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by A little Christmassy drabble I decided to write while fueling my creativity with cherry cordial Hershey Kisses. Everyone eats Cherry Cordials differently; some suck out the fillings then eat the chocolate, some chew around the cherry and become disappointed when they find it’s just a fondant lump, and then there’s the people while just pop the cordial in their mouth and chew.
Equipped with that piece of practically useless information, let us continue onto the story of two young Leaf ninjas, talking about, you guessed it, cherry cordials. But, then again, what is the holiday season without… well, you’ll see ;) Warning: ShikaIno content.
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‘Tis the Season
A blond kunoichi peeked out from around the doorway, her blue eyes surveying the room. The faint glow of the fireplace gave the room warmth. Across the room was a window, the sill dusted with still-falling snow, and, off to the side, was a sofa. The perfect Yuletide setting and the room was… empty.
Ino Yamanaka let out a disappointed sigh. She had set up the room so perfectly, and they were late. They, of course, pertained to her team: Shikamaru, Chouji, and Asuma. Practically dragging her bare feet across the carpeted floor, Ino made her way to the couch and plopped down onto the soft cushion. In her left hand, she held a medium-sized, bell-shaped box that was secured closed by a scarlet ribbon. A small tag hung off of a bow loop.
To: Shikamaru
From: Ino Happy Chistmas
She stared at the box for about five seconds before setting it down next to her on the sofa, and she leaned her head back to rest it on the cushy furnishing.
“Oi, you should keep a better watch on these,” a familiar voice said, and Ino turned her head to the side. There, right next to her, sat Shikamaru, not even looking at her. In his hands was the bell-shaped box, and the ribbon was lying untied on Shikamaru’s lap. The tag, however, sat neatly on the box.
The kunoichi sat up. “About time you got here,” she said, refusing to look at him for fear the newly added shade of pink to her complexion would be noticed. “And I was watching them, for your information.”
“Uh-huh. If you were watching them, you’d have seen me sit down and undo the bow before I said anything,” Shikamaru pointed out, lazily, opening the box and smiling slightly at the neatly arranged Cherry Cordials inside.
“You can be so troublesome.”
“Oh! So I’m the troublesome one?” Ino asked, almost laughing, and looked at Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow. “I do believe those words are coming from a certain Chuunin that-“
“’That’ what?” He popped one of the cordials into his mouth and chewed on it nonchalantly. “Please, do tell.”
“Well, for one,” Ino started, grabbing a cordial, “one that doesn’t know how to eat one of these properly! You don’t just put it in your mouth and chew on it. You chew a hole in the top, suck the filling out, and then eat the chocolate!”
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and places another cordial in his mouth. “This is how I’ve been eating them for my entire life. It’s the method I prefer. Besides, the slurping process is too troublesome.”
Ino almost spat out the filling of her cherry cordial. “It’s the best way to savor the experience!” The kunoichi stuck her tongue out at Shikamaru, unawares that the fondant cherry was sitting, perfectly balanced, on the tip of her tongue. She blinked in surprise and that slight movement sent the cherry rolling off her tongue and into Shikamaru’s waiting hand.
“I can’t just let you eat it alone,” he said, tossing the fondant lump into the air, and catching it in his mouth. “It’s too much of a drag.”
Not a second passed after that cherry landed in his mouth before Ino tackled him. The bell-box flew off to the side, sending the rest of the chocolate-covered confections onto the carpeted floor.
“Give me back the cherry…” Ino growled, pinning Shikamaru down by sitting on his chest. “No one steals the cherry from me.”
Quickly, Shikamaru performed a few quick hand symbols behind Ino’s back and his normally nonchalant expression was replaced with amusement.
“Make me.”
Ino blinked as she felt her head being pulled up, just as Shikamaru’s was leaning back to gaze at the ceiling. Just above them, as fate would have it, was a berried sprig of festive mistletoe. Their eyes met again and the kunoichi felt herself being pulled by the Shadow Possession jutsu; Pulled into a passionate kiss.
The kiss had to have lasted five minutes before the door opened and Ino felt the jutsu release.
“Whoa ho ho! And I always thought Shikamaru would be on top,” Asuma laughed, his traditional cigarette replaced with a peppermint stick. Beside him stood Chouji, well, more appropriately, lay Chouji. Upon entering the scene, the poor Genin fainted.
Ino quickly pulled herself off of Shikamaru. “We weren’t doing anything, Sensei. It’s the law of mistletoe. He started it!” She pointed an accusing finger at Shikamaru, who didn’t bother moving from his position except to position his arms across his chest.
“Meh, that kiss was a drag anyway.”
“A drag?!” Ino’s hair on the back of her neck bristled. She didn’t even kiss him of her own will, and it was a drag?!
Asuma reached into his vest, rummaging about. “Oh, and Shikamaru, I brought your reindeer antlers for you to-“
Shikamaru ran into the shadows, hoping to escape, but Asuma caught him easily, placing the antlers on the Chuunin’s head. Ino began to laugh at the traditional holiday antics when something small and red rolled out of her mouth. Catching it swiftly, she blushed, realizing it was the fondant cherry Shikamaru had taken from her.
