Of Love and Friendship

Rating: T

Genre: General/Friendship

Warnings: Bit of strong language at the beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…

Ino was in a shitty mood. Although if you were to talk to her current companion and on-again-off-again best friend Sakura, she would tell you that 'shitty mood' was an understatement.

Ok, so royally pissed off would be an accurate description.

"I'm telling you Sakura," Ino whined, "He's all lovey-dovey over her, a woman who's old enough to be his older sister and one who he only ever sees twice a year!"

Ino was, of course, referring to her team mate Shikamaru and his current love interest Temari from Suna in the Wind Country – a week-long trek from their home town Konoha in the Fire Country.

"What's wrong with him Sakura?" Ino moaned, "I try my best to get him to fall for my charms and good looks and he goes for HER!"

Sakura patted Ino's arm sympathetically, "Well I guess it's like trying to get Sasuke to notice us… they were just blinded by something else."

Ino threw herself back into the lounge chair they were sitting on, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and wearing a sulky look upon her face. Sakura sighed and stood up.

"Well I have to go, Tsunade needs me to help her with one of her patients,"

"Gah! You get all the luck," Ino exclaimed, "Next thing we'll know Sasuke will be back in town looking for you to have hot, steamy nights with and then uber-cute little Uchiha babies!"

Sakura snickered, "Now we know THAT'LL never happen! We'll have more chance of Hinata getting over her shyness and Naruto finally getting a clue about her shyness around him! I'll come see you after work?"

Ino nodded and waved her friend away with her hand. She sunk down more into the sofa and sighed.

"I should be happy for him… paying attention to something other than Shogi and clouds all day," Ino muttered to herself, "I mean its not as if Suna are the enemy… anymore… Agh who am I kidding?"

Angrily, Ino stood and stormed out of her house, into the street and towards the next person she'd know who'd pay attention to her.

"Oi, Choji!" Ino shouted as his mother opened the door.

"Oh my, Ino!" Choji's mother exclaimed, covering her ears from the loud voice coming from her son's female team mate.

Choji walked to the front door, only to be grabbed by the arm.

"Is there something wrong with me?" Ino asked frantically, "What's she got that I don't have?"

"Slow it down, Ino," Choji began, "and maybe drop it a few decibels…"

Ino braced herself against Choji, taking deep breaths. "Ok… I'm cool…" Choji steered Ino in the direction of the Akimichi living room and sat her down.

"You're here about Shikamaru and Temari, aren't you?" Choji asked. Ino nodded her head and let her body loosen from all the tension she had been carrying.

"Why her?" Ino asked, "Why not me?"

Choji shrugged, "I think Shikamaru sees you as a friend, I mean we have been team mates for almost ten years now and family acquaintances through our fathers before that."

"From what they say about children growing up together, it is hard to fall in love with them if you have been with them for that long," Choji continued, "At least that's what Naruto said about him coming to terms with his friendship with Sakura…"

Ino smiled wryly, "Who've known Naruto to be that eloquent with his words…"

Choji shook his head. Even in the depths of self-turmoil, Ino still had her scathing remarks ready at the drop of a hat.

"I've been watching Shikamaru with Temari for a long time," Choji began, "The sparks were there even in the first Chuunin exam we all took together, even though we were only twelve then."

"Yeah but she was at least sixteen!" Ino counted, "A four year age gap isn't going to close even if we do get older!"

"I was talking with Shikamaru's mum the other day, and she said that she's glad Shikamaru has someone that is a complete match for him," Choji explained, "Temari not only is quite bright – not as bright as Shikamaru – but she's a talented fighter, and isn't clingy."

Ino scowled, "I'm not an airhead if that's what you're implying!"

"I wasn't," Choji said, "The thing is, as Team 10 – InoShikaCho – we are like siblings, we watch each other's backs and we use each other's talents as an extension of our own."

"Your point?" Ino asked, sounding defeated. Choji smiled and gently patted Ino's knee in a brotherly fashion.

"Shikamaru obviously wants a woman who is neither beautiful nor unattractive, and one who won't get too much in the way of how he spends his time, regardless of the logistics of their time spent together," Choji said.

"So it's not me, then?" Ino asked. Choji shook his head, surprised by being pulled into a bear hug by his much slimmer team mate.

"Thank you Choji!" Ino said.

"Is that all you were worried about?" Choji asked incredulously. Ino nodded and bounded from her spot, giving a quick apology to Choji's mother for the fuss she had made.

'Girls…' Choji thought, 'so troublesome! Especially Ino.'

Author's Note: This was originally part of a longer one-shot that just wasn't going anywhere, so I've cut it down to how it is now and it seems to work!

As for pairings: this could be taken as ShikaTema (I'm becoming quite a big fan of this pairing) with slight InoCho.

Please tell me what you think!

20/10/07