Forced or Not

Chapter 2

"This is troublesome." I muttered, oh no, I didn't just say that this was 'troublesome.' Matsuri looked at me from the corner of her eye as she looked through my drawers, I allowed her too which isn't proving to be a good idea. Matsuri stood straight and put her hands on her hips and looked me straight in the eye. "Would you mind turning back into that shy girl scared of weapons?" I asked meekly. She shook her head and then rolled her eyes. Her brown hair was longer than it used to be, she must be trying to become Gaara's perfect girl, to bad she doesn't already see she's his perfect girl.

"Shikamaru and you!" She squealed and pawed through my drawers again and I rolled my eyes, "He likes green, right?" She asked pulling out something. My eyes widened in fear, Matsuri was never allowed in here again. "Answer me." She commanded holding the green monstrosity crumpled in her hand. I nodded and she threw the shirt at me and then opened another drawer, it was, like, five o' clock in the morning… Why me? "Put them on." She commanded throwing another thing at me. I disappeared into my bathroom and changed swiftly looking at my reflection. It was a green v-neck and a red pleated skirt, God, Matsuri's style is odd, I mean, I never would have even tried matching these colors up.

"Matsuri, are you sure that this is necessary?" I asked and she nodded excitedly. I didn't even want to hear anything about love; I finally decided that I didn't want to fight with her, so I walked out of my bedroom into the kitchen. Kankuro and Gaara were standing in there talking; when I came in they both stopped and cast glances at me. I smiled and spun for them. Kankuro clapped and Gaara just stood there. I sighed and sat on the counter crossing my legs.

"So, who's the lucky guy?" Kankuro asked. I rolled my eyes and shot Matsuri a warning glance. She shrugged and moved past me to Gaara, she looked so happy and motherly. Since when is she euphoric every second, oh, they are engaged-I don't even want to know… Oh, great mental image, and I mean, my brother! EW… Matsuri leaned against the counter and smiled at me.

"I'm not going on a 'date,' as if; you know that I don't like anyone like that." I told them and Kankuro rolled his eyes, Gaara turned to Matsuri and started a conversation about something or other. I sighed again and waited. When did that stupid restaurant open? Six o' clock, probably, I mean, that's when we went last time, I think… "Where is that lazy bastard?" I growled and Matsuri laughed at me.

"Be patient, it'll pay off." Matsuri said and I growled at her. I hated morning people. "So, while you are out, I am going to go to the store, you need more stuff, it's practically empty in here!" Matsuri announced clapping her hands. I rolled my eyes again and then closed them. Patience… Was something that I didn't like. Matsuri ran into the other room and then came back out, she held something out to me and I stood there in astonishment.

"I will never wear pink, not even for you." I said turning up my nose at the dress design. She pouted and then started muttering things. I rolled my eyes for the hundredth time, how could I live with these people? "How about the bridesmaid wearing blue?" I inquired and she perked up and looked at Gaara, he nodded and she jumped up and down in delight. "Okay, okay, Matsuri, calm down." I instructed as I went to the door, Matsuri stopped and stared at the door. I nodded as I opened the door to reveal Shikamaru, who was prepared to begin knocking. "Bye guys." I called shutting the door. Shikamaru gave me an once-over and then shrugged.

"Okay, troublesome woman, let's go." He said and I followed him, "Sasuke's dates are today, Neji's last date went well, in Tsunade's book it did…" He started and I nodded, "Yea, she has some sort of spies. She is planning on finding me and setting me up next." He told me, I felt a pang of jealousy for the girls that he would be set up with and then I shook the feeling away, why should I be jealous?

"That sucks." I mumbled sitting in the small booth we sat in yesterday. He sat across from me and then nodded. The waitress came up and we order two coffees and then he looked up at the ceiling, as if in thought, then he slowly met my gaze and his eyes were softer and somewhat-what was the word? "So…"

"I was wondering if you would pose as my girlfriend, you know, in front of Tsunade…" He trailed off and he caught me off guard. I shook myself out of the trance and his eyes were pleading. I nodded slowly and he sighed. "That way, I won't be sent on a date with Ino, or Hinata." I smiled at him softly although; with his eyes closed he couldn't see. I looked over at the table Neji sat at and wasn't surprised to see Sasuke sitting there, fingers clasped together. I looked over at the door as Sakura entered. Sasuke didn't look up, not even when she sat down, he was pouting.

"Their date is defiantly forced." I said and Shikamaru put his coffee down and looked over at the couple. I watched Shikamaru analyze them and then face me.

"It's hard to tell considering that it is Sasuke Uchiha over there, I'll have to watch the other dates but considering all logic then yes, it is forced." He told me and I mentally fought with myself, of course, I was never right. Never. "So, this is kind of boring, do you want to go home?" He asked after a moment of silence. I took another sip of my coffee and then tilted my head.

"No!" I gasped. "Matsuri is there…" I said, "She is a nightmare, in the mornings…" I told him and he nodded and I sat there and looked over at Sasuke and Sakura, "Does Sakura mind all the dates?" I asked and Shikamaru shrugged, I glared at him as he paid for breakfast. "But-"

"Don't worry, you have the day off, you are spending it with me, not Matsuri and Gaara." Shikamaru said and I nodded in a daze. I followed him out passing Sasuke and Sakura who waved at us and I waved back. "The clouds are out today, it's actually very nice out." He commented looking up at the sky causing me to look up and agree mentally. He turned suddenly and I followed his path and it led to a lone lush green hill. I stared at him as he casually got down and laid on the hill immediately closing his eyes, I followed suit, a little unsure. He opened his eyes to watch the clouds for a while and then turned to me, "Just relax." He whispered and I listened, or made an attempt.

