It's Not Forever *Shikamaru/OC/Gaara* (Book 1) COMPLETE

Chapter 24

    I reach Konoha's gates the following night, having slowed down once I got a considerable distance away from the two. I also made sure to keep a broad distance between myself and the Akatsuki hideout, so it took more time away from my trip. When I reach the gates, the guards stop me, but I identify myself and show the headband and they allow me in. I guess Tsunade didn't put me on a black list. Good for her. The village is quiet and still, the ANBU flitting from roof to roof the only movement slightly noticeable. I pass Ino's family's flower shop and a small smile crosses my face. I missed spending days off with her there, helping her parents out. She's probably asleep by now. Shikamaru too. Once I reach my apartment I reach for my neck and am honestly surprised that my house key is still around my neck. I hadn't needed it in so long I forgot that I even had it anymore. That'll make things easier though. I let myself in while still being quiet out of respect for the neighbors and look around. Nothing has changed except the apartment has been cleaned since my departure. When Itachi had broken through the seal on the door, we got in a major fight through the house until he knocked me out and took me and I know that it was a mess. I look up at the picture walls and reminisce for a few minutes before going into the kitchen to grab a drink. I'm probably going to give up my apartment and take most of it with me and store the rest with Shikamaru or Ino. There's no sense in keeping an empty apartment when I don't know when I'll return. I put my stuff down and mutter to myself that a shower is the most important thing on my list at the moment. I turn and knock over my soda, causing the drink to spill everywhere. I curse and go into the kitchen to get something to clean it with. I suddenly can't move or turn around and I sigh.
"Who are you and what are you doing in here?"
The voice makes my heart skip a beat and an involuntary smile crosses my face.
"I live here Shika-kun. What are you doing here?" I ask, my tone playful.
I hear him gasp in surprise before I'm able to move again. I turn around to find him standing there with a strange look on his face. He hadn't changed much, but his eyes had slight dark circles underneath and he looked more tired than normal.
"Are you really here?" He asks quietly.
"Of course I am. You never answered my question, Shika-kun."
I step toward him slowly, still trying to fully convince myself that I was truly here and he was too. I stop only a step away from him, taking his appearance in again, trying to commit it further to memory.
"I- Tsunade was going to close your apartment out and throw everything away, so I stayed here so she couldn't. That's all." He mutters, blushing.
"You're such a liar." I say before pulling my mask down and grabbing onto his jacket to pull his lips onto mine.
He pauses in shock before kissing me back, weaving his fingers into my hair. We pull away what feels like too soon and I wrap my arms around him.
"You don't smell like grass..."
"I haven't been out to watch the clouds lately. I'd been trying to find a way to get you back. Tsunade had me stuck inside the village. If I left, she'd call ANBU to kill me. Gaara and Temari tried to find you for a while, but that one day was their only time spotting you... How'd you get here? What happened?"
I pull away from him and wipe up the soda before leading him by the hand to my bedroom. The sheets are messy like he'd been laying on them before I'd come home but nothing else has changed.
"Let me take a shower and I'll explain everything."
--------S—Tonight is just like any other since she'd been taken. I stay up late trying to figure out a way to track her down and get her back. None of my plans work though. I overthink the negative aspects until it unravels into a mess. I sigh and put my head in my hands in an attempt to clear it. I'm going crazy being in her apartment without her being here. I'll hear a neighbor slam a door or knock something over and for a brief second think it's her, or I'll see her walking through the hall but she disappears. My head shoots up at the sound of a drink can hitting the floor in the other room. I've locked the door and the only other key is with Kaida, unless someone broke in. I get up quietly and make my way through the hall to investigate. It's dark but I can't risk turning on a light at the moment. Movement toward the kitchen draws my attention and the small lamp she keeps on the counter flicks on, casting a very dim glow, but just enough light for me to use my shadow possession on them. They're turned toward the counter and haven't seen me, so I perform the hand signs and watch my shadow crawl across the floor towards theirs. My shadow connects and the person struggles to move but quickly gives up and sighs.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" I ask.
"I live here Shika-kun. What are you doing here?"
My heart skips a beat and I gasp in surprise at the sound of their voice. It's her, but it can't be, can it? My shock caused me to release the jutsu and I watch her carefully as she turns around, her eyes studying me. Something about them throws me off until I realize that they're light red now.
"Are you really here?" I hear myself ask quietly.
"Of course I am. You never answered my question, Shika-kun."
She steps toward me slowly but in the dim light all I can really see is her eyes practically glowing. She stops only a breath away from me and lightly puts her hands on her hips, her typical stance when she's waiting for an answer from me.
"I-Tsunade was going to close your apartment out and throw everything away, so I stayed her so she couldn't. That's all." I mutter, feeling heat rush to my face. I'm such a liar.
"You're such a liar." She says with a smile.
Her hand reaches up to move her mask down, then latches onto my jacket and pulls me toward her until our lips meet. I freeze up in surprise before my eyes drift closed and I kiss her back. I've only kissed her once before, but I've missed it. One hand wraps around her waist while the other moves up to the back of her head. We pull apart for air and she pulls me into a hug.
"You don't smell like grass..." She whispers a moment later.
"I haven't been out to watch the clouds lately. I'd been trying to find a way to get you back. Tsunade had me stuck inside the village. If I left, she'd call ANBU to kill me. Gaara and Temari tried to find you for a while, but that one day was their only time spotting you... How'd you get here? What happened?" I ask, finally realizing that she was suddenly here instead of with the Akatsuki.
She pulls away from me and crosses the room to clean up the soda she'd spilled before taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom. Her gaze wanders around the room before turning to me.
"Let me take a shower and I'll explain everything."
I nod and sit on the edge of the bed while she digs through the dresser for something to wear. I notice that her hair has grown slightly longer and her outfit is slightly different than what she usually wears. Her tank top was replaced by a shirt like Ino's, exposing her stomach, but it still has straps like her usual shirts. She has mesh underneath it to somewhat cover her stomach. Her shorts and socks stayed the same though, I doubt that will ever change. She grins at me before walking into the bathroom with a bundle of clothes. The sound of the shower running and her humming along to a song in her head are the only things reminding me that she's really here.
She steps out rubbing a towel through her hair dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of cloth shorts. The shirt looks familiar and it takes me a minute to figure out why.
"Why do you have my shirt? That used to be my favorite until I couldn't find it anymore."
She giggles before answering. "You wore it that day that we came across the pond on the other side of the field and I pushed you in. You took it off when we got here and left it behind so I washed it and claimed it as mine. You never asked for it back."
I sigh and roll my eyes. "Looks better on you anyways, I guess. So, what happened? Start with after I locked you in here. Sorry about that by the way. I just knew you'd try to come if I didn't."
"Understood." She says, sitting next to me. "I want to go get Ino before I start so she can hear it too. I'll be back, alright?"
"Promise you'll come back?"
"Always."
She walks out and I can hear the door close behind her. I have to continuously reassure myself that she's not going to suddenly be gone again. She's just getting Ino.
The girls return a few minutes later, both with red rimmed eyes. I guess their reunion was tearful. How troublesome, I'm glad I missed it. Kaida comes to sit next to me against the wall while Ino settles herself on the corner of the bed. We both turn to Kaida who takes a deep breath before starting to tell her story.