A/N - Hello. Chello. Bellow. Fellow.

Here's another chapter on this cool relaxing Sunday.

Enjoy it with a nice cup of hot chocolate and A BUCKET FILLED WITH FEELZ

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto

Song used for this chapter - Missio - I Run To You

My eyes wandered to Tayuya, as they had been naturally doing since the moment I entered her apartment. The music in the background was low with the TV flickering on mute, and as the melody hummed the desk light dimly lit the room.

She was sitting there, pencil between her middle and pointer fingers bouncing slowly to the rhythm. Her eyes scanned from left to right as her foot was lazily propped on the coffee table, her other bending beneath her leg as she comfortably sat in her own little world.

Forcing myself to look away, I stared at my own book that was on my lap. The words lay before me in a bunching tangling mess, refusing to straighten and make sense under my own inability to find interest within it all. Something about a war, or maybe something about math, I wasn't entirely sure. Nor did I entirely care.

Without thinking I peaked back at Tayuya, who hadn't moved since the last few seconds I had laid eyes on her. This time my gaze lingered down her neck and the tattoo that spiked and curved her skin, each deliberate stroke indicating a direction on her old looking atlas compass. My curiosity caused me to drift to her left arm, tracing the detailed pine trees in the forest I so loved to get myself lost in. The black birds escaping its depths, the moon looming over it all..

"Ino, you're staring." Tayuya muttered quietly, eyes still scanning her book and pencil still dipping with each beat.

Blinking I quickly looked back to my book. The words had refused to iron themselves out, and within a minute my eyes floated away yet again.

"Ino..." Tayuya warned.

I scrambled my eyes away, scolding myself for not having better self control. Glaring at the words at my lap, I chastised them to straighten out as I forced myself to read out a the sentence. But the chained sentences broke into jumbled words, and the jumbled words slowly shattered into noncomprehending letters. Before I knew it...

Sighing, Tayuya placed her pencil down on the crook of her book and gave me a wary glance. Huffing out in flustered frustration, I demanded, "How can you even see me! Are you some sort of alien!"

"Sorry to bust your bubble sweet heart, but you're not very good at being discrete," she replied with a bored pull of her beanie.

The term of endearment caused me to blink. Quickly pushing forward with a blush stinging my cheek, I shouted, "Or maybe you're just a freak!"

"Is there a reason you are staring-"

"I am not staring!" I quickly cut off.

She rolled her eyes, waving me off, "Fine. Is there a reason you keep glancing over here? Do you need help or something?"

"No!" I rushed out, but then stumbled, "Well, actually, I haven't been able to read a single word on this stupid page, but that's besides the point! The point is, I'm just..." She waited patiently, looking rather bored than interested. Gritting my teeth, I threw up my hands, "I'm confused! I don't even know how I got here!"

"Here?" She repeated with a raise of her eyebrow as I suddenly peaked her interest, "Here, as in my apartment 'here'?"

"Yes," I huffed exasperatedly.

Brow scrunching in confusion, she began slowly, "Didn't you ask to come over to do homework together?"

"Yes," I answered truthfully with a point, "But I didn't think you would actually agree to it." She opened her mouth then closed it, face still shadowing confusion. I do believe it was the first time I had truly stumped her, and I felt a bit proud about it.

Trying again, she asked, "So wait, why did you ask?"

"Because I felt adventurous and thought you might say yes," I explained with my hands.

A smile twitched at her lips, "And now that I have said yes..."

"I'm confused!" I finished with my hands tossing up again, "It isn't like you. Why did you agree?"

"Oh I don't know Ino, maybe I wanted to throw you for a loop," she shrugged as she swirled her finger sarcastically, "But it looks like you discovered my master plan."

"Don't be a nerd," I snapped with a glare, "Don't act like this is something that isn't out of the ordinary. This isn't normal."

