A/N: Couldn't resist. It's interesting how alike Ino and Temari are, at least to Shikamaru.
Warnings: Character death.
Disclaimer: Naruto is copyright Masashi Kishimoto.
The funeral was held a week after he'd died.
It wasn't that big of a deal—though Shikamaru was one of Konoha's greatest weapons, he was still only a chuunin—but the Hokage and most of the village attended. It was a somber affair with a great deal of effort put into it. The entire Nara clan, many Academy senseis and students, and numerous shinobi and kunoichi had taken the week off to prepare it. Shikamaru would have considered it troublesome.
Ino, as Shikamaru's teammate and close friend, was allowed to stand by his casket. Only Chouji, Shikaku and Yoshino were granted the same privilege.
It was peaceful—heart-wrenchingly so, a caustic contrast to the heat of the battle during which he had perished. It reminded Ino of Asuma's funeral, and the promise she'd made to her sensei. She hadn't been able to keep it. Chouji, sensing her guilt, placed a hand on her shoulder, just as a commotion grew at the back of the crowd.
Ino felt anger build up inside of her as she whirled her head back to try and catch a glimpse of the intruder who had trespassed on this sacred ritual. The first things she noticed were two spiky buns of hair. Temari pushed her way through the crowd and dropped to her knees at Shikamaru's casket. She was breathing heavily, and Ino realized that her eyes were reddened.
After what seemed to be an eternity, the Sand kunoichi rose, shook her head as if to clear it, and took a place next to Ino. The man presiding over the funeral continued speaking.
Ino had an enormous bouquet in both hands; it would have cost her several missions' worth of money, even with an employee discount, but her father had let her have it for free. Approaching Shikamaru's grave, she placed the flowers atop the many small offerings that others had left before her. She noticed the flowers that Chouji had brought earlier; blinking away her tears, she left.
Temari stood at Shikamaru's grave, seeing the flowers spread out there. She knew which ones Ino had bought; they were flamboyant and unnecessary. Pulling out a single rose, the Sand ninja laid it above the Yamanaka's bouquet.
The pile of flowers at Shikamaru's grave marker grew in height. Chouji always brought a small bunch, often wildflowers from his friend's favorite hill; Ino placed another large bouquet each morning. For every day she was in Konoha, Temari brought a single red rose.
The flowers on the bottom had grown old and rotten; Ino gently removed the fresh flora above them and swept the dead ones into a bag she'd brought with her. Setting her own bunch down and pleased with her handiwork, the Yamanaka smiled and walked away.
It was her first day in the Leaf village for this mission; Temari walked by a recreational shop and found herself stopping in front of the window. A shogi set lay in the display. She walked in and bought it.
Ino panted, fixing one of the bandages she'd set on her hand after being injured on her mission. She hadn't visited the hospital yet, instead going by the flower shop and getting Shikamaru's offering first.
Carefully, Temari set the pieces in place on the Japanese chessboard. She smoothed down her skirt and sat down on the grass in front of the grave with the shogi set, opening the game with one move and teleporting away.
Ino kneeled down, smiling at the chess set despite herself. Setting the flowers next to one rose, she analyzed the board and countered.
Temari was only slightly surprised to see that a piece had been moved. On a whim, she placed a protection jutsu on the board so that only a person with the intruder's chakra signature could manipulate it, and moved another piece.
Ino smirked at Temari's action and channeled some chakra through her fingers, cutting one of the other kunoichi's pieces. When she came back the next day, Temari had gone back to Suna. Ino left the shogi game as it was. Four months later, Temari arrived with her rose and continued it.
By some twist of fate, both kunoichi arrived at the grave at the same moment. They stood still for a few minutes, each evaluating the other. Finally, Temari dropped her rose on the grave and sat down, moving her piece. Ino did the same. They remained there for five hours, until, finally, they spoke at the same moment.
"It's a draw."
Temari met the other blonde's eyes, smirking. "And still, I won."
"You won nothing…I've been his friend since our genin days."
"Only because you were on his team. We didn't even need to be in the same village."
"He was ordered to escort you through Konoha."
"He didn't mind."
"We've saved each other more times than you can count."
"And yet you couldn't save him on that mission?"
Ino's breath caught in her throat at Temari's calculated observation. Immediately, the Yamanaka turned away. After a pause, the Sand diplomat's voice was quieter.
"I am sorry. That…was out of line."
"Yes."
Ino let out a strangled giggle and turned back again slowly, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. Temari began to speak.
"He talked about you a lot. It was mostly complaining, but I know how much he loved you."
Ino nodded and focused on a spot slightly beyond the older girl. "And he was always saying how scary you were. He loved you, too, a lot." The Yamanaka fidgeted with her earring and continued. "I bet he's complaining right now about how much we argue."
Silence fell upon the graveyard; Temari leaned back onto her elbows and studied the clouds, allowing herself to smile as the sun warmed her face.
"Well, he's an idiot if he thinks we'll stop being troublesome just because he's dead."
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