So, it's been a while, don't kill me '^^. The truth is I had a really bad case of writers block, I must have re-written this chapter 20 times. Then I suddenly woke up this morning at like 2:00 AM and I knew exactly what to write.

It's pretty crazy how you get inspired at the weirdest times isn't it?

I don't want to make this fic too long so I'll probably be finishing up soon but then again I don't like to rush things, so we'll see how things go.

"I said wait!"

Sighing, Shikamaru turned around knowing that ignoring Ino would just make him bother her even more, "What do you want Ino?"

He gave her one of those annoying grins of his, "Nothing really."

"Then why are you bothering me?" Shikamaru sighed for the thousandth time that day. Turning to walk away she brought her fingers to her mouth as a habit to hold her cigarette and…

Nothing.

Annoyed she spun around and glared at Ino who was holding her cigarette between his thumb and fore finger, raising it above his head so that it was out of her reach, giving her a smug look. He might've looked more feminine but he was definitely taller.

She was a little surprised that Ino was able to take it without her noticing, maybe she'd underestimated his abilities.*But, she quickly shook off her state of shock and glared at him, she was not in the mood for one of Ino's 'games'.

Slowly inhaling and exhaling in order to maintain her cool she managed to let out a calm, "Ino give it back."

He smirked at her giving her one of his 'I'm not giving up without a fight' looks, Shikamaru sighed and turned to start walking away not in the mood to put up with Ino's childish behavior.

She was about a few feet away when she heard his taunt, "Too chicken to stand up for yourself?" Stopping in her tracks she felt her fists clench, "Chicken?" She growled through clamped teeth.

Taunts didn't really bother her because she knew they weren't true but there was just something about Ino and that stupid face of his that just ticked her off.

Ino obviously delighted that he had gotten to her, quickly took advantage of the situation and continued to tempt her. "You should be glad you know, I'm doing you a favor actually. A couple of years from now your lungs will be all black and shriveled." With that he threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it.

Shikamaru gritted her teeth, it was taking all she had not to go all out on him. She didn't know what it was, the most annoying and persuasive enemy could try to provoke her and she wouldn't respond but with Ino she just got so pissed off.

"If it's a fight you're looking for Ino you're gonna be getting one pretty soon."

Seeing how serious she was Ino backed up a little, "Geez, why do you always have to be so uptight?"

She scowled, "Me uptight? Are you kidding me? Have you already forgotten about your little 'episode' the other day? If anyone's uptight it's you!"

Ino stared at her in amazement, he'd never seen Shikamaru loose her cool like that before. 'Wow, I can't believe she actually yelled at me,' he marveled '...Wait! She yelled at me?! Who the hell does she think she is?!'

Ino now also pissed carelessly retaliated, "Gosh Shikamaru you're still thinking about that? You need to let go of the past! You're so depressing, like how you're always mourning over Asuma. Is that why you smoke cigarettes? To remind you of him? Huh? What were you? Like in love with him or some-SLAP

...

...

...

It seemed like silence passed over them for the longest of time.

Ino raised his hand to feel his throbbing cheek.

Had Shikamaru really just smacked him? Ino knew he could be a pushover at times and that he never knew when to stop, but this time he knew he'd gone too far.

Shikamaru stood there still looking at him not with anger filled eyes anymore, but eyes filled with disappointment.

"Don't you dare speak about Asuma that way. You don't even care do you? All you care about is yourself, you're the most selfish person I know." Her voice was surprisingly calm and her eyes now reflected pity.

She turned her back to him, "You're not even worth my time"

She started to walk away again then stopped. "...and you know what else? Asuma may be dead but he'll be more a man than you ever will be."

For the first time in a long time Ino found himself unable to say anything.

"A real man tries and resolves problems, not cause them

'A real man lets an insult or a hurtful word or two pass without trying to get even, because he's the bigger man

'A real man can admit when he's wrong

'A real man considers others feelings

Tell me Ino, are you a real man?"

Ino opened his mouth ready to respond but once again nothing came out. He couldn't say anything because he knew everything she'd just said hadn't described him at all

His face was red from anger and embarrassment, he could feel her smirking at his silence.

"That's what I thought. So I guess you shouldn't get angry the next time someone calls you a girl...Huh, pretty boy?" with that she continued walking leaving Ino staring after her, hurt by her words.

Pretty boy

He couldn't believe she'd called him that. Her of all people, that word was taboo to him like fat was to Choji and she knew that.

...

She'd been there when it had happened after all.

Now I know what you're thinking, pretty boy? Really? It was between namby- pamby, cream puff and momma's boy lol

So anyway until next time, which hopefully won't take another 5 months or something.

*I know you're not supposed to start a sentence with but, but you know