Day to Day
A Naruto fan fiction
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any bands mentioned
(A/N: I've deiced to do Shikamaru and Ino on this one-sorry to all those who wanted something else! If you want it, please vote and I will write about the one with the most votes!)
Chapter 6: My Brave Ninja
Ino walked into her kitchen, humming a tune and quiet comfortable in her sweat pants, tee shirt and dirty slippers. It was around ten in the morning, and Yamanako Ino had woken but roughly fifteen minutes ago.
A pleasant look on her face, she pulled a box of coco puffs out of the cabinet, and then a bowl and a spoon.
"You really like you're coco puffs, don't you?"
Ino paused, and smirked. "You're up early, Shii-kun."
He smiled lightly, and wrapped his arms around her just below her shoulders from behind, and kissed her cheek lightly. Like Ino, Shikamaru was in the drab; a wrinkled shirt, jeans, and socks that were too big. He had bed head, and dark circles under his eyes, and as he leaned his head against hers, his eyes closed, and he breathed in her scent. She always smelled like some kind of fruit or flower; this morning, it was fresh mangos.
"How many nights have you spent the night now, Shii-chan?"
Ino asked, and turned around, leaning her head and loose fists on his strong chest. He moved his head on top of hers, and moved his arms lower. Both had their eyes closed, and Shikamaru swayed gently back and worth.
"Um...three times."
The night before, Shikamaru had come to Ino's apartment to see her. He had gone on a two-week long mission, and the three days before he left, Ino was on a mission. The two hadn't seen each other in over seventeen days, and seeking the comfort of someone close to him, he had come to Ino's, and the two had fallen asleep on her bed while watching a movie.
In truth, it wasn't uncommon anymore for either of the two to spend the night at each other's houses; contrary to rumor, they had never done anything, they had just laid up to the early, early morning and late, late nights, talking and making coco, or watching movies and enjoying one another's company. Unlike Sakura, Ino had no real moral on how a young relationship should go. She believed you should fly with the moment, and 'what ever spurred you in the name of love', as she so sarcastically put it.
Shikamaru sighed a tired sigh, and wondered aloud, "You think its weird that I missed you so much?"
Ino smiled. "Ha, no. It's romantic, Shii-kun."
He stuck his lip out. "Gross."
Ino laughed. "You haven't grown up in the four years that I've known you; not even the tiniest bit, you know that?"
"That's not true. I got over cooties long enough to kiss you, didn't I?"
Ino laughed again, and then sighed, snuggling up to him. Shikamaru was a living, breathing furnace, and it came in handy during the cold winter months.
"Yea, you did. And you're not too damn bad either."
It was Shikamaru's time to smirk this time. "That's cause' I'm worthy of being an Elle Girl tasty cake, and you know it."
"Don't push it."
The first time Shikamaru had come over, he had walked into Ino's room and found five magazine pages of the tasty cake of the month from Elle Girl magazine, one of Ino's favorites. He had joked on her endlessly about it, telling her that she was as bad as Naruto and Neji smuggling porn back and forth, among millions of other jokes he had cracked in public, which only served to embarrass and annoy Ino.
The two continued to stay there, talking in soft morning voices, and laughing. Of course, as always, enjoying one another's company.
"Ino! Wake up!"
"Ugh....noooo....go away....."
"Ino! It's Shii-chan!"
At those words, Ino bolted up, and opened her eyes to see Sakura standing next to her bed, her hair tied up quickly, and, by her appearance in clothes and absence of make-up, hastily dressed. Her green eyes were wide, and her expression not very happy.
"What is it?" Ino demanded, rubbing her eyes. She wasn't a morning person, and Sakura being her best friend for countless years, she should've known that and waited!
"Sasuke told me this morning that Shikamaru was accepted into ANBU, and is leaving this morning." Sakura answered. Her tone was grave, which made Ino nervous.
"So?"
"Ino, he's after a missing-nin with only two other ninjas. It's S-ranked. Sasuke told me that nobody expects him to come back alive."
Ino froze.
"Are you lying to me?"
"No."
With a sudden burst of energy, Ino got out of bed, tied her hair back in front of a mirror, and then quickly got dressed. Sakura rushed her along, and with in the miracle of only two minutes, the two were rushing out the apartment door, shoes crunching in the thick snow.
Sakura rushed with her, and the two ran through the snow side-by-side, each one wearing a face of distress and worry. They ran through the city streets, which were almost barren in the early morning, and tried their best to get to the gates in time.
