Here is my submission for ShikaIno week that I saw on tumblr. Each chapter will correspond with the prompt for the week. I hope that you enjoy it. I apologize for it being so late, but I had issues with my computer and it took me a while to get it settled.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Him (Ino's POV)

Shikamaru Nara was always lazy, no question about it. But there was always something about him that left me wanting to figure him out. He was always one of the smartest shinobi I know who is our age. Aside from his high intelligence, he has always frustrated me with his laziness, his smart comments to annoy me and his attitude towards some missions we had when we were Genin. But since we grew up together, I've known him since we were little. I don't mean to brag but aside from Chouji, I believe that I know him better than anyone else. Lately, however, I've been having these new feelings for him and they seem to be getting stronger every day. It seems that no matter how hard I try to suppress them, they come back stronger and I can't do anything to stop them. So now it just confused me even more that I felt this way towards him. It wasn't until his birthday that I figured out how I really felt about him.

Shikamaru's Birthday (Normal POV)

Shikamaru and Ino were out to celebrate their birthdays at Ino's insistence. Chouji would have come along with them but when they went to go pick him up however...

"Chouji, you have the flu?" Ino asked worriedly.

When Chouji opened the door to them, he looked horrible. His eyes were watery, his skin, a sickly pale color and his nose was red.

Chouji nodded his head and replied, "Yeah, I'm sorry I can't come with you guys to eat. But I have both of your presents so here."

He handed them two wrapped parcels, one with purple wrapping paper with light purple polka dots was for Ino, while the other had green with blue stripes for Shikamaru.

Then Chouji said, "You just go along without me and celebrate without me. I'll be fibe."

Ino let out a laugh and replied, "I hope so, now off to bed with you."

In reality, she was a little nervous because they usually celebrated their birthdays together with friends and family. But a lot of their friends had other clean-up projects to do for the village after Pain's attack and their parents were helping with other matters. Their parents suggested that just she, Shikamaru and Chouji celebrate together at a different restaurant but Chouji has the flu, so it's just them alone. Apparently, she was really lost in her thoughts because Shikamaru called out to her.

"Ino, are you okay?" Shikamaru asked.

Ino snapped out of her thoughts and then replied, "I'm fine, I just had a lot on my mind. I mean there is still a lot rebuilding to do."

Shikamaru nodded and said, "Yeah, Pain had nearly decimated the whole village and a lot of people were initially killed. It's unbelievable that they were all revived."

"Yes, it was thanks to Naruto that Pain was defeated," Ino commented.

Then she added, "I was really worried about you..."

Ino glanced at him and she saw that he had a look of surprise on his face and she heard him ask, "You were?"

Ino nodded her head and then said, "Yes I was, and I'm glad that you only had a broken leg."

She looked away with her face blushing waiting for him to say something, anything, so it would feel less awkward.

Until he finally replied, "I was worried about you too."

Ino looked up at him and saw him glance away for a minute but then looked down at her as well. And it might have been her imagination but she could have sworn that his face was blushing. Ino smiled up at him and thought, "He looks cute when he is embarrassed."

But she asked instead, "Really?"

Shikamaru replied, "Yes, and I'm glad that weren't hurt at all."

"Thank you, Shika," Ino said to him.

She saw him nod his head and they continued to walk through the village. Until she asked, "Where do you think we should go to eat?"

Shikamaru thought for a minute before answering, "Does sushi sound okay to you?"

Ino nodded and then they went to one sushi place that had been rebuilt. There were a few people there so it wasn't too crowded. They were able sit at a booth that was right beside a window. They had ordered their food and the silence between them was comfortable and then they started to talk about different events around the village. Every now and then when they ate their sushi, Ino would glance up at him across the table, taking in his features.

"I have to admit, he is handsome in his own way," Ino thought.

