Hi! I took like, a long time off from writing, so I'm a little rusty. This is my first writing attempt since then, so bare with me! This will be a multi-chapter story, staying fairly close to canon and eventually going to the timeskip to Boruto. There's two directions I'm considering going at that point but I haven't decided which to use...oh well :P we'll cross that bridge together when we get there!

enjoy and pls feel free to critique!

One.

The rocks against her window tore her from her book she'd barely just gotten herself sunk into after settling into bed.

Plink.

She looked over to her right, toward the darkness in the window. The tree out front was barely visible from the streetlight. Her room, only softly lit from the star shaped lamp on her nightstand, cast a vague reflection blocking her view. Her room was on the second story, but she didn't see anyone on the awning under her window. Maybe an insect had flown into it by mistake, or some kids were out late causing trouble. It wasn't often, but it did happen occasionally in the Leaf Village.

Still, her heart paused as she continued to watch for any sign that it was who she wanted it to be.

Plink. PLINK.

Ino's heart resumed, fluttering down to her stomach. She knew what three taps meant. Sighing a warm sigh of relief, she dog eared her spot and laid her book down on her nightstand, her reading glasses atop it. She was beginning to worry he wouldn't come after all this time she'd been away. But he always did. After every mission, and most days between, since they were teamed up together in the academy, he always showed up for her.

Just having showered, her room smelled of apricots; her scented lotion of the month. Ino took great care of herself, putting in quite a bit of effort to look and smell as amazing as humanly possible. If her effort weren't for herself, then for the person throwing stones at her window this late at night.

Using the quietest steps she could manage, she tip toed from her bed, always cautious not to wake her parents, but she was a pro by now. This song and dance had been done so many times, she almost never worried of being caught. Slowly and silently, she undid the release locks on her windows and slid it open. Cool air from the night rushed it, tingling her skin. As her eyes adjusted, she propped herself up on her elbows, peering down below her. She bit her lip in excitement, waiting for him to come into view.

There he stood, clinging to the shadows as always, per his birthright. He always tended to hang around them, even if there was no need or danger around. But as she squinted, he stepped back, his heels crushing rocks beneath them. Barely illuminated by the streetlight, he raised a hand to the back of his neck, shyly bringing it to a wave. She could barely make out a shy smile spread across his face. Ooooh, he's nervous, she thought. I love that for me.

Ino had been away for eight months from the village and they'd both been dying without the other. The long times they sometime had to spend apart on missions was the worst part of being a shinobi in both their eyes, but this trip had been the longest by far. This amount of time apart was torture. Throughout their lives, they were the rock for the other, an anchoring point, two souls intertwined and bonded forever. It mainly came from their namesakes tradition, but they went beyond. They were more than comrades, they were in love.

They were unsure if it was by destiny or design that they happened to be paired together, happened to have that training exercise that led to their first kiss, but neither cared. In their eyes, they were made for each other; where she was overbearing at times, Shikamaru often remained level headed. She was outspoken, while he preferred to escape into his mind to solve problems. And their jutsus; one over the mind, the other over the body. They seemed to compliment and contrast each other in every way. She was his sun, he was her moon.

Shikamaru's heart skipped a beat seeing her and her platinum blond hair hang from the window, watching him patiently. He'd been counting down the days until he saw this sight again. Without her around, he fell into a slump, having nothing to look forward to, no one to confide in. All he desired was to end his day talking about it with Ino, making love to her or simply being in her presence. He wanted to jump immediately at her, enter, and let his mind wander off to the many things he could do…but he was a gentleman, mostly from laziness and the training from his mother. He always gave her control, something he knew she loved.

Well, gave her control in certain contexts.

He waited for her signal: curling her finger for him to come, and like a dog, as soon as she stepped back from the sill, he rocked himself back on his heels and launched himself onto the roof awning directly in front of her window. She was there again, looking at him with those eyes. The pools of blue that he wished he could climb into and float in for the rest of his life. To peacefully lay atop those waters, gazing at the clouds, falling into a serene sleep…He would drown in those water if it meant he could stay there forever.

