They're an odd group, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji and himself, but Kiba wouldn't have it any other way. Although they have their differences, the four have had a deep bond since forever, and if anyone messes with one of them. They'll get the meaning of hell on earth.
They've inseparable since kindergarten until the end of high school. While Kiba didn't have any interest in college, let alone in school in general, he still didn't want to disappoint his mother. So after a long winded argument, Kiba made a deal with Tsume. If he could finish mechanics, she'd let him try for pro-bikers.
Unsurprisingly, Chouji decided to follow his father's footsteps as a police officer while Shikamaru went into law school – the pineapple strangely fit into the boring courtrooms – and Ino had her childhood wish granted, managing to enter into fashion designing.
In Kiba's book, Ino is one of the coolest girls around. (Not only because she always carries threats for Akamaru. That's just another level of awesomeness of hers.)
Ino knows what she wants and doesn't shy away from a challenge. Guts and a hot body on high heels, though Kiba never looks at her that way. (He prefers the quiet type, who Kiba can coerce out of their shell.) Ino might be a total babe, but she is, and always will be a friend.
They did kinda grow up together, hanging out in the police station along with Shikamaru and Chouji. So there aren't any sappy romantic thoughts, because eww, she is like a sister.
Some may say that the blonde is nothing but a whore with too much lipstick and cleavage, but they are so fucking wrong that Kiba wants to holler and kick. Kiba knows Ino. He knows that she'd never sleep with a guy that she isn't dating and he also knows that she swats any advantages from her flirts until they cleanly breakup with their girlfriends.
Ino has her own sense of pride. Just because she likes to flirt, doesn't fucking mean she'd spread her legs to anyone who happens to pass by.
So whenever Kiba hears some jackass bad mouth her, he feels obligated to rearrange their shitty faces for free. (He saw Chouji punch a teenager through a wooden door once and it was awesome!) She is his impromptu sis after all. (Much better than Hana, because Ino can give him a run for his money when it comes to videogames. Especially Mortal Kombat, the blonde is fucking savage.)
Kiba doesn't mind when Naruto joins their little gang. The hyperactive blond is a nice change of pace from the kind glutton Chouji and lazy smartass Shika. The fact that Naruto also likes heavy metal music and booze is a nice plus. What made the energetic duo bro-bond the most was the drunken decision to get tattoos. Naruto declared that they were too manly to have friendship bracelets, and tats were also super cool. (Though Kiba would never admit in a thousand years that he cried when he got his red triangle tats – so did Naruto with his whiskers, like a newborn if he may add.)
Naruto is a cool dude, but when he forcefully drags his childhood friend Sasuke to their get together two years ago, shit hits the fan.
Kiba Inuzuka can't see the appeal of Sasuke Fucking Uchiha. He always acts as if he's above fucking else with that eternal scowl and cold glare. The moment Kiba saw him and that ridiculous hair; he knew that he'd never get along with the bastard. (He isn't sure how Naruto even fucking tolerates him, let alone be friends.)
He'd also seen Ino's eyes glint with the thrill of fresh prey and Kiba steeled his nerves and the suffering groan that tried to follow. Kiba knew that glint. If Ino managed to go permanent with the sneering statue, he'll make an effort to at least seem to be tolerating the bastard. The blonde would have his balls otherwise.
Because Kiba knew Ino since they were in their diapers, he is the first to notice the subtle change in her. He expected Shikamaru to comment on it but the genius probably deemed it too troublesome.
"Yo Blondie!" Kiba greets Ino with a two finger salute.
Ino raises her head from the fashion magazine she'd been reading. "Oh, it's just dog boy. Are you here for a bone?"
Kiba lets the snarky remark pass by; he had more than enough of bickering with Ino to know she had no bite behind her words. He flops down the uncomfortable cafeteria chair.
"We both know that the only bone worth picking here is my boner. " He wiggles his eyebrows and then winks at the girl.
Ino makes a face. "Disgusting. How do you even get laid with those awful pickup lines?"
"It's all part of the charm of Inuzuka style."
The blonde groans and drags her chair to the left, away from the grinning boy. "I'm reading Kiba," Ino stresses, gesturing to the open magazine in front of her.
