Spur of the Moment

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Loneliness. She sat there, staring blankly at the flowers, twiddling with the arrangement, making sure that it was absolutely perfect and there was no flaw. Finally pleased by the arrangement, she set it aside, where she got out a roll of red ribbon, and tied it around the vase. Perfect. She noticed the door open, and smiled.

"Here, your order's finished. She'll know what they all mean when you give them to her," She said.

The customer looked at her through his onyx eyes, and paid, nodding in thanks. She smiled, and watched as he walked out, carrying the vase of flowers in his hands, towards her best friend.

"She's one lucky girl..." She whispered.

Her blue eyes stared out of the shop's window, longing for a release from the monotonous prison she was forced to stay in for the day. They scanned the street it overlooked, and noticed it being unusually deserted today. Wishing to go out and train, she sighed. She loved working her family's flower shop, but today...somehow, today, she longed to go outside and train with her teammates, or visit her friend's squad. Knowing they were either probably undergoing vigorous training or doing nothing made her yearn more. Unable to take it any longer, she jumped over the counter and ran to the door.

"I'm going out now!" Was all she said before running out onto the deserted streets.

Her long blonde hair swayed with the wind as she ran towards her friend's training grounds. Somehow, she wanted to see this person so much, that her legs were taking her as fast as they could towards where she knew he'd be. It's been so long since I saw him... Her legs continued to gain speed. He's just been so busy...

Looking up around her surroundings, she stopped dead, her eyes wide, and her hair falling around her. Tears began to form in her eyes, but she held them back. Why...why does my heart hurt? She continued to look at the sight, the scenery, unable to break her gaze. Every second of it was tearing her apart. No...I don't understand. It was there that she realized what she felt about her former teammate. Hatred, sorrow, love. She continued to watch...

-:-

Shikamaru sighed heavily as his wrist was gripped tightly by his friend's hand.

"Temari, I need to get back to training," He groaned.

Her four pigtails bobbed as her head turned, and she smirked.

"You're not going to be training, you're just going to be cloud-watching. Besides, it's been so long since I've been here, or even talked to you, Shika-kun," She said.

Shikamaru groaned in disgust.

"Don't call me that, Temari! What would Ino think if she heard you..."

Temari frowned.

"Since when did you care about what she thinks?"

Shikamaru inwardly shot himself. Nobody was supposed to know that he cared about Ino; more than a teammate, more than a comrade, more than a friend.

"She's my friend, you troublesome woman, and you don't know her well enough to understand where I am coming from," He said.

Temari tightened her grip around his wrist, and continued to pull him along. They were heading towards Ino.

-:-

Ino saw them heading her way, and gathered up her courage to walk by them as if nothing happened. She had heard everything, Temari calling HER Shikamaru 'Shika-kun', Shikamaru making an attempt to get away, and Temari's stubbornness. As the three met each other, they walked past as if nothing had happened. Ino and Shikamaru exchanged glances; Ino's hiding her sorrow, Shikamaru's sending her apologies. They understood. Temari noticed this, and pulled even harder.

"Let's go, Shika-kun," She hissed.

Ino tensed as she heard Shikamaru's nickname, and clenched her fists.

"Don't call him that," She yelled.

Temari turned around and smirked.

"I can call him what I want, right, Shika-kun?" She asked.

Shikamaru groaned. Now he was between Temari and Ino. Something was brewing, and he didn't like it. He didn't want to get in the middle of this; getting in the middle of a girl's fight was instant death. He remained silent.

"Shikamaru's not going to answer you. He knows better than to get in the middle of a catfight," Ino hissed.

Ino knew that if Temari and herself got into a fight, she would lose due to her lack of abilities. With Temari and her giant fan, there was no way of getting near her with her kind of abilities.

"You can't beat me, pretty-girl," Temari said.

Temari readied her fan, as Ino stood there, silently accepting her defeat. Before she knew what hit her, her body was being slashed all over by the wind. She restrained herself from screaming out in pain, and fell, blood dripping down her skin and staining her clothes. I'm stupid...why did I get myself into this mess? It's only Shikamaru, right?

"Had enough?" Temari asked.

Ino's pain helped her to remain silent. She gripped her waist, hoping that the pain would go away soon.

