Shikamaru

Shikamaru lay on his back in the soft green grass with his arm draped over his eyes, blocking out the sun. Through the crook in his elbow, a few sunbursts poured through, interrupting total blackness, but not enough to distract him. He lay there, closing his eyes, and it was so dark and cool and he was so comfortable he could easily fall asleep right there. Chouji probably assumed he already was asleep. Shikamaru's rotund friend sat behind him silently in the shade of a tall maple, eating a box of doughnuts and watching the wind shake the leaves of the tree around and the blades of the grass and push the clouds across the bright blue sky. For a long time, neither of them said anything, just content to enjoy the day outside and each other's company.

Strangely enough, it was Shikamaru who eventually broke the silence. Usually Chouji would be the first to become bored and try to start a conversation.

"Hey, Chouji..." Shikamaru started, without removing his arm from over his eyes, "Are there any girls you like?..."

That was a very strange question to hear come from Shikamaru. And he said it so very casually.

"...Why?..." Chouji asked questioningly, raising an eyebrow at his friend. "Have I been giving off indications?..."

"No..." Shikamaru replied lazily," I was just sorta wondering." He then raised his arm, and his eyes underneath were narrowed quizzically at Chouji. "...What indications? Have you been hiding somethin'?..."

"No," Chouji replied coolly, "I just wanted to know what brought that subject up. Why? Are there any girls YOU like?"

"I asked you first."

Chouji thought about the question for a moment. He took another bite of his doughnut while he concentrated. "One day I thought I liked Ino," he finally replied. "But I was wrong. She was being nice that day, but then she went back to normal. So, no. There really aren't any girls I like. What about you? Who do you like?"

For a moment, there was silence.

"...No one," Shikamaru finally said coldly.

"That's a lie," Chouji quickly retorted. "You wouldn't have brought it up otherwise."

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Shikamaru asked, half-sarcastically, with his arm back over his eyes. He sighed heavily, then pulled himself off the grass into a sitting position, facing Chouji. He scratched the back of his head sort of nervously.

"...I think I might like Ino."

Chouji scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You'll get over it, I promise."

"No, I'm serious!" Shikamaru pressed, agitated at his friend's response. Chouji was about to laugh, when he caught the serious look in Shikamaru's eyes. His face fell.

"Are you insane?" Chouji asked, not even considering whether or not that question could be taken as an insult. Shikamaru fell back against the grass.

"Yeah. I think I am."

"Why INO?"

"I don't know WHY. It just sort of occurred to me."

"Does she know?"

Shikamaru thought about that question. Did she know? She didn't give any indications that she did. Was she just keeping her knowledge a secret? Did she suspect?

"I don't think so," he finally replied. "I don't think anybody knows."

"Except me. Now." Chouji grinned, delighted at being the only one let in on Shikamaru's secret. Shikamaru sat up again. All of a sudden, he felt very restless.

"I don't know," he started. "I keep... thinking about her. It's really irritating! But... A lot of times, I wanna, like... touch her hair, or something... Augh! This is so stupid!" He shook his head, as if trying to shake away the entire idea that he might ever consider Ino as a GIRL. Chouji listened, and nodded, as if he understood.

"Are you gonna tell her?" he asked. And suddenly it occurred to Shikamaru that he never really considered that as an option. What would she think of him then?...

"I don't know," he began fidgeting with blades of grass, trying to braid them together, while averting his eyes from Chouji. "Probably not. She'd just laugh, and then I'd never hear the end of it."

"If you don't tell her, how will she know?"

"Weren't you listening? She's not GONNA know. No one's gonna know. 'Cause I'm not gonna tell anyone, and YOU'RE not gonna tell anyone."

"Of course I'm not gonna tell anyone!" Chouji seemed offended that Shikamaru suggested he would break their trust. "But what I mean is, are you just gonna hope you get over it, or what? Maybe wait till she shows some signs? What are you gonna DO?"

Shikamaru considered this. He supposed he had hoped he would get over it soon, like an illness, but that didn't look like it was happening. In fact, his feeling recently had only been intensifying. Did he have any plan at all?

Just then, he remembered something.

"Hey, Chouji," he started, "Do you think it means a girl likes you if she tests your loyalty?..."

"...Huh?"

"I mean... the other day, when it rained and you didn't show up for training..."

