Chapter Ten

A snow owl was perched outside of Ino's window as she lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling with red rimed eyes and glistening cheeks. The white and black spotted creature hooted cooed, and Ino could take no more. It was as if the animal was there to laugh at her with its mocking caws. Sitting up, she gripped her small yellow pillow and threw it at the window. The bird fluttered away in surprise, yet still Ino felt no peace with herself.

She wanted to blame this all on Shikamaru. But none of it was his fault. Hadn't Ino been the one that brought this on? Hadn't she been the one that kissed him as he slept? Hadn't she been the one to demand the two of them talk as soon as possible? Yes, she had been the one.

Having thought things over, Ino discovered what was right in front of her face: she cared for that lazy bum.

Maybe she had all along, only it the love started as deep friendship. When had it become more? She couldn't place the time, just knew that it was there, and staring her right in the face. Damn it. Damn him.

But she had been so stupid. So very stupid. You would have to be insane to look into the eyes of the very man who had just told you that he wanted to try this out, if you were up for it—that he wasn't asking for your hand, for crying out loud (You're far to troublesome for that, Ino); too look into those eyes and lie in flat out panic. Because that's what it had been, right? Yeah, she decided, that's why she had said what she had.

Ino had panicked, knowing that if she was to agree to a relationship, she and Shikamaru would be putting a lot on the line; things that could very well not be mended if harmed. Such as their friendship. If nothing else, Ino wanted to keep the friendship.

"But look what you did, stupid," she told herself out loud. "You probably won't even have that, now."

She sighed and shook her head. Whimpering in self pity, Ino stood up and rubbed at her arms. She looked around for a sweater. She found nothing and decided that a search for something was no use. It was dumb to go knocking on Shikamaru's door in the first place. He probably wouldn't want to see her right now, much less have another talk.

Ino rubbed at her temples and curled back up in bed. Closing her eyes, she tuned out the clock and decided Shikamaru would, hopefully, talk to her tomorrow. Or the next day.

His warning in the train had been right after all. Wasn't this just peachy? She was suddenly grateful this hadn't happened while they had been in the cold train.

There was suddenly a rap at the door. Ino's head jerked up. Hope foolishly welled within her as she scrambled to her feet and flung open her room door, expecting to see Shikamaru.

The door swung open, her hand still holding the doorknob, and there stood none other than the one person she had not been expecting.

"N-Naruto?" She gawked first at Naruto's sleepy face, then the ridiculous hat that he was wearing. "What are you doing here? Don't you know what time it is?"

She scowled. Mostly she was angry that he wasn't the man she wanted to see. It was kind of sweet that Naruto came up to her room though. Maybe he was worried about her or something.

"Kakashi-sensei kicked me out."

Well, so much for that theory.

"What?" She furrowed her brow and shook her head. "Why?"

"Something about my snoring. He says I talk in my sleep and disturb him."

Naruto stopped to yawn. Finally clearing his throat, he shook himself and looked down at Ino.

"He's the one who keeps groaning about some woman named Izumi, and gurgling, but does he admit it? Of course not." He crossed his arms. "So I was wondering if—"

"Naruto!" Ino flared. "You can't sleep in here!"

"But, Ino!" he whined. "No one else will open their door!"

"What do you expect?" she snapped, tapping her foot. "It's two o'clock in the morning!"

Growling, she decided that Naruto had taken up enough of her thinking and self pity time.

"Good-night, Naruto."

And so the door slammed shut.

She groused as she crawled back into bed. That Naruto, she didn't dislike him really. As a matter of fact, she had come to actually respect him. Naruto had helped her team out more than once, and he really wasn't a bad guy. Huffing a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes once more and began to drift into a troubled sleep.

Yet there it came again.

"For goodness sake, Naruto," she mumbled to herself, standing and trudging over. Growling and putting on her game face, Ino pulled open the door with determination. "I said, no, Fool, now go find someone else to—" She gasped.

"Well," Shikamaru said, arching a brow, "sure can't say I was expecting that."

Ino swallowed. Shikamaru stared into her eyes, walking in casually and shutting the door behind him with one smooth click. It wasn't necessary to say that he looked intimidating, Ino thought as she took another step back, studying him. No, it was suffice to say that he looked indomitable.

"Sh-Shikamaru."

She cleared her throat and gained back her composure.

"Wha—are you here because you want to—"

"I'm here because I have a theory that I need to conclude," he said, knitting his brow together.

Ino stepped over her futon, soon backed against the cold wall, her palms landing against it. She swallowed hard. Shikamaru silently slammed his hands on each side of the wall, enclosing Ino; she was trapped. She looked his up and down. Shikamaru obviously only slept in a pair of boxers. It was either that or he had fallen into habit because of the train incident. She blushed.

"I. . .what are you—"

Her words became muffled as Shikamaru's mouth fell roughly against hers. His right hand fell down to grasp her bicep. She opened her mouth in shock. When she did this, Shikamaru deepen the kiss.

His tongue searched her mouth. Ino gasped and jerked her hands up to his chest in surprise. When Shikamaru broke the kiss, there was a pause as he kept his mouth mere centimeters away from hers. Ino panted, staring wide eyed.

Shikamaru's brow softened, and Ino could feel him smirking just before he placed a gentle kiss on her swollen bottom lip. When he pulled back, Shikamaru chewed the inside of his lip and looked at her.

"So I was right then," he said more to himself than her. "You were lying earlier."

Ino shook her head and remained against the wall.

"Of course I was, Stupid!" she blurted.

Shikamaru smirked and tilted his head down. He looked at her face when she dropped it, attempting to hide the flush that rose to her cheeks.