They both stood there, smiling and taking in the sight of each other for a moment. Butterflies swarmed in both their stomachs and they both seemed to be savoring the moment. It had been so long, neither wanted to rush tonight.

But eight months is a long time.

Before he knew it, Ino had her hands around the collar of his vest and pulled him forward into a deep kiss. Their lips smoothed together, fitting perfectly as always, and he melted into it. It had been so long since their lips had met, it was almost overwhelming. Instantly, his heart began to race inside his chest, the beating echoing all the way up to the lobes of his ears. He felt the surge down to his knees, which almost buckled, but he held steady and wrapped his hands around her face, pulling her towards him ever so slightly.

Her smell, her taste, the softness of her skin—it drove him insane.

"I missed you so much," she said against him, softly biting his bottom lip. A smile spread across her face, although her lips never stopped.

Still keeping their lips together, Shikamaru moved his hands from her face to the window frame, pushing against her now, hinting for her to move. As she took a step back, he lifted his feet to the bottom sill, slowly climbing into her room. Her décor was not to his taste, very girlie, with purples, lilacs and light pinks everywhere. The room was adorned with flowers and various other plants she'd taken from her family's flower shop. Below them, soft, plush beige carpet that somehow never got worn welcome his tired feet. It was all a stark contrast to his own room. But he still loved being here, almost more than anywhere else. It meant they could finally be alone, together.

His hands found their way to frame her face again and pulled it back, looking down at her. She was a little shorter than him, but he thought it was cute. She acted like she hated it, but it meant they fit together like puzzle pieces. If there's one thing Shikamaru enjoyed, it was when pieces came together, and this only fueled his belief that they were meant to be.

Ino blinked a few times, searching his face for a reason he had pulled back. His eyes were locked on hers, gazing into the ocean in her iris'. The look on his face said what he didn't: I missed you more.

Instead, he unzipped his shinobi vest, shrugging it off to the ground and said, "Show me," as he started on his sandals next.

The open window let in a breeze strong enough to give her cold chills. Noticing her goosebumps, Shikamaru lifted her comforter over her shoulder and tucked it in place, keeping his hand there to secure it. She snuggled in closer to him, her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her, another back behind his head. The warmth they created together was comforting, but he wasn't the least bit tired now. He stared at her ceiling fan for a while, watching it slowly turn over and over. She had a habit of waiting until she went to sleep to turn it up, and he just knew she occasionally fell asleep before she could, woke up sweating and mad about it. He knew her all too well.

But when Ino looked up at him, his eyes were closed. His breathing was slow and even, serene in a way, like he was already deep in a dream. "Shika," she whispered, lightly poking his sternum. Only she was allowed to call him that. "Are you asleep?"

Sighing, he adjusted his head, allowing it to crack a bit. "No. Just thinking."

In a way, she was disappointed. He'd only slept over a few times, and although getting him out of the house in the morning without being seen was risky, borderline impossible, those occasional sleepovers were the best nights of sleep she'd ever gotten. If he was still awake, it meant he didn't plan to stay the night. The thought of him leaving already sent a pang through her chest, making it feel heavy. "What're you thinking about?"

He was silent for a moment. He almost always paused before a reply, thinking his wording options through before speaking. Always cautious and overthinking everything. "A few things."

She could tell something was bothering him by how vague he was being. "Like what? You're not yourself when your mind is clouded."

She was right, of course. Ino knew him like a book; if his mind became fogged with unanswered questions, worries or problems he couldn't solve, he did act different. Detached, withdrawn into his mind almost, like he couldn't find his way out. It was during these times he would sink down, pair the tips of his fingers together in a circle, close his eyes and think as deeply as possible. But his right hand remained on her shoulder, so he wasn't at that point yet at least.

The pause this time was much longer. This was not a good sign, it meant he was thinking more deeply, probably on how to dance around what he was truly thinking about. But if he did that, surely, she would see through it. This is going to be a pain, he thought. I wish she wasn't so observant…I didn't want to talk about this. Not now.

Shikamaru bit his lip, chewing it for a moment, considering his options. "Just…us. Our families, you being away for so long—"

"I told you, Shika, I can't—I can't talk about the mission," she interjected before he could finish.

