Grin and Bear It
Chapter 10
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.
Staring at the clock, Ino wished more than anything that she could just go home for the day. Office work was incredibly boring, and she absolutely hated having to man the front desk to serve as a glorified greeter. She glanced over at Naruto happily filing the day's paperwork. He'd been getting antsy just sitting at home all day, and it hadn't helped that she couldn't stay with him. She didn't have a medical reason to miss work, so she'd still had to go in to the prison for eight hours a day.
Since the genjutsu seemed to be having no drastic effects on his system, Tsunade had cleared him to return to the interrogation department after a week. Truthfully she hadn't been all that happy about the decision at first, but after thinking about it for a little, she quickly realized that it was actually a good thing. She could now keep an eye on him and at the same time continue working towards her dream.
"Good afternoon, Yamanaka-san!" Naruto shouted at Inoichi as he passed by the front desk leading into the prison.
The man started slightly. "Ah, uh, morning," he replied, obviously not expecting such an exuberant greeting.
Ino almost laughed. Almost. She was still sort of upset with him for forbidding her to join the torture and interrogation department, so she looked away when she felt her father's eyes on her. She then grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him back into the office with the other trainees, reveling in the frown that her father sent their way. It probably wasn't the wisest move in the world to make him any more suspicious of their relationship than he already was, but it served him right for being so overbearing.
"What's up?" he asked, tilting his head and smiling at her.
She rolled her eyes at his cheery expression. "You know, it's weird seeing you happy and optimistic all the time. It feels like we're genin again."
"Really? It doesn't feel like that for me. You're way prettier than you were back then!"
Ino blinked, not expecting the compliment. Still, she couldn't stop a small smirk from appearing on her face. "Thanks?"
He grinned back and sat at his desk, twirling around in the small, rickety chair with his head hanging back like a kid.
She couldn't stop herself from staring at him, trying to understand how he wasn't bored out of his mind like she was. Seeing him so full of childish energy made her kind of want a dose of that genjutsu.
An hour later, their shift was finally over. She quickly punched herself out and made a beeline towards the door, dragging Naruto along with her so that he didn't goof off and waste time like he had the annoying tendency to do. He followed her obediently enough, and she'd only had to steer him back on the right path one or two times–something that was unheard of for the normal Naruto.
She wasted no time in comandeering his shower when they got home, not that he would have minded. She was eager to get dinner started a little earlier, so only fifteen minutes later–half the duration of her regular showers–she stepped out of the bathroom after slipping on a tank top and a pair of shorts. She remembered her mother's warning about wearing short shorts around Naruto, but she just couldn't find it within herself to be concerned. Maybe it was because deep down she actually wanted him to do something.
Shower's free," Ino said, braiding her hair as she headed to the couch.
Her face grew warm when she saw him staring at her and not bothering to hide the interested look in his eyes. She'd noticed in the past week that he had been doing a lot of that–not hiding his emotions. Tsunade had mentioned that it might be a side effect of the genjutsu and Sakura had warned her to be careful, though to be honest, she actually sort of liked knowing what he was thinking now. She didn't feel like she had to walk on eggshells around him anymore since he never got angry and was always willing to speak to her about what was on his mind.
Ino sat down on the couch next to him, tucking a bare leg underneath her as she continued to braid. She could feel his eyes boring into the side of her head.
"I really like your pigtails," he finally said, grinning over at her.
She smirked back and rolled her eyes. "So you've told me."
"No, really, I think they look really cute on you."
"Do you want to try braiding this side?" she asked him, surprising even herself. He'd just looked so interested in her hair that the question had slipped out.
His eyes widened slightly, and he couldn't stop a large grin from spreading across his face. "Really?!"
Ino struggled not to laugh at his excited face. "Sure." She turned around on the couch so that her back was facing him and he had easy access to her hair. "It's still damp, so it won't be too hard for you to get the hang of it." As soon as the words left her mouth she felt his fingers in her hair. He certainly hadn't wasted any time.
