Reap What You Sow

"I'm not telling you that you have to start dating or anything, Eiji," Ino told him seriously. "I was just pointing out that it's weird that you've never shown interest of any kind on anyone. I was a little concerned that you were pushing that stuff to the side, which isn't good. But if you are fine, then that's that."

"...I guess I kind of was," he mused, turning around and leaning against the counter to the side, making Ino see mostly just his back. "I've never been very normal."

"That's an established fact, yes," Ino agreed, drawing a snort from the boy.

"I just, it never felt right, to think about that stuff," Eiji said, looking more like was just thinking out loud, so she decided to keep her mouth shut for the moment. "Now… Now, I wonder if that was just me making excuses to myself. If I was doing as you say and pushing it to the side."

After that, neither of them said anything. Not long after, Eiji started walking around the shop once more and Ino went back to focusing on the counter and some paperwork for the store. She kept her eyes on the boy though. He walked between the shelves, his eyes looked at the plants, his fingers would touch the leaves and petals… But his mind was elsewhere and she could tell.

"You here, Fearless Leader?" the redhead of his squad called as she came through the door. Ino groaned out loud. "Something the matter, Bimbo Number Three?" she asked, and the Yamanaka for once was more bothered by something else than her stupid nickname for her.

Eiji was having a moment of introspection right then and there!

Couldn't she have picked another moment to barge in?

"Tayuya?" Eiji asked, as if he'd barely noticed the redhead's arrival.

"Yes, everything ok?" the girl asked, seemingly noticing that something was going on.

"No… No, it's fine," The boy answered, slightly subdued as he made his way to the entrance. "Kabuto sent you?"

"You were running a little late, Fearless Leader," the girl answered instead, which seemed to work just as well for Eiji.

"I guess I got a little… distracted," he replied blandly with a slight smile.

"Oh, did I interrupt a date?" the redhead asked then, looking amused between Eiji and Ino. The blonde scoffed, even if she knew Tayuya was only joking.

Granted, there was a time that such an assumption, even in jest, would have made her happy. A time in which she'd have longed to be with Eiji like that. She'd moved on though, just as she had moved on from Sasuke. It sucked, but it was what it was.

At that moment, her only worry was if Eiji would be alright. He still seemed more than a little out of it.

"Nothing like that," the boy waved off easily, before he looked at Ino. "Seems like I have to go."

"Good luck. And remember what we talked about, yeah?" she told him.

"Yeah, I will," Eiji said, absently as he turned away. Then he stopped, not quite frozen, but as if something had crossed his mind that gave him pause.

"Hello, everything alright in there?" Tayuya asked after a moment, waving her hand in front of Eiji. Ino wanted to smack her. Why the boy even put up with her, she'd never understand. "Fearless Leeeeeaaadeeeer?"

"Yeah… yeah, let's go," Eiji said absently, but he seemed to be anywhere but there. Ino couldn't quite put her finger on it, but that look was different from his tired thousand yard stare. He seemed just as out of it as he moved to the door, pulled it open and stepped outside. Ino shared a confused look with the annoying redhead, but all she got as a response from Eiji's teammate was a shrug before she followed after him.

Well, she'd be left without answers, it seemed.

She made a mental note to pester Eiji until he gave her answers the next time she saw him. That is, if he wasn't looking as bad as he was those days. She really hoped he wouldn't be though. It was getting out of hand and everyone was concerned. 'Could I have said something different? Could I have helped more?' she wondered as she was left alone at the shop.

Ino didn't find any answers, but maybe her parents would have some. They were much better than her at reading people and using that information. They'd helped plenty of people and she'd even been witness to that. Maybe she could learn a thing or two. Desperate times called for desperate measures, after all. She'd probably have to rope everyone else into it if it came to that too.

Better not pull any punches, because Eiji looked like he'd run himself ragged… much more than he already was, if things kept going as they had.

