Mission Impossible: Housewife

By KawaiPanda

Chapter Nineteen

A GaaIno Love Story

It had been a couple of weeks since I'd come back, since my soon to be ex brother in law came by the store and tore me a new one, and life had been a bit dull for me since then up until now. I'd been waiting to hear from Naruto about when my divorce would be final, and I could finally be allowed to resume my status as ninja. I was bored, the life of a civilian wasn't the life for me.

Hell, even Ibiki had cornered me and asked when I was going to return and become his apprentice once more. He didn't think my replacement was going to work out, some ninja a couple of years younger than me who didn't know what the hell he was doing.

I haven't heard anything. But then again, neither had he, not that Gaara was ignoring his inquiries, rather I believed he's been delaying for as long as he could to (most likely) piss me off or get me to change my mind. It was irritating. I knew he was delaying so he could try and get me to come back, but then, if he really wanted me wouldn't he have come after me? And there was nothing said about him coming to get me, not even a fucking letter from him to me demanding that I come back home—come back to Suna…. To him.

Life was moving along, and I wanted mine to resume.

Just a couple of days ago, Ayame had given birth to Choji's child. A beautiful baby girl named Chou.

They had taken her home yesterday, and I figured I give them some space to settle in.

I made my way to their home, trying to keep from getting lost as this was only the second time I've been there. His mom had to take me the first time, but then she had been on her way there when I showed up at her doorstep.

I knocked on the front door hesitantly, faint sounds of a crying baby barely reaching my ears. After a moment, the sounds got louder and the door opened, revealing a sleep deprived Choji holding his daughter in the crook of his arm. I giggled and reached for the small bundle, which he didn't even hesitate giving me. The moment she was in my arms, she stopped crying.

I cooed at her, and walked inside, slipping off my shoes at the door, Choji closing the door behind me.

"Where's Ayame?" I asked, sniffing Chou, grimacing at the smell coming from her diaper.

"She's at the hospital, she wasn't feeling too good last night." He answered while I headed down the hall to his daughters room. She needed a diaper change, and probably a bottle too.

Finding the changing station fully stocked, I started changing Chou's diaper as Choji leaned against the door frame, rubbing his face.

"She hates me."

"No she doesn't Choji." I gave him a brief smile before turning back to the baby. "She's... she just needed a diaper change, and a bottle. Then she'll be just fine." I finished changing her, and scooped her up, tossing the dirty diaper in the waste basket next to the changing station. I brushed my nose against hers. "Won't you, little butterfly?"

She giggled and I headed for the kitchen to fill up her tummy. "You'd have made a wonderful mother Ino." I stiffened at his remark, but didn't break my stride.

"Thanks." I muttered as I searched the fridge for a premade bottle. Grabbing the first one, I stuck it in the microwave for a few seconds before testing the warmth on my arm and fed it to her. While she busied herself with filling her tiny tummy, I glanced at her father to see him half asleep on the couch. "Choji."

"Hm?"

"Go sleep, I've got her, okay?" He stood, scratching the back of his neck.

He looked torn between the two of us and his bedroom. "You sure?"

I giggled at the longing that lingered in his eyes whenever he looked towards the open door. "Yes. Now go."

I watched him shuffle away to his room and made myself comfortable as Chou ate. When she was done and had fallen asleep, I laid her to rest on the couch, a blanket wrapped around her and a throw pillow beside her to keep her from rolling off of the couch, not that she could do that yet, but it was better to be safe now than sorry later for a lapse of judgement.

I took the time to straighten up, because I didn't want Ayame to have to, and Choji was so tired, he needed that nap.

After about an hour, and I couldn't find anything else to clean up, I found myself a bit peckish. I didn't want to leave just yet, and I figured Choji would be famished when he woke up, I helped myself to his food. Of course I was going to make extra's for Ayame for when she got back, and enough that there would be leftovers for another meal so they would only have to reheat the food.

I knew Choji would eat anything, but that didn't mean Ayame would. So, I made something simple that I knew they would like. Spaghetti and meatballs.

I had the spaghetti already on the stove when I started working on the meatballs. I placed some spices on the counter and opened the package of ground meat. I crinkled my nose at the smell, but worked on, peppering the meat with spices as I rolled several different sized meatballs. Ayame didn't have the stomach Choji did, but when she was pregnant, boy she could pack it down.

I briefly wondered about Temari and how she was handling her pregnancy. She would be just into her second term about now.

I felt a tinge of sadness strike me as I thought of her, which lead to thoughts of Gaara. Tears stung my eyes, and I brought my arm up to brush them away, and the moment the smell of the meat combined with all of the spices hit my nose, I gaged, barely able to keep from vomiting. Breathing heavy, I dashed into the hallway bathroom, heaving up the remnants of this mornings breakfast into the toilet.

I tried to be as quiet as I could, but before long, Choji was behind me, holding my hair out of my face, a concerned look etched onto his own.

"Are you okay Ino?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I stood on shakey legs and proceeded to clean out my mouth and hands. I knew I needed to go home and brush my teeth, but until then, this was the best thing.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I squeezed by him and went back into the kitchen to resume cooking.

I had the meatballs frying when he suddenly asked, "Are you pregnant?"

I froze.

