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A chance meeting had perked the girl's interest in the Jounin. All she'd wanted to do was to help lighten his mood a little and maybe give him a bit of a social life... What she hadn't expected was to wake up next to the man after a night of binge drinking and apparently debauchery.
A/N: This will only end up being like 5 chapters long I think. This first chapter really doesn't have any humor, all the great bantering starts next chapter.
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Making the Best of It
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Ino dipped her straw into the fruity cocktail before her, stirring it with slow deliberation. She was carefully contemplating the man standing in the corner of the bar, doing his best to remain unnoticed though he'd caught her staring more than once already but made no move to approach her.
Kakashi sensei, she thought with a smirk. Kakashi sensei, what ever shall we do with you? She'd never seen him go out to the bars frequented by the older Jounin, or to the clubs and parties where she was known to make her rounds. He was rarely seen in town, and for all that she could tell or gather from Sakura, the only people he'd ever been seen around were his own team, and that was it.
The only reason she could think of as to why he was even here at all, had to be Lady Tsunade's doing. The woman would not have allowed the Jounin to weasel his way out of her own birthday party, and likely agreed that he too needed to loosen up a bit. At least for one night before shit completely hit the fan with the Akatsuki…
Too many good people had died already, who knew when the next blow would come? Well, Ino decided, she was not going to sit around and do nothing while fate took it's turn around her, she was going to live life as best she could, because who knew what tomorrow may bring. And as for Kakashi, it was high time he started to do the same as well.
Kakashi looked up to catch Ino staring at him for what had to be the hundredth time that evening. She'd been doing it ever since they'd run into each other at the memorial stone earlier that week. Admittedly, his thoughts on the girl had changed somewhat since that chance encounter, but now there was something more behind that look in her eyes. It told him plainly that she was up to no good, but as to what the girl was planning, he had no idea.
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The incident happened only three days before.
Kakashi had been standing there nearly an hour when he heard the sound of another slowly approach the cold memorial stone. It was not so uncommon when another would come to mourn those they'd lost and he supposed he did have a tendency to hog the stone all to himself. With a sigh, Kakashi lifted his head, ready to retreat in order to give who ever the new comer was the space they needed, either to remember or forgive, forget or hate, there were so many reasons one would come here.
"Good morning Kakashi sensei," Ino called warmly with a small smile on her face. She made her way over to the slightly hunched Jounin, hoping he wouldn't mind if she joined him. "I should've guessed I wouldn't be alone. You come here a lot, don't you?"
Kakashi raised a single eyebrow at the smiling girl, now standing closely beside him. She was dressed in her street clothes and seemed blissfully unaware of the idea of personal space as she peered up at the man.
"I supposed," he answered casually, and took a small step back. He wanted to leave but curiosity was getting the better of him and he was interested in why Ino, of all people, would be here on this day. The girl then turned her attention back to the stone, her expression growing somber as she did so. A minute passed in silence. "Would you like me to give you some space?"
"Oh?" Ino jumped slightly. "No, that's alright. I wasn't going to stay long. I have to open the shop for my dad soon. It's just…" She paused, feeling a slight pressure build in her chest. Glancing to the side, she saw Kakashi watching her. Ino took a breath and gave him another small smile. "It's just, this is the anniversary of the day I made Chunin and I can't help but remember, well, you know."
Kakashi nodded in understanding. So it was Asuma after all.
"How's Naruto," the girl asked suddenly, not taking her eyes from the stone. Her voice then took on a softer tone. "I heard about Jiraiya. We've never really been friends, Naruto and I, so I doubt he'd want to hear from me but-" Ino turned to look at him. "I hope he's alright."
Kakashi smiled, feeling his regard for the girl increase significantly. There was no doubting Ino's sincerity as her wide blue eyes held his. Admittedly, he'd often dismissed her and yes, probably misjudged her personality a lot in the past, but there was no denying she really did care for those around her.
"He's doing the best he can, given the circumstances," the Jounin answered, his voice thick with regret.
"You lost your sensei too around the same age, didn't you?" Kakashi's eyebrows rose. "Does it ever get better?"
"Well I wouldn't be standing here if that were the case," he answered lightly; surprised she'd known that fact. "But it lessens. Truthfully I wouldn't want it to ever get better."
Ino nodded. "That would almost be like forgetting." Another minute passed. "I should probably get going. My dad will kill me if I'm late. Thank you, for you know, and stuff."
Kakashi's eye crinkled. "No problem."
"Oh, and my dad also told me to remind you not to be late for some meeting at ten, or something. Seemed to think I might run into you."
"Ah."
She was about to leave but stopped to cock her head to the side, giving him one more careful once over. "You know, I'm really happy the village has a place like this. It's good, you know, to come here every now and then." Ino paused, being sure to catch his eye. "But I think the best way to honor the ones we've lost, is by making the most of the life we still have, and not waste it in regret."
And with that, the blonde turned and skipped off, leaving the Jounin to stare after the cheeky little kunoichi. Well, she wouldn't be the first one to insinuate they thought as much about the man… With a sigh, Kakashi turned back to the monument, wondering when it was that the next generation got so smart. Or turned into such smart asses, for that matter.
Ino grinned inwardly as she made her way out of the grounds. She'd never really spoken much to Kakashi sensei before, he was always so quiet, and always with his damned nose glued to a book. Seriously, if ever there was a man that needed to get out more, it was him. But obviously he needed some help first, and Ino was nothing, if not will to help those around her better themselves.
So, she decided as she walked the path into town, if he was unwilling to get out and enjoy all fruits that life still had to offer, the least she could do was help him take a bite.
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