It's only Shikamaru...it's nothing more... Her eyes began to grow hazy, and she felt herself leaning to one side, her balance getting thrown off. He's only a teammate...nothing more...

"Ino!"

Her eyes closed as she fell onto the ground, staining the dirt with her blood.

Shikamaru looked at Ino's body, slowly nearing death. Clenching his fists, he ran towards her, and picked her up bridal style.

"Hey! Shika-kun! What are you doing with that pig?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru glared daggers at her.

"Last time I checked, you were the pig..."

Temari gasped, and clenched her fists as Shikamaru disappeared with Ino in his arms.

-:-

Ino slowly opened her eyes and squinted, the light making it painfully hard for her to have a good view of anything. Noticing the white room and a brown wardrobe, and smelling the scent of anti-septic, she groaned. She remembered. She picked a fight with Temari, and lost, horribly. Then she remembered hitting the cold, wet ground, and blacking out. Noticing Shikamaru's obnoxious hair and green vest, she felt new tears forming in her eyes. What is he doing here?

"Ino...are you feeling alright?"

Ino turned her head in his direction, and forced a smile to grace her pale lips.

"I'm fine..."

Shikamaru looked at her, and sighed.

"You're lying. But whatever...just rest," He said.

Ino managed to laugh, pain jolting through her body everything time she drew in a breath. She slowly stopped, and smiled once more. This time, her smile was full of sorrow and confusion. Why am I feeling this way?

"I bet you had fun with Temari...why aren't you with her?" Ino managed to ask.

The mention of Temari brought an enormous pang in Shikamaru's heart, and he frowned.

"If being forced around Konoha with a death grip is fun, then yes, I had loads of fun..." Shikamaru groaned.

Ino smiled, and closed her eyes. For some reason, she wasn't able to grasp the fact that Shikamaru was indeed with her and not Temari.

"I need to get back to work..." Ino whispered.

Shikamaru looked at her, and frowned.

"You're too weak to go now. Doctor said you wouldn't be out at least 'till tomorrow. Temari almost went all out on you."

Ino glared at him, and managed to bring herself up to a sitting position.

"What do you care about me anyway?" Ino hissed.

"You're my teammate."

"So if that's all, just a teammate, then let me go."

Before giving a chance for Shikamaru to answer, she found a new strength within her, and disappeared.

"Ino..." Shikamaru said to nobody in particular.

-:-

The autumn leaves gently fell around the sober girl as her tears fell onto the soft grass. Everything around her was a palette of oranges and reds, her tears blurring and smudging together the scenery. It wasn't everyday that she would cry over something this little, but somehow, her heart hurt, and it pained her to hold in all her tears.

"Ino?"

Ino turned around to find her best friend behind her, smiling her sweet smile and her emerald eyes glowing. Her pink-haired friend sat beside her on the grass, and pulled her into a friendly embrace.

"What's wrong?" She asked sweetly.

The heartbroken girl collapsed on her friend's shoulder, and began sobbing.

"Heartbreak," She managed to whisper.

The pink-haired motherly figure looked at her friend, and frowned. Why heartbreak hurt so much, she wished to know. So much has she experienced the feeling that she had eventually learned to hide it away. But she also knew the sudden outbursts of pain stabbing the heart, and all she could do was comfort her friend.

"Shikamaru?" She asked.

The blonde nodded onto her friend's soaked shoulder.

"I...saw him with Temari..."

"Ah..."

The blonde looked into her friend's emerald eyes, and frowned.

"I don't understand it, Sakura. How were you able to cope with this...for...years?"

Sakura stared at her, and smiled, closing her eyes, as if remembering her memories.

"I don't understand it either, Ino. But let's put it this way...when you love someone so much, wouldn't you just wait forever if you had to, for them to love you back? Heartbreak hurts, Ino. But someday, sometime, it'll heal over, and your heart will feel relieved and ready to love again. Everything blossoms, Ino."

She smiled at her friend, comforting her with the angelic air surrounding her. Feeling her time with her friend drawing to a close, she gave one last word of advice before leaving.

"Everything blossoms, just remember that...and eventually, your unseen wound will heal. The rest...is up to you to cope with," She said, getting up.

