Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Prices of Being a Ninja ❯ Chapter 5

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“Shik?” He rolled onto his side, feigning sleep. The grim set of his jaw began to tick as the footsteps edged closer.
 
“Shik.” She was beginning to be more persistent… not that she ever was anything but persistent. It seemed for things that she really shouldn't be involved in too.
 
“Shik!” The covers flew off of his shoulders and out of his clenched fingers. With a roaring curse he whipped upright.
 
“Amaru… and dang it, Ino- It has to be at least two in the morning! What are you doing in my room?”
 
“I need to talk to you.” She couldn't see his face but smirked at his tone. She definitely had his attention. She was always good at getting his attention.
 
“I don't know why Naruto left if that's what you are-”
 
“Not about him, about Sakura.”
 
“I told everything I can remember to the Anbu intelligence and the Hokage and Kakashi- Anything else you are looking for and you are out of luck, sorry.”
 
“That's a fine attitude.” She snorted, no doubt crossing her arms in a fit mood herself. “Knowing her there were a few body signals too.”
 
“She sobbed when I mentioned he would bring Sasuke back. I don't know anything else.”
 
“You dimwit!” That was not a phrase he recalled anyone using… In fact it seemed everyone was drooling over his oozing smarts. There was an annoying thrumming on the floor. Ino's foot tapping grew steadily louder.
 
“A little enlightenment on why you just called me that, if you don't mind?” She was being bothersome tonight. Damn, a little bit of courtesy to a healing ninja would be nice. There was an exasperated sigh, his head really needed to stop pounding so he could see…
 
“Did you ask her what they talked about?”
 
“No.” The tapping stopped… good?
 
“Did you see what her face looked like?”
 
“Damn it- NO! I have a vice on my head and can't look into light, Ino. I could only hear her.”
 
“Explain in detail exactly what happened.”
 
“I woke up to find I was here and she joked a bit about Billboard Brow to me so I knew it was her. She sounded depressed so I tried to comfort her by saying he'd bring back Sauske like he said he would for all these years… What else would the drillmaster like to find out in my sleeping hours?!”
 
“Some detail and DUH that isn't comforting! She feels like it's her fault and you just rubbed it in her face, Shik.”
 
“Isn't it in some way her fault?”
 
“I swear I'll never marry to one of your species- YES it was and she knows it. She wallows in it every day. She liked Sasuke but Naruto was always there for her. He was there through it all-”
 
“I know this already… why are you repeating this story?”
 
“BECAUSE she loves Naruto! I'm trying to explain it to you.”
 
Silence. She was losing him again.
 
“Shik?” She really wished she could see his face. His mask might have slipped for a brief second and she could make something of his thoughts.
 
“Damn, damn, damn, damn…”
 
“Shik! Shut up Shik- I need you to smarten up and give me advice.”
 
“So first I'm a dimwit and now I'm your counselor Ino? Damn it, I was so blind, I-”
 
“She's a suspect.”
 
“You're imitating a broken record very well and, might I add, interrupting a very peaceful dream without Ino.” He rolled over, coverless and folded one end of the pillow over his exposed ear.
 
“I ran into her right outside your door not soon after you two stopped talking.” She leaned in closer, voice raising to an almost yelling stage. He wanted to be stubborn… she could play that game and be just as stubborn. She yanked the pillow back, continuing at her current volume. “She got it in her crazy head to go after him. He's not thinking straight and neither is she but she shouldn't be a suspect. This was completely out of the blue for her and I need you to help me fix it.”
 
She smirked as he replaced the pillow with his arm. “The Godaime will-”
 
“Put an additional price on anyone else's head involved in the disappearance of Naruto.” She was finally getting somewhere. “I know this Shik.”
 
“Amaru.”
 
“Well?”
 
“I have nothing. I could use a drag right now…Paps, I'll never bother you again about quitting.”
 
“Men.” With hands on her hips she frowned. He was being particularly under helpful. She laughed. Well, more than usual anyways.
 
“I'll never know how babies come… with all of you women being like this.”
 
“I'm equally perplexed. And, since you obviously have more important things to be thinking about then I will leave you alone.” Instead of the door squeaking and settling on hinges he heard the cushions of the side chair give way. It was going to be a long night.
 
*hours later with incessant foot tapping*
 
“Ino…”
 
`Better coat it with honey.' “Ino, would you kindly,” The last word cracked. It was failing…
 
just like his…
 
last…
 
nerve.
 
“After you, Shik.” She had it down perfect. Just enough to light the end of the fuse... Her coated tone might turn one on in different circumstances but she had it coming… it was long overdue.
 
“Has it ever occurred to you that a genius ninja CAN'T think when he doesn't have sleep?!” His eyes flung open to realize they had been closed so tightly the morning sun had gone unnoticed. Until now. “Aghhh!”
 
`He's hissing, seething. Hah, I've never seen him this angry.' Ino sat waiting for the moment he would turn and give her a successful glare. Her eyes glinted, it would be a while before that glare came her way. The sun was shining full in the window, giving a beautiful orange glow to the room. It was about seven in the morning now.
 
“To hell with this.” He had recovered his usual self in winning the resolve not to fight, to her disappointment. He sat up, eyes squinted, and wrenched the coverlet off while amazingly in the same fluid movement reached for his IV arm.
 
“Shik- Shikamaru, you need to sit back.” He saw her reaching for him and yanked, as hard as he could. It hurt but it was nothing to what he did in pulling the scabbing skin off with the tape. Tears stung his eyes but he would not stop, not short of being past the door.
 
“No.” She stood up to stop him but paused to avoid stepping on the needle now lying by her foot. The plastic tube hung from the rack, dripping a growing puddle.
 
He was up and headed for the dresser where his clothes sat. As he began lifting his beige gown she shut her eyes knowing nothing was going to stop him from his decision now. She waited for the zip of his jacket and leggings but heard the door slam instead.
 
`The little… At least I got him moving.'
 
“Ino, damn- can't think with her in the room. Can't think in the bloody sun… CAN'T even think in a damn hospital!” He realized with a start he had yelled in the street. Looking around, luckily it was not busy. All of a sudden he found himself staring into a brown-tinted window. The disgusting growing fungi on the glass was usually blue tinged green but… The orange was reflecting oddly in an unusually pleasant color off of something behind the glass.
 
`Odd.' But his mind could not linger on anything long as the need for sleep weighed down his eyelids.
 
“Damn women and their ability to mind read… she ain't even a mother so it is NOT motherly intuition…” The thought of Ino as a mother to a miniature Ino had him suddenly looking for the door.
 
“Finally a place to catch some shut-eye. It smells, makes your head hurt worse but at least there aren't any damn uninvited guests-“
 
“Just the nin I need to see.” With a cautious squint he peered up from his slump against the wall.
 
“Too much to hope for.”
 
 
~Poor Shik ~
 
“AMARU!”
>.<
~ I'm so cruel to you <3 ~