It is time for this story to be continued. I know it's been a long while. But I was actually right for once; adding to the story sparked my love for it again. I actually have some sort of idea what I want to write now.

The story will have three more chapters if everything goes correctly. In this chapter, I'm going to form some of the other couplings; couples that will eventually push Naruto and Sakura together. YAY NARU/SAKU!

I wanted to take a break from focusing on the Naruto/Sakura coupling for other ones. I won't tell you which because I want you to be surprised. Yay for surprises! There are a few straight ones and one lesbian couple. I expect flames for it, but I really don't care. If you hate lesbians or bisexuals, I don't care. You should probably know I am bisexual. So if you hate gays I don't care, find some other straight fic written by a god-fearing pissant.

Anyway; I'm going to actually type this wonderful story now. I know that some people don't like this and some do, but I'm having fun with it. I think its fun to take time away from the complicated action-focused story of Naruto for a little romance; especially when it's Naru/Saku.

Warnings: This chapter contains shojo-ai. Temari gets to be with a girl! YAY GIRLS! I don't know why you'd bother flaming since I warned you and it's obvious that I don't give two shits what you think.

Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Fiction & Shikai Kana © LuffyKun3695

Chapter 6: Love in Bloom

Shikamaru & Ino…

Shikamaru Nara was a lazy boy, to say the least. He found life to be troublesome. All aspects of living that took any type of effort were too much for the languid shinobi; especially love. He tried not to notice girls. He attempted to focus on things he could actually understand, like clouds…

He tried not to notice girls, but that didn't mean that he didn't. He noticed one girl in particular. He'd found himself noticing her all the time. He liked her hair, her eyes, even her bossy attitude; but he wouldn't let her know that he noticed her. Oh-no, that would be too much… too… troublesome.

Little did he know, the girl had noticed him, too. She'd been paying more and more attention to him lately, but the girl wasn't lazy. She would do something about it.

That afternoon, Shikamaru was lying on his favorite hill just outside of the main part of Konoha, watching the clouds. He didn't like to find shapes or look for pictures, the way small children did. He loved the calm way they shifted across the sky. He liked the serenity.

"Shika-Kun?" his thought process was broken by a feminine voice. He opened one eye to find a girl leaning over him. Her face was blurred by the light from the sun behind her, but he didn't need to see her to recognize the voice. It was a voice that haunted his every thought and plagued his dreams. He felt his heart twinge.

"Did you just use the name 'Shika' in reference to me?" he asked skeptically, raising the eyebrow of his open eye. The sun hid behind a cloud and the girl's face came into focus.

Ino smiled, "I believe I did," she replied playfully. She seated herself on the grass next to him, leaning back on her arms; her shapely legs outstretched, crossed over one another. He looked over at her beautiful form. She was staring out into the village, the slight breeze playing with her hair. She was quite pretty…

"Can I help you?" Shikamaru prodded. He didn't want her to go. He wanted her to say something. He wasn't exactly sure what it was yet, but he wanted to hear something specific from her. She looked at him, her deep baby blue eyes glinting in the soft light from the sun. Her bangs tickled her flushed cheeks as she looked him over.

"I think so…" she told him, averting her gaze as she spoke. Ino's usual bossy attitude had faded slightly for the moment. She wouldn't look at him. He could tell what she was feeling was confusing her. She wanted to tell him something, but he wouldn't press her. He would wait patiently, he didn't have anything to do today.

Ino took an intake of breath and let it out slowly. Shikamaru liked the way her lips formed into a small "o" as she pushed the air out between them. She looked over at him, her sapphire eyes playing with emotions. "Shika-Kun, may I ask you something?"

"Shoot…"

"How do you feel about me?"

Shikamaru felt his breath catch in his chest. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Um… I mean…" Ino stumbled over her words in a way that was unlike her, Shikamaru found this unbearably cute. He'd never seen her so flustered. She twiddled her hair through her fingers nervously and glanced from him to the sky continuously. He felt himself smiling. She was adorable.

"Ino-Chan, what is it?"

"I—I think I'm in love with you." She let out a sigh of relief. Her task was done. She had told him her feelings, she felt her chest clench as she waited for his answer.

"Love, huh? How troublesome…" she sighed, she should've guessed. Shikamaru wasn't for love. He didn't care about her. It was worth a try though… everything was. Ino pushed herself up to leave, but Shikamaru grabbed her hand. "Don't." he told her, her eyes widened.

"I don't want to be troublesome…"

"You couldn't be if you tried."

Ino felt tears come to her eyes. Never in her wildest dreams had she truly expected Shikamaru to return her feelings. She smiled and he smiled back, letting go of her arm. Ino lay down next to him, cuddling her body into his. She placed her head on his chest.

