Author: Juniper11
Series: Sensei
Pairing: Ino x ? (I don't know yet. I keep changing my mind. We'll see how it goes.)
Title: Sand Between My Toes
Warning: It's no secret that I haven't exactly written Ino before, so… this is my version of Ino. She's not always very nice. This won't be a long story. Somewhere between 3 to 5 chapters and then we'll move on with Sakura's story. Also, this story is part of a series. To know what is going on then I recommend reading my other story 'I'm In Love With My Sensei!' There are other stories in the series, but in order to follow along with this one that's all you need. Okay, so that's it.
She was positively radiant and it got on Ino's last nerve. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were twinkling. It had to be one of the most disgusting displays she had ever seen. Seriously, Ino didn't even think they were fighting over her anymore. They were fighting just for the sake of fighting and it was nothing to be smug about. In fact, she should be downright angry.
Okay Ino could admit to herself that maybe…just maybe that was a bit of jealousy talking and maybe Tenten wasn't smug at all. But still she was just annoyed by her.
"-And then Gai hit him hard enough to go through three walls."
Sakura sighed, making eye contact with Ino briefly before turning away to keep from laughing at the faces she was making. "Tenten has Gai even admitted to you that he has feelings for you?"
"Nope." Tenten said, placing her arm on her lap and pouting slightly. They were in Ino's home again. Somehow her place had become their designated meeting spot. She had a feeling that somehow this was all Sakura's fault, but she had no proof of that, but she didn't need any because she knew her.
"Well, what did Kurenai-Sensei say?" Sakura asked, but Tenten immediately shook her head.
"I haven't gone back to her. I mean I know Gai has feelings for me. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't. I just need to get him to talk to me about said feelings and not fight Neji all the time."
"Has Neji spoken to you?" Ino inquired.
"He hasn't really had the chance. Gai can be…rather overwhelming at times."
"And this is the man you're in love with." Sakura said with a shake of her head.
"Hey, there's something I need to tell the two of you." Ino said, drawing the attention of her two friends to her since she really had no desire to hear about Tenten's almost love affair with her sensei. "I'm moving to Suna."
Sakura waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. We know you agreed to Temari's insane scheme." Her tone indicated that she didn't for a second believe that she would actually do it—which showed what the Forehead knew. For it to be so big she knew so very little. Ino made a mental note to tell her that before she left. It would be good for them to have one last fight.
"Yeah, but you don't know that I'm actually leaving in the morning." Tenten and Sakura stared at her dumbfounded clueless as to what brought this about in the first place. If only she could tell them.
:::
"What do you mean you can't help me?"
Ino stared at Kurenai incredulously. This was the woman who performed the miracle that was known as Hinata and Naruto. This was the woman who helped Tenten light a fire under Maito Gai. Surely she could help her as well. It wouldn't make sense for her not to be able to.
Or maybe it was a case of her not wanting to help her.
"You're still in love with him." Ino said flatly. She tasted ashes in her mouth. Of course it would turn out this way for her. She would be the diversion until the real thing came along. No man would ever actually want her because there has always been someone better.
"I'm not." Some of the bitterness that encased Ino's heart eased at the words even though she really didn't believe them. Why would she when there was no logical reason why she couldn't help her? "Asuma and I are done Ino. That's not something you have to worry about."
"If you're done, then why won't you help me?"
"Because while I don't love Asuma anymore, I still respect him and it would be disrespectful for a woman that he once loved to presume to 'help him' relationship wise. Put yourself in his shoes. How would you feel?"
:::
"Does Hinata know?" Sakura asked somberly more than a little hurt that Ino decided to wait until the last minute to tell them about her departure, but that was Ino and you just had to accept her for who she was. Ino nodded.
"I told her yesterday." That hadn't been a conversation that she wanted to remember. Hinata had been very upset even though she was the main one who wanted her to get over the 'sensei madness'. Ino supposed it could have been because she felt like she was losing a friend …or it could have had something to do with the fact that because she was being overly emotional Ino had asked her was she pregnant. Ino hadn't gotten an answer to that question but if she sported a belly bump at the wedding she wouldn't be surprised. Actually, she wouldn't be surprised if the wedding didn't occur because Hiashi had killed Naruto Uzumaki.
"Will you be back for the wedding?" Tenten inquired.
"Of course! I wouldn't miss that wedding for the world! Especially since I'm in it." Ino rolled her eyes and Sakura reluctantly smiled.
"Ino…" Tenten began and the blond bombshell could hear the worry in her voice. It made her feel a little worse about the disappearing act she was about to make.
"I'll be fine. More than fine." They didn't believe her, but that was okay because she didn't believe herself. Friends were supposed to know how the others were feeling and she had the best friends in the world.
