Here we go, some ShikaIno loving! Enjoy!
She was beautiful.
Shikamaru could watch her for hours, doing the most monotonous things. From cooking to cleaning to training to washing to doing paperwork. All of it should've been so very boring to watch.
But it wasn't.
He was deeply sexually attracted to her, he knew that much. But, there was something more.
The way her hair looked so soft and silky, as it flowed down her back or was put up in a ponytail, the sun just seeming to shine off it in the right way. The way her eyes, pools of clear blue rippled with any emotion, from anger, to pure bliss. The way her perfectly shaped lips would always morph into a delighted smile at the smell of flowers. The way her skin felt against his chest, the way they just molded together.
She was so beautiful.
But she didn't see it.
She would spend hours upon hours of time and effort into applying her make-up, a meticulous, and, quite frankly, pointless exercise. Why? Because she was beautiful enough already.
She would refuse to go outside, whether it be to the gym to lose weight (which she didn't need too) or to go out to eat (where she would order salad because of her diet) or anywhere.
She seemed to hate herself.
Hate her appearance, hate her face, her her hair, hate her body. She hated everything.
And Shikamaru couldn't understand why.
Why would you hide yourself under concealer and lipgloss, eye-shadow and mascara, when you looked so beautiful already?
As Ino came out of the bathroom, her make-up and hair done impeccably, Shikamaru smiled. Standing, he took Ino's hand in his, and they began to exit her apartment, heading towards the restaurant where they had dinner reservations.
And as they both looked at each other, and smiled, Shikamaru made a vow.
One day, he would make Ino see how beautiful she truly was.
And that was something he intended to keep reminding her for the rest of her life.
Well, if she found the ring in her wineglass, anyway.