I laid there and stared up at the clouds trying to find some hidden meaning or something to why they were so important in his life. After a while I peered at him to find out he was asleep. I felt like hitting him, but then thought better and decided to try to find that meaning again, I looked back at the clouds and I began to feel drowsy and I fell asleep.

-&-

When I awoke I noticed something immediately, my 'pillow' was moving, up and down. I slowly opened my eyes to see that I was lying on Shikamaru, well, my head was on his chest and I was resting in the crook of his elbow. My arms were wrapped around his center and my hair was coming out of its ponytails. He yawned and then I looked up at him and there was panic in his eyes and my eyes softened. I knew that I moved when I was asleep, I never thought of it before. This was the reason that nobody slept with me at the Sand Village when Matsuri and Sari went on a mission with me. His obsidian eyes were locked with my teal eyes and neither of us looked away. "Did you sleep good?" He asked and I nodded.

"I slept very well actually, since Matsuri came to visit she wakes me up at 4 every morning…" I told him, he yawned and then nodded at me. "The nap was great." I said getting up and he pretended like nothing happened although in my mind I was freaking. What was he thinking? "Is it time for lunch?"

"Probably, we might even be a little late." He said getting up, he helped me up and we walked into the restaurant again. We sat down passing Sasuke and his date, Hinata. "They are doing better than Sakura and Sasuke, I mean there isn't any pressure for conversation." He analyzed and I ordered for both of us.

"So, you think that they are doing better?" I questioned and then looked over at them. "They aren't even talking to each other." I commented.

"Sometimes you don't need to talk." He said, "Like this." He told me and then took my hand from across the table and held it, then my eyes went from my hand to his eyes and I stared into them losing myself in the way they looked so open, inviting. I sat there staring into them and then suddenly he broke contact with me altogether as the food was set down.

"That was… Nice." I commented, blushing the slightest at my loss of words and the intimacy of the moment. He nodded, a faint blush on his features too. I looked back at Sasuke and Hinata and their moment of intimacy was there, open. "So, you mean…"

"It looks like it, but I have to see the third date to actually make sure." He said and I nodded this time. Still, I couldn't be right. "So, are you done?" He asked and I nodded again paying for the lunch.

"Come home with me." I told him and he followed me to my house, like he normally did but he walked in after me. Kankuro and Gaara turned immediately. Matsuri was washing dishes in the sink but she had enough time to throw something at both of the boys. Gaara caught it, but Kankuro flinched as it made contact with his groin. "Okay, Gaara, Kankuro, Matsuri, this is Shikamaru…" I said uneasily and Matsuri waved and Gaara glared as Kankuro walked up to Shikamaru and shook his hand.

"So, um, what's up?" Kankuro asked and I shrugged. "You just randomly show up with a guy?" He asked and I turned to face him.

"This is my house, you are a guest. He is a guest. Got it?" I snapped and he put his hands up covering his face and slowly lowered them nodding. Matsuri walked up to Shikamaru and pulled him over to the kitchen where the rest of us were.

"Who is she exactly? You have said a lot about her, but who is she?" Shikamaru asked and Matsuri smiled at me.

"I'm Gaara's fiancé!" She exclaimed and Gaara blushed at the word fiancé. I laughed touching Gaara's cheek and he turned away quickly. "So you are the great Shikamaru!" She exclaimed and I glared at her.

"Great?" He asked and Kankuro finally joined the room. I glared at Matsuri from my position behind Shikamaru and in front of Gaara. Matsuri nodded and then bounced off down the hall. "She's an odd one."

"Well, we all are." Kankuro muttered earning a punch in the gut from me. He leaned over gripping the counter trying to regain balance and everything else he lost. Gaara gave Shikamaru one last glare and then followed Matsuri down the hall. "There they go, again, doing God knows what…" Kankuro muttered. "They are annoying, they got each other so whipped, they don't even know that they are whipped." He laughed as I rolled my eyes.

"What the hell did Matsuri do to my house?!" I gasped looking around, everything was turned into something else, it was all expensive and nice. I heard Matsuri yell 'Your Welcome.' "You're dead!" I yelled to her.

"Calm down, it looks nice." Shikamaru said sitting on my new couch. I followed him into the other room and tried to calm down as I sat with him. "It does look very nice actually, reminds me of home." He muttered.

"Matsuri is dead." I growled and leaned onto the couch. "So, what should we do?" I asked and his eyes lite up, I blushed and nodded. "Shogi it is." I said and went to the board that was already set up.

-&-

"Somehow you are cheating." I told him and he shrugged, I had lost, every game. "It's dinnertime." I told him and he yawned and got up. I left with him following me. Somehow my brothers and wacky friend didn't hear us.

"Okay, I wonder who is next?" He asked sitting down. I glanced at the table and there was Sasuke. We ordered and about five minutes later, Naruto walked through the door. "This is a joke." Shikamaru whispered as Naruto went up to Sasuke's table, we heard them over at our table.

"Dude, this isn't even funny. I'm not gay and I'm not going on a date with Sasuke." Naruto muttered and I laughed. Sasuke just sat there a pained look on his face.

"I'm killing that old woman!" He growled. "Excuse me sir, but you can't be here and fight." The clerk said and they glared at him as he pushed them out. Shikamaru and I burst out in fits of laughter. I looked at him and decided- I loved spending time with him.

-&-

"Well, dinner was great." I blushed at my doorstep and he didn't nod, instead, his face was instantly closer and there was a strange feeling covering us. I wanted something but I couldn't do it and neither could he. I walked closer to him and hugged him around his waist. "Thanks." I whispered, kissing his cheek.

Wow, my heart is beating so quickly.

Okay, chapter 2 is out! Yay, I hope this is good, if you want to give me idea on other dates please do! I need three dates for Shino, Kiba, and Sai. Please Review and tell me how this is going.