"First, split the hair into three sections. Try to make them even," she said, giving him instructions on how to braid. She tried not to sigh as he gently ran his fingers though her hair an attempt to do as she'd told him.
"What now?"
"Um...cross the left part over the middle part, then cross the right part over the middle part. Just keep doing that over and over." She felt him begin to follow her instructions, very slowly at first but gradually picking up speed.
He moved closer as he struggled to remember the pattern, and she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck while he worked. It sent little pleasurable shudders down her spine, and almost against her will, she leaned back into him a little more.
"I think I'm done!" he shouted after after a few quiet minutes, making her jump a bit with surprise.
Ino grabbed the braid and looked at it. Unfortunately, she was unable to stop the sharp bark of laughter that slipped out of her throat. The braid was lumpy, misshapen, and very crooked. "Well, it's not bad for your first try." She rolled his eyes and smiled at her pout. "Seriously, I'm impressed."
Believing her words, Naruto smiled with pride. "That was fun! Your hair is so soft and silky." She was about to reply, but the feel of his fingers brushing against the now exposed skin of her neck quickly wiped all coherent thought from her mind. "Your skin is, too."
"Is this the genjutsu talking?" she breathed, trying not to let on just how good the simple action had felt.
He laughed loudly and shrugged. "Maybe!" She felt the cushion beneath her shift as he got up and stretched. "I'm gonna go shower!"
Ino shook her head, trying to remove the annoying feelings coursing through her chest. "Great, I'll get dinner started. How does chicken katsudon sound?"
"Really good!"
Despite herself, she smiled. She was slowly growing used to him exclaiming everything. "Go take your shower. You kind of stink."
Naruto stuck out his tongue at her and disappeared into the bathroom. She spent a good minute or two staring at the closed door before finally working up the effort to get to the kitchen. She pulled the rice, chicken, spices, and dishes she'd need from the fridge and cupboards. The chicken was still a little frozen in the middle, so she set it aside on the counter top. There wasn't anything she could do with it yet.
Deciding to relax in the meantime, she poured herself a glass of orange juice, and a few seconds later, she poured another one for Naruto. He'd be done with his shower soon and would probably like something cool to drink.
No sooner did she sit back down on the couch with her drink did he emerge from the bathroom, hair damp and hanging over his eyes. She held up the glass for him, which he gratefully took.
She noticed that he left a rather large amount of space between them when he plopped down next to her, something which bothered her more than it should've. "How is this genjutsu affecting you exactly?"
Naruto's eyes rolled upwards in thought. "I dunno, really. I feel kinda happy and laughy," he replied, chuckling as if to confirm his statement.
"So, high?"
"I dunno, never been high!"
That didn't surprise her much. He didn't seem like the type to get into drugs. "What about drunk?"
"Nope! The fox burns it out of my system before I can feel it!" He laughed again at that. "Kinda sucks, really! Nothing to dull the pain!"
Ino hummed and thoughtfully ran her finger around the rim of her glass. It was hard to tell if he was joking or not about dulling the pain. "That does suck."
An awkward silence developed between them after that. She still liked him but had yet to actually say anything about it. With his injury and their busy schedules, there just hadn't been a good time to bring it up. Plus, Sakura had been dropping by more often lately to 'check on Naruto,' but she knew better. She was just being nosy and invasive like usual.
A knock at the door grabbed both of their attention. Speak of the devil. Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly set her glass aside and went to answer it. "I'll get it," she groaned.
She threw it open to glare at whoever was on the other side. "Naruto's fine, go ho–" her eyes widened when she finally realized who was staring back at her. "M-mother?!"
"Not living with Naruto, hm?" Her mother's eyes slowly took in her appearance, frowning as they noticed the tank top and shorts. "Oh, honey."
Ino tried as hard as she could not to cringe under her mother's scrutinizing gaze. "Why are you here, mom?"
"Well, since my daughter won't bother to visit me, I thought I'd take the initiative and do it myself." She bustled into the small apartment and looked around, an approving smile appearing on her face. "How quaint. I was expecting much worse."
