SUSPICIONS
BY: ASHTEABEAR (K9PUPPYG)
DISCLAIMER: MASASHI KISHIMOTO OWN NARUTO AND ITS CHARACTERS.
SUMMARY: INO WORRIES THAT HER BOYFRIEND, SHIKAMARU, IS CHEATING ON HER.
"Shikamaru…"
"Yes, Ino?"
"When are we gonna get married?"
"…"
I looked up at him, his eyebrows her bunched together. He did that when he was uncomfortable.
We were at my kitchen table in my apartment eating breakfast.
"What's the point of that?" he finally replied. I frowned.
"Well, we've been together for seven years now, I just figured, why not?" I paused. He looked at me with a blank expression.
I sighed. He gave me that face when he knew something was on my mind.
"Okay! I really, really, really, really, really wanna get married. You practically live here, and I want to start my life with you already! I'm tired of being just your girlfriend; I want to be your wife with three kids! I love you Shikamaru and I know you love me too. So, why can't I be your wife?" I let all out in one breath. He raised his eyebrow.
"I didn't know you felt that way." He replied. I poked out my bottom lip and crossed my arms, classic pout face. He chuckled and started getting up from the table; he leaned over and kissed me. "Well, if it's that important to you, I'll think about it." He told me, and took our plates to the sink.
I grinned and walked up behind him while he was washing our plates. I wrapped my arms around his torso and laid my head on his back. It never fails; every time he kisses me, even after all these years, even if it's just a small peck, my heart goes on freakin hyper speed mode. Every. Single. Time.
"Ino, I have a meeting to go to today." He told me. I shivered from the vibrations his body made when he spoke.
"Aw…No fair." I pouted, snuggling into his shirt some more. He chuckled and turned the faucet off. He turned around so that he was facing me. Then, he leaned against the counter and pulled me closer by my waist so that my arms were now crushed between our bodies.
"I'll be back tonight. I promise, okay?" He told me while he rested his chin on my head. I nodded. "I'll even bring that new movie you wanted to see." I perked up and looked at him.
"Oh my gosh, really!" I exclaimed. He smiled at me and gave me a peck.
"Yes." He told me. I jumped out of his arms and started pushing him towards the door.
"Well, hurry up and go so you can come back!" I said. He laughed.
"Okay, fine." He looked at me from the doorway. "Love you." I heard him say. I leaned out the door using the doorframe and gave him a kiss.
"Love you too…"I replied sweetly.
He smiled at me one last time before he turned to leave. I closed the door and sighed dreamily.
…
It was late in the afternoon and I was walking to the grocery store to get Shikamaru's favorite snacks for our movie date tonight.
I paid the cashier and was about to walk out the door when I saw this guy standing across the street that looked a lot like Shikamaru. I hid behind a vegetable cart so he wouldn't see me. I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I got a better look, and it was, in fact, Shikamaru.
He was standing in front of this fancy, expensive looking, restaurant. It looked like he was waiting on someone, probably a coworker or something.
A few minutes went by before a woman with blonde hair walked up to him. I couldn't see her face.
Hm, I wonder who she is. Shikamaru has never mentioned-what the…hey, what the hell! I could not believe what I was seeing. This slut just walked over to him and he grabbed her into an embrace! And now they are not too shamefully playing tongue hockey in the middle of the street!
I shut my eyes and dropped my bags. I couldn't bear to witness this site anymore! My heart felt like someone just ripped it out of my chest and stomped it out on the ground, over and over and over again! It wasn't too long before I couldn't stand it anymore and met my bags on the whole body shook and I screamed out in pain!
Then, I heard someone calling me in the distance…repeatedly!
"Ino!" they yelled again.
I opened my eyes and there was Shikamaru, peering down at me, concerned.
"What's wrong?" he asked. I looked around. I was on my couch in my living room, fetal position. My feet were on Shikamaru. I sat up.
"It was just a dream!" I gasped aloud. "Oh my goodness, thank god it was just a dream!" He continued to eye me.
"You fell asleep during the movie." He told me, "Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded and laid my head on his chest.
"That was the worst dream ever. I dreamed you were cheating on me." I told him.
"Mm…" he replied.
"What?" I asked, looking up at him.
"If I would've known this movie would give you nightmares, I wouldn't have rented it." He told me.
"What? You think it was because of the movie?" I shook my head, "Please, Shikamaru."
"Sweetheart, this movie is called 'Liars and Cheaters', I know what I'm talking about." I grinned sheepishly and yawned.