"Sorry about that... I had a headache..."

"Whatever, don't worry about it. Anyway, After it started to really downpour, she left for a long time. And when she came back, she said that she expected I'd be gone. She said that she was really happy I stayed and waited for her."

"Really? She said all that? Weeeellllll!" Chouji grinned broadly at his friend. "I think maybe she DOES like you. Otherwise she probably would have said something like 'why are you still here'."

"Really? You think so?" Shikamaru asked timidly, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah!" Chouji replied jubilantly, beside himself with joy in knowing that Shikamaru was for once asking HIM for advice, instead of vice-versa. "I think you should go talk to her."

"What, right NOW?"

"I don't know, whenever you want. Sure, right now. You should go ask her out or something."

"Are you serious? Or do you just think it would be funny to watch Ino kick my ass?"

"Either would be fine."

"Are you gonna help me, or not?" Shikamaru snapped irritably. That stupid grin on Chouji's face was really becoming bothersome. But the grin never faded.

"In fact, you know what? You should go kiss her."

"NOW you're just being stupid!"

"No, I heard girls are all about that."

"You're a damn liar! You don't know any more about girls than I do!"

"I know that one would have to be crazy to like you." he laughed, and Shikamaru stood up irritably.

"Man, I HATE my friends!" he growled as he began to walk away. He stopped when he heard Chouji behind him, chanting in a sing-song voice.

"Shi-ka and I-no, sit-tin' in a tree..."

Angrily, Shikamaru spun around, snatched up one of the doughnuts Chouji had been eating, and whipped it at him, before marching away in a huff. Chouji wiped the crumbs off his shoulder, laughing still as his friend left.

Shikamaru wandered aimlessly down the streets of his city, muttering to himself. Chouji didn't have to act like a jerk like that. Last time he asks HIM for advice. Naruto hadn't been any better, when he found out on accident by simply assuming he knew. Now he was going to swear by it, and Shikamaru was going to have a hard time denying the truth. He considered asking Asuma for advice, but changed him mind, because then far too many people would know. And besides that, Asuma didn't seem to know anything about girls, either, or he'd have an easier time understanding Kurenai. Shikamaru couldn't ask his father... Ino was his dad's best friend's daughter. That would just get really awkward really fast. There was NO ONE Shikamaru could think of to ask for advice.

Well, it was better that way, anyhow. Things should just stay as they are. No need to complicate things by bringing others into the matter. No need even to consider it a problem. Whatever he was thinking, he was sure it would pass. He couldn't POSSIBLY like Ino, that would be terribly inconvenient. Yes, without a doubt, he would get over it, and things would go back to normal.

Shikamaru stopped and looked around. It occurred to him suddenly that he was standing on the same street as the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Damn. This would take a little more time than he thought.

It's all right. Merely a coincidence. He then decided to set a challenge for himself. He began to head for the flower shop. At this time of day, Ino would undoubtedly be working. He would go in there, face her, and prove to himself that he didn't feel anything one way or the other about that girl. Yes, surely he could do this.

As he set foot in the door, he saw Ino's back to him, tying a binder into her hair. He stopped and stared in disbelief. DAMN it! He had JUST missed it! One minute earlier, and he would have been able to see Ino's hair down, with those lovely blonde locks tumbling gracefully around her beautiful face...

Mission failed.

Ino half turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "Shikamaru?"

Shitfuck. Now it was too late to back down.

"Uh, hey," he replied coldly. He entered the store, because to stand around in the doorway would look stupid, and began to look around.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Somehow, that question stung. What, a man couldn't window shop for flower arrangements?

God damn it...

"I'm here to buy a flower, obviously," he replied, avoiding looking at her, carefully studying a carnation soaking in red dye so that it's petals turned pink.

"Oh, really?" she asked with a coy smirk, "Are you sure you're not just here to see my lovely face?"

Shit, she KNEW!

"Don't be stupid," he quickly snapped, "Who would do that?"

"You don't have to act like it's THAT absurd of an idea!" She huffed, crossing her arms, and he winced, because he knew that she was right.

"Sorry," he replied. "I'm in a sorta bad mood."

"Story of my life."

"Ah, forget it." He waved his hand dismissively, turned and began to walk out the door. He didn't need this. How could he ever like a selfish, stuck up girl like that anyhow?

