Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Reading Totems ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 24 )

Author's pre-ramble: A resounding thank you to my reviewers, new and repeaters! (otakutron, DragonTamer94, TheForsakenOne, tasuki001, Dwarfwarrior, ghostreader14, TheRavenQuoth, sotobell, interestingstuff, mousetrap, DemanFox, Simply Me) This chapter is for those of you who've been scratching your head about why the heck I've put an adult rating on this thing!

 

Title: Reading Totems

By: GrizzlyTeddyBear

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and this makes me sad. I do own Paige Stone, my OC! All information regarding animal totems was taken from the books Dancing The Wheel by Sun Bear and Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.

Main Pairings: Eventual ShinoxOC, NaruxHina, SasuxSaku

Rating: M for mentioned adult themes

Warning: AU, Post-series start time. Rookie 9 is 23-24 years old. Fic mentions pagan religions, if you can't handle it, don't read! Also is OC-centric. Hold your pants, all will be revealed as the story progresses. I like to take my time.

 

Chapter Summary: Paige finally realizes she is ready for Shino to show her how much she means to him, but Shino has a confession. Afterwards, a side effect: Sweet dreams turn into bittersweet dreams.

 

***Chapter 24***

 

“You're worried,” announced Shino as they walked home from Hokage Tower. They had just entered the Aburame complex.

 

Paige actually started for a moment. In his perceptiveness, Shino had interrupted her from her worried thoughts that kept circling around her brain. “Yes. I'm wondering if I'm capable of handling this.” She sighed. “I'm basically presenting myself as bait.” She paused as they entered their home. “I'm not overly fond of the idea of dying.”

 

“I will ensure your safety,” he responded. Shino reached out and pulled Paige into a comforting embrace.

 

Leaning into the contact, she let him in on other worries she had. “I don't want you to die either. I think…if you died…it wouldn't matter if I was still alive. I would be dead inside anyway.” It still wasn't those three words of `I love you', but it told of her feelings. Paige allowed the hand under her chin to direct her gaze upward. She watched as Shino removed his sun-glasses and she found herself drowning in sloe eyes.

 

“We will both survive.” He didn't point out that she could stay in Konoha, or that she could hide away in the Aburame complex. Shino just continued to stare down at Paige. Hope. Love. Conviction.

 

She nodded wordlessly. How can she not believe him when he says something with such ferocity? Paige felt something in her heart loosen finally. The last part of healing her spirit had finally happened. She finally felt ready. She just wanted to make it special.

 

His hand ran through the hair peeking out from the handkerchief on her head…which was slightly matted from training. “We should get cleaned up for dinner.”

 

“You can shower first since it's your turn to cook.” Paige had a plan in mind that would surprise an Aburame-heir…and be fun for her, too.

 

Shino nodded and released the embrace. He walked to the bedroom to gather a change of clothes and then entered the bathroom.

 

Waiting for the water to run for a full two minutes, Paige then did a quick check around the house to make sure all of the curtains were drawn shut. She didn't want anyone peeking. On impulse, she hung Shino's jacket in the bedroom closet, fearing her other surprise might get sprung. With a hand that shook slightly from nervousness and anticipation, she opened the door to the bathroom, walked in, and shut the door behind her. A cloud of kikaichu hovered near the sink and stirred at her appearance.

 

Shino's head poked out from behind the shower curtain. He was being careful to keep himself covered and behind the opaque barrier. “Paige?”

 

Bending to remove her sandals, she answered. “I want to tell you something.”

 

A raised eyebrow was accompanied by a flurry of mixed emotions. “In the bathroom.”

 

Paige now removed the handkerchief from her hair and set it down on the counter next to the sink. Still wearing the modified jounin uniform she wore when she trained, she walked to the opposite end of the shower curtain and reached her hand out, “In the shower,” grasping the material, she pulled it back just enough to allow her to enter directly under the spray of water. Immediately the uniform began to soak through. After closing the curtain again, she met the very heated gaze of a very naked Aburame Shino.