I looked over at the clock, "12:17 AM" and looked back to Shikamaru.
"Hey, Shika-", I started saying, but he picked me up before I could finish and started walking towards my room. "But I'm not sleepy yet!" I whined…before I let out another yawn. He just shook his head and placed me in my bed. "Could you stay with me at least?" I asked hopefully while he brought the blanket over me. He sighed.
"Now, you know I can't, Ino." I pouted again. He looked at the clock. "I'll just stay until you go back to sleep." I nodded and snuggled into my pillow. I heard him sigh again.
"What?" I asked. He walked over to the chair by my desk and sat down.
"You're like a kid sometimes."
I didn't know whether to take that offensively or not, so I just turned around and closed my eyes.
"Goodnight, Shikamaru."
"Night…
…
"Can you pass me that order form I just filled out on that counter?"
I looked up from the Davie's Bridal magazine I was reading and looked at my mother, holding an empty flower pot.
I was helping my mother at the shop today because her employee called in sick.
"Here you go." I handed her the paper and returned to where I was sitting. She walked to the back of the store where all the plants were kept; it was designed like a green house.
I continued flipping through the magazine. I sighed and walked to where my mother was. She was pouring soil into the pot that I saw her with earlier.
"Mom." I called.
"Yes, dear?"
"Do you think that I…" I paused, remembering what Shikamaru had said two nights ago, "You think that I act like a kid?" She stopped and put the bag of potting soil down. She turned to look at me and walked close.
"Hmm…nah." She told me while dusting her hands off on her yellow, pocketed, apron. "You're just spoiled."
"Spoiled?" I repeated. She nodded.
"That father of yours," she shook her head, "gave you every single thing you wanted, I tell ya." I grinned. It was true.
"Why do you ask?" I sighed.
"Well, Shikamaru was over the other night-"
"Did you guys have sex!" she yelled…excitedly? I made a face.
"Uhm…no…" I replied slowly. She looked disappointed.
I coughed.
"Anyways…I wanted him to stay a little longer because I had a bad dream and I sorta…" I trailed off.
"Begged him to stay and he said that you acted like a little kid." She finished for me. I blinked at her.
"How'd you know?"
"You used to do it to me all the time. " she explained and sighed, "You'd just go ask your father anyways…" I patted her on the shoulder, sympathetically. She continued," Like I said, you're just spoiled. I believe that you expect Shikamaru to spoil you like your father did." I frowned.
"Really?" I never thought of it like that. She nodded.
"That man is not your father." She replied. "Remember that."
…
"You think that's why he hasn't asked yet?" I sighed, looking up at the pink ceiling fan. I was at Sakura's house laid out across the floor. Tenten and Hinata were here also.
"I don't know, Ino…" Sakura replied. I sat up.
"You're no help." I shook my head. "Anyways, to get my mind off of it…" I looked at Tenten across from me in this giant circle we sat in on the floor, "Have you finally decided to go out with Neji yet?" She shook her head. She and Neji are "friends", but they both like each other. It's obvious!
"I'm just waiting to get over what that jerk did to me." She replied. Sakura, Hinata, and I all gave each other that knowing look. We knew exactly who that jerk is that she was referring to. She crossed her arms. "I gave that loser two years of my life." She gave a sarcastic laugh. Then, she sighed, "If Neji and I were ever together, I'd want it to be the real thing. Not just some fling." She gave another sigh, "When I'm emotionally stable, then, and only then, will I begin something with Neji." She finished.
"At least you're lucky enough to have a guy wait on you for that long." I heard Hinata say, "He even cared for you while you were with your ex." She added thoughtfully. Tenten smiled.
"Yeah, I'm thinking waiting will benefit the both of us in the long run." She replied.
"Well, I know one thing your ex was good for, at least." I added.
"What's that?" They all looked at me.
"I finally had an excuse to wear my black spy boots!" I exclaimed. We all burst out laughin.
"Oh my god! That was so hilarious!" I heard Sakura laugh.
When Tenten suspected that her ex was cheating on her, she called us up to follow him on a "business trip" he took out of town. Turns out he was meeting some chick at a hotel. That scumbag. We kicked the door down and caught them in the act.
"He looked SO shocked!" I laughed aloud.
"Yeah!" Sakura exclaimed, "Tenten, I can explain!" she mimicked. Tenten laughed.
"I punched his lights out." She said while balling up her fist.
