A/N: Okay, before I get complaints (probably won't but I'm covering my tracks) I know very little about medical procedures and stuff. I've been lucky enough to come from a family that hardly ever gets sick. I don't even know anyone who works in the medical business. So I pretty much made up everything here. Including the Insane Asylum bit. I don't even know how I came up with this.
...oh, yeah. I wanted to write some sad stuff. Cause I like sad stuff. So yeah...
Warning: No happy endings here.
Ino clutched the clipboard, her knuckles going white in fury. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, the obnoxiously pink post-it was still there.
Dear Ino-pig!
Heard you got a position at an asylum. Wow. Never thought Tsunade-sama would recognize your mental condition that quickly. Oh, well. Have fun with the crazies!
You know you love me!
Sakura Haruno ^.^
Love. Sure. Ino just loved billboard-brow. Yeah. Sounds about right. Ino picked up the post-it not, crumpled it up, and tossed it into the nearest trash can.
To think, Tsunade had asked her to work at an insane asylum. It was ridiculous. Extremely ridiculous. Unfortunately, Ino had no idea how to tell her boss (the head of anything and everything medical in Konoha) "No", especially when she had caught her making out just a little bit with Shikamaru in the break room. When he was already engaged to Temari. And possibly/probably having a passionate affair with Shiho.
"Kami, and sometimes I think I'm a slut!" Ino sarcastically grumbled under her breath. She frowned, making sure to stop muttering herself before her new boss decided that she belonged in the asylum.
Konoha Asylum currently housed quite a number of patients. Ino would be working on the floor S, where it seemed the most dangerous of the patients were held. Oh, joy.
She stepped down the halls, boots clicking on the tile. Her white coat that all doctors around her wore kept her arms and torso warm, but the chilliness of the institution reached her bare legs. Maybe she should start wearing pants instead of short skirts... Nah. Even if she was surrounded by crazy people, Ino would look her best.
To her left was the first patient. Ino sighed, and opened the door to the room that housed Sasori Akasuna. He looked up from his bed, and stared at her with brown eyes. Ino couldn't remember the last time she'd seen someone with red hair and brown eyes. It was very unusual coloring.
"Hello, Sasori. I'm going to be your new doctor. Ino Yamananka, and pleased to meet you." She told him, forcing a smile.
"Where is Shizune?" Ino's smile flickered for a second.
"She, uh... she's on maternity leave."
"For how long?"
"I don't know. She might never come back."
Sasori sighed. "Shizune always knocked. Please knock." Ino faltered.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm always forgetting my manners. I'll remember next time. Now, do you have anything you need?"
"No."
"Okay, well, I was supposed to introduce myself to you. I hope you will pardon my intrusion. Oh, yes. You have a letter from your grandmother, Chiyo. Here it is." Ino pulled the letter off her clipboard, and handed it to Sasori. He took it from her, expressionlessly skimmed over the envelope, and set it down on the table next to his bed.
"She was supposed to send a package. Next time a package comes for me, I would appreciate it being delivered immediately."
"Yes, Sasori. I'll make sure it gets to you as soon as possible." Ino said. "I'll be leaving now, but I'll be back later to give you your medication." She would've spent a little more time talking to him, but he did have a letter waiting for him. Ino quickly left and hurried into the next room.
She remembered to knock before entering, and gasped in surprise. The entire room was covered in origami. Sitting at a table, folding a sheet of paper into an elaborate rose, was a blue-haired woman. Konan Tenshi.
"Hello? Konan? I'm Ino Yamananka, your new doctor." Ino said. The woman looked up and Ino saw that she was actually very beautiful. Her eyes were light brown and she had a silver piercing below her lip. She stared at Ino, and then looked back to the half-finished rose.
"Hello." She said.
"Dr. Shizune is on leave for an indefinite amount of time, if you were wondering, but I hope I can fill in for her. Just let me know if you need anything or if I'm doing anything wrong, okay?"
She nodded but didn't look up at her. Ino felt a little annoyed at her lack of communication, but sort of relieved. So far, the patients she'd met didn't seem all that insane.
In fact, if all the others were like them, Ino was going to seriously watch how she acted around her boss. Dr. Kabuto Yakushi, who she hadn't met yet, was supposed to be very diffcult man. How he was difficult, Ino didn't know, but she was certainly not going to give a "difficult man" suspicions about her sanity.
Ino bid Konan good-bye and left, heading for the next patient. She glanced down at the clipboard and her mouth parted in shock. Itachi Uchiha? Could he be related to Sasuke in anyway? Ino quickly closed her mouth and headed for Itachi's room, almost forgetting to knock but at the last second removed her hand from the doorknob and rapped on the door.
