Disclaimer: Dustbunny doesn't own Naruto, although if there was ever an auction…

A/N: Okay, you know what? Yes, 'sakura' means 'cherry blossom.' No, Sakura is not a cherry blossom. Quite frankly, after reading fic after fic after fic of Sakura being referred to as 'cherry blossom,' not only in text, but in dialogue, I got tired of it. No offence or anything. It just gets old after a while, you know? Thus was my inspiration for this fic. From this first fic came the ideas of the fics to come. While almost all will involve couples, there won't be much romance in many of them. This first fic… isn't one of those. I'm sorry, I love the couple too much not to add a fluff bunny or two. But! But, it isn't really fluffy. Yes, I am ridiculously proud of that. I loathe fluff… Oh, pie to anyone who can find the paraphrased Kazuma Kuwabara quote.

A/N: Heh, turns out that it's part of Aburame that means oil woman. I was getting my references mixed up. In any case, I corrected the problem.

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To most people, it would have appeared that Aburame Shino was in deep concentration over the colony of bugs he knelt in front of. His posture was strait but relaxed, his expression stoic but slightly drawn. Due to what appeared to be a process of important thought (and the colony of horrifically large red ants that he seemed to be studying), most people would have left him alone.

Haruno Sakura was not most people.

She knew, like the rest of the select few who were relatively close to Shino, that he had been still entirely too long. He hadn't tipped his head in any direction to get a different perspective. He hadn't prodded or poked at the bugs. He hadn't nodded or "hm"'d to himself with any sort of realization or puzzlement. Therefore, Sakura concluded that Shino's mind was not on the colony. He was instead lost in some deep, serious thought. Sakura also concluded, knowing what she did about this type of insect from Shino, that this was a bad state to be in so close to such a colony.

Truth be told, Sakura was slightly annoyed that Shino wasn't studying the bugs. That was, after all, what she had been dragged out here for. Well, okay, she hadn't really been dragged, per say. Actually, she had sort of invited herself along on his forest excursion…

That tidbit, however, was beside the point. The point was that she had come out here with him under the impression that he was going to be collecting data on a few species of insect. In the meantime, she would meditate and stay out of his way. Once they were both done with what they were doing, they would sit together over the lovely picnic lunch that Sakura had so pain-stakingly… well, bought from a corner market. But she had put considerable thought into the purchase. That had to count for something, right?

Now, here she sat, long since done meditating, waiting for him to join her on the checkered blanket she had lain out.

And there he sat, pretending to actually be doing something, while her stomach grumbled and begged for the lunch it had been promised.

With a sigh, Sakura stood and walked quietly over to where Shino sat, intent on learning what was so important that he would waste their lunchtime. She had a shift later, after all. This was one of the few opportunities they would have in a long while to spend time together. And so, being the stealthy, discrete gatherer of information that she was, Sakura knelt behind him, preparing to compound carefully analyzed data on his actions (or lack thereof) that would lead her to a satisfactory conclusion.

Then she caught sight of her watch, decided that would take too long, and opted to take the easy way about it. Lazy or efficient: you be the judge.

Leaning up against Shino, Sakura gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against his face.

"Shino," she said, voice slightly muffled, "what are you thinking about so seriously?"

Shino was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Well-"

"What are you thinking about so seriously that it's more important than the lovely lunch I brought for us?" Sakura interrupted, her voice a bit louder, less sweet.

"I-"

"So seriously that the precious little time we have to spend together is wasting away like so much old fruit?"

Forehead wrinkled at the strange analogy, Shino tried again to answer, "It's-"

"So seriously," Sakura's voice took on an almost scary tone, "that I'm almost ready to agree with what Ino said about-"

"You."

Sakura blinked and straitened up a little, surprised expression on her face. Then she smiled and chuckled softly, leaning against Shino's back again, arms more secure around his neck.

"Is that so," she smiled. "Nothing too dirty, I hope."

There was another pause before Shino answered monotonously, "At what point does a thought become too dirty?"

Sakura laughed at the statement, snuggling deeper into his back.

"So, what about me were you thinking of so seriously- or do I want to know," Sakura grinned, cheek-to-cheek with him, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"Your name," he said plainly.

"Oh?" asked Sakura, genuinely curious.

"Yes," Shino confirmed. Another pause, then, "You're… my cherry blossom."

"Huh?" Sakura pulled back to straiten up, stopped only by Shino's sudden grip on her arms.