But he was stopped suddenly by the simplest of things. All she did was say his name. But the way she said it, the genuine concern in her voice, seemed to strike the very core of him.

"Shikamaru," she asked, in her beautiful, melodious voice, "What's wrong?"

And a chill ran down his spine.

Shikamaru stared at the tiles on the floor. Who mopped this place? Was it Ino? She did a really good job.

"Oh, nothing," he replied, half turning back to face her but still averting his eyes, "Just got in a fight with Chouji."

"Are you SERIOUS?" She asked, startled, "You shouldn't fight with him! That guy could CRUSH you!"

"It wasn't a FIST fight!" And he was sure he could hold his ground against Chouji quite nicely anyway, thankyouverymuch. "He was just being a jerk, and I left, so now I'm here, alright? Sell me some flowers." You certainly have a way with the ladies, there, Prince Charming.

"...Well..." Ino began, wondering how much farther she should press this matter before he got mad at her too, "What kind of flowers are you looking for? What's the occasion?"

Umm... Uh...

"It's... my godmother's birthday," he replied confidently after only a slight hesitation. Ino raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You have a godmother? I didn't know that."

"It wasn't important for you to know before. Now it is. What flowers do old ladies like?"

"That's a rather generalized and sort of offensive question," Ino smirked. "Why don't you tell me about her, and I'll help you pick out the perfect flower?"

"That's way too troublesome," he grumbled, suddenly wanted desperately to just go home and untangle himself from this nightmare he weaved. "Just give me one of those." He pointed at the carnation soaking in red dye he had been looking at earlier. But Ino seemed displeased. She frowned at him with her hands on her hips, and he could help but wonder what the hell he had done wrong.

"Did you pick the carnation because you KNEW it was our cheapest one?" she asked him, a slightly sharp edge to her voice. "Carnations don't say 'I love you'. They say 'Good job' or 'Free with every purchase', but not 'I love you'. Jeez!"

Shikamaru had no idea how to respond. Flowers didn't have MEANINGS! They were just stupid plants! How could she say that a carnation didn't mean love? He had thought it was sort of nice looking, in a rather plain way.

Just like him.

"Well, what flower DOES mean 'love', then?" he asked, agitation obvious in his voice. Ino smiled, which surprised him, and she lead him to a display case. Sliding open the glass door, she took out a long stemmed, half-bloomed blood red rose and held it up proudly.

"ROSES mean love," she announced happily. "How many can I put you down for? One? Half dozen? A full dozen, for a true display of appreciation?"

"Now, don't get into your sales pitch yet," he stopped her, "I... how much ARE those?" He hadn't ACTUALLY come here intending to buy flowers and he really didn't have a lot of money to spend on a godmother who didn't exist.

"I'll give you a special discount," she winked, "you can have the half dozen for twenty dollars."

"Um... I'll just take one."

Ino shrugged, and began to wrap his purchase. She had at least managed to upsale him from a carnation.

Shikamaru stood around rather awkwardly as she rang up his purchase, wondering what his intention had originally been when he came in the store and how it had gotten so horribly thrown of course. What the hell was he going to do with this stupid flower?

His concentration was thrown off when it became clear that Ino needed money from him. He paid her, and as she counted out his change, she suddenly smiled dreamily.

"You know," she began, handing him his purchase, "when I was younger, I used to fantasize about Sasuke coming in here and buying a flower. And when I asked him who it was for, he said it was for me." She giggled in a rather girlish way. Shikamaru rolled his eyes with a scowl. Sasuke. Naturally. It was all about Sasuke. It always HAD been. Who did he think he was kidding, thinking that maybe Ino liked him that night in the rain? He had no intention of competing with the Uchiha kid for the affections of a girl whom, he wasn't even sure how he felt about.

"Not so much anymore, though," she suddenly said, throwing his thought process into a flaming train wreck. She continued. "Anyway, I was gonna say, now I have nothing to think about at the shop here except when my next break is, so it's boring all the time. I'm glad you came by today, Shikamaru!" She smiled brightly. "Now go deliver that to your godmother, and try to keep it someplace cool and dark 'til you see her so that it won't bloom and wilt." She waved him out the door. Shikamaru mumbled a sort of thank you and fumbled out of the shop.

What was THAT about? Was she saying she was over Sasuke? Was it even maybe some kind of subliminal confession of love? Was she hinting that she knew he didn't really have a godmother, but that she knew of someone else who would appreciate that rose? Should he have given it to her there?

