AN: Gomenesai, it isn't very polished, but it's the plot that's important, right?
Kinda reads like a script…
Ok, I've had one request and answered it, but just to make sure…
Okaa mother
Otou father
Oba aunt
Oji uncle (for Asumu this seems to be Chouji atm)
This clarifies some things that a lot of people have been suggesting about Ino, I think…
2027 words in this chapter
Unmasked
Chapter 9- Family
"What exactly have you got planned then?" Ino snuggled up to Shikamaru and snaked an arm around his waist.
"You wanted to talk"
She rotated her head up to face him "Nani?"
"When I asked earlier, about why you wanted to come, you said you didn't want to talk about it on the phone. You sounded really serious, so what was it"
"I'm not sure; I guess all of this stuff with Tenten is just making me think about Asumu more and more."
He sighed deeply "It is for me too Ino, that's why I offered to stay."
"You've been thinking about kids?" she sounded completely shocked.
He smiled in his head, but did his best to keep his nonchalant attitude "Hai, does that bother you?"
"N-no, not really, I just guessed it was one of those things you would class as too troublesome."
"Well sure, if it was right now, but I do want them eventually, don't you?"
"Of course I do Shika-kun. I guess it's just odd talking about it with you."
"We don't have to discuss it too seriously, not yet anyway."
"I know, it's just been on my mind a lot recently."
"Why?"
"I've been writing my vows, and I was just thinking of what to write in regards to the future. You know, whether we are committed to raising a family or whatever, and I was just thinking about the fact that we haven't ever really discussed it."
"Do you want to? Discuss it I mean."
She bit at her lip "Now?"
He shrugged "If you want"
"Well it was just… do you want the two kids, like you said before? I know you did, but you also wanted to marry a normal person, and you changed your mind about that"
"Hai, of course my opinion hasn't changed, but I wouldn't mind too much if it deviated."
"Well… when?"
"Don't worry; I'm not going to order you to like Neji did. Just say when you think you are ready, ok? Or not, if you decide you don't want to."
"So… if I turned around now and said I want to get pregnant, you would be fine with that"
"obviously not right now no, because of that whole celibacy thing, but if you wanted to right after we got married then of course, I'd have no problem. Wait…" he sat up straighter and turned her to face him with a severe look on his face "you aren't going to tell me you are already pregnant, are you?"
She laughed lightly at the idea "No, of course I'm not pregnant. Don't you think I would have told you if I was?"
"Hai, gomen" he breathed with relief
"You were so panicked" she giggled at him "I thought you said you'd be ok if I said I wanted to get pregnant now"
"I would, if you said it. If you just came out and told me, I wouldn't know what to do. Your dad would kill me."
"It wouldn't be yours though"
He glared at her angrily "Nani?"
"N-no I didn't mean that, um… I didn't mean… we were careful, that's all."
"And…"
"Oh, you think I'd… no, there's no way I would… you… since we were together, it's only been you"
"Good"
"Gomen Shika-kun"
"Nani?"
"You couldn't trust me enough to know that I would never do that, that's my own fault. I know I've always seemed superficial and fickle, but I want to be the best wife for you that I can."
"Shh…" he pulled her forward and kissed her on the lips softly. "I love you; you don't need to change for me. What brought this on?"
"when I was writing my vows…" she bowed her head " I kept thinking about how you had that life planned out, with the average wife, and the average two kids, girl then boy, all of that. I know I'm not average. I know I'm too loud and too bossy and I'm too vain enough to know I'm too pretty aswell. That's why, I thought I'd try and be as average as possible, so you don't have to give up your dream. I've never felt with anyone what I feel when I'm with you and I just want you to be happy. I don't want to be a burden."
"Ino, the second Asuma-sensei told me I had an IQ of over 200, that dream was out of the question. You don't need to feel that you should do something about that. I chose you, remember. It's too troublesome to have to discuss this now. There is no need for doubt."
"I know, I guess it's just the silliness of jitters, with everything moving so fast. I have no doubts, but I'm constantly terrified that you will…"
"Ino…" he leant down and gave her a reassuring kiss again.
She softened, letting out a breath in relief as she leant up against him. "It's all so much to do… I'm so tired…"
"Sleep then, we'll be here a while"
"But what if someone needs me? Something about the wedding…"
"There are two of us getting married remember. If it is that important, I'll handle it. Turn your mind of the wedding for a while, or everything you think of will turn white and floral"
"Alright then…" she yawned widely "If you say so…"
"Ino"
Ino woke up to find herself leaning against a smiling Shikamaru. "Wha…?"
He nodded over towards the door way.
She turned her head to find Asumu stood there with that sleepy child look on his face and leapt up to give Shikamaru room to get up. "Gomen"
To her surprise, he didn't get up, but turned to the child and shuffled away from her to make space. "Come on then"
The boy shuffled up to sit between them and looked up to Ino with wide, moisture filled eyes. "Gomen Oba-san"
"Huh?" she glanced up at Shikamaru, who just gave her a proud smile, before she shot Asumu a sympathetic smile "What for?"
"I was rude to you in front of Kaa and Okaa-san"
"That's all right Asumu-kun; you didn't recognize me, its all right to be protective of people you are close to"
"But Kaa says you are part of our fam'ly now so I should be nice"
"He did huh?"
"Hai Oba-san"
"Does that mean you won't mind me being here?"
"No Oba-san" he threw his arms around her to give her a hug. "It makes Okaa smile."
