Hello All,
Long time no write , ! I'm so inspired and the muse is constantly feeding me. So Enjoy!
Disclaimer: all of the characters in this fan-fiction belong Masashi Kishimoto.
Not me.
He lay in the grass, staring up at the sky. Seeking solace in his thoughts, which never seemed to cease. This was the one place he could feel at ease, forget about strategies, life and the troublesome people in it.
Twilight was slowly but surely making it's way across the sky in and the stars began to light up the sky, one by one.
"Troublesome…" he thought. Not that the stars were ugly, they just couldn't compare to moving clouds.
Clouds were much simpler in all aspects. Simplicity wasn't something that crossed his path very often these days. The war had been won, the allied forces were victorious. Konoha had been rebuilt, a few tweaks missing here and there, but it was back on it`s feet for the most part.
Things were relatively peaceful in his hometown ,but he still considered his life troublesome for various reasons.
If anything, all he wanted to do was lie on his little hill and dream of the days when all he did was doze off, wake up and stare at the clouds, then doze off again ,wake up and stare at the clouds.
"man! Those were the days"
His reverie continued and his thoughts wandered to his former team.
Damn, he really missed Asuma. Playing Shougi with his father just wasn't the same.
He reached into his flak vest pocket and fingered a pack of smokes, Judging by it's somewhat crumpled feel it had been in there for quite a while, and it wasn't crumpled just for that reason, the last time he had tried to light up in front of Ino she had snatched the cigarette from his mouth with lighting fast speed and then tried to force the package from his hand. She succeeded in confiscating the smoke, however was not able to coerce him to let go of the pack.
She put up a fight, but then again so did he and they both knew he was superior in strength and on that particular day he did not feel like succumbing to her bossiness and yanked hard enough to make her let go, pocketing the pack immediately (she wouldn't have the nerve to stick her hand in there and go digging for it) .
"troublesome woman" he grumbled to no one in particular.
He'd taken up smoking again, he found that he was more prone to do it when he was stressed as opposed to his late sensei, who used to do the exact opposite.
His memory fast-forwarded to the war he'd been fighting just a few months ago. He'd come home as a war hero, he'd fought alongside the Sand shinobi. Proxy commander of his division, under Gaara nonetheless.
But that was not what troubled his hyperactive mind as of late. Something else entirely did. Something that in his younger days he would have denied vehemently were someone to hint that it might come to be…
It was plain knowledge or at least a general suspicion among his group of friends and acquaintances that there was something going on between the Kazekage's older sister and himself.
It was not a suspicion, he knew it was a fact or at least had been. But both she and he were smart enough to deny it at all costs and to conceal it expertly. It had all been in her plans to be appointed ambassador of Suna in order to visit him more frequently, it had also been in their plans to have him monitor the chuunin exams so as to give more opportunities to see each other.
At one point, right before the war, fearing what could happen he had taken the initiative of proposing that they come out with the truth.
"Boy…had that gone well…"
"Temari we need to talk…"
He was shirtless, in an Inn room located in one of the more dubious districts of Suna, leaning against the windowpane and soaking in her robe-clad form sprawled out on the bed in front of him, smoking a long pipe .She occasionally smoked tobacco in a pipe as opposed to actual cigarettes, he'd been exposed to this occasional habit of hers after their first sexual encounter, back when he'd been sixteen in the empty locker room of the chuunin exams. He'd lost his virginity to her then, and he had liked it…very much so.
"After all that exercise you'd think a lazy guy like you would want to nap Nara."
The kunoichi said in a leisurely manner, lips slightly turned up at the corners taking a long drag from the pipe.
His gaze which had previously been traveling up and down her voluptuous body stopped at her face, his chocolate eyes pierced directly into her own dark aqua ones.
"Seriously Temari, what are we doing?"
"What do you mean?"
He knew her well enough to hear the feign in her tone.
"tsk…troublesome, you know exactly what I mean."
He saw her form suddenly stiffen.
She turned over, propping her elbow up and leaning her head on it.