For the moment, Ino was pulled from her thoughts when the door to the shop opened once more. She had a store clerk greeting at the tip of her tongue before she noticed that it wasn't a client. Closing her mouth, she looked with slightly wide eyes and raised eyebrows at the person.

"Eiji? Did you forget something?" she asked, more because he didn't know why he'd come back than anything else. He hadn't done much of anything other than look at the plants, so it couldn't be something physical. Maybe he'd remembered he had something to tell her.

"Not really. Something just occurred to me, I guess," he said, walking up to the counter. Yep, he had something to tell her. "Are you free tonight?"

"Yeah," she answered with a nod and a smile. "So, dinner at your place? I think Chouji and Shikamaru are free too."

"If you say so, but that's not what I had in mind," he commented, making her blink. His half-smile wasn't really helping matters. Ino had seen plenty of expressions on his face through the years, but that one was new. "So, do you want to go on a date?"

"... Huh?"

[}-o-{]

Ino liked to think she had clothes for any occasion.

Ino could also be wrong, once in a while.

As it turned out, she'd been wrong at the worst possible time of all. Her room, turned upside down as it was, could attest to that. She was sure there had to be something good she could use. Instead, all she'd found was… trash.

Well, that might have been a little bit of an exaggeration, but it was the principle of the matter!

Every single piece she came across she found wanting. Some were too childish, which made her look like… a kid, obviously. Some made her look like she was trying too hard to be mature, which ended up having the opposite effect. Some of them were too casual, some of them were too formal. Some weren't the right color, some weren't the right size, some weren't the right style.

And speaking of styles… Actually, Ino didn't even want to think about it.

If it weren't for her mother reminding her of the time – Only half an hour left?! –, she was pretty sure she'd have been late. She was more scared of that than she was of wearing the wrong thing. So, ultimately, she picked the best of the bunch, which wasn't saying much.

She felt like the purple dress was a little too… plain, for one. For another, she loved purple clothes, of course, but wearing it for her date with Eiji seemed… wrong. She should change things up a little, right? Would it make it look like she didn't care? Like she'd put no effort, no thought, and gone with the usual?

She didn't know.

She hated that she didn't know.

Alas, Ino would have to pray she wasn't ruining things already. An exaggeration, some might say, but she couldn't help it. She was nervous, if it wasn't obvious, and she couldn't stop her mind from conjuring the worst of scenarios.

It was in such a state that she stepped outside her home.

"You look great," were the first words she heard, almost immediately and before she could even notice that Eiji was standing right to the side. She turned so fast that she might have snapped her own neck if she weren't a ninja, and she saw… 'Huh, better than I thought,' she thought with a blink.

Because she might have no idea what to pick from her own clothes, but she'd had no doubts about what Eiji would wear. She'd probably already seen all the clothes he owned and he'd never been one to care overly much about fashion. Ino had helped him pick plenty of said clothes and any significant change he might have made to his wardrobe she was sure hadn't actually been his doing.

Yet there he was, actually dressed well with clothes that looked new and she hadn't helped purchase.

Ino was more than a little surprised.

"Since when do you have those clothes?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. She blamed her frayed mind for that, immediately cursing herself. "Sorry, thank you, I just- I didn't- You-"

"Ino, breathe" Eiji told her, the same smile that had made her fall for him to begin with directed at her. Somehow, it seemed even more effective than before, given the situation. 'Moved one, yeah, right,' a part of her mind told her but she ignored it. So what if she'd tried to fool herself. "Who'd have thought you even could be this nervous?" he added and she smiled in a way that did nothing but prove his point. "It's rather adorable."

At that, she felt her face explode with heat in a way that made her wonder if she'd gotten a fireball to the face without realizing.

"Shut up," she grumbled, pouting at Eiji. Not her best moment. "Seriously, since when do you have clothes like that?" she added, doubling down on something else other than her embarrassment and the compliment that made her entirely too happy.

