So, I just went on a weekend camping trip with my friends. It was awesome, except I stepped on zebra muscles and gashed my feet. Grr. But that's not the point. The point is that when I go on vacation, I get a lot of creative flashes, even when I'm not trying to think up a story. So here's one of the three I thought up.

NOTE: This is dialogue, anything in Italics is Shikamaru's thoughts. The last scene is in normal view. Itlaics in that scene are still his thoughts. Okay?

Shika, Shika!

"Shika, Shika!"

Aw, crap.

"What, Ino?"

"Can you get me a drink?"

"Ino, you have legs, get yourself a drink."

This keeps happening. I keep getting bothered by everybody. Do this, do that, they say.

"But Shika, I'm tired."

"Ino, we broke up three weeks ago. Stop calling me Shika."

"But I still luuuuuv you!"

"Well, I don't love you, Ino. You're my teammate and my friend, but I don't love you."

"But as my teammate, you should get me a drink."

"*sigh...*"

Shikamaru Nara. 18 years old. Single. And currently the most bothered man alive. That's me. My ex, Ino, my mom, my friends, they're all bothering me. Do this, do that, they say. I'm freaking tired of it. Like, seriously.

"Shikamaru."

"What, woman?"

"Shikamaru, I am your mother. I deserve to be called by my title."

Sheesh.

"Okay, Mom, what do you want?"

"I need you to clean the kitchen."

"What the heck, I just cleaned it yesterday!"

"But your father just made a mess of it, and I need to get to my meeting."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

Yeah, my life is starting to suck. I just broke up, and all I want is some peace. I meant what I said, I don't love Ino, but I still need time to get back to normal, time to unwind. Why don't they see that?

"Son?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you to help me fix the fences around the Nara forest. It won't take long."

"Dad, that's a 7 hour job, at least."

"Well, it'll be good for you."

I should be out watching the clouds now. I want to watch the clouds, to let them wash over my mind, and clear it, cleaning it until it's the same as before. This is troublesome.

"You, what's your name, Shikamaru!"

"What, Lord Jiraya?"

"I need somebody to cut some wood for me."

"Wood? Where?"

"Ah, that. Well, it's one of the slats on the side of the women's bath..."

"Hell no."

"But, but!"

"Cut wood yourself, pervert."

"Blast you!"

No comment.

"Shikamaru?"

"Hai, Godaime-sama?"

"I have a mission for you."

"Godaime, I'm on break. Couldn't somebody else do it?"

"No, this one needs your skills in particular."

"Very well."

"Alright, so you'll enter the target area here..."

Crap. Now I'll be gone for at least three days. I hate this. What a bloody drag.

"Sh-Shika-kun?"

"WHAT?"

"Ah, gomen. I'll go..."

"No, I'm sorry, Hinata. That was uncalled for. What can I do for you?"

"Well, you see, Naruto has, uh...um...mumble mumble."

"He's fallen down a well?"

"Ah, y-yes."

"Okay, where is he?"

Blast you, Naruto. Now I'll be covered in slime as well as sweat, blood and dirt. You are making this much more troublesome than this was a moment ago.

"Shikamaru?"

"Ino, get out of here."

Again, Ino, really? I'm dripping with a mix of disgust and yuk. You want to make out with a disgust ball? Not that I'd make out with you in any state.

"Shikamaru?"

"Yes, Hen Hindquarter's Hair?"

"Huh?"

"Yes, Sasuke."

"Oh, I must have misheard you. Anyway, do you wanna go gloom around in the park?"

"Sasuke, you're the emo kid."

"Oh, that's right. For a second I thought you were Neji. He usually glooms with me."

"Sasuke, I think I smell sake on your breath. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"NOPE!"

Okay, Sasuke is really, really creepy when he's drunk. At least he didn't hit on me. I heard that Neji is getting counseling after THAT event.

Shikamaru stumbled over to his hill, his beautiful, grass-covered cloud watching hill. He'd been bothered by every single person in Konoha that he knew, and some of them more than once. He'd been on his way to the hill for 5 days now, and was covered in mud, dust, sweat (some of it Ino's), and blood (all of it Ino's). Yuck. How was he to enjoy watching clouds like this?

"Hey, lazy! It took you long enough." Temari sat up, her short dress fallen off of one shoulder, her hair down and flowing in the wind. She looked so beautiful, good enough to eat.

"You're still waiting?"

"I left and came back a couple of times, but yeah, pretty much."

"Sorry. Where were we?"

"I think we were talking about childhood games. Say, Shika, do you think you could..."

"What?"

"Geez, don't look so annoyed!"

"Temari, I've been bothered by just about everybody in Konoha to do something. Now you're bothering me too? Forget it." He flopped down on the grass, sighing. "I'm sick of this." Temari sat in silence for a moment, and then laid back.

"Alright."

"What?"

"Alright. I won't ask anything of you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here with me."

"...Do you really mean that?"

"Yes, Shikamaru. I love you, you know."

"I am at this moment, trying to formulate the correct response to that."

"Say what you mean."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to do what you want. I would like it if you loved me, and if you stayed here with me, but you need to start choosing for yourself." Shikamaru pondered her answer for several seconds, and then nodded.

"Temari?"

"What?"

"I love you too, but I'm not sure you want to kiss me in my current state." Temari smirked, and then began to kiss his neck moving up and across until she finally captured his lips in a sweet kiss. When they broke apart, she whispered in his ear.

"I think I do. Oh, Shika, Shika, I have one request of you."

"Say the word."

"Stay with me always."

Finis

So, I don't really know about this one. There is a lot of fluff at the end, and Temari is majorly out of character, but I'll post it anyway. See what you think of it.

Review, please.

Corentin