AN: I don't own anything. And I am warninng you guys now that this is going to be a long fic... And when I mean long... I mean long... I have it planned for at least 10 chapters and such... They get really involved and everything... And by them I mean Chouji and Shikamaru.

Demons will be used and all other characters will also be used here and there...

Later pairings other than the full out ChouShika: GaaraNarutoSasuke, InoSakura, LeeNeji, KibaHinataShino, KankuroTenten, KakashiIruka, ummm... maybe others... MANY LEMONS. I GET BORED.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Chapter 1 'I'll name them later'

Chouji…

Chouji…

That's all I can think about, god-damnit. This is too troublesome… Shikamaru let his thoughts wonder over in his mind as his body raced to the hospital. His fight with that damn missing sound-nin took way too long. And the fact that all he could think about was that weird feeling he had gotten when they where still running away from Chouji's fight never quite left him. All Shikamaru could think about was his best friend. He needed to be there… NOW.

Shikamaru jumped over the last building, in his mad dash to see Chouji, and landed on the roof of the hospital. He gave two seconds of his time to breath before running off again, down the stairs that led from the roof and into those white and very clean halls.

Shikamaru had never liked hospitals. They where all too troublesome with their clean-ness. It bothered him greatly. He almost felt like belching at the sparkly white-ness as he walked towards the front desk on this floor of the building. He didn't want to look too suspicious as he slowly and leisurely faced the nurse. She smiled at him…

He decided right there and then that he hated her…

He gave her a small smile back, straining it. Her eyes widened and then looked up and down the length of his body slowly. It was then that Shikamaru cursed. He just realized how he must look in front of her, his cloths torn and bloody. The side of his mouth still had a small trickle of blood that fell onto his cloths.

"Where is Akimichi, Chouji?" Shikamaru asked this with a glare at the girl, silently telling her to hurry it or he would kill her.

"O-Oh… He's in… Extreme care at the moment and can't be disturbed." She bowed to him hastily. "I'm very sorry."

Shikamaru glared at her. A glare that he had never used before and had never thought he would need to use. He 'needed' to see Chouji right now. He hoped she would understand.

"U-U-Ummm…" She bowed again, now walking around the counter and moving towards him. "Follow me please…" She began to walk down the hall quickly.

Shikamaru smirked to himself and followed after her, his feet stiff almost in worry. What would he see once he got there? Would Chouji never be able to stand again? Would his best friend not remember him?

Worst-case scenarios went through his mind as the lady stopped at one of the doors and pulled out her keys. She shoved one key into the hole and turned it quickly, opening the door as slow as her shaking hands would allow.

Shikamaru also noticed, cursing his stupidity yet again that it was dark outside. Really dark. Meaning that everyone else would be asleep. Meaning, over all, that the chances of Chouji being asleep where great. Shika wasn't sure if that was a good idea or not.

She led him into the small room, Chouji lying in the middle on a very, by the looks of it, un-comfy bed. Shikamaru sighed deeply. The lady exited, shutting the door behind her as she left the ninja to be with his fallen comrade, all alone in the fairly bright room. Shikamaru grumbled as he moved to the light switch and turned it off. He was bathing in the darkness before he took the few steps it took to Chouji's bed.

Shikamaru cringed. Chouji was so very skinny… It was sickening to Shika, who had always known Chouji as the plump little kid. Seeing Chouji in this state struck him deep. And he knew it was partly his fault for Chouji's condition. He knew he shouldn't have left Chouji to fight by himself. Shikamaru knew this all the while… but… Chouji had wanted to stay so bad and fight Jiroubou… How was Shika to deny Chouji the chance to prove himself to everyone else? To Kiba… To Naruto… To all those people who didn't believe that Chouji could fight… Could pull his own weight in a team…

Shikamaru sighed heavily, plopping himself down in one of the seats next to Chouji's bed. Shika leaned back, his hands clenched inside of his pockets, still upset with himself.

He let his eyes roam Chouji's body again, still taking in all that he could see. There where cords everywhere, all hooking Chouji up to different monitors. Shikamaru let his eyes drift to Chouji's face, noticing the promptness of the other boys' cheek bones and noticing how shallow and ragged the breath from those lips where…

Wait…

Bad thoughts. Shika gave a frustrated sigh. His heart was still beating too fast and the adrenaline rush from the fight with Tayuya was still coursing through his body. After that last babble… He knew that the hokage wasn't going to send anyone out on another one for a while, which was good and bad. Some of the genin would/will love this. Not Shika… Not unless Chouji was going to share it with him, only if the plump boy was going to be there with him… Then all would be well.

Shikamaru let a small smirk grace his lips before a nock came to the door. Shika swung around in the chair as someone opened the door. Shika had two kunai out and had the stance for his jutsu when he was met with the penetrating gaze of Yamanaka Ino. She was dressed up in new cloths and cleaned. She wasn't forced to fight like Shika and the others. He sighed and let his guard down. She had probably just come to see Chouji like him. How troublesome…

"Why are you here?" She asked him, moving into the room and shutting the door behind her. That was a stupid question. Why wouldn't Shikamaru be here?

