Chapter 20: Goodness gracious
Shikaku mouth dropped so suddenly and Chouza grabbed Inoichi and placed him back into his chair effortless while looking at the scene Chouji leaned against the wall laughing, but smiling Shikamaru had gripped Ino's face and kissed her so feverishly that she responded just the same by gripping his hair and accidently released his hair from his ponytail when the kiss ended they were gasping for breath.
" I love you Ino and Tsunade asked for me to do the chunin exam papers that's it." Shikamaru explained rubbing his thumb over her cheek he saw her smile soften and grabbed his hand dragged him outside once they were Shikaku turned towards Inoichi with a wide grin.
"That boy will be whipped before he's even married." he said with a chuckle and taking a sip of sake.
"yea, but Ino my daughter and I always feel the need to protect her and before you say anything I do trust your son with protecting her, but she all I have at the moment." Inoichi explained taking a drink of sake himself.
Naruto had guided Hinata to the Ninja academy swing with his big grin still plaster to his face Hinata got onto the swing and lightly push her to make the swing go Hinata giggled having a good time she truely missed Naruto and she could he had missed her greatly he stopped the swing and lean his head on her shoulder she turned her head and kissed him he was surprised at first, but kissed back it was gentle, but that all he needed to know she loved him and he loved her, but before he could say anything to her he heard the words troublesome and his face looked to see Ino dragging Shikamaru down the street passed the academy and Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"I guess they're going somewhere important " Naruto said with a small sweat drop he than realised the month was september, but would probably have to be remind when Shikamaru and Ino's birthday were.
"Ino's been upset lately cause she never really has much time to be with Shikamaru during the 3 years you were gone she would come hang out with me or with Sakura and sometimes I would see her with Tenten and her team." Hinata explained staring at the now empty entrance to the academy.
" So it seems " Naruto answered twirling a finger around her hair.
Jiraiya had finished giving Sakumo a bath and walked downstairs with him and saw me just finishing up with cleaning up the kitchen and he notice that some food was cooking on the stove.
"What's for dinner?" he asked with a goofy grin
"some Mac n' cheese and there's a ham in the oven" I replied putting away the broom and dustpan and walking into the living room and sitting the couch letting Sakumo play with my foot Jiraiya took the other seat on the couch and stared at me concern.
"is something the matter?" he asked placing a hand on my shoulder.
" Nena left the village last month with Kio and Shimo and Tsunade is busy with her son, but they always visit and man is Shikazu son cute" I said putting my head on his shoulder there was a knock on the door and Jiraiya got up to answer it and there stood Shikazu and Tsunade with their son.
"Hey come on in " Jiraiya said stepping aside for them to come in once inside Tsunade placed Asuma on the ground and he walked directly to Sakumo and they started playing with each other.
"Emiko did Sasuke really come back?" Tsunade asked sitting on the other couch and looking into my eyes intently.
"yes and he brought me this." I replied handing Tsunade the letter that was from Orochimaru. She read the letter and frown and handed it to Shikazu who read it as well.
"It looks like he's trying to say he's sorry, but at the same time not" Shikazu explained eyes still looking at the letter in distaste.
"I don't know what to do about it if Sasuke is back than he must've killed Orochimaru" I said pulling Jiraiya onto the couch from where he was standing and then she remember the food I was cooking and got up and rushed to the kitchen and took the mac and cheese off the burner and opened the oven door to check on the ham I noticed it still needed 5 more minutes to cook before it was done and I sighed in relief the ham was made in my mothers favorite sauce and I didn't want it to burn on my very first try at it.
I walked back into the living room with a relief look on my face and sat down on my spot on the couch tucking my feet in underneath me I looked at the letter that was Shikazu hands thinking about Orochimaru if he still lived or had died at the hands of my little brother I grabbed Jiraiya hand and squeezed it for I did not trust my emotions that was running in my veins to do Jiraiya looked at me with a worried expression and about to ask when he didn't see the children and had to get up and find them.
I looked down to my hands and they trembled it was like they knew what I would do if I was there and facing Orochimari I would have killed without mercy or any hit of giving him a second chance a person I hadn't been for a long time I heard the letter hit the table with my too sensitive ears and almost flinched when I felt a pair of hands touch mine and they calm down the hands that touched mine were calloused and slightly scarred and I looked up to meet the face of Shikazu.
"Emiko it's not your fault." he said sitting on the coffee table eye glowered at him and he stood immediately "ok no sitting on coffee table got it" he replied sweat dropping.
They were gonna continue the conversation, but a loud shout was echoing upstairs and all heads turned that way.