Title; Blind Love
by; Lady Darlings

Author's Note; You guys are just AWESOME. I didn't expect people to keep reading this piece of work. & I didn't expect so many feed back! Thank you so much! I decided to try and make the chapters longer and here it is (it ... wasn't as long as I wanted it to be. x_x gah) ! Chapter 7! I love you guys.
note: this is a bit different from all the chapters. just a bit of warning. You'll know why. It's only at the first part of this chapter. I wanted to try it. It'll go back to normal after the first part ^^ This chapter might also be a bit confusing. There are flashbacks here, from Shikamaru. Lots of them. Sorry if you get confused. X_X

And to finally clear some things up:
No, our dear Shikamaru is not blind.
and yes, the blind date from the earlier chapters is Sasuke.

Go ahead and ask me questions (; I'll be glad to answer them.

Pairing; Shikamaru Nara and Ino Yamanaka
warning, there is a bit of SaiSaku involved. If you happen to like NaruSaku or SasuSaku, just... imagine Sai's either Naruto or Sasuke kay? At least try anyway. ^^
Disclaimer: If Naruto belonged to me, Shikamaru & Ino would be married by now.

Chapter 7 ; Welcome Home.

It was utterly silent in the small dwelling that belonged to Sakura Haruno. In fact, it wasn't just silent, it was the awkward silence. And the person who felt it the most happened to be Sai. He just came to visit his girlfriend from a horrible day at work that involved a lot of fake smiles and fake politeness to people around him and was definitely looking forward for just relaxation but instead got into a room full of just tension.

He frankly, didn't know what to do.

He spotted Ino, who was holding a box of tissues in one hand and one tissue in the other and currently wiping her eyes, and his girlfriend, who despite the fact that she also looked like she was crying, was comforting the blond girl. Then he noticed the man across from them and his eyes narrowed. The man himself was simply sitting down, hands clenching and unclenching on his lap while he stared, Was that love in his eyes? at the teary blond. He was sitting in sort of a slouch, and Sai thought his hair was just a bit too weird for his own taste. It was long, but instead of just laying all over his shoulders like most girls do (the man isn't a girl after all), he had it tied back to a high ponytail, the ends of his hair sort of making a pine apple. Interesting. He looked quite exhausted.

Sai cleared his throat.

His girlfriend's beautiful emerald eyes locked on him. She gently rubbed Ino's back once more and moved to go to him. He was patient enough to listen to her as she explained the simple version of the explanation he was was sure she'd tell him later. Girls just happen to tell everything. And by listening to her, he found out that the dark-haired young man was Shikamaru Nara, Ino's long time best friend. Or was it her first love? He didn't understand completely. He wasn't surprised. He read from books that girls are sometimes just plain confusing sometimes. At least he understood the fact that Nara was very important to Ino.

The Nara guy finally stood up and immediately Ino's gaze locked on him.

"I'm ... going to go." he simply said.

Sai raised his eyebrows. So Soon?

"Don't go yet." Sai heard Ino softly whisper.

"Ino."

"I said, Don't go yet!" she cried out. "I ... haven't seen you in awhile. You dump all of this on me and you expect me to just accept it all and move on and let you leave... again! Shikamaru, you might not think i'm important to you but you are most definitely important to me! I know I'm just a troublesome girl who just cries and whines and asks you to do troublesome things and never does anything worthwhile but dammit Shikamaru I'm asking you to freakin' stay."

Shikamaru stood there for a few moments. He sighed, then walked across the room to sit next to the poor crying girl with a sense of cautiousness and sat down next to her.

He saw Sakura look away then walk upstairs to her room to give the two privacy.

He did the same.

Sniff.

Sniff.

Sigh.

Rustle.

Shikamaru moved his arm around her cautiously. He was already expecting at least 50 different ways Ino can injure him but he was going to risk it anyway.

Ino shifted. She stopped wiping her tears and moved closer to Shikamaru, fitting right into his arms. She breathed in deeply and sighed.

"Shika?"

Shikamaru said nothing, other than staring at her.

"Did you miss me?"

Miss wasn't even the word for it.

(A/N: to clear confusions, this is where the flashback starts)

Nara Shikamaru didn't want to leave. Not just because it was troublesome but because of Ino. But at the same time, he knew he had to. Ino...

Shikamaru knew Ino was a strong person. But he knew that she can't handle everything. He swore to protect her and to keep her away from harm,whether she knew of it or not. His mind started to calculate the many possibilities of the result of them leaving.

None of them were good.

Then his mind calculated what would happen if they stayed.

None of them were really that good either.

In fact, it was a pretty close call.

"Shikamaru?" his mom called out.

Normally Shikamaru would just ignore her and let her come to him. But now, he knew he couldn't. For he knew for awhile, it would be him who would have to come to her.

"Yes Mom?" he said upon seeing his mother sitting on the couch facing the television.

"Can you change the channel for me?"

He wordlessly picked up the remote and changed it to her usual channel. She smiled upon hearing the television. Shikamaru couldn't face his mother's eyes for it left him with a horrible feeling.

Because she was now blind.

It was all his fault. It was he who didn't care enough to go downstairs to help out his mom. It was he who was in a horrible mood and didn't bother to check on his own mother. It was he who was more agile and more careful than his own mom (even though he was lazy). It was he who could've saved her eyes.

So really, it was his fault.

It happened at midnight when his mom couldn't sleep so she went out of her room to grab a drink. Along the way she tripped, hit one of her favorite figurines which in return led to her knee bleeding. Cursing, She called for Shikamaru, nearly screaming to get downstairs to help her. Her husband was still at work so all she had to depend on was Shikamaru. The lazy boy she had as a son. She heard him yell back "What?" along with a tone of annoyance.

