Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. (As cute as he is, I don't think I'd really want to anyway. Oh yeah, I don't own the series either.)

Shattered Fairytale

"This… this wasn't supposed to happen."

"You did what you were supposed to. I don't blame you for that."

"How could I have beaten you?! I mean, I'm nowhere near…"

"Would you believe I couldn't bring myself to hurt you?"

"Not for a minute."

"Heh. Then let's continue fooling ourselves, hmm?"

"…Why aren't you letting anyone else come near you? Some of the medics are willing to try save you…"

"It's too late. We both know that. This… can't be healed."

"B-but Tsunade-sama and Sakura are both skilled enough, they could…!"

"Don't worry. Maybe it's better this way."

"Better this way? What about you… your clan?"

"…"

"This was the time you're supposed to say some cheesy, sappy line about how you wanted me to revive it with you or something."

"Heh. You know I'm not that kinda guy."

"Yeah, I know..."

"…"

"! Lie still, you're just hurting yourself. I… I can't believe it came to this… I can't believe I…"

"H-hey, don't cry… you always look your prettiest… when you smile… smile for me, Ino…"

"How can I smile? When you're… you're…"

"…"

"…Sasuke…?"

"…"

"Sasuke? SASUKE!"

Ino stood in the cemetery, standing in front of a solitary cold gravestone. Her blond hair blew into her eyes, but she didn't care— she couldn't see anyway. She wore a simple black dress, similar attire to every previous outfit for the past week…

A week. Seven days since she did the unthinkable… since he had done what was previously thought unthinkable. She fought against him, as was her duty to the village. She didn't think she could beat him. She went into battle assuming she'd die. But then… somehow…

He died. By her hand.

She wasn't even sure how it happened. They had been fighting one-on-one, when suddenly he fell to the floor. She knew it wasn't supposed to end like that. She was far weaker than he was. It was a nice thought that he just let her win so he wouldn't hurt her, but she knew it was nothing more than that; a nice thought. Once Sasuke set his eyes on a goal, he wouldn't stop or slow down for anyone or anything. That was one of the myriad of things she loved about him…

The girl sighed, then knelt down and placed the object in her hand on the grave. It was the same thing she had given him every day since then. How come no one else came? Even Sakura stopped visiting the grave after the first few days. Ino knew there was a lot of stuff to do, cleaning up the aftermath of the battle, but couldn't her friend spare five minutes for the boy she professed to love?

Ine smiled sadly at the rose on his… Sasuke's… grave. It wasn't the first time she had given him such a flower… Sakura had chided her for being predictable, which, she had to admit, she was.

She was such a sucker for sappy romances. When she fell in love with Sasuke, she let her mind run wild with childish fantasies. Then she found out about how half the other village girls loved him, including Sakura… and she realized she couldn't wait for him to make the first move, she was just one of many to him. And then… everything went downhill from then.

And then… she murdered the boy she loved.

Ino collapsed, falling to the cobblestone path, shaking with the force of her tears. She killed him… she killed him… she killed him she killed him shekilledhimshekilledhimshekilled—

A hand suddenly found itself on her shoulder. Ino's head shot up, and her tear-soaked visage turned to see Shikamaru standing behind her with a small, sad smile on his face. He took her hand, and Ino let herself be dragged to her feet. As soon as she was standing, though, she turned back to Sasuke's grave.

"You're welcome."

"What are you doing here, Shikamaru?" Ino snapped.

"I knew you'd be here, that's why. Sadness doesn't suit you."

Ino tried to laugh scathingly, but ended up with only a choked sob.

"Hey… you saved the village." Shikamaru murmured in an attempt of comfort.

"Yes. But at the cost of… him."

The girl turned and buried her face in the offered chest. Arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, welcoming the tears drenching his jacket.

What happens when the damsel kills the hero gone astray?

Author's Notes: Well, here it is— my first Naruto fic, and my first time at attempting some dialogue-only parts. I hope you enjoyed! Please review, but please— no pairing bashing. I hate when people bash the pairing when it's clearly stated what the pairings are.