"You better not make me cry," Ino laughed at a relationship that was already beginning to end in tears.
"Don't worry," he promised. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
Lies. She smiled and gave him her heart, knowing full well that he didn't want it. He wanted what she could give him, the things that she could offer, he wanted what she could provide and no one else could.
But he didn't want her.
The less she talked, the better.
But, at this point, any sort of relationship would be nice. Any sort of caring would be appreciated. Any sort of anything would be accepted.
"I have to go on my mission, I'll be back soon," he said. He smiled, because that was the one thing he could give her. "You'll wait for me, right?"
"Of course," she said, smiling too. "Promise you won't get hurt or anything?"
"I promise," he said.
Gently, he leaned over her, pressing his lips against hers. That kiss was promising so much more to Ino than it was to him.
He left.
Turned around and didn't look back once.
"I know that you're no Sakura, but I never thought that you would be stupid enough to believe a bunch of shit like that."
"Of course," she said, smiling stiffly, "The ever-so-charming Uchiha Sasuke." She paused, "Where would we be without your wise words of wisdom and brave sense of right and wrong?"
The still handsome Uchiha leaned against a wall, cast in shadow. To tell the truth, he still seemed to shine with radiance and unfairly good looks. Time would never do anything to change the way that Sasuke was the best-looking guy in the village.
And then there was the fact that he was the best looking single guy in the village.
"It's just common sense," he said, completely uncaring of the havoc he was wreaking on Ino's already frayed heart. "The guy is a dick."
"Have I mentioned how much more eloquent you've become since Naruto kicked your ass and you've graced Konoha with your loyalty again?" Ino muttered, "Not that it's going to last long."
"Naruto did not kick my ass," Sasuke declared. "In fact his foot was no where near my ass during the last time we fought. Which, might I add, I distinctly remember you crying the whole time."
"Good Lord," Ino said, shaking her head. "And too think that a few years ago I wished that you had talked more."
"A few years ago I was convinced that the most pathetic female in the universe was Sakura. But even she's gotten over typical assholes who will only end up hurting her." He looked at her pointedly.
She stuck her nose up in the air. "You just called yourself an asshole."
"But," Sasuke continued, pretending that he hadn't heard Ino. "I know now that you are in fact the most pathetic female in the world. Congratulations."
"I'm sorry, there is only one Naruto," she said, rolling her eyes. "If there were more than one of that guy, I swear, I'd marry him before anyone could think twice."
"Naruto's already won the most pathetic male award. The dumb ass never got over Sakura."
"I think it's sweet."
"And you're dating someone with the personality of a rock. Are rocks sweet too?"
"And this is coming from Mr. Personality, isn't it?"
She turned to him, "Are you so bored from running around as the Hokage's errand boy and hiding from your squad that you'll stoop as low as to bother me?"
He looked at her, deep, dark, beautiful eyes. "Yes."
"That's unfortunate," she said, turning her back on him. "A long time ago, I might have taken your bullshit. But not now. Now, I know just what an emotionally-depraved asshole you are."
Ino actually had somewhere to go. She wasn't walking away just for dramatic effect... Or because she needed to find a corner to cry in because Sasuke's words hit really, really close to home.
Ino was a medical ninja.
And she had patients to attend to.
"You're late," a crotchety old man said. He was a frail little stick of a guy, sitting up in bed, glaring at her.
"Did I hold you up? Were you planning on going somewhere?" She asked sarcastically. She knew it was better not to tiptoe around this guy. He didn't take kindly to niceness.
"I'm not going to wait forever," he growled. "I've got to die sometime soon. If only your stupid machines weren't working so damn well."
"Shut up, Atsushi," his plump wife said, sitting next to him. She was there every day, right by his bed.
Ino was slightly concerned that the old woman was waiting for her husband to die; or something morbid and along those lines. But the protective and stern way that she stared at any of the other doctor's that came in to check up on him told otherwise.
She liked Ino.
She trusted Ino.
And the only reason she did that was because her husband trusted Ino.
"You shut up," he told her. "Don't you have better things to do than to sit around and watch me die?"
"Actually no," she said, quite promptly. "All of the kids are off on some mission, and the grandkids are at school."
"What are you waiting for?" The old man snapped, glaring at Ino with his two beady eyes. "Get started on my check up. I don't want this to interfere with lunch."
Ino laughed silently, shaking her head.
"How's that pansy you've been getting it on with recently?" He asked, grouchily, midway through the check up.
Ino laughed out loud as the old woman gasped. "Atsushi!"
"What?" He frowned, "It's what all the young people are saying these days."
The old woman blinked, and then turned to Ino. "You better not be 'getting it on' with that young man anyways. I don't like him. He's a spoilt apple, through and through."
"Oh, you two are being too harsh," Ino said. "He's sweet."
"Hmph!" the old man said. "Akio, tell this girlie that thing you told our daughter when she was with that dumb kid."
"Sweetness will go rotten," she said wisely. "But cynicism is already rotten and it will keep on rotting."
"Is that supposed to be encouraging me to break it off with my boyfriend, or not?" Ino said, grinning. "Because I'm confused."
"One day," Akio said, shaking her head. "One day you'll see through his superficial sweetness, and to the cynicism."
The door opened and a small voice said, "Ojii-san? Obaa-san?"
All sarcasm disappeared like magic off of the old couple's faces as their granddaughter walked hesitantly into the room. They became the perfect grandparents.
"Hello, Kazumi," the old woman said, smiling warmly. "It's kind of you to visit your Ojii-san and I."
"Can you hold on a second?" The young girl asked after a customary round of hugs. "I want you to meet my team. We're here on a mission and I wanted to visit you."
She looked at Ino. "Is that okay if I bring them in?"
Ino nodded, "Of course."
As soon as Kazumi left the room, both of the grandparents sighed. Atsushi shook his tiny, bald head, "I would easily give the world for that girl."
"I can't imagine someone who wouldn't," Akio agreed.
Kazumi returned shortly, followed by two wild-looking boys and a tall, handsome, dark, annoying, cynical man.
Ino repressed her disgust, at the same time that Akio attempted to disguise her interest in Uchiha Sasuke's presence. The old woman started chortling to herself. "Oh my."
Ino walked out of the room promptly, glad she'd finished the physical check-up. She called behind her, "I'll be back with your lunch at 12:30, sir."
Ino shook her head. She was really starting to hate the Uchiha bastard. It was a good thing that she left as quickly as she had, because Akio and Atsushi would never forgive her if she used the word 'bastard' in front of their darling Kazumi.