Disclaimer: Unfortunately all characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm only borrowing them for this story and won't earn any money doing this.
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A lucky devil
She really was a lucky devil.
This thought slipped into Inos mind effortlessly – now and without the heavy loads of sarcasm which would be appropriate in a situation like this.
Yeah, she was a lucky devil – that much she had to admit. Because five years ago, when a group of sweating academy teachers had counselled in a stuffy, poorly ventilated room discussing the future team consistence of her genin-generation, luck had obviously decided to join her side.
In those days she had been shocked, nearly furious seeing herself teamed up with an all-time bored dreamer who didn't even bother to flinch at her obvious dislike and a dumpling who continued popping an enormous amount of potato chips into his mouth and ducked under her devastating stare.
How on earth did she deserve this?
Furious she had cursed her genes and her father's childhood friendships, sure she should have seen this coming.
But today, as she considered things more carefully…
How about the alternatives?
For sure she wasn't itching to take Hinatas place. Left alone the imagination… On one side a hyperactive, never fully stretched admirer always paired with his monstrous flea circus that only seemed to wait for his chance to roll her over. No offence… She liked Kiba and Akamaru – but most of all in a secure distance from twenty to thirty feet.
And Shino… Well… Lacking emotion, definitely lacking emotion. Even Shikamaru was more active – especially considered the facial expressions. And there was this whole bug thing that was pretty much freaking her out. Unwillingly she remembered her missions together with Shino, the itching twist on her skin as an army of bugs rescued her from a certainly deadly fall into shocking depths. Full of disgust she had even considered death the better option – if only for a short moment. She'd rather not have this kind of experience again.
Again… And now it caught up to her – a sarcastic smile spreading across her face. Yeah, she was such a lucky devil…
She didn't envy Tenten either. Of course she was one year older and both of her team mates had been very impressive at their first Chuunin Exams but actually this had been a very good proof for the first impression not always being the one to consider the most important one.
Neji was a total mess, completely entangled in his clan's history of traditions and inequalities and only changing his hateful speeches of disgust into dislike shown with as much dignity as somehow possible. It had to be damn troublesome to see his worried face day after day always knowing what bitter thoughts were circling underneath. Jeez, that nearly sounded like Shikamaru speaking. Five years' influence, obviously…
And Lee… Well, he still kept wearing shockingly ugly green tracksuits and considered walking round Konoha on one foot or both of his hands as a major hobby. Alcohol was a problem, too. And Ino loved Pollack in white wine sauce – a gusto she very much shared with Chouji.
She wasn't even jealous of Sakura – not anymore, to be honest.
Naruto was… Well, she actually never did envy Sakura for him. Up to today she wasn't able to understand what her childhood friend suddenly seemed to see in this uncontrollable clod.
That left Sasuke and … everything he had managed to destroy over the last few years. Quite often Ino had asked herself what would actually have happened, if she had gained what she begrudged Sakura for what seemed an eternity now – the place at Sasuke's side, in Sasuke's team. Would she have been able to deal with everything she had to observe in Sakura's too tentative, too often forced smile?
Truth was, she didn't know. And the only reason for that was that she simply didn't know how hard it would have gotten her. She wouldn't have been able to manage a come back after a knock out – that much she knew. The only question was, if the punch in the face would have been really that hard to bare or if it had been easier to turn away and leave things be – easier than it had been for Sakura. She would never know. She didn't even want to know.
Therefore Ino looked up to the beautiful blue sky and told herself, that she was a really, really lucky devil. She'd gotten the best team.
Chouji – certainly the kindest and most caring person she ever met.
And Shikamaru whose wits and calm manner had always managed to give her a feeling of security.
A tear burned in her eyelid. She'd never told them…
Ignoring the pain in her body she turned her head seeing Chouji, his head down, feebly leaning against the tree trunk behind him. Shikamaru was only a few feet away lying on his back, unmoving. From this distance it nearly looked like he was watching the clouds.
Dumbass, she scolded herself. Today there are no clouds.
She began to sob and an alarming pain pierced through her belly. She had to tell them…
She gritted her teeth, rolled herself on the belly and winced due to the pain. Panting she fought her way over the dusty ground towards her team mates. It nearly made her laugh sarcastically. She, Yamanaka Ino, was creeping through the dust… At the same time she didn't dare to look back. She would see that much blood…
"Shikamaru?" Panting she lay a hand on his wrist. "Chouji?"
No response.
Tears ran down her face as the realization hit. She was too late.
"Don't cry, Ino. Please…"
For a moment she was absolutely sure that Chouji's voice wasn't real but only a faint memory, an illusion of her subconscious. Then she lifted her head the tiniest bit. To turn it towards Chouji was simply too much for her to handle.
"But you are the best." She hoped that he would understand. Speaking suddenly seemed so unbelievably exhausting. "I wanted you to know… Both of you…"
The noise of him shifting his weight into a less painful position made her wince.
"But I never told him…" She tightened her grip on Shikamaru's wrist. "Never…"
"He already knows", Chouji promised, his voice every bit as low and spent as hers. "He's clever. You know that."
Exhausted she lay her head on the ground and closed her eyes. She sniffled hardly audible and a tiny smile spread across her face. They knew it… Both of them… She didn't even have to say it aloud. Worked without words, I guess…
She smiled while her mind started drifting and almost everything wasn't clearly tangible anymore. She felt reality slip away, drifting off into the distance, taking fear and pain with it, leaving only one feeling behind: Relief. At least she'd made it. She told them.
She really was a lucky devil.