Author's note: It's official: I'm hooked on this story! So, her's Chapter 4! Thanks again for the reviews!

Troublesome Love

Chapter 4- True Feelings.

"…I…"

Shikamaru's stuttering was the only sound in Ino's quiet kitchen. The two of them stood facing each other, waiting for Shikamaru to spit out what he had wanted to ask Ino earlier. As he continued to stutter, Shikamaru's mind began wrapping around his current situation.

On one hand, if he confessed his hidden feelings for Ino right then and there, Ino could accept his feelings, and the two of them would decide what to do then. Shikamaru had dreamed of dating Ino for a long period of time, and maybe even marrying her in the future. But, those dreams would never become reality until one of the two confessed their feelings.

However, the situation could take a turn for the worse if he confessed. If Ino didn't accept his feelings, then the relationship between the two of them would just become awkward. Shikamaru didn't want to put his and Ino's relationship in any kind of potential danger.

So, what to do? Ino just stared at the man in front of her, and slowly became more and more impatient. "Come on, Shikamaru, just tell me! I promise I won't get mad."

In reality, Ino had her hopes for what Shikamaru would tell her. After being completely humiliated by Uchiha Sasuke, she had slowly began to realize who really cared for her. Every sign pointed for her and Shikamaru to be together. They had been friends and teammates for years, and understood one another. If Shikamaru was willing to give them a try, so was she.

Shikamaru swallowed hard, and finally decided what he was going to do. I swear, if this is the wrong decision…He thought to himself before opening his mouth and saying:

"I really like…the shirt you're wearing."

Immediately, Shikamaru knew that was about the stupidest thing he could have said. That was far from what he had intentionally planned, but now he had to go with it. Seemed like there would be no confessions of feelings tonight. Not coming from Shikamaru.

Ino blinked, repeating that sentence over and over in her head. My shirt? He just likes my shirt? Damn it, Shikamaru, you really got my hopes up there… "Thanks." She replied casually. "I bought it when I went out with Sakura last week. This is the first time I've worn it." If Shikamaru was so interested in her shirt, she would tell him all about it.

"It's nice." Shikamaru sighed and leaned back against the counter. At least Ino seemed to have accepted the fact that he just wanted to know about her shirt. He doubted he could ever confess to her. Every single time he even thought about it, his brain would backfire and he would spit out something completely random.

Ino gave up on getting a confession tonight, and finished loading the dishwasher with the dirty dishes from their party. "Did you want some coffee? I could start a quick pot…"

"Sure." Shikamaru accepted the offer, moving over to the table and taking a seat. "I guess you're working tomorrow?" He asked, trying to make small conversation as Ino got out the grinds for the coffee. "Yeah, of course I am. We're getting a big shipment of soil, so I have to be there early to meet the truck. So, I've got a long day tomorrow. Are you busy?" She wanted to ask Shikamaru for his help, but didn't want to seem desperate.

"Actually, I'm doing some work for Lady Tsunade tomorrow. I have no idea when I'll be done." Shikamaru leaned his elbow on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "If I finish early enough, I'll drop by the flower shop and help out."

Ino nodded. "I should really pay you for all the help you've given me. It's almost like your working part time." She leaned against the counter as soon as the coffee machine was brewing, looking at Shikamaru. The way he was looking at her, with that bored expression on his face, made her heart skip a beat. Here she was, making coffee for Shikamaru late at night and casually chatting with him. It was…nice. She never really realized how much she enjoyed Shikamaru's company.

"You don't need to pay me. I'm just helping out my friend." The way Shikamaru said the word friend made Ino sink inside. What were these feelings? Ino didn't understand why she was feeling this way around Shikamaru so suddenly. It was almost as if…she had fallen for him. She decided to confirm these feelings by asking the lazy nin some questions.

"Hey, Shikamaru?" She started, checking on the pot of coffee. "I'm curious. What do you look for in a woman? You've always been so…weird around girls, I'm wondering what your picture of the perfect wife looks like." Yes, that was a good question.