"—Temari…"

Ino immediately sat up, wriggling out from his arm and glared down at him. Within a moment of the name leaving his tongue, her blood was boiling. She almost couldn't believe he'd say that name, the name he knew not only irked but also hurt her, at a time like this. After being together for the first time in nearly a year, naked and in her bed, the last thing she wanted to hear or think about was that dreaded girl. "Do you really have to mention her right now?"

Here it comes, I knew it. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, moving his now free arm up behind his head as well, his fingers fitting together to form a makeshift pillow under his skull. He stretched his entire body, groaning slightly. He'd been training all day and came straight to her home, so his bones and muscles hadn't had a chance to relax until now, just as she was making him tense again. "You asked, would you prefer I lie?" His eyes flickered to her, already knowing the answer. They kept no secrets, told no lies. Although sometimes, he wished he could in order to avoid moments like this. Hurting her hurt him, and angering her just annoyed him. "I mean, we are technically dating."

"Ugh!" In a moment of disgust, Ino grabbed the covers and bunched them up around her chest, scooting back against her wall, no longer close to him. Thanks to her father spoiling her, she was one of the few non-adults in the village to have their own queen sized bed. It was perfect for their visits, and also for providing enough room to create distance between them. They'd made so many memories in this bed, in all forms of intimacy imaginable. Never before had he said her name while between her sheets, or after making love to her. The very mention of her name was like daggers to her heart. She hated this. This entire situation was fucked.

He lazily rolled onto his side to face her, propping himself up with a hand to his cheek. The hand smushed his cheek slightly, causing one eye to squint more than the other. His eyes half closed, still relaxed from the high, he plopped a hand on her thigh and rubbed it shyly. "Ino, don't be like that. You know it's for appearances only, my father pushed me to do it since…"

He didn't need nor want to finish that sentence. Since he told me we could never be together, he said in his head. He'd already told her once and hated the look in her eyes after. That was what he wanted to avoid doing tonight.

"Is that why you're thinking of our families?" She brought her knees up close to her chest, her bell-like voice now soft and small. The wound from being denied a blessing from both their fathers was still deep and fresh, and she wanted to shrink into herself to minimize the pain of him reminding her of it.

"Ino…"

"Is it?" She pressed. Her nosey nature still never failed to get on his nerves. But no matter how annoying she was, he still loved her. And he was too afraid of her to ever say it to her face. The reaction she would have alone was enough to fill him with dread. How Sasuke ever said that to Sakura was beyond him, let alone how she let him live afterwards.

"Do we really have to do this right now?" His tone flattened to his usual self, giving away too much. Unfortunately, he didn't pause to think before speaking that time. Oh no, he groaned internally, already letting out a sigh.

"Do what?" Ino thought a moment, her words slow. This time, she thought before speaking and something clicked. "Something happened while I was gone, didn't it? You have something to tell me." Her voice broke at the end, but it was still sharp, accusatory. She swallowed the emotion, shoving it down deep, letting it sit as a lump in her throat. Not now, she thought. Maybe it's not bad.

Shikamaru closed his eyes for a few seconds before looking intently at her, almost apologetically. It startled her, it was rare he ever showed her that expression before something happened. It is bad, she thought as the lump slowly made its way back up.

He didn't want to say it, but he was damned if he did, damned if he didn't now. Without telling her, her mood would be ruined, she'd get mad and argue or even kick him out. All of which he wanted to avoid. There was no way to bring is up to her without it causing her some form of pain. Better rip the band aid off now. "I talked to our fathers again. About us."

"This again?" Shikaku rolled his eyes at his son.

"Yes, again. And again, and again until you—"

Inoichi crossed his arms, stepping forward. "I love my daughter more than life itself. If it would make her happy, I would gladly lay down and die for her. Giving her every happiness she desires has always been my goal as a father."

Shikamaru perked up at his words, his heart swelling with hope. He knew having her father present might be a good idea. There was hardly anything Inoichi didn't indulge his daughter in, she really didn't know what the meaning of "no" meant, often to Shikamaru's dismay. But there was something…off about his words. The hope quickly deflated from him like hot air from a balloon.

