A/N - Ugh I don't even wanna talk about it.

Here is a chapter for your face.

Running away now. Kthnxbai.

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto.


Song used for this chapter - Blackbear -Weak When Ur Around

My eyes slid open, and as sleep subsided I stared at the ceiling. I felt shot, emotionally drained, to the point of numbness. And as if I were drunk from all the troubles, worries, and drama that had been around me for the past couple of weeks, my head felt foggy and slow. The only indication that it was some point during the day was the sun shining through my window, and the angle suggested that it was still morning but I hardly cared to confirm the theory. Officially speaking, my first moments of being awake were sluggish.

Then, just like a clock with a broken gear, the hands of time began to start reeling with uncontrolled speed.

Out of pure routine, I rolled over and unlocked my practically dead phone, too exhausted to put it on the charger last night. The feeling of disappointment when I realized I hadn't a single alert was enough to make me sick. Near the pit of my stomach, under the depths of fractured emotions and drowned thoughts, was this loneliness I willed would go away. But it stayed.

What was worst was the searing pain in my chest when I refused to admit, but realized, who I wanted to see a message from.

Pushing my phone away, I brought my hand up to my face and weakly attempted to wipe the feelings away. My fingers began to wander and linger within my tangled blond hair, the last bit of energy depleting with my fleeting numbness. All too quickly, all too soon, I began to feel every single thing I had refused to acknowledge last night.

And the broken gears softly screeched as the hands moved faster and faster.

"No," I mumbled to myself, convinced with enough meaning behind the word I could fix what was to come.

Yet wave after wave, I was attacked. Drowning, I was drowning. It was the only word that came to mind as my lips parted slightly and I calmly tried to breathe, heart beginning to race within my chest when my small tedious breaths weren't enough. Panic was creeping towards the surface, bone trembling panic.

"No, no, no," I began to mutter more desperately, moving both of my palms over my eyes as I felt the familiar stinging burning beneath the surface of them.

What are you doing?

Are you going to keep this up until someone gets hurt?

No. No I wasn't. I refused- refused to do that to her, to us. I felt that choking pain before, that suffocating hurt. I out right rejected the idea of forcing her to experience that.

But I told her about the fucking kiss.

I told her about me and Tayuya, and admitted I didn't know what was happening between us.

Why did I bother, why did I open my mouth? Why was I trying so stomach wrenchingly hard to hurt her.

Because misery loves its company, and you're bringing her down as a trouble shoot.

"No," I whispered weakly, tears starting to spring at the thought, disgusted, queased, so revolted with myself. If that came to mind, it had to be true. Was I that pathetic?

Was I that desperate and afraid?

I swallowed back a sob just as my phone rang. The noise jumped me back into my room, away from the dark corners of my mind. Wiping my eyes quickly, I checked who it was. Then, clearing my throat and putting on the best smile I could muster, I answered, "Hey Tenten. What's up?"

"Oh my god, you would not believe what happened last-" She abruptly cut herself off. With a sudden pause, she demanded, "What's wrong?"

"What?" My chest twisting at being caught so quickly, "Nothing, what are you talking about?"

"Don't lie," she snapped in a concern manner, "I can totally sense pre-cry sniffles, it's a 9th sense biatch. Now spill it. What's the problem? I hope you weren't crying all by yourself, how many times do I have to repeat myself that you need to call me."

"I'm fine, Tenten," I urged, embarrassed, "What happened last night?"

"Um no, you first," she snipped and I could almost feel her narrowed eyes on me, "Don't try to change the subject with your knowledge of how much I like to talk about myself. I'm struggling here, show some damn respect."

A weak smile pulled at my lips as I sighed, "It's nothing, alright? I was just… having one of my moments. You know how I get."

"What I know is that you don't have to go through your moments alone," she replied, frown evident in her voice, "What's going through your head this time Ino? Is it about Sakura and that other girl."

"Tayuya," I corrected softly.

"Yes yes, Tayuya that one," she quickly covered and pressed, "Are they becoming unbearable? Do I need to kick some ass?"

Chewing my lip, my eyes wandered towards my lap as I crossed my legs, last night's events playing through my mind. Frowning at the memory, I admitted with less struggle than I was used to, "Sakura punched Tayuya last night."

"Shut up," Tenten gasped out, stunned.

"Yeah," I confirmed, rubbing my eyes as a dull headache started to dig at the side of my head.

"Did Tayuya hit back? Did they fight?" She asked frantically.

"No," I answered.

"What?" She said, confused, "Did you stop her before she could?"

"I thought I did…" I began, slowly tailing off as I thought about Tayuya's words. Sighing, I admitted, "But to be honest I don't think Tayuya would have hit back even if I hadn't pushed and pleaded her to go inside."

"Why do you say that?" She asked, comfort in her tone.

I hated to acknowledge it, but with each passing syllable I was feeling lighter. Biting my lip, I slowly replied while confessing to myself, "Because she said… she said later on that she wouldn't have done that to me… She wouldn't have hit Sakura. And it's stupid, but I kinda believe her."

"As oppose to Sakura," Tenten prompted carefully.

"Who actually did it," I finished, dropping my hand to my lap.

"Wow," Tenten mumbled.

"Yeah," I whispered.

"So why were you crying?" She asked, steering me towards the direction of the center of the problem.

"I was thinking," I weakly replied, too scared to continue any further.

