Naruto 1. Chapter 1

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**Summary: AU. When his girlfriend told him she had new roommates, this is not what he had expected. SasuIno**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not ours! Otherwise we'd be making series like these.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

From a young age, Ino Yamanaka learned that hard work paid off.

It was hard work that made her queen bee in high school. As cheerleader co-captain, student body vice president, track and volleyball star, three time homecoming and prom queen, and salutatorian of her graduating class, it was needless to say that she lived on coffee and energy drinks to survive each day.

It was also hard work that got her into one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, with practically a full scholarship to boot, and it was hard work that kept her grades up on her journey to become a brain surgeon with a minor in psychology.

It had also been hard work that scored her a date with the man of her dreams, the unattainable Sasuke Uchiha her senior year of high school. It was even harder work that managed to score her a second date, and then a third, and then a fourth… until finally she was able to claim Sasuke Uchiha as hers, to the chagrin of every other female within a 25 mile radius.

It was also hard work that made their long distance relationship work, three years later, while he attended the prestigious university that every Uchiha was expected to graduate from.

So when Ino Yamanaka woke up from her peaceful slumber to the sound of her alarm going off, she was ready to tackle what the day had in store for her.

As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she saw that she had a text message from none other than her significant other.

As she opened and read what it said, her eyes brightened considerably, and a huge grin spread across her face.

"Yippeeee!" with butterflies in her stomach, Ino jumped up from her bed and did a few excited twirls around her room, holding the phone to her chest, not caring if the noise she was creating would wake up any of her roommates.

Besides, it wouldn't hurt them to wake up earlier.

Once she calmed down, she looked at her phone once more, making sure that she had read his text message right.

'_I'll be visiting for a few days.'_

Ino grinned once more, happy to see that she had read it right the first time. But leave it to him to be so vague…

'_Good morning cupcake. When should I expect you, and for how long?'_

She knew better than to expect a reply from him right away, and instead set to do her usual morning routine. A morning jog, followed by a shower, and then breakfast for her and her roommates. Thankfully it was the weekend, which meant no classes and only her bartending job later that night, which left most of the day open to plan on how to make Sasuke's visit a memorable one.

A mischievous and excited grin spread across her face.

Boy, did she already have some ideas…

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><p>Ino hummed and skipped as she cooked breakfast; scrambled eggs, both bacon and sausage, and hash browns. Anyone that saw her cooking would think that she was going to feed a small army, which in her mind, she was.<p>

"Good morning."

Ino smiled as she turned to look at the redhead that greeted her.

"Good morning Gaara-kun, you're up later than usual."

It was true, usually Gaara was the only one that was awake before her, and she found it unusual that he wasn't already sitting at the breakfast table with his usual black cup of coffee in his hands when she came back from her morning jog.

"Long night," he murmured as he walked over to the cabinet next to the stove where Ino was cooking.

Dressed in a simple brown t-shirt and black sport pants, he took out his usual red coffee mug, and poured himself some of the freshly brewed coffee, courtesy of Ino.

"Another project?" the blonde asked as she began to pour the eggs into a container.

"Hn."

Ino frowned at his response, but on looking at him closer, noticed that he was clutching his head and looking none too happy.

"Ahh… hangover huh. Who forced you into drinking this time?" she asked with a grin on her face.

This time, Gaara sighed.

"Who do you think?"

Ino laughed, knowing exactly who had done it. As she turned off the stove, she placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, I know just the way to get back at him, but you might want to cover your ears if you don't want your headache to get worse."

Gaara eyed her curiously as he watched her bend down to retrieve a small metal pan, wishing she would stop wearing those ridiculously short shorts(he was a man after all dammit), only to go into one of the drawers and retrieve a metal spoon. It didn't take him long to realize what she wanted to do, and sighed at the events that were about to unfold…

Ino winked and grinned at him before walking through the hall that took her to the bedrooms of the house, and tried to slip quietly into her destination. As she slipped into the dark room, she made sure that her target was still fast asleep. Hearing the light snoring, she approached the bed quietly, until she was a safe distance from the bed.

Trying not to giggle, Ino held up the pan in front of her, and smirked as she drew back the spoon…

_BANG BANG BANG BANG!_

The desired result was better than expected when the figure in bed immediately shot up from the bed and rolled right off…

THUD

…into the hardwood floor.

"WHAT THE HELL—!"

Ino couldn't hold in her laughter and doubled over, clutching her stomach as she looked as the blonde man lay sprawled on the floor, his eyes looking ready to kill.

"Oh my god—_haha_! That was—_haha_—so much better than—_haha_—I thought it would be!"

"WHAT THE FUCK INO!" Deidara practically growled as he got up from the floor, glowering at Ino as she continued to laugh in front of him, tears in her eyes.

"You should—_haha_—see the look on your face right now—_haha_!"

"Stop laughing, un!" Deidara yanked the pan and spoon out of her hands, only for Ino to fall to the floor, arms still clutching her stomach as she continued her hysterical laughter.

"Do you guys realize what time it is?"

Deidara and Ino looked to the doorway to see a none too happy Shikamaru as he rubbed his neck and glared at them.

"Tell that to this… this… BANSHEE, un!"

At this, Ino's laughter immediately stopped, and the two men could almost feel the temperature of the room drop ten degrees.

"What… did you just call me, Deidara-_kun_?" Ino asked, her eyes suddenly darkening as she looked at the other blonde.

Deidara's face paled as he looked at the blonde, his anger suddenly forgotten as dread set in.

"I… I said good morning… most wonderful and intelligent supreme overlord of the universe, un!" Deidara sighed as Ino smiled sweetly at him, and the room warmed right back up.

"That's what I thought I heard…." Ino said as she got up and dusted herself off.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry for the rude awakening Shika, but breakfast is served!" Ino exited the room, followed by the two men as they made their way to the dining room of their humble abode.

Ino smiled when she saw that Gaara had already set the table and laid out the food on the table for everyone to grab.

"Thanks Gaara-kun!" she said and rubbed his red hair affectionately as she passed his chair and sat down at her usual spot in the table.

Gaara said nothing as he continued to sip his coffee, while Deidara reached above the fridge for a white bottle. As soon as Gaara set down his cup of coffee, Deidara dove in and poured some of the liquid into his drink.

"You know what the best cure for a hangover is, more alcohol, un!" Deidara smirked as he dodged a well-aimed punch to his face.

"Fuck off!" Gaara growled and shot the blonde a murderous glare, his headache suddenly ten times worse.

Deidara only laughed and poured himself a drink from a different alcoholic bottle, and mixed it with some orange juice, before sitting across from the angry redhead.

"Suit yourself, un," he said, although he knew that when Gaara started cursing it was time to back off. He didn't have a death wish after all.

Ino sighed as he looked at the two boys with a smile. Just a typical morning in their residence…

She moved to take Gaara's drink from in front of him and set it next to her own plate, before getting up and getting a new cup of coffee for him. She also pulled out some aspirin and set both things next to the seething boy.

"Well, I for one, actually like my coffee with a bit of alcohol. Make sure you eat before taking the aspiring," Gaara visibly calmed down as he shot Ino a grateful look.

In no time the boys had piled multiple servings of food onto their plate, and it wasn't until they were halfway done that Ino noticed something missing.

"Where's our fourth roomie?" she asked.

The boys shrugged and Ino didn't ask further as she felt the phone in her lap vibrate. With an eager smile, Ino saw that it was indeed her boyfriend.

'_Sigh. I told you not to call me cupcake anymore. Expect me next Friday until Monday night.'_

Ino suddenly remembered that next weekend was a three day weekend, and felt her stomach dance at the prospect of spending a whole four days with her boyfriend, give or take. It wasn't often the two saw each other, besides holidays and breaks that is, when they went back home. So this was a treat indeed!

'_You gave up your rights on nicknames when you asked me to be your girlfriend. And a whole four days huh? To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?'_

Ino happily texted back before setting her phone back on her lap.

She saw that the boys had finally slowed down their eating, and wondered how on earth they managed to eat so much…

To her surprise and delight, it wasn't long before she received a response from Sasuke.

'_You are far too stubborn sometimes. And perhaps I happen to miss you, and want to spend some time with you.'_

Ino felt her heart flutter at his response. Sasuke was never very overly touchy-feely, so it was rare moments like these that made her feel as if she was on cloud nine.

'_That's part of why you love me. And I'm glad, because I happen to miss you too. A lot.'_

Ino smiled as she replied, her day suddenly a thousand times better.

Grabbing her fork and tapping it against her—Gaara's—mug, she was pleased when they all turned their attention to her.

"Although we are missing one of our members, I have an important announcement to make."

The three men looked expectantly at her, not sure what to expect from the eccentric blonde.

"My boyfriend will be visiting next weekend."

Two pairs of eyes widened, while Shikamaru just sighed.

"You're shitting me, un! I finally get to meet the guy?" Deidara smirked as he took a drink from his glass.

"I have to admit, I still find it hard to believe he is okay with letting you room with four guys," Gaara replied as he too sipped his coffee.

At this, Ino grimaced, a sudden realization hitting her.

"_Well_…."

The three men suddenly froze at her much too innocent tone.

"Ino… do not tell me he doesn't know…" Shikamaru said as he frowned at the girl who was nervously twirling her bangs around her pointer finger.

"Well… you see…" she dragged on.

"Ino…" Shikamaru pressed, his voice suddenly lower in pitch.

"He never asked who my new roommates were!" Ino threw up her hands in the air as she said this.

The three men face palmed.

"Even I know this is something you can't keep from your boyfriend you idiot, un!" Deidara replied.

Ino frowned as she began to play with the food on her plate.

"Well, you guys know I really wanted a place to stay, and you guys were the only ones I felt comfortable staying with! Plus he didn't ask!"

"He probably assumed your roommates would be girls," Gaara replied, and she felt even worse with his stare of disapproval.

"He's gonna kill us… isn't he…" Deidara said as he looked at Shikamaru, the only one of the boys to actually know who Ino's boyfriend was.

Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome…"

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><p><strong>The Realist: Well, I suddenly got an idea for this! It's just a fun little fic for me, with my all-time favorite couple, just because! I've been itching to write something for them for a while, but there wasn't any plot bunnies around. Until today that is, when this popped into my head. I do love a jealous Sasuke, and I really wanted to play with some characters I hardly use!<strong>

**That being said, I need help picking the fourth roommate. I really wanted Gaara, Deidara, and Shikamaru to be her roommates, but I need a fourth roommate, and I simply can't decide on who to pick! I thought about Sai, or Neji, but that was a decision that even tossing a coin couldn't solve! **

**So what do you guys think, who should be the fourth roommate? **

**And did you like this chapter? **

**Let me know! :)**

**Reviews are loved and helpful.**


	2. Chapter 2

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**Disclaimer:** _Naruto is not ours, until we're rich enough to buy the rights. Which will probably never happen..._

**The Realist:** _Wow! I sure wasn't expecting so much feedback for this story. Still thank you very much! I appreciated every single one. The fourth roommate was based on votes, and you'll find out who it was on this chapter. But fear not! You will see every character you mentioned at one point or another. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)_

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Had someone told Sasuke Uchiha more than three years ago that he would be dating Ino Yamanaka, he would have laughed in their face.

Had they told him that he would be dating her for more than three years, he would have called them downright delusional and to stop wasting his time.

No offense to the blonde. After all, it was no secret to him that she was smart, athletic, popular, and every guy had fantasied about her at least once in their lives. He also happened to have a weakness for long hair and blue eyes.

However, more than three years ago he had no intention of asking _any_ girl to be his girlfriend. While there were plenty of smart and beautiful women around, it was their mentality that turned him off to the idea of being with any of them. It seemed to him that they thought that he would take notice of who yelled the loudest, or stared the longest, or downright stalked him the most.

He had no intention of being with any of those kind of girls.

He had thought that Ino was no different, given the way she liked to jump on his back whenever given the chance.

It wasn't until after they begun dating that he realized he never actually minded when she did.

After all, Ino… she was something else entirely.

Every time he thought back to that moment, he couldn't help but smirk and shake his head in disbelief.

To think, that he would so easily fall for her trap…

"_Hey Sasuke-kun… how's your brother?" she had asked._

_They were in one of the classrooms designated for the student council to meet in. As president and vice president for the student body, the two were the last ones left after their scheduled meetings, and it wasn't unusual that the two discussed matters as they finished up._

_At the question however, he eyed her warily, wondering why she was asking about his brother of all people. Still, he merely shrugged and put it off as a harmless question._

_How wrong he had been..._

"_He's fine, succeeding as usual," he replied, not trying to hide his disdain at the comment._

_He saw as Ino seemed to contemplate the response, and tapped her chin thoughtfully. _

"_So… since he's a prodigy and all… it must be tough living in his shadow huh?" She asked, and this time he scoffed, not bothering to reply._

"_Well I mean… he _did_ graduate college when he was only 15, and already he's making a name for himself. Doesn't that mean he's done everything before you, and that you'll probably never match him in anything?"_

_At this, Sasuke tensed and threw her a heated glare._

"_Your point, Yamanaka?" he hissed, his fist clenching at his side._

_Ino did not seemed intimidated by his glare, instead she shrugged nonchalantly. Then she grinned and approached the desk where he was still putting away the materials he had used during the meetings. His glare did not subside as she placed a hand on the desk and leaned forward towards him._

"_I'm just saying… he seems so awfully busy… he must have never had a girlfriend before. So _**hypothetically**_ speaking, if _**you**_ were to get a girlfriend, you would have done something before him for once."_

_Before he could reply however, Ino was already walking away._

"_But hey, who has time for girls right? Especially when you're trying to catch up to your brother. See you tomorrow Sasuke-kun!" with a wink in his direction, Ino turned and left the room._

To think… that not only had she _given_ him a reason to get a girlfriend, she had used the _one_ thing that could motivate him like nothing else could. Who had thought that Ino Yamanaka could be such a conniving and manipulative vixen?

If anything, she had _definitely_ earned his respect and admiration that day.

He resisted of course… and tried not to let her words mean anything to him. Nothing good came from having a girlfriend anyway, and maybe that's the reason his brother had never had one in the first place.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the thought out of his head. A way to do something his brother hadn't… as insignificant as it would be, having a girlfriend would still give him something to brag about to his brother and his stupid unending list of accomplishments.

So a couple of weeks later, he approached the only girl that he was willing to give it a shot with. And it was _just_ a shot. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he could even make it through _one_ date with anyone.

"_Well, that certainly took you long enough," she grinned and placed her hand on her hip._

_He must be insane to actually be doing this…_

"_I just have one condition," she asked, holding up her pointer finger to emphasize her point. _

_He frowned._

"_What?"_

"_If you so much as smile, than you take me on a second date. And if you smile on that one too, then you take me on a third date. And that continues, until you ask me to be your girlfriend," she smiled sweetly at him, her body language exuding the confidence of a girl that always got what she wanted. _

_He blinked at her, wondering why he suddenly felt as if he was walking into a spider's web._

_Still, he had already talked himself into doing this._

_And he did have a weakness for long hair and blue eyes…_

And three years later, here they were. Plane tickets purchased, and an eagerness in his stomach at the thought of seeing her soon.

Yep. Had anyone told him he'd be _excited_ to see Ino Yamanaka, he would have turned and walked the other way.

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><p>"You need to tell him, before he gets here," Ino frowned as she looked at Gaara and picked up the dishes and took them to the sink.<p>

"I can't! What if he gets mad and decides not to come? At least if he's here, he can see that he has nothing to worry about…" Even to her, she knew that was a weak excuse, and a hope more than anything.

Out of the corner of the eye she noticed a slight movement, and in the blink of an eye she was next to Deidara, her hand on the collar of his shirt as he tried to dash away.

"Not so fast mister, it's your turn to do the dishes," she threw him a pointed look, and he glared irritatingly at the blonde girl.

"I think that the girl who is basically signing our death certificate should at least do the dishes…" he replied as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"H-hey!" he cried as Ino began to drag him to the sink by the collar.

"I don't think so. Dishes. Now."

Deidara glared at her once more before grumbling something under his breath and rolling up his sleeves and turning on the water.

"And besides… Sasuke isn't the jealous type…" she said as she turned back to the boys at the table.

"Ino… every guy is the jealous type. Whether he shows it or not is a different issue," Shikamaru said, his cheek resting against his knuckles as he regarded her lazily.

Ino glared at Shikamaru, suddenly having the urge to hit him or throw something at him. Why did he have to be so damn smart? It meant she couldn't just dismiss anything he said as wrong, because Shikamaru was _always_ right.

"Let me make my mistakes Shikamaru!" she pouted as she sat down, clearly defeated but not willing to admit where she had gone wrong, or doing what they suggested. She rather see Sasuke and suffer the consequences, than risk the chance of him cancelling his visit and moping around for the rest of the week. Besides, she had a better chance of making things up to him if he was here, rather than hundreds of miles away.

Ino grinned. The more she thought about it, the more her choice made sense. Things would be fine… she just knew they would be. After all, she and Sasuke had been through worse, this would be a piece of cake.

There was a rustling of keys at the door, and the sound of it opening let them know the only other person with a key to the house was home. The owner of the home, in fact.

"Welcome home Neji! You missed breakfast," Ino called out from the dining room.

The long haired man soon came around the corner and walked into the dining area, regarding its occupants with a neutral gaze. Sometimes he wondered how on earth he had managed to end up with such an odd mix of roommates.

"Good morning. Sorry I missed breakfast, I had some things to take care of," he greeted as he walked to one of the cabinets and pulled out a glass, then walking to the sink and filling it with the water as Deidara threw a glare at his interruption in the art of washing dishes.

"Did Lee challenge you to another inhuman feat?" Ino asked, knowing the only time that Neji would be out in ungodlike hours of the morning was when Lee came barging in demanding a challenge from the pale-eyed man. It was a wonder he hadn't woken the entire house….

"Something like that…" he replied.

"Oh! Neji you're going to love the wonderful news that Ino has, un," Deidara called out as he momentarily turned away from the dishes.

Neji turned to Ino, looking at her questionably, especially when she was suddenly fidgeting.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Uh… well… Sasuke's… coming to visit… next weekend," she answered, twirling her fingers in a fashion that reminded him of a certain cousin of his.

At her reply however, his eyes narrowed.

"_Fun_…" he replied, the sarcasm evident despite the tightness of his voice.

Ino grimaced at this, having forgotten that the two boys hated each other's guts… Family rivalries and all that… among other things she had also forgotten about.

"And the best part, that's really a BANG! She didn't tell him she's rooming with four guys, so we're probably going to die!" Deidara added, sending an accusatory glare in Ino's direction.

"You're not going to die! Nothing's going to happen!" Ino replied as she glared back at Deidara.

"Ino…" Neji began, and Ino turned nervously to him, not liking the tone of his voice.

"Y-yes, Neji?" she asked cautiously.

"I want absolutely no problems in this house during his stay," he replied, a clear warning in his eyes.

Ino gulped, knowing that if she didn't comply, she could very well end up having to search for a new place to stay. And quite frankly, she really liked this house, and her roommates.

"Oh Neji-kun, you need to lighten up… it's just a small visit."

Neji didn't look convinced, but before anyone could say anything, a loud BANG resounded through the house as the front door was slammed open.

"DEIDARA-SEMPAI!" at the unmistakably loud pitch, Deidara's face paled, and the dish in his hand crashed into the soapy water filled sink. His task was soon forgotten as he tried to make a break for it.

"There you are!" Deidara froze in mid-sprint as a dark-haired man rounded the corner and into the dining room.

"What the hell do you want Tobi, un!"

Tobi, as usual, wore the mask that was trademark of him, the mask that no one dared ask about and just accepted as part of the strange guy.

"Tobi is bored! And no one at the house wants to do something fun!"

Deidara glared at the man who acted like a boy and grated on his nerves.

"Dammit Tobi! I moved out to get away from you! Go bother Sasori or Zetsu!" Deidara yelled, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

"BUT DEIDARA-SEMPAI! I like you the best! Sasori has those creepy puppets, and Zetsu is always threatening to eeeat me!"

"I don't care! Go find some new friends or something!"

Everyone sweat dropped at the two, and Shikamaru and Gaara decided it was time to leave the room before things started flying. Neji wasn't far behind, wanting nothing more than to kick them out, but knowing it would be rude to do so. Damn his manners sometimes…

"Hey Tobi! Do you want some ice cream?" Ino asked from her seat, trying to get the attention from the strange guy away from the furious Deidara who looked ready to blow.

"Ino-chan you're the best! Hey Deidara-sempai, did you know you and Ino look like twins? I mean, you guys even have your hair styled the same. Do you think in another life, you two were related? OOOH! WHAT IF YOU WERE NINJA? How cool would that be? WHAT IF I WAS A NINJA TOO? Oh I bet I was this super evil bad guy, who tried bring peace in a diabolical way, because I had this tragic back story where I lost the love of my life because of my best friend, and this old guy took me in to fulfill his last dying wish!"

Lost in his thoughts, Tobi hadn't noticed as Deidara quietly slipped away, until he heard the door in the kitchen slam shut.

"Oooh, are we playing hide and seek tag? GOOD IDEA SEMPAI!"

Ino shook her head as she watched Tobi dash after the blonde, only to sigh when she noticed the dishes weren't done yet.

"GAARA!" She called out.

No way was she doing dishes today.

She had too much too think about.

She was further reminded when her phone vibrated on the table.

'_I do love you. That's why I'm visiting.'_

And it was texts like these that told her she had nothing to worry about.

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><p><strong>The Realist: <strong>_So there you have it! Some insight on Sasuke and Ino's relationship(cause I like depth). Neji as the fourth roommate by popular demand, and some funny moments with Annoying Tobi(cause we all love Annoying Tobi). I might do another chapter of just the roommates, to kinda give you guys a feeling of their chemistry(now that Neji's in the picture), and then have Sasuke join the party. I'm trying to keep everyone in character, so let me know how you like this!_

_Now, I'm turning you over to my best friend, who will kindly reply to all your wonderful reviews, as I study my ass off for my Anatomy and Physiology test tomorrow. _

**The Dreamer: **_Dreamer here, reporting for duty! Bet you guys were wondering when i'd make an appearance! Oh...you had no idea who I was...you thought nothing behind the username. Well this is quite embarrassing..._

_Moving on to review replying time ^_^_

_First off thanks to all who replied! Super thanks to all who suggested a fourth roomie. The Realist really appreciates the feed back!_

_As you all know by now the winner of fourth roomie is Neji! Sad-face to those of us who wanted Lee or Itachi! Though I was promised they'd make appearances._

_**Guest**: Don't you worry, their will defiantly be fireworks;)_

_**Mau**: You guessed it! Gaara and Ino are definitely going to be super close! I'm excited myself about this Gaara's one of my favorites and I always felt he deserved some what of a sibling. Yay dreams do come true! _

_**Nerdcuteie21yo**: Oh man the Feels! Kiba and his pup surely are left out a bit much. Insert the truest of sadfaces here. _

_**Guest**: *Gasp* Another Kiba lover! I am now on a one woman mission to get him in this story ;)_

_**Deathrosekitty**: First off...your username=epic. Second we loves us some Ino to! And how could such a beauty run around a hose full of hunks without one lusting after her! _

_**Moonakes**: Sasuke all around is sexy For ya know a cartoon...excuse me while i go cry because my true love isn't real D,:_

_**Fairyshippuden16**: SASUINO FOR LIFE MY BUDDIE! _

_**Anna Maria Masen**: Its a wonderful thing The Realist speaks Spanish or i'd be so lost on what you said. But i am forever going to use "jajaja" instead of "hahaha". Thats just classic! _

_**jenny eun-chan**: We have plans for Kakashi:] _

_**VeeA**: The feels right dude? But hey all good things come to those who wait. Even though waiting is such pain!_

_**Gaara'sbutterfly**: Dont worry! Gaara is going to play a huge role in this story! Also thanks for throwing out an idea! Ideas are very much appreciated!_

_**Shesss**: We LOVE you! lol Thanks for the reply!_

_**Yo**: I think we're all a little jelly of Ino right now :( _

_Phew! Im done! SO lovely replying to you all! If you have any question, suggestions, or just something nice to say please let us know!_

_Dreamer out!_

**Reviews and feedback are loved :)**


	3. Valentine's Day Special Chapter

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**Disclaimer: The same as always, we own nothing but the idea.**

**The Realist: **_Well, I __definitely wasn't expecting to update today. I planned to have a very busy day. Unfortunately, I've been hit by an unexpected cold, and my Friday night plans are cancelled while I bundle up under warm covers, drink hot tea, watch anime, and write this chapter. Don't worry, I'm not complaining!_

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><p><strong>Valentine's Day Special Chapter<strong>

_3 years prior..._

Ino sighed as she laid down in bed and stared miserably at the white ceiling of her room.

"Where did I go wrong?"

Ino frowned as she asked herself the same question for the millionth time this day.

"Why hasn't he asked me yet?"

Valentine's Day was tomorrow, and Sasuke hadn't asked her to be his valentine. Not like she expected him do downright ask, but she still thought he would at least make plans with her for the day, under the guise of just another "hangout". It had been almost a two months now since she had convinced Sasuke to go on dates with her, even if he still refused to call them that.

She wasn't exactly expecting him to ask her to be his girlfriend right away, and she knew that Sasuke was the kind of guy you had to win over in time. But she thought she finally had him! She could tell that he liked her, that he was warming up to her and the idea of them being together…

Ino blushed as she remembered when things changed…

**/Flashback/**

When Sasuke asked to hang out with her, for what would be their fifth date(yes, she was totally counting, take that every girl that thought they ever had a chance!), Ino decided to take advantage of her parents being away for the weekend, and invited him over to watch a movie.

'_Sure. What movie do you want to see?' _he had texted her that day_._

Ino smiled, and quickly replied.

'_Why don't you choose, surprise me. But make sure it's a mystery or action!'_

She looked over her living room, making sure it was spotless for when he arrived, and only fixed up a few things before she deemed it perfect.

'_What, no subjecting me to a chick flick like any girl on the planet would?'_

Ino rolled her eyes and smiled, having discovered that Sasuke indeed had a joking side.

'_Har har. No actually, I'd rather not torture you. Besides, chick flicks are more of a girls' night kinda thing. And thankfully, you're not a girl.'_

'_Fine with me. I'll be over by 6.'_

By six o'clock, Ino had showered, changed her outfit about a dozen times, settling on black caprice leggings that made her butt look good and a semi-loose long sleeved gray shirt for comfort, and chose to leave her hair down for the occasion. She hoped it was a pleasant surprise for the Uchiha. She did her makeup, light as usual, and stood in front of the mirror until she heard the doorbell ring.