 

“What do you want to tell me?” he breathed.

 

“I'm ready,” was her statement.

 

With a serious and searching gaze, Shino advanced the few steps that separated them. Cupping her head in his hands, he asked, “Are you sure?”

 

Bringing her hands behind his head, she gently tugged his head down so that she could look into his eyes. “I love you.” She suddenly found herself pushed against the wall of the shower while a hot mouth teased her. Paige closed her eyes.

 

Shino's kiss was bruising in its force and passion. The cascading water from the shower added to its heat and intensity. When he finally released her mouth to allow her to gasp for air, he slowly trailed kisses down her neck until he met the fabric of her uniform. “Paige, open your eyes.”

 

It took her a few moments to do so. Fingers were caressing where the hem of her shirt was, and it was distracting. But when she did open her eyes, she had to look down to find Shino. He was on his knees, his face level with her chest…which was rising and falling rapidly in anticipation of what was to come.

 

“Watch. Know it's only me. I won't hurt you. I love you.”

 

Paige nodded, “Show me.”

 

Not needing any more encouragement, he slowly lifted the hem of the uniform shirt, exposing the flesh of her abdomen. As each inch of skin was exposed, Paige watched and felt as Shino's hands wandered over her stomach and his tongue kissed up past her navel, until he was again blocked by fabric—the medical bindings which covered her breasts. Gracefully he got to his feet while still hold the shirt. “Arms up,” he whispered into her ear.

 

Silently she complied and her shirt was removed the rest of the way.

 

Eyes met. Absently, Shino threw the shirt behind him, where it made a wet smacking sound in the back of the shower. Hunching slightly, he kissed along her neck again, focusing on her sensitive pulse point which always made her throw her head back and moan his name loudly.

 

Paige was forced to wrap her arms around his neck again for balance when she felt her knees begin to buckle.

 

His hands returned to caressing her, wandering over her bound breasts and around her back. When they found their intended target, they gently began to unravel the long piece of cloth. Each circle of the cloth made his hands gently brush against each mound of flesh, from top to bottom. When finally exposed, Shino delicately ran his hands down the sides of her body, ignoring her breasts for now.

 

“Shino?” Paige whispered. She wanted to know why he was ignoring what he had just freed.

 

“Shhh…” He again kneeled in front of her. “Hands on my shoulders.” It was said as a request.

 

Again, she complied silently, wondering what was coming next. Her answer came when Shino's hands came to rest on the waistline of her pants. She nodded when he paused and looked up at her for permission. Fingers hooked under the waistband of both pants and underwear, and Paige watched as the garments were slowly drawn down, unveiling skin which had previously been unexposed between them. She watched as kisses were planted along her side and down her exposed left hip. The kisses then lingered on the juncture of her hip. “Ah!” Her grip tightened on his shoulders.

 

He stopped again, causing her to look down at him. One hand ran down her left leg to where her garments pooled at her ankle while the other stayed on her hip. “Lift.”

 

After lifting her left leg, the wet clothing was removed from her ankle.

 

“The other.”

 

Paige lifted her right leg, and she was now completely nude before him.

 

Shino shoved the garments to the back of the shower to join the discarded shirt and bindings. He again rose to his feet. Carefully keeping distance between their bodies, he brought their mouths together for another searing kiss. “You're still dirty,” was the parting whisper of the kiss.

 

Paige blinked for a moment in confusion, but when her eyes could finally focus again, she saw Shino holding her shampoo in front of her. She reached out to take the bottle, but Shino took a half-step back, holding it out of her reach.

 

“I want to wash you.”

 

She looked down, feeling bashful. “Alright.” Directing her gaze down also alerted to her to the fact that the Aburame was enjoying himself even though she was the one receiving physical pleasure. A hand directed her gaze back up to his face.

 

“Paige?”

 

“I'm a little nervous. You know the story…” The hand on her face moved to the shampoo bottle in front of her. A dollop was squirted into it.

