"Akina! Shikamaru! Up and at 'em!"

.........

"AKINA! SHIKAMARU! MOVE!"
Your eyes fluttered open. "I'm up! I'm up!! I'm...I'm..." You flopped over. "...Going back to sleep..."
"Get up, troublesome woman. I can't move."
You looked, in an upside-down manner, at Shikamaru. He was laying across the couch, head on the armrest. You were on top of him, laying on your back inbetween his legs with your head on his stomach.
"Oh, heh, sorry Shika," you said, sitting up and stretching.
"Hmph, whatever," he said, sitting up as well and blinking sleepily. "...Akina, what day is it?"
You leaned your back against him, resting your head on his shoulder. "Uhm...Saturday. Why?"
He frowned. "Mooommmm?"
"WHAT, SHIKAMARU?!" Yoshino yelled from the kitchen.
"Why did you wake us up?!" he asked. "It's Saturday!"
"Because, dear, IT'S ONE IN THE AFTERNOON!! Get your butt OFF THE COUCH."
"One? Wow, we slept late," you said, yawning. "I guess we fell asleep on the couch while waiting for your mom and dad to come home, huh?"
"Yeah. Still wish I could have slept longer, though..."He muttered, leaning his head on yours a little.
You blinked twice and giggled. "Well, for once you don't pull away or blush!"
His eyes widened in realization, a pinkish tint rising in his face like a thermometer.
"Oh, spoke too soon!" You said, laughing and poking his cheek.
"Akina, dear, could you stop flirting with my son a moment and come help me in the kitchen?" Yoshino asked, leaning against the doorframe and watching the two of you with an amused grin.
He reddened. "M-mom, that's not what we were-"
"Sure, Mrs. Naara!" You said, smiling. You crawled away from Shikamaru and hopped off the couch, following her out of the room.
*Troublesome girl,* he thought, watching you leave and flopping back on the couch again. *If she keeps on....flirting...Mom will try to set us up!*
"Whatcha need, Mrs. Naara?" You inquired as you joined her in the large kitchen.
"Can you wash these dishes? I'm cleaning off the counters and such, and getting them out of the way would be a big help," she replied, gesturing to a large pile of plates, cups, and silverware.
"Alrighty then!" You replied, walking over to the sink. You turned the warm water on, and as it got full you added soap and watched the mixture bubble up.
"Well, if it isn't the women of the household!" Shikaku said, walking in with a grin. (rhymed! :D)
"Hey, Mr. Naara," you greeted, getting a rag and beginning to wash a plate.
He nodded, walking past you and over to Yoshino. He kissed her with a grin. "Well helloooo, beautiful."
"Shikaku, hush!" She hissed, smirking playfully at him. "Not while Akina's in here!"
You smiled to yourself. Hearing two parents love each other like that was a nice change from the arguments your mom and dad used to have when she was alive.
"So where've you been all morning?" She asked, beginning to scrub the countertop.
He leaned against the breakfast table. "Emergency. Some guy got murdered, and no one knows how, why, or who did it. What a drag..."
"Oh, who was it?" She inquired, frowning. "Anyone we know?"
He waved a dismissive hand. "I can't remember his name. His butler had a funny name though. Syaoran, I think...."

Crash.

