Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with Naruto! Only the plot of this fic is mine.
Ino noticed.
She noticed the subtle glances, how his obsidian eyes would swiftly dart over to her presence when the others were distracted. How he peered into her depths when asked by her fellow kunoichi if there were anyone she had "chosen to become her next victim." How he openly stared as she fed the growing fire of another man's advances. How he seemed to have one observant eye on her and another keen eye on the enemy in the midst of a battle. How he gazed at her with warm affection that reminded her of the crackling campfire situated between the two. How his look burned her innermost being.
She noticed the lingering touches, how his hands would softly graze her neck. How his tight and borderline suffocating hugs seemed to last a second longer than usual, hugs that made her feel as if he never wanted to let go. How he would quickly wrap his body around hers as poison senbon flew at lightning speed towards them. How he would roughly shove her out of danger's way. How tightly he would hold her waist as she awoke from her jutsu in his arms. How his fingers lightly roamed over her exposed midriff as he took a closer look at her wounds. How his calloused hands would grab at hers during their trek to visit fallen comrades, senseis, and fathers. How those same calloused hands had mysteriously softened as they wiped away her saline waterfalls.
Yet those few moments were not the only things the mind walker witnessed. His natural aroma became intoxicating to her senses, as if she could close her eyes and drift upon hundreds of clouds on a warm day. Despite futile attempts to clear her foggy mind of his scent, it still came back to her even as they bounded through the treetops together on an A-Rank mission. His quiet chuckles would always be the loudest thing in a room of one hundred celebrating shinobi. His know-it-all smirk would remain in the back of her mind forever.
He was someone whom she had grown up with, someone who knew her before she even came into existence. So why is it that she was only noticing now?
Subconsciously, she fed into his flame. She poked and prodded at it with the wooden stick of her undisclosed desires and allowed his heat to consume her. It was never open, it was barely obvious, but there were times when the others would give one another questioning looks as they witnessed one of their moments. Chouji had noticed - of course he would. The glue that held their team together had noticed his two very opposite loved ones come together to love one another. Chouji had noticed, and as much as he was pressured to put a stop to it by his clan, he simply could not break their hearts.
So he sat back in pain as he watched them break each other's.
It was not until the future Hokage of Konoha had foolishly opened his mouth. It was not until the Rokudaime had pulled the two into his tense office with a tight expression under his mask. It was not until, against his inner feelings but because of his sworn duty to protect the village, Kakashi had told them what had hurt them the most.
"A disruption in the Ino-Shika-Cho formation would have... devastating effects," he began slowly. The two stood before him solemnly, one with her face covered by a blonde curtain and the other with his eyes narrowed in calculation. Kakashi had kept his poker face as he explained the repercussions their relationship would have. His factual words had destroyed all dreams of a true romance, dreams of marriage, dreams of a family, and dreams of their future beyond. Every single word he spoke made complete sense in the long run, yet the shadow user refused to accept it. Every sentence was met with a quiet rebuttal in his head and a cringe from the woman as she felt her chest constricting. It was not until he had mentioned Asuma, Shikaku and Inoichi that had drawn them to forced acceptance, "Don't ruin what they've worked so hard for."
They were dismissed with a nod of a silver head and the two parted ways without words. Shikamaru soon found himself on a lengthy mission to Sunagakure to aid the Kazekage and Ino was hit left and right with missions that mysteriously paired her with Konoha's resident artist every time. Feelings were not forgotten, but simply pushed into the farthest corners of their brilliant minds. Occasionally they would arise, like when Shikamaru attended the wedding of Sai and his former love, or when Ino found out about the pregnancy of Temari that marked the beginning of the family between the woman and Shikamaru.
Chouji had faced both of their situations with a loving and comforting smile on his face, even though his wife Karui, a bronzed swordswoman from Kirigakure, knew of the pain he felt for them beneath it.
Shikamaru and Ino would continue to play their given roles for the rest of their lives. There would be no more lingering touches or loving gazes from him. She would no longer allow herself to get lost in his unchanging scent, nor would she attempt to ignite his glowing embers once more. No, these were things that they had to reserve for their current spouses.
Law of the Shinobi #10: Both Shinobi and Kunoichi alike will forego personal feelings pertaining to family, friendship, and romance if it has, can, or will effect the growth and development of the village.