ShikaIno: Lifeline

By kiwi4me

Summary: He was supposed to be the one to help her, but she soon realized that he was her death. She was drowning and she couldn't breathe anymore. How long until it was over?

She stared at the ceiling watching the shadows dance across the white. Shadows, she frowned. Closing her eyes and folding her hands on top of her stomach, she thought of anything beside him. When she was alone like this, she didn't feel like she was drowning. She felt like she was floating. She was reaching air. She smiled at that realization. Maybe she needed to spend more times alone to witness the surface again?

She felt the bed shift and she frowned.

Is this real? She felt the coolness from the night linger on his clothes as he lies beside her. He returned from a mission. She could smell the forest and death. She inwardly laughed. He brought something beautiful with its lush of trees and greenery, yet he brought the ending of life as well. That was him, wasn't it? So beautiful, yet she was drowning chronically.

"I'm drowning," Ino admitted opening her eyes to look at the ceiling once again.

The shadows were gone.

"So am I," she heard him confess feeling his fingers touch hers.

"You can't breathe then?" she asked feeling his palm lie over hers.

"Only water," she heard him say and her head turned to him.

He was facing the ceiling with his eyes closed. She gently squeezed his hand and he looked over to her. She observed him for a moment as he just stared at her with those dark eyes. Was he telling her the truth? Or was he just trying to make her feel better?

"Would you save me?" she questioned never breaking contact.

"Yes," he didn't hesitate turning his body toward her.

"That's a lie," she smiled.

"Would you save me?" he asked.

"No," she smiled wider.

"That's a lie," Shikamaru smiled back lazily.

Another kiss and another level deeper.

At this point she wasn't going to escape. She wonders if she even wanted to.

-o-o-

The air was colder than normal. She felt warmth near her. She looked over to who it was to find him slouched forward staring at her. She inched closer to him smiling a little wider as his frown deepened.

"What are you doing?" it wasn't really a question and she shrugged.

"I'm cold," she said nonchalantly.

"Get closer to the fire," he retort looking away from her.

"But I don't want to burn," she frowned before the smile returned, "… there is a way for me to get warm without getting burn," she paused, "… at least not physically."

He turned back to her replaying her words before he sighed.

"Here," he threw his blanket off him toward her.

"Thank you!" she chirped wrapping the extra bundle around her.

She eased into the warmth and sighed happily. She looked over to him again and smiled. She scooted until she felt the side of his body. The touch made his eyes narrow at her.

"If I fall asleep," Ino announced, "… you can take it back."

"No need," he replied, "… you need it more than I do."

"Hm," she sounded with a smile, "… but everyone needs warmth Neji," she said knowingly, "… even you."

-o-o-

He yawned lying on the grass. Ino should be returning soon. He was about to get up, but he heard someone sitting beside him. His eyes looked over to see the older female.

"Tenten," he greeted.

"Shikamaru," she smiled, "… waiting as well?"

"Hm," he nodded sitting up.

"Clarify something for me, would you?" she asked and continued seeing him nod, "… you and Ino, are you two an item?"

He stared at her for a moment before he looked away.

"What type of question is that?" he frowned.

"Exactly that, a question," Tenten grinned.

"Are you and Neji?" he decided to turn the tables.

"No," Tenten shook her head, "… he and I don't have much in common," she aimed her smile at him, "… you and Ino on the other hand…"

"Why are you so interested?" he questioned suspiciously.

"She is my friend," Tenten lowered her voice, "… stop if you don't feel the same way."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Shikamaru admitted.

"Man was Sakura right," she sighed, "… you really don't see it."

"See what?" he was a little angry now.

"She loves you," Tenten said softly.

"I know," he nodded.

"She really loves you," the bun haired woman repeated offering a sympathetic smile, "… do you love her like she does you?"

Shikamaru stared at her intently for a few minutes before breaking the eye contact. He sighed and stood causing the female to also stand.

"Yes," he admitted looking at her brown eyes, "… I do."

"Good to hear!" there was a pat on his back and he swore this was a trick, "… let's go see if they returned yet."

And off she went toward the gate. He followed but slower wondering what made her ask him a question like that.

-o-o-

"What are you doing?" he questioned watching her writhe in pain.

"Nothing," she gritted out lying on her bed with her hand massaging her stomach.

He walked over to her and placed two and two together. He walked out of the room leaving the female moaning. When he returned, he had a box filled with 6 rice balls. He sat at her edge seeing her eyes narrow at him.

"Eat," he demanded quietly as he picked a rice ball placing it near her lips.

She frowned but opened her mouth.

It tasted sweet. How long had she had rice balls? She didn't know, but she continued eating what he was feeding feeling her stomach cease the pain. She sighed once she was done chewing the last rice ball feeling stingy for not saving him any.

Dieting was what she does.

She couldn't remember a time when she didn't diet. Well, that was a lie. She probably started dieting when she was ten. She always knew she was skinny, but she wanted to keep it that way. She sighed feeling her stomach full. Her arms were stretched out toward the top of the bed. She closed her eyes.

She felt his hands.

Her eye twitched underneath her lids, but she didn't open them. She felt his hands on her stomach moving in inward circles. She then felt his lips. A gentle kiss landed on her flat tummy. She frown feeling heat rising to her cheeks.

She hated it.

Why must he make her feel this way? She felt the bed shift again and she swore she could smell him. She opened her eyes to see nothing but him. No wonder she could smell him.

"You need to eat more," it sounded like a demand, but his eyes held worry.

She hated that.

Why must he always worry about her? Could he worry about someone else? Maybe he did? She sighed and shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. He was right though, she did need to eat more. She needs to do a lot of things.

"I know," she pouted childishly looking away from him.

"Tell me Ino," she felt his lips close to her ears making her heart jump unexpectedly.

Did he feel it?

Feel the way her skin shiver under his touch, feel the way her breath hitch when they are close like this, feel her heart beating out of her chest. She doubts it. She was probably making things out of proportion. Hearts do not beat out of people's chest; ribs are there for a reason.

"Do you love me like I love you?" he questioned giving her ear ghostly kisses.

"No," Ino closed her eyes, "… I love you more."

"That's a lie," she heard him chuckle softly leaning back a bit.

"It's true," her eyes met his and she smiled. It was, wasn't it?

He didn't say anything as he just hover above her. She touched his face gently and he leaned into the touch. She would never be able to hold onto something so beautiful. She tried, tried, and tried.

She failed in the end.

"Tell me Shika," Ino removed her hand from his face, "… could you love me like I love you?"

"I already do," he kissed the top of her head down to her nose.

"That's a lie," she felt his lips close to hers, "… we both know it."

This time, he didn't press his lips on hers.

He pushed himself off her and sat beside her instead. She sighed and sat up as well.

That was the first time she found herself caught on a rock. She wasn't going further down.

She was still.