-Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto - Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. I do own the plotline of this story.
-Author's Note: ShikaxIno One-shot. Shikamaru thinks Ino is too troublesome, and Ino thinks Shikamaru is just lazy. They are as different as can be, yet there is one similarity: They both love a rainstorm. This is why... I am rather fond of this piece myself, and I'm also rather proud of myself for posting three One-shots today... I think I'm on a roll!!! Anyhow... i think this worked out pretty good, ne? I especially like the ending, and the way feelings keep shimmering just under the surface.
See for your self, and enjoy! -xx- Nika-chan
Read and Review, Onegai!
"Ino, what're you upto, out here on your own?" Shikamaru questioned.
As his blondehaired companion left him without reply, Shikamaru sweatdropped. He had always labelled Ino as a troublesome figurine in his life, a girl that cared too much about looks for comfort. He would not deny Ino wasn't strong, the opposite, actually. It was just that, she was a female, and ever since, in his younger days, he had watched Sasuke flee from his flock of fangirls from the top of his house, he had declared all girls 'troublesome', and 'a waste of time'.
The shadowmaster crept forward, leaning over Ino's relaxed body as he glared down upon her form, cursing fate for dealing him such a magnificant hand.
Only a few hours earlier, he had been seated comfortably at the barbeque restaurant along side his sensei and his buddy, Chouji. Grabbing a bite to eat before heading over to the Konoha gates to commence their next mission, had been Chouji's idea of course. Shikamaru watched warily as his chubby friend pondered on the menu, trying to make a decision as to if he would try the pork chops with mushroom sauce, or rather the fried chicken wings which came in family sized buckets - just right for Chouji.
The one who had noticed Ino to be gone, had been Asuma. Well, of course Shikamaru had realized his teammate's absence, but he chose to remain quiet for he knew two things: 1) She would be allright on her own, wherever she was, and 2) he would be the one sent out to look for her. Unfortunately, Asuma had been persuasive and forced him to go find the blonde, and meet the rest of the team within twenty minutes near the gates.
So here he was, retrieving Ino in the pouring rain. He hadn't been hungry in the first place, but surely it would have been less bothersome to stay at the restaurant and watch waitresses backing away as Chouji ate all the food residant within the place. Not to mention, it would have been les wet.
Shikamaru stared down at Ino, subconciously sheltering her lithe body from the rain.
Ino noticed the drizzling upon her skin halt to a stop, and opened up one eye. A furious glare reached out to lash at the boy hovering over her.
"Shikamaru, move aside! I'm storm bathing, can't you see?" She bellowed, sitting up and shoving the poor shadowmaster out of the way, before moving back down again.
"You're what?" Shikamaru replied lazily. Sometimes, Ino interested him beyond reason. Though he was genius enough not to admit any of it, some days he found himself casting glances at her uncontrollably, and when he tried to restrain from the habit, he found it was much harder then quitting smoking would be for Asuma-sensei. Today was one of those days.
"I'm storm bathing, silly. It's my new version of sunbathing! I figured, as we're leaving for Suna in a short while, we wouldn't get to see much rain for quite some time. So we should enjoy this storm right here, shoudln't we?"
Eyes still closed, Ino beamed up at him, grinning widely while flashing a set of pearly whites. He loved Ino's smile.
"Aa... I guess you're right."
And with that, Shikamaru seated himself next to his female companion, contemplating he was wet already. It wouldn't matter anymore if he were to head back inside now, would it? No, instead Shikamaru settled with just lying there side by side.
"Stormclouds are less fun to look at..." He mumbled. So, instead of watching the dark-grey masses of fluff floating overhead, producing the high ammounts of liquid soaking both their bodies, he switched to what seemed to be becoming his favorite past time lately.
Staring at Ino.
She had untied her hair from it's usual rubber band and had strapped the latter around her left wrist, leaving her hair to waver freely. The long, silky tresses cascaded down her back as she propped herself up, visage facing the sky, reaching the wet ground with ease. He had never actally noticed, but she's obviously let her hair grow out even longer than before the Chuunin exams. He thought it looked raveshing.
Her skin seemed to radiate. Small revolets of rainwater streamed down her upper arms, droplets dripping down at her elbows to form neat puddles where she leaned back onto the ground. Her cheeks had grown a healthy pink colour due to the cold weather. He loved to see that colour on her cheeks - clearly he remembered last winter the unexpected snowfall had surprised everyone in Konoha and the snowfights Team Ten held together, the rosy blush on Ino's cheeks as he chased her through mountains and piles on snow forming in the streets of Konohagakure.