"Oi, don't' do that" he said, stepping up to her again and taking hold of her chin.

Ino's eyes searched Shikamaru's, and he bent down, tilting her head up, and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I know you told Naruto he couldn't sleep in here," he said. "Does that mean I'm out too?"

She chuckled in more of a breath. Her breath tickled his face.

"No, you can stay."

He smirked and kissed her nose.

"Good, because I wasn't going to leave anyway."

Ino bit her lip and smiled at him. Shikamaru let go of her chin and dropped his hand to the crook of her neck. He leaned back down and sucked on her bottom lip. Ino wasn't as surprised this time. Shikamaru's actions were very intimate, and Ino didn't know if she was really ready for what she guessed he wanted. Besides, they had just—pretty much—agreed that they wanted a relationship, why jump into bed so early?

"Oh," she gasped as his lips landed on her neck. His hand rested on her arm. "Ahh! W-wait a second!"

His hand stopped mid grope.

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, looking up.

"I'm fine," she sighed. She wanted to look away when she talked, but found that her eyes had no choice but to look into his.

"I just. . ."

She opted to close her eyes. Shikamaru's eyes were too intense.

"Can we slow down?" she asked.

His face softened and he sighed, resting his hand on the wall beside of Ino's waist.

"If that's what you want," he said. "I'm not trying to make you do anything, Ino."

"Oh, I know."

She wetted her lips, and her eyes fluttered open.

"I just got a little scared," she admitted.

Maybe it had been silly to say that, she thought suddenly. She had been more than willing to let Shikamaru pop open her pants and top when the two of them were in the train. But again, she had been too caught up to think back then. Now she seemed to be in her right mind, and knew for sure that she wasn't going to come across as easy, no matter how much she wanted to throw her legs around him and knock him to the ground.

"Don't take any of that the wrong way," he said, and ran a knuckle across her cheek. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," she said instantly.

Nodding, Shikamaru bent down and almost kissed her lips, but seemed to change his mind and instead kissed her cheek.

"You look exhausted," he said.

"You do too."

His hand came to rest on Ino's hip, the other still pressed against the wall. He studied her for a second before hooking his thumb through the band of her shorts.

"Let's go to sleep then," he said, smiling kindly. "C'mon."

The bed suddenly seemed far away as Ino walked over with Shikamaru. Why this should upset her was a mystery, seeing as she and Shikamaru had slept together on in the train. Maybe it was because now the two of them weren't just trying to keep warm.

Shikamaru was the first to sit down. He looked up at Ino's nervous face, then reached out and pulled her down with an amused look.

"Hey," he said as they both got comfortable, "stop looking scared." She laughed and smiled, but he could see that she was still feeling shy and awkward, so he propped up on his forearm and said: "Look, I don't have to sleep in here if you don't want. I just wasn't sure if it would bother you or not."

"No."

She cursed herself for how panicked she had sounded and paused to make sure she could trust her voice.

"No," she said. "I want you to stay."

He nodded and laid back, again using his arm instead of the pillow. He suddenly looked thoughtful.

"What?" Ino asked, lying down.

"Well, I was just thinking," he said, with his usual pout. "Do we tell Choji about this, or do we let him figure it out?

"What do you want to do?"

She flipped onto her stomach.

Shikamaru didn't say anything at first. Even when she had stilled, his eyes remained on her face, neck, and then her back. He placed his hand on the small of her back, running his fingers along her prickled flesh.

"I think we'll just let him figure it out. Shouldn't take him long," he said.

Ino agreed. Her head felt hazy. And as Shikamaru's hand continued massaging, Ino could feel the heat built in her chest. She heard herself whimper. It shocked her at first, and she was glad Shikamaru hadn't heard her. Really, she was very unused to this. Was he? That was something she would have to ask him about. She tried trailing her thoughts away from the direction they were going. It didn't work. She wished Shikamaru would stop rubbing her back.

No she didn't.

Swallowing, Ino tucked her hands under the pillow, relishing from the cold underneath. It helped cool her off, but the affect didn't last long. Shikamaru's hand traced near her side. A pang shot through Ino's privates. She whispered and tried to think of something else. But the ache wouldn't leave. It worsened. Aware that Shikamaru had gotten her wet, she closed her eyes. Wiggling, Ino bit her lip. The movement only made the ache flare.

Shikamaru's left eye opened, and he arched a brow. Ino's breathing labored.

"Oi, Ino," he started, his voice surprising low and husky. "You okay?"

Her stared at the pillow, searching for the right words.

"I'm fine." She gave a small laugh. "I just. . .um—"

"Yeah," he said with a smirk. "I could help you with that, you know."

At this, she froze, air caught in her throat, and a red blush running across her nose. His words weren't anything that she was used to hearing, much less him, and, oh, she bet he could help her. But no, she wasn't ready. Or was she. Ino felt confused.

When Shikamaru's hand rested on her hip, Ino gulped. It was clear that he wasn't going to do anything until she said to because he was watching her, waiting. Finally, Ino got up enough nerve and sat up. She touched his forearm and bit her lip. He moved his arm and sat up beside her.

"Shikamaru," she paused. "I've never. . .I mean, this isn't something I'm used to."

He looked down at her hand. She clenched the covers around her chest.

"Yeah, I figured that, Ino. And anyway, you're not the only one."

Watching his eyes, Ino sighed.

"I wouldn't know the first thing about—"

"So I'll be your guinea pig," he shrugged. "It doesn't matter. But, we don't have to do anything."

--

Important!

There is more to this chapter, but I have cut it out because it's a sex scene. I'll post it up on my homepage by tomorrow and link it with a place holding chapter (even if it does go against TOS). By on the look out when you get an update alert.