"Come in." She heard, and quickly entered. Itachi was laying down on his bed, motionless. Ino could see that he was of average height, with long dark hair and black eyes like Sasuke. He was hot, too. Even with the dark circles and stress lines under his eyes.
"Hello, Itachi. I'm Ino Yamananka. I'm the new doctor here."
"Hn."
"I saw that your last name is Uchiha. Are you perhaps related to Sasuke Uchiha?"
"He's my little brother." Ino grinned. Maybe Sasuke would visit Itachi sometime, and then Ino could see Sasuke. Sakura's face would be green with envy!
"I thought I saw a resemblance. Let me know if you need anything, alright, Itachi?"
"Hn." Ino got up to leave, visions of Sasuke occupying her mind. She mechanically knocked on the next door, and entered, brushing away an image of Sasuke with his smirk as she prepared for meeting the next patient.
"Uh, Deidara...?" Ino called out.
"I'm here, un." Ino looked around the room to see him in the corner, almost obscured by a dresser. She walked around it and came face to face with a fellow blonde. Her clipboard said Deidara was male, but she could've sworn he was a female if she hadn't heard his deep voice. His hair was long, not as long as her own, but certainly long. He wasn't built very muscular or broad-shouldered, and his face was rather... pretty.
"Hello. My name's Ino Yamananka. I'm a new doctor here."
"Where's Shizune, un?" He asked, turning around to face a small table hidden by the dresser. Now that Ino was facing away from the dresser, she could see the table and the small pile of clay on the table.
"Do you like art?" She asked.
"Yeah! Art is great, un!" Deidara said, cheering up. "I love art. But they won't let me have the right supplies, un. They took away my matches and they won't let me have any gasoline or kerosene or petroleum or turpentine..." He proceeded to list every flammable substance Ino had ever heard of.
"I get the picture!" Ino said. He was definitely some kind of arsonist.
"Picture? No, I make explosions, un. And fire. Explosions and fire because art is fleeting, un! A moment that will remain forever imprinted in your mind, to be enjoyed briefly, and to be gone in an instant! A single flash of creativity!" He said.
"That sounds a little dangerous though..." Ino murmered.
"I usually had to have my art under control, un. But that's no fun at all. So sometimes... I forget the safety stuff. It's reccomended, anyway. Not like it's a rule or anything, un."
"Well, I have to see the other patients, Deidara, but it was definitely interesting talking to you." Ino said. "I'll see you later, okay? And if you never need anything -that isn't for an explosion or fire- just ask me."
"See ya, un!"
Ino waved, and left quickly. After she got the introductions over, she was going to take a look at the patients files, instead of skimming over the front page and the info the nurse had given her when she first came in. If there was an arsonist here, she really didn't want to know what the others were like.
She walked up to the next door, and knocked before opening it.
"Hello? Kakuzu, uh, Ryo? I'm the new doctor, Ino Yamananka." Ino said. She walked into the room and saw Kakuzu sitting on his bed, with a table drawn up to it, separating money into piles and counting.
"Whatever it is they're paying you, it's not enough." He remarked.
"What do you mean?" Ino asked.
"Have you met Hidan? Or Tobi?" She shook her head. He gave a short bark of laughter and turned back to his money.
"You'll find out soon enough. Is Shizune pregnant?"
"Yes, she is on maternity leave and may quit her job to spend more time with her child."
"Ha! Pein owns me thirty bucks. And you better pray she comes back, although if she's at all sane, she won't. I bet you twenty she'll quit."
"Uh, no thanks. Who's Pein?" He stopped counting his money to look at Ino incredulously.
"You really haven't met that many people yet, have you?"
"No..." Ino said.
"Thirty bucks says you're speechless for a whole minute when you meet Zetsu." He said.
"Um, no thanks." Ino repeated. "If you need anything, just ask. I'll see you later, Kakuzu."
"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand to dismiss her and Ino left, getting the feeling that he liked her considerably less when she didn't agree to his offers of bets.
She sighed, closed his door, and walked up to the next patient: Kisame Hoshigaki.
Ino closed the door. Well. She was a little more secure in her sanity.
Kisame was blue, first of all. According to the small note scribbled by his name, it seemed the blue face paint and hair-dye was due to his somehow thinking he was a shark-human hybrid.
Nagato Pein thought he was Kami.
Tobi... Tobi Uchiha (Apparently Itachi's uncle. The Uchihas definitely had some sort of hereditary brain disease or something.) was just plain crazy.