"That's a weird question…" Shikamaru said, eyebrow raised as he watched Ino deal with the coffee pot. He sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. Maybe if he was subtle enough, Ino could get the picture that she was talking about her…Shikamaru carefully thought about his words before he said anything.

"Well, I guess I like women who are laid back. Not too troublesome." Well, that wasn't exactly the best start. "But at the same time, I like women who are passionate about something, like you are with the flower shop." Yes, that was good. "And honesty, of course. I want to have a wife who will tell me anything, anytime. No secrets in our relationship. Looks aren't as important. It's what's on the inside that counts." Alright, this could work. One last push. "But I happen to like blondes."

Ino listened carefully as Shikamaru talked. Laid back, passionate, honest, and…blonde? Ino went through his expectations in her mind. Blonde? What was the supposed to mean? She moved on, asking another question.

"Alright. And, if you were ever to get married, would you treat your wife well? I mean, you always call me troublesome. Would you call your wife the same?" It was something Ino was curious about, whether she was trying to confirm her feelings or not.

"What's with all these questions about marriage?" Shikamaru asked, sighing as Ino brought him over a mug of coffee and took a seat next to him at the table. "Well, if I asked her to be my wife in the first place, would I really think she was troublesome? Sure, I'm sure I'll have moments when I think she's annoying, but it doesn't mean I don't love her, right?" He took a sip of his coffee and hummed.

"And for the record, I do not always call you troublesome. When you yell at me, or make me do a bunch of work, sure. You're troublesome. But when we're just talking, like right now, I don't think you're troublesome at all." Shikamaru looked into Ino's eyes, waiting for her reaction.

And Ino's brain almost exploded from that answer. She couldn't even remember the first part of his answer. The only words that rang through her ears were you're not troublesome at all. That sentence coming from Shikamaru was rare. Suddenly, Ino's heart fluttered and she felt her face heat up. There was now one thing that was for sure:

Yamanaka Ino was hopelessly in love with Nara Shikamaru.

Nara Shikamaru, the boy she grew up with. The boy she used to complain to her girlfriends about. The boy whose ponytail she pulled, who made her cry when he won in a spar against her; the boy who quickly turned into a man before her eyes. The man who now lived in the apartment right above her; the man who she now found herself sitting next to, and whose voice made her heart skip a beat. The man who had those chocolate brown eyes she now found herself getting lost in. The man who took her in when she was drunk and upset, and cared for her; the man she had been dreaming about recently. The man who she now thought she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Coming out of her daze, Ino smiled. Her new mission in life was to get Shikamaru to fall for her just as hard as she had just fallen for him. It wouldn't be easy, but she was always up for a challenge. Taking a sip of her own mug of coffee, she finally spoke up. "Thanks. I was just wondering what kind of married life someone like you would live. You're a pretty lazy person, Shikamaru. It's what makes you unique."

He scoffed and took another sip of his coffee. "Unique? What's with you all of a sudden? Just last week you told me I was a lazy bum, and now you're saying my laziness makes me unique? Women sure are confusing…" He finished off his coffee and got up to put the mug in the sink. "Well, I'll go back to my place now. You have to get up early to unload that soil, so make sure you get some rest, alright?"

Ino wanted nothing more than for Shikamaru to stay the night at her place. To talk to her for hours about absolutely nothing, and hold her close as they drifted to sleep. But for now, she decided to take things slow. Let Shikamaru fall for her on his own. All he needed was a little push.

"Alright. Thanks for helping me today, Shika. " Ino also got up from the table, and moved to open the front door for her guest. "Come by tomorrow if you have a little time, all right? I'll take all the help I can get." Shikamaru nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Goodnight, Ino." Shikamaru waved behind his back as he headed for the stairs and made his way up to his apartment. Ino sighed as she watched him walk off and up the stairs, and secretly prayed Lady Tsunade didn't have much for Shikamaru to do tomorrow, so she could see him again.

Once inside his apartment, Shikamaru once again headed straight for his bedroom, and laid on his bed, staring up at the celling. Tonight had been a night full of awkward situations. But one thing was certain: his feelings for Ino didn't change one bit tonight. In fact, those feelings may have just gotten stronger than they were before.

