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Koiuta	By : dragonslover1 Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1149 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
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Disclaimer: I own nothing of Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does. I am not profiting from this fanfiction.

Koiuta, Love Song

Fourteen Stitches

If he wanted to, Shino could blame Tasha for this entire fiasco. Or rather, her exuberance. Five and a half weeks into her recovery, she made it blatantly obvious that she yearned for him. The moment she could walk without wincing anymore, she had pointedly refused to let him get away.

Like he�d done more than a dozen times before.

He wanted her. Gods knew he wanted her. But then, why wouldn�t he? Shortly after they made love for the first time, she�d up and left. For eight weeks. After finding her again, they�d spent ten days alone, together, and. . .well, there was no denying the truth; they were horny teenagers. He was only just beginning to really sate himself with her when The Insect Incident started (Tasha coined the name). Then there was absolutely no way he was going to hurt her, so he kept his hands off -- even when she began to bring her hands in.

By then, it was probably easy on her part, to seduce him. Her mouth started it, then her hands joined in. He was close to helpless by the time she brought him down on the bed with her. The section of his thoughts dedicated to giving her more time was utterly silenced. And then one of her legs went around his waist and he was trapped -- willingly trapped.

Until his father found them like that.

His vest was fully open by then, his mouth on her neck, hands petting the skin of her legs. Her own hands were trailing up and down his chest, which, he had to admit, was an incredible feeling on his part.

And then the door opened.

�Shino!� Shibi snapped.

He pressed his face into the pillow with a loud groan, planting his hands on the bed. Tasha gave an answering moan, covering her face with her hands. Her leg slid off him.

�You should know better than --� Shibi started a tirade.

�Yeah, yeah, yeah!� Shino snapped. What was he, a fourteen-year-old? How was making love in his own room breaking the rules when he was almost nineteen?

Shocked, Shibi paused his lecture. But then, Shino never talked back. �If you know, then why --�

This time Tasha cut him off. �It�s all my fault, alright? Satisfied?� She was just as edgy as Shino felt. �Shino?�

When he looked up, she was holding his sunglasses with an apologetic smile. He took them, put them on, got off the bed. She turned over as soon as he was up, hugging the pillow to her. He knew that pose -- knew she was pouting. He put his coat on next, not because he was cold, but because it successfully covered the evidence of his arousal.

�What are you here for?� he asked his father, unable to keep an edge out of his tone.

Shibi didn�t look very tolerant at the moment. He stepped back, mutely asking Shino to step outside with him.

As soon as the door shut, Shibi launched into an explanation about an A-rank mission he just got. He wanted to take Shino with him, as an extra pair of arms, extra set of eyes, extra opinions.

Shino had his suspicions that Shibi just didn�t want him all over Tasha until the seven-week deadline had passed. He didn�t say it, though; he wasn�t about to presume that his father was a scheming cock-stopper.

He shook his head on that thought, surprised it�d come to him at all. And seeing no reason to deny the request, he agreed to go.

In three hours, as it turned out. Not enough time to make love to the extent he desired, shower, dress, and pack. If nothing else, that part was probably altered to keep him from becoming all hands on Tasha. When he came back into the room, she was still pouting, now with a decidedly hostile face.

�Sorry,� he apologized.

She shut her eyes with a distressed moan. �Am I the only one who feels like that was on purpose?�

He was already frowning, and now it deepened. �No.�

�Hey, is your father one of those guys who hits back if a woman hits him?�

�Tasha,� he warned.

�It�s a question.�

He was reluctant to answer, but on the other hand, she might be able to get away with it. �I guess it depends on how hard of a hit. And if the woman actually wants to kill him or not.�

�Uh. Maybe I can get Shaniko-san to do it for me.�

He had to laugh. �Intending to kill my father, are you?� He sat on the bed.

�I�m considering the possibility.�

�You know you wouldn�t succeed. And then I�d have to deal with him.�

�I could damn well try.�

Another chuckle. �Be serious. What if I were talking about killing your father?�

She went very still, and he sensed her mood had dropped further. She said, �I really don�t think I�d stop you. And I seriously doubt you�d have a hard time, so it�s not an equal comparison.�

He thought about that. Tasha�s parents were never something they�d discussed in the past, and he was starting to understand why.

