The Nara Oath

AN: Thank you for being so patient with me. I have been a bit busy over the past few days. ^^ But here's another chapter. I'll be closing this story down in the next chapter. It'll be a long one, though. ^^

Warnings: Okay, Shikao gets a bit mean in this chapter. Please, don't be angry with me for what she says! Be angry with her!

Chapter Seven

She lay in bed and let the warmth of the sun wash over her. She moaned softly and buried a little deeper into her lush coverlets, reaching out and touching the firm presence of her lover. Cracking an eye, she met his sleepy smile with one of her own before squirming closer and sliding a leg between his. He pulled her flush against his body, feeling her solid warmth in his arms as he skimmed the surface of consciousness.

“What are your plans today?” Ino asked, her voice soft with sleep.

He hummed before answering in a rumbling baritone, “You.”

“Me?”

“Yes, my plans today consist of nothing but you.” He smiled and hugged her closer.

Looping a hand over his narrow waist, she squirmed closer and smiled, “You know, I think I like the sound of that.”

“Good because when I made up my mind to do it, I thought of the possibility of following you around if you weren’t willing to bask in my attention.” He said before uttering a delighted chuckle.

Hands feathered up his chest and she kissed the sharp curve of his jaw before nuzzling her face against his neck. “I want ramen.” She said, lifting herself up to straddle his hips. She could feel his morning erection press against her heat through the silky crotch of her panties and his cotton boxers.

“Well, we’ll go get ramen.” He said simply, reaching up to wrap a finger in her long hair. He pulled on it gently to bring her head down so that he could kiss her softly on the lips, “After I have my way with you of course.”

--

Three months. It had been three months and already the man had practically taken over her living space. His clothes lay in a corner, a knotted jumbled mix of dirty and clean clothes. There was a smell so foul in that pile that she was a little afraid to touch it lest something jump out and swallow her whole. Akamaru lay on her bed, watching her with big, dark eyes as she contemplated his owner’s mess.

“You know, Aka-chan, Kiba is a slob.”

“Have I been kicked out already?” For one confusing moment, Ino thought that it was the dog who was speaking but when she turned to look at the mutt, her eyes fell on a half naked Kiba. The shadows and light shimmered across rippling abs. Her stomach clenched as she remembered that morning’s lovemaking.

“Almost.” She sighed, “Seriously, for a guy who has such a sensitive nose I don’t understand why you strive to be less… odorous.”

He snorted as he padded across the floor, kicking at the clothes to find a pair of jeans. He sniffed at them and gave a, “They don’t smell,” Before putting them on.

“That’s gross.” She wrinkled her pert nose as she watched him search out a shirt and do the same thing.

“What? They’re clean.” He pointed out before pulling the black t-shirt over his head. “Get ready, we have to leave be at my sister’s place for eleven.”

“It’s only ten!” She exasperated before dropping back on the bed to snuggle with Akamaru. The dog rolled over in his back, legs in the air as he eagerly awaited a good belly scratch. Ino indulged the big dog, her fingernails scratching its hair belly and sending it into an ecstatic frenzy. “Look, he does the same thing you do when—“

“Oi!” Kiba laughed, playfully tackling her backwards and straddling her legs. “Don’t be like that.” He said as he placed nipping kisses along her throat.

She giggled, “Well, it’s true.”

Realizing that Ino wouldn’t give him anymore attention, Akamaru rolled over on his side and began to lick her cheek. She squealed and tried to bat the dog away but Kiba had her arms pinned to the mattress. Ino laughed until the dog moved to her mouth and tried to stick his tongue in to get at the delicious smell of ramen on her breath, she squealed and clamped her mouth shut, prompting the dog to begin licking at her nose.

“Ha! The power of team Inuzuka!” Kiba laughed and let the woman go so she could push gently at Akamaru’s head. “Good dog, boy.” He said, wrapping strong arms around the big dog.

Ino took her leave, escaping to the bathroom for a shower to wash the dog smell off of her face. A half an hour later, she emerged squeaky clean and threw on a pastel blue halter top and a pair of black pants. She smiled as she listened to the sounds of Kiba and Akamaru roughhousing on her bed while she combed her hair and threw it back into its trademark ponytail.

