I was asked on tumblr for some KakaIno AU where Ino moves and meets her new neighbor. There's smut coming for this pair later *evil cackles* I mean... enjoy
Cut off! Cut off? She'd show them! She had spent her whole life trying to appease both parents; being as beautiful and fragile as the flower that her mother embodied, and yet as strong-willed as the officer her father was. All of her extra-curriculars had been clubs and activities her parents had chosen and approved. When she wanted just a smidgen of wiggle room her parents only constricted her movement further. And she just… snapped, something that her friend Sakura had warned would happen if she didn't start speaking up for herself more.
In a glare of defiance, she declared her independence and left home… after her father took away her credit and debit cards, her car, and her phone. What he didn't know, however, was that she had socked back practically every cent of her paychecks working with her mom over the last 6 years.
She flipped open her new phone to check the time. They were late! It wasn't like she owned a lot of stuff – just some clothes and a few furniture items her mother had bargained for in her favor. At least she'd have a bed to her name.
A truck turned the corner, and her eyes narrowed, then widened in horror. Her belongings had barely been secured in place. "Shikamaru! You lazy jerk!"
He huffed and pulled a cigarette from the pack he took from his shirt pocket. "What? We're here aren't we?"
"Come on! It's hot and I've been waiting out here all day!"
He scratched the apple of his cheek. "Actually…"
Her crossed arms came out. "What now?"
The passenger door opened and her other friend stepped out, crumpling a bag of chips in his hand. "Can we just leave your stuff here? I mean, we'll do all the heavy lifting, but we got somewhere else we gotta go."
Ino felt like stomping her foot and throwing the worst tantrum any of them had ever seen. But she suddenly felt too tired to bother. She let out a long sigh. "Whatever."
"I brought you some chips and beer to celebrate your new freedom though," Chouji countered, and then looked down at his hands. "Well, some beer at least."
She rolled her eyes, hiding her smile, and then opened the door and lead them inside the apartment complex. They went up to the sixth floor, where both boys endured the light verbal thrashing, and then into her apartment. It was small, and even so she didn't have enough to fill the space. She carried up bags and boxes while they moved her bed and dresser and a few chairs. She thanked them for their help, and kept the beer anyway. She waved goodbye as she picked up one of the last boxes and headed back inside and upstairs, grumbling the whole way.
The boxes were scattered about the floor, and the space that was to be her bedroom was a mess. She didn't even know where to begin. So she ordered some take out from one of the fliers that had been stuck to her door and plugged in her old CD player. The six pack of beer called to her, and she really didn't want to see it go to waste, considering she didn't even have a refrigerator. So she pulled one free and cracked it open. It was bitter, but she couldn't think of a more fitting drink to match her mood, and she started to rummage through a box.
It wouldn't be so bad, she thought to herself, at least this way she could decorate the entire place how she wanted to, and no one could tell her when to come and go, and she no longer had to ask for permission to do something.
The food arrived, and it certainly was cheap, and though filling it was nowhere as nice as the stew her mom made. She'd really have to learn to cook. She hated cooking. Leaving the leftovers on the counter, she grabbed another beer and turned up the music. She began to hang up clothes and match all of her socks back together when a sad song came on. She contemplated turning it, but as the chorus hit she found herself singing along, tears brimming her eyes.
What was she going to do? She had never been on her own like this, no matter how many times she had touted her independence. She had never felt so miserable and alone in all her life – not even when Shikamaru turned her down for the last time, proclaiming he loved the exchange student from Suna. They made such a lovely couple. And she hated it.
The next song was more upbeat and she started bouncing along, singing into a pair of rolled up socks, and finishing her beer off in between stanzas of the song, completely ignorant to exactly how loud she had grown and that she may be bothering her neighbors. She hadn't even considered she had any neighbors.
But she did. And the man in 616B huffed as her singing – loud and noticeably off-key - bled through his bedroom wall. He groaned and sat up. Was it possible for a person to be that loud? At least he was off work tomorrow. But with the way things were going, it didn't seem like he was going to be able to relax with his book. Or get any sleep. So he got up, threw on some jeans, and headed out. At least he could grab a cup of noodles and a drink from the convenience store – they were most likely the only place still open at this hour anyway.
And that's exactly what he did. He bought a cup of instant noodles and sat outside to eat it, enjoying the tranquility of the neighborhood that his apartment had seemed to have lost. But maybe he had spoken too soon. There was a hum, feminine and no so quiet, as a leggy blonde walked by. As a man, he couldn't help but let his gaze fall appreciatively on long slender legs. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, but still managed to reach beyond the middle of her back. Didn't he have to buy something else?