�Tell me about your parents,� he pressed.

After a moment, she sat up, crossing her legs on the bed. �Why?�

�I want to know.�

�You ought to be packing,� she pointed out.

�You�re avoiding,� he countered. �What is it about them you don�t want me to know?�

She shut her mouth. �There�s. . . It�s not like I don�t want you to know, I just don�t like talking about them.�

�Then consider this the first and last time I ask.�

She sighed in defeat. �Fine. What do you want to know?�

�Start with their names.�

�My father is Hiyoshi, my mother was Chiaki. She died when I was two. He�s still alive. There�s nothing remarkable about either of them, or nothing I know about. Mother died on the road, so there�s just an empty grave with her name on it. Father doesn�t have any mementos from her. I always figured they never loved each other, just made sure I was born.�

�That�s all you know?� he asked, surprised.

�Father never speaks of her, and he always avoided my questions when I asked. He never even gave me a reason why he avoided them; my guess is he never bothered to learn anything about her. Maybe he hated her.�

Compared against his own parents, that sounded horrible. �But there has to be something,� he reasoned. �She named you, didn�t she?�

She was already laughing, a self-pitying kind of sound. �What, �Tasha?� It doesn�t even have a meaning. The most effort she put forth was where my jewel is. She chose that spot.�

He had nothing to say to that, to her bitter tone. After a moment, he tried to change the subject. �Is this to mean you don�t like your name?�

She shrugged. �I�ve thought about it before, but honestly, I couldn�t think of a name for myself if I�d tried.�

�You were calling yourself �Yue� for a while,� he reminded her.

She inclined her head. �Yeah, I did. But I don�t particularly like it.� She glanced sideways at him. �Why are you asking about this?�

�Just wondering.�

She laughed. �Yeah, right. Well then, smart guy, what would you name me if you could?�

He thought it over. �Aoibara,� he said.

She looked incredulous. �You would name me a blue rose?�

He shrugged. �The blue is obvious. And, the way you style your hair. . .sometimes the bun looks like a flower,� he explained.

It seemed he�d just suggested something she�d never thought of before. She looked stunned. After a few moments, she shook her head. �Okay, so it kinda suits me. But it doesn�t sound very pretty, Aoibara.�

She had a point, he admitted. At a rap at the door, they both looked up. Shaniko poked her nose in. She had an apologetic expression.

�Sent you to take over, did he?� Tasha murmured. Nobody had to ask who �he� was.

�Don�t be hard on Shibi,� Shaniko replied, coming in. �He�s just making sure your recovery isn�t more difficult than it has to be.�

�In which case, he should quit sticking his nose in,� Tasha countered. �He�s stressing me out just by trying to avoid putting any strain on my body.�

Shaniko chuckled, then glanced at Shino.

Before she could say anything, he got up. �I don�t need to pack. If he asks, I went out to release pent-up frustration.� Those word were particularly vile compared to how he usually spoke to his parents, but right now, he didn�t care much.

He felt like tearing something apart with his bare hands.

The mission, he learned later, revolved around a set of matching scrolls. Three ninja from the Land of Thunder had taken them from their Kage�s tower and gone on the run. Reports suggested they were holed up somewhere in Fire Country, so Shibi and Shino had been sent to find them. The priority was to retrieve the scrolls, though returning with the ninja alive was preferred. They were then to hand off the scrolls to a team who were waiting at the border between countries. Payment would be handed off at that point.

It took three days to find the rogue ninja, who were pouring over the scrolls they�d taken -- seven of them. They went on the offensive as soon as one of them was assaulted with a buzzing black cloud. Taking them down was easy for two Jounin, but it wasn�t without its risks. Specifically, one of them tossed a good dozen shuriken at Shino.

It was a lucky shot; the man had been in the right place at the right time. The majority of Shino�s bugs had been dispersed at that moment. And his dodge wasn�t quite fast enough. One of them gave him a nice cut on the inside of his upper arm, very close to his underarm. His clothes had been like paper to the sharp blades.