She fixed her already perfect hair one last time, before dashing downstairs to get the door, her heart already racing at the thought of spending the evening with Sasuke. With a smile, she opened the door to see him, handsome as always in a white undershirt with a navy unbuttoned button up shirt over it, and dark navy blue jeans.

"Hi," she said as she looked up slightly to meet his calm gaze.

"Hi there," he replied, and somehow she felt silly for the way her heart skipped a beat at as he looked her over, his eyes lingering on her loose hair.

"Come in," she said, trying not to sound nervous as she opened the door wider and stepped aside.

He nodded and walked inside, where she noticed a DVD in one of his hands, before he took off his shoes and placed them aside. Feeling a burst of confidence at the thought that _the_ Sasuke Uchiha was over at her house, willingly, to see a movie, with her, Ino grabbed a hold of his hand, her confidence growing when he didn't take his hand back and allowed her to lead him.

She took through the hallways, and to the living room and its yellow walls and white couches. There was a brown coffee table in the middle, and a large flat screen TV on the wall. She was glad that her dad was a freak about entertainment systems, and they had a really good TV and sound system.

"You can put in the movie while I make some popcorn, shouldn't be too hard for you to handle, right?" she grinned as she looked at him.

"Can you handle making popcorn?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. Ino laughed and winked.

"I'll call if I need you," and with that, she turned, making sure to sway her hips just a bit more than usual in hopes that he was watching her walk away.

In a few minutes she was back in the living room with a bowl of popcorn and two waters, while Sasuke was sitting on the loveseat, movie already on the title page, ready to go. Ino smiled as she set the waters down.

"Looks like you beat me to it," she grinned, only to plop down on the couch next to him.

She grabbed the remote that was on the coffee table, and clicked play.

As she leaned back on the couch however, she grabbed Sasuke's arm, and put it on the other side of her as she cuddled up to his side. She grinned as she looked at his questioning gaze.

"Movie night means cuddling night," she grinned and giggled when he shook his head and sighed, but didn't push her away or move his arm.

The movie* itself was pretty good. It was called "Dawn", and about three ninja friends who were trying to protect the people that lay in between two warring nations, trying to avoid armed conflict by the use of negotiations instead. They were tired of the fighting and bloodshed, and in time they gained a large following of ninja that felt the same way. One day however, they were approached by a man that claimed that they could help the world much more if they helped him in his quest to create the perfect world where everyone could always be happy and have everything they wanted.

The friends denied him, and continued to try and end the conflict, going as far as becoming recognized by the leader of their village, who approved of their pacifist ideologies. In a twist of events however, a man from another village tricks the leader of the village into believing that the group, called "Dawn", was actually power-hungry, and only pretended to be peaceful in order to fool everyone.

In the end, the leader of the village kidnaps their female friend, and forced the other friend to kill the "leader" of their group. Without hesitation, their leader walks into the knife of his best friend, ending his life in order to save the girl.

Having lost his best friend, the other ninja guy, who apparently has a special power, goes berserk and attacks the leader of the village, and other ninja that showed up to kill them, and kills them all, except the leader of the village that escaped.

Having lost their best friend, the two remaining ninja friends find the man that first approached them, and agree to help him achieve this perfect world that will bring back their best friend, now realizing that their current world is rotten.

As the credits rolled, Ino continued to look at the screen.

"I… I don't believe it…"

She had sat up, Sasuke's arm dropping away from its place around her waist.

"What?"

"That was so stupid!"

Ino turned to Sasuke, who quirked her eyebrow at her. It looked like he was about to say something, but Ino was already talking again.

"I mean, how does that make sense? Here's an organization that's based on _negotiations_, and the village leader shows up with their friend and threatens to kill her if their leader doesn't die first, and they don't even _bother_ demanding an explanation, or trying to talk things out! I mean, where were the negotiations? The guy just walked straight into the knife, where's the justice in that?"

Sasuke eyed the furious Ino curiously.

"Well, he said earlier that he didn't see himself as the true leader, and that it was the other guy that was the real foundation of the group. He was ready from the beginning to give up the role to him, and in the heat of the moment, when they were threatened with the death of their comrade and romantic interest, it was a decision that he must have thought easy to make."

Ino sighed, knowing his point was logic, but having already thought that herself.

"I know that, but it just seems so forced! I mean, it seems that the entire purpose of those events were for the two surviving friends to realize what a terrible world they really live in, and join up with the other guy to create this "perfect" world, probably so there could be a sequel. The writer was just pure lazy! It's like he said 'eh, I don't feel like adding some extra talking since the ending will be the same'. That's just lazy! Don't get me wrong, the entire movie was really good, it's just that one part that bothers me. It could have been executed better."

Ino glared and crossed her arms, but she was surprised when she heard Sasuke chuckling. At the sound, Ino blushed.

"H-hey, why are you laughing?" she asked, a pout on her face and her face clearly embarrassed. Had she just made a fool out of herself with her ranting? It wasn't her fault she was so opinionated!

"Oh, nothing…" he said, a smirk on his face.

Ino blushed further, but frowned, and leaned forward, poking him in the cheek playfully.

"No way! You have to tell me now…"

Ino kept poking him in the cheek, until he caught her hand with his.

"Eep!" Ino squeaked when suddenly she was pulled forward, and blushed when she realized she was now sitting across his lap.

Her breath hitched when she realized she was face to face with the raven haired boy, his intense onyx eyes staring into her own, and her heart raced when she felt his hand tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, his hand straying to the nape of her neck.

"You're just… interesting," he said, his voice husky as she saw his eyes search her face, straying to her lips…

His words barely registered in her mind as she became lost in his eyes, the feel of his hand on her neck, and the heat that radiated off his body. Suddenly she forgot about the movie, and about the world.

_Is he… is he going to kiss me?_

She dared not even hope, but her heart was racing in her chest.

"And you look beautiful with your hair down…"

And suddenly he was leaning forward… and her eyelids were drooping… and his lips captured hers.

It was as if a fire started inside her body, a fire that spread from her lips to the rest of body. But once she realized that she was actually _kissing_ Sasuke Uchiha, she knew she had to make the best of it. So one of her hands gently pressed against his cheek, while the other rested against his chest, fisting in his shirt as she kissed him back.

It didn't take long for their kiss to heat up, and Ino found herself on her back on the couch as Sasuke leaned over her, his lips still on hers.

When his lips strayed to her neck however, Ino knew it was time to stop.

"W-wait…" she said, breathlessly as she gathered her willpower to push him away and sit up at the same time.

She was pleased to see his eyes glazed over, desire evident in his eyes.

She grinned and placed a finger against his lips.

"I won't be that easy."

**/End Flashback/**

Since that day, kissing had become a regular part of their "relationship", despite the fact that they weren't official. She wore her hair down more often, because she knew he liked it, and he tended to be more affectionate on those days.

"ARRGGGH! Why are you so stubborn Sasuke Uchiha!?" Ino yelled, her hands covering her face in frustration.

She knew that he wanted her… she just had to give him a little push… but how?

* * *

><p>The next day, Sasuke walked to his locker, fully expecting Ino to be there as had become routine of them. He frowned when he saw that instead, a mob of girls where blocking his way, and as he looked at the cookies, brownies, balloons, and cards that they held, it hit him.<p>

It was Valentine's Day. The most wretched day of the year.

At the sight of him, the girls squealed.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Please have one of my cookies!"

"Be my prom date!"

"Let me have you're babies!"

"I love you!"

"Just one hug!"

Already feeling a headache coming on, Sasuke turned on his heel and walked in the direction of Ino's locker. He was thankful to see that even though girls were still following, they didn't assault him or invade his personal space.

At the sight of Ino however, he felt better. Until that is, he saw that she was giggling, and holding a white teddy bear holding a red heart.

And leaning against her locker, was none other than Neji Hyuga.

He frowned as he watched the two talk, and the closer he got, the unhappier he became. An unfamiliar emotion making itself known in the pit of his stomach as his hands unconsciously clenched at his sides as he approached the pair.

"Tonight? What time?" he heard Ino ask.

"Around 7, after my practice is out," Neji replied.

"Yeah, that should work just fine."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the conversation. Why were they meeting up? Why did the thought bother him so much? And why did he suddenly have the urge to push Neji away and pull Ino to his side?

"Ino," Sasuke calmly replied as he stood only a foot away from the two.

He watched as Ino turned to face him, her red skirt twirling around her as she did so. She was definitely dressed for the holiday. Black tights and boots, and a white shirt tucked under the red high-waist skirt. Her hair was down and her bangs clipped back with heart shaped clips.

"Sasuke-kun! Good morning," she replied, and he suddenly didn't like the way she clutched the teddy bear so close to her chest.

Sasuke turned his gaze to Neji, his eyes narrowing.

"Hyuga," he acknowledged, voice tight.

"Uchiha," he acknowledged back, voice equally low and tight.

The two glared at each other for what felt like an eternity, until finally Neji scoffed and turned his gaze to Ino.

"I'll see you tonight then, Ino," he said, turning and walking away before she could even respond.

Sasuke wasted no time in getting the answers he wanted.

"Why are you meeting up with him later?" he asked. Although he sounded calm, Ino could see his body tensed, making her frown.

"Well, believe it or not, he asked me to be his valentine. And we're going out to dinner," Ino replied calmly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed further, and he didn't understand why that made him mad.

"You can't," he replied, his voice commanding. At this, Ino raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? Why the hell not? Last time I checked, I _don't_ have a boyfriend, and Neji is handsome and intelligent. So why shouldn't I go out with him? It's Valentine's Day, and I don't want to spend it alone!" Ino replied defiantly.

At her response, Sasuke was taken aback. Well if she wanted to do something on Valentines, why hadn't she just asked him to hang out? Why did she feel the need to accept Neji's invitation when they had been spending so much time together lately? Hadn't it been her idea that he get a girlfrie—

Oh.

That's right. He had never officially asked her to be his girlfriend. And women typically liked all that official crap didn't they? They wanted to be outright _asked_, rather than to simply assume…

At the realization, Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Women really were more trouble than they were worth…

Still… as he opened his eyes and looked at the glaring blue eyes of Ino Yamanaka, her subtle pouty lips and golden locks freefalling down her back… he thought that the trouble might just be worth it as long as she was only his.

And definitely NOT Neji Hyuga's.

So without a moment's hesitation, he turned around, glad to see that the mob of girl's were still trailing behind him, whispering amongst each other as they watched the interaction between the Yamanaka and Uchiha. Looking over at the girls, he moved towards them, ignoring their excited squeals, only to take the flowers from one girl, the chocolate box from another, and a balloon from another. The girls fainted, thinking that he had actually accepted their gifts for once.

Thankfully for them, they didn't see as he turned back around, and marched right back up to the blonde girl. The rest of the girls watched as he snatched the white bear from the girl's arms, only to give her the items he had just taken from the girls.

Ino's eyes widened at the items now in her arms, and at the intense look in Sasuke's eyes.

"Ino Yamanaka, you are far too difficult for my liking, but from now on, you're mine, and _only_ mine," he said.

The next thing she knew, he had grabbed her around the waist, and crushed his lips to hers.

"GASP!"

"AHHH!"

"NOO!"

The sound of a mob of disappointed and unbelieving girls resounded throughout the hallways, only to be cut off as a majority of them fainted and hit the ground.

Once the pair separated, leaving a breathless and elated Ino behind, Sasuke gave her a stern look.

"Now that you have a boyfriend, you are _not_ seeing that Hyuga tonight."

Ino grinned, and pulled him back down for another kiss.

Her boyfriend huh?

* * *

><p>As Ino came home from school, only to get ready for the date she and Sasuke would be going on later, she stopped by her mother's room and placed the white teddy bear that she had "borrowed" from her mother's dresser.<p>

As she walked up to her room, she retrieved her phone from her bag and searched her contacts, clicking on the name she was looking for.

'_Hey Neji! Change of plans, I can't study tonight. Raincheck?'_

With an excited giggle, Ino skipped up the rest of the stairs that led to her room.

Today was definitely a day to be remembered.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Realist:<strong> Well there you have it! An unexpected update. Since it's a Valentine's Day special, I'm sorry that it was centered around SasuIno and you didn't see the roomies. Well, you did see Neji. And hopefully got an idea as to why Sasuke and Neji won't get along when he visits, and all the problems that might ensue..._

_Thanks again for your reviews, and everyone that's added this story to their alerts. I really appreciate it! Unfortunately, Dreamer is probably off on a date with her boyfriend, so I'll be the one to reply this time! Plus I want this updated before valentines day is over. _

_So here we go!_

**Mau**: I'm glad you like it! It's always appreciated when readers like what I do in a story. So here's an even bigger flashback, which I really liked, considering I really wasn't planning to do a valentines day special. And yes, autocorrect is stupid sometimes. Hope you stay tuned :)

**Guest**: I know! I love funny Tobi! We'll probably see more of him. And don't worry, I've always promised to include Kiba, he will definitely get some limelight. And Akamaru, cause he's adorable too :)

**VeeA**: I'm glad! I can't wait for your next review! ;)

**jenny eun-chan**: Deidara and Tobi are perfect! Which is why I'll probably play a lot with them. Hope you liked this chapter!

**EmoPrincess21**: I'm glad you like it! I absolutely adore Ino with almost any guy, but Sasuke, Neji, and Shika are definately in my top favs. Lately I've been wanting more Itachi Ino, so I might make one myself in the future. Hopefully you liked the SasuIno in this chapter!

**FairyShippuden16**: Well what do you know! You got your wish after all! I honestly didn't think I would be able to do this, but life and its microorganisms of doom happen, and this is the result! I'm sure you don't mind, if you're happy with this chapter that is. Which I hope you are! Thanks for the support!

**Gaara'sbutterfly**: Oh, Neji and Sasuke will have problems, as you can see. I doubt Sasuke will forget this day ;) and yes, Gaara will definately make some damage too. I simply adore him.

**AkatsukiYaoiFanGirl**: I'm glad you love it! And I hope you liked this chapter, plenty of SasuIno in this chapter I think. Stay tuned, for when Sasuke finally visits!

**deathrosekitty:** Neji is not a happy camper, which makes you wonder how he puts up with Gaara, Deidara, and Ino under one roof... I imagine he tolerates Shika just fine. There's plenty of Sasuke in this chapter, so I hope you liked that!

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><p><strong>Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!<strong>

***Cookies to anyone that catches this reference. It shouldn't be too hard. At all. **

**Reviews and feedback are loved :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist:** I am so so so very sorry for the late update. It has been far too long, and I can't give you any good reasons, only excuses which are the usual. Life, busy, work, school, books, anime, all that jazz. I took a break from Naruto and was focused on one of my favorite trilogies for a while, so that's a big reason. But at least I updated right? So without further delay, here we go!

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Ino hummed as she finished dusting off the furniture and ceiling fan of their living room and turned to walk in the direction of the closet where the vacuum was kept. One of the things she loved about living in this house was that they had plenty of closet space for things like vacuums and cleaning supplies that she hadn't had in her old apartment. She really did consider herself lucky to be able to room in this house with the rest of the guys, and the fact that she hadn't told Sasuke about her roommates really did worry her. The last thing she wanted was to have to move out if Sasuke really wasn't happy about it. After all, the only thing worse than having Sasuke mad at her was having to move back in with her old roommates and a crowded apartment…

Ino sighed as the thought once more came back to her. As she reached the closet and moved to open it, she did her best to banish her worry and focus on the task at hand.

"KYAAAA!" Ino screeched and stumbled back when she opened the door only to reveal a large human-like creature with six arms, black hair, red horns, and what looked like rags covering its body. As soon as the unexpected sight registered in her mind however, a furious frown formed on her face as her hands balled into fists.

"GODDAMMIT GAARA! TELL YOUR BROTHER TO KEEP HIS STUPID PUPPETS IN HIS OWN APARTMENT!"

She turned to the redhead that popped his head out from the bathroom down the hall that he had been tasked with cleaning and frowned in the direction of the blonde.

"Puppet?" his eyes followed Ino's arm as she reached into the closet and pulled the unmistakable puppet known as "Kuroari" that belonged to the Puppet Master.

"This damn puppet almost gave me a heart attack!" Ino yelled as she resisted the urge to throw the puppet to the ground and stomp on it for good measure.

At her words, the redhead actually looked apologetic as he brushed a hand through his hair.

"Knowing Kankuro, that was probably his intention… to scare you that is," Gaara replied smoothly.

"Do you want me to burn it for you?" he added after what seemed like an afterthought.

Ino gaped at the red head and his casual suggestion, and was that her imagination or did he actually look hopeful? She didn't know whether she should shudder or giggle at the image of a maniacal Gaara burning Kankuro's puppet with an excited grin on his face.

"Let's not resort to pyromania that easily…" Ino sighed and stuffed the puppet back inside before retrieving the object she had come for.

"Next time I see him I'll give him a piece of my mind…"

Gaara only shrugged before ducking back into the bathroom to resume his previous task. As she walked back to the living room with the vacuum in tow, she could hear Shikamaru's movements in the upstairs and the roar of a lawnmower being powered up from the outside. This was another thing she loved about living here. Everyone split the chores evenly.

Or face Neji's wrath.

Everyone was aware that Neji loved order, and it was everyone's responsibility to keep the house clean and organized at all times. It was part of the unwritten rules that came along with the living arrangements and even someone as lazy as Shikamaru knew that he had to do his share regardless of what he wanted. The only thing that they had personal authority over was their individual rooms, which could look like a pig sty for all they cared. But the rest of the house was to look spotless. So each weekend, they would split up the chores and rotate. This time, Ino was in charge of the living room and basement, Deidara of the kitchen, Gaara of the downstairs bathrooms, Shikamaru of the upstairs bathroom and hallway, and Neji of the landscape outside. They had all day to do it as long as it got done, which is why Deidara was able to get away with being absent while he continued to evade Tobi and his childish antics.

Soon, the roar of the vacuum joined the lawnmower as Ino began her trek across the carpeted floor, and as she continued her task, Ino's thoughts once more returned to Sasuke as they often did. Truth be told, she _knew_ he would be upset. He would be upset that she hadn't told him that it was men she was rooming with, and even more upset that one of them was Neji, and the other was Shikamaru. After all, in the three years that they had dated, they had broken up a total of three times, and one of those times was because of none other than Shikamaru Nara himself. Ino sighed as she thought back to that time and the mess it had been.

* * *

><p>"<em>..And I mean, can you believe she would do something like that just to get a guy's attention?"<em>

_Ino paused in her retelling of the school's latest gossip as she and Sasuke drove home from school. Her hand was entwined with his as he drove with the other and she squeezed it to let him know she wanted a response._

"_Hn..." was all he said as he continued to drive. Ino sighed and gave up on engaging him in the gossip and just leaned back and enjoyed the ride. _

"_Can I come over for a bit?" Ino looked over at Sasuke's expectant gaze and smiled._

"_You just want to avoid Itachi," she replied, and giggled when he frowned and almost pouted at her knowing response. _

"_While I would normally love to say yes, I actually have a study session with Shikamaru tonight. I have a huge exam coming up in a few days and he's helping me prepare."_

_Ino was actually looking forward to tonight. Ever since she and Sasuke had begun to date six months ago, she felt as if she and her lazy best friend had grown apart. At first she hadn't really noticed it, being too caught up in the high of finally getting the boy of her dreams as her official boyfriend. But lately she was beginning to notice it when she tried to talk to Shikamaru and he hadn't seemed too enthusiastic. She had been asking him all week to hang out, but he had always given her an excuse or another. It wasn't until she asked him to help her study that he finally seemed to cave and agree to helping her. _

"_I don't like the way he looks at you," Sasuke spoke, and Ino's eyes widened._

"_What are you talking about?" she asked, a frown on her face. _

"_He looks at you like a lost and kicked puppy," he replied, his eyes never wavering from the road. _

"_And what is that supposed to mean exactly?" her voice came out clipped; for some reason, the way he said it bothered her. _

_Sasuke sighed and paused as they made a stop at a red light._

"_It means he likes you and he's not happy we're dating."_

_At this Ino couldn't help but laugh. This was Shikamaru they were talking about! Lazy, rational Shikamaru that didn't seem to have an interest in much of anything that involved more effort than he was willing to give. And she was sure women and relationships involved more effort than he wanted to give._

"_That's ridiculous! He thinks I'm a troublesome woman."_

_The car once more started to move forward, and Ino frowned when Sasuke removed his hand from hers._

"_I think you're a troublesome woman too, and I still like you," he replied. _

_Ino crossed her arms in front of her and looked out the window away from Sasuke. _

"_Still… we're best friends," she replied, trying not to let a single hint of doubt form in the pit of her stomach. At her response however, Sasuke scoffed. _

"_He's a guy, and you're a girl. An attractive and intelligent girl. Friendship has nothing to do with infatuation. The closer you are to someone, the likelier you are to like them romantically."_

_To this, Ino couldn't find something to say. It was true that she thought best friends of opposite genders would never work, that at least one would fall for the other at some point or another. But she had also thought that she and Shikamaru were the exception. After all, they had practically grown up together, and she had always seen him as a brother more than anything. And he himself never seemed to show an interest in her that way. _

"_I rather you find studying help from someone else," Sasuke said just as they pulled into the driveway of her house. _

"_You're kidding right?" Ino said as she looked at her boyfriend incredulously. _

"_I'm not."_

_Ino frowned as indignation rose up in the pit of her stomach._

"_I'm not going to cancel on Shikamaru just because you _think_ he likes me. Whether you like it or not, he _is_ my best friend, and I will spend time with him as much as I want, when I want."_

_Sasuke met Ino's heated glare with a cool gaze, his hand resting calmly on the steering wheel as he put the car on park. _

"_As your boyfriend, I'm not comfortable with you being around a guy that has feelings for you, whether he's your best friend or not."_

_Ino's glare only deepened at his response. _

"_As my boyfriend, you should have trust in me that nothing will happen."_

_At this, Sasuke frowned, his gaze challenging. _

"_You are not to see him Ino."_

_Ino practically bristled at his reply, her anger rising to new heights._

"_If you think that just because you're my boyfriend you can dictate who I can see, then you are sadly mistaken. Not even my own father can tell me who I can and can't see or talk to, and if he can't, then you sure as hell can't either."_

"_Aren't _you_ the one that wanted to be my girlfriend so badly?" Sasuke challenged, his eyed narrowing._

"_I didn't _forceyou_ into anything!" she practically yelled, taken aback that he would bring up such a thing. _

"_Who do you want more Ino? Your best friend, or your boyfriend?"_

_Ino's eyes widened at his question that sounded remarkably like an ultimatum, and her anger rose once more. _

"_You know what?" she said, her voice lowering to a whisper as her anger turned to sadness._

"_I don't want a boyfriend that will make me have to choose."_

_And with that, she opened the car door and walked out, fighting the tightening in her chest and the pain in her suddenly dry throat as her eyes began to water. It was only when she got to her room and she heard the sound of Sasuke's car speeding out of her driveway that the tears finally came. _

* * *

><p>They had remained broken up for almost two weeks, both too stubborn to approach the other and talk about it despite the fact they missed each other. In the end, it had been Shikamaru that made her see things from Sasuke's perspective and convinced her to talk to him and try to fix things, which ended with Sasuke admitting that he missed her and wanted her back as well as apologizing and promising not to try and control her like that ever again. Which for the most part, he had kept true to this day. Still, Ino knew that a part of Sasuke resented Shikamaru for being the cause of his first heartbreak(that Ino was secretly pleased of being since it meant he truly did care about her).<p>

Still, she would always be grateful to Shikamaru for being there for her when she needed him. He was practically family and she would never let anyone make her choose between them and her best friend. As Ino finished her task of cleaning, she made her way upstairs and ducked her head into Shikamaru's room, where as she expected, he was laying down with his eyes closed.

"Shikaa," she called out as she made her way inside the room and jumped atop the bed next to him.

She grinned as she lay on her stomach and begun to poke at his cheek. His only response was a groan as he raised an arm against his face to stop her poking. Not one to give up, Ino moved to poke at his side.

"Shikaaa," she said again in a sing-song tone.

"What?" he finally grumbled out, a single eye opening to look at her.

"Tell me a story," she said, her eyes glinting with playful mirth.

Shikamaru sighed and closed his eyes again.

"Why?"

Ino rolled her eyes before turning around and laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling. Shikamaru's room was surprisingly neat, but that was probably because he never did more than he needed to. Everything had its place and it would be too much of a hassle to have a messy room and have to look for it when he needed it. Ino always liked to go to his room when her dad would visit them and she would tag along. Shikamaru always had lots of books, and Ino loved trying to get him to read them to her.

"Because it's been a while since the last time…" she replied.

There was a moment of silence as Shikamaru pondered whether it was worth the effort, but he knew that he had never been good at telling her no, and he knew that she wasn't going to leave him alone unless he did.

"Fine…" he said, and Ino squealed and turned back to lay on her stomach again as she turned to the still figure of Shikamaru. As he began his tale, she laid her head on her arms and gave him her undivided attention.

"Long ago, in a land known as the Land of Fire, there was a village that trained its young to be warriors. But these were no ordinary warriors. These were warriors with special abilities passed down from generation to generation. Two such warriors were a boy and a girl. The girl had the ability to transfer her very consciousness into another body and control the body as if it was her own. The boy had the ability to control shadows and could also control others in that way as well.

As the two grew older, they were sent on many missions together, and they became very close friends. After all, their abilities required a teammate to be present if they didn't want to be left vulnerable. The girl's special ability was especially dangerous because while her consciousness was in a different body, her own body was left behind, and any injuries obtained while she was in a foreign body would be inflicted upon her own. For this reason, she would entrust her body to the boy whenever she used her special ability, and he would vigilantly protect it. It was this kind of trust and camaraderie that caused the boy to develop feelings for the girl beyond simple friendship. While he thought she was loud, obnoxious, and bossy, he also thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and the spunk and energy that was so characteristic of her could always brighten even his darkest day."

Ino had perked up when the romance was introduced, and in a very girl-like fashion started swinging her legs back and forth as she oohed in fascination.

"How does he tell her?" she asks, more engrossed into the story.

At her question however, Shikamaru smiles wryly, his eyes still closed.

"No matter how much he cared about her, how badly he wanted to be with her, he knew that he could never tell her of his feelings. For this girl had already given her heart to someone else. And because this other boy made her happy, he knew that he could never hate him, nor try and steal her away from him. So he kept his feelings to himself, feelings he knew might never go away, and promised that no matter what, he would still be there for her in any way that he could. And it was because of this promise that when war broke out between the country and an evil force, he was there beside her as they fought the hardest battle in their life.

