YaY! Update!

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It has been two days since that fateful meeting. So far Ino was the official queen of the house. After seeing Kotetsu and Izumo's bachelor pad – she went to work.

"Oh…Wow, it looks," she thought about saying nice, but went her usually direct way of speaking. "Thie place looks like crap. How do you live like this?!" She was holding her breath as she spoke before her will broke (thankfully before her lungs burst) and she ran outside to breathe.

Actually, she refused to go back inside until they cleaned it a bit. Her exact words were: "Go back in there, put all, and I mean all, the clothes in the washing machine. If you don't know how to use it, don't worry, I'll do that much, just try and get it all in one place. Next, vacuum, dust, sweep, and clean the bathrooms." She counted it all on her manicured hand. Kotetsu and Izumo saw by her face that she was serious.

"Oh, I want all of this done by the time I get back from the store. I'll make you both a nice dinner when I come back." She smiled sweetly, her serious attitude gone, for now.

Yes, they got it cleaned, but then they had to deal with her inspection. Apparently Ino was very strict about where she lived.

Kotetsu and Izumo did enjoy her meals, though. Ino was a great cook after living with Chouji and Shikamaru for years and, like her home, she wanted everything perfect.

"More please," the ever calm Izumo asked politely, holding out his bowl for more of Ino's miso soup. The group was sitting around for a lovely dinner.

"Here," she gave him more, "Oh, and I won't be here tomorrow until late, so you guys will have to make your own meals, sorry."

Kotetsu immediately started to protest, already used to a clean home and nice meals. Izumo also asked why.

"I don't want to say." Ino was very brassy in her reply. "I'll try to come back as early as I can, but I doubt it will be easy for me to get away."

"Could we help you?" Izumo asked.

"No, I'd rather you both not. Plus, don't you both have a job with the Hokage? Don't get so used to my meals that both slack off, and Kotetsu don't think I didn't notice you not training today."

Kotetsu blushed and Izumo smiled.

--

Early, before even Kotetsu and Izumo got up, Ino headed for her usual place. It was right outside of Konoha, an hour of heavy running. Ino tried to go every week, but almost missed this week.

She went for a day, sometimes two, but the regimen was so strict, she usually fainted from exhaustion – part of the reason she told everyone she'd be gone most of the day. Sakura knew about it and frowned up such stress, worried that Ino would hurt herself and no one would know for days on end.

When Ino finally reached the spot she immediately started to practice. The trees were burnt from all the pressure and heat of repeated beating. That was part of the reason she only practiced once a week. She always ended up going to Sakura the next day with torn ligaments, bruises, cuts and all around looking like she was beat up by a band of missing nin. There was once a rumor that she and Shikamaru had hooked up and he was beating her (Ino ended up kicking the girl's ass once she found out who it was).

Ino was well and tired after only an hour and decided to take a break. She had forgotten food again and her stomach was protesting rather loudly at the abuse. "Here," a bowl of rice was hand to her. She looked up and immediately screamed. It was Kotetsu, standing over with a smiling face and bed head.

"Did I scare you?" He laughed a laugh distinctively different and huskier than Izumo's.

"No, I always scream for no reason." She rolled her eyes and he laughed again.

"That's a tough workout; you're going to feel all those cuts in the morning." He stated, actually looking concerned as he sat on the thick tree branch with her.

"I already feel them." She stated bluntly with a smile. Food always tastes better on an empty stomach. "Why did you follow me?"

He grinned, "I felt like it." His statement was coy and flirty, it made Ino smile.

"Izumo is going to wonder where you are." Ino warned.

"Eh, I'll just tell him I stalked you here and forced you to take me with you." He smiled mischievously

Ino giggled, "I'm sure he'll believe that. So, you're forcing me to train with you? You do know that this is very difficult, right?" He nodded enthusiastically and Ino smirked.

So, the training began…

--

Ino was so sore in the morning that she didn't bother to try and make breakfast. She immediately went to Sakura's flat that she shared with Sasuke.

She opened the door and held out a small tube of pink lotion. "I was wondering when you'd show." Sakura was tall and well developed. Years of training with the Hokage had given her a tough exterior that attracted Sasuke (Of course Sakura took both Tsunade's and Ino's advice and made her play hard to get for two years).

"Well, it was hard to get away from my new roomies." Oops, too much gossip around Sakura would mean hours of talking.

"Hmm? You mean to tell me that you left Shikamaru and Chouji?" Sakura never really liked them too much and was eager for Ino to get some female roommates.

"No, they left me with the keys. I'm staying at Kotetsu's and Izumo's, remember them?"

"Sadly yes, but they were hot."

"Still are." Ino commented dryly. She was trying to ignore the fact that she was staying with two extremely attractive males.

Sakura just chuckled, "Well, have fun." She winked before closing the door quietly.

Ino just shook her head slowly. She headed to her new home, applying the balm as she went. By the time she reached her home she was completely healed. See, it pays to have good friends.

"Hey, I'm home." Kotetsu looked horrible. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair even messier than before and visible bruises were showing on his face.

"How are you looking so fine?" He drawled out.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She stated cheerfully, skipping to the kitchen as an added effect.

"You look happy." Izumo said from behind her, causing her to drop the waffle she was making.

"Don't scare me!" She yelled, causing Kotetsu to complain of a headache. "And I'm happy because I'm in the best shape of my life right now."

He just smiled. "I can smell the healing cream from here and judging by Kotetsu's wounds you won." Damn, he was smarter than Ino gave him credit for.

"Of course." She blew Izumo a kiss before stuffing the waffle in her mouth and walking past him. After, she swore she heard him mention something about her becoming fat from stuffing food down her throat. She choose to ignore that comment.

"So, I propose we all go do something today, saying that Kotetsu is up to it." The wild one just stared blankly at her. "Ok, blink once to do something fun today and twice for a no show." He blinked twice before curling up and falling asleep.

"Hey, Izumo, want to do something fun today?" He said sure, "Uhm…let's go shopping!" She threw her arms in the air and Izumo followed with same excited expression. Ino swore it was sarcasm…

And that's the beginning of the third day at Kotetsu and Izumo's. What Luck!

--

Izumo quickly found out that shopping with the hyper blonde was…not exactly fun, but interesting. For her first stop she went to a bargain store, trying to get all the cheap stores and work up in price range.

"I have a lot of spending money saved up from my recent multiple mission work, so let's spend the whole doing this!" She soon found plenty of cute shirts and skirt and went to try them on.

Izumo was just sitting down when she popped back out to ask his opinion. He said some stuff looked good and others not so good, but it was somewhat awkward for him, not knowing how something was supposed to look.

Next Ino hit a dress store, saying that Sakura was going to a host a huge party soon and she really wanted to be there for her friend.


Review please, I need them, lol. They honestly do help the whole..writing process. :D