Importance
Summary: It only takes one test to measure their importance to one another. ShikaIno.
–
"You're moving to Suna," she pouted her pretty lips. When she found out this morning, she was frightened. All because her best friend since she was in the academy would leave her for good.
He just nodded his head. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what was the right thing to say. Especially when he told her that he'd always be there for her.
"Why did you never tell me earlier?" her voice sounded hurt. This was the very first time he'd decided something big without confronting her first. "You didn't even ask my opinion about it before deciding."
"It was too troublesome, Ino."
She couldn't help but wonder, "Have I lost my importance to you, Shikamaru?"
"Don't be ridiculous," he immediately replied because the last thing he wanted was to get that absurd idea. "You know who you are to me – don't ask that ever again, you moron."
"But I'm happy that you chose to accept the job to be Suna's strategist," she lied and he definitely could feel it. "It's a great opportunity for you and to strengthen Suna's allies with Konoha."
He closed his eyes, Why won't you ask me to stay, you troublesome woman?
–
"What did she say?" the Hokage asked the man who was standing next to her; and for some reason, he noticed how interested she was on what he was about to say. "Did she ask you to stay or what?"
He didn't reply and Tsunade what that meant. When she offered him this wonderful opportunity, they had a deal. If Ino didn't ask him to stay in her own will, he'd have to leave but if she did he would stay.
"Nara, if you don't want to leave next week then don't."
"I'm going to stick to our deal," he said with straight eyes. He wouldn't break the deal because he was a real man and real men were true to their words – he'd accept it wholeheartedly if Ino wouldn't ask him to stay. Although, it would definitely break his hearts to pieces.
"But you obviously don't want to go," Tsunade knew ever since she gave him the offer. "You just want to use this opportunity to see if she loves you back."
He then again kept quiet. She was right – this might sound sick as hell but he was testing Ino and he did want to know whether she loved him or not. And of course, he was hoping that she would ask him to stay.
She wouldn't even need to beg, the only thing she had to do was ask.
"You're into her that much?" the Hokage smirked at him – Tsunade had always noticed how much protective he always was to Ino. The fact that he cared about her that much made her smile widely. "Well, you're dismissed."
–
"Is that really okay to you, Ino?" Chouji questioned concernedly as he separated his chopsticks into two, ready to eat the barbecued meat in front of him. "If it's not then talk to him and ask him to...you know, stay here."
She sighed deeply, "I don't want him to pass this good opportunity just because I'm selfish."
"You didn't even answer my question," he pointed out as he saw how sad her eyes looked that he almost lost his appetite. "But you don't want him to move to Suna, right Ino?"
"It doesn't matter what I want," she gloomily smiled at the big-boned man in front of him. It used to be four of them here at the Barbecue Shop but Asuma died and now Shikamaru would have to move. There would only be two of them left. "What matters is what's good for Shika."
"Think about it," Chouji began with the most serious tone he could fathom, "you will hardly see him again once he moves out of Konoha and I don't think you'll like that. I know what you want, Ino."
"But I already told you that this is not about me, Chouji!"
Chouji could see how hurt she was. She obviously would want Shikamaru to stay close to them and Chouji hated how she wouldn't say that outloud.
"If I couldn't make him stay," Chouji said after chewing the meat. "You probably could."
"I won't ask him to."
–
The promising day had come awfully fast – and in that whole week, never had she knocked on his door and asked him to stay in Konoha for good. That, of course, didn't make him happy.
He'd have to leave in a few hours and the Kazekage had sent his older sister to pick him up. When Temari first arrived in Konoha the first thing she noticed was how depressed Shikamaru really was.
"It's that girl, isn't?" Temari smiled at Shikamaru. Even if he tried so hard to hide how unhappy he was that Ino didn't ask him to stay, he had yet to lose all his hope.
"Pretty much."
"Have you talked to her?"
"A week ago," he replied cheerlessly. He had wanted to talk to her but for some reason, she was clearly avoiding him. She went to the extent of working extra long hours in the hospital and asking Tsunade for more missions just to avoid him. "She currently is not talking to me."
"Did she tell you not to leave?" Temari looked at him with sad eyes. In all honesty, she was a bit confused. If he didn't want to leave, why would he? She couldn't understand him at all. "You're not being forced, you know."
He shook his head, "But I'll stay if she asks me to."
"Well then," Temari sighed loudly, "hurry up and talk to her or else, you'll regret it."
–
He knew just where she would be at this hour. He looked at the clock, he had an hour left before he departed. He had to hurry.
"Shizune-san," he called the brunette who was walking in the hospital's hallway. When Shizune stopped to looked at the person who called her, Shikamaru caught up with her and they continued walking. "I'm looking for Ino, you know where she is, right?"
"She went home early because she knew you'd come looking for her here," Shizune retorted. "She's avoiding you, Shikamaru-kun."
So much for knowing where she was.
Shikamaru couldn't help but frowned, "She's so troublesome. Do you know where she is?"
"I'm sorry," Shizune put a hand on his shoulder. "She's probably not in Konoha right now – she told me she doesn't want to be there when you leave because it'll just hurt both of you."
"Thanks, Shizune-san. I have fifty minutes left, I'll use that time to look for her."
With that, he fled away.
"You can come out now," Shizune said as Ino stepped out of the room behind Shizune. "Great chakra control, Ino-san."
"I already miss him," Ino confessed. "But this is for his own good."
"Is this love I smell?" the older lady teased Ino but she continued in a much serious tone, "Ino-san, I understand that you're doing this because you want the best for him. I think what I'm trying to say is just tell him what you really feel."
–
He had been looking for her. He only had ten minutes left for heaven's sake. He went to all the places she could possibly go to but she wasn't there. And then he heard a voice.
"Can we talk?"
"In- " he was cut off by disappointment. The voice behind him wasn't Ino's – it was Temari's. "What's up?"
"She's working in the hospital right now," Temari was in dilemma whether she would tell him or not but ended up telling him anyway. "I followed you there – when I was about to leave just about a few minutes after you left, she came out of hiding and talked to the lady you were talking to."
He was surprised but when he came to his senses he thanked Temari and hurried to the hospital.
–
"Ino," he finally found her after searching. "Talk to me."
"I'm currently busy," she turned around to face him – she could clearly see his grief-stricken eyes, and it stung. "But happy trip, Shika."
"Dammit, woman!" he was starting to lose his control. "What should I do to make you freaking say it?"
Ino wasn't too sure what he was talking about, "Say what?"
"Say that you want me to stay for God's sake because..."
"Because I love you?" Ino continued his unfinished statement. "Isn't that what you wanted to hear?"
He nodded, "Yes."
"I couldn't say that because I felt I was being selfish," Ino admitted painfully. "I felt like, if I asked you to stay just because of that reason, you would pass this great opportunity."
"Idiot," he walked about two steps. He then pulled her in a firm hug and whispered to her ear, "You should know by now that I would give up anything for you if you asked me to."
In reply, she uttered what he'd been longing to hear, "Then stay with me...forever."
–
A/N: This is the second installment of my "Spread Love for Ino by Writing One-Shots" project. I hope you write one shots for Ino too because she needs love!
Reviews and criticisms are appreciated! :)