Kiba rolls his eyes as he teases, "I didn't know you could read upside down, Ino."
The blonde's brow twitches slightly at being caught and hastily turns the magazine. Her glare hits Kiba full force, and her usually playful blue eyes are hard cold stones. "I didn't know you could notice anything that didn't have either boobs or an engine."
Her words are harsher than usual and it confirms Kiba's suspicions that something is up with her best female friend. "You're so mean, and here I had something for ya."
Eager to please the blonde, Kiba slides the expansive box of little chocolates. Ino's guard lowers at the sight of her favorite brand. Feeling a fond smile tugging her lips, she almost snitches the box and her smile turns into a frown when she peers inside.
"…This box is half empty Kiba."
"Half the calories, babe," Kiba points outs in a lighthearted amusement.
Kiba thinks that he might have deserved the kick to the shin that follows his stupid words.
"So, where is Sakura?"
Ino gives him a look. "I haven't seen her since that Useful Plants 101 class that we share. Though if I remember correctly, she should have Anatomy class in the morning and Hospital Policies in the afternoon. Becoming a doctor isn't easy."
Ino takes one of the cherry chocolates and she eats three before she realizes. Now that he's offered a sacrifice to appease the blonde, Kiba strikes for his real intention.
"Speaking of Sakura, another week and your little bet with Sakura is off," Kiba says absentmindedly, missing the blonde still in her place. "I thought you'd be running around in frenzy."
"Things got complicated," Ino grumbles and Kiba can pick something different in her tone. Smirk falling off, the Inuzuka gets up and turns his chair around, and sits with his folded arms resting on the top rail.
"Tell me."
And Ino does. Once she starts she can't stop, the words spill from her lips one after another.
"I don't understand! He's hot one moment and cold in another, and I can never guess what he has in that demented mind of his!" Ino huffs, and bites another chocolate. The dense cherry flavor calms her nerves a bit.
Kiba raises his hands in mock surrender. "Hakuna your tatas, Ino, I'm not following you."
The blonde takes in a shaky breath. "Okay, I met this tattooist and he totally ignored me. When I tried again two days later he kicked me out of his shop. And then he swooped in to save me from two half-drunk guys like a hero wearing too much black." Ino purposely lets off the gun part from her story. She isn't sure and she thinks she might have imagined that part.
Kiba cracks his knuckles and his brown eyes darken, he growls, "Give me the names of those bastards." It wasn't the first time when guys couldn't understand the fucking no and get more persuasive. Kiba broke his fair share of noses as did Chouji and Shika.
Ino waves her hand in the air as she nibbles on one of the chocolates. "I didn't have to time to interview them Kiba. Anyway, we made out and he gave me a ride back home – he has a Ducati by the way. Afterwards he took me out for lunch and then I brought Chinese to his shop."
Kiba nods. "Okay, what's the problem here?"
Ino taps her long fingernails on the table and the ominous rhythm puts Kiba on edge. "The problem is that I know exactly nothing about him. Nothing, not even a last name! We spent every day for the last two weeks and he never spoke about himself once and he's damn good at redirecting the conversation when I did." She fumes, gobbling down two chocolates at once.
"You're pissed because he's a bit secretive?" the Inuzuka asks, incredulity seeping into his tone.
Ino whips her head and the long ponytail hits the unexpected Kiba. "It's more than that!" Kiba swears that he sees lightning crackle in her blue eyes. "He took me out for shopping and I dragged him to the nearest Victoria Secrets. I needed a new bra and he was willing to pay for it. I thought he'd be flustered and out of place but no he was a perfect gentleman. Since that day he hasn't made a single advance!"
"How's that a bad thing?" Kiba says, scratching his chin. This guy seems to treat Ino respectfully – which Ino really deserves it – and not as banging material. He can't really see the problem or why Ino would be so angry over it. "You always complain how guys first look at your chest then your face. Shouldn't you be happy that you found another male immune to your bonkers?"
Kiba knew how much Ino hurt inside and how she always hid it behind snarky remarks and flipping ponytail. She likes to dress fashionable and likes to flirt occasionally and because of them, the blonde is often labeled as a whore. Ino would often joke that she didn't need more males, as she already had her trio of boys, but the Inuzuka suspected she wanted something more sometimes.