She was better than that, damnit.

"I don't," Eiji told her, a slight nervousness bleeding into his smile as he looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't have anything that looked good so I just… It's a transformation jutsu," he admitted.

Ino wondered if she'd looked like he did when she'd had to settle for the purple dress.

"It gave me an idea though," Eiji continued, looking like he was trying to push through his own embarrassment as much as she was. "We can do something else though. I had a plan or two in mind. But we can do something else if you don't like those either. I'm sure you can come up with-"

"Eiji," Ino interrupted, before bursting into giggles. Well, it was very reassuring to know that she wasn't the only one that was losing her mind over the date. It was also kind of… flattering. "What idea?" she asked, giving him her best smile, which seemed to be fairly effective, she was happy to see.

"Well, I thought we could go shopping, before doing some other things. That way I can actually have a proper outfit… and maybe have one or two for future dates, if I don't ruin things," he explained, still looking fairly nervous.

"That sounds…" she started, trailing off just to see him squirm. Maybe it was mean of her, but she needed something to not feel nervous herself and knowing that Eiji cared certainly did the trick. "... great," she finished, her grin widening.

And it certainly did sound so, mainly because it implied that Eiji already wanted things to go well and have more dates. She'd been a little – a lot, actually, but she wasn't going to admit that to anyone – worried that he might have been a little impulsive, or just trying to see where things went, or just trying to find some comfort instead of-

"Awesome," Eiji said, interrupting her rambling mind. "Should we get going?"

"Let's," Ino readily agreed.

Shopping sounded great. Not only did Ino already like it, but maybe she'd get to find some Eiji-approved outfits for future dates for herself. That'd certainly help her not be such a nervous wreck and that'd be very much appreciated. Honestly, she kind of wished she'd thought of that herself.

All in all… the date was off to an amazing start, Ino decided.

[}-o-{]

"This is… comfortable, nice," Eiji commented, across from her at the restaurant they'd gone after getting some clothes, apparently fascinated by the simple outfit she'd picked for him. It was just some dark pants with black shoes – which wasn't a great change from what he usually wore, but she liked it – and he had a white undershirt with an open red shirt over it. It was all within the colors he wore normally, but they were… normal clothes, casual clothes.

Ino was convinced that the biggest change for him was that there were no ninja tools anywhere on them, more than the clothes being actually different from the usual.

"I think I like this better too."

"Even if it's kind of Sakura-ish?" Eiji asked with an amused half-smile before picking up one of the snacks they'd gotten as an appetizer.

She'd admit, the purple qipao-like hadn't been her favorite, at all, but Eiji had said he liked it. So, she'd tried to look at it with fresh eyes. And, looking past the small detail about it being more Sakura's style, Ino could honestly say…

"I think I make this look good, differently from her," she said, maybe exaggerating just a tad. Still, maybe Sakura and her weren't competing quite as hard as they had once, but old habits die hard, she supposed. Fortunately, Eiji didn't seem to mind… Although she didn't appreciate him laughing either.

"I already said it, but you do look great in that," Eiji replied, apparently deciding to ignore her comment in favor of a compliment. Maybe some people would mock her for it, but hearing that made Ino forget any thoughts about Sakura and beam at him. "Besides, not like Sakura has a claim on those kinds of clothes, right?" he added, the eternal mediator that he was, trying to make sure everyone was happy.

She liked that about him, she did, but Ino wouldn't mind him taking her side for a change.

Maybe with time.

"I know, but still, it's the principle of the matter," Ino said, pouting at him and making him roll his eyes. Well, minor annoyances aside, she was happy with their date and it wasn't even done yet.

"I guess I get it… somewhat," Eiji told her as he chuckled to himself. "Well, if it helps, call me biased if you will, but I do like it better on you," he added and she smiled even wider than she already was.

She stood corrected.

It was the best damn first date ever, she decided then and there.

She couldn't wait for the rest of it.

