The Road Not Taken - part 17
Shibi x female reader with a name - arranged marriage
Summary: Airi Nara seems a hopeless case, until her grandmother sets her up for an arranged marriage. But was marrying Shibi Aburame the right choice after all?
Masterlist ; Character sheet
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A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Life's been busy!
Winter turns into Spring. As the seeds sprout in the ground, life does too.
He can tell that something has changed way before you figure it out. He should have known from Tsume’s smile too, the knowing, teasing tilt to it.
“It’s a girl,” you tell him quietly one night after you’ve checked your belly, hands glowing. So far it’s hard to tell that something is growing, even less under the bulky Aburame Coat you’re wearing.
He still leans in and presses a kiss to the soft skin covering this unborn life. It’s a little cheesy and his cheeks burn when he moves back, but he can tell that you’re touched.
They tell the boys soon after.
“What are you worried about?” You ask, noticing the quick glance the boys share.
“Where is she going to sleep?” Torune asks, voice timid.
“If we’re going to be three kids,” Shino raises his fingers, “And we only have two parents, there’s always one person not getting cuddled.”
“Those are both good questions,” you agree, “Why? Because it shows you care. For the first month’s she’s going to sleep in our room. Now for after that we have a few options. You boys could share one room or we extend the house a little. Make some space for another bedroom and an office, maybe?” You look at Shibi who nods slowly.
“We’re looking at you too for suggestions,” he explains, “You are getting older, and it’s good to practice making decisions and finding a compromise.”
“And for the second question,” you hesitate, “I guess we’ll have to cuddle each other all the time. I know it sounds a little abstract now, Shino, but you might want to cuddle your sister too when she gets here.”
Shino doesn’t look convinced, but Shibi can’t blame him. He’s gone from being an only child to being a younger brother to becoming an older brother in less than six months.
He’ll need time to figure this out. And guidance. But he has both at his disposal.
-
Spring turns into summer. Your bump becomes visible when your coat is off.
There has been no greater joy, lately, to feel it under his fingertips at night, in the mornings, when he comes home from work - casually slipping his hand under your shirt to find it.
Naruto has moved out of the orphanage by now and there are afternoons where the house is empty when he comes home, and he doesn’t have to look for a message to know you’ve went over to his place to cook and clean.
The situation itself is not ideal.
A five year old kid, left alone for days on end. Naruto’s endless amount of energy and tendency for mischiev is making things worse, but you ensure him that they are figuring things out.
In a little while, you tell him at night, Iruka will have figured out this new job.
In a little while, he will have more time for Naruto after school, will have enough money to afford decent food, will have-
It’s always at that point that you hide your face in his neck, that your voice tapers out.
Sometimes it’s hard to enjoy what you have, knowing others are missing it.
-
-.- Airi -.-
Old habits die hard.
Without the boys asking for Cuddles, you wouldn’t have a reason to sit down all day. There are the Aburame gardens to tend to, the sick - and pregnant - that come knocking on your door. Two days a week you find reprieve in your little office at the hospital, cramming a quick nap in when finally no one’s asking for you.
You love being needed. You love being pregnant.
Shino thinks it funny, the way your stomach is growing. He knows what’s happening, is smart enough to get that early on, but he still puts his hands on your belly each day, incredulous about the size.
“But where’s the Baby in there?” He asks. Or “How big is she now? Like a lemon? How?”
Torune’s a little quieter about it. You fight for time alone with him, for chances to ask him what he’s thinking or feeling. He’s hesitant to touch the little bump, but eager to come up with names.
The harmony at home makes up for the heartbreak you feel whenever you look after Naruto.
Iruka’s doing his best. You know that. But you wish you could do more.
-
Shibi is as attentive as ever, even more so when no one is around.
“I brought you chocolate.” He tells you when he arrives late from a mission.
The boys are already in bed and while your body craved a nap your mind wouldn’t let you rest.