Ino stared at her through her teary blue eyes, and smiled. Sakura returned the smile, and waved farewell. She walked away from her heartbroken friend, and walked some distance before stopping and hiding behind a tree. Turning, she saw the Uchiha, obviously angry about something.

"It wasn't that long, Sasuke-kun," She said.

"That's not what I'm ticked at, Sakura..." He gruffly said.

Sakura stared at him through her emerald eyes, silently pleading him to continue.

"Why did I have to get that lazy bum? He's the one that made her cry, he's the one that should waste his time and go find her."

Sakura smirked at him, and their hands intertwined as she held his intently in hers.

"Well we're just helping her, okay?"

Sasuke sighed, and gave him, leaning against the tree trunk as his love peeked at her best friend.

-:-

Ino managed to stop sobbing, but stared at the open field in front of her. This was where she did most of her flower picking for the shop, or where she spent the most time when she wasn't feeling the best. Sensing another presence about her, she was able to target who it was, and sighed.

"Ino..."

Ino tensed at the sound of her name, and frowned.

"What are you doing here, Shikamaru?" She asked.

Shikamaru took a seat next to her, and lay down, both of his hands under his head, as he watched the clouds pass by. It was nearing sunset, so the sky was a beautiful hue of orange and pink, tinting the clouds with a pinkish glow.

"It's the best time for cloud watching..." He said.

Ino managed to giggle at his lazy antics, and lay down next him, soon forgetting all the pain he had caused her earlier. Am I already forgetting the pain?

"I'm sorry," He whispered.

Ino turned to face him, her eyes silently asking him to explain.

"You misunderstood...I never meant to hurt you...I was trying to get away from Temari. It's just that..."

Ino placed a finger over his lips, silencing him. By this time, sunset had begun, the sky's orange hue giving Ino a goddess-like glow about her as Shikamaru stared at her.

"No...It's fine. I heard everything. It's just that...we haven't seen each other in so long...that..."

"That's still my fault for not visiting you," He said.

Ino smiled. She looks like a goddess…Shikamaru thought.

"I know you're busy. Besides, I just hate that Temari girl...and seeing her with you made it all worse. I guess I was a bit...jealous," Ino said, laughing at her own foolish behavior.

Not allowing Shikamaru to say anything, she continued.

"I guess...there's so much to be jealous about. I mean, you're my teammate, but..."

Shifting her position so she was again lying down beside him, she closed her eyes as she let the last of the sun's warmth reach her.

"Through all the good times...I guess I never realized..."

The sunset was almost finished, and she looked at him through her blue eyes intently.

"How much..."

Shikamaru stared at her, his heart stopping its beating, scared about what she was telling him.

"I..."

A smile graced her pale lips as she closed her eyes.

"Love..."

Shikamaru, by this time, held his breath. Was this what he was waiting for, throughout all the years?

"You."

Without thinking, Shikamaru kissed her. Ino's eyes widened, but closed them on instinct, and returned the simple kiss. Breaking away, Shikamaru smiled at her.

"What was that for?" Ino asked.

"Just the spur of the moment..." He said.

Somehow, Ino was disappointed. Was that all? No love, no feelings?

"But..."

Ino looked at him, wondering what else he had to say.

"I love you too, Ino."

The sun officially set, and the moon took its place. Stars were littered across the obsidian sky. Ino's eyes gleamed along with them, and her world remained lit. Shikamaru looked at her, and smirked.

"You know, if I didn't know you better, I could call you a goddess..."

Ino broke out laughing, embracing Shikamaru as the two lay there under the stars.

"But your bossy attitude ruins the mood..."

Ino stared at him, and playfully punched him.

"...Troublesome..." He muttered.

Ino giggled as she felt Shikamaru place his arm protectively around her; Ino's wound had finally healed.

-:-

Sakura stared at the two, happy that everything worked out. Sasuke glared daggers at her, and she stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Alright, alright, we can go now..." She said.

Sasuke groaned, and the two began to walk away, their hands intertwined.

"Next time, don't drag me along, Ms. Love Doctor," He said.

Sakura giggled as she kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Kay."

-:-

Er...yeah. This was just written due to boredom. Pretty cheesy, sorry! And some OOC, I guess. :D

Thanks for reading!