Naruto Tales: The Next Uchiha | SasuSaku, NaruHina, InoShikaTema, NejiTen +

III: Yamato's Tale

QOTC: When I drag Temari from the edge and bring her back to you, I want you to remember the things you felt for me while she was gone.

- Ino to Shikamaru

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Chapter 3: Yamato's Tale

They walked on what seemed the shortage of forever. Nightfall has already arrived, setting a cold, hazy mist elapsing them. Ten hours of running made Ino's feet ache. She also wished she would have worn a more conservative clothing. Their jonin leader had led the group throughout the woods, a dense forest of timber trees, trying to recall the last time he and Team Seven have blown up the recent hideout. Though Platinum Blonde had this feeling Yamato-taichou had gotten them lost, without any signs of abandoned houses in sight, or a map of composition to lead them the way.

"..I'm calling it." Yamato finally said. "We'll rest here for the night."

"Oh thank god," Ino nearly collapsed, if Sai hadn't caught her from behind. Yamato had constructed his four-pillar jutsu as they entered silently, without thanking him. Shikamaru dumped his duffel bag over one corner and laid down, closing his eyes. Ino, surprisingly, sat next to him after landing her backpack into his balls. "Sorry," the purple kunoichi mumbles, while Shikamaru squeaked in alarm. Choji looking sick muttered, "I'm hungry...." Yamato crossed his arms and breathed heavily, trying to witheld everything inside of him from imprisoning them in his wooden cage. "Alright you two," he turned to Shikamaru and Ino who were pretending to be asleep. "The three of us are going to the stream and get water, or search the place for food and firewood. Do not do anything necessary unless you are permitted to." He was patiently waiting for their response.

So he flicked the flashlight and made a scary face. "Am I right?"

Petered out, Ino stretched her arms out wide as she jumped into Shikamaru's waist, yawning like a drowsy little tot. "Tell me a story."

But Shikamaru lay awake in bed, staring up at a single patch of moonlight as it made its way across the ceiling. His nerves were still too jumbled from the events that shifted for him to sleep, but it did help that Ino could have been the only one urging him to get some rest. "Go to sleep, Ino." The way he said it was soft and gentle; he was very pale, and hunted, even if it was beyond her ken. "Way past your bedtime."

They continued staring out the window; their reflections in the glass were nearly transparent. "But I don't feel like sleeping."

"For Kami's sake, Ino, get some rest. Tomorrow the real work begins, and I don't want me or you to get up without having a decent sleep." Shikamaru said with absolute clarity. "After we get to the bottom of this, if we fail to deliver Temari back, Tsunade-sama's gonna kill you, then me, and you, then me again." Ino felt herself flush, acutely conscious of the fact that she was wearing only pajama bottoms and negligee jacket—and then she saw his expression, her embarassment faded.

Ino chuckled, but some part of her gesticulated upon hearing the Sand-nin's name. Temari. She was their obligation and she just thought laying in Shikamaru's arms was something... Terrible.

When I drag Temari from the edge and bring her back to you, I want you to remember the things you felt for me while she was gone.

That's how her Inner had been screaming at him. When will he ever realize? Shikamaru was supposed to be hers... She'd be willing to give up everything for this fancy romance. The ideal fairytale she was dreaming for, and she was holding into this thread of hope... Until now. But she didn't want to ruin this relationship that dragged her close to him this far—into his chest, where in she'll be able to sleep tight thanks to his warmth.