Zetsu was a schizophrenic who got in five arguments with himself in the three minutes Ino was there. He also had face paint (black and white) and green hair dye, along with yellow contacts to alter his looks. Other than that, he had been very nice and courteous. His room was filled with plants, and Ino rather liked it. She'd have to buy some potted plants for her kitchen...
Now all that was left was Hidan. Like Deidara and Zetsu, there was no last name listed. Ino walked carefully up to the room, preparing herself for what Kakuzu had placed alongside Tobi, who had tried to get her in a swordfight with the cardboard towel from paper towels.
Hidan stopped pacing as a sharp knock on his door alerted him to someone approaching. He fastened his eyes on the door but continued singing.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"
The door opened and Hidan saw the white coat first, and assumed it was Shizune. Inside the white coat, however, was certainly not Shizune. Shizune was rather plain, with short, choppy, dark hair and modest attire. Boring. This new arrival was anything but.
She clutched her clipboard with manicured nails, perfectly done without a single chip. Her fingers were long and slender and perfect for a doctor. Unlike Shizune who wore sensible shoes, New Doctor wore dark purple heels that made her already long legs look longer. Said legs were exposed up to halfway above the thigh, where a tight black skirt clung to her every movement and fit snugly against the small waist. A slightly puffy purple blouse dipped low at the chest, and a few buttons were even undone. Above the revealing neckline and cleavage was a long, graceful neck and a pretty face. Full, rosy lips and the biggest blue eyes Hidan had ever seen gave her an air of innocence. And she was a blonde. Her long, silvery blonde hair was pulled back into a long ponytail except for a few stray strands over one of her eyes.
"Fu... damn..." Hidan said.
"Hidan?" He nodded, frozen in his tracks.
"I'm Ino Yamananka. I'm replacing Dr. Shizune."
"For how long?" Hidan asked.
"Um, a few months... uh, she's, um..."
"She's knocked up." Hidan supplied.
"How did you...?"
"Kakuzu usually wins his bets. Damn miser."
"Uh, right... he did mention about Pein owing him something."
"Yeah, sounds right. Pein's such a sucker." Hidan snorted. "Thinks he's Kami, so he can't be wrong." Ino's face remained neutral, but Hidan could see the laughter in her eyes.
"Well, Hidan, it was nice to meet you. I'll be back later with your medication. Until then, do you need anything?"
"How about your phone number?" Hidan teased. "Kidding. Here, I want you to take a look at this pamphlet." He handed her one of his many Jashin pamphlets that he stored in his pocket, just in case he got a chance to try to convert someone.
"Um, thank you." Ino said, hesitantly taking it from him. Hidan laughed.
"Just take the fucking paper, lady. It won't bite, that's my job." He could see that laughter threatening to spill out as her mouth twitched and she quickly pressed her lips together.
"I'll look at it during lunch." She said.
"Uh, might want to do that either before or after lunch has had time to digest." Hidan quickly said. "And when your done, if you have any questions, you know where I'll be." He dismissed her with those words and began pacing again. As soon as he heard the click of her heel making for the door he went back to singing.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"
Ino smirked a little as she wondered at the silver-haired man. He looked to be some sort of albino... sort of. He was hot. She could tell he was muscular, and he definitely had a sense of humor. Too bad he had the mouth of a sailor... and the fact that he was in the insane asylum wasn't exactly appealing either.
She curiously opened up the pamphlet and gagged.
"What... the..." A hand clamped on her shoulder. Ino jumped in her seat and slowly turned around, not daring to breathe.
A man with long, fluffy, grey hair pulled back in a ponytail and black glasses perched on his nose looked at her with dark, sinister eyes. "Hello. I don't believe we've met. Kabuto Yakushi, pleased to meet you."
He reached over and plucked the pamphlet from her hands while her mouth hung open.
"I see Hidan's up to his old tricks. Dissection according to the guidelines of the Jashinist ritual..." He tapped the pamphlet thoughtfully.
"I-I'm Ino, Dr. Yakushi. The new doctor, replacing Shizune."
Dr. Yakushi looked up from the pamphlet and regarded her with those eyes that made her shiver. Ino had a bad feeling about him.
"Oh, yes. The one appointed by Dr. Tsunade Senju. Well, well, well. Isn't our little asylum lucky? You were one of the two medical students Tsunade herself oversaw?"
"Ah... yes." Ino said, fidgeting. She wasn't sure what to say to her new boss, who has spoken Tsunade's name with such vehemence.
"I was trained under her colleague, Dr. Orochimaru Hebi-Kyodaija. Granted, a lot of the work we did was experimental. But together we made several medical breakthroughs."
"Dr. Hebi-Kyodaija is highly respected. It must have been a privilige to not only be taught by him but to work alongside him." Ino said neutrally.