There was a brief silence before Sakura mustered up a grin. "If you're going to do this then you better do it right, Pig. You go to Suna and you land yourself a hot Suna ninja and then you come home and brag about it because you're obviously the shiznit."
"And then take pictures of his hot, naked body and send them to us."
There was a pause as both Sakura and Ino stared at Tenten. "Seriously?" Sakura asked and Tenten just shrugged.
"Tenten darling," Tenten's eyes narrowed in warning so Ino only said, "You know."
Ino and Sakura laughed while Tenten folded her arms across her chest in a huff.
:::
Ino wasn't exactly surprised when Shikamaru showed up on her doorstep with Chouji in tow. She was sure that her father had told his father of her upcoming move. Now Shikamaru wasn't one for confrontations and because of that she had thought that she could avoid this but obviously she had underestimated Shika.
"Shika, Chouji what are you two doing here?" As if she didn't already know.
"We heard you were taking a trip to Suna." Ino smiled brilliantly at her teammates hiding her inner turmoil and yet for some reasons she felt that they could see through her. It unnerved her because that meant she was wearing her heart on her sleeve and that wasn't for people like her. That was for people like Tenten, who lived and breathed naiveté.
Ino inwardly winced. She was really going to have to stop picking on Tenten because of her jealousy. It was a good thing that Tenten wasn't the type to hold grudges otherwise the Weapon's Mistress would never speak to her again.
"Yes, diplomatic relations and all. I thought it would be a nice change so I volunteered."
"Really?" Chouji said and although his question sounded innocent there was a wealth of meaning behind it, or maybe Ino just felt guilty about it. It was probably the latter.
"Have a nice trip, then Ino. We wish you the best." Her teammates turned to leave and honestly Ino was shocked. She expected them to scold her for trying to leave without saying goodbye, or at least ask her to stay but her two knuckleheads had done neither. It was this, of course, that moved her to smack them both on the back of their heads.
"Ow!" Chouji said and she couldn't be certain what exactly Shikamaru had said but she could imagine it.
"You're not even going to ask me to stay? Or say you'll miss me?"
Shikamaru shrugged while rubbing his head. "I figured it would be better if you left anyway, given the situation." Ino froze. She had no idea that Shikamaru knew there was any situation to begin with and even if he had known he wasn't the type to say anything ever if it didn't involve him.
"You know." Ino said flatly. She was certain her face paled and she felt sick to her stomach. This wasn't something she ever wanted him to know about. Shikamaru looked up to Asuma and now with her foolishness she had probably tainted that image. Ino wasn't the type of person to hate herself for past mistakes, but at that moment she came close.
"Yeah, I know. Just like I know it would be pointless to ask you to stay. You'll do what you want regardless. You always do." Chouji looked back and forth between the two of them seemingly clueless, but Ino had no doubt that Shikamaru would fill him in later. However, right that second she couldn't worry about that.
Ino didn't know what to say about his words. They were true, but the way Shikamaru phrased it made her seem a bit cold and callous—which weren't words that she'd ever use to describe herself. She was fiery and temperamental, hot headed and a wee bit judgmental. Which led her to a conclusion that she never thought she'd make regarding the genius of her team.
"You're angry at me."
Shikamaru sighed and pulled out a cigarette, but Ino snatched it out of his hand because if he was going to be angry she was going to be angry too.
"Why would I be angry?" His bored tone was belied by the hard look on his face and Ino had a hard time holding on to her unreasonable anger because she was simply astonished. She never, ever expected Shikamaru to get worked up over anything, let alone her leaving. She knew she wouldn't be able to get him to admit it. So she definitely wouldn't be able to get the reason behind it. All she could do was be herself.
Ino flipped her hair and gave her boys a flirty smile. "Because you want me to stay and don't know how to ask."
To her surprise Chouji spoke up and answered, "I can't speak for Shikamaru but I don't want you to go, Ino." Ino's eyes softened.
"Ah, Cho." She moved in and wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged him tightly. "You know I wouldn't go if I didn't have to."
"What happened?" The confusion in his voice brought tears to her eyes that she couldn't hold back, alarming the big-boned ninja. In response he held her tighter and Ino was grateful for that. She would willingly admit that she loved Chouji's hugs. There was just something about them that made her feel safe and secure. If she weren't afraid he'd get the wrong idea she'd ask him to cuddle with her before she left. "I messed up Cho. Worse than any other time before…"
Chouji looked at Shikamaru who simply shook his head, causing Chouji to sigh and rub his hand up and down her back soothingly. "So you're running away." It was the wrong thing to say or maybe it was the right thing since it allowed her to pull herself together.
