AN: Hello everybody, I am here, with a new chapter. Unfortunately, I really wouldn't get your hopes up, I had to force this one out. This story needs some reworking, so I am posting this chapter to let you all know that it may be a while before the next update. I have to be honest with myself, and this story isn't particularly good. I am going to fix it - I may have to go back and rework some chapters, but I really don't like redoing things. We'll see.
I think I need to take a bit of a break from writing and spend some more time thinking, so that's what I'll do. This story is not going inactive or anything, I know what I want to do with it, I just need to figure out exactly how. I'm also pondering some other story ideas I think are pretty good, although they are not SasukexIno pairings. I've decided I don't particularly like writing Sasuke in chaptered fics. He doesn't listen to me very well.
So, there's your heads up, see you in a few!
Chapter 6:
Sasuke was shocked when Ino stalked back into his cell, obviously fuming about something.
"Put this on and follow me," she ordered, throwing a long, hooded dark cloak at the ex-avenger.
"Why?' Sasuke asked, wary. She better not think she could get rid of him.
"Because I told you to, now put it on," she snapped. Her arms were crossed defensively and she was glaring daggers. Whatever was going on, she wasn't happy about it. With the way things had been going between them lately, this was probably a good thing for him.
Silently deciding to go along with her – for now – Sasuke threw the cloak around his shoulders. Sighing, Ino marched up to him and pulled the hood up so it completely concealed his face.
"You will not speak to anyone without my permission. You will not reveal your face. You will stay with me and not attempt to go anywhere else. Any violation of this trust will result in a re-declaration of your status as a missing-nin," the Interrogation head explained tonelessly before exiting the cell. She stood at the door as she waited for Sasuke to follow before closing it behind him and marching down the hall, not even looking back to make sure he was following.
But of course, he was.
It was dark outside, Sasuke noticed idly. Of course that made sense – there was less chance of arousing suspicion. Ino led him along the streets instead of taking the usual shinobi path on the roofs. He assumed it was because most civilians would have turned in by now, and she did not want to run into any shinobi.
"Hey Ino-chan!" a loud and surprisingly familiar voice rang out.
It was none other than Naruto. He was just exiting a restaurant with a group of other people – probably various members of the Konoha 12.
"Hey Naruto," Ino waved back. "I'll catch ya later, okay?" she said pointing at Sasuke. Naruto looked confused for a moment, before he noticed what she was pointing at and nodded his head in understanding. She was working. He wondered who the person under the cloak was, before dismissing it as unimportant and turning back to the group just in time to laugh at Kiba's attempts to flirt with a passing civilian.
Sasuke continued to follow Ino down the street, finally recognizing their destination. So, she was taking him to see the Hokage. Something told him that, one way or another, this was going to be it.
-_-_-
Sasuke entered the Hokage's office behind Ino and stood there quietly in the background, obeying her every order.
"Tsunade-sama, I have brought you the prisoner, as you requested. Uchiha Sasuke, I release you into her care," she intoned formally, obviously following some sort of protocol.
Correctly assuming that meant that her previous orders were now null, Sasuke threw back his hood and met the Hokage's gaze.
After staring levelly at the dark haired man in front of her for a moment, Tsunade announced her final decision.
"Uchiha Sasuke, after hearing all the evidence laid before me by my chief interrogator, I have reached my decision regarding your status as missing-nin."
Sasuke gulped to keep back his fear. What would he do if they tried to send him away from Ino? No. He wouldn't let that happen. Ino was his.
"We are willing to revoke your status as missing-nin and accept you back as a ninja of Konohagakure," Tsunade continued.
A surge of happiness and relief welled up in Sasuke's chest. They weren't going to try and make him leave?
"However, as you have been declared mentally unstable," Sasuke shot a glare at Ino when he heard this, "you will be under constant supervision. I will place you in the charge of one of our jounin until we can be certain both of your loyalty and of your sanity. Do you accept?"
While not particularly thrilled with the idea of being babysat, the truth was that Sasuke had no where else to go. He would take any conditions that they stuck him with and work through it. For Ino.
Mutely the sole remaining Uchiha nodded his head, eyes wide as he wondered who they'd stick him with. Kakashi? Wait, surely some of the Konoha 12 had reached jounin status, maybe they'd place him with Neji...or Naruto? As long as whoever it was didn't try to keep him away from Ino, he really didn't care.
"Excellent, Yamanaka Ino, I place Uchiha Sasuke under your care. You are responsible for his rehabilitation into the village."
Shocked, he turned to see Ino's reaction while restraining the urge to thank Tsunade on bended knee.
Noticing the blank face Ino kept on, Sasuke was certain that Ino had known about this before hand. Her voice was strained as she accepted the guardianship and Sasuke couldn't hold back a grin. This would make things very interesting.
_-_-_
Sasuke accompanied Ino back to her house silently. There was no need to provoke her into showing emotion, he'd gotten what he wanted – for now.