"Hmm." Dr. Yakushi hummed. "Well, unless your fond of seeing the insides of the human body, I suggest not taking another of Hidan's religious pamphlets anytime soon."
"Thank you, Dr. Yakushi." Ino said.
"I will see you later, Dr. Yamananka." Dr. Yakushi waved, and Ino's stomach finally settled a bit. She didn't like him. He wasn't bad looking, or obviously creepy, but there was something about his smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes. He was... decieving. She was sure of it.
"I hate my job..." Ino muttered.
Hidan had never been so happy to be insane. Never. Not even when he was performing his rituals in worship to Jashin. Of course, he couldn't do that now. He was on some sedative that made sure he didn't have the energy for violence.
Still, he was often called away into a padded room and usually spent half the week in a straightjacket. However, with the newly hired doctor, Hidan was sure that was about to change.
She came in to give him his medicine and a check up. Hidan smirked. He worked out regularly, when the drugs wore off. It was a way to release the violent energy without doing something that would land him in a padded cell for good and it was a habit. He liked to be the strongest and look good. Plus, it was always good for impressing doctors with how fit he was.
She administired the medicine, then turned around.
"Um, I am going to be giving you a physical." She picked up her clipboard and turned back around.
Hidan was smirking from how his mind could make those words sound dirty. "Sure. You can give me a physical anytime you want." He said, laughing as she blushed.
"I mean an examination!" She cried.
"Relax, honey." He said. "I'm just joking."
Ino walked over, about to place her stethoscope against his chest, when she stopped and smiled, as if she had caught herself doing something stupid. She took the cold metal in her hands and warmed it up, eyebrows bent in concentration. Hidan was touched by the concern.
"There we go. Now breathe in an out, slowly, please." He obeyed, as she listened and then felt with her fingers to make sure there was no problem.
"You know, you're quite the troublesome patient." She said. "Your medications are the type with the side effects I need to worry about. So far you're doing great. I'm not feeling any issues with your muscles or any swelling and your breathing is clear and even. Your pulse is fine." She placed her hands on his shoulders, and turned him around, and felt the muscles in his back.
"How about back there?" Hidan asked. Shizune had done all of the stuff Ino was doing so far, but this was new.
"This isn't actually part of the required examination. It's just part of my own skill set. I'm checking to see if there are any muscles that are sore or tense and I'll tell you if you're doing anything like sleeping in a bad position." That explained it.
Ino finally stopped and stepped a few feet away. "Wow. You're taking good care of yourself. Keep it up, okay?" She was about to go when she turned around. Hidan stopped, in the middle of fidgeting with his shirt and pulling his sleeve down, and looked over at her as her eyes narrowed.
"What?" He asked.
"Stop." She said. She crossed the few feet between them and caught his arm in her hands, pulling the sleeve back up. She turned it over, revealing the pale inside of his wrist, and gasped.
Gently, she traced the pale criss-crossing scars with a single manicured fingertip. Hidan shivered at her touch, but she didn't notice. Carefully, she finished tracing the scar -one out of what must have been twenty- and seized his other arm, where she repeated the process.
"Hidan. What is this?" She asked.
"It's part of the rituals for my religion. Didn't you read the pamphlets I gave you?" Hidan asked.
"I... how could you be part of something that requires this type of self mutilation?"
Wordlessly, Hidan closed his own hand over the one that lingered over his arm, pulling it off. She let it drop to her sides as he pulled his sleeves back down.
"I'm crazy, remember?" He said, plopping onto his bed and smiling at her.
"Yeah." Ino whispered.
Three months later, Ino hurried into Hidan's room, frantically searching for the silver-haired man.
"I told you to restrain him!" Shouted Dr. Yakushi. He still gave Ino the creeps.
"Yessir!" Barked the man in blue scrubs beside him. He joined two other identically dressed men who were fighting to keep Hidan down.
"What's going on?" Ino asked Dr. Yakushi.
Abruptly, Hidan stopped thrashing and the maniacal grin on his face dropped.
"Ino?" He questioned. The room was quiet but for the heavy breathing of the three holding him down.
"Hidan, what's-"
"Ino, I don't know. I just don't know. The fuckin' medicine. It's... it's... my head!" He screamed in agony and started thrashing again. Ino watched in pity as his scream melded into laughter. Wild, crazy laughter.
"Dr. Yamananka, what you are seeing is the side effect of one of Hidan's medications. Some months he's fine, some months he's completely changed." Dr. Yakushi said, pushing his glasses back up with his finger, his other hand holding a clipboard.
"Why not give him some other medication, then?" Ino asked.
