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kankuroplease · 2 years ago

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Hdhdhjs There’s so much AND THIS IS ONLY PART ONE!? I LOVED THIS SOOO MUCH! So many good little treasurable moments 🥹😭 I could kiss your beautiful brain @yamanaka-shin , Thank You!!

Calling (part 1)

for this Valentine's Day exchange, I was awarded @kankuroplease to work with and it was clear from the start that Shino/Katsura would be the ship best suited for my first forray into her OC's. the second part of this fic, which is told in a snapshot sort of form, is still being worked on. hopefully by next Monday I will be able to properly finish and post it.

Ship: Shino/Katsura

Cast: Shino, Katsura, Shigeki, Yasuo, Niwa, Iwabe, Enko, Izumo

Timeframe: early Boruto so Shino is a Sensei at the Academy

Summary: there has to be some sort of between being a parent and being a teacher, right? whatever challenges came with raising children surely would repeat when instructing them, right? maybe Konoha was just the exception to the rule.

Her recollection of the day when he graduated from assistant teacher to full fledged official Sensei is a fond one. When Shino had first stepped up to Iruka and announced that he would like to teach students at the Academy, of course the older man had been equal parts surprised and overjoyed. Katsura herself was told she should have been even more surprised but to her she knew it was something her beloved husband would be perfectly suited for. He was not the most boisterous man in the village nor was he what one would call a social butterfly but he had a way with kids that was incredibly supportive and a desire to guide any and all of those who needed it the most. Really, if you asked her why she wasn't supremely shocked that her socially reserved and introspective husband had chosen teaching as his calling, Aburame Katsura would simply think you insane. Out of his entire class he was the most suited for this line of work and she was very reassured of that fact.

Now that he had actually passed that threshold from helper to leader, the day had come that would assign him a class of his own. From all of his time helping out Iruka and Anko and all of the other senior teaching staff at the Academy he damn sure knew most of what it was like to be the one imparting knowledge and life skills upon the incoming generations of Konoha's future Shinobi. However, he was also well aware that there would be challenges unique to being the actual primary instructor of a set class. Challenges that might wring him dry at times and have him seeking aid and advice from those with more experience as him. Though she herself had put her ninja career in the past, Katsura was committed to helping her husband all she could as well with anything he might ask for her input in. Teaching wasn't her forte. But leaving her love to flounder when faced a daunting task was unthinkable, especially when he wanted her input before or in addition to that of his seniors.

Her train of thought carried on as she put away the remnants of the day's breakfast and her husband was busy getting into his chosen uniform for his new career choice. Shigeki was most likely in his room doing his own thing but the twins were still seated at the table whispering between themselves. When she finally brought herself out of that frame of mind, she stepped over to where Shino had been adjusting his eccentric new eyewear in the mirror so that she may get a good extra look at it too. Sure it was a little odd as a choice for his line of work but it had its practical functions and he'd replace it with a more casual set of shades when he came home every day so it didn't seem like the most questionable choice in the world. His small smile as soon as he got the setting just right reassured her that he was happy with his decision to sport the visor and that's really all she needed to adopt pleased contentment as well. Besides, with his smooth new green jacket accented with insect brooches and the new way he wore his hair, Katsura thought he was a damn handsome sight indeed.

"What sort of hellions do you think you'll be working with for your first class?" She pipes up, a little amusement in her voice. It's no secret that she wishes she could be a fly on the wall for his first few days just to see how it would all go down, but alas she had other obligations of her own.

He keeps himself firm and steady so as not to look like he's worried a single bit about what he may face going into work that day. "I've looked over the roster sheet of enrolled students for this year and I don't think any of them will give me any trouble." There's a small pause for a moment and his finishing sentence is just a hair quieter. "But I won't rule out troublemakers."

"You're probably right." She puts one finger to her chin in thought. "It's not like this batch will contain the likes of the Hokage's rowdy son or his cohorts. That's still a few years off."

A minute shiver passes through Shino at the mere thought of that day coming to pass, but he puts on a brave face so as not to look like a coward. "I'm sure when it comes time for Boruto to enter my classroom I will be well prepared to cope with him. This is because by then I'll have had a few years to figure out my student handling style."

"Also because you'll have Anko Sensei to run to in the case he and his friend group give you the runaround." Katsura smirks just a little, a devious look in her eyes, as she pokes fun at her spouse.

