Gratitude.

Chapter 5.

Choji jumped up and pumped his fist into the air.

"Yeah! Ino-shika-cho! Back in business!" Ino and Shikamaru both smiled..it was a weight off of their shoulders after the last stressful few days. She moved too quickly and the slight soreness between her legs returned..reminding her..

"Did you grab my stuff from the inn by chance?" Ino asked.

"Of course we did." Choji laughed. "We knew you would pummel us if we didn't!" He dug into his large bag and pulled out Ino's smaller one with her initials on the strap.

"Thanks. I'll be right back..I have to go for a minute." Ino never thought she would have to do this..

"Where? We just got you back." Shikamaru asked, crossing his arms and gazing at her with that piercing stare again. Did he notice the way she winced? How she was trying to be lighter on her feet? Choji sure didn't.

"You guys are going to watch me pee now, too?" She joked. Choji laughed and Shikamaru turned pink.

"Just hurry..we know how you take forever to do anything. Girls. What a drag."

Ino smiled. She thought she'd never hear him say that again.

...

As soon as she was alone Ino bit her lip and sat in the dirt. Pulling out a small container of water and a small metal box of several pills out of her bag. They were emergency contraceptive pills, given only to women obviously, but these were a different version than the ones they gave the rest of the women in the village. These were only given to Kunoichi on missions. It was a cruel world they lived in..even more so for the females.

These pills were for real emergencies..Kunoichi raped and tortured for information was uncommon but it happened..assuming they were skilled enough to fight their way out in time to take them. One pill lasted a week and Ino should have taken one before they left the village but nothing like that had ever happened to her.. they usually sat in the bottom of her bag without a second thought. Ino stared at the small pill in her hand.

"You want to talk about something?" Shikamaru's voice carried down from the tree above her.

Ino squeaked and squeezed her hand around the pill before placing her hand in her lap.

"Shikamaru! I could have been peeing!" She snapped.

"But you're not..and it's been twenty minutes. I already saw what was in your hand. Did something happen to you?" Ino looked up at him while he balanced perfectly on a thin branch above her.

"I'm surprised you know what this is. Most of the guys in our level don't have a clue." She deflected.

"I don't know whether to be more offended that you think I'm as dumb as most of the other guys back in the village or offended that you're avoiding my question." His voice was calm and steady while his eyes never left hers. He was serious.

"I think you're way smarter than the other guys." Ino took the pill and a swig of water before swallowing it all down.

"Did something happen to you?" He asked again and she looked up at him..seeing the concern in his eyes.

"Not what you think."

"And what do I think?" He asked.

"Don't make me say it, Shikamaru." She flushed. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"After you blacked out he said you and him made a deal. So if you weren't," He paused. "Forced..then what was the deal? He got to have his way with you to come find us? Because that's fucked up, Ino." It had been awhile since she had seen the fire in his eyes as opposed to his usual expression of boredom.

"It wasn't either of those. It just happened. I said yes and it was..nice..after." She blushed.

"After what?"

Ino took a breath and looked him dead in the eye.

"After I gave him my virginity. He was gentle..for him." Now Shikamaru turned pink again and wouldn't quite meet her eye. "Like I said..it was nice. I don't regret it." She stuffed everything back in her bag and slung it on her shoulders. For a moment Ino suddenly caught a scent..man, musk, and the ocean..but it had gone as soon as it had come.

"I just want to get back home. Don't tell Choji." Ino pleaded.

"I won't tell anyone." Shikamaru leapt from the tree to stand gracefully next to her. "Me and Choji are your best friends, Ino. If you feel like you can't talk to Choji, then you can talk to me."

"What are we going to tell Tsunade?" She asked, pretending his words hadn't melted an icy layer from around her heart.

"We still have to tell her we saw them out here, Ino. Who knows what they're doing. It's our job to put our village first. They're wanted in every nation."

"Can we leave out..you know?" Now it was her face turning pink.

