Chapter 4

Torune did introduce him to Fuu, he was the friend Torune had mentioned. Torune explained beforehand that Fuu was the first person he met in Anbu, they lived and trained together, specialized to fight with each other, and were often paired on missions. Though it was Torune's turn to be surprised Shino had already met him, however briefly.

Shino knew it was strange for Torune, for everyone, really, trying to adjust. He again thought of the rumors he'd heard, that by the end of the training Root members went through, they were only loyal to Danzo, following him unquestioningly, and he was again puzzled, after seeing Fuu. Maybe the rumors were exaggerated, as rumors often were? Some hint of truth, but the not the whole of it because Torune nor Fuu seemed particularly loyal to Danzo, not in any fanatical way. They were still loyal to their families, open to others.

If anything, the only person they each seemed especially loyal to was each other – that was only natural, they had been together for a long time now – and it only confirmed what Shino suspected. While he wanted to believe Torune was home, Shino thought that could just be selfishness on his part. Torune had always been on the run.

Maybe, he had no home.

Shino knew he wasn't alone in thinking like this. Hinata had shared similar situations from her clan. The immense joy and relief to have family home, but also the dawning realization that those lost years could never be regained; time had passed, all of them not being the same people they were when they last saw each other.

There was also another struggle that took place with the return of the Root members, for they were some of the most powerful ninja, not only of their respective clans, but the village as a whole. There was jostling, adjusting, settling, for those who were once the most powerful were no longer.

And it was visceral, the power the Root ninja wielded. Shino had felt it, both that first meeting with Fuu, and then when he met first saw Torune later that night. Despite Ino's cheer introducing Fuu, and despite Torune's casual greeting, Shino knew he and Fuu were both exceptionally dangerous shinobi.

Though, Shino mused, in a way, that wasn't so different from when Torune left, for within the Aburame, Torune still invoked fear. Only now it was a different kind of fear. Before, it was his inability to control his beetles that made him dangerous. Now, the danger came from what Torune could do intentionally.


"God, this guy!" Kiba snarled in disbelief. "He kicks my ass when we spar, he flirts with my sister, and what the hell, he's got a better chest than mine!"

Kiba and Torune had gotten into a somewhat regular schedule of sparring. Shino suspected it was Hinata's idea originally, a way for Kiba to blow off steam. Today they were at Kiba's, he and Hinata had observed, Torune had just left, and Shino wasn't sure how effective it had all been, judging by Kiba's reaction after having lost yet another bout, enough for even his sister to notice.

"This is life, little brother." Hana said, handing him a glass of water.

"And you know what the worst part is?" Kiba continued, as though she hadn't said anything, though he did take the glass. "The flirting works! It never works when I do it! Even Hinata likes him! I mean, I just don't get it, what's so great about him?! Uh, no offense, Shino, I know he's your, uh… whatever."

"Would you cut that out, Kiba! I told you it's not like that!" Hinata interjected, then Hana answered Kiba's question, though Shino wasn't sure Kiba was actually expecting her to, judging by the shock on his face.

"Tall, dark, mysterious." Hana listed apathetically, placing water down for Akamaru as well.

"Moves well too. Always a plus in my book." Kiba's mother added, who brought food.

"Ma! Not you too! I'm covering your eyes! Both of you!"

"I'm only teasing you, kid." his mother came over, ruffled his hair.

"I'm not." declared Hana. "And you couldn't catch me to cover my eyes, even if you tried."


Torune did seem to have a way of being the center of attention, whether it was his skill or personality or his affect on the people around him. He had a strong presence, and could be rather forceful about applying himself, as seen by his flirting, his teasing. He wasn't always loud about it though, Shino recalled having many silent battles of will with him when they were children, Torune wanting him to do something that Shino didn't want to do, lecturing him.

Shino wasn't sure why it bothered him, all the attention Torune received. After all, Torune deserved it. He'd been locked away, hidden away for so long. It was good, that people were finally seeing him, and Shino did enjoy seeing Torune with his teammates.

He wished it could always have been this way. Shino didn't spend as much time with Fuu as Torune did with his teammates – he could tell there was shared understanding, shared experience that Shino could not relate to. He wanted to respect Torune's past.

Though he did sometimes hear about Torune and Fuu and Team 10, from Torune or from Kiba when he joined them. But, this was nothing new for Shino, this feeling of being left out, yet from the times he had tried to join in, he knew it changed the group, they got quiet. His own meeting with Fuu had been perfunctory, a courtesy really. That was alright. Shino had decided awhile ago it was better to leave the others to their fun.

That's what he told himself, but nevertheless, it was hard to deny the hurt he felt, each time he heard about one of these gatherings, and the pain he experienced each time Torune left on a mission with Fuu.


Shino had always gone out into the woods, he could spend many peaceful hours there, looking for insects amongst the trees. Torune used to come with him and he had started to once again. Shino had doubts about Torune's reasons though, and decided to broach it with him.

"You don't have to do this." Shino said.

"Do what?" Torune called down, sitting up in a tree branch.

"This. I'm sure there's other things you'd rather be doing."

"I like doing this with you. Always have."

That's exactly what Shino doubted: if Torune hadn't been cooped up in the Aburame Compound, if he hadn't been feared by the clan, would he really have chosen to spend his time with Shino doing this? Yet, even more than that, what haunted Shino was if Torune had felt he'd had any other option, would he have ever so readily volunteered for Anbu Root?

Would he ever have so readily agreed to take Shino's place?