Trey or A Tale Of Three Clans

Chapter 4

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Shino threw a dog nip at the unusually small white puppy clumsily cavorting at his feet. The little beast gobbled the tidbit up and ran to sniff his hand for more. Shino reached into his over coat pocket and fed the puppy more nips from his outstretched hand. Its black nose was cold and damp, its tongue warm as it snuffled against his hand. He pitched a clump of nips across the empty flag stone courtyard. The puppy ran yipping across the yard its short tail wagging with pure joy.

Shino adjusted his sunglasses. He inhaled deeply. Today was a good day to be alive. It made one proud to be a leaf shinobi, but the crisp early morning air was bracing and he drew his hood over his head for warmth. Autumn in Konoha, it was his favorite time of year. It was cool enough to be active and alert, yet not cold enough to make either his kikaichu or him sluggish so as not to want to venture outside. However, summer was always difficult for him. Even when made out of the most porous and lightest fabric available his, overcoat and hood often left him hot. It was the price one paid for being an Aburame, but one that he paid happily. Plus he would have to concede that this summer had been the most memorable and happy of his entire life.

He grinned behind his coat¡¦s collar and held out one finger to let a giant peacock geisha butterfly alight. Of the two-hundred and thirty-seven species of butterfly to be found in the Fire Nation, one hundred and fifty were found right here on Aburame clan lands. However, the peacock geisha could be found nowhere else except on Aburame clan lands. It was his favorite. It was big, hardy and strong. Just the fact that it was flying around in early October testified to that. It was also exquisitely beautiful with four, deep, orange-red wings. The top wings were edged in black and turned to dark brown edging on the bottom wings. Also, on each of its bottom two wings it had a large black eye peppered with small white dots on the inside. The black eye was surrounded by a pale yellow circle that itself was edged in black that faded into the overall deep orange-red color.

The top two wings did not have an eye per se, but they had a rectangular block of yellow at the top of the wing under the black edging that ran the full span of the wing. In the rectangular block were two black circles. From the edge of the yellow rectangle down, the top wings faded into the deep, rich orange red color that it was known for. The butterfly¡¦s black body was slim and not too wide or too narrow. It had long delicate feelers. En masse its light scent was an excellent aphrodisiac. It also had no fear of kikaichu and communicated with them well.

In his clan the peacock geisha was a symbol of the perfect woman as well as the standard of Aburame born kunoichi. Aburame females were never hives for kikaichu, only the men were, for very obvious reasons. His clan was tiny compared to the Hyuugas who seemed to interbreed like rabbits, or the Inuzukas who one would think had litters considering how many of them there were. If Aburame women were given kikaichu they would never find husbands, even among other bug wielding clans. And if Aburame women only married Aburame men, well the clan would definitely be inbred within two generations. It was just as well. There was much anecdotal evidence within the clan that suggested that kunoichi who became hives for kikaichu suffered from a much higher rate of infertility than other kunoichi.

Another giant peacock geisha alit on him, this one on his arm. He held his breath. This was a very good omen. He hadn¡¦t summoned the butterflies. They had come to him of their own free will. They were heralding the arrival of a new Aburame kunoichi in six months time. On one level he was quite calm and matter a fact about it, on another he wanted to dance for joy. He was going to be a father of a kunoichi, a little girl. How could something so ordinary be so miraculous? He would be a very good father, even though he was only twenty. Hinata would be a superb mother. She would be twenty by the time the baby was born. He knew she didn¡¦t want a baby this soon, she had wanted to wait and continue preparing herself for the jounin exams, but she had acquiesced to his clan¡¦s strict marriage rules. Kiba had been livid, yelling at him, that they hadn¡¦t even had six months to revel in their new freedom with one another. He had had to point out that the purpose of being secluded was to get his wife pregnant during the first three months of the marriage, before she could throw in the towel. Although it was true that their marriage was regarded as a love match by his clan, he could not flout the rules, even for them.

