A/N: Ino was used to getting her way 'just cause'.

Writer: theGirlwithtoomanyOTPs

Date: 03/15/2015

Setting: Anime-Verse

Genre: Friendship/Angst/Romance

Rating: K-K+

Just Cause

Ino was a temperamental spoiled rotten brat.

There was no other way of saying it. It just was true.

She was bossy, stubborn, easily angered, vain and prideful.

She never denied it but she'd never want to hear it.

But she was one of the most loyal, sincere, caring, dedicated and thoughtful person Shikamaru had ever met.

He'd met her first on her fourth birthday party.

He'd been long friends with Chouji before and they'd always here their parents tell them about some girl they were going to be friends with.

They'd never met her before because her father didn't want her leaving the house until she was old enough to tell her full name, address, and parents' name and of course, learn to read where the police and jounin stand by station was.

Inoichi just seemed over-protective of his baby Ino like that. If Inoichi hadn't been a shinobi, no, if he could've dissuaded Ino from the shinobi life, he would have.

So they met her and she was everything Shikamaru disliked about girls. His opinion being formed with his countless cousins and acquaintances outside the clan compound.

"Ino, these are Shikamaru and Chouji," Inoichi introduced the platinum blonde hair with cold blue eyes threw aside a doll she'd just gotten from an aunt. She wore a small frown and inspected the two boys. "These are your new best friends!"

Shikamaru stared back as coldly while Chouji smiled good-naturedly.

Shikaku ruffled Shikamaru's hair, sensing the staredown would lead to tension.

"Where're my gifts?" She asked pointedly, noting their empty hands. Everyone had given her gifts. It was her birthday today and everyone gives the birthday girl gifts.

They looked at her questioningly.

"It's my birthday. Gifts!" She held out her hand.

Inoichi laughed and ruffled his own daughter's head.

Shikamaru frowned. It had been his birthday yesterday too but she didn't drop by to give him any gift. He suppose that wasn't fair since they just met. But still.

"My gifts!" She repeated, annoyed.

"Why would I give you a gift?"

Chouji stared at his friend. It's her birthday! You're supposed to give the celebrant a gift! Like he gave him that karuta set yesterday. He even got his otou-san to buy him his own set so they could play together. And did Shikamaru forget he gave him a handmade kite for his birthday a few months ago?

Ino went puce. "It's my birthday!"

Was this boy stupid? Everyone knows you give presents on the birthday celebrant!

"So?" He coolly asked.

"You give me a present! That's the rule!" She scowled. What a stupid boy!

"Why?" He retorted, fighting a smirk in his face so she won't find out he was messing with her.

"Just cause!" She yelled.

Shikaku and Choza were at a loss to stop the fight. And Inoichi was no help. He wouldn't control his girl. He just smiled at his recious child like nothing was wrong.

Ino glared at Shikamaru. "Daddy, he doesn't have any present for me! Make him go!"

The Nara boy did not look fazed.

Chouji immediately procured the present his own father had been holding and offered it to Ino.

"Shikamaru and I bought it for you!" He told the blinking girl. "I heard my girl cousins like playing with them I hope you like them! Shikamaru chose them!"

Ino suspiciously looked at Shikamaru as she tore off the wrappings.

It was a pair of hanetsuki. She liked the girls in the purple and pink kimonos on them.

She sniffed and did not make a comment as she turned away. But they heard her mutter, "fine, they can stay!"

Despite this bad first impression, they made best friends and best teammates.

Shikamaru could read her inside and out with a look despite her saying that his readings were wrong. They would have long been dead in some mission or another if he couldn't interpret her every action.

She was troublesome as women and girls can go but she was his friend so he tried to listen and care and whatever it was that she wanted him to do. He was fond of her and it wasn't because of the dreams and fantasies he'd started to have with her when he started his puberty. He respected her and trusted her and loved her. So he pushed those away.

She'd always ask him if he liked anyone. At first, he'd blush and say 'no' outright. But then she'd get a creepy weird look that reminded him of times she wanted to use her kekkei genkai on some kid or another just because they annoyed her or 'just cause'. So he learned to answer another way.

'Girls are too troublesome.'

'I'll marry the plainest civilian girl but I can't be bothered to look now. I'm too busy.'

'How can I think of even liking a girl when there's a huge possibility of them becoming like my mom or you?'

She'd take offense and try to beat him up but he'd usually get away.

Maybe his sense of beauty or plain-ishness was warped because he grew up with one of the prettiest girls in the whole land, but by the time he did start dating, it was a civilian girl from Yukigakure who was in town to visit family.

Her name was Amiko and she was definitely beautiful. She had long black hair, caramel colored eyes, red lips that made Shikamaru constantly think about kissing her whenever possible and perfectly flawless cream skin. She was a good cook, could play the shamisen perfectly, was learned in language, arts and history and liked to play shogi with him. She was basically perfect.

Shikamaru believed he was falling in love with her and told his teammates and friends that he's considering asking her hand in marriage even with only two months of meeting.

Ino, who'd always pushed him to date this girl or that girl so he could settle down and have babies and retire early as he always planned, was the last person he thought that would react badly to the announcement.

Whenever he brought Amiko along, she would do her best to ignore her or made subtle nasty remarks and made fun of her being oblivious to the ways of shinobi. Amiko, if she could tell, did not return any ill word. She'd always tell Shikamaru what a wonderful, brave and smart girl Yamanaka Ino is. That she could never become a kunoichi like her even if she wanted to be. Shikamaru would shrug.