"Hn." Shikamaru said before turning and sitting back down. He could make out her form in the dark moving around to the other side of Chouji's bed and leaning towards his face. There was just enough moonlight for Shika to make out small features as she stared down at Chouji's unconscious form.

"He looks so peaceful… Sleeping like this…" Ino said in a sweetly light and sing-song voice. She was scaring Shikamaru now. He fidgeted slightly in his seat. He made a small shuffling sound at the movement and she looked up at him before turning back down to Chouji. She squatted and put her elbows onto the bed, lying them down. Shika mentally growled at her getting so close to Chouji.

"Why are you here?" Shikamaru asked. In his opinion, that was a really good question directed towards the girl. She just glanced at him once more before looking back down at Chouji.

"I'm here because I love him…" She said dreamily, still staring at Chouji's still face. He did look calm—WAIT. WHAT?

Shikamaru looked towards Ino stunned.

"W-What did you say?" Shika asked, cursing his stuttering. This wasn't a time to be loosing his cool while a girl confessed her love… to the guy that 'you' love…

"I said, 'I love him'… Do you have a problem with that Naara?" Ino shot back at him with a deadly glare. He cringed slightly. She was getting all deadly again on him.

"B-But… Why? Why now? Why couldn't you show interest before hand in Chouji?" He asked. Watching her and getting slightly suspicious. He waited to hear her answers and to shoot her down. She was too weird at this conclusion and at the time of actually coming out to tell Shika this. She was planning something, he could tell.

Ino stood up from leaning next to Chouji and slowly walked over to stand in front of Shika. She wasn't that tall and she had to tilt her head slightly upwards to see Shika.

"What's wrong 'Shika'? Do 'you' want Chouji for yourself?" She asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion as Shikamaru stared down at her, now finding it hard to swallow. "And don't even think about lying to me… I'll know…" She said the last part with a little hiss in her voice to the shadow manipulator.

Shikamaru stared down at her, still trying to swallow down the lump in his throat. His hands where loose in his pockets now, his gaze moving from her to stare around at the room, now noticing that the window was open. He couldn't recall it being open before…

Ino growled…

Shika's view moved back to the girl as he stared. Did she just growl? Unless Shika had heard wrong, Ino had just growled at him.

"ANSWER ME SHIKAMARU." Ino yelled at the top of her lungs as a bang made both of them turn towards a very confused looking Chouji who was trying to pick himself up off of the ground, mumbling angrily.

Shika sighed happily, now saved.

"What are you two yellin' about?" Chouji asked as he shakily picked himself up and began to try to get back into the bed. Ino gave a small whimper and ran over to the other side of the bead to help Chouji back into the bed. Chouji thanked her as he lay back down. Thanking her again as she covered him up to the waist in a blanket.

"He," Ino said. She pointing towards Shikamaru once Chouji was in his bed, "Refused to tell me if he liked you." Chouji looked from Ino to Shika sadly.

"You don't like me?" Chouji said, slightly confused.

"N-N-No… I like you Chouji. You're my best-friend…" Shika said. His arms held out wide in a friendly gesture.

Ino gave another growl. She looked at Shikamaru, arms crossed angrily, before shrugging and grabbing Chouji's chin in her hand. She leaned toward the stunned boy and kissed him fully on the lips. She leaned in more, pushing Chouji to his back as she moved to straddle him. She was stopped though.

Shikamaru grabbed her arm, pulling her away from Chouji and stopping the kiss.

"Not while I'm here…" Shika said in a low voice.

Chouji stared up at Shika. Their eyes met for a second and Shika could tell that Chouji was thanking him silently. Shika let a small smile cross his lips as he stared at Chouji, still holding onto a fuming Ino.

"Well?" She asked, motioning to her arm. Shika still had a death grip on it and she was now pissed. They could tell. "Chouji-kun…" Ino said once she was free of the death grip. "Do you love me?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him and began to lean down again before Shika grabbed her.

"W-Well… N-No… I love someone else…" Chouji said, looking towards the open window with a small blush on his face.

"W-Who?" Ino asked, her face showing off her surprise and confusion. Shika almost was a mirror to her face.

"I-Its no one… They don't like me back." Chouji's voice became harsh with unshed tears as he looked at his hands, lightly lying in his lap.

"Tell me Chouji…" Ino said, staring at Chouji's down-turned eyes. "I'll show her… Or him… How good you are." She winked at him when he looked up at her in confusion.

"I-I can't… It would hurt too much if they turned me down…" Chouji said, his voice breaking again.

"Who would be such a fool to turn you down? Even if they are a guy?" Shikamaru asked. His voice full of emotion as he stared down at his best friend.

Chapter End

AN: Yes... I know its going slow but... I want to draw it out. This first chapter is half as long as the others will be. I just wanted to see who would be interested in reading this... LOL

I just noticed that there are going to be threesomes in this... LOL