DAMN it, girls were complicated! Now he was twice as confused as when he walked in the store! Not only had he utterly and fantastically failed his self-set challenge to get over her, he was now REALLY beginning to suspect that maybe she liked him back!

Shikamaru wandered down the streets towards his home with his thoughts running forwards and backwards in his mind. He didn't know what he felt... he didn't know what she felt... He didn't know what he was supposed to do about it... Everything was so troublesome!

When he finally arrived home, he threw open the door, kicked off his sandals, and shoved the rose into the hands of his bewildered father, saying as he passed "Here, give that to mom." He began to head up the stairs to his rooming without even giving his father a second glance, when he heard his father's voice behind him say "Shikamaru..."

He stopped and turned around. His father approached him, holding the rose, and asked "Why did you buy this?..." he bent closer, lowering his voice, and looked around cautiously, asking in a worried voice "is... is your mother mad at me?..."

"What? No!" Shikamaru replied, "I just didn't want it, that's all."

The elder Nara looked grossly relieved. "Thank god. I had NO IDEA what I did wrong. Where did you get this, then?"

"The Yamanaka's. Where do you THINK I got it?"

Big mistake.

"And you didn't want this? Then why did you buy it?"

"I don't know..."

His father grinned. "Why would you go to the Yamanaka flower shop, if it wasn't to buy a flower?"

"I just..." shit shit "I wanted to ask Ino a question about our next scheduled mission!"

"And you ended up buying a flower?"

"Well she... Ugh, I'm leaving!" He quickly made an escape, up the stairs into his room and slamming the door behind him. God, now everyone was laughing at him!

Kiba

For some reason, even though, logically, it should have been the FIRST place he checked, Kiba decided to look for Hinata at her own home last. He had tried the training grounds, the ramen place, the tea shop, Kurenai's house, and any number of other places he could think of where she might be, and she hadn't been at any of them. So, rather grudgingly, he made his way up to the Hyuuga manor.

There was something about that he didn't like. Maybe it seemed too personal. Maybe it seemed to obvious he was looking for her (had he intended to bump into her on accident?), maybe it seemed too desperate to talk to her- maybe he wanted to avoid talking to the rest of her family, unsure what she had told them. Whatever the reason, Kiba loathed to walk up there in person, but found that, in the end, he had no choice. She probably wasn't there, either, anyway.

All he wanted was to talk. To apologize for his emotional outburst a few days earlier. He hadn't seen her at all after that, understandably- she was too nervous and embarrassed to talk to him. But he couldn't wait anymore. He didn't want things to be awkward between them anymore. Augh, if only he hadn't been so stupid! If only he hadn't assumed he knew all the answers and acted out like that! He could maybe be enjoying the afternoon with her, instead of wandering around Konoha trying to find her to apologize! He had always known he was the act-first-think-later sort but to do what he did took a real high level of irrationality.

A few more feet to the front door. He slowed down a little, rather subconsciously. He had everything he wanted to say carefully rehearsed, but he found he was already having a hard time remembering what it was. God, what if she was home. What if she slammed the door on him! If only he could turn back time, undo what he did, erase her memory maybe... If only he hadn't ruined everything...

He stopped in front of the door, with her fist raised, about to knock on it. He began to reconsider. Maybe he shouldn't see her today. Maybe it's too early. Maybe he should...

No, he HAD to speak with her. He had to straighten this out, apologize, and make friends again. He needed this to end. He took in a breath, raising his courage.

Just as his fist was about to make contact with the door, it opened abruptly. Startled, Kiba took a step back, and was surprised to see not Hinata, nor her sister, nor even her father, but her cousin Neji at the door.

"W-what are YOU doing here!" Kiba sputtered in bewilderment, completely forgetting whether or not he had any manners. Neji stared at him coldly, condescendingly.

"My relatives live here," he replied obviously. "I'm visiting. Not that it's any concern of yours."

Arrogant son of a bitch...

"Why? I thought your relatives didn't like you."

Neji rolled his eyes at Kiba's display of unrivaled stupidity. "Can I HELP you?..."

"Yeah. Is Hinata in?"

"No. She's not."

Well, he was right in the first place.

"Do you know where she is?"

"No. I don't."

