The Bug Queen

The Aburame Clan - Ino

Shino took her hand gently, guiding her into BBQ's. He was smiling, but Ino was so nervous! She was about to meet his cousins and their wives for the first time.

They made their way to a kotetsu in the back, and Ino had to suppress a laugh. All of the guys at the table had big jackets on! And dark shades! Shino wasn't kidding when he said that they all dress alike. And they were sitting beside some of the prettiest girls she had ever seen!

"Shino!"

"Hey, where have you been?"

Shino was grinning.

"Hey, everyone. This is my girlfriend, Ino."

One of the men spoke up.

"That doesn't explain where you've been. Unless you've been hiding away with her all summer."

Another one made a kissy face, acting like he was going to kiss the cousin next to him. A woman beside them smacked one of the men in the arm.

"You two, shut up! She was in poor health all summer!"

Ino recognized the woman from Ayami's shop. She grinned.

"Kaomi, right?"

"Yes! Welcome! Don't mind them!"

Shino helped her into a kotetsu seat before sitting beside her. She was next to a woman with stark white hair. The woman smiled at her.

"I'm Natsuki. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Ino. It's nice to meet you, too."

The woman's nose crinkled when she smiled. Her eyelashes were as white as her hair. Shino began to point at people at the table.

"Ino, this is Tatsuma and his wife Kaomi, Shigeko and his wife Aika, and Shizuye and his fiancé Natsuki."

"Hey, Ino!"

"It's nice to meet you!"

She was actually feeling far more comfortable than she was expecting. These people were very nice, but that wasn't a surprise. They passed her and Shino the sake bottle for their empty sake cups and passed them the appetizers.

"So, Shino. Mom said that she made Ino a purple princess dress for a special date night. And I want to hear all about it."

Kaomi poured herself another sake, ready to hear about this date. Ino watched her boyfriend as a big grin spread across his face.

"We went horseback riding and had a candlelit dinner in the forest, followed by some stargazing."

"You went stargazing in the forest. Right."

Shizuye teased him gently. Tatsuma joined in.

"Yeah, I was on patrol that night. Stargazing includes a lot of screaming, doesn't it?"

Shino looked a little embarrassed, but Ino just laughed. She nudged him.

"You're just jealous that you didn't get to go stargazing, Tatsuma."

Everyone laughed. They might've been a little louder in the forest than they meant to be, but that was okay. It was the best night of her life.  She continued.

"Shino gave me an amazing date. He's a wonderful guy."

Ino gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Natsuki was sweet and soft spoken.

"Yeah, my body couldn't handle food or water, and I was getting critical. He spent a month taking care of me, changing my saline bags on my home IV and making me food. I was a skeleton, but he fed me and cared for me and helped me gain weight. Shino is my hero."