Ohayo, and for those of you going, "what, is it wednesday already?" ... no it's not. But as all of the lovely people who reviewed know (I love you all btw!) I decided to add up the ShikaIno chapter early as a thank you for the great response I had to the last chapter and I also want to say a humongous thank you to AsianAnimeGoddess because she just started reading and still reviewed every single chapter, I cannot tell you how much I giggled the rest of the day after that! Lol.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and aren't too put off by all the Japanese words I added (yeah, after watching the eps in Jap I'm starting to pick it up... it bugs my friends anyway! So I've listed the words at the end if you get stuck!). Enjoy! Nessiexxx

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"SHIKAMARU YOU'D BETTER STOP YOUR LAZY BUTT THIS MINUTE OR I'LL TELL ASUMA IT WAS YOU WHO STOLE HIS PACKET OF CIGARETTES" Ino yelled after the genius ninja clutching her clothes.

"Troublesome girl" muttered Shikamaru before he stopped and sat down with his back to the tree he had stopped under.

"You can stop your yelling; we're here anyway" he told Ino. Ino stopped as she realized he'd lead her here all along. She stood, panting slightly, and looked at his relaxed form and glared.

"And where exactly is here?" she asked him grumpily.

"The greatest spot in all of Konoha" he replied with his eyes closed.

Ino looked around. She noticed she was back by the river and stood under a big oak tree that seemed to tower over the surrounding area. Past the river she could see the houses of Konoha in the distance and beyond that were the mountains containing the faces of the past and present Hokages. It was quite breathe taking.

"It's better from up there" Shikamaru said lazily, not even bothering to gesture.

Ino looked up into the big tree and saw a small platform part way up and a rope tied next to it. Upon closer examination she realised that the rope was actually a make shift swing that went out over the river.

"Oh Shika-kun" she squealed. "Can we go up?" she asked, literally bouncing on the spot. Shikamaru looked over and rolled his eyes.
"Mendouksai" he moaned. Ino took this as a yes and squealed even further. She turned around and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" he asked, keeping his disappointment to himself.

Ino turned and rolled her eyes at him. "To get a run up" she snided with that tone of voice she uses that clearly said 'and you're supposed to be the clever one'.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes but got up and out of her way. As soon as he'd moved Ino put her hands together and started moving her chakra to her feet…only, it didn't. She tried again, still nothing.

"Dousta?"

"I think I used up too much chakra during the water battle" she sighed as she walked dejectedly back to the tree.

"So?" he asked.

"I wanted to see the view and go on the swing" she sighed, annoyed.

"Why can't you just climb it normally?" he pointed out causing Ino to look at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Do I look like the sort of girl who spent her childhood climbing trees?" she replied sarcastically.

"Troublesome girl" muttered Shikamaru, earning a glare from said girl. "Look, it's easy. All you've got to do is use the knots as steps"

"Knots?"

"Ergh" he moaned. "They're the bits that stick out from the tree" he explained before sighing again at her look of disbelief. "Just follow me and copy what I do" He walked up to the tree before expertly grabbing onto one of the knots and hoisting himself up. Ino looked, shrugged, and copied.

If felt like she had been climbing forever before she watched Shikamaru finally swing himself up and onto the branch holding the platform. She was incredibly aware that her finger nails were now full of dirt and that her hair was coming loose, not to mention that her knees were grazed. 'Note to self' she thought. 'Next time you go tree climbing, make sure you're wearing more then just your underwear' Thinking about how long she had been climbing, she looked down and her eyes widened. They were a lot higher up then she had originally imagined, and she was now terrified of falling. The ground seemed so far away it was making her dizzy. She started to panic and looked up and into the face of Shikamaru.

"Dousta?" he asked.

"It's just… I mean…" she stuttered, trying her hardest not to look down again. "I didn't realize we were this high up"

"Ino" he smiled which, even in her current state, she noted for the rare occasion it was. "You don't have to be scared. You've already come this far, it's only a little further, and besides, I'm here"

Ino nodded and made it the rest of the way towards the branch, however when she got there she realized just how tricky it was going to be to get over it.

"I can't do it"

"Of course you can. Just reach for that knot there and pull yourself up, it's easy" he assured her. Ino gulped before reaching out, but as she did so she felt her other hand slip and she screamed as she felt the pull of gravity. A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist as she felt herself stop falling and watched as Shikamaru easily swung her up onto the branch next to him.

