Roses For You, a naruto fanfic

.: disclaimer: Naruto is not mine :.

.: Roses For You :.

Dedicated to the lovers of ShikaIno pairings.

This is a side fic to Giving Gifts, my NejiTen Valentine's one-shot. I decided to post it as a different story because they are not really related, although I did took some points from Giving Gifts and wrote it here.

Enjoy!

"Here, Ino, Happy Valentine's day!" Tenten says happily, giving her gift to a blonde kunoichi standing across from her. The blonde, namely Yamanaka Ino, squeals and receives the gift cheerfully.

She takes out a green box from her bag and gives it to the awaiting weapon mistress. "Happy Valentine, too, Tenten." Ino says as she musters a mischievous smile on her lips.

Tenten smile, "So how is your day yet?" She asks, as a waiter comes by and takes their orders in his professional way.

Ino gives a little sigh before replying. "I haven't meet Shika-kun yet, but he promises me a date this evening. I have got him a new shougi board! He will like it, wouldn't he?" She pauses, remembering what she and her other girl friends have recently talked about just this morning, before the real Valentine has started. "Sakura prepares a book about fire elemental jutsus that Sasuke-kun will surely like, and I heard that Hinata is giving Naruto three boxes of cup ramen in every flavor!"

She tilts her head and notices that Tenten is tensing up, as she looks at her meaningfully. "Hey, Tenten." Ino waves her hand in front of the weapon mistress' face. "You have met Neji, haven't you? You said that he wants to train at five AM everyday, including this Valentine? Have you given him your gift?"

Tenten flashes back a faint smile as she explains, "He didn't show up training today, so I haven't meet him yet, actually." She sighs heavily and continues, "Lee said that he is having a yearly meeting or something like that with the Hyuugas, so…" She smiles faintly, "Never mind, though. There are still thirteen hours until the day is over."

Ino smiles back quickly, wanting to cheer for the older girl.

Tenten may be a strong-willed, proud kunoichi that Hyuuga Neji may have feelings for, but when it comes to these things, she isn't that professional or strong. Ino, being a girl with much more girly sides in her, does understand Tenten's awkward feelings quite much – she crushes on Hyuuga Neji, but is kind of too afraid of telling him that.

Nonetheless, Ino knows that the Hyuuga is aware of her feelings, even when Tenten hasn't make up her mind yet. She has seen him, slowly giving sideways glances at the weapon mistress, blushing whenever they have any physical contact, and most of all, she has seen the smile Neji reserves just for Tenten.

Tenten is lucky, she knows, but her situation herself is not that bad either. Crushing on a lazy genius who is actually her childhood friend makes it a lot easier, actually. Their fathers seem like that they are to be wed when they are old enough, but she objects that decision.

Love shouldn't be an arranged marriage, even if she believes that arranged marriages could bring up love – the movies she has watched between her spare times proved that.

Returning to the story, Ino smiles back. "Yeah, I figured that out." She jokes, rolling her eyes with full sarcasm, "Now that you know our gifts, what's yours?"

Tenten, much to Ino's curiosity, grins secretively. "It's a secret." She says with full confidence, smiling coherently.

Ino grins again. If she wants it to be a secret, so be it. Months of crushing Shikamaru have taught her something – being not nosy could be very relaxing. Instead of gossiping like her former, younger self, she now spends her time training with the shadow boy, strengthening each other.

"Well, good luck with it!" The blonde says quickly, then mischievously, "Although, are you sure that you have no intention on telling me what your gift is for your… ehm, so-called crush, I daresay?" She asks, emphasizing the word 'crush'.

As Tenten blushes sweetly, she smirks. Clearly, Tenten is just so in love with the prodigy. And clearly to Ino, too, the boy does show some affection to the girl. She couldn't help noticing the affectionate looks Neji often shares to Tenten, the little 'good mornings', 'good nights', 'goodbyes' and such the boy says when he needs to.

His affections are minor and not obvious, but being quite an expert in such things, Ino just knows. Although, she isn't quite sure that the boy is crushing back on his sole female teammate – his interactions are always a good sign, anyways.

Tenten could hope, and that is what exactly Ino believes she is doing.

Grinning wildly, the blonde smirks. "Okay, okay, I'm not going to ask about it again, if it bothers you so much, Tenten." She says, rolling her eyes, "When are you going to meet with him, anyway?"

Tenten shook her head quietly, her thin lips curving into a slight smile. "I don't know." She replies, honesty playing in her warm eyes.

