew little about Genji's side of the family save for the fact that his grandfather was… not a favored clan elder of his. Thankfully, Genji hadn't seemed to inherit any of Gempachi's crude mannerisms.
Shino smiled inwardly at the way his two younger cousins gave him a formal bow. They even addressed him with the formal honorific.
"Look at you guys, rolling out the red carpet," Shunji commented dryly. "It's just Shino. You've met him before."
"Shut up, Shunji," Manzo whispered under his breath.
"Hello, you three," Shino said pleasantly, arms crossed behind his back. "Did you just get back from a mission?"
"Hai," Genji replied quietly. "A recon mission, Shino-sama."
The eldest Aburame shook his head. He gave the two fellow Aburame a light smile, urging them to simply address him as Shino.
"Anyway," the brash Aburame gestured to him, "What are you doing here, Shino? Hanging out in places that look like they should be condemned. It looks like a dump…" Shunji trailed off and closed his mouth completely with the way his cousin glared at him.
While the Aburame clan heir was generally harmless and oftentimes more awkward than intimidating —especially in these past years— there was no way Shunji was foolish enough to push him too far.
Shino cleared his throat, dropping his look. "This establishment is actually a store," he answered evenly. "I come a few times after work. The reason is because I'm friends with the owner."
Manzo quirked a brow. "Owner? Is that who you were talking to earlier?"
Shino turned around to find the shop devoid of anyone. He politely excused himself for a moment, walking back towards the counter. His eyes roved around the empty shop, pausing at the slightly opened back door.
"Mitsubachi," he called out. "Are you in there?"
"I'm here," she called back in singsong whisper, opening the door to peek her head out. "I didn't want to interrupt anything, so I thought it'd be a good chance to put my sign away. I really needed to clean back here, anyway! There wasn't much room though, so I had to move some things around to get it to fit-"
She paused at the sound of something falling behind her, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass. Mitsubachi laughed nervously without turning around and waved off the man's concerned look.
"Don't worry about me! You can keep talking to your relatives, Shino! In fact, I'll see you tomorrow! Or whenever we have a chance to talk again."
"That's going to be a problem, actually," he said, dropping his level to a whisper as well.
A panicked look crossed her features. She leaned forward.
"Why? Is everything ok?"
"That's because I'd like you to meet them."
The Kamizuru heiress's eyebrows raised as she fully exited the back, closing the door behind her. Her eyes brightened.
"Really? Are you sure?"
The Aburame smiled gently at her. It secretly pleased him that she looked and sounded so enthralled by the prospect of meeting his family.
"Of course. I believe this would be a perfect opportunity to allow you to meet other members of my family. They're harmless, I assure you." He pointed behind him, allowing the woman to watch the three younger men quietly argue among themselves. A nostalgic look crossed her features as she saw the shortest of the three punch the middle one in the arm.
She beamed as she quietly walked besides Shino.
As they approached Shino's patiently waiting cousins, it suddenly dawned on the man that he wasn't sure of how Mitsubachi would want to be introduced. He almost wanted to stop, but the way she looked at him in reassurance told him enough.
He found himself enjoying how expressive her eyes were. The brightness of her steel-grey could convey such a wide array of emotions that the owner needn't even say a thing to get her answer across.
"Mitsubachi." Shino gestured to the three Aburame. "These are my younger cousins Shunji, Manzo, and Genji Aburame. You three, this is Mitsubachi. She is the owner of that store behind us."
The woman gave the three a bright smile and greeted them in her usual upbeat manner, able to disguise the slightest trace of hesitance in her words. She had never been in the presence of multiple Aburame clan members at once.
From what she could tell, taller height apparently ran in their family.
The honey vendor carefully observed the way Manzo and Genji bowed formally to greet her, poised and ever-respectful. Mitsubachi beamed inwardly, positive that the two were behaving in a ceremonious manner out of regard for their older relative.
Shino really must be some sort of a prince within his clan.
The third, however, only slightly bowed his head. He chose to silently watch her instead.
The honey vendor felt herself blushing under the hard stare of Shino's relative. Even though his eyes were concealed, she could feel Shunji observing her every move, sizing her up in a way. His expression was unreadable, and that only served to increase the young woman's nerves.
"Are... " he began, not taking his eyes off of her. "Are you two… you know?"
Manzo didn't hesitate to reprimand his cousin.
Mitsubachi's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at the unexpected question. She gestured with her hands.
"No, Shino and I are just friends! We struck up a conversation one evening and he bought some things from my shop, and occasionally we'll strike up a conversation after he's finished with work or something. But we're just friends..." She laughed nervously, her words trailing off. The honey vendor felt her cheeks warm with the way the trio was now openly staring at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Shunji," Shino warned after clearing his throat. "We're just friends."
