Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Pairing: Shikamaru and Ino
Genre: Romance, I guess...
The clouds look nice
Shikamaru was lying under a shade of a Sakura tree, arms behind his back, and staring at the clouds. He closed his eyes and let a small smile plaster his lips. Now this was life! Staring at the clouds, doing nothing. Just lazing around...
"The clouds look nice, don't they, Shikamaru?"
His blonde teammate, Ino, lay down by his side, one arm behind her head and the other one playing with the grass. He opened his eyes, surprised by the fact that she was laying next to him.
"They sure do."
This was a first to him. Ino talking to him without yelling or talking about Sasuke. She was just there, staring at the clouds, like him. She closed her eyes and smiled. Just like he had done awhile ago.
"It's so peaceful here..."
He tried to look back at the clouds, but he couldn't. His attention was now focused on the beautiful blonde next to him.
"Yeah..."
He then noticed a small tear on her cheek. He was going to say something but she talked first, her voice shaky.
"I heard you are going on a mission tomorrow..."
He stared at her.
"Yeah."
She sat up and looked at him, more tears following the first. She wiped them with fury. He knew she hated to cry, to show of her weaknesses.
"Asuma-sensei said that it was a very dangerous mission... and... and...he said that... that... you could die..."
She was trembling slightly and fighting back tears. He laid back down and stared at the clouds, again.
"...The clouds look nice..."
"Don't do that Shikamaru..."
She was trying to control her anger.
"Don't act like you don't care! Don't act like it's just another mission! You can die! That's serious Shikamaru!"
He was serious now. Not laid back. Just serious.
"I'm not afraid to die, Ino..."
She got up hastly.
"How can you say that? Do you know how much people care for you? You can't just disappear from one's life like that! What about your parents? They would be devastated!"
He shrugged.
"They would get over it, eventually. It would be one less person to feed..."
"What?"
She sat down next to him and stared at him, more tears threatening to spill. How could he be so indifferent to a situation like this? Was it even possible?
"What about Chouji and Asuma-sensei? Who would be there to boost Chouji's self esteem up? Who would play shougi with Asuma-sensei?"
He inhaled heavily. She was starting to get on his nerves.
"You would be there for Chouji and Asuma-sensei would play with Kakashi or Kurenai..."
She lowered her head and faced the ground. He was impossible...
"What about... me...?"
He sat up in front of her.
"You would go running to your Sasuke-kun... you wouldn't dwell on my death for long, I assure you... you would finally move on-..."
He was cut of by a slap. She was looking at him straight in the eye, her hand still raised. He was shocked! He placed his hand in his red cheek and touched it slowly.
"Don't you dare... I wouldn't do that Shikamaru... I thought you knew me better that anyone..."
She let her hand fall back to the ground and got up.
"Just be sure to come back safely..."
She started moving forward.
"Ino!"
She stopped, without looking back.
"I will come back... for you..."
She smiled and looked back.
"I'll be waiting..."
15.05.2005