"But this…" Inoichi closed his eyes, his lips forming a thin line. "This blessing, I cannot give her, even if I wanted to. You two cannot be together."

"What?" Shikamaru grit his teeth together. "Why!? Why do you two oppose this so much? Does us being together offend you somehow?" His hands were balled into tight fists at his side, he hadn't noticed until his nails dug into his palms.

"You fool," his father barked out. "Do you know nothing? I thought you were smarter of this. It seems your emotions have clouded your judgement far worse than I assumed. You two are part of the 16th generation of Ino-Shika-Cho."

"I don't give a damn about that stupid tradition. This goes beyond comradery!"

"There's more than that. Listen to your father."

Shikaku leaned against the wall, glaring his son down. "The team tradition aside, our families possess very secret and coveted jutsus, along with other family secrets. They are meant to stay within our clan. If our bloodlines were to cross, the offspring would be too powerful. Our two jutsus would mix, giving any children not only them, but the possibility of unknown jutsus that would be impossible to combat or control. Our secrets would also be at risk, and that's a risk we cannot take."

Shikamaru paused, his mouth agape. Regaining his composure, his brow came together as he shot his father back a piercing stare. "Let me get this straight. So, because of our theoretical children, and our clan secrets, we can't be in love? We can't be together?"

"Correct," Inoichi nodded. "Listen, I understand Ino is a pretty girl. She's headstrong, outspoken and unapologetic. It's natural for a Nara man to be drawn to her—your father married the same type. But our families formed this team alliance to prevent this very thing from happening. It simply cannot be."

"Oh, this is bullshit."

His father stepped to him, looking down on him from the small height advantage he had, and met his eyes. "No, son. What's bullshit is you refusing to listen to your elder on this. You two are forbidden from being together. You will not get our blessing. You will never marry her, never give her children. And if you think for a moment, you'll just wait for us to die—oh, you're sorely mistaken. This goes all the way up to the Hokage."

This caused Shikamaru to take a step back. "What?!"

"That's right, boy. Our families have not only an agreement with each other, but with the entire Hidden Leaf. The village itself forbade it; they knew if a Nara, Yamanaka or Akamichi were to marry, it could be catastrophic, especially the former two. Every Hokage is briefed that our clans can never mesh. That's why I've got you with Temari now. She's a good match for you, a lot like Ino in some ways. She'll make a good wife to keep you in check. Get over it."

Inoichi shot Shikaku a glare before turning to Shikamaru. He did feel bad for them both, and felt his former partner was being a bit hard on the boy, but he wasn't his son. The kid was actually speechless, his eyes now staring ahead, through his father, the walls, the building. His hands were shaking. Seeing this, he approached the teen, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru. I know you love each other very much, but this will not change the answer. Love is simply not enough."

Now it was Ino who sat silently, her eyes unfocused from shock. They'd both talked to their respective fathers before and been given a firm no before, but never this explanation. It never went this deep. This was a secret of their clans kept even from them; when did they even plan on telling them? Shouldn't they have mentioned it from the start? Would it have even changed anything? Tears welled up in her eyes, her cheeks felt hot, and static formed in her throat from the surge of emotions. Her mind had so many thoughts at once, she couldn't even hear herself think anymore. In frustration, her hands tightened around the covers until her knuckles turned white.

There was no hope then. Their plan B was to wait until their fathers had passed if they refused to bless their union, but if the entire village and its leader would still refuse them…

"Ino," he said, quickly sitting up and scooting over to her, embracing her. His voice pulled her back from the mental cliff she stood on. As he held her, she didn't move at all. Shikamaru knew no reaction from Ino was a bad reaction. She was always quick and willing to share her thoughts, talk through whatever she was feeling. Why didn't I lie? I'm such an idiot, he scolded himself. I knew this would hurt her. I should have waited.

Eventually, her hands released the blankets and fell down by her side. The tears in her eyes had long since breached her waterline and rolled hastily down her cheeks, but she made no sound, no crying motions. These tears came from deep within her heart, the seams of which she felt come undone. Her body did not need to heave to bring forth this sorrow, it fell from her willingly. All of what she went through…was for nothing.

All of it.

Nothing.