Though he said those words with as much intimidation as he could muster, his younger cousin didn't miss the slight tinge of pink on his cheeks.
"You know I'm just kidding, Shino-sama," Shunji said with a small chuckle, waving for the older man to calm down. "Anyway. It is very nice to meet you, Mitsubachi-san. What exactly do you sell?"
Her nerves began to calm, albeit slowly, as she explained what she sold and where she was from. Her answer was nothing but openly welcoming, but she gave little informtion as to her formal background and family. She sighed in relief that Shino's relatives didn't press her for anything else.
"Your name is very fitting," Manzo commented. "Honey bee.'"
"It's very pretty," Genji added politely, a light blush on his cheeks. "Mitsubachi-san."
Mitsubachi placed a hand on her heart. "Aw, why thank you," she replied, touched by the sweet compliment.
"Anyway," Shunji spoke up, placing a hand on his two relatives' shoulders. "We should really be getting back to the compound. We're all pretty tired after our mission, and I could use a nice shower. It was nice meeting you, Mitsubachi-san. See you around, Shino-sama."
All three bowed to the clan heir before making their way towards the compound, speaking discreetly amongst themselves. Shino watched their figures fade into the distance before letting out a sigh he didn't realize he was holding.
There was no way his father wouldn't hear about that little greeting.
"I'm sorry about them," Shino said as he walked next to the woman. "Especially Shunji."
"Oh, no! Please don't apologize," Mitsubachi urged. She paused for a moment to think.
"Honestly, I think it's... it's cute seeing you act like an intimidating big brother to your younger cousins. They sort of remind me of my sisters back home." She tilted her head in a fond smile of remembrance.
Shino paused as he grabbed his work bag from the counter. "I recall you saying you only had a brother?"
"Oh! When I say my 'sisters', they're really my cousins," Mitsubachi explained with a smile. "Distantly related for the most part, but I practically grew up with them. Were any of those three your first-cousins? Ooh, the youngest-looking one of the three sort of looked like you! He was so cute! Is it Genji?"
"Not quite," Shino answered with a light smile. "Between Shunji, Manzo, and Genji, I would say Shunji is most closely related to me. However, I don't really have any first-degree cousins as my father was an only child. How about you?"
The Kamizuru woman wiped the counter down, reorganizing the chairs. She hummed through her work. "I have one first cousin. She's the daughter of my uncle, the one I told you passed away? She's much older than I am, and… well, we aren't too close."
Shino didn't miss the way her voice slightly dropped. He tilted his head, considering her. "Is your relationship…strenuous?"
"No, no! It's nothing terribly awful. My cousin just doesn't like me too much, I don't think. That sounds bad when I phrase it like that, but it's fine! We're fine, I promise."
Shino's eyebrows furrowed. "Why wouldn't she like you?"
She leaned forward against the counter with a wistful sigh, somehow knowing that Shino would ask her that. The man did not give off the impression of being able to dismiss things so easily. Shino was introspective and observant, and surprisingly sensitive with shifts in his environment. He could read her rather well, and while that was a trait Mitsubachi found rather attractive, it made hiding her feelings that much more tedious.
"For one thing, I don't... think she likes the fact that I'm going to be the next head of my clan. In terms of leadership qualities and let's face it, emotional control, Suzume-nee is a far better fit to be the head of our clan than me," Mitsubachi admitted, down in the mouth. "But because she wasn't born into the main Kamizuru family, that title is and always will be mine."
Shino nodded in understanding. "I see."
Mitsubachi managed to perk up ever-so-slightly. "I always used to think things would be better if Suzume-nee could be the clan heir instead of me, but now I think it's a good thing that can't happen. If she were to be the next head of the Kamizuru, I don't think peace between our clans would be possible at all in the slightest."
"She dislikes the Aburame clan then, I take it?"
She inhaled through gritted teeth. "To put it lightly. Suzume-nee has always been a pioneer for Kamizuru pride, always pushing for our clan to 'rise from the ashes of defeat' or something like that. She's very prideful."
Mitsubachi sighed, running a hand through her hair as she continued. "Suzume-nee really... really doesn't like your clan. But! In an ideal future, that might change, right? As long as we both remain in line as the next heads of our respective clans, that future is still entirely plausible!"
The Aburame remained quiet and nodded along in thought. Something about that name felt familiar to him.
"You know, a long time ago," Mitsubachi recalled with a quiet hum. "Suzume-nee almost lost her life to four genin searching for a rare insect."
Shino felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.
