Jealous

Yugao

Summary: He just can't help but be jealous; he just can't help but hurt her in the process.

Author's Note: ShikamaruIno predominates this fic, but there's implied SasukeIno – so double yayness. In any case, this one-shot was inspired by a song by the Filipino band Cueshe' titled Jealous Guy. They're not paying me to advertise for them but you can listen to it if you want.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I don't own Cueshe's Jealous Guy.

"I didn't mean to hurt you

I'm sorry that I made you cry

Oh, I didn't mean to hurt you

I'm just a jealous guy…"

"I hate you."

He turned his head slightly to the left, just enough that he could see her from the corner of his eye; he wanted to lie there and watch for any sign of a joke, any sign betraying her seriousness or lack thereof. There was none. She sat there, her back turned to him, as she drove a kunai deeper and deeper into a tree trunk, boring a hole into it. It almost frightened him. Almost. Instead, he turned away again and replied, "You don't mean that."

No answer. The sound of metal scratching off oaken bark became louder and increasingly irritating. He did his best to tune it out and keep staring up at the wispy, gauzelike clouds that drifted past the sallow darkening sky. However, the more he ignored it, the harder it was to concentrate on the day's strangely intricate cloud formations. He huffed. "How troublesome."

"There you go again," she mumbled from where she sat, "Everything's troublesome, isn't it, Shikamaru? It's even more troublesome now, because you seem to think it your business poking into my life." The hole she made in the trunk was about as big as her clenched fist, which she drove into the trunk forcefully after she withdrew the kunai.

He sat up, distracted from his favorite pastime. "I think it ought to be my business if my teammate gets herself into something that will only hurt her," he answered, tired of her accusations. She didn't understand – he was doing this for her. "We've been teammates since we were children, Ino, even before the Academy. I'm supposed to look out for you. And I'm doing just that."

"And how will it hurt me, Shikamaru?" she asked, flinging the kunai off into the bushes to only the kami know where. She stared at him for the longest while, her aquamarine eyes like the stormy sea. The look she wore was hurt, betrayed, and frustrated all at the same time. He hadn't known these eyes to be in such a tumult of emotion before. "When I laugh, do you think I mean to break down and cry? When I smile, do you think I'm suppressing my tears? When I'm with the one I want to be with, do you think I would want anything else?"

His clenched fist shook. "Ino, I don't want you to get hurt! Do you really think that being with him will make you happy? Do you really think you can find your so-called heart's half in a traitor who barely spares you a passing glance?"

"Thank you," she answered as she pushed herself up off the ground, "Before you said that I actually had hopes. I wanted you to be happy for me, Shikamaru, because you're my dearest friend and I thought you'd respect my opinions like you did before. Why the sudden change now? I've loved him all these years, but you've never said a word against it before. And now he's come back, more powerful but not evil, never evil, despite what others may say."

Dearest friend. Those two words echoed in the recesses of his mind. He ignored them. "We're not children anymore, Ino! I thought you'd be able to see him for who he is. Sure, he's come back. Sure, everyone says he's changed for the better. But who can really say?"

"Can you hear yourself, Shikamaru? Do you even know what you're saying?" she asked slowly as she walked towards him. A soft evening drizzle was just falling, making her long blond hair cling slightly to her face. "How can you say such things about Sasuke? You don't even know him."

He smirked, his eyes to the ground. "It's true that I never knew him, and I don't think I'll ever care to." Around him raindrops began to fall, and, uneager to continue the conversation, he took his teammate by the hand and made to lead her away, when a sharp, stinging pain rose on his cheek. He touched a hand to it, surprised, even more so when he saw the bold red mark the impact had made on her hand.

She was crying, now. He had not often seen her cry, and not violently as she was at that moment. "What's wrong with you, Shikamaru? Don't you want me to be happy?" she asked.

"He can't make you happy," he replied, letting go of her wrist. There was so much he wanted to say – no, so much he needed to say. But it all went unsaid as the rain poured ever harder on them, soaking them in all that was left unspoken. His mouth was dry, but he struggled to get the words out. "He doesn't love you, Ino. He never has and never will love anyone but himself."

Her eyes were downcast as she turned away. "I…" her voice faltered. Recovering, she added formally, "I must be getting home now. My parents will have been waiting up for me, as yours would be, too. Don't keep them worried."

"Ino." He didn't dare touch her again, afraid of what she would do. Still, he needed her to stay. He needed to tell her. "Ino, please."

She looked back at him. "What is it?" she asked hoarsely.

"I…" he groped for the right words to say. Though he had often been called a genius, often been praised for his almost unbeatable tactics and stratagems, and often been dubbed the most accomplished shinobi of his year, he could find nothing that would encompass what he wanted to tell her. He hung his head dejectedly, not wanting to meet her eyes.

He didn't want to look into those hurt, accusing blue-green eyes.

"Please, Ino," he whispered, "I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to see you hurt. And the idea of seeing you broken-hearted over and over frightens me, no matter how much I try to hide it. I care about you, Ino, and since we were kids my whole life was about protecting you. I don't want you to throw that all away now."

The betrayed look in her eyes fell, replaced with sympathy and something akin to pity – two things he didn't want and didn't need. Her tears still fell, mixed with the lightly falling rain. Then, slowly, she surprised him again. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on him. He felt her short, ragged sobs against him, with her head buried in his shoulder. He felt his own arms encircle her small form, holding her tight.

Maybe, he thought to himself, If we stay like this forever, I can protect her.

"Shikamaru," she whispered softly as she struggled to keep her voice even and unwavering, "I don't want to be hurt, either. But above my fear of being hurt, I don't want to see you hurting yourself because of me. If I do end up with my heart broken, it'll be a lesson learned. But Shikamaru… let me take this chance. Please? I'll take care of myself, I promise."

He bit his lip, glad she wasn't able to see the emotion his face betrayed. "Promise?" was all he managed to ask.

"Promise," she sniffled.

Maybe, he thought to himself, someday she'll understand.

Author's Note: Bwahh! It doesn't make sense, does it? No, I thought not. I just wanted to twiddle with grown-up Ino and Shika. So… yes, very sorry if it was inadequate. Thanks anyway for reading; I'd like to know what you thought of it.