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You feel that happiness? That euphoria when we use our chakra, 'Ri?
Like you can't stop... It's a high.
Especially with someone else..
No?!
You're lying!
When you can't look me in the eye, and the top of your lip quivers like that, you're ly~ing!
See, your hands are so cold, like ice: nervous because you know you can't lie to your best friend.
┊ ˚➶ ｡˚˚ · • . ° .
Ino, Choji, and Asuma made their journey back to the Leaf Village. Leaving at the crack of dawn that morning, they were now turning back when dusk painted the sky a vibrant orange and purple. Asuma congratulated them on their performance. With Ino's Mind Switch Body Technique, he could retrieve intel for Lady Tsunade behind enemy lines. It was a very quick mission; it felt silly to have to journey half a day to get it done.
Through his teeth (so Asuma, walking ahead of them, wouldn't hear), Choji complained that Ino always got the praise. That it might feel really nice to not only have beauty but brains too. All he was ever assigned to was back-up muscle if things got dicey...
"But Ino, you're so fast that things never get dicey in time... could you hold off with that?! Jeez," he grumbled, throwing his arms up in the air and then locking them behind his head. He huffed.
After a few seconds with no response, Choji turned to Ino more closely. The Yamanaka's eyes were glassy, threatening her with tears that she fought back tooth and nail.
"Eh? Ino? Are you o—"
Words she hated to hear.
She snapped, "Asuma's being nice because I messed up. Okay?"
Her voice was hoarse and laced with venom. A venom directed only at the person who deserved it in her eyes: herself.
"We failed the mission because of me."
"...No? We succeeded because of you, Ino. Whaddya mean?" Concern lifted Choji's voice.
"I got the wrong piece of intel, and then our slim window of opportunity closed. Because I'm an idiot."
Choji's eyes widened, but Ino's face was firm and relentless. She believed this to her very core.
"No, you're not! Seriously? Wow, you mess up one time? It doesn't matter, Ino, we'll get it next ti—"
She whipped her face to him and stopped walking. "Shut up, Choji! There is no next time. I won't be assigned to this mission again because I messed up! Got that?"