"I know you've always thought I was a bit off, but seriously now, is it that big of a deal?" She drawled, yawn pulling at her lips and disinterested eyes wandering back to her book, "It's just homework. Get over it."

She began scanning once more and fell silent again. Fingers curling at my lap, I watched her with frustration building in my chest. The longer the silence stretched on, the more anger I felt. Yet, when I managed to find my voice, it wasn't nearly as harsh or as snapping as I would have liked it to be.

"I didn't ask to come over because I wanted to do homework..."

My small voice caused her to pause. Pencil stilling and eyes coming to a halt, she soundlessly gave me her attention with her gaze still set on her book. When I didn't go any further, her light brown eyes flickered to mine and with a voice leveled and patient, she asked, "Then why did you, Ino?"

"Because," I began, but didn't get much further than that as my eyes drifted away. I wasn't stupid, couldn't ignore her tone no matter how badly I wished I hadn't picked up on it. The condescending way her voice hummed in challenge. She knew where this was going and was prepared to slam the same metal door in my face as she always did, but I wasn't prepared to handle it.

"Because of what," she coolly pressed on, shutting her book and placing it on the table.

The steady hammering in my chest began to pound slowly, "I just want to hang out, watch TV."

"Then why didn't you just say that?" She said, eyes rolling as she reached for the remote.

"Because you usually say no," I countered with a frown, "And start acting like a nun when hits ten."

"You tend to ask to come down at ridiculous times," she shrugged while turning on the TV and flipping through random channels, "I don't care if you want to watch something this early. And ten is a decent time to head to bed."

Playing with my fingers, I muttered, "Yeah but... I want to stay later."

"No."

She said it so smoothly, so curt, that the blow was swift, But the twisting in my chest couldn't be extinguished as quickly, no matter how prepared I was to hear the shut down. Smiling slightly, I snorted and rolled my eyes, "See, that's what I thought. What's changed?"

"Let it go," she mumbled, eyes still staring ahead.

"Mm, sure," I hummed with disinterest, palm propping up my chin as I began flipping through the pages of my book, "Not like I expected any other sort of different answer. I mean, why would anything change? The planet and stars haven't aligned yet, the moment isn't right."

"Ino," she growled low in warning.

"And pigs have yet to fly, so we might have another millennium of evolution to get through before then," I sighed out while flipping another page, bored eyes wandering to her, "What do you think. Enough time for you?"

Her jaw set and ground, but her voice was surprisingly calm, "I'm tired, so let's save this for another day."

"Sure."

At my short answer, she seemed to relax a bit.

"I mean whats another day compared to a millions of years?" I hummed in thought while flipping passed another page of my book.

Placing the remote down calmly, because I'm sure she was afraid of breaking it, she turned to me with boring eyes and said in trying even syllables, "I don't get it Ino. You know the answer. Why do you act surprised every time?"

"Oh I don't know," I shrugged, pages still flipping in my book as I drawled in disinterest, "Silly blonde should take a hint, huh?"

"There are no hints," she went on with straining patience, "There is just one answer. No. And that answer has always been the same. No. I'm not beating around the bush, I'm not hinting anything. It's straight forward. It's simple. It's predictable."

"Yes, yes," I waved off with a roll of my eyes, "Very predictable, I'll agree with you on that."

"Then why?" She demanded with gesturing hands, "Why act like this is something out of the ordinary? Better question; Why ask at all? You know me by now, Ino. Nothing as changed."

"Yeah, and let me guess: Nothing ever will?" I asked with my eyes finally raising to hers and eyebrow quirking. Her jaw continued to set and ground silently. I simply smiled in return, "Don't worry Tayuya. I get it. I'm not surprised. Nothing is new. This is how you are, I've known that."

She looked away with frustration as I ruffled my hair lazily with a yawn, "Anyway, I'm heading up now. Might as well get some sleep."