[}-o-{]

"Eiji," Ino greeted and much of the happiness she'd expected to feel wasn't there.

He'd been gone for a while and they'd only gotten scarce rumors of what he and his team were up to for a while. Furthermore, it wasn't like Eiji himself could keep them up to date. Mission secrecy was a thing and it wasn't easy to communicate much over long distances most of the time anyway.

Nothing to do about it.

However, all Ino had heard was how things were going, how he'd participated in the Kage Summit, dealt with Akatsuki and overall succeeded like the badass everyone in their group knew him to be. Every piece of news she'd gotten painted a pretty good picture, if one filled with struggles. Her boyfriend wasn't one to shy away from those though and he often seemed to come out on top with only gains to show.

Now though, it had been different.

She walked up to him, noticing the way his expression was just… off. His expression showed neither smile nor glare, simply remaining impassive, bordering somewhere between boredom and sadness. His clothes were a mess, his shoulders dropped and he moved like placing one foot in front of the other was the greatest effort he'd ever faced.

And then there were his eyes.

His red eyes didn't shine like rubies as they usually did, nor did they have the darker tone of blood that they did when someone managed to bring out his worst side. Instead, they seemed duller, dimmer, like one of his old washed out shirts.

Or, at least…

"Hey, Ino," he greeted as he turned to regard her fully and Ino took some heart in the ever so slight glint that returned to the almost dead red of his eye and the minimal upwards tugging in his lips. "Not my best look, I'll admit."

"What… What happened?" Ino asked, walking up to him and reaching for his face. Slowly, gingerly, she touched it in the end, her finger moving to trace the clean cut with her nail. She followed the now pale line that went from the edge of his hairline through the burn scar left over from the Invasion and through the eye that had barely survived that towards his jawline. "I thought… I thought you had a good medic."

"Kabuto's one of the best," Eiji told her, a sad smile forming on his face. "But he's not good enough to heal torn souls yet."

"Souls?"Ino whimpered.

"Itachi is a piece of shit like that, apparently," Eiji told her, an annoyed grimace of a smile forming on his face. "We think he cut through both my body and my soul… and that can't heal as far as we are concerned."

"But… But how? Why?"

"The how is complicated… and the why isn't much better," he said, and Ino was just now realizing how tired and done Eiji sounded and looked. "I… We think he didn't want to get rid of me. Just slow me down."

Ino had about a million more questions than she already had before after that "answer". However, none of those questions mattered at that moment. Things were over and Eiji was alive. Everything else was secondary at best, so she plastered the best smile she could and ran her fingers softly through the side of his head.

"You're fine?"

"I am," he answered, his lips tugging a little more.

"Then it's all fine," she told him, her own mood improving plenty. "And if it helps, I think it makes your eye look even cooler," she added, not untrue but it was definitely not what she'd have liked to see on him. Alas, she could lament what had happened when Eiji didn't need her to be a pillar.

Because Eiji could shoulder the weight of the world on his own, but that didn't mean he had to.

Ino knew she couldn't do much, but she could be the one to stand next to him while he did that.

Not much, but it was what she could do and she would do it.

[}-o-{]

"Ino! Your children are a menace!" Sasuke shouted somewhere outside in the garden, in a rare moment of being flustered.

She just giggled to herself before calmly raising her cup of tea to her lips and sharing an amused look with Karin. Distantly, she heard Eiji's laughter, mirroring her own feelings on the matter, if much more openly. 'Should have known better than to offer to entertain them, Sasuke,' Ino thought to herself with no intention of standing up.

"I had a feeling this was going to happen," Karin commented, amused at the situation but unamused with her husband. "Sasuke does have a tendency to overestimate himself," she added mercilessly, drawing a snort from her.

"Harsh, aren't you?"

"He should have known better than to assume your children would be like any other," the redhead answered with a shrug and a smile. "He might put on a show for children with his many jutsu and mastery over them, but I had a feeling that wouldn't quite roll with yours. Call it a hunch."