"This girl was so scared, she ran out of the room screaming!" Sakura laughed. "And she was naked!" We all laughed again.
"I'm just glad that loser got what he deserved." Tenten said after we stopped laughing.
"You wasted tears on that guy…" Hinata said, "I couldn't stand seeing you cry." She added.
"Yeah…" Sakura and I agreed.
"What made you suspect he was cheating anyways?" Sakura asked, curious. Tenten tilted her head in thought.
"Well, it just got pretty obvious when suddenly you stop answering phone calls and start having all these so called 'meetings'." My eyebrow twitched and she continued, "When he said he was going out of town, I just had to see." I frowned. Hinata noticed this.
"What's wrong, Ino?" she asked. I looked up at her.
"You know, Shikamaru's been going on a lot of meetings lately…" I pondered aloud. They all looked at each other, like they knew something. "Spill it." I said.
"Well…I saw Shikamaru with some blonde girl yesterday afternoon…" Sakura trailed off.
I froze, remembering my dream.
"The girl in my dream was blonde…" I murmured.
"What dream?" Tenten asked.
"I had a bad dream a couple of nights ago when Shikamaru and I were watching a movie." I replied.
"What movie?" Hinata asked.
"Liars and Cheaters." I answered blankly. Hinata rested her chin on the top of her hand as if in deep thought.
"So that's what movie he was talking about…" Hinata mumbled.
"Who?" I asked. She looked at us.
"Shikamaru was at our house two days ago." She began, "I overheard some of the conversation he was having with Naruto." She explained.
"Well…." I prodded, getting antsy, "What did he say?" Hinata closed her eyes, trying to remember.
"He said something along the lines of 'I picked that movie to give her a hint, not to give her nightmares.'" She replied.
"A hint from Liars and Cheaters?" Sakura asked. Hinata nodded.
"I've never actually seen it, but with a title like that…" Hinata trailed off. They all looked at me.
"Hm…from what I saw, the main character had come from relationships in which she was cheated on…all of them." I recalled, "And the guy she was currently with was showing signs of cheating as well." I finished.
Sakura stood up. We all looked up at her.
"Where is he!" she exclaimed, "I'll show him for trying to pull a fast one on my best friend!" She started waddling towards the door. "I'll rip that girl to shreds too!" Tenten, Hinata, and I all looked at each other. Then Tenten said,
"Go sit down, Sakura. You can't do much of anything right now." Sakura glowered at her, but complied and plopped back down onto the beanbag chair she was occupying before.
"Oh…shut up, Tenten." She mumbled. I looked at her ankles.
"Ew, Sakura. Your ankles look like alien spawns." I remarked. She shook her fist at me tiredly. "I hope when Shikamaru and I start having children, my ankles don't swell up like that!" I exclaimed. They all looked at me incredulously. "What?" I asked.
"You're talking about childbearing with someone who could be cheating on you." Tenten pointed out. I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't believe it." I told her, "Shikamaru wouldn't cheat on me." I paused, "He wouldn't!" I added more confidently, reassuring myself. They all looked at each other.
"If you say so, Ino." I heard Hinata say.
The creak of the door opening made us pause.
"Mommy! I told you no big kids allowed!" yelled the voice of Sakura's three year old daughter. She inherited her mother's green eyes, and her father's dark hair.
"Sweetheart, Mom is tired." I heard Sakura say. The girl crossed her arms in a pout and replied,
"Fine, I'll just go get daddy again! He'll take care of this!" Sakura waved her off as her daughter began to leave.
"Yeah, yeah. Sure, Sure." She yawned, "That girl is a pain in my butt." We quietly laughed.
Suddenly, a dust particle flew into my nose and I began to sneeze incessantly.
"Ino, you okay?" I heard Tenten ask as she crawled closer to me. I tried to say yes, but all that came out was a sneeze! Hinata came over and handed me a tissue. My eyes began to puff and water, and I blew my nose.
We heard the footsteps of someone coming through the doorway.
"Sakura…your daughter is-"he paused. It was Sasuke, Sakura's husband.
He looked at us.
We all looked at him.
He leaned on the doorframe with a smirk when he saw me with my red nose and swollen eyes. He crossed his arms.
"I guess Nara already did it, since you're crying and all." He said.
"Did what?" we all asked simultaneously. He stood up with a slightly puzzled expression. He quickly masked all emotion and closed the door. We all looked at each other.
"Well, that was weird…" Tenten said, while scratching her head.
