A/N - Part two of bundle. Keep it going. You got this.
DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto
Song used for this chapter - CMRN - We're Not Perfect
When I entered my room, Tayuya was on my bed laying down arms folded behind her head and eyes closed. She looked peaceful, but I could tell immediately she was anything but. Combined with whatever stress she had to deal with with her gang, she had the absolute pleasure of seeing me walk out Sakura. And I'm sure she wasn't having the most positive thoughts about the entire scene.
It was only when I closed the door did she finally speak.
"You guys took awhile."
I quirked an eyebrow as I joined her in bed, sitting at the edge, "Oh? And why do you assume that?"
"I was waiting outside. Saw her car when I was coming up," she answered, eyes still closed.
I smiled slightly, "Funny, I didn't see it until just a second ago." Her eyes finally opened, sliding to me in question. I only shrugged, "Long story. But what I really want to hear is what was going on today with you and the gang."
"Nothing," she replied simply. Which I didn't believe for a second.
I sighed, of course she was going to be stubborn. "Come on, I know it was something important. I can see it all over your face."
"Yeah? What else can you see?" She mumbled, watching me steadily.
I smiled slightly, "A lot actually. Like how annoyed you were to see her here."
Her eyes slipped away, "Then why are you brushing it to the side."
Giving another sigh, I assured, "Nothing happened. We actually had a really long, really good talk that was needed. She needed to understand."
"What exactly?"
"Nothing that more or less doesn't concern you much. More on boundaries than anything," I answered, shifting to place my knee on the bed to face her more, "Come on, Tay. Please tell me what happened. I can see it's bugging you."
"Tay?" She repeated, small smile pulling at her lips.
"Yes, because after long ago events, I can no longer use Yuya," I replied simply.
"Hm, I like it," she hummed before sighing and sitting up, effectively removing any chance of catching her eyes, "Today... Was a shit storm. Karin showed up at Kankuro's place."
My eyebrows dug deeply as my face twisted in surprise, "Wait what?"
"Yeah," she sighed out, shaking her head, "That was an utter joy to deal with."
"Wait, no, you are missing huge chunks of the story," I complained when it looked as if she were simply going to keep it at that, "What exactly fucking happened?"
She heaved out another huge sigh, "I honestly don't want to talk about it."
"Um, no, you have to," I countered with frown, "Because, seriously, her showing up to Kankuro's place doesn't make the least bit of sense."
Sitting up, she tugged off her beanie and ran her fingers through her hair, "Alright, fine. I guess I owe you that much, because I hadn't told you."
"Told me what," I asked cautiously, my heart starting to feel wary of what she could have possibly be hiding when Karin was concerned.
"I kind of just... stopped talking to her all of the sudden," she answered, eyes avoiding mine, "And I don't mean like we were down to the formalities. I mean I completely went ghost."
My eyes blinked repeatedly, as if what I just heard couldn't be comprehended let alone seen. Silence stretched before I part my lips and repeated slowly, "You... completely dropped her?"
"I tried as much, but of course you see how that went," she replied, rubbing the back of her neck, "I guess she went to Kankuro's place once she got sick of me dodging her. She was demanding what I had been up to, asking why I wasn't answering any of her messages or phone calls. She was blaming them, more specifically him, saying that he was the one telling me to not talk to her anymore. I... did a piss poor job trying to tell the truth."
"And what exactly is the truth?" I asked, still limping along with the story. If there was an obvious answer, I didn't see one.
"The truth is what we had was... fun while it lasted but. Honestly. I didn't want to keep it up anymore."
As she explained, she glanced at me, as if gauging my reaction to the entire thing. Whatever she saw was enough for her eyes to pull away again. But I was still reeling, still trying to understand everything. It was like I was permanently in a state of confusion.
Karin, of all people, dropped, just seemed absolutely absurd(2). The very same girl I thought I was dropped for, the very same girl that seemed to have invaded my space from the second she was brought into Tayuya's life, was now supposedly cut? That, alone, was hard to swallow. Her being cut just seemed unreal.
"How long?" The question came out unsteadily.
"How long what?" She asked, still looking anywhere but my eyes.
"How long have you been ducking her?" I elaborated, staring at her face, intently attempting to catch her eyes. When she didn't answer immediately, I grew impatient. "Tayuya, how long has it been since you last talked to her?"
"Besides today, a good chunk of weeks now," she mumbled vaguely. And I knew she was being vague on purpose. Setting my jaw, I called out her name in a short clipped way I usually did when she was acting up. At the call, she rubbed at her neck again before finally looking at me, "Alright, Christ. I stopped talking to her the night we kissed."
My eyebrows pulled again as I attempted to gauge the time frame. Two weeks ago, maybe even three. Shaking my head, I asked the first thing that came to mind, "Why?"
She watched me, her eyes narrowing slightly as she shook head and. Giving me a soft snort, she shrugged,, "I don't know, Ino."
"Tayuya-"
"No, if you already haven't figured it out, I'm not going to tell you," she cut off, a sense of finality in her words. She was officially done giving me answers.
Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair, "Well, to say that I'm completely surprised is the understatement of the year."
"Just in time too," she joked, allowing herself to fall back down on the bed, "Seeing as the year is just forty-eight hours away."
"There's still time to be surprised about something else," I pointed out, turning to her with a teasing smile, "And the great Tayuya never ceases to surprise me."
"Oh you're just so curious on what I might have up my sleeve, but I'm afraid to tell you that I'm officially out of tricks for you," she answered dryly, but giving me a small smile all the same. "Speaking of, any plans for new years?"
"Not currently," I answered, kicking my feet that dangled at the side of the bed, "My friends might come up with something they want to do, but I'm sure either way I can make some time if necessary."