The plate you had been holding fell to the ground, shattering. You stood, frozen and shaking.
*Syaoran...My old chef? N-no, that can't...*
"Akina, what's wrong?" She asked, eyebrows arched with concern.
"M-Mr. Naara...Was the man who was murdered...Did he have black hair and really green eyes?" You inquired, turning around slowly.
He thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up in rememberance. "Yeah, he did! Why?"
You dropped the rag in your hand, shaking even worse. You started to walk forward, then broke into a run, shoving Shikamaru out of the way as you left.
"Akina, what-Where are you going?!" He hollered and you dashed out of the house and down the street.
*No, not dad...This can't be happening...Not..No..* You shoved past people a you ran. *I mean, he made me mad...But could that guy...have really..?*
The world around you blended together into a blur as you walked up to the large mansion where you once lived. The only thing you payed attention to was the once-beautiful white doors that were crashed down to the ground, and the flurry of servants and maids inside. You began to walk inside, in a daze.
"Hey, miss! Miss!! You can't go in there!" An ANBU man said, gripping your shoulder.
"Yes I can," you replied quietly, shrugging off his hand. "My father...was the one killed..."
He paused a moment before nodding. "Go on in..."
You walked around him and took a few steps inside, watching people move around quicky with cameras, paper, and scientific equipment.
"Akina! What're you doing!?" Shikamaru yelled from the sidewalk, being held back by two ANBU.
You looked over your shoulder. "Let him go..."
They nodded, releasing him and allowing him to walk inside with you.
"What're you doing here?" He asked, frowning.
You simply turned and walked down the hallway, following the rush of officers and older jounin and chuunin. They parted to the sides at a halt where caution tape was wrapped acorss the double-doors of your father's old office. You stepped over the tape and entered the room and there, laying on the floor and almost butchered, was that very man.
You made your way over to him, kneeling down next to his body and brushing a bit of his charcoal away from the ashen, pale face.
Shikamaru walked over the tape and to you, still frowning. "Akina...What..?"
"This...Is my daddy..." You said quietly.
His eyes went from confused to sympathetic, saddened. "Akina...I'm sorry..."
One of the ANBU in the room walked over, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Miss...Do you know what's happened here? Do you know this man?"
Shikamaru pushed him away. "Buzz off! Can't you tell she needs to be left alone!?"
You shook your head a little. "No, it's ok, Shikamaru..."
He sighed and nodded. "If you're sure..." *I wonder what has happened...*
The ANBU got on one knee next to you, so he was eye level. "So...Can you explain anything? Who is this, how do you know him?"
You nodded. "This is...My daddy, Uzaki Syron..." You told him, stroking your hand on his cheek as if hoping that some warmth, a twitch, any sign of life would spark from the cold, lifeless body.
"Oh...Do you have an idea of what's happened?" He asked.
You nodded again. "He...He ran a business. Even I didn't know what it was exactly about, but I know it was illegal. He went on a business trip a few weeks back. He was invited to a man's house for a few drinks...But he just got himself intoxicated. He made a business deal with the man, a trade of weapons. The deal was faulty, my daddy had lied and told the man that he was giving him new weapons, when they were actually just old and worn. As soon as the man found out, he demanded that daddy give him his weapon back, or he'd find the overseer of his business and murder whoever it was. Daddy didn't listen. He came here, back home, and tried to get me to take over the business. I said no, after he told me why he would hand over the job so quickly..."
"So the man found him and murdered him?" The ANBU inquired.
"Ye-well, no, not exactly..." You replied. "I mean, he had this other worker, an apprentice or underling. He approached me a few days ago and threatened to kill me if I didn't tell him where my daddy was..."
*WHAT!? So that's why she was late getting out of her room the other day?!* Shikamaru thought, alarmed. *Why didn't she tell anyone!?*
"I told him I wouldn't give away daddy," you went on. "Even if he had kicked me out and disowned me...He's still my daddy. But, he found him anyway...And now he's dead..."
The ANBU nodded. "Do you know the name of the assassin?"
"I don't know the name of the one who appraoched me," you said, "but he told me that the guy he was working for was named Zabuza..."
A deathly and scared silence followed.
"Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist, did this?" He said, staring at your dad's body. "Well by the look of the corpse I'd say he got his famous sword back..." He stood up, turning to the others in the room. "Alright, I want all of you to spread out. Search the village, make sure Zabuza isn't still lingering here in Konoha. Ask around and report anything that seems suspicious. I want a full report..."
He went on and on as you sat there, removing your hand from your father's cheek slowly.

"I'll find your father...And then I'll find you."