Ino broke away then and wiped furiously at her face. "I'm not running away!"
"That's what it looks like to me." Because that's what it was. Ino had the thought if it looks like a duck….
Ino turned her back on both of them. "Just leave."
There was silence before she heard the door open, but before it shut, she heard Chouji say, "You should at least try to fix whatever is wrong before you go. That way you'll know you've done all you can and you won't have any regrets."
Ino whirled around to confront Chouji only to find both men gone which was fine with her because she needed a moment or two to cry in private.
:::
After Ino composed herself, she realized that Chouji was right. She'd always regret it if she didn't at least try to patch things up with Asuma. She didn't hold out much hope, but she had to do what she had to do. Finding the man, though, was by no means an easy task since he had a built in Ino radar and avoided her at all costs. But Ino wasn't some two-bit ninja. She knew Asuma's weaknesses and she knew around what time he hit the bars. So she waited until he was deep into his cups and sought him out.
He was in his favorite bar and unsurprisingly, he was surrounded by his so-called friends. Hatake Kakashi was reading a book while Genma was flirting with a pretty girl who was taking their order. Maito Gai was nowhere to be seen so Ino assumed he was somewhere stalking Tenten. She watched as Kakashi's gaze met hers and she knew that he was going to warn Asuma of her approach but she couldn't allow that. This was her only chance to talk to Asuma and no one would be allowed to take that from her. So she moved with a swiftness that she didn't even know she had and slid into the booth with the men. Kakashi's brow rose quizzically at her action, but he wisely chose not to say anything—or maybe he just didn't want to start any drama. The latter sounded more like Hatake Kakashi.
A smile graced her lips as she said, "Mind if I join you?"
Genma's attention immediately turned to her, but that was predictable since he was such a philanderer. Ino didn't mind though, if anything, the man was good for a distraction and she was certain she could weasel at least one drink out of him because she really wanted the liquid courage right about now.
"Not at all, pretty lady." He put his arm around her shoulders and Ino pretended to be oblivious to the glares that Kakashi and Asuma sent their companion's way. She didn't know what it was that she had done to get on Kakashi's bad side and frankly she didn't care. He broke her best friend's heart. She didn't want to be on his good side. "Then how about a drink then?"
"You can have whatever you like," Genma started, but Kakashi finished, "as long as you're paying for it."
Ino glanced back and forth between Genma and Kakashi and began to realize that something was going on between the two—and it most likely had something to do with the tab. She almost laughed, but she immediately sobered when her gaze met Asuma's. He was uneasy and it was obvious that he just wanted her to go away. Well, Ino wasn't one to stay where she wasn't wanted…unless it had something to do with Sakura then all bets were off.
"No worries, boys, I won't stay long. I was actually just stopping by to tell my old sensei here that I'm moving to Suna." Ino smiled. "So don't come looking for me for team missions and all." A look at his face told her that she had startled him, although she had no idea why. Did he think she would just put up with his behavior forever? She didn't have the plague nor was she the village pariah. There was no reason to treat her as he did.
"You're breaking up InoShikaCho?" Ino paused, thinking of Shikamaru, of the anger on his face when he stopped by her place earlier. If she stayed he'd chalk it up to her just being a troublesome woman. He'd let it go and she wouldn't have to leave with them on bad terms. For some reason she didn't want Shikamaru to be angry with her over this. Actually, she couldn't think of one time in their lives where he had been angry with her. It was disconcerting, but then she looked into her former Sensei's haunted eyes.
"We already have one generation. We don't need two." Ino moved to rise to her feet, but Asuma's hand darted out, faster than she would have expected for an alcoholic, and grabbed her hand. A shiver traveled down her spine that she struggled to suppress. She couldn't meet his gaze, but she knew what he'd find if she looked into his eyes.
Something that he just didn't want.
So Ino pulled her hand away from his and placed a faux smile on her face. "I'll be seeing you guys." She moved swiftly not really wanting to hear their goodbyes—if they had even uttered any. She didn't like goodbyes anyway and she already had her fill of them for one day.
Ino walked out of the bar silently berating herself. That wasn't exactly what she'd call making things right, but her mind just froze up. She never thought stupidity ran through her veins, but obviously she was wrong on several counts. She should have asked the others to leave so that she could talk to him, but she knew all that would do was make him bolt. He was so much like a deer where she was concerned…it was actually kind of childish.
"Ino." She paused in her walking, but didn't turn around. She was surprised. The last thing Ino expected was for him to come after her. She expected him to be relieved and happy. Maybe he'd even lay off the alcohol a bit. If that was the case, then her leaving would be worth it.