She smiled back and put her arm around him. Then she turned with a raised eyebrow to mouth to Shikamaru "Oba-san?"
He laughed silently and moved to stand up signaling to ask if she wanted a drink.
She nodded tiredly and began stroking Asumu's head with her free hand.
When Shikamaru had left, she mumbled quietly to herself. "Your hair is so soft, nothing like your father's…"
"What was he like Oba-san?"
"Who?"
"Otou-san"
"It's odd actually, he was just like you."
"Like me? Really?"
"Hai, much older obviously, but he called me a loud-mouth aswell, and he loved that game you like to watch Shika play, even though he was no good at it. He was a really good ninja."
"He was a ninja? Like Okaa-san?"
"Hai, he taught Shika, Chouji and me when we were genin."
"You're a ninja too? And Oji-san?"
"Hai, but we aren't as good as Shika and your mother"
"Wow"
"Has no one ever told you about your father before Asumu?"
"No, whenever I asked, everyone jus' went all quiet and weird"
"So you've never seen a picture of him?"
"No. Okaa has one in her room I know but I'm not aloud to go in there"
"Here Ino" Shikamaru entered again and passed her a glass of water
"Arigato Shika-kun. Asumu was just telling me that he had never seen any pictures of Asuma-sensei."
Shikamaru just shrugged and sat down "he didn't need to."
"Were you trying to replace him? The boy will only ever have one father and it isn't you."
"Of course we weren't. Kurenai still gets upset talking about him, and I don't have any pictures."
"Would you mind if I showed him one then?"
Asumu gasped in excitement "Please Kaa-san, I want to see what Otou looked like"
He sighed "fine, but don't tell your mother"
He sat up straight in anticipation while Ino reached into her pocket for a photo.
She took out the old team 10 picture to show him and Shikamaru groaned in embarrassment.
"That's our team back when the three of us were genin." She began pointing everyone out for him "See, that's me, that's Shika, that's Chouji and that man…, is your father."
"I hate that photo" Shikamaru grumbled
"Why? I think we all look adorable" she smiled at him
"Oji-sama looks really fat" Asumu noted quietly
"Don't ever let him catch you saying that" Ino giggled
"Why?"
"You don't want to know what his Ninja techniques are. Many enemies found out exactly what happened when they called him fat and it wasn't pretty."
"Don't scare him" Shikamaru warned her
"Gomen"
"No, I'm not scared, I like Oji-san; he brings sweets." The boy grinned up at her
"He would. I bet he makes you share though"
Asumu laughed in a cute, high-pitched tone "Hai."
"Why do you find that picture embarrassing Shika-kun? You have barely changed since then"
"He has" Asumu protested "He smiles more, and his hair doesn't look as silly"
"It still looks better down"
"I guess no one likes pictures of themselves when they were younger."
"Hai, I always took myself too seriously back then; I had no compassion for anything except my appearance."
"It made you a great kunoichi though, if you could keep your mind of Sasuke"
"Okaa said he was a bad man" Asumu frowned at them
"He was" Ino tried to explain "But he didn't used to be. He used to almost be our friend."
"Otou smoked like Kaa" he noted, staring at his father strangely as he dismissed Ino's comment as the truth.
"I think you'll find it was the other way around"
The door creaked open and Ino put the photo back into her pocket.
Kurenai walked in and sighed, slouching down in front of the table.
Giving Asumu a brief weak smile, she turned to address the adults. "I just found out, I have a mission, starting tomorrow"
"That's last minute" Shikamaru frowned, worried about Asumu.
"Kakashi is leading"
"That makes sense then" Ino smirked to herself
"Shika, would you mind taking Asumu for a few days again? I would ask Hinata but she has her own concerns at the moment"
"Yay! I can stay with Kaa again?" Asumu turned to face him with a grin
"No," He sighed awkwardly "gomen but I'm moving out of my apartment this week so it's going to be dangerous for a while at mine."
"Well I can't leave him here"
"What about Oba-san?" Asumu asked, obviously upset that he couldn't stay with Shikamaru but exited nevertheless.
Ino was startled into the conversation, which she had not anticipated joining before "What about me?"
He looked up at her with wide, eager eyes "I stay with Oba"
"I don't know Asumu-kun; I've never looked after anyone before…"
"Please…"
"I'll still help out Ino; I just can't let him stay at mine" Shikamaru reassured her
Kurenai held her hand up to stop him "No pressure Ino, I can always try and bully Gai into…"
"No, I'll take him, you do not want his lovely hair bob-cut, trust me"
"Arigato Ino, it really is a big help. I have to go and get ready now." She stood up to go and pack, then held out her hand "Come on Asumu-kun, you should pack too"
Once they had left, Ino turned to face Shikamaru with a bemused expression. "You're moving out of your apartment?"
"Hai" he didn't turn to face her, leaning back casually
"Any particular reason why?"
"It's not big enough"
"Huh?"
"Ino, we are getting married next month." He stood up and went to help the others "Just think about it for a while"
AN: Dear Kami this plot is getting predictable, no?
Ok, so for a while, ShikaIno is the focus because I can't find anything for Tenten and Neji, or Kakashi and Sakura for at least 5/6 days in the timeline. Gomen for neglecting them in advance, but there will be cameos.
Maybe some SakuKiba for Hikaru Akurei?
Other opinions please…
Stay shiny and show the luff
XX Belizma-chan XX