Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Reading Totems ❯ Chapter 25 ( Chapter 25 )

Author's pre-ramble: Alrighty! Attack of the friendlies! I mess with poor Paige again. Thank you to all of my reviewers who commented on my lemon writing ability…apparently you like it! *claps* It was my first one…

 

A shout-out to my reviewers: otakutron, DragonTamer94, TheForsakenOne, tasuki001, Dwarfwarrior, ghostreader14, TheRavenQuoth, sotobell, interestingstuff, mousetrap, DemanFox, Simply Me, jadedkatrina

 

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: The ambush brings out something no one really expected. In reporting to the Hokage, Paige is forced to reveal her previous dream-vision of Shawnodese.

 

***Chapter 25***

 

The past weeks found Paige and Shino `practicing' every chance they weren't preparing for their journey to Sunagakure, but preparations had been made. Desert-worthy garments were purchased. It was explained that sandstorms were frequent during the trek through the open desert. They would need to keep as much of their bodies covered as possible while still allowing for perspiration. Paige just thought the white flowing pants, shirt, and head coverings were pretty despite their necessity. She also thought they suited Shino's taste of dress in public, hiding much of the face. Bindings would be used around the wrists and ankles to prevent sand from entering through the sleeves and pant legs. Paige was also given a lesson in how to pack lightly enough for travel, but still have enough clothing for the month long stay. She had insisted on carrying her own weight during the journey. Water rationing was painstakingly explained with its importance emphasized. A system of signals was worked out between them in order to alert the other to the presence of danger and its location.

 

Today found them walking the streets of Konoha to find a few more supplies for their journey. Anticipation. Boredom. Paige had been feeling those emotions ever since they had exited the Aburame compound. She shifted her grip from his hand to wrap around Shino's entire arm. To outsiders, it looked like a seductive whisper. “We're being followed. I can sense two.” His returning whisper caused her to blush just from his proximity.

 

“Can you tell where?”

 

“Left, slightly behind us in the forest,” she rested her head against his arm. “One is bored, probably underestimating us.”

 

“The other?”

 

“Anticipatory.” Paige had a suddenly delightful thought. “Want to head towards the forest? Less possible damage to the village, plus we could give them a show that might throw them off balance.”

 

Shino's answer came in wrapping his arm around her waist and steering her towards the forest. “I like the way you think,” was growled into Paige's ear. Once they had reached whatever distance Shino had deemed as a safe one from the village, he wasted no time in throwing himself into their little `show.' He pinned Paige against the trunk of a tree and proceeded to give Paige a rather steamy kiss.

 

Her response was to take the hands behind her head, and guide them under the jacket of Shino's she wore and around her waist. She felt the smirk in the kiss and then felt kikaichu begin to gather underneath the coat as well. When Shino started kissing his way down her neck, she softly called out, “Left,” and exposed her neck in the direction she felt their two followers coming from.

 

“Good,” was Shino's reply as he appeared to obey her whispered directions of where to kiss her to give her the most pleasure.

 

Placing her own hands behind her back underneath her coat, she pretended to struggle a little bit. “Shino, not out here.” Her hands found her second weapons pouch, grabbed a few shuriken in one hand, and a kunai in the other. Kikaichu gathered on her weapons.

 

“Yes, Shino, out here.” The voice came from above them. It came from the bored one, and it was his first mistake.

 

Shino spun around looking for the source of the voice, while Paige threw shuriken covered in kikaichu in the direction of the voice and the kunai in the direction of the other emotion she could sense which had switched to surprise. Both of them had underestimated the couple. While none of the weapons had hit their intended mark, they had succeeded in spreading the kikaichu around the field of battle and closer to the two attackers. Finally Paige spun off of the tree trunk so that she was back-to-back with a no longer bewildered Shino. She attempted to calm her racing heart. Knowing it was an exercise didn't calm her nerves. Both she and Shino waited for their next move to present itself.

 

“So you do have some skills.” `Boredom' had dropped from the tree to stand in front of Paige while it felt like `Anticipation' took up a similar position in front of Shino.