"Yes, yes, of course." Shino adjusts his visor on his face as if he were pushing up glasses. A leftover nervous habit. "But I am hoping it won't come to that."

The two of them are so enraptured in their own little world that when Niwa comes up to them with something held up to them in her hand, Katsura is almost embarrassed at her lack of spacial awareness. It seems her beloved five year old had some sort of insect cradled carefully in her small but capable hands. Whatever it was at a cursory glance, centipede or millipede she assumed because of how many legs it possessed, it seemed that her child was somehow proud of its capture. And it wasn't until her little voice spoke up that reality would set in.

"I found him, mom."

"Found who, baby?"

"Tomo. He got out of his cage."

Tomo. That name sounded awfully familiar. But why? She wracked her brain, cursing the affectionate haze that has settled in from her teasing of her husband, until it hit her hard. Tomo was the name of Niwa's favorite pet. A long and hardy centipede they had captured on a bug hunting expedition a year and a half back. But did she say it had gotten out of its cage? Just a little panic had settled into her ribcage as the concept of an escaped pet bug was usually cause for alarm in most people. Thankfully she reigned on her panic quickly with reassurance that this was the safest place for such an incident AND because the creature had, indeed, already been found. She sighs heavily through her nose and runs one hand through her hair in resignment that she'll have to fix the enclosure and thus be late to work that morning. Which also meant not properly seeing her husband off as he went to his first day in his new position as well.

"Dammit." She sighs again, under her breath in hopes the impressionable child will not hear such a naughty word. "Okay, okay. We need to go check out how he got loose so it won't happen again. We can't have him get lost or hurt."

Katsura bends down to pick up her daughter, careful not to jostle the additional passenger she is still carrying, and then turns to Shino once more. He seems to comprehend the gravity of the situation without uttering a word and she's grateful for his power of perception. Still, she feels guilty even though this is no one's fault, and he can probably pick up on that too. So to reassure her just a little that he's not even remotely upset he leans down to press a kiss to her cheek and then moves to give one to the top of Niwa's head as well. At this, the quietly proud child offers up her beloved bug friend to her father and Shino obliges with a featherlight kiss to the cherished beast, not enough to disturb or harm it. It makes Niwa very happy, she dons a smile to show it, and that reminds both of her parents that this one misstep isn't the end of the world.

"What are the plans for today? I'm sorry I have not had time to go over them with you again yet." He apologizes with a genuine tone and hopes his wife will forgive him.

Katsura isn't th least but mad and makes sure her response reflects as such. "I was going to drop the twins off with Aori for the day but I think now I'm going to see if Shibi and Kin can take them. Shigeki is coming with me to work, he asked yesterday and I told him it would be okay."

"I'm sure my parents would love to have the two as company today." He nods, hopeful that the elder Aburames will indeed enjoy spending time with two of their grandkids. "In the case that they are busy, please tell Aori that I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I had already asked her a week ago if she could watch them so she was aware this was going to happen. If anything I'll have to apologize for robbing her of time with her niblings."

It must have slipped his mind in the commotion that his wife had already asked her sister in advance to take Niwa and Yasuo. He breathes an invisible sigh of relief and allows his brain to jump to the next subject. "I will call you immediately if anything goes terribly awry on my first day."

She's very aware that this is his attempt to resume teasing her and it does her heart good to see that he's still in such good spirits. "And I promise to rush right over and bail you out when the 11 year olds have you at their mercy."

Husband and wife share a little chuckle and then lean into each other for a proper kiss. Niwa makes sure to cup Tomo protectively in her hands, wary of anything t happening to disturb their precious companion animal, but says nothing in protest. She's just content to know the beloved pet is located and safe and that his enclosure will be fixed so he doesn't escape again. Shino then backs up a couple of paces, looks one more time into the mirror, and squares his shoulders. It's time to get going now and pray that he has an excellent first day as leader of the pack. Iruka Sensei is counting on him to do a great job and he refuses to let the man down. Especially when down the line he will face much greater teaching challenges and he has to be up for said challenges. It would never do to look incompetent in front of the man who taught the class full of the greatest troublemakers of recent memory.

"I know you'll do great today, this is something you're meant to do." Katsura makes sure to speak in a way that eliminates all doubt in his head.

