Ino Yamanaka was a 22-year-old who viewed hardships to be a test to her resilience and strength; no matter what life had thrown her way she was determined to remain positive through it all until she overcame it.
This was a characteristic that she supplied to her friends as well. She was always there for them, and they knew they could depend on her no matter what they needed. She had so much love to give, and she spent all she could from that love on her friends when it came to it.
This made her father proud of her. Ino was empathetic, and kind. She was also strong willed and would not stand to have her friends let their insecurities get the best of them. So, she would drill it into their heads that they were awesome shinobi with incredible potential, who had to just suck it up and give it their all.
That was who she was.
A sickeningly positive person.
Right now, she was positive the gods must have seen her resilience as a challenge, and the one who succeeds in breaking her spirit, would probably be revered as the ultimate god or something, because why else would life be this cruel with her if the gods did not single her out as their plaything?
You see, when Ino was 16 years old, she met a shinobi who made her fall in love for the first time. They met on a mission to retrieve Konoha shinobi who had been taken as prisoners by Kiri.
That mission wasn't the first time she saw him, though. Shisui Uchiha was well known in the village for his remarkable skill with the Mangekyo and his Body Flicker technique. Shunshin no Shisui, they called him, but she and her friends knew him as Itachi Uchiha's best friend.
However, after that mission she joined several others, and she had come to know him as Shisui Uchiha, the man who possessed the warmest heart.
(… 6 years ago)
Ino was making her way to the Administration Building. She had been summoned by the Godaime for an urgent mission, and with her teammates being away from Konoha on missions of their own, she wondered who she was going to be grouped with.
She figured it would probably be someone she had worked with before, like teams 7 and 8. However, when she entered Lady Tsunade's office, she quickly discerned that would not be the case.
"Excellent, now that you are here, we may begin" Lady Tsunade announced, and Ino stepped forward to join in line with the other three shinobi standing before the Hokage.
"Most of you are familiar with each other, and others will be working together for the first time, but I will get to the introductions only once I'm done with explaining the mission" the Hokage began, "A band of rogue shinobi have been disrupting trade routes between Konoha and Cha no Kuni. I had already dispatched a team of Anbu to deal with this, but it's been two days now since the reports have stopped coming in. Your mission is to learn what happened to the Anbu team I had sent. Once you do, send me word and I will notify you of your next orders. Understood?"
"Yes, Hokage-Sama" they chimed in unison. "Alright, Shisui, you are leading this mission. I'll leave it to you to go over the details and the introductions" She passed the floor to a man who Ino had recognized as Sasuke's older brother's best friend.
She had never spoken with him, of course, matter of fact, she had never spoken with Itachi either. However, she often saw them together when Itachi would come to get Sasuke from the Academy years ago, which always annoyed Sasuke.
Naruto had pestered him about his sudden change in attitude long enough for everyone to learn who Shisui Uchiha was, and why Sasuke was annoyed by his presence.
Turns out he was jealous of all the time Itachi would rather spend with Shisui than with him, but now that they were all grown up, it appears Sasuke had gotten over this completely. Naruto and Sasuke were now the inseparable duo, just as Itachi and Shisui were.
"As you have already learned, my name is Shisui Uchiha, and I will be leading this mission" he said with a grave countenance, which made Ino believe he must be an entirely different person on missions, because whenever he joined Itachi on his errand to collect Sasuke from school, he always had a grin on his face and messed with Sasuke and Naruto a lot. She thought he was probably the most happy-go-lucky person that ever existed, even though he was an Uchiha…
"Let us begin with introductions" he continued as he signalled to the shinobi on his left to start, who Ino also recognized. She was Kiba's older sister, but she had never spoken to her either. However, she did work with Kiba many times, so she was probably going to get along just fine with his sister.
"Hana Inuzuka, I have worked with Uchiha-Senpai before, however, for those of you who are working with me for the first time, that means you blondie…" which startled Ino out of her pensive state, she hadn't missed the undertone, but the Inuzuka elaborated anyway "…Pay attention since I'm only going to share my abilities with you this once…"
The mission hadn't begun yet, and she was being chastised already?