Too immersed in his playing, Kiba didn’t sense the blonde sneaking up on him until she was practically on top of him. She wrapped a hand around his neck and rocked back, pinning his back against her body and flattening her into the floor. “Get ‘im, Aka-chan!” She called.

The dog pounced, all 130 pounds of him, onto Kiba’s stomach. With an ‘oof’ Kiba didn’t have time to recover before Akamaru was licking at his face in broad, slobbery swipes.

Unfortunately, the animal was too well trained and when Kiba finally had had enough of his partner’s sloppy kisses, he ordered the dog back. Akamaru sat on his haunches with his long tongue lolling out of his mouth in a big doggie grin while Ino and Kiba pinched and tickled one another.

It was quarter to eleven when the couple disentangled themselves. She patted down her hair, feeling woozy after their playful fighting had turned into an intense make-out session. He yanked her to her feet rough enough that she fell against him. She smiled up at him before pulling away and straightening her clothes.

Out on the street, it had rained but was considerably warmer than it had been earlier that day. It was muggy and the wet pavement was foggy with steam. They walked quietly side by side, not talking but their eyes on Akamaru as the dog darted from pole to pole, wuffling noisily before lifting up his leg and peeing on each one. She was shocked when she felt fingertips trail down her bare forearm and lace in her own fingers. Turning her surprised gaze to the man at her side, she met his smile and felt the beginnings of a blush work against her pale cheeks.

He stepped closer, pinning her against the wall. Gently cupping the side of her face, he spoke into her ear, “Keep looking at me like that and we won’t make it.”

“Like what?” Her eyes widened, looking confused.

“Like that.” He dropped a less than chaste kiss on her slack lips before pulling away, still not breaking his link to her hand.

“I’m not looking at you any different than I usually do.”

“It must be the storm on the air, it’s making me horny.” He regarded her with a crooked grin that grew wider as the sounds of his sister’s house party spilled out onto the silent, muggy streets.

They kicked off their shoes in the crowded entry way, and were immediately immersed in the festive atmosphere. Laughter, chatter and heavy bass-thumping music filled the dense air, making it impossible to talk. Kiba gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go to find his sister. Ino wandered through the house, finding familiar faces at every corner. She finally found Sakura in the backyard, sitting on a lawn chair with her feet up on Lee’s lap.

“Yo!” Ino called and slumped down patting her best friend roughly on the head to get her attention.

Sakura lifted her head and grinned at Ino, “Hey, you.”

“Where are the drinks in this place?”

“In the kitchen.”

--

Shikamaru set his bags down and headed for the shower. It seemed like every orifice was packed with sand as he moved. He was positive that he had been toting around a full sand dune, which his skin feeling gritty and dusty. Grating his fingernails across his scalp, sand seemed to fall from his hair. He shook it, listening to the sound of the stuff as it scattered across his otherwise impeccably clean floor.

With another annoyed sigh, he deviated from his shower to get a broom and sweep up the sand. His mind wandered as he swept up and then peeled off his clothes in the tub and tossed them into the sink. He turned on the water, letting it pound against his sunburnt forehead as he yanked the elastic band from his hair, not really caring when it snapped in half. The cool tile felt nice as he pressed his face against it. His eyelids felt like they were lined with the very stuff sluicing down the drain with the water. He debated on whether he should go to the party or not as he lathered shampoo in his hair. He scowled as more sand lodged itself between his fingernails.

Pushing back a wet hank of hair, he stepped out of the shower feeling clean and refreshed. In considerably better spirits than he had been before he had showered, Shikamaru dried himself off and made up his mind to head to the party Sakura and Lee had mentioned at the Inuzuka’s homestead.

In black worn jeans and a dark green tee, Shikamaru went searching for an elastic to tie his hair back. Predictably, the one he had carelessly snapped in half had been his last. Pushing it out of his face with an agitated sigh, he shrugged. It was going to be annoying but hopefully by the night’s end, he’d be drunk enough that it wouldn’t matter. Unfortunately, it didn’t rest flat against his head. He patted it down but to no avail; it looked more like a haystack on the top of his head. With another shrug and sigh, he shut off the lights to his apartment and locked the door behind him.