"Yeah…" I replied. "What did he mean by already did it?" I pondered aloud.
"You think he meant breaking up?" Hinata asked. I gave a melancholy sigh.
"I'm trying not to be negative here." I admitted.
"Sorry…"I heard Hinata mumble.
"Well he did say that because he thought you were crying." Tenten mentioned.
"True, but-"I was cut off by the door opening, once again. Sasuke poked his head in.
"Oh, yeah. Sakura, Your daughter wants you out." He informed her.
"I'm tired…" She yawned and turned over. Sasuke shook his head. He walked over and began to pick her up bridal style. She laughed. "Okay, okay. Fine." She looked down at us from her husband's arms. "I guess we'll have to continue this conversation later." She told us as she was being carried out. We smiled and began to leave, deciding that this was best.
…
"You're going to Suna?" I repeated. He nodded.
I was at my apartment looking at Shikamaru from my doorway. The sun was setting.
"It's only for a few days." He told me while walking through the door. He was leaning in to kiss me. I flinched, remembering the time Tenten's ex told her he was going out of town. He frowned and straightened back up when he noticed I wasn't responding.
I began to tear up. This alarmed Shikamaru.
"Ino, don't cry, please." He told me.
I shook involuntarily as my tears began to fall. He wrapped his arms around me and I clung to him.
"Can I come with you?" I tried. He sighed and said,
"You really can't, Ino."
"How come?" I croaked.
"It would just…be best if you didn't." I sighed. He gave me a squeeze. "Just trust me, Ino." I took a step back, grabbing my upper arm uncomfortably. I looked at him and just nodded.
He kissed my forehead and started back towards the door.
"Oh, yeah!" he stopped to look at me, "When I come back, I have someone I want you to meet." He paused, "We…have a surprise." He finished vaguely.
I frowned.
…
"I think he's secretly married and bringing his kids as the surprise!"
I raised my eyebrow at my pregnant friend. It had been four days since Shikamaru left for Suna. We, (Sakura, My father, Tenten, and I) were currently sitting in my parents' living room waiting for my mother to come downstairs. We were all in semi-formal attire.
"That's a little…extreme." Tenten said unsurely.
My father threw his hands up in the air.
"Oh, come on." He began, "If this was true, do you think he'd be able to hide it for seven years?" he asked. I sighed and looked out the window. I propped my head up on the arm rest.
"Well, he is a genius." My mother replied walking down the stairs. I heard my dad whistle at her appearance.
"Wow, mom you look great." I complimented. She smiled at me.
"Why, thank you dear." She said, "It's not often that your father takes us out to dinner, huh?" My parents laughed…a little too much. Maybe it was an insider. She shook her head.
"Anyways, let's get out of here." She said. My father stood up to get his coat and keys while the rest of us walked toward the door.
"Ino." My father stopped me. I turned to look at him. He placed his hand on my shoulder. "You know that kid loves you." I nodded and gave a small smile. "He told you to trust him."
My eyes watered.
"I'm trying, Dad." I replied. He patted me on my shoulder.
"Well, cheer up!" he exclaimed. "I can't eat right while watching you sulk!" he laughed, "Please cheer up so I can eat, I'm starving!" I laughed at him and nodded. I wiped my eyes and sniffled.
"I love you, Dad." I told him while hugging him.
"Love you too…" he replied, stroking my hair.
…
"Uhm…Dad, what exactly is the occasion for this gathering?" I asked while watching as some familiar faces came and sat at our large round table. There was Chouji and his family as well as Shikamaru's parents…and some other faces. Where have I seen these people before? My dad shrugged.
"I don't know. Ask Shikamaru." He said gesturing towards the door.
I looked and there he was walking through the door. It was as if an angelic light was illuminating off of him along with a choir singing in the background…But, everything stopped when I saw who came in behind him.
Three little brunettes toddled in through the door along with a blonde woman with dark blue eyes.
"I told you he had kids!" Sakura whispered from my right.
"She's like the darker version of you." I heard Tenten whisper from my left. I looked down at my menu as the followed Shikamaru to some vacant seats on the other side of the table.
I felt myself tearing up again. This was just getting too real. I snuck a peak at them and I saw her whispering something in his ear. They both looked at me and I stood up.
"I'm going to the bathroom. " I whispered.
Then I stalked off.
…
"Thank goodness!" I breathed out.
The bathroom was empty. I locked the door and sat on the floor, crying. My back was against the door and I felt the thuds from someone's light knocking.
