Business was slow at the flower shop yet again, as it had been for the last few months. Normally Ino enjoyed days such as this, the lack of customers allowing her time to putter with flower arrangements and daydream. With a whimsical smile, Ino recalled the times she spent behind the counter, fantasizing about a certain dark haired shinobi who was virtually unattainable, and who was ultimately responsible for the estrangement of her and her best friend, Sakura. Time had since mended their relationship, thankfully.
Ino sighed. She had been so naïve then, just a silly little girl with a silly little crush. Even though the love of her life had always been standing right next to her, her heart had been too foolish to realize it. Or rather, she had been too afraid to admit to herself that she was truly in love with someone other than Sasuke, someone whom she had known since they began at the Academy, someone she had cried on, screamed at, and made an idiot of herself in front of. He knew every aspect of her personality and could read her like a book, often striking to her very core with his shrewd comments and observations about her behavior.
Ino squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back tears that threatened to spill over. He had left nearly two months ago on a mission with a few other Jounins, and she hadn't received any correspondence from him since. For all she knew, he could be lying dead or injured somewhere, leaving her with a feeling of dread that she could do nothing but dwell on, especially now with nothing to keep her otherwise occupied. She remembered the last conversation that they had shared before he departed, her heart constricting.
"I don't know how long I'll be away," Shikamaru said, his hand scratching at the nape of his neck, a nervous tick he'd had since childhood. The corners of Ino's mouth turned up as she watched him: that little tick appeared more and more often now than it ever did, especially when they were alone together.
Shikamaru had surprised her that morning with a blanket draped over his shoulder and a picnic basket in hand. Ino had nearly closed the door in his face, hardly believing that this was the Shikamaru she knew so well. His laziness was somewhat of a legend among the Leaf, after all, and it seemed...abnormal that he would take the time to do something as troublesome as taking her on a picnic. Shikamaru had to persuade her that he was not pulling her leg and that he just wanted to talk a little before he left. He ended up leading her to a small grove of cherry blossom trees, and they now they sat on the blanket underneath one such tree, eating from the contents of the basket. To her shock, Ino discovered that Shikamaru had not only made the food himself, but was an incredibly talented cook. His personality, she noted with glee, had undergone some renovations since earlier days.
"Who's going with you?" Ino asked, trying to sound calm.
"Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru, Kakashi, and Lee."
Ino's eyes widened. "Naruto? This must be serious if the Hokage needs to be along." Her hands, needing to be doing something, toyed with the edge of the blanket.
Shikamaru didn't answer right away, but instead reached out and grabbed one of her hands. "It's just as a precaution. We aren't really sure what we're up against. Gaara has been doing his best to get us information, but he can't do much without risking his cover being blown." The Sand-nin had since become a spy for the Leaf, the leader of a network formed by himself and the Hokage.
Ino looked down. "Oh," she said dumbly, mentally kicking herself. Oh? That's the best you can do?
Shikamaru's grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, causing Ino to lift her face, the jounin's dark brown eyes meeting and holding her crystal blue ones. "Don't worry, Ino. We'll take care of everything. I promise." He looked like he wanted to say more, but remained silent.
Now's your chance! You've always had plenty to say to him before, idiot! The tiny blonde's mind screamed at her. Tell him that you love him. Do it now, or you'll regret it! But the words wouldn't come. She just couldn't bring herself say what needed to be said. It was the fear of rejection that held her back, fear that she would get her heart broken. And so she let him walk away, the disappointment that was barely evident in his face like a knife through her heart. She could only watch helplessly as Shikamaru, along with the Hokage and the rest of their comrades, departed an hour later. Ino stood upon a hilltop, staying there long after she could no longer glimpse their retreating backs, tears streaming unchecked down her face.
