Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters they all belong to MASAHI KISHIMOTO and my spelling slash grammar can be way off at times.

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Put a Ring on it

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Every time I thought of you my heart would become excited and race, but today my heart aches of pain when I think of you. There is nothing left to say, I now understand how stupid I was to think… that perhaps one day… but no more because you can fool me once and I can blame you, but if I fall for it a second time I have no one to blame but myself.

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Chapter 15: It's Not A Date

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Hinata sat sipping on her drink as Sakura's and Ino's eyes were all on her and Kurenai sat quietly watching her daughter blush and attempt to blend in, "So are you excited for your date tonight with Shikamaru?" Ino was the bold one and asked first. He had been a good guy just a little slow when it came to being Hinata's boyfriend, but more than likely Ino knows the reason why he wants to talk to her. Still it could be the continuation of something that they had had before; both could pick up where they left off.

Hinata blushed and her eyes got slightly wider "Ino! It's not like that; he probably just wants to talk about the wedding and how you paired us up." Hinata justified making it clear that she was the cause of the encounter they will have.

The blonde waved her hand dismissing that idea, "If that was the case he could have told you right on the spot…" she said.

Sakura nodded in agreement, Hinata shakes her head in denial "That's because I had just woken up and I was in my pj's" she justified once more with a little hidden blush.

Blonde and pinkette both shared a look with a knowing grin, "You know Hinata mom and me had spent a little more time together, right mom." Ino spoke and looked towards her mother who had been watching the three young women interact. "Tell her mom…" Ino said wanting Hinata to hear from her directly.

Kurenai smiled "Shikamaru has never stopped asking about you, and had asked Asuma how you were doing the last time he had seen you… of course he kept it to himself considering you were taken at the time." She said and saw Hinata become slightly shocked at what she was finding out.

"…That's because…" she was slightly stun by this "Because we have been friends for a long while…?" she questioned herself wanting that to be the response to the answer. But was it? Only the genius had the real answer to this and Hinata knew that she was not brave enough to ask at least not anymore, before she could ask him anything now she could barely hold a conversation with him.

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Shikamaru made his way up the elevator ready to meet up with the model that he has not seen in a long time, he wanted to catch up and make sure that after everything they could still be friends. Knowing the beauty she will be real nervous and both were going to be spending a lot of time together for the next few months, it was just one of those things that can't be helped and he doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable if so it will be easier for him to decline to be a part of Ino's wedding than Hinata.

He arrived at the door and rang the bell and immediately he heard muffled voices and rushed steps, clearly Ino was assisting and by that it can only mean that she is making the moon eyed model more nervous. Since he arrived this morning he noticed that she was caught off guard and that is not always a good thing when it comes to Hinata.

She can become intimidated and when that happens she can become a very shy person that will slowly open up if she finds that you are a nice person. But if you can't make her feel comfortable she can become hostel and do all that she can to keep you from hurting her, she is just too intimidated and can't seem to get over it sometimes. But he knows what to expect and how to interact with her, but Hinata right now is a mystery to Shikamaru it's been so long since he has last seen her many things could have changed.

He knows that he is not the same as he had been so why couldn't she have changed as well?

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This is something that a mother never wants to see and Mikoto could not stop herself from blaming herself and her husband, her youngest son was not well. And she had very little doubt that her son was an alcoholic if not boarder line, he had always been rather sensitive wanting his father's approval acknowledgment and acceptance.

And as he grew she noticed her little boy doing his best to become a man, he has had his downs and his ups. And now she wonders if she had not been there enough for him if she could have done more, Mikoto had only ever wanted to give him space and a change to learn his own way giving advice and gathering all the will power not to always want to hold his hand with everything.

He is her baby after all, no matter how old he gets both her sons will forever be her children. And to see Sasuke like this just hurts the most, especially because she could have been a big cause in his state.

He must have not noticed her, he was gazing out the window of his home office the smell of alcohol filled the room. With caution she approached her son "Sasuke…" Mikoto softly said and put her hands on his shoulders and felt him stiffen before he realized who she was because after she saw him brake down in his eyes and cling on to her like he would when he was younger, just like when he was a little boy. She held him "It's okay, honey…" the mother comforted her son and held back the tears that wanted to fall from her own eyes.

"Mother everything… it's too much. I just can't deal with it anymore, I'm sorry I failed!" he sobbed clearly the alcohol was allowing him to finally let it out.

Mikoto wasn't sure what to say or do to solve his problem all she could do was keep holding him and be there for him "No honey you did your best… I'm sorry I should have never asked so much of you." The woman could not hold back any longer and her own tears spilled "I love you and I should have listened to what you wanted, I just want you to be happy." She explained and took his face in her hands and looked him in the eye "I'm sorry that we put you through this for so long…" she said and the tears did not stop, she felt her sons hand wipe them away.

"You believed in me, that I could do this. You don't have anything to be sorry for mother, I failed you all everything is going down again… and I don't know if I can fix it." He told her explaining how the situation was going. Ever since Hinata left he has lost focus in his task.

Mikoto shook her head "That's not true, everything had been lost and with so little you got things back up… Sasuke you are smart and strong, no one could have done what you have." She told him "You should have never had to sacrifice your life, we were selfish. And it was not worth it… I don't know why I… I… there could have been another way." She cried again seeing the damage that has been place in her son and she had been part of it and worst of all she had not sided with him her son, instead took her husband's side. "I failed you… I'm sorry please forgive me Sasuke!" she said pleading him for forgiveness.

Sasuke denied with his head "I don't have anything to forgive, I love you and I would do this all over if you asked me too." He told her and brought her closer into his embrace as she cried into him.