And, it seemed he was already breaking customs if not outright rules left and right. It still shocked him how surprised his male cousins were that he had consummated his marriage before the wedding and without using dozens of the peacock geisha butterfly to adorn the marriage suite or if necessary, his wife¡¦s body. It was embarrassing, but now he was considered something of a hero for having landed a Hyuuga, and for her marrying him for love. At the wedding reception, older and younger male cousins alike, in their quiet Aburame way had asked him for his secret in capturing his wife. All he had been able to say was that Hinata liked bugs. The upshot of that was that two of his cousins were seen talking to two lovely Hyuuga ladies, both branch members, at Konoha¡¦s End of Summer Festival. He grimaced. He had yet to hear how his cousins¡¦ hoped for romances had fared but he fervently hoped that they had not been badly rejected. Obviously how he won his wife was a situation that should not be replicated, and neither was it a situation that he would choose to make common knowledge among all the members of his clan.

He glanced up. Sparkling sunlight was filtered by soft green leaves. Judging by the sun, his father was fifteen minutes late. That was unusual. He might have been annoyed if it wasn¡¦t for the fact that he had awakened and been up and out at an ungodly hour of the morning already. But he was a man with quite a bit of business to take care of. Having arrived home yesterday at noon, from a four day solo mission, his first since his marriage, he had decided to turn in his mission report this morning. He had arrived at the Hokage tower at 5:30 a.m. turned in his report, been debriefed and been on his way at 6:30 a.m. Opting for nourishment in town, he had done something unusual and breakfasted at a favorite Shinobi restaurant with both Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji, who themselves were just returning from a grueling mission.

His mission had been B ranked, and theirs A ranked but as they discussed, and connected the dots of their respective missions, it was pretty clear to all three of them that his surveillance mission in the land of rain, and their retrieval for questioning of a former Sound-nin who had been lurking around the borders of both earth and rain countries, was related. The Hokage was hot on the trail of Uchiha Sasuke and the three of them, all jounins, might very well be working together in the future. He had found the possibility intriguing. He had never been included on any of the previous retrieve Sasuke missions, and he respected the abilities of both the Hyuuga prodigy and the Nara genius. So much so that he had offered congratulations to Nara on his recent engagement to the Suna Princess, Sabuko No Temari, the Lord Kazekage¡¦s sister. He was not one for talk, much less small talk, but congratulations seemed in order. Despite Nara¡¦s normally feigned indifference, he had observed that Nara had been in love with the sand kunoichi for a very long time. And Shino did not take love lightly.

Elbows on the table, Nara had shrugged and rejoined in that slack, sleepy, way of his. ¡§Weddings, so troublesome. It¡¦s entirely your fault.¡¨

Shino had tilted his head and raised his shoulders slightly. Neither man could see his eyes due to his ever present sunglasses, but both men clearly understood his question. Nara had replied in a tone of utter and complete annoyance.

¡§Someone has to consider Konoha¡¦s needs. By you stealing Hyuuga Hinata right out from under Gaara¡¦s nose, Suna was cheated out of the large wedding celebration they wanted for their Kazekage. So, in the interests of good diplomatic relations; I stepped forward. Now Suna gets to over celebrate our wedding. Gaara is pleased, if a little touchy that Temari will soon leave Suna to live in Konoha. Konoha gets a new jounin kunoichi, and I get a really troublesome princess for a wife. The sacrifices I make for my village.¡¨

Hyuuga Neji had raised an eyebrow and nearly choked on his tea at Nara¡¦s words, but the Hyuuga high nobleman had otherwise kept his silence. Shino had stared at Nara not quite certain if he was joking or not. When he did not respond Nara Shikamaru had casually continued almost as if he were talking to himself.

¡§Hmmm, you Aburame always cultivate an impenetrable aura of mystery about yourselves. Yet, few rarely question your motives. I will admit that there are some shinobi that are disgusted and maybe even revolted at the idea of your symbiotic relationship with kikaichu; I am not one of them. That being said, it would have been nice if you had thought about someone other than yourself. The way you hastily married Hinata and spirited her away, every female in town from the most hardened kunoichi to the weakest civilian is talking about it. They think it romantic. Thus, no man with a girlfriend is safe from their marriage fever. And by the way, where is Kiba? No one has seen your loud teammate in at least a month.¡¨

¡§Stop.¡¨ Neji had carefully placed his tea-cup down, and spoken.

