Spoiler for manga chapter 459.

A/N: The theme for this fic was taken from LJ 30 Kisses, Theme 4: Our Distance and That Person. Actually, I want to do the challenge for so long, but I don't really have the time, plus, I already got so many unfinished multi-chapter stories (and pending requests!). But I'd already done the 19th theme; Red, in the form of oneshot, so I thought I do the rest the same way.

Requested by (and dedicated to) my muse, the source of my inspirations, Marshie-chan.

Beta by tomboy14.

Disclaimer: Naruto is fully owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I just borrow them for SI fans' pleasure

He liked to compare her with the clouds he loved to watch; pretty to look at in a nice weather, gloomy in rainy days and fierce in thunderstorms. Her moods, like most girls, were unpredictable.

Like clouds, she appeared so near yet so far away, reachable if only he held his hand up to the sky, but always, always untouchable.

"Who do you love?"

"Isn't that obvious? Uchiha Sasuke, forever and ever, of course! Who do you love?"

"Yamanaka Ino, forever and ever."

"You only said that because I'm the only girl in your life!"

And he was the lazy watcher, always there, always lurking somewhere in the background, unnoticed, unimportant. The only reason for his existence was to love the clouds all his life, never to claim. But he didn't care, didn't mind, because even though she was untouchable, even though there was a distance between them, they will always, always be together.

"Seriously. Who do you love, Shikamaru?"

"Yamanaka Ino–" He mumbled sleepily.

"–forever and ever." Someone finished it for him, sounding amused. "Yeah, yeah. You told me so many times already."

Without seeing who it was, he knew who the voice belonged to. The smell of barbeque chips in the air confirmed his guess. Only one person could interrupt his dream so rudely like that and the honor goes to his best friend.

"Choji. What are you doing here?"

"Checking up on you. How's your leg?"

He tried moving the said leg. Miraculously, it moved.

"As good as new."

"Wow. Ino did a really good job, eh? She must have been working on it all night. Poor girl…"

There was something about Choji's tone that made him open his eyes at last. He blinked a couple of times before following Choji's gaze. There, sleeping peacefully on the tent floor beside him was Ino.

"Do you want to get married someday?"

"Maybe."

"So, what kind of girl are you looking for?"

Average, but he knew the one he desired was more than that. "Like clouds."

Choji caught his expression. "That was so nice of her, don't you think? She keeps on healing you nonstop ever since you broke your leg. I wonder if she'll do the same thing to me if I was injured."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course she'll heal you, too."

Like clouds on a sunny day, she was the shelter for comfort. She was Sakura's confidant while growing up, the leader of his team, their pillar of strength. She provided healing hands to those who needed it, a shoulder to cry on, cheers and motivations and never-ending devotion to those she cared about.

But not her love; somebody had claimed that a long time ago.

"Clouds? That is so typical of you, Shikamaru."

'But clouds are untouchable.'

"I want to marry Sasuke when I grow up!"

"Actually, there's a reason for me to come here." Choji spoke in a serious tone. "There's something that you need to know."

He cocked an eyebrow, suddenly feeling curious. "Shoot."

"I failed to stop him. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Shikamaru. As long as you and Choji are safe."

"But–"

She patted his hand gently, kindly. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'm sure he'll be back one day."

"No!" She screamed her lungs out at him, looking mad as hell. It seemed like she was ready to beat him into pulp. "You can't!"

He sighed. Somehow he'd predicted this. "Ino, you have to understand. It's got to be done."

"No! I won't allow you!"

'Troublesome woman.' "Whatever. I'm going with the plan whether you like it or not." He turned his attention to the watching crowd. "You guys are coming with me, right?"

All the male ninjas nodded. He nodded back seriously, catching the sight of Ino's angry face from the corner of his eye. He sighed again. He felt bad but there was nothing he could do about it.

So he decided to offer himself to do the most troublesome thing. "I'm going to tell Sakura now. Choji," he gave his best friend a knowing look.

Choji nodded.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? Shikamaru!" Ino screamed at his back, making a beeline to follow him but Choji quickly grabbed her arm and held her firmly in place. She struggled, trying to escape from the death grip but failed. "Shikamaru!"

The last thing he heard was a series of shouts of his name mixed with howls of tears.

"Would you leave me one day?"