"About?" She pressed gently.

"I was thinking… that I'm becoming a problem," I practically mouthed, too terrified to breathe it any louder, "That I'm…"

"Ino…"

I swallowed, throat suddenly dry. Fingers curling into fists, I crept closer, "That I'm… just dragging her with me because I was miserable without Tayuya and now that she's back I'm scared she'll leave me again and I don't want to be alone when it happens."

There was a pause. A sickness began to twist within me and panic crept as I realized had officially showed someone the worst side of me. She probably would call me names, tell me I was heartless. I deserved it, but it didn't sting my eyes any less as tears began to well all over again preparing myself.

"And?" Tenten prompted, not sounding phased.

I opened my mouth in surprise, but confusion hit me and I didn't know what else to say.

Tenten sighed in a tired sort of way, "Come on Ino, you can't honestly think that makes you terrible. Seriously?"

"But it does," I argued automatically, "How can it not. Sakura doesn't deserve something like that-"

"Sweet heart, it's time for a reality check," she cut off tiredly. I could imagine her shaking her head in disbelief as she spoke, "Get ready, because this might sting."

I cringed, but took a breath to prepare myself.

"Do you realize that it's human nature to want contact?" She dove straight in, "To be loved and given attention and pretend that the world revolves right around them. Ino it's natural to cling to the closest most comfortable thing when the first signs of trouble peak around the corner. We're like these little kids all in the same dark room, stumbling around scared for what next monster might appear. And the only thing that get us through the days of darkness with an ounce of sanity is holding on to the hand of the other kid next to you, who's probably fighting a different monster with a different image in his or her own different corner.

"Honestly, we cling in nature and ask questions later. We just want to get through the day like the next person, you know? We're all battling these stupid little problems that seem like the end of the world, but jeez we're just struck idiots with the stupid idea of having something more in life."

There was another pause.

I chewed my lip and fidgeted with my fingers.

"That last part sounded a bit harsh," Tenten admitted, but pressed on without much sympathy, "But what I'm trying to say Ino is you can't beat yourself up for wanting a friend to fight with you during your own little epic monster battle in your own little dark corner. We all go through the same thing, and when we find close enough people, we all want to be that hand that leads them away from the creature or anchor them as they fight it. Either way, by nature we're all afraid… and by nature we are all meant to be heros."

There was another pause.

My chewing relaxed and my fingers stilled as her words washed over me.

"So you, miss, have shit nothing to be sorry for," she snapped in a tone that shoved me back into the glaring sun when it felt like I was choking all alone in darkness just minutes before, "And you're not horrible for admitting you need someone. Sure you're in a fucked up situation, but damn how many fucked up situations have we all survived together? Breathe Ino, stop pretending you've reached the point of your life where you finally can't take it. You're a hell of a lot stronger than you pretend to be, and I'd be damn if I let you sniffle in some corner any longer over something so stupid."

A second past, then two, and with a firm voice she snapped, "Alright?"

"Ok," I said softly.

"Good," she huffed sounding exhausted. A silence fell between us before she said a bit more gently, "And you don't need to apologize to yourself or to Sakura for not giving into all that she wants. You need a friend, she wants more, and you're keeping a fine line. That's no reason to feel so beat up and bent out of shape. Remember that."

"Alright," I nodded while staring at my sheets.

"Alright," she echoed with affirmation, "Now get dressed. Time for some girl time."

"I really don't-"

"Naw, you can't play that card on me today," she cut off.

A small smile pulled up my lips and with a sigh I corrected, "Fineeee."

"Damn straight," she challenged, "We're going to get a petty and then eat ice cream and pull out our comfy sweatpants. I'll see you in an hour."

"Ok," I replied while moving to get out of my bed. Pausing with a bite of my lip, I whispered, "Tenten."

"You don't need to say it," she stopped, but added just as quietly, "But you're welcome and make sure you pack something to sleep in your spending the night with me."

I smiled even more and jumped out of bed, energy beginning to build right back into me, "Mmk."

"Awesome, be right there!"

She hung up.

And I felt infinitely grateful I had such amazing friends.


(1) - I like this song, had it on repeat for a week. I'm not sure, guess I was just in the mood for it. I think it kinda fits. Because Ino just needs to get her shit together, and shes struggling.

(2) - MY FOOT NOTES WERE STILL AT THE BOTTOM. OMFG WAS NO ONE GOING TO TELL ME. WOW HOW EMBARRASSING. I FREAKING FAIL. UGH. UGHGHGHGHGHG

I'm trying.

Like that's all I got to say, I'm trying.

It's wrapping up, slowly but surely. Sheesh we need to make this happen before Decemeber rolls around again. We can't have this going on until 1 1/2 years or even 2. Like dont even comment on the fact that this story has soooo many chapters. I already cringe everytime I post anything more to it. But like, I'm trying not to have it get dusty and die from the face of the earth, you know. Like, I want to make sure it has a good little thing on the shelf of FF so people can stumble on it. Where its a complete little book that you can pick up on the used pile of book collection.

Like oh, look, a story.

And then read it all and be like, Oh look, that was pretty good, how nice. *puts book down and walks away*

THATS WHAT I WANT. THATS WHAT IM TRYING TO DO. SORRY FOR ANOTHER CHAPTER I'M SO SORRY

Shycadet runs away in shame. Loves. Out.