Chapter 4
Title: you're not allowed to leave me
Summary: He'd change the odds for her.
Pairing: ShikaIno
Word Count: 727
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Set during the time Shika was thinking of his death. Yeah.
Ever since the Godaime Hokage decided to promote him to Chuunin, Shikamaru knew he wouldn't live past thirty.
Granted, thirty is the average life span of a shinobi. Unless you've got the makings of a sannin or a candidate to be Hokage or a demon sealed inside you, you'd be lucky to reach twenty-five. He initially thought that if he played his cards right, he'd at least make it to twenty-five. But then the war happened and he knew the odds had gone down.
When the war broke out, Shikamaru knew he wouldn't live to see twenty.
Lying motionless in the middle of the battlefield, he is not even surprised that his calculations are right. His calculations had always been spot on. It's only natural for him to predict his lifespan accurately.
Shame, he didn't get to be at least legal (not that he cared anyway).
Ah, well. At least he'll see his dad soon. And Asuma. He could play shogi with them again.
His mom will be fine. She's tough. She'd run the whole clan smoothly. Almost all of the clansmen are afraid of her anyway. She'll be fine.
Chouji will be sad, maybe. But he'll starve himself for a few days and then just eat it all off just like when Asuma died. He'll treat him to something nice when they meet again. He'd like that.
And Ino—
Something cold and heavy settled in his chest at the thought of Ino and he knows it isn't because of his wound or chakra depletion.
Despite how she looks, Ino's tough so she'll be fine. Chouji will be there to look after her and Sakura will be there too. And maybe Sai will help her forget. She'll get in T&I under Ibiki and she'll run the place just like her father did only ten times worst bossy woman that she is. She'll give Ibiki a run for his money. Ino will be fine. She's probably scowling over him and barking at him to get the hell up. Ino will be fine. She won't cry because she doesn't like how she looks when she cries. She won't come to his funeral because she thinks they're stupid and 'black is soo not my color' and she will only probably visit him once or twice because she hates the cemetery but she will always have flowers when she does and she will never cry because Ino will be fine.
(Whoever it was he is convincing, Shikamaru does not know.)
An image of a crying Ino suddenly flashes in the back of his mind and he winces despite himself because Ino's tears always unsettled him.
"Shikamaru, you lazy ass, do not even think of dying just because you're too lazy to breathe. Get the hell up and help with the war you slacker."
Troublesome woman. Won't even let him die in peace.
He hasn't even reach unconsciousness and already she's nagging him to 'get your chakra running and get up' and 'who the hell do you think you are taking a nap? There's a war going on!' Couldn't she at least let him die before she starts yelling at him? Troublesome woman.
A warm feeling is entering his system that he recognizes is Sakura's healing chakra. Ino probably dragged her to heal him so she can nag him herself to death.
When he is finally able to open his eyes and is fully conscious, Shikamaru isn't even surprised at the scowling woman towering over him.
"Thought you could bail on us didn't you, you lazy ass?"
He just stared up as she glared him down with all she's worth with the most menacing scowl he has ever seen her do and the redness in her face is because of her anger he's sure.
"Ino—"
He was caught off-guard as a pair of arms pulled him against another body. He felt his shirt getting wet and heard Ino stifle a sob and he tensed knowing she's crying.
"Stupid. Don't even do that again. You can't leave me, okay?"
Shikamaru sighed burying his face in her hair and marvelling at how it still smelled like its usual floral scent despite days in the battlefield. He draped an arm over her waist, his other hand resting on her head as she pulled her closer and desperately wishes to be wrong for once.