"Yes, I believe this will go well." He echoes to her. "I will give you the full report on how it went when I am home this evening."

"And I cannot wait to hear it. Good luck, beloved."

"Thank you."

And with that he makes for the door. She watches him go and stands for several moments in silence, no particular thoughts coming to mind, before coming back down to earth and assessing her next course of action. Niwa is still in her arms and the matter of Tomo's cage situation has got to be addressed now. The blue haired woman casts her gaze over to where Yasuo still sits at the table and it seems to beckon him to her side just then. She sets the child she's carrying down gently on the floor and takes a deep breath. "Let's go see just how that crafty little critter got out now, shall we?"

Both of her children nod in tandem and take the lead to bring her into their room. As she walks, she allows herself to idly think. One day it will be her eldest son Shigeki that is going to his first day at the Academy with his father, and then it will be the twins too. She will watch her brood grow up and graduate and become everything they want to be in life, no matter if it's the path of the Shinobi or anything else they could desire. That day was yet far away but it wouldn't be far forever. Today she was bringing Shigeki to work with her but soon enough he would be going with his dad instead. Off to learn how to walk on walls and throw kunai. As she walks past his room and catches a glimpse of him watching a favorite show on the tv, she is grateful that both he and his siblings have their whole lives safely and happily ahead of them.

~~~~~~

That first year feels almost like a dream in the way it passes without a hitch. A full class of promising students and every single one makes it through their course and then through graduation effortlessly. Shino is a proud man, both in his now former students and in himself as a teacher, and carries the confidence it brings him into the next school year. His hopes remain high from when he is given the class list all the way through to when he meets the new entrants into his Academy classroom. But the first major snag in his path sets in a few weeks into the current semester and it comes in the form of one lone young man who seems to struggle intensely with all of the more "boring" technical learning: Yuino Iwabe. For the first time in his hopefully lifelong career as a Sensei at Konoha's ninja academy, Aburame Shino has no idea how to navigate these troubled waters. This cannot be what breaks him, he's determined not to break just as much as he's determined to help every student who passes through his class.

At first it had seemed like nothing was the matter. He understands that it will take some children more time to settle in and get the hang of the lessons as well as the classroom setting than others. No matter if a child was from a large and well known clan or a civilian family, he had made it clear that he wanted to make sure each and every one he took under his wing would be guided and cared for and given the chance to pursue all dreams and aspirations they held. So as he monitored the students during the adjustment period, hopes remained high as nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be taking place. Until a couple of solid weeks learning nothing but hand signs and tracking strategy out of books began to take its toll on some of the more restless individuals. Obviously not every kid learned best through reading and he sympathized with the plights of those not as suited to it as the others. But this was simply just as important to impart on them as any practical display of weapon throwing or sparring.

Slowly he manages to find ways to help his less book inclined students properly learn the material and one by one it's layers of stress that melts away. Until there is but one individual young man left that seems to be unable to find a style that works for him. And the more things Shino tries in order to make the lessons easier for Iwabe, the more the boy seems to get irritated. There comes a point where all communication from Iwabe stops and he becomes a silent, glowering presence in the middle of the classroom though thankfully the other two kids sharing the seating row with him are not scared away from their spots. He doesn't make an attempt to talk to them either, meaning bare minimum that a physical altercation is unlikely to break out, but Shino is very aware that that may not always be the case. All he can do is keep his hopes up and try to make the material digestible for his standout pupil.

At home, it is clear to his family that he's stressed out by the stalemate. The first to try and offer forward reassurance is Shigeki. He approaches his father, not entirely up to date on the situation at hand but willing to help anyway. "Dad, can I come sit in on a class with you?"

Shino had just removed his visor for the day and hadn't even had time to slide on a pair of shades to replace them when he looks down at his son. Dark green eyes look up with conviction and all the man can do is let out a sigh. He hates telling the boy no, but this time his hands are tied. "I'm sorry, but right now that wouldn't be for the best. If I can manage to figure out a way through my current blockade then I will make a request of Iruka Sensei to allow you to join us as a spectator."

Shigeki crosses his arms and huffs indignantly. "But this is exactly why I want to go with you. Maybe I can figure out something when you can't."

