Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me...despite my recurring fascination with Shika
I really shouldn't be writing fics since it's exam time, but this idea just popped into my head last night and I just HAD TO put it into words. Hope you enjoy it...just a short one-shot.
Yamanaka Ino wasn't stupid.
She saw the way his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly whenever another shinobi leered at her.
She heard the way he grumbled when she made him walk her home but she also heard the affection underlying his 'Mendokese.'
She saw the little sideways glances he gave her whenever he thought no one was watching.
She noticed the way he jumped in front of her every time an enemy attacked, despite knowing how he would get it from her afterwards.
She felt his large hands trembling when he gently brushed the blood from her neck after a surprise attack.
She detected the flush spreading across his tanned face whenever she threw herself on him in one her crushing 'good morning,' 'good night' and 'just because I want to' hugs.
She noticed the way he spread his flak jacket on the ground after she complained about the grass stains on her clothes after joining him on one of his cloud-watching sprees.
And although she brushed off everyone's teasing suggestions of how they would end up as an old married couple, she secretly daydreamed about what that would be like.
Most importantly, Ino knew that he knew she knew; after all, Shika was a genius.
-o-O-o-
Nara Shikamaru wasn't stupid either.
He knew exactly when she stopped gushing about Sasuke and became friends with Sakura again.
He saw the way her brilliant blue eyes narrowed and she became louder than ever whenever that sand kunoichi, Temari, talked to him.
He noticed the little touches she gave him whenever they were together.
He noticed the way she pouted in disappointment when he failed to remark on her new outfit or hairdo.
He felt the heat radiating from her cheeks on to his neck when she insisted that he give her a piggyback ride home after training.
He saw the unshed tears glistening in her eyes while she screamed at him for being careless enough to get hurt during one of their missions.
He heard the nervous giggle erupt from her lips the first time she lowered herself next to him underneath the afternoon sky.
And although he ignored everyone's troublesome suggestions of how they would end up as an old married couple, he silently agreed that they were probably right.
Most importantly, Shikamaru knew that she knew he knew; after all, Ino was smarter than she let on.
-o-O-o-
And because they both knew that the other person knew, neither were surprised when Ino quietly lay down beside him during one of their nightly star-watching sprees.
Neither were surprised when Shikamaru draped his jacket over her even though something like that might be considered too troublesome.
Neither were surprised when Ino turned to snuggle up against his side, her face tucked into crook of his neck.
Neither were surprised when Shikamaru stretched out an arm to pull her closer, his fingers sifting through her pale blonde strands as his eyes drifted closed in contentment.
Neither were surprised because they had seen it coming a mile away; after all, they were Ino and Shikamaru.
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The End
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