Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sober ❯ Trippin and Skippin 2 ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Eight: Trippin and Skippin 2
The students were almost used to their sensei's disfiguration, but most of them still stared. Ino turned to them, "so, we'll have a test tomorrow." She frowned, "what?"
"Let me get it straight," a girl said. "You and your candy are having a baby? I mean...Shikamaru-sensei is going to be the dad?"
"Yes, is that a problem?" Ino asked, putting her hand behind her back for support. "Many of you asked that same question."
"Just that it's Shikamaru-sensei," a boy said with a grimance.
"And?" she asked.
"He hates kids," a girl blurted out.
Ino sighed, "he does not. He's actually excited about it."
"Poor baby," another boy said.
Ino frowned at them, "leave him alone. He'll be a great father." The bell chimed, and they got up. "Test tomorrow," she said again.

Sighing, Ino walking into the empty apartment. Shikamaru had a mission to Sunagakure. She hoped he would get back any day now; she was tired of being alone. She decided to drown her sorrows in cleaner and dust cloths.
In a few minutes, she had began working on cleaning Choji's room. He, too, was on the mission, and his room needed at least tidying up. She threw away candy wrappers and chip bags and decided to wait on the dusting. "Good enough for now," she said aloud. She made her way to her and Shikamaru's room. It wasn't in a mess, but it was dirty.
After dusting a bit and straightening books on the floor into neat stacks, she realized that his shogi set was always set up. She sighed, "that won't do." She picked up one by one and wiped them lightly. She planned to put them all into the box again, where they belonged. Her fingers pushed open the cardboard box, and something shiny caught her eye.
"What's that?" she mumbled, looking into the box clearly. It was a silver ring with a saphirre in the middle surrounded by cz's. She picked it up and examined its beauty. Her eyes darted from it to the box then around the room. She carefully slipped it on her finger and grinned, "wow, a perfect fit. This has to be mine!" She frowned, "but what for?" She thought for a minute and squealed happily, "engagement ring!" She giggled excitedly, "I'm getting married! This is too much!" She admired the sparkling ring on her petite finger, "Shika-kun, you outdid yourself!"
She then frowned, "he'll probably be back tonight. I guess I should act like I don't know about it." She took it off, blushing at it again. "I'll have to hint it when he gets home." She put it back into the box and closed it. Remembering exactly how it was before, she placed the box on the small table on top of the old papers. She laughed happily, getting back to her cleaning. She glanced at the box again and squealed again, "I love him! I love him! Love! Love! Love!" She sighed dreamily, "I can't wait!"

Shikamaru and Choji came in earlier than expected. Ino was sweeping, but she immediantly dropped the broom to lunge into Shikamaru gently. He hugged her, "whoa, you look happy."
She kissed him, leaving Choji to creep to the bathroom nervously. Shikamaru let it go in amusment. She took his hand, "I did so much this evening!"
"Really," he nearly hummed. She led him into their room. It almost sparkled like the ring. He blinked, "you were busy." He looked around, "I bet you're worn out."
She shut the door and giggled, "Shika-kun, you have something to ask me."
"Yeah, I am kind of hungry," he said.
She sweatdropped, "no! Not that!"
"What then?" he asked.
"I cleaned your shogi set. I was extra careful with it and left the peices in the same spots, too."
He bit his lip as he stared at it. She frowned at him. He smiled nervously, arranging the peices to where they were before. "I was in the middle of a game," he told her, moving the 'king' into a corner.
She huffed, "I did the best I could. How was I suppose to remember how they were exactly?"
He cut his eyes at the box that was on top of the papers. He could have sworn there was at least one sheet on top of it. He shrugged it way, "thank yo-" He cut his eyes at the box again nervously. "How could I forget? That's where it was!" he thought. He chuckled nervously, "uh, Ino?"
She clasped her hands as he stepped to the box and opened it. "Yes?!" she nearly shouted with glee.
He blushed from embarrassment, "well, I know it's hard to believe, but I forgot where this was."
"Where what was?" she asked, stepping closer to him.
He held out the ring to her, "this...uh-"
She took it quickly, "I wi-"
"Happy birtday," he finished.
She froze, glancing at him, "what?"
