This fanfiction is a one shot and was the first one I ever posted onto here. I have changed and re-wrote and improved this fanfiction many times before, since I didn't like it. I rushed the original version, and clearly (the lack of reviews in particular) told me that it wasn't as good as my newer ones.
Therefore, I am now attempting to re-write it for the last time. It has been bugging me a lot over the time I have spent on this site, but I put it off.
Now I do hope you all like this and decide it is finally worthy of more reviews than it originally did.
This has been updates as of 26/06/2012.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters. This is purely for fun!
Read and Review please!
-:D-
A dark haze rose in the distance.
Shikamaru Nara knew it wouldn't be long before the heavy storm would be riding over konoha. He sighs softly into the wind, which had been picking up speed over the morning and early afternoon. How troublesome.
He just hoped the clouds that were above my head would not disappear. he watches them now, as they float slowly on, not as pure white as they usually are. They were a sort of gray, plump and mist-like. Must be because of the storm.
It was your typical Friday, except for the storm of course, but Shikamaru was still relaxing under the clouds, as he watched their shapes slowly shift and change image overhead. It was one of his favourite past times, especially after the long, tiring and very troublesome mission he had just finished the day before.
He had decided that today he would reward himself with a lazy day of relaxing.
The mission was to escort Gaara (who had recently become Kazekage) and his sister Temari to and from Konoha. The lank, lazy Nara did not find the mission itself particularly difficult, nor had he found it annoying or difficult to handle the Kazekage's quiet nature. What had been so troublesome however, was the Kazekage's older sister.
For the most part of the trip, she has plagued Shikamaru with questions that bored him to no end. She had an attitude that kept him on edge for the whole two trips and had been too ignorant to listen to her younger brother when he had told her to leave their escort alone.
Not only was the trip a hassle. But Shikamaru knew that gossip would rein during his return back to Konoha, mainly because of a certain team mate who was renowned as the 'gossip queen of Konoha'.
He dreaded the stares and whispers as people were told that he had been in a weird love hate relationship with the blonde haired sand siblings.
So of course he was not a happy bunny when he hears the soft 'Shikamaru…' that he hears off to his left.
He stays lying on the mossy grass, hands behind his head.
He doesn't answer the voice.
'Shika-san' the voice calls again. It was much closer this time. And it was coated with sweetness. Oh bother.
Hesitantly, the pineapple haired boy lazily raises his head to look at the person heading towards him. He sighs again, this time shallow and low.
A blonde girl, with bright blue eyes was heading towards him, a thin smile plastered on her pale face. She looked quite beautiful, with her hair tied into a pony tail, a long side fringe covering part of her beautiful electric blue eyes. Shikamaru shakes that odd thought from his mind and remembers that she is annoying and stupid and shouldn't be here.
'What is it Ino?' He asks, rolling his eyes and going back to watching the clouds.
Said girl comes over to his side, blatantly ignoring his annoyed eye rolling and plonks herself down on the ground, only a few metres away from said boy.
'I knew you'd be up here' She says, all matter of fact. He groans inwardly and closes his eyes instead of looking at clouds. Or her. Either one he didn't know.
"Why must she insist on annoying me, if she knew that I would be here?" He thinks to himself, trying to ignore the blonde's presence."How does she not realise I'm annoyed with her?"
Shikamaru guesses, that it is because she is Ino, and that is what Ino does best; annoy the heck outta people and then pretend she doesn't notice.
He feels a sharp pain in his side, and realises she must have poked him hard.
'You never answered me' she mumbles, grinning at him even though her words spoke differently. He opens one eye to look at her.
'Why are you here?' he asks, watching her grin widen even more so. How troublesome.
She is silent a moment, her eyes glittering with a strange, unknown excitement, then she replies.
'I was bored' she states simply, and instantly he knows it was a lie. She was just too easy to predict.
The blonde girl sits with him in silence then, as he is much too bored and annoyed to answer her. This time, she does not poke him.
'Why are you so quiet?' She questions, resting her head on her knees as she watches him with those bright blue orbs of hers. He looks at her again, and tries his best not to death glare her into silence. Even though she completely deserved it.
'I don't know…' He replies, brushing my fingers along the mossy grass. He bit back the urge to say something sarcastic. Sarcasm of course, is the lowest form of whit. Instead, he focuses on the feeling of the blades of grass under his calloused hands. He liked the feeling of the grass under his fingertips. It felt so soft and real, unlike most things.
Beside him, Ino plays with her hair unconsciously, her eyes absent and thoughtful. Her long blonde hair is rustled in the strengthening wind. He can't help but watch her for a bit, as she watches the clouds above, her blue eyes sparkling in the light of the storm in the distance.
A small thought slowly creeps up in his mind. Even though he tries his hardest to push the thought away, it fought back and somehow, he found himself wondering, what did Ino's pretty blonde hair feel like under his fingertips?
Did it feel like the grass, or better?
"Urgh". He wished he could have kept that thought locked up, with all the other random thoughts that he didn't need in his head.