"Never."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She'd cried when Sakura broke their friendship, she'd cried when Sasuke left the village and she'd cried when Asuma died.

But never, never ever had she cried for him.

As soon as Sakura and Sai departed to find Naruto, he didn't waste time to tell the others that they will be leaving as well. He didn't know where Sasuke's whereabouts right now, but with Kiba and Akamaru's good noses, as well as Neji's Byakugan and Shino's bugs they already have what it took to track down the Uchiha.

When he arrived at his tent to pack, Ino was already there as expected.

"So, you're going anyway." She stated coldly.

"Yeah." He gathered his things without looking at her.

"Okay. I'm coming, too."

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"Because the last thing we need is someone who emotionally unstable in our squad." She hissed in protest. "And it's dangerous."

"Then don't go."

"Can't do that either."

"Why? You said so yourself it's dangerous!"

"I have a responsibility in this." He turned to face her at last. Her eyes were still red from crying but she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "I failed my mission to stop him back then."

"So it's your responsibility to stop him now? Tsunade-sama's still unconscious. Nobody ordered you to do such thing."

'Don't you get it? I'm doing this for you…' "I'm not a kid anymore, Ino, and I care about Konoha. If I – if we don't stop Sasuke now, there will be a war, maybe worse than before. Do you want that to happen?"

"But I'm sure Naruto–"

"Stop relying too much on Naruto!" He cut her off, outraged. "He'd done so much for us! We shouldn't let him shoulder the burden again; it's not his responsibility alone!"

Ino's eyes widened and her mouth quickly clamped shut, shocked by his unusual behavior.

"Sasuke's too far gone now. He's not going to change. If we let him on a little longer, then Konoha will be crushed into dust. There will be nothing left."

"I know that, but…I–"

"–love him. Yes, I'm very aware of that. But your love alone cannot save him, Ino."

She glared at him, looking almost murderous. "Is that what you think this is all about?"

"What else could it be but that? You want to protect Sasuke, the traitor to this village, like I don't know you!" He spat. The familiar jolt of pain in his heart returned at his own acknowledgement, just like it always did ever since he was a child. "I'm sorry to say this but I'm going out there no matter what, and kill him if I have to."

Feeling ill with the thought, her knees gave away and she slumped onto the floor. He could almost see the possible scenarios running in her mind, horrible and bloody as she shook her head to push those thoughts away. "No… Please don't…"

He clenched his fists hard.

"I beg you, Shikamaru. Please don't go after him…"

He gritted his teeth, jealousy soaring up inside him.

"I cannot…I cannot live without–"

"Goodbye, Ino." He cut her off harshly. It wasn't good to leave when things were this ugly between them, but he was at the point where the urge to break things or kill someone was almost unbearable. The temptation was too great. He couldn't stand it anymore.

"Who do you love?" She asked suddenly, sounding almost desperate.

He stopped and sighed in frustration. "You know who I love."

"Say it."

He slowly turned around to face her, drinking the sight of her for the longest time. If her face was the last image he sees before he dies, then he could die happy. "Yamanaka Ino." He said gently, but firm. Her name rolled off his tongue so easily, like it always meant to be. "Forever and ever."

She'd known his answer by heart, but still she snorted humorlessly before saying her constant reply, "When there are other girls around?"

"Yeah."

"Damn right you do." She raised her head up to meet his eyes. "Then stay, if you truly meant what you'd just said."

"Ino–"

"You'd promised."

"Promises are made to be broken."

But she knew him well, very well. "You never made a promise that you don't intend to keep."

"I never promised to not kill Sasuke."

"But you'd promised you won't leave me." She replied stubbornly. "So whether you take me with you or not go at all."

He inhaled sharply, feeling the anger rising to his head. "No, Ino. You stay here. Period."

She moved so fast it was impossible for his eyes to follow then suddenly she was already by his side, gripping his arm tight. They stood nose to nose, so close that he could see the dark specks in her blue eyes and felt her warm breaths on his lips. "I love Sasuke," she whispered darkly.

He felt his own heart break into pieces even though he'd heard the same thing many times before. He tried to move away from her grasp, trying to escape the harsh reality that after all this time, he still didn't stand the chance to be someone she held dear in her heart. But the more he pulled, the harder she clung onto him. "But hear me out, please. I don't want to let you go because I need you, Shikamaru. I need you here with me. I need you like I need air; I cannot live without you. So please…" Tears began to form in her eyes again. "Don't leave me."