"I said no, I'm sorry." Having to be that firm makes him feel like an asshole but it's necessary. "This is something I have to handle on my own. If I need assistance, I have to go see either Anko or Iruka."

"Tell me why I can't go and help. I know you say you gotta do it yourself, but i wanna know why."

The boy is stubborn and brazen and if it were any other time Shino might openly praise him for being so forward. But the way the boy seems to be attempting to grill him makes the man feel like the metaphorical floor under his feet is crumbling just a little. Explaining the details of this matter to a child was not something he was equipped for in the spur of the moment. Sure he spent all day teaching kids…but they were a little older than Shigeki and at the end of every day all of them went home to their actual families who taught them everything Shino wasn't required to. So really, the lessons he brought to the table were very situational and thus he felt like his role as a teacher of children wasn't as well rounded as it looked on paper. Fatherhood should have prepared him for this better! Or maybe it did and he was just hitting a horrible low point. Frustration and doubt welled up more and more in his chest as he thought about it and it truly was like hitting a brick wall. So much so that he, without realizing it, clammed up and became stiff like a statue. It was the concerned grab of his sleeve by his son that snapped him out of his spiral and he could not apologize deeply enough for that show of behavior.

"I just want to help. Please? You always act like you're so stressed and it's making everyone worry."

Shino takes a deep breath in and out before he opens his mouth again. He places one hand on his son's shoulder and makes sure not to sound upset with the boy. "I know you want to make it easier for me and I really appreciate that. But right now, I don't even know what I could ask for from you that would clear up what's wrong. I don't know the actual problem and not knowing is making it worse."

The defeated but benign sigh that comes from the nine year old then signals a now mutual feeling of uncertainty. "I wish I knew how to figure it out for you."

He pulls Shigeki gently to him and the boy hugs his father from the side. "I do too. I would give anything for us to be able to brainstorm a way to get through this together."

Taking the conversation to heart, he tries to go about his days from then on with the mindset that no matter what, he will find a way to solve this problem. It is not the fault of his student that the material isn't sinking in as it should. Shino could half fondly recall the days when he was just a student and one of his own classmates struggled in a similar matter. Back then, Naruto was considered the most difficult child that Iruka had ever had to instruct. But the older man simply chose not to give in or give up on the boy no matter what challenges presented themselves to him. And little by little he could see all of his efforts paying off as Naruto made more friends and eventually graduated to be placed on what would become the strongest four man squad in the history of the Leaf. All things were possible when you put all of your best effort into it. A student was not a lost cause just because they couldn't absorb what was being taught to them the same way others could. Even if it meant that Iwabe would repeat the class over again next year…Shino was not going to give up. Like his entire roster last year, now graduated into full fledged Genin, he would make sure this boy had his time too. Maybe it was a bad fit, the group he had been placed into, or maybe it was something else. He'd figure it out one way or another.

The rest of the year passed fairly uneventfully and will it came the graduation exam for all of his students. Shino kept his hopes high for every single person he had had the honor of instructing over the months though he would not fault a single one of them in the case that they were unable to make it to Genin status. And as expected, unfortunately, the only one who did not cross that line was Iwabe. The written portion of the test had stopped the boy in his tracks and saw to it that he never was able to reach the practical skills section. It was an extra heap of salt onto the wound because Shino knew damn well that Iwabe would have aced the second half of the test. He was far ahead of at least half his classmates in his abilities and showed zero fear or hesitation when he needed to use them. The kid would have made an excellent Genin and eventually more, but this was just not his year. The proud but still upset Sensei went home that evening doing his best not to let his sense of doubt overwhelm him once more.

The one who was there to greet him first was of course Shigeki. His first son knew what today was and had hopes just as high as his father to hear good news when Shino made his return. But the look on Shino's face told Shigeki all he needed to know and the two shared a deep sigh in tandem. Without another word, they both went to the table to sit where Katsura and the twins had also been waiting. She first looked at her oldest for confirmation and did not find the upbeat reaction she had been hoping for before turning to her husband and seeing much of the same. It out a bit of a frown on her own face but she did not want to let the day's defeat drag the entire household into a stormy atmosphere.

"Don't worry about the first pitfall, dear." She tries to sound as resolute as she can and hopes it will be infectious. "Not every child is going to wce every class the first time. He's not the first to be held back a year."