He was shocked to see his father standing at the end of the hall with his hands crossed over his chest. “Hey, dad… what’s up?”

Shikaku pushed himself away with a foot that was planted against the wall and strolled to his son. He looked down at him with a carefully devoid face before saying, “You have to come with me.”

“Why? What’s up?”

“Lady Shikao wants a word with you.”

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I wanted to go out tonight?”

”With who? Kiba? Ino?”

“So what?” He asked, his eyes narrowing minutely as he dismissed suspicions that his father truly knew what was going on between him and the two that were mentioned.

“Rumours have gotten around about you and Kiba but she can’t ignore them now that a woman’s involved.” Shikaku muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand as the other groped his person for his cigarette package and lighter. “Shikamaru, why the hell didn’t you be more discrete?”

“I was.”

“Obviously not good enough if rumours have gotten around about you--And a Yamanaka no less?” He sighed as he looked at his cigarette pack and realized it was empty. He made a distasteful sound and crumpled the package before carelessly tossing it on the floor. “Come on, boy; let’s go get this over with.”

The two Naras walked quickly through the streets until they reached the outskirts of town. The deer farm was on a large stretch of forested land some miles away from the center of the town. It was fenced in by a large brick and wooden wall, the only entrance was a set of double doors with antlers engraved into the wood.

Shikaku pushed it open before standing aside and letting his son enter before him. He kicked the door closed after he went through and followed him up the stairs towards the main entrance of the house. They were met there by a servant who set slippers down for them to step into before escorting them to a waiting room where an old woman sat in a heavy kimono made of dark blue silk. In front of her, tea was set for three. Shikamaru looked up and met her gaze over the fan that she lazily swung back and forth in front of her face.

The two men settled in their places before congenially sipping the tea the servant had poured for them. Getting more nervous by the moment, the youngest of the Nara’s looked up to see what was on the old dowagers face. She glared at him a moment before taking her cup and sipping at its contents.

Despite the fact that he had a nonchalant look on his face, Shikamaru was scared. Only the fact that his hands were so tightly gripped that the backs of them were mottled a pale colour and his fingernails dug into his palms. He lowered his eyes and kept them planted on the table in front of him.

“Do you know why you are here, boy?”

“No.” He said, giving her his best innocent face.

She glared at him before launching into a loud explanation pertaining to the reasons of his presence before her, “You little pervert! You pansy! You filthy homosexual! How dare you parade your perversion around town like a flag? What were you thinking? You, the next in line after your father for the head of the Nara clan! What are people going to think of you? More importantly, what are people going to think of the Nara clan?” The old woman slammed her fist down on the table with a frightening strength, making the porcelain jump and clatter along with Shikamaru, whose dark gaze jumped from his hands to her enraged face.

“I’m sorry, grandmother.” He mumbled.

“OF COURSE YOU ARE!” She screamed, flinging a hot cup of tea at the young man’s head which he dodged at the last moment, only managing to get the splatter of it on his back as it hit the wall behind him, “But I shouldn’t have been surprised, considering what stock of Nara you come from. It truly is a pity that you are no better than your father. I had such high hopes for you.”

The woman’s rant melted into a silence, as if she couldn’t possibly think of anything else to say. Shikamaru opened his mouth and said softly, “Maybe I am like my father. I don’t know what the hell he did but I bet it was worth it just as much as it has been worth it to me.”

“You think?” Her dark eyes glittered with a dangerous anger. She would have made a worthy shinobi adversary when she was younger and had gone through the training, “Such insolence from you, you little brat.”

Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something but a hand clamped down on his shoulder and tightening fingers compelled him to silence. “Shut up, boy” Shikaku grumbled as his eyes fastened on the throbbing vein on the side of the old woman’s head. “You will sit there and you will go through with whatever punishment she gives you.”

“Punishment?” Shikamaru blinked.

“Did you think you would get away with a mere slap on the wrist, boy? You broke your vows—you slept with a woman!” The elder Nara woman crowed.

“I didn’t sleep with a woman.”

“That’s not what the rumours are saying.” She said, “Oh? What? You think that I would simply dismiss these rumours? Quite simply, boy, where there is smoke, there is always fire.”