He got up and threw the trash away before going back inside. He perused the coolers and grabbed a six pack of beer and then waited in the check out line behind her. She fumbled while paying with exact change, and nearly bumped into him when she left, muttering a half-felt apology. He felt a little sorry for her, and he hated seeing pretty girls upset in any case. He finished paying for his drinks and then began the walk back to the apartment, surprised to see that the girl from the store wasn't that far ahead of him. He watched her, and their surroundings, as he walked. She seemed unaware, and there were more than enough creeps walking the streets at night. But he suddenly felt like the creep as she made another turn and he followed behind her. This had to be some coincidence…
She looked over her shoulder and then picked up her pace a little as she crossed the street to the apartment complex. He was right behind her, and he honestly felt a little odd stepping onto the elevator with her. She pushed the button for the 6th floor. The same floor he was going to. Yes, this had to be a coincidence.
She finally whipped around on him. "Are you following me?!"
His eyes widened and he held up his hand, offering a small smile. "No, I'm not."
"I saw you at the store, you came in behind me and then you followed me out. Are you some kind of pervert?"
His jaw nearly dropped. Well, he certainly had his quirks, but… "Pervert?"
"I carry a knife, you know… and I'll kick your ass if you try anything."
He laughed – somewhat because he was nervous, and partially because he found her defense to be cute. "I won't try anything. I swear."
"I've got my eyes on you," she threatened.
"I can feel them," he replied in a cheeky manner. Though, she really did have pretty eyes.
When the elevator came to a stop, they both stepped out and turned to the right. She spun around and narrowed her eyes at him. "Really? You're coming this way, too!"
He shrugged. "I live this way."
"Whatever. You're probably just some creepy old guy who wanders the streets late at night and follows attractive girls home. If you torture me, at least don't touch the face, okay?"
Old guy? Ouch. Yet, he smiled. "I live here, I'm not lying. You watch too many horror movies."
"Yeah, well, this is beginning to play out like the opening to one."
He chuckled and she smiled back, if only briefly. They turned the corner and he stopped at the first door, and pulled out his keys. He pointed to the number. "See? This is my place."
She kept walking backwards and stopped in front of the next door. "Unlock it and prove it!"
So he did. The door came open and he extended his hand as if to say, 'See! There!' A little pug stuck its head out of the door frame, snorted, and then walked back in. She scoffed a little and reached into her pocket, when realization struck him. She was the girl next door? The one with that god awful singing, and general loudness that had interrupted his very evening and sent him out in the first place?
She switched her bag to the other arm so she could search the other pocket. Nothing. Then she set the bag down and checked her back pockets and the inner pockets of her jacket. "No, no, no," she whined, and let her head fall against the front of the door.
"Is something wrong?"
Ino jumped, she had forgotten that he was even there. She turned to look at him, the rubbing of her head against the door the only sound before she huffed. "I left my keys inside… and it's locked."
They locked eyes and Ino pouted. Sure, she had practically just insulted him, but there was no one else that she had come in contact with and she didn't have her phone, and maybe just maybe he'd brush off her insinuating that he was some psycho killer. She was embarrassed that she had shot off like that to her neighbor of all people, but she wasn't about to let him know that. Besides, now, he didn't look much like some creepy old guy; he was rather youthful looking even with sterling colored hair
He sighed before looking back into his apartment. "Bummer."
And then he was walking inside. She hurried over to his door. "Wait, wait, wait! Please!"
"See, now how do I not know you're some creepy stalker woman trying get me alone, claiming you've been locked out, when really you want to get into my place, and then chop me to pieces?" he asked from behind the closed door.
"That's ridiculous!" she argued. "I'm way too pretty and innocent for something like that. Not to mention, I don't think I could hurt another person unless my life depended on it. And besides, that's the plot to Traveling Woman 4, which was weak at best, and you say I watch too many horror movies…. oh god, maybe I do," she reasoned all in a single breath.
He smiled at her as he opened the door back. "Get your bag and come on."
Ino could feel her cheeks warm, and she couldn't look away from his smile. "Oh… um… really?"
He nodded, and the relief that washed over her was palpable."Thanks."
He held the door open for her. "I'm Kakashi," he said, extending his hand to her.
She slipped her hand into his, and they shook. "I'm Ino."