"You took the pill. So no one needs to know about that part, I guess." He replied. "I went and looked at those ninja..while we were waiting for you." His expression was grave and anxious as he looked at her. "He tore them apart, Ino. I've never seen anything like it. Dismembered and ripped them to shreds. Like an animal." What he said sent a slight shiver down her spine.

"I'm not saying he isn't still dangerous." Ino said. "We're okay and we're going home. That's what matters to me right now."

...

The gates of the village were finally in view two days later..they had made it by sundown and Ino wanted nothing more than to shower and sleep in her bed. They would all have to report to Tsunade though. Shikamaru saw the weary look in her eyes.

"I'll go report to Tsunade. Meet you guys for breakfast tomorrow." Shikamaru said. "We'll meet at Ino's and then go out to eat."

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Choji grinned and waved before leaving for the direction of his house.

"You're going to change up what happened, aren't you?" Ino asked.

"I'll just tell her we saw them lurking around the ghost town and came back as soon as we could. If they know you were taken for a few days I'm sure they'll try doing every kind of jutsu to make sure you haven't been mind controlled by the enemy."

"Why didn't you just tell Choji now?" Ino asked.

"We'll catch him up at breakfast tomorrow. It's like talking to a brick wall if he hasn't eaten recently."

Ino giggled. "No kidding. Well..night Shikamaru." She gave him a hug and he hesitated but put his arms around her in an awkward embrace before she turned and walked home.

...

Ino slept peacefully that night with not a single dream.

...

In the morning, she sat outside on her front steps for about ten minutes before her team rounded the corner and started walking towards her. She hoped that their next mission wasn't for a long time..and Ino would remember to take her pill before they left.

...

Choji chowed down as though he were the only one at the table and Ino took a few bites before she felt queasy again. He had no manners..

Shikamaru was looking at Ino and sipping on a hot tea.

"How are you feeling this morning?" He asked her.

"I'm fine!" Choji said between bites and both Ino and Shikamaru rolled their eyes.

"I'm fine." She repeated Choji.

"Hmm." Shikamaru grunted. "Listen up, Choji!" He snapped. "I told Tsunade that we saw the Akatsuki and booked it. They didn't take Ino and we were never attacked. Trust me, we don't want to be linked to that..it would just cause more questions about our story."

Choji chewed slower and looked between the two of them.

"Why wouldn't we tell them Ino was taken? That was scary!"

"Because..they would pretty much interrogate her and make sure she wasn't brainwashed." Shikamaru replied.

"Is she?" Choji suddenly squinted at her.

"Of course not!" She snapped. Her head was already pounding from a headache and Choji grinned.

"I'm just kidding, I got it." He finished his breakfast in record time..

...

"What are you guys doing this afternoon?" Shikamaru asked. Ino wanted to just lay in bed for a while honestly. Choji slapped his hands together with his eyes fired up.

"I'm going to practice some jutsu!"

"Alone?" Shikamaru asked.

"Not if you're coming with me." Choji grinned.

"You guys go on ahead. I want to relax today." Ino saw her opening and slipped away from them.

"Suit yourself!" Choji called behind her..

...

Once she settled back in her bed and stared up at the ceiling Ino felt..down. She was happy to be home with her friends and that everyone was alright but thinking of being bored during training or watching the clock drag at the flower shop made her scowl. Ino would much rather be swimming in a lake with Kisame.

Her thoughts had constantly wandered to him during the whole trip back to the village. The sensitivity between her legs was almost gone already and she wondered what next time would bring.

Wait, next time? She questioned herself skeptically. There were no guarantees they would ever even see each other again. The thought brought her a little farther down. Unless he came here..but why would he waste his time for the journey and get past sentries just for sex? Not to mention probably pissing off Itachi in the process.

Better it was by chance..Ino suddenly rethought her silent plea for less missions but maybe she should sign up for more. Choji would just do as he was told but Shikamaru would complain about the extra work.. and she was sure he would see right through her. Ino never jumped up for extra work either. No, she just had to stay here and go back to how things were.

...

