Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, terms, and affiliates of Naruto are not mine, but belong to their respective owners, Masashi Kishimoto, TV Tokyo, VIZ &c.
In light of the recent events in the Naruto manga, roughly chapters 323+, I found myself contemplating how I would handle such a situation. So there IS SOMEWHAT OF A SPOILER. So unless you're caught up with the manga, no reading!
It's short and rambling and ShikaIno. But if you squint, there's something else there too.
Ashes
"You taste like ashes."
A carefully manicured hand plucked the burning cigarette from his mouth when he made no move to remove it. He watched her bypass the ashtray to stub the last smoldering bit on the wood of the side table. He looked dolefully at the bulky lump that his vest made in the dark of the room, but decided against getting out of bed. His smokes would have to wait.
"Well, you taste like sake." He couldn't even muster up the effort to make it sound insulting. Angry sex could do that to you. And he'd heard angry sex was the best kind.
It was the only kind they knew.
The bed moved when she shrugged. "So we make a great pair."
Silence lapsed between. Not comfortable but not unpleasant.
He felt smothered.
Say something, he urged. So she did.
"What do you think would've happened if we weren't shinobi? If there weren't even such things as shinobi?" This was muttered against his neck. "Do you think we would've even met? Hung out?"
Do you think we would've grown old together?
Not quite what he was hoping for, so he curled an arm under her head and cupped the back of her neck. He scratched idly at her scalp, because he'd heard that comforted girls. Because the pilfered sake they'd both drunk earlier that evening had apparently not been enough.
"Sleep."
And because the outline of his grave was still visible beneath the new grass, she let the matter lie.
Half asleep, Shikamaru felt Ino curl tighter against him.
"He would've tasted like ashes too."