 

Bringing his hands together to work up lather, Shino moved his hands to her hair and gently massaged her scalp. “I'll take care of you.”

 

Her face reddened his statement. It was sweet by itself, but combined with the wonderful sensations he was causing just by shampooing her hair, her mind took it to a decidedly more sensual meaning. “Ok,” she responded after a while.

 

“Tilt your head back.” He gently rinsed her hair, making sure to keep shampoo from running into her eyes. Conditioner was applied and rinsed in the same process, causing Paige to moan in appreciation. Shino then reached for the bar of soap. “Ready?”

 

“Yes,” she breathed. The attention Paige was receiving combined with the emotions she was feeling from Shino were incredible. She watched through hooded eyes as he worked up lather again in his hands. Those hands then grasped her left hand and slowly worked up her left arm. Paige giggled slightly when he reached and washed her armpit. Her right arm received similar treatment, but her giggles turned into a gasp when Shino reached around to wash her back. And the gasp turned into a long, drawn out moan of his name, when he finally made contact with her breasts. The contact was not especially sexual, he was focusing on washing her, but it was done with such care and love, that for the inexperienced Paige, it was still rather sensual and arousing. He worked the soap down her stomach, causing her to giggle again as he washed her bellybutton. Paige felt the hands leave her body once more and watched Shino as he knelt and soaped up his hands again.

 

“Hands on my shoulders again. Give me a foot.”

 

She steadied herself on his shoulders to balance herself on her right leg. He took hold of her left and proceeded to wash it thoroughly. Short bursts of laughter erupted from her as he washed up her leg—it tickled. Her right leg received the same attention. So far he had managed to avoid her sex and groin, and Paige was getting curious, aroused, and a little nervous about having those areas washed by Shino.

 

“Spread your legs wider.”

 

Her face reddened as she did as he requested. She closed her eyes in embarrassment. He was going to touch her most intimate parts. Paige wondered what he would think.

 

“Open your eyes, Paige.”

 

The touch of hands on her hips caused her to open her eyes and look down at his face again.

 

“You're beautiful…every part. Let me touch you.” Love.

 

“Please.”

 

Shino retrieved the bar from its place on a shelf, and Paige held his gaze as pleasurable sensations created by hands wandering around her buttocks and briefly dipped into the cleft. Hands then wandered across her hips to her front, washing her shaved bikini area. She was forced to hold on to strong, broad shoulders again when those hands touched the lips of her sex…gently massaging while cleaning. A single finger gently brushed against her entrance…teasing, caressing.

 

“Shino!” she gasped. No one had ever touched her like that before.

 

“Shhh… You're alright.” While he rinsed off all of the soap, he spoke to her as if she was a skittish animal, and for all her bravery of stepping into the shower while clothed, Paige was still feeling slightly nervous.

 

When the water stopped, the curtain opened, and she was lead out of the shower. She trembled slightly from the sudden lack of warmth from the running water and trapped steam. A towel gently wrapped around her combined with a vigorous rub to dry her off ended the chilled feeling. Paige wrapped the towel around her when Shino was finished with it. She watched the kikaichu wander around the bathroom sink and countertop while Shino dried off behind her. Another towel landing on her head cut off her view. “Hey!” Paige turned to face Shino with the towel still on. She heard a deep laugh as she felt her scalp being massaged through the towel.

 

“Your hair needs drying.”

 

When the towel was removed, she looked at the bathroom sink area to find the kikaichu were no longer there. Turning back to Shino, Paige noticed a few stray bugs wandering across his chest. He was wearing a towel around his waist was currently placing her wet training outfit into the towel he had used to dry her hair. “I wanted to watch them return to you.”

 

“You will.” Shino wrapped up the towel over the wet clothing, but left it on the floor. Closing the distance between them, his face turned serious. “You once said you wanted all of me.”

 

“I remember.” Paige looked at him quizzically. What was he trying to get at?

 

“I can't control the kikaichu if I allow myself to get lost in you.”

 

“I remember you saying that before too, but I haven't seen you lose control of them yet.”