The next morning Ino had to open the flower shop and take the morning shift. It had been slow and it was definitely a boring shift that dragged as she had been dreading yesterday. Once lunch came she was free to go, switching shifts with her mother and going to a stand for food.

She did need to go get more kunai and shuriken..since that damn shark threw hers in the ocean.

...

She came back home late afternoon to drop off her new weapons and change into something more comfortable.

After dinner Ino bathed and settled back in her bed almost falling asleep when a 'tap tap' hit her window. Her heart leapt..it couldn't be..she sat up and saw Shikamaru crouching on her ledge. Ino groaned at having to get up but she did. She unlocked and opened the window for him.

"What is it?" She yawned. "We have a front door."

Shikamaru stepped in quiet as a shadow and closed her window behind him.

"Just..coming to check on you. Didn't see you all day. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Shikamaru, really. Just tired..I opened the shop and then did personal shopping all afternoon." He could have really used the front door for that..

"How sure are you that him letting you go wasn't some kind of trap?" His question caught her off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..do you think they'll follow us here? Get into the village somehow?" Shikamaru was a strategist..of course this was probably keeping him up at night.

"No, Shikamaru. I don't." Ino sighed. "They're probably far away from here by now." Ino was most likely the last thing on Kisame's mind.

"You're probably right." His tense shoulders relaxed. "It's just..when Choji and I went out to do some training it just felt off. I don't know..like we weren't alone or something. Choji never noticed but I kept an eye out. I didn't see anything but I could feel chakra. The same feeling that Kisame gave off when he killed those ninja."

"Shikamaru..you're on edge and of course you felt chakra..you and Choji were training. It would've been in the air." Ino looked him over and noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you getting any sleep?" She asked.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head..it was a habit of his.

"No. Not much. I keep thinking about everything that happened to us. How scared we were that you were just gone." He never showed this much care for either one of them while they were safe in the village..on missions sure but the previous missions they mostly came back safe and sound without many problems.

"Do you want to sleep here?" Ino asked. She had a decent sized lounge chair on the other side of the room but Shikamaru shook his head no.

"Nah, I've gotta get home before my dad finds out I snuck out." He opened her window and stepped out onto the ledge..the breeze flapped his clothes a bit.

"Get some sleep, Shikamaru. Maybe the team can go for lunch tomorrow at that bbq place Choji likes so much." Ino leaned her forearms on the windowsill and smiled up at him.

"Yeah. That sounds good." He gave her a small smile. "Gotta go." He leaped down to the road without making a noise, giving her a wave before walking away. Ino waved back for a moment and then looked up at the full moon. It was really breezy tonight and it felt amazing against her face. For a moment she thought she caught his scent on the breeze..man, musk, and the ocean.

Now I really know I need sleep, too. Ino left her window open a crack to let in the breeze and she all but collapsed into her bed.

...

Ino suddenly sat up in bed, gasping. Something had woken her up. Her head whipped around to look at her closed window. That had been open before she went to sleep, she remembered. The breeze must have shut her window and woke her.

She sighed and pushed her sweaty bangs out of her face.

A slight movement on her lounge chair had her whipping her head in that direction. That half of her room was covered in shadows so dark she couldn't see a thing. Ino's heart raced..she knew she saw something move. She thought about reaching for her shuriken in her bedside table but that would be too slow.

That's when she realized Samehada was in the corner of her room..bathed in moonlight and propped up against her wall. Now her heart pounded faster but for a completely different reason. Shikamaru had been right..why would he come all the way back here? So soon?

Ino refused to move..still not able to see him at all. It hadn't even been a week since she saw him last..she thought it would be years if not longer until their paths crossed again.

He leaned forward into the moonlight and his sharp shark toothed grin came into view. Like a monster appearing out of the shadows with those sharp teeth.

He stood and removed his coat and shoes before approaching her bed. Kisame was standing in the middle of her room..it wasn't something she thought she'd ever see. His height was astounding the tips of his blue hair just brushed her ceiling.

"How..did..," Her voice trailed off as she watched him slide in next to her and cover them both with the blanket she had kicked off in her sleep.