And the blonde thinks that something could be the Uchiha.
"I can't find a single thing to blame him!" Ino whines, breaking Kiba out of his thoughts. Her head falls into her hands, long fingers splayed over her pale face. "At first all I could think was getting the damn tattoo and be done with it, but day by day, I started to drop by because I seriously enjoyed his company. He's throwing me out of loop and I'm letting him, I should be thinking about Sasuke and, and…"
"And this pisses you of." Kiba's tone is carefully neutral as he swings his arm around Ino's shoulders. Instantly, the blonde turns and buries her nose into the croak of Kiba's neck while she grumbles something that suspiciously sounds like German curses.
"He's confusing as hell Kiba. He listens to my babbling without getting bored, he looks at my eyes and I know he sees me, Ino," she grudgingly confesses. "He makes me question my resolve."
As Kiba plays with Ino's hair, he still fails to see the problem here. Perhaps, it's because he is a male and he shouldn't ever attempt to understand girls; however, if this random guy can really help Ino get over the asshole Uchiha, Kiba can root for him wholeheartedly.
"Well, I don't know who he is but I'll support whatever decision you make." The Inuzuka yanks her long hair playfully and Ino rams her elbow between his ribs. Kiba groans, feral smirk settling back into his face. He knows the right thing to say to make Ino, Ino again.
"You're the wurst, abusing me like that."
Kiba barely dodges the arching leather bag and he hollers a laugh when Ino hisses swear words for her miss.
She shrieks, "Not the wurst puns!"
"You need to get wasted babe," Kiba says getting to his feet and dragging the fuming blonde with him. When in doubt, alcohol. "And invite this guy too. We can always get him drunk out of his ass and let him spill the beans."
Ino grabs her purse, the magazine forgotten on the table. "I'll text the guys then."
Kiba laughs, when he sees Ino back to her old self. She is Ino, there isn't a human being that can stop her or keep up with her.
The Inuzuka ducks his head and Ino holds herself. She knows what –
"And then, I said the wurst is yet to come." As if it's the funniest thing ever, Kiba howls, banging his fist on the table.
"I swear on everything that's holy, if I hear another wurst joke, I'll kick your ass to the next century Kiba." Ino threatens, eyes narrowed and a half empty beer mug in her hand. This is her third and she is still far from feeling tipsy. Well, at this rate and with beer of all things she'll have to pass on heavier drinks to get into the blissful drunkenness.
"Let him have his fun, Ino," Chouji chides from the side. "You know how he is when he's drunk." He hides his fond smile behind his glass.
"I know. Just as much as how he knows my hatred for wurst puns." Ino states, narrowing her eyes at the giggling idiot. Since Kiba learned that she was mixed blood – her mother was born and raised in Germany – he had the pleasure of pissing the blonde with idiotic wurst puns.
Shikamaru sipped from his margarita. "It's just a joke, harmless and awful. Nothing for you to shriek over."
Ino curls her lips in a cold smile as she chirps, "Wise words from someone who drinks girly drinks."
Shikamaru looks down at his bright yellow cocktail then the vodka Kiba is absorbing in an alarming state then at the scotch Chouji is calmly sipping then Ino's gigantic beer mug –her third. "…shut up."
Chouji's phone buzzes silently and he takes a look at the bright screen. "Naruto says he'll be here soon." Kiba roars a yes and Ino smacks his head for almost spilling his drink on her. Chouji rolls his eyes when he hears Shikamaru mutter troublesome duo.
The blonde raises her mug and keeps drinking until she can see the very bottom of the glass. Kiba whistles loudly and orders a new round while Ino checks her phone.
After a long verbal battle, Sai let her have his number under the pledge that she won't abuse it. Ino gave him her word and she intends to keep it, so she only used it for daily innocent texts to which Sai always replied.
However, it seemed that tonight inkman is busy as he yet to even respond to her invitation for a drink with her friends. Ino's losing hope fast and the fact that she won't be seeing the tattooist tonight leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
Ino swiftly decides that the answer is booze.
Lots of booze.