Choji and I have been friends for the longest time. Longer than most people assumed. We knew each other well before we became teammates, and while we might not have been the closest, he was still a good friend. I loved him like a brother. But in that moment, none of that mattered.

"Do you honestly believe I would be here if I could be pregnant?" I asked, turning off the stove.

"Ino-"

"No. I fucking explained this to you, and I'll say it again, one last time." I turned around, glaring at him. "I cannot get pregnant."

With that, I stalked past him and was out of the door before he could stop me, shoeless.

XxXxXxXxX

I was still pissed off over Choji's question an hour later, and I thought surrounding myself with flowers and working would cool my temper.

It didn't. It seemed like one customer after another was pissing me off, like the lady in front of me. Her tone caused me to bristle, but I didn't raise to the bait. I had to be professional. Professional, Ino.

"I still don't see why not," she whined, twisting a lock of hair around her finger.

"Ma'am, we don't have them because they aren't in season right now," I explained again.

She sighed with frustration, shifting her weight from one foot to another. "I bet I could get them at Torimora's Flower Shop." Then why don't you go there?

I shook my head, biting back my remark. "Probably not this late into the year."

"Well, I don't want any other flowers. I want those! My wedding has to be perfect, I want only the best." Oh yes, because you're fucking perfect and an angel, and since mommy and daddy are footing the bill, it's okay to demand whatever you want, thinking I'm going to be able to make these flowers magically appear.

My control snapped. "You're not listening to me. Are you deaf?"

"Excuse me?"

"I will say this one last time, and a bit slower for you to understand. It is too late in the year to get those flowers. I cannot grow them out of my ass, so unless you plan on buying something, get out."

She blinked and when it finally clicked that I had just insulted her, she took a threatening step towards me. "Do you know who I-"

I gave her a smile. "No, I don't and quite frankly, I don't give a flying fuck right now."

"Well, I never!" She actually stamped her foot at me. "I demand to speak to your manager!"

"You mean my mother?" She didn't like that tidbit of information at all. With a scowl, she stalked away. "Bye, have a nice day." I called after her, and she slammed the door shut behind her.

Groaning, I rested my pounding head on the counter, wishing it was time to close already. When not even a minute had passed and some movement informed me there was another customer, I looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm ready to make my purchase." In his hands was a small bouquet of variegated tulips. They meant, you have beautiful eyes. What's funny was the way these flowers got it's coloring was from something not so pretty. Nothing that could affect humans of course, but a virus nevertheless.

When he wouldn't look at me, I wondered how much of my conversation he had heard. I knew he had to have heard the last bit. Thankfully he was the only other customer in the store while she had been here. Forcing myself to ease up, I initiated conversation.

"They're beautiful." I spoke softly.

"They are." He readily agreed, eyes flickering to me.

"She'll love them." I told him the price and he paid quickly.

"I hope so." I turned around to busy myself and listened to the door open and then close. When he was gone, I turned back around to find the bouquet on the counter. Blinking, I picked them up and rushed to the door.

How in the hell could he have forgotten his flowers in a span of seconds? Really? When I looked out, ready to call after him, I didn't see anyone in sight.

And then it clicked. Were they... for me?

I felt my blood rush to my face, and my heart began beating wildly.

What the hell?

Shaking my head, I headed back inside the shop and placed the flowers on the counter, not knowing what to do with them. They couldn't possibly have been for me. He would be back once he realized he left them. I filled a jar with some water and placed the tulips in it, under the counter. Writing a quick note of what happened, I taped it to the glass so mom would be filled in on the situation, and then I put it out of my mind, and threw myself into my work. We were plenty busy, and thankfully I didn't have many more problem customers.

A couple of hours later, after lunch, mom shooed me out for the rest of the day, having been called by that customer from earlier that I pissed off. Her scolding left me annoyed and I needed to let out some steam.

Sakura was busy working, so I found myself at the training grounds. I had changed when mom kicked me out of the store, wearing a loose top and some shorts as well as an old pair of ninja sandals. I needed to train anyway so I could stay in shape and pass the evaluation I would have after the divorce was final.

Training ground eight was empty, so I started by doing a couple hundred stretches to loosen up my muscles. Before I was even finished my limbs felt like they were fire and I felt anger coursing through me. I had been lazy the past few months. Being a housewife was killer on the body. With a grunt, I ignored the pain and pushed through it before turning my attention to my chakra control. Gathering the blue energy at the palm of my hands, I took a deep breath and stood on them.

Waiting until I felt stable enough, I started for the lake. I was a bit nervous, but I knew with the risk of ending up soaked, I would be more focused.

I wasn't even too far from the shore when I felt my chakra wavering.

"Shit." Pushing against the surface of water, I flipped onto my feet, knowing it took less chakra and effort to walk on them but that didn't seem to be helping. Frowning, I jogged to the shore.

You would think that having almost six months off would do wonders for your chakra reserves... narrowing my eyes, I tried to pool my chakra into my palms. When I couldn't even draw from it, I let out a scream of frustration.

"What the fuck?" I kicked the nearest tree, hard, and when I felt the bone in my toe shatter, I screamed again, only this time in pain. "Kami fucking damnit!"

Limping, I made my way to the hospital. Whatever was fucking with my chakra was definitely going to keep me from healing, and if I tried to force it I would end up doing more damage than repair.