*I'm...next...* You thought somberly, quietly.
"Akina..." Shikamaru said gently. "Come on, let's get away from here..."
You nodded, and with his help you stood up. He guided you out of the house, past all the workers, and out to the sidewalk. Immediantly, a large crowd of people gathered around you, notepads and pencils out with wide, alert eyes.
"Miss!! Miss! Are you the daughter? Any comments?" One asked.
"How do you feel right now??"
"Is it true that one of the servants was involved?"
"Is this boy your boyfriend??"
"Do you have any comment as to the murder?"
"GET AWAY FROM HER!!" Shikamaru snapped. "YOU'RE LIKE BUZZARDS, ALL OF YOU!! BACK AWAY FROM HER AND LEAVE HER ALONE! GO ASK SOMEONE ELSE YOUR QUESTIONS, YOU TROUBLESOME IDIOTS!!!!"
They all backed away, startled and slightly scared. Shikamaru led you away from them and onto the street, glancing back with a look that just dared them to follow.
"T-thank you, Shikamaru," you said softly.
He turned back to you, his gaze melting, and he nodded. "Anytime, Akina. Come on, now..." He slipped his hand around yours, smiling encouragingly and gently. "Let's go somewhere quiet..."
You nodded, and allowed him to lead you to another part of Konoha.

In a large meadow, Shikamaru sat you down on the soft green grass and knelt down next to you, adjusting to a cross-legged position.
You hugged your legs to your chest, staring at the ground in front of you. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the guy who threatened me..."
He nodded, looking up at the sky. "It's alright...But why? Why didn't you tell me?"
You shrugged a little with a sigh. "I don't know...I just...I didn't want anyone to worry..."
He looked to you. "And do you think it helped at all?"
You sighed, putting your forehead on your knees and staring downwards, blinking back tears. "Sorry..."
"No...don't be...Your intentions were good," he said.
You nodded. "I guess so..."
A long period of silence followed, Shikamaru mentally beating himself up because he had nothing more to say and you just...off to yourself.
*Why, daddy?* You thought. *Why'd you have to leave me? Why'd you have to run some stupid business? Why'd you lie, and why'd you get hurt? Why...did you leave me here? You and mom...* "I'm...I'm so alone now..."
Shikamaru snapped his gaze to you. "Alone? How can you say that when I'm sitting right here!?"
You sniffed a little as the tears you had been holding back began to fall. "I know, I just..."
*Idiot, look what you've done!* He yelled at himself mentally. With a sigh, he moved closer and put a hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry Akina..."
You let out a small sob, turning and burying your face in his chest as you cried. He was startled at first, but he couldn't push you off, not with you like this. He pulled you lightly onto his lap and wrapped his arms around you, allowing you to put your head at the nape of his neck.
"W-why'd he l-leave me?" You sobbed. "M-my last piece of my f-family, and h-he's gone! I feel h-horrible, I should h-have taken o-over the business s-so I could've g-gone instead..I'm s-so selfish..."
He tightened his hold. "Don't say that, Akina. It's not your fault, don't you dare blame yourself."
"B-but..." You began.
"What's happened has happened, Akina. You can't beat yourself up about it," he told you. "There's nothing more you can do..."
You remained quiet, huddled up against him like a small child. The sensation of being alone had yet to leave your body, even with Shikamaru.
He lifted a hesitant hand and began to rub your back lightly. "But if you have to...I guess, just cry..."
You broke down again, leaving streaks of tears flowing from the side of his neck where your face was, to past his collarbone and onto his chest. You gripped the edges of his small jacket, trying to pull some, if any, feeling of warmth and comfort from him. But all you could feel was his unease, his discomfort at seeing your tears and broken figure.
*I can't do anything to help her...* He thought somberly. *She's just so helpless, but I don't know what to do...*
"AKINA, SHIKAMARU! There you are!!!"
Shikamaru looked up to see Ino trekking over, waving a hand with a very concerned frown.
"I heard what happened..." She said quietly. "Akina, are you alright?"
You hiccuped and shook your head no, making Shikamaru feel all the more worse.
Ino gave him a 'Can't-you-do-ANYTHING-right?' scowl. "Come on, Akina...Are you hungry, did you have lunch?"
You pulled away from Shikamaru and shook your head again. "N-no..."
She gave you an encouraging smile. "Well come on, then! Let's go get you something!"
You nodded, getting off Shikamaru's lap and standing up.
She reached into her kunai pouch and pulled out a small cloth. She dabbed your eyes with it and pressed it in your hand. "No sense crying over something we can't change, is there? Come on, now."
You gripped the hankerchief and nodded again, following her quietly.
"I'll bring her home later, Shikamaru," Ino said over her shoulder.
"Oh...Ok..." He said, watching you leave with her. After you'd gone out of sight, he kicked the ground angrily. "Idiot!! I can't do anything! I didn't help at all! God, I'm so useless!!" With a scowl, he crossed his arms and walked homeward, yelling at himself the whole way.