After the antler struggle, Ino gave the fondant center of the sweet back to Shikamaru without help from the Shadow Possession jutsu.
Needless to say, the both found a better way to eat a cherry cordial.
Equipped with that piece of practically useless information, let us continue onto the story of two young Leaf ninjas, talking about, you guessed it, cherry cordials. But, then again, what is the holiday season without… well, you’ll see ;) Warning: ShikaIno content.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
‘Tis the Season
A blond kunoichi peeked out from around the doorway, her blue eyes surveying the room. The faint glow of the fireplace gave the room warmth. Across the room was a window, the sill dusted with still-falling snow, and, off to the side, was a sofa. The perfect Yuletide setting and the room was… empty.
Ino Yamanaka let out a disappointed sigh. She had set up the room so perfectly, and they were late. They, of course, pertained to her team: Shikamaru, Chouji, and Asuma. Practically dragging her bare feet across the carpeted floor, Ino made her way to the couch and plopped down onto the soft cushion. In her left hand, she held a medium-sized, bell-shaped box that was secured closed by a scarlet ribbon. A small tag hung off of a bow loop.
To: Shikamaru
From: Ino Happy Chistmas
She stared at the box for about five seconds before setting it down next to her on the sofa, and she leaned her head back to rest it on the cushy furnishing.
“Oi, you should keep a better watch on these,” a familiar voice said, and Ino turned her head to the side. There, right next to her, sat Shikamaru, not even looking at her. In his hands was the bell-shaped box, and the ribbon was lying untied on Shikamaru’s lap. The tag, however, sat neatly on the box.
The kunoichi sat up. “About time you got here,” she said, refusing to look at him for fear the newly added shade of pink to her complexion would be noticed. “And I was watching them, for your information.”
“Uh-huh. If you were watching them, you’d have seen me sit down and undo the bow before I said anything,” Shikamaru pointed out, lazily, opening the box and smiling slightly at the neatly arranged Cherry Cordials inside.
“You can be so troublesome.”
“Oh! So I’m the troublesome one?” Ino asked, almost laughing, and looked at Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow. “I do believe those words are coming from a certain Chuunin that-“
“’That’ what?” He popped one of the cordials into his mouth and chewed on it nonchalantly. “Please, do tell.”
“Well, for one,” Ino started, grabbing a cordial, “one that doesn’t know how to eat one of these properly! You don’t just put it in your mouth and chew on it. You chew a hole in the top, suck the filling out, and then eat the chocolate!”
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and places another cordial in his mouth. “This is how I’ve been eating them for my entire life. It’s the method I prefer. Besides, the slurping process is too troublesome.”
Ino almost spat out the filling of her cherry cordial. “It’s the best way to savor the experience!” The kunoichi stuck her tongue out at Shikamaru, unawares that the fondant cherry was sitting, perfectly balanced, on the tip of her tongue. She blinked in surprise and that slight movement sent the cherry rolling off her tongue and into Shikamaru’s waiting hand.
“I can’t just let you eat it alone,” he said, tossing the fondant lump into the air, and catching it in his mouth. “It’s too much of a drag.”
Not a second passed after that cherry landed in his mouth before Ino tackled him. The bell-box flew off to the side, sending the rest of the chocolate-covered confections onto the carpeted floor.
“Give me back the cherry…” Ino growled, pinning Shikamaru down by sitting on his chest. “No one steals the cherry from me.”
Quickly, Shikamaru performed a few quick hand symbols behind Ino’s back and his normally nonchalant expression was replaced with amusement.
“Make me.”
Ino blinked as she felt her head being pulled up, just as Shikamaru’s was leaning back to gaze at the ceiling. Just above them, as fate would have it, was a berried sprig of festive mistletoe. Their eyes met again and the kunoichi felt herself being pulled by the Shadow Possession jutsu; Pulled into a passionate kiss.
The kiss had to have lasted five minutes before the door opened and Ino felt the jutsu release.
“Whoa ho ho! And I always thought Shikamaru would be on top,” Asuma laughed, his traditional cigarette replaced with a peppermint stick. Beside him stood Chouji, well, more appropriately, lay Chouji. Upon entering the scene, the poor Genin fainted.
Ino quickly pulled herself off of Shikamaru. “We weren’t doing anything, Sensei. It’s the law of mistletoe. He started it!” She pointed an accusing finger at Shikamaru, who didn’t bother moving from his position except to position his arms across his chest.
“Meh, that kiss was a drag anyway.”
“A drag?!” Ino’s hair on the back of her neck bristled. She didn’t even kiss him of her own will, and it was a drag?!
Asuma reached into his vest, rummaging about. “Oh, and Shikamaru, I brought your reindeer antlers for you to-“
Shikamaru ran into the shadows, hoping to escape, but Asuma caught him easily, placing the antlers on the Chuunin’s head. Ino began to laugh at the traditional holiday antics when something small and red rolled out of her mouth. Catching it swiftly, she blushed, realizing it was the fondant cherry Shikamaru had taken from her.
After the antler struggle, Ino gave the fondant center of the sweet back to Shikamaru without help from the Shadow Possession jutsu.
Needless to say, the both found a better way to eat a cherry cordial.
