Four days later
Ino was glad to be home. Sure she loved her team but right now she just wanted a shower. She entered her house. She loved that Shikamaru did this for her. Everyday her love for him increases.
Ino got in the shower, still not having seen Shika. She figured that he was with his team.
A couple of minutes later when she got out, she found a scroll for her on the table.
It was from Shikamaru, asking for her to meet him at his cloud watching spot at 9pm.
Ino set her alarm clock to wake her at seven, so she had enough time to get ready. Then, she slept.
7pm
Ino got up ready for what, she assumed, would be a night of stargazing. She wore some black pants and a tight navy long sleeve shirt.
After getting ready, she went to the hill.
Shikamaru was standing there in a tux. The field was lit up. Fireflies were flying around blending in with the twinkling Christmas lights that were wrapping the trees. The field looked ethereal.
Shikamaru walked up to her and handed her a bouquet of roses. There were twelve red roses surrounding a blue night blooming flower.
"Shikamaru, this is beautiful." Ino smelled the flowers, they smelled sweet. She started to smile as the night bloomer was opening.
As she watched the flower, Shikamaru kneeled to one knee.
The flower opened and revealed the white gold and sapphire ring. Ino looked to Shikamaru, kneeling in front of her.
"Ino will you marry me?"
Ino's eyes widened before she tackled him to the ground in a barrage of kisses and yeses. Shikamaru skillfully caught the ring and slipped it on to her finger.
Saiya, Markle, and Ryo walked out. "See, Shika-sensei, I knew it would…" she didn't finish her sentence clasping her hands over her mouth.
"Saiya-chan, it's okay, I knew Shika would need help."Saiya released her breath and smiled.
"You guys can I make a small request though," Ino saw them nod so she continued, "can you go home so that I can spend some time with my Shika."
They all ran off immediately.
Shika laid down d Ino snuggled into his side.
Later that night, Shikamaru carried his fiancé home.
At the Nara's
As soon as Ino walked into the house, Yoshino gave her a big hug.
"Hello Mrs. Nara," Ino said straining to breath.
Shikato ushered the young couple into the living room. Shikamaru grabbed Ino's hand. Yoshino brought in the tea.
"Son, why exactly are you here? You said you had something to speak about."
"Yes, what is it?" Yoshino said as she sat next to Shikato.
"Mom, Ino and…"
"Oh my god, let me see that ring, how did he propose Ino?" Yoshino practically dived across the table when she saw the ring.
Shikato just took Shikamaru aside as Ino tried to answer all of Yoshino's questions.
"Shikamaru, how are you going to break this to Inoichi?" Shikamaru went pale and started to sweat.
"Listen, you're gonna need to know how to handle Inoichi."
"How would I do that?"
"Well you need…"
Shikamaru never got to hear the rest as Ino rushed in. She grabbed his arm and shouted good-byes as they ran out the door.
When she stopped, she turned and said, "I can't believe you left me in there with her. I froze. She started to describe her married life to me."
"It couldn't have been that bad."
"If I had stayed for her to return with more tea, there were promises of me hearing about your conception? I also have some vivid images that she put in my head, wanna know."
"Oh hell no."
After another five minutes, Ino calmed down. She started on the way to her house. Shika grabbed her hand and made her stop. She turned around and was met with Shika's cutest pouty face.
"Why hurry?"
"Shika," her eyes narrowed, "we have to tell Daddy, or else if he hears it from someone else then that might be bad." Shikamaru begrudgingly went along.
Yamanaka's
Shikato met up with the young couple on their way and decided to go with.
When they got to the Yamanaka residence, they found Inoichi in the back garden.
Ino ran over to give her father a hug. "Daddy, I have something to tell," She grabbed Shika's hand, "Shikamaru and I are engaged."
Shikamaru was silent, nobody spoke.
Inoichi got up. "Shika you bastard," he said with a smile.
Shikamaru was still silent and wide eyed.
"I told you my plan would work. They never even knew that they were being pawns," Shikato said wrapping an arm around Inoichi's shoulder.
"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru asked.
"It actually started in a bar before you were born…
F.B.
"Shikato are we still here celebrating our wives pregnancy or are we just trying to avoid their hormones?" Inoichi said after his second bottle.
"A little bit of both."
Five minutes later
"Inoichi, let's make a pact," Inoichi nodded and they shook hands, "I propose, if we have kids that are the same gender they become best friends… like us."
"I propose that if they are different genders then we somehow get them together."
Shikato nodded and added, "With that, they will get married, but only if they are born within 24hrs of each other."
End F.B.
"A couple of monthes later you both were born…"
Inoichi finished, "September 22nd and the 23rd, within the 24hrs time limit."
"So what if we didn't fall into that time period or in love with each other?" Ino asked.
"The contingency plan was an arranged marriage… Inoichi's idea," Shikato explained.
Ino walked over and was telling her father about the proposal and adding in how Shikamaru still helps her with the flowers.
"Dad, what was the 'plan' you were talking about earlier?" Shikamaru asked.
"That is something I'll never tell and neither will Inoichi. We took some drastic measures that will not be spoken of."
"Was it the way that Ino hardly saw Sasuke after our genin graduation?"
"That's a part of it."
"So the rest is how no man ever came up to Ino and just stuck to their fantasies."
"I wouldn't…"
Shikamaru interrupted, "Dad, you guys didn't know this but Ino has been mine since the incident that happened when we were three. Ever since that, we've always been protective of each other."
"Really, Ino dear," Shikato yelled to her, "Come over here."
"What is it?"
Shikato glanced at Inoichi, "How long, would you say, have you been Shikamaru's?"
Inoichi and Shikato stared at the couple. Shikamaru was smirking and Ino had blush.
"I guess that I've been his since… well basically since we were three."
Shikato and Inoichi were slack jawed. Shikamaru whispered something to Ino. They waved good bye and left the fathers-in-law.