"Okay! Let's just hope this comes out as good as it sounds!" You said to yourself, sliding the cake pan into an already preheated oven.

After a whole day of scrambling to find the best birthday present for your boy friend, you decided to settle on baking him a birthday cake. Today is Shikamaru's birthday, and every year you'd always get him some lame gift, a.k.a a new shougi board. Even though every year you want to get him something truly great, the downside is, Shika just isn't very appreciating and has barely an interest in anything. So after scrounging around looking for the perfect gift, you settled on making something which you would put your heart and soul into.

Never have you ever made food for somebody before, not even for Shikmaru. You both have been together for several years now yet you haven't been able to hone the one possible talent you may possess. You're no ninja, it was discovered when you were a small child that you didn't possess any chakra, so while all the other kids in your neighborhood went off to the ninja academy, you were sent off every morning to just the plain old academy.

Although you went to some plain old school for ordinary humans, you are far from the average "plain Jane". It's true that for a while, Shika's idea of a perfect future was to marry an average woman and have two average children, a boy and a girl; what he got instead was you. You may not possess super human abilities but you sure are super human in your own ways. You're a go-getter, always searching for fun: someone who can never settle down. And if something gets you down, you bounce back faster than a yo-yo. Every boy in the village has been after you at least once in your life, completely captivated by your beauty. You and Shikamaru are the exact proof that opposites attract.

The oven timer beeped, startling you back to reality. You hadn't realized how long you were dozing off, completely lost in thought. Pulling the cake from the oven, with oven mits on of course, you set the cake pan on the table, admiring how beautiful the shade of red was.

Checking the time, you noticed your boyfriend would be home very soon. He went on a mission yesterday but was promised he'd be home by today. Being nightfall already, you knew Shikamaru would go have dinner with his family, an invitation you turned down, and then come back home to your apartment.

You began to hum a little tune, easily recognized to be happy birthday, while you iced the red velvet cake in white creamy cream cheese frosting. You began to coat the entire cake, adorning it with the fluffy sugar filled coating.

Every once in a while you'd wipe your hands on your lacy white apron, but still you managed to get plenty a bit messy yourself. Your long blond hair that was pulled back into a pony tail managed to have a thin line of cream cheese frosting along the bangs, and of course you had a bit on your face too.

And as soon as you covered the last small section of red peeking out, the sound of a key finding its hold and the gears shifting allowed one to enter. You squealed in joy, and in triumph at how amazing and appetizing your birthday cake came out.

"{Name}, I'm home! Where are you?" Called out your love.

Practically jumping with joy, you picked up your cake stand and very carefully began to transport it from the kitchen into the living room where Shikamaru was most likely shedding the heaviest of his gear.

"Happy birthday, Shika," you called in a sing-song voice, meeting your love at the front door.

Shikamaru's expression held one of surprise, as his gaze settled on the red velvet birthday cake you had spent your day baking.

"{Name}, what did you do?" He asked in bewilderment at your appearance.

With pride, you hefted the translucent clear glass cover which sat as a protective barrier around your masterpiece, and obviously also worked as an ornate display for whatever tasty treat that was to be displayed.

"I made you a birthday cake, babe!" You clarified with satisfaction.

And just as everything was going well and exactly as planned, your hopes had to be dashed by the crushing will of your clumsiness.

A gasp of horror emitted from your lips as your hand lost its balance, resulting in your masterpiece to go crumbling to the floor, it's after math being utter destruction.

Even Shikamaru attempted to save the cake, his arms reaching out at a speed mocking the tick of time. But to your dismay, your present lay in pieces on the carpet, covered in dirt and cat hair.

"Oh, {Name}, I'm so sorry," consoled Shikamaru, bending over the disaster.

You tried so hard to make him happy, to surprise him with something you worked hard on.

Your hands clasped to your face, your breath coming out in pants. A pain stricken expression written all over the both of you.

"Shika, I tried so hard. I worked for ages on this. This was my birthday gift for you; I wanted it to be special. But now it's ruined," you complained, your voice laced with sorrow and disappointment.

By now you've both given up on trying to save the birthday cake, there obviously was no pieces edible enough to salvage. But Shika still felt a pang of guilt; he felt really bad about what had happened. He noticed the perspiration clinging to your brow, and also that twinkle in your eyes, representing the pride you had for what you had done for him.

You've never done anything like this before and he had to make it up to you.

"Come here," he called, pulling your attention away your failure.

Still gripped by sorrow, you nonchalantly walked into Shika's embrace, resting your head on his shoulder whilst breathing deeply, exhaling your stress.

"Babe, I am so grateful for what you've done for me. You mean the world; you're enough of a present as it is. You're actually more than I could ever ask for. Don't worry about buying me something or making me something or even doing something for me, the fact that you're mine is more than I could ever wish for on any day," consoled you boyfriend, patting your back.

When Shika pulled away he smirked at the blush tinging your cheeks and wrapped his hands around your waist. Your arms instinctively laced themselves around his neck and you gazed deeply into your lover's eyes, drinking in the color, the love, the raw emotion and tenderness that shone through them.

Shikamaru fingered at the bow holding your apron around your neck, allowing the white fabric to fall loosely to the floor. A mischievous smile played at the corner of his lips as he leaned in, but instead of planting a kiss onto your lips, his tongue stroked your cheek, licking up the remaining cream cheese frosting you were adorning.

Shika worked his way all over your face, removing every last bit of cake batter and frosting before finally settling his lips upon yours.

And as he gazed lovingly into your eyes with so much fondness, that one glance that set life alight: You're worth more than the sun, the moon, and the stars, exceeding the worth of a mere birthday cake.