He laid on his bed for quite a while, thinking about what he next move would be. In reality, Shikamaru couldn't do anything serious until he confessed his feelings to Ino. Then the two of them could discuss the next steps. Reaching over, Shikamaru grabbed his pillow and put it over his face, sighing. Why was this so hard?

Soon, the jounin found his mind going blank, and he fell asleep thinking of the blonde who lived directly below him. What Shikamaru wasn't aware of was the fact that that same blonde was dreaming about him in her apartment.

The next morning, Shikamaru and Ino both woke up early, and started their busy day. Shikamaru headed straight to the Hokage's mansion, and was greeted with piles and piles of paperwork that needed to be sorted through and stamped. Honestly, he would have been happier to spend the day at the flower shop again. At least he would have had someone to talk to.

Ino, on the other hand, was stuck with a mountain of heavy bags on soil, and her mind was not in the right place for working. The only thing she could think about were pineapples. Or rather, people who had pineapple shaped heads, with dark hair that was usually pulled up into a neat ponytail.

Focus, Ino. Focus. Stop thinking about him for ten seconds…She told herself as he bent her knees and lifted one of the larger bags of soil, carrying it inside the shop and into the storage room. She wiped her brow once the bag was placed in the correct pile, and started outside to pick up another bag.

She was so occupied with her work and her pineapple thoughts that she didn't even notice the person who had shown up and started working alongside her, carrying bags of soil behind her and following her lead. After a minute, Ino looked up and almost jumped when she noticed someone standing next to her.

"Sakura!" She walked over and playfully slapped her friend on the arm. "You could have told me you were standing there!" Sakura laughed and dropped another bag in a pile. "I did. Several times. Are you feeling okay, Ino? You seem really distracted today."

Ino sighed. She was relieved to finally have someone to talk to. If there was anyone she could trust, it was Sakura. They had been friends for years. "Sakura, I'm in love. Completely and hopelessly in love!" Ino proclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "And it sucks!"

"Woah, woah. Slow down for a second, Ino. Now, who are you in love with?" Sakura, asked, her hands on her hips. "If it's Sasuke, you can forget about it. For your information, he and I are going for a walk tomorrow afternoon! He's supposed to be walking a lot for his rehab, so I offered to join him." Sakura said proudly.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Yeah, good luck with that. Forget about Sasuke, Sakura. It's Shikamaru. I've fallen in love with Shikamaru."

She didn't expect for her best friend to laugh so hard after that statement. If fact, it took Sakura a few minutes before she was even able to respond to Ino. "Yeah…good one. Alright, now who is it really? Kiba? Sai?"

"I just told you! Shikamaru! I'm in love with Nara Shikamaru!" Ino said, huffing at her friend. "What? You're serious? But, Ino! You're always talking about how lazy, annoying, bothersome, and rude Shikamaru is! What made you change your mind?"

Ino sighed. "Last night we were talking after we all went to dinner at Choji's house, and he told me that I'm not that troublesome. Coming from Shikamaru, that's almost impossible. And lately, I've been thinking about how…kind, and caring Shikamaru is. Not to mention smart, and not too bad looking either. He's also successful, and honest, and loyal…" Ino went on and on about her teammate.

"Okay, okay, Ino. Now, I believe you." Sakura said, laughing and waving her arms to get Ino to stop talking. "Well? Have you told him you like him yet?" Sakura asked, and frowned when Ino glared at her.

"Of course not! Why would I do that? Shikamaru doesn't like any girls, he thinks their all troublesome. So that's why I'm going to try and not be as annoying to him, and make him fall for me. He said he likes blondes, so I have a chance, Sakura!"

Sakura took a seat on one of the piles of soil bags, and smiled. "Alright. Do your best, Ino! I think that maybe if you—" Both of the girls looked up when the back door of the store opened, and Shikamaru himself walked in, grumbling. "Ino? You here?"

