Author's Note:

From this point on the chapters will have spoilers up to chapter 244 of the manga and beyond. If you're only watching the anime, I advise against you reading this story. Particularly this chapter, and a few chapters ahead when my version of the events post-manga-time-gap starts.

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6 – Home Safe

It took an extra step to keep herself from slipping as she rounded the corner of the slippery hospital corridor, but being graceful and feminine didn't matter when she could finally see her teammate, whole and unbroken, standing two doors away. She yelled out his name in two leaps was on him, hugging like she'd never hugged anyone but her closest family before. He was safe, he was alive!

"Ino!"

"Shikamaru! You're okay! Where's Chouji? Can we see him?"

The boy's breath faltered under the barrage of questions and the sudden armful of pretty girl, pretty Ino. He'd only ever held her this close when guarding her body, and this felt radically different because she was clinging to him instead. He hated himself for even thinking about it when Chouji was a room away in critical condition, but Shikamaru was an emotional wellspring right now. Fear, anger, grief, relief, sadness, hope: everything from the last few days was on the surface and he couldn't help but add these new sensations too and memorize them, etching the feelings into his thoughts for later examination.

Then it was over and she was shaking his shoulders in that tempestuous Ino way, asking about Chouji again.

"Can we see him, Shikamaru! Is he out of critical condition?"

"You can't see him just yet because his body's still in critical, but he's going to make it. The Hokage made an antidote to his soldier pill, and he's over the worst of it."

Ino stepped back and slumped against the wall, sliding down to the hospital bench. "I'm so relieved," she said, smiling up at him weakly. "What about everyone else?"

Shikamaru joined her on the bench, closer than he normally would have sat but careful not to be touching. He tried to relax too and let himself feel relief, but as tired as he was his body still wanted to react like he was in battle and every muscle felt tense.

"Naruto has been beaten up pretty badly and Kiba's wounded, but they're going to be okay. Neji is still being operated on by the medic-nin, however. They won't let us near."

"Sakura said she was going to see Naruto; I don't know if she found him yet."

"I was thinking about going to see him. And Kiba too."

Ino nodded firmly, and stood with her hands on her waist. "I'll go check in on Kiba and tell him about Chouji. You should see Naruto, and make sure Sakura got there."

Her commanding tone and her bossy stance struck a chord in Shikamaru, and a wavery smile crossed his face. It was asituationblessed familiarity.Maybe letting someone else give the orders for a little while was okay right now. It would be wonderful to just obey decisions again, instead of making them.

"Alright. I don't think that would be too troublesome."