Part 11: The Secret Life of Flowers

There were many people who argued that flowers had no place in a ninja's world. Flowers were beautiful, delicate, and ornamental; what use were they when there was blood to spill? The Yamanaka clan had been working for years- ever since they joined Konoha just after it formed- to dispell the myth that flowers were harmless. From Patriarch to Matriarch to eldest son or daughter, the Yamanaka had been giving flora a fighting chance for decades. Ino Yamanaka proudly walked this path behind her father Inoichi, famous for the nickname 'Flowershop Boy" and his special hybrid roses, with thorns so sharp they could pierce steel plating and shred castle walls.

Flower jutsus were almost always more deadly in the hands of a woman, due to the sheer nature of the weapon in question and the methods in which they were applied. The females of the Yamanaka Clan had been Konoha's spies, assassins, and trump cards for years. Ino carried pollen to knock a person out in a vial that was pinned to her collar. She had truth serums, nerve potions, and almost every poison imaginable. She was proud, she was beautiful, and when you got her in the right mood she was deadly.

So it goes without saying that Ino was a bit of a master where flowers were concerned. She knew the meaning, the humidity level, and the possible toxicity of every plant that crossed the threshold of her shop. Being a woman, Ino knew how flowers spoke to other girls- and being a Yamanaka, she couldn't help but meddle.

She'd put together the bouquet just that morning. It had been a game- how to say "I love you but I'm too much of a lazy idiot to come right out and say it" without being overbearing.

"Orchids," she said to herself as she tidied the shop. "Magnificence." Three orchids- white, lightly brushed with purple- had been the center of her masterpiece. Magnificent- Shikamaru might not use the word to describe Temari out loud, but Ino knew what she saw.

"Blue acacia," Ino said as she dusted around the register- concealed love. A few sticks of blackthorn- difficulty, I do not know what to say. Edelweiss- courage, will you make the first move? A gladiola- sincerity. Jonquil. Love me.

Of course, she'd tossed in a few ferns for strength, some baby's breath to fill in the blank spots, and down near the very bottom- if Shikamaru bothered to look- he would find an oak leaf geranium and a four leaf clover. Good Luck, my Friend.

It had been a complete pain to find all of the flowers- a fact which Ino wanted to complain about loudly to anyone who would listen- but she hoped it would be worth it. She crossed her fingers, closed her eyes, and prayed to the gods of love who had yet to bless her that Temari, though she lived in the desert, would understand the secret life of flowers.

When her father came into the shop, about ten minutes after Shikamaru and Chouichi had left, and saw his daughter smiling, he knew it was better not to ask. He'd hear about it sooner or later.

Ino left the shop whistling and headed for the hospital. Sakura would be on break soon.

oOo

When Shikamaru Nara arrived at Temari's door with a bouquet of flowers, she knew that something was up. She stared at the bundle and then at him with a face that clearly said she wasn't sure what to think.

"Your brother is here." Shikamaru said, holding the bouquet out to her. "The other one."

Temari took the flowers and weighed the pros and cons of putting them in water before or after she locked Shikamaru in a closet and battened down the hatches.

"When did he get here?" she asked neutrally, moving away from the door and letting Shikamaru inside. The Nara stood in the small alcove, as though unsure of what to do. He latched his arms behind his head and decided to follow Temari into the small kitchenette as she went on the hunt for a vase.

"About two hours ago." Shikamaru informed her. "He's at the Akimichi Compound.

Temari filled the vase with water, letting a small smile grace her face. "Chouichi?" she asked. Shikamaru nodded.

"I didn't think an Akimichi could be so devious."

"Clearly, you haven't been paying attention." The Nara muttered, still slightly displeased with just how devious the Akimichi were turning out to be. Temari put the flowers in the vase and carried it into the livin room, placing it on the small coffee table with the remnants of her box of chocolates. She sat down on the couch and patted the cushion beside her. Shikamaru sat down and automatically became boneless, slung every which way like there was nothing to him but skin.

"You can't hide behind me, you know." Temari said. "He won't let you."

Shikamaru cracked open an eye. "Who says I'm hiding?" he asked.

Temari sat straight up and looked at the vase, then at him. "Why did you bring me these?" she demanded. Shikamaru, sensing danger, sat up as well. "Ino passed them off to me." He said, eyeing the flowers. "She thought I needed help."

"Maybe you do." Temari replied. "Since you're completely hopeless at this-this-whatever this even is!" she threw her hands up in the air. "Is it more convenient to let others do the talking for you, is that it? Do you even know what some of these flowers mean?! I'm amazed she didn't all but throw the book at you and tell you to figure it out yourself! How do she DEAL with-"

Temari had been working herself up into rant mode, which Kankuro could have told Shikamaru had been known to last anywhere from hours to days, depending on the topic. Being a genius, Shikamaru ascertained this without the puppeteer's help, and made, for perhaps only the second time in his life, a split second decision.

Kissing Temari, he thought to himself, was a little more enjoyable than being kissed by her, if only because he had always gotten enjoyment out of surprise.

"Troublesome." He murmured when they parted. Temari's fingers brushed her lips in shock as one of his hands grasped hers.

"All of this," Shikamaru said, sweeping an arm out to encompass the flowers, the chocolate, and the woman in front of him, "is troublesome."

He leaned forward, his forehead brushing against Temari's as for the first time, he looked her right in the eye.

"But you aren't troublesome at all." He said.

It was the closest thing to 'I think I might love you' that Temari knew she would ever get.

"That's good." She said, her voice shaking. "because you aren't troublesome either."

"Your brother is going to kill me."

"No he won't."

"Please don't let him kill me."

"He won't kill you."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Why not?"

"Because if he were," Temari said, glaring at the small eye that had formed near the ceiling partway during their conversation, "he wouldn't have bothered watching first."

On the other side of the door, a very full Sabaku-no-Gaara considered his choices carefully, and decided that peaceful surrender was the best option.

oOo

Meanwhile, on the other side of Konoha…

"When did he get here?"

"About two hours ago."

"Damn. Thanks, Aburame."

"No problem."

"Hey, if he kills you, can Akamaru have your armguards for chewtoys?"

"…Kiba, you're so lucky killing you would cause an inter-clan incident."

"I'll take that as a no- oh, Hi Hokage-sama!"

"Hoka-GAH!"

"Akimichi. Where's your boyfriend?"

"My-er-well-..he's upstairs, ma'm."

"I need to see both of you, the Kazekage, and Nara and Temari. As soon as possible."

"Um, Hokage-sama-"

"NOW, AKIMICHI."

"…yes ma'm."

A/N: and that's chapter 11 completed! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, guys- the last semester got crazy and then I was on a study abroad for three weeks. Really I've got no better excuse. I think there might be one or two more chapters left in me with a possible sequel ahead. Again, sorry for making you wait so long. Hope the Temari/Shikamaru sugar at least partly makes up for it.