Section 23: Meet My Dad, Shikamaru...

"C'mon Ino, it's getting late, and I don't feel like walking all the way to your house."

"Please! I want you to stay over... pleassssseee!"

"Ugh... I guess she's caught on to the fact that I'm a whipped bastard now." Shikamaru sighs helplessly, "Fine, I'll stay over your stupid house."

Ino bounced up, and latched on wildly to Shikamaru's arm, "Ahh! Thank you Shika-baby!"

Shikamaru bolted his head in anger, "I told you to stop calling me that! Shika-baby, pshh... It makes me sound so stupid."

Ino cuddled against his arm in a loving way, "Oh c'mon, you love it sweetie!"

Shikamaru slapped his palm onto his face in disgust with himself, "This relationship stuff bites. She'll never call you by your real name ever again."

Ino dragged an unenthusiastic Shikamaru all the way across town to her small home. She knocked on the door, since she had forgotten her key at Shikamaru's house. Answering the door was Ino's father, Inoshi.

"Ino, you're late!" He looks over and sees Shikamaru standing there. "...and what's Shikamaru doing here?"

"Well...Daddy, can he pleassssseee stay over?!"

"Why would you want to spend the night together? It's not like you two are in love or anything!" Inoshi began to laugh at his joke, unknowingly.

"Hehe... well, that's not entirely...true." Shikamaru said rubbing the back of his head. Ino looked over to him and gasped in fear. She looked back at her father who was standing in the doorway silently now.

"...Oh...Really... So my little girl has met a guy now...?" He places his fist firmly in the palm of his other hand, and began to crack his knuckles in an intimidating fashion.

Ino looked at him in horror, "Shikamaru! You've done it now!" Shikamaru looked up at Inoshi, who's eyes had noticeable flames, and too a big gulp.

Inoshi held out his hand and said holding back his anger, "Since you are with my daughter... it's a custom to shake hands..."

Shikamaru reluctantly lifted his hand, and held it out in front of him. Inoshi grabbed his hand, and shook it normally. Shikamaru smiled nervously, "Th...Thank you, sir." Inoshi's grip tightened and his teeth clinched tightly in anger during his threatening smile.

Inoshi released Shikamaru's hand, and moved out of the doorway. "Come on in." Ino walked in first, with an expression of humiliation from her father's actions. Following her was Shikamaru, who looked up nervously at Inoshi. Inoshi looked down at him with his eyes narrowed, and flames manifested behind him through Shikamaru's imagination.

"Oh man, this is bad..." he thought as he could feel the death stares to his back as he continued past Inoshi. Him and Ino headed straight to her room, trying to avoid Inoshi and all of his overprotective fatherly rage.

Inoshi stepped between the door-way of her room, with his arms crossed still giving Shikamaru the stare down. "Now, he can stay under one condition Ino..."

Ino rolled her eyes, and began to get irritated with her nagging father. "Yes dad...?"

"You have to clean the flower shop before you go to bed, it's a filthy mess you know?"

Ino flailed her arms up, "Dad! C'mon!"

"Humph, then the boy leaves..."

Ino cringes, "...Fine I'll go!" She stomps out down the hall, moving around Inoshi. He watches her head down the hall, and then turns quickly back to Shikamaru. Shikamaru flies back in fear, holding up his arms defensively. Inoshi approaches him in a sinister way, with an evil grin on his face. He leans forward with his hand extended in a threatening pose.

He latches onto Shikamaru's shoulder, "...I trust you boy. You're the son of my long time partner, so I'd have it no other way.

Shikamaru grinned in relief, "Thanks."

Inoshi lashes his finger into Shikamaru's face suddenly, "...but if you ever hurt my Ino..." He grinned sinisterly, "...I'll kill you, understand?"

Shikamaru sat there with a nervous grin, "Of course, of course... Aye, Aye, Aye... Love is a death wish."

Inoshi stood up straight looking down on Shikamaru, "...and no funny business... or I won't just kill you, I'll do it slowly."

Shikamaru gulped nervously, "...definitely a death wish..."

Ino popped through the doorway and saw her father's intimidating tactics. "Dad! Stop it!" She ran over in between the two, and started pushing Inoshi out of her room. "Stop scaring him!"

Trying to resist the pushing, "...but..! No...! Wait...!"

"I did what you ask, now leave me alone!" She got him out, and shut the door behind him with a slam.

Inoshi lashed around, opened the door again, and peaked through towards Shikamaru. "Remember boy...!"

"DAD!" Inoshi retreated and shut the door. Ino sighed, and turned to the scarred Shikamaru. "I'm sorry about my dad... are you ok?"

Shikamaru scratched his head in confusion, "I guess I am... he's a scary dude... and he knew me too. I can imagine what would have happened if he didn't."

Ino jumps onto Shikamaru, making him lay back onto her bed. She positioned herself over him, "Oh, c'mon, its just my dad, he would never do anything to you!" She gave him a quick, but loving kiss, "I promise!"

Shikamaru smiled back, "Alright then, but could you get up though? You're crushing me."

Ino shot up as if she were severely offended, "Crushing you?! What're you saying I'm FAT?!" A large drop of sweat rolled down the side of his head, as he sighed disconsolately, "...Women... I've got my hands full now..."