The shop bell jingled, and I stepped into a cocktail of fragrances that hit like a perfumed freight train; roses, lilies, something citrus-y, a floral ignorant monkey like myself couldn't name. I'd smelled the damn place three blocks away, but inside it was borderline aggressive. My nose wrinkled. Too much sweetness, like drowning in potpourri.
"Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers Shop! How can I—"
The familiar chirp of Ino's customer-service voice cut off mid-sentence as she emerged from the back room, a watering can in one hand. Her professional smile flickered, then dropped into something between surprise and concern.
"Eishin?" Her light green eyes widened. "What are you—shouldn't you still be in the hospital? I thought they were keeping you for observation or something."
I smiled, taking a moment to appreciate my little flower.
My little flower looked so fucking edible.
Her platinum blonde ponytail swayed as she set the watering can down, catching the light filtering through the shop windows. Those thick bangs curtained most of her right eye, giving her that effortlessly sexy asymmetry that made me want to tuck it behind her ear. The purple high-collared blouse hugged her well-developed chest, and that matching apron skirt sat just right on her hips. But it was the exposed midriff that always stole my eyes. Smooth, fair skin just begging to be marked.
As ever, sex appeal on legs; hot as hell.
My gaze lingered on her navel. Delicious little thing.
She shifted her weight, one hand going to her hip in a pose that might've been casual if I didn't know better. The faint flush creeping up her neck told me she'd noticed my staring. Her lips pressed together, trying to suppress a smile, but the corners quirked up anyway. Vain little thing. Even when she pretended not to notice, she fucking loved it.
"I'm fine," I said, dragging my eyes back to her face. Slowly. "Walked out yesterday."
I let my gaze drop again to her chest, then lower to that exposed strip of skin. After Kushina's stomach massage, I was convinced to accelerate the birth control seal I was working on. A seal marking there, I thought. Something intricate, dark ink against all that pale perfection. Maybe spiraling around her navel. Fuck, that'd be hot.
I breathed through my nose, trying to ignore the uncomfortable pressure of my erection tucked against my thigh.
"As for what I'm doing here..." I kept imagining and designing a fitting marking on that exposed belly. In other words, I was ogling her shamelessly. Ino pretended she didn't notice, but she shifted again, her fingers playing with the edge of her skirt. "I wanted to brighten my day, and what better way than to visit the most beautiful bloom in all of Konoha? Had to see my little flower."
Her reaction was fucking adorable.
Ino's face went crimson, one hand flying up to cover her mouth as a breathless little laugh escaped. Her other hand went to her exposed midriff, fingers splaying across the warm skin like she was suddenly self-conscious. Her smile transformed from customer-polite to something genuine and giddy, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Eishin, you—" She squirmed, actually squirmed, her hips doing this little side-to-side motion that made my mouth water. "You can't just say stuff like that!"
I just smiled, enjoying the show. Watching Ino react to compliments was like watching a flower open in time-lapse; predictable, natural, and goddamn mesmerizing every single time.
Then she paused, mid-squirm, and reality seemed to crash back in. She shook her head, platinum ponytail whipping.
"Wait—no, you can't be here!" She rushed forward, closing the distance between us, and placed both hands flat against my chest. The touch sent a jolt straight to my cock. "Eishin, seriously! My dad will kill you if he finds you here. He told you not to come back!"
I rolled my eyes internally. Yeah, Inoichi would be thrilled. Last time I'd been in this shop, the man hadn't even bothered with subtlety, just straight-up threatened to crawl into my head and scramble my thoughts like eggs if I came to his shop or near his daughter again.
And what had I done since then? Seen Ino at least a dozen times. Fingered her in a hospital bed just days ago. Not visiting the shop at this point seemed like a pointless gesture, didn't it?
I didn't let her push me. Stood my ground, solid, feeling the delicate pressure of her palms against my chest. Even that innocent touch made my dick jump.
"Are you alone?" I asked, though her behavior already answered the question. The question was more for her, to make her aware of the implications.
Ino glanced toward the back room, then over her shoulder at the shop door behind me. She bit her lower lip, then nodded.
"Mom's at a meeting with some vendor about winter arrangements," she said, her voice dropping to something quieter, more uncertain. "I'm just watching the shop until she gets back, but—Eishin, you really need to leave. I don't know when she'll be back and if she sees you—"
"Alright," I said, cutting her off.
I reached up and placed my hand against her cheek, thumb stroking the soft, warm skin. She leaned into the touch immediately, like a cat starved for affection, her eyes fluttering half-closed.
Up close, she was even more beautiful.
Her lips were full and glossy—some kind of berry-tinted gloss that made them look perpetually kissed. Her nose was small, perfectly proportioned, with a light dusting of powder across the bridge. Those light green eyes, framed by dark lashes and a touch of purple eyeshadow, gazed up at me with an expression caught between want and shyness. Her skin was impossibly soft under my palm, still flushed and warm from my earlier compliment.
I made her look at me, tilting her face up with my thumb under her chin.