 

Shino lead her to the counter, drew out her comb from a drawer, and began to gently untangle the knots drying her hair had caused. “I haven't allowed myself to.”

 

The wheels in her head began turning again. She wanted to hear him say it, to make sure she understood what he was trying to say. “Shino, tell me.”

 

“When an Aburame makes love to another it causes them to focus solely on the other person and consequently lose control of the kikaichu. They will…wander. No one has been…willing to experience that before.” He said it while combing his own hair, but the pauses let Paige know that it wasn't something he had explained to anyone else.

 

“So you're a virgin.” She thought for a moment since Shino appeared to not want to comment on her statement. She gave him a teasing smile. “Well, I think I can say you know how to please a woman, so I'm not worried about that.” When she received a half-smirk in return, she reached out and watched her finger trace down the muscles of his chest and stomach. “I still want all of you. I do appreciate the forewarning though.” Her finger stopped its decent when it reached the top of the towel and slowly ran back and forth. “I'd be flattered to be the one to make Aburame Shino lose control.”

 

His voice held an undertone in it that she hadn't heard before. It made her look up suddenly and then blush when she placed the tone of the voice with the words. “I plan on making you lose control, too.”

 

The sensation he was causing with just his gaze made her breathe more rapidly. “Oh.”

 

Shino continued to hold her attention as he put away the comb.

 

Paige wasn't exactly sure what happened, but she went from looking into intense black eyes, to hanging upside down over a shoulder and looking at a towel-clad Shino-butt. She reached her hand out to try and grab on to the top of the towel, but as hand made contact with terrycloth, Paige let out an undignified squeak as her position was shifted.

 

Gently, Shino lowered her onto the bed. Before joining her, he removed his towel, providing Paige with a view of how much he was enjoying everything so far. He took her hands away from holding on to her own towel and slowly unwrapped her. “Beautiful,” he whispered when she was revealed to him. Straddling her legs, he cradled her head as he kissed her.

 

Paige moaned into his mouth as their tongues twined and danced. When the kiss broke, she became aware of a curious sensation and opened her eyes. It was hard to concentrate with Shino trailing kisses down her neck, but she watched as hundreds of insects crawled out of his body and marched over her skin. The sensation was different…not quite tickling, it was as if hundreds of tiny finger tips were trailing up and down her skin, causing her to break out into gooseflesh. A long ragged moan was released from her when Shino finally lavished attention on her breasts with his hands and mouth. “Aah! Shino!” She arched into the sensations he was causing as his tongue circled one nipple and his fingers gently rolled the other.

 

Shino gradually moved his attention lower on her body, trailing kisses and caresses. He dipped his tongue into her bellybutton and caused her to giggle. “Watch,” he whispered into her skin.

 

Paige watched as he traced his tongue down from her navel and slightly to the side to lick at the juncture of her hip. She squirmed at the feelings of pleasure he was causing, but it wasn't what she wanted…needed. Not knowing what she was asking for, she begged Shino, hoping he would know. “Please. Please…I need… I want…”

 

“Shhh. I've got you.” He gentle ran his fingers to the inside of her thighs. “Spread your legs for me.” He punctuated each word with kisses that inched lower.

 

Hot breath, hot kisses, Paige was lost in feeling what was happening to her and didn't hesitate. She gasped and writhed as Shino pleasured her with his mouth. He started slowly, by tracing the lips of her sex with his tongue. Making leisurely circular passes, he worked his way from the outside towards her opening and then lapped at the moisture he found there. He took his time in his exploration. When Shino had changed his strategy Paige wasn't aware of it until he had found a new target to dance his tongue along. She clutched and grabbed at his hair frantically when his mouth latched onto her clitoris and proceeded to swirl, lick, and suck until she came screaming to her first orgasm she had experienced with him. Spots danced in her vision, hands clung desperately to anything she could find. When she could pay attention to her surroundings once more, she realized she was chanting his name softly and a hand was stroking the side of her face.

