Ok chapter seven. this is just a qiuck one with Ino and with some memories of what happen over the three months.

Italic is the flashbacks of some of the things. of course.

Ahhh thank you all for the reviews!

joins Illusion in her jig Glad everyone is liking it so far. and yes not so much of Shino but i wanted to show some things that happen while he was gone. So dont worry more Ino/Shino next chatper!

So until than please enjoy and have safe days!

-Felina


Always Here

Chapter Seven: Three months away leaves time.

Ino watched her father hum happily, making something to eat in the kitchen, where she sat at the dining table. She place a quick, happy smile on her face when he turned and almost looked like he was going to burst before sighing when he looked back to the food. Really she was happy and both her and Shikamaru talked about and their parents wasn't going to force them together… just drop huge hints.

"Oh tonight, baby, we're going to the Naras! So…" Her father started but she tuned it out, looking out the window with her head place in her hands leaning forward on the table. She wasn't being rude just she heard this since she woke up… only an hour ago. He and Shikato were very happy their children got together but made a promise not to get the marriage papers out, as both fathers wanted, thinking the two saw they were 'meant to be'.

Ino sat on a small boulder, watching Shikamaru throw some apples from next to her, over or near the small herd of fawns and their mothers, who knew who to bug for food. She was leaning back on her elbows with her ankles crossed, while he took to sitting Indian style with an elbow leaning on one knee, holding his head up with his palm, while the other lazily picked an apple out and gave it a flick out to the herd.

"What were you and your dad talking about?" Ino asks after the silence got to long for her liking, remembering when she walked up that they were talking before Shikato walked off. But in Nara terms ran off.

"You and me again." Shikamaru sighed out. She sat up next to him, taking the apple he was going to throw in the air out of boredom, before wiping it down on his pant leg, grinning as he rolled his eyes.

"Surprise, surprise… my dad dropped some hints about dating too." Ino said as throws the apple near a fawn and watch how the fawn jumped away from it, twisting around in the air giving a kick out before landing. Slowly the fawn went back to it and sniffed it before taking a nibble out of the apple. "You and Chouji, really. When do you think their stop?"

"Tch. Don't know, moms getting into it as well." Shikamaru clears his throat before adding in a higher voice. "Son I think its time you start looking at girls and what a good thing that a friend of the families daughter is on your team, shouldn't you try to be nice?" Ino holds back from laughing at the lame attempt at his mothers' voice but couldn't stop the huge grin on her face from forming and snorts softly from holding the laughter in as he gives a mock glare. "Whatever. It's what she said. Their getting so troublesome with this whole dating you thing…" Inserts sigh as he falls backwards, giving her room to take the apple basket from his other side and lace his fingers behind his head. "My dad already talked to your dad about it too." Shikamaru rolls his eyes to rest on Ino's face before she turned and threw another apple. "You're not yelling about it…"

"Does it matter Shikamaru? I mean the way my dad spoke of made sense…but…" Here she looks back at him, frowning. "I just don't know. You're the mastermind… think of something."

He raises a thin eye brow. "And what should I think about?" She just glares before looking back at the little herd, noticing some more came out of the woods, so she throws a few more towards them. They should be hiding the apples around the field and in the woods but being lazy and not walking to move around much, they just sat on the boulder throwing them. Hey the deer are still getting the treats!

They fall back into silence, one not wanting to answer and doesn't look at the questioner as he watches her before looking up at the sky knowing he could wait her out. But he does think about it all.

"Fine… this is going to be damn weird but ask me out." Ino says after the apples were all gone while she stood up. Shikamaru sat up, staring.

"What?"

"You heard me. This way we get our parents to take a step back and we can… see if it happens if not oh well right?"

"K… why do I have too?"

"Cause if you don't you'll be the girl." Ino rubs in making him pout.

"Go out with me."

"You know what? Maybe this is a bad idea… What?" Ino asks seeing Shikamaru glaring at her but still giving off his pout. She just grins before walking away. "I'll tell daddy and hopefully this gets them off our backs!" She called back throwing a hand over her shoulder in a wave as she made her way out of the field of deer's.

Ino sighs before turning back to her dad as he sat down with two plates.