"Ino, say something, please. I hate when you're silent like this." It's eerie, and usually means trouble. Still, she didn't move or respond. "Ino!" He kept his voice still a whisper to not alert her parents, but he became desperate, more forceful, shaking her gently.

When her head steadied back from the rocking, her lips parted a tiny bit. "…all for…" Her voice was so light, even she could barely hear herself speak.

"What?"

She grabbed his arm that he had across her with both hands, gripping hard enough to cut off his circulation. It wasn't even intentional; her body felt numb, there was no way to gauge how much strength she was using. It almost felt like the movement wasn't her own. Her voice was still choked up when she spoke. "What is this all for, then? Shika…what are we doing?"

He pulled back a little. "What do you mean?"

She turned to look at him, her tears still falling without effort. Those blue pools were spilling over, and it broke his heart. But the pain in hers right now was something he couldn't even begin to fathom. It felt as if the room around them was spinning, melting away. "This is all for nothing. We can't be together. What is the point if we can't end up with each other? What are we doing?"

"Wh—what? We're being together, Ino."

Ino shook her head, slinging a few tears farther down her face, landing on her lips. She licked them, taking in some of the skin from her lips to keep herself from shouting. The saltiness sat on her tongue. "That's not what I mean!" Her voice was a whispering hiss at him. "Why are we together if we can't be together?"

"Hey," Shikamaru took her chin in his hand and brought her face back up to his, planting several kisses on her lips, tasting the salt. "I don't give a shit what they say, okay? We're always going to be together. I choose you, not what bullshit our ancestors decided on the fly. There's no way they can know for sure anything bad will happen."

"The village—"

Shikamaru scoffed at the notion that the entirety of the Leaf Village could keep him from her. "So what? We'll move. We can immigrate to any village in the world. We'll go to the very edge of the Earth Country if we have to. Nobody will know who we are, and if they do, we'll change our names. Okay?"

Now quiet sobs erupted from her, and she yanked her head from his grasp, burying her face in his chest. The thought of never seeing her parents, her friends, anything she loved again sent her over the edge. Doing all this work to become the best ninja possible to be thrown out the window. But Shikamaru, this love, this need to be with him, was worth tossing it away, right? Wasn't that the right choice, doesn't love always win? The broken seams of her heart overflowed with anxiety and sadness she could no longer hold back. This was a side she had only ever showed to Shikamaru, and vice versa, so she felt no shame in allowing her emotions to overtake her. "Our fathers—f-families—Hokage—Temari—" her choked sobs were barely audible from her sniffling.

"Fuck Temari. She's a placeholder to appease my old man, and to hell with the rest of them. Hey, I love you, Ino. I love you. Look at me," he grabbed her chin now, holding it in place to make sure he was listening. "I love you so much. All I want is to be with you. Don't you want that?" Using the sheet, he dabbed her eyes and cheeks free of the tears that refused to stop staining her face.

She nodded. Of course she did, that's all she ever wanted besides being a ninja. She dreamed of being able to be together in public, on actual dates, showing PDA, being able to have official labels, plan for the future. No more secrecy, hiding, sneaking. She longed for Shikamaru to be proud of her, to show her off, to plant a big kiss on her during a mission for good luck. The raging jealousy she felt of those that were able to easily be together left claw marks on her aching heart. "Of course I do."

"Do you love me?" He kissed her again, more desperate this time than before. She'd never seen or heard him like this before, despite their many raw moments together through the years. Desperation wasn't common for him.

"More than anything, Shika." Her voice trembled, despite her effort to say the words as confidently as she could. It was important to her for him to know she meant it.

His kisses became more fierce, harder. His lips moved more quickly than earlier. It felt as though his desire for her and anxiety of not being able to be with her, not being able to quell her sorrow were comingling in his heart. The beating organ didn't know what to do as it sped along, sending mixed signals every which way. He felt out of sorts, all over the place, as his mind receded into a light fog.

His mind and heart made a split decision, sending blood pumping wildly. Without breaking, he moved to sit up on his knees, hunched over before her, bringing the covers with him. "Show me again," his voice was more of a beg. "Let me show you too."