"Hi, Yamanaka-san!" Naruto said, hopping to his feet with a grin. He didn't look upset at all to see her and in fact even looked a little pleased, though that was more than likely because it was the only emotion he could feel. "What brings you here?"
The woman smiled. "Well, son," she started, looking lasciviously over her shoulder at Ino, "I just thought I'd see how things were going with your little arrangement."
"They're great! We were just watching some TV. Have you had dinner yet?"
"As a matter of fact, I haven't. Inoichi's out on a mission, so I don't have anyone to cook for."
A grin split Naruto's face. "Why don't you stay for dinner then? Ino's making that katsudon stuff again!"
Still dumbfounded at how well they were getting along, Ino quickly noticed that if she didn't do something her mother would be around for much longer than a few minutes. "I'm sure you don't want to eat my cooking, right, mom?"
"Actually, it's been ages since I've had anything of yours. Thank you for the invitation." She strolled into the kitchen as if she owned it. "Let me give you a hand."
As soon as they were out of earshot of Naruto, Ino turned to glare into her mother's eyes. "Mother, what are you doing here?" she hissed.
"I wanted to have a chance to talk to the boy to make sure you're safe with him."
"Everyone knows Naruto's harmless," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. She could understand her mother's concern, but in no way did she think it was justified. He wouldn't do anything she was uncomfortable with. Hell, he wouldn't do anything at all.
Her mother sighed and placed the ingredients on the counter top. "Be that as it may, I would still like to evaluate him for myself. Where's the pepper, dear?"
Frowning, Ino opened a cabinet and grabbed it, plopping it down loudly in front of her. "You're just being nosy."
Smirking, she set about boiling the water for rice. "Also true. Start cutting up the chicken, and dump the rice in the water once it starts boiling."
"I know how to boil rice, mother."
"Good, then you can take care of things in here while I speak with your boyfriend." Before Ino could react, she slipped out of the kitchen to go back to the living room.
She took a seat next to Naruto on the couch, angled in such a way that she could clearly see his face in order to gauge his expressions. "I don't believe we've formerly met, Naruto-kun. I'm Yamanaka Kaede, Ino's mother." She held her hand out for him to take, which he grabbed with gusto.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage!"
Kaede couldn't stop herself from laughing at his exuberance. It was pretty infectious. "Yes, I'm well aware of who you are. How are you feeling?"
If it were possible, his grin widened. "Great! Ino's been taking really good care of me."
The woman smiled. "So, you enjoy having Ino stay with you?"
"Definitely! She's a really great friend to worry so much about me!"
"Only your friend?" the woman asked, frowning.
Naruto titled his head slightly, looking at the woman curiously. "Only?"
"Mother, I need your help in the kitchen," Ino ground out, poking her head into the room to look at them. She was well aware of what her mother was up to as she'd done this many times before, even to Shikamaru. "Now."
Kaede frowned but stood up. When she reached her daughter, she leaned in close. "Does he know you like him?"
Ino thought about lying and saying that she didn't feel anything for him, but it'd just be a huge waste of time. Her mother's sixth sense about these things was always spot on and she knew it. "No, I haven't found a good chance to bring it up what with him being under the influence of a possibly fatal jutsu."
"All the more reason to tell him now."
"It's not that simple anymore," she mumbled. And it wasn't. Naruto wasn't himself, and she'd feel more like she was taking advantage of his mental state than anything.
They went back into the living room, together this time since she didn't trust her mother not to embarrass her further. Unfortunately, her presence in the room did absolutely nothing to stop the questions.
"Do you find Ino attractive?"
Naruto raised his eyebrows, missing the horrified gaping of his roommate. "Of course! She's beautiful!"
Ino's jaw dropped further. She'd been called beautiful by probably hundreds of guys for years, but he'd said it so matter-of-factly–like it was the most obvious thing in the world–that it caught her off guard and made her face heat up.
