Hey everbody, I finally got off my lazy ass and wrote the last part! I just hope it's as good as I think it is.
This is the part where the rating goes up P
ShikaIno, with some a bit of AsuKure in the background. Enjoy!
And thank you to all the lovely people who have read and reviewed this story 3
Leaving his house, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel like he was marching to his own funeral. And it could very well be just that. The lump in his throat and the heavy feeling in his stomach made him feel all the more worse for wear.
Walking with a slight jitter in his step down the road, he still had his doubts about telling her. If she rejected him…well, he didn't know just what he would do. By now, he had quite fully realized that he had more than a crush on her. He was completely in love with her. He came to the conclusion late last night, seeing as he didn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. He had laid in his bed wide awake, thinking for hours, contemplating what to say to her. The fact that he loved just only made things harder.
He just wished the heavy feeling in his stomach would go away already.
It was now 1:30pm and he still had no idea what he was going to say to her. If he could have, he would have rather not left the house at all today, but he told Chouji he would do it today. Besides, he wouldn't put it passed Chouji to come and drag him to her. The Akimichi was nothing if not determined when he wanted to be.
Just a little before twelve that afternoon, his mom had come in his room and loudly announced that his sensei had sent a last minute notice that there was training at 2:00, effectively making him jump out of bed and crash on the floor. Damn that woman was loud. He had briefly wondered why Asuma-sensei had forgotten to tell them about training until today.
The walk to the training ground was agonizingly slow - much slower than usual. He knew it was stupid to be dreading so much; he was around her almost everyday, why did today have to be different? Now, being a genius he knew the answer was a simple one, but his brain was refusing to supply him with it. And refusing to function properly too, as he nearly collided with a lady holding a basket full of groceries. He hurriedly muttered an apology to the glaring woman and sped up his pace, forcing his brain to work again. To be brutally honest, his brain had been the cause of his…misfortunate occurrences for the past few days. It just wasn't fully there. So much that he couldn't think of a single thing to say to Ino without sounding like a complete idiot.
All in all, he couldn't help but wonder how this troublesome day would end.
Sarutobi Asuma glanced at his watch – a gift from Kurenai – for the third time that hour. For some reason he had a weird feeling that something was going to happen today that he just couldn't shake. And it had something to do with his students.
He just smiled wryly.
Asuma was always one to trust his gut feeling, and it was always right. Just like the day he knew Kurenai was going to ask him something. He couldn't explain why he felt like that, anticipating a question. She had invited him for coffee at a café that had opened a few months back. They had been going out for coffee ever since – refusing to call it a date, because it wasn't – when they were done training their teams for the day.
Kakashi often poked fun at him for it, calling her his girlfriend, to which he would just turn his head, mutter something unintelligible, and pointedly ignore perverted copy-nin. This only warranted more teasing.
But that was beside the point! Something was going to happen with his students. He didn't know what, and wasn't sure he wanted to, but it was going to be something…special.
Glancing at his watch one more time, he couldn't help but wonder when Kurenai and her team would be coming back. He would have gone to ask Hinata – as she went on fewer missions in order to train to be a medic-nin – but he didn't.
He didn't want to sound like he was her boyfriend.
In another part of the village, Yamanaka Ino walked out the front door of the flower shop, and ventured down the road, silently cursing her sensei for odd last-minute training session. She almost didn't wake up in time to read the note, seeing as her parents were away for most of the week. It would be a while before she would reach the training grounds, so she took the opportunity to think. Particularly, thoughts concerning one lazy ninja named Shikamaru.
Shikamaru had been acting a bit odd for quite sometime now. His mind wasn't focused like it usually was, resulting in a few minor injuries during training. Injuries, which could have been very easily avoided. It just wasn't like him to be so… sloppy. Why? She had no idea. He had been getting on her nerves lately, more so than normal, with his constant attempts to ignore her, aside from his constant laziness. He was so lazy, that if there was an award for laziness, Shikamaru would win it hands down.
How she could like him, she could not for the life of her understand why.
She paused in mid-step, a slight blush creeping on to her face.
'Wait, like him? No…well, I like him as friends, not like that. I love Sasuke… don't I?'
Lightly shaking her head she continued on her way. She didn't want to be late for training, but it still didn't clear her thoughts.
Why did she like him? Shikamaru was so aloof it made her wonder if he was even all there to begin with. Then again, Sasuke was as aloof as they came.
For a moment, she briefly wondered when she had stopped chasing after Sasuke. It was really quite strange. Sasuke never really paid any attention to her. He was obsessed with killing his brother. As well as gaining the power to do so. Not to mention, he was a bit arrogant. And, sure, he was handsome, but he just wasn't interested in obtaining a girlfriend.
