Mind (Jutsu) Games
folder
Naruto › Het - Male/Female › Shikamaru/Ino
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
18
Views:
3,645
Reviews:
23
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Naruto › Het - Male/Female › Shikamaru/Ino
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
18
Views:
3,645
Reviews:
23
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Paying the Piper
Okay folks, here it is: the final chapter. It's been incredible, but now it's done. Stay tuned after the chapter for my notes.
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Chapter 18 - Paying the Piper (or: Facings Friends)
A few hours later, the sun was just starting to lighten the eastern sky when Ino, having successfully lost her stalker detail, slipped into the Uchiha district. The paddles blazoned across the walls brought back memories of easier times, when the worst thing imaginable had been a boy with one of those paddles on his back asking another girl out. It hadn’t happened, but so much other stuff had. That boy was gone, and here Ino was, sneaking through his land to see another boy, one she wasn’t sure she could trust.
Carefully, she slid through the shadows, avoiding areas where one could see her from the walls of the district, until she reached Shika’s place. Taking a deep breath, she went inside. There was a note in the entryway addressed to her; opening it, she read that Shika would be waiting in the kitchen. That eased a bit of her worry, as the only room they’d ever really been in together had been the bedroom, and she didn’t think she could handle being in there again.
He was sitting on a stool at the counter, an untouched glass of water before him when she entered. Looking up, his heart fell at what he saw. She was covered from the neck down, wearing standard issue ninja sweats that were far too large for her with the turtleneck pulled all the way up, and the ends of her fingers just barely poking out of the too-long sleeves. She looked as though she had raided her dad’s wardrobe, and perhaps she had.
Her body-language was defensive, and he couldn’t blame her, knowing what she must think of him. But what hurt him most were her eyes. They were no longer the bright, shining beauties that he’d seen everyday for as long as he could remember, and had only recently begun to sparkle in a special way for him. They were nearly lifeless, the only emotions he could see being determination and fear. Fear of him.
He couldn’t take it, knowing he’d caused her eyes to die like that. Sliding off the stool, he fell to the floor in front of her, kneeling with his face against the tile. “Gomen, Ino. I… Hontoni Gomen!”
She stared at him as he lay before her. He was shaking even more than she, and after a moment, she heard a muffled sob, as though he was trying to hold in tears. Still, she stayed petrified, her hand on the doorframe all that was keeping her from running or collapsing.
“I know what I did was unspeakable,” he said at last, his voice trembling, “and I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I can’t make this right. But I had to apologize to you.”
Despite his words, Ino found herself unable to respond. Part of her wanted to rush to him and soothe his tears, to tell him everything was alright, that she was fine, and that of course she forgave him. Another part of her was angry. How dare he call her all this way simply to lay there on the floor crying. What did he honestly expect, that she’d forgive him?
The rest of her was afraid. Afraid of what he’d done, and of what he could do. She knew he was stronger than she, that he had more chakra reserves, and more techniques capable of overpowering her. And yet here she was, alone with him. Nobody knew where to start looking for them, and there was no one close enough to hear her even if she screamed.
Why was I so stupid! Here I am, in an isolated location, with the boy who raped me. What kind of idiot am I? She mentally berated herself as she stood frozen in the doorway, watching her teammate sobbing on the floor. Why had she come?
The one good thing about her imprisonment was that she’d learned how to analyze her own mind, and she did so now. She still trusted him, and she was stunned to realize it. The only reason he’d done what he did was because she hadn’t said “no.” If that little word had ever crossed her lips, he would have stopped immediately, and she knew it.
And, though it took her a moment to grasp it, she knew there was another reason, one she couldn’t deny. Her legs, already wobbly, gave out and she knelt beside him, her forehead on his shoulder, hugging him as best she could. “I’m so sorry, Shika,” she whispered through her tears. “Of course I forgive you. I love you.”
Jerking his head up, he stared at her. “You… you do?”
Nodding through her own tears, Ino hugged him properly.
Hesitantly, his arms came up to encircle her as they wept on each other’s shoulders. Neither of them noticed the shadowy figure turning away from the window.
Shikamaru reported that afternoon for his training in recognizing advanced genjutsu, Ino coming with to help demonstrate her family’s technique. Their sensei seemed unsurprised to see them coming up the way together and merely flicked away his cigarette butt in recognition of their arrival. “Ok, you two. Let’s get started.”
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First and foremost, thank you all for your support of my story. This is the first multi-chapter I've ever posted, and I found a warm welcome here on AFF.net. Your reviews inspire me and have taught me a great deal. I couldn't have done it without you.
Yes, I know, I left some things unexplained. And yes, some of that was on purpose; there is not a sequel in the works, but I haven't closed off the possibility of one. If you have any questions about things that you feel were not adequately covered, please let me know. I am not disappearing from the site any time in the foreseeable future, so I will still be reading any new reviews that get posted and will do my best to reply to them.
A special thank you to those of you who voted on which new story you'd like to see posted. I'm keeping the polls open for one more week before I begin posting, so you have until the 8th of August to voice your opinion. It will be under the "Het" heading on the Naruto page here at AFF. For anyone who wishes to contact me, but does not wish to post a review, once again, my e-mail is crimson_iris@live.com or you can contact me via facebook (Iris Cranson).
And for you Shika/Ino fans out there, yes, I am planning more stories with the two of them, never you fear. Shikamaru happens to be one of my favorite characters, and I think he and Ino work well together; at least they balance each other out. So keep your eyes peeled.
Well, it's been a long time coming, but now it's time to say goodbye to all our company. "C" ya real soon. "Y?" Because we love you. Okay, so I use humor to avoid tears, but thanks a million. You guys are the best, and I hope you enjoyed yourselves and Mind (Jutsu) Games.