"I just wanted to check in," I murmured, voice low. "Make sure my little flower's needs are being met. That you're well—"
My fingers drifted up to her earlobe as I spoke, and I paused. Something unfamiliar. I rubbed the small stud between my fingers. It used to be a hoop.
"Oh," I said, pulling at it slightly. "You changed your earrings?"
Ino's face lit up.
"I knew you'd notice!" She actually bounced on her toes, pulling back a bit to crane her neck and show off both ears. "Shikamaru didn't even see the difference! And Choji just asked if I got a haircut or something." She rolled her eyes, but she was beaming. "Asuma-sensei gave them to me after our last mission. Do they look good? I thought the studs would be more mature than the hoops, you know?"
Oh….
My girl was wearing jewelry another man had given her.
I wondered if it was reasonable that I wanted to break someone's neck right now. The thought came calm, almost detached, but the undercurrent of possessive rage was real enough to taste. Ino technically wasn't my girl. I have yet to take her. But she would be. One day. And I wouldn't accept otherwise.
"… yeah," I tried not to frown. "They look good on you."
But I must not have hidden it well enough, because Ino's smile dimmed, her brow furrowing.
"You... don't like them?" Her voice went small, uncertain.
I reached for her exposed midriff, fingers splaying across the warm, smooth skin, and pulled her into my arms.
She gasped, stumbling forward into my chest.
"I just realized," I murmured against her hair, breathing in the floral scent of her shampoo mixed with flowers, "that we're alone. And I haven't gotten my welcome kiss yet."
She felt incredible, soft and warm and pliant, her body fitting against mine like she was made for it. Her hands came up to brace against my chest again, but this time there was no pushing.
"N-not here!" Ino stammered, her face going scarlet. "Eishin, this is the shop—someone could walk in! What if a customer comes, or—or my mom comes back early, or—"
At least she'd forgotten about my blunder.
I started stroking the small of her back with one hand, slow circles on her bare skin made her shiver. My other hand settled on her hip, fingers tracing lazy patterns up and down to her thigh, feeling the mesh armor under my palm.
Quite expectedly, my little flower gave in. She melted.
It was gradual. Her protests grew softer, less insistent, until they trailed off into breathy little sighs. Her body relaxed into mine, weight leaning forward until I was practically holding her upright. Ino wasn't hard to coax into anything. A compliment here, a touch there, and she'd fold like wet paper.
Her voice stopped entirely. And after a second, she tilted her head up, eyes fluttering closed, and puckered her light, rosy lips. She even stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach me.
I was still taller, but she could still have reached for a kiss. She didn't. She was showing some of her vain greed.
Ino loved being kissed more.
I looked down at my needy little flower, waiting with that cute, improper expression, and the jealousy I'd felt moments ago almost dispersed.
Almost.
I leaned in and kissed her.
Her lips were soft and warm, tasting like strawberries and something sweeter—probably that gloss. She made a soft, muffled sound against my mouth, her hands curling into the fabric of my shirt. Her lips moved hesitantly at first, inexperienced and eager all at once, pressing back with just enough pressure to make it clear she wanted this.
When I pulled back, she looked half-giddy, half-shy, her face flushed and her breathing uneven. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and let out a bell-like giggle.
"A welcome kiss, hmph," she said, shaking her head. "That's so stupid. Who even does that? Like, what si this, some kind of—"
I cut her off with another kiss.
This one wasn't gentle.
I pulled her closer, one hand sliding up her back to tangle in her ponytail while the other gripped her hip hard enough to leave an impression. My tongue swept across her lower lip, demanding entry, and when she gasped, I invaded. Her mouth was hot and wet and tasted like sugar and need. I explored every inch, the roof of her mouth, the slick slide of her tongue against mine, the sharp edge of her teeth.
But Ino was the Yamanaka heir; timid she was not.
She tried to kiss back at first, her tongue tentatively meeting mine, but I was the one who had initiated her to kissing in the first place. Clan heir or not, she stood no chances. I overwhelmed her. I took control, dominating the kiss and her fragrant mouth until she gave up and just took it, her body going completely slack in my arms.
I was pouring all that green jealousy into her, branding her mouth with it.
Even as I fought in her mouth, tongue stroking and claiming, I couldn't help but think whether feeling jealous here was unfair.
It was unfair. Objectively speaking. Always had been. I have not that right.
But subjectively? From my selfish, greedy, possessive, and lustful lens?
In retrospect, when had I ever gifted my women anything? Using the excuse of buying flowers for Shiho was probably the closest I'd come to a caring gesture for any partner.
I'd never really received a gift in either of my lives, so I don't know how, but that sounded more like me trying to justify my poor behavior. Especially considering what was currently tucked in my pocket. Kushina's worn and soaked panties, still warm with the carnal aftermath of our encounter. If that wasn't a gift from the universe, I didn't know what was.
I realized, then, that I must be one hell of a shitty boyfriend. And that was as scary as not being good enough in battle. How could I dream of being a good father if I were a mediocre partner?
I needed to do better.
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