"You'd find it very interesting!" Mitsubachi continued, unperturbed by the shift in his countenance. "Not my cousin, but the insect! It has a very strong sense of smell from what I've heard. Oh, but I'm blanking on the name. Do you ever have those things that's right there on the tip of your tongue, but you can't for the life of you remember what it is? The bikka—no, that's not right. Bikkolchi? No, that's not right either. Sorry, I'll get it eventually! What was it? Hm..."
"The Bikkochu."
"Yes! That's the—Shino?" Mitsubachi looked towards the Aburame, who looked far too stiff and just a touch pallid. The man almost looked like a still-life portrait with how deep in thought he appeared. Quietly reserved, if slightly off-putting at the same time. It was making her nervous.
"Shino?" She called out again in a gentle prod. "Is everything ok?"
"What did you say your cousin's name was, Mitsubachi?"
The honey vendor tilted her head. "Suzume-nee? Suzumebachi Kamizuru?"
The Aburame almost wanted to laugh at the irony. How had he not seen the resemblance before? But it had been so many years ago, he had almost forgotten.
They had the same hair color and eye color, the same curve of her lips as they smiled. Though Mitsubachi's came from a place of warmth rather than rue or vengence compared to her cousin, it was the same nevertheless. If Shino could draw the imagine of Suzumebachi from his memory and only add a dash of freckles with a slightly smaller forehead, the two could be sisters rather than cousins.
Judging from what Mitsubachi had said, the woman that almost killed Hinata didn't actually perish after getting hit with Naruto's rasengan.
"I do know her." He looked at the woman and cleared his throat. "That's because I was one of the genin on that mission all those years ago."
Mitsubachi stopped what she was doing entirely and stared at the man, her mouth agape. Now it was her turn to become a still-life.
Shino continued with a nod. "So was Kiba. We were tasked to find the bikkochu in order to locate our former comrade that went rogue. However, we ran into slight... complications along the way."
"... My cousin," she said breathlessly.
"Yes. As well as a blonde haired man with glasses, and a dark-haired man with tanned skin."
"Jibachi-san and Kurobachi-san," the woman said with a gasp of realization.
When she grew silent, doing nothing except looking down at the chipped countertop, Shino felt his stomach churn. He just rekindled his comfortable friendship with Mitsubachi, then comes the realization that he and his teammates defeated her close family members years ago and practically left them for dead.
His nerves doubling, the man moved to speak.
Out of the blue, however, she snorted in a quiet laugh. She blinked slowly. "Oh man, this peace treaty may be harder to get rolling than I thought."
"You... aren't angry?" Shino's eyebrows raised in noticeable shock.
"I'm just... surprised at the odds," Mitsubachi answered, a touch breathless. "Even though I was barely five years old when it happened, I still have vivid memories of my mother returning home with the three of them on the back of her summons. They had so many injuries on them, Suzume-nee especially."
Shino's eyes lowered as he shuffled uncomfortably with this new-found realization. Despite the trouble all those three had caused for Team 8 and Naruto, seeing now that they had a clan and families made the Aburame feel guilt over something that happened decades ago.
"Hey," Mitsubachi called out, breaking his thoughts. She gave him a smile of reassurance. "You don't need to look so guilty, ok? It happened a long time ago."
When her only response was silence, Mitsubachi closed her eyes and sighed. Suddenly, she let out a quiet laugh at an old memory, catching the man's attention.
"You know," she said with a nostalgic smile. "When I was visiting Suzume-nee, Jibachi-san and Kurobachi-san in our infirmary, she always called you 'worthless Aburame brat.' What are the odds that that would be you? I finally get to see a face for the name after all these years!"
"... I'm concerned with how lightly you're taking this," Shino admitted.
The honey vendor looked down at the man's hands, which were lightly resting on the countertop. Slowly, she dropped the cleaning rag she was holding and reached out to place her hands on top of his.
"I can't tell you how to feel, Shino." She locked eyes with him, giving his hands a light squeeze. "But for all its worth, I think you were just... doing what you had to as Shinobi. The past can't exactly be changed, but what mattered most to me and everyone else in our clan that day was that they were able to come home in the first place. Not without their fair share of cuts and bruises, of course. But if some other team of Jounin, or even Chuunin, were in your place, I don't think they would have come back at all. And there's another, much sweeter silver lining to the story!"
Shino tilted his head in curiosity.
Mitsubachi beamed. "Jibachi and Kurobachi had to be taken to a smaller hospital in Iwa a few days after the incident for rehabilitation and ended up meeting their wives there! It's very romantic, don't you think? And in a way, it's sort of like we've already known each other. Or, at least I knew you without knowing you physically... if that makes any sort of sense. I mean, we've always sort of been connected through our families if you really think about it."
