AN: I wanted to write a Shikamaru x Ino fan fiction because they are seriously my favorite heterosexual couple in any series I can think of. This is dedicated to my fellow Shikamaru x Ino shipper, Kami-sama.

I hope all of you enjoy it.

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Slender fingers clenched and unclenched, harsh breathing fall from silken lips that were currently chapped. Alabaster cheeks were flushed and sweat slowly trailed down the lovely Yamanaka's face. Long tendrils of flaxen were pulled into a messy bun, the strands over her eye even pinned back to avoid more sweating.

Damned Asuma-sensei for making her train in the god-damned rain with him. The asshole had been going through nicotine fits since Kurenai-sensei had demanded that he cut back on smoking or spend the rest of the his life sleeping on the couch. Of course, Shikamaru had been gone on a mission and Chouji had been celebrating some Akimichi clan tradition so the only one he could take his anger out on was Ino.

So after training her body until near exhaustion in the middle of a horrendous downpour, Asuma had finally dismissed her. Throwing an insult at his retreating form, Ino had stumbled back towards the flower shop, which was devoid of anyone since both of her parents were off on missions, she had merely collapsed into the sheets with out even changing out of the soaked clothes.

Now she was trembling with a high temperature, feeling like she was about to die, and hoping that Asuma-sensei was already dead because the next time she came across him, he most certainly would be begging for death.

The heavy knocking downstairs caused a groan to fall from her lips, head lolling to the side to blearily glance towards her opened bedroom door. Had she even locked the front door? Trying to rush through her thoughts and figure out the answer, another miserable noise fell from her lips at throbbing of her skull it caused.

The unhurried tempo of footsteps echoed through her head and Ino sluggishly blinked and stared up at the slumped figure lazily beginning over towards her bedside. "Mendokuse...What on earth happened to you, onna?"

Trying to register his face for a few seconds, a faint sigh tumbled from her lips as she finally noticed it was Shikamaru. "Asuma-sensei..." She murmured weakly. "Training...rain."

Piecing it together, Shikamaru sighed once again and moved to pull the blankets tighter around her form, brushing some stray strands from her forehead. A faint flush was on his face and he moved to the bathroom to gather a washcloth with some cool water on it, moving to wipe off the sweat slowly.

Relaxing gradually, her breathing slowly began to regulate itself and her eyes became slightly less glazed as if that simple motion was helping to calm her fever down. Slender fingers gently went to wrap around his wrist, surprising him. "Shika-kun..." She murmured, breathing in slowly. Entangling their fingers, the smaller blonde watched him for a few seconds; eyelids closing as exhaustion slowly began to take over. "Don't...go anywhere...alright?"

Flushing once again, he grumbled his catch phrase underneath his breath and picked up the cloth to continue gather the sweat off her brow and neck. Feeling her tug on his hand, he glanced down towards her body and face, watching her slowly move away and sleepily motion for him to lie down also. The flush on his face only deepened and yet strangely at the same time, he felt a warm feeling spread through his body because he was the only one who got to see her like this, not the damned Uchiha.

Sliding out of his shoes and Chuunin vest, the male pulled back the blanket and stretched out beside her, letting the scent of her wash over him and gently tugged her closer, flushing as she cuddled closer. "Mendokuse..." He grumbled and wrapped both of his hands wrap around her body. "Get better, Ino-chan." He murmured into her hair, listening to her even breathing and slowly allowing his body to relax, falling asleep also.

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Please no negative feedback because no one really cares about people who go around being pessimistic all the time, seriously. Don't be an emo kid like Sasuke, it's annoying.
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