The Bug Queen

Thanks To You - Sakura / Shikamaru's Last Stand - Shino

Sakura was interrupted by a knock on her office door. It was Shino in the doorway, and he was holding a bouquet of flowers. She got up to greet him.

"Hey, is everything okay? Is Ino okay?"

He was smiling, breaking his usual seriousness.

"Yeah, she's okay. These are for you."

He handed her the bouquet. What in the world? He continued, bowing deeply.

"I didn't get to thank you for saving Ino's life. Your intervention was the only thing keeping her here. It still might be."

Sakura inhaled the fragrant scent of the flowers.

"Oh, Shino. She's my best friend. You don't need to thank me."

His bottom lip quivered dangerously as he tried not to cry.  This was very uncharacteristic of him.

"Her own team didn't help her..."

Sakura nodded.

"I know. It's been a very difficult few years for her, but she's still hanging in there. And some of that is thanks to you, too."

She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back, crying softly into her shoulder. This poor guy.

"Is she doing okay today?"

"Yes, she's out with my Aunties. She's happy and she's been eating the past couple of days. She seems to be turning a corner; I didn't know it was possible to be this happy.  I'm actually getting all new bedding for her to surprise her.  We're moving into the master bedroom at my clan house."

And that's when Sakura realized that Ino had found her person. And Shino had found his person.  He cradled the flowers in one arm as she cradled Shino in the other.

"I know you'll be good to her."

"I'll always be good to her; she's my heart."

Sakura felt her nose burn with tears.

"Thanks for being so good to my best friend."

***

"Where is Ino? Is she okay?"

Shino ran into Shikamaru on the street, right as he was trying to get home with the new bedding he had bought her. All he wanted to do was get the master bedroom ready for her when she arrived home, not get into an argument.

"She's fine.  She's out with my Aunties, having a girls' day and getting her nails done."

"Why did she have to go to the hospital a few days ago?"

"Probably the stress of travel. And we had a little plum wine-"

"Why? She can't have that!"

Shikamaru was going to be difficult.

"Why not? She gained weight on her trip, and I wanted to do something romantic for her under the stars. But being home isn't going well for her so far, so she's hooked on an IV at home most of the time."

But Shikamaru looked crushed.

"She can't do normal things... you'll kill her..."

"Like what?"

"Like... I don't know... like fucking her..."

This is what Shino wanted to get to: the real issue at hand.

"I'm not fucking her. Is that why you're worried about her living with me? I don't want to hurt her."

"Then why is she staying with you?"

"Why should she have to live alone? Where have you been?"

"Do you have to date her?"

"No, but why wouldn't I? She's amazing."

Shikamaru wasn't going to let this go, though, suddenly getting mean with Shino.

"And you have the reputation of bringing anyone home."

But he was ready.

"And you have the reputation of leaving. She didn't want to talk to you at the bar, and she still doesn't want to talk to you. She's fine."

Shino walked past him, continuing home.

"Tell her she can live with me-"

"She's fine."