Aburame Shino stood in a quiet and secluded clearing in one of the many forests of Konohagakure, the high grass surrounding him covering a part of his lean frame. The stoic expression on his face was partially hidden by the high collar of the jacket he always wore, the same one casting a shadow on his face.
Opposite him stood his partner, you, with a smile on your face, your head cocked to the side as you watched him with growing interest. A little adventure deep into the Konoha forest by the Aburame clan compound was most definitely not on your schedule today, but heading there with Shino was something you didn’t mind. When he told you earlier today that he had something to show you, your curiosity had spiked so much so that on the way into the forest, you could barely keep it to yourself. And since your boyfriend was not the most talkative of men, it was not like you had many hints and clues to work with to come to your own conclusion.
So, as you watched Shino hold out his hand for you to see, you sucked in a breath. Familiar bugs wriggled on his hand, almost as though they were letting out pent-up energy or some sort of emotion. “These are my partners,” He said, his voice slightly muffled from behind his collar. After having known him for so long, you have gotten used to it already. “The Kikaichū.”
As his partner and, before that, friend, it wasn’t like you didn’t know of his clan’s insects. In fact, you had encountered them plenty of times before already, but you had never truly been introduced to them in the way the Aburame see as fitting. That was an honour you had yet to be allowed to participate in, until now, that is.
“They may seem a bit intimidating at first, but they won’t harm you,” Shino always seemed to know the right words to speak to put you at ease. He knew you too well. “Trust me.”
As though wanting to demonstrate, Shino flexed his hand and watched the insects begin to scurry all over his skin, their tiny legs tickling him as they crawled. He was used to the sensation already, but still watched the insects go about with interest in his eyes.
You, on the other hand, watched with fascination, your gaze practically glued to their black little bodies wandering about.
“The Kikaichū feed on chakra,” You already knew that, but hearing Shino talk about his insects always caught your attention. He was never the big talker, preferring to stay quiet instead, but when he did talk, Shino’s voice came out in a lull that never failed to mesmerize you. “They are capable of draining an opponent’s energy in battle. They can also track scents and detect enemies.”
You leaned closer to his hand and the insects, peeking at them with interest. Then, you looked up at your boyfriend, “You know, Shino, I admire your knowledge about bugs. It’s so extensive, it’s impressive.”
Behind his high collar, Shino’s lips stretched into a smile, his cheeks feeling warm. “Would you like to hold one?”
For a moment, you said nothing as Shino moved one of the bugs over to his other hand. It wasn’t that you were scared of holding one of his trusted bugs, you knew that from the bottom of your heart, you could trust Shino, and yet this was a big step. He was trusting you with the safety of one of his bugs, which wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence for either of you, and you were determined to treat it as such.
“Sure?” Almost tentatively, you reached out your hand. Shino moved his hand with the singular bug toward yours, the two of you watching as the insect crawled from his hand over to yours.
At first, the sensation of the little legs leaving a faint tingle behind left you shivering as you got used to the feeling. But then you watched the bug move around freely, almost as though it got used to the new space it got to occupy. It reminded you of the other bugs you had encountered already, but knowing that this specific one was one of Shino’s made holding it much more special.
“What a cute little bug,” You commented, your voice filled with wonder. As the bug moved toward the back of your hand, you turned it, so it wouldn’t be upside down. “Fast too.”
Shino chuckled softly. “That they are.”
He was well aware that to some, the Kikaichū can be unsettling companions to have. To see your fascination with the bugs that were so important to him and his entire existence as a Shinobi, to see you smile as his little companion moved all over your hand, made him happy, too. Shino could barely keep the smile off of his face as he watched, a warm feeling of contempt washing over him.
“Does it have a name?” You asked while turning your hand so that your palm would face upward again. Almost like a child captivated by their new toy, you didn’t even lift your head to look at your boyfriend as you continued, “He looks like a Shino Junior.”
At that, Shino raised a brow. “And how do you know it's a he?”
You shrugged. “I don’t know, he just feels like a he.”
“Well, the one you’re holding is a female, actually.”
“Oh,” Your gaze moved to look at the beetle-like bug again. “How do you know that? Which ones are female and which are male?”
“Female kikaichū like the one you’re holding right now can be placed on a target during a mission. They will then release a pheromone that the males are able to home in on,” Shino explained. “Growing up, I spent hours trying to find differences between them.”
With a newfound spark in your eyes, you lifted them to look at Shino. “Can you tell me more about the Kikaichū, please?”
There’s nothing he would love to do more.