"You haven't set up a date or something like that?" Ino asks, clearly concerned.

The weapon mistress pauses, and then she replies again, "No, actually… I haven't."

Hearing that, the blonde kunoichi couldn't help but glare at her older friend in horror. "Tenten!" She exclaims, "You know that Neji is popular, don't you? How come you make no dates with him? He may already be reserved by another random girl!"

Although Ino realizes that chances are very small that Neji will say yes to another girl apart from Tenten, but there's no way that this weapon kunoichi is that dense! Neji is popular, she knows that, he himself knows that, they all know that.

"… Well, I should think not." Tenten says, smiling in a little satisfaction, "Neji doesn't like to date. He will never make any dates."

"What if he does?" Ino shoots back, "You never know, Tenten. Sometimes boys can just hide it all from our faces. Reality check! What if he actually has a girlfriend? What if he actually is not having a meeting with the elders of Hyuuga but in a date with a special girl? What if..?"

"Enough with the 'what ifs'!" She laughs again. "No, Ino. Neji is not like that."

"How do you know?"

"… Well, I just know." Tenten rolls my eyes, knowing that it is true. Neji doesn't like to date, and he doesn't do things he doesn't like. Simply put, he must be in a meeting with the elders. Nothing else will keep him away from training, right? He loves training. If he does date, he will be dating his training grounds!

Ino looks a bit thoughtful. "Well… good for you." She says, tilting her head. And suddenly she smiles, "I just hope for the best… okay?"

She grins, "Thanks. You too, Ino. I mean, with Shikamaru."

Ino smiles mischievously and sips her lemon tea. "… Anyway," she begins, "I am thinking to have another girls' night out. You know… we need to exchange our Valentines, right?"

"Sure." Tenten agrees immediately, "So when will it be and where?"

"… I am thinking about Hinata's mansion…" Ino grins cheekily again, "… Probably we can bring you and someone together… Tenten…"

The weapon mistress smiles at Ino's wild and random idea.

"Oh, it's gonna be fun!" She quickly continues, "We could actually try to set you and Neji together, you know! Maybe he does hold the same feelings as you… You never know, that guy is just too secretive that you wouldn't know what he's feeling towards anyone… Anyhow, Tenten… Hey, are you listening?"

"Yeah, of course." Tenten nods, "I'm just thinking on how good you are at organizing parties and such, Ino. You should be an Event Organizer when you're older."

"I knooooooow I'm good at these things!" Ino flashes a quick grin. "So are you going or not, Tenten? Next Saturday, I think, in Hinata's mansion. I have called her about this and she said okay…"

"Is Temari coming?" Tenten suddenly asks, remembering their friend from Suna. She is older two years than her, which should make her the most mature of them all, but speaking of Temari, she really is not that mature. She gets herself into troubles and conflicts, with Ino, mostly, because they have the same love interest in the very same Nara Shikamaru.

Ino frowns. "I don't think so. She mentions in her last letter to me that Gaara is giving her so much work that she couldn't even rest!"

"Gaara, eh?" Tenten repeats.

"But she says that she will try to plead Gaara about it." Ino continues, "Though I doubt Gaara will give her the chance."

The kazekage friend of them is surely very strict when it comes to business. He is a very clever boy, a genius, probably, and in the age of seventeen only, he has manages Suna to be one of the most productive villages of all shinobi villages. Nearly.

"Temari's clever." Tenten notes in a little satisfaction, "She will probably say something about missions, and I believe that Gaara will give her a way, although dubiously. He never trusts people too much, that Sabaku no Gaara."

Ino laughs. "Yeah, I think so, too. Anyhow, Tenten…"

Yamanaka Ino nearly cries her eyes out. She has deliberately planned everything so carefully, as in what dress she would wear, what shoes she would use, what time she would come, how she should say her feelings, et cetera. She has even a note on how to anticipate the worst scenarios, if they do really come. She, too, has gone through all the troubles of thinking about 'what ifs' and how to solve problems if the worst comes. She has carefully planned everything so smoothly, aiming today to be the best day of her life...

... but it is not. Scratch that, it is not even close!

She is hoping that he will suddenly come up with a very romantic formal candlelight Valentine dinner that would make all girls coo in jealousy, but knowing how he is, she never hope too much, really.

She knows that he is a lazyass, but she has never thought that he is too lazy to even change into better clothes for their upcoming dinner, timely at 5 PM – which is basically only around thirty minutes from now.

