they say that a hero can save us (closed)

[cosmosic]

who. ino and naruto
what. ino finally confronting the loss of her father, naruto is there as a friend
where. their apartment 710-k
when. after this
warnings. INO FEELINGS

[Liara had said that everybody mourns differently but Ino thought her way of mourning didn't really count because there had been no mourning at all until now. She had been so busy with the clinic, rebuilding the Zeta district between that, she had made sure she always had something to do, someone to talk to so her thoughts couldn't stray too much.

Because she knew exactly where they would go.

But maybe now was the time to mourn. The first tears had already fallen, the seal had been broken, and when she finally closes up her omni-tool the memory is fresh in her mind, his voice is as clear as it had been the first time she heard him.

'You grew up just like the meaning of the bush clover ... which is the purple flower symbol of the Yamanaka clan.'

A positive love...right?

'That's not the only meaning. What I feel most proud about as your father ... are your feelings ... towards your friends. You were able ... to blossom as a beautiful bush clover.'

A sob rips out of her throat before she buries her face in her hands, shoulders shaking and trembling.]

Comments

[obstinates]

[Well, with Goku-chan the pyjak AWOL and probably raiding somebody's cabinets for food, Naruto decides it's about time to head back to the apartment again and relax a little. It's been an exciting few days, that's for sure, but he needs to limit his activity so he doesn't need a shower even more than he already does.

So the door shuts behind him and he whistles quietly to himself as he glances around the little apartment.]

Hey, Ino! I'm home. Again. Y'know.

[cosmosic]

[She jerks her hands off her face at the sound of Naruto returning. She hadn't expected him so soon and she doesn't know what to do when it's obvious she's been crying. Maybe he wouldn't notice. Naruto wasn't observant about those sorts of things.

So she rubs furiously at her wet eyes to try and get rid of some of the evidence.]

I'm in here. Where did you go this time?

[Except when she speaks it's a croak, like one of his toads. She cringes at the sound of it.]

[obstinates]

[He may be dense, but anybody would notice that croak. The blond lifts an eyebrow and pops his head into the doorway of where Ino's at.]

What was that? Is there a toad in here?

[And it's also obvious from her face that she's been crying.]

Uh... you okay?

[cosmosic]

[She makes sure she turns to face away from him and tries rubbing at her eyes a bit more,subtly. Why now, Naruto? Why do you have the worst timing?]

I'm fine! There's no toad. Though with the way you bring random animals in here I wouldn't be surprised.

[obstinates]

Goku-chan was lonely!

[He grumbles a little to explain himself and then shuffles into the room, slowly inching around to get a better look at her face. Being the Captain Obvious that he is, he quickly points.]

You're crying. Are you hurt or somethin'? What's wrong? Did somebody break in?

[cosmosic]

[She looks at the finger in surprise and then pushes it away, glancing to the side.]

Pointing is rude!

[There's a small pause before she sighs, eyes trailing to her lap and her face going somber.]

No, it's nothing like that...

[obstinates]

[This is awkward, and it's made even worse by the fact that Naruto is very socially awkward.]

You, uh... wanna talk about it?

[cosmosic]

[She shoots him A Look but then sighs in defeat, dropping her gaze again.]

... I was thinking about my dad.

[obstinates]

[Naruto's look immediately sombers because he knows all about that. Right before coming to this space station they'd been on the battlefield, and during that battle, Ino's father had been killed. Naruto remembers distinctly asking about Shikaku and Inoichi.

He silently sits down in front of her and waits, his hands settling in his lap.]

[cosmosic]

[Ino had never opened up to Naruto like this. There wasn't a need when she had Shikamaru or Chouji or Sakura. But she realizes he's the only one here and the only one she really can TRY to open herself up to a little.

She appreciates his silence and obvious show of he's listening. She never thought he would be considerate like this to her. They're friends, so why not?]

I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet! First Asuma-sensei and then ...!

[She stops here, holding back another sob but two droplets of tears following earlier trails on her cheeks.]

[obstinates]

[Ah, crap. Tears. Now he feels even more awkward.

But his understanding outweighs that social awkwardness since he kind of knows what she's going through. After all, he lost his sensei too, and as for parents... well that's an entirely different can of worms.

He still doesn't know what to say, but he does move from his spot to sit next to her instead of across from her, a bit like Shikamaru had done when Naruto lost Jiraiya.]

[cosmosic]

[She can't help it anymore, she has tried to keep from crying but now that she actually had time to miss him, to remember. There's a few hiccups and she moves to bury her face again, her sounds miserable but muffled into her hands.

For a while, the only sound is her quiet wailing and sobbing.]

