Red Is A Pretty Colour

99

Shikamaru's pov

Ino, Choji, Sakura and I had just come back from a mission and were standing around talking before we had to go and file our report. While we were talking Hiko arrived with a team of sand shinobi. As soon as she was through the gates the sand shinobi turned to begin heading back.

"What was that all about?" Ino asked.

"I don't know." I said.

"Awww, is your boyfriend making sure you get home okay?" Sakura asked Hiko.

"Yeah, Gaara worries too much. He thinks that people are going to try and hurt me to get to him, as if I can't take care of myself. It's cute though." Hiko said as she approached us.

"Awww, you two make a cute couple." Sakura said.

"Congratulations! When did this happen?" Ino asked.

"During the war so just over a month ago." Hiko replied.

"How was staying with him?" Sakura asked.

"It was fun. Temari kept giving us into trouble for making a mess and staying out too late but we had plenty of fun. He's just the sweetest." I said.

There was this bright smile on Hiko's face as she spoke about Gaara. She looked so happy talking about spending time with him and the girls seemed just as happy for her. I frowned, I didn't want to listen to her talk about him.

"What a drag, I'm late to talk to Lord Hokage." I said.

"Oh, I'll come with you. I have to let Kakashi~Sensei know that I'm back anyway." Hiko offered.

"No, I need to talk to him alone. You three just enjoy your girl talk." I said.

"I have to go help my mum out at the shop now so I should probably go now too. Girls dinner later?" Ino suggested.

"Absolutely." Sakura said as iIbegan leaving.

"Yeah, we haven't all gotten together in a while." Hiko said.

"You'll give me the run down on Gaara before that right?" Sakura asked excitedly.

Once I was out of sight of Hiko and Sakura I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you okay Shikamaru?" Ino asked.

"I'm fine." I said.

"I know you're not. I know the feeling, loving someone with your whole heart only for them to love someone else. I mean I was always chasing after Sasuke, hoping that one day he'd acknowledge me and let me walk beside him. I wanted nothing more than for him to love me but he never did. He kept getting farther and farther away, never even thinking about me and I'm sure that if he ever falls in love it won't be me. Sakura just loved him more and loved him better." Ino said, tears brimming her eyes.

"I feel like something's died. Did it hurt this much when Sasuke left?" I asked.

"Yeah, it'll feel like that for a long time. We've both lost people who weren't even our's to loose and I feel like that hurts more than loosing someone that was actually yours. You spend all your time wondering if saying something could have changed things. I think we just loved them so hard for so long that we didn't think anyone else could compete." Ino said.

"I just don't think I can handle hearing about it right now." I said.

"There's no guarantee the relationship will work out if that makes you feel better. Hiko's lifestyle and personality directly conflict with Gaara being the Kazekage and I doubt Hiko is the type to change who she is just for him." Ino said.

"She isn't." I said.

"See, there's still a chance." Ino said. "I think you and Hiko would make a much better couple anyway."

"I don't know, I just need to file this report and forget about it." I said.

"If you say so." Ino said. "I'll see you later."

Ino left and I smiled. Ino was always there for choji and I when it came to stuff like this. She'd surely spy, sabotage and matchmake for me if I asked her to but I didn't want to get in the way if Hiko was happy. Even if I was disappointed.