And there is he, standing on the doorsill, looking at her huffily. She has seen his eyes – his lazy ones, and that he is not appreciative that she comes at an early hour just to make sure that he is ready… No, she is not going to reveal that.

"Yo, Ino." Nara Shikamaru greets, yawning, his hand scratching the back of his pineapple-shaped hair. He eyes the girl lazily and his eyes widens by about a fraction when he realizes something, "Whoa, you wear formals."

"… I…" For once, the usually loud and bossy kunoichi is at loss of words. She couldn't believe this… this… reality happening before her very eyes, that her crush for a year already, whom she believes liking her back, is not prepared at all for their date tonight. If he has been a little more concerned, she would be a little more relieved, but no… Shikamaru is just not the type of guy who dresses up neatly for a simple date, apparently.

Ino quickly composes herself, hiding the disappointment and sadness in her heart as she pulls out a gift from her purple handbag. She smiles sweetly, carefully playing her part. "Happy Valentine, Shika-kun." She says, and hands him the gift which she has prepared days earlier, nicely wrapped by a soft, expensive-looking green paper.

"Thanks." He replies, stepping aside to give her way, "Wanna come in?"

She has hoped that he has prepared a present for her too, just a sweet candy would be fine, actually, but seeing him so lazy and unconcerned, she knows that all of her dreams of a sweet Valentine day are futile.

As Ino enters the house, she hears a loud song thumping her eardrums wildly. And then someone shouts, "YIPPEE!" and she almost believes that it is Inuzuka Kiba's voice. She turnes at Shikamaru, "What was that?" She demands.

The shadow boy gulps unconsciously. "Well, we are actually having a party…" He explains, her heart breaking.

He is having a bachelor party, for heaven's sake! What is her to him, then?

"Do you forget about our..?" She chokes and her sentence is left hanging, since she loses all of her courage to say the word 'date'. Now she isn't even sure that he considers their 'date' as a 'date' – and also if he considers her as a girl. You never know.

She stares at him, and when she finds him loss at words, she holds back her tears. "… date?" She manages at last, the urgency in her voice as she realizes that he does forgets. Shikamaru is at loss of words, meaning that he is finding reasons – leading to the inevitable conclusion that he actually forgot all about their 'date' until she popped up in front of his house, all dressed and ready for their so-called date.

Oh great, this day is just getting perfect…

"Ino, I…" Shikamaru says, almost panicking as he realizes that Ino is on the verge of tears. He eyes the clock and quickly makes a range of wild guesses. "I know that it's at 6 PM…" He says uncertainly, "… basically one hour after now…"

The blonde holds back another wave of tears. She composes herself again, and smiles at him, somehow losing the control of her sadness. "And you're not even ready yet?" She asks, her voice breaking.

"Oi, oi, Ino… You're not going to cry, are you?" Shikamaru says, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, "… This is troublesome. Okay, I'll go change now and we can go in a sec."

That is when Ino's control snaps. "Troublesome your ass!" She yells at him in fury, her hands reaching his collars and shaking him desperately, "You forgot all about it and all you can say is just troublesome!"

"Ino…" He sounds tired. "Look, I've been on a mission for the whole day, okay?"

"… Yes." She nods faithfully, "Wait, Shika-kun. You don't need to change. I'll go now." With that, she walks away, leaving Shikamaru deadpans in front of the doorsill.

The shadow boy simply blinks and returns to his room, where Inuzuka Kiba, Akamaru and Aburame Shino sit, faithfully waiting for him. They are only visiting, actually, with Kiba claiming that they will have a bachelor party. Shikamaru, of course, has protested but when Kiba doesn't want to listen to him, his efforts are futile.

"She does look very sad." Kiba says as soon as Shikamaru enters the room. "So what Hinata said is right, apparently."

"Hn." Shino nods, agreeing.

Shikamaru frowns. "If you're talking about Ino, then…"

"Oh, snap out of that 'this-is-all-troublesome' look, Shikamaru!" Kiba roars as he hugs Akamaru, feigning an angry look on his face, "You know you love her. I know you love her. Shino knows you love her. We all know you love her! And for all that we know, she loves you too… Aww…" He cooed annoyingly.

"Shut up." Shikamaru simply says. "You see her face just then. She doesn't love me, Kiba. So shut up about it."

"… There's still fifteen minutes before five." Shino points out suddenly, his glasses shining wildly like Rock Lee's pinging teeth.

Shikamaru groans again. "And your point?" He asks desperately.

