I really love that Shikamaru and Ino's hobbies complement each other: cloud watching and star gazing. I always picture them hanging out with each other, enjoying each other's company, and just talking about their hopes and dreams. Well, Ino talking and trying to pry any info she can from Shikamaru. And by prying I mean her teasing him about whatever she can. Any who, enjoy!

Of Star Gazing and Cloud Watching

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.
Summary: The curiosity for Ino's favorite hobby got the best of him. And he got more than what he had bargained for. ShikaIno.

"Why do you like watching the stars so much?"

"Huh?" A startled Yamanaka expelled as she turned her head to look at the Nara boy laying down next to her. Of course her beloved boyfriend would have his eyes closed, even though he had been the one to direct a question towards her. But to say that the blonde was not startled by the sudden interest of the shadow-possessor would be an understatement. "Nara Shikamaru, did you just ask me a question about my interest? My, my. What could have sparked such curiosity?"

Shikamaru let out a deep sigh before opening his eyes and turning to look at the Yamanaka. Why had he asked such a troublesome question? Truth be told, he was curious. Ino had always given him crap for his cloud watching, and yet, here he was being dragged out for the fifth time this week to look at the stars with her. Granted, he mostly had his eyes closed during the entire time they were there. Sleep was precious, and it wasn't like he didn't do the same with his cloud watching.

"Do I need a reason? If you don't want to tell me, then don't. Like I care. Troublesome woman." As the words left Shikmaru's mouth, he resumed to close his eyes whilst turning his back towards the blonde. The action made Ino giggle. And they said she was a drama queen. She knew Shikamaru a little too well to know he was indeed curious, just too proud and too lazy to say so.

"They're comforting." The Yamanaka stretched out her hands, mimicking the action of attempting to grab onto a single star. While her gaze was directly towards the sky, she could see Shikamaru's figure slowly turning towards her. A look of utter confusion spread across his face. "They remind me of someone I know."

Someone she knew. The Nara was overcome with curiosity—and dare he say it, a bit of jealousy—now more than ever. "Someone you know?"

"Yeah." A distant smile crept up slowly onto Ino's slender lips as her cerulean eyes continued to gaze at the stars. "There are nights when you look up at the sky and you see nothing. All you see is pitch black. And you almost feel…" the Yamanaka tried to look for the right words, "lost, not entirely sure where you're going, surrounded by darkness. And then, out of the corner of your eye, you see something shine. Slowly at first, sometimes you're even unsure if what you saw was actually anything at all. And then it gets brighter and brighter. And you feel like you've come home." The Yamanaka paused for a second, placing her stretched hands atop her bare midriff. Very quietly, once she had gathered enough courage, she added, "Just like what happens with my jutsu."

Ino slowly turned her gaze towards Shikamaru, who had been holding closely onto every word she said. She smiled as she noticed his body relax, the features of his face becoming softer as the effects of her words finally reached him. She was sure even he hadn't noticed how much he had tensed up once the words, "They remind me of someone I know," had left her lips. She took a moment to dislock her gaze upon the Nara to watch as her hand moved slowly towards his, interlocking her pinky with his. Her head turned back to the sky, as she continued, "And sometimes, the night is filled with stars. Millions upon millions. All trying to compete for the shining spotlight. And yet…all you can see is one; the one star that outshines the rest."

Shikamaru looked towards their intertwined pinkies, before smirking towards the Yamanaka. "And who is this bright star then?"

"Oh, you know. Just some dumb boy." The smile on Ino's face was growing wider by the minute. Never before had she talked about this before. But to have said it out in the open, as cheesy as it might have been, it was also nice to express it. "So…you never told me why you liked cloud watching so much."

The Nara smirked as he grabbed his girlfriend into his arms before whispering in her ear, "Oh, you know. They just remind me of someone I know."