Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Pairings: SaiIno canon! ShikaTem, ChoijiKarui. NaruHina. SasuSaka. Some KibaIno and other random guys after Ino. All canon pairings except maybe KakaAnko since I have no idea.

Rating: M for now because of Ino's sassy mouth and thoughts and later for other stuff.

Genre: Romance, Humor, Angst, and Hurt/comfort.

Summary: [Inocentric] [Canon] [Team 10 and Konoha 11 strong friendships] "Are you reading Icha Icha?" Ino asked. Sai nodded, "To teach me how to woo and pleasure a woman." Ino quirked an eyebrow, grabbing the little orange book and tossing it over her shoulder. She hopped into his lap and gave him her sassiest smile, "Sweetie, I can teach you so much more than that garbage can."

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A/N: Hey guys, I wanted to write a completely canon story in the Naruto universe. When I first found out about this pair, I was so curious how they got together, seeing as Sai only called her beautiful as a joke and her being such a vibrant social butterfly and he being the seemingly emotionless product of brainwashing. You see them somewhat in my story Hard Headed. I always get compliments on my characterization so I wanted to try my hands at a canon but fun way they get together.

I LOVE INO SHE HAS A COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE PERSONALITY! Much like myself! I hope you like this story.

This isn't a very popular pairing like SasuNaru or NaLu so PLEASE REVIEW SO I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE THIS.

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Chapter One

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If someone were to ask Ino how she felt after the end of the Fourth Shinobi War she would say exhausted first then numb second, too busy to feel anything.

Exhausted because following her father's death, pretty much everything had been thrust onto her plate.

Ibiki fully expected her to take her father's place in the Intelligence and Interrogation division, there were other Yamanakas of course but they weren't' as strong as someone from the main bloodline of her family.

Her mother has gone into nearly a completely catatonic state, most days she couldn't get of bed, other days her mom was a dangerous flurry of activity, taking on a ton of bouquet orders that she left Ino to fill, with the way ending, flowers were a popular commodity sfter all, everyone was either buying them for friends in the hospital, for the memorial stone or for weddings. Ino guessed in nine-ish months they would be doing flowers for baby showers.

Ino was so busy, she didn't have time to feel sad and someone around there had to keep it together for everyone else.

She looked so much like her father that her mother can barely look at her without bursting into tears and she isn't the only one, Chouza can't look at her or Shikamaru without getting all misty eyed. It sucks because he's the closest thing she has to a father figure left. He will probably have to walk her down the aisle one day.

She tried not to think that her father would never be able to walk her down the aisle one day or meet his grandchildren, that her future husband or kids won't know her stern father had a secretly sweet and goofy nature.

With Shikamaru taking missions left and right to help his mind off of his dad or Asuma-sensei and Chouji visiting his girlfriend in Kumo, Ino felt completely alone for the first time in her life.

In fact, she was pretty sure the entire Konoha 11 was out of the village, the exception being Naruto in the hospital. And perhaps Sakura working at the hospital but after an awkward encounter last week, she couldn't look the rosette in the eye.

Wallowing isn't her style so she decided to go out and socialize, she had already visited Neji at the memorial stone that morning, she could pay Naruto a visit, she thought.

Ino gathered a bouquet of sunflowers and headed to the hospital, careful to avoid Sakura's office, last time she had visited her female best friend she has gotten the shock her life when she had walked in on Forehead doing something definitely not work appropriate with the last Uchiha. She didn't think her nerves could take a naked Sakura again at the moment.

When she reached Naruto's hospital room, he already had a few visitors. Iruka-sensei was there grading papers, Hokage Kakashi-sama reading a dirty book and Sai was there drawing as always. They were all sitting at the foot of his bed, facing Naruto, there were two empty chairs on Naruto's side near the door.

"Hey whiskers, hey everyone," She plastered on a flirty smile, setting the bouquet down on his bedside table, she took a seat in one of the two empty chairs on his side.

Naruto returned it with a grin of his own, "Bringing me flowers eh? I have to tell you Ino-chan, my heart is already taken but I'll gladly give you one kiss for all of your trouble."

She gave him a pretend glare and rolled her eyes, he was so full of crap like always, before smiling again, "These are from your beautiful girlfriend, foxface, she asked me to deliver these while she's gone."

"Bored at the flower shop huh?" Naruto laughed.

Ino widened her eyes dramatically and nodded, "You have no idea. I've actually learned to sleep with my eyes open."

"How's your mom holding up, Ino-chan?" Iruka-sensei asked, looking up from his student's exams.

Ino sighed, "Well honestly, it's been hard, she won't look at me or talk to me. I had finally gotten her to eat and bathe again but their anniversary came and she got even worse. I'm running the shop by myself but also working with Ibiki-sempai. Shikamaru's mom is going through the same so she can't help and Chouji's mom can't stop taking about how relieved she is her hubby is still alive. And Chouza-ojisan can't even look at Shikamaru and I."