Now he had a deep, gushing cut (he mentally tisked at the placement; wounds there bled freely). His bugs rushed to cover it on both sides, tiny legs holding it closed, but not before twin trails had reached his elbow. When the fight was over and they could relax, one ninja was dead and the other two bound, unconscious.

They didn�t have time to worry over the cut, so they ignored it. It continued to bleed in small bits as they walked the two prisoners to the border, eventually starting a slow drip from his fingers. It took another day to reach the other team, exchanging seven scrolls for payment, but two days� walk to get back. Now that the threat was over, he wrapped the wound, though the bugs on the inside continued to hold it. The scab wasn�t doing much good alone, but with the bandage and bugs helping, the bleeding had stopped.

On the way back, Shino broached the subject of Tasha, with the very purposeful reason of finding out what the big problem was. With time, it just seemed to keep getting worse -- Shibi�s opinion of her.

�It�s not like that,� Shibi argued. �I worry about what she does to you.�

�Was your father this way with mother?� Shino asked.

�Sometimes, but it was more Shaniko�s father who fought me.� Shibi paused. �What I mean, son, is that she�s hurt you. Bad. I know all the reasons why, but it doesn�t help my opinion of her. She left you once, and it almost destroyed you.�

�She won�t leave again,� Shino told him, surprised to hear the growl in his own voice.

�So you say, but can you promise?� Shibi paused, faced him. �I can see how much you love her. And I know you both want me to believe she loves you, too. But look at it from my point of view -- I just don�t see that same devotion in her. I don�t want you falling any deeper than you already are.�

�It doesn�t matter if you don�t see it.� Shino had to fight to keep from snapping. �I do. And she needs me.�

�You keep going to extremes for her. I�ve never seen you react so strongly before; you were always in control until she came around.� Shibi appraised Shino, up and down. �Think about it, please. For my sake. You�ve as good as been obsessed with her since you met. When she left, you were pacing all the time, barely sleeping. Then you come back with her -- and positive proof that you�ve been losing control of yourself, often. You yelled and hit the wall when you were disagreeing with her solution --�

�Father --�

�Let me finish,� Shibi pressed. �She may not have seen it, but I did. That solution -- draining the jewel�s chakra -- it was the same as when she�d left. You looked ready to die, and yet you were saving her life by doing it. The last thing I want you to do is hurt her and then tear yourself up over it. Just keep your hands off her until there�s no more danger.�

�Don�t you think I thought of that?� Shino snapped. �I won�t hurt her -- there is no more danger!�

�So quick to anger,� Shibi chided quietly. �Do you see what I mean?�

Shino was taken aback. He couldn�t think of an argument.

Shibi went on, �What brought on this level of fierceness from you? That -- need to defend her and your relationship from everyone? It�s not like you to respond so strongly.�

Shino looked away, the blows landing hard. He was quiet for a long time, fighting back more waves of anger. He said, �I love her. That�s. . .the way it is. What if you hurt mother, would you rage at yourself?�

�Of course I would. But not nearly to the extent you would; that�s my point.� Shibi shook his head.

�Well, what do you want me to do?� Shino asked harshly, exasperated. �Tell her my father won�t let me care anymore?�

�I am not the bad guy,� Shibi shot back. He paused, thinking. �Ask yourself this: would she tear herself up if she hurt you?�

�You --� Shino broke off, before he could start bellowing. He regained control, though it took effort. �Of course she would. I don�t have a doubt in this.�

Shibi nodded slowly. �As long as you believe that, I don�t have an argument,� he relented. �Now, let�s get back, get you fixed up.�

It was a kind of truce, the whole way back. Neither of them came back to the subject of Tasha. They especially didn�t get into a fight over whether or not she loved Shino; that was the taboo topic. They split upon reaching Konoha. Shibi went to give a report along with the payment; Shino headed for the hospital.

A doctor he didn�t recognize was the one who gave him the stitches. Shino sat, chest bare, with his forearm resting on his head. It was the position that took the least amount of effort, left the wound visible, and lessened the blood flow.

�You waited a long time to get this fixed,� the doctor commented, Sujin.