Ino's bright eyes watch his face carefully, her lips slightly pursed and her hands hugging her knees to her chest.
'Listen Shikamaru, I have a question to ask you…' She says quietly. So quietly in fact, that he had trouble actually hearing what she said.
'Hmm, what is it?' he replies, uncertain of what she is going to ask. It'd be something annoying and girly; as always. Likely hood was that it had something to do with the gossip that had been spread through the town about him and that Temari girl.
Ino sighs; much like Shikamaru does, and plays with her hands in a Hinata like fashion. The seconds tick past, and she still doesn't reply. He groans. This was so very awkward. The silence was killing him. "What the hell was it that she wanted to ask me? And why was she taking so long?" He thinks bitterly.
The storm was still rising in the distance, and Shikamaru could feel it getting steadily closer. Very soon, the dark, angry clouds would be high over konoha and he didn't want to be around when it started it rain. He really should be getting home soon, before the storm finally breaks over konoha. He shakes his pineapple head in bewilderment.
He turns his attention back to his blonde team mate and stares at her for a moment.
'Could you just ask me the question?' He asks, closing his eyes again. he yawns loudly.
He really wanted to be at home now, in the warmth of his room, where he could sleep and not have to do anything else.
'Shika…Are you really going out with that sand girl?' She asks suddenly.
He pauses. What an odd question to ask…
'Shouldn't you know the answer to that?' He replies with annoyance in his voice, conscious of her eyes on his face. "Is she just trying to make me get angry?"
Her voice takes on a defensive tone and she narrows her eyes a little. 'Why would I know the answer to that Shikamaru?' she retorts indignantly.
He looks at her. 'You were the one who started the damned rumour!' he growls shaking his head.
Her blues eyes flash dangerously. 'Of course I didn't start the rumour! If I had I wouldn't have asked you if it were true!' She cries heatedly crossing her arms across her chest.
'But you always start the rumours' Shikamaru replies.
His blonde team mate pauses for a split second.
'And why would I start a rumour about you and that…that sand girl?'
'I don't know' He replies, anger dying a bit in his voice. 'All I know is nearly all rumours can be traced back to you. Maybe you were jealous or something…'
He knew he'd pissed her off then. She stood up immediately and glares at him. Shikamaru knew that you never call Ino jealous.
'I am NOT jealous of you and that sand bitch!' She growls, hands closing into fists. 'I don't care if you two are going out!'
'Well we're not' He replies suddenly.
She stops glaring at him for a millisecond.
'You're not?' she questions, her anger halted for the moment.
'No…we're not' He replies honestly. 'She's troublesome. Not my type'
'Apart from the blonde hair of course' a far away part of Shikamaru's mind mutters. He shakes his head. 'Where the hell had that come from?'
'So what is your type then?' She asks.
'That doesn't concern you' He replies a bit too coldly than he had wanted.
'Oh' was all she replies.
Had he heard some sort of regret? Or was it annoyance in her voice?
He couldn't tell. How bothersome.
It seemed that Ino was the only person Shikamaru could not figure out. It always annoyed him that she could be so...unpredictable at times. They were meant to be on a team together, and even though they had a few heart to hearts, this question had been out of the blue and suddenly made his brain hurt in an unknown rage.
Loud thunder crackles through the valley to his left. He sighs. The storm was almost upon them now.
He sits up, and slowly gets to his feet, stretching thoroughly, before looking down at his kunoichi friend.
'Would you like some help?' He asks her, his hand held out awkwardly for her to take. Her blue orbs rest on his hand for a moment, as if she is contemplating her next move...to choose whether or not to accept his offer.
She hesitates, and then takes his hand delicately, before he pulls her to her feet.
'Thanks' she replies. He smile inside his head when he sees that there is what he thinks, is a slight blush covering her pale cheeks.
They walk away from the deserted training grounds, side by side. She keeps a steady pace with him as they walk.
Ino looks up at the greying sky, her eyes full with wonder.
'This storm is going to be very bad isn't it?' She asks after a moment, her sweet voice highlighting her now worried expression.
'Yes I suppose it is' He answers, all matter of fact. 'So you should hurry home before it starts' he adds, almost like an after thought.
Ino's brow furrows as she thinks. 'No, Shika. I can't go home now, there is no one there and plus, I know it'll start raining before I can get there' She groans, pushing a piece of hair from her face. 'My house is just too far away from the training grounds'
She was right. She did live too far away from the grounds to make it home in time. He sighs. Maybe she could make it home in time is she was faster.
'Ino…You could make it home if you hurried' He says, looking at her sideways.
Ino looks down at her hands. There must be another reason why she didn't want to go home. And Shikamaru's guess was that she was going to tell him her other problem, even if he didn't want to hear it.
'Shikamaru, I'm scared of storms' she admits, her eyes quite worried. 'And my parents are off on missions'
'Fine, you can come to my house then…' He say finally, after some thought. 'Just as long as you aren't troublesome'
The blonde kunoichi nods. 'I promise' she agrees. She gives him and odd pretty smile, and to his annoyance, his heart seems to skip a beat. He almost stops at the sudden change in his quickening heart rate. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He thinks, cursing himself inside. Maybe he was really tired.