"He's specified that he prefers this kind. The others bother him almost daily with annoyances like naseau and headaches and put him in a bad mood. Whenever we attempt to change medicines, he's in a straightjacket for days on end and his behavior deteriorates. The side effects that only strike occasionally but have a more... phenonemal side to them seem to be preferable."
"I think I understand." Ino said. Hidan was the type who didn't want to be influenced by anything, including medication. The only influence he seemed to accept was that of Jashin. He would want a medicine that wouldn't interfere, or at the very least, one that wouldn't interfere often.
Ino watched as Dr. Yakushi pulled a syringe out of his pocket and carefully shot a clear liquid into Hidan's arms. Slowly, Hidan stopped thrashing and his scream died down into moans. His eyes glazed over as he stared into space.
"A sedative." Dr. Yakushi announced. "I'll make sure you have one on hand at all times, Dr. Yamananka. It's the only one we can use when Hidan gets like this."
"Thank you, Dr. Yakushi." Ino said, watching Hidan's eyes close and a soft snore escape.
Hidan fingered the package lightly.
"You sure it's for me?" He asked.
"Um... yes." Ino said. "Look, it says 'Hidan' right there." She pointed to the address.
"Oh. Right." Hidan stared at the package.
"I can leave if-"
"No." Hidan grasped her wrist, gently pulling her back to the seat she so hastily jumped out of. Her wrist felt small, delicate and so, so fragile in his hands. "No. Stay." Ino obeyed, and took her seat.
"What do you think it is?" She asked, cautiously.
"Not sure." Hidan said, making no move to open it. A minute passed, and finally, Hidan picked it up and peeled the ducktape off the cardboard box. Brown paper fuzz clung to the tape.
He opened up the flaps, and picked up the pile of bubblewrap. The plastic distorted whatever lay beneath it and Hidan could only see that it was silver. And hard, as he rubbed it between his fingers.
He peeled the bubblewrap apart, and emptied it's contents onto the table. Out fell a silver rosary with a clunk.
"Is that...?"
Hidan didn't look up at Ino, eyes transfixed on the rosary. "Yeah. It's a rosary. This is the symbol of Jashin." He picked up the rosary by the chain and the pendant dangled and turned slowly in a circle, hung in the air. Hidan's breath caught as he saw the beauty of Ino reflected in the silver of the rosary.
"Ino would you... would you wear this? Just for a second?" He asked.
"I... I guess." She said, slowly. She took the rosary from his outstretched hand and with her row furrowed in confusion, she placed it around her neck.
Hidan smiled. The silver was catching the gold of her tan, the blue of her eyes, and the soft yellow of her hair perfectly. She was a little wide-eyed at his staring, her pale pink lips parted in the picture of innocence. Even her hair, let loose from it's usual ponytail and flowing and draping around her was something he hadn't expected to see. It completed the picture.
Hidan stood up, leaned over the table, and took her hands in his own, cradling the smaller, daintier fingers in his calloused palms. He looked straight in her eyes.
"Ino..." He whispered.
"Hidan." She said, just as softly. He could see the questions in her eyes.
He was seconds away from kissing her, when he saw the flash of her ID clipped on her labcoat, marking her as a doctor. Marking her as his caretaker. Marking her untouchable.
"...Thank you..." He said, drawing back.
He settled in his seat as the expected flash of relief crossed her features, and -dare he believe it?- disappointment.
Ino quickly hurried to the last room. Hidan. Her last patient for the day.
She forgot to knock in her rush. She was running late, and she wouldn't have time to get a shower and let her hair dry before her date if this kept up. She flew into the room, and the door swung open and with a thump -as if it had hit something softer than the wall- bounced back.
"Ooh... that hurt like fuck." She heard a moan, and spun around.
"Hidan!" She yelped.
"Ino?" He pushed away the door and she saw him clutch at his leg, where the very edge must have hit. "You're lucky I was turned a little to the right." He said. Ino got his meaning and blushed.
"I'm so sorry! I-"
"What's the rush?" He asked.
"I've got a date." Ino said, glancing at her watch. "And I'm running late. Could we hurry up?"
Hidan nodded and took his customary seat on his bed. "A date? With who?"
Ino pulled out her stethoscope, and listened carefully as he breathed in and out. "An artist. I met him on a blind date that my friend, Sakura, dragged me to. He's really handsome, and he called me beautiful." Ino said.
"An artist... If he's anything like Deidara..." Hidan didn't need to elaborate. The same image of a date gone up in flames was supplied by their imaginations. Ino shuddered involuntarily.
"No, he draws these weird animal things. It's very stylized. I'm not sure if I like it; they look kind of scary."
