Author Note: Just a head's up, I might add to this in the future, but it will probably be awhile. Also, I don't know much about touring as a band and all that is involved - so, I try to research online, but don't be surprised if I'm off on things.

Inner thoughts are in italics.

"I'm heading to get a drink from the bar."

"Check out how many people are out there, when you do." Choji requested.

"Yeah, sure." Shikamaru agreed as he headed for the door. Truth was he was already planning to scope out the crowd (which he was sure Choji already knew), and the drink was a way to distract himself from any nerves prior to the show. People would offer to get him a drink, so he wouldn't have to wander through the crowd, but this was a ritual. He'd get one for himself, so he could check out the space and report back.

The venue looked like it was filling, considering there was still a while before they would be taking the stage. The tour was starting in Suna and would be ending in Konoha. It was his band's first time opening for "Jinchuriki", and the start of a tour with the newly famous rock group. Jinchuriki had a couple songs take off, gaining the momentum to headline, and this being their first time doing so. With any luck his band, "Ten", would rise in popularity as they toured with them. Knowing Naruto, since childhood, was going to pay off.

Naruto was the lead singer of Jinchuriki and a guitarist, with Gaara as lead guitarist, Kankuro played bass guitar, Sai on keyboard/synthesizers, and Rock Lee on drums.

Rock Lee was a year older, and had gone to the same school as Shikamaru, so he had known him fairly well. Good guy, but tons of energy and really straight laced.

Sai had grown up in Konoha, but had gone to a weird religious private school. Naruto had met him after high school. Shikamaru had hung out with him at different parties that Naruto would drag Sai to. He was overall quiet and socially awkward guy, though he didn't really have a filter when he did speak. Still, he seemed like a decent guy.

Shikamaru hadn't known Gaara or Kankuro growing up, as they were from Suna, but they had hung out several times as a group when they were in Konoha, prior to agreeing to tour together (no one wants to go on tour with people they can't stand). He had learned they were brothers. Gaara the youngest, apparently. Kankuro was a middle child, and they had an older sister, who wasn't in the band. Gaara didn't say much, or even seem to express much, but Kankuro seemed to pick up his slack in those areas.

Leave it to Naruto to form a band from people that seemed to have little in common. Shikamaru could only think it had something to do with interesting fashion choices. Naruto had whiskers on his face and loved orange. Gaara went extra heavy on black eye makeup, had a tattoo on his forehead, and had no eyebrows. Kankuro liked to sport purple face paint and a cat eared hood. Sai loved rocking crop tops. And, lastly, Lee had a bowl cut and was all about green jumpsuits. (Which he claimed improved his drumming abilities.)

The members of Ten made more sense, at least to Shikamaru. Ino was the lead singer and guitarist, Sakura was lead guitar, he was on the bass guitar, and Choji was their drummer. They all grew up together in Konoha. Choji and Shikamaru were best friends, as were Ino and Sakura. Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji's parents were so close that the three had grown up practically as siblings, so they had always been together. Growing up their parents had said they got into ten times the trouble when they were together, rather than by themselves. So, they went with Ten for their band name.

Shikamaru headed to the busy bar and saw an opening on the left side, with considerably less people, so he slipped in there. It didn't take very long to realize exactly why that area had less people, as the bartenders seemed to be neglecting the area.

Right before he was about to move to the right, and into the crowded line of people vying for drinks, a blonde squeezed in next to him. Correction, a very hot blonde. Her hair was pulled into four ponytails, and her black eyeliner made her teal eyes practically glow. Several piercings decorated her ears, along with a small stud in her nose, and eyebrow. She was tan and dressed in a black tank with the Jinchuriki logo on the back. (Why couldn't it be the symbol for Ten?!) A short black skirt, fishnets, and knee high boots pulled attention to her long legs. He rarely took note of most women, but after eyeing her, he was no longer interested in leaving his place at the bar. He watched as she paid him no attention, and tried to catch the bartender's attention.

"It's a drag, but he's avoiding this section of the bar. I've been trying for a while. We're going to have to move to the back of that group and wait, if we want to get anything."

Teal eyes turned his way. "Is that so? You must not be doing it right."

"Tch… whatever."

"Watch." She proceeded to push most of her body over the bar, bending at the hips and pushing up on her toes while resting on an elbow on the bar. She reached an arm forward to wave at the bartender. Fuck. Shikamaru's mouth dropped open slightly. All he could think of was him behind her… her naked… bent over just like that, but someplace without so many people. He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought and return to the present. He hoped she hadn't noticed his gawking.

It took only a few seconds for the bartender to notice her and come their way. The bartender... who was not so subtlety checking her out, and apparently getting a good view of her cleavage as he did so, at least judging by his gaze. Shikamaru couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

"Hey, can I get a whiskey sour? And, for my friend…" She turned her head his way with a huge, practically feral, grin as she slid and pushed back to standing next to him.

Stunned by her grin, it took a second for him to realize she was talking to him and waiting for a response. "Ahh… a rum and coke?"

The bartender moved off and she turned to him again. "And that's how you do it." she smirked.

"Um, something tells me that wouldn't work so well for me."

"Depends on the bar."

He chuckled. "Fair."

The bartender returned with their drinks. Damn that guy was fast. They paid and stepped away from the bar.

He didn't want her to disappear. "So, um… you like Jinchuriki?" his free hand went to the back of his head. She looked at him, face unreadable. He wasn't good at this, but he pushed on. "I could get you backstage." Kankuro had told him that he said that to girls and it worked all the time. Many would do practically anything to get backstage. He hadn't tried it before, but he wanted her backstage with him. Once there he would just have to work on keeping her to himself.

"Is that the best you can do? I feel like you can do better."

"I thought that was pretty good." He could feel a bit of heat coming to his cheeks. He would be sharing with Kankuro just how badly his line had failed.

She started to walk away. "Can I get your name at least?"

She stopped, turned, and quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Okay, the first letter, then?"

He caught what he would guess was amusement in her eyes. "T."

"Ah... I know what it is. Troublesome."

She laughed, "Uh huh. You got it. You can just call me Trouble. Hmm… you must be Smooth?"

"Close. I'm Shikamaru." He smirked, glad to seem like he was finally getting somewhere.

Now she was definitely amused. "I knew you could do better." She leaned in and winked, "Well, Shikamaru, I'll see you later." It sounded like a promise.

"Will I, Trouble?"

"Oh, you will." She smirked before she turned and walked off.

Watching her hips, he definitely liked the sound of that. He headed for the door that lead him backstage, again.

"How's it looking?"

"Um, what?" Shikamaru, hadn't been paying attention.

"How many people, man?"

"Oh, good… good." Shikamaru lamely answered with a wave of his hand.

"You alright?" Choji eyed him suspiciously.

"Yeah. There was just this blonde with teal eyes… she was troublesome." Shikamaru looked pensive as the corners of his mouth twitched up.

"That so?" A huge grin spread across Choji's face. Choji, as Shikamaru's closest friend, wasn't about to let this go. This was out of character for Shikamaru. He rarely gave girls a second look, let alone let them get under his skin and distract him. "I'm all ears. You gotta tell me about this girl."

"Keep it down, Choji." Shikamaru hissed. "I'll tell you more, but you have to keep it between us. I don't want Ino to start interrogating me. She's relentless, and I'll never hear the end of it. She can be a real drag about these kinds of things."

Choji snorted and happily munched a chip. "True, but that's just because it's so rare. I can keep this between us, though."