AN: People keep asking for more Shika Ino and I know this won't really be what you are after but it's here. I know I've been neglecting them and I'm very very very very sorry but I have no ideas.
I also feel the need to remind everyone that I DO NOT WRITE LEMONS!
It is simply not in my nature, so don't expect it and don't ask for it because it will never happen. Especially seen as they have only been in this fiction for 4 days. I refuse to think that they would go so far in the relationships that fast. So there. End of insane anti-lemon ramble.
This chapter isn't really that much I know, but I have much better stuff waiting.
Unless I get any reviews asking otherwise, THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THE LAST in this section of the story (meaning that the mission will end in some way).
It is already written and perfected but I will not submit it until I have at least 3 more reviews and am completely happy.
The start of part three is also written ready and will be uploaded when I have feedback from the next chapter.
Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers, especially my most loyal: TigerWings, XoXdAnNYX0X, TaimaHawk12 and CommGonn. Luffs ya all. Reviews keep me happy and sane and full of luffely ideas.
Yes luffely is a word, I have decided, it's not bad spelling, neither is luffs. It is saved into my spell-check dictionary so it is a word. So there. sticks tongue out at grammatically correct people
I have only one poll entry so I will not have maximum fun next chapter but it is very twisty guaranteed.
Lol. I luff to tease. So what if this chapter is only filler and an excuse to have a ridiculously long author note, I don't give a frell.
He he. I'm going to see POTC3 today so I'm quite hyper. Maybe not putting a post-it through my head, or putting my head through a post-it kind of hyper but still… my little sister is forcing me to dress as a pirate and it's going to be ridiculous.
Anyways, where was I? I know… reviews please, or I will not update. Ever…
Mwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
All done cap'n.
Back to the story…
1047 ridiculously pointless words in this chapter.
Phase Two
Chapter Twelve- Vulnerability
Shikamaru woke up in a foul mood. He felt like there was something he needed to be doing, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what. This always happened in the morning, usually for anytime up until… well until someone forced him out of bed.
Bed... He thought wistfully. It feels really comfy this morning, so warm and soft.
He started to gain the feeling in his limbs slowly and the sensation of something touching his arm reached out to him. He knew from experience (and lots of it) that it wasn't the bed and was beginning to wonder what it might be when another sense barreled into him. It was a strange, yet pleasant smell of flowers that seemed far too familiar.
Still though, his mind was making no connections and he lazily cracked open an eye. He winced at the brightness of the room in comparison to the darkness inside his own eyelids. In actual fact, the lights in the room were very dim, but the contrast was still enough to blur his vision for a while.
As his perception became clearer, the sight reached him of platinum blonde hair, spread out over a feminine form facing away from him. He also noticed that he had his arm wrapped around the woman's slim waist, the front of his torso pushed against her back. Suddenly, realization dawned and he slowly withdrew the arm, as carefully as possible (so as not to wake her). He then sprung off the bed faster than he could say troublesome.
"Gomen" he whispered dejectedly, knowing that if she had caught him, their already tenuous relationship will have been sent over the edge. It drove him mad to know that, when all he wanted was to be able to hold her like that with no objections.
As he looked down at her, despite the bitter feelings he was experiencing, he couldn't hold back a smile. Yes, he had missed it when she yelled at him for smoking, or being late or lazy, but the softness when she was quiet for real was almost angelic in nature. His gaze fixated on a strand of her disheveled hair dangling across her face.
The temptation to reach out and tuck it behind her ear gnawed at him until it became too unbearable. He took a step forward but was frozen in his tracks as Ino rolled onto her back, stretching an arm over the space he had just vacated.
Pulled back into consciousness, he went into the bathroom to splash water over his face. Wake up Shikamaru. It's never going to happen.
He went out into the main room again and quickly got dressed, watching her the entire time in case she woke up. She didn't. The whole apartment was eerily empty when she was quiet and he quickly found himself wanting to wake her up. But if he did that, then the awkwardness they had been experiencing throughout the last day would resume.
As soon as this thought entered his head, she began to sir again, like she had read his mind. She stretched an arm over her head and yawned as she sat up, eyes still closed as he watched on.
"Good morning sunshine." She smiled, and then opened her eyes slowly.
At first she didn't see him at all, until she turned herself to face him and caught her breath. They sat facing each other in silence, the smile frozen on her face only by the uneasy atmosphere. Neither wanted to speak first, or move in case the other took it the wrong way. One thing he didn't understand was that they weren't entirely sure which way would be the "wrong" way.
She had seemed jealous… or was it just concern for her best friend? Is it too much of a stretch for her to return my feelings?
Ino sharply looked away and the smile fell from her face.
Obviously it is…
Thinking of how the dinner idea hadn't gone too well, Sakura decided to try a different approach.
It seemed that an attempt at real romance wasn't going to work, despite Kakashi's apparent love for it. Maybe that stuff could never work with a one sided relationship where the active participant had been forcibly withdrawn from society for so long he forgot how to communicate with people.
Maybe the only romance he likes is the fictional kind, or was he just too aware of their previous relationship. She would never go the whole way to calling them friends, but they had been team mates, so their situation would not progress the way of normal couples.
She had to play to her strengths, and her strength at the moment was no longer the shock of her matured body, as it had been the last few days. He was used to that now, so she had to try and use the background information she had on him.
Her mind sifted through everything she had on him, until it settled on something. I have to use what he finds romantic. Ok, so this is more of a favor to him because with any luck he won't have time for this to work before he gives in, but I feel like I should do this, just in apology for what this mission has put him through.
So she pushed away the sheets on the bed, carefully avoiding his sleeping form as she got out of bed. He always sleeps so late, no wonder he doesn't get anywhere on time. I never even thought to get him an alarm clock. Right, that's the first thing I do once I get out of here.
No, first thing I do once I get out of here, I'm going to have a shower, get changed and go straight back to work. I've had a long enough vacation, but the first day off I get again, he'll get an alarm clock… maybe it can wait until Christmas, or his birthday… September 15th. I still remember, even though he never celebrates it. He never celebrates it, it can wait for Christmas.
She didn't bother getting changed, but went over to her bag and got out her book and pen, sitting down at the booth and smiling to herself.
