RECAP: Gaaras family leaves and what not,
Naruto and Gaara were walking back to their apartment from sending of Temari, Kankuro and Matsuri when they ran into Sakura and Sasuke, out buying groceries. Sakura saw them and ran up to say hi.
"HEY! Where have you guys been?"
"The family was over."
Naruto leaned over to give Sakura a hug, he could feel the swell in her belly and it made him smile. Still in the hug he met Sasuke's eyes and they smiled at each other. They talked for a while then went to their respective houses. Naruto took Gaara's hand and started talking.
"Gaara?"
"Yeah?"
"You know I love you right?"
"Of course. Why do ask?"
"Just making sure."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Naruto turned to kiss Gaara. They kept walking an eventually ran into Shikamaru. Naruto ran up to him.
"Hey! Where're you goin'?"
"Uh-the bar."
"It's only 4:30 though."
"Oh...well it's almost 5."
"...Anyway I hear you and Temari are quite the pair."
"...No...whoever told you heard wrong."
"I heard it from Temari. Did something happen?"
"Nothing much...I thought it was going great...she said she couldn't deal with a long distance relationship."
"Oh...I'm sorry. She's coming back in like a week or so. You can sort this out then-"
"There's nothing to sort out! She doesn't want to see me anymore!"
"Don't yell at me! From the way she talked about you I'm positive she doesn't mean that...there has to be another reason."
Naruto turned to Gaara who seemed very lost. Naruto wasn't even sure he knew about her and Shikamaru as in depth as the rest of them. He turned his focus back to Shikamaru.
"Naruto...you didn't hear the way she told me. It's different."
"Not it's not! You'll see. In one week you'll see."
"Whatever. Even if this was fixable, I don't need you to fix it for me."
Shikamaru walked off. Naruto was so flustered. He could fix this, he could. He turned to Gaara, Gaara noticed Naruto was tearing up, he figured it was from the frustration. Naruto hoped Gaara thought he was tearing up out of frustration, what Shikamaru had said hurt. Normally it wouldn't have made him this upset but anything coming from Shikamaru carried a lot of weight with everyone in the village. Gaara hugged Naruto tightly and put one hand on the back of his head. Naruto wasn't crying his eyes were just tearing up. Gaara was trying to calm him down and it was working. Naruto pulled off of him.
"You OK?"
"Yeah...sorry I just...this can be sorted out...it should be, they both love each other."
"That might be a little strong. I mean they've been on two dates. To say they're in love is a little-"
"Gaara, if they aren't now they will be soon."
"You never know."
"Think of it this way, would you rather have Temari fall in love with someone like Shikamaru or someone like-well really Shikamaru is the epitome of 'good guy'."
"But I'm just saying she's a little young for all that-"
"You know she's your older sister right? I mean you're much younger and you and I are in love. Why wouldn't she be?"
"She's my sister. It's weird."
"You're so cute. Let's go home. I'm pretty tired."
Naruto kissed Gaara and they walked home.
MEANWHILE
Shikamaru was on his way to the bar. He was mulling over what Temari had said to him, hoping Naruto was right about her still wanting to be with him. His mind drifted and he got to the bar much faster than he thought. He walked in and sat down on a stool. Not long after Ino came in and sat next to him.
"Hey."
"Oh Ino, what are you doin' here?"
"Same as you."
Ino ordered herself a pretty strong drink and some other concoction for Shikamaru who had no idea what it was, he just knew it was strong.
"So why are you here?"
"Temari left."
"But she's coming back in like a week right? That's what Lady Tsunade said."
"It doesn't matter. She said she didn't want to see me anymore. She doesn't want anything long distant."
"Oh...I'm sorry...I of all people know about rejection so I know you'll get over it."
"So why are you here Ino?"
"Just having a drink. Is that a crime?"
"No, I was just wondering if this is how you deal with your rejection."
"Wow. That was uncalled for."
"I know...she didn't even want to try and make it work."
"Did you ever think she's thinking of where this'll end up."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she's the oldest, she has to look out for her little brothers. Unless Kankuro moves here she really can't leave the Sand. She just can't. I think she thinks you wouldn't want to move to the Sand. Hence the 'no long-distance' thing."
"Why would she assume that. And Kankuro and Gaara can take care of themselves."
Ino muttered something under her breath and rolled her eyes at Shikamaru.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You said something."
"...I just think you're being a little selfish. I mean she gave you up because she knows you can't go with her but she has to go. She broke it off because even if you could handle long distance, someone is going to have to switch villages and it can't be her or you. I'm almost positive breaking it off with you was the last thing she wanted to do. So quit acting like such a baby."
Ino ordered herself her third drink, Shikamaru was still working on his second.
"So what now?"
"Talk to her next week. Figure something out. Not just what your heart wants or what makes your soul happy and all that crap, do what's best for everyone."
"Ino...I'm sorry..."
"For what?"
"It just seems like, well I don't really know how to say it but, it seems like your love life...sucks..."
"I know. Eh, what time is it?"
"6."
"OH! Is so early."
"Ino?"
"I'm sorry I'm sorry. This stuff hids me like a ton a bricks."
