Love's Recipe ~Choji~

Chapter 20

I'm not joking when I say the very next day the three of them got a mission. And not just any mission. They were gone for two very long and lonely months for back up in the land of snow. Choji was keeping in touch with letters, but I missed him so much. Every day at work and home both I wished for the day that all three of them would show up at my door, hungry and happy to be home. But as ninja, their missions can go on and on. I also know that some ninja's don't make it back...

But I have faith in all three of them. I had stared to pack up my apron and a few left overs when Tatsuki stopped me. "Hey pretty lady. Going home?"

"Yeah, I got a letter from Choji yesterday. I want to get home to write back."

His face softened. "How have you been?"

"You know... dealing."

"Well, I hope."

"About as well as possible. Coming up with something new to surprise them with is helping."

"Glad to hear. And remember, if you ever need me, you know where to find me."

"I am not going in there!"

"That's not what I meant!" He yelled in response, face turning red. "My house, woman! Jesus!"

I left, doubled over with laughter. I couldn't stop giggling even as I turned into the woods to get home.... My giggling subsided as I heard other voices amoungst the trees. Familiar voices. No way. "Choji?! Ino?! Shikamaru?!" I yelled, trying to find them.

"Alsono!" They called out for me and I ran ahead, searching the trees. Finally they came into view and I ran as fast as I could to reach them. The four of us were wrapped up (Shikamaru more or less forced to be) in the biggest group hug I had ever seen. We were all talking over each other, trying to get months of visiting in with in only a few minutes.

"Come on! Come on, hot and sour soup! You look like you haven't had a proper meal since you all left." I ushered them towards my house. A few months in the blistering cold, some hot soup I'm sure would hit the spot. Ino and Choji continued to tell me about their time away while I cooked up the soup and served it up. We began to make plans for a welcome back dinner as well. Ino was instant on having pancakes as an option.

As were just getting down to finalizing the menu, Shikamaru got up and began to get ready to leave. "Shikamaru, are you leaving already?"

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to go see someone for a minute and then I'll come back."

"He want's to see that pretty LP." Choji laughed.

An LP? One of the long term patients? "Shut up." Shikamaru had a slight blush.

"An LP, huh?" It might be nice to have an extra person around. "Why don't you bring her over for dinner tomorrow if she's able to leave?" He nodded ad continued to leave. When I was sure he was gone, I turned to Ino and Choji. "It's not normal for him to be so interested in someone, right?"

Ino snorted and shook her head. "Nope. I find it funny."

"There was one time he seemed pretty interested in an older girl from the sand village. But it didn't last long."

"So I'm allowed to tease and have fun with this, right?"

They both smiled at me and nodded. Oh fun fun.