A/N: I'm glad you're all enjoying the strife. I'm pleased that most of you think it's still interesting even though there hasn't been a payoff yet. As for the chapter titles, I'm aware that they suck. I'm just not interested in trying to think up clever ones. I'm one of those people that needs to have a title before they start or a good one will never come. So, please forgive that. I noticed that some different people reviewed over the past few days. Thanks! Thanks also to the tried-and-true, consistent reviewers. All of you generally give good feedback, and I really do appreciate knowing when there's something in particular you like.

"Thank you," he told Inoshi as the man took his envelope. He'd been writing letters to Ino for three weeks, as well as sending her flowers, candy, and anything else he could think of. She still wouldn't see him.

"I'm sorry, my boy," Inoshi said, turning the envelope over. "I wish I could change her mind, but she's really upset. Chouji tried to talk to her, too, and now she's not speaking to any of us."

"Sakura can't get near her, either," Shikamaru sighed. "Well, thanks for sliding that under her door for me."

"Don't give up," the elder Yamanaka said. "I know it's a hassle, but not even Ino's stubbornness can last forever."

"I'll try to remember that," he replied, and walked back down the street with a final wave.

As he wandered down the street, he wondered why she was so intent on punishing him. What had he done wrong? Why did she care what he thought, anyway? Sometimes he wondered if she cared about him at all. However, if she didn't care, why would she have become so upset? He suspected she was keeping something from him, something important. The fact rankled, but he had come to realize how much he was hurting, too. It drove him crazy to think of her upset, or crying alone in her room. Ino was troublesome, but it killed him to think that he was the reason she was unhappy. The past few weeks had made him realize how important she was to him. Now that he could actually have her, he found that he wanted her. He just wasn't quite sure what to do about it, and he wasn't sure if she would actually want him in return.

Disgusted with himself and his own musings, he stalked across town, finding himself at the residence of his best friend. He didn't even bother knocking, just walked on in as if it were his own home. Taking his shoes off, he stomped into the living room, where a lovely young woman was playing with a baby on the rug. Large green eyes looked up at him as dark eyebrows drew together in the center. "Shikamaru," Naomi murmured, scooping up the baby and cradling him in her arms. "What's the matter?"

He plopped down on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling like a petulant child. "She still won't talk to me." Sighing, he leaned his head back on the couch and let his eyes wander around the flawlessly clean room.

"Who, Ino?" Chouji asked, appearing in a doorway with a tray laden with food.

"How did you know?" he replied sourly.

"It's sort of obvious," Naomi said, missing his sarcasm. "I don't think I've ever seen you so worked up."

"That's because it's too much trouble to get worked up about things. I couldn't help it this time."

"Because you're nuts about her," Chouji added, sitting down next to him on the couch. He was dressed casually, in some loose pants and a t-shirt, which showed off his muscular neck. His hair poked out in all directions, completely unmanageable when not tucked under the cloth of his forehead protector. He carefully arranged a napkin over his lap and unfolded a small table with his free hand, setting the tray down on it. His large fingers skillfully picked out pieces of nuts and crackers as he began his afternoon snack. "Want some?"

"Why not," Shikamaru grumbled, grabbing some crackers and stuffing them in his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he leaned further into the couch. "You know, you guys have been coaching me through this whole thing, and while I appreciate your help, I'm going to stop listening to you."

Chouji choked on his food, then desperately tried not to spray crumbs everywhere as he laughed. Naomi still sat on the floor, eyes wide. "I wondered why you listened to us this long. It's your heart. You're the genius. You just always seemed so pitiful that we felt obliged."

Shikamaru groaned and slapped his forehead. "Then why didn't you guys just tell me that a long time ago?"

Naomi shrugged, watching Chouji get himself under control. "Because you didn't want us to. You wanted to talk about it with us. Now it sounds like you're actually ready to do something about it."

"It's your relationship with Ino, not ours," Chouji added, wiping his mouth with a napkin and downing some water.

"Damn it, I don't even know how I feel about her anymore," he growled. "She's gorgeous, and smart, and talented, but she's so much trouble."

"Then you need to figure out if she's worth the trouble," Chouji said, smiling at his wife. The baby gurgled and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Shikamaru thought the baby was really cute, which he was sort of ashamed of, and realized he wanted one. That was troublesome. Temari had been right all along. That was troublesome, too. He didn't like being wrong. It wasted time.

"You think too much," Naomi muttered, bouncing the baby and making silly faces until he laughed. "Just do something. Ino lets her temper get the better of her, and as much as I love her, she needs to pull her head out of her rear."