That's what he'd tried to do?

No wonder.

Eiji probably knew more jutsu than he did.

Hell, he probably knew more jutsu than there were out in the world, considering he'd taken to making new ones just to keep himself and the children entertained. Her husband was special like that. If Ino ever thought he was any kind of normal, then that kind of thing reminded her right away of the reality of things.

"That's my girl!" she heard Eiji call and right away she knew what was going on, making her sigh.

"Inori!"

"Sorry, mom!" her daughter cried out immediately before a muffled thud was heard. Probably Sasuke being dropped to the ground. Their girl had really taken to Eiji's Thread techniques, after all, and her husband took great pride in that. To the point that he didn't waste any opportunity to help her show off.

Opportunities such as helping her mess with Sasuke.

"Eiji!"

"Sorry, Ino!" her husband replied, not sounding sorry at all.

Which made her sigh.

"Inosuke's the only one I can trust sometimes," she mumbled to herself while Karin giggled some more. Apparently, the woman was having a lot of fun, even if her husband wasn't. "You'll have your own little terror soon, I'll have you know," Ino commented.

Karin just beamed at her, one of her hands moving to her belly.

"Just a few months," Karin replied softly, warmly. "I can't wait."

"Right up until you want to rewind time," Ino said, knowing that she was lying through her teeth. Sure, having children had come with great pains and annoyances, but she wouldn't change her twins for anything.

"Come back here!" Sasuke called from somewhere much closer than before, making both Ino and Karin blink at each other. Soon, things became a little clearer when they heard a boy's giggle echoing through the hall.

"Mom, look! I have a new sword!" Inosuke said as he entered the room, running like the devil was on his hills… but it was just Sasuke.

"Give that back, brat!" the grown man all but whined.

A few seconds later, while those two ran around in circles, Eiji followed while giving Inori a piggyback ride.

"I think I take back what I said before," Ino commented, unimpressed, as she looked at her son avoid Sasuke to the best of his ability. Not that he managed for long. Her children were great, but they were no Elite Jounin. The only reason why Sasuke probably struggled as much as he did was because they were in his house and he had to hold back quite a bit on account of that and… Well, the children.

It seemed that it was one of those days when Inosuke got swept in the wake of his sister's and father's madness.

And once more, Ino was the only sane one in her family.

She wouldn't have them any other way though.

"Behave yourselves or there will be no training with the team later," she said and all three members of her family froze where they were.

"Honey, I kind of need to tra-"

"Eiji," she interrupted, narrowing her eyes at his husband.

He knew he was full of shit, after all. His training was wholly unnecessary, considering there was literally no person that came even close. At that point, training with the Squad was more or less just him having fun and playing around… Even if everyone else did see it as hellish drills.

"Yes, dear."

"Inosuke, Inori?" she asked, and somehow both her children were now standing at attention next to their father, wide red eyes looking at her. They'd both gotten that from Eiji, but she was rather happy that they'd both gotten her blond hair.

"Sorry, mom," both of them mumbled.

"Be good. Karin doesn't need to deal with your antics right now."

"Sorry, mom/dear," all three of them replied.

"Hey, what about me?!"

"Oh, grow up, Sasuke."

[} Chapter End {]

Hey guys! How's it going?

Well, I was just minding my own business when Tobi from the Discord server dropped a review commenting on ship possibilities in this story. Not the first time it happened, but it really set my mind going. I was originally going to write Kurotsuchi as per his comment, but somehow it got turned into an Ino thing.

Maybe some other time.

And by that I mean maybe next year or something, because it seems I can't go a full year without writing GoS, huh? I promise nothing though. It took me months to scrape enough time to write this between everything else I work on and life.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little spin-off.

Discord Link: /UTDransjJZ

Random Question: Any ideas for spin-offs you can think of?

See you.