Birthday.
ShikaxIno pairing in honor of their birthdays this weekend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BELOVEDS!
"So, have you seen Shikamaru lately?"
It was a normal day in September deep inside the throngs of the Leaf Village. Two teenagers, one on the brink of her 19th birthday, were sitting in a café just on the other side of the ramen stand.
Munch, munch, munch.
"Chouji?"
Said boy looked up from his plate of seven bagels with different cream cheeses and found himself lost in a pair of deep blue eyes that belonged to his long-time friend, Yamanaka Ino.
"Meh?" Was the only reply that came from him before he shoved another bagel (whole) into his mouth and began chewing again, showing Ino his obvious lack of table manors as he splattered her with bits of semi-chewed bagel and cream cheese.
"Ew. Chew with your mouth closed. I said, 'Have you seen Shikamaru lately'?"
"Oh," Chouji answered, followed by an audible 'gulp' as he swallowed the food, "Nah, he's been 'busy' or whatever."
Ino sighed and sipped at her tea, which she was surprised to see had survived Chouji's show of food splatter, "Everytime I go to see him, he makes up some dumb excuse and scurries off. Do you think he forgot my birthday's coming up?"
"His birthday's coming, too, Ino," Chouji thoughtfully reminded her before chowing down on another bagel, this time Cinnamon and Raisin with veggie cream cheese.
"I know that!" She insisted, scrunching up her nose, "But every year we have a joint-party and he still 'forgets' that it's my birthday too. It's like it's too troublesome to remember. He thinks having a party, even for himself, is a drag. I mean, that's so lame. He's so lazy."
"Meh, that's just his personality," Chouji said, shoving a few more bagels into his mouth, "Dai meen, Hwe's duss foo emveelopped en da clowds..."
Ino's brow scrunched up as she deciphered his sentence. Too enveloped in the clouds, eh?
"Well I don't see how that's an excuse to–" She blinked and it seemed like her heart stopped. Outside, through the café's front window, Ino could see the boy in question. With... Tenten? But that made no sense! Shikamaru never saw her, let alone spoke to her, so why was he walking down the street next to her while she chatted on? He didn't look exactly bored, he actually looked like he was listening.
WHAT WAS THE WORLD COMING TO?
"It's.. Shika-kun!" Ino exclaimed after she recieved a questioning look from Chouji, "And he's with.. Tenten."
"Hmmm," Chouji rumbled, "Must be something to do with a mission," He said absently, still focusing mainly on his food.
"Probably..." Ino trailed off, still feeling un-easy about the whole thing. Everyone knew she liked Shikamaru. It was common knowledge, except to him. And Tenten knew very well of Ino's crush, Tenten, Hinata, Ino and Sakura met once a week to keep in touch. If Ino had been listening properly, she remembered that Tenten said she liked Neji! So what was she doing with Shikamaru?
Gulping down the last of her tea somehow gracefully, she ended her visit with Chouji and disappeared into the hordes of the village.
It was two days later when she saw him again.
"Asuma-sensei," She said, frowning, "I'm sorry. I just can't get this jutsu right!"
The dark-haired man moved over to his only female student and patted her on the back. She sighed and he retracted his hand and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, placing one of the cancer sticks into his mouth, letting it hang there.
"I think you should just keep trying." Asuma said, taking a good look at the clock tower which showed he needed to be home in seven and ½ minutes. "You'll get it Ino, eventually. If you work hard enough, which I know you will."
Ino nodded, sliding herself into her ninjutsu stance. After trying for another fifteen minutes and saying goodbye to Asuma as he hurried off, she decided to take a break. Calmly, she walked over to one of the benches that were placed in the training grounds and pulled a bottle of water out of the bag that sat there. She took a long drink from it and set it down, bringing the back of her hand up to wipe her mouth.
After that, she pulled out a tube of berry red Chap Stick and moved it over her slightly chapped lips.
Which is when he saw him.
And once again, he wasn't alone.
"Is that... Hinata?" She asked herself in disbelief. Once Shikamaru's head moved again, she saw the blushing Hyuuga walking along side him, speaking shyly. They were headed into the village, she saw, and neither seemed to notice her.
Her brow wrinkled in confusion... Hinata still liked Naruto... even though Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke pretty much made it clear that they were 'together'... whatever that meant. Tenten and herself had tried to get Sakura to spill the details but the rosette haired kunoichi would just blush and look away. (Hmmm!) Hinata didn't like Shikamaru. She knew who he was, that was all! So once again, what was she doing with him?
Why did life have to be so cruel?
Today was Shikamaru's birthday, and tomorrow was hers. Every year since they had turned 14, they'd had a joint party at midnight with their sensei's, their parents and all of rookie 9. Er.. The Konoha Eleven, now Konoha twelve. Give or take a dog or two.
Surprisingly, even with all the hub-ubb going on with Shika, she was still excited for this party. She hadn't seen him a lot lately, and she lived in the next apartment over, for heaven's sake!
Feeling completely joyous, she skipped (yes, skipped) out of her apartment and down the streets until she started receiving amused and odd stares from the passer-bys. Still, even walking, she had a bounce in her step, she didn't think there was anything that could bring her mood down today.
Unfortunately, she was wrong.
She strode contentedly into the Yamanaka Flower Shop for the shift she promised her mother. Several customers came in throughout the day, wishing her an early birthday and several boys asking for her phone number. Still, she happily (a little too happily) declined them and politely refused to give out her phone number. She helped several customers pick out flower arrangements for wedding presents, get-well platters and just because gifts.
Once her shift was done at 3:30, she bounced excitedly out of the shop.
Only to see Shikamaru across the road with yet another girl. This time was the worst. It was her best friend, the rosette haired kunoichi.