They were badly wounded, and as she lay unconscious on the battle ground, the enemy standing over her ready to deal the final blow with a knife, he used the last of his strength to summon his shadows and stop the enemy. As he stood up, and the enemy mimicked his movement, he took out his own knife. Even though he knew that throwing the knife would mean that his enemy would do the same, he knew that this was the only way that he could protect her. Nothing else mattered to him in that moment, only that she would live and continue to be happy, even if he wouldn't be there to see her. And so, he threw the knife, and the pain that burst in his chest paled in comparison to the pain that came from loving someone he could never have. But as his world darkened and his eyes searched for her for the last time, her imagine still caused him to smile. The end."

Shikamaru keeps his eyes close as he waits for Ino's response to the story, but after a long stretch of silence, he finally decides to open his eyes and turns to look at her. His eyes widen and he sharply sits up when he sees that tears are falling down her cheeks.

"Whaa—Ino, are you crying?" he asks, his tone clearly startled as guilt begins to form in the pit of his stomach.

Her silent crying is then accented by sniffles as she too sits up, wiping away the tears that continue to fall.

"Of course I am you idiot! That was one of the most tragic stories I've ever heard," but despite her words, Ino knew that it was more than that.

She had never heard Shikamaru tell a story like this one. It was the way that he had told it that caused her heart to break and tears to fall down her face. There was so much feeling in his words, as if he truly felt the pain and sadness of that boy.

"Where did you get that story from?" she asked, her tears calming down.

At this Shikamaru's lips tightened and he looked abashed as he sighed and rubbed his head.

"Nowhere…" he replied, but he already knew Ino would have none of it.

"You just made me cry Shikamaru! The least you can do is answer my question!" she replied, the sadness in her eyes quickly replaced by irritation.

"Oi, you're the one that wanted to hear a story!" he countered, folding his arms in front of him.

"I didn't say to tell me a sad one!" she fired back, her blue eyes suddenly hard..

Shikamaru sighed once more, muttering under his breath.

"It was a dream okay…" he replied, a light blush forming on his cheeks.

At this, Ino's eyes widen. A dream? Was that how Shikamaru was able to put so much emotion into that story? It made sense, since dreams often felt real to the dreamer. So if Shikamaru was that boy… who was the girl?

At this thought, Ino grinned.

"So who was the girl huh? Was it Temari? Cause I'm telling you, just say the word and I'll hook you up!"

Ino laughed when Shikamaru gave her an annoyed look.

"Go away Ino," he said as he plopped back down onto his bed and turned his back to her.

"Aw, don't be like that Shika," she replied, but obediently stood up, but not before giving him an awkward hug.

"Thanks for the story, you should write a manga about it," she said.

"Hn…" he replied as she turned around and walked out the door.

It wasn't until he heard the door shut behind her that he breathed deeply as he replayed the dream in his head. It was a good thing she didn't ask for a description of the girl. How could he tell her that she had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes? Well, at least it fit her guess of Temari. At the thought, Shikamaru couldn't help but chuckle. As if he could ever like Temari like he did the girl in his dream…

That troublesome Yamanaka.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist:<strong> _Aw man, I feel so bad now! Poor Shika, I'm sorry! But that's what happens when you like your best friend that has a boyfriend! Still... I feel bad! But I love me some InoShika moments, even if they're one sided sometimes. Once again, I hope this satisfies you InoShika shippers out there. Looks like Sasuke was right about Shikamaru, but will he ever find out for sure? Hehehehehehe... maybe... we shall see!_

_Thank you to my wonderful reviewers!_

**_Gaara'sbutterfly, karupin13, chibisamasempai20, Trixie, Mau, deathrosekitty, jenny wun-chan, Superstar For Life, FairyShippuden16, hi, zielavienaz, 2lazy2login, Nerdcuteie21yo, Verana Cyrestia, OrihimeKurosakiInoue, God1801, Girl-luvs-manga._**

_Every review I get brightens up my day! :D_

_Let me know what you think about this one._


	5. Chapter 4

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: **_Yay! I updated much sooner this time!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Never in her entire time in college had Ino been so glad to have to be taking some of the hardest courses she had ever taken in her life. The fact that she had to give it her undivided attention meant that she could not afford to think about the fact that in only a few days, Sasuke would be visiting her at campus for the first time. It made time go by faster, and she actually got things done faster than usual.

Still, despite the positive to this situation, it did not make the stress of it all any less. Ino was not good with stress. She was good at a lot of things, such as juggling multiple aspects of her life, but she was not good with stress at all. And she was not good at hiding it either.

Which is why, for what must be that hundredth time that night without any exaggeration at all, Ino groaned a loud and dug her nails into her hair. She was ready to cry. All around the living room, were piles of books, notebooks, notes, and handouts. It was to the point where she wasn't sure where each paper would start and where it would end. They all blended into each other and it was as if it was one huge blob of… stress.

"Is something the matter?" so engrossed in her misery, Ino hadn't even heard Neji enter the house.

It was around 6 PM, and the house was typically empty at this time. Shikamaru would tutor at the tutoring center, Deidara would be out at some fraternity or other, Gaara had a class that was only available at night, and Neji… well Neji had so much to do that it was actually rare when he was home. She never knew exactly where he was or what he was doing, but unlike the rest of her roommates, she knew she didn't have to worry about Neji.

"Of course there is! Do you not see this! Gahh! I am up to my ass in research projects, essays, exams, everything! I have to read 300 pages by tomorrow for three different classes, study for two quizzes, have a rough draft ready, and my partner is too busy getting wasted to do his part of the damn project!" Ino covered her face with her hands, crying out in exasperation, and partly afraid that she would break down in tears in front of Neji.

Having realized how bad her outburst was, Ino was just about to apologize when she felt big strong hands pull her hands away from her face and pull her up from her seat on the floor instead. Ino's eyes widened as Neji led her silently towards the back of the house. Ino knew as soon as they reached the back door where they were headed, and confusion rose up in her stomach.

"Neji?" she asked hesitantly.

She received no response as he continued to walk, and she only narrowed her eyes and followed as he took her exactly where she suspected he would. Part of Neji's property included a small building in the large backyard, which he used to train in. A dojo, one would say.

As they entered the small building, Ino automatically took of her shoes as Neji turned on the light. She watched as he walked to the center where the mats were placed and he took the stance she was all too familiar with.

"Let's spar," he said simply, his eyes focused on her figure as he held his palm up in front of him.

Ino frowned and folded her arms.

"You have to be kidding me Neji, I have too much to do right now!" she whined as she stood there, a pout on her lips.

"Then why are you still standing there?" Neji looked at her challengingly, and Ino tensed.

She had forgotten how good at reading people Neji was. Just the thought of sparring sent a trill of excitement down her spine, and she would be lying if she said she didn't want to. It had been a while since she and Neji had sparred, and Ino had to bite her lip as she tried to resist the temptation that Neji was placing in front of her.

"For old time's sake?" Neji coaxed, and she knew he was just trying to give her a reason to give in.

She couldn't help but smile and shake her head at how easily manipulated she was by Neji when it came to this, but she also smiled fondly when she remembered how _'this'_ had started in the first place. How could she not indulge Neji after everything he had done for her?

* * *

><p><em>"Of course she would ditch me…" Ino mumbled under her breath as she once more looked around the house full of partying college students. Music was blasting in her ears, and the sound of talking and laughter all mingled into incomprehensible sound as she continued to look for her roommate.<em>

_Ino frowned as she took another drink from her cup and sighed. It wasn't like this was the first time it happened, it seemed her friend was a little too eager when it came to the opposite sex. Or same sex, Ino really wasn't sure anymore. She was pretty sure she had seen her with both by now. Still, Ino didn't appreciate being dragged to a party against her will only to be ditched by said person that dragged her there._

_"Damn you Kin…" Ino cursed her roommate's name for what would not be the last time as the night progressed._

_It wasn't that Ino didn't like to party, she did, but she didn't like to party alone, and even less with strangers. While this university wasn't exactly huge, it was still only a few weeks into her freshman year, and she hadn't exactly met and gotten to know most of the other students that attended. Plus, the fact that she had a boyfriend meant she had to be even more careful at parties. She couldn't be like Kin or how she used to be in her single days before she started dating Sasuke. Which was a shame really, because she did like to dance. She'd have to talk to Sasuke about that, maybe they could reach a compromise when it came to her dancing with other guys._

_Several drunk guys tried to talk to Ino, and she would indulge them for a bit before she claimed to see a friend calling her over and she would relocate to a different part of the house. She had several drinks, and she was beginning to feel the effects, but she still couldn't spot Kin or anyone else she knew. Ino sighed and decided maybe it was best to call it a night. She wasn't in the mood to party anyway._

_She chose to send Kin a text telling her she was heading back to their dorm, and drank the last of her drink before heading to the entrance of the house._

_It wasn't until Ino felt slightly unsteady on her feet that she remembered she had hardly eaten all day, otherwise the amount she had drank wouldn't be enough to get her this tipsy. She had moderately good tolerance when it came to drinking, but she was already regretting this entire night. What a bust. Ino sighed once more as she continued to walk._

_Wait… which way was her dorm again?_

_The house they had come to was a short distance away from the actual campus, and it wasn't until now that Ino remembered Kin was the one that had known how to get here. The alcohol must be affecting her more than she thought… now she couldn't even think straight._

_"Just great…" Ino muttered._

_Thankfully, she still seemed to have a bit of intelligence left as she took out her phone and typed in the dorm's address into her phone's GPS. She struggled a bit with typing the correct one through the haziness in her mind, but she managed to do it and in no time the mechanical voice of her phone was telling her which direction to go in._

_"Thank goodness for smartphones…" Ino said to herself as she followed its instructions._

_She wished she had money so she could call a cab or something, but at least the dorm wasn't too far of a walk. Still, the fact that she was alone late at night made her uneasy. Especially when she swore she was hearing footsteps… right behind her._

_"Why are you leaving so soon?" Ino turned to see one of the guys that had tried talking to her back at the house, Zaku, if she remembered correctly. She hadn't exactly gone far, and she could still see the house from where they were._

_"I'm just tired… calling it a night," Ino replied, shrugging her shoulders, her body a bit tense._

_"Well, you shouldn't be walking alone at this time of night. Let me walk you," he offered, and Ino thought maybe she had misunderstood his character. He had come off as smug and proud, and not in the good way._

_"Um… sure, thanks," she answered sincerely._

_She waited for him to reach her side, and Ino was overpowered by the smell of alcohol coming off of him. It was a wonder he could still seem to walk straight. Still, Ino only had to bear it for a little while._

_"Where to?" he asked, eyeing the phone in her hands._

_"Hashirama Hall…"_

_"Oh, one of my friends lives there," he replied with a grin, but Ino didn't ask who._

_The two made small talk as they walked, and Ino was beginning to relax in his presence. At least until he paused as they cut through a park she didn't know was here. The fall weather made the night slightly chilly, and Ino wished she had thought to bring a sweater._

_"You know, there's a spot around here where lightning bugs tend to be. It's a neat sight if you want to see it."_

_Ino hesitated, not really wanting to see any bugs tonight. All she wanted was get to her room and go to sleep._

_"That sounds cool… but I really want to sleep," she replied, rubbing her arms to give them some heat._

_Zaku only smirked and moved to grab her._

_"It won't take long, I promise.'_

_Ino's body tensed as he took her in a seemingly random direction where lots of trees were and had a bad feeling about all of it. She tensed her body and pulled back from him, planting her feet firmly on the ground so he couldn't drag her further._

_"I'm serious, I want to go to my dorm," Ino tightened her voice, making sure he knew she was as serious as she said she was._

_He paused, his back turned towards her, but Ino felt a tense and menacing air around her._

_"You know, I hate prissy little girls like you. You think you're too good for anyone don't you?" as he spoke, his grip on Ino's wrist became tighter, and Ino winced at the unwanted pressure. She tried to pull her wrist from him, but the more she pulled, the harder he gripped. Ino began to feel panic rising in her chest as her heart rate quickened and her eyes widened._

_"Let go!" Ino cried, using her other hand to try and get his hand off her._

_"Well, I came all this way for you, I might as well get something out of it," as he turned to her, a sick twisted smirk on his face and an excited glint in his eyes, Ino knew exactly what he had in mind._

_Her panic increased tenfold, and she desperately tried to get away, her mind quickly losing sense as the instinct to flee took its place. She kicked and flailed, not sure of what she was doing but knowing she had to do something to get away from him._

_"Stop!" Ino screamed when she felt his hands encircle her and pull at her hair. She winced at the pain in her scalp as he pushed her to the ground._

_"Keep screaming, I prefer the loud ones anyway," Ino felt sick just hearing him, and the pounding in her head didn't help either as she felt her strength seep away._

_Never in her life had she felt as powerless as she did in that moment._

_'Is this… really happening to me?'_

_She felt his weight on top of her, and it was suddenly harder to breathe._

_She never thought things would come to this. She had always thought she was tough, tough enough to take on anyone. How had this happened? Was it because she had been drinking? Because she had been naïve? Ino felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She was so stupid. Going out when she didn't want to, leaving all by herself. She should have just waited for Kin. Stupid stupid stupid stupid!_

_"Please…" she begged, her pride forgotten as the tears begun to fall._

_"Begging doesn't suit you Yamanaka," the familiarity of the voice cut through her despair, and Ino gasped as she felt the weight of the man on top of her being suddenly removed. Ino's eyes widened as she quickly turned in the direction of the voice, only to see the unmistakable sight of…_

_"Neji!" her gaze took in the sight of his tall build standing protectively over her, and she suddenly felt at ease._

_Remembering her situation however, her eyes frantically searched for her assailant, and she saw that he had been thrown several feet away from them. He was on his stomach, his face on the ground, but it wasn't long before he was getting back up. His body shook with laughter as he pulled himself up, his gaze focusing on Neji with a mad glint on his eyes._

_"Now you've gone and ruined things pal…"_

_"Stay away from her, scum," Ino had never heard Neji sound so scary in her life, not even when he had his disputes with Sasuke had he sounded so… terrifyingly threatening._

_Zaku didn't seemed phased, and he only grinned back at Neji._

_"Now why would I do that? She's a pretty face, with an even better body. So why don't you step aside? Better yet, why don't you join me? There's plenty for both o—"_

_He didn't even get a chance to finish before Neji lunged forward, palm outstretched as he rammed it into his chest. Zaku's eyes widened at the hit, and blood spurted out of his mouth as he stumbled back, grasping at the place where Neji had landed his hit. But Neji didn't give him time to breathe as he attacked him again, hit after hit, his palms landed on Zaku's unprepared body, sending his body further and further back._

_Ino watched in horror as Neji continued his merciless attack, until finally Zaku's body lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Even when Neji stopped to stand over him, Ino couldn't look away. She had never seen Neji's face scrunched up like that… he had always been so cool and collected… but as he looked down at Zaku's unconscious form, Neji looked… feral._

_"Tch… disgusting," Neji's lips were pulled back as he regarded the body beneath him._

_Yet Ino couldn't help but feel complete utter relief, and this time, her tears weren't out of fear as she sobbed into her arm._

_Startled by the sound, Neji quickly approached her, kneeling down and placing a hand on her shoulder._

_"Are you okay Ino?" He asked, and know could see the concern on his face through her teary gaze._

_Gratitude bubbled up in her chest, and she lunged at him, her arms wrapping around his neck in a vice-like grip._

_"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Ino continued to repeat it over and over again, tears still falling as she dug her face into his chest._

_"You're okay..." He whispered, and it only made Ino sob even more._

_They stayed like that until Ino's tears died down, but as Neji tried to pull away, Ino's grip around his neck only tightened and a whimper escaped her throat. Neji frowned but understood, and instead of pulling away from her, he scooped Ino into his arms and picked her up bridal style. Ino didn't resist, but kept her grip arms round his neck and her face buried in his chest._

_./._

_Ino had someone dozed off in Neji's arms, and it was only when she felt herself being placed on a soft surface that she woke with a start. Her eyes widened as she took in the fact that she was in a couch, and standing over her was Neji. He gave her a reassuring smile, and Ino instantly relaxed, and smiled hesitantly back at him._

_"Rest, I'll bring you some tea," Ino nodded and gave him a soft thanks before settling into the couch._

_As she looked around, she saw that she was in a spacious living room, with leather couches and a table in the middle. This was definitely a house, and she assumed that this was where Neji lived. The last person she would have thought she would run into here was Neji, and she wondered if he attended the same university as she did. It **was** a prestigious university, so she didn't think it was a farfetched idea. Still, she was beyond thankful that he had run into them when he did. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't…_

_When he returned, he had a cup of tea and a blanket in his hands. Ino took the cup with care and smiled as Neji wrapped the small fleece blanket around her. She thanked him again before taking a sip of the tea, and felt the warm liquid warm her up instantly and calm her nerves. Neji took a seat on a different couch, his body leaning forward as he rested his arms on his thighs. Ino didn't know what to say. Normally she would be all smiles and chatter, asking him questions and catching up since they had last seen each other in high school. Yet at that moment she felt as if she lacked the energy to do much more than take sips from the cup given to her._

_She didn't want to think about it, but her mind kept going back to that moment. She felt so ashamed of herself, ashamed for letting herself be put in such a situation and not being able to do anything about it. Her grip on the cup in her hands tightened, and no longer did she feel like drinking anything._

_Seeing her change in demeanor, Neji stood up to take the cup from her hands._

_"You can stay in the guest room tonight," Neji offered, and Ino nodded, not really focusing on him._

_As he gently nudged her up and led her through the house, she followed silently, the same image replaying itself in her mind. The way Neji had shown the ferocity she hadn't known he possessed, the way his hits landed effortlessly and powerfully. He had seemed so graceful then…_

_When they reached the room and entered, Neji arranged the bed and silently tucked her in._

_"I'll see you tomorrow," he said once she was comfortably settled in._

_Just as he was about to walk away, Ino reached forward and grabbed his arm. Neji eyed her curiously, and Ino returned his gaze with one of determination._

_"Neji…" she said softly, "I want you to train me."_

* * *

><p>Ino breathed heavily as she dodged another blow, ducking and pushing herself away from the relentless attacks of Neji Hyuuga. He really wasn't taking it easy on her today, her body was covered in a sheet of sweat and her sides and chest hurt an awfully great deal by now.<p>

But she didn't want to stop.

Instead, she decided to take the offensive and dashed forward, the pain temporarily forgotten as she aimed a blow to his face, which as she expected, was dodged and countered by the more experienced man. One of his hands wrapped around her wrist and pulled her forward, making her lose her balance and toppling her to the ground where Neji rendered her immobile by straddling her and holding down both of her arms while his legs held down her own.

Ino gasped for breath and smiled ruefully at the man atop of her.

"Looks like I've lost my touch," she said, her body giving in and simply laying there even after Neji got up and held out his hand to her. She declined with a shake of her head, too weak and tired to do anything else.

"That happens when you don't practice for months," he replied, taking a seat beside her on the mat.

Ino stuck out her tongue at him before looking back at the feeling.

"Guess I have no argument for that…" she replied, closing her eyes.

Ino still felt the adrenaline running through her system, and she basked in the exhilarating feeling it caused her. This was why Neji had urged her to spar, after all, any good workout is a great stress reliever. The stress was already forgotten and the adrenaline made her feel ready to take on the mountain of homework that waited for her back home. The two hadn't even been sparring for an hour, so she hadn't lost much time anyway, and the result was well worth it.

"Hey Neji?"

She felt Neji's gaze on her, and resisted the urge to shiver.

"Yes?"

Ino smiled as she picked herself up and moved her numb body closer to where Neji was, crawling on her knees until she was only a few inches from him.

"Thank you," she said softly, her hand playfully pulling at a loose strand of dark hair that had fallen over his face.

"Don't mention it," he replied, a small grin tugging at the side of his lips.

Ino stretched as she got up, fully intent on taking a shower before anything else. Just as she reached the door that would take her outside however, she paused, and looked over to Neji one more time.

"If I fall asleep doing my homework, you're doing it for me."

"Hn."

As he heard the sound of the door clicking shut, Neji let himself smile, and shook his head in amusement as he pictured her walking back to the house. He would be hearing plenty of complaints about her being sore tomorrow.

But for some reason, he found that he didn't mind.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist:<strong> _I think this is the first chapter that doesn't have a Sasuke Flashback... ah well! Neji it is! Maybe the whole "Neji comes to save the day" is a little cliche, but it doesn't mean that situations like those don't happen. It happens no matter where you go, and ladies and gentlemen(yes, even men aren't safe), you should always be careful, use the buddy system when walking around at night(and even during the day if its a deserted street). And if you can't do that, learn the gentle fist style! :D_

_I hope those of you who are fond of Neji enjoyed this chapter, and I have Deidara and Gaara centered chapters on the way!_

_When I was thinking about them, I got a great idea._

_Have any of you ever heard of DRAMAtical Murder? It's my latest obsession and I actually just finished the first game. For those of you who don't know or might be interested, its a BL game, which stands for Boy's Love. Which in other words, means yaoi. I've never minded yaoi, but this is the first one that's really interested me and made me absolutely crazy about it. There's also an anime that follows the game very closely(without all the yaoi unfortunately). The game is very explicit, so I wouldn't suggest it to those who aren't ready for... erotic scenes. It's definitely a mature game. Very good story however, and its so easy to absolutely love the characters. _

_The reason I'm bringing this up however, is because the way the game works is that as you play you have to make certain choices, and its the choices that decide what "path" the main character takes. Depending on the path, he ends up with 1 of 4 different romantic interests and they take a different adventure. And at the end, the final choice decides whether you end up with a "good" or "bad" ending. _

_So the way I'm thinking about this, and whether you guys are interested, is to do something similar to the Dmmd game, where I can write **"alternate paths"** that Ino could take, with either **Gaara, Neji, Shika, **or** Deidara** as the ones she will end up with. And each of them would also have a "good" and "bad" ending. **You guys** would be the ones to make the **choices**, and I would go with the **majority vote** and follow the path for that particular choice. _

_I would write them as a separate story, so that this story can be considered the "main path", where she'll continue to be with Sasuke._

_I hope that doesn't sound too confusing... but for those that understand what I mean, would this be something you would be interested in?_

_If so, let me know, and I'll start working on it! I think it sounds like a lot of fun, and that way those of you who want to see her with one of her roommates can get the ending you want!_

**_Review :)_**


	6. Chapter 5

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: **_Sorry this took longer than I wanted it to, but here it is! The next installment!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to go to Kiba's party tonight?"

Ino sighed as she put her book down and regarded Deidara with a look of annoyance. From the moment the they had been in the same room for breakfast, Deidara had brought up the fact that Kiba was having yet _another_ party, as if it wasn't news to her that Kiba hosted a party at least three times a week. From then on, it seemed she ran into him more than usual while on campus and between classes, and each time he never failed to bring up Kiba's party and whether she would be going or not. To which, Ino answered _no_, she was not going to go, she had too much to do.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this is more than just going to Kiba's party…" Ino finally said, and she knew she was right when Deidara gave her a sheepish grin.

"There's no fooling you is there, un…" he replied and leaned back on the chair he was sitting in across from her on the table they were occupying.

Ino smirked and added a flip of her ponytail to emphasize her often underestimated intellect, and leaned forward onto the table, pushing her salad and books to the side.

"So spill, why _do_ you want me to go to that party so bad?" she coaxed, eying him curiously.

It wasn't like Deidara to be so… subtle with his requests. He usually had no trouble being straightforward when it came to what he wanted, and he wasn't the kind to kindly _ask_ either. Typically when he wanted something, he would _demand_ it. 'Ino take me to the mall', 'Ino bring me food', 'Ino go to my art exhibition', 'Ino tell Gaara to take that stick out of his ass'.

So when Deidara actually looked _embarrassed_ and as if he was struggling to form words, Ino was quickly becoming concerned.

"Come out with it already!" she urged as she frowned.

Deidara had the decency to pout at her outburst, and he finally muttered something under his breath, which only annoyed Ino more since she didn't hear a single word he said.

"If you're just going to mumble like a mouse than leave me alone!"

Deidara threw her a look of annoyance, as if _he_ had a right to be annoyed with _her_, for not being able to speak coherently. Ino only challenged his look with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow, at which point Deidara sighed and also crossed his arms as he sulked into his chair.

"Damn it Ino… I said I want you to be my wing-woman!"

Ino only blinked twice before the words fully registered in her mind and a smirk slowly formed on her lips. The annoyance she had previously felt quickly disappeared as amusement took its place and her interest was piqued.

"Oh, so that's it?"

The lack of enthusiasm in her voice was vastly contradicted by the devilish grin on her face, and Deidara was almost regretting asking the Yamanaka for her help.

Ino tried to hold in a laugh as she watched Deidara struggle between looking torn, indignant, embarrassed, or just downright upset, until finally he just sighed and looked her square in the face as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Just because _you_ can land any guy you want, doesn't mean _some_ of us don't need help once in a while, un."

At this, Ino was taken aback. The last thing she had expected was for Deidara to take offence. Then again, Deidara had quite a bit of pride, and the fact that he asked for help must mean his pride had just taken a blow. So Ino just smiled softly and reached out her hand, palm up, to the middle of the table. Deidara eyed the hand warily, his eyes narrowing, and for a moment Ino thought her gesture would be ignored. But with another sigh, Deidara reached out with his own hand and placed it atop of hers, his eyes avoiding her. Ino smiled, and grasped his hand with hers in what they both knew was a silent apology.

"Well," Ino said, letting his hand go, "Who's the lucky girl?"

At the question, Deidara actually _blushed_, and Ino's curiosity increased tenfold. It was rare when Deidara showed any kind of interest in girls, at least to the point where he would go to the length to actually _pursue_ one(because they both knew the only time he would asked her for help was when the girl wasn't the _easy_ type). When it came to girls, Deidara's philosophy was the same as his art. He preferred flings, because they were only a one time occurrence, something that was over as soon as it began. And he was probably the only person she knew that could see beauty in something that was fleeting.

"I—I can't tell you."

At his response, Ino frowned.

"Well, how am I supposed to be your wing-woman if I don't know who the girl is?"

Once again, Deidara avoided looking at her and chose to look off to the side instead, his chin resting on one of his hands.

"I know it sounds unreasonable, but… un" he paused, "I'm just… not sure if I'm even willing to go through with it, and the only way I might have the courage to do it is if you're there. So in case I decide not to go through with it… I rather not tell you until we're there."

Ino raised an eyebrow, holding in her confusion and all the things she wanted to say. The curiosity was practically killing her, and his response only left her with more questions, but she had never seen Deidara look so torn. So she chose to bite her tongue instead, for his sake more than anything. After all, there was a reason why he had come to her.

He trusted her, so she had to do the same and trust him in return. Trust that he knew what he was doing and doing what was best for him.

"Fine, but you better not let my efforts go to waste like last time…"

Ino smiled as Deidara's gaze finally focused on her, his eyes wide as realization sunk in, followed by a frown.

