Disclaimer: Once again, Kishimoto's.
100 themes, one per chapter, focusing on Sakura and Shikamaru, their shifting relationship, and the secret explosions just waiting to happen.
Theme #2: Hard to Handle
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Sakura, Shikamaru thinks, is too much. A little too intelligent. Too emotional, violent, vibrant. Despite his inner male voice protesting, she's too pretty as well.
She definitely doesn't fit in with his image of his future wife. Not that he thinks about this, ever.
She does manage to surprise him, still. He remembers her three years ago, vain and weak and annoying and Sasuke-obsessed. She was still really smart back then. Despite her increase in violence (she has become infinitely scarier) he thinks she's done well for herself. Her formidable new skills, and attitude, even her hair-style, have made her a sharper and stronger kunoichi.
It's also strangely attractive, too.
Before Naruto came back, Ino used to drag Sakura out to train and eat with Team Ten. "Forehead-girl's such a hermit." She'd complain. In the early days, in the wake of her Team's abandonment/breakdown she is withdrawn and silent. There was something sort of sad and pathetic about it, though one only had to speak about Sasuke or Naruto the wrong way to get their heads snapped off. In her early days with Tsunade, she dropped in on Team Ten's dinners exhausted and falling asleep. She had the look of someone working a lot harder than he'd ever worked, and there was something enjoyable about seeing her motivated about something.
Chouji pats her on the back and gives her an extra chip, Ino throws her arm around her shoulders and gossips gaily, and Shikamaru offers her a half-smirk that she knows is sincere. They all walk her home later, and Shikamaru can tell that she's glad to have friends there.
Things are a little different when Naruto finally returns. The new improved Sakura still can't help punching him when she's annoyed, though her punches hurt a hell of a lot more now. She has two-thirds of her team back, and she and Naruto are bright with the thought of bringing their Sasuke back.
Shikamaru can't help but remember that failed retrieval mission so long ago, and all thing things he almost lost.
Sakura puts her hands on her hips and glares- and everyone knows it's best if you do what she tells you to. Shikamaru gives his smirk and continues to smoke, though he does do so outside of the hospital.
Scratch that, Sakura's impossible to handle, and if you tried she'd probably punch your lights out.