I always add Asuma because his death is important in Team 10's career. Asuma is a recurring character in ShikaIno stories because he really was one of the most important people to all three members of Team 10.

I don't hate Sasuke at all, but I feel like I needed Shikamaru to be jealous of someone, and who else would be better than Sasuke? After all, Ino fought with Sakura over him.

The day he left, she almost cried. She wiped the incoming storm of teardrops ready to soak her face from her eyes. She was shaken, but sadder, sad that they've lost him, sad that he never noticed her, and sad that her childhood love had left as if he never cared about them.

"You'll be alright Ino." He exhaled as he held Ino in his arms, stroking her back soothingly. The truth was that Shikamaru never liked Sasuke. What girl would ever consider him – although he himself wasn't perfect, seeing how lazy he is – Sasuke was a heartthrob because of his 'cool' personality? What cool personality? He was an ass, is what Shikamaru thought. But he couldn't say that to Ino, no, not when he knew that bastard of an Uchiha had a place in her heart.

Her face smothered on his green uniform jacket, her eyes waterless, but she trembled from the devastation of Sasuke's defection. And all he could do was squeeze her tight in hopes all her worries would seep out from her body.

"Why would he do this, Shikamaru?"

"Because he's an ass that's why"

"I don't know Ino, but the guy's been troubled. It's a drag, but, it happens. Maybe he'll come back. He's probably just going through a phase," he put his best face for her, his eyes gazed at her pretty blue ones. She returned with a smile, pasting her face on his jacket as she embraced him a little longer. Although Choji was Ino's go to guy for piggy back rides, Shikamaru was her pillow to cry on.

Sasuke never returned.

She sighed reassuringly as she gave her partner a helpless smile. He swung his backpack over his arm and smirked, scratching the back of his head. He swayed his head from side to side to crack his neck. They waited patiently. He examined the sky to see the morning rise, the purple sky mingled with the orange colour of the sun that made the sky much brighter. The sun was starting to rise from the mountains, and they inhaled the fresh forest scent of 100 year old trees and shrubs.

"Guess I better go." His left side of lip arched upwards, leering at his comrades. Ino furrowed her brows as her hands clenched into fists, Choji, for once, stopped eating his bag of chips. They could see Shikamaru's shadow on the sandy earth from the brightness of the sun, and they knew their time was almost up.

"Shikamaru, remember what I said about your smoking," she pestered one last time, as he shook his head.

"yeah, yeah, yeah, I know."

"And don't forget to separate your dirty clothes from your clean ones!"

"Okay"

"And always keep your toothbrush where no one will use it!"

"Alright Ino, I get it," she couldn't help it. Choji chortled, that boy always knew how to keep his cool even when situations like these happened.

"I'm gonna miss you buddy." Shikamaru pulled him for an embrace, patting his back, separating himself to grip Choji's shoulders. He lightly punched Choji on his arm, ending with a handshake.

"I'll miss you, Ino. Don't go too hard on Choji okay?" his hand found its way around her arm as he caressed it comfortingly, before stepping in to hug her.

"I know you bicker with us, sometimes a little too much. But I wouldn't have it any other way, Ino." She stood there, frozen for the first time. She watched him with Choji, his outline getting smaller as he walked further away from them. His shadow elongating as he marched towards a village he will be adjusting to for the next few months.

It was going to be a long 5 months without him.

But they waited. She waited. She waited patiently as she and Choji ate out every Fridays like before. Before when Asuma sensei took them out every week as a treat, as congratulations on another job done. Before when Shikamaru treated them after Asuma's passing and enjoying their company as forever team 10. When team 10 spent a day with Asuma, sitting around his grave, talking as if he was still there because, they truly believed he still was. When Ino felt lazy and would lie on sweet green grass between Choji and Shikamaru as they all tried to guess the shape of the next cloud that passed by.

Team 10 had never been so divided.

She walked towards the stand, her eyes scanning the pretty colours of pudding on the front desk. They were distributed obviously based on their flavours. She intertwined her fingers together, licking her lips delicately as she carefully observed which one she wanted to get. Her finger pointed at the white coloured pudding to the very right.

"I'd like the vanilla one, please!" the middle-aged woman nodded at her as she passed her the cup of pudding and received the cash. Ino bowed at the woman before happily she strode away. This was her treat to herself for being extra productive (finishing her chores, helping Choji with his training in addition to completing her shift in her family's flower shop).

"Have a good one!" she yelled as she waved her hand at the seller.

She must have focused on her pudding so much (given it is her favourite food) that she bumped into someone suddenly and fell. Her bag dropped to the floor as she sat there, rubbing her butt a little from the pain.

"What no sashimi today?"

"I hate sash-" she found the strength to look up at the stranger who offered her a hand, and a familiar smile that crept from sweet lips.

"SHIKAMARU!" she leapt up and embraced him as he balked from her sudden elation. He finally relaxed and enveloped his arms around her, that relieving feeling of hugging a loved one again.

He rested his face on her shoulder, pulling Ino closer to him and sealing the gap between them. When he let go, she wiped her face from her weeping face, her entire face flushed with red. He chuckled as she wrinkled her brows at him.

"Why are you crying, Ino?" he bent low to pick up her stuff, but yelped when she punched his arm.

"What was that for?!" he tendered his sore arm that she struck.

"Because I missed you, stupid!" she hugged him again, her tears soaking his jacket and building a stain.

"Geez Ino, there's no need to cry about it. You didn't cry over Sasuke when he left, there's no need to cry over me being back." He rolled his eyes as she gripped tighter, he could hear her sniffles and felt the next army of tears stream out of her eyes.

"You're a lot more important to me, Shikamaru. What makes you think I'd easily prance my way through a mission without thinking about you? Choji and I need you." He heard the pain in her voice through her mumble. He bit his bottom lip and massaged his neck with his hand. It was troublesome, but a big part of him adored Ino's concern for him. Hard to admit, Sasukewas always Shikamaru's competition. But having Ino care about him like that, made him feel as if Sasuke wasn't his competition anymore.

"Hey," his hands held her shoulders as his thumb rubbed them for comfort. She rubbed her eyes with her wrist, her cheeks a rosy coloured flush. He used his thumb to get rid of her tears, cupping her face with his hand.

"I'm here now. I'm not leaving you or Choji. We're always going to be Team Asuma. Got it?" and for a long time, she finally sees that genuine, lazy, and 'barely-even-tried' smile. Ah, she missed that so much.

"Here." He handed her the bag and snaked his arm around her shoulder as they walked.

"Why would you say sashimi? You know I hate sashimi!"

"I know you do"

"You know, Shikamaru, I've treated Choji almost every day since you left. You better take us out tonight! Korean barbeque!" she threw her arms out in ecstasy as he casually dug his hands in his pockets.

"Gimme' a break here, Ino, I just came back from a 5 month mission-OW!"

"Shikamaru!"

"Okay, okay. You, me and Choji tonight. My treat."

"That's better." She planted a kiss on his cheek as they walked together.