 

A slight flutter underneath her jacket alerted her to something happening with the kikaichu, but the next thing she knew was a dome of insects surrounded her. Well this was unfair. She had wanted to help, not be caged. Testing the barrier and finding it unyielding, she attempted to listen to sounds of battle. Hearing nothing above the noise of the kikaichu, she heaved a sigh and sat down to see if she could sense the battle. Paige could track the movements of Shino's beetle totem with the other ninjas' emotions. A two on one battle hardly seemed fair, but Shino was holding his own against them. The three did not stray far from where Paige was effectively protected and trapped by the kikaichu.

 

Agony. Beetle.

 

Someone had hurt Shino…Paige saw red. She couldn't reach him. Reaching out through her connection of her totem she latched onto the protective instincts of grizzly bears and directed them at Shino. No further harm would be allowed to come to him, unless anyone would like to have agony inflicted on them in equal force. Paige consciously attempted to quell the urge to just kill that which threatened what was hers. She smirked when concentration turned to confusion. Something was happening that was having an effect on the battle. Paige increased her connection with grizzly bears and concentrated on Shino's attackers.

 

“Paige!” Shino shouted. “Stand down!” He kneeled in front of her. Where had the kikaichu gone? Why did he want her to stop? “Paige, look at them.”

 

Turning her head, she spotted the two ninja. They were standing, but they looked like they were in a lot of pain. Realizing she was the one causing it, Paige lessened her spiritual connection and concentration. Relief visibly passed over their features. “I'm…sorry,” she said to them.

 

“What did you do?” the question came from Boredom, but everyone was interested. “It felt like I had claws in me.”

 

“You did…from my totem, the grizzly bear. One of you hurt Shino,” she looked to him now as she explained. “I wanted to protect you. Did you feel something, too?” she questioned.

 

Shino nodded, “Fur surrounded me.” His head tilted to the side. “It felt…safe.”

 

Anticipation limped towards them. “That was not a chakra based attack. It didn't even come from your direction.”

 

“No,” confirmed Paige. “It was from my totem. And he's a spiritual being.” She gave a half smile to Shino. “At least we now know I can be more help in battle.”

 

“You've never done that before?” Boredom was flabbergasted. As he staggered towards the couple Paige could make out the white bandage that ran across his face, over the bridge of his nose.

 

“Nope. I was kinda acting on impulse and borrowed instincts.” Shino was still crouched next to her. It made him eye level, but Paige still felt about an inch tall and wished the ground would swallow her up. “I've always been overprotective of what I consider mine, but this was new.” A hand on her leg made her look up at him.

 

“Grizzly bears normally go for the kill when being protective of what is theirs. You were holding back.”

 

Paige felt the stillness of the other two shinobi after Shino's statement. “I knew it was an exercise. And I still don't like the idea of killing anyone.” Feeling her totem stir to the surface slightly, her voice hardened, “But I'd kill if any harm comes to you.”

 

“Stand down,” his voice was gentle this time. “We need to report to Tsunade-sama.”

 

Paige nodded and stood up.

 

“You have one weird and scary girlfriend, Shino,” announced Anticipation.

 

She stiffened at the remark. It was going to start again…the whispers behind her back…the stares…the turned backs.

 

Shino tried to reassure her. “That is what passes as a compliment from him.” He turned to the other two, “Kotetsu, Izumo…be nice to Paige, or I'll be the one doing the killing.”

 

Smiling at the comment, Paige wrapped her arms around Shino to be whisked off to Hokage Tower.

 

***

 

“Still getting into trouble I see, Paige,” commented Tsunade as the group entered her office. “Shizune, see to those three.”

 

Surveying the room, Paige met the gazes of Gai, Genma, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Anko with a nervous smile.

 

“Why so down, Gorgeous?” questioned Genma.

 

Scratching the back of her head, she didn't exactly know how to explain herself. “One of them hurt, Shino…I almost got carried away.”

 

“Paige…” Kakashi was giving her his assessing one-eyed stare.

 

“You injured Izumo and Kotetsu?” asked Kurenai.

 

She nodded in answer to the question.

 

“How does a squirt with minimal training injure two jounin?” It was Anko's turn to be flabbergasted.

 

Not coming up with any better answer to that question, she blurted out, “I directed my totem to attack them and protect Shino.”

 

Tsunade cleared her throat, bringing all eyes to her. “And you didn't tell me you could do this before because…”

 

“Because today was the first time I did it. I've…never been in that particular kind of situation.” Paige repeated what she had said before. “I've always been overprotective of what I consider mine. But a life and death situation hasn't come up before.” She watched as Shizune returned to her post beside the Hokage, and felt Shino take his position next to her.