"I didn't ask you for your help that time, un!"

At this, Ino laughed.

"Well, we wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for that…"

Deidara's face softened at her words, and once more he looked at away.

"Yeah well… who says that's a good thing?"

He was pouting again, trying to look annoyed, but Ino knew better.

Even if things hadn't worked out as they hoped, Ino knew that Deidara was grateful, otherwise he wouldn't be here asking her for help.

* * *

><p><em>"You've been staring at her for ten minutes."<em>

_Deidara nearly jumped out of his chair as he turned his gaze to the barista behind the counter of the café he had walked into nearly half an hour earlier. He eyed the long blond hair and blue eyes as she looked at him curiously while she busied herself cleaning the cups and mugs with a white cloth._

_"What of it?" he challenged, a frown on his face. He hated when people butted into his business._

_The girl in question raised an eyebrow._

_"Wow, at least have the decency to deny it," she replied, "Now you just seem like a creep."_

_Deidara grinned._

_"So you rather I lie, un?"_

_The girl was quiet for a moment, as if seriously pondering his question._

_"Well, I guess you have a point. Honesty has its value. Even if it comes from a creep."_

_This time Deidara glared at her, before choosing to ignore her and go back to what he was previously doing, eyeing the purple-haired girl that had walked in fifteen minutes before, and the reason he hadn't left yet. She was reading a book, probably studying, while occasionally drinking from the mug in front of her._

_"Tell me you know her at least."_

_Deidara resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. Did this girl just not get the hint? Did she really think he was some kind of stalker or something?_

_"Do you just want me to tell you my life's story, un?"_

_The girl didn't seem fazed by the sarcasm in his voice._

_"Not really. I'm just wondering why it's taking you so long to make a move."_

_At this, Deidara tensed. How did she know that's what he was debating on doing? Was he that obvious?_

_At his lack of a response, the girl grinned and got a victorious glint in her eyes._

_"Ah, so I'm right. How do you know her?"_

_Deidara frowned, this girl just didn't give up…_

_"Why do you care?"_

_The girl shrugged, putting down the mug she had been occupied with and giving him her undivided attention._

_"Because depending on how you know her, I might be able to help you out."_

_The confidence she projected was unmistakable, as if she thought that she was the only one that could help him then and there. Which, given his chaotic thoughts, might be the case. He hadn't ever really tried to talk to a girl like this one before, and he wasn't exactly sure how to go about it. He had been wondering how he could approach her since she had walked into the café and sat down, thinking to himself that this was the perfect chance to actually talk to her. But he just couldn't seem to be able to give himself a reason to actually go ahead with it, or how to even go about it._

_So maybe this girl could help him out a bit… it couldn't hurt at least._

_Maybe._

_Hopefully._

_So he sighed in resignation, and decided to indulge the insistent and nosy barista._

_"She's in my art class. Her name is Konan, and she's always making origami. She's quiet, but the art that she makes is breath-taking. It's so fragile, made out of paper. Something like that would never last long, it'd be a fleeting kind of beauty…"_

_Deidara stopped himself, suddenly feeling like he was the main character in one of those sappy romantic chic flicks girls seems to go crazy about. He wasn't the type to be romantically interested in woman, not when he was so young at least. He rather have fun than be serious with a girl. But ever since he had given Konan a glance, her quiet and classy disposition made him take an interest in her. More so than just a pretty face._

_The girl raised an eyebrow at his response, an appreciative grin on her face as she placed a hand on her hip._

_"Well, looks like we have a romantic in our midst," she replied, and Deidara frowned._

_He felt his cheeks warm up at her comment, and he tried to form a retort and failed, looking much like a fish out of water instead. The girl laughed and leaned forward._

_"Don't look so flustered, it's an adorable quality," she replied, and it only served to make him even more uncomfortable._

_The girl seemed to take pity on him, as she suddenly looked serious and ready for actions._

_"Alright, all I need to know is your name, and I promise I'll get her to at least talk to you."_

_Deidara looked skeptical, but gave her his name anyway. The girl looked satisfied, and she looked over to make sure the girl in question was still present before giving him a wink and walking off._

_Just as she walked off however, Deidara immediately regretted the whole situation, and he felt a moment of panic as he resisted the urge to flee from the café there and then. He could feel his heart beating frantically in his chest, his hands felt clammy, his face felt hot, and his damn leg wouldn't stop shaking. He had to do his very best to look away, because he was sure if he turned in their direction he would lose any form of willpower he had to stay in his seat._

_The seconds ticked by excruciatingly slow, and he cursed every decision he had made that day that brought him there. He cursed his roommate, for waking him up in the ungodly hours of the morning, and his annoying attitude that made him leave the dorm just to get away. He cursed himself, for decided to come into this particular café before class, just to kill time and get some caffeine in his system to get him through the day. And he cursed the blond haired girl, for making him tell her all about his stupid crush on the girl in his stupid art class._

_After what felt like an eternity of self-torture, the blond haired girl returned, an easy smile on her face as she winked again._

_"Well?" he asked, his mind almost freezing up with the anticipation._

_The girl shrugged._

_"It's all taken care of," she answered simply._

_His eyes narrowed, not liking her vague response._

_"What did you say?" he asked, his lips tightening into a thin line as his eyes narrowed in on her._

_She gave him a sheepish grin in response._

_"Well, I might have said that you were my brother, and that you had told me about a girl in your class that made beautiful origami, and that when I saw that you didn't have the guts to talk to her when she walked in, I decided to do it for you, because I didn't want my sweet older brother to miss out on something good."_

_Deidara stared._

_And stared._

_And stared._

_"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!" he hissed under his breath, his eyebrow twitching in disbelief and exasperation._

_"That's the best you could do? Make me look like a shy and spineless… sap?!"_

_At his quiet outburst, the girl only rolled her eyes._

_"Jeez, calm down. I made sure to add a backstory about how you're last relationship didn't work out and how you don't want to hurt a girl like that ever again."_

_By this point, he was sure his twitch would be permanent._

_"And what's that supposed to do?" he growled out._

_The girl sighed._

_"Not all girls like assholes you know. Besides, you got the looks, so adding an inviting atmosphere will get the girl to want to get to know you, especially as a favor to a younger sister looking out for her sweet ol' brother."_

_The girl's confident grin was not letting up, but somehow Deidara remained unconvinced. Every instance of people getting together never seemed to quite happen that way. And his conquests certainly didn't happen that way either._

_Now he wasn't sure what to do, should he just leave? See if she said anything in class? Should he go over there now, and clear up the probable mess that this barista had made? He sighed, wanting nothing more than to pull at his hair. It was far too early to be making so many decisions._

_He was snapped out of his thoughts however, when he felt a tap on his shoulder, and he instinctively turned in its direction._

_His eyes widened when he saw purple hair and eyes, the neutral expression he was used to seeing on her face was unmistakable, and if his brain hadn't gone blank before, it certainly did then. Words were suddenly a foreign language, and his face didn't seem to know what to do either. Thankfully, the purple-haired girl held something out to him, and his brain finally found something to focus on as it settled on the expertly folded piece of an origami bird on the palm of her hand. He managed to understand enough to hold out his own hand, and the bird was placed on his palm. He felt his face grow hot, and he was suddenly glad for the hair that hid half his face._

_"T-thank you," he silently cursed himself for not being able to even speak properly._

_She just offered him a small smile, before turning around and walking out of the café._

_He stood there dumfounded for longer than he would have liked, until finally the blond haired girl he had forgotten about cleared her throat to get his attention._

_"You can move now you know," she said, and he had to shake himself from his shock._

_"What the hell just happened?" he asked, looking at the bird in his hand._

_He looked over to the girl, who looked satisfied._

_"She made a move, and now it's your turn."_

* * *

><p>When it came to the game of love, Ino liked to think she knew what she was doing. It was the reason she had managed to melt the ice fortress that was Sasuke Uchiha's heart after all. And when she saw that someone could use a push, she was more than happy to help and play matchmaker. She liked helping others, and starting a budding relationship was in her top five for sure.<p>

Which was why, when it came to her roommates, she was always on the lookout for possible candidates. Unfortunately, it was practically impossible to find possible matches when they seemed to lack any interest in most girls. It wasn't for a lack of trying, Ino had definitely tried her luck with several girls, but she also knew when to let it go and when things wouldn't work out despite a promising start.

And it _certainly_ wasn't because she was a tad overprotective and maybe the thought of a woman making them vulnerable didn't sit well with her. Ahem.

Still, it didn't mean she was going to sit idly by and ignore Deidara's call for help when he asked for it. So even though she still had plenty waiting for her at home, she found herself walking next to Deidara towards the sound of music and loud hollering in the direction of Kiba's well-known fraternity.

As they entered, they were immediately greeted with the sight of loud laughter and talking as students set up tables for beer pong and other games. It was still fairly early in the night, so most of the people that would be coming wouldn't be there for some time. It had been a while since Ino's last party(not counting the bar she worked at, which could be considered a party in its own right), and the atmosphere felt familiar and welcomed.

"Ino!" she turned in the direction of the familiar voice, and smiled as she caught sight of the familiar brown hair and wolfish grin.

"Kiba!" she greeted back, and welcomed the hug the taller man enveloped her in.

"Where have you been hiding?" he asked, silently reprimanding her.

Ino shrugged and grinned.

"Under piles of books and assignments," she replied.

"Well not tonight you aren't, there's plenty of drinks and games, so loosen up and have fun! That's your assignment for tonight," he replied and Ino couldn't help but laugh.

"You got it boss," she replied, and Kiba seemed please before someone else called his name and he was gone.

She turned to Deidara who grinned at her.

"Well you heard the man, let's get some drinks!"

His enthusiasm was contagious, and Ino found herself easily following him to the kitchen where drinks were sure to be. They greeted some people they knew, and Ino accepted the cup that Deidara handed her, before getting herself a drink of her choice.

Taking a sip of her drink, Ino turned back to Deidara who had just finished pouring his own drink.

"So, what's the game plan?" she asked.

"Hey, I asked you for a reason. I'll let you know when she gets here, and you can do your thing," he replied with a challenging look, and Ino sighed.

"Fine, but like I said, you better not let my efforts go to waste."

Deidara raised his cup to hers, and grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, un."

Ino smiled before taking another drink, and before she knew it, Deidara was dragging her over to the beer pong table, where teams were already being made.

* * *

><p>Three hours into the party, and Deidara had yet to point out the girl he was supposedly interested in. Her head was already fuzzy from the shots Deidara had talked her into taking, and although she was feeling pleasantly good from the effects, she knew that it was getting late.<p>

Deidara was currently engaged in a serious discussion with a guy she had briefly been introduced to as Hidan. For some reason, this guy really irked her, and she wanted nothing more than to… for the lack of a better word… _decapitate_ him.

"For fuck's sake Deidara, do we always have to have this fucking discussion?" Hidan growled out.

"Jashin is not a fucking religion!"

"What the hell would you know dickhead? Have you ever tried to seek a higher purpose?"

"The only higher purpose I need is art, un!"

"Then I hope you enjoy your fucking art in the deepest pits of hell, after Jashin judges your ignorant ass."

"Why you—" Deidara looked ready to explode before Ino chose that moment to grab onto his arm and pull him away before things got worse.

"We're not here to get into fights Deidara," she said, and Deidara seemed to only need to look at the reprimand in her eyes before calming down.

"Yeah yeah," he replied, a small pout on his lips.

"Is that girl of yours even going to show up?" Ino asked as she spared the room around her a glance. It was already late, and although people came and went at all hours, Ino figured that a girl that warranted Deidara's attention wouldn't be the kind to arrive so late.

"What girl?" Deidara asked, a confused look on his face.

At this, Ino paused, wondering if she had heard right. She looked at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"The girl you wanted me to be your wing-woman for…" she replied, a frown on her face as she regards Deidara suspiciously.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ino," the look of complete seriousness and confusion on his face makes Ino backtrack.

"You're joking right?" Ino asks, a humorless laugh escaping her lips as she tilts her head at him.

"Are you sure you haven't had too much to drink, your face looks pretty flushed…" Deidara places a hand on her cheeks, and Ino is at a loss for words.

"DEIDARA WHAT THE FUCK!"

At her outburst, Deidara laughs and steps back from her.

"Okay okay… promise not to get mad?" he asks, and Ino thinks its too late for that because her body is tense and her brows are furrowed, and her fists are clenched at her sides.

"What the hell is going on Deidara?" she asks, her arms crossing in front of her as she regards him with an angry pout on her face. If she wasn't so angry, Deidara would point out how adorable she looks when she's mad.

In that moment however, Deidara actually looks guilty as he averts his gaze momentarily before looking back at her.

"There's no girl…" he says, and Ino swears everything stops then and there. Suddenly there is no people and there is no music. Only Deidara's figure in front of her.

"There's…. No… girl…." She repeats, as if waiting for it to sink in.

Deidara waits for the inevitable to happen, and can only brace himself as he sees the physical change happen in Ino. She goes from lost and confused to a raging volcano in seconds, and Deidara has to resist the urge to turn around and run for his life.

"WHY THE HELL AM I HERE THEN DEIDARA?!"

He is silent as he shifts uncomfortably where he stands. The party is forgotten as her gaze focuses on him and she wants nothing more than to strangle the life out of him.

She is surprised when he looks genuinely apologetic as he holds out a hand in front of her, and she is reminded of the same gesture she had just done that very morning. The anger she feels melts away with that simple gesture, and rather than continue to yell at him, she waits for him to explain like she knows he will.

"I just wanted you to come to the party…" he says after a moment of awkward silence, and her eyes widen in surprise at his words.

"Why?" she asks, her voice much softer and laced with confusion.

Once more he shifts uncomfortably, and the hand that was held out to her rubs the back of his neck uneasily.

"Because… it's been a long time since we've gone to a party together, and it feels like every time I ask you to go you always say no because of one thing or another. I know you have a lot to do, but… un," he pauses, as if he's looking for the words to say.

"I guess I just missed the days when we would go to parties and you'd be my wing-woman, and I thought that asking you to help me with a girl would be the only way you'd agree to come for once."

Deidara avoids her gaze, and Ino suddenly feels like the biggest bitch in the world.

"Deidara…" she starts, and is pleased when his gaze meets hers.

With a smile, she holds out her hand, just as he had done before.

Deidara looks relieved, and his hand reaches out to meet hers, his smile mirroring hers. As their hands join, they know all is well again.

"Round 2 of shots?" Ino asks, and Deidara smirks in return.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist: <strong>_Woop! Deidara chapter! This was my longest chapter yet, but it felt like mostly dialogue to me. Still, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and are happy with the way I portray their friendship. I would say a lot more, but I really need to head to bed now._

_I will say that I do plan on doing the alternate paths stories, because many of you seemed to like the idea, and after I post the Gaara chapter, I'll ask you guys to vote for which character you want to see first. _

_That being said, thanks for reading, and let me know what you think in a review :)_


	7. Chapter 6-Part 1

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: Okay guys, so this is a short chapter, note at the bottom explains why. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six-Part 1<strong>

_Ino knew loneliness when she saw it. She could see a person's burdened past by the way they held themselves, the look in their eyes, and the weight of their voice as they spoke. It wasn't empathy exactly, she had always had a happy and easy life compared to some, but perhaps it was that very fact that drew her to those types. She wanted to soothe them, to make them come out of the shell they hid themselves behind, to see and appreciate the good things that life had to offer. She wanted them to stand tall, with confidence, ready to take on the world in all its harshness._

_And it was because of this that she felt a pull when she first saw him. It was more than the beautiful craft he created with the colorful sand that caught her attention, the way his hands worked swiftly and masterfully as sand spilled down, painting the canvas with a colorful array of swirls and sharp lines, contrasting against each other to create a story only he really knew._

_"It's beautiful," She told him, her gaze holding his own as she spoke._

_They held each other's gaze for longer than they should have, and it was him that first averted his gaze. But she got more than enough from the look of those turquoise eyes, the hardness and aloofness that spoke what words wouldn't in that moment. They were the eyes of someone that had seen the harsh realities of life and suffered from something inconceivable.  
><em>

_Ino wasn't the type to feel pity. Pity meant you felt sorry for someone, that you thought they were unfortunate in their forthcomings. _

_No. Ino could never pity someone. Not when they stood in front of her, breathing, standing, creating art. _

_No._

_Ino admired him. She admired him because despite whatever tragedy he had suffered, he had overcome it. And if he hadn't, then he still persevered. He continued to move forward, to live, despite everything the world or people had to say about it. He was here, solid, moving. And even if he did have a burden to carry, he would only become stronger because of it. _

_He didn't reply to her comment, but silence only fueled her drive._

"_What's your name?" she asked, stepping closer._

_He eyed her, apparent disinterest in his gaze, but she knew otherwise. He was wary of her, keeping her at bay, gouging her intent. But it wasn't as if he was a cornered animal, there was no fear of her that she could sense. Curiosity perhaps, distrust most likely. Or perhaps she was reading far too much into it and he really just wasn't interested in her at all. _

"_Gaara."_

_His reply surprised her, for more than a single reason. She had thought it would take more for him to indulge her, but then again, it was only a name. But more than that, it was the weight of his voice that surprised her. It was deep, riveting, and full of authority. She could see that perhaps her previous image of him had been wrong. This man wasn't someone easily pushed around, someone easily subdued. _

_This man was the type that you listened to with undivided attention, that you waited to be spoken to rather than speak to first. Suddenly Ino felt as if she had spoken out of line, as if she was intruding on someone she shouldn't be. It was irrational she knew, so she shook it off and smiled instead._

_"Nice to meet you Gaara. My name's Ino, are you a freshman?"_

_She asked because she hadn't seen him around before, and she couldn't imagine how she could miss someone with such fiery red hair and a tattoo on his forehead. 'Love', it said. The kanji seemed to clash with his disposition, and she couldn't help but feel more intrigued by it. She wanted to know the story behind it, but something told her it might not be something she should outright ask. He was silent again, as his hands continued their work on the canvas._

_"Transfer student," he finally replied, his gaze tracing the sand's patterns to see if it was what he wanted from it. _

_Ino resisted the urge to frown at the lack of an answer to her question. While he answered a part of her unspoken question, he effectively avoided telling her whether he was a freshman or not. He could be a freshman and transfer, or he could be anything else. _

"_Where did you transfer from?" she asked instead. _

_He glanced at her again, and she was almost sure he felt she was asking too many questions. _

"_Iwa University," he replied in the same unchanging voice all his answers seemed to be made in. _

"_That's quite the distance from here," she replied._

"_Yes."_

_Ino smiled, and decided that perhaps she had asked enough questions for the day. Despite his appearance, she was surprised that she had received as many answers as she did. At least he was polite, even if it seemed he rather keep to himself. _

"_Thanks for indulging me Gaara, hopefully I'll see you around campus. Feel free to ask me any questions if you have them."_

_Gaara looked up at her, and gave her a curt nod before looking back down to the canvas beneath him._

* * *

><p>Ino yawned as she woke from the nap she had taken after getting home from her last class of the day. She had taken a total of three exams in one day, and had to pull an all-nighter the night before to make sure she would pass them all. If she hadn't taken a nap, she would have collapsed wherever she was standing.<p>

She grabbed the phone next to her to check the time, and smiled when she saw a text message from her significant other.

'_How did your tests go?'_

Her smile widened at his concern. She had complained to him last night about the all-nighter she was going to do to pull off her impossible feat, and the fact that he was checking up on her warmed her heart.

'_I think I failed them all,_' she replied back, although she knew she had done just fine.

She browsed her phone for some time, checking her email and social sites. Her nap had ran pretty late, and it was close to midnight by this point. Still, she knew she would not have any trouble falling asleep again. Thankfully she had no tests or significant assignments she needed to do the next day, and could sit back and relax for a bit.

His reply came some time later, and she giggled as she read the single word.

'_Liar.'_

She grinned and quickly replied.

'_Why do you say that?'_ she questioned back.

She knew he was quicker to reply to her at night, and she wasn't surprised that he was awake at this hour. He was usually as busy if not busier than most people during the day, and hardly had the time to talk to her or text her. He was the type that was always on the go, and his busy schedule typically meant he stayed up late working on homework and projects. Still, he usually found more time to indulge her with responses late at night.

'_You're smarter than that,'_ was his simple reply to her.

'_I'm glad you realize I'm more than just a pretty face,'_ she replied with a winky face attached at the end.

She was able to watch a couple of videos online by the time his next reply came.

'_I realized that the moment you convinced me to date you,_' he replied, and Ino smiled warmly at the memory. Ah, what a process that had been.

'_Do I hear any complaints in that statement?'_ she teased.

This time his text came back almost immediately.

'_None. I enjoy every part of you.'_

Ino smirked, knowing he had set himself up for her next reply.

'_Especially my boobs right?' _

Ino could practically picture the look on his face. He would raise an eyebrow, grin, and shake his head in mild amusement.

'…_especially those.'_

Ino laughed at his reply and turned onto her stomach as a mischievous grin grew on her face and her mind started heading in a naughty direction.

'_Well… it won't be long now before you can do whatever you want with them…'_ she teased, her stomach fluttering at the thought.

A moment of no response followed, and Ino pouted in disappointment. She had hoped she could tease him a little bit more…. As her phone vibrated however, Ino grinned when she saw he had replied after all.

'…_I hope you know there's no way I'll be able to concentrate on my work now…'_

Ino laughed aloud, and felt a tad bit bad about taking his mind to the gutter. She did remember him telling her he had two tests the next day.

'_I'm sorry love, I'll let you go. I have to catch up on sleep too. Goodnight, muah!_' Ino added a kissy face emoji for good measure.

She put her phone away and stretched out on her bed. She let out a yawn and snuggled into her pillow while pulling the comforter over her, a smile on her face as she thought about the boy she loved like no other. She still couldn't quite wrap her mind around the fact that she was with him, no matter how many years had passed. And what felt even more surreal, was the fact that she felt like nothing could tear them apart. She was so comfortable in their relationship that she simply couldn't help but feel so at ease with everything. Their relationship wasn't perfect, they still had their arguments, differences, and hardships, but for the most part, Ino was content. She could honestly say that she had never been happier in her life.

She was the type to treasure the little things, those that she cared about like family and friends. Nothing made her happier. Which was why she was also happy to be where she was, in a house full of people that meant the world to her in their own ways. Sure, they were a weird mix, her and her roomies. But somehow, it all worked. No one would have thought it would, and everyone was surprised when it happened. First Shikamaru, then Gaara, then Deidara, and she was the last to join. She could still picture the look on Neji's face the first time she brought home a "stray", as she liked to say playfully. But she knew, she had always known that it would work out, otherwise she wouldn't have done it in the first place.

Just as Ino closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind so sleep would come easier, she heard a movement. It was light, but a sound she recognized. It was the sound of footsteps crossing the carpeted hallway just outside her door. There was a soft creaking that told her someone was walking downstairs, and Ino's brows furrowed.

She knew who it was, and for a moment pondered what she should do.

On one hand, she should be catching up on her sleep.

On the other, she knew what it meant when he went downstairs at this time of night, and she didn't like the thought of leaving him alone.

Ino frowned, as if she really had to think about it.

Without another moment's hesitation, she pulled the comforter away from her and got off the bed in her darkened room. Not bothering to turn on the lights, she headed in the direction of the door and opened it as quietly as she could. She made her way outside and tried to walk as lightly as she could down the hallways, heading in the direction of where she knew he would be.

She had to hold on to the railing as she made her way down the stairs, but saw a dim light coming from the living room. Doing the best she could with the darkness clouding her sight, Ino followed the light until the she came across the sight she was expecting.

Even in the darkness, his fiery red hair looked as bright as ever.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist: Alright guys, so I'm having a reallllyyyyy hard time writing this chapter. I know what I want in it, but every time I sit in front of it, sentences refuse to come forth and finish the chapter. I have literally had this sitting on my computer for AGESSS, and every time I open it with the intention to finish it... nothing.<strong>

**Sigh. **

**I posted this because I don't want you guys to think I've left this story. Of course not, the fun part isn't even here yet haha. **

**But like I said, I rather give you this than have you wait heaven knows how long until sentences decide they want to be made.**

**Encouragement is appreciated(Kami knows I need it).**

**Please don't give up on me! :(**


	8. Chapter 6-Part 2

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

_**The Realist**: Short and sweet because it's what I wanted for these two..._

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><p><strong>Chapter Six- Part 2<strong>

Ino sighed, a loud exasperated sound meant to let her presence be known. When aquamarine eyes lit by the light of the TV playing in the background met her gaze, she knew it had the intended effect.

"At this rate, we should just get you your own TV," she teased with a grin on her face.

His own expression remained unchanged.

"Sorry to have disturbed you," was his only response.

Ino sighed, and didn't bother to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"I told you before didn't I? I rather you watch TV then go on walks at ungodly hours and smoke cigarettes," she replied, finally moving from her perch at the end of the living room and walking towards the redhead.

"It's bad enough that Shika still hasn't shaken off that horrid habit," she frowned at the thought as she plopped down on the open seat next to Gaara.

"Everyone has their vices," he replied, and Ino 'hmmd' in response.

Leave it to Gaara to stand up to Shikamaru in such a way.

"That's true. What are mine?" She asked innocently, and almost laughed at the guarded look Gaara threw her way.

"I'm serious! I promise I won't get mad," she replied.

In all honesty, Ino was perfectly aware of her flaws and shortcomings. She knew what her vices were, but it was always interesting to receive the perspective of others. Responses revealed everything about a person. Responses were what told you whether someone preferred to be brutally honest or to sugar coat. Ino always preferred brutally honest, because that was the only way you could understand how someone saw you even a little bit. Those who hid behind sweet words were the ones she was wary of, because you could never truly know their feelings and intentions.

She had quickly come to know that although Gaara was a man of few words, the words he did choose carried more weight than most people she talked to on a regular day.

"You work too hard," he replied, "And give too much of yourself away."

Ino 'hmmd' again, leaning back against the sofa as she contemplated his response. It was true that she worked hard, and it had more than once driven her to exhaustion and plenty of stress. But she couldn't imagine _not _working hard for _anything_. The thought was ludicrous and every synonym of the word. Everything she had accomplished she saw as the result of all that hard work. But she also knew why Gaara called it a vice. Working hard often meant she lost sight of other things that mattered, like her own health and the relationships around her. So she could agree with him there.

His other response however...

"What do you mean I give too much of myself away?" She asked.

There was a moment of silence, a silence that she knew was for his benefit. He was searching for the way to describe it in the shortest way possible. Ino couldn't help but smile fondly. And here she had thought Shikamaru was the lazy one. She took the time to actually pay attention to what he was watching, and wasn't surprised to see the late night cartoons that played while the sound was muted.

