AN: This is a bit of a nonsense chapter really, and I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner, but I've had all sorts going on at home. Anyways, this is kind of setting the scene for the shikaino and kakasaku bits to come. Just as promised, next chapter should be the meeting between Neji and Tenten, but then I'm going back to shikaino for a bit. Can't think of anything to write right now, but enjoy this anyway.
I've been writing loads of stuff for the suna celebration thing and it's looking promising I think, so I'll skip to it asap.
1700 words in this chapter
Unmasked
Chapter 5- Alone time
Shikamaru sat on the windowsill of his old bedroom, gazing up at the clouds, with a cigarette burning slowly in his hand. His thoughts were distant, anticipating the next few weeks.
Everything now was about the wedding, with so little time to prepare, and it was rare for him to have time alone like this. All other non-wedding and non-training time was taken up with the quest to make Hyuuga Neji human. It really is hopeless. At least I tried.
After forcing him to call Tenten, he had been dragged back here by his mother to talk over details about the wedding. As far as he knew, she was still talking and was too wrapped up in her excitement to notice the lack of his presence.
Ordinarily, he wouldn't have dared to sneak off like that on Yoshino, but she would be going on for hours yet and he had places to be. Places that were anywhere as long as they didn't involve his mother. It's like she's the one getting married. Shouldn't Ino be the bridezilla?
He had almost begun to relax when his phone started to ring. After a few rings it was obvious no one else was going to bother answering it. He sighed heavily and walked downstairs to answer it, taking a drag from the cigarette to calm him as he went.
He answered with a scowl to his mother, who was just standing there with her arms crossed over her chest disapprovingly "Hai"
"Shika-kun, are we going out tonight? I'm so tired lately, I can't remember" At the sound of Ino's sleepy voice, he put out the cigarette hastily and tried to compose himself.
He tried to remember if they had plans or not, then remembered what day it was "No Ino, I am going to the Yuki house to see Asumu this morning and I may end up there most of the day."
"Can I come with you? Do you think Kurenai would mind?"
He was hesitant to let her, "I'm not sure. I doubt she would mind, but Asumu gets quite possessive of me at times."
She laughed down the phone as if it was a ridiculous notion "He's four years old, how bad could he possibly be?
"Ino, I was there almost as often as Kurenai when he was a baby. Young children form attachments easily and it takes a long time to get rid of the stranger anxiety."
"Please Shika-kun."
"Is there any particular reason why you want to come now all of a sudden?"
"Hai, but I don't want to talk about it on the phone"
"I guess I can't stop you from coming if you want." I want to know now anyway. She sounds so serious.
"Arigato, what time are you going?"
He looked up at his clock and sighed 11:20… I have to be there by half past. "Any minute now"
"Where are you? I'll come and meet you."
"I'm at my parents' place"
"I'm not too far then, I'll see you in a minute"
"You sound like you have just woken up, are you ok? You can always come along later."
"Hmm, well I've been sitting listening to daddy for hours, its close enough to sleeping. I'm fine, really"
"He's hyped about the wedding too?" he looked over at Yoshino deliberately with that question.
"No, he still thinks we are pulling a joke on him. He was just rambling on about my diet."
"That's unusual"
"He's just concerned about how tired I am and thinks it's because I don't eat enough. He has no idea"
"Why are you so tired then?" he frowned.
"I don't know, I just am"
This is worrying… almost troublesome "Maybe you should ask Sakura to…"
"No! There's nothing wrong with me. Dear Kami don't you start aswell" she fumed.
"Alright Ino, no need to shout, I'm just worried…"
"Just stop it! Shut up and leave me alone!" she yelled and slammed the phone down, leaving him dumfounded as he turned back to face Yoshino.
She glowered at him from the doorway. "Did you say something to upset her? If you two break up now, I swear I'm gonna…"
"Kaa-san, please, this isn't the time. I don't know what I said, she just snapped."
Her expression softened slightly "Ah… PMS"
"Ino doesn't get PMS" he mumbled as he slid on his jacket and re-lit a cigarette, ready to leave.
She laughed patronizingly "An aggressive woman like her? I don't think so."
"Believe me, she doesn't. I would have noticed by now. She never strayed any worse than her everyday attitude… until now" with that, he walked out of the house to head down the street.
As he settled down to eat something, Kakashi looked across from the small sofa where he sat to the unconscious form on his floor.