Shino nodded. �We decided it wasn�t pressing enough to take care of right away.�

�That�s what leads to infections,� Sujin chided. �But I suppose I don�t have to tell a Jounin that.� He reached over, picked up a cotton swab. �Anesthetic first,� he warned as he stroked the wound. He wasn�t gentle, though Shino figured he would be kinder towards civilians. �Then I�ll get to work on all this blood.�

�Don�t worry about that,� Shino told him. �I�m in a hurry to get home.� A vision of Tasha came to mind. He�d been gone six days; he wondered how much better she was now.

�Alright,� Sujin sighed. �Try not to move.� He picked up the thread and needle.

�I�ve had stitches before.�

�Oh, I don�t doubt that. But it�s a habit to say.� He paused. �What is this black under the scab?�

�My insects.�

�Ah, right. Aburame. Well, you have to move them.�

Shino did so. Thanks to the anesthetic, he hardly felt them move. Sujin went to work. All he could feel was a dull pulling, no pain. At the end, Sujin put the things aside.

�Fourteen stitches,� he told Shino. �Be easy on it for two weeks, at least. It�s in a sensitive place.�

Shino had been thinking of Tasha the entire time, and the question his father had posed to him. Sujin�s words took on a different meaning in that light. He couldn�t wait to get back to her, but at the same time, he was worried. Whether his father had intended it or not, the seed of doubt had been planted.

Would she ache for him? If not for his recent wound, then if she somehow hurt him? He didn�t know, but then, he�d never asked. Perhaps it was time to.

- - -

Tasha was bored out of her mind. Shaniko was trying to keep her company, though it did little good. She missed Shino. He was interesting, he was fun (at times), he was attractive. He was never boring. Maybe she was just having a teenage moment; she was just seventeen, after all. Well, closer to eighteen, her mind correct, but still four months away.

�I�m gonna go for a walk,� she decided.

Shaniko looked surprised. �You can hardly walk for twenty minutes,� she reasoned.

Tasha shrugged. �I won�t go far. Down a few halls, maybe visit the baths. . .and then I�ll be back.�

�I should go with you. . .�

�Please, Shaniko-san, I feel bad enough that you have to stay with me all the time.� Tasha pouted. �I don�t think I could bear it if I kept needing you for every little thing.�

�I see your point, but a walk is hardly a �little thing� right now.�

�If you�re so worried, find me a crutch,� Tasha offered.

Shaniko thought it over. �Alright. But stay here while I look, okay?� She rose.

Tasha nodded. �Okay.� As soon as Shaniko left, Tasha counted in her mind. At ninety, she scoffed. �I waited. Oh well.� She got up, winced, and walked out the door. Her memories were limited in this place, so she followed them, glancing down hallways as she went.

Not long into it, she was stopped as a woman stepped in front of her.

�Tasha, right?� she asked.

Tasha nodded, scoping the woman. She looked like an adult, and definitely a member of the clan. Billowing white jacket over black pants, black hair in a ponytail that stuck out in all directions, and oval sunglasses. Her hands were in her pockets, and a frown was on her face.

�You are. . ?� Tasha asked.

�Riku. Shino�s fiancée.� She seemed to be waiting for a reaction.

So Tasha gave her one. She raised her brows. �He mentioned nothing of you. Ever.�

�How silly of him. The fact remains, he�s mine. Don�t interfere, outsider. I don�t want to have to throw you out.�

Tasha graced her with an unconcerned smile. �I didn�t see your name on him anywhere. And, by the way, I�ve seen him everywhere.� She was vicious right now, and she hoped the other lady would give up. She didn�t want to have to verbally bash her into a corner.

Riku�s expression darkened. �Don�t say I didn�t warn you, whore.� She pointed at arm at Tasha. Bugs flew out of her sleeve, surrounded Tasha in an instant. �These friends of mine will strip your bones clean in under a minute.�

Tasha was flailing at them, uselessly. She hit the wall, feeling tiny bites all over her. And she was blind, lost, unsure where Riku had gone. Then all at once, the buzzing in her ears increased and was gone in a second. She was yanked into strong arms.

Intense relief went through her as she hugged back. Shino.

�What do you think you�re doing to someone who�s still recovering?!� a voice barked. It wasn�t Shino�s.

