Teamwork

"Look if your not going to bother acting like a team don't bother showing up to practice tomorrow",Asuma-Sensei said while blowing out smoke from his cigarette. Even while choking on the smoke from his cigarette I knew he was right. Normally acting like a team wasn't a problem for us. But ever since Shikamaru became a jounin he's been acting different. Not superior he's way to lazy to bother with that. But it's like he's been avoiding me. Even Choji hasn't been acting normal lately. He doesn't event

want to go on the team dinners we always used to do after a mission. He just stutters a bit then says him and Shikamaru have something else to do. I'm just really confused. I mean yeah I know they think I'm bossy and annoying sometimes but they've never out right avoided me. Now it's even affecting our team work. Despite the pain my main emotion was annoyance.

"Well if you have a problem talk to lazy-ass otherwise I'm taking a shift at the hospital tomorrow", I spat out. I grabbed my bag and stalked off way to pissed to even bother listening for a response. If they didn't want to talk to me like teammates let alone the friends we've been for 3 years then fine I won't curse them with my presence. Soon I heard footsteps behind me and considering that even with keeping my speed they sounded slow I could figure out who it was even though my IQ wasn't over 200 like his.

"Ino wait up", he called out. I just kept walking even picking up the pace a bit. "Ugh troublesome", I heard him mutter. One second he was behind me then I felt someone grab my harms and transport me with a poof.

We were back at the training grounds but it looked like Asuma-Sensei and Choji had already gone. One was probably cozying up with Kurenai-Sensei and the other was probably stuffing his face.

I really hope you know which one is which.

"Look Ino sorry about the training grounds", good he should be no matter what his feelings are I'm still apart of this team. "But that's no excuse for just walking off. With the Akatsuki getting more members we have to train and you can't just walk away and you definitely can not miss a training", he lectured me.

"Excuse me", I said outraged, "What the hell are you talking about training was over and Asuma said that if we cant work it out to not show up and since here you are lecturing me instead of telling me why the hell you have been avoiding me and messing up our teamwork", by the end of my rant I was screaming. I could feel all the frustration I'd been feeling the past few weeks pouring out into my voice."I don't understand how you guys can just ignore me. For gods sake were best friends, now even Choji is acting weird, I mean you guys know you can tell me anything. And if you can't you certainly shouldn't ignore me I mean what the he'll is going on what is wr-", in the middle of my psychotic rant Shikamaru covered my mouth with his hand.

"You are so troublesome." It was only now that I noticed his cool exterior had broken. It looked almost like he was shaking."Look you just",he sighed,"you wouldn't get it. I'm sorry". He began to walk away.

"Shikamaru, wait please don't go. Ok I'm sorry for whatever your problem with me is but I don't want us to go back to ignoring each other. Your one of my best friends please just tell mew hats wrong", I begged. I felt all my anger fizzle out all I could think about was making sure we were ok again.

He gave me a rueful smile before saying "There are some things you just can't fix". He turned and walked away.

"Shika please", I grabbed onto his arm, "please." He gave me a long look.

"This is a bad idea, you don't understand", he seemed angry but I could tell it wasn't at me. He seemed mad at himself.

"And I cant understand if you dont tell me", I whispered. I reached up to touch his cheek and I felt him tilt his head into my palm as if his face was craving my warmth. I felt his breath on my fingers and he pulled back and sighed.

"Ino", he put his finger under my chin and I felt something soft against my lips. He's kissing me, Shikamaru is kissing me. And I felt my lips move of their own accord and begun to move with his. And I'm kissing him back. I gave a happy sigh as I closed my eyes. Too soon we had to break to breathe. I payed my forehead against his as I took deep breaths.

"So with your super genius IQ decided that since you liked me, the best solution would be to avoid me at all times. You know for a genius your kind of an idiot", I scolded him. I tried to keep the glare on my face but as I looked into his eyes and realized the reason he'd been avoiding me wasn't because I was annoying or he couldn't stand me made me smile.

"Well I was scared", he said quietly.

"Why were you scared, you think I'd reject you", I didnt understand. Did he think I would reject him even if I didn't like him and I did reject him I'd never be brutal about it. But he should have known I liked him he can read pretty easily.

"No I knew you were in love me", he said with a smirk. That resulted in a bruise that he'll feel in the morning. "But I thought it might mess with the team dynamics, although I guess that kind of happened already", he said sheepishly.

"Yeah teams don't work as well when one member is being a dumbass", I snapped at him. "So why was Choji acting all weird, he doesn't like me does he", I asked horrified. I mean Choji was great but he was Choji. I looked at Shikamaru as he suddenly cracked up and literally had tears coming out of his eyes. "Stop laughing at me it's not funny", I fumed, I was highly tempted to smack him like the child he was.

"Ow!", he yelled at me before his face softened and he let out a little chuckle before continuing,"It's not that it's just he was only avoiding you because he knows how I feel and he's been sticking with me so I don't give in", he explained. "I didn't want to ruin our team and as shinobi theirs a Hugh chance of one of us getting hurt and I don't want you to end up like...well like Sakura." I winced. She was moving on but Sasuke leaving really hurt her. I'm not sure she will ever be the same. Naruto just returned after his training with Jirayai. She seems to smile more and it's obvious that Naruto is still in love with her. And maybe from the way they are interacting she's starting to love him too.

"It's not the same thing if something happened to you at least d have the memories and I know you'd never betray me or the village", I said as I grabbed his hand with both of mine,

"I know"

"So can you at least try this. Stop worrying about all the consequences. Let's just take it a day at a time"

"Well I guess I could do that", he said with a smirk before pulling me in for a kiss.

"So I guess our teamwork is back on track", a voice said smirking.

"Sensei!"