Perhaps it was better to like Shikamaru. He actually cared, and talked to her, whenever she wasn't yelling his head off, of course. He acknowledged that she was there. Maybe, just maybe, she could be with him
Chouji left his house, grumbling about barely having time to grab a snack before his mother ushered him out of the house so that he wouldn't be late for the training hi –h-so-wonderful sensei forgot to tell them about yesterday. This, come to think of it, was odd for the smoke sucking jounin, who always gave a day's notice.
Munching on his chips from the miniscule bag he managed to grab (well, it was miniscule to him) he looked up to the sky. He just knew it was going to happen today. He sincerely hoped Ino and Shikamaru would be getting together. In all honesty, he believed they were made fir each other.
"True, they are complete opposites. Ino is energetic, sometimes loud, and often tempermental. Shikamaru, however, is quiet, lazy, and exceedingly calm. But like Yin and Yang, they belong together. After all, opposites do attract." He said, mostly to himself.
Now, he was glad he was alone when he said that, because if Ino or Shikamaru had heard him, they would have smacked him upside the head by now. And be blushing redder than a tomato.
Smiling quietly to himself, he trekked down the path towards the training ground. He just hoped Shikamaru had better keep his promise; otherwise, there would be hell to pay.
Shikamaru sneezed.
"Damn, someone's talking about me" he muttered.
Che. This was going to be very troublesome.
Asuma looked at his watch one more time. He wasn't really expecting his team to be on time, since he had only sent the notice at the last minute.
The only reason he neglected to tell his team the day before was because he had his mind set on something else, particularly getting a gift for Kurenai, since she had gotten him the watch. Really, that was it. Nothing more. Honestly.
In the back of his mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Kakashi, teased him that he was lying, he loved her. He ruthlessly tried to stomp the voice out of existence like a bug. Kakashi was starting to get to him.
'Denial isn't just a river you know.' Said the voice before disappearing back to wherever it had come from.
Inhaling deeply on his cigarette, he let the smoke calm him, before exhaling. He really needed to stop hanging around Kakashi for a while; the man was becoming a nuisance even when he was physically there. Besides, he didn't need to think about that now; his team was beginning to arrive.
Ino, as usual, was the first to come into view as she approached the designated area. Judging from what he could tell, she looked to be deep in thought, which was odd for the normally loud blonde girl. She didn't even greet her sensei, and opted to lean up against a tree, completely in thought. He just hoped she didn't get lost in such unfamiliar territory (not that he would say it out loud).
The next to arrive was Chouji, eating his trademark bag of chips. He had looked at Ino, then at his sensei in question. Asuma just shrugged in response, and Chouji moved to sit on a nearby rock, occasionally glancing at Ino.
Predictably, the last to arrive was Shikamaru. He came trudging – quite literally – on to the training ground, looking as he usually did; bored to death. He had arrived, as usual, ten minutes late. It was pointless to lecture him on punctuality; he would wind up late for one reason or another.
They all looked to Ino, waiting for her to start telling him off, but she didn't so much as glance in any other direction than the one she was currently staring into. Shikamaru, Chouji and Asuma all looked at each other. Today was definitely going to be an odd day.
Suck at fight scenes, so TIME SKIP!
Training had been a complete waste of time. All they did was spar. But that wasn't to say it wasn't interesting.
Both Shikamaru and Ino had trouble focusing. Ino more than Shikamaru. She was punched in the head twice and miscalculated when to dodge the kick Asuma gave. Shikamaru just barely remembered to dodge. Both of their shurikens and kunai missed most of their targets. Not exactly their proudest shining moment. Ino was usually more alert. Shikamaru, well, he had been a little off for a while now, but today was a little worse; he barely missed hitting a branch when he was jumping down from a tree when Asuma had announced training was finished for the day, and wouldn't have to meet until next week.
With Asuma
After giving Ino and Shikamaru a light scolding, he left. He still couldn't shake the gut feeling he had. Not even the comforting warmth of the smoke filling his lungs seemed to quell the feeling.
Sighing heavily, he just hoped it would happen soon; the feeling was very uncomfortable. He did not want to be uneasy whenever Kurenai returned. Absently, he dug his hand into his vest pocket to loosely grasp the gift he got for her; a silver angel holding a garnet stone on a thin silver chain.
'I'm not her boyfriend' he thought to himself, 'but I would like to be.'
With the trio
Awkward silence was…well, awkward. Chouji began to fidget, feeling the urge to say, or do something. He knew he had to, because the longer he stayed around, the longer it would take for Shikamaru to talk to Ino. So he said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Well, I'm gonna go home, Mom said she was making something special for supper tonight." It wasn't a complete lie; his mother was making supper but nothing special. Just an excuse to get out of there. Giving a meaningful look to Shikamaru, he went on his way.
'Don't mess up' he thought 'this may be your only chance to tell her.'