Summer is in full swing. There’s work at the Aburame compound, hospital work, housework and, occassionally, work for the Nara Clan. You wouldn’t call your current relationship with Yori warm and welcoming, more like a ceasefire. All tasks are now handled through Shikaku which makes it a lot easier to decline… if only you’d be better at saying no.
“You didn’t have to.” You tell him, leaving the grounded antlers on the table to meet him at the door. Kissing him is still as thrilling as the first time, your lips finding his, knowing that he’s yours.
“I know. I wanted to. Apparently, the village is famous for it.”
“Do you want to share?” You ask, pulling him to the table. “I need to finish this recipe before we can get to bed but I’ll be quick.”
“I don’t need one. Why? I will taste them on your lips.”
You blush furiously at these words but can’t deny that he’s right.
.
The next day starts early, the hospital shift kicking your ass.
It’s probably selfish of you not to slip out of bed quietly as soon as your alarm goes off, but if you have to decide between five more minutes pressed against Shibi or work, the decision is easy.
“You’ve got to get up, love.” He mumbles into your shoulder.
“Hmm…”
“Do you want me to call in. I would. Why? You could need a day of rest.”
“I’m fine. I’m fine. I just need five more minutes pressed against your chest.” You grumble, arms curled around him.
“You smell really good.” You tell him, breathing in deeply. “Why do you always smell so good?”
He doesn’t answer, already having learned that you don't need answers in a state like this.
“Do you want to take a shower together?” He asks when you feel yourself falling asleep again.
You huff out a breath and blink up at him, his face a mere outline in the darkness.
“When did I ever say no to that question?”
-
“You look… good.” Yori eyes you over the table. “Did you put on a little weight, maybe?”
“I don’t know.” You answer truthfully, peering over the menu. You haven’t told her of your pregnancy yet, the wide cloak you’re wearing hiding any signs.
It’s not the first time Yori has asked to meet. You’d been hesitant at first to agree, supported in your decision by Shibi and Shikaku. But Yori claims she wants to work on your relationship and you’d like nothing more than it to work out. So you’ve eventually agreed, a café chosen as neutral ground.
This café is probably your favorite. It’s close to the academy and serves some of the best desserts you’ve ever tasted. And since you haven’t been able to eat more than some leftover apple slices since breakfast, you’re eager to try something new.
“You know, just because you’ve settled doesn’t mean you have to show it.” Yori points out with that well-known edge to her voice that you’ve grown to hate.
“What are you hinting at?”
“I’m just saying. You’re lucky I got you this arrangement. But if you blow up in size so short after the marriage Aburame-san might regret his decision.”
It’s a low blow and from everyone but Yori you’d be able to deflect.
But the older woman has always been able to cut right through your defenses.
Dessert suddenly doesn’t sound so appealing anymore.
“We’ve been married for over a year now,” you remind her and close the menu.
A waiter appears at your table just seconds later.
“Hello there. Have you already decided?”
“Green tea, please.” Yori purses her lips in a disappointed pout as she looks the waiter up and down. She doesn’t like men in “female jobs” as she calls them.
“For me as well. Could you pack me some of your desserts to go? I want to bring them back for the children.”
“That’s no problem. You’re Aburame-san’s wife, right? You should try the Honey Kasutera and the Shibuya toast. We make them with your honey.”
“That’s a great choice. Please also add the Strawberry Daifuku and the Mitarashi Dango.”
“That’s quite a lot of dessert.” Yori points out as soon as the waiter is out of earshot.
“The boys have been very well-behaved and deserve a treat.”
“But two for both of them? You don’t want them to look like the Akimichi’s.”
You swallow your anger at the comment and smile.
“You’re doing well, I hope?”
The house is empty when you come back.
In about half an hour, Muta will bring Shino home from a playdate with Kiba and some other kids and Torune, who’s training with some of the older Aburame, will be home around the same time.
You put the sweets into the fridge, already looking forward to sharing them. The burning hunger you had before your meeting with Yori has crumbled into a state of light nausea and you’re searching the kitchen for something easy and filling.