They watched the clouds…

- 0 -

Naruto's House…

Naruto hadn't left his bed all morning. He was coiled in a helpless ball of depression, hidden under his covers, pretending he hadn't said the STUPIDEST thing in the world to Temari! It wasn't like Sakura was in Ichiraku to hear his answer! What was he thinking?!

He felt like he wanted to cry. Naruto ran his fingers through his hair incessantly and in a fit of rage and tried to tug his hair out. He didn't know how to make sense of what he had done. Could he take it back? Or was he doomed to Hinata now? It wasn't that Hinata wasn't cute or anything; she was just… well… not Sakura.

A knock resounded throughout the house. Someone was at his door. "Go away!" he called, but the person knocked again. "GO AWAY!" he screamed. The other side of the door was silent. He sighed and buried his head under the covers.

KNOCK!

He hopped out of bed angrily, tearing towards the door. What was this person's problem? He was nearly at the door when…

CRASH!

Naruto managed to get out of the way as his door was forcibly kicked in. Kana stood in his doorway, fuming. Naruto picked up his door as the angry kunoichi barged into his home. He looked at the door in his hands, the hinges were in pieces. He fitted it back into its place as best he could. He turned to Kana, who was standing before him, her fists clenched.

"What's going on?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Kana plopped on his floor, her arms crossed. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" she screamed at him. Naruto had no idea what she was blathering about. He sat down across from her and told her so. She looked as though he was the stupidest being on the entire planet, "Saying that you loved Hinata! What were you thinking?"

Naruto was taken aback. "How did you know that!?" he asked, exasperatedly "Did you read my mind!?"

"NO!" she yelled, "I was there! And so was Sakura!" Naruto nearly fainted with his shock. Sakura was there? He'd thought the situation was bad before… could it get any worse?

"Sakura was there?" he repeated, nearly in tears.

"Yeah!" Kana shouted, barely able to contain herself. She waved her arms crazily as she spoke, her eyes wild. Her hand shot to her mouth and she began to gnaw the nails on her fingers nervously, he noticed they were already ripped past the quick and covered in dried blood. She must've been biting them continuously since the day before.

"What happened?" he queried. His eyes looked tired and bloodshot. Kana could tell Naruto had been awake all night, probably crying. She didn't need to read minds to realize that. Part of her wanted to give him a hug, but the other part wanted to bash his head in.

"You wanna know what happened?" she asked. He nodded and Kana took a large intake of breath and then spat out, entirely in the same breath, the whole story:

"Okay, okay! She thought you were taking that blonde girl on a date. So we followed you to Ichiraku and hid behind a plant.

She was all 'Look at Naruto-Kun, he's so concerned about his fellow shinobi, how hot!' and I was all 'Heck yes!'

And then, the really, really, really, really, really, sexy Sand Nin was like 'I'm a lesbian!' and I was all 'Heck yes!" and Sakura was like, 'Gasp!'

Then, you said 'That's totally cool.' And I was all 'Heck yes!'

And then the incredibly hot girl said 'Do you love anyone?' And I'm thinkin': 'Heck yes!'

Then you, you STUPID IDIOT went all: 'Yes! I'm in love with Hyuuga Hinata!'

And I was all: 'Heck— WHAT!?'"

She finished her story and stared at Naruto, who looked back at her with his simple blue eyes glazed over with his confusion. "So she heard?" he asked, stupidly.

"HECK YES!" Kana screamed.

Naruto bit down on his lip so hard he could feel the skin ripping beneath his teeth and sat for a moment in silence, contemplating what Kana had said. "Wait! You said Temari-Chan was hot, does that mean you're—?"

Kana cut him off, "NO! I'm not a lesbian! If you must know, I'm bisexual. But that's beside the point! Look what you've done!"

"Well, it's fixable, right?" Naruto asked, running his fingers through his hair. "I mean, all I have to do is tell Temari it was a lie and then it's all over, right?" he asked, hoping she would tell him what he wanted to hear. She frowned and shook her head, his stomach dropped to his feet.

"Not right!" Kana told him, her violet eyes frantic, "Temari already told Hinata what you said. Hinata wants to talk to you about it today. They sent me here to tell you to meet up with her." She tucked her raven hair behind her ear and pushed her glasses up her nose with her middle finger. "You're going to have to turn her down there."

Naruto swallowed. He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to make another person sad, but if it meant saving his relationship with Sakura he had to do it. "When?" he asked Kana.

"Like, now! She wants to meet you at Ichiraku." Kana informed him and then added "Why does everything seem to happen there? Don't you guys have anything other than that place around here?

- 0 -

Naruto & Hinata at Ichiraku…

Naruto walked into the Ramen Shop for the fifth time that week. He had never thought he'd hate any place that served ramen as much as he did at that moment. He spotted Hinata sitting at a corner table, twiddling her thumbs.