She was truly stunning as far as he was concerned. The way she looked with her pigtails undone, her unruly hair framing her face, the sunlight, which seeped through the curtains bringing out the deep turquoise of her eyes .
"illuminate me Nara, I would really like to understand what's making YOU out of all people act so… so emotional"
he chose to ignore the comment, in hopes of preventing an argument, his intentions were the opposite of that.
Taking a deep breath and mumbling his signature "medokuse.." he got up and moved to sit by her on the motel bed.
What he said next seemed very uncharacteristic on his part, and he himself couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth.
"Temari, I…I think I'm in love with you..I want to be with you."
For a split seconds his 200 IQ mind registered her face soften and just like that it went back to that determined, defensive look she wore when she was in defensive mode.
"I told you it would be better not to complicate things Shikamaru.
If I remember correctly, you agreed and even mentioned that you would never want things to get too "troublesome"either. Geez.. I thought we were above this crap."
A pang of anger and disappointment shot through him, and he knew that she saw it on his visage.
"Look, I'm…. I know I'm not exactly the romantic or sensitive type, but I'm being truthful Temari. I love you, I want to be with you and I want everyone to know."
"But Shikamaru, we're already together. We're in a "relationship" as they call it. What good would it do to go around announcing it?"
He was at a loss for words, and then inexplicably anger took him over, ironically he the one who was supposed to be so rational felt irrational, the last time he had felt irrational and out of control was when Asuma passed away.
"I want everyone to know were together! I told you, you TROUBLESOME WOMAN! I'm in love with you, I think you might be the one I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I want it official, I want your family to know, I want my family to know. I don't want to have to wait months to see you! War could break out any minute and one of use might not survive it! I..want everyone to know you're mine!"
"ENOUGH!" she bellowed with a menacing tone.
"I told you this years ago and don't believe I have to say it again, GROW UP Nara. I thought you had outgrown that crybaby I met 4 years ago."
By now she had gotten up and was gesticulating with the pipe at him in synch with her speech, like a mean teacher with a yardstick.
"First of all, don't try that chauvinistic Nara crap on me. Second of all where do you think this can possibly go? OFFICIAL? Are you out of your mind? You don't own me and you know perfectly well that I'm not leaving Suna to live in Konoha."
From the moment of his outburst to her latter commet he had been calculating the outcomes to his outburst and BINGO! This was precisely one of them, and he thought he had the perfect strategy to outmaneuver her reasoning.
"I don't' care, I'll leave Konoha and come here to be with you."
"Please just stop it… You're embarrassing yourself, I didn't sign up for this Nara, and you damn well know it. "
The room fell quiet, the tension in the room was palpable, he hadn't thought she would react this badly. He looked down in embarrassment over having just poured out emotions he fought so well to keep in check.
She suddenly cut the silence .
"I'm sorry, I think we should end this…I was evidently wrong about you. I'm sorry I shouldn't have let it get this far."
That reaction was even worse than anything he'd anticipated. Women were so troublesome, he might have been a genius, but they seemed to be the only thing he couldn't solve, no matter how many different outcomes he calculated…
What she said next made his heart sink even deeper.
"Honestly, I don't love you. This was fun and all…but where can it go?"
She got up, setting the pipe down on the porcelain ashtray on the bed's side table.
His head was downcast, he felt defeated and beyond embarrassed for going out on a limb like that.
"Don't look like that Nara, you have a promising future ahead of you, and so do I. Just not with you."
"Is that really how you feel Temari?"
"Nara, I thought you'd know me well enough by now to know that I don't play games."
His heart was breaking, damn it.. and worst of all, she looked completely unfazed.
"I…understand"
With these two words, he got up, hastily picking his scattered clothes off the floor and getting dressed ensued by a beeline for the door, without looking back.
"It's better this way, Nara."
He paused in with his hand on the doorknob.
Looking back once, he tried his hardest to keep a straight face.
"goodbye Temari."
Being put in the same division as her during the war seemed like the gods or whoever was up there were punishing him.
However, both had remained professional during the whole ordeal, made easier by the fact that their division was split up not too long after that, sending them off into separate battles. Still, it had been hell to try and forget her and not worry for her life whilst he tried to keep his and his division's lives safe as well.