"So, Akina, do you want me to talk about it with you or not?" Ino asked as she led you through town.
"No, I'd prefer not to..." You said softly.
"Alright, then we won't!" She declared, walking into a small lunch cafe shop with you. "So did you sleep well after the party last night?"
You nodded, waiting in line with her. "Yeah. Shikamaru and I cleaned the place up and then we started to wait for his mom and dad to get home. But we ended up just falling asleep on the couch, I guess."
She laughed. "So I bet you were just so ecstatic after kssing him, weren't you?"
You managed a short laugh and rolled your eyes. "You're never going to leave me alone about that, are you?"
"Nope!" She said with a grin. She then turned her attention to the woman at the cashier as you both walked to the front of the line. "I want a turkey sandwich wrap and one bottled water, please."
The woman punched in her order and then turned to you.
"N-no, I'll pay seperatly," you began.
Ino shook her head. "Just order, Akina, it's on me."
You sighed and nodded. "Uhm...I guess I'll just have a ham and cheese wrap. And a strawberry smoothie-small-please."
She nodded and added your order. "Ok, one second." She said, gesturing to a spot for you both to wait.
"Here," Ino said as the woman went ahead and slid the bottle of water and the smoothie at her, and she handed them to you. "Go ahead and get us a table, ok? I'll wait for the wraps, they shouldn't be long."
You nodded, taking the drinks and walking to a windowside table. You put the drinks on the table and sat down in your chair, putting your chin in your hand and looking out the window quietly. *At least she's not reminding me that dad's gone, like Shikamaru was...*
"Ha, see, I told you these guys were quick!" Ino said, sitting down and handing you your wrap. You nodded, pulling off the paper over the food.
"So, Akina..." She said, swallowing some water. "What's all this with Shikamaru? Hmmmmm? I want to know exactly what's going on!"
You bit into the wrap and rolled your eyes a little. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?!" She cried. "Nothing!? My god, Akina! I found you practically kissing him when we were baby-sitting the other day, you admitted to flirting with him, and you tell me that it's nothing?!?!"
You sighed. "Okay, OKAY. It's something. But I mean, I'm the only one doing anything. So I doubt he cares like I do. I'll give it a few more days...And I'll probably quit." You shrugged. "I mean, why pester him if he's not even feeling the way that I do? After all, a few minutes ago when he was trying to help...I kept trying to be comforted, but all he did was act uneasy, and remind me of what had happened. I couldn't feel better at all..."
She frowned, concerned. *That idiot. He'd better start moving his butt and do something or he's gonna lose her feelings.* "Well, you know, he was doing his best..."
You nodded, slurping some of your smoothie. "I know he was. But maybe I'm just being silly. He probably thinks I'm just a spoiled, flirting dork."
Her frown creasened. *Ok, BAD. This needs intervention.* "Hey, who knows, maybe he's just shy!"
You laughed thinly. "I doubt it. He's not the type that looks shy."
She shrugged. "Well, you still never know!"
"I guess so," you sighed, eating the sandwich halfheartedly.
"Well...Have you tried kissing him? Like, outside a game of Spin The Bottle?" She inquired.
You shrugged a little, swirling your straw around in the smoothie. "Well...Kinda..."
"Whaddaya mean, 'kinda'?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