His narrow brown eyes always gave her the impression that he could tell right away if someone is lying. But she also knows that they can be calm and warm when relaxed. His black hair was always in a spiky ponytail that seemed to defy gravity. Though she often wondered what his hair would look like if it was down. She had seen him shirtless a few times after they trained on hot days and she always can't help herself from staring at his lean abs. And in some rare instances, he would reveal a genuine smile. Not his usual cocky smirks but a real smile that would reach his eyes. And it seemed that she was the only one to see his real smile when they were kids and a few times in later years. In other words, he is good-looking, something she acknowledged a few times to herself but never admitted to others and especially not to him.

Apparently, she had been staring too long, because she had to be snapped out of her thoughts by him again.

"Ino, are you sure you're okay?" Shikamaru asked.

Ino then answered somewhat hastily, "Yes, I'm fine, really. Now what were you saying before?"

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow at that and explained, "I didn't say anything, Ino."

Now Ino was stuck, she didn't know how she would explain herself to him. In embarrassment, her cheeks turned pink and it caused Shikamaru to ask again, "Are you sure you're okay, Ino? Your face is red."

He brought his hand across the table and put it on her forehead and asked, "Did you catch Chouji's flu?"

To save herself from further embarrassment, she pulled his hand away and answered, "I'm okay, really. I was just thinking of something else. But thank you for your concern."

Shikamaru continued to look skeptical but then he shrugged his shoulders and continued eating his sushi. Ino silently let out a sigh of relief and then finished her own plate.

After a little while, Ino said playfully, "I think now is the time for you to open your presents, Shika."

Shikamaru chuckled a little bit but he started to open Chouji's present first. Since they celebrate their birthdays together, they made up a tradition that they open each other's presents close to midnight so that they won't exactly share one day for both of them. It seemed a little weird to their parents and friends but it was Ino's idea when they both turned seven years old. And Shikamaru didn't really mind or maybe he didn't care too much, she didn't know.

Shikamaru opened Chouji's present first and in the small parcel was surprisingly a large wad of ryo. Then Ino told him to read the note inside it and Shikamaru complied by pulling out the small note and read aloud,

Shikamaru,

Since you had covered a lot of my meals when we eat together at Yakiniku Q, I decided to return the money I owe you. So I did extra side missions to be paid so I can repay you. The amount there is at least twelve meals worth. Since you don't like a lot of things on your birthday, you could use that money for anything that you may want.

Happy Birthday, Shikamaru!

Chouji

Ino commented playfully, "It's about time that he paid you back."

The she asked him, "What did you receive from your parents?"

Shikamaru nodded and then he put some money back into his wallet and left some out to pay for the bill for their meals. Then he answered, "A new shogi board game, since our original one was destroyed in the attack."

Then Shikamaru said to her, "Your turn Ino, you have to open yours."

Ino then brought Chouji's present out and proceeded to unwrap it. In the box, she gasped as she saw a small handheld mirror that looked ornate and had delicate designs on the back of it.

"Wow, this looks really nice," Ino looked at the mirror and it was the right size to see her whole face and she loved how the mirror looked. She read the note from Chouji and it said that he found this mirror in one of his other missions and thought she'd like it.

Then later they left the restaurant and started to walk around a little more and they didn't realize how late it was and it was a quarter to midnight. Then Ino felt Shikamaru grip onto her hand and then pulled her with him.

Confused, Ino inquired, "Where are you taking me Shika?"

He answered cryptically, "You'll see."

She continued to follow him until he led her into the forest outside of the gates. He seemed to know where he was going since she surprisingly has never been to this part of the forest. Then he led her into a small crevice hidden behind a few bushes and ivy in a rock wall. She looked a little wary but she knew that she can trust Shikamaru. So he led her into a small cave and since it was dark he came with a small glow stick and led her through the cave.

She heard him say to her, "When we get to the other end of this cave, close your eyes before we get out."

"Why?" Ino asked.

Shikamaru looked back at her and explained, "It's a surprise."