The Aburame's thoughtful frown eventually shifted into the ghost of a smile.
"I suppose that family is almost like honey, in a way."
"Sweet?"
He shook his head. "Messy."
Mitsubachi's eyes widened for a moment before she began to giggle at the understatement of his words. As her giggles shifted into full-on laughter, she let out a few unintentional snorts. Shino laughed at the unexpected noise, starting to quietly laugh along in his deeper baritone.
For a few delicate moments, the warm summer air was filled with the noise of their shared amusement. If someone was there to witness the two laughing together like old friends, the idea that they were from rival clans wouldn't even cross their mind.
"There, see?" the Kamizuru said between deep breaths. "I like it when you laugh with me. You looked so serious earlier, I thought I was looking at a statue."
The Aburame's quiet laughter eventually died down, with the Kamizuru's following soon after. He looked down at the way Mitsubachi's hands once again embraced his own, and thought to himself that if they were simply two normal civilians unburdened by the pressures of family and upholding tradition, he would ask her out on a date with no hesitation. If you were ask him why, he would respond with an answer drastically unlike himself.
"That's because it would feel right to."
However, it wasn't like that. It couldn't be like that.
With more than regret in his chest, Shino pulled away.
The young woman was surrounded by cypress trees and hemlock firs, dark green leaves scattered about the floor around her. The tree's thick canopy blanketed the world below in almost comforting darkness, blocking out the harsh sunlight above.
She knew that her fine robes would surely become damp with cool ground she sat upon, but as the woman laid her head back on an old cypress tree, the world around her singing with life, she found that she didn't care.
This place was so much more different from her glen. It was strange and haunting, yet comforting and homely all at once. The forest lived without false pretenses of beauty and retained magnificence in its own unique way.
In this forest of grey and green, she didn't feel the loneliness she felt with the glen of vibrant pink and red and orange and yellow. Here in this glen, she was free to grow and be free.
The young woman felt as though she could close her eyes and be content to lay against this old tree, falling asleep forever, but she knew eventually that she would have to return to her glen.
Her clothes would once again either be too loose or too tight, and she would play among the flowers, always secretly longing to remain in the forest. She sighed before a crash of thunder nearly took her breath away.
She heard the oncoming droplets of water fall atop of the forest's canopy, plopping down on the fallen leaves in an uneven beat. Though she risked the chance of being wet, the woman stayed stubbornly rooted in place. She didn't want to leave…
"You should leave the forest before it starts to storm," a voice called out. It was deep and rich, and made the woman's stomach flit about as if a group of butterflies were wrestling within it.
She shook her head at the man, rejecting his advice. Sitting calmly next to her, a prince-like figure clothed in dark green and black robes gently took her in a soft embrace. She looked up at the man, admiring his chiseled jawline and undone dark brown hair tied. His locks were tied in a loose ponytail behind him as two side bangs cupped either sides of his handsome face, parting down the middle where a widow's peak formed. She wanted nothing more than to run her hands through his hair and stay in the forest forever.
Her steel-gray eyes stared into his, entranced by the warm, golden brown hue. They reminded her of the pools of honey that would collect in the see-through mason jars of her home. She tightened their embrace and pushed her head against the man's chest, not wanting to leave.
As tears fell from her face, he felt the man place a soft kiss upon the top of her head. She stared into his eyes once more, knowing this may be the last time they saw each other.
Gently, the prince took his hands into hers, and leaned in close to whisper.
"Thank you for spending time with me," he kissed her gently before pulling away. The woman would rather spend the rest of her days in the rain of the cold canopy, but she knew eventually... that she would have to return home. At the very least, she could indulge herself in the affections of this man before her, here and now.
"I love you, Mitsubachi Kamizuru."
A/N's: I really want to give the Aburame clan and its members life in this fic. It's always that they're supposed to be quiet and never outwardly emotional (which is true for the most part), but I feel that taking in the unique individual traits of its members and incorporating it into a whole really gives me more joy when I write.
BTW: My musical motivation for writing the ending seen was Un Sosprino by Franz Liszt!
Thanks again to everyone who followed/faved/reviewed! Unfortunately, I am starting summer classes next week, so my posting schedule's gonna be a bit more hectic :/
RyleeWyatt: Listen, I got plenty of beef with our man Kishimoto, but if it's one thing he did well was world-building. I love the clan systems in Naruto so much, and the lack of cannon politics within the individual clans (outside of like the Uchiha) is something I really seek out through fanfics.
Yakitori-Chan: In all honesty, I had to change so much of the last draft of this story because I had no idea where the plot was going LOL. I'm so happy you've been here since the beginning, and the fact that you're still reading gives me the motivation to keep writing fs. :')