Prompt: Productive.
Usual disclaimer: DOES NOT OWN NARUTO.
One shot.
Reviews; s'il vous plaît?
Work.
"I haven't seen much of you recently, Shikamaru" Ino noted as she walked closer towards the shinobi during their brief encounter in a street in the centre of Konoha. Shikamaru subtly rolled his eyes away from the blonde kunoichi, "Yeah, I've um, been busy…lot's of missions to do, y'know"
Ino narrowed her slightly eyes at the Nara shinobi, "Really?"
He lifted his right shoulder slightly, "Tsunade-sama has sent me on countless missions alone this month, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do"
"Don't give me that, you know that modesty certainly isn't your best asset" she arched an eyebrow at Shikamaru.
"But Tsunade chooses to send me on countless missions because I'm the best tactian in the Fire Country"
"And you would say that's-"
"Don't make me say it, Ino" he retorted in an angrily tone. Ino laughed mercilessly at her fellow Chuunin team mate, "Say it"
"Look Ino, you can try and intimidate and taunt me as much as you like but I swore I'd never say it again" he began to steadily walk away from Ino, seeing his attempted escape she quickly perused him. "Oh come on, you weren't serious about that?" she threw an arm across Shikamaru's shoulder as they continued on a steady stroll through Konoha.
He pushed her arm off his body and furrowed his brows at the blonde kunoichi, "I did actually and it's something I need to stop blurting out all the time"
Ino froze, silently wondering if they were both thinking about the same phrase. Shikamaru turned back towards Ino, who had momentarily paused outside of the Yamanaka flower shop. He placed his hands onto his hips and edged his way closer to the kunoichi; "What is it, Ino?"
She flinched away from his slight advancement and quickly tucked back some of her tumbling blonde hair back behind her ear.
"It-it's nothing all right. Look, just leave me alone" her pastel blue eyes began to quickly well up with painfully salty tears.
She turned her back to the shinobi and set her sights on heading into the Yamanaka flower store which was conventionally also attached to the Yamanaka clan household. Shikamaru reached out for the fleeing Ino, he tightly grasped a firm hold of her left arm and pulled her in towards his body. He brushed away gently the hair concealing her right eye and sighed timidly. Ino blushed slightly; maintaining her eye contact with Shikamaru.
Shikamaru returned her smile, "How did this ever happen?"
She furrowed her brows gently at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "What to happen?"
He leaned inward to her slightly and kissed her gently; much to his surprised he did not have to lower himself as much as he had expected to kiss her.
He pulled away slowly; "That we'd fall in love"
FIN.