A/N: This is the first story in my own random confessions prompt. The concept is to write a bunch of random one shots where Shikamaru and/or Ino are confessing their love to one another. The ratings will very and so will the universe (manga/anime/alternate). I have a few more ideas and I will just add on as I finish writing. If anyone has a suggestion of a way for them to confess their love then please shoot me a review. The updates will be entirely random and will be an ongoing process. I'm working with theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs on archiveofourown . org. We will post the chapters there together and I will post all of them here on fanfiction.
Story Plot: Shikamaru confesses his love for Ino in the language that she knows so well. Short sweet and full of fluff.
Writer: tsubasa_1742
Date: 03/7/2015
Setting: Anime-Verse
Genre: Romance/Friendship
Rating: K-K+
Ino's Favorite Flowers
The streets of Konoha were slightly crowded that day while Shikamaru made his way to Yamanaka Flowers. The air was clean and beginning to cool as the early signs of autumn were settling over the village. Green tree leaves were taking on a slightly ruddy color and the day light hours were gradually becoming shorter. It was the twenty-third of September, Ino's birthday.
A frown creased his brow; Shikamaru was about to enter into his best girlfriends flower shop empty handed. He hadn't had all that much of a choice though. He had been away for the last two months in the Village Hidden in the Sand as an ambassador, settling things before the second attempt at a joint sponsored chunnin exam.
It also didn't help that he had no idea what to get her. Never before had he recalled getting a gift for Ino being this troublesome, but today it was different. It was different, because he wanted to get her something that showed her just how he felt about her. His feelings for her had changed into something more substantial over the years.
Sure, in the beginning they had been at odds with one another. He frustrated her with his laziness and she annoyed him with her nagging, but thing were different now. They were no longer the juvenile brats they once were. He found himself enjoying her presence more and more with each passing day.
Even in the beginning, they had been comfortable with one another. They were never shy or insecure about telling one another what was what. If she irritated him, he told her and if she was angry at him, she let him know why. She smiled easily around him and he visibly relaxed in her presence; he didn't need to put on a show for her. She knew who he was inside and out and he knew her just as thoroughly.
So it came as little surprise to him when he realized his feelings for her had grown from like to love. This actually occurred quite recently; specifically, within the first month of his mission as ambassador of Konoha to the Village Hidden in the Sand.
One evening, he found himself unable to sleep. And in his sleeplessness he began to think about Ino. What was she doing? Was she asleep at that moment, dreaming peacefully, or was she thinking about him? Did she ever think about him?
His eyes had widened in sudden realization. He was missing Ino. Not having her near was causing him to lose sleep. This had never happened to him before but, then again, he had never really been separated her for very long.
Shikamaru was getting to that age in life where a young man would start looking for a future wife or a girlfriend at the very least. He had believed himself above all of that frivolity, not having had any thoughts or feelings of such up until that point. Being away from Ino was making him think of her in a new light. He realized that he didn't need to think of a girlfriend or a potential wife because he had Ino.
He was in love with her.
It all seemed so obvious to him now. The signs had always been there and it took a few months of separation for him to realize it. And, on that very day, he wanted to act on his unmistakable feelings for Ino.
The entrance of the flower shop came into view and with it the sudden feeling of nervous jitters. It was one thing to make up your mind about confessing your feelings to the girl you love, but it was something else entirely to act on it. He began to wonder if he had the will and fortitude to go through with his confession.
He didn't have much time to linger on his insecurities. Upon entering into the humble shop, he was nearly tackled as the excited blond rushed to greet him with an eager hug.
"Oh, Kami, Shika!" she shouted into his ear excitedly, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, "I missed you so much!"
Her words were lost to him when the softness of her form seemed to envelop his. Her presence was overwhelming, sweet, and so very warm. He could smell her floral perfume wafting in through his nostrils, feel her body pressed flush to his front, and hear his heart pounding in his ears.
It took all of his willpower not to return her hug enthusiastically. She would know for sure if he squeezed her so tightly against him that it stole her breath away! No, it was better to wait it out. It was better to devise a plan and tell her he loved her in a far less physical way.
As it was, Ino hugged everyone. She even hugged Choji every once in a while. So, despite the familiarity, it didn't necessarily mean that she gave him free reign to squeeze her back just as tightly as she was squeezing him. It also didn't absolutely mean that she loved him. Even though this all made sense to him, it didn't keep his heart from pounding wildly in his chest or his hands from shaking with excited nervousness and happiness.
With a steadying breath, Shikamaru rubbed a gentle hand along her back in response and smiled against her ear, "I missed you too, Ino," he murmured in a gentle tone.
She withdrew from him with a wide smile on her face, "Happy Belated Birthday!" she cheered excitedly, throwing her arms up in the air animatedly, "Oh, I wish you could have actually been here for it! We all could've celebrated together!"
"It's no big deal," Shikamaru assured her with a smile and a shrug, "We can celebrate our birthdays together like we do almost every year. Maybe we can all go to Yakiniku after you get out of work today?"
Her look was one of animated elation, "That would be great! Get the whole team together and party like we used to!"