He explained with a grin, "happy birthday. Remember, I told you that I got you a present when you were angry at me. I wasn't lying. I just misplaced it."
She dropped her smile a little, "oh...thank you."
He lowered his eyes, "you don't like it."
"It's not that," she said, putting it on. Somehow it didn't seem as exciting anymore.
He reached for it, "I'll exchange it for something you want."
She pulled away slightly, "no."
"Really I doesn't matter to me," his voice broke on the last two words. She looked at him quickly. He shut his mouth and smiled nervously.
She bit her lip, "oh, Shikamaru, I hurt your feelings."
He blushed again, "no, you didn't."
His voice was still cracking, making Ino feel worse. She kissed his cheek, "I love it, Shikamaru. Really, I was so happy when I...well, um." He blinked confusingly. "I found it earlier, but I didn't mean to. You should have seen me. I was-"
He reached for it again, ignoring her, "here."
"No!" she snapped again, "I love it!"
He frowned even more, "be honest with me. It's not hurting my damn feelings."
She could see the hurt in his eyes, though. He must have been so excited to give it to her. He probably saved his money for the longest time to buy it; it did look expensive. And what did she do? She seemed unhappy about it. She understood how he must have felt when she dropped her happy tone a few minutes ago. She crushed him just like that! She was so angry at herself, but if she wanted to make it better, she had to tell the truth.
She snapped out of her daze to notice he wasn't in the room anymore. She rushed out, "Shika-kun?"
"He walked out," Choji told her from the kitchen.
She went out of the door and saw him inhaling a cigarrette, leaning against the wall. She frowned, "you can't smoke around the baby."
"That's why I walked out here," he said lowly.
"Shikamaru," she started in concern. "I really love the ring; the reason I reacted the way I did was because I thought it was different kind of ring."
He frowned, blowing out smoke, "I don't understand."
"You're using it as a birthday ring. I wanted it to be an...engagement ring."
He looked at her, "oh, it can be. I told you that I would exchange it. We'll just call it that."
"But do you mean it?" she asked.
"No," he said sharply. She frowned. "As soon as the baby is born, I'm going to run out on you both. You'll never see me again, let alone get any love from me."
"Quit being a smartass," she snapped. "I just meant that-"
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I guess you kinda...hit me hard," he said sadly.
She frowned, "I didn't mean to."
"I know, but it made me feel so awful. If I ask you to marry me," he said, putting out his cigarreette, "you have to promise to never..." He frowned, not wanting to say the rest. "Man, I sound like such a female," he thought.
"Break your heart?" she finished.
He blushed, "y-yeah."
She smiled softly, "I'll never."
He sighed, "okay..." He took her hand in his and kissed her forehead, "marry me."
"I will," she said with a grin.
He stopped her as they went to step back inside, "Ino, make me one more promise."
"Anything," she said seriously.
"Never tell anyone, not a soul, that I had my....feelings hurt over a ring," he said. She cracked a smile. "No, know what? Tell them I have no feelings to hurt, okay?" he asked.
She nodded, "okay. It's a promise."
He smiled, "thank you." He hated feeling so soft. Of his generation, exception of Naruto's spontaneous cry-outs, he was the most emotional of the guys. He could still hear Temari calling him a crybaby after crying in front of her, his father, and Tsunade. He hated showing that side of himself.

Shikamaru sighed heavily as he walked into the Yamanaka Flower Shop. He saw Ino's mother at the register. She smiled, "hey, Shikamaru. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to speak with Inoichi-sama," he said to her.
She pointed to the door that lead to inside the house, "he's in there, drinking his coffee. I just made it if you want some."
"Thank you," he said, walking to the door, "I'll only be a minute."
"Take your time," she said, orginizing the money again.
Shikamaru walked in and went to the kitchen. He let his eyes roll a bit. This place smell of Ino so much. He entered in and saw Inoichi reading over a scroll. "Morning, Yamanaka-sama," Shikamaru said nervously.
Inoichi looked at him, "you don't have to be so formal, Shikamaru. Just Inoichi will be fine."
It would be fine for Inoichi, but Shikamaru was worried about his mother's reaction. She had brought him up to listen to her. He sighed silently; what the hell. "Uh, Inoichi-sama," he started. He cursed himself; now the -sama was a habit. Damn Yoshino. "I would like to talk to you about Ino," he finished.