"What happens if it's the same next year? Or beyond that? It's hard enough to watch everyone you got to know move on without you once, I don't want to know what it will be like repeatedly. That's not fair to him."

Katsura takes a moment to think on how her love worded that last statement. Putting his students first always, not even once thinking about how it will reflect on him as their Sensei. Now wasn't the time to become even more endeared to her spouse but part of her just could not help it. Though, she managed to control that rising feeling before she spoke, not wanting him to think she's making light of his plight. "Maybe that group just wasn't the right fit. Next year is a new year with new kids and new course material. I'm confident you will make it work no matter what."

"And if I can't again?"

"Then you will figure out a better approach the third pass. Even if it gets harder each time, you never give up on kids."

This pep talk he had been given just then was able to lift his spirits just enough even if some form of doubt still lingered in the back of his mind. His beloved was right, the world wasn't ending just because there was one left behind. It was his duty and his honor as a Sensei to do right by every child who came into his classroom even if some required more unique handling than others. And this was only his second ever class. Surely there would be further instances of kids who needed more from him than the average entrant and he had to make sure he was ready for it. Being faced so early in his career with someone fitting that bill just meant his brain has to work a little harder than usual. A good way to keep sharp and not get complacent or lazy, that's what this was. Next year he would come back with fresh eyes and make sure every young person who came into his care would receive the proper training and attention they needed.

With that creeping fear finally put to bed, he turns his attention to where Niwa and Yasuo are talking between themselves. Maybe he's just a little suspicious that he cannot actually hear what they're saying. "And what did the two of you do today?"

Niwa is the first to turn to her father with a curiously interested look in her eyes. "Mom took us to see Okami today. We wanted to meet the new puppy."

"Oh I cannot believe I've forgotten about that. What is their name?"

"Akemaru. He's red and looks a lot like his dad."

Shino turns to Katsura for a moment when he hears her laugh just a bit. His eyebrow raises in an attempt to wordlessly ask her what she finds so humorous. "I just think it's amusing that the actual red dog wasn't given the prefix that means Red. Especially when father and son look so much alike save for their coat color."

"Ake means scarlet! He still has a fitting name." Shigeki pipes up, proud of himself for correcting his mother. She can't scold him if he's right, after all.

But she doesn't seem fazed in the slightest. "I know that Akamaru has his fur turn red when he's hopped up on those soldier pills, but he's usually white. And then he goes and has a pup with naturally red fur. It's just a little ironic is all."

Yasuo, not swayed by the current talk of colors and names, finally interjects with a subject of his own. "Did you know Akamaru has fleas?"

This gets Katsura to sober up immediately. "And how did you find this out, sweetie?"

The boy brings up a glass jar onto the table and sets it down with an accomplished look on his face. "I caught some of them."

Immediately, Katsura slaps a palm to her face and groans. "I leave them alone with the dogs for five minutes and somehow manage to miss my children picking parasites off Kiba's companion. Incredible." She's not mad, not by a long shot. In fact she probably would have been praising both of them for their good eyes if she had known about this hours ago. But right now, she thinks it's time for the two of them to hop in the bath to make sure they haven't brought any "friends" home that aren't in jars. "Okay, okay, we can talk about this later. I'll put these guys in your room where you can keep them safe. But right now I'm going to run some water so you can hop in it and make sure you haven't picked up any of the dog's fleas too."

Neither of them go to protest, very aware that mom's word is final and it's probably a good idea even if it's not going to be fun. Shigeki gets a quick laugh in at his siblings even though he's gotten into plenty of nonsense himself in the past. Katsura takes the jar from Yasuo and carries it gently so the glass doesn't break and the fleas aren't terribly rattled as she shepards the twins out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. Shino watches this flurry of activity without saying a word, simply impressed by the way his wife manages to get control of any situation no matter what, happy for the distraction after the stress of the day. It's then that Shigeki grabs something off the counter and sets it in front of the two of them.

"Mom made you something today after she got home. There's no fleas in it, I promise."

Shino examines the cake with a picture of a large beetle made out of frosting iced onto it. He's never been one for overly sweet things, but from time to time he will indulge just a little. Katsura's consideration for him means that the treat will not overwhelm his senses but it will still appeal to the children as well. It brings a smile to his face and before he can even make a request his son brings over a plate and silverware. Even though it's been a day, he still has his family through all of it and they have made everything feel a lot better. As he cuts into the cake and puts a piece on his plate he cannot thank them enough for being the center of his life.

