Of Flowers and Food, a naruto fanfic

Pairing: Chouji/Ino
Requested By: iflip4dolphins
Written By: Mara
Extra Note: MADE AT 1:00 AM.

Of Flowers and Food

Men.

I'd always thought men to be something to view. That was it. Just a tool for sex and pleasure and for a woman's eyes to gaze at. To speculate, and gossip about. Which penis was largest, you know. I always was a sex fiend, of course. I loved it, the feeling of a man taking me as his own. It made me feel dirty in just the right way.

That's what I thought. Now…well, it's all because of Chouji. Yeah, blame it on him, boys. I don't really sell my body anymore.

It all started when I graduated high school.

Chouji…I never really cared about him. I barely even noticed him, didn't realize he was alive…Well, except when he was eating. I thought he was nasty, then. Always chomping down on those chips, you know? It was annoying, the gross crinkling sound and the noises he'd make when he was munching. Sick, right?

Well, come graduation day, it was my 'unfortunate' luck to get stuck with him. See, I was voted the class representative…probably because of my body. I remember when the principal told me I had to go and help Chouji, head of the cooking club at school, in the kitchen with the food and drink for the graduation ceremony.

Yup. That's what changed my life. Oh, you'll see. Just let me tell my story.

"B-But Tsunade, I can't!" I cried. Two days till graduation, and I was standing as the not-so-proud class representative in front of Tsunade in the principal's office. "Can't…Can't I do anything else?"

"No, I'm sorry, Ino." Tsunade said. "All the other positions are filled up."

Now I usually had a terrible anger problem. But I could control it, and I took a deep breath to do so. "Tsunade…can I please switch with someone?"

"No." she said shortly, and I winced at the bluntness of my fate. "Please, Ino, we only have two days till the ceremony, can't you cooperate like the true class representative? You're supposed to be like a cheerleader, peppy and full of school spirit! Whatever happened to the old days? Sheesh…"

I groaned. "Tsunade…!"

"Go, Ino. You're going to do your job, and you're going to like it. Or so help me I will rip you of your title and your dignity. At the same time no less!"

I gulped and wondered how she couldn't do both at the same time…

I calmed myself as I stood outside the kitchen. Surely this wouldn't be the worst experience of my life. Surely I could survive this in one piece, and keep my reputation. And of course my title and dignity, I couldn't help but recall with shudders as Tsunade's face flashed in front of my eyes.

"Okay, Ino. Let's do this." I whispered to myself, clenching a fist. I reached out and pushed open the door, entering the school kitchen, which was reserved for the cooking club.

I looked around. Just a few stoves, counters, a refrigerator, some cabinets, and ingredients everywhere. And the entire place was sparkling white.

"Ah, Ino, right?"

I jumped and turned to the side to see Chouji Akimichi, sitting on a counter and stirring something in a bowl. I tried not to grimace. He was so…fat! Yuck!

However, he didn't look like other men, I noticed. He wasn't…hott, or sexy, but for sure he was…

Cute…

I swallowed hard, inwardly slapping myself.

"U-Um, you don't…know me…?" I asked awkwardly. It was a little odd, a guy not knowing me as soon as I walked into a room. Usually they were calling my name and whistling, slapping me on the ass.

"Oh, no, I know you, just making sure. I mean, another pretty blonde girl could come in here too." Chouji said, standing.

I sighed. Nope, he was just like every other man, just a bit fatter, I thought grouchily. "Okay, well, I'm here to help, so if there's anything I can do, we might as well get started."

"Well, I need an extra pair of hands on the cake." Chouji said. "Come here and just stir the batter a bit for me, alright?"

I nodded and crossed over, taking the bowl and spoon. I looked down into the bowl and frowned. I'd never made a cake before, or really cooked before at all, actually. I knew how to do it, but I was just a little nervous that I was doing it wrong as I stirred it daintily, trying not to get any batter on my long-sleeved black turtle neck sweater and cream pleated skirt.

"Ino, you're doing it wrong."

I groaned. "I knew it…" I muttered to myself.

Chouji suddenly took it from me and started stirring it. "See, you're supposed to stir it fast and strong, like this. You're not whisking eggs." he said as he demonstrated.

I tried not to laugh, even though that last statement was pretty funny. I usually didn't laugh at those kinds of jokes. I took it carefully from him and started stirring it again. "Like…this…?" I asked awkwardly.

"No, a little faster. And put more effort into it."

I bit my tongue in my mouth. This wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.

"Thanks for the help, I'll see you tomorrow." Chouji called as I left the kitchen.

I waved over my shoulder a bit, and as soon as the doors closed behind me, I collapsed against the wall, moaning and holding onto my burning arms, sore from all the stirring I'd had to do. I'd finally put all my weight into stirring that stupid batter, and according it Chouji, it still wasn't enough!

I chewed on my bottom lip, looking down at my outfit; completely covered in the chocolaty fluids Chouji called 'excess batter' that had spilled out of the bowl. Oh, and if it wasn't enough, I had to do another bowl tomorrow as Chouji finished up the finger sandwiches. I was going to kill Tsunade.

As I walked through the hallways of the school, avoiding the crowded ones so people couldn't see me in this state, I thought for a bit.