Amiko was putting up her hair and adjusting her kimono when an annoying pounding started on his apartment door.

"It's so early," she said. "Who could that be?"

"Probably Ino," he sighed and led her to the door as the knocker made herself known, shrieking his name and probably waking up the neighbors. "See?"

"Shika! Wake up, you lazy bastard!"

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry I can't walk you back home," he said. "I need to finish these paperwork for the Hokage."

"Shikamaru! Open this door or I'll break it down for you!"

"I understand." She smiled gently. "I'll see you around."

"SHIKA, I'M COUNTING TO THREE!"

He nodded and grumbled and opened the door and Ino stopped mid-count as her eyes fell on Amiko and Shikamaru.

"O-oh… I d-didn't know you had company," she murmured quietly. She nodded to Amiko. "Ohayo, Shiyaki-chan."

"Ohayo, Ino-chan," Amiko smiled sweetly and seemed to not notice the small frown curling in Ino's lips. "I must take my leave now. I'll see you two around. Shikamaru-kun."

Shikamaru nodded and they watched her leave. Once out of sight, Ino clicked her town, pushed Shikamaru aside and let herself in with a grumble. She headed to the kitchen and dumped a pack of homemade tea in his small counter.

"Oh," he exclaimed. "Thanks, Ino! I was running out of these!"

Ino stepped away from him as he opened the box of the Yamanaka tea specialty which had more than fifteen flavors to their name.

"I'm going to make some," he yawned. It was too early for him after all. "You want a cup?"

"Hmmph," Ino replied, crossing her arms and sitting on a stool, nose stuck in the air and eyes closed.

He looked at her for a second and thought better of asking. It would just be too troublesome. He settled on warming up some water and then rummaged on the fridge for some butter to make some toast.

By the time that tea had been served for both of them and the toast set between them as he sat on the stool opposite her, she still hadn't spoken or moved.

She didn't look at him. What the hell's her problem? She's seen him without a shirt on before.

"Oi, troublesome woman," he called to her when he finished his second cup. "What's wrong with you today?"

She turned to him with an angry glare, her blue eyes crystal steel.

He didn't get her at all. She'd been acting so weird lately and he couldn't make out why. He shrugged.

"Whatever."

There was silence as he finished his toast and she glared at him without hinder.

When he got up to put away the dishes, she muttered softly, "you can't marry her."

He stopped in his tracks and turned to her once he'd put the dishes on the sink and looked at her questioningly. What was she going on about now?

"Why not? She's perfect."

She seemed to wince in her seat. She wasn't glaring now. There was softness in her eyes but a hint of determined anger.

"She's… she's not perfect!"

"Give me one reason she isn't."

She scowled at him and he smirked smugly. "You can't even name one."

"You can't marry her!" She'd stood up and he noted the shaking fists on her side.

What was she so angry about? Or was it anger or fear in her eyes?

Ino cared. She cared a lot. She knew marriage was a serious thing but he knew what he was going to get into. What's wrong then? Amiko was a good woman. She couldn't even say anything wrong with her and Ino was the biggest tease in the world. One look and she'd find a weakness in you and tease you mercilessly about it with no end. Was it because Amiko was a foreigner? Was it because she thought he would go to Yukigakure with her because Amiko said she couldn't bear being away from her family? Shikamaru would bring her entire clan here if he had to. Ino had nothing to fear. The dolt, really. A separation anxiety. So that's what all it was.

"Ino, if you're worried about me moving to Yuki, it's not happening." Shikamaru told his friend calmly. "I'm a Konoha nin-"

"You can't marry her!" She yelled louder. "Do you get me?! You can't!"

"And why not?"

She looked terrified and looked away, turning from him. "Just cause!"

There it was again. What a brat.

Shikamaru frowned. She was getting on his nerves. If he wanted to marry Amiko, she'd have to deal with it. He wasn't staying single forever just because she wanted to!

"Amiko is a perfectly suitable woman, more suitable than anyone I know," he snapped. "I like her. She likes me. We're a good match-"

She didn't let him finish as she rounded on him again. The tears in her eyes catching him off guard as she cried, "yeah, so she's perfect! She's suitable! She's what you want! Doesn't mean you're going to be perfect for each other! You barely know each other and you want to marry her! Some of us are better fit for you, you idiot! She isn't the only girl in the world!"

Shikamaru reached for her face. She always hated crying openly in front of him in fear of showing weakness that he might hound her with for the rest of her life. To cry like this, something must be really wrong.

He was about to wipe her tears when she slapped his hand away.

"Some of us could be better for you if you gave us a chance!" She shrieked. "I'm not perfect! I'm 'troublesome'! But I know I'm the one for you! I'm the best option! The only option! I'm perfect for you too! More perfect! She's just some pretty new girl! I've been here for you for most of our lives! I'm your girl! I love you, you moron!"

She then grabbed his face with both perfectly manicured hands down to hers and kissed him in wild abandon. With everything that she had and every emotion she felt, she poured it into the kiss, into his mouth, into him. Hoping, hioping, he would open his eyes and see.

And before he could react, she was gone. Out his apartment and slamming door. Leaving him in shock with the taste of her tears and the sweet taste of her lips.