Last night was something he really didn't want to remember and he had done his best to avoid straying outdoors as a result. The plan had been to let Gai know, via Anko, what Kakashi had done, casually and quietly, so the forfeit would stand, but so would his pride.
It seemed that Genma decided that would be impractical and took matters into his own hands.
Now not only did he have to go mask-less for at least two years, but everyone in Konoha knew that he "couldn't hold his drink".
When Genma started on about Sakura though, it was the final straw. They do not need to know that she was the only one I confided in, or that she had seen my face before. The whole idea of this was to prevent unnecessary publicity for her.
He couldn't help but to wonder though, whether if she got the publicity for another reason, she might not mind as much. Then at least it won't just be for being my girlfriend. Girlfriend… that sounds so odd.
His thought processes were disrupted by the phone ringing, so he immediately stood up to answer it before Genma woke up.
"Yo"
"Kakashi" Sakura's voice sounded cheerfully from the other end.
He looked nervously towards Genma's sleeping form "What are you calling for?"
"He's conscious then?" she sounded amused.
"I'm not sure." He spoke quietly as he put down his meal and walked towards his garden for privacy. "He may be pretending but I'm reluctant to kick him and find out."
"You want me to go kick him for you?"
"No"
She just giggled in response
"You heard then?"
"Hai, the rumor's spreading fast. Saved us the effort in finding Anko, seen as she's on a mission until next Wednesday, but did you really have to hit him?"
"I really did. He was pissing me off. It's not like I didn't warn him"
"I'm your girlfriend, not your therapist; you don't need to defend yourself."
As he entered the garden, he locked the door behind him "Alright, well you know…"
"I can't come over now, I know, and we can't go to the park again either, but I had another idea."
"Will this one involve me losing clothes again?"
"If you play your cards right…"
Cough splutter cough
"I'm kidding, Kami you are gullible lately. I was just going to suggest you come here instead"
"Tenten is staying there"
"Not tonight she isn't. She's meeting with Neji. I have the place to myself again for hours. That's hours of alone time…"
"Um, what can I say to Genma?"
"Leave him a note or something. Tell him something, just make it up. It doesn't matter if it's unrealistic, because Genma will get the point anyway. The more unbelievable the better"
"Alright, I'll be there. What time is she leaving?"
"9 o'clock is the meeting time, so I don't really know. I'll call you."
"Hai"
She hung up on him.
He strolled back inside slowly to put the phone down. That was interesting. She gets more eager every time. Maybe soon I can ask her…
No, I can't ruin it all now; I have to gain her trust back.
"Who were you talking to?" Genma was sat on the sofa, eating the meal Kakashi had prepared earlier.
He half heartedly looked up as he walked over to sit beside him on the sofa "Nani?"
"You don't have a social life. Who was that?" he stopped eating to smirk at him.
"Does it matter? I thought you were unconscious"
"I was, but then my horny sense went tingling. You were talking to a woman… who?"
Damn you Shiranui. Right, the more unbelievable… ha too easy "It was Sakura"
"I figured that. You are practically a-sexual in regards to anyone else. Was the beautiful cherry blossom worried about me?"
"In your dreams" he scoffed
"In yours more like. What did she want?"
He silently lamented the loss of his mask as he felt an uncontrollable urge to grin at him "My body. She invited me over to her house now to have some "alone time". I told her no naturally, she'll just have to wait."
"Fine, don't tell me, there's no need to be arsy about it"
"I'm going out later. You will leave at some point, right?"
"Why should I? If you are bringing a show in I'm just going to have to join it. But you won't go out anyway, I know you, you won't show your face in public unless you have something to claim for it."
"Who says I haven't? I just wanted my apartment free in case Tenten comes back early and I have to take Sakura somewhere else. When we stay in the park she just complains about grass stains."
"You really do have a whole alternative universe in your head, don't you?"
"No, my head is the real universe. This is all just an illusion"
"Yes ford, whatever you say." He laughed mockingly.
Kakashi walked over and sat down, smirking to himself. He had told the whole and honest truth and there for once were no negative consequences at all. This is too easy.
AN: luffing the hitchhikers reference (not mine fyi, as if you couldn't figure that out. Lol. Did anyone actually notice it?
Not too boring I hope, but the prospects are amusing enough.
What is Sakura planning… who knows.
Also, setting up for a wedding war between Yoshino and Ino (with the sharing of syllables, it had to happen)
Stay shiny and show the luff
XX Belizma-chan XX