"Oh baby I'm so happy! And think you've known each other since you were little, been on a team together as well! Than in a few years you two can get engaged-" She stop listening again, just nods as she fills her mouth not wanting to worry her father with her silence. Sometimes she wonders if this is what Shikamaru does with his mom. She heard these lines as well. After she told him that they were seeing each other.

She was glad that they just hang out when they go on their 'dates' even Chouji comes along and they just talk, eat, or watch a movie or two before her 'boyfriend' brings her home and they put on a small act outside of the house were they know her father is watching them. So far they've been good about it all and Chouji helps with cover up. Like one time Shikamarus mom saw all three of them eating together and didn't really like it but Chouji came up with the old tradition of people 'courting' that they have someone with them, watching them, and who's friends with both families… why not a Akimichi? She thought it cute they were doing that that she told the fathers.

That got that done with but both still needs to hold up their act of dating.

"Daddy?"

"In here princess!"

Ino walked in to the backroom of the shop to see her father planting some new plants.

"I wanted to tell you that I and Shikamaru are dating now."

"Oh baby!" Inoichi yelled happily, turning and catching his little girl in a bear hug. "This makes me so happy! You have no idea how long me and Shikato been talking about you two getting together and getting married!"

"Da! We're only 14! We're not thinking of getting married each other!"

"Of course not, of course not! Am just saying that we have been thinking about it for awhile now! You know I cant be around forever and I want my baby girl to be married, taking care of and maybe giving me some grandchildren before I joi- pass away." During this his tears start falling from his eyes and Ino lets him cry on her shoulder, patting his back softly, as he keeps mumbling about the life he wants her to have.

She was only to glad when he got over the crying thing but he ended up talking about getting papers signed up for later on and she was super thankful that Shikamaru is a genius and got them to not do that.

"Shikato thought, well I bet his wife thought that you two should think about the future." Her father continued waving his fork around his plate.

"Ino you two dating is weird." Chouji said between bites where they sat in the BBQ restaurant. Their second date but they saw Chouji walking at the same time and they all went to their table and order.

"Oh and why is that?" Ino asked off handily before taking a bite of her salad.

"Cause… it's weird. I don't know why but it is. I for one won't be surprise when you two drive each other insane." Ino laughs as Shikamaru grumbles something before taking a sip of water.

"Well Chouji, were play dating, for our parents so they get off our backs." Ino whispers as she leans over so he could hear, smiling at her plan.

"Your play dating?" Chouji asks making Ino 'shhhh' him.

"Yeah genius huh?"

Chouji just blinks at her afew times before looking at Shikamaru. "Tell me this wasn't your idea."

"Why what's wrong with it?" Ino says, glaring. Shikamaru just rolls his eyes, pointing to the blonde before looking out the window.

"Oh good… Here I thought you went insane or something." Chouji says with a relief sigh. "Well nothings so wrong about it, other than One" Here he holds one finger up. "You two are most always fighting. Two Asuma, tomorrow at training, is going to say 'don't let this get in between training and teamwork'. You know he will! Three your mother…" At this he points to Shikamaru with the three fingers. "Isn't known to stay happy with something for long when it's about you. She's going to start, give it six to eight months, leaving hints the size of a house to ask Ino to marry you. I bet she'll 'just happen to be walking by' where you two go for a dat-"

"Oh what a pleasant surprise! I was just walking by and saw you… three together, when it's a date." All three stop what they were doing to see Shikamaru's mom standing next to them. How she, a non-ninja, got there without three ninjas knowing is still a mystery.

Shikamarus' theory is she's the devil out for him.

Chouji starts coughing when he swallowed wrong as Ino thinks her smile is going to break her face off as she laughs, loudly. Shikamaru just mumbles 'troublesome'. All four of them stayed silence before Chouji quickly stood and gave a clumsy bow to the older woman.

"Hahaha this is just want it looks like Mrs. Nara." Chouji spoke rubbing the back of his head as three eyes turned to him.

"Oh?" Mrs. Nara asked raising an eye brow.

"Yes ma'am! You wouldn't want Shikamaru or Ino to sneak away without someone watching them. Making sure nothing happens, right? I mean they could make some cute kids but don't think you really want your son becoming a father at 14, would you?" Chouji said sounding so sure of himself but shot a glare at the two in question when both almost started to speak before giving a sweet smile to Shikamarus mother. Mrs. Nara just blinked quickly and like a needle to a balloon broke into a giant smile and pinched Choujis' cheeks.