[obstinates]

[Ahhhh, he should really do something. He just doesn't really know what to do, and he's pretty sure suggesting ramen wouldn't cheer her up like it would him. Hell, back when he lost Jiraiya, he didn't even want it himself.

He reaches over and rests his hand on her shoulder since all he knows to do is let her know he's there.]

[cosmosic]

[That's enough. Just to know someone is there, even if it's Naruto and they aren't that close at all. If she didn't have him, she would be completely alone and left to deal with this by herself. That sounds so much worse than it does now.

She cries for a bit longer and then lifts her head, eyes red and cheeks wet. The last time she had Chouji to be her support when she cried over Sasuke. She really did have good friends.]

Thanks, Naruto. I know we're not close like you are with the others, but I'm glad you're here.

It'd be a lot more quiet without you. [And lonely.]

[obstinates]

[That makes him give her a small smile. Sure, they weren't that close, but they're still friends. Here on Omega, they're teammates too.]

You're a lot tougher than me, Ino. When I found out ero-sennin died...

[He was a lot more inconsolable for the most part.

There's a little shrug and a sad smile.]

Well, at least we've still got what they left for us. Ero-sennin, Asuma-sensei... your dad and my parents... so a little part of 'em is still around. Nobody can take that away, right?

[cosmosic]

[Girls were just better at handling their emotions. Better than Naruto, at any rate. He probably didn't know how to handle the loss of someone so close to him while Ino had already lost Asuma. While the pain was no less poignant and debilitating, it wasn't her first experience.

As terrible as it was to think so.

She hasn't had Naruto compliment her like this, calling her tough just for being able to climb over the hurdle that was her father's death. Now she could mourn, now she could cry. On the battlefield, she couldn't. Even when coming to Omega, she didn't want to think about it.

And so when it finally came time, an onslaught of emotions overwhelmed her.]

Yeah...and hopefully I can continue to make my dad proud and keep being the beautiful bush clover of the Yamanaka.

Just like you're going to keep being the Hero of the Leaf. [Though, it's more like the hero of the world now.]

[obstinates]

More like Konoha's Orange Hokage, y'know!

[His smile turns to a grin as he hits his chest with his free hand rolled into a fist.]

'Cos red and yellow make orange--I'll tell you that story some other time, eheh.

[cosmosic]

[Orange. Of course. This smile is a bit more genuine and wry. Trust Naruto to be himself even if the situation is somber.]

We have time now. And I could use a distraction.

[Before she gets sad and starts crying all over again, Naruto.]

[obstinates]

We were talking 'bout you though, not me.

[cosmosic]

[A bit of a sigh.]

As much as I like talking about myself, why don't you just tell me the story?

Did you finally figure out how to mix colors or something?

[obstinates]

No.

[Frown :I but then he's back to grinning.]

Because of my dad and mom, the Yellow Flash and the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. So that makes me Konoha's Orange Hokage. Well... I will be when I am Hokage.

[cosmosic]

[Of course he will be. Even Ino BELIEVES IT!!!!!]

Red Hot-Blooded Habanero?

[She heard of the Yellow Flash and knew the Yondaime was his dad because of their time on the Thor, but the other nickname is new.]

What's up with that nickname?

[obstinates]

[He rubs the back of his head and smiles sheepishly.]

She, ahhhh... eheheh... had a bit of a temper.

[cosmosic]

[A couple blinks and then an exhale of amusement.]

So the Yellow Flash and the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero makes the Orange Hokage or something? Is that it?

[What a dope.]

[obstinates]

[Some snickering.]

Sounds like you're the one that just learned how to mix colors.

[cosmosic]

[LMAO U LITtle SHIT NARUTO]

No, that's probably still you.

[obstinates]

Hey, I figured it out on my own, y'know.

[cosmosic]

Congratulations.

[obstinates]

...

[Comebacks aren't his forte.]







Whatever.

[cosmosic]

[She smiles a bit because she knows she's won this round. And then changes the subject.]

Hey, Naruto. We should hang out more. Even if you just want to eat at a ramen place or something.

[obstinates]

Hey, that's a pretty good idea. Like right now even. I just had some ramen, but I could eat some more. Plus, Goku-chan's out hiding somewhere, so we've gotta find him.

[cosmosic]

[No they don't need to find Goku-chan. All he does is follow her around and cling to her leg when they're at the apartment. It's obvious he favors the female over Naruto. And Ino doesn't like being favored like that.]

You always have room for ramen, don't you?

[But she's standing up and moving to the door to leave, wiping at leftover tears on her cheeks. Naruto just being Naruto manages to cheer her up.]