Ino made her way towards him with a smile. "Shikamaru! That sure was fast. Lady Tsunade didn't work you that hard?" Shikamaru shook his head. "I just did a bunch of paperwork. Troublesome. I swear I have dozens of paper cuts on my hands" He sighed, looking over his red hands. "Alright. Where's the rest of the soil? I'll bring it in. Oh, afternoon, Sakura." Shikamaru greeted the pink haired girl when he noticed her sitting in the corner.

"They're outside, but you rest, Shikamaru. There's only a few more, so I'll get them." Ine said as she skipped away cheerfully. Shikamaru raised his eyebrow as he watched her skip off. Normally Ino would have pushed all the work on him as soon as he offered, but now she was…telling him to take a break? He would never understand women.

"I have to get back to the hospital. Ino, I'll come see you tomorrow, alright? See ya, Shikamaru~" Sakura said as she got up off the pile of soil and left the store. Ino and Shikamaru waved, and Shikamaru watched Ino bring in a rather heavy looking bag of soil. "Let me get it." Shikamaru said, and took the bag of soil from her hands. "Shika! I said let me get it!" Ino huffed, but reluctantly handed over the last bag to him, walking back to close the back door of the store.

"Whew." Shikamaru said as he dropped the bag. "There, all finished. Seems like you had a long day." He commented, looking around at all the bags of soil Sakura and Ino had brought in. "Yep. It wasn't easy, but we got the job done." Ino smiled, making her way to the front of the store.

"So, Shikamaru~ how are you? Did you sleep well last night?" Shikamaru followed her to the front of the store, and wondered what made Ino so chipper. "You're talkative today. I slept fine. Ino, what's going on? You're acting different." Ino froze. Maybe her "trying not to be troublesome" act wasn't working. She turned to smile at Shikamaru and watered a plant that was sitting on the counter. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just happy to see you."

"Happy to see me? I just saw you last night." Shikamaru walked over to her and leaned his arm on the counter, trying to see her face. "Really, what's going on? You're acting really weird."

Ino turned and froze when she realized how close Shikamaru was to her. "Oh…uh…" She stuttered, turning so she was facing him and looking into his eyes. "I'm…just a little tired. I didn't sleep very well last night."

"Why not?" Shikamaru asked. He too noticed how close they were, but didn't make a move. If Ino was okay with being this close, then so was he. "Did you have a bad dream?" "No." Ino responded, moving her face only slightly closer. "More like…my mind couldn't stop thinking. I couldn't get something off my mind."

"What couldn't you get off your mind?" Shikamaru asked, also moving his face closer to hers. His heart was racing at their closeness. By this point, the two were only centimeters apart, their noses almost touching. Shikamaru's mind was blank. He couldn't stop himself from continuing to move closer to Ino.

Ino too was at a loss, her mind only focusing on the smell of Shikamaru and the sound of his breathing. She could have sworn she heart his heart beating out of his chest. Or maybe that was her own heart that she was hearing. Either way, she responded to his question with just one word.

"You."

Shikamaru's mind suddenly lurched forward, wrapping around that one word and analyzing it. She couldn't sleep because she was thinking about him? Did that mean…Ino had just confessed to him, in a way? Just to be sure, Shikamaru responded back in his own way, his nose now touching the tip of Ino's ever so slightly.

"Well, I can't stop thinking about you."

Ino's eyebrow raised slightly, and her lips curved up in a small smirk. Her mind understood what that meant; even in it's cloudy state. Shikamaru felt the exact same way she felt. She felt her heart flutter with happiness, and pressed her nose harder onto Shikamaru's. She stood on her tip-toes, her lips lightly brushing against Shikamaru's.

"Well, what do you think—"

Just before she finished that sentence, the door of the flower shop opened, and a couple walked in. Immediately, Ino and Shikamaru parted, and Ino went right into businesswoman mode. "Good afternoon." She greeted the customers, walking away from Shikamaru to tend to them.

Shikamaru just stood there, bewildered by how close he had gotten to kissing Ino. His hand reached up and felt his lips. He could have sworn he felt hers brush against his. Did that count as a kiss? Either way, his heart would not slow down.

What had just happened?