Shikamaru took a huge gulp of his own drink, emptying it, and ordered another. Shikamaru could feel himself getting drunk, although Ino's drink was much stronger than his she was less drunk than him. The two of them kept drinking like this for a few more hours until they were both unable to walk straight and laughing at everything.
"Sika I godda go home."
"I'll wog you."
They left the bar using eachother to steady themselves. It took them a while to find it. They walked up to the door and Ino fumbled around looking for the spare. Shikamaru laughed and helped her look. He found it a few minutes later. Shikamaru and Ino were cracking up as they tried to unlock the door. When he finally did he fell nto Ino's apartment floor and laughed at himself some more. Ino tried to walk in but tripped on Shikamaru and fell too, leaving the door wide open.
"You tipped me."
"No. Your door tid it, ha."
"Ba ha ha. You're fuddy."
"Ha ha."
Ino's head started to clear, she seemed to have grown a very good immunity to all of those drinks, the drunken high would only last her as long as she kept drinking. Shikamaru however was still incredible drunk. He tried to prop himself up on his elbows but failed miserably and laughed at himself. Ino was laughing at him too. She was also watching the way the moonlight hit him. She then recognized what she was thinking and tried to force it out of her head, but she couldn't stop staring. Shikamaru started saying something he thought was hilarious, Ino ignored it. She leaned over and kissed him, he tasted very strongly of whatever he'd been drinking. He was drunk enough that he only registered Ino's blond hair and assumed it was Temari, and kissed her back. After a while Shikamaru's memory started working again and he realized who he was kissing and immediately stopped. He looked at Ino, almost to make sure it was her. He sat up, a little too fast making his head hurt. Ino was hoping this wouldn't happen but wasn't surprised that it had. She sat up next to him.
"Shika?"
"I-Ino?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Did I just kiss you? Where's Temari?"
"Uh...in the sand...I kissed you...not her..."
"What? B-but you're not even drunk!"
She started running her hand across his shoulders. Shikamaru was completely sober by now, mainly because of everything that was happening, otherwise he'd still be very much drunk.
"Shika...I thought this was OK."
Shikamaru jerked himself away from Ino's hand.
"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU THINK THAT?"
"B-because Temari-"
"Weren't you the one who said she still wants to be with me?"
"But she can't! I also said that, looks like you conveniently forgot that part."
"Ino..."
"What?"
"What does that mean?"
"What does what mean?"
"The fact that, even though you're not drunk, you wanted to kiss me."
"Nothing! You are so conceited! Not everyone is in love with you."
"Then what was that about?"
"It really doesn't matter who it is, this time it just happened to be you."
"So you go home with random guys you meet at the bar?"
"I do not! It never goes beyond a kiss, and they never come back here..."
Shikamaru stood up as dramatically as he could, his mind was clear but his body was acting like he was drunk. Ino held out her hand to be helped up but he ignored it.
"Shika I-"
"Just shut up! I-I can't believe you Ino. You're pathetic!"
"Shika..."
"God, I mean it's one thing to kiss me, not saying that kissing me was minor, I'm gonna be pissed about that for a while, but it's another thing to go around making out with strangers you meet at the bar. And judging by how much you drink, I'm sure that it's gone way beyond a kiss before, maybe without you knowing it."
Ino stood up a little behind Shikamaru who was facing the gaping door. She was basically yelling to the back of his head but she didn't care.
"Damn it Shikamaru! Why are you always the victim? Listen to yourself talk about my awful life. You haven't even thought about why I do it, all you care about is the fact that I kissed you and that could get back to Temari-"
Shikamaru turned his head to her, it scared her and made her stop her yelling.
"It's not going to get back to Temari right?"
Ino started crying a little out of frustration, she couldn't get through to Shikamaru.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It's not always about you Shikamaru!"
"Well I can't be sure but I'm pretty sure you kissed ME! I think that's about me isn't Ino!"
"Shika...just listen, I don't just go out and drink for no reason. No one does. You didn't. I go out almost every night."
"It's because of Sasuke. I know."
"Partially. The thing is I only ever had a crush on Sasuke, but the guy I love-"
"It's not me."
"Yes it is."
"WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS NOW INO?"
"I WANTED YOU TO HEAR IT."
"TO BE A BITCH? YOU KNOW I LOVE TEMARI."
"Shika...leave..."
"This better not get back to Temari."
Shikamaru was walking down Ino's walkway to the street, Ino was trying to find something to say.
"MAYBE IT WILL YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!"
"WHORE!"
Ino slammed the door and sobbed, she went to the kitchen and made herself a few drinks. Not too long after she vomited her guts out and went to bed. Shikamaru wasn't drunk anymore, it was pretty late and he was walking back to his house. He was still very mad at Ino but he wished he hadn't called her names. He made it to his house a few minutes later and went to bed as soon as he got there. His head was throbbing and his mind was racing but he forced himself to sleep.
THE NEXT CHAPTER MARKS THE NEXT DAY
BOTTOM NOTE: Hello, I have really not much to say on this chapter but ya know I had to deal with Ino some how she can't just be there for a chapter or two and never come up again I mean she didn't leave happy so I can't just forget about her yet BOTTOM NOTE OVER AND OUT