How her little boy has grown, to the point that he is the one who could hold her just as she had done so once upon a time that is so far back now even if it doesn't feel like its been that long.

Chocolate brown eyes with long curly hair saw what had just happened, and envied Sasuke's mother how she was able to have him open up to her. Tenten has spent years with him and made no progress, not when she wanted to be the perfect wife for him and not now that she wishes to be friends with him.

She understands that he was just not for her and knows that her obsession is why they are both here now, she really wants to help him now there is no catch but he still pushes her away and she doesn't know what to do. True she accepts that he will never love her, but her feelings for him are still there and it hurts her to see him like this. If it was up to her she would have freed him of this, if being by her side was like a punishment she would let him go and be happy elsewhere, even if it was not real he had made her happy for a while in a way.

She left the two and walked off to her room, removing her shoes at the entrance and just threw herself on her bed. "Will I ever have that? Could I ever make anyone happy?" she wondered out loud in a whisper with a few tears running down, the sound of a chime was heard and she found the source was her phone a message and that brought a small smile to her face once she read the name of the person on the other side.

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Hinata and Shikamaru walked down the street the sound of the females laughter was something that made the genius realize that she has changed very little. It made things feel like when they were younger and both shared their dreams with one another and with how things were going he felt like she was comfortable enough with him.

He had missed spending time with her; Hinata was always helping him relax when he was too isolated in his studies.

"Hinata, you've never told me how things have gone for you these past few months?" Shikamaru asked his ex-girlfriend, he was genuinely curious as to how her few months off traveling have gone.

They entered a café and sat outside, "It's been different… I just never thought of myself as a beauty queen you know?" she answered with a small blush.

Shikamaru smirked when he noticed the pink shade taking over her cheeks "You're good though, you're beautiful smart and talented." He told her looking directly into her moon like orbs "You will get far in whatever you decide to do." Shikamaru told her with much sincerity.

His answer brought a smile to her face, this is why they had become friends in the first place; Shikamaru was so supportive and never judged or try to talk her out of anything that would help her go far in her career or anything really. She giggled "You're a real nice guy you know."

He let out a laugh of his own with a shrug "What can I say, I'm more than just a pretty face." He told her and that made her giggle even more. That was something that he would do that would guarantee a happy and playful Hinata, it was just one of the perks of knowing her for so long.

After they had a bite to eat both ex-lovers continued their walk filled with new questions but same old habits of answering one another. And before they both knew it was late and both were at Hinata's doorstep in a tight embrace, "Good night Hinata, I'll see you during the rehearsal." He told her

Hinata smiled as they began to release one another "It was nice to spend time with you again, good night." she told him with a smile and before she realized it Shikamaru gave her a soft kiss on her lips; it had been quick and had surprised her.

Hinata entered her home and was greeted with a smiling Ino and her fiancé, "Did you have a good time?" Ino asked showing off her pearly whites.

Hinata looked away slightly "Ino did you follow us?" she said jokingly hoping the conversation would go in a different direction.

"She was peeking through the window when you left and peak hole on the door just now." The male in the room said giving his future sister in law a chance.

Her fiancé's comment silenced the blonde's laughter but did not stop her teasing "Come on Gaara you know you want to know how Hinata's date went." She said with a wink directed at the center of attention.

"I've told you already it's not a date…" she defended herself and sat on the couch joining Ino's fiancé who was looking over some documents for the wedding, and handed a few to Hinata to look over as well.

Ino walked back to the two "Gaara how does a date end?" she asked with her hands on her waist.

He did not look up and continued to focus on a few pictures of appetizers "Usually in some intimate way…" he said and took a pen to circle a few things that he liked and then wrote some notes on the tablet that he had near him.

"And what were you two just doing…" Ino asked her sister, hand behind her ear waiting for Hinata to admit that there was something going on with the two of them.

"We are just friends Ino, I have no idea what you are getting at or are trying to imply…" she said and then found something interesting on a page "Ooh look at this one." She told Gaara and handed him the page pointing out a meal that looked delicious.

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"It feels good to be home don't you think?" the female asked the man in her bed, circling his chest with her fingertips.

He played with Mabui's long silver hair "Yeah… you know you were right." Jiraiya told her and kissed her head taking in the intoxicating smell of the woman.

The exotic beauty smiled and sat up a bit "When have I ever been wrong?" she questioned and then laid back down snuggling "But I always knew that I would need you to keep me company now that I didn't get to be with you as much… and when you enter Hinata into the next event you will be above the rest, she is a winner you know." She told him and kissed his chest "All I want is to help you." She told him.

"You don't have to repay the favor." He told her acting like he thought that she wanted to repay him for helping her land her job as an anchor woman and now as the host for the next biggest beauty pageant that will rival the crowing for Miss. Universe. But in order to enter the contestants will have to have won other pageants have sponsors with pervious industrial experience. If Hinata could get into the finalist she would become world known and he could expand as coordinator and photographer of events, right now he is amongst the best but if you have the chance to move up and become higher than the best who would not give it a shot?

Though Mabui was not referring to that, she was talking about the woman who haunts his past… why can't he let go? All is fair in love and war… he had lost at love with Tsunade, he is not about to go two for two and lose the war. The advantage that he has is that she doesn't suspect a thing.

"It doesn't matter, I want to. With anything that you want me to." She kissed him again "You can trust me."

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A/N: Short chapter I know, but technically the last chapter was supposed to one and then half and this was the other half. If that makes any sense? I'm not sure if this was a date or not it could have been, we'll have to wait and see.