Securing the cylindrical object in between his lips while trying to shoo the memories from his head, he knew it was a filthy habit and not only he but also his teammates had detested Asuma's smoking at first, but these days the smell of tobacco only triggered memories of Asuma, and somehow it made it seem as if he were present. At least that's how it was for Shikamaru. People needed comforting in times of stress and loneliness, and as much as he hated to admit it he was one of those at that moment.
he reached into his other pocket looking for Asuma's silver lighter, only to find it wasn't there.
"Looking for this Shikamaru?" he'd recognize that high-pitched voice anywhere.
He had heard it in variation of decibels since his childhood days.
"mendouku-se…" he muttered. All he needed now was Ino pestering him.
And there she was, standing right above him ,one of the most troublesome women that had ever entered his life (and from day one nonetheless).
In between her index finger and thumb, both with dark purple polish on their nails, dangled Asuma's lighter.
"meh! Thought you'd get away with it huh? You're loosing your touch Shika, I may have not gotten the cigs from you that day, but I attained something just as satisfactory"
Was he really getting that lazy that he didn't notice Ino up to her shenanigans twice in a row? Or was she getting faster? Well, it didn't matter , his eyes were set on the lighter, his face lined in a definite frown.
"Ino I don't feel like playing today, why don't you just…."
Before he could finish his sentence she had snatched the cigarette out of his mouth and in a split second he swore he was about to loose it. REALLY, How troublesome could she get? Was she going out of her way to piss him off today?
His expression changed from that of his characteristic scowl to utter surprise as he watched her settle the cigarette between her own full pink lips.
Flipping the lighter open and igniting the flame in one smooth move she lit the cigarette on her lips. Taking a long drag and then letting out a smooth trail of smoke, she shifted from her squatting position and sat down, leaning on her arms and appraising the sky.
"Ino, what the hell?"
She seemed to ignore him, stuck in her own little reverie, taking puffs of the cigarette from time to time. She looked like she was actually enjoying it.
"Troublesome… Ino are you out of your mind? You used to beat me every time you caught me smoking and now you are?"
She gave him a sideway glance but continued mum.
She let her back plop down on the grass ungraciously with the cigarette in her mouth.
His patience was wearing thin…but then again when was his patience ever bountiful around Ino?
He glanced up at the sky, he had to admit that this particular night the stars were breathtaking, the clouds had faded and the air stood still, summer was halfway through to autumn and the cicadas were singing much softer these days.
"che…they're just old light you know…"he grumbled looking to the sky.
After taking a long and final drag she put the cancer stick out on the grass beside her, exhaling the smoke slowly.
"I know that ,stupid. I just don't see why you always gotta take the fun out of things, you've been real boring lately Shika"
"Ah! It speaks!"
the answer to that was a firm pinch on his arm.
"OUCH! What did I do now?"
"Oh shut up Shikamaru, GEEZ can't you see I'm just trying to enjoy myself in my old teammate's company for a bit? And no matter how much contempt you have for women, I am NOT an IT."
"What the hell Ino! You came and invaded my cloud watching spot, might I mention on MY family's lands, stole my cigarette and …"
last part's not anything new… he thought bitterly, recalling all the punches, kicks, slaps and pinches he received from her since childhood.
"What's wrong with you anyway?"
pause, glare.
"I don't know what you mean by that Ino."
"Oh please Shikamaru, I've known you since we were born and we've been on the same team for years….against my will initially I might add. I may be blonde but I know when something's off with you."
"yeah, whatever…I think your blonde theory may be off Ino, I`m fine."
This earned him a well-deserved slap to the back of the head.
"You deserved that and you know it. Don't play coy with me moron, now spit it out…or shall I try and probe your head for an answer?"
"Please Ino, whatever interrogation techniques you learned from Ibiki and your father aren't going to work on me because you forget that I have also been there since day one, seen your training and completely understand your clan's ability, needless to say it won't work on me."
He looked her straight in the eye and could swear he saw a flash of disappointment within them.