All she could do was nod, wrap her hands around his neck and bring their bodies together. He removed the sheets that were covering her body, moved between her legs and ran a hand from the side of her breasts down to her hips. His hand grazing the sensitive area between her hips caused her to buck and rub against him as he grew. Electricity was left in the wake of his hands as they trailed around every curvature of her body.

Feeling this, she ran her tongue along the length of his bottom lip, asking permission to enter. He responded in kind, and they intwined like snakes in an embrace. The sensation caused her to throb and she moved her hips more against him, spreading her wetness along the length of his shaft.

Shikamaru moaned into her mouth. The desire in him was becoming unbearable, her soft skin beckoning him to run his lips down every inch. He ran a hand down her, going farther this time. He spread her lips apart, tracing her with his middle finger. Wetness coated his fingers, gliding smoothly around her core. He felt his heartbeat everywhere in response, sending heat from his chest all the way down to his feet. Finally, he settled at the top, eagerly starting to move his hand back and forth, up and down, around and around.

In turn, her opposite hand trailed from his neck down his toned body, over his happy trail and around him, feeling a familiar hotness in her palm. Shikamaru twitched in her hand as her thumb grazed the head, softly moving in a circle and using his pre to glide smoothly before wrapping her hand around and slowly starting to stroke, positioning her hand in just the way he liked.

His motions were immaculate; he saw women like a puzzle, and this was just another he learned to solve. After years of practice, he knew the exact code for Ino, the perfect sequence to make her melt in his hand like chocolate. He memorized it and executed it perfectly every time, putting her pleasure before his own. Her breath was quickening and he felt her cheeks grow hot.

He knew not to waste anymore time. The hand that he was using on Ino found it's way on top of hers that was still stroking him and together they guided him to her entrance. Without hesitation, he thrust forward into her, causing her to let out a low moan, but he didn't stop or slow—her sound only increasing his need for her to intolerable levels. He moved in and out of her quickly, not slow and loving like before. He wanted to feel her love in its entirety; hard, fast, intense. He did not want to make love to her this time, he wanted to fuck some sense into her.

Using his mouth, he stifled her moaning with his own between kisses. She was so wet, rhythmically throbbing all around him. The cushiony warmth sent his head spinning, numbing his mind from the spiraling from earlier. He craved this feeling—every bit of it—and needed it more than ever. His pace quickened, he could tell they were both close. Ino tried to make a sound, but before she could get it out, he replaced his mouth with his hand.

"Keep your eyes on me," he whispered, his voice soaked with lust. She had a habit of closing them or looking down to watch, but he wanted her to watch him. He wanted to gaze into those ocean eyes the moment he was sent into oblivion. "I want you to cum for me when I say, okay?"

Ino obeyed, breathing heavily through her nose, eyes locked on his. She nodded but was unsure if he could even tell. Everything was hot, she wanted him to say it so badly. The thirst was growing from her core, spreading its tendrils and threatening to overcome her. She held on, borderline going over the edge. Please, she pleaded through her eyes.

He groaned lowly. "I love you," he said as his hips moved even faster, his hunger climbing. "I love you, holy fuck, I love you, Ino."

Her eyes wanted to roll back, but if she gave in, she wouldn't be able to control the release. She had to wait for him. She wanted to feel it so badly it was almost painful now. Holding on was becoming harder with each thrust he made. I love you more, she wanted to yell. Please say it. Say it!

With her arms around his shoulders, her legs wrapped around his torso, pulling him closer into her with his thrusts, she tried to fit as much of him as humanly possible inside of her. The feeling of being full of him made her feel so complete, so content. The sensation made a wave of heat wash over them both, small waves breaking the surface.

"Ahhh," he slipped, hoping it wasn't too loud. He couldn't take anymore. "Now, Ino! Cum for me," he panted, "cum with me, baby."

Oh god, she thought before finally succumbing to the waves of pleasure she was keeping at bay. It overcame her completely, one wave, two waves, three, four. It was so intense she could feel it from her ankles to her teeth. Her body convulsed around him, muscles tightening and contracting involuntarily as he joined her in ecstasy. He once again replaced his hand with his mouth, kissing her slowly as they moaned into one another. His body slowed as the waves rolled over him before coming to a stop.