"Get me the damn alcohol and some bandaids." she yelled back.

She heard grumbling along with his reply of, "Troublesome women."

"Shikamaru!" she yelled out. "Ugh. Nevermind!"

And so she used herself to get herself back up, hop to the bathroom, and try to get the alcohol. Reaching up, she tried to reach the alcohol without having to push herself any higher or put any pressure on her leg. Her hand nearly tipped the alcohol but she grabbed it just in time. Then grabbing some tissues, cotton balls, band aids she hopped back to the living room.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't her day for she hit another figurine after losing her balance on one leg while opening the alcohol bottle. She yelped as she let go of the alcohol up hastily while she fell on the ground with her hands out to break her fall. The alcohol, unopened, spilled over her head, and her eyes.

Next thing she knew, she heard the sirens and she was taken out of her home, clutching her scorching eyes.

He was sorry. But sorry can't bring the power to see back for his mom. What hurt more was the fact his mom wasn't really mad, she was ... disappointed.

Shikamaru did everything, with no complaints. He cleaned the house, he washed the dishes, he washed his clothes, he mopped the floor, cleaned the bathrooms... everything. His mom would sit there, watching him but not seeing.

His eyes would threaten to water but he'd swallow hard and keep cleaning.

It was a few days later when Ino came over.

She had rang the doorbell while Shikamaru was fixing breakfast. He went over to the door and opened it. Panic ran into his body as he saw the smiling girl in front of him who had the fear of blindness. Or more of just having bad things happen.

And immediately he knew he just couldn't break the news to her.

"Shikamaru? Who's at the door?" his mom called out.

He swallowed then walked out, not before telling his mom he'll be back in a bit.

That was the day he promised her he'd always be there for her.

He didn't want to leave. Everyone knew that. He also didn't want to tell Ino anything. He knew she'd just break . Their families were really close after all. It was Ino's mom who knew about his mom. No one else knew, outside his family. Mrs. Yamanaka knew not to tell Ino, at least not now.

And Shikamaru, as young as he was, understood that.

At the end, it was his dad who made the decision. He said they should start anew, as troublesome as it was. It wouldn't do good for people to pity them because of his wife. He promised Shikamaru that they'd come back after a few years when his mom would be much more used to the blind life.

Shikamaru had no complaints.

Next day they left. No note, no nothing. Except a small longing glance at the Yamanaka household by one Shikamaru Nara. He had softly whispered out, "I'll see you soon. Take care, Ino." hoping that it would reach her.

Few Years had passed, not one day without Shikamaru thinking of the young girl who had unknowingly captured his heart. Hell he didn't know he loved her until he left.

He was the only one who came back.

Immediately, he went to the Yamanakas and found out that they didn't live there anymore.

And he knew just then, he had to find her.

(A/N: flashback sort of ends here )

Did he miss her?

Terribly.

Everyday.

It was as if the other half of his heart was ripped off, no matter how troublesome that might be. Sometimes he'd see her in his dreams, smiling and laughing as if the cruelty in the world meant nothing. Sometimes he'd see her crying. Sometimes it was just plain anger, at him, at him leaving, at him breaking his promise. It was those dreams that would keep him up at night.

"Yes." was all he answered though.

Ino was silent for awhile.

"I've missed you Shika." she pulled away from his arms as she faced him. "You... didn't have to hide..." she said, shaking a bit.

He said nothing.

"Shika!" she cried.

"Do you want to see her?" he asked her.

Taken by surprise, she couldn't answer.

"I-..."

"Do you want to see her?" he repeated.

She swallowed hard, closed her eyes and banished her fears away from her mind. She could do this.

"I... I don't know."

He sighed. "Look Ino. I know you're strong. I know that. But you have to understand, I didn't... I didn't want to leave. but ... can't you imagine how you'd feel back then if you knew? Especially just a few years after one of your mom's friends got the same ending?" He sighed again.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE!" she cried out at him. "You didn't have to go away. I... I'm sure I would have been able to handle it. Your mom is really nice! I'm sure I would have been okay! You didn't have to break your promise. I ... " she faltered.

"I'm sorry."

"I ... want to see your mom."

"Okay."

"Welcome back Shikamaru." she whispered then settled back into his arms feeling safer than ever. She'd forgive him. She knew that. She knew he meant well. She knew he meant to come back to her along with her feelings of ...

She shook it out of her head.

It wasn't time yet. She first had to heal.

Sighing, she then closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep.

He opened one eye to peer at her.

"Troublesome." he mumbled, "I'm home."

Author's Note: Was that a bit too OOC? I don't know. I'm sort of emotionally frustrated at the moment. I think that made an impact on how I wrote this. Gah. Opinions please! :( I know it isn't the best chapter... Nor that long... but I felt that if I kept writing, it would've worsen the chapter/story.

It's ending soon by the way.

I don't think I'll keep prolonging it. Maybe. I don't know. I don't even know how I feel about this chapter… Blah.

Thanks to michiko-naoki , Haylin-chan , Sarah , ImCutePoison , Dawnstar95 , x , jinxed72 , kigaroo , Oyako-sama , AlmightySteelShoe , ShikaInoInuKikIchiHime36 for reviewing! I owe you aaalll CAKEEEE. HERE YOU GOO *hands you all cake*

Chocolate, Velvet, or Cheesecakeee? LOL

Read/Review!

Chocolate covered strawberries to those who review? ._. Anyone actually like those? LOL