#nific

He had been away from the village for three months which in the grand scheme of things really, really wasn't that long of a time, but Ino was acting like he had been away for three years. She crashed into him and clung tightly to his shoulders, burying her face in his jacket and muttering her I missed you's into the fabric.

“I missed you, too, Ino-chan,” he said, holding her loosely and scratching his head. His cheeks were burning red.

“How much?” she asked softly.

He assured her, “A lot.”

It was a known fact that Naruto wasn't very romantic, but it was enough. She lifted her head away from his chest and smiled up at him. She was beautiful, Naruto thought. She was beautiful and she made it a point to hug him even when he had been away, regardless of if his words were clumsy when it came to her or that he never quite knew what to do with his hands when she held him. Ino was steady like that, constant and grounded and enduring. He wondered greedily then whether he would be treated to one of her teasing almost-kisses, and he was very shocked when this time she laid her lips squarely over his own.

Ino's kiss was tentative and testing and after a moment of gentle coaxing, he returned it eagerly. Instinctively he took control, cupping her chin and biting her lip softly because it felt like the thing to do. When the kiss broke he rested his forehead against hers, holding her tight and close. He noticed then that for the first time Ino was blushing deeper than him, her cheeks painted a brilliant shade of crimson. He grinned at her.

“Don't laugh at me!” he cried, walking with his arms held out from his body at awkward angles. This only made Ino laugh harder as she motioned him towards her, bottle of aloe vera gel in hand.

“C'mon, you big baby,” she teased. “It's your own fault for forgetting to sunscreen.”

Gingerly, Naruto sat at her feet and sighed as she rubbed gel into his blistering shoulders. “It's been forever since this happened, y'know,” he said in his defense. “I thought this wouldn't happen anymore, that's why I didn't put any on...”

“Stupid,” Ino chided gently. His skin was hot to the touch and if she applied even the slightest pressure, she left behind stark hand prints. She wrote her name.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry, sorry,” she apologized swiftly and trying harder to be gentle.

Honestly, what had he been thinking? Probably oh I'm not fair complexioned, so I'll be fine! or something equally stupid. Really, he was an idiot and if any of Konoha's enemies found out that the incumbent Hokage couldn't even have the foresight to put on sunscreen, Ino dreaded to think what might happen. Then again, those same enemies probably didn't know how cute he was without a shirt on, either. Such broad, thick shoulders...

“I said ouch, Ino!”

“Oh, Hokage-sama,” Ino purred, leaning on her elbow with chin in palm. “Your miri flowers, they're dying.”

“I'm aware.” He was also very aware of other things, like Ino's breasts for example.

“How sad,” she said, pouting. “They're really quite rare. They're probably getting too much sun here... on your desk.”

Now she was drawing circles with her forefinger on the tabletop between them and Naruto tried not to audibly gulp. “Thanks for the advice, Ino.”

“Don't mention it,” she sighed, smiling sweetly at him before finally straightening up.

“Is there anything else you needed?” he asked warily.

She crossed her arm under her chest, “Not that I can think of, Hokage-sama.”

“Then I'll see you at home then,” he said.

He did still have paperwork to sort, being Hokage and all.

“Don't be late,” she implored ever so innocently, picking up the potted plant from his desk and placing it on the far shelf where it would receive less direct sunlight on her way out. Naruto groaned.