I've finally won

Chapter 1

Kso! Tomorrow they will divide us into teams. I guess troubles will just start.. thought Shikamaru after a week of post-graduation from the Ninja Academy in Konoha, his home village. Right now he was lying at his favourite place, the roof of one of those abandoned houses in the village. Only his best friends Choji and Ino knew this place. Actually Choji was his best friend, and he was happy to share this place with him. Another case is Ino, even though they known each other since kindergarten or even earlier they don't get on well now a lot…in their childhood things used to be easier, but since they entered the Ninja Academy Ino became troublesome: much more stubborn, noisier, bossy and …girlish. The only thing he wished for right now not to be in one team with her, he knew if that would happen, then it meant "goodbye peace in his life". His eyes were closed and he was silently praying not to make that noisy girl his teammate.

The next morning he went to the Academy. On his way to the room where they had to have an appointment with Iruka sensei about the division, he met Choji (as usual with his packs of chips) and Kiba with his little dog Akamaru on his head. Both of them were cheerful enough, but not Shikamaru. He was sleepy, he even didn't want to come to the division, he thought he could know about his team later, but his Mom made him leave his precious bed early to make sure he wouldn't miss this division.

"Hi, Shikamaru!"

"Hi Choji, oh Kiba hi. " Then Shikamaru heard Akamaaru's saying "hi" in his dog language

"Hi Akamaru, sorry didn't get u there" Shikamaru answered with his lazily nearly sleeping tone.

On their way to the room Choji said:

"Shikamaru, I wish I were in one team with u, just like our parents"

"Yeah, me too Choji. but hope there will be no girls, you know they bring only troubles" but he didn't mention what girl exactly he doesn't want to be his teammate. Choji replied nothing.

Finally they got into the room, almost everybody was there. Shikamaru got the place just near the open window in order to have a chance to watch the sky and the clouds. Then the door was opened again and girls just rushed into the room. They looked as they had a run towards the academy. "is there still a person who willingly run to the academy?" he thought and sighed.

One of them was a green-eyed girl with long pink hair, that was Sakura. And the other one was Ino, long-haired blond, with blue eyes. The girl he never wanted to be in one team with. As usual girls were fighting as long as they saw the local heartbreaker Sasuke. Actually he was not a heart breaker, he was always reserved, full of ignorance to everything what was happening around. But nearly every girl in Konoha of their age was fond of this boy. So did Sakura and Ino. Shikamaru knew that exactly Sasuke was the reason of their fighting. And he didn't get, what exactly girls did see in that selfish, self-centered, unfriendly boy. To tell the truth he was kind of cool, that was what girls thought about him. Apart from being extremely cute, and boys did understand that, his life was full of secrets and mysteries, and that is all. God, how he hated cool people. He, on the contrary wanted his life to be plain, an average life without extra drama…

Finally, Iruka sensei entered the class, just after Naruto accidentally kissed Sasuke and became the enemy number one of all girls in the room, and entire Konoha who dreamt about their first kiss to be with their precious Sasuke. Iruka sensei began the division and named the number, the members and the senseis of the team. Already six teams were named, still there was no name of Shikamaru or Choji, cause Nara was interested only in those two. When Iruka named the team number 7 something notable has happened. There were Sakura, Naruto (he was obviously happy, but Sakura's face expressed only disappointment) and Sasuke (this time was Naruto's turn to be depressed). Uchiha showed no interest in his teammates' mood. Ino was furious. Watching Sakura's triumph was too awful. Secretly Shikamaru was pleased by exactly this division. He couldn't get why.

"it's unfair. Only I ought to be in one team with Sasuke-kun!" Ino was angry. Shikamaru decided to comment, he just couldn't miss his chance while she was sitting next to him. He sighed and said in his usual lazy tone:

"I don't get what girls see in such boys…"

"Don't you know that Shikamaru?"

"I'm not a girl"

"This is why you are not popular. Definitely I don't want to be teamed with you"

"Team number 10" they heard Iruka sensei's voice "Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji"

"It seems nobody's going to ask you anyway" grinned Shikamaru.

"oh, no!" cried Ino.

The main thing is to stay calm and not to argue with her. Troublesome girl… thank God Choji is with me. thought Shikamaru.

Chapter 2

Even though kids hated the smoke of the cigarettes, they liked their new sensei Asuma Sarutobi. He had his special approach to each of them. He was like a father, friend, brother and sensei in one person. When it's needed he was tough, but mostly kind and smiling. Trainings were every day. Every day they had to maintain a new top of the shinobi life. Nevertheless team number 10 didn't have serious missions. Everybody was glad not to mess with serious staff until it's to be needed except Ino. She was always complaining why on earth Hokage sama hasn't gave them a dangerous mission yet. She thought "her team" was ready. The fact that she proclaimed herself a leader didn't bother her teammates much. Asuma was glad that at least one member of his team is eager to be a leader.

