A/N: My first Songfic segment appears as part of this chapter. There will be three during the course of this story - one for each of the members of the triangle.
Of Things to Be Expected
About two weeks later Team 10 was sent off on another character assassination by the Hokage. Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino left early to head out to a location between Tsuchi no Kuni and Taki no Kuni. When they were a day or so from their objective they set about finalizing their plans.
"I think our best bet is to make this guy sound paranoid." Shikamaru suggested "The reports make it sound like he's touchy about some topics."
"It's possible," Ino frowned "but we need something solid we can zero in on. How many days do we have to research?"
"Up to a week, he's trying to push his project. He'll be around the area for a while."
"Can we get this done in two days," Ino sighed "I don't want Kankurou worrying about me and feeling the urge to send another message because I don't get to reply to right away."
Shikamaru caught the movement as Chouji looked at the ground. It only lasted for the most fleeting of moments so he was pretty sure Ino would have even noticed. He had realized that his friend was not his usual self. Sure Chouji was reliable as ever, he just did not seem as enthusiastic about things. Needless to say the change started when word got out about Ino and Kankurou's past…and possible future. He was starting to worry that if something even more official came out of their relationship Chouji was going to be completely out of sorts.
"So what routine are you using this time," Chouji decided to ask, his expression was guarded, "acting drunk or pregnant?"
"I brought 'Junior' with me." She said "I just figured it would be easier. You wanna play daddy?" She smiled at him, "I always feel better with you as my catcher on these missions."
"Oh, so I'm not safe." Shikamaru quipped. "I've never dropped you." Are you that dense Ino, this is not the time to do this to him…
"You're not as much fun on the runaway part." Ino replied "I like watching Chouji's face as he tries not to laugh until we're far enough from the 'scene of the crime'."
So it's all about the entertainment, thought as he Shikamaru shook his head, I don't know if that's even worse. He glanced at his long-time friend, there seemed to a light in the big man's eyes that could only be called hope. We are heading into a major crash and burn…
Two days later, just as Ino had wished, they had their information together and struck. Their target, Toshiaki, was trying to sell his project to the people of this small village. He was promising to put their town on the map. All they had to do was give him the ability to purchase five sites within their boundaries. On the surface it sounded like a good deal, but Team 10 had found out a little something that made them doubt it. They also had made contact with some of the people who had contracted them and asked them if they would do a shout out or two during Toshiaki's presentation.
The first shout out made Toshiaki flinch, it appeared the supposition Shikamaru made about the requested sites was accurate. It was all about access to a river that ran on that edge of the village. Now to find out if Shika's secondary supposition was correct. Their target had a lot of money, but no one seemed to know for sure where his money came from. The theory as Shikamaru came up with it was from smuggling, no idea what, but the water access could make movement between locations expedient. The other curiosity that led to his theory was that Toshiaki had only outlined plans for two of the five properties: those that were most viable as tourist sites. The other three seemed to have no value in that way but were requested just the same.
The second shout out made the target hesitate as well. He started to glance in the direction of where the last outburst came from while maintaining his composure. That was when Ino made her move. She took Toshiaki over and turned to growl at the disruption, "You think you know so much, then you tell me what you think I'm doing here." She fed him mental laughter while she did this so he'd believe he was only thinking this. Then she paced him back and forth while feeding him angry thoughts trying to get him to betray himself. She was very hopeful that she could read his thoughts while possessing him. Two for you and three for me. She fed him the mental gloat. That is if I even decide to bother to do anything for you.
Suddenly, Ino felt a wave of fatigue hit her; she tried to fight it for a moment longer. Then weakness turned to nausea so abruptly she was forced to do her jutsu release.
The body that the burly shinobi had been supporting ever so carefully to make it look like she was drowsing against him suddenly started to move. A shaggy brown head turned to face the woman below as Ino found herself back in her body. "Get me out of here Chouji," she said softly, "I think I'm going to be sick."
Chouji fretted as he lifted her up and carried her beyond the crowds. Behind them they could hear that some sort of uproar.