Shikamaru had lazily turned his head to look at his mission partner. His lips turned up in a questioning quirk.

¡§Not another word Shikamaru. Who, why and how Hinata-sama married is not your concern, nor Ino¡¦s, nor Sakura¡¦s or any others of their ilk. Hyuuga does what is best for Hyuuga and Aburame do the same. Do you think you can make us foolishly believe that the enchanting Temari is not your choice for a wife? We have eyes genius as does every other Shinobi who has ever seen you with her. And, if by some miracle we are all wrong, then I say do not marry her for Konoha¡¦s sake. I know for a fact that she has a long list of suitors for her hand. Do not be so sure that you will be missed. But I for one take offense at your words.¡¨

Neji¡¦s round, white, pupil-less Hyuuga eyes were like cold pieces of stone.

Shikamaru shook his head in disgust.

¡§You troublesome nobles, always sticking together, always furthering your interests at Konoha¡¦s expense. One day it will not be tolerated.¡¨ He stood up slowly, stretched himself out, and dug around in his pockets before throwing money down on the table. As if he didn¡¦t have a care in the world he sauntered off.

After a strained moment, Neji resumed sipping his tea as if nothing had happened. Puzzled at what had just occurred Shino openly watched Neji from behind his sun-glasses and the high collar of his coat. Neji¡¦s manners and elegance were flawless as befitted a Hyuuga. He was a deadly and totally male version of Shino¡¦s beautiful, sexy wife, the immediate difference, other than the obvious, being his far superior height and rich brown-black hair color. That really wasn¡¦t a surprise considering that Neji¡¦s deceased father and Hiashi-sama were identical twin brothers.

To any eye Neji would be considered beyond handsome, not in the raw sex god way that Kiba was, although Neji was just as physically masculine, but in an ethereal, graceful, otherworldly way that was pure Hyuuga. The amount of fan girls that followed Neji was equal to any that had rabidly followed Uchiha Sasuke so many years ago. Although they were both nobles Neji¡¦s life was quite different from his own, starting with the way the Hyuuga clan was organized into a main house and a branch house. For the first time he found himself wondering if Kiba had ever been equally attracted to Hinata¡¦s cousin/brother. Had he ever fantasized about bedding both of them? It seemed like a Kiba thing to do but on the other hand Kiba had always hated Neji for how badly Neji had treated Hinata. Additionally, Neji was not into men. But then neither was he, yet, he had a male lover, one that he had come to realize that he could not give up, any more than he could give up his amazing wife.

Nevertheless, he had hated the contempt with which Neji had treated both his teammates, albeit for different reasons. But he had never hated Neji. Instead he had envied Neji for a very long time: envied that the proud branch house Hyuuga had personally belonged to the former Hyuuga heiress, envied that Neji was her protector and that she had cared so much about what he thought, and for so long. He had also envied the rare evenings when they had found a modicum of peace together, a truce called within their ongoing personal battle. On those atypical nights, hidden in their private rooms deep within the Hyuuga mansion, Hinata would wash, comb and brush her nii-san¡¦s thick mane of brown-black hair with gentle, almost caressing fingers. Sometimes she¡¦d even braid it for him. Occasionally she¡¦d decorate it with jade hair ornaments then rub his neck and shoulders. Her movements would ease both of them. He in turn would apply first aid and tenderness, and occasionally a kiss to her many bruises, cuts and batters from the arduous training she would put herself through, all in the name of pleasing her cold stern father. Using his kikaichu to spy on them, he had envied Neji¡¦s relationship with her more than he had ever envied Naruto. Unlike Kiba, he had never been hurt by Hinata¡¦s crush on Naruto. Somehow he had known instinctively that Naruto was not Hinata¡¦s true soul mate. But for a long time, for years, he had thought that her father might wed her to Neji notwithstanding their close familial relationship. The byakugen was recessive and Neji was acknowledged as the strongest shinobi among all the many Hyuuga.