Ino was also silent, but internally she was fuming. Was she never going to be rid of him? Opening the door she shooed the sharingan user inside before closing it and leaning against it, drawing a deep breath. Okay, she could do this. She could do –
"What are you smirking at?" she snapped. Sasuke had removed his hood and was looking at her with obvious amusement.
"Nothing," he said shrugging, knowing she wouldn't be happy that he enjoyed her obvious reactions to his presence. Was it because she hated him, like she'd made very clear in his cell, or was it because she really liked him?
Ino glared at him, catching his train of thought in the way his eyes moved over her body.
"Get over yourself," she snorted. "I'm not twelve years old anymore, and no matter what anyone says, you're still a traitor to Konoha."
Ino then bustled past Sasuke and into her kitchen, effectively cutting off any further attempts at conversation.
Not that Sasuke minded. He simply followed Ino into the kitchen, and sat himself down at the kitchen table. With his head propped up on his arm, he spent the entire time she was preparing something for the two of them to eat staring at her. Watching her in this domestic environment was relaxing, and for a moment he could imagine life like this. Ino making him supper, children coming home from school...
His musings were cut off when Ino slammed a food-filled plate down in front of him and silently sat in her own seat. The single-mindedness with which she was eating did not allow for any conversation. Sasuke wondered how long she could keep this up before she snapped.
It wasn't until she'd cleared the supper dishes, Sasuke's hungry eyes on her the entire time, that she finally deigned to speak to him again.
"I took the liberty of picking up some things for you to wear," Ino said, a trifle sullenly. He had been right – she had known about his fate before hand. "Follow me," she said as she led the way down the hall and opened another door. "You'll sleep here. I'm leaving the room for exactly five minutes. When I get back you better be ready for bed, because that's where you'll be for the rest of the night."
"Why Ino, I didn't know you felt that way," Sasuke said with a leer.
Geez, even when he's insane, he's still an arrogant bastard, Ino thought as she slammed the door on his face.
-_-_-
She entered his room again exactly five minutes later carrying a pair of handcuffs. Not just ordinary handcuffs – those had proven completely useless in the interrogation cell – but super-strong chakra resistant handcuffs. He would probably be able to break them, she mused, but the resulting chakra surge would wake her and alert her of his activities.
Sasuke looked askance at the handcuffs from where he sat at the edge of the bed. His eyebrow was raised, as if to tell her that he didn't know she was into that sort of thing. Ignoring both him and the light blush that covered her cheeks at the thought the blonde handcuffed one of his hands to the bed.
When she'd heard that the Uchiha was going to be living with her, she'd resolved to take no chances. She liked her life, thank-you very much, and she wanted to keep it.
"Just to make sure I'm not murdered in my sleep," Ino reassured him as she stepped away.
"I would never hurt you," Sasuke said quietly, looking at her in that horrible way he had.
Stiffening Ino huffed out of the room, before collapsing into her own bed. She felt like this mission with Sasuke was the equivalent of digging her own grave.
_-_-_
Ino was startled from her reverie when she noticed that the noises had stopped, probably a while ago – and what was that smell?
She had been unable to sleep all night – the terrifying avenger had cried and moaned and whimpered all night long. Ino shuddered – she didn't even want to imagine how horrible his nightmares must have been.
The smell was stronger now, and curious, Ino made her way to the kitchen, glaring at Sasuke's door as she passed it.
Stupid Uchiha, robbing her of her precious sleep.
The sight that greeted her in the kitchen almost made her go into shock. There was Sasuke. In the kitchen. Cooking. And not handcuffed to the bed where she'd left him.
"What are you doing?" Ino asked, terror and anger warring for dominance in her voice.
"I was hungry," Sasuke shrugged.
"B-but I – you were – how?"
"I was hungry," he explained again. "Did you want some?" he offered her a plate.
Half-suspecting it to be poisoned Ino sniffed it curiously. It smelled okay. She waited until Sasuke had begun eating his – the poison theory still seemed likely to her – she hesitatingly raised her fork to her mouth and tried it.
It was – edible. That was about it really. And kind of cardboardy.
"What did you do to it?" Ino asked, shocked. Rubbery eggs she could imagine, but cardboardy?
"Nothing special. Do you like it?" Sasuke's eyes were shining with something akin to pride, and since him gaining confidence was one of the quickest ways to restore his sanity, she decided not to comment. Much.
"Where'd you learn to cook?" she asked, masking her amusement as she tried to stomach the food.
"When I lived – I took care of myself, mostly, while I was away," he said a little more quietly.
"Well, I shouldn't eat anymore, I've got to retain my figure," Ino said, dumping the remains of her food in the garbage, glad that Sasuke didn't know she'd stopped dieting years ago. He finished up and followed her as she headed out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ino asked him, glaring a little.
"With you," he said simply. "You're responsible for me, remember. Leave me alone and I might cause trouble, and it will all be your fault."
"Fine," Ino grumbled. She supposed she ought to let Naruto know he was back – the brat was going to kill her when he found out he was finding out two months after the fact, better not to give him any more motivation.
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