A/N

I've never shipped NaruIno, because they're my brotp but this song totally screamed for them.

NaruIno angst always is the best lol.

[Ino x Naruto] – Lyn | Back In Time

Her back lied against the cold wall, and the girl hugged her knees tightly.

It was painful to remember, for today had been their one year break up anniversary. Ino hated to admit it, but the past year had been hell for her. Naruto had always been the one to bring about a smile on her face and having him absent from her life made it all worse.

She had relied too much on him, perhaps even loved him too much. She had been understanding, hadn't she? He had to go on a long travel with Jiraiya sama and that was the reason they had broken up. It was lonely without the young man and for the first time, Ino had realised how cold the world was. Loneliness was a ritual, she called it, that either break or make you.

In her case, it did neither. It only shattered her.

Tears fell slowly onto her soft cheeks, leaving her emotions in more turmoil. She hugged herself tighter, resting her head now on her knees. She hated nights like these, where endless cries didn't seem to help her feel better at all.

"Ino?" Her mother spoke to her through the closed door. "There's someone here to see you."

The door opened slightly, and her eyes soon rested on a figure. Black and orange, she had noticed the colours through blurry eyes.

"I-Ino?" The person was alarmed at seeing the state she was in. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?!"

"Naruto?" She started rubbing her eyes. Was this a dream? "What are you doing here?"

The young man smiled sheepishly, before slowly walking over to her. He looked her seriously in the eyes before crouching right in front of her.

"I came back." Naruto muttered softly.

"What about your training?"

"Ero-sennin said that I could finish the rest here, in Konoha." He answered.

Ino nodded her head softly. It was difficult to understand the legendary Sannin sometimes, Ino noted.

"He also said never to let the people closest to you go." Naruto added, this time rustling her hair.

He smiled sadly, and his thumb grazed her cheeks lightly.

"Naruto?"

"So I guess we've both been through hell, huh?" He chuckled. "Ino, I'll promise not to let you go ever again."

"Naruto…"

He took her hand this time, bringing it over to his cheeks. "So will you be mine again? Please?"

And that had been the first real smile she smiled in about a year.