Ino gestured with one hand for him to put her down while she held the other across her mouth. As soon as her feet touched the ground she ran to the side of the path and threw-up in between the bushes. "I am soooo sorry about this." she groaned as she grabbed her water bottle and proceeded to rinse her mouth out.
"It's okay Ino, that's what I'm here for." Chouji replied, her sudden illness taking him by surprise, "are you feeling any better now?"
"A little," She frowned, "that really caught me off guard. I just wish I knew what went on after we got out of there." She looked at the bulge beneath her clothing that was caused by her false tummy. "At least this thing always gets us out of crowds easily. I would have hated to have done that in the middle of everybody."
Ino leaned against Chouji as they walked around a little while she regained her equilibrium. Eventually Shikamaru caught up with them. "What happened, Ino?" he asked "You were there one minute, then you were gone."
"I got sick." She looked slightly embarrassed. "So, what happened back there?"
"You must have screwed with Toshiaki's mind just enough." Shikamaru replied, "The third shout out got him, he lost track of his internal voice versus his outside one and slipped up. He told them enough, the crowd got angry and he had to make a run for it. He didn't make it, thanks to yours truly." Shika smiled, content with a mission accomplished.
"Great, then we can collect the fee and get on home." Chouji nodded his approval.
"Uh, fee yes, home, maybe not yet." Ino lurched out of Chouji's arms and toward the bushes to throw-up again.
So they stayed in the village one extra night while Ino rested. Ino attributed to food poisoning or a bug she must have caught along the way. Luckily, neither Shikamaru nor Chouji seemed to have a bout of it. As they started for home the next day, Ino requested that no report about her illness be included in the report.
When they got back the Hokage was pleased with their results as usual.
However, Ino's only concern was seeing if she had any messages from Kankurou. When she found out that she had one, she hurriedly read it and sent a response. Her excitement at every contact grew, even if it was only by correspondence.
Another week later: Ino and Kankurou maintained their cycle of communication back and forth. Tentatively they had been planning for her to move out to Suna in late August. Today, however, Ino was just a little more excited about getting home to prepare her message than usual. She had just visited the medical center to confirm what the little test kit had shown her: she was pregnant. Okay, so it wasn't planned, but somehow she thought he wouldn't mind. As she came out onto her street she noticed that her father was standing out in front of the flower shop talking to two men.
Inoichi looked away from them and caught a glance of her. He waved his arm in a gesture for her to hurry.
She ran the remaining distance to see what was going on.
They were two Suna shinobi: "You're Yamanaka Ino?" The taller of the two asked. He was battle scarred and powerfully built. He wore the traditional Suna headgear but the rest of his clothes were shades of gray.
"I am." She looked from one to the other, "May I ask who you are and what this is all about?"
The other spoke, "My name is Satoshi, Kazekage-sama sent Norihiro-sensei and myself here on an escort mission of sorts." Though was fairly tall he was most likely still a genin under the other's tutelage. His brown hair was tied back into a tuft at the base of this neck, hitai-ate half covered by shaggy bangs. His clothes were an earthy colored combination in sage and sand. He had a smile on his face like this was all some sort of joke but his brown eyes seemed serious enough.
This kid couldn't be more than thirteen, could he? The blonde studied him then the older man, "I hope this doesn't mean you expect to escort me back with you." Ino expressed surprise. "The Kazekage and I had an agreement that it would be at least four more months before I should bring Ryokou to Suna." She stuck with the official response they'd agreed on that their daughter should always be mentioned as the reason she would go to Suna.
"Oh no," Norihiro spoke again, "we aren't here to escort you, we're escorting this." his left hand held out a box to Ino. His smile was crooked due to the scar that puckered the edge of his mouth.
She untied it and found a card within and a smaller box. She knew she should read the card first because she had a good guess what the smaller box was. Her heart fluttered with anticipation at seeing what lie within. "Would you be so kind as to escort a reply back to your Kazekage, as well?" She studied the man before her more thoroughly; This is obviously one of his most trusted shinobi. Kankurou hasn't let word of our current relationship out to the public yet. But the fact that he would send a guarded package would certainly lead one to ponder the nature of the item they were entrusted with…
"He had hoped you would send one." There was a serene light that filled Norihiro's dark blue eyes.
