The first time Ino visits training ground nine, it's with a frustration that everyone deals with after going through a war. It's the questioning of why did they suffer so much bloodshed?
Why was it necessary?
Why did they have to kill to not be killed?
She enters the grounds in a rush, heedless of her surroundings but the sharp whoosh of a kunai draws her attention. She looks up just in time to witness the firm thud of the pointy metal embedding itself in a tree. Her eyes trail to the person who'd thrown it. The ponytail and uncharacteristically straight stance of said person come as a surprise.
She walks towards Shikamaru but he doesn't seem to have noticed her presence. Either that, or he chooses to ignore it for he bends again, picking up another kunai from the pile and throws it with as much force as he can muster. The weapon assaults the bark of another tree and the Nara continues the process till Ino steps beside him, placing a hand on his outstretched arm.
"Hello," she mutters with a raised brow. "Didn't think you'd be training already."
Shikamaru looks startled but he's soon over it. Pulling his arm away, he twirls another kunai in his hand.
"Not training," he says, throwing the piece of metal at yet another tree target, "but removing my anger."
"Then I'm about to join in," Ino says, promptly picking up a kunai and throwing it with all the force her body can expend. Shikamaru lets her and the two keep throwing the ninja equivalent of knives at the wood till they're sweating with exertion and breathing heavily.
"I," Ino exhales in a rush, "I feel lighter."
Shikamaru wipes sweat off his brow, himself taking in huge breaths.
"Me too."
That's all the talking they do before exiting the grounds in companionable silence.
The next two weeks, they're dispatched on a mission along with Chouji and Shino and throughout their traveling none of the two bring up the bizarre evening of kunai throwing.
Yet, once they return, Shikamaru finds himself in the very same spot and is not surprised when Ino joins him a while after. This time, once they've sufficiently attacked a whole row of trees, Ino plops onto the grass and steals the bottle of water from Shikamaru's backpack.
"Save some for me," Shikamaru says, seating himself on the ground. "You're not the only one who's fucking parched."
Ino shrugs even as she continues to gulp. She stops after another three sips and hands over the almost empty bottle to the Nara with some amusement.
"For a thirsty man even a drop of water is an ocean," Ino says, nodding her head sagely.
Shikamaru throws her an annoyed look, "The ocean's water isn't even drinkable, you absolute fool."
"Fool?" Ino echoes, offended, "Alright. So next time you've got some problem in your love life, don't come to me for advice."
Shikamaru's face tightens before smoothing out but Ino is a Yamanaka and she's observant enough to catch that.
"What happened?" she says, narrowing her eyes. "Did Temari tell you she loves you and you didn't say it back? Did Kankuro say something? Did you say something?"
Shikamaru's jaw is taut now, and he turns his head away because that's how he's always dealt with sharing his struggles. To pretend he's not sharing them at all.
"We broke up," he says, trying to sound unbothered but he's not fooling anyone. "We...weren't on the same page."
"Oh," Ino says, something knotting her stomach despite not knowing the full story. "Temari wasn't in for a marriage. Or..or for love?"
Shikamaru turns towards her again, closing his eyes in mild frustration.
"No," he says, "No. But it's my fault for assuming, I guess. We'd never discussed this all till after the war and I think I had too many feelings for her by then. She didn't, for me, and that's totally fine. I just hate," he takes a breath. "I just hate that I can't even be friends with her anymore. She got my humor, you know."
Ino sighs, "You sound like the heroine of a tragic romance novel."
Shikamaru's lips twitch upward, glad that Ino isn't trying to comfort him with warmth and soothing words. He's not the type to be consoled by such things. So he runs a hand through his ponytail and removes the band holding it together.
"Don't know about the damsel in distress angle," he says, shaking his head to let his hair flow, "but I've certainly got the long hair for it."
Ino chokes on a laugh, "Come on then princess, let's get you home."
Shikamaru rolls his eyes, swiftly putting up his hair in their usual style again.
"What does that make you?" the Nara asks with a raised brow. "My knight in shining armour?"
"Maybe," Ino says, walking towards the streets. "I think I should learn how to wield a sword. Would fit my role better, don't you think?"
Shikamaru's face has his lazy smile now as he drags his feet to fall in step beside Ino.
"Get yourself a broody, mysterious personality with a hidden good heart and we're all set for a perfect love story."
Ino shakes her head in amusement, "Can we get some dango first?"
Shikamaru starts walking in the dango shop's direction automatically, secure in his knowledge that Ino has his back, and he has hers.
Author's Note:
Another oneshot that I'm crossposting. Just a short little thing, nothing serious. Hope you enjoyed!
Thank you so much for reading. :))