together I yamanaka ino

[ 03 ✩ Alstroemeria ]

When she is twelve, Ino is often exasperated with Shikamaru and Chōji. 

(when she is seventeen and holding a blade between her hands, they are the brothers she never knew she had)

"Nara Shikamaru," she says, hands on her hips and blue eyes glaring at the sleeping Nara, "get up!"

"Okaa-san, just let me sleep a little longer..." Shikamaru mumbles, hand covering his eyes as he turns around on his back, leaving Ino fuming by his side. 

(she wishes that she had someone to call okaa-san)

"Shikamaru!" She growls as she jabs him in the stomach with her elbow, "Asuma-sensei is nearly here!"

"Ino," Chōji munches on his chips, the crackle each piece makes when it lands in his mouth making Ino twitch, "his okaa-san made him stay up late to do the dishes yesterday..."

"She's so troublesome... all girls are..." Shikamaru winces as Ino slaps his arm, fingers curled around his wrist as she tugs him up, "so troublesome..."

"Well, too bad!" Ino tosses her hair, making Shikamaru eat a handful of sunshine and lilacs before straightening her back as she senses Asuma-sensei's arrival.

"This early and you're already arguing?" Asuma-sensei chuckles, a thin line of smoke slithering up into the sky, black ashes crumpling under his feet, "c'mon, Shikamaru — Shōgi game tonight?"

"Mhm, but what's the catch?" Shikamaru finally opens his eyes, head lolling back as he stares at the clouds absent-mindedly. He stretches his arms as he touches the red welt made by Ino's slap, a brief flash of pain passing through his eyes.

"Well, you've got to catch me today," Asuma-sensei shrugs as he puts another cigarette between his lips, spark catching as smoke trails out, lighting the blue sky up with grey, "think you can do it?"

"Who'd you think you're talking to, sensei! Of course we can do it!" Ino smiles, pointing a finger at Shikamaru, "we'll just have to drag along Shikamaru though!"

"... this is such a drag," Shikamaru groans as he takes a chip out from Chōji's bag, the kindhearted boy remaining silent as Ino starts yelling at Shikamaru.

"... you never take this... and that... will you ever take training seriously, Shikamaru?!" Ino finishes her tirade, feet stomping as she notices the amused look Asuma-sensei gives her.

"Let's start, Shikamaru," Chōji interjects, seeing his best friend prepare to fall asleep on Ino's watch, which always leads to unpleasant circumstances for Shikamaru; usually involving Shikamaru using his Kekkei Hiden to stop Ino from bashing his head in.

"Such a drag," Shikamaru places his hands in his pockets and yawns, ambling off with Chōji to their preferred training ground, located beside the border of the forest.

Ino feels her chest squeeze as she watches Shikamaru and Chōji walk away, leaving her all alone. When they were little, Sakura was always by her side. Sakura with her wide eyes and books scattered across her room. Sakura with her smiles and twenty two definitions of love. Sakura — her best friend.

But Ino is the one left behind now. 

Ino is the one watching best friends move on without her.

Ino is the one that is clenching her fists and locking her heart down so that she doesn't cry because she is supposed to be a shinobi and shinobi do not cry.

"Ino, are you okay?" Asuma-sensei says, his hand ruffling her hair as he looks down at her with concerned eyes. Fake, Ino thinks, because Asuma-sensei has always had a soft spot for Shikamaru and Ino can see it as clear as the loss of Sakura.