Thank you for the few reviewers and readers I have... you made my day. :)
I'm a bit proud of this one in a way. So... hopefully you'll enjoy it, too.
And, er, I don't own Naruto. Or, sadly, Shikamaru and Sakura.
Also, I feel like protesting against Sakura-bashing and Ino-bashing. Why does everyone keep bashing them? Bash Sasuke (kidding. I'm against bashing). But I mean, Sakura and Ino aren't that annoying as the storyline goes on... I mean, they're not the only ones stalking the ones they love (coughHinatacough). But there's barely Hinata-bashing (no, I don't want people to bash her either, even though I don't really like her that much).
Well, that's enough, I don't want to write too much off-topic rants.
As a sidenote, I wrote a one-shot called Observant. You might like to check it out. Beware the one-sided love...
Ensnared
Word Count: 175
Summary: Shikamaru was really a brillant strategist... He knew exactly what he was going to do..
Shikamaru was a brilliant strategist.
He had it all planned out. He'd turn his weaknesses into strength- what disadvantaged him into beneficial things- what made her not glance at his direction into his charms- their distant friendship into something more.
He started to ameliorate his qualities- his laziness into his laid-back attitude, his smartass tone whentalking back into intellectual conversations- how apathetic he really is into being fair.
He didn't want to put up a full façade. He wanted her to like him for at least half of what he was.
He knew the perfect missions- he arranged the hints that he would give her- he was positive on just what he had to do- he thought it out to the tiniest details.
He would have her ensnared in his carefully laid out web of so-called deceit (it was too extreme to call it that). Even then, he'd still have tricks up his sleeve.
It was her own fault, really. He wouldn't have done this if she didn't do the same without trying.