~~~~~~

The form the next challenge takes is much more complicated and delicate than the last and it requires Shino Sensei to really put his brain to work in solving or at the very least redirecting it. A child from one of the newer clans to the village is placed in his class roster that year, a friendly but nervous girl named Onikuma Enko, and at first everything seems like it'll be a breeze. He's not a stranger to the various hallmarks of the village's numerous clans and he knows the Onikuma have a peculiar but very powerful family technique. It's not something he's an expert on but he had made sure to do some extra reading up on it the moment he had seen her name announced on his class list for the current year. From the available information, he was able to gather a list of what to expect from having such a student in his classroom. However…research and facing a physical reality would soon prove to be be widely different things. As much as one might think themselves prepared for anything, there's always an exception to the rule and it's just his luck that he seems to have found one. Maybe that was just his lot in life; to be handed all sorts of eccentric students who would challenge his abilities to connect effectively with them.

Half of the problem in this case proves to be that some of this year's kids seem to like to whisper amongst each other about some of their other classmates or school mates. More than once he had to break up a circle of boys saying unkind things about someone else from the next classroom over. Nipping that behavior in the bud was essential if he wanted to maintain harmony and foster bonds between the kids he and the other adults were teaching. Allowing harmful gossip about or isolation of even one child was simply unthinkable. So after that particular incident, Shino did his best to keep vigilant both visually and audibly to assure that there would be no more occasions of such meanspirited behavior. Though he was also well aware that as one human being he couldn't catch every issue ever and just had to hope nothing major would escape his notice. Besides, he tried to make it well known that any of his students could come to him at any time if they were having any sort of difficulty. What he missed hopefully they would come to him with. No plan was perfect but this was as good as possible.

What he didn't anticipate, however, was that not all of the children attending his class had a home life that was ideal for them. And he kicked himself internally for it as soon as he became aware of such an egregious oversight. The day has begun when all of his students were filing into the room that morning roughly 10 minutes before the class was to begin, another point of pride from him that they would show up early to his lessons. But he became acutely aware that something was quite amiss with Enko when he heard not one peep from her while bidding good morning to everyone. Though a little nervous, she like everyone else would always happily return his greeting and face the day's teachings with bright and curious eyes. It was as if there was a personal storm cloud hanging over her head all morning and he did not like it a single bit. Once class was done for the day, he made it a plan to gently pull her aside and see what was wrong.

Only…they did not even make it to that point. There must have been some sort of incident between her and one of the other kids in the building during intermission because what before was reservation and silence swiftly turned into anxiety and then panic the moment she walked back into his classroom. All of her classmates seemed to pick up on this and, instead of inquiring what was wrong, made a point to keep quite a distance from her. To his knowledge they did not know the depths of what her clan was known for but it wasn't impossible that they had educated themselves outside of class. Though, even with that information, they should have known damn well the girl was no threat to anyone. He'd never seen her use her innate powers to cause harm or even threaten another person. So what the hell was going on?

Shino got up from where he had been sitting, trying to calmly approach all of the kids together to address what he was seeing, but it must have been the wrong move. "Please, don't come near me." It was the first thing she had said to him all day. And as she spoke, he could see she had her fingernails dug into the wood of the seating area nearly hard enough to make her fingers bleed. Alarm bells went off in his head like never before.

"Please tell me what happened, I would like to help you no matter what it might be." He uses his most gentle tone of voice possible because he would never want her or anyone to think they're in trouble while visibly distressed.

"She flipped out on someone who said something to her in the hall. It was really freakin' weird." Another student chimes in, his tone not one Shino liked.

"I'm sure there's a very good explanation for this. That is because I know each of my students and I know none of you would lash out unless in self defense."

None of his words seem to be getting through to her, instead it may have made the situation worse. He can feel a strange pulse of chakra ripple through the girl and the switch that flips soon after is like night and day. One moment there is an average and well behaved kid in front of him and the next she's something one could only describe as feral. This has to be what the literature was talking about…how the clan had a very peculiar family jutsu, a sort of summoning that acted more like a bodily possession than a calling forth of something separate. All he knew now was that one of the most polite children he'd been assigned to instruct this year was growling at him, partially transformed into a version of herself he could not have thought possible, looking ready to attack. Whatever was up didn't look to be under her control. Before he could even utter another sound, he released a swarm of his insects from within one sleeve as a defense mechanism and directed them to form a wall between Enko and the other kids.

