A/N: My last chapter has undergone quite a bit of surgery because I was in a hurry to publish and posted it before I was really happy with it. You might want to go back and reread it. I overhauled the apartment scene and tweaked the end to make it less abrupt and OOC for Hinata.

I'm concerned that this chapter is a little out of place, but I felt the need to give a glimpse into Shikamaru's past and current dynamic with Ino since he mentioned it to Kiba in Chapter 2… plus, it does help the plot progress a little bit.

Nothing about the Naruto series is my original work except my own stories about the creator's characters.

Oh, I almost forgot because I'm a big jerkface... *sweatdrop* thanks to SilverWolfStar for beta-reading this for me!

Chapter 6: Plotting

"Okay," Ino started as they sat at the booth, "You're the master strategist. What do you suggest?"

"I suggest, first of all, that we go somewhere else. Crowds are bothersome."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. The bar was packed, and the jukebox blared louder than all the patrons' voices combined.

"How about we go to your place? Mine's a mess."

"Fine… You're such a burden."

"So, anyway," she continued as they set off, "Hinata has just been wandering the streets, not saying a word to anyone. She won't eat. She's scaring me."

"I had to kick Kiba out this morning so he'd actually see the light of day. He's just been bummin' around my apartment like a poor, heartbroken loser."

"Aw, cut him some slack. You've been there, haven't you?" She winked at him.

Shikamaru's back stiffened. "Don't bring that up. We're only teaming up like this for them. Leave us out of it." He remembered what he'd told Kiba about his rapport with his ex-girlfriend and realized he'd been lying to himself. This sucked.

"What, you don't miss me?"

"No way. You were so annoying." Shikamaru had learned that with Ino, the term 'high maintenance' was a grievous understatement.

"That's not what you used to say when we… you know..." Her implication trailed off but made a direct hit as she traced her index finger along his bicep.

Shikamaru stopped dead in his tracks and glowered at her, pulling his arm from her reach.

"You're a bitch."

He said it in his usual bored tone, but with an edge to it, emphasizing the last word.

Ino felt like she'd just been slapped. That was the meanest thing he'd ever said to her.

"Oh, really?" she challenged the spiky-ponytailed slacker. "'Bitch' this."

She slammed him against the nearest wall, kissing him with a fury that would rival the Kyuubi's.

He pushed her away quickly. "Get off me! Temari'll have my head on a pike…"

"Oh, so you're just worried about her finding out?"

"No. I don't want you all over me like this."

"I can tell differently," she singsonged coquettishly, noting his quickened breathing.

"Damn it… Just cut it out. Haven't you done enough to screw me over?" He turned his back to the kunoichi, crossing his arms. She hugged him, leaning her cheek against his back. He escaped her grasp again, keeping her away with his shadow possession jutsu.

"What's your problem?" he implored her. "We're done. Over. I have someone else. Why are you messing with my head?"

"I…" Her cocky smirk softened into a wistful smile. "I… kinda miss you?"

"That's a crock. What about Sai?" To see the face the shinobi made upon mentioning the fake-smiled one, you would think he'd smelled something foul.

Ino had latched onto the other man – who, incidentally, slightly resembled Sasuke - the second he dubbed her 'gorgeous.' She never actually cheated on Shikamaru, but it was clear to him that she mentally checked out of the relationship when Sai arrived on the scene.

His father tried to convince him that it was just innocent flirting - a phase - and that his mother had behaved the exact same way at that age. Regardless, his pride would not allow him to stand by and watch his girlfriend fawn over another guy.

"Oh… Sai?" Ino asked, as if he'd brought up someone from the distant past. "I cut him loose weeks ago. He's decent-looking, but he's a jackass. He's not romantic. He has no sense of humor. He has no clue how to please a woman. None of his books can help him there. You're much better than him…"

She paused, realizing what she'd said, and attempted a recovery. "…not that that means much." She fought back the blush threatening to color her cheeks.

