Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes, change happens slowly, imperceptibly over long amounts of time. Those it affects often don't even realize it's occurring. Yet, there is always a moment of realization, a moment of radical comprehension, that makes or breaks the person or people involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There had been a time in Hinata Hyuuga's life that calling Shikamaru Nara anything more than an acquaintance would have been a stretch.
But after Kurenai-sensei had become pregnant, and Team 8 and Team 10 began to spend more and more time at the mother-to-be's apartment, the young kunoichi began to learn a few things about the boy with the sarcastic smirk and lazy drawl.
He was, first and foremost, rude.
Snide statements rolled all-to-easily off his tongue, and were often delivered with a roll of dark brown eyes-- all with the purpose of making the intended victim feel extremely unintelligent-- generally with much success.
The young heiress had been on the receiving end of those statements quite a few times.
And had occasionally felt the sting of tears at the back of her eyes because of them.
Not that he'd ever know.
She hoped.
The shadow-wielding ninja was also, as everyone knew and often commented on, extremely lazy-- not to mention a complainer. His irritated mutterings when assigned to do something were almost a personal affront to someone like her, who determined to get the job done as quickly and quietly as possible.
And perhaps the most awful thing of all about the young man was his waste of talent. His natural intelligence and skill struck an envious chord in the heart of a girl who was always exerting herself to be better than her best… and yet never lived up to the expectations of those who mattered the most.
The fact that he seemed so unwilling to cultivate his abilities caused a boiling in the blood of a girl who was, by nature, gentle and meek.
Yet, Hyuuga Hinata was not one to focus solely on the shortcomings of others, and so she also managed to see the good lurking inside the young man, waiting to be discovered.
As easily as insults came to the dark haired boy, he was always the first to admit his own faults, not to mention to give praise where praise was due. Though his compliments weren't wordy or poetic, if you did something well, he'd tell you. End of story.
Also, he wasn't, at heart, a mean-natured person. Prickly and ornery, yes, but not cold.
This discovery came to Hinata during a visit to Kurenai's with Shino and Kiba. The members of Team 10 were all present at the small apartment, and Hinata's crew had arrived just as the wind picked up outside and began to blow in a dark, ominous set of thunderclouds.
It was unfortunate that the Hyuuga heiress was scared of storms.
She had done her best to remain still, to not flinch every time the lightning flashed and the thunder crashed, and to focus on the conversation flowing in the room around her.
It hadn't worked.
And Shikamaru, who apparently saw more than she gave him credit for, had noticed. He'd watched her discomfort, seen the fear in her eyes, and had walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. He'd leant down so she could hear him from her spot on the floor, and had asked her if she'd be interested in a game of Shougi.
She'd been surprised at his generosity and insightfulness, but extremely thankful, and had followed him to a table as he began to set up the game board.
Needless to say, he'd managed to distract her.
They'd played eleven times in the two hours that the storm raged outside the apartment.
And he'd beaten her every time.
And that night, as the two teams had gathered their things and began to say their goodbyes, he'd walked up beside her and mentioned that he'd heard she wanted to plant sunflowers outside of Kurenai's apartment. He'd be willing to help her, he'd commented, seeing as she'd boosted his ego so much by allowing him to beat her so many times. Or, at least, he hoped she'd let him beat her. Because, if not, she was the worst Shougi player he'd ever encountered.
Hinata had watched him walk away, stunned, and had wondered how it was he'd managed to be kind and insulting in the span of a few moments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They'd set up a day to plant the flowers. Hinata had asked Shikamaru to wait for her at Kurenai's while she picked the plants up from the Yamanaka flower shop. He'd agreed with a shrug of his shoulders.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hinata had entered the shop, and smiled and waved at a very bored Ino who sat at the counter.
She'd made her way directly to the aisle where the sunflowers were kept-- they were her favorite flower, after all, and she'd purchased them many times.
The flowers reminded her of a certain someone-- so bright and full of life, growing so tall and always, always reaching for the sun.
The flowers had stared at her as she stood in the aisle and she'd stared back. Her chest had begun to feel tight, and the longer she stood there, the less right it seemed for these to be the flowers she bought. Her mind blanched at the idea of Shikamaru knowing why she chose them.
She turned her head slightly, and before her were trays and trays of small, dark blue and purple flowers.
She knew the plants. They were native, and she was aware that they were stingy little things that took a lot of effort to take care of.
The pale-eyed girl shifted her gaze to them, and as she did, a small smile crept onto her face.
Something in her heart shifted, fell, and then settled as she picked up one of the trays. Perfect.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She had taken them to Ino at the counter, and had watched the blonde's pale eyebrow arch up in concern.
She'd questioned Hinata's choice, telling her that the flowers were a huge time consumer, and extremely difficult to manage.
Hinata's own brow had puckered slightly, and she had fingered a dark blue petal.
She said, more to herself than the girl in front of her, that they were just lazy-- tjust needed a little bit of encouragement, that's all.
Ino's head had cocked slightly, and she could feel her brain start to churn as Hinata paid her, thanked her, and walked quietly out the door.
Ino wondered, as she watched the heiress go, if maybe Hinata had developed a fondness not only for lazy flowers, but a certain lazy teammate of hers, as well.
And, she wondered, when did Hinata begin to offer encouragement, instead of needing it?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hinata had walked up the sidewalk leading to her sensei's apartment, and spotted a certain lazy chuunin leaning against the brick wall. His body was held in his normally slouched-over posture, one foot propped against the wall, hands shoved casually into his pockets.
He'd taken a look at the black trays, raised an eyebrow, and mentioned that though he was no gardener, those didn't look anything like sunflowers.
Hinata had set down the trays, and, looking up at him with red cheeks and a small smile, had informed him, through her stutter, that she'd thought it was time for a change.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! This is my favorite couple, and I hope I did them justice!