Watching him slowly disappear from sight, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel as if his insides were trying to turn inside-out. It was eating away at his nerve; his resolve getting weaker by the moment now that they were alone.
'I better tell her now while my brain and mouth still function.'
Steeling whatever was left of his will, he turned his head to look at the girl laying flat on her back, eyes closed but not quite asleep.
'She looks beautiful' he mused 'like some sort of angel, albeit a bossy one.'
He shook his head. Since when did he become so mushy? Damn hormones. Inhaling deeply, he looked at her one more time and spoke.
"Ino?"
Her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. They were such a pretty shade of blue. Almost as blue as the sky he loved to look at so much.
"Yeah, Shikamaru?"
Shaking himself out of his trance, he focused once more on her face. It was now or never. So troublesome.
"Ino, there's something I need to tell you…"
That got her attention; she sat upright, intent on listening to what he had to say.
"What is it?"
"I…umm…"
"Yeah?"
"I…love you."
She blinked rapidly. He loved her. She obviously hadn't been expecting that. He loved her. It was taking a while to sink in. Apparently, too long, because by the time she snapped out of it, she was alone on the training ground. Shikamaru had run off.
She mentally smacked herself.
'Ino, you idiot! He told you his feelings and you don't even say anything! Stupid, stupid, stupid!
She immediately got up and tried to locate where he had run off to. Where the hell did he go? She hoped he wouldn't do anything drastic; she would never be able to forgive herself. Though why she thought that didn't register in her mind. She needed to find him.
She found his chakra signature. It went down through the forest, down the path he usually took everyday after training. Following the weak trail, only one thought raced through her mind as she searched for him.
'Shikamaru, I love you too.'
He felt quite stupid right now, and weak. He told her, she didn't say anything, and he ran away. He ran from her, like a coward. A goddamn coward.
'At least,' he thought 'I'm not crying; that much I can be proud of.'
He couldn't quite understand why it felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly, why this was worse than any physical pain he had ever received. It felt like he was dying from the inside. How could a stupid emotion hurt so badly? He could now say that this was the worse feeling in the entire world.
It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
He just wished he could die right now. Slowing his run to a fast walk, he took the time to try and think. 'Try' being the key word. How would he be able to face her again? What would she think of him? So many erratic thoughts bounced around his head, he just couldn't grasp them anymore. He was so caught up; he failed to notice the familiar chakra approaching…
"SHIKAMARU!"
Until it was right in front of him.
There stood Ino, blocking his path. How she managed to get in front of him or when he had stopped was beyond his knowledge. He was concentrated more on her face, which was set in a slight scowl. It worried him a great deal. She was going to yell at him, he just knew it. Ino was not the type of person you say something to and run off before she can answer back. Usually tracking them down and either tackling them, yelling at them, or both. Since he had not been tackled, he surmised that she would yell at him.
It was a shock, to say the least that she didn't. Instead she spoke normally, albeit a bit lower than usual, almost…sad.
"Shika… why did you run from me?"
"You didn't answer me."
"I was surprised"
"…Do you hate me?"
"No"
"Ah"
"I love you too"
She smiled. It was absolutely stunning, and it was all for him. She smiled just for him. He couldn't help but smile back. She loved him back; there was every reason to smile.
She moved closer, shyly at first, pecked him on the lips and quickly pulling away, blushing like mad. His face was the same colour, but he couldn't help but reach out to gently grasp her chin and kiss again, this time longer. Her shock was evident by the way she tensed when his lips touched hers, then quickly relaxing into it.
It was a bit sloppy, as all first kisses were, but they quickly got the hang of it. Deciding to make it deeper, Shikamaru lightly brushed his tongue against her lips, silently asking for permission. She gasped, giving him entrance to her mouth. His tongue coaxed hers into responding, giving permission to explore. She moaned softly as his wondering tongue found a particularly sensitive spot. She moved her arms to loosely hug his neck, as his arms moved to her waist, exploring each other's mouths.
The kiss was quite pleasant; it sent a warm feeling throughout their bodies, making them move closer, kiss harder. Just to keep feeling the warmth. It was absolutely perfect.
Of course, there was that little annoying thing called oxygen, and they both needed it right now. Breaking apart, they were gasping for air, cheeks flushed. It was amazing; it was an odd feeling, but amazing none the less. And quite an addictive feeling it was. He went in for another, but she stopped him. Puzzled, he cocked his head to the side, silently asking her why she stopped him. Her response was a sly smile, and a wicked spark in her eyes. It made him wonder just what her devious mind was planning.
"Let's go back to my house, it's too open out here. Besides, my parents are away on a mission for the rest of the week. We'll have the whole house to ourselves."
His eyes widened for a spilt second. He never knew Ino could be this forward, this…seductive. He couldn't help but smirk. Today was going to be very interesting indeed.
Meanwhile, in a tree not to far away from the retreating love birds, was Chouji with a triumphant, yet amused smile.
