Love's Recipe ~Choji~

Chapter 9

"I like it better when you smile. You're prettier like that." My heart stopped, but apparently so did his. "I mean-! Um... What I mean is you have a really nice smile a-and it looks better than when you're upset and I'm digging myself a bigger hole as I keep talking."

I don't think I have ever laughed so hard and long in my life. My arms clamped around my stomach as I let myself just laugh. And soon, I heard his laughter mix with mine. I need this laugh. God I needed this laugh. I worry to much sometimes, and I know I do. But fixing that problem is easier said than done. Maybe I can just laugh like this when I know I'm over thinking something?

Finally we started to calm down and just sat in a gentle quiet. This feels good too. Like nothing in the world can hurt me. Choji is a very calming person to be around. I didn't realize how much I needed someone like him in my life until he came around. I'm grateful for his company even if we aren't talking or doing anything in particular. I looked over at him slightly to see his cute smile directed up at the sky through the trees.

And I let my head fall to his shoulder. He tensed up slightly, but he didn't push me away. "Thank you." Was all I said. And I think it's the only thing that needed to be said. Choji wrapped a single arm around my middle, barely touching me, like he thought I might break.

"Are you okay now?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah... I'm okay."

He pulled away and faced me with a grin. "Good. Then give me your hand." Huh? I tried to give him my right hand, but he shook his head. "No. The hurt one." Oh, right. Hurting myself is what set me over the edge. I had almost forgotten about the fairly large cut in the meaty part of my hand, but now that he pointed it out to me again, it began to throb. He took it carefully and pulled a few things from his pocket, like alcohol wipes and a gauze pad.

"Do you really walk around with medical supplies in your pocket?"

"I'm a ninja. It's a good idea, especially when your teammates are Shikamaru and Ino."

"Why do I feel like you're the one who gets hurt more often?"

He grinned brighter. "Caught." Choji is fun. He always seems to know how to make me smile. And my chest tightened again as I let him clean up my hand and bandage it. He did a good job. But I began to question my thoughts again when I didn't want him to let go of my hand.

"What else do you carry in your pockets?" I asked to make small talk as he took care of my hand.

"Emergency snacks. A picture of my mom and dad. Normal stuff." I'm not sure the emergency snacks part is a normal ninja carry-round, but knowing Choji, it fits. "Why did you run off like that Al? Ikuto looked upset. Did you guys have a fight or something?" At the moment he finished my bandaging and let go of my hand is when he asks the question at the root of the problem.

I wish we had. I really do. It would be easier to handle. I leaned back against the tree and picked a cloud to watch through the tree top. It's large and fluffy, lazily drifting across the sky. I wish I could be a cloud. "When Ikuto was a baby, I used to fall asleep on a pile of pillows with him in my lap. And even when he got bigger, I'd always try to keep him near. My love for Ikuto is endless, and I've always said that he's the real reason for my drive and determination in bettering my cooking. Because I always to see him smile and happy with a full stomach. I irritate him, he irritates me. We're a normal family." I looked down and held my hurt hand flat. "Ikuto has always told me everything, ever since I could remember. We have no secrets and I like to think he knows how can tell me anything. And yet..."

The corners of my eyes began to sting again and I quickly wiped at them. "I know he probably has his reasons, but it still hurts. And now it's so hard to look at him because I know he's hiding something from me. And I'm afraid to ask him about it."

It was quiet for a moment. And the quiet felt good. But not because I didn't want to continue the conversation, more because it was Choji who was with me. When it's just us, the quiet is nice. He's a comforting person. An arm wrapped around me and pulled me slightly. My face felt warm, and when I looked up to Choji, I could see a similar line of red on his face. "I think Ikuto just doesn't know what to do." He... what? "He's used to telling you everything, but this time he doesn't know if he should. And looking at him earlier, I had the feeling that he knew you know he's keeping something from you. And at this point you should just wait for him to tell you."

Choji... everything you just said makes perfect sense. Just wait... just wait... I can do that. I trust my little brother. I leaned against Choji's side, enjoying how soft and warm his shoulder is. "Thank you Choji. For everything."

His hold on my tightened slightly as his other hand raised to cover his mouth and nose. "Hey, can I ask you an odd question?" I looked up at him questioningly. Even though he had covered his face from me, I saw the tips of his ears had gone red. "Well, I was honestly wondering... you know... what do you think of... say... larger guys?"