The possibility of her having a true marriage with Neji, had turned from mere envy, to a low grade fever for the entire two years that Kiba, Hinata and he had been secret lovers. It had eaten at him bit by bit. Had she been able to marry Kiba she would still be his but if she had married Neji¡K However, all that was in the past now. He blinked. He was a disciplined shinobi. It was improper to let his mind wander in this fashion.

Neji had graciously bore his staring without saying a word. So Shino dropped his eyes, returned to his own hot tea and quietly finished it as well. He said nothing as Neji without any expression what so ever decided to stare at him from over the rim of his tea cup. Now it was his turn to ignore the Hyuuga¡¦s penetrating white eyes. When both tea cups were drained dry and had been returned to their saucers, Neji had asked.

¡§I thought Aburame were known for being cool and careful.¡¨

He had nodded his head curtly but replied.

¡§We are cool and careful.¡¨

Staring at him with an icy intensity, Neji¡¦s voice turned harsh.

¡§Then do not let her name be dragged through the mud.¡¨

Shino pursed his lips and brought his hands together in a meditative position and waited. Had Hiashi-sama told his favorite nephew why he had given permission for his daughter to marry him?

¡§You three are playing a piss poor game.¡¨

¡§Love is never a game.¡¨ Shino¡¦s quiet voice rang out.

Neji snorted. ¡§Is that what you three call what you¡¦ve been doing for the last two years? Forgive me if I can¡¦t concur. Well, she¡¦s all yours now. If you choose to allow Hinata-sama to indulge her carnal hungers with a man other than yourself as he lies in the middle of your marriage bed it is no concern of mine. Neither is it my concern that you have a deep appetite for the Inuzuka as well. But the Hyuuga do not expect even a whiff of scandal or a shadow of shame to be brought upon Hiashi-sama¡¦s eldest daughter, nor upon his grand-children by her. They better all carry your name.

Neji¡¦s pale pupil-less eyes held a glimmer of jeering amusement at the same time that his casual posture shouted complete disdain. Shino kept his silence despite the vein throbbing uncontrollably at his temple and the ready hand on his weapons pouch. He was livid but he had to remain cool and cautious. He had always wondered if Neji knew about them. How could he not with those byakugen eyes and his honed Shinobi senses? The man was an ANBU captain. It had always seemed strange to him that he wouldn¡¦t know despite the fact that they had been careful. He obviously knew all along. Why had he said nothing until now? Shino tilted his head. His voice was very controlled.

¡§Hyuuga Hiashi-sama knows everything?¡¨

¡§Of course not, if he had he¡¦d have slain all three of you as you slept: naked, reeking of sweat and sex, and entangled in each other¡¦s arms. He would not have cared one whit about a clan war with either the Aburames or the Inuzukas or both together. But he would have cared that Hinata-sama, his eldest daughter and the Hyuuga heiress born, was so weak as to happily allow both her male teammates to lead her into moral degradation. Such a sullying of her Hyuuga purity would be completely unacceptable.¡¨

Shino eyes narrowed dangerously but he remained quiescent at the slashing words even as his kikaichu became increasingly restless.

¡§Then, I am in your debt.¡¨

¡§No. I hold my tongue for my own reasons.¡¨

He refused to give the high noble Hyuuga the satisfaction of seeing his shock. He simply waited, holding his position knowing that Neji would tell him his reasons if he chose. When Neji said nothing further Shino decided to slightly change the subject.

¡§You attended our wedding. You were kind to Hinata as she cried in your arms, happy to know that at least her ¡¥Niis-san¡¦ would celebrate with her. You made her happy. Why?¡¨

Neji had folded his arms across his wide chest and leaned back in his chair. His long, heavy, waist-length, brown-black hair had shifted like flowing water around his shoulders. He shrugged.

¡§She is my cousin and I was still her protector.¡¨

¡§That¡¦s never stopped you from being cruel to her before. It didn¡¦t stop you from trying to kill her when she was twelve.¡¨

¡§True. Let¡¦s just say that with her degradation complete I could afford to be gracious.¡¨

His angry kikaichu nearly escaped from his iron control. Deadly intent hung all around him as he sprung up from his chair. ANBU or not, if this Hyuuga was looking for an ass-kicking Shino was ready to give it to him.

