Pairing: Main ShikaIno, and hints of SasuSaku
Genre: Romance
Rating: Either K+ or T
Continuation?: Maybe... if you guys want.
Request?: For NinjasRockYourFace
Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto
Platinum blonde hair flowed with the breeze. A young girl sat atop a hill, leaning on the bark of a Cherry Blossom tree.
"I just don't get why you won't tell him, Ino."
Next to her is her best friend, ironically her namesake being spring cherry blossom.
The sapphire eyed girl turned to her friend with a sigh as she looked down at the basketball court where the source of all of her problems stood.
That problem being Nara Shikamaru.
And… on the closest bench to the court a girl with dirty blonde hair sat cross-legged. The twelve year old boisterously cheered on said problem. Her fists pumped into the air with her overly cheerful cheering.
"COME ON, SHIKAMARU! KICK THEIR – "
The pineapple haired brunette just turned away, muttering his favorite word, and returned to the game with all of his other friends.
Ino watched as he dribbled the ball and passed it to a spiky haired blonde. She then diverted her attention away from the game to the pink haired girl next to her.
"It's because of her." Ino said and gestured to the cheering blonde. "Temari."
Sakura looked confused and looked from Ino, to Shikamaru, and then to Temari. Her eyes brightened with realization as she mouthed an 'oh'.
"So, it's a love triangle?" She teased and poked at her friend.
"Sakura!" Ino huffed. "Quit it!"
"Okay, okay. So, Temari likes Shikamaru, what's the big deal? Girls can like the same guy. All you have to do is make the first move." Sakura said.
"It's not that easy." The Yamanaka sighed.
Both girls looked to the game and watched as a raven haired boy made a 3 point jump shot. Girls cheered for him loudly, they were bluntly ignored by him, while the guys whooped as the first half of the game was almost finished.
Sakura stood up, took a deep breath, and cupped her hands around her mouth…
"NICE SHOT, SASUKE-KUN! WIN THE GAME FOR US!!" She shouted over the squealing girls.
The chicken haired boy looked up and when he noticed who it was he gave a small smile and waved in thanks.
This earned the emerald eyed girl glares from all of the other admirers around the basketball court, buit the girl just brushed them off.
Sakura grinned and sat back down then turned to her friend who wore a bewildered expression. Her short hair fell to her shoulders as she did so.
"How do you do it?" Ino asked.
"Do what?"
"What you did back there! You just cheered for Sasuke-kun with his fangirls around him." Ino specified. She was over her crush on Sasuke, but the she still uses the honorific at the end of his name out of habit.
"Oh, well I guess I just don't care. I think it's normal that they get jealous, they do like him after all." Sakura shrugged.
"Don't you get jealous when they cheer for Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked.
"Well, yeah." Sakura answered "I do like him."
"Then how can you still chase after him when there are so many others cheering for him?"
Sakura smiled and looked up at the vast sky. Birds soaring and Sakura petals dancing with the wind.
"Sasuke-kun can choose to have any one of those girls, I know that. There are a lot of girls who really like Sasuke-kun and there's probably a small chance he'd chose me."
The Yamanaka looked at Sakura with an unreadable look.
"But." Sakura continued and caught a pink petal, looking at it with soft eyes. "If there's a chance, even a small one, then I'll take it. "
"But what about all of those other girls?" Ino asked
She turned to look at Ino with a grin.
"I've already made the first move… Now I'll just have to cheer as loud as I can."
Ino's eyes lit up with realization. She stared at the grass as she contemplated what her best friend just told her.
The Haruno next to her watched the game go on until the referee called time. It was the end of the first half already.
"Sakura…" Ino started.
"Huh?" Sakura looked at her friend with questioning eyes.
"Thanks."
Sakura merely smiled.
"No problem… Ino-pig."
And before Ino could retort she interrupted.
"Sakura!"
Both girls turned to see a sweaty Uchiha run up to them with a basketball in his hands. He greeted Ino with a nod before he turned to the bubble gum haired girl.
"Sakura, do you want to come watch the game? We're tied with Suigetsu's team, it might be close." He offered.