She really was very cute, in a black T-shirt with a hood and her clan's symbol on it. She had a long-sleeved grey shirt with a black stripe running down the arm underneath it. Hinata looked up and waved Naruto over. He gulped and then walked to his doom.

Naruto sat across from Hinata and smiled weakly. He had to do this, he reminded himself. He had to break this poor girl's heart for Sakura. For his love…

Naruto began, "Hinata-Chan, I—"

She held up a surprisingly firm hand that silenced him, "N—no, Naruto-Kun, I have to speak first." She told him, authoritatively. What was going on? He wondered, but listened quietly as she spoke. "Look," Hinata began. She wouldn't look him directly in the eye, "I'm f—flattered by your proclamation of love, but…"

But!? Was Hinata dumping him!?"But…?" he prompted her.

She sighed and looked into his eyes with a somber expression in lucid purple irises. "But, I already have a boyfriend." She patted his hand, "I'm sorry." She said apologetically. His eyes widened, but he remained speechless as the realization of what she had just told him washed over him.

It took everything Naruto had not to scream and jump up and down with his excitement. He wanted to skip out of the shop but his curiosity got the better of him, he asked Hinata, "Who?"

"Am I dating?"

He nodded.

Hinata's blush seeped across her face and she looked down at her hands. "Um…" her voice dropped, "N—N—Neji-Kun…" his mouth dropped open.

"But aren't you—?"

"Cousins? S—sort of…" she beamed at him, "But it's not illegal. We're from different branches of the family." her translucent eyes glowed with her words. Naruto never remembered her talking so much. "But it doesn't matter anyway," she sighed, "I love him."

Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. How come everyone else in Konoha was getting their happy ending? He came to a sudden revelation. He looked up at Hinata…

"Hinata-Chan, may I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I lied."

She looked confused, "About what?"

"When Temari-Chan asked me who it was I loved… I lied. I said it was you because I didn't want anyone to know who I am really in love with." He was surprised by his own honesty. Hinata's eyes widened, and then crinkled with another smiled.

"I understand that," she said, her voice light, "it's Sakura-Chan, isn't it?" Naruto blushed and nodded. She smiled wider, "I thought so, I always did… well…?" she said, suddenly, "What are you doing here? Why don't you go do something about it? You can't always be shy!" she laughed and Naruto found himself laughing with her.

He was glad she was so happy and that love had brought the pretty little caterpillar out of her silken chrysalis.

- 0 -

Temari is thinking…

Temari was seated under the large statues of the Hokage. She was deep in thought, her eyes blank with contemplation. She was thinking about all that was happening to her. She'd come out to Naruto, a ninja she barely knew. Yet, somehow she felt a connection to the boy, perhaps because he had a beast in him just like her little brother.

Temari sighed and leaned back against the railing on the stone wall she was seated on. What now? She'd admitted her attraction to Anko. Though that could change, Anko was more than six years her senior, plus, she probably had no interest anyway…

"Temari?"

Temari jolted from her thoughts and looked up. A pretty little kunoichi was walking toward her. She had two brown buns the color of chestnuts on top of her head, a pink Chinese-style tank top, and white pants. Temari recognized her from the Chuunin exams. TenTen…

"Yeah?" Temari asked, more snidely than she had meant to.

"Is this seat taken?" the girl gestured to the spot next to Temari on the wall. Temari looked around. There were tons of other places for her to sit; why did she want to sit so close?

"Uh… no, it's not taken, have a seat, I guess." Temari told her, scooting over a bit. TenTen seated herself next to Temari. They were quiet for a bit. Temari looked over at the kunoichi next to her. She was a gorgeous little thing. She loved her hair. She almost wanted to touch it.

They were silent.

"Temari," TenTen began, Temari looked up at her. The brown-eyed girl turned her gaze to Temari. "I wanted to tell you, I thought it was really cool when you came out yesterday." she told her, her eyes glowing.

Temari's eyes widened, "You heard?" she asked.

TenTen nodded, "I was right behind you in Ichiraku," she told her. "I thought it was brave. It… well, it…" she stopped, blushing; she smiled at Temari, who was stunned. She scratched the back of her head at the nape of her neck. This pretty thing, the one she'd beaten to a pulp at the Chuunin exam was paying attention to her now? Wasn't she mad? Temari had showed her no mercy in that battle.

"What did it do?" Temari asked her, she'd become very interested in the little kunoichi.

"It inspired me" TenTen flushed, "to tell the person I'm attracted to how I feel." She smiled to herself, looking up at the wall of the Hokage. Temari waited for TenTen to continue.