Still, she didn't know if she could bear to even look at him. The fact that he had come did funny things to her heart. It made it ache for him, long for him. What she wouldn't give for him to place his hands on her shoulders, turn her around, and say, "Don't leave for me." His words interrupted her thought process bursting the little bubble of the fantasy that she was weaving in her head. So now Ino thought of a million catty things she could say, but none of them came out of her mouth. Instead, she settled for something simple.
"I'm not. I'm leaving for me. There's no need for you to feel guilty on my account. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
"Ino these feelings you have for me—" Ino didn't realize that he somehow had guessed her feelings. All she knew was that he was going to try to convince her that she didn't feel what she felt like she was stupid. Well, she wasn't stupid, so she couldn't allow that farce to continue.
"Are none of your concern." Ino finally mustered up the courage to turn around. Then her eyes drank him in for what seemed like the first time in ages. His dark hair and scruffy beard appealed to her on a level she didn't understand nor did she want to.
His stance that at the moment, looked almost as lazy as Shikamaru's and the bloodshot eyes made her wonder what it was that she saw in him. A cigarette dangled from his lips and Ino recalled that kissing him was like kissing an ashtray. Well, she wondered until he gave her this smile that squeezed her heart. It was a sad smile or maybe it was more self-deprecating. Regardless, with that little action she knew then that it didn't matter. It didn't matter what singular thing that was drawing to her to him like a magnet. What mattered was that she was drawn to him until she found a way to move past it.
"I know." He said shortly and then he did something completely and totally unexpected. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Automatically her arms wove themselves around his body holding him tightly. And in those moments she felt it again. That feeling of being totally and completely, undeniably loved. The feeling that she received when she lay in his bed while he worshiped her body. Only this time she knew it wasn't the love of a man for a woman.
It was the love of a friend.
Ino couldn't help herself. No matter how much she wanted to be strong in front of him…she just broke down and cried. His arms squeezed tighter and he murmured over and over again, "I'm sorry Ino."
:::
Suna was hot. It was hot in a how-are-you-people-not-being-baked-alive kind of way. This wasn't a new feeling for her. Ino felt like this every time she went to Suna. She didn't like hotness unless it came in the form of a man. She really wished Temari's brothers were from Mist or something like that. But that wasn't the hand she had been dealt so she would wait until later and complain all evening to Temari about it.
The guard checked her papers and let her in with no hassle—probably because Temari was breathing down his neck telling him to hurry up. How the woman knew of her arrival time she'll never know, although she suspected that Temari had bought her own Inodar from Asuma.
Ino laughed at Temari's antics. She wondered how often she gave these guards a hard time. Knowing Temari it was often—and just for her personal entertainment.
Before she knew it, they were walking through the streets of Suna catching Temari up on everything she had missed while she was gone.
"How are things going between Gai and Tenten?" Ino personally couldn't believe that was the first question that she asked since the answer was so obvious.
"Nowhere— Gai and Neji, on the other hand, I think they're almost ready to reveal their relationship." Temari laughed.
"Are they that bad?"
"If I were Tenten someone would be dead by now…or raped. I'm not exactly sure which." Temari laughed again. "What is it with you and raping people?"
"Oh, come on. You know that men can be just as coy as women so you just got to take it sometimes. They'll thank you in the end."
"You're insane. What's up with Hinata? How's the wedding coming?" Ino blinked slowly but Temari caught the guilt that flashed in her eyes. Temari shook her head wondering why Sakura and Ino always caused so much trouble after she left.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing!" When Ino darted her eyes away. Temari stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. Her brow arched and she looked at Ino expectedly. Temari speculated briefly if Ino thought she was born yesterday. "Oh, fine! I might have sort of implied that Naruto had knocked her up."
Temari tried to keep her face stern but couldn't quite manage it. "Oh, what I would give to have seen the look on her face when you said that!"
"It went sort of like this." Ino eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell out on the streets of Suna. Temari howled causing people here and there to look at with puzzling looks. She wondered if it was because of the ruckus they were making or whether they just weren't used to seeing the Kazekage's sister in full blown laughter. They should watch her in Konoha sometimes. When they were all together…it was always a party.
For the first time Ino realized that Temari could actually be really lonely. She didn't know what her life was life was like in Suna but if she were headed to Konoha every time the opportunity presented itself…and then there was her Baki issue.
"What is she going to do on her wedding night?"
"I'm pretty sure it's going to take a few tries…unless Naruto just decides to hump her leg."
