Chapter 3
Torune went out the next day, to see the village, to see his comrades, his friend probably. Just because he could, no longer trapped within the Aburame's grounds. It was difficult for Shino to see him go, but he did return that evening. They again sat, no longer in the guest room, this time out on the veranda, joined intermittently by other members of the clan.
Though Shino, almost desperately, wanted Torune to tell him of his training, this did not seem like the time or place, yet this juxtaposition of time was throwing him off. He had been reunited with Torune for less than 24 hours, not enough to warrant these questions, yet those 13 years hung over him, kept him from sleep for yet another night.
Hinata and Kiba stopped by the next morning. It was a surprise visit, Shino wasn't outside to greet them, but he was close enough to hear Hinata cry out, obviously startled, then hear Kiba angry, and Shino's feet moved instinctively. However, he then heard Torune laughing. When they were all in sight, the three of them were already in discussion.
"You! What are you doing here? And why do you not have a shirt on!?" Kiba was gesturing wildly, while Torune, as calm as could be, answered.
"I live here. And I was not expecting to run into Miss Hinata in the hallway. Though I don't mind."
"Right back at it, are you?" Kiba continued, lip raising to reveal canines. "You didn't answer the other question, yeah, I guess you're an Aburame, but what are you doing at Shino's?"
"Maybe it would be better if you explained, Shino."
His teammates were looking to him, confused, but in this case he was equally confused.
"Have you… already met Torune?" Shino said slowly, trying to put the pieces together.
"Yes! This guy showed up with Fuu, you know Ino's… cousin or whatever, while I was training with those guys yesterday. They came over by my place, my sister was there and he started flirting with her!"
"I really don't see the problem here." Torune responded, amused.
"Exactly!" Kiba flung his arms up in the air. "God, now he's got his shirt off in front of Hinata."
"To be fair, he was in his family home," Hinata spoke, dangerously close to stuttering, "I did come in unannounced."
"Don't defend this guy, Hinata!" Kiba shot back.
"I forgive you, Miss Hinata. Besides, I'm sure I'm not the first shirtless man she's seen. You must you have plenty of suitors, right Miss Hinata?"
Kiba took a deep breath, looked up to the ceiling quickly, before replying, "I am going to kick your ass in a second, once Shino explains who the hell you are."
"I'm only stating the obvious." Torune replied, clearly enjoying the whole scenario. "I would be happy to take you out on a date myself, Miss Hinata, if everyone around you is too fool to ask."
"Shut up! We all know Hinata's got the hots for Naruto!" Kiba burst out with.
"Kiba!" Hinata cried, starting to blush more than she already was.
Kiba shook his head. "It's no use, Hinata. This guy probably already knows. Sniffed it out. I can tell."
Shino froze. He had no simple answer as to who Torune was – companion, friend, cousin, brother, none felt right, only that he was important – but to spare Hinata further embarrassment, he spoke.
"Hinata, Kiba, this is Torune. He was formally in Anbu Root, but… you already know that, don't you." Shino realized, remembering what Kiba had said, Torune was with Fuu, Fuu… was he the friend Torune had mentioned? He could confirm that later, he still hadn't answered Kiba's question.
"He is my cousin. After his parents were killed in action, my dad adopted him."
This news seemed to stun even Kiba silent, so Torune filled the void.
"Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more each other, eh Kiba? Of course, I am delighted that I will get to see you again, Miss Hinata."
Kiba, in a rare show of restraint, replied, "Oh, we're gonna get along alright. Don't you worry about that."
Shino was tense as walked his teammates out to the main road. He wasn't terribly worried about Kiba and Torune, he sensed Kiba wasn't truly mad at Torune, more… shocked by him, that they were engaging in that teasing form of bonding. He didn't really understand it, but he'd witnessed Kiba do this – even with his own family.
He might ask Torune to tone himself down with Hinata though, she still looked flustered, though Shino couldn't be sure if that was because of Torune or the mention of Naruto.
No, what made him tense was something else, something he felt the need to address.
"I'm sorry, I never told you about Torune."
They stopped walking, Hinata and Kiba's attention on him, waiting for him to continue.
It was a blaring omission on his part, considering the things his teammates had shared with him. Hinata with her mixed feelings about being of the main branch, both the shame and relief she'd felt when her sister was picked to be the heir. Kiba had shared his wonderings about his dad, who had left his family sometime ago, how he worried for his mom. For Shino not to tell them he had an adopted brother after all this time, he was even tempted to make some excuse for himself, but he could only tell the truth.
"It was too painful."
His teammates sobered. Kiba clasped his shoulder.
"It's alright, man. No hard feelings. We've all got things. I'm glad we got to meet him, even if he is a major pain in the ass."
"We understand, Shino." And he knew Hinata, even better than Kiba, could understand the complex politics involved in being one of the Leaf's Four Noble Clans, of sacrifices that were made, alliances preserved, demands met, yet ones that left a deep void, ones that in secret, one wondered if they were actually worth the price.
"And…" Hinata continued, smiling, "I think he's wonderful!"
Kiba looked aghast. "What?! You're kidding, what about Naruto?"
"Not like that! You know what I mean!" Hinata said, blush returning, then took a pause, before turning to Shino, "I do though, I think he's wonderful, Shino. I'm so glad he's home."
Kiba smiled. "Yeah, the guy's definitely entertaining, I'll give him that. I'm happy for you too, Shino."