He tried to stand up but his father’s hand pushed him back down on the cushions, “I didn’t sleep with her!” Shikamaru snapped, “I’ve obeyed the fucking oath--”

A hand reached across the table on an arm that was longer than it seemed and slapped him across the face, “Watch your mouth when you are speaking to me.” The dowager growled before settling her frail frame back down in her seat. She jerked her kimono back into place and ran her hands over her lap to smooth the heavy silk.

“Are you just going to let her treat me like this?” Shikamaru rounded on his father.

The silent man sighed irritably, “Shikamaru, you knew what would happened if you messed around with the oath. It was put into place for a reason.”

“So it wasn’t just mother that has you whipped—“

Knuckles smashed into his face, the force of the blow knocking him flat on his butt. Shikamaru reached up and touched his bloodied lip as his eyes locked onto his father’s. “Don’t you dare speak to me like that again, Shikamaru.”

“Enough,” Shikao growled, holding up a withered hand. Her weighty gaze slid from Shikaku to Shikamaru in a single, fluid turn of her head. She watched the youngest Nara male as he righted himself and sat back on the cushion with a scowl on his face. “The reason I brought you to me was to address this topic. It has been addressed and one thing will be made painfully clear to you, Nara Shikamaru: This will not continue. If I hear that it is still going on, I will see you banned from this clan. Am I clear, boy?”

His face turned a shade close to grey as he sat swaying in his chair. Banned from his clan? He stared at the old woman until finally he realized she was waiting for a response. He licked his lips before saying, “Yes Ma’am. Crystal clear.”

“Good.” She leaned back and picked up the fan she had set on the table. Tapping her chin with it thoughtfully, she smiled before saying, “And as for your punishment…”

--

The party was in full swing by the time he got there. People were laughing, playing, fighting, bickering or making out in any cranny they could park themselves in. His ever-present scowl darkened as he stepped through the mass of revellers and into the kitchen, which seemed to be just as packed as the room he had previously vacated. He picked up a bottle of dark rum on the counter and a cup before moving towards the backdoor. It was considerably less busy out in the garden.

He paused at the door, looking out at the people gathered underneath the sloping roof of the pagoda, lounging on cushions. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as his blonde team mate made herself comfortable in Kiba’s lap.

“Shikamaru.” Hana called directly from behind.

He tore his gaze from the couple to look at the eldest Inuzuka sibling. She wasn’t drunk, which was somewhat of a surprise, he thought. “Hana.”

“She’s been with him since she came back two months after you left.” She said frankly, walking up beside him and leaning heavily against the doorjamb with her arms crossed beneath her breasts.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Giving a Gallic shrug, the woman smiled, “Just thought you might like to know, I guess.”

He poured himself a drink and tossed it back, his mind racing furiously as he gulped back the bitter liquid. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Don’t mention it.” She said as she melted back into the crowd.

Another shot for fortification, Shikamaru didn’t stop until he had a nice fire growing in his stomach. He pushed open the door and wandered through the garden. He found himself leaning against a beam of the pagoda, facing both Kiba’s and Ino’s back. He had arrived in the middle of a story that Sakura had been telling to Neji and Tenten about Ino breaking Kiba’s nose. He looked down his own nose at the pink haired woman and waited for her to finish her story. She didn’t get through it as her green eyes darted up at the man, her face paling considerably.

Ino frowned and followed the direction of her gaze. “Shika…”

“So it just took me turning my back and you tried to get her, huh Inuzuka?” He asked, his voice rising as the dog-nin turned to look blankly at the shadow-nin.

Kiba frowned and held back a hand to keep the blonde woman from saying anything. “I don’t know what you are talking about but I don’t think this is the place to discuss it.”

“Well, where do you suppose we should discuss it?” Silence, a huge intake of breath, but no one spoke. Each passed worried looks to one another, making Shikamaru feel more distanced from the group than before.

“I guess this is our cue to leave.” Kiba muttered and looked at the woman as she stood up and pushed her clothes into place.

Shikamaru glared at the two, feeling more furious with himself for what he was about to do than anything else. He grit his teeth and threw the bottle in his hand, it sailed through the night air and disappeared into the shrubbery just beyond the pagoda. “You two look so cute together.” He turned away from the couple, “I wouldn’t want to get in the middle.” He added bitterly before stalking through the garden.

