Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Poisoned Petals. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto and a few others do.

A knock on the door was what woke Mareo. He waited for the door to open, revealing Ino as he nodded and awaited his departure from the hospital. He would honestly miss it, but it wasn't a hotel at any rate and he didn't want to abuse Ino's hospitality.

(20 minutes later)

Mareo slowly hobbled after Ino, her supporting the wounded warrior who turned to look at her with interest.

"Where are we even going?" Mareo questioned, his eyebrow raised. "I do want to warn you about something. Flowers aren't exactly my specialty, I've been around them, but I haven't exactly worked with them." Mareo stated, amused only to sigh as he hung his head.

Ino said nothing, she could already tell that Mareo was going to have doubts. She didn't expect this to be an easy fight, not even close, but she didn't feel like giving up just yet.

"Well, I could always use the fertilizer." Ino joked which caused Mareo to raise his eyebrow as he hummed.

"Very funny…." Mareo stated in return as he turned his bandaged face to Ino's shop. "So, are you going to threaten to chop me up anytime I make a mistake?" Mareo asked, a smirk gracing his face.

Ino hummed and slowly picked the key out of her pocket before she nodded. Mareo placed his hands on his legs as he grunted. Pain wracked his body all over, he was still recovering from his wounds in the hospital.

"Is it easy?" Mareo asked as he turned to Ino, turning the florist's attention to him as he hummed. "I mean taking care of flowers. It's interesting being someone who kills people, but also brings new life into the world, isn't it? The flowers and Kunoichi thing, I mean." Mareo questioned while Ino turned the key in the door, cracking the door open just a few inches.

"I guess that's not a question you can easily." Ino added before wrapping an arm around Mareo's waist. "But it's interesting, what caused you to think about that?" Ino asked as she and him entered the store and walked to a chair.

"Just something I was thinking while I was laid up in the hospital." Mareo stated and sat in the chair. "You think a LOT when you can't move, you know? I don't know which brought me to that thought. I guess it's just that I'm a little sick of all this pointless death." Mareo added as he hummed and closed his eyes once more.

"You and me both…" Ino said, crossing over to the other side of the room. "I guess it's nice, putting a little color back in a world like this, but the war is over." Ino said before frowning as she sighed.

Mareo could guess that Ino had lost someone in the war. It was almost impossible for nobody to have suffered in the conflict when he thought about it. The war was something he wished he had been more involved in.

'Maybe fighting a war would have been better then living under the yoke of people who didn't value me.' Mareo thought, rubbing at his temples as he processed the very thought.

"When do you need me to start?" Mareo asked, turning to look at Ino with his healing eyes. "I can start today if you want. I'm just going to need some help. I'm not really much of a florist when it comes down to it. I can carry things, but the other stuff? You're going to have to help me." Mareo said as Ino started to walk over to him.

"It's fine." Ino said before a smirk spread across her face. "I'll just make sure to carry you EVERY step of the way." Ino said, playfully poking his face before turning to leave.

Mareo sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing that he had walked himself into a brick wall. He'd hand it to Ino for making sure he was both her guest, and also her assistant and servant in almost every way it counted.

"Oy, I'm going to be here a while, aren't I?" Mareo asked, getting no answer at the moment… Wasn't like he expected one, however.

Still? The smirk on Ino's face proved to him that this woman was messing with him, and she was enjoying it. Not that Mareo didn't find some amusement in that, but it also hurt his brain simply thinking about it.

Then again? Mareo somewhat expected this given that Ino was probably not going to simply let him off the hook for what she heard, it made him question what the florist had in time for someone like him.

"Hey, Ino?" Mareo questioned as she turned back to look at him, eyebrow raised as she hummed. "What WOULD you like me to do, honestly? I know your going to ask me to work as soon as my wounds are FULLY healed up." Mareo stated while he cracked a smile, remembering what would happen when his injuries healed.

Ino was quite curious as to what happened next. She might have been able to read minds, but she couldn't foresee the future. It made her life quite interesting the more one would often think about it… Life was far more interesting when you DIDN'T hold every card in life. That was what made life fun.

"Maybe have you move inventory around." Ino added, pausing to brush off her shirt. "There's not a lot of work to do at the moment when gets down to it. You'd be surprised how little business we get at the moment." Ino added to which Mareo could only hum as he raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Mareo asked as he slowly stood up from his spot and walked towards her. "I've seen plenty of floral supplies when I uh… Dragged myself here when it comes down to it, I guess I expected a bit more when it comes down to it, you know?" Mareo asked, leaning on the cabinet with curiosity as Ino started to handle business at the counter as he hummed.

"Yeah, well, theres a lot people that don't understand." Ino stated while tapping her fingers on the counter as she paused to look up. "Can you carry that one plant there?" Ino asked, pointing a finger in the corner.

Mareo turned to see a plant which held brilliant purple petals. Mareo shifted his gaze to Ino who shrugged as he turned and nodded.

"Ok, but it isn't going to be as clean as you think yet." Mareo stated, pivoting around as he went to go and grab the plant in question. "Hey, how much do you usually make a day? You just said you don't get much business. I'd imagine that you'd have to have some sort of business day." Mareo stated, grabbing the plant under one arm and slowly carrying it across the room.

"Like I said…" Ino said, leaning on the counter as she talked. "You'd be surprised, there's not a line of people lining up to buy flowers after the war is done and over with. I guess some people just don't like to be reminded of where the flowers go at the end of the day." Ino added while Mareo placed the plant where Ino said to.

"I'm less surprised about that…" Mareo said, pausing to look around the shop and slowly sat in a chair next to Ino. "And more surprised not a SINGLE person wants to even attempt to walk through the front door." Mareo stated as Ino sighed.

"I guess not everyone wants to visit when it comes down to it." Mareo heard from Ino as he chuckled and leaned back on the counter.

"Maybe, but there's got to be SOME reason this place isn't as famous as it used to be." Mareo added, pausing only to rub at his temples. "Anyway, I guess it's time to talk, answer questions? All that? There's still a lot you haven't asked me despite me feeling screwed up the more I think about it." Mareo added, looking at his bad hand with a sigh.

"Fair enough." Ino said, poking Mareo once more in the center of the head as she turned. "First question. How good are you are carrying bags of fertilizer?" Ino questioned which gained a sigh and a shake of the head from Mareo.

Along with a knowing smile despite this.

"Your breaking my poor, poor heart, Ino."

Author notes

Phew. Another chapter done! I want to apologize for how short this chapter is. Next chapter will sadly be a bit shorter and such. Next chapter is in 2-10 months and will show Mareo and Ino talking more and more about Mareo's past. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter is 1200 words, Sakura and Sarada 900, Tsunade, Delta, Konan, Karin and such? 1200 currently.