"Ohh what a good boy you are! I knew there was a reason I liked you Chouji! You take good care of them!" Mrs. Nara laughs as she walked out, waving over her shoulder at them but only Chouji waved back, smiling sweetly as the other two teens stared widen eyed at his back.

As soon as Mrs. Nara left, Chouji turned on them, glaring while rubbing his cheeks. "I really hope you two are happy! She pinched me!"

Ino didn't mind the glare or the rant as she jumped up and gave him a hug. "Way to go Chouji!"

"Tch. Yeah way to go Chouji. Now my mom is going to make sure you're with us from now on." Shikamaru said but grinning.

"Well it's not like am not anyways." Chouji said slightly embarrass by the hug Ino was giving him.

"Come on Chouji! Eat all you can!" Ino said happily as Shikamaru stared at her in shook. Chouji only blinked once shrugged and dug in.

"But I'm the one who's paying…"

"So? It's our date and Chouji is our sitter! Behave!" Ino said with a small glare before turning to Chouji. "So Chouji just us three know its fake so don't tell anyone."

"I promise, Ino, I won't tell a soul." Chouji mumbled out from the mouth full.

"Hey daddy? I got to go, you know training. I won't be home till five, alright?" Ino said most likely cutting off his story but he didn't seem to mind as he smiled and waved her off with one hand as he puts a fork full of eggs in his mouth. Ino smiles as she stood and brought her plate to the sink before walking over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She quickly made her way outside of the house before taking to the roofs, wanting to get away from hearing nothing but her fake boyfriend and hers life.

She really felt bad lying to her father and the couple she's known all her life but to be honest with herself, she had thought about dating him. After Sasuke left, she blamed what happen solely on him that her teammates were hurt so badly, she dropped that hopelessly case of 'puppy love' as Asuma likes to call it but didn't stop her from thinking of the guys around her. Sure Shikamaru's lazy and sometimes a pain in the butt but he loves his friends and would do anything for them. Chouji, the loveable fluff ball, eats to much, doesn't understand her a lot of the time, but he's there for his friends as well. They both care for their teammates and sensei that they go out of there way for each other, of course it's in their own surprise way that sometimes doesn't seem like it would help, but like everyone likes to say, they've known each other all their life's, they know what each one does when sad, mad, or trying to make you feel better.

All three of them help Asuma as best they could when his dad died. They had cared deeply for the Hokage as well so it was only right to let him win one game of go before wiping the floor with him. It was only right that his house got covered in flowers that Ino put together for him but kept complaining about the smoking. It also seemed right to randomly have half of cakes, sometimes even full cakes at his door or on his table but still got him to get BBQ for them on the normal days.

So was it wrong that they, after Chouji got better and both had to wake Shikamaru up afew times, try to find away to sneak into his house and when they did so without him waking, thanks to some beautiful, perfume flowers that put you to sleep, build a small pillow and blanket fort out in his living room before throwing a movie in and made lots of popcorn, causing the owner of the house to wake, the flowers only work when there's no sound, and storm into the living room to see his students placed all over the place? It made him shake his head and laugh so much Ino saw tears. He had joined them after he clam down though.

But even if she thought of her teammates, being her boyfriend. There was always Shino.

Shino was there when that mission failed and even stands with her till she went to sleep. But not only that he lets her come to his house and stand with him or even shows up at her window. They had made a make shift bed for him so he wouldn't have to sleep on the floor or the chair again. She found she enjoyed the time they had again. Oh yeah he sometimes wouldn't speak even if she made some points at him, she could tell it didn't brother him just by the way his brow would slowly appear above the rip of his glasses but never took the bait. If she told Shikamaru that he was lazy he would mumble troublesome, which started it all over again. But nothing she said to Shino would make him do the same thing. Oh he had some humor in him, after all his father is the biggest joker that the Aburame ever let loose in the village. He also had this aura around him that either wanted to move away from him because of the silence of him or sigh happily, relax near him. Maybe it was her but she always wanted to just relax around him now. He brought her clam and comfort and well… she brought colors and talking to him. Ino thought with a giggle.

So yes, she thought about dating him but even though he brought all this calmness and comfort, he always seem like he was hiding from her. Mentally hiding from her, like he didn't know what to really do with her per say.