Choji thought: I'd like Shikamaru to be a leader, but since he doesn't complain I don't care.

Shikamaru thought: trying to argue with Ino is troublesome. So if she is glad to be a leader, I would have more silent and peaceful life. Although with Ino it's impossible.

Couple of months have passed. They still were given low-rank missions. As usual Ino was complaining about everything. And now it was a rare moment of silence and peace for Shikamaru. Ino has finally left with her own business, and he could watch his clouds till the day is off. Today was a torture for him as Choji has left with his father for another village; Asuma was on serious mission with other jounins; he and Ino had to train together and her mouth was never shut during the training. She was yelling and bossing around. Thanks God Ino had some business and she left. Now everything was quiet, nobody was bothering him. He slowly closed his eyes and was enjoying this silence. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice:

"Shikamaru!" oh no, how's that possible? Is this blond going to give me at least some hours of silence? thought the boy. He didn't even open his eyes, trying to convince himself that it's just hallucination. Don't react! he ordered to himself maybe she won't notice you he hoped, but he knew it was nonsense. When Ino wanted to find him she always did. So he had no other choice but to wait for her new tortures. When she came closer he could hear her heavy breath, it seemed that she was running. It was strange but he knew perfectly every line of her face and even with closed eyes could portray her image right now. She was excited. The thought has just appeared in his head and the next second she began to talk:

"Shikamaru! Hokage sama gave us a mission. We need to guard one person from Konoha to the Country of Rice. "

"What? But Choji and Asuma sensei are both out of town! We can't go just by two, it doesn't make any sense." Shikamaru was worried, without them it can be troublesome.

"Oh, come on Shika! It's just guard a person from thieves and others, it's not that serious mission. And we'll be back in two days. By the way you can't refuse a mission. Do you remember that?"

Of course he did. He had no choice but to follow his female teammate to hokage sama to get the full instructions. After the chounin exams and the death of the third hokage the village took any mission from the clients. We needed money for reconstruction of the damaged parts of Konoha. And as a lot of people died after the attack of Orochimaru, Tsunade sama had no choice but to send even guenins for middle-rank missions. Shikamaru was now chounin, that's why had to take the responsibility, even though he didn't ask for that. Since he failed the mission, where they had to return Uchiha Sasuke home, and his comrades were badly injured, he avoided taking responsibility on his shoulders. But when there is an order you have no choice.

In half an hour Shikamaru, Ino and their client whose name was Hiro Mazuki were standing at the central gate of Konoha. They began their journey. Everything was okay, Ino and Hiro were having a casual talk. Shikamaru was following them and at the same time examining the neighborhood. He had a strange feeling of danger or maybe he made it up. He was not sure. They were moving about a day and nearly got the Country of Rice, but when Shikamaru thought that they finally reached their aim without any "adventures" he saw some shadows behind the tree. He suddenly stopped and signed Ino and Hiro to stop and be quiet. They did as he asked. The boy was good in reacting for any kind of shape changes as his jutsu was connected with shadows. And he was sure that somebody's watching them, no two of them, he saw another shadow. After a moment they were attacked by two men. Shikamaru could escape their attack with kunais and jumped close to Ino and Hiro. They had no time and he performed his shadow jutsu in order to catch one of the attackers.

"Ino! Start!" he shouted.

"Hai!" he heard her voice. She immediately performed her mind transfer jutsu for the second man. But the enemy seemed to understand what she was going to do and escaped her attack. Ksso! No it can't be! Now she needs time to come back to her body. Please, Ino! It's not time to faint! he thought bitterly. Now he needed to protect three of them alone. He was in panic. But just in time he noticed kunai laying lonely on the ground near the man whom he caught in his shadow jutsu. I have to hurry, the second will try to attack Hiro or unconscious Ino! He thought and felt painful colic inside. But he had no time to think. The following seconds of the battle flew like vortex. He took kunai, to be exact he made his "captive" to take it and attack his friend. After killing his friend he easily could defend another one who was captured by him. Finally both of them were dead.

Shikamaru took his breath and came closer to Hiro and Ino. It took one more minute before Ino could come to herself. After a second she woke up:

"Shikamaru! I'm ready to fight, where is the enemy?" she cried energetically as if there was no "pause" at all. How the person who was just unconscious to be so energetic! he thought and added outloud:

"Easy, easy Ino! They just died when they saw your sleeping jutsu!" he expected her to be angry and yell loudly but instead she looked at the dead bodies, melted in a smile, at once reached him and put a soft kiss on his cheek. Shikamaru blushed severely and was grateful that it was getting dark and neither Ino nor Hiro saw it.