"Why haven't you asked her out on a date?"
His face fell only slightly, and he glanced over at the girl in question. He noticed that she was looking everywhere but at him. "I've never really thought about it until now. I guess I just figured that she'd want someone really handsome and rich, not a normal guy like me," he joked, laughing a bit. "Ino deserves someone who can give her the world."
Ino snapped her head up to look at him, only to find his eyes trained on the floor. He looked embarrassed but not sorry for what he'd said. The weirdest thing was it seemed that he meant every word, which was crazy since she certainly didn't think that highly of herself. She vaguely recalled telling him that she wanted a guy who would make her his world. Had he actually taken it to heart?
Yamanaka Kaede looked between the two of them, a large smile on her face. It was every parent's dream for their child to find a person who'd realize how special they were–a person who would gladly put their partner's happiness before their own. She'd worried that Ino would pick a man based solely on his looks and was relieved that she'd outgrown her more superficial phase. Personally, she didn't understand what she saw in that Uchiha Sasuke. "I'd better check on the food. Ino, I'm going to need your help."
"I like him," she emphatically declared once they were back in the kitchen, straining the rice to get rid of the extra water.
Ino smiled softly. "Me too."
"That said, I don't like you living with him. The moment he recovers, I want you to come home."
The younger girl sighed, turning off the stove's burners. She knew it'd been too good to be true. "Or you'll tell dad?"
"It's simply unacceptable for you to be living with a member of the opposite sex, especially since you're not even dating him. Try to understand how this looks, Ino," her mother tried to reason, placing a hand on her daughter's forearm.
Ino pulled away, feeling somewhat betrayed. After that display she'd put on in front of Naruto and acting like she wanted them to be together, this had come out of nowhere. "I don't care how it looks. If I want to stay with Naruto, then I''m going to stay with Naruto."
Her mother's light brown eyes glared into Ino's equally determined blue ones. "You've been living with him for three months and have already decided that you want to be with him forever?"
"I've known him for years. We both have. Look at where he started, and look at where he is now. He's the kindest, sweetest, most determined man I've ever met and if you're trying to get in the way of–"
"That's enough. Help me take these to the table." Her mother's tone was icy and left little room for argument, so she wisely closed her mouth. She was already at odds with her father, and the last thing she wanted was to make her mom upset too.
Ino picked up the dishes remaining and followed her out, setting them down on Naruto's small dining room table. It wasn't much bigger than a card table really, and probably just as flimsy. She made a mental note to buy a new table the next time they got paid.
"Dinner's ready, Naruto-kun," Kaede called, setting herself down at the table.
Naruto hopped up and joined her, plopping down in the seat directly next to the older woman. "Wow, this looks amazing! I didn't know food could look so fancy!"
Kaede glanced over at Ino with surprise and a little bit of sadness. "Well, thank you very much, but this is a really simple dish."
"Oh. I'm not really used to this kinda food," he grinned, shrugging.
She smiled again, more sadly this time. "Well, let's hurry and eat before this food gets cold. Itadakimasu!"
Despite how tense things were between Ino and her mother it was an overall very pleasant dinner, especially since she had the decency not to bring up what they'd been arguing about in the kitchen. The younger blonde looked on anxiously as Naruto regaled her mother with tales of his more dangerous missions, trying to decipher exactly how sincere the laughter coming from her mother was. She genuinely seemed to liking him more and more, but it was hard to tell with her.
She was relieved when the older woman finally stood up to leave, stacking her dishes into a neat pile. "Naruto-kun, you should come over for dinner sometime. We'd love to have you."
He looked surprised for a few seconds, almost as if he weren't sure if he'd heard her correctly. It was the first time anyone had ever invited him for a home cooked meal. Ino looked equally astonished. Her mother was full of surprises. "That would be great!"
She smiled at him one last time, a glint of something in her eyes. "Well, I suppose I'd better head home. Goodnight, Naruto-kun."
"Goodnight, Yamanka-san!" He smiled so widely and so happily that she couldn't stop herself from laughing on her way to his door.
