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He watched as she searched with her expressive eyes, her heart. Sakura searched for a reciprocal look, first in her own team mate, who shunned her and walked away. Her first love Sasuke, who wouldn’t, or perhaps couldn’t, return her look.
Then she looked into Naruto’s eyes, and even though there was a small look there, it wasn’t the one she was searching for, and she stepped aside, forcing her dimmed light to brighten. Stepped aside as Naruto’s eyes lit up brighter than the sun when Hinata’s own gaze caught his.
He saw her look into the eyes of her once sensei, saw her stand a little closer than usual to him, saw how Kakashi also stood a little closer to her. He also saw when she saw that it wasn’t the look that she was seeking, that his look was one of friendship, comradeship, bonds he didn’t want to lose. She stayed close even after she saw, though only as a friend.
He watched as she looked then to others, to Sai, Kiba, also Lee. And further than that, he saw her look at Genma, at Kankurou, Gaara, and even to ones she knew, but he didn’t. All the while not finding that one look that would tell her she’d found what she was searching for.
He wanted her to look at him. Look at me. Yet she didn’t. Perhaps because Temari looked at him, because she knew (or thought she knew) that he looked back. Yet he didn’t. Shikamaru looked at her, not the vivacious kunoichi from the Sand. So he knew, he would have to make her look at him, make her see him.
So Shikamaru stepped out into her path, causing her to pause and look up at him. He made her see him, and when she did, her eyes were wide with surprise.
“Sakura,” he greeted.
“Shikamaru,” she replied.
He smiled.
She blushed.