Shikamaru just chuckled at her enthusiasm. This was something else that he always loved about Ino. No matter how long they were separated, she always acted like they had never parted a single day. She was always positive and motivated and so unbelievably beautiful.
"You just got back from your mission didn't you?" she asked curiously, receiving a nod in answer, "Well, then, what are you doing here? Don't you want to rest up? Or is there a special reason you came to my flower shop?" she asked with a knowing grin.
Shikamaru blushed nervously. Truth be told, he had simply wanted to see her, but he really did need to get her a gift, "I wanted to get a present for this girl I like," he mentioned bashfully, timidly meeting Ino's inquisitive gaze.
The look that came upon her features puzzled him. She looked…disappointed… She looked upset and even sad! Why would she have a reaction like that to the mention of getting a present for a girl he liked? Was she, maybe, upset that he liked another girl?
"What kind of flowers do you think she might like?" Ino asked, the previous excitement and energy to her tone now gone.
There was no way, at this point, that he was mistaken. She was sad! She was disappointed at the thought that he liked someone else besides her! Ino was jealous! If she was attempting to hide it, she was doing an awful job as she made her way over to a wall in the greenhouse covered in shelves upon shelves of beautifully colored flowers.
With a plan now fully developed, Shikamaru continued to speak of Ino as if she were some other girl, "I don't know. I guess she would like whatever you like, Ino," his tone was heavily laden with hints that the blond seemed too upset to notice, "How 'bout you put together a bouquet of flowers you might like to get from a boyfriend."
Ino nodded forlornly at Shikamaru's request and went about gathering several stems of different species of flowers. Once picked, she set them down on a nearby work station before gathering them together in a sturdy, clear, glass vase. Red carnations and salvia, white yarrow, gardenia, and primrose, yellow daffodils and acacia blossoms, and finally pink camellia and gloxinia.
Shikamaru knew the meanings of only a few of these flowers. After all, Ino had put it upon herself to attempt to educate him in the language of flowers more than once. The particular ones that stood out were the carnations and the camellia. Carnations symbolized a broken heart while camellias spoke of deep longing. He was almost certain of it now.
Ino must feel the same about him. Otherwise, why would she gather together flowers like that for a girl he liked? It wouldn't make any sense.
He smiled contentedly, even as Ino moved about with a saddened expression. She loved him back and his heart was overjoyed. He followed her to the cash register, all the while keeping his eyes trained on her. She wouldn't look at him.
"Would you like to add a card?" she asked listlessly.
This was his chance! He could have her write out his confession on the card. She would be over the moon after this!
"Sure, why not?" he attempted to maintain a nonchalant air even when his stomach suddenly felt as it were inhabited by dozens of butterflies. He could do this. He could do is!
"What would you like it to say?" she asked, still not meeting his gaze.
A moment later, a customer entered into the shop with an apprehensive look on his face. It was a young man and he seemed to be bordering on frantic. He must have forgotten an important occasion and was scrambling to compensate.
"Excuse me," he interrupted, "I see that you're busy, and I apologize, but can you please help me really quick?"
Ino looked to Shikamaru, who shrugged noncommittally in response. She seemed to take that as a go ahead and came out from behind the register to assist the frazzled gentleman.
Shikamaru was feeling slightly irritated, the butterflies in his stomach urging him to escape. He couldn't do that to her, could he? He was feeling so unbelievably nervous at that point. His palms were sweaty and his heart was hammering a mile a minute. Thinking on it now it still may have been hard to simply say he loved her while she wrote out the note. What could he do?
He glanced down at the card with the pen at the ready. He could write out the message and hightail it out of there. If she appreciated or reciprocated the confession, then she would make it known during dinner that night, he was certain.
With his mind made up, Shikamaru jotted down a quick message and scooted out the door while Ino was still preoccupied with her customer. Before he could make it very far passed the exit, he paused. He wasn't sure if he had the patience to wait for dinner that night to get her response. He lingered outside the exit and flattened his back against a wall near one of the outside windows. Maybe he could watch her while she read the note.
Not much longer and the restless customer exited the shop, glancing over to Shikamaru curiously. The shadow wielder waved him off with a frown, keeping a close eye on Ino while she moved around the shop as if looking for something. He assumed that it must have been him and he began to feel slightly guilty for ditching her. That momentary guilt left to be replaced by his earlier butterflies when he watched her approach the register where the bouquet that she gathered still remained. Her curious blue eyes noticed the note that was placed, folded, on the colorful assortment of flowers. Shikamaru watched anxiously while she opened the note to read its contents.
What would she think?
He watched as a huge smile took over her features before she began to cry excitedly, happy tears streaming out of the corners of her eyes as her hand covered her mouth against excited laugher. Shikamaru smiled, knowing now more than ever that she returned his love.
Ino,
I love you.
Shikamaru
P.S. Happy Birthday.
A/N: A short little story that just came to me one day. I thought it was cute and symbolized their kind of love. Please review and let me know what you think! Also please send me an idea if you have one! Thank you for reading!
Red Carnations=aching heart, Red Salvia=forever mine, Yarrow=everlasting love, Acacia Blossoms=concealed love, Camellia=longing, Daffodil=unrequited love, Gardenia=secret love, Gloxinia=love at first sight, Primrose=I can't live without you.
