A/N: It's against the laws of nature for me to argue against inspiration. For those of you waiting for an update on my other story, it's coming, I swear. But here's something quick for you to enjoy. =] Recommended listening: Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson. It's a beautiful, beautiful song.
Read and review.
Discliamed: Do not own Naruto.
It was the promise he had made all those years ago that kept her going.
The promise that he, one day, would return.
Even if that promise had been made over 6 years ago, she would keep waiting for him. Because it was useless to try and think of anyone else the way she thought of him.
Ino smiled to herself as she placed the last red tulip into her perfect creation. The flower arrangement stared back at her, filled to the brim with messages of pure, undying love with innocence and devotion. Her heart melted at the sight, and images of his back, retreating into the distance, entered her mind. The smile turned into a frown as she remembered that today was the seventh year reunion of his departure from Konoha.
Which meant that the promise had been made exactly seven years ago.
The bell attached to her door jingled softly, and Ino looked up, seeing the now grown up Konohamaru sheepishly looking at her.
"Miss Ino," he said, looking at her with pleading eyes. "I need… well, you see, I didn't mean to forget, it just happened, and now I think she's mad at me, which means that I need to apologize, but I don't know how, and then I thought of you, and you know what to do! Sakura said that if I was ever in a relationship fix, that you'd know how to make it better, so I decided that there was no where better to go than to see you, and-"
Ino's laughter cut him off, and he moved his eyes from the floor to her face. "Sakura was right; if it's a relationship problem, I can definitely fix it."
The bell rang once more as a man walked in, eyeing the flowers thoughtfully. "I'll be with you in one minute, sir," Ino called cheerfully. She turned her attention back to Konohamaru, who looked like Ino had just taken the weight of the world off of his shoulders. "Okay, kid, what's the problem?"
"Today is our anniversary, and I didn't mean to forget, it just happened I swear!" he said.
Her gaze turned from his face to the beautiful arrangement she had just finished. She had made it to give to him when he came back, if that happened to be today, but this was a much worthier and more probable cause. "I have just the thing for ya, Konohamaru. This arrangement is filled with red tulips and baby's breath, which means undying passion and purity. If she took the classes at the Academy, which I know she did, then she will know exactly what it means. She'll love it." Ino handed him the beautifully wrapped arrangement, and watched his eyes light up with glee.
"H-How much do I owe you, Miss Ino?" he asked, his fingers brushing his wallet. A woman walked into the store, causing the bell to ring. She moved straight to the flowers, picking out the ones she wanted to be arranged.
Ino winked. "For such a good cause, I think that it's safe to say it's on the house. And tell Moegi hello for me after you take her out for dinner, okay?"
"You think she'll like that?"
"I think she will," Ino confirmed. Konohamaru smiled, and then walked out of the store. Over the seven years that she had been alone, Ino felt herself becoming more and more soft. A story of love gone wrong could easily be fixed with flowers, and there was no price on love. Add that to her already soft spot for children, and there was no teenager Ino couldn't resist giving a little helping hand to.
Her mind wandering back to her store, Ino's mind jerked to attention as soon as she remembered she had customers. Her eyes searched for the man, but he had left. Ino felt a tinge of guilt, thinking she had made him wait too long as she helped out Konohamaru with his dilemma. "You have good taste, ma'am," Ino said, walking up to woman who was looking between two flowers. "If you're going for what I think you're going for, then the yarrow would be best."
"Ah, thank you," she said, smiling. "I've been trying to remember my Academy days since I walked in… I haven't had much use for flower arrangements since I stopped going on missions, but I couldn't resist bringing an old teammate some flowers since he was in the hospital," she said matter-of-factly.
A quick nod of the head followed. "I figured that's what this was for. I can arrange them so that way your message will be brought across easier… if of course he knows what the flowers mean." The woman laughed, and Ino went to work, creating another special arrangement for other people's lives.
When finally the clock struck 5, Ino heaved a sigh of relief and untied her apron. Finally, closing time had come around. She moved quickly to the front of the store, and flipped the sign to close, preparing to clean up and go home. She grabbed her broom, and began working.
In the silence of closing time, when it was still bright outside, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.
7 years.
7 years since she had last kissed anyone.
7 years since she had least seen him.
7 years since he had told her he loved her, and that he would never, ever stop loving her.
And 7 years since she had said the exact same thing.
Despite the image she wanted to show, the façade she put on, Ino didn't like the waiting. She wanted him to come home, safe and alive, looking for her. But Sakura had said chances of his survival were becoming slimmer as the days went by. She told her that eventually, Ino would have to stop waiting. But she knew, and Sakura knew, that she would never stop, could never stop, waiting for him.
The door closed quietly beside her as Ino stepped into the street.
"Ino!"
Her blue eyes jumped upward, meeting the face of a certain Inuzuka woman. Hinata stood happily, a brown haired, lavender eyed baby staring up at Ino as well.
"Aww, Hinata, she's adorable!" The baby cooed happily, her little hands reaching up toward Ino with fervor. Hinata handed the child over, and a small murmur of pure joy echoed from her tiny throat.