Oh yeah, he knows what he brought. "Thank you." She smiled, fighting to contain her excitement, "please come into our home." She and Inoichi led them to the residence upstairs.
She went into her room while her father entertained the guests. The card read: 'My Ino, I wish that I could have made the trip to give this to you personally. I saw this and all I could think of are your remarkable eyes. Please accept this ring as a promise that I want you to come to Suna to be my wife. When I hear back from you, I would like your permission to declare our engagement in front of my village elders.'
Now we're officially out in the open, by his choosing. It will make what I'm telling him so much easier. Her hand slid to rest across her lower abdominals. Your daddy wants to make us a family, all the while fighting back happy tears as the missive had filled her with a sense of complete bliss.
After taking a moment to regain control over the sudden wave of emotion, she turned her attention to the small box and flipped the lid open. It held a ring with a large, spectacular oval cut Aquamarine stone in a platinum setting. What was even more amazing was when she tried it on, it fit perfectly. She sat there staring at it for a few moments grinning as she twisted her hand from angle to angle admiring it. When she recovered her senses she wrote her reply telling him her news, but requesting he not share that with the elders just yet. When done, she sealed and packaged her missive along with a recent photo of Ryokou and herself that had been taking during one their daughter's school functions.
She came back out to the main room of the house and was pleased to find her father had behaved himself and served tea and snacks to their guests. She held out her hand to her father, "I guess its official; you're finally going to get me out of this place."
He embraced his daughter and said: "As soon as we see these gentlemen off, we'll show your mother." As I thought…he's taking her away, with nary a word to me.
So, Ino gave them the small package she'd prepared and they all proceeded downstairs. "I can't wait until Ryokou gets home from school and mom from her shopping, of course." She smiled at her father, then back at her hand.
Inoichi offered to escort the Suna ninja back to the gate, mostly because he'd need a little time away from his daughter to clear his head.
Ryokou seemed happy for her about the engagement. The secondary news excited her as well; she ran up to her mama and gave her a very big hug. Inoichi, on the other hand, was looked like he wanted to strangle Ino. Fortunately, Ino was far too lost in her moment to notice.
Her mother's reaction was very distinct as well: Misao's lip quivered for a second then pulled into a smile, but it seemed blatantly insincere. A moment later she simply said, "Oh look at the time, I'd better get the laundry put away." Yamanaka Misao's greatest failing as a shinobi had always been her ability to hide what she was feeling. She had however mastered the art of knowing when to retreat…except when playing cards, but that is another story.
Ino had already planned on meeting Shikamaru, Temari and Chouji for dinner that evening. She was so excited about sharing her news with her friends that she decided to dress up in a way that her ring wouldn't look out of place, in case they noticed it before she told them. She put on a cobalt blue dress with a square cut neckline. She accented it with platinum colored jewelry to match the setting of her ring.
She headed off to meet them at the restaurant Temari had chosen. Everyone was waiting for her. Hiding her hands behind her back she smiled at them all then said to Temari, "I got a message from Kankurou today."
"Oh? More of the same I assume." Temari looked at her. "Busy, busy, busy, I'll arrange for you to come to Suna in a few months." She said this in a weird imitation of her brother's voice.
Chouji snickered in spite of himself.
"Oh yeah," Ino grabbed his arm, "laugh if you will, but look at this." She brought her hand forward and held it out in front of him. "Isn't it amazing, Kankurou said that he picked it out because it reminds him of my eyes. As of today I am officially engaged to the Kazekage." She looked positively radiant.
The expression on Chouji's face was something quite the opposite. For a moment Shikamaru thought his friend was going to be violently ill, then a moment later he recovered his composure enough to say, "I guess it is in the same color range," in a flat monotone. Ino hardly noticed as she moved to show Temari. Immediately after, Temari looked to Shikamaru while Ino adoringly stared at her ring again.