My tongue felt heavy as I swallowed the other things I wished to say. I didn't want to lash, it was stupid to claw about something that I had done myself. Because she was right, I always realize what her answer will be before indirectly asking. I was prepared, as I always was, to hear the same two letters I that constantly came with every suggestion that perked. What I couldn't immune myself from was the stinging. No matter how hard I try, the poison never seemed to refrain attacking my chest.

I stood while grabbing my books, pencil poked inside my messy bun. Beside me Tayuya silently sat, seeming to struggle with something that I couldn't find the energy to care about. Slipping on my sandals, I said over my shoulder while aiming to leave, "I'll see you in the morning."

Just as I grabbed the door handle, she chopped out in straining words, "It isn't like I try- I don't try to lead you on. I don't want to give you false hopes, so I try to be straight forward so you don't get the wrong impression."

Unable to help myself, a soft snort left my lips as a smile lifted it hardly, "Yes, Tayuya I know. You don't have to explain it to me, of all people."

She seemed to struggle a bit more before offering, "You don't have to go yet. We can still watch some TV if you want."

My smile only lifted a little more as I replied soothingly, "It doesn't matter Tayuya. Honestly, just forget it... See you tomorrow?"

She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came. Smile still on my face, I turned and left.

X

In the days I had become accustomed to being shut down, I had also become accustomed to keeping an ear out for my phone in the deepest of my sleep. I guess it was my mind that wouldn't completely shut off anymore, always warily dreading the night I drift into the darkest depths of my dreams and miss a fatal call or text from Tayuya. It was a long shot, I doubted she would call me when she needed me the most, but the possibility was always there.

So my imagination always awaited the moment.

I remember stirring from sleep, remember reaching for my phone and eyes blurring at the bright screen. The words slurred into my thoughts, and instantly I began to grasp my surroundings.

Are you up...

My head rested back on the pillow after I replied, the three words dancing in my dream tainted mind. The inner voice within me urged me to not fall back asleep, but my eyelids fell heavy and I remember drifting soon after. But then a ringing came to my ear, and instinct had me answering.

"Hello?" I whispered so I wouldn't croak with my dry throat.

"Sorry..."

A heavy sigh left my lips as I closed my eyes, feeling guilty about the very first words I was forced to hear. Hand snaking up, I combed my hair from my face and replied softly, "Don't. You know I don't mind."

"I mean about earlier," she replied quietly, pausing in the silence before continuing, "I... really don't try to make you upset."

My inner self rolled her eyes while I, myself, laid there silently, "Why would I be upset, Tayuya?"

"I'm not going to let you pretend earlier today didn't happen," she muttered, unconvinced, "You can't play that bluff."

"But I am, and I will," I replied softly as my fingers began running down my cheek and finally resting under my chin, "I really don't care, Tayuya. You don't have to toss and turn about something so simple. It isn't that big of a deal and I have already brushed it off."

"It isn't that big of a deal, but you're upset?" She countered.

"Who said I was upset?" I tossed back.

"Fine, if you aren't upset, then what are you?" She challenged.

"I'm predictable, and prepared," I hummed with a sigh, pausing before adding, "And I'm also asleep."

There wasn't a delay in the shifting I heard over the phone, most likely her hand quickly moving to retrieve it, "I'm sorry. I'll let you go."

"It's a joke, Tayuya," I whispered with a smile pulling at my lips, "Loosen up."

She was silent for a moment before sighing, "That wasn't a very good joke."

"Maybe, and maybe I said it to be a bit mean, but you are so gullible," I teased quietly, but soon fell silent. After a moment, I began, "Is that why you called. To apologize?"

"Yeah."

For some reason, I didn't automatically believe her, but nor did a automatically call her out on it. Ideas popped into my head, hopeful and dreadful ones of a tossing red hair and sweating forehead. Pushing past it, I Instead sighed and muttered, "Well don't worry about it. Like I said, it isn't that big of a deal."