"I can smell you from a long ways off, Kunoichi." His thumb brushed her upper cheek. "I can't seem to stay away."

"Does Itachi know you're here?" She whispered, not wanting to wake her parents down at the end of the hall.

He nodded. "We're passing through and we had a few spare hours."

"Passing through?" She questioned.

"Well, since the Hokage has been informed we were in your land, she's been sending reinforcements." He laughed. "Not very bright reinforcements. They'll never expect us to rest this close to the village. We'll be gone before she even realizes."

His fingertips lazily brushed down her shoulder and down her side to her exposed stomach. He ran them back and forth across her lower belly a few times patiently.

"How have you been?" Ino knew what he meant by asking that and her body responded before she could reply.. she felt hot and aching between her legs.

"I've been good." Her blue eyes found his dark ones and then his hand slipped under her pajama shorts. Ino immediately moved her thighs farther apart. It was an instant reaction, she didn't even think about doing it she just did it and she heard him take a deep breath.

"You smell delicious." He growled low in her ear, giving her goosebumps. "How quiet can you be?"

He didn't give her time to answer before his fingers were on her.. massaging lazy circles over her clit with his rough fingers. She gasped quietly..she had missed this..the sparks of pure pleasure racing throughout her body and the way he closed her mind to anything else.

"I promised I would fuck you until you couldn't move..didn't I?" He growled and Ino nodded lost in his scent, breathing in the ocean as deep as she could. That's exactly what she wanted him to do. Kisame slid her soft shirt up to just below her breasts and his hot tongue trailed a line of pure fire up her bare stomach. Once he got to where her breasts were still hidden he looked up at her face, enjoying how her breath had gone ragged.

His mouth pressed against hers opening her up with his skilled lips and then his tongue darted in, searching for hers. Ino hesitated for a moment still letting his words wash over her and then her tongue stroked against his in her mouth, slowly.

...

A powerful shiver wracked his body and he leaned back on muscled thighs for a moment taking in the view of her in the moonlight. The rays illuminated her pale skin and lit up her crystal eyes in the dark. She was a fucking vision. His eyes slowly trailed down her body. Her thighs open for him.. a silent invitation. Kisame took his time to hook his fingertips into her shorts and panties before slowly pulling them down her legs. He discarded the material to the floor. He didn't have as much as time as he wanted.

Kisame wrapped his hands completely around her ankles and pulled her down the bed closer to him. The feminine squeak she gave washed over him..made him feel like he was slowly dipping into a hot spring. He trailed a hot hand up her stomach and lightly scratched her with his nails on the way back down. She gave a quiet whimper and he couldn't wait to taste her..to fuck her with his tongue until she writhed under him. He watched her lift her thin shirt over her shoulders and carelessly throw it with her shorts to the floor.

Her beautiful breasts were now bared to him..soft pale mounds with erotically peaked pink nipples. He wouldn't forget the sight of her anytime soon.

Kisame lowered his lips to her sensitive pussy and swollen clit. He was rewarded with a delicious moisture on his mouth and a sweet high pitched cry escaping her lips.

"Shhh, Ino. You'll have to be quieter than that." He teased and darted his tongue in to fill her pussy. She was sweet..giving him the taste and scent of flowers. Kisame felt his member lift and strain against the front of his pants..rock hard and begging for friction. He took his time..stroking his tongue into her soft folds slowly before exiting and finding her swollen bundle of nerves.

She was close..her high pitched quiet pants were an indication of that. He began to pull back and her delicate thighs tightened around his neck as though to keep him there. His large blue hands held her thighs down with only a fraction of his powerful strength. It amused him..

Kisame withdrew and her tightened muscles relaxed underneath him again, knowing she couldn't move even if she tried. His eyes glanced at the moon outside her window..judging how much time and how many ways he could fuck her before he had to leave. His pants were then discarded with her forgotten clothes on the floor.

Kisame couldn't wait..he sat up and grabbed her around her waist, lifting her easily. She instinctively wrapped her small thighs around his larger powerful ones and he could hear her breath still in anticipation of what he might possibly do to her.