After they got Hiro to his place, they decided to stay in the Country of Rice the night and to start their journey back home early in the morning. Shikamaru and Ino didn't talk much that day. It was strange mostly for Ino who used to yell and boss around. On their way home the next day Ino tried somehow break the awkward silence between them by telling silly jokes or by starting meaningless conversations. She even tried to yell several times. Shikamaru also tried to seem usual by putting his rare but sarcastic comments into, as he called it in his mind, Ino-sided talk.

Chapter 3

Several weeks have passed since that mission. They didn't have extra dangerous missions, most of them were simple ones. Everything was nearly the same as before. Nearly everything, but Shikamaru. Every time he remembered Ino's kiss on his cheek, his temperature went high, he felt as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest. His logics told him that this can't be, that she only expressed her gratitude like that. Ino was a very emotional person. But still she's never thanked him that way before, maximum she managed to express was short "thank you Shika" and that's all. He was confused. The more he thought about it, the more hope conquered his heart. Deep inside he always knew that he liked that troublesome girl, even if he's never told anyone, even himself about his feelings towards this noisy, bossy and troublesome girl. But everytime she smiled sincerely at him or looked sad with her baby blue eyes his heart melted immediately and he did what she asked for. That was his weak point, Ino was his weak point. Thanks God nobody knew it. He was thinking of it when the door of his room was opened and his mom said:

"Shikamaru, there is a person from Hokage sama downstairs. I guess something serious."

Shikamaru replied nothing, but dressed quickly and got out of his house aiming the fifth hokage's residence.

"maybe… no, no! I love Sasuke. It can't be. I'm sure…" Ino was thinking one and the same thing for several weeks. These thoughts didn't leave her alone. "but I had that strange feeling inside when my lips touched his cheeks. A warm feeling…my heart was actually racing…No! it's impossible, he's my best friend as Choji." Ino tried to convince herself not to think about it anymore. And to prove her decision with actions she began to water the flowers in her family's flower shop. It really helped to blow away all her thoughts from that day. While she was busy with flowers the front door was opened and there was standing Shizune.

"hi Ino!"

"oh hello Shizune senpai. Do you need to buy flowers to someone special?"

"yes, it's for one person at the hospital. She's ill, and she has nobody to visit her, and I decided somehow to raise her mood! But Ino, why are you here? In an hour your team is having a mission. Didn't Shikamaru tell you?"

"what? I don't know… that lazy ass, I'll kill him. sorry senpai, I'll be going. Can you ask my mom to help?"

"Sure, don't worry! See you!"

"ksso! A serious mission. And Choji should be back only in 5 hours. Tsunade sama said that she will sent him and Asuma as soon as possible, but we can't wait. What should I do? I can't take Ino when there is no Asuma sensei or Choji, but to go alone is like suicide, ksso!" was thinking Shikamaru when he heard the familiar voice.

"Shikamaru! Wait! Shizune said that we have a mission. Why didn't you tell me?" said Ino in an angry tone. Shikamaru was caught, nevertheless he didn't even blink when he lied:

"I was about to go to your place to pick you up." He said firmly, but inside was sorry that he had to lie. He hated lying, especially to his close people, but he was afraid Ino would kill him for his intention not to take her to the mission. She looked suspiciously.

"Let's go!" I said avoiding her gaze.

"ok, then! Finally I have a chance to show my new jutsu!" she said excitedly.

"damn! How the person can be so energetic knowing that it can be a dreadful mission… " thought Shikamaru. "Asuma, Choji please come as fast as possible!" he thought again.

Chapter 4

Hokage sama said that the enemy is ninja from the Country of Waterfall. He stole important secret documents from Konoha archives. Their task is to return documents and if it's possible to kill him. but actually their task was to stall him as long as possible till Asuma sensei and Choji comes. First of all they needed to find him. The traces were confusing and Ino had to use her mind transfer jutsu on the eagle. First ten minutes she couldn't see anything, but then she noticed a man by his looks just the same one on the photo Tsunade sama gave them just before the mission. She came back to her body and awakened in Shikamaru's arms as usual, but this time it was a little bit different. It seemed as if he kept her body in his arms a bit longer than usual. Ino blushed a little bit, noticing that Shikamaru released her quickly and grinned at himself. To break the awkward silence Shikamaru asked:

"So? Did you see something?" even though he knew she was going to tell it anyway.

"Hai, he's in one hour distance to the west from where we're standing right now" she said.

