Here is the next prompt for ShikaIno week. Hope you like it.

I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Shikamaru's Birthday/First Kiss

It had been a few months since they had their first date and he was feeling content with how they are and they are still dating. True, there are some arguments here and there but they usually make up by the end of the day. Also, they helped each other with the grieving of their Sensei, Asuma. Right now they are out on another date and even though they have gone out many times he hadn't tried to kiss her. The thing was that whenever he tried to, he would pull away at the last second and kiss her on the forehead or on her cheek.

Ino noticed this and was a little more than frustrated at him; he hadn't even asked her to be his girlfriend yet. She was going to get an answer out of him whether he was ready or not.

So right now, they had gone out to cloud-watch because she had agreed to do whatever he wanted for his 16th birthday and now it was getting late and the sun was setting. They were at his favorite cloud-watching spot, on top of a hill that had a wide view of the sky and they sat underneath a tree. Shikamaru was watching the clouds while Ino was lost in thought.

She cleared her throat, and then asked, "Why haven't you kissed me yet?"

Shikamaru was truly startled by the question that he abruptly sat upright and looked over at her incredulously.

He averted his eyes and then asked in return nervously, "Why are you asking that?"

Ino sighed in frustration and retorted, "We have been dating for a while and not once have you tried to kiss me."

Ino averted her gaze away from him and mumbled quietly, "You haven't even officially asked me to be your girlfriend, yet…"

Ino felt that she was on the verge of tears; she didn't shed them but that is what it looked like to him.

He tried to alleviate the situation, "Ino, it's not that I don't want to kiss you… I just…"

"Just what?!" Ino exploded. "Am I not important enough to you? Do you not care about me?"

Shikamaru was startled but then he replied, "Ino, what you just said is not true."

Ino cried, "Then how am I supposed to know? How do I know that you care about me? I may know how your personality is but that doesn't mean that I know everything that you are thinking! I don't want to continue to be left in the dark about how you feel and whether or not you care for me! Shikamaru, please show me! Please prove to me that you care! That you want me to be-"

Shikamaru pulled her close to him and then interrupted her by planting a kiss on her lips. She was stunned momentarily as her eyes had reopened but then she calmed down and gave into the kiss. She placed her hands on his black top and pulled him in closer; she felt like she was walking on air. Shikamaru pulled away from her lips after several seconds and both were dazed. Shikamaru noticed the tears that had escaped her eyes so he wiped them away with his thumbs.

He then placed his forehead to touch hers and then he whispered, "I care about you more than anyone else; I had thought that you already knew that. I'm sorry."

He kissed her forehead and then asked, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

Ino gave a bright smile and then answered, "Of course, I will, Shika."

Shikamaru gave a smile in return and hugged her close to him. Then Ino surprised him by pulling him in for another kiss; a much more passionate one this time. She pulled away and then she whispered, "Happy birthday, Shika…"

"Best birthday present ever…" Shikamaru proclaimed with a smirk.

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