i meant to hold off until i'd written a total new one, but alas, here i am. this was such a niche prompt, i hope i captured the vibe right!


Requested by anon

Pairing: Shikamaru/Temari
Theme: "he knows her through Ino (college). likes her, won't pursue (lazy and not sure if reciprocal)"

.

.

.

"You think they're coming back here?"

Choji shrugs, but doesn't look away from the tv.

Shikamaru licks his lips. "I wanted to take a nap." As though, if Ino and Temari came by, he wouldn't be able to. As though they would throw off his whole schedule. As though Ino stopping in (with her friend from college — Ino coming by on her own is so regular as to be completely un-noteworthy) is so incredibly burdensome, it'll ruin his entire day.

"You can always call Ino and ask."

Shikamaru narrows his eyes, giving Choji a sidelong glance.

No. He can very much not ask Ino.

He'll just wait here, silently, not paying any attention to whatever Choji is watching, and see if they show up. What a pain. He'll have to move his legs off the couch, eventually, to make room. God, how annoying.

"It's not often she comes to visit. If you want to see her, you should let them know. They probably have plans."

Shikamaru balks, sitting up in his surprise, but Choji still isn't looking at him.

"I don't want to see her — them — I just want to… you know, plan accordingly."

Choji laughs. "Plan what? A nap?"

Shikamaru sighs and falls back against the couch.

"Just ask her out. Who cares if she doesn't live here."

Shikamaru ignores this. He doesn't want to ask anyone out. He also doesn't like what Choji is implying.

He doesn't like her… he doesn't want to go out with her. It's too much work — she seems like too much work — anyway. Plus, it's not like she'd say yes. Not that he wants her to, of course. Just, she's older and worldly and interested in so much of life and prizes activity and perseverance and talking too quickly and enjoys to wake up early and watch the sunrise and… just…. Choji's got it all wrong.

(sometimes, though, the way she looks at him… it's like. Things stop.

Ha. Wow. What a fuckin' cliche. She's just a girl.)

"Ask her out," Shikamaru repeats under his breath, "right."

"Idiot."

Shikamaru looks over, and this time, Choji is looking at him too.

"Call," Choji continues. He's paused the video and is holding out his phone. "And see."

Shikamaru huffs, but takes the device anyway. There's no harm in finding out if they're coming back soon, right? It'll help schedule the rest of his day, is all. Choji 's not telling him to do anything else and, in dialing Ino's number, he's not asking anything else, is he?

No. Maybe. Probably not.


a/n:

tysm for reading

intending to have real stuff for you soon

always available on tumblr

i have requests to get through, but please send more!

my original tag was just: what an annoying fuck boy