They went in for dinner as if this announcement hadn't been made. Chouji just did his best to ignore the situation and buried his attention in his food selections.
Then partway through the meal Ino told them her other piece of news. Temari ended up frantically patting on her husband's back as his sip of sake went down his windpipe.
"If you will excuse me for a few minutes…" Chouji used the same flat monotone as he stepped away from the table. A moment later he stepped out through the front door. Just walk home now, she probably won't even notice I'm gone. In spite of his need for flight he flopped himself against the outside wall and stared at the skies.
Sometimes I feel like
I'm chasing the shadows in your eyes
Loosing my footing and looking for something
I recognize
He thought about the past few months and how what they'd shared had evaporated the minute her life had been threatened. I should have been there; I should never have left your side after your father was injured.
You tell me you're here forever
But act like you're passing through
Which one's the real you
Which one's the real you
All the signs had been there, 'Our night,' she had said. That's why I was so sure, that's why I slipped in to see Inoichi at the hospital that morning to let him know what I was going to do when I got back. I was so happy when he'd taken my hand and given me his blessing. I wonder what he thinks about this whole situation. He shook his head; I have no right to ask him…none at all.
Are you only
Practicing until you find the real thing
Taking up space
Until you find yourself
That perfect face
Are you looking
Over my shoulder
Am I enough or just
Your sacrificial love
Was I just a second choice? How could she have been so passionate and not have meant it. He fought against the urge to cry. Too many people around, get it under control.
I know when we started
That I kind of talked you into this
I was good for the moment
but now something's missing
From your kiss
Yes, I started this by asking you out the first time around, but you restarted it in October. When you started kissing me in that mud pit I thought; 'This is it. We're really meant to be together.'
I see you lying beside me
But feel like you're moving on
Which one's the real you
Which one's the real you
For weeks, I couldn't help myself, I started to make plans. Every time I saw a house with a 'For Sale' sign I started to ask, 'Would you like this place?' Every time I passed a window display at a boutique I wondered if that was the kind of thing you'd wear it if I bought it for you? And now I don't know what any of that was all about. It turned around so fast, it doesn't seem real.
Are you only
Practicing until you find the real thing
Taking up space
Until you find yourself
That perfect face
Are you looking
Over my shoulder
Am I enough or just
Your sacrificial love
It's all gone. You're choosing him…is that what you wanted, another child? I could have…no, should have. Was that the real reason you came on to me so aggressively that night, your biological clock? His head hit the wall behind him again, eyes held shut against his pain. Not from the impact, but in his heart.
Do I have to spill my tears
Teach you how to say goodbye
If that's not what I am to you
Then what am I
What am I
Why him, what makes him so special that he deserves your love. I thought… I hoped…we were so close. I've been the one looking out for you all these years. Can he possibly love you as much as I do? And Ryokou…can this stranger make her happy?
Are you only
Practicing until you find the real thing
Taking up space
Until you find yourself
That perfect face
Are you looking
Over my shoulder
Am I enough or just
Your sacrificial love
My perfect family…was never mine. He looked heavenward one last time. Com'on, give me a shooting star so I can make a wish. This isn't over yet.
Less than two minutes later Shikamaru stepped away from the table as well.
So Temari had to play nice and kill time while they were gone. "I guess this has got you pretty excited." She tried to look like she genuinely meant it, but worried that she was failing miserably because she certainly didn't feel it. There were some dark thoughts in the back of her mind that she didn't want to bring up just yet, because she didn't want to start a fight in this restaurant, she liked the place far too much.
Somehow, after a few moments one of the thoughts slipped out anyways, "I bet you're hoping my brother will send for you sooner because of all this?"
"Not really, I still think at five to six months was the right amount of time for him to wait to bring me out there after Shiori…" Ino looked at Temari. "Neither of us thought about this possibility the night he was in Konoha. It was all kind of crazy. I don't think either of us considered anything except what we wanted at that moment."