As always, have a great day and good reading!
Crimson Iris (aka: Iris Cranson)
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Chapter 18 - Paying the Piper (or: Facings Friends)
A few hours later, the sun was just starting to lighten the eastern sky when Ino, having successfully lost her stalker detail, slipped into the Uchiha district. The paddles blazoned across the walls brought back memories of easier times, when the worst thing imaginable had been a boy with one of those paddles on his back asking another girl out. It hadn’t happened, but so much other stuff had. That boy was gone, and here Ino was, sneaking through his land to see another boy, one she wasn’t sure she could trust.
Carefully, she slid through the shadows, avoiding areas where one could see her from the walls of the district, until she reached Shika’s place. Taking a deep breath, she went inside. There was a note in the entryway addressed to her; opening it, she read that Shika would be waiting in the kitchen. That eased a bit of her worry, as the only room they’d ever really been in together had been the bedroom, and she didn’t think she could handle being in there again.
He was sitting on a stool at the counter, an untouched glass of water before him when she entered. Looking up, his heart fell at what he saw. She was covered from the neck down, wearing standard issue ninja sweats that were far too large for her with the turtleneck pulled all the way up, and the ends of her fingers just barely poking out of the too-long sleeves. She looked as though she had raided her dad’s wardrobe, and perhaps she had.
Her body-language was defensive, and he couldn’t blame her, knowing what she must think of him. But what hurt him most were her eyes. They were no longer the bright, shining beauties that he’d seen everyday for as long as he could remember, and had only recently begun to sparkle in a special way for him. They were nearly lifeless, the only emotions he could see being determination and fear. Fear of him.
He couldn’t take it, knowing he’d caused her eyes to die like that. Sliding off the stool, he fell to the floor in front of her, kneeling with his face against the tile. “Gomen, Ino. I… Hontoni Gomen!”
She stared at him as he lay before her. He was shaking even more than she, and after a moment, she heard a muffled sob, as though he was trying to hold in tears. Still, she stayed petrified, her hand on the doorframe all that was keeping her from running or collapsing.
“I know what I did was unspeakable,” he said at last, his voice trembling, “and I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I can’t make this right. But I had to apologize to you.”
Despite his words, Ino found herself unable to respond. Part of her wanted to rush to him and soothe his tears, to tell him everything was alright, that she was fine, and that of course she forgave him. Another part of her was angry. How dare he call her all this way simply to lay there on the floor crying. What did he honestly expect, that she’d forgive him?
The rest of her was afraid. Afraid of what he’d done, and of what he could do. She knew he was stronger than she, that he had more chakra reserves, and more techniques capable of overpowering her. And yet here she was, alone with him. Nobody knew where to start looking for them, and there was no one close enough to hear her even if she screamed.
Why was I so stupid! Here I am, in an isolated location, with the boy who raped me. What kind of idiot am I? She mentally berated herself as she stood frozen in the doorway, watching her teammate sobbing on the floor. Why had she come?
The one good thing about her imprisonment was that she’d learned how to analyze her own mind, and she did so now. She still trusted him, and she was stunned to realize it. The only reason he’d done what he did was because she hadn’t said “no.” If that little word had ever crossed her lips, he would have stopped immediately, and she knew it.
And, though it took her a moment to grasp it, she knew there was another reason, one she couldn’t deny. Her legs, already wobbly, gave out and she knelt beside him, her forehead on his shoulder, hugging him as best she could. “I’m so sorry, Shika,” she whispered through her tears. “Of course I forgive you. I love you.”
Jerking his head up, he stared at her. “You… you do?”
Nodding through her own tears, Ino hugged him properly.
Hesitantly, his arms came up to encircle her as they wept on each other’s shoulders. Neither of them noticed the shadowy figure turning away from the window.
Shikamaru reported that afternoon for his training in recognizing advanced genjutsu, Ino coming with to help demonstrate her family’s technique. Their sensei seemed unsurprised to see them coming up the way together and merely flicked away his cigarette butt in recognition of their arrival. “Ok, you two. Let’s get started.”
----------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, thank you all for your support of my story. This is the first multi-chapter I've ever posted, and I found a warm welcome here on AFF.net. Your reviews inspire me and have taught me a great deal. I couldn't have done it without you.
Yes, I know, I left some things unexplained. And yes, some of that was on purpose; there is not a sequel in the works, but I haven't closed off the possibility of one. If you have any questions about things that you feel were not adequately covered, please let me know. I am not disappearing from the site any time in the foreseeable future, so I will still be reading any new reviews that get posted and will do my best to reply to them.
A special thank you to those of you who voted on which new story you'd like to see posted. I'm keeping the polls open for one more week before I begin posting, so you have until the 8th of August to voice your opinion. It will be under the "Het" heading on the Naruto page here at AFF. For anyone who wishes to contact me, but does not wish to post a review, once again, my e-mail is crimson_iris@live.com or you can contact me via facebook (Iris Cranson).
And for you Shika/Ino fans out there, yes, I am planning more stories with the two of them, never you fear. Shikamaru happens to be one of my favorite characters, and I think he and Ino work well together; at least they balance each other out. So keep your eyes peeled.
Well, it's been a long time coming, but now it's time to say goodbye to all our company. "C" ya real soon. "Y?" Because we love you. Okay, so I use humor to avoid tears, but thanks a million. You guys are the best, and I hope you enjoyed yourselves and Mind (Jutsu) Games.
As always, have a great day and good reading!
Crimson Iris (aka: Iris Cranson)