She knew that he hadn't had much of a childhood growing up, and he knew that his choice of late night programs reflected the fact. She knew that he was trying to take back all the things he missed out on.

And she admired him for it.

"You invest yourself in others in an emotional sense, and seem to think that by doing so you are able to help them in ways nothing else can. But by doing so you put yourself at risk, and leave yourself vulnerable to emotional harm in return. You trust too easily, and hope too much, so much so that you are more likely to be left disappointed and distraught."

Ino 'hmmd' once more, knowing that she couldn't argue with him in that regard either. It was something she was also aware of, but she had never thought of it as "giving herself away".

"I guess you're right... On both counts. And I can see why you're more tolerant with bad habits than I am. Even if they are a vice, I doubt there's anything I can do to change it, its in my nature..."

Ino grinned at the realization. Gaara certainly had a way of showing her his unique perspective. Hard to believe he hadn't always been that way...

"Now then..." Ino patted her lap and looked at Gaara expectantly.

He raised a nonexistent eyebrow that asked a silent question she knew all to well, and she responded by patting her lap once more.

This time Gaara sighed, but obliged her silent command as he laid his head down on her lap and bringing his legs up so he was laying flat on the couch.

"You need to sleep..." She said softly, her hands digging into his soft red head and massaging the scalp beneath.

"I don't want to," he replied, his gaze fixated on the moving figures on the TV.

"When was the last time you slept?" She asked as she continued her ministrations with his hair, knowing that the action soothed him despite his resistance.

She knew he wouldn't respond when he didn't answer immediately. This wasn't the sort of question he had to think about. But he knew that his response wouldn't make her happy.

People often thought that Gaara suffered from insomnia, but Ino knew the truth. It wasn't that he couldn't sleep, it was that he didn't _want_ to.

She sighed.

"How are the nightmares?" She asked instead.

"Fading," he replied this time.

"Then why not sleep more often?" She asked.

"Because that's not always the case."

"Hmm."

Ino knew how to pick her battles, and she knew that no matter how much she wished she could fight his nightmares, that was something she did not have the power to do.

Perhaps in another life she did, perhaps in another life she had the power to manipulate the mind, the power to lock away memories so that they would never again resurface.

But in this life, all she could do was soothe him in this way. All she could do was give a bit of herself away, and hope that by doing so he had something to grasp on to.

It wasn't that she thought he needed it, she knew that he didn't _need_ her, that he would be fine even if she wasn't part of his life. But she _wanted_ to. She wanted him to know that she was there for him, that he could rely on her.

"You're warm..." He muttered, so low that she almost didn't catch it.

She smiled, but didn't comment. She knew what it meant after all.

It meant that the feeling of warmth was foreign to him. It meant that he wasn't familiar with the warmth of kindness and affection. He knew only cold and hot. The coldness of solitude and the scorch of violence and loss.

Yes. She certainly didn't mind giving part of herself away. Not when it meant she could soothe someone with it. Maybe one day she would give all of herself away, and there would be nothing left.

But she found that the thought didn't bother her in the least bit. It would be a good way to go.

As her hand continued to run through his fiery read hair, she felt herself being lulled by his even breaths. The rhythm told her that he had fallen asleep, and she could only hope that whatever bit of her he had, it would do its part and keep the nightmares at bay.

She smiled as a sudden thought came to her.

"You know..." She said softly, despite the knowledge that he wouldn't hear, "I don't think you have any vices of your own."

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Realist<strong>: Like I said... short and sweet. But I think I captured what I wanted. I love Gaara, in that way you just wanna cuddle a cute puppy and take care of it forever. I think Ino would feel that way too._

_Now then..._

_The moment you have all been waiting for..._

_*drumroll*_

_SASUKE IS ARRIVING ON THE NEXT CHAPTER!_

_I've known for a while how I was going to have them all meet, and it is HILARIOUS (in my mind). I can't believe some of you guys have read this story more than once, but it means THE WORLD to me. _

_Thank you so much to all of you that have reviewed, favorited, and followed this, and for all of you that have stayed through it all._

_I will do my absolute best to make Sasuke arrival the best chapter so far, and I have a feeling it will actually come easy to write._

_Let me know how outraged you are to have been kept this long in a review :)_


	9. Chapter 7

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: **_Alright guys... here it is. Gah, I don't even know what to say... hope this doesn't disappoint. Longest chapter yet! Whoop!_

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

Today was the day.

Ino had hardly been able to sleep the night before, her every waking thought filled with thoughts of her boyfriend while her body hummed with excitement and impatience for the next day to arrive. Never before had time crawled so slowly, every minute feeling like an hour as Ino struggled through the night, tossing and turning, trying her damnest to get _some_ beauty sleep. Heavens forbid she have bags under her eyes after not seeing her boyfriend for _months_.

Not only had it taken her _hours_ to fall asleep, she was also awake long before she had set her alarm to go off, but of course, despite getting only a few hours of sleep, her body felt wide awake with just the knowledge that _today was the day_.

With a huge smile on her face, Ino threw of her covers and jumped out of her bed, humming as she pulled her hair out of the bun she slept in and letting it cascade down her back. As she made her way down to the kitchen to start breakfast, she was ready to start the day. All she had to do was keep busy, do what she had to do for the day, and _pray to kami_ that time wouldn't be as torturous as it had been the night before.

The agenda was fairly simple. Make breakfast, attend her Friday morning class, make sure the house was clean, and head to the airport to pick up Sasuke.

Thankfully for them both, Ino's single class was over at noon, and Sasuke had an early class that let out at 9 AM. He was scheduled to take his flight at noon, and arrive at the airport by three in the afternoon, at which point Ino would be waiting for him in the outfit that she had spent _all week_ planning.

Despite being in a relationship with Sasuke for years now, Ino was not the kind to settle when it came to her appearance. While many girls seemed to think that once you were in a serious relationship, it was fine to stop caring about appearances and such, Ino thought the opposite. She never understood the logic behind not shaving your legs and getting out of shape once you were in a relationship. The thought was ludicrous! In Ino's mind, part of being in a relationship meant putting the effort into making yourself appealing to your partner, and reminding them every day why they were lucky to have you as their partner. And it went both ways, for both males and females.

Once Ino reached the empty kitchen of the house, and seeing that it was still dark out and no one was awake, it suddenly hit her that it was too early to start breakfast.

With a sigh, Ino pouted and pondered what she should do for the next hour or two. She thought about going for a run, but after having only a few hours of sleep, she knew she would feel exhausted later in the day, and the last thing she wanted was to be mentally _and_ physically exhausted when Sasuke arrived.

She had spent most of the week making sure the house was orderly, which it typically was to begin with, and she had cleaned her room the night prior, so cleaning was out of question. She didn't have any homework, or tests to study for, so that was out too. For the first time in a while, Ino realized that this was the first time in a while that she had some time to relax. With a smile on her face, Ino made her way over to the living room, only to see that there were several DVD's on the coffee table that Deidara had rented the night before.

Deciding to pop one in, Ino settled into the couch and pressed PLAY.

* * *

><p>As Deidara walked down the stairs that led to the first floor of their shared home, his brows furrowed when he realized that the smell of breakfast wasn't wafting through the morning air like most mornings. While Ino didn't always make breakfast, Fridays were one of those days that he had learned were one of those days that she did.<p>

Peering into the kitchen, he saw that indeed, there was no blonde shuffling around the kitchen preparing breakfast, and no redhead sitting at the table drinking coffee.

"NO NO NO NO!"

Hearing the loud wailing coming from the living room, Deidara frowned further and made his way over, only to see the missing blond and red-head sitting on the couch as they watched one of the movies he had rented the night before.

He resisted the urge to laugh as he watched Ino in particular. She was sitting at the edge of her seat, her eyes watering as she held her fisted hands to her mouth, looking as aghast and ready to cry all at once.

Deidara knew exactly what movie she was watching just by the look on her face. It was the movie about three friends sent on a mission, with a love triangle, an ambush, and one of the friends sacrificing his life to save the other two, only to give an eye with a special power to his surviving friend. Good stuff in his opinion.

"Inoooo!" he cried out, "I'm hungryyy."

"Shhhh!" Ino was quick to place a finger to her lips with a frown on her face, eyes still glued to the television.

Deidara smirked, glad he had gotten the response he had gotten.

"Well, and here I thought you'd wanna know that your class starts in ten minutes, un," he casually replied, and was rewarded when her gaze snapped towards him, panic in her eyes as she grabbed her phone in a panic to check the time.

"WHAT?! HOW IS IT THIS LATE ALREADY?" she wailed, jumping to her feet and rushing past him and up the stairs to change.

Always happy to see a flustered Ino, Deidara smirked as his gaze settled on the redhead still fixated on the movie playing.

"Ay, Gaara, are we still on for today?" he asked, and was answered by a questioning look.

"Ya know, the flag football game we're having at Kiba's. I just wanna make sure none of you bail on me. This game is high stakes! And since you lost our last drinking match, you promised to be part of my team this time around."

Gaara frowned from his perch on the couch, remembering the night more than a week prior, when Deidara had somehow gotten him to participate in a drinking game with a bet involved. He had almost forgotten about said bet and he resisted the urge to sigh. Not that he minded sports, he actually quite enjoyed them. But in this case…

"Seems I don't have much of a choice.." he replied.

Deidara smirked.

"Glad we're on the same page, un. See you later!" he replied, before turning and heading back upstairs to make sure the rest of his team was on the same page as well.

* * *

><p>Ino couldn't help but tap her foot impatiently throughout the entire class period. Whatever her teacher was saying, it definitely wasn't registering in her brain at the moment. Lips were moving, but whatever words were forming might as well be gibberish as far as she was concerned. Whatever awaited her the week that came after she would deal with later, but right now, only one thing mattered.<p>

And it was for this class to end so she could go home, get ready, and pick up the love of her life at the airport. She was half-tempted to just pack up and leave for the day, and were it any other class, Ino would have done just that. As it happened, this class was taught by the head of her department, which meant Ino always had to do her best and attend class so that they would be in good standing when she graduated if she wanted a good reference when the time came to her residency in a hospital one day.

So when the class _finally_ came to a close, and said Professor called for Ino to stay after class, she didn't know what to expect, but the dread in the pit of her stomach did not sit well at all.

* * *

><p>Sasuke Uchiha was a punctual man. Growing up as an Uchiha gave him no other option. He was taught and expected to keep his appointments or have his name and reputation tarnished. Which was why he arrived at the airport at the planned time, early enough find his gate, check in his luggage, and allow for anything unexpected for his trip.<p>

His roommate had dropped him off and all that was left was wait for the plane to begin boarding.

Dressed in dark chino's and gray button up shirt with a nice black blazer, the young Uchiha could feel several gazes on him, the usual gazes that he was always aware he received and always ignored as he took a seat in the waiting area. Taking out his phone, Sasuke quickly began the text to his girlfriend.

'_Made it to the airport. Should be boarding soon. I'll keep you updated.'_

He wrote to her. Hesitating over the send button, the Uchiha took a moment to consider before writing one more thing before sending it.

'_Love you.' _

Taking in a deep breath, Sasuke settled into his seat as he readied himself to wait for the plane that would take him to see his girlfriend, his foot tapping at the sudden impatience that overtook him.

* * *

><p>Ino was running to the house.<p>

While the professor had made her stay for terrific news, the opportunity to have one of the best internships the university offered, talking about what it would mean and what she needed to do had taken over an hour. It was an opportunity that Ino could absolutely not pass up, but it meant that now she was behind schedule.

She had an hour to get ready, because the drive to the airport he would be arriving at was almost an hour away.

As she flew into the house, she barely caught herself before almost crashing into none other than Shikamaru Nara as she dashed through the front door just as he was coming out of the kitchen.

"Sorry Shika!" she called out, spinning on her heel and running around him, leaving her childhood friend with a frown on his face as he watched the blonde run down the hall and up the stairs as if the devil himself was at her heels.

Until it hit him, today was the day Sasuke arrived.

With a frown and a sigh, the lazy genius continued with his day.

As Ino ran to her room, she wasted no time in grabbing a towel and heading into the bathroom, dropping her bag on the floor and stripping from her clothes all at the same time, all the while wishing that time would slow down and speed up all at the same time.

Taking the quickest and most thorough shower Ino could remember, she walked back into her room and retrieved the clothes she had set aside with care.

She had chosen a purple casual lacy dress that reached mid-thigh on her, with sleeves that reached her elbow and a shape that accentuated her figure. Ino had bought this dress for just this occasion, and knew that her black wedges would accentuate her long legs and leave Sasuke breathless.

Ino did her make-up first, light as usual, but enough to give her that porcelain doll-like appearance, before she dried her hair and left it down, brushing it so that it was silky smooth when she ran her fingers through them and sweeping it to one side.

Checking the time on her phone, Ino finally saw the message that Sasuke had sent her, and smiled when she read it.

'_Love you too hun. I'm heading over in a bit, I'll be eagerly awaiting you at the gate!'_

As long as traffic was in her favor, Ino knew she should be able to make it to the airport with time to spare. She could already feel her heart rate pick up with the excitement at the thought of seeing him soon. Resisting the urge to squeal like a girl going to her first prom with the most popular boy(she had done that years ago), she gathered her things, gave her room a once over to make sure everything was in order for Sasuke's stay, and walked out the door to complete her next objective…

"Oh Neji!" Ino called out in a sweet sing song voice as she walked down the hall to where Neji had told her the night before he would be. He had told her he would be studying in his room, and Neji was always true to his word.

As she knocked on the door of the master bedroom, Neji's voice called out for her to come in.

With a smile, Ino turned the handle and opened the door.

"As you promised, I am here for the package!" Ino grinned when Neji looked away from his book and raised an eyebrow.

Ino giggled before walking in and holding out her hand to him.

"C'mon! You promised!" she whined with a pout.

From his perch at his study desk, Neji sighed before standing up and walking a coat hanger that hung next to the door of his room. Digging into the pocket of the jacket that hung there, the jingling sound let Ino know that he had found what he was looking for. Taking out his hand from the pocket, Neji pulled out a set of keys that he then held out to Ino.

Ino eagerly reached for the keys, only for Neji to swipe it out of her reach at the last second while regarding her with a stern look.

"I want it back in one piece. And make sure _he_ doesn't drive it."

Ino pouted but nodded obediently.

"I _promise_," she assured him, and once more made to grab the keys, and this time, he let her.

Ino loved to drive Neji's sports car. It was the latest gift he had received from his uncle, and Ino was insanely jealous. It had taken her _forever_ to convince Neji to let her drive it, and every time she wanted to drive it she had to annoy Neji days ahead of time in order for him to let her.

"You are the best Neji! I promise I'll take good care of her!"

"Hn," knowing that Neji trusted in her, Ino grinned before spinning on her heel and exiting the room.

"Thanks again Neji!" she called out over her shoulder, once more making her way down the hall and down the stairs with a skip in her step.

In less than hour, she would be at the airport.

* * *

><p>"Oy!" Deidara called out as he walked into the house.<p>

"Are ya'll ready or what?!" he called out even louder, walking up the stairs after and towards the respective rooms of his roommates.

He knocked on Shikamaru's door first, and opened the door to see him laying down and reading a book. At his entrance, he looked up.

"Is it time already?" he asked with a sigh.

Deidara grinned.

"You bet! Now get your lazy ass out of bed and bring your A game!" he replied, before turning around and heading towards the next destination.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered as he got up from the bed he had been laying on.

"Neji!" Deidara called out.

"It's time to go! Let's not keep the others waiting," he said through the door to his room, knowing what he didn't have to go in to coax him out.

Just as he was about to make his way to Gaara's room, he was surprised to see his door open and the redhead come out. Deidara grinned. That was certainly easier than expected. Then again, Gaara tended to be true to his word too. Soon after Neji emerged from his room, and all four members were gathered in the hallway.

"Alright! We're all set. Kiba and the others are waiting, un. Time for the annual flag football competition!" Deidara yelled out as he raised a fist in the air and took point as he started heading down the hall, the rest close behind.

How had Deidara talked them into this again?

* * *

><p>Ino felt giddy with excitement as she made her way to the designated gate where Sasuke would be coming from. Thank Kami there had been no unexpected delays, and the plane had landed just in time. Leave it to Sasuke to always take the punctual plane. The airport was fairly busy, but Ino paid them little mind as she strutted forward with a smile on her face.<p>

She knew Sasuke would call her once he was able to, and all she could do until then was wait.

Now she wished she had done something cheesy like bring a sign with his name on it, and giggled at the thought. Maybe next time she could do something like that.

Taking in a seat in one of the waiting areas near the gate that Sasuke would emerge from, Ino crossed her legs and decided to pass the time on her phone. She scrolled through her social sites, and saw Deidara had just posted a status about making it to the next round of the tournament… whatever that meant. She didn't remember him telling her about a tournament. Maybe it was something to do with his art.

Tapping her leg impatiently, Ino once more checked the time, and pouted when she saw that only fifteen minutes had passed. Why did time hate her so much? She was sick of waiting already!

As if someone took pity on her, Ino almost jumped when her phone started ringing, and Ino smiled when she saw it was exactly who she was waiting to hear.

"Well it's about time!" she answered, not masking the glee in her voice.

On the other end, Sasuke's low chuckle resounded in her ear, and Ino wished that it wasn't through a phone that she was hearing his voice.

"_I'm getting my luggage, where are you?"_

"I'm waiting outside the gate, I'll be the most beautiful girl in the airport," she teased, leaning into the phone.

"_I have no doubt,"_ he replied, a tinge of warmth in his voice, causing Ino to smile fondly.

"How was your trip? Anything exciting happen?" she asked, not wanting to get off the phone until she was right in front of him.

She got up from her seat, knowing in only a few minutes he would be making his way towards her, and wanting to cut that time as short as possible.

"_Not particularly. Besides the typical crying child and obnoxious adult,"_ he replied coolly.

"Hm. So nothing you couldn't handle. Did you bring me a gift?"

"_Aren't I enough?"_ he questioned, and Ino grinned.

"Not if I can't keep you for longer than three days," she replied.

"_You are such a princess," _he replied with a sigh.

"And don't you forget it!" Ino added, just as she caught sight of familiar dark hair and piercing dark eyes.

He looked just as she remembered him, not that she expected differently. But no matter how long he had been in her life, Ino was always taken aback when she saw him and was reminded of just how handsome he truly was. As he caught sight of her too and hung up the phone, Ino felt as if a celebrity was making his way towards her, and she knew she wasn't the only one that saw him as that by the way that many swiveled their heads to look at him. He walked with the confidence of a man that always got his way and no one dared oppose. He exuded both power and beauty and Ino would be lying if she said he didn't leave her breathless.

Ino smiled as she put her phone away in her purse, and walked forward to meet him. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she was pleased by the way that his eyes were fixated on her and only her. It felt as if everyone in the airport was making way for them, and Ino wouldn't have it any other way. The distance between them couldn't close fast enough, and Ino had to resist the urge to run forward.

But no.

She had to play her part. She had to make him wait just as much as she had to wait for him.

It felt like an eternity had passed before they were finally face to face, Sasuke's taller frame hovering over her despite the extra height her shoes provided her. With a smile, Ino looked up, her sparkling baby blues meeting his fathomless obsidian eyes.

"Hi," she whispered.

She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, but she wanted to savor this moment as well.

"Hi," he replied, a small smile forming on his face, before letting go of his luggage to hold onto something much more precious.

Ino felt his arms snake around her waist, and pull her forward, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as her smiled widened and she brought her face closer to his, so that they noses were almost touching.

"I'm glad you're here," she said.

His eyes stared into her own as he pulled her closer, and she saw as they strayed to her lips.

"I'm glad to be here," he replied, before leaning in and tasting the lips he had yearned for months.

Her lips were warm and welcoming, a familiarity he could no longer imagine being without.

'_Ino Yamanaka… you have ruined me,'_ he thought to himself, not for the first time, as the feel of her lips reminded him of what he had missed out on until she barged her way into his life and planted herself there.

He found that he never tired of the sight of her waiting for him. It didn't matter to him what she was wearing, Ino always seemed to shine above the rest.

Resisting the urge to kiss her more deeply, Sasuke pulled away, not particularly being a fan of public displays of affection, and placed a kiss on her forehead instead, before taking her hand in his and grabbing his luggage with the other.

"Shall we go?" he asked, and Ino nodded, a pretty flush on her cheeks for the kiss he had given her as she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll lead the way," she replied, pulling him in the direction from which she had come.

As they made their way into the car, Ino wasted no time in doing what she did best, filling Sasuke in on everything that she hadn't been able to before, particularly the news of the internship that was basically handed to her lap by her professor, while Sasuke nodded and congratulated her.

She told him all about what she wanted to do while he was visiting, like going to visit these really nice restaurants around the city, maybe a bar or two. Sasuke listened patiently as he always did. It really didn't quite matter what they did, as long as he was with her. She was the reason he had come in the first place after all.

As Ino led the way to the car and pressed the button to unlock it, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"That's a nice car, whose is it?" he asked curiously, knowing it wasn't hers. She would have told her if she had gotten a new sport's car recently.

At the question, Ino felt her heart plummet.

"Oh, it's one of my roommate's car," she answered, steeling her voice to sound calmer than she felt.

Sasuke nodded, and deduced that one of Ino's roommates must either be wealthy or at least have a wealthy family to own one of the top tier models and a new year as well. It wasn't very surprising either, considering that Ino went to a prestigious school, a school where many of its students came from wealthy families.

Ino couldn't bring herself to telling him it was Neji's, and until that moment, she had forgotten about the dilemma that she would face once they returned to the house and he found out just who her roommate's were…

She had been so focused on his arrival that she had almost completely forgotten about what would happen after, and how she was even going to broach the subject. She had totally forgotten to sit down with her roomies and talk about how she wanted to approach the subject.

"It's a nice car," Sasuke commented as Ino opened the trunk and he put his luggage inside.

"And _I'm_ driving it, so don't even ask," she replied, sticking out her tongue at him playfully.

"Hn."

As Ino made her way into the driver's seat, she swallowed hard, suddenly wanting to do anything but return to the home she shared with the four men besides Sasuke that meant so much to her, but that Sasuke didn't know about.

Even though they were anything but secret lovers, it suddenly felt like it.

* * *

><p>"Make way for the reigning champions!" Kiba yelled out, holding up a cheap trophy as the group that consisted of himself, Deidara, Neji, Gaara, Shikamaru, and Shino Aburame huddled in the middle of a field, several other teams on the sidelines cheering them on as the opposing team lay on the ground, panting and exhausted from the game that had just ended.<p>

Kiba patted his teammate's shirtless backs, laughing with the adrenaline still coursing through his body from the game they had just won. It seemed only Deidara shared his energy as the rest of the team stood stoically, letting the two meatheads do as they pleased.

Shikamaru sighed.

"I'm getting my shirt now," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head and walking over to where they had left their shirts. They had somehow ended up shirts vs. skins, and of course, they had ended up as skins by the audience (which consisted mostly of girls) and some boys.

"I'll come with you," Gaara spoke up in his soft manner, and Neji followed close behind.

"Party at my house everyone!" Kiba called out, and more cheers rose from those present as they started getting up from the ground and following Kiba as he led the way back to his fraternity.

"Where's our shirts?" Shikamaru commented aloud as they reached the spot where he knew they had dropped them, only to see empty grass beneath.

The rest of his roommates gathered around him, some looking around the area to see if someone had moved them, but only the empty grass met their gazes.

"Someone must have taken them," Neji offered.

"Go figure, un!" Deidara commented with a smirk.

"Must have been one of our fangirls," he added.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered under his breath.

"Hn," Gaara quietly agreed.

"Well, let's get home and out of these sweaty clothes so we can head over to Kiba's for a different kind of competition," Deidara suggested, slinging an arm around both Shikamaru and Gaara who regarded him with subtle apprehension. Was it not enough that they had participated and won the tournament? Now they had to go to the after-party too?

* * *

><p>Ino had put off coming home for as long as possible, and had taken Sasuke to a nice little restaurant to have dinner before they came to settle in for the night. While she was excited to finally spend the night with him, she had still been unable to bring up the dreaded issue about her living arrangement. She had tried to muster the courage to bring it up over dinner, but found herself unable to.<p>

So when she drove up the driveway at twilight, and saw that the lights in the house were still off, she felt a wave of relief crash over her system.

She still had some time…

The fact that she lived in a nice neighborhood a good distance from where he knew was the campus was not lost on Sasuke, and the house was quite a nice size and seemed well-maintained. He could see why Ino had been so excited when she told him about the new place and roommates she had gotten.

Ino led the way to the front door from the detached garage, unlocked the front door, and turned on the lights.

"Guess your roommates aren't home," Sasuke commented.

Ino nodded, making sure not to look at him to hide the relief on her face, and turned on the lights in the living room as she made her way deeper into the house.

"Yeah, I'm not sure where they are," she commented, placing her house keys on the bowl she always did in the table in the hall.

"My room is upstairs, we can get you settled—"

Ino was cut off when she felt arms snake around her waist and familiar lips find their way to hers.

Ino moaned into the kiss as she melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss as he pushed her up the hallway wall.

"Too far away," he whispered as he hovered above her lips, and Ino flushed before once more closing the gap between their lips and kissing him deeply. She felt his hands feel down her sides, making her shiver with pleasure. It had been far too long since she had been with him in this manner, and her body was quickly responding to his ministrations.

His lips strayed from her lips to kiss her cheeks, then down her neck where he lingered, making Ino close her eyes and gasp at the sensation of it all. She dug her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer and pushing her body closer to his, making sure to feel every inch of him that she could.

_Crap_, she thought through her hazy mind.

She was supposed to get him to her room as fast as possible, so she could prepare him for the news of her living situation. How was she supposed to do that when he was making her turn into a hot mess? The last thing she wanted to do was pull away from him in that moment, especially when he was so eager and impatient himself.

"Sasuke—" she mewled, trying to form the words to convince him to move upstairs and finding it incredibly hard to do so.

Just as Sasuke was leaning in for another kiss, the sound of the front door opening and several sets of footsteps making their way inside.

"Alright, un, you guys have ten minutes to change and get your asses to the victory party!"

The loud male voice gave Sasuke pause, and as his gaze moved from his flushed girlfriend to the front door, the sight he was greeted with was far from what he expected.

It seemed the newcomers had noticed him as well, as he was greeted with four pairs of eyes, all belonging to four shirtless men, two of which he recognized quite well.

The four stood in the doorway, staring at Sasuke as he stared back.

The silence that stretched seemed to last forever, and it was as if everyone in the room had forgotten how to move.

"Ino," Sasuke said coolly, not moving his gaze from the four men, and quite aware of the way she stiffened in his grasp.

"Why are there four shirtless men in your house?"