"That's got to be hard Ino-chan, could you hire someone to help?" Iruka-sensei asked. Lord Kakashi-sama was still reading, probaby listening but feigning disinterest as always. Sai was watching them with a rapt look in his dark eyes.

"With the funeral costs, we can't really afford to right now but Chouji, Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan take shifts when they can! Hinata is very good at floral arrangements!"

Naruto smirked, "She's good at everything."

Ino patted his hand and wiggled her eyebrows, "You know it! Too bad you took so long figuring out how wonderful she is or you could have had a girlfriend this whole time like Shika with Temari."

"So that lazy bum is really dating fan girl, he's not really the bragging type," Naruto nodded, "He always just says he's surrounded by troublesome women, troublesome mom, troublesome girlfriend and a troublesome teammate."

"Yep, I think pretty much on and off since the Sasuke retrieval mission," Ino grinned when she saw Naruto's shocked face.

"That long?" Naruto sputtered.

"Pretty serious too, his feisty little girlfriend sent in transfer paperwork to come to the Leaf," Kakashi-sama joined in on the gossip, so he had been listening after all! Look at Ino, gossiping with the Hokage and resident jinchuriki of all people.

"Yeah she proposed to him!" Ino hopped up and down in her seat with excitement, "Temari doesn't like me but she asked me to be her maid of honor since she doesn't get along with any girl really. I think it's going to be a joint wedding with Chouji and Karui too."

"She proposed to him?!" This sent Naruto into hysterical laughter. Iruka-sensei chuckled into his glass of water.

"You know Shikamaru's a lazy bum, he probably would be too lazy to ever propose, poor Temari probably has to be on top all the time!" Ino cackled as Iruka-sensei spat out his water and choked, if it was possible Naruto was laughing even harder, Lord Kakashi-sama was even chuckling a bit and Sai was just nodding.

Naruto was blinking away years of laughter, "It's funny because it's true but it's also funny because it's sad."

"Nothing wrong with a woman on top" Lord Kakashi-sama said from behind his book.

Iruka-sensei rolled his eyes.

Naruto gave his sensei an evil grin, "I'll pass that little trivia onto that snake lady you've been sneaking around with."

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked apathetic as always, "I don't know what you're taking about."

"Sense of smell doesn't lie," Naruto grinned and tapped his nose.

Kakashi ignored him and kept reading, basically no denial confirmed it.

Ino's eyebrows rose, now this was juicy stuff even she didn't know, she would have to pass that tidbit along to Ibiki later, the scarred and serious man was secretly as gossipy as her. He claimed it was an important part of his job but she still called him a mother hen.

"Anyways, I also wanted to remind you that her birthday is the day after she returns from her mission, I wasn't sure if you knew, my suggestion is you should probably take her on a date that isn't to Ichiraku and get her flowers and jewelry, she's a classic traditional girl like that," Ino instructed.

"Oh crap, I don't even know her favorite gemstone or flower!" Naruto started to panic.

"Good going, dickless, screwing it up already," Sai teased.

"I don't know about that, Hinata-chan has been after Naruto the whole time, and she has that byakugan that can see through clothes, maybe she knows something we don't," She winked at Sai before looking back at Naruto who was bright red and asking Iruka-sensei if he thought his sweet Hinata-chan was secretly a pervert and if so how lucky a guy he would be, "And Naruto, she likes sapphires and cornflowers, same blue as her precious Naruto-kun's eyes, I'll be happy to help you with the flowers at full price of course, too bad they're out of season, will be a bit pricy."

Naruto looked at his gamma-chan wallet on the side table and frowned, "Of course."

"Anyways, I should be going, Ibiki-sempai is expecting me soon," Ino rose from her chair to leave but Naruto stopped her.

"Wait, are stopping by Sakura-chan's officer before you go?" He asked.

Ino's eyes went wide and she soon rapidly shook her head side to side, "No way! I walked in on Sasuke bending her over her desk last week, I can't look either of them in the face right now."

Iruka-sensei and Lord Kakashi-sama appeared to be in shock.

"No way," Naruto sputterred in denial.

Sai shrugged, "Hag-chan and the traitor? Predictable."

Ino nodded in agreement with the artist, " Well I really have to be going, I'll see you guys soon."

"Wait," Lord Kakashi-sama muttered, glancing at Sai, "Don't you have business in the ANBU HQ next door? Why don't you walk with Ino-chan?"

Sai nodded, gathering his at supplies under his arm, "Yes Hokage-sama."

Ino nodded, guess she was walking with Sai.

"Later ponytail, later weirdo!" Naruto waved.

Ino and Sai waved and left.