"You're the genius, Shikamaru!" Kiba cheers. "Go for her! Shino's right, there's still fifteen minutes before five PM, you could still get dressed, buy some flowers, and go to her house to pick her up for your appointed date!"

The shadow boy sighs. "… This is troublesome…"

"But you want it, don't you?" Kiba snaps jokingly. "Don't worry, we'll help you!" His eyes shine meaningfully as Shino stands up. He reaches out for the air, bugs flying out of his clothes. "They'll go get the flowers."

"Yes," The inu shinobi laughs evilly, "And meanwhile, we could do some make-over!"

Oh, shit.

"… This is for me, Ino?" Chouji asks, amusement filling his eyes. "Thanks! I never know that someone will give me two Valentine gifts or even visit me on a day like this!"

Ino shakes her head, a humorless laugh slipping out of her lips. "Really, Chouji?" She asks, "Next time don't bother to think that way. I will give you a gift. I will visit you on a day like this!"

"Thanks!" Chouji says, shaking the green box on his lap. It is all too weird for him, actually. Ino has given him two gifts instead of one, like she usually did years before. One gift is a gift of three packs of potato chips and a fifty percent discount on an all-you-can-eat restaurant, while the second one remains wrapped. Ino has pleaded him to open it after she goes home. Although, weighting and judging the size of the box, Chouji knows that it does not contain food. Sadly.

Ino is lying on his bed, eyes looking at the ceilings of his bedroom unfocusedly. "Chouji…" She states, making Chouji's attention flies to her and her only. She gazes at her teammate, "Do you think Shikamaru loves me?"

Chouji eyes the girl in front of him, calculating his chances as he gets into determination. He knows it all that Ino is in love with the lazy boy, and he knows it all too well that he too, holds something affectionate to her.

"Honestly, Ino? He…" He leans in to her and whispers something in her ear.

"What!"

Shikamaru groans as he holds the flowers Shino has collected kindly for him – or rather, his bugs have collected for him. But anyhow, it was based on Shino's orders.

"Don't worry, Shikamaru!" Kiba says, somewhat with uncertainty, "You look very fine… Well, although a little weird. I'm not used seeing you with a formal suit, okay?"

"… Hn…" Shikamaru mumbles unhappily.

"Go now, Shikamaru!" The Inu shinobi yells loudly, wrapping his arm around Shino's slender neck, "We're rooting for you! Are we, Shino?" The bug boy, just for the sake that Kiba will withdraw his arm, nods silently as he lowers his head. Kiba, however, isn't bulged at all. He keeps his hand on its rightful place – err, maybe not rightful, actually – Shino's neck.

Shikamaru walks out of the room, yawning. He isn't sure that he trusts the two in his room, but for now he will just have to put his faith in them. He gives himself a nod as a mark of determination and leaps out of the house, heading towards Ino's house.

"Chouji, can I have that back?" Ino asks, pointing to the green gift that she means is for Shikamaru. Without waiting for his reply, she continues, "Yes? Thank you! I love you so much, Chouji!"

The Akimichi boy grins faithfully. "I know you do."

Ino grins back. "Okay. Wish me luck then!"

Back to Shikamaru's room, Shino is already quite pissed off.

"Kiba." His hand. Eww.

"Oh, Shino, I hope that they will get together! Nowadays couples are just looking very sweet!"

"Kiba," Shino tries again.

"Well, you don't mind, do you, Shino? Maybe for this Valentine, we will stay single, but for the next…" Kiba smiles mischievously, obliviously ignoring Shino's pissed face. "We'll get girlfriends! Won't we, Shino?"

"Kiba."

"… Ah, I want my girlfriend to be just like Hinata! Sweet, caring, and strong! What do you want your girlfriend to be like, Shino?"

"Kiba…" This time, dark aura revolves around the Aburame.

Kiba quickly turns to Shino. "Yes… Yes, Shino, what is it?"

Too late.

BUZZ!

Ten bees go out of Shino's sleeve, attacking Kiba.

"Oww!"

Ding dong!

Ino lie on her back, her eyes scattering around her room. If what Chouji says is true, then all this time… She closes her eyes, all this times… She has been fooled? Her feelings have been fooled? They all have been fooled?

Damn Shikamaru.

Ding dong!

The blonde kunoichi sits up, springing her arms freely in the air. She will not let the realization bugs her… No, it's not healthy. And it kinda hurts thinking that he actually lies and denies his own feelings…

Darn.

Ding dong! Ding dong!

Gosh, Ino just remembers that her parents are away on a date! She barges out of her room, making her way to the door.

Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!

"Wait, you hellish jerk!" She yells automatically as she whips the door open.

It is Nara Shikamaru. Standing in front of her door. Wearing formal suits. And bringing flowers.

"What the hell…" Ino gapes. "Shikamaru?"

"Ino…" Shikamaru says, shoving the flowers into her face as his cheeks redden terribly. "Happy Valentine."

She accepts the flowers, gently eyeing the dark crimson roses. She tilts her head, "What is the meaning of this, Shika-kun?" She asks at last after a moment of awkward silence. Yes, awkward silence, of course. After all that have happened, you don't expect them to just melt and be happy again, do you?

"The meaning..?" Shikamaru lowers his head, "… Hmm… I'm sorry."

"Sorry for?"

"… Well, all that happened." He says, gaining back his composure, "Listen, I'm just tired, okay? It's not like I forgot our date on purpose-"

"Ha, you do forget."

"… Yes, and I'm sorry for that. And…" He pauses.

"And?"

"…"

"And?"

"…"

"And?"

"… Well…"

"Hmm?" She hummed quizzically, taunting him. "You know what, Shika-kun? Chouji has just told me something delicious. He says that you have been hiding some emotions towards me, and that you wouldn't open up no matter how many times he asks, but he knows anyway that you hold something for me. May I ask what?"

His eyes widen by about a fraction. "Chouji… Chouji says that?"

"Yes."

"… Damn it." He mutters under his breath, but loud enough for Ino to hear.

She arches her eyebrows dangerously, "I'm asking you a question here, Shika-kun, and I'll be glad if you answer it for me."

Damn it. "… Okay, Ino… the truth is…"

"…?"

"The truth is…" He blushes vehemently, as he says "IloveyoubutIwastooscaredtosaythattoyoubecauseIthoughtyoulikethatUchihaSasukeguy."

I love you but I was too scared to say that to you because I thought you like that Uchiha Sasuke guy, Ino's mind processes the hasty wordy statement quickly.

She squeals when her brain has finished evaluation the words. Ino leaps to him, hugging him tightly as the flowers he brought for her are flying to the sofa behind her.

As she does that, Shikamaru couldn't believe that his brain is working properly. Ino, hugging him? Instead of Uchiha Sasuke? Now that is news!

"Ino…?"

"Oh, Shika-kun!" The blonde says, hugging him tighter. "I love you, I love you, and I love you!"

He blushes hotly. "Not Sasuke?" He asks automatically.

She releases him. "No." She laughs heartily, "It's you, Shika-kun. It has always been you since last year. I have forgotten about Sasuke… He's Sakura's, anyway." She says, emphasizing on Sasuke's name which she purposely forgets the suffix 'kun'.

"… Really?"

"Yes." Ino nods. She eyes the dark crimson roses on her sofa. "By the way…" She smiles at him, this time dangerously, "You do know that roses in that color mean mornings, right?"

He shakes his head. A genius he might be, but he has no intention of purposely memorizing the meaning of each flower. No. Just plainly no… that would be too troublesome. "No, Ino, I don't," He says quickly, wanting to avoid the dark aura emerging from her body.

She breathes close to his ears, her hands wrapping around his neck. "Just make sure it's RED roses next time, okay?" She threatens jokingly.

Shikamaru nods. "I know what red roses mean."

Ino tilts her head. "I hope so."

He stands, his dark eyes staring at her blue ones, slowly drowning in the breeziness of her warm orbs. His hands find their way to her cheek, cupping them gently as she stares back into his eyes. He delves in without warning, claiming her lips as his and his only as his eyes zap close. He leans in, wanting to taste the sweetness of her lips more as she returns the kiss with equal passion.

Seconds later they break off, her lips parted and red, swollen from the kiss.

"… Red roses mean 'I love you', right, Ino..?"

She smiles sweetly. "I'm glad you know that, Shika-kun."

He rubs the back of his hair. "Of course." He says, somewhat smugly. "I feel that way for you."

Ino smiles again.

This is probably really her best day of life.

"Happy Valentine, Shika-kun."

.: fin :.

End Notes

I clearly don't know what possessed me into writing such scenes, actually. I hope you like it, though I believe there are still some mistakes, grammatical errors, and OOC-ness in there. If you find any, please remind me and I will try not to make the same mistake next time.

Please review, and thank you.

N.B: I've mentioned a 'sleepover' up there, and I was thinking that it could be a fic of its own. Only probably I don't have that much time, so could I ask your opinion on this?

Thanks!