"Why are we here tonight? Celebrating something or trying to get alcohol poisoning?" Shikamaru casually asks, eyeing the empty mugs and shot glasses between Ino and Kiba. The two were already on their second shot when he and Chouji walked in.
"Kiba never needs a reason to drink." The burly young man says dryly but he too, is worried. Kiba could be understood but Ino never drunk so much so fast. She liked to savor the taste, which she could with her high tolerance, and make fun of those who were already wasted.
Ino huffs and silently raises her mug. "I'm questioning the mental state of bipolar men."
An unimpressed brow rose, and Shikamaru finds himself snorting, "And you'll find the answer at the bottom of the bottle?"
"I won't know until I try." Ino replies cheekily and Shikamaru sighs.
Half an hour later Naruto pops up and Kiba is already wasted, Shikamaru is napping on the table and Chouji's cheeks are a lovely pink with glazed brown eyes.
"Oh man! Can't believe you guys are already out of it!" Naruto whines, signaling for the bartender. A mug of beer and a shot of tequila are served and Naruto drinks the shot and shakes his head.
Ino flips her hair, she is offended. "I can still drink you under the table Uzumaki and Kiba's weird immune system can flush the booze in twenty minutes."
Kiba gives the two blondes a thumbs up, his usual grin more lopsided with the alcohol in his veins. "Yo Naru! Ya zo late!"
"Sorry Kiba," Naruto apologizes, scratching a whisker mark. "Got held up in my part time job."
The next twenty minutes pass in a blur as Kiba sobers enough to drink again and a three way drinking match between him, Naruto and Ino starts. In some point, the poor Chouji hauls the snoring Shikamaru – dead weight like always – and they bid farewell. Ino waves them goodbye as she gulps down her seventh mug and she starts to feel the slow buzz of the alcohol in her veins.
"Zo, iz this myzteriuz man showin' up?"
Ino glares first at Kiba then at her phone. "No."
Kiba shakes his head and almost loses his balance on the chair. Naruto's arm shots forward and steadies the giggling Inuzuka. "The room iz spinin." He says intelligently.
Naruto raises his third tequila high in the air. "I'll drink to dat." He turns his attention to Ino and asks, putting emphasis on the letter z, "Who'zz the guy?"
"Ino'z new crush." Kiba pips in a mock whisper at Naruto's ear.
"A crush?" Naruto repeats like a parrot. As if the thought of Ino and crush together in a sentence are too absurd to even consider. "Our Ino?"
The said blonde kicks both guys under the table. "He's not, I'm not… It's not like that!" she growls but her face feels uncomfortably hot.
Naruto keeps staring, mouth slightly agape and cheeks flushed from the booze. "Holy father, she'z crushin hard." He says, incredulity heavily lacing his tone. Then panic bubbles and he's shaking Kiba's shoulders like a madman. "Is the world endin? No, I can't die without kissin Sakura-chan even once!"
Eye twitching, Ino slaps the tipsy idiot who cradles his throbbing cheek. "Shut up Naruto. The world isn't ending and even if it did, you still couldn't kiss the stupid forehead." She grumbles downing down another mug of beer. Perhaps it's time for the heavier stuff.
The room is slowly starting to sway but Ino needs more to drown the nagging voice inside of her. Three rounds later, Naruto is shirtless and singing Let it Go with Kiba clumsily beat boxing in the background. Ino laughs, with the help of the alcohol and she is still cackling when Chouji returns.
"You guys really hit it off this time." Chouji comments, eyeing Kiba lying on the floor that looks moments apart from puking his heart out. Gentle as always, the burly young man helps Kiba back to his seat and gives him a cold glass of water.
"Not mah problem," Ino mumbles, slurring slightly. "These pansies can't hold their liquor."
"Wurst perzon ever." Kiba declares, and Ino pretends that the wurst is just the slur of the booze.
Naruto whips his head back and almost head butts the poor Chouji. "Who ya callin panzzie?" the whisker marks are stark against his flushed face and Naruto looks adorable instead of intimidating.
The possible drunken brawl is literally cut down when a familiar cold tone sniffs, "Sit down Naruto, you're an embarrassment."