 

“I like hearing my name screamed.” Shino was lying on his side, his head propped up with one arm, the other hand now tracing idle patterns between the kikaichu still wandering her body.

 

Paige couldn't summon up the energy to be embarrassed. “I like flying,” was the only response she could think of that summed up her experience.

 

Shino rolled, pinning her underneath him, settling himself between her legs. Staring down into her eyes, he stated, “You're not done flying.”

 

Any response she was going to make turned into a moan swallowed by a kiss as she felt a questing finger gently probe her entrance. It thrusted shallowly into her. Eventually a second finger joined the first. The two digits twisted and scissored inside of her, stretching her entrance. Somewhat rational thought returned to Paige when the fingers withdrew.

 

“Eyes on mine.” Shino positioned himself at her sex. “Ready?”

 

She nodded. “Yes.” The feeling of him slowly pushing into her, inch by torturous inch nearly made her close her eyes. It was pleasure mixed with pain; it had been too long that Paige had gone without being with anyone to make their joining a painless one. She clung to his back, digging in her nails, causing him to hiss. When he was finally fully sheathed, she let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. “Wakan,” she whispered. There were no other words to describe the feeling of having Shino inside of her. Stretched, completed, loved, full…they described small parts of the whole of what he was making her feel.

 

His own breathing was ragged now. More kikaichu were escaping and crawling over their bodies and the bed beneath them. Slowly he drew out of her, only to hear her whimper in disappointment.

 

Paige shifted her grasp from his shoulders to his hips, trying to make him stay inside of her.

 

Shino responded by slowly pushing back in and saying her name in a drawn out growl.

 

She groaned in appreciation. “More.”

 

Gradually Shino increased his pace, until they were both gasping. They had found a rhythm between the two of them, Paige now thrusted her hips up to match his. “Paige! I…” His controlled pace was becoming more frantic.

 

“Shino!” She screamed his name again as her second orgasm crashed over her. She felt him pump into her a few more times before her name fell from his lips and she could feel him pulsing slightly inside of her. He had rested his head on the bed next to her, but she drew it back up so she could look him in the eyes again. “Love you.”

 

“Love you, too.” The kiss this time was leisurely and languid. He gently extracted himself from her and rolled both of them so they could continue their kiss while lying on their sides.

 

It might have been the kiss or the mind-blowing sex or the tenderness of the shower or maybe a little bit of everything that had happened to her that day, but Paige Stone found herself in a situation she hadn't encountered before. She was truly, madly, deeply in love…so much that it hurt. She had been fooling herself before if she thought she understood how deeply one human being could feel for another.

 

Adoration. Affection. Devotion. Passion.

 

Emotions she could feel from Shino told her that he echoed her sentiments. Tears started to form in her eyes and stream down her cheeks.

 

Concern. Shino's fingers wiped at her face. “What's wrong?”

 

“I'm…a little overwhelmed. My emotions…you're emotions…maybe some spiritual mixed in there, too. It's so much…almost too much.” She giggled a little, but couldn't stop the tears. “So much love, I'm leaking so I don't burst.”

 

He rolled them again so that she lay sprawled on top of him. “You probably shouldn't fight it.”

 

“I don't want to fight it,” she sniffed, trying to hold back despite what she had said. Paige didn't want to start bawling, even if it was because she was overwhelmed with love. She didn't think he would appreciate her crying all over him.

 

“Let it out. I don't mind.” Shino gently mapped the lines of her tattoos along her back as he said those words. “I want all of you too. I love you.”

 

They were the words she needed to hear: gentle, soothing, understanding…everything Shino had always been for her. “I love you too.” Paige was held in a strong and tender embrace as she let the emotions wash over her. She let those arms hold and comfort her as she softly cried herself into an exhausted, sated, and pleasant sleep.

 

***

 

Coyote. Paige felt the presence of Shawnodese in her dream. Turning, she saw the coyote sitting and panting while it surveyed her. The expression was almost as if the Spirit Keeper found something greatly amusing.