Shikamaru stayed there and their bodies relaxed, as even their kiss began to slow. Together they panted, trying to even out their breathing. It took several minutes of this before it was back to normal, the sweat already dry on their skin. "I love you too, Shika. Do you believe me now?"

She felt him smirk. "Maybe," he gave her one last kiss before hopping up to find his pants.

Ino sat up, throwing her nightgown over her head, pulling her long hair out and down her back. Reaching to the floor, she grabbed the towel from earlier and stuffed it between her legs. She brought her knees to her chest, her arms held them close, interlocking her fingers. She watched him move around the room to find his belongings, just admiring his body in the faint light from the street. He was carved like a god, so painfully beautiful it almost hurt to look at him. Some of his hairs had come loose from his ponytail, wisps of black grazing his face as he moved around. She wished she could take a mental picture of this and recall it perfectly whenever she wanted.

"You can't stay?" She had hoped he changed his mind, if not after their conversation, then simply because she had been gone for so long.

"Nah, not tonight," his cool, raspy voice whispered as he pulled his pants up, buttoning them while eyeing the floor for the rest of his clothes. They were haphazardly strewn across the floor from their earlier session. For some reason, the memory brought a bit of color to his cheeks.

Trying her best to hide her disappointment, she kept her tone light. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

He pulled his shirt over his head. "Maybe," he removed his hair tie, bending slightly to bunch up his long, raven hair in his hands. His fingers moved like fluid to rewrap and smooth his hair back to its usual ponytail. "I've gotta see Temari tomorrow." What a drag, he thought.

Another piece of her heart ripped away from its main body. "You've got to?"

"Unfortunately," he zipped up his vest. "It's not like I want to. I've only seen her like, twice since you've been gone, and my dads been on my ass about it now that you're home. I put it off as much as possible while you were away."

She didn't want to think about that. The mention of the name threatened to ruin her mood again, but she didn't want their goodbye to be a sour one after all this time, even if it was temporary. But still, there was something she'd been wondering. Her grip on her legs tightened as she tried to find the courage to ask it. "Have you…?" The question came from how he worded his last sentence, she wondered if he had to keep Temari at bay during her absence to prevent himself from doing this with her.

Shikamaru couldn't find his shoes. Usually, he left them right below the window, but at some point, he forwent his routine and just tossed them somewhere in the room. It wasn't quiet bright enough to see without turning her light back on. Even without stopping his search, he didn't have to spare a thought to know what she meant. "No," he almost laughed it out. "I, uh, avoid most of that with her. Only do the bare minimum. Appearances, remember?"

"Right…" she swallowed another pain creeping up her throat. That's supposed to be me, she whined internally. Every date Shikamaru had with that girl drove a knife deeper into her. It wasn't fair. Why did he have to date anyone at all? What was she supposed to do, just watch? What's the point…?

At last, he checked under the bed, and there they were. He sat down next to her on the bed as he strapped them on. "Hey, don't look so sad. I'll do my best to come find you when she's gone, okay? Promise. That way it's not that long til I see you again."

"Right," was all she could manage again. The weight in her chest now seemed to grow hollow, but the pain never went away. This feeling was new and foreign to her. It made her feel almost hopeless in a way, but again, she didn't want to ruin his departure. She swallowed it, burying it back in the hole in her chest for later.

He leaned over to give her a deep kiss. "I love you, you know. Think about what I said, okay? I meant it, all of it."

"I will," she squeaked out. "I love you too."

He stopped at the window. "Get some sleep."

She pursed her lips together. "Text me when you're home safe, kay?"

With one leg in and one out, he winked before crawling through the window entirely, shutting it behind him. And in an instant, he was gone from the awning, back to the shadows to sneak home. He'd give his usual late training excuse, and his sweat and exhaustion would be proof enough for his parents, she hoped. They'd never suspected anything before. Then it hit her.

She was alone.

Not able to hold back anymore, she fell over in bed, silent tears pouring from her eyes. Ino curled into the fetal position, holding her legs to her torso as tightly as she could. This time, she allowed her body to violently shake them out so she wouldn't let out a scream.