Here's a little InoShikaCho love-angst for ya, cause team 10 is just the bestest X) after Team Gai, of course, but that's something else entirely.

C a r e l e s s W h i s p e r

"I'm never gonna dance again
cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool.
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given.
So I'm never gonna dance again
the way I danced with you."

-'Careless Whisper' by Seether

She'd always liked the way Choji would smile at her whenever she'd do something right, completely supportive of whatever she'd done. He'd always been genuinely proud of her, no matter how much better than him her accomplishment had made her. Choji would grin and give her a quick kiss, and she'd shiver happily before hugging him back. When they were younger they hadn't really known what being 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' meant. They'd enjoyed being a 'couple,' and liked to kiss whenever they could, because it felt good to know the other was there.

And that's what they'd been doing, as far as she was concerned. They'd been 'having fun.' She'd grown out of the crush eventually, beginning to rely on Choji as a friend rather than as a love interest. Part of that was the diversion of Sasuke, and partly she was just growing up.

Choji hadn't just been having fun. He'd liked her for as long as he could remember, and though he wasn't obsessive he'd always pampered her, loving her like he knew a good boyfriend should. He didn't grow out of his 'crush,' continuing to like her as they continued to grow up. He still supported her, and spent most of his time convincing himself not to be jealous or gloomy. He didn't want her to be sad. He loved her that much.

Eventually she began to like someone else, her second teammate, though she didn't show it as much as she had with Choji. She flirted with him discreetly, content merely to be around him. Choji recognized this, spending most of his time enjoying her presence, and began to feel like a third-wheel. Still, he told himself to do become withdrawn would be unfair to both of his teammates, and to himself, and found a way to feel genuinely happy for them.

It took her a while to notice, but she wasn't stupid, and could tell Choji genuinely wanted her and Shikamaru to be happy. But in a way, she didn't want that. She felt like loving Shikamaru was a betrayal, and wanted Choji to be angry. She wanted a slap in the face to make her face herself. But it didn't come, and that made her angry. Choji, she eventually decided, was too nice for his own good.

And eventually, Shikamaru began to have an interest in her. She began to see him, dating him on-and-off for several years. They began to know each other better than anyone else, and they'd share countless evenings alone in her apartment. Sometimes, when she'd fall asleep on his chest, she'd begin to feel guilty, for leaving Choji behind. He isn't jealous, a small part of her mind would remind her, he doesn't mind. But she wanted him to feel jealous, to come back and tell her he loved her. She didn't want him to give her everything she wanted. That just made it harder.

"Ino, don't you have a date with Shikamaru tonight?"

She turned to Choji, brought out of her thoughts by his voice, and paused for a second before nodding. "Yeah."

"You might wanna get going then- in ten minutes this place will be swarming with shinobi filing mission reports." She looked at his face, though not daring to meet his eyes, and flinched when she saw how genuine he was. He really wanted her to be on time for her date with their teammate.

"Yeah." She repeated blankly, turning and leaving the mission office. Pausing by the door she turned around, and when Choji caught her eye he smiled, before turning back to his work.

Shout at me! She thought desperately as she ran from the office, blinking back bitter tears. Turn around and tell me you want me to stay! Dammit Chojij, tell me you love me!