 

“The Reader is almost complete. The Reader has found the Heart. Had always had the Mind and grew in Spirit. Only the Body is left in need of healing. The shell will break more. The body will break more before the healing.” Shawnodese ceased panting and the gaze became more intense. “The Reader has chosen the correct path. Now the Reader must seek the Purpose again. The difficult road leads to the greatest reward. The Reader will be complete.” The Spirit Keeper of the South then took leave of Paige and walked through the trees.

 

She was slightly confused, but not unsurprised by the odd message. Shawnodese was a coyote, teacher through tricks and pranks. The riddle told her she had chosen correctly to go to Suna. Something was going to happen there, that would test her and Shawnodese had pronounced her ready.

 

***

 

The sensations of fingers running along the lines of her tattoos gently brought her into wakefulness. Opening her eyes, she found she was still sprawled half on top of Shino. She was right where she wanted to be. “Good morning,” she yawned.

 

“Good morning,” he answered. “How did you sleep?”

 

Paige gave a cat-like stretch against Shino's body before she answered. “I wish I always slept that well.” Feeling a little ashamed of crying herself to sleep, she felt the need to apologize. “I'm sorry for how I acted after…before I fell asleep. I…”

 

He interrupted her. “Don't apologize. I did not mind.” His tone turned decidedly more teasing. “But if it bothers you, we will practice until you can handle it better.”

 

Her breathing quickened at the thought of `practicing' with Shino. “I don't know if I should hope I'll be able to handle it better or not. Practice sounds like too much fun.” She slid up his body to be able to look into his eyes. Paige gave him a light peck on the tip of his nose. “No more kisses until morning-breath is gone. It's bad enough I feel like I swallowed my own sweaty socks; I don't want to taste yours too.”

 

Shino chuckled as he rolled them over, pinning Paige underneath him. His gaze was full of humor and…promises of something else. “Go shower. I'll cook breakfast since we skipped dinner.” He then extracted himself from Paige and their bed.

 

She enjoyed the view of Shino leisurely putting on a pair of loose fitting pants while his back was turned to her. “I could skip meals for you any time,” she whispered as he walked out of the bedroom door.

 

Laughter echoed back to her. “I heard that.”

 

Smiling, Paige made her way to the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. With the water running, her dream-vision came back to her. There wouldn't be an easy way to tell Shino about it. Shawnodese was pretty telling that she would be facing dangers and physical injury. She didn't want to lie to him. Making the slight detour to pick up her notebook from the office, she made her way to the dining area, sat down, and began to write. Shino sat breakfast next to her notebook, and Paige felt the question radiating from him. “I had a visitor in my dreams last night, Shawnodese,” she explained.

 

“What did he say?”

 

Looking up from her writing, Paige told Shino the better part of the riddle. “He named you `the Heart,' and announced that I had found you.” Her face must have betrayed something.

 

Shino crouched next to her. “What aren't you telling me, Paige?”

 

Wordlessly, she pushed the notebook towards him, not wanting to actually put her voice behind the rest of the riddle.

 

He stood suddenly and started pacing, still holding the notebook. Stopping in front of her, his face held a hint of panic. “Is there no choice?”

 

“Not a true choice,” answered Paige. “We both know the possible consequences of not going. And…I can't be that selfish. Short term pleasures may mean the end of everything else we love. My choice is to have faith in him and in happy endings. He promised healing, said I would be complete. How can I be complete with my heart missing? No matter what happens, I want to face it together.”

 

“That was never in question.” He held her head so that she could not look away. “They ask a lot of you. They have faith in your ability to do this. I know you are stronger in spirit than many. But I refuse to stand by and watch harm come to you. I will do all in my ability to prevent it.”

 

“I know,” was all she could say as she gazed at his face. It was the most worry she had ever seen him express.

 

***

 

Author's post-ramble: Did I just write that? Hmm…I guess I did. Does it feel warm in here to anyone else? Please review! I live for feedback! Next chapter: being ambushed brings even more changes to light!