"The great Ino making time for little ol' me? Now that's a new years gift all on it's own," she joked. Giving me a glance, she continued, "But, in all honesty, I would like to make an appointment. Say, three o'clock in the morning?"
My head tilted in curiosity, "So late? I thought you'd ask to spend new years together."
"Your friends wouldn't hear of it," she waved off, "Plus the gang wants to do something too. But maybe right after the partying dies down, if we both aren't exhausted."
"I think I can do that," I replied with a smile, "What did you have in mind?"
"I have forty-eight hours right? I'd hate to ruin your last surprise of the year."
My smile pulled a little higher as I reminded, "But the year would have already passed."
"Well a new surprise for the new year, whatever floats your boat brat," she complained with a roll of her eyes.
I only beamed happily, "Okay, but now my expectations are going to be high."
"And I plan on meeting every single on of them," she waved off confidently. "But, after answering all of your questions. I want a question answered of my own."
Wary, I asked despite myself, "And what is it you want to know?"
Eyeing me intently, she slowly asked, "What was she doing here, Ino?"
It was hard not to roll my eyes, but it only seemed fair to tell her. So I explained, some bits of the story missing, on what happened. Tayuya watched me the entire time, her eyes hardly leaving mine. I had no doubt she was attempting to gauge if I was telling the truth or not, but at this point I had no reason to lie. Nothing had happened, and it was almost very clear that nothing was going to happen until Sakura understood what it meant to not be dating each other.
When I finished, Tayuya seemed satisfied. I guess she was more so relieved no other fooling around went on in my room. But while Sakura stood here, I didn't even think about doing anything like that with her. I was still upset about her punching Tayuya, but it didn't seem like the right word for it. I felt more cautious, maybe?
Either way, I didn't have the urge to. I guess until Sakura showed she was able to handle everything appropriately, I refused to let anything go further than us being friends. She could say all day she knew what she wanted and she was willing to deal with the confusion with me, but I wanted it cemented with action. Not words.
Thinking of it now as I watched Tayuya laugh and talk about the rest of her day, I felt it was fair. My best friend in front of me, despite all the arguments we've had, never handled Sakura in a manner that was deemed upsetting. Of course she poked at Sakura's buttons, taunted her, did everything to drive her crazy. But at the end of the day, I had to say I believed Tayuya when she told me she wouldn't do something like punch Sakura.
In hind sight, she had every chance to.
She knew everything that was going on between Sakura and I every night I spent over there doing homework. There was no fooling her with the excuses I attempted to give. But instead of stepping out of line about it, she simply distanced herself and went about her business. When we hung out, as short as the time we spent together was, and continued on as naturally as we could.
Tayuya showed self control.
Sakura hadn't.
But something so small couldn't possibly sway my decision.
Because I knew that's what I had to make, very very soon.
A decision.
Tayuya may be collected, but she will lose patience eventually. And Sakura stated herself several times that hers was all but gone.
And me?
I was starting to feel as if I sat in my comfortable seat, standing by as everything happened, for long enough.
Because guilt was tiring.
And tiring was the very definition of how I felt being confused all the time.
But I don't know... maybe I was only stalling to find a way for both of them to be in my life.
Because losing either one of them would be heart breaking.
xXx
As suspected, my friends had thought of some elaborate scheme for the new years. Another party of course, but this one thrown by us. Usually we had a small get together at Temari's place with a couple of drinks and a dorky little count down with the television. But, this time around they wanted to go big or go home.
Everything about this year with them had some 'it will be our last, so we have to make it amazing' sort of vibe to it. I didn't mind, it just seemed silly. I guess it was because I couldn't imagine them not constantly being around, so I assumed they always would.
As naive as it sounds, I honestly believed that.
The party was going to be a big get together at the lake we had went to early this year. They envisioned another huge bonfire, and I was excited by that alone. The last one was epic, but I hadn't been able to enjoy it fully with all that happened that night.
But I refused for drama to plague me during the night of new years. It was supposed to be refreshing, cleansing even, and I was determined for it to be just that. The only thing that worried me was how far the drive was. I reminded my friends I had to be home by three in the morning, which Temari personally promised to ensure that I was. They didn't ask why. Maybe they assumed my parents were setting some new restrictions.
I did feel bad for not spending another new years with them, but they brushed me off when I apologized after I explained my plans.
I was young, they said. I deserved to have fun when I had the chance to.
That only made me smile. They sounded like my friends.
Tayuya had voiced she would be with the gang that night. Some silly part of me asked if her gang planned on going to the lake, but she said they would be at the park again. Another tradition with the bigger part of her crew. After everything that happened, I almost expected her to say she would be. Honestly after everything, I wouldn't have been surprised.
But maybe I was only being paranoid. Yet there was no denying the fact that trouble always seemed to follow me during parties.
Sakura had offered some plans of her own, but unfortunately she asked too late. My night was booked, there was no more room to squeeze her in. When I told her what I already had going on, she asked to join.
Seeing as she missed the first bonfire, I thought maybe it was fate for her to join the second time around. It seemed fair. She told me she would ask her parents about it and let me know, but I hadn't heard anything since.
All in all, I was excited as always. Parties were my natural habitat, as per my status of being popular it was almost my birth right. And nothing about the night was going to sour my time with my friends.
A promise to myself.
It was a new year, I would be starting it right. With good vibes and friends that were practically family. The hundreds of other strangers that would be there were only a plus and a filler.
What mattered would be closely enveloped around me. And I planned to cherish it all.
After all, as my friends said, it was the last new years together as seniors. We had to make it count, make it worth, everything.
And that's what I planned to do.
(2) At this point of the story, I told my best friend happily that I spelled absurd right the first time. She wasn't impressed. What a dick.
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