And last night her and Shikamaru was at her door after their date, two months now, they were doing the normal act but she felt like he was there. Which is silly because he was still out on his mission that also had her worried; that mission was taking a long time. But she didn't worry to much after all he was a great genin and his team was with him and it should be a simple mission, like he said before.

So she lied to her father a little bit, she did have to go train today, just at a later hour. She was heading to the training field that his team used most of the time. So when she got far from her house she jumped down to the small road that most ninjas used to get to and fro from the training grounds on the south side.

Ino would have started to walk but a white ball of fur came running at her so fast she only had time to scream and put her arms up in front of her face before the dog pounced happily barking as they went falling to the ground. Her arms were being licked when she heard Kiba's laughter coming not to far away and closing in to where she lied.

"Kiba… am going to kill him if he does this again!" Ino growls out as she sat up to glare up at the teen.

"Like you could or would. You just love animals." Kiba said grinning from ear to ear.

Ino just sighs as she pats Akamaru's head, giving a ear rub down. "Fine caught me. Is Shino with you?"

"Naa he and his father headed out to collect or something like that, some bugs. Something about them only mating during this time and they've been going to watch since Shino was a kid. You know… bug things." Kiba says wish washy as he stretches his arms over his head with a small yawn. "Me and Akamaru are walking, needed to use a tree."

"Ok, ew, didn't need to know that about your dog. But it is sweet of him to walk you." Ino said teasingly. "How did the mission go?"

"Tch. Hated it. Stupid noble girls were bitches but the old man was pretty cool. Akamaru liked him a lot, huh boy?" Kiba asked before Akamaru barked happily while wigging his tail against Ino's leg. "We got in late last night. So we're heading back home and sleep." Kiba says as he holds a hand out to her which she takes and let's herself be pulled up letting Akamaru hop next to Kiba's legs.

"Well alright. Night Akamaru." Ino says before turning again. She didn't really eat much so she made her way to the restaurant area as Kiba called out.

"What no night for me?"

"No night for the animal." She said laughing knowing he was pouting behind her before she saw him from the corner of her eye, running through the trees to his clans walls.

So Shino was out with his father, she didn't know how long that would take. Sometimes those two would just drop of the face of the earth before popping back up, acting like they were only gone an hour or so. Ino wondered if his mother went with him or did she just wave them off and played clan leader till her husband came back with her son. But him going out after he just got back after a long mission this early could slow him down. He was so getting an ear full when she saw him again.

Though she did want to tell him about everything that happen, the fake boyfriend mostly cause he would understand, Shikamaru and Chouji said it would be better if it was just the team that knew. Asuma just guessed what we were doing. She guessed being around them for an year he would know. Funny how he could guess it but their fathers thought it was so real. Maybe they were so happy that they don't notice.

Hopefully they never will.

She found herself sitting eating a light meal when she saw Asuma walking down the path, heading to the training ground. Ino smirked, knowing his house was on the other side, before paying for her meal and ran up to catch him. Walking beside him, grinning from ear to ear at him and it only got bigger when he gave a small pout before pulling on the string that kept her hair in the bun.

"Hey!" Ino said quickly grabbing her hair to keep it up with one hand while the other tried to get her hair piece back from him. Asuma just raised it above his head but she was still grinning.

"Knock it off Ino or I'll make you do more sit ups."

"Is it my fault that you got caught?" Ino asked letting her hair fall, not caring about it. She just caught her sensei coming from his girlfriend's house, what's more important than that?

"I did not get caught, I'm walking to the three brats I train for some insane reason, which is why am walking so maybe I could be late and –"

"Go back to a red eye jounin?" Ino asked dodging the arm sweep from him, backing away laughing. "I don't see why you two hide it. You two look sooo cute!" She ended with some giggles before yelping, turning around and running as Asuma came at her.

"Ino your doing so many laps, push ups, and sit ups that you pass out!" Asuma yells after she ran. Let her run away, she'll be waiting at the training grounds so with that thought he continues to walk again.

"I'm so telling Shikamaru and Chouji!" Ino yells back at him from atop of the hill, looking back at his paling face. Well if she told them… he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"Wait get back here Ino! INO!" Asuma yells as he ran after her laughing form straight to the other two.

Oh he was going to kill her!