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><p><strong>The Realist:<strong> _To be continued..._


	10. Chapter 8

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: I kind of like this chapter...**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

_Fuckshitfuckholyfuckingkamifuckingshitfuck._

Ino's mind seemed to screech to a halt as profanities swarmed through her head and her body tensed. The emotions that she had pushed to the back of her mind surfaced like a tsunami, and the panic and anxiety that she felt when she thought of her boyfriend meeting her roommates hit her like a ton of bricks.

The whole world suddenly felt like a dangerous place, as if a single movement would mean her immanent death, and even breathing felt painful.

Everything around her was a blur, unfocused as her mind became clouded by her fear and the feeling of a deer caught in headlights. Her chest felt tight and she felt her eyes burn.

Were she anyone else... She might have cried then and there.

But no.

She was Ino Yamanaka damn it!

And she would be damned if she let the situation get out of her grasp.

The realization was a slap to her reeling mind, and with a will power that was characteristic of the fiery blonde, she reigned in the troublesome emotions as she forced herself to analyze the situation.

The room around her seemed to clear, and the stoic face of her boyfriend came into view as his gaze fixed on the four men that she called her roommates.

She fixed her own gaze on the four men, noticing their half clothed bodies, shocked and apprehensive faces, and tense bodies.

And with those details, Ino Yamanaka did what she did best.

"What do you guys think you're doing coming in here sweaty and filthy!" She yelled, breaking away from Sasuke and putting her hands on her hips as she walked towards them and regarding them with a reprimanding glower.

"I didn't spend this whole week cleaning so you could just barge in here with those muddy sneakers smelling like you rolled in a weeks' worth of gym clothes! Now explain yourselves!"

The boys suddenly straightened, unconsciously reacting to the Yamanaka's reprimand and forgetting what had happened moments earlier and the man behind her.

"W-well, un. You see... Kiba hosted his annual flag football tournament. We ended up being skins, and someone took our shirts... But we totally won, un!" Deidara quickly explained, a wolfish grin on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hmph. Couldn't you win in a more cleanly manner? I told you we would be having company tonight! Now go make yourselves presentable or Kami help me, you will regret it!" She scolded, and the boys felt themselves tense.

The last thing they wanted to do was test the creativity of the blonde when it came to punishments...

"Now march!"

The boys frowned, feeling the pressure and resisting the urge that told them to rebel against their roommate. They knew in the back of their mind that it would only cause more trouble.

"Yes ma'm, un..."

"Troublesome..."

"Hn."

Gaara remained silent as he led the way around the almost forgotten figure of the man he assumed was Ino's boyfriend and to the stairs that would lead to their respective rooms, the other three men silently trailing behind him.

As she watched the four shirtless backs retreat up the stairs, Ino once more turned to her boyfriend, apprehension once more returning to her tense body.

As she met his gaze, the look on his face was unreadable.

"Sasuke..." She started, and was both relieved and afraid when he frowned and folded his arms in front of him.

"I can explain..." She continued.

* * *

><p>..

Deidara walked into Gaara's room, and left the door slight ajar as he sat on the chair where his desk was. Gaara lay on his bed, eyes closed and arms folded behind his head.

"Guess the victory party will have to wait, un?" He voiced as a familiar loud voice drifted up from down the stairs.

./.

* * *

><p>"How was I supposed to tell you when you didn't even bother asking me about my roommates! When I first told you do you remember what you said?" Ino accused as she stood her ground in the living room where they had somehow relocated to.<p>

It had been twenty minutes since her roommates had returned to find Sasuke and her home, and as she had expected, the argument she had dreaded began.

"What did I say?" He challenged, his frown somehow deepening.

"'That's great'. That's what you fucking said. Because of course, the _great_ Sasuke Uchiha can't bother himself with asking his _girlfriend_ more than that. Because as always, there _must_ be more pressing matters than talking to his girlfriend about something like who her roommates are, and what they're like, or why she chose them."

"So it's my fault?" He asked with a heavy accusation in his tone.

Ino bristled.

"No! But you can't blame me for not telling you when you didn't even bother to fucking ask! And you know what was more? You didn't even talk to me for the next few days because according to you, you were too _'busy'_. You always make me feel like you're too busy to bother with my personal life! So forgive me for not bothering to tell you about my new roommates!" She sarcastically bit out.

And of course, arguments meant bringing up more than the issue at hand. But it was true, the reason she never told him was not because she had forgotten about it, but because of the resentment and insecurities that surrounded their relationship. She never fooled herself into thinking their relationship was perfect, and this was one of the very problems that affected their relationship.

"That's no excuse Ino. I have every right to be told that you are rooming with four men."

As Sasuke narrowed his eyes on her, Ino felt a new wave of fury.

"Unfucking believable! This is exactly what I mean! You completely ignored what I just said to assert _your_ damn right you pompous asshole!"

Sasuke knew that Ino was furious when she started calling him names. But it wasn't as if he was happy himself, and he was hardly restraining his own anger as his hands tightened their grip on his crossed arms.

The last thing he expected when he visited Ino was to be in an argument with her.

Scratch that.

The last thing he had expected was finding out that her roommates were four men. Two of which he had a strained relationship with at best.

And it took every fiber of his being to raise his own voice and remain rational as several unwanted thoughts flashed through his head.

The truth of the matter was he was upset. He was upset that Ino didn't tell him her roommates were male, and for good reason. It wasn't that he thought she would cheat on him. He didn't see Ino as capable of cheating on him, not after all she had gone through to be with him. He knew she would never damage their relationship in that way.

It wasn't that he didn't _trust_ her, it was the implications of what rooming with men that weren't _him_ meant.

"I love you Sasuke... I've loved you for so long. But sometimes it sucks you know... Feeling like the person you love with all your heart only gives you 1% of their attention. Sometimes you go weeks without speaking more than a few sentences to me. Its not that I want to know what you do every second of every day, but it would be nice... If you bothered to share that even half the time. I only ever see you during breaks when we go back home, and sometimes you don't even go back home so you can work at school! So I was really happy when you said you would visit me for the first time. So that distance really gets to me... And it makes me mad. Why should I share every aspect of my life if you won't do the same for me? Maybe it's childish of me... But I can't help it. Isn't a relationship supposed to be equal?"

"Ino..." He started out softly, and felt his heart clench when he saw that tears were pooling in her eyes and the way he could see her fight to hold them back.

He hated making her cry, but even as her eyes turned red from the strain of holding back tears, he couldn't help but find her beautiful.

Ino was strong and independent. She wanted others to rely on her, and she worked hard to make sure she reached her full potential and became someone great to the world. He had always known that she didn't need him, that even if he had turned her down all those years ago, she would be fine. She had every man in the world to choose from.

But she had chosen him. The one man that would have gladly overlooked her if it meant he could focus only on himself and becoming worthy of his family name.

She was right in that regard. He didn't give her half the attention that she deserved.

He unfolded his arms and slowly approached her. She watched him with a guarded expression as he wrapped her arms around her, and he hated how she tensed in his arms.

"I don't mean to make you feel this way..." He continued, holding on to her and resting his chin atop her head.

"You're right. You're my girlfriend. You deserve more than what I give you. Anything I tell you otherwise would simply be an excuse. I wish I could promise you that things could change. But I would be lying. This is how I am. Perhaps how I'll always be."

At his words, he felt Ino's body start trembling, and he felt the part of his shirt where her face rested slowly become damp with tears.

"Work will always be important to me. But it doesn't meant that you're not important either..." One of his hands moved to stroke the back of her head as she continued to sob softly into his shirt.

"I love you Ino. You're the only woman I've ever loved like this."

At his words, Ino couldn't help but sob more as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face deeper into his chest so that it was almost harder to breathe.

"So don't be surprised to find out that the thought of you living with four men bothers me..."

He sighed, tightening his grip on her.

"It's not that I don't trust you. I do. It's the fact that despite being with you for three years, these four men are the first to live with you after your father. These four men are able to see sides of you that even I haven't..."

Ino pulled back, tear-streaked eyes wide as she looked up at Sasuke, shock evident on her face.

"I... I never thought of it that way..." She admitted softly, and Sasuke couldn't help but smile softly.

The dumbfounded look on her face was incredibly adorable, and he couldn't help but lean forward and place a kiss on her forehead.

"Of course you didn't."

He frowned as a thought flashed through his mind, and he felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he debated whether he should voice the thought. He sighed, knowing the situation seemed to call for it.

"If anything... I always thought I would be the first man to live with you..." He grudgingly admitted, averting his gaze from Ino's deep blue eyes.

Ino in turned giggled, loving the look on his face. In fact, his words made her very happy indeed.

Not being able to resist, she brought up her hands and rested them on his face, gently forcing him to look at her.

"It makes me happy to hear that," she said, smiling genuinely.

"And I'm sorry... I never thought this is how you would feel. If I had known... I wouldn't have done it," she admitted.

"But it's a little late for that now... And I promise that they're the best possible roommates I could have here. They're all great guys..."

Sasuke's face lost its warmth as it was replaced with annoyance and apprehension, but it only made Ino giggle again.

"I'm serious! If you bothered to get to know them, you would understand..."

Sasuke frowned.

"I came to see _you_, not get to know _them_," he replied gruffly.

Ino leaned up and pecked his lips with her own, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Well I can't say I want to share you either..." She commented as she leaned in for another kiss.

"Hn..."

He once more tightened his grip on her, and kissed her more fully on the lips, having every intention to make up for the time they had been apart and deepening the kiss.

"W-wait…" Ino said, pulling back before she could get caught up in the kiss.

"What?" Sasuke asked, a little more than impatient.

Weren't they supposed to make up now?

"I still have to introduce you to them…" she replied, and Sasuke sighed.

As much as he would have loved to skip introductions, he knew it was better to get them over with.

"Fine."

Ino smiled, before placing a small kiss on his cheek and walking in the directions of where the stairs were, but not before catching sight of herself in a mirror that hung on the hallway wall.

"Gah! I look terrible!" Ino cried, wiping at her face and rubbing at her eyes to clear the smeared makeup.

Sasuke sighed. Give it to Ino to be worried about her looks when introducing them.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist: Okay, so I was going to make this longer, but I kind of want this chapter to focus on them so...<strong>

**Yeah. A little short, but I hope you enjoyed it.**

**I thought really hard on what Sasuke's reaction should be, and I consulted with some of my guy friends that I know to be more on the rational side(because I see Sasuke as rational). So that helped me a bit. I figured Sasuke isn't the type to be insecure to the point he'll be threatened by guys in a an overly jealous sense. I see him as upset for the reasons I mentioned above. I'll build more on this for sure during his stay, but I wanted their imminent argument to happen sooner than later as I imagine any couple in this situation would have it. **

**That being said, my next challenge is making their interactions happen as I want them to! Let's see what our boys will think of each other!**

**Review :)**


	11. Chapter 9

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

_**The Realist:** Thanks for the reviews guys! Glad you weren't disappointed with Sasuke's reaction. I tried my best with their introductions. Could have been better I'm sure, but eh, I can live with this. I tried to do it in Sasuke's view, so you guys can sort of see his thoughts on the matter._

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

"About damn time. I thought we would have to stay up here all night, un. I have a victory party to go to!" Deidara whined from his perch on Gaara's chair. Neji and Shikamaru had already joined them as Ino had retrieved them first, and it wasn't hard to see that none of them looked eager to proceed with the "introductions". Ino couldn't blame them, considering the fact that they had probably heard the fight she and Sasuke had been in only moments prior. It wasn't exactly the reception she had wanted, but she couldn't say it was unexpected either.

"I don't see why I have to go… I already know the guy," Shikamaru voiced with a sigh, leaning against the door of the room.

Ino frowned, but decided to turn it into a pout instead.

"It's called manners. C'mon Shika! I'm not asking for much!"

Shikamaru sighed again, and stuck his hands in his pockets. But the fact that he was out of bed spoke volumes to his blonde best friend, and Ino smiled in return.

"Well, let's get this over with, un," Deidara said, eager to get out and enjoy his Friday night.

"Hn," Neji agreed silently, all the while Gaara remained stoic as he stood up from his bed.

With a grateful smile, Ino led the way down the stairs, trying her best to reign the nervousness that settled on the pit of her stomach like a heavy rock.

* * *

><p>Sasuke wasn't exactly sure how to feel about what was to come next. He certainly wasn't happy, and he certainly wasn't looking forward to it. It was true he had expected girls when he arrived, and although he didn't have the best experiences when it came to girls, he had thought meeting some of Ino's college friends would be more manageable than two unknown men, a longtime rival, and her male best friend who might or might not have feelings for her.<p>

As he sat on the sofa in the living room, he steeled his body to remain still and calm as his gaze swept over the room. It was clean, stylish, with an air of sophistication. Not exactly what he expected from college students, but knowing that one of the roommates was none other than Neji Hyuuga seemed to explain why that was.

Picking up the sound of multiple footsteps coming down the stairs, Sasuke set his gaze in the direction of where he knew they would come in to meet him. Only a moment later, the group of Ino and her roommates came into view, and he briefly met Ino's gaze and encouraging smile before his eyes moved over to the rest of her company.

They seemed to have cleaned themselves up, no longer shirtless and in dirty shorts. He only briefly looked over the familiar faces of the Hyuuga Prodigy and the Nara Genius, before taking in the unfamiliar faces of the blonde and the redhead. The blonde seemed to have an odd resemblance to his girlfriend, in the way he kept his hair in a ponytail with long bangs over one of his blue eyes. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought they were brother and sister. The graphic t-shirt he wore and the way he held himself loosely seemed to point towards an easy-going disposition.

The other man on the other hand, seemed just the opposite. The fiery redhead held himself much the way Neji and himself did, a straight and almost dignified posture with an imposing presence in the casual button up red shirt that almost matched the color of his hair. His face was steeled into a stoic mask, and his aquamarine gaze was piercing as he walked into the room and seemed to analyze him.

He didn't fidget under the scrutinizing gaze, instead, he stood up, his back straight as he rose to the challenge of seeing who Ino's roommates were, and whether he could full heartily accept them as such.

He knew that even if he didn't find it in himself to accept them, it wasn't as if he could tell Ino that she should move out. Not in those words exactly. Past experiences told him just what reaction Ino would give him, and more than that, he knew that once Ino became attached to someone, she had a hard time letting go. The fact that she had chosen these four men as her roommates told him that she was already more attached than he might like. It wasn't that he was jealous… it just made him _uncomfortable_. The fact that these men attended a prestigious university told him that it was highly possible they were a prodigy and genius like Shikamaru, or from a wealthy and influential family like Neji. The other two had to fall into one of those categories at the very least. Atop of that, he had no qualms admitting that all these men were more than average when it came to their looks.

For the first time since he began dating Ino, he felt threatened.

He had to resist the urge to scoff at the thought.

Admitting it to himself felt unpleasant and almost shameful. The thought of feeling threatened by other men felt primitive and animalistic. He prided himself in being rational, having the ability to push past petty and fickle feelings that governed and clouded the judgment of every human being. It was what pushed him past normal limits and expectations, because he refused to be _average_.

But of course, when it came to Ino Yamanaka, he was the typical male boyfriend.

Still, his rational side told him that these men were perfectly capable of taking her from him. The fact that she was already attached at a certain level meant that that attachment could easily grow under the right conditions. Added to the fact that she had voiced her thoughts on how she felt underappreciated gave rise to feelings that she could easily turn to these men and they might just as easily be willing to give her the appreciation and affection that he often didn't.

And as much as he hated to admit it, they could easily be worthy of her, if they had already gotten as far as being her roommates, ones she seemed particularly fond of rather than simple necessity.

"Sasuke…" he broke through his musings at the sound of her voice.

She was trying to hide it, but he could tell that she was nervous. He met her gaze, silently telling her to proceed.

His gaze once more turned to the males behind her, each of them regarded him calmly, and Sasuke decided it was best to greet the ones he was familiar with first.

Neji happened to be the closest, so he moved forward to greet him first. As usual, he couldn't help but frown as he met his gaze, it was a reaction when he was near the Hyuuga prodigy, and now that he was also his girlfriend's roommate, the animosity he held for him only seemed to increase.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Hyuuga," Sasuke voiced, keeping his voice steeled.

Neji smirked, and Sasuke felt a trill of annoyance at the gesture.

"Welcome to my home, Uchiha," Neji replied, and Sasuke only felt his annoyance with the arrogant man increase.

Not only had he ignored his comment, but he had dared to gloat and assert his authority by taking claim of the house he would be staying in during his visit. If he had known he would have had to stay in the property of one of his least favorite rivals, he would have rather booked a hotel nearby.

Still, he refused to back down from the Hyuuga.

"Thank you for having me," he replied calmly, extending his hand in greeting, and pleased when the Hyuuga's smirk disappeared and was replaced by a frown, before he begrudgingly extended his own hand to shake his with a firm hold.

If he was going to be staying in the home where Ino stayed, he would at least be the bigger man, Sasuke decided.

He looked over to Shikamaru next. He looked the same as always, with his lazy slouch and face that looked to be bored as he stood and met his gaze.

"Nice to see you Sasuke," he spoke up, nodding in his direction but not removing his hands from his pockets.

Sasuke tried not to be offended by the fact, and simply assume that Shikamaru was not the formal type, and maybe shaking his hand was simply more "troublesome" as he imagined he would put it.

"Likewise, how have you been Shikamaru?" Sasuke acknowledged.

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Same as always it would seem," he replied, although Sasuke couldn't claim to know what same for the lazy genius meant.

"How are things going with you?"

"Well, thank you," Sasuke replied simply, choosing not to prolong the simple introduction more than he needed to. It seemed Shikamaru was thinking much the same, as he only nodded in response. He wasn't surprised to known that he wasn't the only one that wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

But as his gaze swept over to the two unfamiliar men in the room, he could still feel a new bout of curiosity at what kind of men they were. These two posed the greatest threat of all, since he knew nothing about them. An hour ago, he hadn't known that they existed, and now, he was aware that they lived in the same house as his girlfriend.

His gaze was met by deep blue eyes, and a grin spread across the lips of the unknown blonde.

"Yo," the man spoke first, a cheerful tone that sounded a bit too manly for his feminine looks yet still suited him perfectly.

"I'm Deidara," he continued, extending his hand out. Sasuke was able to catch a glimpse of a tattoo on his palms, and as he reached out his own hand to grip his, he was a little taken aback when rather than shake his hand, the man proceeded to give him what he could only describe as a "bro" shake.

Sasuke resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. He definitely wasn't sure what category this one belonged too.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he replied.

Deidara's grin seemed to increase.

"Oh, trust me, I know. I've heard a lot about you, un," Deidara replied, a knowing look in his eye that set Sasuke on edge.

"Wish I could say the same," Sasuke muttered, and resisted the urge to throw Ino a glare.

At his response, Deidara laughed.

"Well actually, I know your brother Itachi, un," he added, as if he knew what Sasuke had been thinking moments prior.

At this, Sasuke's eyes widened slightly.

He didn't know his brother to have many friends. Plenty of acquaintances perhaps, and certainly business partners and admirers. He couldn't say he knew who belonged in which category either, since he and his brother hardly ever talked when it came to their personal lives.

"Is that so?" Sasuke question, with a hint of interest in which category Deidara belonged to.

Deidara nodded.

"Yeah, un. Let's just say I totally hated his guts," the way Deidara admitted it as if he was talking about the weather caused Sasuke to smirk.

"That makes two of us," Sasuke replied, and Deidara laughed, raising a fist that Sasuke bumped with his own.

Despite the odd resemblance to his girlfriend, tattoos, and way this guy seemed to scream "frat boy", Sasuke could learn to like him based on that single fact.

Feeling slightly more comfortable with the knowledge that he knew more than he had known before about one of the unfamiliar men in the room, Sasuke turned to the final and what he considered the most enigmatic character of all. Something about the aura of this particular redhead put Sasuke on edge and raised the hairs on the back of his neck with trepidation. Sasuke wasn't the type to be unnerved easily, and certainly he wasn't in the face of this man, but he could tell that this was not the kind of man to be trifled with.

As he steadily met his powerful aquamarine gaze, Sasuke felt as if time slowed down as he took in the sharp lines of the man's face, the way his face was relaxed yet stern, his lips neither frowning nor smiling, and the way the Kanji on his forehead seemed to clash with the picture he presented.

Unlike Deidara, it seemed this particularly man wasn't going to speak first, and Sasuke was the first to extend his hand at the silent invitation.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he introduced himself, although he was sure the man had heard his name more than enough times to know it by now.

The redhead seemed to extend his own hand in a languid manner, but Sasuke was more than a little surprised by the strength behind the smaller man's grip on his hand. It was strong and firm.

"Gaara Sabaku."

For what must have been the umpteenth time that day, Sasuke found himself surprised. It wasn't so much the low and husky voice of the man that suited the rest of his disposition, but the realization of just _who_ stood in front of him.

"Sabaku? From Iwagakure?" Sasuke questioned, his hand still gripping the hand of the redhead.

Gaara did not answer, only nodded once in acknowledgement to his question.

Sasuke smirked, finally letting go of his hand as he leaned back.

"My family speaks highly of your family business. More than once they've considered approaching you with a partnership."

Despite the compliment and comment, Gaara's face remained the same.

"The possibility of business is always welcome to the Sabaku family, if approached correctly," he replied easily.

From what his father and brother had told him about the Sabaku family, Sasuke recalled that the youngest son was actually the one who was considered to be the one to take over the business despite having an older brother and sister. He wasn't sure if Gaara was that youngest son, considering the fact that he couldn't recall names. But from the way the redhead projected his presence, he was almost positive he was the one. Indeed, this was the kind of man you wanted on your side.

"That is good to hear," Sasuke added.

He was surprised when he felt a hand wrap around his arm, and he turned to the almost forgotten figure of his girlfriend, a cheerful smile on her face as she looked up at him. In the face of a possible business partner, he had almost forgotten just where he was, and was quickly reminded of the situation he was faced with.

"Well, these are my roommates," Ino spoke up, wrapping her arms around his arms and leaning onto his side.

Her warmth comforted him, and reminded him of what he had missed during their time apart. He still wasn't happy with the situation, but the anger and animosity that had filled him earlier had quelled. The events of the day suddenly caught up to him, and he felt weary. He wanted nothing more than to lay down and take Ino into his arms, even if it was under the roof of one of his rival's home.

"Well, now that introductions are done, un, there happens to be a victory party at Kiba's with our name on it…" Deidara started, hinting none to too subtly at the fact that this was not where he wanted to be.

"You're welcome to join us Sasuke, you can tell us how our University parties compare to yours, un," he continued, an encouraging grin on his lips as he slightly tilted his head.

As much as the thought didn't quite appeal to him, Sasuke was about to reply when he felt Ino's grip on his arm tighten harshly.

"I think Sasuke is worn out from his trip, and needs to get settled in," she replied for him in a sweet voice, the one he knew to mean, 'back off and let me have my way, or _else'_.

Deidara shrugged.

"Alright then. Don't have too much fun kids!" he called out, smirking as he grabbed onto Gaara and Shikamaru and began pulling them in the direction of the door. Neji silently followed, but not before throwing the couple behind him one last cautioning glance.

The other men sent a last farewell to the couple as they made their way out of the house, for reasons other than to party and celebrate their victory.

* * *

><p>Ino felt lighter as she pulled Sasuke up the stairs by the hand. The introductions had gone better than she expected, and it seemed to her that there was a good chance he liked at least half of her roommates. She hadn't known what to expect when Sasuke met Deidara and Gaara, but she was pleased with the result. And for the most part, she still had hope that Neji and Shikamaru would grow on him… maybe… okay so that would be a tougher feat. Like <em>way<em> tougher. Maybe impossible. But that was fine for her, she loved facing the impossible.

As she pulled Sasuke into her room, his luggage trailing behind him, she gave her room a once over, noting that it was just as she had left it. Her queen size bed was at the center of the room, with purple and white covers. Shelves, mirrors, and paintings decorated the walls, and in a corner was a desk with her laptop and a printer on it. She had wanted to paint the walls, but she figured it wouldn't be worth it since she was only a temporary resident.

"Welcome to my abode," she spoke, turning to her boyfriend and smiling as he too looked the room over and placing his suitcase in an open space against the wall where he stood.

"Cozy," he said simply.

Ino felt herself grow warm at the sound of his voice. It was so much better hearing him in person than it was through a phone or talking to him through text. She didn't want to think about how long it had been since she last heard him and saw him in the flesh. All she knew that it had been far too long, and although college kept her busy and distracted enough, it was as if having him in front of her reminded her of just how long it had been.

With that thought in mind, she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him closer as she pushed herself against him, burying her face in his chest and inhaling his masculine scent. He didn't like cologne, much to her dismay, but his scent was somehow more pleasant. He smelled of pine and the earth after a rainy day. And she loved it. And she suddenly realized she hadn't known she missed it like a person misses water after a long drought.

"I'm glad you're here," she said, nuzzling into his chest and feeling the warmth of comfort spread through her body at the feel of him.

He was really here.

She felt and heard the rumble of his chuckle on his chest, and the sound and sensation of it only made her feel warmer.

She felt his arms move to wrap around her, bringing her even closer to his form, and then one of his hands moved to massage her scalp as his fingers entwined through her loose blonde hair, making her sigh in contentment. She still didn't know how she had managed to attain this. She imagined that this is what heaven felt like. Heaven was the comfort of Sasuke's arms around her, holding her close, hearing his heartbeat and each breath he took.

She couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

As she looked up from his chest, the breath was almost knocked out of her lungs.

There was a small smile on Sasuke's face, and a warmth in his eyes that said more than words ever could. And it was that warmth that reminded her of what she herself sometimes forgot when he wasn't around, when it felt like he rather immerse himself in work than give some time to her, when she felt she would never be a priority in his life.

He loved her.

"Kiss me?" she asked softly, almost pleading, as she fisted her hands in his shirt.

She felt like her heart was going to explode, and she wondered how she could ever live life without him now. How could he ever think that she could ever have eyes for anyone else? Her eyes had always been on him and only him. It was the reason she was comfortable enough to room with four men, because she knew that there was no one that could ever take her away from the man that currently held her in his arms. Not the most handsome, smartest, artistic, or successful man in the world could make her fall like she had fallen for this man.

So what if he wasn't the most sociable, or the most affectionate, or the most talkative man in the world. Sasuke had plenty of faults, she knew this. But he was her greatest accomplishment. She had done what no one else could, and buried herself deep into his heart, opened it in a way no one else had before. She made him love her like she loved him. She didn't know if that was the healthiest relationship or not, but she knew that she didn't care. He made her feel happy, and warm, and at peace. And that was all she asked of him.

As Sasuke's hand moved from the back of her head to tuck back a strand away from her face, Ino leaned into his touch, smiling as he leaned forward, and closed the distance between them, his lips lightly pressing against hers.