"Sakura!" The voice belonged to Uzumaki Naruto and she watched as the blonde ran enthusiastically over to them. Sasuke trailed behind the energetic kyuubi container looking positively miserable.
Her jaw dropped as Naruto leaned over and kissed Sakura on the lips. The girl laughed and then grabbed the open collar of the Uchiha's shirt and pulled him in for one too. Shikamaru was watching this as well, a blank look on his face.
So Shikamaru and Sakura weren't on a date?
She shook her head and re-focused her eyes on Sakura and Shikamaru, watching as Sakura waved goodbye to Naruto and Sasuke and took Shikamaru's hand, pulling him into a shop. And that's the moment when Sasuke's dark eyes wandered across the street and locked with hers. He smirked and walked away, Naruto trailing behind him this time.
To her, this was the weirdest day ever.
Later that night, Ino was waiting at her apartment for Sakura, who was supposed to come and get her to escort her to her birthday party. She was dressed in a light purple empire tank top with a pair of casual, comfortable blue jeans. For shoes, she had slipped on a pair of black light purple slippers. In her ears there were the pair of diamond earrings her daddy had gotten her for her 13th birthday. Her hair was up in it's normal ponytail and she had some light lip gloss and a little bit of purple eyeshadow on her eye lids, which opened to reveal happy blue eyes that were brought out by a blue moon on a silver chain that dangled around her neck. The only other thing she had on her was a sliver ring that had the kanji for love inscribed on it which was adorned on her right ring finger.
The blonde sighed and checked her outfit twice before entering her living room and feeding the two goldfish she owned and poking her head around the corner of the kitchen looking for the skittish kitten that he father had gotten her just three days before.
It had golden fur and big brown eyes (like Shikamaru's) that she loved. She called him 'Shi', 'Shi-Shi' and 'Niko'.
Once she'd set out a small dish of food and put fresh water in the kitten's dish, she walked into the living room and plopped herself down on the couch. Her mind wandered to Shikamaru once again and she didn't have long to day dream before there was a knock at her door.
Eagerly, she stood and went to the door to answer it, finding an all too cheery Sakura there. Her friend was wearing a pair of tan kunoichi shorts with a light green U neck shirt and a gold necklace that had pink heart on it.
"Ready to go?" Her friend asked, stepping out of the way to allow Ino room to come outside. Ino nodded and closed the door quickly, following Sakura down the steps and into the street. This year, the party was going to be held at Sakura's new house that she was apparently sharing with Naruto and Sasuke. (Or so she guessed). It was a good sized house for only three people and there was a big yard.
Ino knew right away when they arrived, that she was the last one there.
There were fire-works exploding in the sky just above the house and she could hear Naruto's shouts, Chouji's loud chomping, her father's laugh and Akamaru's barking.
Sakura led her through the house (which seemed to be void of people) and into the backyard.
It was exploding with activity, there were streamers lining the trees and balloons tied to everything that was stable. Asuma looked to be in control of the grill which was cooking chicken as far as she could tell and there was a big snack table that Chouji seemed to have glued himself to.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY INO!"
Ino laughed as her father tackled her into a bear hug, followed by a barrage of laughter and some more conversation. She spotted Shikamaru talking to Sasuke, and placed her present for Shikamaru on the table piled high with different boxes of all shapes and sizes.
When the night was coming to a close, she still hadn't been able to talk to Shikamaru. Sighing, she helped (a drunk) Kiba up and into Sakura's house where she deposited him into one of Sakura's guest rooms. And when she went back out there, there was only a few people left. Naruto was passed out on the ground at Sakura's feet. Sasuke was talking quietly to her. Kakashi was in the middle of shouting goodbye before he poofed away. Akamaru was lying fast asleep under the snack table and Shikamaru was sitting in a chair that faced the small pond in the yard. His head was tilted upwards, and he seemed to be engrossed in the stars.
"Ino," Sakura said, surprising her, "Are you staying here?"
"Probably not," Ino said sighing, "I have to go to the family dinner later on today at 7:30."
Sakura nodded in understanding. The party had run late this year and it was now 4:30 in the morning.
"Okay. Well, I'm just going to move Akamaru inside with Kiba while Sasuke moves Naruto and then we're going to go to sleep. Shikamaru said he'd go home eventually."
Ino nodded and said thank you before Sakura went to take care of the big dog still lying happily under the snack table.
And a few minutes later, only she and Shikamaru were left outside in the dark backyard.
"Shikamaru?" Ino asked quietly, walking over to where he was sitting.
"Oi. Ino. Happy Birthday."
"Ditto," She said with a small smile, "Where have you been lately? I never see you anymore."
"I was just busy..." He said in a bored tone before turning to her. "Come with me, I want to give you your birthday present."
Ino's eyebrows hit her hairline. "Oh?"
Shikamaru gave her a level look, "Are you coming?" He asked, standing up and stretching.
"Hai," She responded.
He led her out of Sakura's backyard and into the darkness and after several minutes of walking, he stopped and what Ino saw took her breath away.
There before her, was a field of forget-me-not's, all in their blooming stage. Their purple color was cast in a white glow as the light from the moon shone down upon them.
"Oh... Shika..."
"I thought this could be our spot. I know it's not much," The lazy boy said, "But Hinata, Tenten and Sakura said it had to come from my heart."
"Tenten, Hinata and S... So, that's what you were doing with them!" Ino exclaimed, blinking. They were helping him come up with a birthday present for her!
"Uh-huh," Shikamaru sighed and turned to her, "Look Ino, what I really want to do is..."
And then his lips crashed into hers and she forgot all of her foolishness. She finally had him. She finally had him after everything, and it was the best birthday present that he had ever remembered to give her.