You blushed a small bit. "I'll kiss him a little, like playing, but I've never kissed him on the mouth until the game last night..."
She smacked a hand on the table with a grin. "Aha! Well, there's your problem!!"
You looked up at her, head tilted a little bit. "You think so..?"
She nodded. "Come on, let's just go with the theory that he's shy, ok?"
You nodded slowly. "Ok..."
"Well," she explained, "maybe he's unsure if you're just messing with his head, or if you actually mean it. If you kissed him on the mouth, like saaaay...tonight...He might think that you really mean it!"
You slurped your smoothie again, thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right..."
She grinned. "Oh, come on. Just try it, ok?"
You sighed. "I guess. Ok, fine, if the time presents itself, I guess I will."
She nodded, looking out the window. "It's not that hard, you ju-IS THAT YOUR HAWK!?"
You blinked, looking out the window. Sure enough, there was your hawk, Kin, but he was attacking someone.
Ino narrowed her eyes, studying the victim, before yelping. "SASUKE!!"
"What? Is it really?" You asked. Suddenly, you saw a glint of metal in his hand. You stood up abruptly and dashed out of the cafe, spilling your smoothie everywhere as you did so. You grabbed the moody boy's hand by the wrist firmly, scowling.
He glared at you and dropped the kunai he had begun to slash at Kin with. "Let go of me."
"How dare you pull a weapon out in his presence," You hissed angrily, Kin resting on your shoulder. "What the hell were you doing!?"
He snatched his arm away from you. "Your stupid bird attacked me."
Kin screeched at him, his beady eyes filled with fire.
"Well did you call him stupid to his face?" You asked.
"I was walking under a damn tree when he attacked me, of course I called the stupid thing a few names!" He snapped.
You looked up at the tree Sasuke indicated. Up in the branches, a smaller, more delicate hawk looked down at you, from where three baby chick heads poked out their heads from a nest.
"I suggest you shut your mouth, Uchiha Sasuke," you hissed. "Kin was protecting territory, his mate, and his children. Maybe if you were more observant, you could have found that out, smartass."
"Shut the hell up," he retorted.
You whirled out a double-bladed kunai strapped to your boot and pressed it to his neck. "Don't you dare curse at me, Sasuke," you snarled. "I'm sick of your mouth! Now I suggest you get your ass out of here, because I'm not in a good mood today! My father is dead, I'm not sure if my love life is set, and you have just severly pissed.me.off. GET LOST."
He just scowled at you, before shoving your kunai from his neck and putting his hands in his pockets, walking off.
Ino, who had been to the side with a crowd of a few others, were staring at you as you stroked Kin's head.
"It's alright, Kin, don't worry..." You said soothingly. "That idiot won't come around your babies and your mate again. And if he does, you bite a few of those pretty locks of hair off his head, ok?"
He rubbed against the hand you had on his head, letting out a small screech.
You grinned. "I'd wondered why you hadn't shown up in a while, I guess I forgot it's around mating season, huh? Well go on, then..." you told him, pushing him off your shoulder and nodding to his mate, who was watching you curiously. "She's waiting for you."
Kin cawed once before flying up to the nest, nestling himself next to the female hawk and the little babies.
With a sigh, you turned to Ino. "Ok...We'd best go now..."
She glanced at the wide-eyed onlookers, then nodded. So, the two of you headed back to the Naara household.