Tasha blanched. It was Shibi. She looked up, recognized him. He looked about as mad as she supposed he could get, directed at Riku.

�Sh-Shibi-san,� Riku was saying, �it was just a. . .prank. I wasn�t really going to. . .�

�You�re confined to your room,� he snapped. �This is not how we treat guests in the Aburame clan. I�ll convene with your parents later.�

Riku shifted from foot to foot. �I�m not the only one who doesn�t like her,� she bit out. �All the other girls my age are furious with her. How could an outsider possibly have won over Shino?!�

�It�s Shino�s choice,� Shibi growled, each word punctuated clearly. �If you�re mad at his choice, tell him, don�t attack his woman!� Riku flinched. �You�re dismissed. Get out of here.�

With reluctance and clear hatred, she spun on her heel and stalked away.

Tasha sighed heavily. She stood away from him. �Thank you, Shibi.�

He nodded. �What are you doing, wandering the halls alone?�

�Went for a walk.� The words almost died as she realized that Shaniko wouldn�t be happy with her, that she would likely tell Shibi. And then she�d back to square one with him.

�You shouldn�t be,� he warned. He turned her, led her down the corridors. �What Riku said was true; you stirred up a lot of trouble when you came back. A lot of the girls really like him, and aren�t too glad that he picked you above any one of them.�

As far as Tasha was concerned, there hadn�t been any picking going on. Shino had worked his way into her heart, as she imagined she had done to him. It�s not as if she pulled an �Enie Menie Minie Moe� on a crowd.

�All the girls can stuff it or accept it,� she told him. �I�m not planning on going anywhere.�

�Even if Shino didn�t want you?� he queried.

She stumbled. The thought was impossible, in her mind. She choked on her answer. �That -- won�t happen. He�d never ask me to go.� When Shibi looked like he were going to argue, she interrupted. �But if he did ask,� she hedged, �that would be that.� Her heart stung at the thought. After a long moment, she added, �We�ve been through too much to give up now.�

She had the feeling Shibi was watching her, though she couldn�t see it. When he reached Shino�s door, he opened it for her. �Stay inside this time,� he told her.

She nodded.

�Do you need Shaniko to help you clean up?�

�No.� He shut the door. She looked down at herself, noting the number of double-pricks down her forearms. She hoped the rest of her wasn�t as bad; she�d gone out in a robe that left her forearms and lower legs showing. Some of the holes were bleeding, the rest holding a mere drop.

She was in the bath when the door opened. Only one person would come in without knocking (even if Shibi had pulled that stunt once or twice). A vision of him came to mind.

�Tasha?� she heard Shino say.

�In the bath,� she called back, through the door. It swung open.

Shino looked surprised, in the process of taking off the glasses. His eyes scanned her arms, then her legs. �What happened to you?� he asked.

�What happened to you?� she shot back. He had taken off his jacket already, and she could see trails of blood down the inside of his right arm.

�I know those marks,� he said, sounding angry now. �The clan�s insects leave those. Who did it?�

She shook her head. �Doesn�t matter. Shibi took care of it.� He glanced over his shoulder, as if he�d find his father there. �And what about you? You have dry blood on you.�

�A cut,� he answered absently.

She lifted her brows. �Hey, Shino, look at me.� He did so. �How are my tiny bites more important than your bloody arm?� She didn�t add, How are we not all over each other? She figured wounds were more pressing than passion.

�It�s nothing,� he brushed it off.

She narrowed her eyes. �Let me see it.�

He shook his head. �I don�t think you�d --�

�For God�s sake, Shino!� she snapped. �You keep saying that. �I don�t think you want to know. I don�t think you want to know.� I wouldn�t ask if I didn�t want to know.� Her impression of him was terrible.

He hesitated, then sat down. He lifted his arm.

She counted the stitches. Her face softened. �You know, until now I thought you were unbreakable.� She glanced away. He was quiet. After a long moment, she looked up again, wondering at the extended silence. The way his eyes were tracing her reminded her of her nudity.

She couldn�t help but invite him, leaning back in the tub. �I�ll bet we could both fit,� she offered.

His eyes were smoldering when they met hers.
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Koiuta