¡§Watch your tone in speaking of my wife Hyuuga.¡¨

Neji smirked. ¡§Very well, instead I¡¦ll say that she was the most beautiful woman in the world on that day and ever since. Even my black, cold heart did not wish to tarnish her luminous beauty by being unkind.¡¨

Shino nearly shook from the force of his rage. He was disgusted with the cat and mouse game that his cousin-in law was choosing to play. But his strategic self kept murmuring that Hyuuga Neji was the very soul of complexity. All three of his different reasons as to why he attended their wedding might equally be true.

Neji outright laughed, the sound a melodious bark. He gestured with one hand for Shino to re-take his seat.

¡§Look, it is sweet revenge, my keeping quiet. For two years she irredeemably debased herself with you two. Whatever lingering duty or affection I may have felt for her evaporated long ago. It is a pity; at one point she had convinced me that she really had it in her to become the leader the Hyuuga needed, and that I might be able to serve her proudly and not feel the yoke of my oppression.

You are also from a clan with strict rules and standards. You knew that no Hyuuga could accept such undisciplined behavior. I simply waited to see what other consequences would flow from her unfitness. And here they are. Not even knowing the full truth of the matter, only going on the possible hint of taint by an Inuzuka, the entire clan has washed their hands of her. Hanabi-sama is now the heiress. Honorable uncle Hiashi-sama has lost face not only within the Hyuuga but also with Suna. Believe it or not, he is heart broken. He believed Hinata-sama to be terribly weak as a kunoichi, and hopeless as an heiress, but as his daughter he did love her. He has aged significantly and even the Hyuuga elders seem awash in grief. But I, I am finally free of her and may now live my life as I choose.¡¨

So, the caged bird is now free. Shino felt as if he had swallowed a razor blade whole as he recalled his own envy of their relationship. It was ironic indeed that had Hiashi-sama known about them, Neji would have been punished with death as well for not properly guarding Hinata.

¡§You took a big risk.¡¨

¡§Did I? I had faith in both you and the Inuzuka. Even with his sleazy commonness and your non-existent morals, you are both more than capable Shinobi. Besides I knew that as team leader you would think of something to keep your team together. Obviously I was not wrong.¡¨

Shino felt his heart crack. He briefly closed his eyes. Loving him and Kiba had truly cost Hinata everything, even the hard won respect of the man whom she had loved unconditionally as an older brother, one of two men whom she had tried so hard to prove herself to. And that man, her smug, son of a bitch of a cousin/brother, by remaining quiet, had simply given Hinata enough rope to hang herself. Now, Hyuuga Neji was sitting here mocking him, mocking the three of them, and mocking the passion and the power of the love between them, even as he savored his complete freedom. If any man deserved to die today it was he. Yet with all his will he kept his kikaichu from attacking. When he finally opened his eyes, it was to see Neji watching him using his powerful kekkai genkai, the byakugen. For a fleeting second Shino felt violated. But Neji immediately released the byakugen allowing the giant veins around his eyes to return to normal.

¡§Impressive, should you decide to seek membership in ANBU, I will recommend you. I¡¦d even be honored if you were selected for my team. Now let us conclude the business at hand. Remember, no scandal, no shame. I never thought I¡¦d live to say any of this. But, Hiashi-sama has suffered enough. My father¡¦s death by permission of his older twin brother and clan leader has been avenged. And, the fact remains that Hinata-sama was born Hyuuga. The Hyuuga standard is what we will hold you to.¡¨

Neji had stood up with his usual Hyuuga grace and dropped an envelope in front of him.

¡§From Hiashi-sama to Hinata.¡¨

Shino nodded before pocketing the paper. Neji nodded in return, placed money on the table, made the appropriate hand seals, and transported out in a whirling flurry of leaves.

Pensive, he had left the restaurant. He had errands to complete. Two shop keepers had promised to open their establishments to him prior to the normal working hours. He needed to be on time. He stopped first at Konoha¡¦s premiere kunai makers to pick up three custom sets which he had pre-ordered. After that was a stop at the jewelers to pick up a package specifically ordered by Hinata. Upon his leaving the shop he sensed a truly unfamiliar chakra signature nearby. This time of the morning the commercial district was completely desolate and the jeweler had already re-locked his front door. Immediately Shino threw several shuriken only to hear them thunk into the wood of a replacement log. Was he that slow? Had Neji knocked him off his game with his disclosures? Fuck!

