Sakura was predictably ravenous when they arrived, and Ino was thankful that they'd stopped to pick her up a sandwich and coffee on the way to the hospital. The surgeon also polished off Ino's leftovers, which was not the worst atrocity she'd ever committed, but was definitely up there.

Yeah, so Ino had told her she could have them, but Ino was also pregnant and her whims changed at the drop of a dime. Sakura should have known better.

So now Ino sat in the most comfortable chair in the break room with her feet propped up, staring resentfully at Sakura as she polished off what Ino was remembering as a truly spectacular meal. Why would you subject your pregnant best friend to such cruelty, Sakura. Why.

Sakura was chattering inanely around mouthfuls of food about her patients today (yeah okay whatever, food thief), while Choji half listened with a grossed-out expression on his face. When Ino had been in training, he'd liked listening to her disgusting medical stories, despite being horrified every time. Nice to see that was still the case.

Feeling slightly more charitable, Ino tuned in to the conversation in time to hear Sakura ask, "How have your obstetrician appointments been going, Ino? I haven't asked about them in a while. You still like who you're seeing?"

"Mm, yeah," Ino shifted slightly in her seat. "She's been great. Absolutely does not understand Sai, though. It's hilarious to watch them interact."

Sakura snorted out a little mouthful of precious food, what the hell Forehead don't waste it- and wiped her fingers with a napkin. "What, does he like tell her about how your nipples have turned this the exact shade of some of his paints or something?"

Ino grinned. "You're being facetious, but that is remarkably close to a conversation they had once." Sakura laughed aloud then, head thrown back and shoulders shaking. Choji looked a little unsettled over the exact nature of the conversation, but he'd heard worse. He'd live.

Ino eyeballed Sakura quietly, trying to decide if she could bring up her love life or not. Forehead was working a full shift on Valentine's Day, so it was probably best not to bring it up. Ino was concerned (incessantly curious) about it, though, so maybe she'd probe a little the next time they went out together. Delicately, of course. Ino could be subtle if she cared to be (it just didn't happen often).

"Mm, so you're really waiting to find out the sex?" Ino could hardly blame Sakura for being surprised. Normally, Ino's sheer desire to know everything was indomitable.. "Yeah, Sai really was into the whole idea, and then he talked me into it right while I was watching Discovery Channel and crying at a baby giraffe."

"Wow, he figured out your pregnancy-induced weaknesses fast."

"God, don't I know it. He's been hiding all of my snacks- I mean I asked him to so there is that- I don't want to gain too much weight, especially from snacking- It's okay from actual meals but if it were up to me I'd just be eating constantly at this point-"

Sakura cut in cheekily,"For pete's sake, Pig, you've interrupted yourself like three times already. Get to the point."

Offended, Ino pouted. "Well, Forehead, if you let me talk maybe I'd tell you my story."

Sakura had really perfected her eye rolls over the years. "Right. I'm terribly sorry. What was it you were saying?"

"Hmph." Ino settled back into her chair imperiously. "It's too late. You hurt my feelings."

Sakura squinted at her, then grinned triumphantly. "You forgot what you were talking about."

"Mmmmmmiiiind your own business, Forehead."

Ino was exhausted by the time Choji walked her to her door. They'd spent all of Sakura's break chatting (well, she and Sakura did, anyway. Choji listened very attentively) and then on their back Ino and Choji stopped for ice cream. It was early evening now of what had been one of the longest days Ino had spent out since starting her third trimester. Her feet ached, her back hurt, and she was thirsty. She had been very cranky on the ride home, and mercilessly took it out on Choji any time he dared to speak.

She hobbled up to the door, gave poor Choji a grouchy "Okay bye" and swung the front door closed behind her. She spun towards their bedroom angrily. All she wanted to do right now is take off her ugly shoes and stupid dress and definitely her bra and-

And the floor had rose petals all over it. What the hell?

Ino stood and stared at the flower petals for a good two minutes as she tried to compute. Okay, so yes, those were definitely rose petals, and they were definitely on the floor. In her house. The place she lived.

That established, she kicked tentatively at the petals and watched them stir softly in the disturbed air. She was blanking on thoughts entirely now, so completely bewildered by their presence.