Great, she was already setting a bad impression on the person she believed she'd get along with easily. She needed to turn this around and fast, so she straightened up to show she was fully alert and paying attention to what Kiba's sister was saying, but then she caught a glimpse of a smirk on her captain's lips.
Was he amused at Hana calling her out? Maybe he wasn't as serious on missions as she believed him to be.
"…My strengths are tracking, as well as close combat. I have ninken triplets for partners, whom I refer to as the Three Haimaru Brothers, which you should call them by as well, or else you should consider yourself responsible for how they react if you don't…" Hana directed her gaze at Ino again, causing the Yamanaka to fluster, but then she saw that Shisui was smirking once more.
'Wait… are those two doing this on purpose?!' she mused to herself, 'Guess he isn't serious on missions like I thought' she was irritated; he and Hana were no doubt messing with her as he often did to Sasuke and Naruto, but she wasn't going to let them have their fun.
"I'm also a skilled medical-nin, although I mainly work with ninken." Hana finished, and another shinobi who Ino hadn't recognized, but was clearly from the Hyuuga clan from his appearance, began to speak, "I am Ko Hyuuga, and my strengths are tracking, taijutsu, and as I possess the Byakugan; my sight is my most noteworthy strength." It was short and straight to the point.
"Thank you, Hana and Ko, for that introduction. The three of us have worked together on several occasions before so we are quite familiar with our abilities and formations, however, a new member would be joining us, since Fu isn't able to, and I am told she is a proficient user of the Yamanaka secret techniques. Please introduce yourself to us"
So, that's why the Hokage summoned her? she was a replacement for her cousin? Sure, he was skilled, but she was taught by Inoichi Yamanaka himself. She was better. It was her turn to smirk.
"Ino Yamanaka here, from the Ino-Shika-Cho, if you're familiar with my cousin's abilities, then you know most of what I can do already…" she met Hana's gaze purposefully and said with a wink, "…all you need to know is that I do everything he can and more, except I also do it better. Oh, and I'm also a skilled medical-nin and I actually dealt with humans" she finished smirking.
Ino spotted both Shisui and Lady Tsunade grinning visibly now, and even Hana looked impressed at Ino's confidence and firmness of character, "Ah so we got ourselves another smug one, you'll fit just right in, Blondie" Hana remarked.
Seems Ino passed some kind of test with the group, because they were friendlier than they were initially, and Hana in particular had taken a liking to her. However, Ino was used to being liked. She had a personality that helped her click with just about anyone.
Once Shisui explained the details of the mission, they dispersed to pack their gear and reconvened at the main gate to head out.
"Not the usual Yamanaka this time" Kotetsu remarked to team Shisui.
"We upgraded" Shisui retorted back, which made Ino slightly blush.
"In more than one way" Izumo chimed in with a smirk and prompting Ino to blush even brighter.
Izumo had a crush on her, but he never really did anything about it. He joined team 10 once on a mission with Asuma, and he spent a lot of that mission staring at her. Yet that was the extent of it. She didn't care anyway, Izumo wasn't her type.
"Alright, easy you two. Come on team" Shisui flickered out of sight, and the rest of the team had followed.
"Blondie's got a fanbase" Hana remarked mockingly. "No, I have a stalker. All he does is just stare at me. It's kinda creepy really…" Ino protested.
"I don't blame the guy" Shisui stated, as he sped up his pace.
The mission had taken them 4 days to complete. They managed to capture the rogue shinobi on the trading route, and Ino extracted the intel they needed about the missing Anbu agents. They had been delivered to Kirigakure as incentive for their protection within the Land of Water should they need it. Further orders from the Hokage were received to infiltrate Kiri and retrieve the agents.
Ino had transferred her mind into a Kiri guard, who had been watching the agents that night. Hana and her ninken watched over her body for her, Ko was directing her on where to go with his Byakugan through her mind link technique, and Shisui, who had been the stealthiest of them all, infiltrated the prison through the ventilation system, to ensure nothing goes wrong or that Ino and the agents have back up should they require it.