Ino's foggy mind clears when she spots Sasuke with his usual scowl and Sakura hanging from his arm with a stupid, lovesick smile.
Ino feels like puking and she's sure the booze has nothing to do with it. Perfect, the night goes from awful to disastrous.
"Yo Sazke!" Naruto greets his childhood friend and the newly arrived couple sits at their table. Kiba grumbles something that could have been a hello as he slides closer to Ino. The Inuzuka is glaring daggers at the best of his wobbly state and Ino feels gratitude and affection blossom in her chest.
Sakura orders a stupid girly drink that would make Shikamaru proud and Sasuke takes a gin tonic. The conversation picks up again – Naruto drunkenly nags Sasuke while Chouji politely asks forehead about collage. She is more than happy to babble about the wonders of being a medic and Ino forcefully bites back her suffering groans.
The blonde discreetly eyes the exit, she knows that the only reason Chouji came back was to take Kiba back home. It's the usual routine as Chouji didn't like to drink heavily so he was always the sober one who made sure everyone made it home in one piece.
Ino had no intention of staying with the perfect couple by herself. And Naruto, who's so wasted that can't even walk two steps without falling and landing on his flushed face. (Happened before, they had to call the ambulance as his nose was bleeding in an alarming state. The idiot.)
Ino orders two shots before checking her still dead phone. It looks like she'd need more booze to survive the goddamn awful night.
It hurts, seeing Sakura happy with him. It made the blonde conscious of what if's and possibilities and Sasuke is smiling down at her, usually distant black eyes soft…
Sakura isn't aware of it, but she is an extremely important figure in Ino's life. The little girl with red hair so fair that looks pink most of the time was surprisingly the first girl to see the blonde as Ino first. Not as the rich girl, or the daughter of the police chief, or the daughter of the retired actress and owner of an elegant flower shop. In Sakura's eyes, Ino was Ino and the blonde was extremely grateful for that.
So that's why Ino swore to protect the shy little girl who often got bullied for her looks. Sakura was already low in self-esteem and Ino decided to take the mantle of the hero for her only and true friend.
Ino works very hard to secure herself a high seat in the hierarchy that is called life. The further up she is, the better she'd protect her dear friend. What Ino doesn't realize is that she becomes a complete alpha female, bitchy most of the time, and every single male with a dick wrapped around her little finger.
But Ino doesn't mind, Sakura is having a happy and bully free school life and Ino feels a bit better of choices. (Only now she realizes that she turned school to hell for many and destroyed friendships, even ended relationships.)
And when Sakura, shy pink haired sweet friend Sakura, declares her a rival of love for a boy she met for a week to their years long relationship, and Ino is furious.
How. How can a human being be so insensitive and ungrateful?
Ino is a graceful fury on heels as she uses everything she learned from her plays with boys to faze Sasuke. She'd been eying the gloomy boy for a while and now with Sakura in the picture, Ino wants something for herself for once. Not something fake, a real relationship and she wants to have it with Sasuke.
Ino believes that she can be happy with Sasuke.
Just like Sakura is.
Her orders are on the table and Ino drowns the first shot. She prefers the burn of alcohol to the burn of her eyes. Every single happy giggle of Sakura it's like a knife twisting in her gut. Ino's eyes stray to the couple and she thinks she could have been in Sakura's place. She could have been the love sick girl giggling at his side. For once, Sakura could have been selfish and –
Kiba kicks her chair.
"Eazy there babe," Kiba whispers and he sounds suspiciously half-sober. He had the strangest system as Kiba could go from drunk out of his ass to sober as a priest in a heartbeat. "Ya'll complain to me if ya hurt ya manicure."
Ino stares at her clenched fingers, a little more pressure and she'd puncture her palms with her sharp navy nails. Relaxing her hands, Ino takes a deep breath. The booze is taking effect as Ino can't decide which Kiba is the real one and the usual chatter in the bar is nothing but a low rumble.
"You don't hurt a manicure, Kiba," she blubbers out quietly.
Kiba gives her a feral smirk. "Myzteriouz girl termz."
The blonde snorts and she drinks her next glass with Kiba and Naruto. Sakura is hiccupping, her green eyes unfocused and Sasuke is trying and failing to keep Naruto still on his seat.