"Its funny," she started slowly, words sounding anything but amused, "When you brush it off and pretend its nothing are the few times I actually want to talk about things."

"Funny indeed," I hummed in agreement, "Because you seem to always be so fashionably late, and I always seem so unwilling to excuse you."

"I get it, I'm hard to deal with," her low voice rumbled gently on the other line, "But you have to understand-"

"I do." I cut off quickly, not in the mood to dip into the conversation, "And that's why none of this matters."

She sighed, "You're really going to keep pushing this away?"

"What is new?" I countered quietly, "Tell me one person who would like to go through flames twice.'

"You're being a bit hard, don't you think?" She tried half hardheartedly to reason.

"No," I replied simply, "I'm being as reasonable as you are any other day of the week. You shut things down, so I do too. Plus what is there to really talk about? All of it is the same, nothing has change, and I never expected it to so I always expect the same thing."

"I just want to explain," she tried again.

"There is nothing to explain." I answered.

"I feel like you don't understand," she went on.

"I do." I assured.

"Ino..."

Fingers curling into my sheets, I mumbled miserably, "I just don't..."

But I couldn't continue. Couldn't explain that within me I felt a mixture of things, churning between anger and understanding. From the moment I met Tayuya, she had been exactly how I expected her to be. Her tired eyes, indifferent gaze , and apathetic coasting was something so outwardly presented that there was no way in heaven or earth it could be ignored. And I knew she was the type of person with short answers and cut sentences, but I still found myself having full conversations with her anyway. I knew that if I ever found out why she was so tired, I would never be able to lay eyes on the depths of it, yet I searched onward. I knew that with someone so floating, so drifting, I would never be able to enter that world, and still I ventured.

But no matter how many times I pounded it into my head that she would never answer a question straight if it, in some way, held an ounce of meaning; No matter what creative ways I steeled myself with a smile waiting just past the hurt for yet another rejection that was prepared for me before I even parted my lips; No matter how reasoning the voice in my head sounded as it soothed and reminded me that I had seen all of this coming.

In the end. For one reason or another. I always felt a little part of me chip off and float away as I was shut down.

And in the end, for a reason given by an other, I instinctively shut myself down to keep from losing any more.

No, I couldn't explain that. How could I? The thoughts were so selfish, so interested in one direction, that my heavy sour tasting tongue couldn't even form the words. Just because I had managed to get answers about Tayuya's past, even though it was only relationship wise, just weeks before didn't mean stars had aligned. Nothing had changed. Nothing will.

So instead I stayed quiet, and hoped to get past it all like I had gotten past by most.

"Ino." She called softly.

"Like I said," I muttered, "Let's just let it go."

Her sigh danced on the other line before caving "Alright then... Did you want to come over to watch TV tomorrow?"

Smile pulling into my lips, I curled into my sheets and whispered lightly "No Tayuya, I don't."

Another sigh passed, but she didn't bother pressing it. Instead, she fell into the comfortable silence she had a habit of doing, and soaked into the darkness that had danced around me in my bed.

"It's foggy outside," she muttered in statement whether an hour or minute later.

"Yeah," I barely was able to get out as I drifted back to sleep, "It always is around this time of night."

(1) - Song has been on repeat since like two days ago. IN love with it.

There are are, finally hit a mark and we are ten chapters deep. Whew. Commitments. Commitments.

This is a little action between Yuya and Ino struggling through the struggles. A classic game of cat and mouse if I've ever seen one. Oh but one of them will learn. They always do.

A heads up, I might/will be disappearing soon for work reasons. But don't get frightened yet. Nothing too serious and nothing too long. Hopefully when I come back I have two chapters lined up and an update waiting for you guys.

Also a side note, I have picked up some interest in looking it TGATS and will be seeing if I can update that when I can.

Read review, tell me what you think. Thanks for the constant support and encourgement. Always love hearing what you think and how much you enjoy it.

Shycadet Loves. Doosy doe's out.