Oh.

A lone tear fell and he watched in amazement as it rolled beautifully down her smooth cheek and disappeared as a black dot on his sleeve. Everything about her was beautiful and the fact that she was crying for him now, made her appear as close as a goddess in his eyes.

"I know what happened last time. Choji almost got killed and you…well, you were lucky you survived with just a broken finger. But this time is different. I'm sure he's a lot stronger now and…he could've killed you easily. I don't want that to happen, Shikamaru. Losing Asuma-sensei is enough. I don't want to lose you, too. I don't want to lose anybody anymore."

This was the first time Ino poured her heart out completely to him and for a genius, he wasn't sure on how to respond to that. So he just stared at her as she cried even more, restoring this precious moment in his mind.

He dared to hope.

"You said you love Sasuke," he spoke after a long pause. "But you're not in love with him, right? You're…in love with me instead, aren't you?"

He was almost afraid to hear her answer; afraid that his heart might get broken again after she'd successfully glued the shattering pieces back with her tears. But she was Ino, and she always managed to surprise him. Her reaction regarding to his question was priceless.

Maybe she didn't know it herself, and maybe at the realization, or the horror that it might be true, she kept on crying, but she wasn't crying prettily like before. She cried even harder, shamelessly, with face all scrunched up and mouth opened wide, wailing, almost sounding like she was five again, hiccupping between sobs, looking almost comical it was funny. He felt his mouth curled at the sight, at the pretty ugly sight, and when she showed no sign of stopping, he laughed.

It was absurd, but it was real. And it was beautiful, no matter how pathetic they must've looked. Here she was, crying her heart out for him, and he, in return, laughed at her, marveling how good it felt to be the one she shed her tears for. And even though she answered his question with her tears, even though the words were unspoken, he knew that finally, finally, he'd touched her heart.

He'd reached the clouds.

He closed the distance between them by pulling her into a hug, and as he wrapped his arms around her, a new, foreign feeling emerged in his heart. He'd held her in his arms so many times before but it was nothing compared to this. For the first time in his life, the love he felt for her wasn't one-sided. She'd returned his feelings, even confessed to him that she couldn't live without him. He was her life now, her world, not Sasuke, maybe never Sasuke, for he was the boy she grew up with, the one who had always been there for her, the one who knew her the most, understood her the most, and loved her the most. Her unique love for him ignited something in him, something different than the pure, innocent love that he always felt for her and it made him feel scared of himself.

She returned his embrace, and at the softness of her body molded perfectly into his and her sweet scent filled his nose, the feeling grew bigger and bigger that it was almost heady. It was later he realized that it was pure lust, something that he'd managed to control and not to think about every time she was near. But this time was certainly different as he was no longer afraid of being unwanted.

"Ino?"

She was still sobbing on his shoulder but wasn't hiccupping anymore. "Ye-yeah?"

He hesitated for a second. He bit the insides of his cheek thoughtfully before blurted out nervously, "Can I kiss you?"

She held her breath as she considered his request. Then she answered. "You're a moron."

He laughed again at that, broke their hug and held her at arms length, watching himself in her clear blue eyes for a moment before leaning into her. Their lips touched, and then there were fireworks. He saw flying sparks and heard the explosions in his ears as he kissed her for all she was worth, unleashing years of loving her, wanting her into one inexperienced, yet powerful kiss, and she kissed him back with same ferocity, urgently, hungrily, like there was no tomorrow…

They lost themselves in their building desires, and as their kiss intensified, she slid a meshed knee up the outside of his thigh and down, and just like it was always between them, where they did all kinds of things in perfect rhythm, he traced a sensual path down her spine before grabbing her behind and lifting her onto her toes. He grinded his pelvis into hers and she moaned inside his mouth at the feel of him hard against her and it took his entire rationality to hold her in place instead of thrashing her on the tent floor and savor her right then and there.

She broke away first, panting heavily, her lips swollen from his kisses and face flushed with desire and that image alone was the strongest aphrodisiac ever. He let her calmed down, catching his own breaths, but continued his caresses; from her behind to her flat stomach, up her ribcage and disappeared beneath her top. She gasped, surprised, but let his wandering hand.