Shikamaru simply gave her a look of exasperation, wishing the subject of his sexual prowess would be dropped. She'd taught him everything he knew, and she knew it.

Ino lost the attitude then. She gave up her ever-present swagger for a split second and looked at the ground. "I'm really sorry I hurt you, Shika."

Shikamaru's eye twitched when he heard the affectionate diminutive. Nobody had ever called him that but her.

"We're… off topic." He released the technique so she could walk. "We're supposed to be figuring out how to help Kiba and Hinata."

"I've never seen you focus this much on a task before."

"You've never had to share your apartment with a depressed guy and his enormous, equally moody pet for a week, have you?" Shikamaru retorted. His face relaxed and he sighed, rubbing one of his temples to ward off a headache. "Are you going to behave yourself now?"

Ino pouted, but nodded. "You're no fun."

"Really. I mean it. Cool it." Her pout made him smile a little despite his best efforts to stay serious.

In response to his thaw, she smiled back. "Miss Thing's one lucky chick."

He couldn't avoid a hollow, quiet laugh as they started to walk again.

"We need to get them somewhere alone together… but how can we do it without being too obvious?" Shikamaru threw the question over his shoulder, making a point of not looking at Ino.

He was contemplating a number of things, and the one thought he tried hardest to push to the back of his mind was the most persistent: 'Of course, she'd pull this on me after I've got another girl. Why are women so troublesome?'

"I have an idea… Let's go talk to Sakura!" She grabbed his hand and took off running.

The pink-haired girl leaned against the control panel and blew a huge bubble that matched her hair. It fell from her mouth, making aplop sound on the concrete when she saw him coming. They'd known each other for years and had been dating for months, but he could still make her jaw drop when he caught her off guard. She couldn't believe how long it had taken her to see how beautiful he was, inside and out.

"Hi, handsome…"

"Hello, darling." Lee enfolded Sakura in his strong, bandaged arms and rubbed his nose against hers, chuckling. "It appears that you have lost your gum." He was completely oblivious to the reason.

"I'm so glad you're here…. I'm bored out of my mind! This place is dead." She indicated the sedentary rides and inert teenagers slouching on chairs in the game booths.

"Is that all I am to you?" he questioned with an artificial look of hurt on his face. "Entertainment?"

"Among other things…" She grabbed the front of his signature green bodysuit and pulled him toward her for a kiss.

"Gawd… Get a room, you guys!"

Their lips separated and they saw Ino, rolling her eyes, with a disgruntled Shikamaru in tow.

"Ino-pig!" Sakura chimed. "What brings you here?" She rotated so that she could face her friend without having to leave her boyfriend's embrace.

"You've heard about Kiba and Hinata, right, forehead girl?"

"Who hasn't?"

"It is very sad," Lee nodded from behind Sakura's shoulder. "They were so well-suited to one another."

"Well," Ino continued, trying not to puke watching the disgustingly adorable couple in front of her, "I have a plan to get them back together. But I need your help."

"The oldest trick in the book, eh?" Sakura arched an eyebrow.

"Bingo."

A/N: So – yay… Shikamaru and Ino are plotting, and weird dumper's remorse stuff is goin' down. I can't help but think of "Gives You Hell" by the All American Rejects when I think of Shika and Ino. :-p

On a related note, I was actually looking on YouTube for a Shika/Ino AMV set to that song (there aren't any, believe it or not) when I stumbled across "Konoha High School." It's a fan comic - Kind of a cool AU treatment. It has me intrigued. It's written originally in Spanish, but there are English translations, too. Lee's a little OOC for my tastes, but it's still fun – besides, it's an AU story. Akatsuki hangs out and eats pizza at Itachi's house, for chrissakes.

Quick little plug for my other stuff – I have 2 ShikaTema oneshots and I'm working on a SakuLee multichap. I'd really appreciate reads and reviews.