Disclaimer: Own Naruto, I do not.
"Well," She laughed bitterly, "I think I was lying."
Lies
Ino sighed. "Don't you guys do anything?" She asked them, running her fingers through her blonde hair, examining the two boys before her- her teammates, her companions- with blue eyes of ice, brows knit.
She could've been on Sasuke's team. Sakura- her rival, her enemy, her best friend- was, but all she could do was complain about Naruto.
Sitting one a wall next to her two teammates, she cast a jealous glare at Sakura a while off, complaining bitterly about Naruto, Naruto, Naruto.
Shikamaru sighed. He looked up at her, leaning his back against the wall, hand ruffling his black ponytail, dark eyes blinking.
"Yeah," He said, placing his hand behind his neck, watching, watching Ino and Choji and Naruto and Iruka and all of them.
Shikamaru wasn't sure a ninja was what he wanted to be. A philosopher, as someone had once suggested. He would've been content with that, sitting back and watching the world pass by.
Choji sighed. He looked up at them from his seat on the ground, the light breeze tossing his short, brown hair around, big eyes staring up at them.
"I'm eating, aren't I?" He said, taking a bite out of a chip. Ino scoffed.
Choji was fine where he was. He liked Shikamaru enough, and this Ino chick couldn't be too bad. Or could she? He asked himself, looking at her.
She glared. "Whatchu lookin' at me for, fatty?" The blonde asked rudely.
Okay, he thought, she could be bad.
Ino sighed. "Look at her!"
Shikamaru and Choji looked up at her. Sighing yet again, she slid of the wall and onto the ground to stand between them, her dark glare still upon Sakura.
"I mean, there she is, on Sasuke's team and all she can do is complain about Naruto! I'd be happy, Naruto isn't that bad." She placed her hands behind her head in a similar fashion as Shikamaru's were. "I'd switch with her any day! Better him than you losers."
Shikamaru shrugged. "Really? He's not all that great. Sasuke, I mean." Ino gave him a harsh look. "Hey, don't kill me. A person can have an opinion, right? Hey, Choji, gimme one of those."
He caught the chip when Choji threw it and bit into it right before Ino's face. She glared.
Choji grinned. "You want one?" The chubby boy asked Ino, who shook her head and turned her eyes on him.
"Can't. I'm on a diet."
Choji scoffed. "Why? Because Sasuke likes skinny girls?"
The increase of intensity in her glower was all he need for an answer.
They stood in silence for a while, the crunch of Shikamaru and Choji eating chips the only sound.
Shikamaru finally broke the awkward stillness. "Sasuke really doesn't care if you're skinny or fat, you know. Or long hair or short hair, either."
Ino nodded. "Yeah. I know."
"Or pretty or ugly," Choji added through his food.
"Yup."
"I don't think he cares about anything," Shikamaru said blankly.
"Probably not," Choji agreed. Ino glared at them.
"You're just jealous 'cause everyone likes him better than you two dorks," She said, glowering at them both. Shikamaru shrugged and yawned.
"I can't see why girls like him. Anyway, even if he did like pretty, long-haired, skinny chicks, wouldja really want to marry a guy just 'cause he thought you were pretty? Pfth, women," Shikamaru complained.
For the first time since any of them could remember, Ino was quiet.
The rest of the rookies left, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto arguing, the outspoken Kiba trying desperately to get into a conversation with the silent Shino and shy Hinata.
The chips ran out. Shikamaru and Choji had eaten them all. "You're both gonna get fat," Ino scoffed, "Well, you already are," She told Choji, and Shikamaru had to restrain him from attacking her.
Darkness came. The moon hung suspended in the sky, the stars sparkling. Still they stood there, talking among themselves only occasionally, insults thrown in like usual, thought not as biting.
Ino was the first to move. She pushed off from the wall and headed away towards home, but stopped hesitantly.
"Hey, guys?"
"Yeah?" Choji looked over at her. Shikamaru just nodded.
"You know how I said I'd switch with Sakura any day?" She said, her back to them. They both made sounds of agreement. "Well," She laughed bitterly, "I think I was lying." And with those words, she walked off at a prompt rate, not looking back to see their reactions.
When she was out of sight, Choji blinked. Shikamaru had a thoughtful look on his face. Choji stood, yawning.
"You know what?" He asked Shikamaru.
"What, Cho?" Shikamaru yawned.
"I don't think she's so bad," He said.
A/N: Please review. Constructive criticism is much loved!
Next chapter:
75 babies, 8 ninjas, 74 fruit and 1 cigarette add up to an odd outing and unplanned bonding.
