Broken Wings
"Ino… Ino… wake up…oh god what a troublesome women," The gentle words of a rough masculine voice pierced her dreams. She slowly rolled over in the direction of the voice. "Troublesome" The word came again and a small smile crept to the sleeping figures face and her hands went to reach around the source of the voice.
Nothing, there was nothing beside her, her blue eyes shot open. Again nothing, nothing was there. She shot up in her bed and her eyes landed on the picture across from her bed resting on her desk. Her body trembled the room suddenly felt cold, empty lonely. Like always he wasn't there, he never will be again.
"Shikamaru" Her voice a low tremor as she looked at the picture and her legs slowly slid up to her chest pulling itself out from underneath the thin pale yellow bedspread. Her frail arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried into her knees. And for the umpteenth time she cried.
"Ugh… crying is troublesome"She shook again, there it was again the words haunting her, his voice, and his presence haunted her. Her grip on her legs tightened and her sharp nails dug into her thighs so hard she drew blood. But the pain never registered, it never did. Only the pain of….
A large hand dropped on her shoulder and she trembled it was happening again and more tears came out but this time it didn't disappear the hand shook her shoulder. "Ino…" The voice was different then the one which haunted her. "Ino..." It said again soaked with concern and worry.
The blonde didn't respond she sat there huddled in her pajamas, though the tears had stopped. "Ino…" A small plead came full of concern and worry. The hand that rested upon her shoulder slid down her forearm and another hand reached behind her back and pulled her against a plush chest. "Ino, don't cry"
Suddenly the girl snapped, pulling out of the embrace her legs swung around off the bed still bleeding, her eyes snapped open and she glared at the boy before. She raised an arm and slapped the round face. Stunned the boy didn't move as the girl sent another blow and continued swinging punches at him.
After the initial shock of her actions one of his arms wrapped around her waist firmly while wincing in pain from the blows that now were only consisted to his chest because she couldn't reach anywhere else. After a moment the boy gave up and shoved his other arm under her legs and roughly threw her over his shoulder only holding her on the underside of her knees.
Her fit didn't stop, if anything it got worse her sudden lash out was accompanied by the salty tears that flooded down her cheek. "CHOUJI" Her voice shrieked out and she clawed at his back attempting to rip the fabric of his red shirt so she could cut at the skin. His grip under her knees tightened as Ino succeeded in her task and dug her fingernails into the skin of his back.
Chouji took one final stride and with his empty hand flung open a curtain and tipped Ino forward. She came crashing down on linoleum hard. She grunted and than let out a terrible wail as a screeching noise ended up with her getting pelted with ice cold water. She flailed and went to get up but Chouji's hands gripped both of her shoulders tightly and pushed her on the ground. He stepped into the shower and straddled her holding her under the stream of ice water.
Ino let out a scream of fury, grief, sorrow and misery as her salty warm tears mixed in with the ice water pouring down on top of her. She fidgeted about under his grasp until finally she gave in and wrapped her arms around his back and buried her head into his soaked plush chest. His hands left her shoulder and the water pelting the two of them stopped. His arms snaked around her waist holding her tightly against him as she whimpered and gulped as her fit came to an end.
"Ino…" Chouji muttered as he pulled back to look at her. One of his chubby hands reached up and pushed her wet bangs back, slicking them against the top of her head.
"Chouji…"She murmured back her blue eyes bright red from her fit of grief. She gave a small smile and than muttered. "Thank you" She pushed away lightly. After a second of consideration Chouji leaned backwards to let her push herself off the ground. Ino slipped a little on the slick floor of her shower and Chouji gripped under her elbow to steady her.
Ino looked down at the boy holding her elbow. "Thank you Chouji, but I wish to be alone right now," She muttered and than took her arm out of his hand and started walking out of the bathroom.
The red haired boy quickly pushed himself up walking after her. "Ino, I don't know if I should leave" His eyes watching her with concern as she walked so weakly. She stopped just out side the bathroom door and turned around again her blue eyes meeting his with a pleading look.
Chouji shook his head but it soon turned into a nod. "Fine, but first let me make you some tea, okay?" Ino looked away and down to the floor silently begging for him to leave. Chouji wavered a little but than glanced back at her frail body, "Ino why don't you go change and I'll make the tea and than I'll be on my way"
The blonde never exactly gave an answer but headed off down the hall towards her bedroom. Chouji strode to the doorframe of the bathroom and his dark eyes watched with worry and concern as Ino slowly pulled the door shut behind her.
Ino leaned against the back of the door and steadied herself for a moment feeling as if her knees were about to give out. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh, she heard the small rustle of the wind blowing her white curtains. Her despair filled blue eyes opened up and landed upon the small frame on the desk. A small glare rested on the glass but even so Ino saw clearly the ponytail, chocolate eyes, and small smirk.
"Ino…"Ino's eyes snapped away from the picture to see a figure in front of her window. Her eyes widened and at the sight before. Her heart ached. His chunnin vest soaked in blood. A scratch across what used to be his perfect tanned skin. She took a step forward.
"Troublesome woman stay back"Her bedroom disappeared and once again she was in the crimson stained clearing in the woods just outside the rain village. Bodies splayed across the grass but only one figure mattered before her. She took a step forward.
"Leave, there is nothing more for you to do here, leave before they kill you"Ino's eyes widened at the familiar dialogue. She knew what was going to happen next. If only, if only this time she could stop it. She went sprinting towards him and threw her arms around him as a kunai came flying towards his chest.
The kunai flew into Shikamaru's side just as it had before. He stumbled backwards with her still attached to him. They both went falling backwards.
"Troublesome woman…"His words were faint and just as before Ino saw the life leaving the lazy chocolate eyes.
"I love you"He murmured as they continued to fall to the ground below.
"SHIKA NO"
Chouji dropped the teakettle to the ground as he heard her screech. The boiling water splashed on the tile. As the large man went running towards the bedroom, Chouji flung the door open only to find it empty. His eyes darted to the open window and shuddered as he sprinted towards it. His head ducked out the window and looked down to see the one sight he didn't want.
Ino's hair was sprawled around her caked in crimson liquid. She was curled in a ball clutching a tiny picture frame of her beloved. She lay on the cement below in pool of her own blood.
"INO!!" He bellowed and quickly ran away from the window and out of the small apartment. He flung open the door and raced to her side. He knelt down besides her placing her head in his lap. He stroked her blonde locks, one of his chubby fingers reaching for a pulse on her neck.
Tears streamed down his round face, as he found no pulse.
She had left this world, to join the one where her beloved Shikamaru waited.