Disappointment at what though? He knew she always felt vulnerable about being referred to as the weakest member of the team, felt resentment at being told that her technique only worked if he was there to back her up…
"I see…well, I'll have you know the real reason I came looking for you was because your mother was going hysterical , Chouji was busy with his own clan's business and I as you just plainly made clear am the only other idle people with heaps of free time on her hands who knows you. Thus allowing me to come up here and try to make you feel better from whatever it is that's eating at you."
"Ino stop twisting my words! I never said you were idle and you know it!…so troublesome. Besides, what makes you think I need cheering up?"
"You know what, I don't even know why I bothered. After-all, I knew that "troublesome" was the only thing I was gonna get out of you, and frankly it's getting SO old."
Great, now she was upset with him, and he failed to see how he was directly to blame for that, as usual. He had to say that Yamanaka Ino, though being the one non-blood related woman he had known since he was in diapers, was the hardest of all to read. But knowing her for 17 years did give him a few pointers.
For example: The fact that she was a health freak and had just smoked an entire cigarette without hacking was a sure sign of something.
"Sorry Ino , I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's fine Shikamaru, I'm used to men and their complete disregard for women's feelings."
"Wha..?"
Where was all this coming from?
"You know what, let's just change the subject Shika. You got another one of those?" she gestured to the cigarette pack now lying next to his slouching form.
"No, Ino. You had the last one, and speaking of changing the subject since when have you taken up smoking?"
"oh you know, one of those filthy habits you pick you with other people"
"surely not me."
"Definitely not you, but I digress. This is boring and it's getting dark. Had enough lazing around? "
"Yeah, yeah..better head back before the old woman tries to ground me again."
"haha! Yoshino-san still grounds you? hahaha" she burst out into laughter.
"I wouldn't brag Ino. Look at your own family."
"oh, you mean otousan? He got over trying to control me a while ago."
Silence ensued as they made their way downhill, past the pines in the Nara compound, the genius walking at a leisurely pace a few steps behind her.
Shikamaru's eyes wandered to Ino's perfectly toned and overexposed back, partially covered by her free flowing platinum locks, then down to her also toned and rounded rear.
He was painfully aware of the fact that his skinny, bratty and annoying team-mate had become a woman, and so was the rest of the male population in the village.
Being sex deprived for the last few months, it was one of those things he couldn't help but notice.
Her skin revealing outfits didn't help either. She wasn't in her usual kunoichi attire, instead donning a pair of what he could only assume were shorts (if they could be called that) and some type of halter top…in a shade of purple of course.
There were still ways to go before they reached the clearing leading to the Nara compound's ginormous backyard. They were walking as opposed to gliding over the trees like the ninja they were.
Nobody seemed to be in a rush these days, things were peaceful in the ninja realm. No need to exert one's chakra unnecessarily.
She suddenly turned on her heel, facing the shadow-nin.
"Earth to Shikamaru! Can we pick up the pace please? I'd like to get home before the next sunrise!"
The way he was looking at her abashed her, she'd only seen him give those looks to one other person and that one person hadn't been around for quite a while, considering that person wasn't even a resident of the village.
"uh..Shika? I think I`m just gonna get a move on now…just make sure to get home before your mom pounds you."
Having said this, she turned on her heel again and picked up the pace making her way down the trail that led to the exit of the Nara compound, overly abundant in pine trees for her tastes, she probably reeked of pine now…better than having the reek of tobacco on her when she ran into her father. She did not feel up to explaining to him as to why she smelled like cigarettes.
Suddenly she felt two strong hands gripping her shoulders and spinning her whole body around, what happened next didn't register for a bit. One second she was walking, the next she was pulled, twisted around and pressed up against a tree? She had closed her eyes the whole time expecting some kind of impact, confusion befuddling her. When she opened her eyes very slowly, she saw the shadow-nin staring very intensely at her and pressing himself against her in a very…wanton. If she tilted her head up just an inch right now her lips would touch his, which is why she immediately looked away and turned her head down, her cheeks were half of her was in a daze and the other was feeling utterly embarrassed for some reason, what in world Shikamaru?