Which they did when they have been discovered leaving the penitentiary. Ino fought alongside Shisui for as long as she could in a foreign body, but was eventually ejected from the guard's mind, and Shisui as well as the agents had to fight their way out without her. However, after performing his Shunshin, the prisoner guards quickly realized who he was, and decided fighting Shisui Uchiha, wasn't worth keeping the prisoners. Ino was relieved when she found them all returning to their rendezvous point. The mission was a success, and she was surprised at how well she fit in with team Shisui.
After they had delivered their mission report, Hana announced "Alright, time to celebrate, let's all get wasted!" to which Ko slightly grimaced, and Shisui grinned widely.
Ko, who had been the most serious member of the team, which wasn't as serious as serious goes, would usually end up being the most terrible drunk. He was handsy, and often would end up spending the night in a stranger's home. He dreaded the celebrations, but Hana and Shisui looked forward to it. It became a tradition at this point, and each time Ko vowed he wouldn't get wasted, but Hana and Shisui invented new ways to ensure he does get drunk.
However, Ino was feeling awkward. She wasn't of a drinking age yet, which meant she wouldn't be able to join them. "Sorry guys, it seems you'll have to celebrate without me, I'm not legal for another month" she stated.
Hana and Shisui were looking disappointed, and Hana chimed, "Oh come on Yamanaka! what's one more month? You should join us anyway; you seem like you'd be a fun drinking buddy" she was smirking now.
Shisui was looking at her strangely, like he was eager to hear her agree to Hana's proposition, and she was intrigued by this, but figured he just wanted to have more fun on her expense. While she was sure she could take anything he threw her way, she still decided against breaking the law for a bit of fun.
"Sorry Hana, guess you could only find out in a month's time" and she waved at them as she walked in the opposite direction from where they were headed.
A week later, she had been summoned to join them on another mission. Hana was ecstatic about it, "Alright, Blondie is back!" and her ninken hopped onto Ino to cover her with slobber, "Hana!" she squealed, as she covered her face with her forearms, "get your mutts off me!" she pleaded. "Easy Blondie, I'd count myself lucky that they like you. Also, you might want to lay off the meat before a mission" Hana sniffed her as she tore the Haimaru Brothers away from her, "Now, Hana, it's not right to discourage a girl from eating meat…" Shisui said grinning, and Ko rolled his eyes at his crude comment, then smacked him on the head, "manners Uchiha" he stressed at him, to which Shisui retorted, "that's 'manners Uchiha-Senpai' to you!" as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Then act like one" Ko returned.
"What are you on about? I'm an excellent captain" he said smirking, then winked at Ino and prompted her to respond, "besides, Ino can take a vulgar joke. Right, Blondie?"
Ino got up and smugly retorted, "I don't get where the joke is. I love eating meat…" saying the latter in a more sensual tone, and causing both boys to fluster, mouths agape, and their faces became a bright shade of red.
She folded her arms in triumph.
Hana barked out a laugh and clasped Ino's shoulder, "I say we officially throw Fu out, and take Blondie in" she continued to laugh, "I haven't seen anyone make those two feel this awkward".
The next few weeks were very much the same…
They went on missions, Shisui and Ino would engage in their vulgar banters, and by the 3rd week of September, she was finally able to join them for a drink. That's when everything changed.
They were having a drinking competition, and the game was to say something so crude that you make your opponent fluster, or blush in embarrassment, then they would have to take a shot of Sake.
Ko and Hana were the judges, and Ino and Shisui were engaged in the banter royale.
Ino was to start, and she knew how to start it as well.
"All these missions we've been on really messed with my skincare routine. I badly need a facial… Think you can help me with that, Uchiha?" her velvety sensual voice coupled with a wink had Shisui declaring an "Ouf, I'll be happy to, Yamanaka… You'd look good in white" he returned with a smirk.
It was a good attempt on her part, but not crude enough for Shisui Uchiha. She needed to try harder. It was his turn now…
"If you ever get tired of getting licked by Hana's dogs, you know where to find me…" he stuck his tongue out and flicked it rapidly at her. Ino turned wide-eyed and blushed at the gesture.
He got her.