He decides to ignore his troublesome body, and continue walking on. The only sound is their feet hitting the floor as they speed up, trying to reach his house before the storm hits. He can still see the dark grey clouds over konoha. The clouds were almost black in colour.
They carry on walking in a comfortable silence for a while.
'Do you like Temari though?' Ino asks, not looking at Shikamaru.
'No' He replies, not looking at her.
'Why?'
'I don't know'
'There's a reason for everything'
'I just don't'
'Oh come on there must be a reason'
'There is but you don't need to know'
'I do'
'Why do you need to know!' He finally cracks. Looking at her dead in the eyes.
She stops walking and so does he.
'Because!' She says flatly, before turning and trying to carry on walking.
Out of instinct, he grabs her arm, and pulls her back. She gasps and looks at him wide eyed for a second.
'Why does it possibly matter why I don't fancy someone?' he asks. He still hadn't let go of her arm.
She looks at his hand gripping her pale arm, and then looks back to him. Finally turning her head away from him, and looking up the road as if it were more interesting than anything she had ever seen, staring intently at a point Shikamaru didn't see, she replies.
'Because I have to know'
'Have to know what?' He asks, prodding her to continue with his intense eyes.
He tries to ignore the burning feeling in his hand as he holds her arm.
She doesn't reply. Her eyes are still focused on anything but him.
'Ino' he says. He liked the way her name rolled off his tongue naturally, like it was meant to leave his lips. He ignores that thought and says her name again.
She stubbornly doesn't look at him or even reply. Troublesome woman.
Wait. Since when had he seen Ino as a woman? He thinks back to when she had first started to train harder. He had watched her for days on end, after she and Sakura had fought in the chuunin exams, train all day. He knew she would train all night if he and Choji would let her. That was when he was her as a woman. 'heh'.
He was brought out of his reverie as a drop of water splatters onto his forehead. He looks up, and sees that the storm was right over Konoha now. It was starting to rain. Great.
He lifts his hand up, and brings Ino's head around to face him.
'Tell me Ino' He demands, looking her right in her electric blue eyes. He could tell she wanted to look away. But she didn't. It was like she was caught in his gaze, as he looked into her own eyes.
'I had to know whether you liked her or not because…' She begins, and Shikamaru almost sighs in relief that she had at last started to talk again.
She pauses and stutters.
'I had to know why you didn't like her because…' She tries again. Shikamaru doesn't break eye contact with her. He wouldn't be able to handle the troublesomeness of this if she didn't answer him.
'Yes?' he says, wanting her to continue. Shikamaru was starting to doubt his own reasons for wanting to know. Was he just curious and annoyed? Or was it because…
'I wanted to know so I could tell if you disliked me too' She finally replies.
Shikamaru was stumped by this.
'Why would you think I disliked you?' He asks, all agitation gone.
'I-'She doesn't finish. She looks away again. A little blush forms on the apple of his cheeks. Shikamaru wanted to face palm.
More droplets of water were falling now. And if they didn't start moving again soon, they'd be caught up in the full blunt force of the impending storm.
Shikamaru didn't know what to say. He honestly didn't. troublesome women. He thought for a moment, and then opens his mouth to reply. But what he had intended to say, actually comes out as what he never thought he'd ever say.
'I don't dislike you. I like you more than Temari, and most other girls to be honest' He wanted to hit himself as soon as he'd said it. Stupid mouth.
Ino looks at him, her blue eyes wide.
'You like me more than anyone else?' She repeats as a question.
'Yes'
Silence.
She stares at him for a long while. He was unsure of what to say. The rain was becoming harder, and he wondered why she hadn't said anything about her precious hair yet.
Finally, Ino smiles.
It was a different smile. A bright smile that made Shikamaru's heart somewhat melt. He looks at her lips. He pauses.
And then he does something else he thought he'd never ever do.
He leans in close to her, closing the distance between them, finally letting her arm go, and very very lightly, almost feather light in touch, he presses his lips to hers.
The rain was splattering down his neck, and so he pulls away from her. He doesn't look at her.
'Sorry' He says. He had no idea what had come over him.
'That wasn't a kiss' She says.
He looks at her.
'It was'
'Wasn't'
'Fine, what is a kiss then?'
Ino then tiptoes up slightly and she kisses him with enough passion to send his inner feelings into turmoil. All the thoughts from before, the thoughts he tried to push away, come flowing through his head, and instantly, he deepens the kiss that she started.
Suddenly, the heavens open completely and heavy rain starts to fall over konoha.
He grins into the sweet kiss and lets the rain spatter over his face. Her hair was getting drenched, but she didn't seem to mind. Both their clothes were getting drenched, and was starting to stick to their bodies.
Pulling away from the kiss, she takes hold of his hand, and leads him away, the rain soaking them both.
'Tell me why you like me better' she whispers. Shikamaru bites back a smile, and leans his head down to her ear.
'Gladly'