"Leave me alone!" I yelled.
"Open the door, Ino…" Came the soothing voice of Shikamaru from the other side of the wood.
"Don't you have your wife to attend to?" I sobbed, bitterly.
I wrapped my arms around my knees. It was quiet for a while; he must've taken my advice. Well, that's what I thought until I heard the jingling of some keys unlocking the door.
"Thanks sir." I heard him mutter and he walked in. I heard him relock the door and he squatted down in front of me. I didn't look at him.
"Why did you lock yourself in here?" I heard him say. I sniffled.
"I just thought it was a bit hard to stay in there with your wife." I admitted. Confusion became plastered on his face.
"Who told you?" then he paused, "Why is it hard to stay in there with her?" I gave him this crazy look and shook my head.
"You hide this from me for seven years…How could you Shikamaru?" I sighed.
"Well, I was only hiding it for a few weeks… I just wanted it to be a surprise." He told me.
"A few weeks…So, you just found out they were yours?"
"Wait, huh?" he said, clearly perplexed.
"You know what I'm talking about Shikamaru!" I exclaimed, looking straight into his eyes.
"…What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Your kids, did you just find out they were yours?" he shook his head.
"I don't have any kids, sweetheart." He told me.
"And you still call me that…" I paused, "No shame. What would your wife say if she found out about us?"
"Ino…" he finally said, "Who are you talking about?"
"The one you came in the door with." He slapped his forehead.
"What?" I asked. He started to laugh.
"What?" I asked him again. I frowned when he just kept laughing.
"You're…in here crying," he paused to laugh again, "because you think our wedding planner, Temari…is my wife?" He was holding his sides in laughter.
My heart skipped a beat.
"Wedding planner?" I repeated. I wasn't hearing things, was I? He nodded.
I pinched myself. It's not a dream!
"I thought someone told you I was planning to propose." He admitted and dug into his pocket for a velvet box.
"Be my wife, Yamanaka Ino." He told me while revealing the golden engagement ring. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes once again as I looked at it. It was so gorgeous. It was trimmed with silver lining and the diamond was heart cut and surrounded by my birthstone…sapphires.
I glomped him.
"Of course I'll marry you!" A giant smile formed on my lips as they found their way to his. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my heart felt so alive…
He pulled back and began to slide the ring on my finger.
"I wasn't planning on doing this in the bathroom…" he sighed "But, I guess it will do." Then he asked, "What made you think she was my wife?" I grimaced.
"Sakura got to me." I admitted. He chuckled.
"You do realize that she's pregnant, right?" he asked, "Her hormones may be a little off."
"A lot off." I added. I sighed trying to remember all the things that were going through my head at the time.
"Can we get out of here now?" He asked. "I feel weird in the girls bathroom." He admitted.
I smiled.
…
I walked out of the bathroom hand in hand with…my fiancé. Hehe. Then, I saw Hinata walk into the restaurant with her husband, Naruto.
"Naruto! Hinata! Come sit over here, by me." I heard the wedding planner yell while waving.
Sakura stood up.
"Hinata! You know her!" she yelled, "You know this whore bag!"
"Whore bag!" Temari yelled while standing up as well.
"No, no. It's not like that, Sakura." Hinata calmly spoke.
"Then explain the 'meetings', the sneaking around, and the children!" Sakura exclaimed.
Oh, no.
I walked over to the table and looked at Hinata.
"Let me handle this." Hinata shrugged. "Sakura, she is my wedding planner." I told her gesturing to my ring. She screamed.
"Oh, my gawd! You're getting married!" everyone at the table, except for Temari, applauded.
"Congratulations." I heard a few people say. I blushed and Shikamaru came and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
"And the children…are my nephews." Temari glared at Sakura.
"Oh," Sakura replied sheepishly, "My bad." She grimaced.
"How do you know her, Hinata?" Tenten asked.
"She came with Shikamaru to help him out the wedding papers." She sighed, "This guy right here-"she nudged Naruto in the side, "Was being lazy. So, I did most his job." She explained.
"Are you all ready to order?" Everyone looked to the owner of the voice. It was the waiter.
"Oh, uhm. Yeah! Let me get my menu." I said quickly and went to go to my seat.
"Hold on, Ino." I heard Temari say, "You sit here next to your fiancé." She told me.
I grinned.
"Fiancé…"
Has a nice ring to it.
Fin
Of Part One