As you take your pot from the bottom drawer and get up, a sudden spell of dizziness hits you. You stumble, your hand shooting out to catch yourself, but the cabinets are too far away.
A sharp pain shoots through your head. After that, nothingness cloaks you like a heavy blanket.
…
“Mom! Mom!”
You're shaking. Your head hurts. You’re looking through blurry lenses up at something dark.
“Mom! Wake up!”
You blink, your vision clearing enough to recognize Torune who’s cowering next to you, touching you only with his gloved hands, shaking you.
“Torune. Torune, stop, I’m awake.”
He’s sobbing now, loud, wrenching sobs that shake him just as much as he’d just shaken you.
“Hey, hey, everything’s okay. Sit down, breathe.”
Torune falls back onto his ass, drawing in one shaky breath as snot runs down his face. He wipes it away with his sleeve and you look up at him in concern. Your head still hurts and you wonder what frazzled him this much that he came to wake you up. What time is it anyway?
As you move to get up, you realize with sudden concern that your muscles don’t work the way you want them to. Your hands feel like jelly and your legs like nothing at all. At best you can feel your head but what you feel is pain.
“Tell me what happened, Torune.” Your voice is calm but you’re panicking on the inside. What just happened?
“I came back because I wanted to go to the bathroom and ask you if I could stay out training a bit longer and when I came in… you… you were lying on the floor and there’s blood. Look!” He reaches for the floor and pulls his hand back up, his gloved fingers red from blood.”
“Oh, I must have fallen. I was a little dizzy. Why don’t you help me up, honey.”
“Are you sure? What if you hurt yourself?”
“If you help me get onto the Couch, I can take a better look. I don’t want Shino to find me like this and he’ll be here soon.”
“You’re right.” Torune nods and takes another shaky breath.
Pulling you up is harder than you thought it would be. Torune has to be careful how he touches you and your arms and legs are as useful as cooked noodles. Somehow, with a lot of dragging and pulling and pushing, you make it to the Couch.
“Honey, can you get me a glass of juice first? We can clean the kitchen later but I haven’t eaten in a bit. Pour a glass for you and Shino as well, okay?”
You watch as he pours, his hands still shaking, the juice spilling everywhere.
“I’m sorry Mom.” He calls out, his voice already on the edge of breaking again.
“Ah, don’t worry. Just come here and cuddle with me a bit, okay? Careful with the glasses.”
“You’re still bleeding,” he tells you when he puts the glass in front of you.
“We’ll look at that right away, but first, we need something to give us energy.”
You urge him to drink his juice, slowly sipping on your own glass.
Your hand is shaking and you spill juice over yourself twice, but the sugar helps significantly.
If you weren’t so focused on keeping Torune calm, you’d probably laugh at the sight of the two of you, sipping juice in stained clothes on the otherwise pristine Couch.
In the middle of it all, there’s a light knock on the door before Muta steps in.
“Hello.” He greets warmly before zeroing in on the scene before him.
Before he can say anything, Shino has already stepped past him, kicked of his shoes and approached the Couch.
“Someone wanted to throw my Kikaichu at the girls today.” He tells you with the air of someone who has had great injustice happen to him.
“Really? That’s awful. Torune poured you some juice, honey. Drink some, it’s still cold.”
“Are- are you okay, Aburame-san?” Muta asks cautiously from the door.
“I have fallen,” you tell him as calmly as you can, Shino’s eyes now zeroing in on the blood dripping from your face. “Do you happen to know where Shibi and Chiasa are?”
“I will get them right away.” He dips out of the door before you can tell him not to make a fuss about it. Before you can do anything else, Shino’s already reaching for your head.
“You’re bleeding, Mom!”
“I know, honey. Do you want to get the emergency kit from the bathroom? I hit myself on the head.”
Where Torune is still clutching his glass and staring into the distance, Shino is level-headed and calm. But that’s understandable. Torune has lost two parents to serious injuries whereas Shino doesn’t connect your situation right now with anything serious.