"It's just because she feels things so deeply," Chouji explained, resuming his snacking. Shikamaru noticed that he had more crumbs on him than his perpetually-eating friend did and was a bit embarrassed. "She cares more about you than anyone else. Ino's strange; she's used to being the strong one, and she doesn't like to lean on people. She told me once that you were the only person who didn't make her feel like a weakling when she talked about her problems. It's been really tough on her, not having you around."

"Then why did she date all those guys?"

"Probably because she didn't think she could have you," Naomi offered. "You didn't seem interested in girls. Probably thought they were too troublesome. She tried to make you jealous so you would notice her, she tried to forget about you by dating other people, she tried to show the world that she was okay with the boy she cared about not paying any attention to her. She thought she could stop caring about you by caring about other people instead."

"Then she stopped dating, because she realized what was going on, and then you started going with Temari. And now we are where we are," Chouji finished, polishing off his platter of food.

Shikamaru just stared at them. "How did you figure all this out?"

"We talked about it, and what we couldn't figure out, Sakura told us. She knows Ino better than anyone, maybe even you."

"We're tired of watching you fight."

"Damn," he muttered, standing up and carefully catching the crumbs on his shirt, which he dusted onto Chouji's plate. "I guess I had better get going."

"Yes. You're a few years late," Chouji said with a grin.

"Thanks, you two," Shikamaru murmured and dashed out the door.

It wasn't his style to hurry, but his blood was pumping hormones through his body, and his mind was reeling with what he should have seen, but hadn't. His intelligence had failed him, since he had forgotten to apply it to himself. He had made the mistake of thinking he was above such things. It was time to come up with a plan, and since that was his specialty, it didn't take him long. He sped toward the Yamanaka flower shop, bursting through the door and nearly breaking the bell with the force of his entrance.

Ino looked up at him, mouth dropping open and halting in the middle of handing a bouquet to an elderly customer. Shikamaru blushed and immediately tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, pretending to browse as Ino fumbled with the transaction. His heart was hammering in his chest as the old person left, the door finally tinkling shut. He immediately dashed over to her, vaulting the counter and landing right next to her. Ino's face was a mask of anger and hurt, and as he reached for her hand she snatched it away. "I don't want to talk to you," she growled.

Throwing caution to the wind, he clamped his strong hands to her shoulders, forcing her to face him. "Ino, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I never thought about what you must have been feeling, and that was stupid. You deserve better than that."

"Damn right I do!" she snapped, blue eyes ablaze. Her creamy cheeks were beginning to turn red, and he was worried she might cry again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and suddenly pulled her into an embrace, pressing her head to his shoulder and stroking her hair. "Please forgive me. Please give me another chance."

"Why should I?"

He gently held her at arm's length, his actions finally sinking into his brain. "Because I don't know what I would do without you," he said simply, looking into her eyes, which were welling up with tears.

"All I want is to be with you, and you don't want to," she croaked.

He frantically wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Oh yes, yes I do," he murmured. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry."

She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. He was taken by her beauty, even when she cried. He wanted to feel her fiery spirit, wanted to see her smile. She was a puzzle he could never figure out, but he didn't care; that was half the fun. Leaning down, he nuzzled her cheek with his nose, closing his eyes and feeling his breath become heavier. He traced her nose with the tip of his, her exhalations warming his lips. The scent of her skin filled his brain, and he tightened his arms around her, ever so lightly brushing her lips with his. He remembered the kiss they had shared when they were sixteen, and suddenly he wanted more of that. No, he had wanted that all along.

Ino let out a great sigh as he tenderly pressed his mouth to hers. Her arms slowly wrapped around his waist, her fingertips digging into his back as she gripped him. He kissed her for a long time, and when he released her she was breathless, her sky-blue eyes wide. "Shikamaru," she whispered.

"Please, Ino," he begged, feeling ecstatic and agonized at the same time.

She nodded. "Okay, okay. You're lucky I'm a softie," she murmured.

"You're anything but," he said with a small smile, kissing her forehead. "I'm just plain lucky."

"I'm still angry at you."

"That's okay. Maybe we can meet tonight and talk about it?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face. "Maybe. When and where?"

"Seven-thirty? My favorite hillside?"

She shooed him towards the door. "Okay. I have to get back to work."

He stopped the door with his foot as she tried to shut him out of the shop. "I look forward to it," he said.

"Me, too," she replied with a blush, and closed the door.