 

“She held herself back from killing them.”

 

Why did Shino have to divulge that piece of information? Paige wanted the ground to swallow her again. She cringed at the attention she was receiving. She was afraid to see the look on anyone's face. An awed whisper drew her attention.

 

“Beauty and deadliness.” It was Gai. He was looking at her oddly again.

 

Paige took a chance and met everyone else's gaze. There was awe, shock, surprise, admiration, and she met all of their gazes with her own of confusion. Finally she looked up at Shino. “Why?” It was the question that summed up everything. Why was no one angry at her for almost killing Konoha shinobi? Why wasn't anyone pointing at her and calling her a freak of nature? Why were they accepting of her?

 

“Uniqueness should never be shunned,” Shino replied. It was straight to the point, answering all of the possible doubting questions the word `why' could mean.

 

“It was a test to see how well you were being protected. You passed…and then some. And you didn't kill us, so no damage done,” added Kotetsu.

 

Nodding at the statement, she decided to try and not let what didn't happen get the best of her. Paige listened as Kotetsu, Izumo, and Shino gave their report to Tsunade. She blushed at the beginning when all attention shifted to her and Shino as he explained her diversion plan in what she felt was unnecessary detail. Her shoes had suddenly become very interesting when Genma chuckled at the conclusion of the report.

 

“You're just full of surprises. What else happened while I was gone?” he teased.

 

Thinking back to last night's `practice,' her blush darkened, but she kept her mouth shut.

 

Genma just let out loud laughter that was abruptly halted when Anko elbowed him in the stomach.

 

“We're happy for you two, Paige,” Kurenai stated with a small, but genuine smile.

 

Shino voiced the question, she should have been thinking. “Have you all returned from your recon missions regarding Paige's intel about Akatsuki?”

 

“They have,” answered Tsunade. “And I'm not sure what to make of their information.” The Hokage stared at Paige. “They could find no trace of Akatsuki movement in their old, known hideouts. We had tracked down and eliminated all known previous members years ago. If it is Akatsuki they could have changed tactics along with new members. All of your…demonstrations have already convinced me your information is genuine. The other possible reason for no trace of Akatsuki is…”

 

She interrupted the Hokage. “We're being fed misinformation on purpose. By directing our attention to Akatsuki, we panic and only look in those directions…instead of looking where we should be.”

 

“And where should we be looking, Paige?” The Hokage looked impatient.

 

Paige was debating with herself as to whether or not telling Tsunade about her visit from Shawnodese those few weeks ago would be a good idea.

 

“Tell her. This information changes things.”

 

The tone of voice was almost pleading if you knew who was saying those words…it wasn't a tone of voice she was used to hearing from Shino. Paige sighed and nodded, getting out her notebook from the medicine bag that never leaves her. “The path would have been too easy for it to be Akatsuki and their usual ways.” She flipped to the page where the information was written. “I received this two weeks ago, from Shawnodese in a dream-vision.” She was secretly glad that her voice did not waver as she read the riddle and explained its meaning to those gathered. The feelings in the room varied from outrage to contemplation. “I'm still going to the Chunin Exams.” She felt the protectiveness of her totem surface again, and she let it wash over her.

 

“I can't officially stop you.” The Hokage's hands were laced under her chin and assisting her in holding her head at an angle that gave Paige a piercing gaze. “Will it be worth the price?”

 

“The difficult road leads to the greatest reward,” quoted Paige again. “I was promised healing and completion at the conclusion of this.”

 

“Shino? What is your position on this?” asked the Godaime.

 

“I do not like it either, but support her in her decision to go through with this for the sake of the village.”

 

“That's it! I can't take it anymore!” Anko's outburst made everyone in the room turn to her in shock. “They have no right to play with your life like this. How much more are these spirits of yours going to make you suffer!? First your experience with that poor kid from your apartment building in the hospital and now this? Why do they ask all of this from you!?” She visibly deflated as she added, “especially when you two just found each other.”

 

“Because I'm the only one they can ask. And I gave my word to Wakan Tanka to use my abilities for the good of all peoples…It's not in me to be selfish and hide when I know others will suffer for my choice.” Paige had walked over to Anko and placed a comforting hand on her arm.

 

The snake summoner looked at the hand on her arm. “How can you be so calm about this?”

