Her Mask (Shikamaru x Oc)

Chapter Fifty-Four

Shingami looked down at the ground as they walked to the place the festivities were being held. So many people were staring at her almost confused, like they didn’t know who they were looking at.

her hand was trapped by Ino’s as she dragged her along like she had done all day. They’d stopped at Ino’s  house to get ready and were going to meet the boys there.

Shingami had left her mask on Ino’s bed so that she wouldn't have to carry it around with her the whole time. 

Before they had left the store where they had bought their new clothes Ino had wanted Shingami to wear a pair of white heels that ended when Shingami grabbed a pair of white flats so Ino couldn’t say anything about her wearing the black shoes she’d planned on wearing originally.

“See everyone thinks you look amazing, Shingami!”

“...Is that why they're all staring at me?”

“Yeah! Well, That and you’re not wearing your mask, so they probably don’t recognize you.”

“Great.”

While Ino and her were walking Ino bumped into someone and she quickly apologized only for Shingami to realize that it was Genma who had Anko right beside him.

His senbon fell out of his mouth and Anko was at a loss for words.

“...” Shingami didn’t say anything as the two stared at her.

Genma finally broke the silence after a few moments of looking like a fish out of water.

“What’s the occasion? You look great.”

Anko shook herself out of her shock. “The fuck? She looks like a purity deity or some shit!”

Anko didn’t know how she felt. She was so used to seeing the girl with a covered face, and coated in at least one layer of blood. Not what was standing in front of her.

“Thanks?”

Genma pulled out a new senbon and kind of just stared as he rolled it around in his mouth before speaking up a few moments later.

“Is this for that festival thing?”

“Yeah, It was my idea.” Ino said with a smile the blonde was wearing a longer dark purple dress with sleeves that stopped at the start of her elbow, she had a branch of wisteria in her hair.

“Has Ibiki seen you yet?”

“...”

“Didn’t think so.”

Anko sighed. “I’m sure he wouldn’t care, so as long as that Nara boy keeps his hands to himself.” she said with a smirk.

Shingami’s face blanked and Genma stifled a laugh and Ino had this devilish smirk like she knew something that they didn’t.

“Yeah, this conversation is over.”

Shingami twisted her own arm and gripped Ino’s in a more comfortable way, dragging her in the direction she had been going in before with Ino giving her a surprised yelp when she pulled her along almost making her trip over her own feet.

“Shingami let go!” She whined only then realizing just how annoying getting pulled around was, she kind of felt bad for always doing it to Shingami but she knew if she didn’t the silver-haired girl would, without a doubt disappear when something that she didn’t want to do came up.

“No.”

“But the conversation was just getting good…” She continued to whine thinking about how much patience Shingami had to deal with so many different people. 

The girl abruptly stopped walking and blinked a couple of times before letting the Yamanaka go. “I don’t know where we are supposed to be going...”

_________________

Shikamaru stood next to Choji awkwardly as they waited for their other two team members to show up, Ino had insisted that they went on ahead after hanging onto Shingami for buying all of their clothes for them. It was thoughtful and they all appreciated it.

Shikamaru had his hands in his pant’s pockets as he had been called out by Choji for pulling and trying to fix his white dress shirt that he had already fixed several times over.

After about a half hour of them just standing there they were sitting down eating, Well more so Choji than Shikamaru but he was enjoying a stick of dango while they talked about how Shingami was the superior eater of the team.

When the girls arrived Ino was not dragging Shingami but the silver-haired girl was standing there awkwardly Shikamaru almost dropped his stick of dango before he set it down Choji waved the two of them over.

As the two got closer he noticed that Ino had put a little bit of makeup on Shingami.

It wasn’t much, because she really didn’t need it. Her natural features looked gorgeous as they were but she put a little bit of silver eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner that just made her eyes standout even more so than usual.

The four of them were talking for a while before the music started playing, making Ino stand up and grab Shingami, who froze like a deer in the headlights.

“I-Ino, I can’t dance.” She said, trying to pull away from the Yamanaka’s Iron grip.

“Oh, come on, Shingami. I’m gonna teach you.”

The blonde put one hand on the girl’s waist and the other grabbed her hand, leaving her standing there tensely until she copied the Yamanaka’s hand placements.

Choji and Shikamaru quietly cheered them on so as to not make a scene or embarrass Shingami.

After a few times of nearly tripping and stepping on feet Shingami finally got into the music and had the biggest smile on her face as Ino spun her in a circle, making the blonde laugh with her.

Ino managed to inch the two of them over to Shikamaru and Choji all while avoiding all the other people that were dancing which was no easy feat. 

The blonde’s hand shot out after she slipped out of Shingami’s loose grip and grabbed an unsuspecting Shikamaru and put his hand on her waist and the other in her hand, his face burned red as he processed what Ino had just done.

Shingami looked a little confused when Ino let her go but smiled again when Shikamaru took her place.

He was awkward at first but got more comfortable then at some point neither of them looked away from each other. Ino’s plan had worked and she had a shit eating grin on her face as she looked at Choji expectantly as he pulled a small stack of money from his pocket and put it in her hand with a grumble. 

Shikamaru lifted Shingami off of the ground by her waist and spun her around before setting her down on the ground.

Little did they know they had an audience. 

Ibiki stood in the shadows with the two interrogators but his eyes never left Shingami’s smiling, happy face. 

He had his arms crossed but his eyes were soft. Her team was a blessing for the girl even though she originally didn’t want it.

“See? We weren’t lying but maybe it’s time you give her the talk.”

Ibiki’s frown deepened and Genma hit Anko on the back of the head. “Way to ruin the moment.”

Sand Snake (Gaara x Oc) is out.