Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto.
Author's Note: Is a slight AU, not an expert in Naruto or Japanese customs please forgive any stupid mistakes. Beta is welcome. Is written in second person...obviously. I know it doesn't suit many people but it's just my preference in writing. Chances are a lot of the 'ninja' stuff I write may be grossly inaccurate and apologise in advance but hey! It's an AU! So let it be... Refer to my ANBU Theory on my BIO page if necessary.
Summary: AU: Once Upon A Time In A Place Humanity Forgot, In A Time No one Remembers, There Was a World Where The Tools Of War Were People Known Simply As ...Shinobis.
Pairing: Shika/Ino
Reviews: Always welcome!
"Thanks for treating me to a barbeque Ino"
You smile, watching your friend lovingly placing each slice carefully on the open grill.
"It's a time for celebration Chouji. You're officially a chuunin now."
He grins so wide his eyes disappear. "Yeah... doesn't feel that much different" He shuffles, "you didn't do this for Shikamaru"
Your smile stiffens slightly, "he wouldn't have appreciated it as much as you would."
"I guess..." he lays his chopsticks down. "When are you going to do the exams again?"
You shrug watching the meat sizzle gently. "Maybe next year" you reply, your eyes sliding towards the empty seat beside Chouji.
He must have noticed as he says, "he never use to do much, but it was nice knowing he was at least here"
You immediately avert your eyes to the food. "Yeah"
The silence is a little awkward. Despite being team-mates you and Chouji never really spent all that time alone together.
"Me and Shikamaru always came here, every afternoon after training." He says almost absent-mindedly.
"Why didn't you invite me?" You ask, trying not to sound as hurt as you felt.
Chouji blinks at you like he hadn't expect you to hear. "Oh, well you were always doing your own thing with Sasuke and Sakura"
You lower your gaze feeling guilty.
"I'm sorry"
He shrugs like it's no big deal and you pretend that doesn't hurt either. "All in the past now" and he swiftly flips the meat. "Smells good doesn't it?"
You know he's trying to change the subject. "Yep" you nod. "Sure does"
-------------------------
"You know what's weird?" Chouji says suddenly while he walks you back to the flower shop.
"What?"
"See the two person's meal I shared with you at Teppanyaki?"
You smile, 'shared he says'. "Yeah"
"You know how much I eat right?" He glances at you and you nod. "Well that's what me and Shikamaru use to always get but now since he doesn't have enough time to spend with me anymore..." and he looks a little sad.
"Chouji..." you begin.
"No its ok, being ANBU is a real honour Ino and it's expected that most of his time should be spent protecting our village." You smile sadly at him he was always so strong... "So I started going to Teppanyaki alone, ordering the two person's meal and... I could never finish it"
You raise and eyebrow. "I know" he says, looking at you. "It's strange but true. I always leave a few pieces behind... Shikamaru's part. And then I'd leave, feeling a lot emptier then I did when I first went in."
You hug him fiercely, burying your head in the crook of his neck. He laughs, half-heartedly patting you somewhat awkwardly on the back. "It's stupid I know, he'd probably say I was troublesome for wasting food."
"I don't think he'd say that" you slowly pull away. "I'll come with you to Teppanyaki next time."
He brightens, "it's a deal." And you continue to walk, in a much more comfortable silence. "Did you know Sasuke, Neji and I think Lee are ANBU now?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, Naruto told me yesterday. He isn't happy."
You laugh; feeling the restraint you built around your heart since Shikamaru's advancement, loosen a little. "With Shikamaru they would be a great team."
"The best." He agrees, stopping as you reach the entrance of your store. "We're here"
You take out your keys to reopen the shop, "you should drop by some time and I'll give you a free bouquet of flowers for your special someone" you wink slyly at him.
He laughs shaking his head. "Never going to happen, who would want to go out with someone like me?"
You frown, "Young people are so shallow nowadays." You shake your head as he rolls his eyes and coughs what suspiciously sounds like 'Sasuke'.
"What?"
"Nothing" He puts his hands into his pockets and averts his eyes.
"I don't like him anymore ok?"
"Ok" he says a little too easily.
You mock-scowl "We're suppose to be talking about you here"
And he nods smiling widely down at you, and you wonder briefly when did he get so tall.
"You have so much more to offer then the next average guy walking down the street" Since Shikamaru wasn't around anymore you felt you were now the sole supplier to Chouji's ever wavering self-esteem.
"You just say that because you're my friend"
"I say that because I am your friend and you know how brutally honest I am." You jab him gently on the side, "don't ever doubt your worth."
He smiles.
"What?"
"Nothing..." you eye him doubtfully. "It's just that... Shikamaru use to say that to me all the time."
You pout like it's a great offence but you hug him again.
"Hey, hey I'm a chuunin now. That means you can't randomly hug me for no apparent reason especially not in public."
You smile squeezing him tightly. "I have my reasons."
----------------------------
A/N:
Izbel – Yeah you're not the first to get confused with the POV and dang another spelling mistake. Thanks for the review!
The Prime Minister – Ahhh you rock! Yeah I made a good point in pointing out the AU of this but I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing always, always appreciated.
Tench-Sama – Great minds think alike! All fear the great Shika! Thank's for the review.
Kou Haruko – Awww that's so nice. I'm all for a happy ending but I'm an angst writer at heart. sigh Thanks for the review.
Lazy-Sloth – Yay! I'd like to think so too. Thank you for your review.
RurouniGochan – lol We've made it! The same page! I'll try to make it as un- confusing as humanly possible, which is kinda hard because what makes sense to me might not necessarily make sense to the next person... But thanks for the great review.
YukimuraSanada – lol I'm trying, I'm trying! But thank you for the encouraging review!
