Cyclone

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Shikamaru raised the cold glass of beer to his forehead, hoping that it would soothe his throbbing head. However it didn't, if anything it made his head-ache worse.

Sighing, he opened his eyes and was immediately assaulted by the uber-bright strobe lights of the club.

'I really don't want to be here,' Shikamaru thought as he returned the beer to the counter. 'Couldn't Naruto have chosen a quieter place to celebrate his birthday?'

As he thought of Naruto, Shikamaru sat up a little straighter and looked around the crowded room to see if he could spot him or the others. Naruto was nowhere to be seen but he just managed to make Kiba out in a corner of the club, cozying up to some girl. 'Typical.'

Shikamaru frowned - he should have done like Sasuke and left as soon as Naruto disappeared. Or better yet, he should have pretended to be sick like Chouji. Now, however there was no chance of him leaving anytime soon - with Sasuke gone, Shikamaru was the only responsible, sober one left. Someone had to make sure Naruto and Kiba got home safely.

Shikamaru sighed and leaned back - his eyes involuntarily scanning the room once again and that's when he saw her - tall, blond hair in the strangest style, green eyes, white shirt tied in the back coupled with a short, denim skirt and deadly looking, black stiletto boots.

But it was her expression that captivated him - eyes half-lidded and lips drawn into a small, secretive smile as she moved slowly in time to the music. She was alone, or so it seemed considering that there was no one in her immediate vicinity. There were a few guys hovering around her, obviously hoping that she'd dance with them but she ignored them completely - deliberately or not, he couldn't say.

He watched her for a few minutes more, taking in the slow, sensuous way that she moved. He had been just about to turn back to the bar, concluding that gorgeous though she may be, she was way out of his league and looked like trouble to boot, when she looked at him.

It was nothing really - just a glance - but he couldn't help feeling bowled over all the same. He experienced a twinge of alarm then because she had caught him staring her down - he didn't want to seem like one of the hangers-on surrounding her but it didn't seem to matter - her only reaction was to turn that smile into a smirk and turn away.

Sighing, Shikamaru turned away as well - shaking his head to rid himself of the spell she had woven over him. He looked down at the beer and sighed - he hadn't had more than two sips of it but all of a sudden, he really wanted to just throw it away.

Click, click, click... "Bartender, a rum and coke please."

He didn't know how but as soon as he heard the low, melodious voice he knew it belonged to her. She was standing right next to him but he didn't dare look at her, just kept his eyes glued to his glass. The bartender handed her a glass filled with amber liquid and then she sank onto the stool next to his.

She took a sip, frowned and then placed the glass onto the counter. He watched as she started to trace the ring of the glass slowly, resulting in the glass emitting a low, discordant sound, "So you're not gonna dance?"

He didn't have to ask if she was talking to him. "I don't dance," he replied, still keeping his eyes on the glass in his hand.

She turned slightly, looked him up and down and then, "I can see that - you don't look like a dancer. Come to think of it, you don't look like much of anything."

His mouth flattened into a thin, displeased line, 'Definitely trouble.'

She turned back to the bar but kept her face turned in his direction, "I was kidding. Can't you take a joke?"

Finally he looked at her - her expression was neutral enough but her eyes held a glint of humour, "I've never understood how insulting someone is funny."

She frowned and looked away and he thought for a second that she would leave as well - but she didn't. She didn't speak either.

Finally he spoke, just to diffuse the tension, "Are you here by yourself?"

She glanced at him again and he noticed the slightest of smirks gracing her face, "Why do you ask?" She was amused.

He shrugged, forced a bored expression, "You were dancing by yourself."

She nodded and turned away, her eyes glancing around the room nonchalantly, "I'm here with some people."

"Is he one of them?" he asked, gesturing subtly to the other side of the bar.

Surprised, she followed his eyes, then smiled affectionately ('shocker') and waved a finger at the guy sitting on the other side. She looked back at him, "My brother."

"Huh," he nodded, "So I should be more concerned?"

She laughed - a loud, musical sound, "Probably."

They lapsed into silence, a fairly comfortable one this time. Then her forest green eyes sharpened as a new song began - it wasn't something Shikamaru would normally listen to but he had heard Ino singing it (...'don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me...) enough times to be able to recognize it.

He turned to her, "Guess you're going back now?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

"Alone again?"

She looked at him with an expression that he hadn't seen before, "Who's gonna dance with me - you?"

He remained silent, unsure of how to interpret what she'd just said.

She rose, "It was nice talking to you. Maybe we'll do it again sometime."

He nodded as she downed the rest of her drink in one gulp, then placed the glass on the counter. "Bartender, he'll pay for that," she announced, winking slyly at Shikamaru before walking away.

Shikamaru didn't even bother protesting - he just took out his money and handed it to the bartender. By the time he turned around, she was already gone.

Shikamaru sighed and leaned back against the counter once more - suddenly this evening didn't seem like a complete waste of time.

A/N: I wanted to write this for the 30 flowers community on LJ but I couldn't find a way to incorporate a flower. Ooh, Drake and Josh is starting...Maki out!