Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: you know the drill; I don’t own yada, yada, yada!

“You are to go to the land of Blah, blah blah…” was all Shikamaru herd after awhile. He had been in the Hokage’s office for forever; well at least it felt that way.

All she was doing was jabbering on about his mission in Amegakure. Like he didn’t know what to do, he may be lazy, but he wasn’t stupid. i mean it was just a diplomatic mission. he'd done them a thousand times. they just talk, and talk, and talk, till someone gives in, or gives up. they put him to sleep just thinking about it.he had retired from the Anbu Stratigic Council after 5 years of service, now he just did mission as needed. After she had finished his briefing, he left for the day. His mission starting tomorrow, he felt like just enjoying the rest of the day. He jumped atop the roofs of Konohagakure, leisurely leaping to his destination.

The sun was in mid day. He would have plenty of time to just stare into the sky and … his thought where interrupted by a howl.

”SHIKAMARU!!” yelled a very pissed looking Ino.

With a sigh he stopped, last time he tried to out run her when she was mad, let’s just say he won’t try it again.

She came down right next to him. Sitting, bring him down with her. After years together, Shikamaru could tell the problem by how she made first contact with him. Just a grab on the arm, no worries, a punch in the face very big worries, this was in-between. He was apprehensive but sat-up to listen anyway, in fear he might make it worse by doing otherwise.

“What up Ino?” he asked in his lazy tone, taking out a cigarette, he lit it as she began to speak.

“Well for one that, stop smoking”

He sighed at her millionth time attempting to make him quit.

“You caught me on my way home; I can do whatever I want.” he replied.

“Well anyway, I had a fight with him again”

Ok so this wasn’t a big deal, well not to him anyway, he just sat in silence, except for the occasional exhale of smoke.

“What did he do this time?” he asked. His tone that of boredom.

“Well, I came home early from my mission, and he wasn’t home, so I went for a shower, when I got to the bathroom he was passed out in the bathtub. I turned it on to wake him up” she smirked at the thought.

Remembering last night (Finally) Shikamaru opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by her continuation.

“Then he yells and screams at me about it, so I yelled back. Then …”

He had stopped listening like five minutes ago. That’s how it worked with Ino, he would just let her vent on him, work out her own problems, then take the credit for work he never did. She kept talking for a few more minutes, before he stopped her mid sentence,

“Ino, I know how are talks usually go, but I have something to say”

She quirked an eyebrow at this

”Yeah, what?” she asked in an accusing tone.

“Look, last night we celebrated Sasuke’s first baby, we all went home drunk. Accept Naruto thought, he left really drunk.”

Ino’s eyes got wide as saucer’s

“You mean??”

“Yep, hate to burst your bubble, but that’s where I left him, when I dragged his ass home, and that why you found him where you did” he said as he finished his cigarette.

“Oh no,” she practically yelled as she dashed back to her apartment,

”thanks for telling me, ass”

“I herd that” he yelled at her retreating form, chuckling as he turned towards home. “Now, back to my original plan” he thought as he continued on his journey to his flat.

Once home he sat on his roof, staring at the clouds as they drifted by. He sighed as he took another drag off his cigarette.

“I still miss you” he said to himself “it never gets better, only easier to deal with” his words sounding sad, hurt, lonely.

He sat up to look over the edge of his roof. He lived on the outskirts of the village. Nothing but forest and meadows for miles. He liked the view and the area. Quiet, everyone mostly kept to themselves, very peaceful. On warm summer night he would sleep in a tree or in a meadow. No one around to bother him. Just him and the air, his eye’s caught sight of something interesting. Walking down the path to one of his favorite particular spots was the on and only Hinata Hyuuga.

“What is she doing here” he thought.

He leapt up to jump off thee roof to ask her, but fell as he jumped off the roof. He caught himself before any thing bad happed, but landed awkwardly and loud enough to surprise Hinata. She jumped at his entry.

“Shikamaru-san?” she asked in a shocked tone

“Hello Hinata–san” he said putting on a fake smile for her.

“She must think I am stalking her” he thought to himself.

“Ummm, what are you doing?” she asked, perplexed by his awkward entrance.

“Oh right, I live just up the road. I say you from my rooftop. I just wanted to see where you where going.” He said.

“There is a spot by the river I just love all year round” her voice soft, as she was trying to hide what Shikamaru already knew was there.

He stood up, dusting himself off. Usually Shikamaru was not one to talk very much, but those eye’s. So full of poorly kept sadness, eye’s so like his, he felt he need to know, needed to help her in some way. So he did the only thing he knew how to do.

“Hinata-san, if you need someone to talk to, I am here for you” he said in a very calm tone.

Her eyes gave her away once more,”how does he know?” she kept asker herself after she awoke and decided to take a walk. She had walked around for a little while before deciding to go to her favorite place to be alone. That’s all she really wanted right now. Time alone, time to get herself together. I mean if a man she never even had a conversation with could tell how she really was, imagine what her close friends can see.

“No, thank you though” she politely said to his offer.

As she turned to continue on, his next words stopped her in her tracks

“It never gets better, only easier to hide from everyone.”

She turned to look him dead in his eye, her own stern

“Would you like to walk with me?”

Dun-Dun-Dun, well that’s all for now.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget, R&R

Luvs, theblk1