Hana slammed a shot right before her, "Drink up, Blondie!" and Ino downed the drink with one quick gulp, and then coughed at the slight burning sensation.
Alright, it was back to her now…
"Come on Blondie, you can get him" Hana cheered, and Ko drummed his fist on the table to cheer her on as well.
"So, Uchiha, if you bend over while performing your Shunshin… do you end up fucking yourself?"
"..."
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Hana was rolling on the floor laughing.
Nailed it!
"I should probably try that out, I know I can be a good fuck" he winked. However, it took him a while to respond to her jab, and Ko considered this to be a fluster, so Shisui was ordered to drink. Hana was still too busy laughing, so Ko placed the shot before him.
"Scoff it Uchiha!" Ko said too happily.
Ino was looking very smug now, and Shisui was getting thrilled by the challenge.
Back to him now.
"You know, Yamanaka, I'd be happy to let you use your mind transfer on me… you can turn me into your personal mechanical sex doll. I'll teach you how to Shunshin too for your pleasure"
It was very difficult for her not to picture this in her head. That was actually hot, and she never considered using her family's secret technique in this way. Her blank and pensive expression, then a second later, the pink that formed on her cheeks, prompted Hana to place a shot before her as she said, "Hah, it looks like Blondie is considering this" and that jolted her out of her thoughts. She was turning a deeper shade of pink, and Shisui was chuckling in triumph.
"The offer is still on the table" he winked again, causing her to choke on the shot.
She swallowed the rest of the shot and thought of her next jab at him. Eventually she ended up drinking more shots than he did, but they were both wasted by the end of it all. Which was probably how Ino ended up finding herself in his bed the next morning.
"OH MY GOD!" she chimed at the sight of a shirtless Shisui sleeping beside her. Her yell woke him up, and after a few moments of taking in his surroundings, he noticed that Ino was in his bed, and they were half naked!
"OH MY GOD! Did we?" she turned to ask him, and he got up alarmed now, and looked about for evidence of a condom.
"There's no condom, but that still doesn't mean we didn't" he then turned to her and said, "I don't feel relieved, but do you feel sore?" and she said, "No, but that still doesn't prove that we hadn't"
Shisui deadpanned, then grinned and said, "Oh trust me if we had, you'd be sore" to which she just rolled her eyes.
She got up and searched for her clothes, which she found lying on a resting chair near the bed. She grabbed them and when she turned around, she found Shisui staring at her with his mouth open.
"Enjoying the show?" she called him out with a raised eyebrow, and he happily retorted, "Yeah, I am actually" a wide grin now plastered on his face.
She rolled her eyes again then got half dressed as she asked, "What are we going to do about this?"
"What do you mean?" he retuned her question with his own.
"What do you mean, what do I mean? There's a chance that we may or may not have had sex!" she exclaimed.
"So… we are adults. Unless this was your first time?... Was this your first time?" he asked worriedly, but she shook her head, and he released a sigh of relief.
But this prompted her to ask, "What if I said yes?"
"Then I would have felt shitty if your first time was an experience you didn't get to remember. I would have done all I can to make it special for you" he said smiling.
Actually smiling and not smirking…
She blushed
"This isn't necessarily a bad thing anyway. I was planning to ask you out already, but I wasn't sure if you would say yes" he continued, and her face turned a brighter shade of red.
He pressed his gaze onto hers, pleading for a response to his declaration, and she turned her face away and said… "I'll respond when you actually ask me"
Shisui grinned, he expected no less from her. "Ino Yamanaka, would you do me the honour of going out with me?"
But before she could answer him, Hana, and Ko barge in with coffee and breakfast.
"Good, you're finally awake" Ko remarked. And Ino covered herself with her remaining article of clothing at the sight of their arrival.
"Blondie, we've seen plenty of you already. We all slept here" Hana announced.
"…"
Ino deadpanned.
It took her a few moments to muster the ability to ask, "Did. we have. an orgy?"
Hana barked a laugh and said, "Hah, you wish Blondie, you would have loved to get some of this action. No, don't worry. No one fucked anybody last night… although, not from a lack of trying. You wouldn't stop humping our captain over here, but he was too wasted to respond to you"
"…"
Ino deadpanned again, and Shisui had a huge grin on his face.