"Oh? Who would that be?" Temari asked her, smiling. She looked down at her perfectly manicured nails and began to pick underneath her them, trying to distract herself from the feelings welling up inside of her.

TenTen looked at her and smiled, "You…" Temari's heart skipped a beat.

"R—really, is that so?" Temari questioned, trying not to show her excitement or confusion. TenTen grinned. "What are you going to do about it?" Temari asked her and TenTen's beautiful smile grew wider.

"This," she leaned into Temari, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her into a kiss. For the first time in her life, the sandy-haired kunoichi let her guard down. She allowed the kiss to consume her as she opened her mouth to accept TenTen's tongue. It was the first time she had ever kissed another woman and she felt sparks from the moment her lips met TenTen's. She let herself fly away with the kiss to a whole new world of possibilities.

She never wanted the kiss to end, but when it did she wasn't disappointed. TenTen's new dominating attitude vanished and she became her usual shy self. Temari could take her place as the top of the new couple.

"Now what?" TenTen asked.

Temari grinned, "Now, we have some real fun!" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and TenTen caught on, matching her devilish grin. Temari pushed her back against the railing and pressed her mouth against her neck and a hand on her breast.

- 0 -

Neji & Hinata…

"You talked to Naruto-San?" Neji asked Hinata, who was leaning on his shoulder. They were on a couch in his house. She didn't answer immediately, but instead buried her head in his shoulder, taking in his scent. She snuggled into his shoulder and kissed his neck lightly.

"I did, he told me that he's in love with Sakura-San." Hinata told her boyfriend, smiling up at him. "I had already suspected it, but I'm glad that he finally said it out loud." She admitted.

"I see," he said, contemplating the answer. "Did he ask for your help?"

"I offered my advice, he didn't ask. He seemed… lost." She sighed, "Like I was before I found you." he smiled at her, running his fingers through her short purple hair. Neji leaned down into her and placed his lips over hers.

Her lips were soft on his. Neji adored the way they felt. He used the tips of his fingers to tip her chin upwards and he slipped his tongue into her mouth and drank in her essence like a rare wine. Hinata sighed into his mouth. He loved the way she gave herself up for each kiss, her eyelashes fluttered down and her cheeks turned pinker.

Hinata broke the kiss, "Neji, please… I want to talk about Naruto-Kun." Neji glowered, he hated that his girlfriend's past crush, a boy that had defeated him in battle, had broken into their conversation.

"What about him?" Neji queried, his worries escaped from him, "You're not—?"

Hinata's eyes widened as she realized what he was try to ask her. "Oh! God, no! I'm not still in love with Naruto-Kun!" she assured him, "I just understand how he's feeling! I want to help him…" She looked down at her knees, her plum colored hair falling over her face. She looked over at him, a slightly pleading look in her eyes.

"I understand," Neji hugged her. She buried herself into him, nestling herself in his chest. "I'll help you. We'll get them together, I promise." Hinata smiled up at him, her eyes alight. She took his collar in her fingers and pulled him down into another kiss.

- 0 -

A meeting at Ichiraku…

"I've gathered you here today to discuss a problem at hand." Kana addressed the group she had organized at Ichiraku. They had pushed two tables together and were eating, listening to Kana. The black haired exchange ninja looked out at the ninjas staring back at her.

Temari, TenTen, Neji, Hinata, Kiba, Sasuke, Ino, and Shikamaru stared back at her. The group had congealed themselves through each other. Kana had found Temari making out with TenTen and begged for her help. Temari agreed and TenTen followed her.

Hinata had found Kana at the Yamanaka family's flower shop. She was busy pleading with Ino and Shikamaru to help. Hinata asked if she could join in on the entire charade with the promise that her boyfriend Neji would help the situation as well. She also told them that Kiba had assured her of his aid as well.

Kana didn't know how Sasuke had figured out about the entire situation but he had arrived anyway, more to see her than anything else.

"I know what you're all thinking; that I don't have any idea about the situation. But the truth is; I have a lot of an idea of what is happening here, today." She smiled, "Pardon, I can't talk correctly when I'm all excited." She flipped her black hair off of her exposed shoulder and looked over the table at her fellow conspirators.

"Do you have any idea what you want to do?" Kiba asked her in his dog-like voice.

Kana nodded, "Nothing really." They stared at her. "No, no, I mean all we have to do is set up a situation and let the course run naturally. I think they're meant to be. So if we make a setting, it's inevitable that they will be together." She explained. The plotters looked at one another, considering her ideas. She seemed as though she had a good head on her shoulders and wasn't planning to screw with anyone. She appeared to be a trustworthy person…

"Well, okay, that sounds reasonable…" TenTen agreed, "What's your set up?"

Kana grinned, "Well…"