In spite of all that, I couldn't help but think it was…

Fun…

I shook my head. Tomorrow, I'd be prepared. I'd wear clothes that I wouldn't mind getting ruined, and I'd try my hardest.

"Wow, good job today, Ino!" Chouji said.

I grinned. "Thanks! I think I'm getting better at this!" I said as I clapped my hands together to get rid of the flour coating them.

He chuckled. "You are! Yesterday you didn't even get finished with the batter, today you finished in the first five minutes and now you've even finished with the cupcakes. You're as good as a professional, you know that?"

I blinked. "U-Uh…I don't know about that…I mean, I could never size up with you, Chouji."

I didn't know if he was really as good of a cook as everyone said, but I knew that I wasn't as good as he was.

I noticed some pink sprinkled across his cheeks and couldn't help but giggle. "Well, do you need me to stay after and help a little more?"

He shook his head. "No, I'll just clean up. You can leave."

I smiled. "Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow at graduation, then."

He nodded. "Right."

As I left, I slowly lost the smile. The doors closed behind me, and I ran my fingers through my long blonde hair.

"Graduation…" I said aloud. "That means I won't see Chouji anymore, doesn't it…?"

"Congratulations, everyone." I said, smiling brightly as I finished my speech. My class erupted into applause, screaming approval of me and shaking my hand as I climbed down into the crowd to greet my friends.

During the speech, I'd found myself looking for someone. Someone large. Someone warm-looking. Someone that I'd officially nick-named, to my own amusement, my 'teddy-bear'.

And yes, this was after two days of getting to know him. Only two days. I didn't mind, though.

Sadly, I hadn't found him.

"Ino!"

I turned and saw my best friend Sakura Haruno running up to me, grinning widely. "Sakura." I said, hugging her.

"Good job, girl, you rocked em!" she cheered, pulling away to tug on the tassel of my graduating cap playfully.

"Thanks." I said, laughing distractedly.

"Oh, there's Temari! Meet me later, okay?!" Sakura cried, running off. "Oh, and TenTen said you've got to try the food, it's supposed to be really good!"

The food…!

I glanced around and spotted the table with the treats, finger food, cake, and refreshments stacked neatly on it. I walked over and stared. There was the cake. It was almost all gone, apparently everyone loved it. I laughed a bit. I turned to the sandwiches. Didn't Chouji make those?

I picked one up. It was two tiny slices of Italian bread with tuna, garlic spice, and lettuce inside. I bit into it shortly, and chewed. My eyes widened as I swallowed.

"Delicious…!" I said aloud, almost breathlessly. I ate the entire thing, savoring each bite. Each time I wanted to say 'Delicious!' over and over again, but I didn't only for fear people could hear me and think I was nuts.

Eating them reminded me of a certain someone, and I glanced around, searching over the heads of everyone and between their bodies, moving about the gym and hugging each other, signing each other's arms and hats and year books, crying, taking pictures.

"And now Ino Yamanaka will give the last bit of her speech."

I blinked when I heard my name and sighed as everyone cheered and two boys came over and offered to help me up to the stage. I'd find him later.

"And now, let's party!" I said into the microphone, and everyone screamed happily and threw their hats into the air. I laughed a bit at that and threw mine as well. But my eyes were skimming through the forest of classmates, running about to catch their hat and search for it on the ground. Where, where…?

And then, I saw him. Chouji, standing in a corner, clapping slowly as he leaned against a wall, his eyes catching mine. He smiled, and I smiled right back, not bothering to look at the other men who were desperately trying to catch my attention. I quickly climbed down the steps. I shook hands, hugged, and grinned my way through the crowd till I finally got to him.

I stood in front of him, looking up. He laughed.

"You were great." he said. "Sorry I'm late, I would have caught the first half of your speech if I could, but I had to call a few friends."

I smiled. "It's fine, don't worry." I assured him. All the other classmates were now leaving the gym to get ready for the all-night senior party. We were silent for a bit, almost awkward, as the roaring crowd pushed against each other near us. Then I grinned.

"So I'll see you at the dance, right?"

He blinked. "Yeah, sure."

"And we'll definitely have to exchange numbers. You'll need to show me how to make those sandwiches some day." I continued.

He chuckled, blushing a bit again. "Yeah, of course!"

And I stood on my toes, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and flounced away to greet Sakura, who was waving me over frantically.

Men.

They're prizes, yes. They're people that are meant to be chosen, not at random but over time, through getting to know them, growing fond of them, getting to love them. And they're meant to be taken as yours. They're wonderful creatures, those men. They're like the ingredients to a cake. One of them makes up the best part to your unique sense of taste. They satisfy you in many ways. And they can make you feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

"Ino, I think the chicken's burning, can you help me with it?"

"Coming, Chouji!"

Especially if you choose just the right one.

Author's Note: I apologize. I went out on a limb with this one, probably because of the time this was made. Some of you may recognize this as a re-done version of the one-shot in my one-shot/drabble collection An Artist's Touch. Thought I might as well re-vamp it. I know, alternate universe, first person, and a story told from present tense! Shocking, am I right? But I believe it's cute and campy. I hope it's cute and campy, that was what I aimed for. Hope you enjoyed all the same. XD
- mara