"Good. We should hurry and leave signs to Asuma and Choji" Ino nodded.

After some minutes they were following the enemy. They had an advantage that they were persecutors. After an hour of non-stopping high speed running after the enemy, they nearly reached him. Shikamaru thought about the hundreds of strategies, but those were useless until they didn't see a person's abilities. So he decided to make a plan just during the battle. So they finally reached him. Shikamaru threw several kunais into the enemy's direction. Of course, he didn't hope to wound him, he just wanted to stop and to keep him as long as it was possible. And he maintained his aim, the enemy stopped.

"Ciao kids! Need something from me?" he asked grinning wickedly.

"yeah, you have something important that we need" answered Shikamaru "sorry, but I have to return that" to seem cool was always the bluff he used first in order to evaluate his opponent's abilities. But inside he thought "kssoo! Asuma get faster"

"you seem very confident, boy. Ok try this!" he said and performed his jutsu "Souiton! Suikoidan no jutsu!"

Shikamaru and Ino hardly managed to escape his attack. "so his jutsu is connected with water" thought genius. Now he thought of a plan, but he had the minimum of the info he needed.

"Ino, don't interfere into the fight until I allow you. Did you get it?" said Shikamaru.

"I can't just watch!" she yelled "I'm ninja too, if you forget it!" she added angrily.

"Ino, I have a plan" he lied, he still didn't come up with one. "Have you noticed he had no bag with secret documents?" he whispered. Ino nodded, their aim is not here. But anyway they had to stop him.

"Ino stay back!" cried Shikamaru when with the corner of his left eye noticed the enemy doing a seal.

"Too late Romeo! That pretty face will be buried in the water!" cried wildly-excitedly the man and performed his water element but this time with sharp waves. Shikamaru jumped towards Ino, she was lying on the ground with wounds. Thanks God they weren't deep.

"Ino! Why on earth you never listen to me?" yelled Shikamaru. He tried to wake her.

"Shikamaru. Do you think it's time to scold me while having that mad bastard behind your back?" answered Ino with sarcasm in her voice.

"I see that you're fine, if your cursing ability works well!" grinned the shadow boy.

"She's right! Don't leave me with no attention, kid!" he laughed wickedly. "Ready to die? I'll kill you with your little weapons. Go to hell, both!" and with these words he threw Shikamaru's weapons back. The shadow boy ran in despair towards Ino. All he wanted was to protect her. When he imagined his day by starting with the knowledge that she's dead, that was the end for him.

Shikamaru felt the pain. A sharp pain in his back…

"Shikamaru!" cried Ino. He wrapped her head and pulled her close to his chest.

"Tsss! Do you want him to get you?" whispered Shikamaru into her ear. She burst quietly into tears. Shikamaru tried to hug her tighter.

"Ksso! Somebody's coming. They are close! Have to go. You can die later sweetie!" he said and quickly got away. Ino put Shikamaru on the ground, he was unconscious. She was in panic and didn't know what to do.

"Are you two okay? Where is he Ino?" she heard familiar voice just behind. Ino looked back and saw Asuma sensei and Choji.

"Thank God, sensei! Shikamaru…" she said and again began to cry.

"Choji, let's go! We should hurry! Ino look after Shikamaru, take these medicines." Ordered quickly Asuma.

They got away to run after the Waterfall ninja. Ino on their turn began her first aid. After finishing she bent over Shikamaru.

"Shika, wake up. Please wake up… What should I tell your parents? Your mom will kill me, Shika. Hey lazy ass! Get up, you must protect me. Don't you remember?" she yelled.

"You still underestimate me Ino. It would be shame to die from my own kunais." He said softly and grinned weakly.

"You idiot! You scared me to death!" Ino was angry with him. She tried to kick him, but shadow boy wrapped her hands and pulled her closer to his body.

"Shikamaru?"

"Stay still Ino. Don't move. I want to check something…" and with these words he kissed her gently on her lips. He was afraid of her reaction but she didn't pull away, and he didn't break the tender moment. His heart was crazily racing and the warmth spread all over his body. Even though all these feelings conquered him, he could feel Ino's heart beating fast too. She blushed and was shivering in his arms, and a satisfied grin appeared on his lips.

"I've finally won Sasuke!" he thought.

"Hmm! Sorry to interrupt! I'm glad that you've finally figured out your feelings, but we have to come back. We're done with the mission" said Choji smiling widely.

"Come on, Choji. let's go. They will catch up with us later" said Asuma smiling at his team.

Shikamaru and Ino looked at each other, smiled, then blushed. Ino buried her face into his chest. Shikamaru kissed her forehead softly and smiled at his sensei as if they had shared the same thought.

The End