Great help you've been. Kiba swore to himself that someday he would punch that guy in the face. But where should he look for her now?...

"Right. Later, then." Kiba turned to leave, spitting curses under his breath, when suddenly Neji stopped him.

"You did something to her."

Kiba spun around violently, burning hatred and humiliation in his eyes. "Why! What did she say?"

"Calm down," Neji replied smugly with a coy smirk on his lips "She didn't say anything, though now I know for sure I'm right. I could see it in your eyes. You came to apologize for something. You showed regret and humiliation. What did you do to my cousin?"

"I didn't... I didn't do anything!" Damn his Hyuuga eyes! All he had to do was glance at Kiba and he knew everything! Could Hinata do this? Had she known all along how he felt?

"Why do you care anyway?" Kiba spat, "I thought you hated her 'cause you're bitter that she's from the head family, or some bullshit!"

"I may have once showed resentment," Neji replied darkly, crossing his arms, "but that's in the past, and I'm coming to terms with my destiny. You, however, need to accept yours."

"That's bull," Kiba replied coarsely, "I make my own destiny. So don't give me any of your fortuneteller crap. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find my team mate."

Again he turned, and again he was stopped. This time, Neji's words, etched with smugness, froze his blood.

"You're in LOVE with her."

Kiba's jaw dropped. WHAT did he-... HOW did he-... That son of a-...

"Don't- don't you go spreading that around!" Kiba demanded angrily, pointing at Neji. "That is NOT true! If you tell anyone that, I'm gonna make you sorry!"

"But it is true," Neji smirked. "That has something to do with why you need to apologize. She already knows, doesn't she?"

"Stop acting like you know everything!" Stop reading my mind!

Neji shook his head sadly, that smug look still on his face. How Kiba would like to punch him now... How dare he look down at him like that! As if he knew anything about it!

"What are you shaking your head for?" Kiba demanded, "Like you know something?"

"Fate is against you," Neji replied. Kiba raised a confused eyebrow.

"What does THAT mean?" Stupid jerk, tryin' to act all smart, pretending he knows so much...

"I mean, my cousin was a poor choice as a vessel for your affections," he replied. "It's not meant for you and her."

"What the HELL are you talking about?" Kiba shouted, "First of all, don't pretend you know what's going on in my head! Second of all, if I did like Hinata, who are YOU to say it won't work! Stop acting like some overprotective big brother! ...And that's if I DID like Hinata," he hastily added. But instead of enraging him, like Kiba had expected, Neji had successfully managed to further infuriate Kiba by simply shaking his head with that damn smirk on his face.

"Not because of me," Neji started slowly. "Because of her."

"...What abut her?" Kiba asked cautiously, unsure if he wanted Neji to go on.

"Her eyes aren't for you," Neji finally said. "They're for someone else."

Kiba's face fell. Could that possibly be true? Was Neji lying just to piss him off? Why would Neji do that? He wouldn't- if anything, Neji would probably tell a painful truth to piss somebody off. Could this be one of those painful truths? There was someone Hinata liked, and it wasn't him?...

"WHO!" Kiba demanded, stepping threateningly closer to Neji, "You damn liar, WHO does she like? And why the Hell would you know that?"

"I can read her just like I read you earlier. And she makes no effort to hide it, even if she THINKS she does. Plus, I've seen her room."

"So, who is it then?" Kiba pressed urgently, a slight hint of panic in his voice, "You know so much, who is it, then!"

Neji chuckled, enjoying this torture.

"WHO?"

"You couldn't tell? It's Naruto."

Kiba's jaw dropped. He was sure his heart dropped down through his ribcage and into his stomach and promptly liquefied. And Neji just stood there, with that condescending smirk on his face, as Kiba's mind snapped.

Naruto? NARUTO? Of all the people in the UNIVERSE... She liked that stupid, loud mouthed, hyperactive obnoxious IDIOT! Hinata and NARUTO!

Jesus Christ, now it all made SENSE! Of course! The pieces fit! When he saw her looking right through a crowd of people, he didn't think anything of it- when he noted her staring rather absently at Naruto one day, he never even considered- How could he be so blind! Who was really the idiot here!

Kiba turned and stormed away without saying a word. He needed to do something. He didn't know what it was yet, but something had to be done, and probably violently. Naruto... NA-FUCKING-RUTO!