:::
It was a while before they both sobered and Temari asked the question that she really wanted to. She could see by the dullness of Ino's eyes that something was wrong. She covered it up well. Anyone who didn't know her wouldn't have been able to tell, but Temari knew her. It also helped that Sakura had sent a letter in advance expressing her concerns about Ino's behavior. Sakura hoped that Temari could help her since they had been unable to. For some reason Temari seemed to be the only one who could talk some sense into her nowadays. Maybe it was the blonde connection. "How are you doing?" Ino hesitated briefly before saying, "He apologized."
Temari linked arms with Ino and the two walked through the village. "He should have. What he did was kind of screwed up." Ino didn't disagree which made Temari suspicious. She didn't expect her to defend him to her last breath like Tenten would have done Gai but to get nothing was a bit off. "What else happened?" Ino just shrugged, turning her head this way and that to take in the sites a.k.a. avoiding the issue. Temari elbowed her in the ribs.
"Ow! You're such a jerk Temari." Ino sighed when Temari gave her a look that asked her did she really think she gave a flying fig newton. She knew she didn't so Ino just told her what she wanted to know. "He held me…while I cried."
Temari blanched. Ino would have been better off if he had just been a jerk about the whole situation, but his actions could have just made things worse.
"I loved being his arms and that just made her cry harder because I knew, Temari, that he didn't want me. He just didn't. I was that one night stand that you regret for the rest of your life.
So what am I supposed to do? Hurt? Cry? Agonize over it all? Why should I have to do all that? Why should I be the only one to suffer? He put a knife in my heart and he twisted it and he just didn't care whether or not I lived or died. I can't sleep at night because all I can think about is how stupid I was, how careless.
He can just drown himself in alcohol, but I have to be more responsible than that because otherwise I'm not only the tramp but I'm the drunk tramp. I'd be the prey of every man in Konoha. This is what I've done to myself, to my life and I just hate it."
Temari was silent throughout the entire tirade. When Ino finally quieted down, she asked, "You done bitchin'?"
"No!" Ino growled.
"Then let me remind you that you're not in Kohona anymore. You're in Suna. You have an opportunity in the palm of your hands should you choose to take it."
"What opportunity is that?" Ino asked warily.
"To come with me to package store, go back to your room, get rip-roaring drunk, and then put your behind past you."
Ino lips twisted at the reference but couldn't stop from saying, "You me put the past behind you."
"I know what I said and after we're finished tonight you're going be so drunk that your behind will be past you." Ino needed no further encouragement.
"Well then lead the way." Temari slung her arm over Ino's shoulder and the duo trotted off in search of oblivion.
:::
Ino woke up with a headache that could put down an elephant. She decided then and there that she hated Temari and she hated alcohol, and she hated drinking contests, and she hated…she couldn't remember what else she hated but she was certain that she'd find out at an inopportune time.
Ino sat up in her bed and tried to remember how to filter alcohol out of her system but was drawing a blank. She really wished Sakura were with her right now because if she had been then there would have been a better chance of one of them remembering. Ino moaned.
"So you're finally awake." Ino was instantly on her feet ready for battle when she realized that her assailant looked familiar.
"You're…" Ino started off questioning. The face paint was familiar. She'd heard something about it before….
"Kankuro, Temari's brother." A wave of nausea washed over Ino causing her to rush out the room. She barely made it to the porcelain god to make her offering. A chuckle sounded behind her.
"You Konoha nin sure can't handle your liquor." Ino was torn between being mortified and outraged. If she could speak at that moment she would have told him a thing or two. But she couldn't because her stomach decreed that she had more important things to do than deal with the jerkwod in her bathroom. After she was done Ino stumbled to her feet and moved over to the sink, turning on the water and sticking her hand underneath to bring water to her mouth in order to rinse it out. Thankfully, her brain chose that moment to begin to function and she remembered how to filter alcohol out of her system which she began to do with relish until she felt some sense of normalcy return to her being.
Then she looked up.
"You're pretty good at that."
Then she looked down and noticed her state of…undress. She had on nothing but her undergarments and while they didn't look bad, he had no business seeing her in them. So at this point she had two choices. She could yell and scream like a scandalized virgin or she could just kill him. But…she didn't think that would go too well with the whole 'diplomatic relations' thing so she was going to have come up with a third option.
Ino raised her hands and said, "Mind Transfer Justu."
It was odd being in someone else's body but it didn't stop her from darting forward and catching her body and keeping it from falling to the floor. The last thing she would willingly do was injure herself…physically anyway. Emotional injuries were a whole different subject. She swung herself up into Kankuro's arms and brought her body to the bedroom and dressed herself. Once she was presentable, she marched Kankuro's body to the bathroom and looked at the toilet and smiled.
Someone needed to know that it was impolite to barge in on a lady.