"What do I do now?" He mutters to himself, not wantiyto jump the gun and risk causing harm to someone not maliciously in control. Shino has had plenty of cases in the past where he had to think on his feet but never before was it something like this.

As he tries to think of a course of action, the possessed Onikuma girl leaps from where he had been in the seating area and lands a few feet in front of him. One swipe from her now unnaturally long arms (that came with some dangerous claws, to boot) nearly got him before he jumped away at the last second. More of his insects flew out from his other sleeve in an effort to put space between her and him. Being backed into a corner by an out of control 11 year old was not something he ever thought could happen. But here he was, losing ground to her because he didn't want to harm her, rattling his brain for what he could do to end this crisis. Until another voice spoke up fairly loudly from the doorway. Whoever it was, the wall of bugs obscured them from his sight and he was too preoccupied to try and place the voice so he just had to trust that they were there to help.

"Earth Style: Stone Brick!" It was the voice of a young man. He slammed the staff he was carrying on the floor of the classroom and the tiles began to rip up so that the earth below could gather around his long weapon. Once it has changed the pole into a hammer, he raised the thing above his head and brought it down even harder on th ground, shouting a follow up command. "Earth Style: Gravel!"

A cocoon of dirt and stones began to snake its way from the ground upwards towards Enko. Unable to move away in time, the material had her firmly ensnared from all sides up to her chest and upper arms. Being unable to move or get out of the rocky wrap meant that the danger was curbed and Shino now had a second to breathe and make a new plan. His visor obscured gaze traveled to the one who has come to his aid and he found last year's repeater standing there still with his temporary hammer still touching the ground. Iwabe must have noticed somehow that Shino's eyes were on him but he made no move to speak or get up. It was almost unbelievable how fearless and ready to roll the young man was in this situation. Sure he was late to returning after intermission, but that was no real crime. Especially when he hadn't even needed to be asked to jump in like this.

Without even asking to come in, another Sensei darted into the room on the heels of the crisis, most likely having heard all of the commotion and needing to check to see what all the fuss was about. Kamizuki Izumo, another long time superior to Shino just like Anko, and fellow teacher had come as backup. He seemed out of breath just a little but took no time in shouting to ask what was going on. Shino had to tell him firmly not to yell because that was only going to make it worse and no one needed to feel like they were in trouble even if he himself had been a moment ago. Izumo looked from Shino to Iwabe and finally to Enko, drinking in the visuals of what had transpired, and felt like he had just entered into a foreign land. This was not the usual setting one would find in an Academy classroom. But this was Konoha so he knew better than to expect predictable sights.

"What are you going to do about that?" He tilts his head towards the still growling Enko and then to the ripped up floor. "And that."

Shino takes the deepest breath of his life and tries to be a professional as well as a good guardian. "I don't know, but I'm going to figure something out. I have to."

"I saw what happened with the other kid." To their shock, the words come from Iwabe. "Some other punk was giving her hell because they saw her cower when her dad yelled at her in front of everyone this morning."

All the facts began to line up in Shino's head and he could not paint a clearer picture in his head of what domino effect lead to the current scene. Onikuma Tora was not an agreeable man. He had spoken to him but once before the school year began and found a distaste for the way he regarded everyone else around him. But not once did Shino think he could have been a horrible or even abusive father. One who sent his daughter, unprepared to handle her own skills, to the Academy like he was dumping off a problem he didn't have time for. The blood in the Aburame man's veins began to boil just at the thought of such disregard and cruelty directed at a child, let alone one's own. Izumo had to bring Shino back to reality with a hand wave because the man has gotten so wrapped up in his irritation at such behavior that he was brought out of the present for a hot minute.

"Thank you very much for your assistance, Mr. Yuino. I appreciate it more than I can express." Shino does his best to convey genuine thanks to the young man despite his anger. But, as expected, Iwabe simply huffs and says nothing back to him. Another day, then. Another day. So he turns back to the problem at hand and speaks so that Izumo can clearly hear him. "I don't want to hurt her and make it any worse. Is there a chance this will revert by itself if left alone for some time?"

