Chapter 4

He awoke to the smell of fried eggs.

Sitting up he looked over at Ino who was bustling about the fire.

"I hope you're hungry. I found these quail eggs in the woods not too far off." She smiled at him.

"Yeah..." he said with a yawn. He stretched his arms up and placed his hands behind his head. "You're up early. Sleep well?"

"Yes, great, thanks. Uhh...sorry about falling asleep while you were talking. I was just tired out from the day. You weren't boring or anything...." She trailed off.

"Well, I think I was a little long winded in answering your question. I like hearing myself talk too," he joked.

Ino laughed. "And...uhh...thanks for putting me to bed. You could've just woken me up."

"You looked too beau---uh, I mean....peaceful." He blushed. Nothing like pouring out your feelings, Shikamaru.

She served him a plate of eggs.

"Thanks." He watched her go into the tent and come out with soap and a towel. "Aren't you going to eat?" He asked.

"I already did. I'm going over to take a bath." A sly smile crept on her face. "Try to refrain from peeking, if you can."

"Ugh! I didn't peek last time! You're the one who was watching me!"

"Whatever..." she said as she sauntered off, twirling several strands of leg wraps around her fingers.

Geez...one minute she's sweet and serving me eggs and the next she's accusing me of being a pervert.

He frowned down at his meal and began eating. The sound of water splashing echoed in his ears. He turned his face even more away from her direction. I will not look. He shoved the eggs in his mouth, chewing blindly.

Suddenly she gasped.

He whipped his head around to see what had happened. Only to see her sitting at the bank's edge wrapped in her towel. A butterfly was perched on her finger.

"How beautiful! Look at the colors!" She quickly turned to face him, her face changing from a beaming smile to a furious glare.

"Shikamaru!!!!!"

Tricked!!! "I'm not looking!!!!" he yelled. "You gasped....I thought something happened.....I looked around...." He stumbled on his words, feeling his face flush with embarrassment and anger. "What kind of game is this?!"

"Game?" she said as she clutched her towel around her chest. "I asked you to respect my privacy while I was taking a bath.....and.....Ughh!! Pervert!!"

He clenched his teeth. I am anything but a pervert. She wanted me to look at her. It's not like I saw anything anyways.....But if I had looked a minute sooner.....his thought trailed off as he envisioned her slipping out of her clothes.

Stop, stop, stop! He slapped his forehead, and turned back to his eggs.

No sooner had he finished his meal when he heard Ino behind him.

"Shikamaru, why don't you ever wear your hair down?"

"Huh??" He looked up at her. She was already dressed and brushing out her blonde hair.

"Your hair. What does it look like down?"

"Um...I dunno...I don't wear it down that---" he was interrupted by her hands reaching for his hair.

"BACK OFF." He gave her a serious look.

"Why? It's just hair. Let me see what it looks like down..."

"No." He pushed her hands away, placing his own hand on his head as a guard.

"Don't be a baby!" She lunged at him. He sprang to his feet, narrowly escaping her fingers.

"You....stay away from me. Forget about my hair. We've got training to do." He was confused by her mood change after her outburst about him peeking. Women are weird.

"Fine. What are the plans for today?"

"Today? Umm...today we will work on...." He thought for a second. "...Improving your accuracy when attacking with weapons." He watched a smile appear on her face.

"Do YOU get to be the TARGET!!" And without warning she fired a shuriken at him.

He skillfully leaned out of its path and frowned at her. "No.....we better start with something less......mobile."

Her fist tightened. Mocking me? I'll show him! She grabbed her kunai and charged.

He watched her come at him. When she came within striking distance he grabbed her wrist, catching her by surprise. He twisted her hand around her back, halting her attempt to assassinate him.

He sighed. "Didn't you learn from Naruto that an open attack like that only gives your enemy the advantage to counter attack." She dropped the kunai, knowing she was beat.

"Fine." He let her go.

"Okay, so help me," she said with a disgusted look.

"Alright then," he smiled, "That's the kind of attitude I want to see."