She could feel there was definitely something electric between them, right here and then. Yet she found the urge to resist it very, very difficult.
This wasn't the first time she found herself in this position with a boy, but somehow it felt so… different …new perhaps?
With face downcast and cheeks stained red she managed to mutter out some words.
"This is sudden lazy ass…WHAT? Is there something hiding behind those trees that might get us? If so, I don't need you to protect me, and certainly not like this.."
No answer..
He didn't seem himself right now. The answer she eventually got was being pressed harder against the bark of the tree and consequently tighter into his body.
"You know Ino…I've had enough of you bossing me around and of your loud mouth."
As he said this she felt his left arm which had been leaning against the tree alongside the other and holding her there, go limp right next to her leg and then a chill ran up her spine as she felt one of his calloused fingers trail up her outer thigh.
"but to answer your question from earlier in perfect candor….what's wrong with me right now, is you"
She tried to push him off to no avail. He was like a rock, completely unmoving.
The lone finger that had been caressing her outer thigh had now become a full hand moving up and down slow and teasingly. It's not that she wasn't used to it, in her other experiences many men had been much more forward than he was being at the moment. But out of all the men, Shikamaru? Her lazy teammate, who had always treated her as nothing but a teammate and family friend...was coming on to her?
She looked away, the redness still apparent on her cheeks.
"Stop jerking around Shikamaru, you were never the joking type. Are you DRUNK?"
"no, I`m not drunk. But I can only endure so much Ino….You know you're starting to look like those cherry tomatoes you like so much heh."
She slapped his hand away from her leg, putting chakra into her hands and successfully pushing him off. She was beginning to get pissed off.
"What the hell are you hinting at you moron? Have you lost your mind? We are teammates! Childhood buddies! How could you even…"
Before she could finish her sentence he shut her up with his lips. Pushing her up against the tree once more.
His lips were surprisingly soft on hers and she found herself surrendering as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist and brought her body closer to his once again.
She felt his tongue seek entry into her mouth, and surrendered, letting him invade her, next thing she knew she was kissing back fiercely.
The scent of jasmine and her own skin was intoxicating to him all of a sudden.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss. Her back once again pushed up against the tree and he broke the kiss to ravage her exposed neck, trailing down her collarbone and stopping to suck the small area between said place and her bosom. This resulted in an involuntary moan escaping her lips, in reflex digging her nails into his shoulder blades.
He took the moan as permission to proceed, and his free hand travelled down to her bottom, gripping it with full force and grounding her hips into his own.
Only to be unceremoniously interrupted by…
"NARA SHIKAMARU IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASS IN THIS HOUSE IN THE NEXT MINUTE YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT DINNER…AND ANY OTHER MEAL FOR THE NEXT WEEK."
The shrill sound of Yoshino's voice echoed through the compound and was enough to bring Ino back to her senses, becoming suddenly completely rational as to what had been going on for the last few minutes. By now his ministrations had advanced to unbuttoning her shorts and one of his hands was slowly attempting to make its way in, grabbing the hem of her panties and tugging at it.
She knew that now was the time to stop this.
"Shikamaru….ah….stop it, You heard your mom!"
his mouth parted momentarily from her neck, he looked her in the eyes with his own hunger filled ones, not hungry for food she took it.
"screw it, right now I'm busy. I can manage without dinner for a week.."
His head plunged into her neck once again and his hand which had earlier only been teasing at her panty-line made it's way down between her thighs aiming to reach a very specific area.
At this her eyes shot open, bringing her back to her senses and she shoved him away unceremoniously.
"Stop it Shika. This isn't right!"
He looked pissed off, not menacing, but certainly disappointed.
Sticking both hands in his pocket and looking away.
"troublesome…what do you mean it's not right? Since when do you rationalize about sex Ino?"
There was a short silence…followed by a sharp sound.
This earned him a loud slap to the face, which came down with such force that his face actually turned the other way. Ino looked absolutely livid.
What he said next only made it worse.
" Well you seemed to be enjoying it…why rationalize about it?"
He could see the liquid fury emblazed in her cyan eyes, and prepared himself for another onslaught of violence. But instead there was another loud shrill echoing through the forest.