She sighed against his lips, and stood on the tip of her toes to reach him better.

This was her favorite kind of kiss. Soft, slow, patient. The kiss that made time seem to slow down and spoke of love and not just passion or lust.

"Eek!" the surprised sound escaped her when she felt herself lifted up into the air, her feet leaving the ground and her legs instinctively wrapping around Sasuke's waist as he picked her up effortlessly.

She giggled and continued to kiss him softly as he walked her over to the bed and sighed as he gently sat her down on the soft mattress. The memory foam sank from the weight, and still kissing her, Sasuke pushed her back so she was on her back, and entwined his fingers with hers as he pressed himself down against her. Ino moaned, lifting up her hips and tightening the hold of her legs still around his waist.

Okay, so passion and lust was good too.

As Sasuke's lips began to trail kisses down her jaw, Ino craned her neck, letting herself fall into the sweet torture that she knew was to come. Sasuke enjoyed teasing her far too much, but at this point and time, she wanted this to last. Just as the last of her coherent thoughts began to fade, Ino took control at the very last moment, holding onto a particular thought that she didn't want to forget.

"Sasuke?" she asked breathlessly.

"Hm?"

"Ah!" she gasped as he sucked harshly on her collarbone, and Ino bit her lip, her hips arching upwards and she knew for a fact that spot would bruise.

"I… need you to do something for me," she managed to gasp out.

"What's that?" he asked, his hand stroking the inside of her thighs, and Ino whimpered.

God, she really didn't want to bring this up and risk the chance of ruining the moment. But if she kept making excuses, she would never solve this roommate problem.

"Ask them why they listened to me."

Sasuke stilled at her cryptic answer, and Ino was afraid she had been right and she had just ruined the moment.

But she was surprised when after a moment, Sasuke continued his ministrations.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>"They're probably gonna have sex all night, un."<p>

"Thanks a lot for that mental image."

A snicker.

"No one told you to imagine it."

No response.

"But I mean, can you blame them? I would too if I hadn't seen my girlfriend for months. Hell, I'd never let her leave the room, un. Hope they stocked up on Viagra."

Several sighs.

"Deidara?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

...

"You guys are such prudes, un. You need to be like Ino and get laid tonight."

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Realist:<strong> Things would be pretty dull without Deidara I would say. Haha. And I had to add SasuIno, after all, it's under romance for a reason. Felt super cheesy to me, but it's hard to write anything else when the drama of getting together has passed. After all, this story is about the roomies! And in the next few chapters I'll focus on the interactions between the precious Roomies and Sasuke, with Sasuke and Ino in between of course. _

_I'm open to requests and ideas on scenarios you would like to see happen between them(either with the Roomies or SasuIno)._

_Thanks again for the reviews, favorites, and follows! It means the world to me, and I'm sure that this story could come to a close within... I wanna say five chapters give or take. I have an idea for a special chapter for Sasuke and Ino too, and I'm still considering the idea of alternate endings with the rest of the roommates, but that will probably come after I finish this one. _

_That being said, let me know your thoughts and opinions! Hopefully I haven't lost too many of you. I think I'm getting a little better on updating._

_Review :)_


	12. Chapter 10

**R&R**

* * *

><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

**The Realist: Omg guys, fastest update yet! Guess I was too excited to get this rolling... hopefully it came out as good as it seemed in my head... enjoy as the tension unfolds :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

"You have to tell him Ino."

Sasuke paused as he made his way to his girlfriend's room. He had been getting a glass of water in the kitchen, but as he made his way back, the sound of her name being spoken by none other than her longtime best friend made him stop outside one of the doors that lined the second floor hallway, where he noticed the door was open just a crack, enough for him to hear the voices of the occupants in the room.

"I can't Shika!" the hushed sound of her distraught voice made him frown, and an unsettling feeling made its presence known in the pit of his stomach at the sound.

"Why not? He deserves to know what happened," Shikamaru continued, his tone exasperated.

"I know that! But I… I just can't Shika. It would hurt him too much, and he would hate me," her reply sounded regretful and resigned, but the context of the words exchange started to form an idea inside Sasuke's mind, an idea that made his heart rate increase as his grip on the glass of water in his hand tightened.

"What about me then, Ino? Don't you care about how _I_ feel in all of this?" this time Shikamaru's voice was angry, and it took all of Sasuke's strength not to barge in.

He needed to hear this. He needed to know just what it was they were talking about.

"Of course I do! You know how I feel about you! Nothing has changed!" she replied, her voice louder as if trying to assure the other man of the conviction behind her words.

"Then prove it to me Ino… tell Sasuke what happened between us," Shikamaru's voice was softer, calmer, and he heard a soft thump and an all too familiar feminine gasp.

"Shika…" her voice was breathless.

"Tell him how we kissed. How hard I fucked you, and how much you loved every second…"

The glass in his hands suddenly shattered at the force of his grip, but not even the feel of the cold temperature of icy cold water could calm the sudden wave of scorching anger that boiled in his veins and made him see red.

His vision blurred, and his thoughts suddenly halted as Sasuke barged through the door, his gaze immediately fixed on the two figures in the room, his anger increasing tenfold at the sight he was presented with.

_His_ girlfriend was pressed up against the wall, the larger figure of Shikamaru pressed against her small figure as her arms wrapped around his torso, her hands fisted into the back of his shirt, and a blush on her face as Shikamaru's face buried itself into the crook of her neck.

His blood felt like lava in his veins, and he wanted nothing more than to tear them apart, but the sight froze him where he stood, and he could only clench and unclench his hands into fists. He would have thought his presence would have been heard by the two, but it seemed they remained unaware of him as they became wrapped up in each other.

Shikamaru began to trail kisses along her neck and up her jaw, before his lips captured Ino's, who moaned lightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him deeper.

Sasuke felt his body grow numb.

_How… can this be happening…?_

* * *

><p>Sasuke inhaled sharply as his eyes snapped open, and even after he woke up from his dream, he could feel the dread in the pit of his stomach at what he had seen. His heart hammered in his chest and a one of his hands was fisted tightly in the sheet that he lay on.<p>

As his mind cleared and he took in the sight of the unfamiliar room, his gaze shifted to the weight on his side, and at the sight of Ino sleeping on his arm and leaning against his side, her arm splayed against his chest, an immense relief replaced the dread that had previously filled him.

_It was just a dream..._

The realization comforted him, and he took in a long breath that calmed the racing of his heart. He used the arm that Ino lay on to bring her closer to him, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin as if to reassure him that she was really there, and not in the arms of another.

He didn't want to admit to himself just how much that dream shook him up. He had never considered the idea of Ino cheating on him, even in the early stages of their relationship when he wasn't sure _what_ to expect from a relationship. Perhaps he had always been arrogant, thinking himself more than worthy enough to warrant the loyalty of any woman that he chose to date. Never before had he stopped to consider the idea that Ino would ever fall for another, or that she would stop loving him, or even get tired of him.

Truly, it wasn't a thought he wanted to think on, but he knew that it was always a possibility. After all, he had seen plenty of relationships and marriages fail. He would be foolish to think that he and Ino could ever be an exception. Her words once more came to mind.

_It sucks you know... Feeling like the person you love with all your heart only gives you 1% of their attention._

_Why should I share every aspect of my life if you won't do the same for me?_

He frowned, his jaw clenching at what those words could one day mean. What if one day she tired of his excuses, or his work ethic, and of not always coming first in the list of his priorities? He had always figured that Ino understood what work meant to him, that success and achievements and leaving a worthy legacy would always be his highest priority. He had found solace in the thought that Ino's love for him was enough to keep her within reach.

But what if one day that wasn't enough? What would stop her from turning to someone else for the love and attention that he was not there to give her?

He knew he was selfish, but he had never stopped to consider what that selfishness would cost him in the end.

He was suddenly angry, not sure at who or what, and he felt the need to get up and pace the room. The room felt too hot, and he tried his best to disentangle himself from Ino and not wake her as he move to get up from the bed. Thankfully, even in his agitated state, he was able to pull away from the warmth of his girlfriend without so much as stirring her. He pulled on the clothes he had on the day before, and noting the rays of the sun that seeped into the room, felt the urge to go outside and get some fresh air to clear his bothered mind.

As he made his way out the door and into the hallway, he hoped that he wouldn't run into any of Ino's roommates. They were the last people he wanted to see after his dream and the state of his thoughts. The last thing he needed was to get into a fight, since that's just what he suddenly found himself itching for.

It was so unlike him, and it angered him even more.

He made his way down the stairs, and considered where he should go. He didn't even know the layout of the house, having only been in a few rooms. Deciding that anywhere was better than standing at the bottom of the stairs, he walked towards the back of the house, and found himself in the kitchen and dining room area.

As he looked towards the fridge, his throat suddenly felt dry with thirst, but at the thought of grabbing a glass of water, his body stiffened as the dream resurfaced in his mind, and his hands clenched at his sides.

Instead, as he caught sight of the door that he knew would lead to the backyard, he didn't hesitate to walk towards it in order to get the fresh air he desperately needed.

The sun was warm as it came into contact with his body, quickly replacing the chill of the house, and Sasuke felt a wave of relief as he came into contact with the outside world. The confinement he had felt while inside disappeared as he took in the sight of the sky, clouds, and trees around him. This was just what he needed…

He took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the morning breeze caress his skin and make its way through his hair. His chaotic mind calmed at the serene feeling that nature always seemed to give him, and he was relieved when his previous thoughts came to a halt. He could think about it all later. If he tried to think about it now, he would only become angry again. And he knew he didn't think well when he was angry.

_Click_.

At the unexpected sound, Sasuke's gaze swiveled to the side, his eyes narrowing on the form of the man that sat on the porch. He was on the floor, despite a table being within reach. He sat with his legs crossed underneath him, his head leaning on one of his hands as the other placed a familiar tile on a board with similar tiles. His expression looked the same as ever, calm bordering on bored and uninterested, even as he played a game of shogi by himself. However, he was surprised to see that the familiar spiky ponytail was missing, instead, his dark hair was loose as it framed his face, and he was surprised to see that it reached just above his shoulders.

Still, his figure was unmistakable.

It was none other than Shikamaru Nara.

The absolutely last person he wanted to see in that moment.

He frowned and felt his body stiffen. It was irrational he knew, the anger that he suddenly felt was the result of the dream he had had. But once more he could picture Shikamaru's body pressed against Ino's, and the mental image was real enough to instantly make his blood boil.

Shikamaru must have felt his gaze on him, because he looked up and met his gaze. He looked back at him warily, but his expression remained passive. For what felt like a long tense moment, the two simply held each other's gaze, as if trying to determine what the other's intention was. For a moment, Sasuke considered simply turning around and returning to the house.

The thought however, was immediately dismissed. The thought of leaving felt to him as if he was retreating from the source of his discomfort. And Sasuke never turned away from a challenge. Even if Shikamaru wasn't directly challenging him.

Instead, he straightened, and walked in the direction of the lazy genius.

He was pleased when he saw his eyes slightly narrow, as if he wasn't expecting him to approach him.

_Good_.

"Isn't it a bit early to be up?" Sasuke questioned as he stopped a short distance from the man.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Ino tells me you like to sleep a lot," Sasuke clarified, not sure why he felt the need to.

This time, Shikamaru shrugged.

"Dunno. Just felt like enjoying the weather before it gets colder I guess," he replied.

"Hm," Sasuke replied, his gaze lingering on the shogi board on the ground and the play that displayed on it.

Shogi wasn't a favorite pastime of Sasuke's, but he knew and played enough to be a formidable opponent. After all, shogi was a good way of understanding the ability and strategic mind of others, and was often used in the business world as an excuse to humiliate someone and assert dominance in a subtle manner.

"Want to join?"

Shikamaru must have noticed him staring, and there was a glint to his eyes that made Sasuke bristle. It wasn't in Sasuke to say no to the offer. It was the same stubborn pride that refused to ignore Shikamaru and return to the house that caused Sasuke to nod, before he settled himself across the lazy genius, his own legs crossed underneath him. His blood still boiled in his veins, but Sasuke did what he did best when it came to facing an opponent. He steeled his face to reflect a calm and assurance that betrayed the true feelings just beneath the surface. He refused to let Shikamaru see the state that he was unknowingly responsible for.

Silently, the two returned their pieces to their respective sides until the board was set for the upcoming match.

"You can be black," Shikamaru said offhandedly.

Sasuke wasn't sure whether he should be flattered or offended at the invitation to go first. Shikamaru's voice betrayed nothing, his tone neither disdainful or sarcastic, telling Sasuke that he probably meant nothing by it.

After all, he knew that Shikamaru himself was a prodigy at shogi as he was with anything when he wasn't lazy. It was no secret to him that he had won several shogi tournaments, although he had never attended a large scale one. Although that was by choice rather than lack of skill.

Whether he went first or second probably meant little to someone with the skills of Shikamaru. Despite himself, Sasuke felt annoyed at the thought, and decided he could not take this game lightly.

After all, Sasuke knew his strengths and shortcomings. Unfortunately, his style was more brute strength than long term strategy. He was sure Shikamaru already had hundreds of ways to attain his goal, more than he himself was capable of. He would be surprised if he managed to get the upperhand.

And once more, the thought annoyed him and bothered him more than he knew it should. He didn't like the thought of being undermined by the lazy genius that Ino called her best friend.

"Very well," Sasuke replied.

If first or second meant little to Shikamaru, why should it mean any more to him? He would have to simply make the best of the situation. After all, the beginning of shogi was always testing the opponents strength, and getting a feel for their strategy. The true battle was yet to come.

True to his nature, Sasuke immediately took the offensive, and moved forward.

Shikamaru took only a short moment before moving his own piece.

For the first few moves, the two of them were silent as they alternated, each of their pieces moving and slowly revealing their respective strategies.

"I heard you were invited to the top university in the country," Sasuke spoke up, a different strategy in his mind as he began.

It seemed it was not lost on Shikamaru, his hand pausing as it moved to grab the piece in order to throw Sasuke a curious glance, before his hand continued on its way and moving his piece to the desired location.

_Click_.

"I was," he replied.

Sasuke gave the board a once over, thinking on his options before making a decision and choosing the desired piece.

_Click_.

"Why here?"

_With Ino_, was the silent question he didn't ask.

He was almost sure that Shikamaru still knew the second part to his question however, as a sigh escaped his lips.

"The top school in the country seemed too troublesome. Too many expectations, too much fuss over things that don't matter."

Even if he tried, Sasuke didn't think he could ever understand the mindset of the supposed genius. He didn't understand how status and accomplishments could mean so little to him.

"The only reason I came here of all places was because Ino made the decision for me. Said if I didn't make a decision soon she would make it for me. Did all the work and paperwork anyway, saved me the trouble."

_Click_.

It sounded just like Ino to take over for her lazy best friend and force him to attend the same college as her. She probably figured he would be lost without her too.

"She's fond of you."

_Click_.

It was a statement more than anything, and it wasn't lost on Shikamaru as he ran a hand through his loose hair and tucked it behind his ear.

"We've been friends for as long as I can remember. I imagine she sees me as the lazy older brother she has to take care of."

_Click_.

Sasuke knew what Shikamaru was trying to do. But it wasn't enough for Sasuke.

The movements they were able to make now carried more risk, and each of them had already captured a few pieces. Neither had the upperhand yet however, but Sasuke moved to change that.

"How do you see her?"

_Click_.

He placed the piece down with more force than necessary, and the sound resounded in his ears as Shikamaru slowly fixed his gaze on his. For what felt like a long moment, Shikamaru seemed to analyze his faze instead of the game being played on the board.

"It seems to me you already know."

_Click_.

Without even a moment of looking at the board, Shikamaru easily negated Sasuke's advance, and cornered his opposing piece.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, a frown forming on his lips as he noticed the advantage that Shikamaru had gained, and quickly realized what Shikamaru had done.

He had set a trap for him, given him a false sense of security, and he had walked right into it.

He would have berated himself if he wasn't suddenly preoccupied with the response Shikamaru had provided him with.

"I didn't expect such an easy confession."

_Click_.

At his response, Shikamaru smiled wryly.

"Would there be a point in denying it? It hardly makes a difference whether you suspect it or know the truth of it. So why not give you peace of mind?"

_Click_.

Sasuke eyed him warily. The bluntness of his words didn't sit well with him. We're it anyone else, he would have taken it as a challenge, a rival admitting his goal and intentions, a rival who wasn't afraid of admitting his feelings. With Shikamaru however... he could never know for sure. He couldn't see an angle to it.

"That's awfully gallant of you."

_Click_.

He didn't bother to mask the icy edge to his voice. Just because he had decided to be honest about his feelings didn't make him any happier to hear it. Even though he had been sure of his assumptions about Shikamaru, hearing it from the source itself didn't dull the apprehension that came from it.

"The way I see it, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to me and how I feel about Ino."

_Click_.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Why's that?"

_Click_.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm a simple guy. I don't ask for much, and my goals are just as simple. I'd prefer an easy life. All I want is a job that will make enough to provide for a simple wife, a simple family, and a simple house. Ino on the other hand... is anything but simple."

_Click_.

It wasn't hard to believe Shikamaru's words. In fact, Sasuke full heartily believed him. But somehow, that still didn't ease his thoughts on the matter.

"Do you mean to say she's not worth it?"

_Click_.

"It's not a matter of worth, but principle. Even if I were to chase after her, and somehow win her over, Ino isn't the type to settle for simple. But more than that, you are the man of her dreams, and the one she has always had eyes for. Even if I convinced her that her feelings for you were misplaced, there would come a day where she would regret her decision of leaving you. She would regret it and come to resent me for it."

_Click_.

Across the board, Sasuke could clearly see that Shikamaru continued to hold the advantage. He had already promoted his strongest pieces, and there were few moves he felt confident of making.

His advance on his king was evident, and he could feel the pressure of protecting him.

His throat felt parched, and the thirst that he had felt earlier seemed to return tenfold. The feeling of discomfort made him regret his decision of letting a silly dream control his actions to the point he couldn't think clearly, and now Shikamaru all but controlled the board.

"So you will give up on her?"

_Click_.

"I never considered the possibility of a romance with her. And you can't give up on something you never considered. I assumed that my feelings for her would simply fade with time, and I would settle down with a simple wife and forget that they ever existed."

Shikamaru's gaze lingered on the board, his expression stoic as he leaned his head on his hand.

"Besides, she's happy with you. You're everything she's ever wanted. You could provide her with luxury and extravagance that would be too troublesome for me. You would take her to fancy events, dinners, and parties and show her off like the gem that she is, and she would thrive in the attention and praise. That's who she is. To take her from you would be the same as taking a flower away from the sunlight and into the shadows*. She would shrivel and struggle to grow."

_Click_.

There was nothing but pure sincerity in Shikamaru's words, and the fact that he knew him to be a logical thinker added weight to his claim. In fact, the logic behind his words was what brought a shred of comfort to Sasuke, and he felt assured that Shikamaru was not the type to let feelings cloud his judgement. He was better than even he could hope to be it seemed.

"I'm glad to hear that."

_Click_.

"However..."

_**Click**_.

Despite the advantage Shikamaru already held, he made a particularly aggressive move, and Sasuke felt the pressure of being cornered at the sudden advance by an unexpected piece.

"Ino's friendship is important to me. In that regard, I will never give up on her. I will do anything and everything for her, if she needs it."

Sasuke instantly knew the double meaning to his words.

'_I won't let anything or anyone, even you, come between our bond.'_

It was a thinly veiled threat, but Sasuke had no intention of coming between them. He knew what Shikamaru meant to her after all, and he knew trying to come between them would only push her away if anything. It had already happened before after all.

As he turned his attention back to the board, Sasuke could see that Shikamaru had all but won their match. As the last of the pieces protecting his King were threatened by Shikamaru's surrounding force, he knew that it was only a matter of time before his King was captured.

"She'll never let you go."

_Click_.

Perhaps if he were anyone else, there would have been an edge of resignation to his tone. But he was Sasuke Uchiha, and weakness was not something he willingly showed.

Shikamaru said nothing, and as the match came to a close, Sasuke accepted the outcome.

"Tsumi**."

As Shikamaru placed his final piece and captured his King, Sasuke gave a single nod, before extending his hand. There was moment where Shikamaru seemed to eye the extended hand warily, before slowly reaching for it.

"Good game," Sasuke said as he let go of Shikamaru's hand.

Shikamaru nodded in acknowledgement, before taking the hair tie wrapped around his wrist and pulling back his hair.

Sasuke watched with mild curiousity. This was the first time he had ever seen Shikamaru with his hair down. He was almost tempted to voice his curiosity, but wondered why he was still there, the match was done, and his feelings on the matter of Shikamaru being one of Ino's roommates were settled for the most part. No longer did he see him as a threat, and although he still wasn't completely happy with the situation, he was more at ease.

Once more however, it seemed Shikamaru was one step ahead.

"Having my hair down significantly slows down my ability to plan ahead. I was trying to see by just how much before you came," he calmly replied.

Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch at the comment.

In other words... Shikamaru played worse with his hair down... and he had still dominated him in his match.

"Sasuke there you are!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, both men turned to see the lithe figure of Ino as she walked towards them. She looked beautiful in the morning rays of the sun, her hair loose and wearing a casual baby blue dress that brought out the blues of her eyes as she smiled brightly in her boyfriends direction.

As soon as she was within reach, she wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck and pecked him on the lips.

"Selfish boy. Leaving me alone in bed like that. You know how much I love waking up next to you."

At the warmth that she provided him, Sasuke couldn't help the smirk that spread across his lips as he leaned down and kissed his girlfriend fully on the lips, perfectly aware of the lazy genius as their audience.

Shikamaru may have won the silly game, but _he_ still got the girl.

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist: Okay so I have a lot to say on this chapter... first of all... who seriously thought Shika and Ino did the deed? Cause if you did... yay for me! That was the intention...<strong>

**Second... can we all agree that we would love to see a Shikamaru with his hair down more often. I personally think it would be a smexy sight...**

**Third of all, Sasuke is a sore loser... but whatever... he gets the girl in the end... am I right? **

***I was very proud of this metaphor... sue me. Cause Shika controls shadows... get it? Hehe.**

****I wasn't sure what the Japanese see version of "checkmate" is. I tried looking it up but couldn't find something without taking more time than I wanted. I thought I heard somewhere that it was "tsumeshogi", but found nothing concrete enough. So if anyone knows the correct word, don't hesitate to tell me so I can change it.**

**All in all, I think I did what I set out to do with these two. What did you guys think? I felt that their meeting might have still been kind of bland, but I planned on the exciting stuff happenin one on one between them. I have similar scenarios planned for the rest of the Roomies, so stick around and let me know what you think!**

**Review, all are very much appreciated and loved :)**


	13. Chapter 11

**R&R**

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><p><strong>Roomies<strong>

_**The Realist: Blah, I'm horrible, I know. BUT, this is my longest chapter yet! Why do my Neji chapters end up being longer than planned? I'm kind of at odds, with this chapter, but I also like it, so I'll leave it up to you guys to decide!**_

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

"What do you mean _no one_ else can come in?" Ino was practically screeching into the phone, her face showing every ounce of irritation she was feeling from the unexpected call. Her foot tapped impatiently as she listened to the person on the other end.

"I told you I'm not available this weekend! Ughhh, you're killing me here."

Sasuke watched as the face of his girlfriend went from irritated to pained, as if the person on the other line had said something to make her feel guilty.

"I know I owe you and I know it's not your fault our manager sucks, but even if it's only for a few hours... I just..." Ino looked over to her boyfriend longingly, and Sasuke understood what she was silently asking.

Sasuke reached for his girlfriend's free hand from where they sat in the kitchen table and squeezed it lightly.

"It's okay, I can go visit you at work," he said.

The relief that seeped into her face was instant, and she looked back at him apologetically before offering him a small smile.

"Okay fine Umi, I'll come in and help you out, but I swear to Kami, you better give me half of your tips for this!"

Sasuke knew she wasn't serious, as unhappy as Ino might be to have to leave him for work, he also knew she wouldn't be happy if she was unable to help a fellow friend or coworker if she could for selfish reasons, and she wouldn't stoop so low as to take money for her actions. She only wanted to give her a hard time.

"Ughhh, this sucks! Why do I have to be such a good person!" Ino pouted before leaning against Sasuke's shoulder.

Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer.

"Like she said, it's only a few hours, and I'll come visit you there. Will that make you happier?"

He felt her nod against his shoulder.

"Yes. But I rather do naughty stuff with you. And last I checked, a pub is not a good place for that..."

He chuckled lightly as Ino kissed his cheek.

"We can always do that after."

He turned his face to give her a kiss on the lips, and Ino eagerly responded, deepening the kiss that made him have to resist doing those naughty things right _then_. It seemed Ino must have thought the same, because with a groan and some effort she reluctantly pulled away.

"I have to get ready..."

"Hn."

* * *

><p>"Alright, so feel free to come whenever. I trust you'll be able to find the place but if not ask anyone or use your phone. There's food and drinks in the fridge if you get hungry or thirsty. When you come, drinks are on me, and don't get jealous when men and women flirt with me and I flirt back. Remember I do it for the tips."<p>

Sasuke had to resist the urge to raise an eyebrow as they stood at the door, Ino putting on her shoes. He felt like a child being left home alone for the first time.

"I'm still not happy about this, ugh."

Straightening up, Ino pulled her hair into its high ponytail before sighing and looking at Sasuke like a kicked puppy.

"You'll be fine, I'll be there before you know it."

Ino smiled before pulling him towards her, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning up so that they were only inches apart.

"I love you."

The sincerity and warmth in her voice never failed to unnerve him, and he felt his heart do that weird thing it always did when it came to Ino, and as he felt the familiar warmth spread through his body, Sasuke sighed before placing a kiss on her forehead. He almost didn't want her to go to work anymore.

* * *

><p>While it wasn't too late into the evening, Sasuke was aware that most of the occupants of the house had gone out, for reasons he wasn't sure of but didn't quite care for.<p>

He had to admit that it felt odd, that for once he wasn't working in one way or another. It was times like these that reminded him just how much time he dedicated to his work and studies, and while he felt oddly uneasy about not working, he also had to admit that having a break every once in a while really was liberating. While he would have preferred to have Ino by his side in that moment, he could also appreciate time alone. And the weather of this time of year was a little nicer than back at his own university, the very reason why once again, he found himself in the backyard of the house Ino occupied.

He had to admit, the backyard was probably the best aspect of this home. He felt truly surrounded by nature despite the fact that this was a fairly populated neighborhood, but Neji's family had made sure to keep a slightly traditional theme with the Japanese garden and pond that adorned the majority of the yard. As he traveled beyond the garden however, he noticed that there stood a building that from outside looked to be a small dojo. As the sun was already beginning to set, it was easy to see that the lights within the building were on, and the outline of a figure could be seen, moving in a manner that showed the occupant to be practicing a sort of martial arts.