If you said you’ve hit your head, you’ve just hit your head, that’s all.
“That’s it, right there.” Shino places the bandage as instructed, nodding to himself.
“It looks good. Do you have any other injuries?”
“Not right now, but I am a bit weak because I haven’t eaten much. Why is that bad?”
“Because we need the nutrients. Why haven’t you eaten?”
“Why? Because I had so much to do.”
“Why is Torune sad?” Shino asks, switching topics seamlessly.
“I scared him. I was lying on the floor when he came in and he was scared that it was something worse.”
“Like an attack?” Shino looks at you and back to Torune.
“Torune, did you think Mom got attacked?”
“I don’t know? Maybe?” Torune sniffs loudly. “You would have been scared too.”
“But she’s fine now, right? Shino turns to you. “You are fine now, right? Because you’re not bleeding anymore.”
“Ah.” You say and attempt a smile. “I will still see what the doctor says. It’s always better to double-check.”
At that moment, the door flings open. Shibi’s out of breath and doesn’t even bother to slip out of his shoes at the door.
“What happened?” He uses his Clan-leader voice, the tone demanding of answers.
Both boys sit perfectly straight in a second, staring up at their father.
“I found Mom in the kitchen on the floor and she was bleeding.”
“I put the bandage on her head.”
“I had a spell of dizziness, tripped and hit my head.”
“Were you unconscious?”
“Yes, but not for long.”
Shibi sinks to his knees to look up at you. His brows are furrowed as he takes you in.
You put your hand softly onto his shoulder.
“I am not downplaying it. I will check in with a doctor as soon as Chiasa is here to look after the boys but I doubt that it will be anything serious.”
“I want to come with you.” Torune’s voice is shaky again and his gloved hand curls around your elbow. “Please.”
“Me too.”
Torune and Shino sit in the two small chairs by the window, distracted by your latest game of who can find the most bugs outside. They have one pair of binoculars that they use to inspect the tree tops from above and are quite content, while Shibi stands next to your bed, stiff as a board.
You reach out your hand, softly brushing your fingers against his.
“Sit with me?” You ask. He takes your hand but he doesn’t sit down. You’d love to know what he’s thinking about but he doesn’t want to talk.
Eventually, one of your colleagues steps into the room.
“Hey boys. Do you want to come with me for a minute? We’ve got some ice cream we want you to try.”
You nod when Torune looks at you for directions. “Take your time. And be careful, honey. Wear your jacket.” He nods and slips back into the long coat he wears around non-Aburame’s.
Your colleague leaves a clip board on your bed and winks at you before she ushers the boys outside.
With an experienced eye you take in the test results, stopping only once to take in a breathe.
“What is it?” Shibi asks, now finally sitting down on the corner of your bed, trying to see what you see.
“Well, I fainted because of my blood sugar and blood pressure. Also my iron-levels aren’t that good. Which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but since I’m pregnant…” You put the clipboard away to look at him. “Shibi,” your voice is low and serious, “talk to me, please.”
There are many emotions you could have expected. The unabashed fear on his face is not one of them.
“Are you-” He swallows thickly. “Is it safe?”
Your first reaction is surprise, followed by a sudden, heart clenching understanding. Of course. He lost his first wife to a pregnancy. Why wouldn’t he be worried?
You take his hand and put it on your stomach, right where the little one is growing right now.
“It is safe. I am healthy. I just need to look after myself a little better. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
There’s still fear in his eyes, a deep insecurity that can’t be tamed by words alone. You smile and kiss him softly.
“I love you.” You tell him softly. “Everything will be okay. I promise I will look after myself better. I promise I will be okay.”
Two hours later, after an iron and multivitamin infusion, Shibi has placed you on the Couch and ordered the boys to guard you.
“No getting off the Couch.” He tells them.
“What if I have to pee?”
“You can get up to pee. But nothing else. I will clean the kitchen and be back in a minute.”
“Oh. There are sweets in the fridge. How lucky that I bought them. Now’s the perfect time to eat them, don’t you think?”
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