"So he called you beautiful, huh? Clearly an understatement. You might have to buy this guy a dictionary or a thesaurus." Ino blushed once again.
"How's your leg?" She changed the subject.
"I'm sure it would feel better if you came and sat on my lap." Hidan joked, tilting his head and raising his eyebrows, smirking as she laughed.
"Well, seeing as how I'm running late I think you'll just have to make do with an icepack and some Arnica Gel or something so you don't get a bruise." Ino responded to his flirting.
"So cold! You wound my fucking heart, Ino."
"I thought I wounded your leg."
"That too. But mostly my heart." Ino finished up, smiling and laughing with Hidan, before she left and went home.
She got ready for her date, picked up by Sai, and went with him to the movies and out for dinner. It was only when she got home that she realized she'd enjoyed her brief ten minutes of banter with Hidan more than her date.
Hidan sighed. He hated Christmas. Everyone was always happier, and it drove him mad. Pein would still rant about his being Kami and that he should have all the attention, but he would do so quieter. Sasori would construct a tree out of cardboard or something, and Konan would make origami decorations for the tree and the rooms on floor S. Deidara actually managed to get along with Tobi... and by that Hidan meant that Deidara stopped trying to set Tobi on fire and Tobi would stop pulling pranks on his "senpai". Itachi would start smiling, and it was creepy beyond belief. Kisame would try to get everyone singing Christmas carols and Zetsu would inevitably get in an argument with himself over which one to sing.
Kakuzu, at least, remained the same. Hidan was half-convinced that he was a descendant of the Grinch, and the only time the Jashinist would join in the celebrations was to sing "Mr Grinch" with Tobi and annoy Kakuzu. Other than that, he was with Kakuzu on the whole thing. Christmas was a waste of time.
Hidan sighed once again and leaned back on his bed, just as Ino knocked on the door.
"Come in." He mumbled.
"Hidan? You have mail. I brought it with me... and a present." Ino said. Hidan heard the noise of her organizing his medicines.
"A present?" He asked.
"Yeah. I hope you like it more than Deidara liked his. I think he honestly expected me to sneak him some matches."
"Ha..." Hidan said, finally getting up to look at her.
As usual, she was breathtaking. Some of her hair was pulled back, just a little, and the usual section escaped to cover her eye. She was wearing her usual white coat, but beneath that Hidan found himself looking at the oddest thing he'd ever seen her wear... and she'd come dressed in a lot of things that although Hidan certainly liked, he wasn't sure fit into the category of "proffessional office clothes".
She was wearing a green shirt with black lettering that read "Naughty or Nice" with a red circle around "Naughty" underneath a black button up that was unbuttoned to reveal the lettered shirt. Her pencil skirt was a darker green, and under that she had on tights that were striped red and white like a candy cane. As usual, she wore shoes with huge heels, and these were a common black, but with a plastic holly decoration on the toe.
"Someone's in the Holiday Spirit." Hidan dryly commented. "Nice outfit." Ino smiled.
"Thanks! Tomorrow I'm thinking I'll come in with reindeer antlers and a light-up nose. The day after that all green and with an elf hat and ears. And those shoes with the bells. I also have a halo headband... so I'll come in as an angel, too. But I'm saving the best for last!"
"And what would that be?" Hidan asked, not really interested.
"I have one of those Mrs Claus dresses. And the hat. I love the hats." Ino said. "It looks great."
Hidan pictured it in his mind. Ino, with her hair flowing around her, dressed in a short red dress with white trim and a strapless, sweetheart neckline. Elbow-length gloves would cover those long fingers and she would wear a cheery Santa hat and short little boots. He blushed as the Ino in his mind winked saucily.
"Yeah... that sounds great." He said.
"I know! Ahh! I can't wait! I love christmas!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "So, open your present. It's from me, of course."
"Don't know anyone else who would have fairy wrapping paper." Hidan said, poking the present experimentally.
"Yes, well, it was limited edition." Ino huffed. "Just open it!"
"Okay, okay. Calm your-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence! I'll take away the present!"
"...horses." Hidan finished, grinning at her.
"Wha...?" She spluttered.
"Horses. Why, what did you think I was gonna say?" He feigned innocence. "Oh! Ino! Get your head out of the gutter... why, I never..."
Ino's face scrunched up in anger. Hidan chanted a chorus of "Cute! Cute! Cute!" in his head, smirking as he watched her struggle not to yell at him.
"Well, fine. And it's 'hold your horses!'." Ino said, snatching away the present.
"What? No, that's mine! Give it back!" Hidan shouted.
"Nope. You never even opened it. I'm taking it back."
"Ah, fine, okay? I'm... sorry." Hidan muttered. He really wanted that present!
