Section 19: Our Star

"Shikamaru...?"

"Yea."

"... Do you think were good together like everyone thinks...?"

"I don't know... why do you keep asking all these mushy questions. Humph... how troublesome."

"... I'm sorry, I just wanted to know..."

The two were sitting together by the edge of a lake side, lobbing some nearby stones into the shimmering water. Shikamaru takes one stone, and guns it in frustration, followed by a long sigh.

"What's wrong...?" Ino leaned towards Shikamaru, and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. "You ok?"

"I'm fine... this just feels weird. I'm not used to caring about some one so much."

Ino lit up, and blushed as she looked at Shikamaru stare off into the sky. She nestled her head against his arm, smiling uncontrollably. "I love you, Shikamaru."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "I love you too. There, happy? Making me say it all the time..." She squeezed his arm cheerfully. Shikamaru looked down at her a little annoyed, but saw the expression on her face. "She looks so... happy. Is she happy cause of me?" He pulled his arm free, and lay down to stare at the sky.

Ino looked at Shikamaru a little perplexed. "Shikamaru...?"

He continued to look up to the sky, and grinned confidently. "Come lie down here with me, Ino."

Ino smile, and nestled herself close to him on the ground. "I feel so safe around him... Ok, ok."

Shikamaru wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him, and with his other arm pointed up to the sky. "Look..."

She looked up to the sky, and only saw a bunch of stars scattered across the sky in the moonlight. "...uh... what am I looking at..."

Shikamaru sat up directly over Ino, and held his thumb up to the sky. He then lay back down, without moving his thumb over Ino. "Look where my thumb is at..."

Confused, Ino peered up at his hand, and focused right above the tip of his thumb. There was a small red star, which she some how missed before. "It's pretty... but why are you showing me this?"

He smiled up at the star pleasantly, "Every night, I look up at this star, just like I watch the clouds during the day. It always made me feel relaxed, safe... and it's always there... glowing bright and strong every night when I look up. Well... anyways, what I was thinking was, this could be our star..." He turned his head towards her, "...because I want us to always stay strong and safe, just like the star up there... Whoa ho-ho! You sly devil, you! You're a genius!"

Ino sat up quickly looking forward. "Shikamaru..."

He sat up with her, "...do you not like the idea?"

She turned around, with tears running down her face. She lashed forward, and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Shikamaruuu! I love you!!" She began blubbering in onto his chest, while he lightly patted her shoulder.

"I love you too... Hehe, she's so cute right now. Annoying as hell, but it's so cute..." He held her close, and rubbed her back, comforting her sobbing.

She glanced up to him sniffling, "I'm... I'm sorry I'm crying so much... that was just... so sweet of you to say..."

He looked down on her, and touched his index finger to the tip of her nose. "Don't cry, I want to see you smile, ok? Oh, shoot, you're on a roll now!"

She giggled, and smiled while sniffling still. "...Shikamaru, you're... different than usual. What happened...?"

Shikamaru paused when he realized that she was right. His appearance became unsure and confused, while he thought about how he had changed. "Well... I guess I'm in love. It makes guys do things differently... I suppose."

She smiled while looking into his eyes, and crawled up to lock lips with him again. After they kissed, she pulled away and smiled to see him grinning back towards her.

"I hope everything..."

"... works out between us..."

"I love him so much..."

"I love her..."

The both thought at the same moment, while watching each other speechlessly, "Everything has to work... it has to."