Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The Fool

If it was for her, he would take the trouble being a fool.

----

"Shikamaru! There you are, lazy ass! I've been looking for you!"

The so called lazy-ass fluttered one annoyed eye opened to gaze at his loud teammates. "What Ino?"

"You've got to help me find my ring! I lost it!"

"Then buy another one,"

"No! I want THAT one!"

He groaned. It was one rare day without mission, and yet the serene he had been hoping to acquire disappeared –thanks to Ino. "Then what do you want me to do?"

"Help me find it, idiot!"

Shikamaru stood up and approached the blonde girl. "Fine, fine. Geez, have you ever let me have peace, Ino?" He yawned before Ino started to tug at his arm forcing him to follow.

"There! I lost it there!" she stopped walking and pointed to brownish, disgusting, mud pool.

"Hm," Shikamaru scratched his head uninterestedly.

"Don't just 'Hm' me! Kneel down and find me that ring!"

This was the part where he thought he was being a thrice-time fool.

But he knew he couldn't object the ever-intimidating Ino, and thus he squatted down and gazed at the pool of mud. Ino protested at this –saying that merely gazing wouldn't bring her ring back – and forced the Nara guy to search for it more seriously. And thus was why Shikamaru got all covered by stinky, dirty mud, searching for the supposedly lost ring.

Which he knew, had never existed anyway.

Analysis # 1: Ino had never worn any ring. Yeah, he actually bothered himself to notice that.

Analysis # 2: The situation was too forced, and she was insisting too much. She was always be the loud and demanding type. But being her close friend had made him know her like reading an open book. He would know instantly if she acted out of her normality.

And he actually had dozens more of analysis, but the most important one was:

That day was April 1st .

Any minute now… He thought as poking impassively at the brown mud.

"April Fool!!" Ino exclaimed happily. "Haha! I got you there, Shikamaru!!"

He was so used in this kind of habitual, so he merely said his routine role. "Troublesome. Yeah, you got me there. I thought you really lost your ring,"

Which was a complete lie, of course.

At times like this, he wondered of why he would actually bother himself to pretend being stupid and humiliated by Ino every year at this kind of day.

Why he would pretend to be surprised (even that was still done without much expression, can't blame it to his natural bored face) and pissed off just to make her give that kind of annoying laughs?

The blue-eyed girl was still grinning widely.

He sighed. The answer was obvious.

Because yeah, he loved to hear her laugh that annoying giggles.

Because if it was to make her even slightly happier that day, he wouldn't really mind making himself a fool.

Because it was worth it.

---

The routine had started when they were 7.

He knew her to be the daughter of his father's bestfriend. Nothing much to describe. She was the intimidating kind of girl –the type who would be chosen as a girl group's leader naturally. And she was annoying. With her high-pitch voice, demanding aura, and bugging personality, Yamanaka Ino was hellishly annoying.

That day on spring that year, he was doing his usual cloud-gazing activity, when she suddenly came and told him that cloud-gazing at the beginning of spring was a bad thing to do and that he needed to purify himself by doing this certain exorcism dance

He first looked at her oddly. Who would believe such story? He was seven, okay, but he wasn't a dumbass. Far from it.

Shikamaru was about to ignore her, and he knew that he should, but an unknown part of him urged to just follow her play.

And so, he did the silly so called purification, and felt instantly stupid for actually doing it.

"April Fool!! I got you, Shika-kun!!" and she laughed.

That annoying laughs.

But he didn't mind.

He didn't mind when he had to fool himself again the next year. And the next year. And the next and following years afterwards, until now they were at the age of 19.

Shikamaru claimed himself a boring guy, thus he didn't mind doing the ever same routine every year.

----

At age 20, there had been slight change of routine.

Spring that year was nice and warm. The Sakura trees bloomed longer that time of year. Shikamaru was 'busily' gazing at the falling sakura petals when he noticed the seat beside 2him had been taken.

"Pretty, aren't they?" she had murmured. Her gaze looked soft and yet radiant at the same time. Spending a lot of time together with her, he had recognized that kind of gaze was one that she had when she was thinking about her hardly admitted female girlfriend. Albeit of what she might say, Shikamaru knew, that Ino cared for Sakura, just like sisters.