Finally, they arrived at the village gates, which was guarded by two chunins.
Up ahead, maybe a few blocks up the dirt road was three ninjas, walking on the snowy ground with silver armor.
"SHIKA!"
Ino screamed, and ran, leaving Sakura in the dust. Her hair fell out of its hair tie, and flew behind her in the cold, nipping wind, and her hat was nowhere to be seen.
The three ninjas turned, and the one in the middle pulled off his mask, revealing himself to be Shikamaru.
By now, Ino was crying, and she leapt to Shikamaru, wrapping her around him and crying into his shoulder.
"Shika...Shika, Sakura told me...Shika, come back, please come back..."
Shikamaru was shocked, and his eyes wide.
"Ino...."
He wrapped his arms around her, and rested his head on hers.
"Ino, what did they tell you?"
"That you were supposed to come back."
The other two ninjas, pulled off their masks, and watched with sad faces the scene before them. There was a reason why one of the three things a ninja was supposed to avoid was a woman, and the scene before them described why.
"Ino, stop crying. Please, stop." Shikamaru told her gently, brushing her hair out of her face.
She sniffled, and looked up at his face, her blue eyes brimming with tears.
"Ino, missions are always dangerous, you know that. There's always a chance we won't come back; but they were just saying that they didn't think I would come back because I just joined ANBU. It's not because I'm not good enough. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be in ANBU."
She nodded, and sniffed again, watching her breath form in little clouds.
"That's not to say that I will come back, but that there's still a chance that I might. Ino," he lifted her chin with his gloved finger, and smirked, "you are way too strong and stubborn to be crying over me. But, just in case, I'll promise you this: I will come back to you, weather it's alive, or in spirit. No matter where you go, no matter what happens, I'm there, okay?"
She nodded, laughed.
"I feel so stupid and silly now." She admitted, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." He smiled, just a little, and leaned down, and whispered in her ear, "When I said I missed you, I worried a little bit too. I love you, Ino."
Ino smiled, and held him tight.
"I'll miss you. Please come back."
"I promised, didn't I?" Shikamaru replied, and then the two let each other go. The two other ninjas, who had left the two alone to talk, slipped their masks back on, and walked towards Shikamaru.
With a cocky smirk, Shikamaru slipped on his silver mask, and walked off to meet up with his teammates.
Sakura walked up to her best friend, and hugged her, resting her chin on Ino's shoulder. Ino held Sakura's arm, and frowned, worry entering her blue orbs again.
"It'll be okay, Ino-chan. You wait; he won't be back without a cut or bruise."
"I sure hope so."
Even though Shikamaru had given his promise, had had so much confidence and had given her such a logical speech, Ino couldn't help but worry and want to cry again.
Because finally, the reality that either one of them could die any day was finally sinking in.
And it was like she was a wife on the pier, watching her naval husband sail off to war, because she and that wife had the same thing in common: they were in love with men who could die.
Hey Ya'll!
Short, I know. I guess I just wasn't so into this time, or as into as I was with my first chapters. Am I losing my knack? The first part was entirely to introduce you to how I saw the couple, and how I felt their relationship would be like (I'm trying to make them all seem different).
Anyway, thanks to all the reviewers: warprince2000, DotDotDotMan, AkiaBinZaid, Xoni Newcomer, animEvivvErz, and boredathome! It means so much to me that you guys reviewed and like my story!
Zoni, I'm glad you liked how I described outfits. The truth is, I have a serious fetish for fashion, especially shoes and bright-colored accessories. Also believe that if you describe an outfit of a character, it gives insight on that character and makes them easier to imagine.
So far, the polls are at: Naruto and Hinata: 3, Neji and Tenten: two, Sakura and Sasuke: 0, and Ino and Shikamaru: 0. I was wondering, was my previous chapter of Sakura and Sasuke the reason that you don't want to read about them anymore? I really hate that chapter. I just wanted to throw something sweet together for you guys since I hadn't updated in a while.
Daily joke: Akia gave me a command! 'Naruto and Hinata. Make them do something special.' Mam' yes mam'!
Also, since I don't know squat about Neji and Tenten, for all those who want a chapter on them, please tell me some habits, characteristics, ect. So I can stay true to how the infamous two are. Thanks!
Thanks so much for reading this, and please review!
-IHearVoices