Fragment of my imagination

Naruto

Summary: Shikamaru thinks of his love for Ino (One-shot)

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Naruto

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I sighed as I ran a hand through the side of my hair, feeling as the soft summer breeze brush past it. Looking up at the large beautiful clouds that lay far up above me I smiled. How I wished to be them, so free and happy, don't have to care for anything at all. Just lying there, yes, it would be perfect being a cloud, no worries about death, love. Che, Love, as if that'll ever happen to me . . . yet it has, and out of all the people I can fall in love with, it's her, blonde hair, blue eyes, loud, bratty, Yamanaka Ino. Maybe it's because of her sky blue eyes that made me first lay my eyes upon her, falling in love. The first time I looked at them, they had really reminded me of the endless blue sky that hung above us all, that must've been the reason, yet, there seems to be something deeper, something much deeper beyond that.

"Hey Shikamaru"

Looking back from where I lay, I groaned inward slightly. Well, there goes my time for thinking.

"Hey Chouji" I replied in my usual lazy voice, my eyes returning up above to see a fluffy white cloud hanging above me, "What's up?"

Crunch Crunch Crunch

Well, there he goes with his large bag of chips again.

"You seem-" Crunch "-awkward lately-" Crunch -something wrong?"

Feeling as Chouji sit on the cement ground beside me, which by the way I was lying down upon my usual bench where I liked down to think, or just to be lazy, "Che, just been thinking" I replied, bringing myself off my back to look straight at Chouji, who by the way still seemed to be eating his chips, "A lot's been going on"

Chouji nodded, "You've been selected as a Chuunin-" Crunch "Asuma- sensai's been off on missions lately-" Crunch "Our group hasn't gotten together for a long time"

Maybe that's the reason I found myself thinking about Ino lately, maybe it was just because I missed her too much. Shaking my head slightly to get rid of my thoughts, I sighed, "I wonder how Ino's doing lately?" I caught myself asking and I instantly cursed myself under my breath, now how did that question approach and exit my mouth?

Hearing as Chouji stopped eating, I placed on my puzzled look, "What's wrong Chouji?"

"If you like Ino, Shikamaru, you should tell her"

I frowned, but decided to continue on the topic/conversation, Chouji was one person I was able to trust by heart, "Che, she likes Sasuke, even a blind man can see that" Okay, so maybe that didn't sound too much like my usual lazy self, but hey, a guy was allowed to be jealous when they wanted to be, "She'll never like me back"

"But you love her, so you should tell her" Chouji protested, "Maybe she'll love you back"

I frowned, something felt quite awkward, placing a firm hand upon Chouji's shoulder, I looked at him straight in the eyes, "Is there something that I don't know about Chouji?"

Watching as Chouji shook his head ferociously, my suspicions grew

"Ino told me not to tell"

Well, that just gave it away didn't it? So the secret had something do to with Ino. Could she like me back? No, that was impossible, she's binded to Sasuke, she even betrayed her friendship with Sakura to get a chance at Sasuke. Oh, the great Sasuke-kun, don't we just love him so much?

I thought to myself sarcastically as images of Ino calling out Sasuke's name entered my mind, "Che, can't be anything that important"

Lying back down on the bench, I once again stared up at the clouds, but my mind was elsewhere. They were filled with Ino and that bastard Sasuke. Really, what was so great about him? Okay, so he was from the Uchiha clan and was able to use the Sharingan. Cold hearted, silent, an avenger and smart. So maybe girls went for those types, but com'on, they aren't that great. Sasuke didn't have the smarts I had, and . . . okay, so maybe I failed a couple of tests . . . okay, more than a couple, while he, the oh-so-great Sauke aced them all, but in reality, I was the smarter one!

"Shikamaru, Ino said that-" I heard Chouji start explaining, his voice seemed to be a silent and distant. Frowning, I cut him off in his mid- way sentence.

"It's okay Chouji, I don't want to know"

Silence

I don't know what my mind was thinking. One minute I desperately wanted to now, while the next I just push the opportunity away.

"You should tell her how you feel" Once again, Chouji's voice was small and timid.

My brow creased, why was Chouji being so noisy all of a sudden anyways? This was my love life, not his, that is, if you can call it 'love' life. It was more like one-sided love, that's what. Turning towards my comrade, I examined him, watching as he fiddled slightly with the now empty chip bag nervously. Sighing, I gazed back up at the clouds, watching as a small white dove pass by up ahead. It's winds soaring beautifully towards its destination.

"I love her, but it's a one sided love" I stated, closing my eyes, feeling as the bright summer rays dance upon my face. Hearing as shifting came from nearby, I smiled slightly, finally, maybe I'll get some peace and quite. Not that I disliked Chouji's company at times, I could always trust him with secrets and everything, but I just wanted time to think today.

"But you never know until you try"

I instantly opened back my eyes as I heard a familiar female voice. Finding that Chouji was nowhere in sight, I instantly got off my back, scanning the area, looking for any signs of the speaker. The voice had sounded way too familiar; it had definitely belonged to my comrade, my crush, Yamanaka Ino.

Catching a soft movement from the corner of my eye, I was just able to turn around in time to see a lock of light blonde hair flying upwards slightly by the soft summer breeze, before escaping, my view blocked.

Feeling as an urge to go run over and check out my suspicions of the newcomer I stopped. Slowly lying back down on my back, I sighed. It was probably only a fragment of imagination anyways.

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My first Shikamaru and Ino ficcy! Well, one shot! Anyways, hope you enjoyed and hope that none of my characters are too OOC!! Review please!!

Chibi Tenten