Lol, I think this is the longest chapter yet:P Sorry about updating so slowly. I've been so busy these days it's amazing.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 3: Just Friends!

Shikamaru and Temari leaped from branch to branch together. They had finished their mission a little earlier than expected and were glad that they would be able to make it to the reunion.

Shikamaru stared ahead. He could see the gates of Konoha less than half a mile away. He grinned. "It's great to be home."

Temari nodded, but she secretly liked being on a mission with her beloved Shika-kun. "So, you excited to see anyone?"

Shikamaru nodded. "My parents, Chouji, Ino…"

"Wait…Ino? I thought we had an agreement!" Temari said angrily. He better not have been seeing Ino behind my back…

"No, no, I didn't mean to say her name! I haven't seen her in 6 years, I swear!" Shikamaru assured her. Temari's eyes narrowed.

"Oh? If you have absolutely no more feelings for your blonde teammate, then why did you actually count the years that you haven't seen each other?" Temari demanded.

Being a genius, Shikamaru could come up with an answer without any hesitation. "I'm a genius, okay? Don't you think I could do that easily in my head?"

Temari scowled. She hated it when Shika used his wit against her. "Yes," she said reluctantly. "But you better be telling the truth."

"Trust me, I am." By that time, they had reached the gates. Naruto, who just happened to be passing by, shouted to the whole village, "Hey, Shikamaru and Temari are back from their mission!"

Instantly, people flooded out of houses and buildings and rushed to the gates to greet the two.

"Hey. Everything went well?" Naruto asked Shikamaru. He nodded.

"We beat those sound ninjas, every last one of them." While he spoke, Temari nodded.

"That's great! No wonder Tsunade-sama chose you two!" Naruto complimented.

"Yeah, well, we are jounins after all," Temari said, pointing to her vest.

"Okay. Well, I should get going now. That mission was really tiring! We could both use some rest." Shikamaru said and stifled a yawn.

"Bye. See you at the reunion!" Naruto said after them.

XXXXX

As soon as Shikamaru got home, he flopped onto his couch. He had moved out of his parents' house a long time ago, and now he lived in a small apartment. It was small all right, but it sure was comfy. That and he didn't have enough money to buy a house.

Not long after he fell asleep, he woke up at the sound of the phone. He groaned but reached for it. "Hello?" He answered lazily.

"Oh, Shikamaru! You're back!" Shikamaru immediately sat straight up at the sound of the voice.

"I-Ino?" He asked.

"No, I'm your mother. Of course I'm Ino!" Ino joked. "Anyways, can I come over?"

Shikamaru sighed. As much as he would enjoy a visit from his former teammate, a deal was a deal.

"I'd love to Ino, but…"

"Great! I'll be right over." Before he could say anything else, Ino hung up.

"Great. Now the person who I promised I would never talk to again is on her way here. Troublesome."

Seconds later, there was a knock on his door. Shika smoothed his hair a bit and shouted, "Coming!" Then he walked slowly to his door. I still have to keep my reputation for being the laziest ninja in Konoha, and I can't act like I like Ino or else hell will pay, he silently reminded himself as he opened the door.

A very slender Yamanaka stood in the doorway. She had changed a lot during the 6 years that they haven't seen each other. Her clothes had changed – she was wearing the traditional jounin vest over a purple long-sleeved shirt and a black skirt with a purple hem. Her hair had grown back to its original length long ago, but Ino just decided to keep her hair down to her waist. It was still tied in the same old ponytail with the same old bang covering her face, but she still looked much different from before. She looks…beautiful, thought Shika, who was in a trance.

Ino noticed this and smiled. She was used to people staring at her perfect figure. Finally Ino broke the silence. "Hi," she said, as if trying to wake Shika.

Shika snapped back to reality. "Hi," he answered simply and added lazily, "Come in." Ino did just that and sat on his couch.

"So…nice to finally see you after 6 years," Shikamaru said.

Ino smiled. "Yes. Where have you been all that time?"

Shikamaru knew she was going to ask this and had prepared a thought-provoking answer. He automatically answered, "Well, I've just been busy doing missions and fighting in wars," he said, "and all this time I've been dying to pay a visit to you, but I haven't had the slightest bit of time. I always visit Chouji in my spare time."

Ino nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. So how did the mission with Temari go?"

Shikamaru became uncomfortable. He shifted his position and answered, "It took less time than we had imagined, but everything went exactly as planned nevertheless," Shikamaru explained, satisfied with his answer.

"So I'm guessing Suna won the war." Ino said.

"Yes." Shikamaru said. For a few minutes there was an awkward silence.

"So…you seen Chouji lately?" Shikamaru asked out of the blue.

Ino nodded. "Yes, he came over today for tea, and…potato chips."

Shikamaru grinned. "Still snacking on chips, is he?" Ino smiled back.

"Yup, he's still the same old him."

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, Ino asked quietly, "Is it true?"

Shikamaru looked surprised. "What's true?"

"That you and Temari are dating?"

Shikamaru looked taken aback. "I-I don't have any idea what you are talking about, I-"

"Don't give me that, Shikamaru! I know you are!" Ino practically shouted from anger. "I saw Hinata yesterday, and she told me!"

"What? That's ridiculous! I don't even like her!" Shikamaru protested but saw the look on Ino's face – the look of pure hatred that always makes you tell the truth.

Shikamaru sighed. "Okay…Temari…isn't okay with us being friends. She thinks I love you and made me promise that I would never talk to you again."

"But why? Why, Shika-kun? You don't have to listen to her!" Ino said, ashamed of her former teammate.

"I wish I didn't have to," Shika said sadly. "Ino, I wish I could talk to you, but Temari doesn't get the fact that we're just friends! Best friends," he added.

They're best friends all right…but not for long. Heheh…Well I have to say this is like one of the longest chapters yet. So please review and I'll try to update!