"Did the great Hidan just say he was sorry?" Ino asked, mouth wide, but a sparkle in her eyes. Hidan got the feeling that she was planning this... somehow.
"Did Dr. Ino just call me great?" He teased. "Yeah, I said I was fucking sorry. Don't count on it happening again."
"I won't. Here ya go!" Ino tossed him the present and Hidan caught it, and finally opened it up.
"Whoa..." He murmered, stroking it.
"You like it?" Ino asked. "I'm glad. Took me forever to find."
"I love it." Hidan said, truthfully. It was a bright red hoodie with the symbol for Jashin in silver on the front. "I'll wear it everyday."
Ino laughed, hitting him on the shoulder. "Silly! You'll need to wash it sometime."
Ino smiled as she woke up. It was Valentine's Day, and she had a date with Sai. He was going to surprise her... with what she didn't know.
She got ready for work, at breakfast, brushed her teeth, and left. She let her hair down today, and wore a pink, ruffly dress and used sparkly make-up. When she pulled into the parking lot, she looked into the mirror, and gave a flirty wink and blew a kiss to her reflection.
Even though she knew she looked fantastic, Ino certainly didn't expect to have Zetsu, of all people, hit on her. She was used to Hidan's teasing, Deidara's occasional pervy moment, and Tobi's hug-filled greetings, but flirtations from two different personalities in the same body was... not exactly what Ino had expected.
She left and headed to Hidan's room. He was the last she would have to check up on, and he was her favorite. He might swear a lot and make perverted comments but he always made her smile. Ino often found herself doing odd jobs she would normally leave to the nurses and orderlies just to spend a little more time with him. But that was nothing new. Ever since she came to work at the asylum, the nurses and orderlies had remarked that she certainly pulled her own weight along with half of their own. Ino would only smile, and continue on her way to a patient's room. She might have carried a few habits from her times working as med-student, but it wasn't like the workload at the asylum was overbearing or anything. She had little enough to do as a doctor, and didn't mind taking on a few extra tasks to keep her busy.
She knocked, let herself in, and smiled as she searched the room for Hidan.
"Ino? C'mere!" Hidan called in a panicked voice. Ino followed the voice to the bathroom, where he was standing on the toilet, clothed in a towel and a still wet from his shower. He was holding the ceiling up anxiously, as the huge piece of whatever it was sloped downwards, revealing rafters.
"The damn ceiling's collapsing!" He cried.
"Whoa! Stay right there, Hidan!" She quickly shucked off her stilettos and ran screaming for help.
As soon as help arrived, Hidan let them have the ceiling and quickly adjusted his slowly sliding towel. Ino, who had been deep in though realized she was staring at him and blushed.
"Dr. Yamananka, the handy-man is on his way. May we suggest taking Hidan to another room?" Said one of them men holding up the ceiling.
"Uh, sure." Ino said. "Follow me, Hidan."
He followed her, and they came to the door of a room that Shizune had used when doing full examinations. Ino had used it only once. She opened it, turned around to let Hidan in first, and cringed.
"Oh, Hidan, I'm so sorry." Ino said.
"Huh?" He asked.
"I forgot to let you change before we left."
"Nah, I'm fine." Hidan said casually, waving his hand through the air. "It's not cold."
Ino nodded and turned around, preparing a syringe with a shot she was supposed to give Hidan once a week. She quickly gave him the shot, and went through her usual check up. Because of the medications Hidan was on, he had to have a check up everyday.
"Alright. I think we're done." Ino said once she finished. He got up to leave, but something caught Ino's eye. "Hidan, wait." She said, setting aside the empty syringe.
"Yeah?" He turned around and saw Ino's face. "What?"
She didn't answer, but kept her eyes on his back and shoulders. Long, white scars were there, unrevealed before but now with just a towel wrapped around him, Ino could see and shiver in horror. They crossed his back, markings of a whipping, or something like that.
"Those scars on your back..."
"Like I said, it's part of a ritual." Hidan said.
"I... I... Hidan, it's hard to look at that." She stumbled over her words.
"Then don't look."
"Hidan!" She scolded. "I'm just concerned, alright?"
"I get it. But I didn't fucking ask for your concern, okay?" Hidan shouted. "Are you done?"
Ino angrily stood up. "Fine then. I'm done." She turned away to lead him back to his room but he caught her arm, stopping her from leaving. She refused to look back at him.
She heard him growl, and he started walking back, holding her closer to him. "You're so annoying." He sneered.
She tried to yank her arm away. "Well I'm sorry, Hidan!"