Chouji's worried eyes judges her choice silently but Ino is not giving it a damn. She's pissed that Sai ditched her, she is pissed that Sakura ditched her like a piece of dirt, she is pissed that Sasuke is here with Sakura, she is pissed that Kiba thinks she has a crush.
She doesn't.
Thinking through, Ino is proud that she is handling the situation. No fights, no snippy comments or bitchy attitude. She is sitting and drinking with Kiba; she laughs at Naruto and completely ignores the duo to her left.
She's managing.
Until forehead grabs Sasuke's shirt and brings him down for a sloppy yet hot kiss.
Ino feels as if someone just punched her hard in the gut.
She gets on her feet and when Chouji gives her a questioning look, she says, "I need some air."
Surprisingly enough, Ino doesn't stagger or wobble even once. She makes it to the door, pushes, and the cold night air is there to welcome her. Ino inhales the chilly breeze and feels the cold soothe the fire inside her.
The street is devoid of life but Ino can hear the merry, drunken racket from the bar behind her. She doesn't mind the loneliness; Ino needs some time to collect herself and get rid of the fog coating her thoughts.
A heavy breeze sweeps through the street and Ino shudders. Her arms wound around herself to protect against the offending cold. She's glad that she decided to wear jeans in the morning; at least her legs were warm.
Ino gazes upwards towards the starry night sky, from the ominous clouds Ino deduces that it'll be raining soon. The blonde is busy staring at the black clouds so when her phone buzzes suddenly she jumps and hits her elbow to the brick wall behind her. Muttering slurred German curses she lifts the buzzing device to her ear, without checking the contact name first.
"Ino?" the low rumbling sound of her name sobers her thoughts for a bit and she hears her name two other times before she can respond.
"Sai." She mumbles, her tongue feels dry and thick but she manages to speak through sheer stubbornness.
There is carefully hidden alarm in his words when he asks, "Ino have you been drinking?"
"No." Silence follows her statement. Her hand shots left to steady herself as she sways. "…Maybe… you can't prove it."
"Where are you Ino? I'm coming."
Perfectly curved brow knits together. Suddenly, Ino feels anger bubble its way up her chest and she grabs her phone tightly in her hands. "Oh, so now you want to grace me with your attention. Well, flash news inky, you're a few decades late."
With a childish whim, Ino hangs up the phone and shows her tongue at the screen, imagining her reflection as the handsome man.
Almost instantly, her phone starts to buzz again and Ino feels way too much satisfaction ignoring the call. The phone buzzes two more times and then it dies completely.
The blonde glares at the now black screen.
The anger, now laced with annoyance rears its ugly head once again. It sits below her skin, simmering and boiling in her blood and distracting her attention.
Ino suspects the sudden rage has something to do with the alcohol and SakuSasu.
Scheiße.
She is making up couple names.
Ino swallows past the lump in her throat and refuses – physically resists – crying.
The anger-annoyance helps.
Wind picks up, stronger and colder, but Ino neither wants to freeze nor wants to return inside to the awkward atmosphere. She pushes herself from the brick wall and with wobbly knees starts to walk.
A thunder rumbles from afar and Ino picks her pace, her feet are steadier by step and she starts to see things without their outlines shimmering in her vision. The icy cold greatly helps her flush any remaining booze from her system. Or her half-German genes kicked in to save the day.
"Stupid forehead. Stupid Kiba. Stupid Inkman." She curses softly as she drags her feet along the sidewalk. It's getting rather late and all shops are already closed. Apart from the occasional pedestrian hurrying home, Ino can be considered alone.
Bright and sudden, lightning crackles over her head and Ino almost falls flat on her face. Her heart ramming into her ribcage, Ino inhales slowly to swallow the glass shattering shriek.
A glare of extreme doom is fixed at the heavens. "Don't you dare."
It starts to pour down.
"Oh, you can't be serious! Seriously, seriously? From all the times it could rain, it had to be now?" Ino growls and she feels her breathing pick up and red is starting to leak into her vision, not to forget her shaking fists and it's not fucking fair –
Ino screams at the top of her lungs; her pent up anger, her crushing disappointment, her sour annoyance, the deep engraved loneliness, Sasuke and Sakura… all her problems mix in with the loud thunder and pouring rain, disappearing as if they never existed in the first place.