Immediately, Sasuke knew that said figure could be but one person that lived in this home. Having nothing better to do, he figured there could be no better way to kill some time than to catch up with his old rival before he went to see Ino.

After all, there were still things he was interested to know. Things Ino wouldn't be able to provide answers to, and things only her roommates would know.

_Tap tap_

He knew the light tapping would be more than enough for Neji to hear, and as he watched his silhouette pause in its actions, it wasn't long before he gave him permission to enter.

As he entered, he wasn't surprised to see Neji regard him with a slightly guarded expression.

"Uchiha," he acknowledged, to which Sasuke nodded in return.

"Where's Ino?" Neji asked, seeing as no one else walked in after him.

"She was called into work for a few hours. I figured I could kill some time with you," Sasuke tilted his head slightly and flashed Neji a smirk that caused the long haired man to narrow his eyes slightly.

"Hn. I'm afraid there's not much I can offer you in terms of entertainment."

Sasuke walked further into the room, and looked around to see that it was indeed made to be a small dojo. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, considering that the Hyuga possessed their unique martial arts that they saw as an important aspect of their long standing lineage. It was practically expected for every member to know it, and he knew Neji to be one of the members that excelled in it.

"I beg to differ, a friendly spar is more than a suitable form of entertainment for us, wouldn't you agree?"

This time, it was Neji that smirked in response to his challenge.

"Are you sure there will be anything friendly about it?"

Sasuke chuckled.

"Now that you mention it... adding some stakes sounds a little more interesting. Just like old times?"

Neji scoffed, but the amusement in his lavender eyes wasn't lost on Sasuke.

"You call those impromotu after school spars old times? Don't make me feel old now."

"Well, how else would I have found out about your secret obsession with _Glee_?"

At the reminder of said knowledge, Sasuke took great pleasure in the red tint to that adorned Neji's otherwise pale complexion.

"I believe the next spar made sure you would tell no one."

Sasuke chuckled.

"You know I'm true to my word. As I know you are, the only reason why I'm willing to stake on the results of our matches."

Neji took a moment to regard Sasuke with contemplative eyes, and Sasuke knew from the shift in his stance what his answer would be.

"Very well then. But I'll warn you, I haven't let university life dull my training."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Seeing as you're training on a Saturday night, I believe you."

Not that Sasuke looked down on such habits. He knew if he was at his own university he would be working on something or other as well. Not like his roommates who would be at parties, hell, maybe even the ones hosting one. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he saw Neji's training a thousand times more productive than the parties most university students attended on a regular basis. It was more than he could say for his own martial arts skills.

"What stakes do you have in mind?"

Sasuke didn't have to ponder the question. As he moved to stand in front of Neji, he already knew the answer.

"Let's keep it simple and familiar. Whoever wins gets to ask 3 questions max, and the loser will answer them truthfully. Any objections?"

Neji smirked.

"None. The more baggage I have on you the better."

As Neji took on the familiar stance of his trademark fighting style, Sasuke took on his own defensive stance. Experience told him that any match with Neji was not an easy one, given that the man excelled in martial arts that focused on the offensive. His best course of action was to stay on the defensive until he saw gaps form in Neji's attack, not that those were easy to spot either. Although the two were almost evenly matched, he had to admit that if they truly kept score there was no doubt in his mind that Neji would have slightly more wins on his side.

Too bad they didn't live in a world where he could create fire balls and lightning attacks. He was sure in a world with supernatural abilities he would be the stronger of the two. Unfortunately, in this world he had only his body to rely on.

"Don't disappoint me... _Uchiha_!"

Sasuke saw as Neji's body tensed, and readied himself just as he sprung. He was glad to see that despite the time the two hadn't seen each other or sparred together, his body remembered the rhythm and patterns of Neji's attacks, and although he still struggled with the first few strikes, it took only a moment before he found his own rhythm.

He was able to counter almost every blow, but the blows that did reach him definitely stung. He hoped there would be no bruises to have to explain to Ino later. He was sure she wouldn't take kindly to the two sparring; despite how many times they had done it in the past.

"Looks like your skills haven't dulled either," Neji commented, just as Sasuke winced from a blow that made its mark.

Sasuke took the opportunity of Neji speaking to take to the offensive, feigning to one side before managing to land his own hits. Fortunately for him, Neji wasn't as good on defense as he was on offense. After all, it wasn't as if he had some sort of 360 degree rotation that he once said he wished he had.

"You're not the only one that likes to keep every weapon in their arsenal sharp, _Hyuga_," Sasuke hissed, just in time to block a punch and kick combo that pushed him to the side slightly.

As was characteristic of their matches, a long moment of the two alternating between defense and offense took place, until both were sweating and struggling to control their breathing from the drawn out fight. Their muscles were beginning to burn, but both tried to hide it as they continued. It was rare when one was able to gain the upper hand easily, unless one or the other was distracted. Which was the case when Sasuke took a misstep and was rewarded with a particularly hard blow.

"What's wrong Uchiha, suddenly thought of something better than our fight?"

Sasuke smirked, ignoring the new pain on his left side.

"Yeah actually, I'm thinking about how Ino must miss me right now."

Neji cocked an eyebrow, and Sasuke knew he was surprised by his comment. Sasuke never brought up Ino when it came to their interaction, or anything personal for that matter.

"I still don't see what she sees in you."

Neji replied, quickly executing another attack.

"What's there not to see? I have looks, brains, talent, and a successful family behind me."

At the answer, Neji smirked.

"Interesting... by that logic, she could be interested in me too then..."

At his words, Sasuke tensed.

"After all, I'm all those things you mentioned... and more. Did you know... that she often comes to me for help with her studies? I know her daily schedule, and we often go jogging. She hates it because I refuse to match her pace, but likes the challenge of keeping up."

Neji saw the look in Sasuke's eyes darken with an all too familiar emotion, and he felt himself smirk. It seemed even Sasuke Uchiha wasn't immune to some psychological attacks when it came to Ino.

"You know she's in a good mood when she cooks breakfast for everyone, and you know that school is taking its toll on her when she starts drinking my tea."

Sasuke lunged at Neji, renewed fire in his blood as something primal reared up inside of him, only increasing when Neji easily dodged him.

"Surprisingly, she doesn't get mad when someone forgets to leave the seat down in the bathrooms. She takes long baths before a test, but short showers on a normal basis."

Sasuke knew he was being goaded, that Neji was saying all he was because he knew that it bothered him. Neji was all too perceptive when it came to reading others, but even though this is what logic told him, something else just wanted to make him stop talking. The part of him that was suddenly reminded of the implications of his girlfriend living in a house with men that weren't him. The thoughts that had assaulted him for the first time when he saw who Ino's roommates were.

"I might invite her to spar with me sometime. It would be fun, to teach her something new. I'm sure she would be up to the challenge, and then I would have a reason to pin her down, and show her what she's missing."

Sasuke saw red.

Before his mind could catch up to his actions, his body was already in action, rage coursing through his veins and finding some hidden source of energy and power that gave him the push needed to send a barrage of attacks on Neji's person, managing to push him back until Neji lost his footing and Sasuke delivered the final blow, sending a powerful punch to his stomach, only to grab him and slam him down on the ground, pinning him harshly against the wooden floor.

As Neji sputtered and tried to ease the pressure from Sasuke pinning him with his arm against his throat, he knew he had crossed a line.

"You win."

Only once Neji admitted defeat did the red fade from Sasuke vision, and he reluctantly let go of the struggling Hyuga. If it weren't for what Neji has said, he might have apologized for the rough treatment as he watched the prodigy rub at the area around his throat where he had all but put his entire weight on.

"I hope you realize I wasn't serious, Uchiha."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he took a seat across where Neji was not sitting up.

"I didn't take you for the type to say things you don't mean, Hyuga."

Neji scoffed.

"Only if it's to get under your skin. Seems it worked, a little _too_ well."

Sasuke took satisfaction in the displeasure on Neji's face, and folded his arms in front of him. Still, he didn't intend to waste time on idle chit chat. He had won, and he didn't intend to stay longer than necessary. He suddenly had an increased urge to see Ino.

So he asked his question.

"What's something only you know about Ino, that she might not want me to know?"

The way that Neji snapped his head to look at him, and the way his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed told Sasuke he had asked the right question.

"I forgot just how clever you can be... and why you're not my favorite person."

Sasuke didn't answer, and merely waited for Neji to respond. A stretch of silence passed, and Sasuke was able to see that Neji struggled with himself, that this was a question that he was not pleased to answer.

While at any other time he might have been pleased, the nature of this question only set Sasuke on edge, because it meant that Ino had kept something from him. Something that Neji knew. And if Neji looked so conflicted, then it wasn't something as simple as knowing Ino's routine.

Finally, Neji sighed.

"Of all the things you could have asked... you asked the one question that threatens my promise to Ino. I will answer it, but know that this is something Ino didn't want you to know, and asked me not to tell you. The only reason I will tell you, is because I believe you should know, and I know Ino might be too prideful and stubborn to tell you herself."

Neji's disclaimer only made Sasuke tense, and his hands clenched into fists as he continued to look at the man in front of him. He wasn't sure what to expect him to tell him. He didn't think Ino was the type to keep anything from him, and to hear that she _had_ made alarms go off in his head.

"The first time I saw Ino here was at a party. I hadn't wanted to go but some friends dragged me there. She was a freshman and it was only a few weeks into the first semester. I saw her talking to several people, but she didn't look exactly happy to be there, so I didn't approach her. She didn't stay long. And since I was near the entrance of the place, I saw when she left. I was by a group of guys that I overheard talking about her. It was obvious that they were intoxicated, and I heard one tell the others that he was sure he could get lucky with her that night."

"I've known Ino long enough not to take kindly to the man's intentions, or be trusting of his inebriated state, so when he went after her, I followed them. The man seemed harmless at first, but when he pulled her through a park I became doubtful of any honest intentions he might have had. It was a good thing I did, because it wasn't long before he tried to force himself on her."

Neji could practically feel the temperature in the room increase, but looking the Sasuke, no one would know that the killing intent that suddenly radiated from him, anyone else would have missed the tenseness in his every muscle, and the barely restrained anger that flared only in his obsidian eyes.

"I stopped him immediately, and left him unconscious on the ground. I took Ino home with me, she was obviously shaken and upset, and I wanted to make sure she was okay before taking her back to her dorm."

Neji smiled, the sort of smile someone makes when they can't believe a situation, regardless of the enraged state he knew Sasuke to be in.

"That same night, she asked me to train her. Leave it to Ino to already search for a solution when she's feeling vulnerable. Anyone else wouldn't have wanted to talk about it that soon, but Ino looked as determined as the day she stood in front of the entire school and told everyone that nothing they tried would break you and her apart. So obviously I agreed. After all, it would be good for her to learn to defend herself, especially in a college campus when things of that nature happen more often than one would like."

"When I told her she should report the guy who assaulted her, she refused, claiming that starting her university career as a helpless victim was not what she wanted. She didn't want pity parties or any special treatment of any kind. So she made me promise not to tell anyone. I hated the idea of that man walking around freely of course, so I made sure to threaten him thoroughly after the fact. Still, seeing him pisses me off."

Sasuke found it hard to concentrate on the words that Neji spoke. The blood in his veins boiled and only one thing coursed through his mind.

Someone had _dared_ to touch _his_ Ino, in ways _no one_ but him could touch her. They tried to do it _against her_ _will_, in the middle of the night.

As he imagined the scenario in his head, his hands clenched tighter into fists, his nails digging into his palm.

How fucking _dare_ they.

Sasuke was livid. He wanted nothing more than to find the man who did it and show him the true meaning of hell on earth. He wanted to break him piece by piece, tear every bit of his very being until there was nothing but the shell of a man in his worthless body.

But he wasn't the only one he was angry at.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

This time, Sasuke hadn't tried to hide the anger in his voice, his tone practically a hiss as he looked up at Neji, who sighed. He adjusted his hands in front of him, as he interlaced his fingers together and placed them on his lap.

"I tried to convince her to tell you, I felt that you deserved more than anyone to know. But she was insistent. I told her that if she didn't tell you, I would. When I said that, she was angry. But I was insistent too. I wanted her to tell you, but I would do it if I had to. When throwing a fit didn't work, she became panicked, and begged me not to tell you.

She said that she was ashamed, that she didn't want you to see her as weak and unable to take care of herself. That she wanted you to see her as the strong independent woman that she had always wanted to be, that she didn't want you to think any differently of her. I told her that was ridiculous, that you wouldn't see her any differently, that you loved her regardless.

She told me I didn't understand. That it was more than that. She said that if she told you, you would feel angry at yourself. That you would blame yourself for not being there when she needed you, and she wanted nothing more than for you to be able to focus on your goals. She said she didn't want to burden you with a problem that was solely hers."

Sasuke wanted to call her an idiot, but he knew she was anything but one. But it was ridiculous, for her to think that this was not a problem of his. Anything that affected her, anything that encroached on her happiness and well-being _was_ his problem. Anytime she was anything less than happy, he _wanted_ to know, because if she wasn't happy, than it was his duty as her partner to make sure she was. If there was anything he could do, he _wanted_ to know, and he _wanted_ to do it. He knew what that kind of assault could do to the psyche of a person, and he hated the fact that no matter how strong Ino was, this-this _trash of a worthless human being_, had on some level, made a kind of damage that he hadn't been there to help soothe or fix.

Once again, she proved to him how utterly selfless she could be when it came to him.

And that was probably what angered him the most. How could she be as selfless as putting _him_ ahead of something like _that_.

"Thank you."

Neji wouldn't have been able to hide his surprise even if he wanted to. The killer intent that had radiated off Sasuke like a furnace on blast had died down to an amber glow, and the sincerity in his voice was genuine.

"Thank you for being there for her through it all."

For once, Neji felt uncomfortable. Their roles had always been rivals, and the words they said to each other were less than kind most of the time. They were rivals in every sense, from opposing families, with different ideologies, but in a way, they were more similar than he often wanted to admit. Both felt the need to overcome someone or something, both felt as if they had to work harder to prove their worth, even to each other. A part of him always knew that on a certain level, he respected Sasuke. After all, was that not in the very definition of a rival? To see someone as a rival practically demands that you see this person as an equal, someone that you must prove your worth to and work to keep up with and not to fall behind.

And if that realization and Sasuke's words told him anything, it was that the feeling was mutual.

"She's a good person."

Neji was putting it lightly of course. Ino was an amazing person. She had his respect and admiration. After all, Ino was a strong, hardworking individual who strived to be the best she could be, all the while helping others when she could. It was the very reason he lived in a house of an odd assemble of people that he had never thought he could grow to care for.

Sasuke sighed, and unfolded his legs from under him as he moved to stand up.

"Now if you recall, I have 2 more questions to ask."

Neji's eyes narrowed, but he nodded, already knowing what he would ask, and choosing to ignore the fact that Sasuke had actually asked a second question already, although he probably hadn't realized it.

"One; who was the scum responsible?"

He was right, but found that he had no qualms answering this question.

"His name is Zaku Abumi."

Sasuke found he already hated the sound of that name. _Trash_ and _piece of shit_ would be more accurate.

"Two; where can I find him?"

Neji smirked, and told him the most likely place on a Saturday night; his frat house.

"Do you want me to come with you? It would be easier to find it."

Sasuke shook his head.

"No thanks. I'll do this on my own. Besides, you already had your share. He's all mine now."

Neji nodded.

"Fair enough. You can take my car if you want. It'll be faster to get there, and it has a navigation system."

Sasuke looked at Neji, and found that any anger or resentment he had had with the knowledge that Ino had gone to the lavender-eyed man instead of him lessened. It was still there, but he knew that Neji was not at fault. And in that moment, he knew that there was something else they shared; their protectiveness of Ino and their hatred for the same scum on Earth who dared to touch her. And right now, he was doing him a great favor, the greatest favor he could ask in that moment.

"I'll take you up on that."

In that moment, they found common ground. Because he hadn't had to offer his car, and in reality, he hadn't had to answer his questions, especially knowing that it would mean breaking his own promise to Ino. Neither of them had ever truly been obligated to answer each other's questions or fulfill their dares, but they did, because at the end of the day, they respected each other enough to fulfill their end of the deals.

But also, he heard his silent request.

_Make him pay._

* * *

><p>Finding the frat house was easy, and he hoped that finding his target would be just as easy.<p>

Many cars lined the street, some even parked on the lawn of the large frat house, so he knew that Neji had been right when he said the frat house that his target was a part of was hosting a party.

As he neared the front of the house, the anger that had calmed while he had talked to Neji resurfaced at just the knowledge of being closer to the piece of trash he wanted to eliminate.

As he got closer, and the sound of music drifted to his ears, he ignored the guy at the entrance asking for a cover charge, the look he sent his way enough to let the guy know he wasn't here to play games, making him successfully back off when he tried to grab his arm and prevent him from going in.

"Where's Zaku?" he asked, his voice dripping with promises of hurt if he didn't answer him.

"I think he's in the backyard…"

Sasuke nodded, and as he made his way through the halls of the house, ignoring the curious looks and advances others made to him, asking if he was new and if he wanted a drink. In the end, he only had to a few more people for Zaku before he was able to pick him out from the crowd in the backyard as the girl next to him pointed at him. He was in the middle of a game with sandbags, a drink in hand, and laughing.

He was fucking _laughing_, as if such a piece of shit like him deserved to laugh after what he had done.

The anger in his veins increased tenfold, and Sasuke clenched his hands into fists. He wanted to humiliate him, then and there, for all his friends to see.

But Sasuke was better than that. This was a private matter, and he would respect Ino's wishes for that privacy. He wouldn't want this to get out of hand and people asking questions and digging into the matter. But he was also a businessman, and these were too many people with the ability to spin too many stories, and cause problems he didn't want to deal with. He wanted only one thing, and he needed only Zaku for it.

So without pause, he walked right up to the black-haired man.

"Are you Zaku?" he asked, and the man paused from his game to look at Sasuke.

"Yeah, who are you?" Zaku looked back at him with suspicion and curiosity, clearly not recognizing the man in front of him.

"You're part of the Abumi family, who recently started doing well in the Wind Energy industry, correct?"

Zaku's eyes narrowed as his suspicion grew, and had the audacity to take a long drink from his cup before answering.

"Yeah, so?"

With every syllable that came out of his mouth, the more Sasuke had to restrain the boiling anger that threatened to show itself.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, and if you don't come with me, I will make sure the company your family has worked so hard for becomes just another asset for the Uchiha Corporation."

Zaku's eyes widened, and Sasuke knew he had reason to. Anyone in the business industry knew who the Uchiha Corporation was, and just how true on his threat he could be if he wanted to, specially toward a recent business that couldn't compare to the long-standing establishment that belonged to the Uchiha's.

Zaku pursed his lips, but reluctantly set his drink down, and Sasuke knew he was following when he turned around and started leading out of the frat house, leading him down a sidewalk away from it, not pausing to look back but knowing he was being followed by the sound of footsteps behind him.

He didn't talk as he made his way towards his destination.

"Can you just tell me what this is about man? What the fuck do you want? How do I even know you're telling the truth?"

The anger in his veins continued to grow hotter, how dare this man ask him questions as if he had such a right? But Sasuke did not answer, letting his anger build up for the perfect moment to unleash it. Now was not the time.

Sasuke felt his anticipation grow, as they turned onto the park that he had seen on his way to the frat house, and turned into it, enjoying the sound of Zaku's hesitation before he continued to follow after him.

When Sasuke deemed they were far enough in, he turned to face the man responsible for his current anger, and this time, he didn't hide it.

Zaku practically felt the animosity coming from the man, and he had to force his body to straighten and hold his own.

"Can you just fucking tell me what this is about?"

"Does the name Ino Yamanaka ring any bells?"

Zaku's eyes widened, before he quickly steeled his face into a neutral one, telling Sasuke everything he needed to know on the matter.

"Yeah, what about her?"

"She's my girlfriend. We've been together for almost four years now you see," he steeled his voice to sound calm, smooth, and languid, contrasting against the intense look in his eyes.

Zaku's eyes narrowed, but Sasuke didn't miss the way the man tensed.

"So you can imagine how I felt, when I heard that a _piece of shit like yourself tried to rape her_."

At his comment, Zaku laughed.

"You're kidding right? I think you have the wrong guy, I never did such a thi—"

But before he could even finish his sentence, Sasuke lunged and wrapped his hand around his neck.

"You're a terrible liar."

This time, Sasuke's voice dripped with hatred and malice, his grip tightening as the trash in his grasp struggled to free himself, but Sasuke placed just enough distance between them that his attempted kicks didn't reach him.

In a burst of speed, Sasuke slammed Zaku against a nearby tree with enough force to make the guy see spots dance against his eyes and lose his bearings. Not hesitating, Sasuke let his anger consume him, and a grin spread across his features at the prospect of what he was going to do to this piece of trash, his fist drawing back only to uppercut into Zaku's stomach.

Zaku doubled over against Sasuke, pain radiating throughout his body and his breath suddenly knocked out of his lungs. But before he could even gather breath in his lungs, Sasuke grabbed ahold of his face, and once more slammed it against the tree behind him, causing him to see more black spots.

Sasuke wanted to do more. He wanted to absolutely _wreck_ him, to disfigure him with punches to the point no one would be able to recognize him, to the point that he would have to live as an invalid for the rest of his life, and suddenly nothing less seemed worthy enough of a punishment.

But he couldn't, because even that would be too merciful.

"You… can't do this… I'll sue you for assault…" as Zaku struggled to speak through coughs, Sasuke resisted the urge to laugh, instead, backhanding the man so that he was sent flying and rolling across the grass.

Making his way over to the cowering form, Sasuke harshly went down on him, digging his knee into his stomach and finding a form of satisfaction as Zaku spit up blood, only to kneel down next to him and grab him by the hair and dragging him up to his level.

"You can try me _trash_, but I can guarantee you, that no lawyer your family comes up with will stand a chance against the lawyers under _my_ disposal. You see, I will never forgive you for daring to try and violate my girlfriend, and I will make sure that your every waking moment, you live looking over your shoulder, because I will do everything in my power to make sure that you lose _everything_. I will have people watching you 24/7, and at the slightest slip on your part, whether it be as small as jaywalking, you will be sent to jail to rot for _ever_ trying to touch a girl that didn't want to be touched."

Sasuke looked at the way Zaku held onto his stomach and curled in on himself, as if that would be enough to protect him against him. If anything, it made him angrier, and he moved to grab each arm and pull it behind him, his foot pushing against his back.

"You seem very _attached_ to these arms of yours. It would be a shame if you weren't able to touch _anyone_ for a while…"

Zaku's eyes widened when he felt the man behind him tug at his arms, and realization sunk in.

"No… wait… what are you—_ahhhh_!"

The disgusting pop that followed was like music to Sasuke's ears, and the limpness that became the rest of Zaku's body.

It was only when Zaku fainted that Sasuke realized what he had done.

"Shit."

He muttered. Now what was he supposed to do with an unconscious beat up body? He was supposed to go to Ino's work, but he couldn't just leave him lying here and wait for him to be found either, as much as the idea appealed to him.

"Shit is right…"

Sasuke turned to the familiar voice only to see Neji coming towards them, eyeing Zaku's body on the ground with disgust.

"You might have gone too far," he said, and Sasuke knew that he was right, but refused to admit it.

"It's only dislocated shoulders. He won't die from it," Sasuke defended.

"But he might from head trauma or internal bleeding," Neji was quick to retort, and Sasuke frowned.

"So you saw everything?" he asked and Neji raised an eyebrow.

"You think I would actually let you go unsupervised in your state? Of course I followed you and made sure you didn't go too far, explaining to Ino why you were in jail wouldn't have been a pleasant experience at all. I should have stepped in earlier but, I admit it was too good to watch."

The two prodigy's shared a look of understanding and smirked. Sasuke was surprised when Neji knelt down and grabbed Zaku, hoisting him up but not very ceremoniously.

"I'll take him to the hospital and say I found him like this, but it's on you to keep his mouth shut, not that I think you'll have any trouble with that."

Sasuke felt his body relax with relief and gratitude.

"I owe you one."

Neji resisted the urge to roll his eyes, settling for a scowl instead.

"I hardly think that's enough. Just make sure not to cause any more trouble while you're here."

Sasuke smirked.

"I make no such promises. But for you, I'll try."

This time, Neji did roll his eyes.

"Just go see Ino, you took long enough as it is. Knowing her, she's either really worried or really angry, or both."

Sasuke frowned, realizing how true that was, and he wouldn't be surprised if he had several missed calls from her on his phone he left in the car.

"Thanks again, Neji."

"Don't mention it, Sasuke."

* * *

><p><strong>The Realist: Oh gosh I know it's been so long, but I promise you this story is not dead! It's just being a young adult means there's a lot to keep up with, and finding muse and time to write is reallllyyy hard. But I actually planned out the rest of this story so it's only a matter of waiting for muse to strike. Even as I rush to post this, I have to be at work in a bit, and I'm not even ready! But I really want to post this before I leave.<strong>

**So anyway, here's Neji's chapter! I'm honestly not sure what I wanted to happen with them... and this kinda just took it's own route. I feel like this revolved more around Sasuke and Neji's relationship, and I noticed in past chapters that I wrote these two out to seem like they hated each other's guts, and this chapter was meant to kind of change that perspective I guess. I really do see them as rivals, and like I explained through them, having a rival means that you have to acknowledge them on some level, and this shows that they do have respect for each other, but as with every rivalry, there's competition and some animosity. **

**But either way, they both do care for Ino, and although I didn't touch on Neji being romantically interested in Ino, finding out that your girlfriend was almost raped and Neji saving her kinda trumps any insecurities Sasuke might have had about their relationship, when you think about it. So obviously Sasuke is gonna make beating the shit out of Zaku his priority, and how can he not be grateful towards Neji? In this universe, he's not that petty.**

**As you might have noticed, I love bringing in elements of canon Naruto into this world, so I had to add the scene when Sasuke goes curse mark with the fight against Zaku and the arms thing. **

**Also, I wanted to emphasize that at the very end, Sasuke and Neji's relationship really does turn for the better. Throughout the chapter, they refer to each other by last names, but at the end, they call each other by their first name. I guess this takes on the whole Japanese way of being familiar, and how being on a first name basis is a huge step in how close people can be. I'm sure Ino will be pleasantly surprised, and Sasuke will feel better knowing Neji is one of her roommates.**

**Ahh okay I'm done!**

_**Up next: Deidara! And a plot twist you probably didn't expect!**_

**Gotta rush to work now! Let me know what you thought of this chapter! :)**


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