Ino walked her out, heart still pounding in her chest. She wanted to talk to her alone where Naruto couldn't hear her. "Are you going to tell daddy?" she asked, trying not to look as afraid as she felt. She didn't know exactly what her father would do when he found out, but she knew it wouldn't be good. At all.
Her mother stared at her for a long few seconds, brown eyes scrutinizing and thoroughly scaring the shit out of her. "No, I'm not going to tell your father," she relented with a sigh. When Ino smiled, she quickly held up her hand. "However, I do hope you know what you're doing. I don't want to see you get hurt and I don't want you to hurt Naruto-kun."
"You don't have to worry about that, I promise. Thanks, mom." She hugged the older woman tightly. She was reluctant to let go, something that surprised her yet didn't at the same time. Not counting her brief make out session with Naruto, she hadn't been hugged or really even touched since she'd left home. It was a feeling that she really missed, though she hadn't realized how much until that moment.
"Promise me that you'll visit?" her mother mumbled into her hair, stroking it gently with the tips of her fingers.
Ino pulled away, quirking an eyebrow at the request. "When daddy's out, sure."
She watched her make it safely down the stairs and didn't come in until she was out of sight. It wasn't that she thought anything bad would happen to her. She'd retired at the genin level after marrying her father, but she could and would put up a good fight. There was a legitimate reason her father was afraid of pissing her off.
"Your mom is nice," Naruto grinned, clearing the table of their dishes as she came in.
Ino frowned at this, obviously annoyed that he wasn't resting like he should've been. She still wanted him to take it easy, but she shrugged it off and helped, following him into the kitchen with the remaining dirty dishes. Besides the whole being happy 24/7 thing, he seemed to be doing just fine. "I guess. I don't know what she sees in you, though."
"Ouch," he laughed, grin widening when she joined him. He moved out of the way while she began to wash dishes and leaned back against the fridge to just stare at her. He wasn't really smiling, but his face wasn't blank, either. He was just...watching her.
"What?" she finally asked, turning away from the sink and quirking an eyebrow. She was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with his eyes boring into the back of her head.
His lips parted but came together soon afterwards into another smile, whatever he'd been about to say hidden beneath the jovial expression she'd grown accustomed to since his accident. "I'm going to bed. Night!" He headed towards his room without another word, hands shoved into his pockets.
She relaxed her shoulders after he'd left, the breath she'd been holding coming out in a sudden rush. She didn't know what she was expecting him to say, or if he'd even planned to say anything, and somehow, that bothered her. A lot. Thinking quickly, she finished rinsing the last dish and followed him out into the living room.
She saw him just standing in front of his room with his hand on the doorknob, head leaning against the cheap wood. It was strange seeing him be anything other than ridiculously chipper. Not that he looked upset, though he seemed to be deep in thought. "Naruto..." she started, standing in front of her own door.
He looked up at her and grinned. "Yeah?"
With the full force of his gaze upon her, Ino felt her throat suddenly tighten. She hadn't fully thought through what she was about to say. A flash of words passed behind her eyelids, and before she could change her mind, she blurted them out. "I don't want the world."
He furrowed his eyebrows for a few seconds in an attempt to decipher her phrase, and a second later, his eyes widened.
"Good night," Ino mumbled. She quickly opened the door and closed it behind her, heart thumping out a quick rhythm in her chest. She felt like she was in some cheesy romance movie, one liners, awkwardness, and all. She waited in front of her door for a good five minutes, hoping that he wouldn't come speak to her.
Or maybe she did want him to knock on her door. Maybe she wanted him to confront her about her statement and demand an explanation, but when she didn't hear anything after a couple of seconds, she decided it was safe to relax. She didn't know what she was expecting, really. Naruto never did what anyone thought he would do. There was a reason he was known as the world's most surprising shinobi.
She walked the few steps to her futon and fell face down on top of it. She was not looking forward to tomorrow.
AN: Okay, that's enough cuteness.