"Hmm." The older man pauses. "I couldn't tell you. But it's a possibility, I guess."

"If there is no progress in 15 minutes…I will have to make some calls." Then he turns to his students. "Please clear out of the room. We need to let her calm down and relax. Go home early today, we'll pick up the rest of the lesson another time."

That's all they need to hear. Half the class says nothing, nodding quickly, before clearing out. The other half lingers a moment until Izumo gives them his most stern look and they follow their fellows out of the room. Now it is just the four of them left, Iwabe staying behind because he's always been more stubborn than his peers and Shino doesn't want to widen the rift between them even more. Besides…he owes the boy greatly for this help. Though it wrecked his classroom floor, tiles could be replaced while human lives could not. It's a small price to pay for a peaceful resolution. But Izumo knows he has to get back to his own class now and hesitantly bids farewell to Shino and his students, hopeful that all will go back to normal without more fuss. Shino watches him trot out the door the way he came and lets out a sigh.

Thankfully the best case scenario wins out and she does manage to calm down and come back to herself after some peace and quiet and reassurance is offered. He knows that this isn't over, not by a long shot, but it's a damn good start. Tora will be hearing a lot from him in the coming days as he makes it clear that no child passing through his class should be made to feel like shit at home. As a teacher but more importantly as a father, Shino is beyond livid that this could happen to a child. He hopes deeply that it will be the first and only time when something like this happens. And when Enko is back to being herself, Iwabe makes his own exit. He likes to act tough and aloof most of the time but Shino knows he's a deeply passionate and caring person. It will still take time to connect with him and help him get through the lessons but he's confident that the boy will indeed go far in life. And that whoever he considers important to him is lucky to have someone like him around.

The half destroyed floor is a problem for the Shino Sensei of tomorrow. Iruka may have a cow over it but he'll understand too once all is explained artfully. Right now Shino just wants to go home to his wife and children and let the emotional highs of the day finally flow out of his body. If he doesn't, he may just go over to the Onikuma clan compound and have a few nasty words with that bastard Tora. Katsura would surely support him but she would also rather he come home and unwind first before unleashing the fury of a thousand hornets on the most pathetic parent alive. She is, luckily for him, the first one to greet him as he tromps though he door and she can already tell he's had one hell of a day. Shigeki makes sure to scurry out of the room, dragging his siblings with him, as soon as he catches wind of the mood his father is in. Of course he'd never take it out on the kids. But the boy knows the value of personal space too. And right now, his father needs just that. Well…that and to vent to his beloved.

It turns into an all evening affair, getting the frustration out in full, but sometimes life is simply like that. Shigeki makes an appearance once more in the kitchen while his parents sit and talk in order to filch a couple of muffins his mother has baked earlier to try out a new flavor. Shino makes sure to give him a reassuring half smile when the boy sneaks past and gets one even brighter in return. Katsura watches her boys wordlessly communicate with each other and thanks the stars that neither have ever thought it appropriate to take their stresses out on each other even by accident. Their home is perfect for them and even the down times pass without further incident. Once the boy is out of the room, she presses a kiss to the side of her husband's head while she stands next to him. He, as not one to be outdone, swivels in place and gingerly pulls her down for a proper kiss. The playful smile that snakes its way onto her face while their lips are pressed against each other tells him that maybe the ending he needs right now is for their eyes only.

"Come with me, I'll show you a better place to channel all your energy right now." She's just direct enough to get his engine running.

"This is the only outlet I will ever need in my life."

The two make a beeline for their room then, a trail marked by giggles from her and the sound of feet on nice hard wood. Wood that was thankfully still very much intact. Shigeki pretends not to hear the way his parents are fawning over each other before they make it into their sanctuary, too busy enjoying his baked goods. At least whatever was plaguing his dad tonight will not haunt him into tomorrow.

~~~~~~

#yamanaka-shin #shino x katsura #Shino kissing his little ones pet bug 🥹😭🖤🖤#Shino and Shigeki’s bond 😭🖤🖤🖤#Katsura still getting caught up in her fluffy thoughts around Shino 🥹🖤🖤🖤#ALL OF IT!!!

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