The Bug Queen

Master Bedroom - Shino / The Only Ones Left - Shibi

Shino awoke to a hopeful feeling in the house.  Ino had eaten last night, and she had finished off her pudding this morning.  She was sticking with her IV, dragging the wheeled pole from room to room as she walked.  She was keeping food down and even had a little smile on her face.

This evening while Ino was taking a nap, his father approached him.

"Is she planning on staying in your room, Shino?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then tomorrow, we're switching rooms."

"What?"

"Come on, Shino. You two need the space and the bathroom. I don't.  Besides, it looks like she's going to have medical equipment for a while.  The master bedroom will be easier on both of you.  And I don't need it."

"Dad-"

"Nope. I'll have my stuff ready to move."

"What if you find someone else?"

"I'm not looking, Shino. I'm 42. If I wanted someone else, I wouldn't have let 19 years go by. You're just starting, and if you're planning on staying here and bringing a wife here eventually, you'll need the master bed and bath anyway."

Shino sighed, but he nodded.

"Okay, I'll get things moved over. Do you want to start this evening?"

But his father was already packing a smaller bag.

"I can't tonight. I'm going to... meet a friend. I'll be back in the morning."

Shino glared at him.

"I should take the bigger room because you're not going to need it, but you're still meeting with Tsume."

"Tsume isn't moving in here. And we're not together. We're just two people getting together-"

"For sex."

He stopped packing his bag and glared at Shino. Now they were glaring at each other.

"Tsume has her own life. She has her own family. We're just pushing the grief away for the night.  That's all."

Tsume had lost her husband in the war, and his father had stepped up as a comfort for her. They were really comforting each other, since his father had lost his mother almost 20 years ago. Two widowed people, finding some common ground.  Shino didn't mind at all, but he wished his father would call it what it was: dinner and sex. He gave his father a smile.

"I hope you have a good night."

Shibi grinned back at him.

"Me too. Tell Ino I'm sorry I won't make it to dinner. And if anything happens, go straight over to your Auntie Izumi's."

"Dad, I'm 20. I'll be okay.  Besides, I'm going to see if Sakura will let me unhook Ino for the evening so I can take her out.  She ate pudding last night and the rest of the pudding this morning.  She should be okay.  For now."

Shibi nodded, his smile staying on his face.

***

Shibi sat at the back of BBQ's at a kotetsu, waiting for Tsume. The place was quiet, which was the new normal since the war had ended. So many friendly faces were just... gone. So much had changed, but he was determined to keep what he could from his old life.

"Shibi..."

Tsume sat beside him, putting her things down on her other side. He smiled at her, speaking gently.

"Hey, Tsume."

He had lost his best friend in the war, but he was determined not to lose the Inuzukas. And he was determined to not let his best friend's widow to do this alone.

Four years had both flown by and crawled at a snail's pace, but they were settling uncomfortably into their new normal. Another new reality that didn't include Torune or Hideo.

"I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks.  Shino said the kids got back okay."

She gave him a small smile.

"Actually, it was bearable. Kakashi's made a point of being around quite a bit, I'm sure at Hana's request. But it was appreciated. And, of course, there's plenty of family around, crowding me. How have you held up without Shino?"

"I've been okay. I've made it a point to not be in the house so much, so it's been hitting the bar and seeing who's there. I've had beers with quite a few different people. And a lot of family's been around. Ayami pulled me out every day, and Muta's been around a lot. And I had plenty of crossbreeding work to do with my beetles. But it's been a lot of takeout and eating at other people's houses. I'm a lucky guy, though. It's nice that Kakashi was around so much."

"He's a really nice guy, and he's good for Hana. And he needs a home. I'm happy to have him there. I'm glad he's comfortable enough to live there and cook dinner with me most nights. And Hana loves him to pieces. But it sounds like you have your own new permanent fixture."

"We do."

"Ino Yamanaka is living with us right now."

"So I've heard."

They ordered food and sake before continuing their conversation.

"Shino called from Suna and asked if she could stay. She's been with us for less than a week.  She isn't well. She's not eating, and she looks sickly. I don't think she's been well since Asuma and her parents were killed. Shikamaru, either, but at least he found that cute blonde girl from Suna. Apparently, they're getting married."

"Sounds like a lot happened on their trip. Kiba and Hana mentioned it at dinner when they returned."

"I guess the Kazekage's brother asked her to the wedding, and she turned him down. She said she's with Shino. I'm not sure how long they've been dating, but I'm guessing since Suna.  He seems determined to help her, though.  I hope Shino doesn't get his heart broken."

Shibi couldn't help but worry about his son. It wasn't the first time his heart had been broken: he didn't always read social situations well. But things with Ino seemed genuine.  He hoped it worked out for him. And her.

"But maybe it'll work out great because they've been friends for so long. They know each other well. She may just really feel comfortable around him. And she sounds like she could use some comfort: the girl's been through hell.  And she used to be such an adorable girl."

Tsume's right, he thought. This could be a great thing for Shino. He seemed excited about it. Maybe he could help Ino get to a better place, and they'd be a great pair.

Shibi reached over and took Tsume's hand in his. It wasn't the first time he had done this, and he felt horribly for her. It was hard losing a partner, and it was unfortunate that she had to join this club; he had already been in it for 19 years.

"Can... can we get a room tonight, Shibi?"

"Of course we can."

Can we get a room... something they had done for the past six months. They'd get a room at the Inn and either comfort each other or take it out on each other between the sheets. It wasn't romantic; but was friendly and sexual. Comforting. But it would never be more than that, and that was okay. Neither wanted it to be more than that. She wasn't Kaede, and he wasn't Hideo.

Shibi paid tonight and they finished their sake as he held her. She was already crying softly.

"We're the only ones left, Shibi..."

Thay was only kind of true. Some clans who lost no members almost felt alien, even four years later. Some families kept to themselves, almost ashamed that they weren't sharing the same grief. Or they didn't know how to handle it. So, in a way, it made survivors feel like they were the only ones left.

"I know. We'll carry on until it stops hurting."

But it never stopped hurting, and he knew that. Kaede had been gone for almost 20 years, and it still hurt. Torune had been gone for four years and it hurt like hell to no longer see his eldest son.  He tried not to torture himself with all the things that his son wouldn't get to do.

"Come on, let's get a room and work through all of it."