She simply nodded in understanding and continued to follow him through the cave. When she saw the exit out of the cave she heard him say, "Close your eyes, Ino."

Ino closed her eyes like she was told and then she felt his hands being placed on her shoulders and then he slowly walked her out of the cave. She felt the light of the moon through her eyelids and then asked, "Can I open my eyes now?"

He answered, "Sure, open them."

She opened them and then gasped because what she saw was a beautiful field of wildflowers surrounding a lake that is perfectly clear with the moonlight reflecting off of the surface.

Ino smiled and then turned back to him and asked, "How did you find this place?"

He shrugged his shoulders and then answered, "I was just looking for some place to be by myself and I stumbled upon it in the forest."

"But why show it to me?" Ino asked.

"Because I wanted to and I thought that it could be a secret place for both of us…" Shikamaru trailed off.

Even in the moonlight, she could tell that he was blushing and she smiled widely. Then she walked up to him and hugged him tightly with her arms around his neck. She felt him flinch for a minute but then he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thank you for sharing your secret place with me," Ino whispered.

She pulled away from him and then saw that he gave a half-smile and replied, "Your welcome."

Then Ino said, "Shikamaru, now you have to open my present before it gets past midnight."

Shikamaru nodded and then brought out a small present that Ino gave him earlier and then he slowly opened it. After he tore the paper off the box, he opened the lid of a blue velvet box and revealed a silver pendant that had looked like the Nara symbol on a silver chain.

Ino explained, "I thought that it would look nice on you and you can hide it under your shirt if you don't want to show it to others."

Shikamaru then smiled down at her and then said, "Thank you, Ino. I really like it."

Then he put the box and paper in his pocket and then put the chain around his neck and fastened it. The pendant caught the light of the moon and it reflected the light, making it seem to light up against his black sweater.

Ino smiled in contentment and then said, "Happy Birthday, Shika!" Then she brought out her present that she received from him earlier.

But she waited for a minute until Shikamaru said, "Happy Birthday, Ino."

She started tearing the paper off of it slowly, because she was anticipating what it could be.

She stared at the box for a minute before she opened the purple velvet box. Then she gasped at what was inside it when she saw it. She saw that it was a silver locket with sapphires on the front of it and matching sapphire earrings. She looked at them in awe and then smiled at him and then she hugged him tightly once again.

She whispered in his ear, "Thank you so much, Shika. They're beautiful."

After putting the paper away, she brought out the locket and then she felt Shikamaru take the locket out of her hands.

"Allow me, Ino," Shikamaru whispered.

Ino nodded while she brushed her hair away from her neck and then she felt his hands brush the skin of the back of her neck. For an unknown reason, she shivered but not in a bad way.

Then she heard him whisper again, "Look inside the locket."

Ino then opened it to reveal an old picture of them when they were little kids on one side and then another one of them that had been taken when they turned fifteen. Now they were both seventeen and she smiled at all of the memories of their birthdays, always celebrating together.

Then she heard him speak again, "I have one more thing to say."

She felt her head being tilted up, she looked up at his eyes and she wondered, "When did he get so tall?"

He leaned down to where he his lips were a mere inch from hers, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

He whispered, "I love you, Ino."

She was speechless; she couldn't think of what to say when suddenly his lips were on hers and had caused her to stiffen. But then she had melted into the kiss and returned it with as much passion as he was. When air was needed, they pulled away from each other and gazed at each other with half-lidded eyes.

Ino suddenly smiled because she was unbelievably happy, because she finally figured out why she felt the way she did when she was around him.

She whispered breathlessly, "I love you too, Shika."

She saw him looked surprised but then his lips turned up into one of his genuine smiles that she loves to see. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down for another kiss, both of them smiling together.

Then Ino thought, "Best birthday, ever."

I hope that you like this first part for ShikaIno week. The next submission will be Her. Please feel free to leave a review.