So, the thing is, I've been wanting to do this for a while… I just didn't think I could. You know, write something I didn't make up, if that makes sense. Probably not. Anyways, I ended up trying it out on my LJ, and loving it so much I posted it up here.

Now, unless I'm given requests, I'm probably not going to write for this. My own oneshots are longer, more thought-out, and not part of this collection, which is mostly for me to experiment.

So gimme requests! The parings I prefer are one my bio, but I'll probably write anything that isn't slash, incest, or something really weird.

And I want prompts, please. A word, a short summary, a line you want said, whatever. But be wary: my stories, as you know, are usually wacky humor ones. So don't expect something angsty or whatever.

Now go read!

Blanket disclaimer: You know how it goes.

-o-

Pairing: ShikaSaku
Word count: 735
Prompt: Prize - The battle of wits has begun...
Thank Renalin for this one.
-o-

Sakura really enjoyed talking to Shikamaru. He was the smartest person she knew, and unlike the other resident geniuses (i.e.: Sasuke and Neji), he offered full sentences. Not many, and fairly short ones until he really got into the conversation, but at least they always had a subject and a verb that weren't "Sakura" and "get lost."

Ino had laughed when she stumbled on the two of us caught up in one of their arguments, this time on the practicality of kunai versus shuriken.

"You guys are such nerds," she teased, grinning. "You're practically a match made in heaven."

Then Sakura had thrown a kunai at the blonde, who disappeared, still laughing, and Shikamaru had said, begrudgingly, that he supposed kunai were more effective, at least when dealing with blond banshees.

He was kind of funny, Sakura decided then.

It was a bit ridiculous what they fought over sometimes. What was better, strawberry ice cream or chocolate? Sakura argued that anything so classic as strawberry could never let you down, whereas Shikamaru insisted that everyone liked chocolate something, so the flavor was undeniably the best.

Then he had taken her to the ice cream parlour across the street from Ichiraku, and forced her to try it.

He had won that time.

More than once they had been spotted, arguing over cloud shapes (Shikamaru insisted it was a rabbit; Sakura was firm in her opinion that it was a moose), high heels versus short ("Dammit woman, you can't even walk in heels." "No, but I can kick pretty hard. They're fashionable and deadly!"), and who was louder: Ino or Naruto (the one time neither won; it was just too close).

And they always got strange looks. Either because the arguments were so pointless, their points were so strange, or the strange gleam Shikamaru got in his eyes, and the smile on Sakura's face.

"Are you guys dating?" Naruto finally demanded one day when they sat on a hill, comparing apples and oranges.

Sakura turned bright red and sputtered, "Wha—no—I—Naruto!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome idiot," he muttered.

"Well, you guys spend a lot of time together!" he said defensively.

"Yeah, dimwit. It's called being friends," Sakura snapped sarcastically, her face still flushed.

When Naruto finally left, not entirely convinced, but sporting a black eye, Shikamaru lay back on the grass, eyeing the girl beside him lazily. She was still burning red, embarrassed, and she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"What's so bad about going out with me?" he asked her, amused by the reaction he got.

"Nothing!" se squeaked. "I mean, I…" She took a deep breath. "It's just, you know." She offered lamely.

He sat up, regarding her carelessly. "Think about it: we're both smart."

"I know a lot of smart guys," she replied hotly, crossing her arms over his chest. "You don't see me going out with them, do you?"

"I make you laugh," he went on, ignoring her.

"Everything makes me laugh! My best friend getting punched in the face makes me laugh!"

"You can talk to me."

"I can talk to a rock, Shikamaru. His name is Sasuke."

He looked at her flatly. "I talk back. And I listen to you, and actually understand what you're saying. Even when you don't."

She shook her head. "Alright, my turn."

"Be my guest."

"You like Ino. Or Temari. Some blonde."

"Liked. Next."

"I like Sasuke."

"And that's why you haven't been speaking to him just because he ruined your favorite shirt during training?" he asked skeptically. "A shirt I gave you, by the way." When they were arguing over whether red or green looking better on her. He won.

She bit her lip, looking around, as if for inspiration. "It's just weird!" she finally burst out. "You're Shikamaru and I'm Sakura and we just—we just don't go. And we fight too much and—"

"I like you," he deadpanned, finally shutting her up. She turned wide emerald eyes on him, and he smirked. "Why don't you admit the real reason you're fighting me? I like you, Sakura."

Her eyes narrowed. How did he—

Oh, right. Stupid genius.

She pouted. "How is that you always seem to win these arguments?"

He grinned at her. "Now do I have to convince you to let me kiss you, too?"

Sakura turned beet red, and his grin widened.

Didn't look like it would be hard.