"Yeah, well that's how it happens sometimes." Temari shook her head, some part of her doubting Ino's sincerity. You stupid, stupid woman, you did this on purpose didn't you. That's what the green healing chakra was all about when my brother was here. I knew it seemed out of place considering your injury was an arm injury. She bit her tongue, hoping her husband would get back before the seething she felt inside surged out and she lost her self control.
Shikamaru found Chouji out front. He was clenching and unclenching his fists and pacing. "That hit you a little hard didn't it?" Shikamaru looked at him, "One of those announcements would have been enough to bother you, but both in one evening…"
"I'm all right now." Chouji replied huffily, somehow he'd managed not to cry.
"No, you're not, I know you too well. You have this cycle with Ino of getting close to her then suddenly Kankurou comes out of the woodwork like a cockroach or something." He was pleased as he saw that this description made the corner of Chouji's mouth curl upward ever so slightly, "I know that this is rough for you, if you need anything just let me know. Now let's go back in there before they wonder what happened to us." He patted Chouji on the back. "If you start to get depressed again just remember one word."
"And that is?"
"Cockroach."
Chouji chuckled, "Are you going to tell Temari what you just called her brother?"
"Hell no," Shika shook his head "or else it would be my turn to be treated like one. And you know how troublesome that would be."
So they returned to the table and managed to keep up a pleasant conversation, carefully steering it away from anything involving Suna…or cockroaches.
As Ino settled into sleep that night her head was filled with thoughts of her night with Kankurou.
---How they lay tangled in each others embrace, breathing in each others breath.
"Don't think you're done yet," his voice drifted from between the contented smile that graced his lips.
"With you, never." Ino shifted her leg to pull him tighter against her.
"You realize I was holding back all those years ago…"
Ino felt a sensation as if fingers were touching her in what could only be described as an impossible number of places at once. It was overwhelming in its delights, and she succumbed readily to it. In a blink she was twisted in the sheets gasping for breath.
The puppet master's smile had become an evil grin, "Of course since we last played my control of my chakra strings has become something far beyond that of an ordinary shinobi."
Bright blue eyes looked into his as the still panting blonde said, "Then I shall consider what you did as not playing by the rules." She raised a finger and wagged it at him.---
The next morning found Shikamaru and Temari requesting a private audience with the Hokage.
"Have you heard the latest news about Ino and my brother the Kazekage?" Temari spoke first.
"I know some shinobi from Suna came through our gates yesterday, and since they showed the Kazekage's personal seal at the gates, didn't come to the main offices and were escorted back to the gates by Inoichi, I'm left to assume they were here to see Ino. I take it you know the nature of their visit." Tsunade regarded the two of them with a guarded expression.
"Kankurou has decided to make their relationship official; he sent her an engagement ring and plans on making an official announcement in Suna." Temari looked at the Hokage. "Furthermore, Ino shared some additional news with us: she is expecting his child."
"There is obviously more that you want to say regarding this situation." Tsunade looked at Shikamaru this time. "Because this is news I would probably have acquired from other sources within the next day or so."
"We have a request to make of you." Shikamaru looked at the Hokage. The concern in his expression was apparent. "The real reason we're here is in regard to Chouji…"
Ino's message was met with mixed emotions by Kankurou. He had been anxiously awaiting her response, reliving their last night together over and over in his rare quiet moments. His mood became ecstatic when he read that she had accepted his ring and how she'd expressed her delight with his comparison of it to her eyes. The second part had him troubled, even if he left today for a 'spontaneous visit', which he couldn't, he knew no one would believe that the child would have been the result of that second visit. This is ill timed; they all know how to count to nine. After all her concerns about appearances when I'd originally asked her to accompany me, this happens. Furthermore, it bothered him how this was all happening so fast, Please don't let me hurt her the way I hurt Shiori…
A/N: Sorry to have kept you all waiting.
Thanks to Awaii who was the only review of my last chapter prior to this posting. I would love to hear thoughts, opinions etc. from more of you.
Credits: The song is Sacrificial Love, From the Clay Aiken album: On My Way Here. Written by: Carl Falk, Sharon Vaughn and Didrik Thott.