"Hm. I really thought that you'd follow the trail further. You were taking so long I thought perhaps you'd fainted."

Tremulously, Ino raised her eyes to meet Sai's face. He offered her a tiny smile.

"I am absolutely, one hundred percent going to cry now," she informed him, voice quavering.

She proceeded to do so with great aplomb.

Much later, Ino sat curled against her husband watching the end of a sappy movie, the remains of their romantic dinner still on the table.

It turned out that Sai had exaggerated the length of his trip, so he could come back early and surprise her. Even then, his flight had run a little late, so he'd texted Shikamaru and asked him to start some preparations. That's why Shika had left their lunch early. In turn, Shikamaru had gotten Choji to keep Ino out of the house for as long as possible- an easy task, given Ino's own choice in visiting Sakura.

Even so, Ino had cried (again) during dinner once Sai had explained everything to her, because her friends were such sweet angels oh my God they did all of this for meeeeee.

(Sai hadn't even comforted her, the sadistic prick, he sat across from her and laughed as she bawled out garbled sentences about how nice her friends were and how much she loved them.)

After a long period in which Ino took hiccup-y breaths and wiped away snot while Sai enjoyed his meal, the two of them had left the table in favor of the movie. Neither of them had payed all that much attention to it, instead favoring some heavy kissing and petting. They'd seen it before, it was fine. (And Sai was fiiiiiine.)

They'd eventually gotten to the point where they didn't want to kiss each other any more, so they'd settled in for the last half an hour or so of the movie. Ino wasn't watching the movie so much as falling asleep against the warmth of Sai's side, but he was hyperfocused on the television. He told after they'd been married for a few months that when they first started dating, and even before then when he'd started feeling "romantically inclined" towards her (his words, not hers), that he would watch romantic comedies to give him some concept of how Ino would want him to behave in a relationship. Thankfully, Ino's own unsubtle prodding had proved to be a much better guide than Mr. Darcy ever could.

In any case, Sai had become deeply attached to romantic comedies ever since. They were his go-to any time he watched a movie- seriously, Ino just wanted to watch a gory slasher flick sometimes, okay? If he'd stop being so damn stubborn about it just once-

The music picked up, which probably meant some heartfelt confession or something, but Ino couldn't be bothered. She buried her nose into the warm skin where Sai's neck and jaw met, humming contentedly. He patted her head absentmindedly, which had her stifling a laugh. She peeked up at his face under her lashes, and found him mouthing along to the dialogue. Ino snorted in a very dignified and ladylike way.

"Are you laughing at me?" Sai asked flatly, eyes never leaving the screen.

"Nooooooo."

"I thought women were supposed to like sensitive men. I'm tragically hurt."

"Aw, babe!"

"It's too late. I will never recover."

"No, let me fix this! Give me another chance!"

"How could I? All you have ever done is hurt me." They were both snickering around their words now, and at this Ino let out a quiet cascade of laughter against his neck. He finally turned to face her, smiling into her hair.

They sat, draped over each other for a moment, before Ino groaned and sat up. "Ugh, I have to pee again."

"Best of luck."

"You jerk."

"Call me of you can't get off the toilet again."

"One time!"

"Are you going to pee or not?"

Ino huffed and turned towards the bathroom. "Mind your own business."

She heard him laughing as he started turning off the TV. That asshole.

Ino was half-asleep in bed, watching blearily as Sai finished brushing his teeth. He noticed her awake and blinked. "You're not asleep?" Normally she passed out the second her head hit the pillow.

She smiled sleepily at him. "Wanted to wait for you."

He stared at her adorably, the way he did when she'd surprised him. Granted, his surprised faces were very similar to his expressionless faces, but she liked to think she knew the difference. Probably.

Ino smacked the covers next to her. "Come on, lover boy. Cuddle your wife to sleep." He slid in obligingly, flicking off the lamp next to him. There was a moment of flurried confusion as she tried to locate him in the dark- "Oh, sorry, was that your face? That was your face-" but eventually she was tucked against his side. He pressed a light kiss to her hair before settling in next to her.

She fell asleep to the sounds of his breathing and the expansion of his chest under her palm.