A.N.: It's not hard for me to think about Shino's character as I'm pretty used to working with the characteristics. But when it comes to actually writing Shino… (sigh) I hope I get better. This is really me practicing and getting used to writing the characters of Naruto.

9: Under the Shade

The Aburame clan is renown throughout Konoha as being one of the most reclusive, and when a member is occasionally seen, nothing more is revealed about them as they are always hidden behind high collars and dark glasses.

Aburame Shino is no exception, and throughout his life from when he was a student in the Academy to when he became a genin and during the Chunin Exams, the many whispers about him did not go unnoticed. His stoic disposition and association with insects always made him the 'creepy' one to his peers, and after blowing off the arm of the Sound nin during the preliminaries, that reputation only grew.

Shino was not one to really look too much into who exactly he was, but behind that veil of mystery and darkness he was free to observe, as no one could look in but he could see out. It was years before he could see that, to a few that were not of his clan, he was not just some obscure nobody.

Though he often butted heads with Kiba, in time the Inuzuka came to understand and appreciate Shino's strengths and intellect. The insults stopped, and Kiba never questioned Shino's orders when on missions, haven given him his full trust. In turn Shino could see that under Kiba's rough and tumble exterior he was in fact very compassionate and fiercely loyal, and that he was wise enough to not pick fights he couldn't win.

Hinata, as timid as she was already, was quite frankly frightened of Shino when they first came together as a team; he was taller, serious, and seemed to bore holes through the Hyuga when he would turn to look at her through his shades. After a while, though, she grew less and less afraid and became a little bit bolder. Shino was not one for talking, but when he would speak up, Hinata often would too, and the two shared a special kinship in being the two ninja who often went unnoticed around others.

His sensei, Kurenai, could be just as enigmatic as he was, but she did care for her team and Shino as well. She respected his tact, observation skills and dedication, as Shino never hesitated to assist with training or say a stern word when needed. Kurenai was not known for being emotional, and most saw her as a strict teacher, but Shino could always see when his sensei was upset or happy, and a part of him felt accomplished when he saw the pride in her eyes when he would lead his team on missions without her.

He gained more recognition among the other genin of the village, as they too would not shy away from him on the missions where they all came together. Shino regarded them as more than just comrades and felt comfortable working with as a team. He may have been just an ant to the village, but with his peers they were a colony, strong and effective.

Yet still in the shadows he stayed. When alone, he could not be found in the village but under the canopy of the forest, in his own world of quiet and gloom, with the only countless insects as his company. He would immerse himself in their secret language, being as he thought he was: an Aburame, an enigma, a hive and silent master to millions under his shaded veil.

One day, Hokuto came crashing through the forest, upsetting the many life forms to appear before him with her hands on her hips, looking at Shino through half-lidded eyes and her lips quirked to the side. He looked back at her, a slight frown his only visible expression, though he was more curious than annoyed at her sudden and disruptive arrival as she wasn't ranting and raving.

After a few moments she sighed and tilted her head to the left. "Come with me for a sec." When Shino didn't move, her eyes slid back to his face and she sighed in frustration, her right hand scratching the side of her head in agitation. "There's this field with a bunch of butterflies an'… uh, stuff I guess you'd be interested in."

Shino stood, but just placed his hands in his pockets.

Hokuto growled. "Look, a little sunshine wouldn't kill you, ya know. I mean, geez, after a while doncha get tired of being here all th' time? It's all dark an' freakin' depressing."

That was Hokuto; noise and chaos and wild and bright. She once thought Shino was blind, until he told her the color of her eyes. Then she called him sneaky for all the times he caught her in various states of undress and she thought he couldn't see her. Shino knew that she knew he wasn't blind, but that's how she was, always joking and teasing and playful with him. For some reason, he was never invisible to her, and not once did she ever flinch away from him, though the same could not be said for his kikaichu. If anything, she was always near enough to him to poke or nudge or grin at.

Yet Shino could see there was a large part of her that was furious and afraid of her ultimate fate; a deep, dark shade she kept hidden under a blanket of light.

Shino looked up, and really noticed that it wasn't as dark as he thought in the forest, as there were several small beams of light that pierced through the canopy that cast the vast shadows.

"…Very well." Shino said at length. Hokuto grinned, no, smiled, and they both headed to the place she indicated.

Behind his collar, Shino's lips turned upwards slightly.