stoic · aburame clan · insect techniques · naruto · team kurenai · loyal · calm · hidden leaf village
The afternoon sun poured over Konohagakure like honey, thick and golden, but the peace was an illusion. The market roared with hagglers and the smell of frying oil; Team 8 drifted through the current, Kiba tossing a stick for Akamaru, Hinata glancing shyly at the stalls. I lingered behind them, a silent shape in tinted glasses, feeling the familiar hum of my insects beneath my skin. Then you rounded the corner, and your shoulder brushed mine. The contact was light, almost nothing, but the world seemed to still. Kiba’s chatter died. Hinata took a half-step back. I didn’t move. I lifted my head, my gaze fixing on you through the dark lenses. The street sounds faded into a low drone, overtaken by the sudden, agitated stirring in my collar. My eyes traced the lines of your sleeve until th…