"Oh, wipe that beam off your face, Uchiha!" she yelled.
"I love it when you order me around" he jeered playfully as he winked at her.
She rolled her eyes, but then gave in to his charm with a smile forming at the corner of her lips.
After a few sips of coffee, he leaned to whisper in her ear, "You never gave me an answer to my question"
Well, she liked him.
She really did.
The banter was thrilling for her, and on their missions, she learned how much Shisui would risk for his friends. He would always put himself in the line of danger in their stead. He was fun, cheerful, brave, talented, and with those curls, onyx eyes, that physique! Damn was he hot! So, she nodded her head in acceptance.
A month into dating Shisui Uchiha, Ino became madly in love with him, and he loved her back just as much. They were so much alike, they just worked…
Hana loved their banter, but she found the constant smooching sickening.
Ko ignored it.
Itachi, despite being Shisui's best friend, wasn't someone she managed to get close to. He was civil with her, but she felt like he always placed boundaries between them.
They were very different anyway, but her ego was still slightly bruised. She believed there wasn't a person in the world she couldn't click with.
Itachi was definitely proving her wrong, but what could she do to get close to him?
He was taciturn, where she was loud.
She was as crude as Shisui was, where Itachi was completely polite.
The few things he and Shisui had in common were their surnames, features, and their exceptionalism as shinobi. It was strange they worked so well as friends.
Still, she was determined to be his friend too, for Shisui. She knew how much Itachi mattered to him, and so she put in all the effort she could.
It wasn't until a year later that her efforts worked, but they were in the worst of circumstances.
Shisui Uchiha went missing after he had gone on a covert operation. Many teams were dispatched to retrieve him, but after a year of searching, Lady Tsunade and Fugaku Uchiha had officially declared him KIA. They held a funeral for him worthy of a shinobi of his calibre, but both Itachi and Ino refused to attend.
They would not accept his death!
Eventually, they ended up bonding over losing someone they both loved so dearly, and they helped each other with carrying the grief.
However, it wasn't for another 2 years that Ino would understand what made Shisui and Itachi bond so well, and so she fell in love with him, and he had fallen in love with her.
She was so similar to Shisui in personality, and she was stunningly beautiful. She made him better as a person, and more attuned to people's feelings, which was a skill he had lacked and often relied on Shisui for.
They found comfort with one another. For Ino, her love for Itachi was much different than how she felt about Shisui, but it was just as pure.
Itachi was really good to her, and where Shisui possessed the warmest heart, Itachi had the kindest.
(… back to the present)
The gods were cruel.
This she truly believed…
Tears streamed down Ino's face as she held this morning's newsletter in one hand, and a letter from the Rokudaime in the other. Her eyes scanned the contents of the Hokage's letter repeatedly, until her eyes blurred from filling up with tears.
She could still see the letter's contents projected in her mind though, and she was immediately filled with guilt.
Itachi had just stepped out of the bathroom and called to her "Anything interesting?" as he always had every morning. He needed to remain up to date with what was happening in the village, and he would usually read the newsletter over breakfast.
Yes, there was something interesting…
When Ino didn't answer, Itachi made his way to her, and a single glance informed him that something was wrong. He wiped the tears from her face and asked, "Darling, what's the matter?" and she met his gaze with eyes that had filled with more tears. Her head was spinning. She had to tell the man she loved that the other man they both still love, was spotted alive after all these years in a land beyond the Land of Iron.
No, she didn't have to… he already took the letter in her hand when he noticed the Hokage's seal on it.
Itachi was stunned into silence by its contents.
Shisui was alive?
"We should have never given up searching for him" she cried out.
Author's Note:
To those who have enjoyed this fic, thank you for your support, and please, if you do not like the KakaSaku pairing on this AU then by stop at chapter 3 if you like because they get introduced at chapter 4.
You are entitled to your preferences, but I don't conform to the idea that this is a taboo relationship. I come from a culture in which this is normal, so if you don't just opt out and everyone would be happy.
Next Chapter:
"Lost love and friendship" Ino and Itachi grieve Shisui.