"I think that would be a good pet name."

Sakura sat speechless for several minutes, shock written all over her face as she stared at the back of Shino's head. Then her brow creased in thought, smoothening out a moment later as she sighed in relived realization.

"Ha, ha, Shino," Sakura said flatly as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "You're a riot. That was for what I said about agreeing with Ino, right? About you not being romantic enough, right? I didn't say that I actually agree with her, you know."

"I know. Regardless, I think I'll call you that from now on. It's… cute- don't you agree?"

"Cute?" Sakura sputtered. She would get back to Shino using the word "cute" later. "Shino, that's just corny! Come on, don't turn into a sap on me."

"It suits you well," continued Shino, ignoring Sakura's protests. "Cherry blossoms represent love and loyalty."

Sakura stopped arguing for a moment to be flattered- but just a moment.

"Really, Shino. Call me… I don't know, 'darling,' if you don't want to use my real name. Or 'dear' or 'sweetie' or 'honey.' Even 'dumpling,' for crying out loud!"

Sakura cringed at the last suggestion, blaming it on her hunger and the syrup-coated anko dango that awaited her back at the picnic basket.

"It is your real name," Shino replied placidly. He stood slowly and stretched and headed back towards the blanket where their lunch was lain out. "Sakura means 'cherry blossom.'"

Sakura, still on the ground, stared after him for a second before jumping up and following after him, face indignant.

"Cherry blossom is a flower! Sakura is a woman!"

Sitting down on the blanket, Shino hid a smirk before lightly mocking, "And Shino is trying to be a romantic boyfriend for her- and rather enjoying it."

Sakura ground her teeth. If there was ever a man who couldn't take criticism… This was all Ino's fault, that big mouth of hers. Never mind that Sakura had been foolish enough to almost concede the point with Shino not five meters away. Never mind that Sakura had foolishly used Ino's words to tease him more than once. No, she was going to get Ino- after she dealt with her "romantic boyfriend."

Smiling coyly, Sakura sat down close to Shino, leaning up against his side and linking her arm through his. When he inclined his head ever-so-slightly to glance down at her, she fluttered her eyelashes. Then, arm still linked with his, she turned her attention towards the delicious variety of food she had worked so very hard to… well, buy.

She had one of the much-craved syrup-coated anko dango and licked her fingers clean before turning back to Shino. He was no longer paying attention to her, instead focusing on the sandwich he had selected from the spread. She leaked more sugar into her smile, ignoring the loud internal demands to 'forget about bug boy and get back to the grub' coming from the voice she was sure- until then- she had squashed long ago.

"Shino," said Sakura sweetly.

Shino took his time with the bite of sandwich he had taken.

"You're not going to change my mind, my cherry blossom."

"Fine," Sakura pouted, turning her nose up and facing away. Then she smiled again and turned to look at him from her peripheral vision. "But if I'm your cherry blossom, I guess that makes you…"

Shino, still chewing contemplatively, arched one eyebrow. What could she possibly plan pull out of his name?

"My bamboo?"

Shino stopped chewing and, after a moment, turned to look at Sakura cautiously. He noted her wide, misleadingly innocent grin and the cruelly triumphant glint hidden within the falsely sincere look in her eyes. Still, it wasn't that bad. He could handle being called that.

"Or, hey," Sakura continued casually, "have you ever read Hakkenden? Maybe you could be my doggy samurai."

A moment of silence passed.

"Calling you 'cherry blossom' would be rather corny, wouldn't it?"

Sakura smirked gleefully.

"Yes, it would."

"Alright," Shino conceded, stoic as ever. For a minute or so he seemed to be in deep thought as he finished his sandwich on autopilot. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura attacking more of her favorite sweet.

Looking back at him, Sakura smiled a smile that oozed of artificial sweetener. She was happy to have one-upped Shino.

Shino, meanwhile, nodded to himself as if having come to an important decision of some kind.

"Alright," he said quietly. Then louder, so Sakura could hear (if she'd been paying attention), "'Dumpling' it is, then."

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If you noticed any mistakes, please alert me about them via review or email so I can correct them. If you review, please include you favorite and least favorite aspects of the fic. If you flame, please do it literately so I know what I'm laughing at.

On a (more than) slightly whiney note, there isn't enough of this couple. Please write some? Someone? If this wasn't enough to convert you, which wouldn't surprise me in the least, read Butterflies by Kagezuchi. It's not finished but it's awesome and the fic that hooked me for good