Hey there! This is my first Naruto one-shot and I chose Shikamaru and Ino as my victims. I actually had this story out for awhile. It was supposed to be a collection of one-shots with my favorite pairs but didn't happen, so it'll just be a ShikaIno. So, I hope you enjoy and please tell me how it was! Flames, no; constructive criticism, yes.

I apologize beforehand if there are any mistakes.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Kishimoto-san does...

Title:Cloud Watching

Pair:ShikaIno

Ages: 17

A gentle breeze blew through the meadow. Leaves and petals dancing along with it. Clouds moved all in one direction, as if following each other. A bird soared up high and then disappeared.

Two teens lay together, with a foot of space in between them. One with long, platinum blonde hair tied in a ponytail and the other one with brown spiked hair, also in a ponytail. Both talking about what each cloud looked liked. Well one is…

"Look, that one looks like a kunai, and that one over there looks like a dumpling, and that one far to the left looks like a shuriken, and the one to the right looks like a flower." the blonde, known as Ino, commented. The brunette, known as Shikamaru, sighed.

"Whadda drag. Can't you please just watch it and stay quiet?" At times like this, he likes to look at clouds, hearing nothing but the breeze and maybe a few birds. He doesn't sleep when he watches them…well most of the time anyway.

"You are sooo boring Shikamaru but fine." Ino replied. She gave a deep sigh. Shikamaru looked her way and rolled his eyes.

"Troublesome…" he muttered but Ino didn't hear him. "If you don't like it, then why did you ask to join me?" Ino thought about it.

"Well, my shift ended early today and I wanted to hang out with Sakura but she's working at the hospital. Hina-chan is baby-sitting Kurenai-sensei's baby and Tennie-chan is on a mission with her team. Chouji said he was busy helping his mom, so that leaves him out and the only one left was you. Besides, I wanted to spend some time with you." Shikamaru blushed at hearing the last part but it went unnoticed as Ino looked at the clouds.

"And it's not that I don't like it, it was just that it was too quiet." she finished.

"Oh."

They stayed like that for a few more minutes.

"Shika-kun?" Ino asked, using the pet name that only she and his mom were allowed to call him by.

"Yeah?"

"…Do you go out with Temari?"

"What?! No! Why?"

"Well, cuz you two always seem to hang out with each other and look happy in each others company, so I thought…" there was a small hint of disappointment in her voice and Shikamaru caught it.

"The only time she comes here is to help out with the exams and whenever Gaara-sama comes for official kazekage/hokage business…and maybe to visit."

"She likes you. I think she's desperate. She went into the shop one time and asked me if you were single. I was like 'What the f-' and she said 'Well, is he?' I said yes and she asked where you lived because she looked everywhere for you, which kinda creeped me out, I mean c'mon she looked everywhere for you. I thought she was… ya'know…collected 'cuz she's older than us…but I guess not everybody is normal."

"Wow…when did this happen?" he asked when everything she said sank in.

"Umm… when you went on that mission with Chouji, Naruto, Shino, and Kiba."

"You mean four days ago?!"

Ino sweatdropped. Was it really four days ago? Wow, that knock on her head from yesterday's mission really did a number. She'll have to tell Sakura about this later…

"Troublesome woman…" he sighed.

"Who me?! Cuz I was just askin' if-" she was cut off.

"No, not you, her." he sighed.

"Oh. So you don't like her?"

"No. She scares me and she's more troublesome than my mom."

Ino laughed. He said that so calmly as if it was a fact and she wondered what Temari and his mom would do or say if they heard that. Shikamaru shuddered, thinking the same thing.

"How long have you watched clouds?"

"Ever since I was little, like around eight, I guess." Then he chuckled. Ino raised a fine eyebrow and gave him a questioning look.

"What's so funny?"

"Hm…that's how I met Chouji." He smiled and closed his eyes as he reminisced 9 years ago when he first met Chouji and his dad.

"Ah…nostalgia…" Ino whispered quietly. Shikamaru snapped his eyes open.

"…I didn't know you knew what that word meant."

"Hey! I'm plenty smart!" She retorted as she tapped a finger to her right temple. He snorted and rolled his eyes.

"That's only 'cuz you hang with Sakura!"

"And with you! Hanging with you two geniuses for so long must've rubbed on me!" She said proudly. Shikamaru chuckled and slightly shook his head.

"Though at least you and Chouji didn't end your friendship over a stupid crush and just sat there wondering." Ino continued quietly. Shikamaru looked towards her. She sighed.

"Oh well. That's all in the past. We forgave each other and that's what's important!"

"Hey, has Sakura spoken to Sasuke?"

"Um, I'm not sure. But, she and Naruto were gonna meet him to catch up on old times. For betraying the village, though, I sorta hate him."

Shikamaru's eyes widen.

"You ate him?!"

"WHAT?! NO!! I said hate him. Stupid…"

"Oooh. Riiight. Sorry."

"Whatever…weirdo."

"Look, I'm sorry, all right! I didn't hear it well."

"You got that right. Ate him…wow," she replied, shaking her head in disbelief, "I even said they were gonna meet, you know, as in alive."

Shikamaru decided to change the subject.

"So, Kakashi-sensei's on a mission, right?"

"Yeah, she said he wasn't coming back in a few days."

"Oh. Isn't Naruto going out with Hinata?"

"Yes! I'm sooo happy for her! She finally got him! Naruto was too dense to notice her in the beginning. But, now, they've been together for almost a year!"

"Wow…she sure was patient. How about Neji and Tenten?"

"Well...they just started going out two months ago."

"Really?!"

"Wow, Shikamaru. You're really…nosy."

"Hey, you're the one who knew the answer to all the questions!"

She scoffed. "I'm a blonde. I'm female. I have three girlfriends. It's what we do."

"Touché."

Two hours passed and the sky was painted orange, pink, red, purple, and blue, all blended in perfectly. Tiny dots twinkled in the darkest part of the sky. Ino and Shikamaru had stayed quiet in those two hours. The sun started getting lower and the moon was shining up above. Shikamaru stood up and dusted his clothes.

"Ino, it's getting dark. We should start heading home. I fear what your dad might do to me if I bring you home late…. even if he didn't know we were hanging out together…which is it even worse."

He was met with silence.

"Ino?"

When he got no response again, he looked down to her and realized that she was sleeping. Her head was a bit tilted towards him, with her right hand laying a few inches from her head, and her left hand on her stomach.

His eyes had a dazed look in them as he stared at the sleeping beauty. He drew closer to her face until they were only centimeters apart. In a soft and quiet movement, his lips met hers. It was only for a few seconds but it was perfect to him. He stared at her for a few more seconds waiting to see if she would wake up but nothing happened. He shook her gently.

"Ino? Wake up. It's getting late." She stirred a bit until she opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings.

"Mmm…what time is it?" She said as Shikamaru helped her up.

"Umm, not sure but the sun's already gone."

"Yaaauuhhh, ok. Man, I sure slept well."

"Yeah, you even snored."

She scoffed. "No, I didn't! I don't even snore! You probably snore!"

They were walking by familiar places and stores. As Ino kept rambling, Shikamaru had one thing in mind: Whoever said stolen kisses were the sweetest, was not kidding.

Oh.

And that wasn't the first one he took.