Chapter two, revised. I added even more stuff to this chapter than the first. However, this is just a quick run through, not a complete make over. The chapters will remain short compared to my other stories.
Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings
Naruto is awoken by a shrill scream. He looks up and right away he sees Ino pressed against the wall. She is holding a bat for some reason.
'Okay. What the hell is going here?' The memories from the night before enter his mind.
"Naruto! What the hell are you doing in here?" She slings the bat at him. Once it misses, she starts throwing shoes at him.
'There better be a damn good explanation why I'm waking up on Naruto's lap.' She tried to hide the blush on her face with a flurry of high heels.
"Stop that! We were at the bar together, remember? You got drunk and I brought you home." Ino thought back and remembered everything.
"Wait, we didn't…"
"No way!" Ino sighed and sat on the couch.
"That girl is crazy."
'Who cares?'
"This whole thing with you being evil is really starting to get on my nerves. I can't even talk to you anymore without you getting an attitude."
'I'm not evil; I just have a lot of things on my mind. I don't have time to deal with her.'
The emotions, if any, that Naruto felt for Ino that night had been completely demolished.
"Sorry about the shoes…" She was saying until Naruto shot her a shut the hell up look. She looked away.
'Whatever happened between him and Sakura must have really hurt him. I've never seen him like that before. I wish I could help him.'
Naruto stood up. "Where are you going, Naruto?"
"What is it to you?" He said. Then he remembered what the kyuubi said and quickly tried to sound nice.
"I'm going home to take a shower."
"You can take a shower here if you want. I'll wash your clothes for you." He hesitated before accepting. He stretched and walked towards the bathroom.
'Wow, Naruto has a hot bod.' Ino thought as he walked away. In the shower, Naruto let the water fall over him.
"It was nice of the crazy one to let you use her shower. I knew I sensed something between you two."
'What are you talking about? She's just being nice because I brought her home.'
"Whatever you say."
'Who cares anyway? Ino would never want to go out with me. Maybe I do like her a little. But I can't risk getting too attached to anyone else for what I'm planning.'
"A little. I can sense deep in you, you had a crush on this girl since you were both in that academy. Why didn't you try for her instead of the pink haired bitch?"
Naruto really wasn't in the mood to be discussing past crushes. Even if it was a fact that being as beautiful as he thought Sakura was, Ino was the second on his list when it came to potential girl friends. But now, that list was burning, along with all the other feelings he had for people in that village.
Ino walked by the bathroom and picked up his clothes. The door was slightly open so she peeked inside.
'I am so wrong for this…whoa! He has a big...' She leaned forward too much and almost fell in.
Sliding the door shut, she ran as fast as she could in case Naruto had heard or seen her. She washed his clothes and hung them to dry. After that, she returned to the house and sat on the couch. She began to think about all that was going on.
'Naruto has always been the respectable type. In all honesty, he was better than Sasuke in some ways. But lately, he's been completely different. He's kind of mean now.' Then she thought about the night before.
'He was so friendly there. I actually felt like he would be a good…no, what am I saying. He's just plain old Naruto.' She wanted to think that Naruto hadn't changed at all, but she knew there was something different about him, and it wasn't good.
Naruto came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. Ino looked away and blushed slightly.
"Put on your clothes!" She said shyly.
"I would if I had them."
She quickly got up and walked towards the backyard. As she was passing him, he rolled his fingers through his hair. She saw the water sparkle as it flew from it, in slow motion. She grew light headed and stumbled, almost falling flat on her face. Naruto caught her.
"Hey, you okay?"
For a few seconds, she enjoyed being in Naruto's arms. It was unexpected, but her thoughts from a little while ago were starting to influence her emotions. It had been a while since she had thought of having a boy friend, having spent so much time training. That's all she could do. After Sasuke left, she didn't have anyone to run after. The few times she spent with Naruto was the closest things she had to spending time with Sasuke. After a while, she enjoyed his company, and never thought about Sasuke. That is until they started talking about their major crushes on the former two. Naruto wouldn't shut up about Sakura, and Ino sometimes talked about Sasuke, avoiding a lot of stuff as to not hurt Naruto's feelings. But then he left, for three years none the less. It hurt, a little, but she still had Sakura to hang with. At least she thought. Sakura didn't want to associate with Ino after finding out all the time she had been spending with Naruto.
"Nothing!" She released herself from him and ran to the backyard.
'What was I doing? Was I really… but it's… Naruto!'
She took his clothes down from drying and hastily walked back into the house. She handed him his clothes. He dressed and prepared to leave.
"Naruto, wait!"
"Yeah, what is it. I don't have all day."
She looked down nervously and blushed.
"Naruto, I missed you after you left… I think…"
"You did?" He asked skeptically, turning to face her.
"Of course. You were one of my best friends. When you left, I was kind of lonely."
"I'm sorry you felt that way. I should have said bye or something." He was about to turn and leave but she stopped him once more.
"Naruto…I think…I may have…" She couldn't say it. She was blushing like her life depended on it. Maybe it did, she didn't know.
"May have what?"
"I…I don't know…" Naruto walked over to her. He gently touched her cheek.
'What the…' Her breathing became heavy. He kissed her lightly on her lips. Her knees grew weak and she fell into his arms.
"Naruto…"
"Ino."
"I love you…"
"Ino, wake up!" Ino opens her eyes.
"You have got some serious problems." Naruto said as he looked down at Ino.
"What happened?
"You came out here to get my clothes and then you fainted." They were in her back yard. Naruto had already dressed. He helped her up.
'That was all a dream? But it was me and Naruto. Me… and Naruto…'
"You must have fainted because you're hungry. Remember three years ago when you went on a hunger strike since your dad took away your allowance? You passed out three times in one day. Come on. Let's go get something to eat."
Ino looked at Naruto a little happier. 'At least his appetite hasn't changed.'
The fact that he still remembered when they used to hang out made her even happier. Sure, it wasn't one of her favorite memories, but it was something that she and Naruto treasured together, amongst no one but themselves. He escorted her to the ramen stand and payed for the food. Afterwards, he leaves her. He looked back at her.
"It was fun hanging out with you again."
"Too bad you'll never do it again."
'Shut your ass, or I'll shove all nine of your tails in there.' Ino watches as Naruto walks away.
'I get drunk, sleep with Naruto and now I'm in love? I'll kill Shikamaru.'
The next morning, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji were sent on a scouting mission. Ninjas from the Otogakure were seen lurking around the out skirts of Konaha. The three leapt from tree to tree but Ino seemed to be slower than usual. Shikamaru noticed. He stopped and Ino almost plowed right into him. She stopped right in front of him. Chouji saw his comrades stop and did the same.
"Why'd we stop Shikamaru? I don't feel the oto ninja's chakra anywhere around here."
"What's on your mind Ino?"
"Huh? Nothing. I'm just…" She looked down and couldn't think of a lie. Shikamaru chuckled.
"I saw you and Naruto yesterday."
"What!? We were just eating together! Seriously, me and Naruto?" She laughed nervously.
'Me and Naruto…'
"Well whatever is going on with you and him needs to stay in the village. We have a mission to complete so get with it."
"Right." Although she tried, she couldn't seem to get Naruto out of her mind.