"Thanks for the lunch, Ino," you said quietly, at the front dor of the house.
"No problem!!" She said, smiling. "You're my teammate, I should help you out, ya know?"
You nodded as the door opened.
"Are you okay?"
You turned to see Shikamaru looking at you. You nodded again. "Yeah, I'm ok..."
"Ok, good..." He said, moving out of the way as you walked inside. He glanced back at Ino.
"Thanks for helping her," he told her, beginning to go back inside.
"Hold it, Shikamaru," she said, grabbing his arm.
"Troublsome woman, what?" He snapped. "Let me go, already."
She flared. "HUSH AND LISTEN TO ME!"
He closed the front door and remained outside. *She's almost as scary as my mother...*
She nodded. "Good. Now you listen here, Shikamaru, I have some advice to give you on just how you treat Akina."
"What?!" He said, raising an eyebrow. "What the heck are you talking about!?"
"Just listen to me," she said, frowning with her hands on her hips. "Akina's been through hell today, right? Well, sitting there and letting her wallow in misery does NOT help!! So I suggest you don't talk about it unless she says something first, alright?!"
He nodded slightly. *I guess she's right...*
"And now we move on to your personal realtionship with her."
"My what?" He asked, staring.
"DON'T give me that look. Akina's a pretty decent girl, ok, and she's constantly flirting with you, isn't she?"
"Well-"
"Ok, then why not trying to flirt back!?" She cried. "I mean, it's not often that someone comes up and flirts with you all the time! You can't possibly tell me that you don't like her too!"
He flushed a little, crossing his arms. "What's your point, Ino?"
"My point is that you should...I dunno..." She shrugged, though inside her mind she was grinning deviously. "Maybe try to kiss her!"
"WHAT?!" He said, startled.
"You heard me!! And I don't mean on the cheek, kiss her on the mouth. I bet you she'd love it."
"No way, I'd make an idiot of myself," he said, shaking his head.
"One: You're an idiot to begin with. Two: It's worth a try!" She said, with a 'You-know-I'm-right expression'.
"SHIKAMARU, GET IN HERE AND MOP THE FLOOR!!" Yoshino hollered loudly.
Shikamaru sighed, turning and opening the door. "See you, Ino."
She gave him a slight warning glare. "I mean it, Shikamaru. Kiss her tonight. An oppourtunity like this doesn't come all the time, you may lose her if you keep holding back!"
He blinked, but she just turned and waked off with a wave.
*What a drag...* He thought grimly, walking inside and to the kitchen to mop the floor as his dictator mother instructed.