"Really?" Sakura asked.
"Aa." He then gave a little smirk. "We could use your cheering to give the team some morale. Maybe you could give them a pep talk?"
"Alright!" Sakura chirped, then she turned to Ino who was in deep thought. "But, could you give me a minute? I need to give Ino something."
"We'll see you by the court." Sasuke nodded then jogged back to the game.
"GAMBATTE!" Sakura called after him.
In response he waved a hand and Sakura turned to the blonde.
"Ino, do you wanna come?" She asked.
"That's alright…" She said a bit out of it as she looked for the Nara genius, who was nowhere to be seen.
"Fine… and before I forget."
The twelve year old pulled out a small book from seemingly out of nowhere and handed it to Ino before she ran off with a goodbye wave.
The cover read: 'Botany'
'Sakura knew I love flowers.'
Absentmindedly she skipped a few pages.
'Maybe Sakura is right. Maybe I should make my move.' She thought silently.
Ironically, she came to the Ambrosia flower.
"It means 'mutual love'. I'll never find one now, since it's May." Ino read out loud as she skimmed the page.
Unknowingly, as she flipped through the pages someone crept up behind her.
"Oi!"
Ino squeaked and threw the book up in the air, surprised. Her head whipped around to find the root of her distress.
"S-Shikamaru!"
Before her Nara Shikamaru stood with his hands in his pockets as he gazed curiously at the open book lying on the ground. The boy looked at her with something akin to astonishment.
"You… you're into botany?" He asked.
"Yeah…" She said, calming her startled pulse.
Unexpectedly he plopped down right next to her with his legs crossed. He picked up the book and looked through it.
"Ano, Shikamau-kun - ?"
His gaze turned to her when he heard the suffix added to his name.
" – Shouldn't you be at the game? It's going to start soon." She asked
He sighed and scratched the top of his head.
"I'm kind of avoiding someone…"
At her confused look he pointed down the hill and where the benches are near the basketball court. A dirty blonde haired girl seemed to be looking for someone…
"Oh…" Ino blinked. "Temari?"
He nodded his head and turned his attention back to the book.
'Why would he do that? I thought he liked her…'
"Why are you into botany?" He suddenly asked.
"I've always liked them." Ino replied. "They're beautiful and symbolize different meanings."
"Really?" He asked as he flipped through the book.
"Yeah, like the Aloe flower means 'grief' while the Amaryllis flower means pride." Ino explained.
She then picked a daffodil and showed it to the boy next to her. He gazed at it with wonder as she fingered the petals delicately.
"And this daffodil." The Yamanaka said as she gently stroked its petals. "This daffodil mean 'contentment'."
The blonde gave him the flower and he touched the petals as she did. Steadily he began to realize how soft it is. Sure he touched a daffodil before but now it feels like he's actually touching one for the first time.
"Odd, right?"
At the sound of her voice he looked at her.
"What's so odd?" he asked.
"It's odd… that sometimes we miss the littlest details in life, like flowers. Then when we look back at it we realize just how amazing it is." Ino said as she looked down at the people by the basketball court.
Shikamaru stared at her for a moment before he shook his head.
"You're right." He said
"SHIKAMARU!"
Both looked down to see Sasuke waving to get their attention.
"The game is about to start!" He called.
The brunette sighed and lazily stood up.
"I'll see you later." He muttered and handed her a folded piece of paper before he walked toward the basketball court.
"Yeah…" Ino said quietly as she watched him walk away.
Deciding to see what the folded paper is about she unfolded it to reveal one word.
Chickweed Flower.
'The Chickweed flower means…'
"Can you meet me?" She whispered out loud in shock.
Ino stood up and looked down at the court where the game had begun. The brunette was walking onto the court.
Coming to a decision Ino took a deep breath and cupped her hands around her mouth.
"SHIKAMARU, GAMBATTE!!"
Yeah. sorry if this one was short and not so good. I was kind of out of it with all the distractions I've been having today.
Is it good? Bad? Please review!
Question of the day:
Which pairing do you guys think will be the most likely to happen in the actually Manga?