Author's Note: Is a slight AU, not an expert in Naruto or Japanese customs please forgive any stupid mistakes. Beta is welcome. Is written in second person...obviously. I know it doesn't suit many people but it's just my preference in writing. Chances are a lot of the 'ninja' stuff I write may be grossly inaccurate and apologise in advance but hey! It's an AU! So let it be... Refer to my ANBU Theory on my BIO page if necessary.
Summary: AU: Once Upon A Time In A Place Humanity Forgot, In A Time No one Remembers, There Was a World Where The Tools Of War Were People Known Simply As ...Shinobis.
Pairing: Shika/Ino
Reviews: Always welcome!
"Thanks for treating me to a barbeque Ino"
You smile, watching your friend lovingly placing each slice carefully on the open grill.
"It's a time for celebration Chouji. You're officially a chuunin now."
He grins so wide his eyes disappear. "Yeah... doesn't feel that much different" He shuffles, "you didn't do this for Shikamaru"
Your smile stiffens slightly, "he wouldn't have appreciated it as much as you would."
"I guess..." he lays his chopsticks down. "When are you going to do the exams again?"
You shrug watching the meat sizzle gently. "Maybe next year" you reply, your eyes sliding towards the empty seat beside Chouji.
He must have noticed as he says, "he never use to do much, but it was nice knowing he was at least here"
You immediately avert your eyes to the food. "Yeah"
The silence is a little awkward. Despite being team-mates you and Chouji never really spent all that time alone together.
"Me and Shikamaru always came here, every afternoon after training." He says almost absent-mindedly.
"Why didn't you invite me?" You ask, trying not to sound as hurt as you felt.
Chouji blinks at you like he hadn't expect you to hear. "Oh, well you were always doing your own thing with Sasuke and Sakura"
You lower your gaze feeling guilty.
"I'm sorry"
He shrugs like it's no big deal and you pretend that doesn't hurt either. "All in the past now" and he swiftly flips the meat. "Smells good doesn't it?"
You know he's trying to change the subject. "Yep" you nod. "Sure does"
-------------------------
"You know what's weird?" Chouji says suddenly while he walks you back to the flower shop.
"What?"
"See the two person's meal I shared with you at Teppanyaki?"
You smile, 'shared he says'. "Yeah"
"You know how much I eat right?" He glances at you and you nod. "Well that's what me and Shikamaru use to always get but now since he doesn't have enough time to spend with me anymore..." and he looks a little sad.
"Chouji..." you begin.
"No its ok, being ANBU is a real honour Ino and it's expected that most of his time should be spent protecting our village." You smile sadly at him he was always so strong... "So I started going to Teppanyaki alone, ordering the two person's meal and... I could never finish it"
You raise and eyebrow. "I know" he says, looking at you. "It's strange but true. I always leave a few pieces behind... Shikamaru's part. And then I'd leave, feeling a lot emptier then I did when I first went in."
You hug him fiercely, burying your head in the crook of his neck. He laughs, half-heartedly patting you somewhat awkwardly on the back. "It's stupid I know, he'd probably say I was troublesome for wasting food."
"I don't think he'd say that" you slowly pull away. "I'll come with you to Teppanyaki next time."
He brightens, "it's a deal." And you continue to walk, in a much more comfortable silence. "Did you know Sasuke, Neji and I think Lee are ANBU now?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, Naruto told me yesterday. He isn't happy."
You laugh; feeling the restraint you built around your heart since Shikamaru's advancement, loosen a little. "With Shikamaru they would be a great team."
"The best." He agrees, stopping as you reach the entrance of your store. "We're here"
You take out your keys to reopen the shop, "you should drop by some time and I'll give you a free bouquet of flowers for your special someone" you wink slyly at him.
He laughs shaking his head. "Never going to happen, who would want to go out with someone like me?"
You frown, "Young people are so shallow nowadays." You shake your head as he rolls his eyes and coughs what suspiciously sounds like 'Sasuke'.
"What?"
"Nothing" He puts his hands into his pockets and averts his eyes.
"I don't like him anymore ok?"
"Ok" he says a little too easily.
You mock-scowl "We're suppose to be talking about you here"
And he nods smiling widely down at you, and you wonder briefly when did he get so tall.
"You have so much more to offer then the next average guy walking down the street" Since Shikamaru wasn't around anymore you felt you were now the sole supplier to Chouji's ever wavering self-esteem.
"You just say that because you're my friend"
"I say that because I am your friend and you know how brutally honest I am." You jab him gently on the side, "don't ever doubt your worth."
He smiles.
"What?"
"Nothing..." you eye him doubtfully. "It's just that... Shikamaru use to say that to me all the time."
You pout like it's a great offence but you hug him again.
"Hey, hey I'm a chuunin now. That means you can't randomly hug me for no apparent reason especially not in public."
You smile squeezing him tightly. "I have my reasons."
----------------------------
A/N:
Izbel – Yeah you're not the first to get confused with the POV and dang another spelling mistake. Thanks for the review!
The Prime Minister – Ahhh you rock! Yeah I made a good point in pointing out the AU of this but I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing always, always appreciated.
Tench-Sama – Great minds think alike! All fear the great Shika! Thank's for the review.
Kou Haruko – Awww that's so nice. I'm all for a happy ending but I'm an angst writer at heart. sigh Thanks for the review.
Lazy-Sloth – Yay! I'd like to think so too. Thank you for your review.
RurouniGochan – lol We've made it! The same page! I'll try to make it as un- confusing as humanly possible, which is kinda hard because what makes sense to me might not necessarily make sense to the next person... But thanks for the great review.
YukimuraSanada – lol I'm trying, I'm trying! But thank you for the encouraging review!