My Bad Habit

Chicken Wings Can Still Fly

Damn, somebody knocked me out of #1 in shikaino, sorry yall...

Chapter 23: Chicken Wings Can Still Fly

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Shika POV:

"Tadaima!" Ino's voice echoes throughout the house. I take the time to fully appreciate the homes decor. Most of the times I had been here prior were spent carrying a very drunk Inoichi to the couch and exiting promptly after. Not to mention the kidnapping accident. That Tema was such a bitch.

When I look to Ino, she offers her father a smile and motions to me, still standing in the doorway, "I brought Shika dad! We are gonna have a great evening." She smiles warmly. I offer Inoichi a wave and a hand to shake. He takes it firmly, and squeezes hard while shaking, "I see you have, would you mind if I had a few words with Shikamaru?" He wore a curt smile as he propels me back outside the door, closing it simultaneously... All without actually confirming if Ino was okay with it or not.

Alright, now I'm a teench nervous. No wonder Ino gave me that pep talk, what a drag.

I turn lazily to him, putting my hands in my pockets to shield them from the brisk air. "Yes sir?" I question, hoping it's not a typical 'I will kill you if you hurt her' talk, because the only way Ino would be hurt by me is if she wanted to be...

Mind out of the gutter Shikamaru! You are talking to her father after all. "Well, since you asked son... Is everything alright with Ino? She's been really closed off recently, and I knew about you already, so I need to know whether what she's hiding is life important, I can't have her making the same mistakes me and her mother did." He suddenly held a look of defeat as his shoulders slumped a little. Guilt crept into my head with the singular thought: I would want to know if it was me.

I feel bad keeping the pregnancy from him, but it's not my body so I swallow that pill. Keeping my cool, I shrug my shoulders in response, "the most she could've been worrying about is that, so really I have no idea sir, but you're her father, she will open up to you when she's ready." I try to comfort him with my words but at this point if I can't tell him, what am I doing standing out in this cold ass air? Couldn't we have talked in like the living room?

"Thanks Shikamaru, and also, I trust you because I know you. Make sure to take extra care of my daughter, if it was anyone else I would be trying to threaten them, but with you, I already know you'll do right by her, I mean you've liked her since childhood, thank god it finally happened," he chuckles at his own muses giving me a pat on the back, while I'm surprised he knew, "Shikaku owes me at least 50 beers, c'mon son, I have a phone call to make to your father." He pats my back as I realize what he said. They placed beer bets on their children's love life? Coolest parents ever.

He reopens the door and it reveals a confused Ino, who had an ear to the door, as her hand was still cupped as she moved away nervously. I motion a small thumbs up to show I hadn't spilled the beans. She smiles at us both, "what's all the commotion about?" I shrug as Inoichi hightails it to their house phone, hoping to collect his well coveted beers. "Nothing much, what's to eat? I am starving." I smoothly change the subject, hugging her around the waist. We walk towards the living room, well she walks as I hobble because she is so short, and she rattles off what we will be dining on tonight.

"Well we have baked 5 spice chicken, salad, and beans and rice. A small but reputable spread indeed, I created the menu before school," she smiles satisfied with herself. I offer a small one back, gosh she's so cute when being a control freak.

"Sounds delectable, and dessert?" I question, taking the opportunity to kiss down her neck softly, gaining a slight jump in response.

"Well I hadn't thought of that, what do you think? We have ice cream in the freezer? But its only moose tracks and orange sherbert in there, floats?" She speaks her literal mind questioning the ice cream choice and I choose to indulge her though I already know what I want.
"Sounds good to me, moose tracks is my all time favorite flavor, so it's perfect. But I have my favorite dessert already." I tighten my grip on her slightly, feeling an all too familiar mental switch beginning to flicker. Before I get myself riled up, I release my hold on her, and she turns to me with an eyebrow raised.