She had often told him how much spring resembled her best friend, Sakura.

But to him, Ino was spring.

She was his spring. His wind that brought memory of warmth and sweetness every time he dirtied his hands with blood of his opponents. His little sunshine that made his day worth the living.

Did he love her?

No.

Yes.

Perhaps.

It was too troublesome for him to make a clear statement of his relationship with Ino. She was and would always be there beside him, and that was enough. Even if she was loud and annoying, even if her April Fool jokes were childish and irritating, he had cared for her, and he wished that the situation would always be simply just like that.

She hadn't had the same thought, though.

"Shika-kun," her rarely quiet voice called for his name. And it would always be to her voice to wake him up from his comfortable day dreaming.

"What?" He knew that she would just say her April Fool jokes of the year then.

"Don't laugh,"

"Huh?" He stared at her confusedly. He hadn't been unconsciously laughing on his own, had he?

"Don't say anything…yet. Just hear it,"

"Hear wha –"

"I think I love you,"

Silence.

Real silence.

Then, a chuckle.

"That one was really funny, Ino –"

"Hey, I told you not to laugh –"

"But that one was cruel,"

He eyed her hard and subconsciously gritted his teeth.

He could bear the silly ring joke the year before, he could stand her first purification joke, he could stand any of her other jokes, but this one was… this one was…

How could she?!

"That was cruel," he repeated. "But that was one successful April Fool. Finally, Ino,"

Her blue eyes blinked in realization. "But Shika-kun! That one wasn't –"

"That's enough, Ino," he cut her coldly. "You want a reply? Then I'll say it. I don't like your banshee-like voice. You're an annoying bih, you ruin my life, and I…-"

I love you.

"I hate you," he finished.

He didn't wait for her explanations, he just didn't want to be there, he didn't want to witness her saying 'April Fool!'. No, not this year. Not with that kind of joke.

Not with that kind of joke he so wanted to hear as a genuine truth.

----

One year passed, and spring came once again to pay her visit.

It was the gloomiest spring of all decade. Sakura trees had somehow refused to bloom, and even though people thought that the cause must be because of the aging trees, but in his philosophical mode on, Shikamaru sensed that those trees were only portraying their regret.

They had known that this year, Konoha wouldn't be at its usual peace, just like him.

"Your mission is concerning those at the Oto village, isn't it?"

Always. It was always her voice that could cut him completely off his trance.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a day shift at the hospital?"

Ino gazed calmly at her teammate. "I just want to say you good luck,"

Shikamaru looked back at her with consideration. Truthfully, ever since last year, he had lived a life as if he hadn't had any best friends. Chouji had been dead since 2 years ago, and Ino was all he had left for a best friend.

But she had ruined it.

He had avoided her ever since she 'confessed' her feelings last year, and honestly, he was missing her so much. It took all his will power not to encircle his arms around her and hug him tightly, saying that she was his most important person.

He was… somehow afraid of her. Afraid of her cruel April jokes.

"When will you be back?" she questioned him stiffly. Things hadn't been like their old usual younger time.

"If there's nothing gone out of plan, then I'd be back in 2 days,"

"It's perfect then," Ino then beamed. "I'd have something to say to you 2 days later. So make sure you're back safely,"
His mind counted silently. 2 days… 2 days after this day would be April the 1st. Tsk, she hadn't forgotten that silly habit…

Shikamaru turned his back. A slight reminder of April Fool had brought back unpleasant memory and suppressed rage. Ah, he should have known better, he must have –

"Be back safe!" he heard her say.

Contemplation.

Then…

Sigh.

"You too. Take care of yourself, Ino,"

"Of course, Idiot! I'll be okay here waiting for you! So, come back safely!"

…

Shikamaru let out a small smile.

Perhaps… perhaps… this year April's joke wouldn't be that bad…

----

The promised day. 2 days after he last saw her…

Shikamaru was dashing as quickly as he could back towards Konoha. It had only been some moments ago, when he first heard that horrifying news.

