Chouji sat in the barbecue shop across from Ino as she played with her hair, oblivious to all the other patrons as they waited. "So, Chouji, we can put this all behind us right?" she asked him gently.

He shrugged as a sizable order of ribs came, the food placed in front of them. "I don't even remember what happened." he said with a shrug as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course, you wouldn't realize a 20 was in your face if you had meat on your plate."

"Ino, shut up and eat." Chouji smiled as he knew he'd won this spat. He and Ino had been having them ever since their team was divided and Shikamaru had asked for Temari's hand. The fighting stopped for a month while they protected their friend from Temari's onslaught of fan boys and over protective brother Kankuro, since Gaara helped Temari plan the wedding instead of getting on his sisters bad side.

"Ino, you haven't touched your food, what's wrong?" Chouji asked as the second wave of food came later.

"Not that hungry I guess." she said swiftly, and with a sigh and much reluctance, Chouji stood and moved to her side of the booth.

"Eat or I feed you myself." he said plainly, seeing through her lie.

"But Chouji I'm not hungry!" Ino again lied.

"Look Ino, I know gaining weight is repulsive to that anorexic mind of yours, but you're home now, and you ARE going to eat." he said with a wave of his chopstick. She looked away from him and shook her head.

"Chouji. I feel really REALLY fat right now ok..." she said, looking at the window as he laughed.

"Oh shut up." he put his arm around her shoulder. "Never knock fat until you truly have been fat." he said with a smile.

She looked over at him and frowned in defeat as he handed her chopsticks and smiled. "Eat up Ino, they'll just keep coming." he grabbed another slice of pulled barbecue pork with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, motioning for Ino to eat as well. She stared at the food for a while, before prodding at it with her wooden utensil, then lifting it up.

"Can't I have chicken instead?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Eat that first, then I'll order you whatever you want." he placed three slices in front of her and Ino looked repulsed but ate anyway.

"I can't eat it Chouji." she said on her third piece.

"Want me to feed you then, you giant baby?" he asked placing his elbow on the table. She looked down and shook her head.

"I hate you at the moment." she tried.

"Alright Ino, you can hate me all you want." he swallowed what was in his mouth. "But you'll thank me when your stomach stops hurting." she glared shot guns at him and forced the last piece down.

"No more. I'm out of the ring." she said plopping her arms onto the table and snuggling her head in them.

Chouji laughed and finished the rest. "No room for dessert then, I thought we could go out for.." Chouji leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Double Chocolate Fudge malts." her one food weakness.

She looked up at him with a teary pout. "You are evil." she said in a whinny voice.

"Only to you Ino, only to you. Now come on, I'll buy you that malt if you hurry up." he stood and waited for her. She placed the money on the table with enough tip for the waiter, sipped the last of her drink and then following him out the restaurant.

Outside in the streets the heat beat down on them like a pressure tube, but they were used to it by now, used to the heat and sweat of the day and the night, only then a cool breeze would spill across their faces.

"So, what have you been up to Ino?" Chouji asked to try and gain conversation between the static that wouldn't even let him touch her.

"I gained weight." she said simply.

"Yea, well, how?" Chouji asked as he kicked a few rocks from under his feet.

"The ninja I got stuck with was an over eating slim and tone girl with high metabolism so she never got fat, she made me try a bunch of random things all the time... and I started to gain pounds." she said in a sigh.

"What was she like?" Chouji asked as a layer of static died by the toss of a sock from the dryer.

"She was a red head, reminded me of you how she ate, but reminded me of Hinata with her attitude in public... But when we were alone she talked more than Sakura and I did put together." she flipped her hair out of her face and giggled. "We got along quickly."

Another layer died away.

"Did this wonder woman have a name?" Chouji asked as he shoved his hands in his pocket, Ino rolled her eyes.

"We were ordered to go by different names. She knew me as Diyu, I knew her as Huniya." she sighed and looked at the sky.

"She reminded me of so many things...." she looked ahead and pointed, "Malt shop!" she said happily. Chouji only laughed as all the static dissipated when she took his hand and dragged him toward the little washboard stand.

"1 Double Chocolate Fudge malt-"

"One straw." Ino cut in with a bright smile. Chouji rolled his eyes as he paid the man. "You could have said you were gonna drink it all. I would have ordered 2." he handed her the malt and she shook her head.

"We can share." Chouji smiled. Ever since Shikamaru and Temari had gone on that three week honeymoon trip Ino insisted they share everything.

"Ino, why don't we just get another straw?" he asked as she took a gulp, then handed it to him.

"'Cause, I like it better after you backwash." he rolled his eyes.

"I do not backwash, we've been over this." he took a sip. She laughed and looped her arm around his.

"Oh chill Chouji. Even if you did I'd be fine with it." she smiled and leaned against him as he shook his head and began to walk her home.

"So, you wanna go to the movies or something tomorrow, I have nothing else to do." Ino said in a lazy tone.

"Sure, why not, I may have to bring the kid though, Temari might be busy and I-"

"Oh please don't tell me you're still trying to get him to smile at you." Chouji only laughed and ruffled the back of Ino's hair.

"He's the closest thing to a kid I've got!" Chouji smiled and kicked a few rocks on the road. As they got closer to Ino's house, the more she seemed to want to avoid it.

"Chouji, will you sleep over?" she asked suddenly out of the blue.

"Umm, eww, Ino." he stared at her. "You're like my sister."

"No moron, I mean just spend the night at my house. It's really quiet in there and it freaks me out." Ino gave him a sweet pleading look.

"Ino, look. I know it's quiet in your house, but why not get a puppy?" She made a soft sound of protest in her throat.

"But Chouji, I swear, it's just for tonight." she asked him, standing in front of him and holding his arm. "Please."

"Ino, no, I don't have any clothes to change into." she sighed, then her face brightened up.

"Then I'll stay at your house!" she tried, but Chouji groaned.

"Ino come on, this is ridiculous!"

"Chouji, please." Ino looked up at him through teary, desperate eyes. Chouji sighed.

"Damn it Ino... Fine."

Chouji turned abruptly and headed toward his house, Ino jumped up happily and followed him with a bright smile. "Thank you." she said, hugging his arm as she caught up to him.

"Just hush and keep up with me." he said with a coy smile.