Charter 3. Flowers
It was now late at night, the snores of Naruto could be heard and everyone was asleep except for Shikamaru. 'Well its now or never' he thought. Once he summoned the courage to tell Ino how he really felt, he walked up to her sleeping form and gently shook her awake.
"Hmm??" she said lazily. "Shika what are you doing up so late? What do you want?"
"Lets talk somewhere else." He whispered back careful not to wake the others who were sleeping around them. "I have something important to tell you."
Ino was about to protest but the tone in his voice showed he wouldn't take no for answer, so she slowly nodded and stood up to follow him. As they walked along the corridor Shikamaru explored on his own earlier, they passed several intricate paintings, and Ino marveled at each one of them. They walked in silence for a while, and then Shikamaru started to say
"Ino, you know, you're the only girl who is most interesting to me, and the most troublesome as well."
"Uh huh, what do you expect; you think everything is troublesome, I just happen to be interesting." Ino joked.
'Geez, I shouldn't have done this, it just makes things even more troublesome.' Shika thought with annoyance. "Ino, how in the world can I say this to you?" he sighed.
"What's wrong? Just say it."
"First you have to promise one thing, after I say this, if you don't feel the same way, we forget the whole thing and go back to the way it was, ok?"
"Shika what-"Ino started, but was quickly interrupted by Shika.
"OK?"
"K..." Ino agreed. There was a long pause and they walked on in silence. Until finally...
"Ino, I love you."
'I knew it!!! Hurray!!!' Ino thought with a big smile.
"Ino?" Shika asked while looking to the floor.
Ino's smile only got wider and wider until she could hold in her happiness any more and started hopping up and down like a rabbit.
Shika on the other hand had been still looking to the ground until he thought she had gone crazy and looked up to see if she was alright.
When he lifted his head he was greeted with a small peck on the lips. Both stared at each other, Ino with a huge smile and Shika blushing furiously, both thinking 'YESS!!! Finally!'
"I have something to show you" Shika said, "I explored here earlier and found a room you might like." He pushed open a door Ino had just realized they were standing in front of and inside Ino saw a room decorated with flowers.
"Oh I love it!" and she jumped on him hugging him to death. "Lets show the others tomorrow k?"
"Alright" he replied.
After this was said they returned to the room in which they all slept hand in hand in comfortable silences, and went to sleep.
The next day Ino excitedly Sakura about the little adventure she had and what had happened, throughout the whole thing they were both giggling and squealing uncontrollably.
"Nice Ino! Wow, and I thought he was always lazy, who would've guessed he went through all that 'troublesome' stuff! That room sounds gorgeous!! I cant wait to see it!" Sakura giggled.
On the other side Shika told Sasuke and Naruto about what happened as well, when Sasuke made a disturbing discovery.
"Wait!" he exclaimed which caught the attention of everyone. "If were the only ones in this house, how could the flowers be alive?"