"The Oto is attacking Konoha!" said the dog that Shikamaru recognized as being Kakashi's subordinate. The small creature was panting in between his words. " They're using the opportunity when most of Konoha's shinobis were away on mission! Hurry, you must come back! Konoha is at chaos!"

He had never run as fast as he was currently for all of his entire life.

Damn it, Ino!!

His running feet finally brought him back to his home village –which he wouldn't recognize in normal circumstances.

Thick smoke was on air, fire was everywhere, and screams were heard there and there.

Shikamaru moved his feet again and made a quick race towards her residence.

Burnt flowers were scattered on the ground, and dead bodies lied on the street.

His eyes quickly scanned the surrounding, hoping to find his blonde teammate in living and safe situation.

Then he heard her screams.

His eyes went wide and he ran to the source of voice.

Adrenaline paced fast inside his body. Fear was obvious on his eyes.

There he found her, at the back of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Two dead bodies were at her hands, with other three around her.

"Ah, Shika-kun! You're back!" she grinned.

Bruises there and there on her pale skin, her breaths were raged, and some spots of blood on her purple outfit.

But she was okay, and safe, and alright…

The so called lazy-ass had never felt as relieved as he was currently.

"Ino, you're alright…"

The long-haired girl blinked and the proud beam made its way on her pretty face.

"Of course! I told you I'll be okay! What, you don't like it? Too bad, I'll always be there beside you, Shika-kun!"

He let out a sigh and tried to steady his breaths. "I thought you –," Shikamaru paused when he caught a glimpse of wrong movement. His eyes then widened in horror. One of the 'dead' men on the ground was now standing and he was…

Oh, no…

"INOO!!!" He screamed and rushed towards her.

Time cruelly went slowly. The sudden tremor on her sapphire eyes, the sound of ripped flesh, splattered blood… So slow, he could witness it all…

Be he could do nothing at all.

Shikamaru jumped at Ino's attacker and jerked his hand away from her. In one swift motion, broke the masked man's skull.

But he knew he was too late.

Long trail of wound on her back, flowing blood…

Too late.

Kneeling down beside her lying, frail form, he carefully grabbed her and embraced her close to him.

"Hold on, you'll be alright. I'll carry you to the hospital and t-then, then –" He tried to sounded calm, he really did. But his voice started to shake, and they both could sense it.

She coughed blood. "It's no use, Shika-kun. You know that I couldn't be helped. The strike was too deep, I wouldn't be able to –"

"Don't say it!" he shouted. Why must she be annoying even at times like this?! "For once, just shut up, Ino!"

She smiled sadly at him. He hated that smile.

"I won't. This is my only chance, Shika-kun…"

"Ino, just stop –"

"I love you. And I mean it. Just as I mean it last year. I swear to God that it isn't any of my April Fool jokes," She choked more blood. "Aa, but I haven't told you my April Fool jokes this year, ne?"

"Ino, just shut up!! Save your joke for next year! And the year after and after… Live. I want to hear your stupid jokes again…"

"Then I'll say it,"

He panicked. "Not now, Ino! Next year, next year. I promise I'll hear it next year! Just, just –"

Just live, damn it!

"Let me think of it…" her voice slurred and her eyes started to flutter closed. "Ah! It seemed that I already said it a while ago…" she grinned.

At first he hadn't had a clue, but seeing her condition plus with the knowledge of her, he realized it.

Please…

Oh please, God, not that joke…

"Ino! Stop it, please…"

"Shika-kun? I got you there, eh?"

"No… please, don't say it," He was afraid. Really afraid. "Don't. Say. It…"

"Shika-kun…"

"Of course! I told you I'll be okay! What, you don't like it? Too bad, I'll always be there beside you, Shika-kun!"

"April Fool…"

The End

Okay, sorry if I turned the supposedly cheery April Fool to be gloomy… I've had this idea to make an April Fool fic since some months ago, and I thought no other couple would fit the roles better than Shikamaru and Ino. I didn't originally plan it to be sad ending, but at the end it just fits…um, I guess.