'That went better than expected' he mused 'I didn't think she would ever catch up to him. Shika may be lazy, but he's damn fast when he wants to be.
Dusting himself off, he jumped to another tree, actually heading for home this time. He may not have been able to hear what they were saying, but he had the feeling that they would need the privacy. Picking up speed, he jumped from tree to tree, all the while wishing his teammates the best. They did, after all, make a very lovely couple.
Ino's house
She was nervous. They both were, and it was steadily growing with every step they took to her bedroom. She began questioning why she had said anything in the first place. Her heart was going a mile a minute, and she was sure his was too, just by the way he was holding her hand; the muscles were a little tense. They hadn't even done anything yet. They both knew what would happen the minute they were alone in her room.
They were virgins. Well, she was, she wasn't so sure about Shikamaru, but decided not to dwell on it right now. It would be her first time, and to be quite honest, she would rather lose it to Shikamaru than to any other guy. It felt oddly comforting.
Once inside her room (she had lost track of when they had actually arrived at the door), she instantly felt his arms snake around her waist and pull her closer to him, and his soft lips upon her own. The kiss felt different from the first one, it was more passionate, full of desire, mixed with the same flowing warmth from before. He was a great kisser, better than anything she could have hoped for. Suddenly, he pulled away, earning a small whimper of protest from her, both breathing heavily like before.
The next few moments were a blur to Ino, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on her bed clad only in her panties, with Shikamaru above her, in only his boxers. Their hands wondered over each others bodies, a bit awkwardly at first, searching out each other's pleasurable spots. He licked and sucked at her nipples, earning soft moans in return. His hands caressing every visible part of her skin they could reach. He had her writhing and gasping beneath him as she tried to return the favour.
The wonderful hands skimmed down to the hem of her panties, sparing her a lustful look, asking for permission with his eyes. Numbly she nodded, and felt him tug them down and off. He sat back a little to admire he nude body. It was perfect; lying in front of him, a deep blush on her face, lovely breast, and curves any girl would kill to have. She was beautiful, even as she began to squirm under her gaze. It felt strangely pleasing to know he could do that to her. Quickly removing his boxers he settled between her legs. He would explore her body another time, right now he just needed to feel her around him.
She was nervous, that much was evident. She knew her first time would hurt, it always did. For a split second she wanted to back out, but refrained from doing so. She wanted this, she wanted him, loved him. No other person would do. Idlely, she wondered if he has sensed her short apprehension.
Softly, he muttered an apology before thrusting in, his mouth on hers muffling her scream. It hurt like hell, as was expected, but the pain slowly ebbed away. He stayed still the whole time, waiting for her to adjust. It felt so, good, but she needed him to move. Whimpering, she bucked her hips a little, insisting he moved. Slowly, he began to move, softly at first, her hips meeting his, as they gained a rhythm.
It was pure heaven. Their bodies moving, grinding, thrusting against each other felt so very good. Gasping and panting, she begged him to go harder, faster, as she felt a familiar heat coil up in her stomach, ready to spring. At that moment, he hit a spot deep inside her that made her scream out in pleasure. Loving that beautiful sound, he aimed to hit that spot every time, hard and fast. Her muscles clamped around his shaft, signaling her orgasm.
"SHIKAMARU!" She came quickly, loudly moaning his name.
He followed a few seconds later with a low, guttural growl that sound like her name. They collapsed, breathing heavily, more so than before, a light sheen of sweat covering their bodies. It was absolutely extraordinary. That was all they could up with to describe it, too tired to think.
Ino knew she would be a little sore the next day, but it was completely worth it.
Shikamaru fumbled around for the blankets that had some how become scrunched at the end of her bed, and pulled it around their naked bodies, then wrapping his arms around her, as though if he were to let go she would disappear.
"Love you"
"Love you too."
And with that, they drifted off into a dreamless sleep, blissfully unaware of the surprise wake up tomorrow…
Now, let it be known that the story will not end on that note, as it is a far too lame way to end a story. The morning after was quite…interesting you might say.
"OH SWEET MERCIFUL GOD!! MY EYES! THEY BUUURN!!!"
"Kiba, shut up"
And thus, Kiba learned that, even if he had to deliver an important message from the Hokage, he should knock on the front door, instead of entering through the bedroom window. At least then, it wouldn't be such a painful fall.
A lesson learned well indeed.
A.N//From under her desk// Man am I glad to be done with this story. I can finally move on with getting bugged to finish it coughPhilcough
Anyway, I leave now with a quote from one of my favourite comedians, Dane Cook. Just because I can XD
"Sometimes I like a dancing plethora of cheese in my mouth. And then other times, I'm into a more solo cheese adventure, just a single one-on-one, me and one cheese. Yet sometimes, I want an orgy of cheese on my palate."