"See what I mean? Gah..." He ran his free hand through his hair, hauling her into his room. He let go and headed for the small table by his bed, almost knocking over the lamp that sat on it and rifled through the drawer. He pulled out something red, and walked over to Ino, who was frozen and watching him.
"This is for you." He said. "Just take it." He thrust it into her hands, places his hands on her shoulder, and lightly herded her out of the room. He closed the door and Ino could hear him stomping around and screaming at the man doing repairs to his bathroom ceiling.
Ino opened her hand, and looked at the slightly crumpled piece of paper. It was a red piece of paper cut in the silhouette of a heart -no, not the common shape, the actual shape of the organ- and some writing on it.
Ino:
Had to make fucking valentines in arts & crafts. Deidara almost blew up the room but someone caught him, unfortunately. Didn't know who else to give this to. So... um... be mine?
-Hidan
P.S.
Blood is red, your eyes are blue, Yakushi's a creep, so can I screw you?
P.P.S. (or is it P.S.S.?)
You should have seen the face of the supervisor when she saw the poem I wrote!
Ino started laughing. A passing nurse gave her an odd look but Ino couldn't help it.
"Oh, Hidan..." She murmered, trying to suppress her giggles.
Hidan's heart beat faster as the usual knock sounded. Today was the day. He had decided as he was eating breakfast. Today was the day.
"Hello?" He heard someone call out. Someone. Not Ino.
"Who is it?" He called. Maybe it was one of the nurses.
"I'm Dr. Hana Inuzuka. I'll be replacing Dr. Yamananka."
A tall, strict looking woman approached. Her brown hair was pulled back in a tight, low ponytail, from which a few strands escaped and framed her forehead. Hidan recalled Ino's high ponytail that matched her bubbly and cheery personality. She dressed in boring, practical clothes. Ino always looked her best, even if she was just working at an insane asylum. This new doctor was wearing pants. Hidan couldn't recall Ino ever wearing anything but skirts and dresses.
"What happened to Ino?" He asked. The new doctor stared straight at him with dark, narrowed eyes.
"Dr. Yamananka?" She asked, cooly. She was like the exact opposite of Ino.
"Yeah, that's her name. Where the hell is she?"
"Dr. Yamananka is on her honeymoon." The new doctor said.
"Ino's... Ino's... no way!" Hidan shouted. "She can't be married! She never said anything!"
"I've heard she eloped, but it isn't really my business." The new doctor remarked, as if this was nothing to be concerned about, as she fiddled around with Hidan's medications.
"Who'd she..." It must have been the artist Ino had been dating. Ino had said a few things about him, but never said that they were this close.
"I don't know. Please roll up your sleeve." The new doctor instructed. Hidan wordlessly obeyed.
"Today was the day I was going to tell her I was in love with her." Hidan said.
"Then it's good she left. Doctor/patient relationships aren't-"
"I know, I know." Hidan cut her off. He sighed. He would pray to Jashin tonight, pray for Ino and her marriage. Pray that she would have a good life, with her new husband, and that she would be happy.
That evening, a new scar found itself on Hidan's arm. He doubted the new doctor would notice. His rosary no longer shone as bright as the blood dried brown on it. Hidan muttered his prayers, kneeling, then walked over to his bed and collapsed in it.
Sai was sleeping. Ino watched him as he smiled, even in his sleep. In the dark of the night, moonlight from the window lit up her silvery blonde hair and shone on Sai's alabaster skin. It twinkled and sparkled, illuminating the metallic rainbow in the tiny drop of saltwater, the crystal light of the tear that glided down her face, leaving behind a trail of tell-tale sorrow. The single tear found it's way to her lips, into her mouth, and dissolved on her tongue. It tasted of love and regret, heartbreak and longing.
She had never realized before how much she wished Hidan was the one that woke up, looked at her silently crying, and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her, kissing her sweetly and coaxing her to sleep.
And now it was too late.
A/N: So, I apologize for rushing the end. As for the names, Sasori got Akasuna (red sand? I dunno), Konan got Tenshi (angel?), Kakuzu got Ryo (the currency in the Naruto world), and Nagato with Pein and Tobi with Uchiha are easy enough to understand.
No spell check so forgive any typos/mistakes. I did read over it though.
Some Hidan OOC, particurally towards the end.
Also, I feel bad for not giving Sai any lines. Oh well. He has his own story from me anyways. (SHAMELESS SELF ADVERTISING, HURRAH!) If you wanna read it, it's called Sai's Adventure, and will be updated randomly when I actually have time and inspiration to write.
...
REVIEWS ARE AMAZING! (It's also nice to see if others are into HidaIno.) So if you want to be AMAZING, all you have to do is REVIEW!