>>Later In The Afternoon<<


"Shikamaru, why don't you go spend some time with Akina?" Yoshino asked later on, around five in the afternoon. "She hasn't come down at all...And you normally go up to talk to her."
Shikamaru was laying on the grass in the backyard, watching the clouds. He stood up when his mom suggested this and nodded. "I guess so..."
"You guess so? Boy, you get your butt up there this moment!" She snapped, shoving him inside the house.
"Ok, ok! Geez..troublesome..." He walked up the steps until he got to your room and knocked on your bedroom door.
"Yes?" You said softly.
"Hey, it's me," he replied.
"......Ok...You can come in, it's not locked..." You told him.
He opened the door and walked in. You were on your bed, on your back and staring at the ceiling. He could tell you had been crying, your eyes were a bit pink and puffy.
"Your mom make you come up here?" You asked quietly.
He nodded, sitting on the edge of your bed. "Yeah...and right when I'd gotten to watching the clouds."
You laughed softly. "She's worried, I guess...I've been up here a while..."
"Akina, it's been almost 3 hours," he told you.
Your eyes widened a little. "Ok. I've been up here a long while."
"Yeah..." He said.
You glanced at him from the corner of your eye, but returned your gaze soon to the ceiling.
It was then the lazy boy's turn to look down at you. *Let her talk first...That's what Ino said...*
He saw tears spring up in your eyes, and he felt a sense of alarm. "Akina..."
You shook your head. "Don't...I don't want to talk about it..."
He studied you, then nodded. "Ok, if you're sure...But don't hold it in if you need to..."
You nodded again, the hot tears rolling down your cheeks. "My dad...Was never at home while I grew up...I guess that's why this hits me so hard..."
He turned enough to lay across the bed next to you, putting his hands behind his heads and nodding slowly.
You sniffed. "I used to have a good family, you know? I had my mom, my dad, and an older brother and sister. But after my mom died, our relationships fell apart...My dad got mean, nasty...He pissed off my brother and sister. They left when I was 9 or something..."
"So you lived with your dad?" He inquired.
"No," you said, shaking your head. "I lived with my servants. Daddy was always on trips, on 'important business'. Of course, he took me along when the business wasn't too dangerous. I went to Sunagakure once, met this really nice kid...But...as I grew, I figured out that he didn't really care for me anymore. He actually bet me in a card game once. He won, thank heaven..."
His eyes widened. *He bet her?! Like some poker chip?!*
"I began to really try...I mean really try to develop a relationship. Every time he came home, I'd have a huge dinner waiting that not just the cooks made, but I made as well. I'd spend all day helping him in his office, talking to him about the business-well, what little he would talk about." You sighed. "But he never tried to listen to me. I wasn't ever that great, I guess..." You let a small sob escape. "I just wish he wouldn't have died...I wish I could've had a chance to tell him that I was sorry for the argument I had with him the other day..."
He looked over at you as you hiccuped again. *So the spoiled life really isn't that great...*
You bit your trembling lip, your tear-streaked face twisted slightly in an expression of pain. 

*I can't see her like this...* He sat up, pulling you with him, and held you by your shoulders with sad eyes. "Akina, I know it's hard, I can tell...But please, Akina...Don't cry..."
You nodded a little, sniffing. "I'm trying not to, Shikamaru...It's hard to try and make myself move on..."
He sighed. "Moving on isn't what's hard. Moving on is very simple. It's what you leave behind that's hard."
You nodded again, looking at him with your watered eyes. *I must look so stupid, all teary-eyed...He probably thinks I'm such a deadweight...*

"Maybe he's unsure if you're just messing with his head, or if you actually mean it. If you kissed him on the mouth, like saaaay...tonight...He might think that you really mean it!"

*She cries so gracefully...* He thought, studying you.

"I mean it, Shikamaru. Kiss her tonight. An oppourtunity like this doesn't come all the time, you may lose her if you keep holding back!"

You both looked at each other, nervously. You looked so frail, but yet so perfect in this broken form. He looked so confident and strong, in a light of encouragement he was giving you.
All in one instant, the two of you leaned forward and lightly pressed your lips against each other's. The shock of the return of kiss stopped you both for a moment, but it was soon ignored. He pulled you a little closer, one hand on the side of your neck and the other still resting on your arm. You rested one hand on his and the other on his shoulder, tilting your head to the side in order to better deepen the kiss.
A moment later the two of you were forced to pull away for a breath of air. You rested your head at his shoulder and let your body relax. He slipped an arm around you and held you.
"Thanks, Shika..." You said quietly.
"Anytime, Akina..." He replied softly.
You curled up against him and closed your eyes, feeling the heat radiate off his body as the day faded by.
You were finally comforted in his arms.


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Author's Notes:

...Okay, another chapter for everyone. *sniffle* T_T This chapter makes me extremely sad! Well, Ino's a good match-maker, no? Ah, even as sad as this chapter is, it's still one of my favourites. Any get sad enough to cry? Ya know what sucks though? As I make these, I can't help but feel bad, ya know, when I put my OCs through stuff that brings up sad emotions? Oh well, maybe that proves I get too involved in things! But who cares?? Anywho, thanks for reading! Please pop, leave a comment, and come again! Oh, and if people want to read this, and want me to tell you when the next chapter comes out, leave a comment, kay?