As Ino turned her head towards him, glancing curiously, Shikamaru got caugth in the richness of her eyes. Sometimes they resembled pools of dark blue water, like the puddles after a rainstorm, sometimes they were like the sea, sparkling bright and blue in he sun. Sometimes they were simply the most beautiful orbs Shikamaru had ever seen.
The clear ringing of his blonde teammate's voice pulled Shikamaru back from his ponderings, and as he noticed Ino's gaze on him, he quickly diverted his eyes and turned his head, burning holes in the dirt with his stare. He preayed for the heated feeling and red haze to clear from his cheeks - the situation was uncomfortable enough without blushing. He had been thinking very innapropriate thoughts just then, after all.
"Shikamaru?" Ino inquired, her curiosity perked as she faced the shadowmaster's back.He'd been acting odly for quite some time now. She couldn't seem to shake the feeling there was something terribly obvious she was missing - As if everyone but her knew a secret she couldn't figure out, no matter how hard she tried. What was with that boy these days?
"Hai?" Shikamaru replied. The lazy tone was back in his voice again, as he turned to face Ino.
"You were staring."
The Chuunin stood up, made an attempt to wipe the wet dirt stains of his pants, and gave up. He then extended a hand for Ino to grab, offering to pull her on her feet.
"We've got to get going. I'm sure sensei's managed to drag Chouji away from the barbeque place by now. Have you go your things?"
Ino raised an eyebrow, pointing at the stuffed backpack next to her. Shikamaru eyed it. Ino's bag was much larger than his own, he often sspected her for bringing to many frilly girl stuff along on missions, things she wouldn't need at all. She was pretty enough without making any effort to it, anyways.
"Shika, you're avoiding the question! Why were you staring at me?" Ino demanded an answer, curiosity at it's highest. It wasn't a common thing for Shikamaru to beat around the bush, he was one of the most direct and honest people Ino knew.
"No I wasn't." Was his simple reply, as he shook his head lazily. "Are you coming, or what?"
Ino let out a sigh, and grabbed said lazy genius' hand with both of her own. He pulled her up with faked effort, mumbling something just about distinquishable.
"Gah, you're getting heavy..."
As soon as Ino was on her feet, her mind registered the comment and she prepared to punch the light's out of her teammate. How dare he call her fat! That this wasn't exactly what Shikamaru had said, wasn't realised though - neither was the mocking tone resident within his voice. However, her attempts for revenge eased down and ceased into nothingness as she noticed how his hands lingered on hers just a little too long, just a little too tender, just a little too much.
"...Shikamaru?" It sounded in the Chuunin's ears, a soft whisper, almost a whimper, coming from Ino. He had been too careless this time. He could not let his cravings get in the way of their friendship, no matter what.
"Aa..." He replied, for it was the sanest reply he could choke out at the moment. If she'd find out about his adorations, he'd be in big trouble. Ino's wrath wasn't one to be taken lightly, he knew.
Ino hesitated. Maybe it had just been her imagination taking a hold of her? Surely Shikamaru didn't have any feelings towards her. Ino was an expert in the art of convincing oneself, and therefor she had erased the thought from her mind in a wimp, classifying it as useless rambling no to waste time on.
"It's nothing." Ino stated.
And that it was.
Asuma smiled a knowing smile as he noticed his two missing pupils making their way over to the gates, standing next to Chouji who devoured several bags of different flavoured chips all at once.
Ino pranced about happily, splashing her feet in every puddle she spotted. Asuma had never seen her perform such an act - usually she complained about the rain as ponytail would loose it's usual bouncyness and turn sleek and drowsy. Ino was the kind of girl who loved the summer, when the sun rising high above the horizon painted everything with warm golden shades and one could not survive in the village without sunglasses and sunscreen. After all, Ino had what was to be considered a sunny personality, as she showed clearly now with her bright smile.
Shikamaru dragged his feet lazily through the soft mud in that way only he could as he walked along side his blonde companion, occasioanlly quirking an eyebrow at her blissfull, mindless blabbering. A soft smirk plastered to his features, he obviously found it hard to hide his adoration towards the kunoichi. He too had never been a fan of stormy weather, for he could not lie down on the warm surface of the earth and gaze up at the whisps of white fluff known as clouds drifting by. However, Shikamaru too carried a happy expression.
Asuma knew why.
Their hands were linked.