Kisame lowered her onto his throbbing dick. The second his sensitive head breached her hot pussy he pulled her down all the way onto him, impaling her on himself completely. She gasped and her sharp fingernails scratched his shoulders, the sudden mixture of pain and pleasure had his vision clouding with pure carnal lust. Kisame lost himself..he lifted her up slowly and slammed her back down all the way until her ass hit his hips. He was so deep..her convulsing pussy gripped him so tightly he thought he saw stars for a moment. The cry of pleasure leaving her mouth was slightly louder but he still detected no movement in her home.

"Bite me." He growled and when her pretty face flashed with confusion he leaned his head to the side, exposing the left side of his throat. "Bite me, Ino." His hands gripped her ass firmly and slammed her down on his firm dick. She was so slick they slid together easily

Ino gasped and then lowered her soft lips to his throat.

He lifted her again slowly and then her small teeth dug into the hard muscle of his neck. Kisame lost himself..he thrust her body down over his powerful member with pure strength.

Her teeth bit into him harder sending a strike of painful pleasure through him. Her moans and cries were muffled into his shoulder. He impaled her faster over and over..until he was consumed with the euphoria that wracked every nerve in his body. He'd never felt more alive.

Ino convulsed around him as she came. He felt her slick moisture spatter his thighs almost violently but he didn't stop and she tightened her hold around his broad shoulders..accepting whatever he saw fit to give her.

Kisame grunted and exploded..releasing into her tight sheath of heat. Her mouth released him and it left him with a sweet ache. Ino leaned back to look at him and her eyes widened the exact moment he realized there was a shadow of red across her lips. Then he felt the single drop of blood slide down his left pectoral muscle and down his chest.

"Damn. Ino." He grinned and thrust his hips upward into her again. Her face went from horrified at the sight of the blood dripping down his shoulder to euphoric and his heart pounded at the vision. The moonlight shining on her pale hair and skin..her perfect breasts bouncing with each slow thrust he gave her. Her perfect little whimpers were like music to his ears..but what really completed it all was the dark red on her mouth. Kisame was rock hard again.

No one had ever gotten close enough to him to bite him..especially by his own free will.

Kisame laid her back onto the bed not removing her legs from around him as he rested inbetween her thighs.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." She whispered and he leaned down. His tongue ran over her lips ,effectively removing his blood.

"A little shark you are." He grinned and then sighed..giving her a few more gentle thrusts. Her fingernails dug into his back again and that painful chill ran down his spine, cooling the sweat on his body.

The moon had dipped since they had first started..he had to go. Kisame sighed and pulled out of her slower than he had the first time on the beach.

"Our time is," His lips whispered over hers. "Regrettably up." She closed the space between their lips and kissed him.

...

Ino watched him stand and flex those powerful muscles with his back to her. Her eyes slid down to his perfect ass..why does he have to be so alluring?

"When will see I you again?" Ino found herself asking before she could stop herself. She was exhausted..her body purring with satisfaction and she was so ready for sleep.

He turned and she got just as good a look at his front as she had the back...her cheeks turned pink.

"Do you want to see me again?" His shark grin had returned.

"Yes. I do."

She watched him dress not missing the look he gave her exposed breasts when he stood back up straight.

He blurred for a moment and then he was on top of her. Each of his hands were holding down her arms on either side of her head. The blanket came up to her belly button and he fixed his gaze on her chest.

Kisame lowered his head and nipped each one of nipples slowly. She moaned quietly and arched her back to get closer to his mouth, ready for him all over again.

"I'll find you." He whispered against her mouth. Kisame grinned down at her and she could see a hint of her bite mark over his coat.

She blinked and he was in the corner of her room, sliding Samehada in it's sheath at his back. Kisame gave her a quick kiss on her mouth which she caught greedily. Once he was on her ledge he looked back once.

"Lock your window. Good night, Kunoichi." Then he was gone. Ino wrapped the blanket around herself and locked her window before dressing and falling asleep.