¡§Hold, I¡¦m not the enemy.¡¨

Shino leapt back two feet a kunai clasped in one hand, his packages balanced in the other. He didn¡¦t recognize the foreign accented voice. All he could tell was that the person was male. A grey-white plume of morning mist arose in front of him and formed itself into a tall, muscle bound man in his early thirties. Other than his physique, and a granite-like toughness in his look, there was nothing distinctive about him.

The man held up both of his scarred hands to show that he wasn¡¦t armed. The guy was obviously a foreign Shinobi. And, he was one that Shino had seen before. He, and what Shino took to be his team, usually visited Konoha every six months or so, normally accompanying some trade caravan from the Land of Lightening. However, there had never been any occasion for them to speak to him.

¡§Aburame, Shino, right?¡¨

Shino kept his guard up but answered, ¡§Hai.¡¨

¡§You lead Kiba¡¦s team.¡¨

He nodded affirmatively.

The man studied him but Shino knew he couldn¡¦t see much considering that he had on a high collared coat, sunglasses and the coat¡¦s hood.

¡§Listen, will you carry a message from me to Kiba? I know approaching you this way is unorthodox but I¡¦m only here for a week. I¡¦ve been told people haven¡¦t seen him in over a month but they think he is in the village. I figure if anyone knew where he was it would be you. Just tell him Torao is in town.¡¨

¡§That¡¦s it?¡¨

¡§Yeah, he¡¦ll know how to find me. Sorry for disturbing you, and thanks.¡¨

The man disappeared the same way that he came.

Annoyed, after all he wasn¡¦t Kiba¡¦s mailman, he¡¦d made his way home to meet his father for their eight a.m. appointment. He had placed his packages in the vestibule of Aburame Manor when he was attacked with joy by a small, hard, white bundle. Shino had no idea how the pup had managed to escape their suite, but he thought it best to take it outside in the courtyard where it could stretch its legs. That had turned out to be a good move for him as well. Here, taking in the beauty of his clan¡¦s ancestral lands he had re-found his equilibrium and had begun to feel pretty good. It really was a beautiful day. He reflected on the fact that all the good things in his life remained and in six months time he was going to be a father.

At the approach of a very strong, unique, chakra signature, Shino stood up and raised his arm to release the geisha peacocks into the air.

Shibi smiled at his son.

¡§A good omen for the future.¡¨

Shino bowed. ¡§Yes Dad.¡¨

Shibi studied his tall, lanky son, his first-born through his own dark shades. ¡§All is well?¡¨

Shino smiled slyly behind his coat¡¦s high collar knowing that his father was clearly alluding to his relationship with his new wife . ¡§Very well.¡¨

¡§Then let¡¦s go.¡¨

Shino whistled for the little pup. It immediately ran to him happily wagging its short tail. He bent down and scooped him up in his arms.

¡§What¡¦s that?¡¨ Shibi eyed the pup curiously.

¡§A puppy.¡¨

¡§I know that, why do you have it with you?¡¨

¡§It needs to be walked.¡¨

Aburame Shibi said nothing but his left shoulder tensed and an eyebrow half raised over his sunglasses.

¡§It is Kiba¡¦s marriage gift to us.¡¨

¡§An Inuzuka gave away one of their nin-pups as a marriage gift?¡¨ Shibi didn¡¦t bother to hide the skeptical twisting of his lips.

¡¥Dad, he¡¦s not a real nin-dog. He¡¦s a gentler breed, bred from several crosses between a nin-dog and a powerful breed of normal watchdogs. He¡¦s more a pet than anything else but his breed is useful as home sentinels. Hinata loves him.¡¨

Shibi stayed quiet as he considered his son¡¦s statement. He nodded his head in affirmation and without a warning made a lightning fast series of hand seals. An exuberant shower of green leaves was all that was left in the early morning, autumn air. They were gone.