Then a wicked smiled formed on her lips as a thought crossed her mind, and he smiled back as wickedly, and they kissed again, over and over and over again.

"Still thinking of leaving?" She whispered seductively against his lips.

He knew there must be a price to pay. "Ah…" He sighed almost regretfully. "I have to."

She pulled away to look at him; her angry expression returned. Even so, he saw worries underneath it all. "I won't let you go even if I have to seduce you…" She grabbed the front of his pants and made him sucked air into his suddenly empty lungs. "I mean it."

Her hand moved and he almost, almost surrendered. It took him everything not to moan and lose himself because it just felt oh so good. He stood perfectly still instead, challenged her stare, clueless on how their early kisses had turned into some sort of a game of wits between them. Well, maybe he started it first by touching her more than he should, but hey, it wasn't like she was complaining or rejecting him, or anything. She was willing, hell, she was more than willing.

Then all in a sudden, her gaze softened, and a sigh escaped her lips as she released her hold. He felt a pang of disappointment hit his chest at the loss of her magic fingers, like a boy with his candy taken away, but felt grateful nonetheless. If she continued any further, he wasn't sure if he could control himself anymore. He wished he had more time to spare, but it was running out. Choji or any of his teammates will be coming to get him any second now, seeing he was obviously late for their departure.

So he tied back his messed up ponytail and smoothed out his slightly rumpled clothes, watching her with keen, interested eyes as she did the same.

"You better come back alive," she broke the silence, expertly adjusting her bra back into place with some tugs here and there. "We have unfinished business here."

He smirked, eyes following her movements. "I really look forward to it."

"Pervert."

"Seducer."

She scowled and folded her arms under her breasts. "Moron."

"Crybaby."

"Hey, that's your nickname!"

"Whatever. Your crying face is ugly."

"But you love me anyway."

"You couldn't live without me."

Her teasing stopped as her eyes drooped low, clouded once again. He knew she didn't really want to let him go, but she knew he was right, that Sasuke had to be stopped for the sake of everyone. "Damn right." She spoke, more to herself. She was silent for a moment before she looked up at him again. "So, don't let me lose you."

"Okay." It wasn't exactly a promise, because like she'd said, he never made a promise that he didn't intend to keep. It was only an assurance; something for her to hold on to while he was gone. It gave her hope, but it also gave him strength and motivation.

He'd known long ago that he'll do anything for her.

He turned to team-captain mode and his brains spontaneously worked in a familiar pattern of thinking. He looked through two hundred moves and analyzed the possible outcomes of his mission. One particular prediction turned his insides cold and made him think twice of leaving her.

He should, no, need to take some precaution, just to be on the safe side. But before he could say anything, a loud, familiar voice called out his name from outside the tent.

"It's Choji." Ino turned her head at the sound. As if knowing what was happening between his friends, Choji decided to keep his distance.

"I'm late." He said, slightly distracted from his previous thought. He picked up the backpack he'd dropped sometime ago and swung it onto his back, busily figuring out on how to say it right. He could feel Choji's impatient chakra and knew he had to hurry.

He chose to just go with it.

"Ino?"

"Yeah?" She looked back at him with those blue eyes he adored so much, the same color of the permanent background against the white, fluffy clouds he loved to watch.

"Marry me."

It wasn't a question.

She was momentarily stunned before blurting, "WHAT?!"

"You heard me."

"B-but…we're only sixteen!"

"So? We might bring Sasuke back to Konoha. What will happen then?"

"You expect me to be all over him after we kissed –" Her cheeks reddened. "– and all that? Get real, Shikamaru."

"I just don't want to risk losing you." After so many long years of gazing longingly at her, silently chasing after her, and finally, finally had her, he surely didn't want to give her up anymore. "You're mine now. I want to make it official."

"But…I'm not the one you wanted. I'm not like…clouds."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Trust me. You're every bit like clouds. So what's your answer?"

"Whoa…you look scary. Is that a smile?"

"Shut up, Choji."

"I think it has to be surgically removed from your face. Seriously."

FIN

The prompts: 459, jealous Shikamaru, ShikaInoSasu love triangle, steamy scenes in the tent.

(I hope it was steamy enough!)

Leave a review if you think this story worth it. Thanks for reading!