Ino feels better.
"Now that's what I call therapy."
With a lighter chest, Ino hurries to find refuge in the nearest shop and stands like a total moron under the red and white striped umbrella above the door of the barber.
She bows her head and her blonde rain soaked ponytail falls over her shoulder like a dead weight. Ino expertly twists the mass of hair and wrings the excess water. Although she is semi-safe from the thunderstorm, her little screaming left her to the mercy of the rain for a bit too long. There is nothing to do for the clothes hugging her figure like an uncomfortable second skin.
Her phone's screen blinks repeatedly and Ino checks the message.
It's from Chouji, he gave a lift home to Naruto and was on his way to drop Kiba when the storm hit and was asking where she was and if she needed him to pick up.
His worry warms Ino's heart and a small smile forms on her shivering lips. The blonde hugs her shaking figure and discreetly asks about the smooching couple.
The answer is immediate.
Apparently, Sasuke is too drunk to drive so he and Sakura are at the back seat of Chouji's car.
Ino frowns. She really wants to go home take a hot shower but her pride refuses.
She looks at the sent message stating her being already home and Ino wonders if she had screamed her brain out too.
Ino is moments away from deciding to bang her head and call a cab when a bright flashlight blinds her.
"Ino?"
Recognition hits her like a wave. Even under the steadily falling rain, crackling lightning, and dense darkness, Ino can tell to who belongs the deep voice. Ino's lungs seize when she meets familiar charcoal eyes. Just then, the blonde realizes how much she had missed the man.
Her stomach churns painfully when Sakura and Sasuke's happy kiss flash in front of her eyes. The scene steels her resolve and she ignores Sai. (Like he did all day)
"Sai." She greets in, voice tight, which makes the tattooist hesitate briefly.
"Ino," Sai calls her name once more. He scans the girl with a single glance, apart from being cold and very wet, he notices, she seems to be sober.
Assuming his intentions Ino narrows her eyes and bites out, "Leave me alone." The blonde crosses her arms, hoping the darkness would hide her trembling hands. The clenched jaw tells Ino that she failed.
He hops down his black bike. The light of the Ducati envelops his slim frame and Ino hates how it makes him look hot.
"Ino, quit being stubborn and come here. You'll catch a nasty cold." Sai's tone is commanding and Ino takes a few steps back involuntarily.
Hating to be cornered like this Ino scowls with all her might. She might not be intimidating, soaking and shaking but she can try.
Blue eyes flash under the veil of darkness in a way Sai finds it extremely sexy.
"I don't take orders." Ino hisses, showing teeth. "Especially from unemotional, mysterious, gothic, jackasses like you."
…And she kills all the sexiness the moment she opens her mouth.
Running a tired hand over his face, Sai tries a gentler tone, "Ino we are in the middle of a thunderstorm, so would you please allow me to escort you back home. I promise you can bite my head off after you're dry and warm."
Although Sai uses the magic word please, Ino is having none of it. She tilts her chin to the side, "I'll call a cab. I'm sure the driver will at least pick up when I'll call." A cold glare is sent Sai's way. "Not like someone I know."
The tattooist sighs. He knew Ino long enough to know how stubborn she could get. Though he misses the source of her anger, he can see from the guarded glance, he somehow hurt her feelings.
"This really isn't the place to make a conversation Ino."
The blonde still looks away into the rain and Sai, irritated and cold, tugs Ino's elbow. She whirls around with flashing eyes and thinned lips but Sai is faster. He swallows her protest with mind blowing kiss, wild and hot with teeth and tongue, that leaves Ino frozen like a statue.
"Now I assume you'll be more willing to cooperate." Sai muses dryly.
Ino just stares, it appears that her mind decided to take a small vacation after that kiss. So she is totally fine with being herded to the rumbling bike.
Thinking back, Ino chides herself for not kicking Sai in the nuts and going home with a cab. Clearly that night was the night that she passed the point of no return where her fate was sealed. Whether she wanted or not.