Inoichi nodded, standing, "okay, but we have to talk to fast. I have to be at Choza's to talk to him about this." He rolled his scroll up and gazed at Shikamaru.
The younger man swallowed and looked Inoichi eye-to-eye. "I don't know why this is so hard, but I would like to..." he mumbled. He sighed again, "marry Ino."
Inoichi smiled instantly, "you're running through me first?"
Shikamaru nodded, "I mean, I knew you would approve since she's-"
"Of course I approve," he chuckled. "I'm surprised you would go out of your way to come ask; you know, since you are Shikaku's son."
Shikamaru smiled slightly, "well, Ino really respects you, and I want to do the same. I wanted to make sure to ask before, but..."
Inoichi blinked, "huh? But what?"
He sighed, "it's a long story, but Ino sprung the marriage plan on me last night. You know how she is. If I didn't propose when she asked, she would have been angry."
Inoichi chuckled, "that's my little girl. Just don't let her wear you down."
"A little late for that, but I'll be fine. I know how to tune her out," Shikamaru said with a grin.
"Yeah, my wife knows how to do that, too," he laughed. He smirked, "well, keep doing what you're doing. Ino is very picky, and when she's in love I can see it. She loves you deeply, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru blushed a little, "thank you for saying so." He smiled a little, "I love her, too."
Inoichi patted his shoulder, "yeah, you look just like your father when he noticed how much he cared for your mother after she kicked him to the ground. He and you share that same spark of devotion." Shikamaru smiled as Inoichi picked up another scroll and headed for the door, "see you later, son-in-law."
"You, too," Shikamaru said with a frown. He never noticed before, but Inoichi was very observant.

Ino gapsed as she tumbled forward. Shikamaru caught her with his shadow possession jutsu immediantly. She sighed in relief as she stood up right again. Shikamaru let it go and wiped the sweat from his forehead; he had become so on edge around her, "be more careful, Ino..."
She giggled, walking forward again. "I am; now hurry up!"
He sighed, following ever so slowly. "I'll get there in time." Ino rushed herself once again, nearly tripping once again. She stopped at the patches of wildflowers and knelt, picking some pretty ones. Shikamaru finally got to her and lowered his eyes, "why did we stop?"
She glanced up at him, "pick out some for him."
"No," he said quietly. She frowned a bit but kept filling her hand. He gazed at the passing clouds. "Ino, let's just go."
She sighed, holding her free hand up. He helped her stand gently. She looked at him, "you okay?"
He blushed a little, "yes!" She cocked her head to the side. He looked away, saying it calmer, "I mean...yes..."
She gripped his hand, "come on." She walked him to the grave and knelt again. He stared at the headstone of their late sensei. "It's been such a long time, but I can still see him," Ino said, putting her hands together. "Sit."
Shikamaru sat down with her and clasped his hands, too. They closed their eyes and prayed in silence.
Ino smiled softly after a few minutes. She noticed that Shikamaru was still praying; so, she decided not to disturb him. She only gazed at his concentration. She then gasped and winced as the baby kicked roughly inside her. "Ow," she accidentally let out.
Shikamaru's eyes snapped open, and he looked at her, "Ino?"
"I'm fine," she said softly. "Finish."
He nodded, closing his eyes again.
She felt a sharp pain hit her, and she bent over a little. Maybe it wasn't a kick. Shikamaru felt the movement, but he was determined to get done with his prayer; besides, Ino would ask for help if she needed it.
Ino felt another pain as her skirt became soaked. She blushed and glanced at him. "What was that?" she thought. She became embarrassed and tried to scoot away, but another pain hit her. "Ah!" she cried.
Shikamaru looked at her worrily, "Ino...." He noticed the darkened material on her skirt. His eyes widened, "Ino! You're water broke!"
She blinked, "oh...oh yeah. Now I remem- Ah!" She shivered, clutching her shoulders. "Damn it! Fuc-"
"It can't hurt that bad," he mumbled in amazement.
She yanked him to her by his vest collar, "get me to the hospital NOW!" He nodded nervously, picking her up carefully. She screamed as another contraction hit her. "GO! RUN RUN!" she yelled in his ear.
"I'm going!" he snapped, running off.