“What the hell is this, Shika? Why are you being like this?” Ino cried, following him through the garden and into the kitchen.

“You fucked Hana, you fucked Kiba, and you fucked me. Now you that you got what you want, you get to decide who is better?” Shikamaru rounded on her, stabbing a finger in her direction.

“I never---“

“Shikamaru, what the hell is wrong with you?” Kiba snapped.

“I come home from a mission and you two are fucking one another, so you ask me what’s wrong?” He growled while his fists clenched at his sides.

Sliding a protective arm over Ino’s shoulders, Kiba put his body between her and Shikamaru, “You know, just because you are pissed with me doesn’t give you the right to attack Ino.”

“Funny how anyone Ino fucks gets her undying devotion. I should expect that from you, though. She was good.”

“Why are you saying these things, Shikamaru?” The blonde asked while tears glittered in her bright eyes.

He clenched his teeth as he snarled, “Didn’t you know, Ino? Anyone who gives Kiba a good enough fucking will have him until he finds someone else who is better. I wouldn’t get too attached to him. His leaving is bound to happen.”

A fist caught him in the right cheekbone and he flailed backwards, caught in the arms of a bystander and then jerked back onto his feet by that same person. Ignoring the Good Samaritan, he touched his swollen cheek and whispered, “People seem to be doing that a lot lately.”

“Well, maybe because you deserve it.” Kiba growled.

“You two deserve one another.” Shikamaru said simply before turning on his heel and shoving his way through the crowd.

The trio spilled out onto the street. Ino ran after the shadow-nin as Kiba ran to keep with the blonde. “Wait, just a second! Shikamaru!” She cried.

He whirled around and faced the two. His eyes fell on the party which had followed them out onto the street intent on the drama before turning to her. “Get the fuck away from me!” He snapped, slapping away the hands she had laid against his arm.

“Can’t we talk about this?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t want to have anything to do with the two of you anymore.” He said before pushing his way passed the encircling crowd and out into the welcomed open.

Kiba caught her before she slipped down to sit on the rain drenched lawn. He gathered her against his chest and held her there as he watched their lover go. “Nothin’ to see here, guys.” Hana called, ushering people back into the house, “Go home, Kiba.” She snapped before pushing a particularly drunken Ebisu towards the door.

He piggybacked Ino home, listening to the sounds of her sobs against his back until finally they dwindled into the deep, rhythmic breathing of sleep. Akamaru whined softly, his head turning to the heavy shadows that were draped between Ino’s apartment building and the neighbouring one. “Come out here, Shikamaru.” Kiba said softly so as not to disturb the slumbering woman.

“I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t have to say half the things you did, you know. You hurt her.”

“It had to be done.”

“Is it really over?” Kiba asked softly.

Unable to meet his pained gaze, Shikamaru nodded. After a long pause, he said, “I’m sorry. She found out. She said she’d banish me from the clan…”

“I understand. I’m sure Ino will too.”

“You’ll explain? I didn’t mean it…”

Kiba gave his best grin before saying, “You are a pretty good actor.”

Allowing a small smile, the shadow-nin laid a gentle kiss against those smirking lips. He lingered over them until slipping his tongue out to touch the seam of his mouth experimentally. Their mouths seemed to clash together in a hot storm of need. If his hands hadn’t been occupied with holding up Ino’s legs, they would have been wrapped in the soft hair that framed the other man’s face. They pulled away, flushed with their arousal and breathing hard, “I can’t believe its over.”

“I’m sorry it has to end like this.” Shikamaru moved away.

“Me too.” Kiba said softly before pushing open the door to the apartment and walking up the four flights of stairs to Ino’s apartment.

“He’s really gone, huh?” Ino whispered softly against his shoulder blade as he opened the door to her flat.

He didn’t answer, but let the woman slide to the floor. He couldn’t look at her. He felt sick and the taste of his kiss turned rancid as Kiba realized the finality of that last act of love. An overwhelming need to break something washed over him and with a few deep breaths, it lessened before disappearing completely. When finally he opened his eyes, he turned to look at Ino, “He’s gone.”

TBC