 

With a shrug and a smile she answered, “Faith. I've gotten by pretty well on it so far. I have no reason to start doubting now. My life has never been an easy one, taking one more difficult road isn't a hard choice for me. Especially when I know I'll be protecting what I care about most.” With another smile, she released her hold on Anko and walked back over to Shino, slipping her hand into his and giving him a squeeze of reassurance too.

 

“I think you put some of us to shame, Paige,” announced Tsunade. “Not all of us are so giving and trusting.” She waved her hand. “Everyone's dismissed.”

 

***

 

The walk home was tense between them, neither saying anything to the other. When they returned home, Paige was feeling nervous and jumpy. She had been carefully avoiding mentioning the dream-vision from Shawnodese ever since she saw how it had affected him the first time she told him. She was a fool to try and pretend everything was alright. “Shino, I…” She sighed. “I don't know what to say to make this better. Please say something.”

 

Shino turned slowly to face her. “Is this how you felt…the day before the council meeting…when I came to tell you I had a classified mission?”

 

Not answering with words, Paige walked up to Shino and pulled him down for a kiss, trying to convey all of her love for him and determination to stay with him, no matter what. She still had that piece of amber to give him…but now wasn't the time to make promises of marriage. Now was the time to just let him know she loved him. Drawing back from the kiss, she reached up and took off Shino's glasses. “I was worried out of my mind, but I tried really hard to convince myself that I shouldn't worry. I should trust you when you said you would be there for me if I needed it.” Next she removed his hite-ate.

 

“Did it work?” he breathed as Paige removed both of their jackets. A pile was forming in the floor.

 

She started in on the buttons of his shirt. “Not really.” Sliding the shirt off of his shoulders, she let her hands roam across his torso. “It was relief beyond words when I realized you were in that council room and not in any true danger.”

 

“Konoha needs you.” He reached out to remove her shirt, hands wandering over her breasts and tracing the lines of tattoos along her back. “But I need you, too.”

 

“I could say the same for you.” Paige began undressing Shino the rest of the way. “You tempt me with the idea of being selfish.” She sighed as he returned the favor of removing the rest of her clothing. “…of it just being the two of us…enjoying each other.”

 

“I plan on enjoying you anyway.” The Aburame heir quite literally swept her off of her feet, cradling her against him and carried her to their bedroom.

 

“I like the way you think.” She stretched out as she was laid gently on the bed. “Plan on finishing what we started in the forest before we were so rudely interrupted?”

 

He smirked above her. “And if I don't?”

 

Growling slightly, Paige tugged Shino down next to her, and then straddled him. “I'll be forced to take matters into my own hands.” She grabbed onto his erection and slowly pumped him. “Any questions?” Paige slid down and held his gaze as she took him into her mouth, effectively silencing any questions Shino might have had and turning them into groans of her name while she gave him pleasure. Kikaichu wandered over her body.

 

Shino just reached down to place his hands on the sides of her head, guiding her pace slightly. Suddenly he pulled her mouth from him. “Wait,” he panted.

 

A slightly evil smile spread over her face, as she slid her way back up his body and positioned herself above him. Slowly lowering herself, and feeling him slide into her, she gave a moan. “I don't want to stop.” Paige moved above him, gliding up and down and losing herself in the sensations making love with Shino always stirred in her. She found herself moving backwards, and no longer in control of the pace as Shino shifted their positions.

 

“My turn.” He increased their pace as he threw his head back and gave in to his feelings for her. More of his insects were escaping his control.

 

“Sh…Shino!” Arching underneath him, Paige found fulfillment in the pleasurable tension which had been building. She then felt Shino find his own climax. When he went to pull out of her, she held on to him. “Stay…for a little while.” The emotions still were strong, but not as overwhelming as her first time with him had been. She just enjoyed the feeling of physical closeness together with emotional closeness.

 

He nodded and placed gentle kisses over her face. “You know what happens if I stay too long,” Shino whispered in her ear.

 

She hummed and arched against him. “As if doing this again would be a bad thing.” The noises she made told anyone within hearing range exactly how good she thought being with Shino was. Vaguely she wondered how their trip to Suna would interfere with their love life.

 

***

 

Author's post-ramble: Gaara! Next chapter! I swear! I just couldn't resist giving our favorite couple some alone time first…and some time to discover Paige is more than meets the eye!