"I SWEAR BOY, YOU'RE NOT HOME IN 10 SECONDS THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY."
Now he was embarrassed….
She backed away from him still staring, any stranger would recognize the emotion etched on her face as "pissed off". She started buttoning up her shorts and tried to smooth down her hair to no avail. There was nothing to be done about the red marks he had left down her neck and collarbone either. She'd have to wear concealer for a while.
"I don't want an explanation right now Shikamaru, or ever as a matter of fact…I never thought you of all people would think of me like that."
He was about to retort, but she cut him off.
" Just go home already, your mother's calling and just forget this happened and I'll do the same."
Turning away from him she started to sprint away from him, subsequently picking up the pace and using her chakra to climb onto the nearest tree disappearing into the night.
He was left in the dark to ponder over the events that had just transpired between Ino and himself. Honestly, he had no idea what had made him so ballsy as to do that, but he knew he had liked it. Part of what she had said was right though…It seemed wrong. For one thing, if her father found out, there would really be hell to pay.
But it had just felt so right too , maybe his abstinence had driven him to do it?
Yep, that definitely had to have been it.
Well, he wasn't about to go home now, his own hair was in a frazzled state, half of it escaped from his ponytail and pointing in all directions, but the worrisome and most definitely troublesome problem was the huge bulge in his pants which would not be easy to conceal, nor would it e coming down anytime soon. Ino's scent still lingered around him and he could still taste her on his lips. He figured the most rational thing to do right now was to climb directly into his room through the window (as to avoid his mother) and take a cold shower. And that's precisely what he did.
Once Ino had reached Konoha's main street she kept to the sidelines and ironically to the shadows, avoiding light and walking as fast as she could trying not to arouse suspicion or stares. She was in no hurry to go visit her father as she'd promised the day before.
Going home would mean she would have to face Inoichi, and she did not feel up to making up excuses about her appearance nor going up to her old room and being alone, where she no doubt would be plagued by memories of what just happened.
And so, she settled for the next best thing , taking the next right and making a beeline to Konoha hospital.
Sakura was just finishing her evening rounds and getting ready to go home, looking forward to it as well, It had been a busy day. Thank god it was Friday.
Sure, since peace had settled back into the Ninja world, things had been a lot less hectic at the hospital. But there were still and there would always be patients to tend to.
The pinkette heard a set of familiar footsteps nearing, unmistakably Ino, and she was not in a good mood from the sounds of it. When she finally spun around to face her best-friend, the sight she saw startled her.
"don't ask forehead…"
"I don't think I even want to know Ino, are you ok? Physically I mean.."
"If your asking If I need treatment, then NO."
"I see, shall I lend you a hairbrush then?" she retorted in a mocking tone, noting the platinum blonde's hair in it's disheveled state.
She Reached into her pocket and pulled out a small fold up hair-brush offering it to Ino who only glared at it.
"Oh just stuff it! Are you done here? I could use a drink."
Sakura was not at all surprised by the behavior. This was all code for ' I need a friend to whine to '.
"Nearly done Pig, Just give me a minute. And why must you look down on my hairbrush with such contempt?"
"Fine, and give me that." She said, unceremoniously yanking the object from the pinkette's hand and turning on her heel to head for the hospital's main entrance.
"I'll meet you outside?"
No answer.
It's gonna be a loooong night…well at least it's Friday.
Thought Sakura, heading over to the doctor's lounge to wash-up and change.
A/N: Lots of material for a first chapter right? Well It took me a while to write it and check it and re-check it in between work and class, if there are any willing readers out there who would kindly beta-read my next chapters I would be ever so thankful. I was on bleach streak for a while, but have come back to Shika-Ino, they will always and forever be my favorite naruto couple.
Please review, any type of criticism you have to offer is welcome as it will help give me direction as to how I build the next parts. I have this pretty much planned out, but I ain't telling yet!
Remember: nice thorough reviews and opinions make me HAPPY and feed my head for the next chappy.
Anyways, it's late and I'm OH SO TIRED.
Cheers!