"Mendouksai" he mumbled again and Ino was just about to yell at him for his lack of concern when she looked at his face. In his eyes held a deep sense of worry and relief and she realized his hands felt slightly clammy. Shikamaru suddenly realized he was still clutching her hand and quickly released it.

"You alright?" he asked, seemingly casual, but Ino heard the concern there.

Ino just nodded before looking around and gasped. The view from the bottom had been wonderful, but it was abysmal in comparison to the view now. Ino hadn't realized just how late it was getting but the pinks in the sky where the sun was beginning to disappear behind the mountains were giving her a clue. Below them was Konoha, laid out for all to see. Ino realized she could make out everything, from her families flower shop, to her house and Skaura's, and the Uchiha estate and the Hokage mansion and tower and the academy…it was all right there. And she could even make out little doll shaped people walking around.

"It's amazing" she breathed quietly as Shikamaru took a seat against the main trunk again. "Uhuh" he agreed. He'd seen it so many times before; it wasn't as amazing to him now. But it did aid him in relaxing on a cloudless day.

When the novelty had finally worn off, Ino looked around and noticed the rope hanging next to her.

"You want a go?" Shikamaru asked lazily.

"No" replied Ino quickly, eyes widening.

"Why not?" he asked again, the idea suddenly intriguing him.

"After almost falling to my death, I am in no hurry to do it again" she assured him.

"I caught you didn't I" he grinned, getting up from his position.

"Hai, demo…"

"Oh come on Ino, you're not afraid are you?" he tormented.

'HAI' screamed her mind but she wouldn't let him know that. "No"

"Don't worry. We'll go on together"

"Fine" she assured him. "Not that you need to, but I can't leave you here on your own" she added, just to make sure he wasn't going to back out. She grabbed the rope and headed to the edge of the platform, once there she took one look down and gulped. She started to move backwards but she collided with a solid form.

"It's perfectly safe Ino; I've done it hundreds of times"

"I'm not afraid" she assured him quickly. "I was just…" But she didn't have time to argue as he quickly took hold of the rope with his arms around her and pushed them off. Ino screamed as he laughed before feeling her almost bare back against his bare chest. 'Kuso' he cursed, 'I'd forgotten she was only in her underwear'

Ino calmed down when she felt Shikamaru against her. Sure she was still petrified, but she just felt safer with Shikamaru there. She knew Sakura was right, she was over Sasuke, and she had been for a while. 'Be honest, you never really liked him at all. You just wanted to annoy Sakura' chided her inner self. She knew now though, and she knew that she had started growing feelings towards her team mate. What those feelings were was still unclear, but she knew she had them.

Shikamaru, meanwhile, was having similar thoughts. He knew there was something about Ino, beyond her nagging and moaning and constant talking… 'Troublesome girl' he told himself. 'Why couldn't you have picked someone quiet and shy, like Hinata' Then he thought back to how Ino had said that Hinata liked Naruto… 'Maybe opposites do attract' he thought.

"See, nothing to it" grinned Shikamaru as he pushed them off again.

"Hai" agreed Ino, still clinging to the rope. "I told you I wasn't scared, that was all you. Why would I be scared of a little thing like this, ne? I'm a kunoichi, and we're not afraid of anything" she continued to babble on and Shikamaru rolled his eyes before being overtaken by a genuinely evil idea. As they hovered over the middle of the river again he quickly let go and tickled under her arms.

"SHIKAMARU" she cried in laughter, causing her to let go. It wasn't until that moment that she realized his motive and that they were now hurtling downwards.

She instantly turned and clung to him for dear life, forgetting about hurting him for the moment yet managing to do so anyway by screaming in his ear.

"Trust me" He whispered in her ear as she stopped screaming and looked at him. It was in that moment that Shikamaru and Ino both realized the full intensity of their feelings as they crashed through the water.

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Mendouksai - Troublesome

Dousta - what's wrong

Hai - yes

Demo - but

Kuso - shit

ne? - right?

And there you have it. The next chapter will be posted on Wednesday as usual. Please remember to review. Up next will be a little conversation between Kurenai and a friend...