"It never ceases to amaze me how much more she enjoys you than me," Hinata said, rolling her eyes, but the smile still on her face.
Ino laughed. "She just likes making people happy, that's all." The two fell into silence, and Ino was letting the baby play with her long blonde hair.
Hinata bit her lip nervously, a question playing on her lips, but her kindness keeping her from asking it.
"Seven years. To the day," Ino answered, not meeting her friend's gaze. She knew what Hinata wanted to ask. What everyone wanted to know.
"Ino…" Hinata said, trailing off.
Ino smiled weakly. "Just give it one more year. One more year, and I'll give up on him." It was a lie Ino was used to telling, and would keep telling until she believed it. And then she would break down, crying. Hinata saw it for what it was, but said nothing.
The two friends walked in silence, letting the lovely weather and the buzz of shoppers soothe them. The baby slowly fell into a slumber, and Ino smiled down at her.
"How was work today?" Hinata asked as they neared her house. Tonight Ino was going to spend some time with her, seeing as Kiba was out of town, and Ino couldn't bear to be alone.
Ino shrugged. "There were a few customers. Konohamaru came in to the shop today. It's hard to realize he's all grown up now. I still imagine him as a little kid, you know?" Hinata nodded. They stopped in front of the house, and Hinata opened the door, but Ino stopped her. She handed the small child back to Hinata. "I'm going to go out really quick to get some food."
"You don't have to, Ino," Hinata argued. "We have food here, you know." Hinata didn't want Ino to have to be alone.
"No, Hinata, I'd really like to go out." The pleading look in the blonde's eyes told her that there was more to this trip than just food, and reluctantly, Hinata let her go. "I'll be back soon, I promise," Ino said, waving to Hinata as she walked back down the street. She wanted to be alone at this moment, more than she knew.
The overwhelming desire to cry over took her, and Ino began to run.
Quickly, with the swift speed of a ninja, Ino appeared in a small clearing. A stream ran through it, and the trees lined it, making a perfect getaway for all of life's frustrations. She had been coming here all of her life, ever since she had discovered it, when things got too horrible to bear. When life just seemed not worth living anymore.
Today was one of those days.
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek. "You said that you would come back, you know. You promised that you would make it back to me, alive."
Another tear fell after the first.
"It was unfair of you to tell me you loved me!" she yelled, crumpling to the ground. "You knew you were leaving, and yet you told me that you loved me, and no one would ever come between us! I've carried these feelings for seven damn years, and you're probably off with your new wife, over flowing with children!" The frustration of seven years pint up emotion was boiling over to the top quickly.
Ino shifted her position so she was crying into her knees. The tears were unstoppable now. "Why? Why did you leave me? Why didn't you come back when they said you would? I'm still waiting, you loser! I'm still waiting for you to come back to me!"
As Ino yelled and screamed, her memories of their life together streamed through her mind. She had found him in the field one day, watching clouds, thinking. She had followed him to avenge their sensei. She would have followed him anywhere. The memory of their first kiss, the first time he asked her out, even the song that played on their first date were as clear as daylight in her mind.
"Was I not normal enough? Was I too bossy? If it would make you come back to me, I swear I'll change! Damnit, Shikamaru, I'd do anything if you'd just come back to me like you promised!"
"Can I get that in writing?"
Her head shot up as her heart skidded to a stop. The tears abruptly ended. It was a hallucination, wasn't it? She heard footsteps creep closer, and suddenly a hand was on her shoulder. It felt so real, so perfect.
"I didn't want to make you cry, Ino. I really didn't."
The shockwaves his voice created in her body still resonated with each word he spoke.
"I came back as soon as I could. I… I…" as he trailed off, Ino jumped to her feet and hit him in the arm. He was slightly surprised at her actions, but made no move to dodge.
"You idiot!" she said, her fist making contact with his skin. She heard his hiss of pain. "You left me! I waited all these years and you just left me here! What's with that?" she yelled, aiming a punch to his chest. It was weaker than the first one, and as she hurled more insults at him, her attacks became less and less effective. Finally, she dissolved into his arms, and buried her head into his chest. "I've missed you," she sobbed. "I've missed you so much!"
He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed the top of her head. "How do you think I've felt? I've had to worry for days on end that you had gotten tired of waiting and left me."
"No," she said, a smile on her lips, but tears still falling. "I would never, ever do that to you," she said. And at that moment, Ino knew that she would have waited the rest of her life for him to come home. Ino's heart thudded happily and she stood in peaceful bliss, listening to his own heart beat. The warmth radiating from his chest calmed her in a way that no one else could.
"It's been seven years," she whispered quietly. "Seven very long, very lonely years."
He placed a hand on either side of her face, and swooped down to kiss her. Ino felt her whole body explode in happiness and love, and her eyes fluttered close. When they finally pulled apart, he placed his forehead on hers, his eyes still shut.
"I have a lot to make up for," he stated simply.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!