-Boyfriend for a Night-

So I know the pairing is controversial... but they're cute, haha. So here's some Shikaino. In here, I aim to use dialogue to tell the story more than Inner Thoughts and stuff... we'll see how that goes. Oh, and in here, let's pretend Sasuke's in Konoha... somehow.

Note: EDITED version, got right down to the cliched part, haha.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

"So, where is he?" Shikamaru sighed, Ino glued to his arm.

Ino looked slightly nervous. "Well... Oh, look! Doesn't that scarf look nice, Shika?

"Don't tell me." He groaned. "You don't even know where he is?"

"Part of my plan was to just, you know, parade around Konoha with you." She admitted sheepishly. "Hey, I'm the heartbroken one here. I have an excuse. You got a problem with my logic?"

"I'm going home."

"No, you're not!"

He cringed. "Well, you did paid me, so… Where am I going?" He saw where she was staring, and nearly choked.

"Hey, it's the best place for him to find us." She grinned deviously.

"Uh, Ino—"

-0o0o0o0-

"You've been here before?" He asked dubiously, raising an eyebrow at the flashing lights, pounding music, and madly dancing people.

Ino rolled her eyes. "I can't hear you!" She shouted.

He sighed.

The lazy teenager ducked as another woman flung out her arms, and stepped sideways as young man fell, drunk, face first unto the dance floor.

Shikamaru groaned. This place is going to give me a heart attack. He took one last stab to remain cool, and fled out of the crowd. He slumped down into an empty booth, heart pounding, head hurting.

He glanced around, but couldn't see the blonde. He felt a small twinge of guilt at leaving the dance floor, and leaving her with those crazy people.

The lazy teenager sighed, and tried to ignore the thoughts.

Relax, Shikamaru. You're not her father. You're getting too protective. It's not like she's your responsibility.

But he wondered if she ever noticed how close she always wandered to him.

How frequently she made physical contact, or told him something she should only tell a best friend.

Any normal person would.

But hey, Ino was hardly normal.

There was a time when he suspected she liked him, but she constantly divided her attention between so many guys that he finally gave up trying to analyze the situation.

He told himself, just because she was the only girl who acted this way to him…doesn't mean she didn't act this way to all guys.

Shikamaru sighed. Too troublesome. Ino can like whoever she wants…

He barely noticed the blonde and a red-haired woman until they sat down beside him, smiling slyly. They edged over, each holding a beer bottle drunkenly.

"You look lonely." One of them yelled.

This can't be happening.

"Uh...no thanks."

Why me?

"What? What did he say?" The other screeched back.

"Oh, you shouldn't say something like that in public, you little boy." The first waved a finger in his face.

"He's so cheeky, and look at the strange hairstyle!" The blonde laughed shrilly. "We'll take care of you!" She shouted.

Miserably, he put his head down unto the table and prayed.

-0o0o0o0-

"Thanks for the fun, Ino. That was really entertaining." Shikamaru said dryly, outside the club.

"It's not my fault you're not manly enough to stand up for yourself." She scolded, then started giggling. "Your expression, when they were harassing you, hilarious!"

He frowned, but something in his good nature convinced him to at least smirk.

"Just keep it to yourself."

-0o0o0-

"This is starting to feel like the real thing." Shikamaru grumbled as Ino shoved another bulging bag into his arms.

"What, a date?" She winked. "Don't worry, it's supposed to feel real."

"No, I feel like a slave."

She giggled. "You grumble too much, Shika."

Walking out of the store, she took a deep breath of the night air. "We should go eat something."

-0o0o0o0o0-

Naruto was overjoyed to find the couple in his favorite ramen store.

"Hey, Shikamaru, Ino!" He waved enthusiastically, and raced over. Taking in the pile of bags at Shikamaru's feet, he grinned mischievously.

"You two aren't on a date, are you?"

The lazy genius groaned.

"Mmhmm!" Ino jabbed Shikamaru in the ribs, and nodded. "We are!"

The blond boy looked astonished for a minute that his teasing was proven correct. "Serious?"

"Doesn't it look like it?" Ino snapped.

"Well, Shikamaru's kinda mouthing 'No' behind you and drawing big X's in the air." Naruto admitted. "But other than that…"

The lazy genius sighed at the betrayal, and cringed as Ino slapped his head.

"So what's this really about?" Naruto grinned. "Sakura said you were going out with… that guy, what's his name?"

Ino sighed. "Yeah, he dumped me." Blue eyes gleamed. "You didn't see him anywhere, did you?"

"Hey, Ino, Ino, Ino!" Sakura rushed into the ramen stand, pink hair wild.

"I finally found you." She panted. "Guess who I just saw?"

"Who?" Ino's eyes widened.

Beside her, Shikamaru took a guess at the situation and groaned. Why me?

"—and they were like, totally making out in public, and I was thinking—"

"—seriously? That bastard! He's moved on so quickly! I am going to kick—"

"Oi, you don't need me anymore." Shikamaru said nonchalantly, standing up.

"Shika! Wait!" She called as he headed out of the ramen stand.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged a look inside Ichiraku.

"They're definitely together." They agreed.

-0o0o0o0-

"What are you doing?" Ino hissed as she caught up to him. "This is the reason I paid you! Hello?"

Closing his eyes briefly, he turned and sighed. "Ino." He said seriously, staring down at her. "Give it up."

Not used to his full stare, she squirmed under his gaze.

She looked away. "If I do, then I lose."

"Right. Because a guy like that is worth it."

She mustered a half-hearted glare. "Yeah? Who do you think you are to lecture me? What do you know about relationships anyway?"

"Next to nothing." He shrugged. "I've never had one, too troublesome."

Ino blinked. "Oh, well." She stared at something distant, and took a deep breath. "If you wanted to, it would be the easiest thing."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone respects you a great amount, you're smart. And your laziness…is kinda cute." Ino said quickly, cheeks tinted red.

"Plus, you're not rude or arrogant. Whenever you're not being a sarcastic idiot." She added.

She ducked her head, and cleared her throat.

"But…someone like me, I'm too… ordinary, you know? I'm not good at anything in particular. Especially since my friends are all so exceptional. When you compare me with Sakura's undying love for Sasuke, Hinata's determination, or Temari…" She trailed off.

"So, just help me get my boyfriend back, OK?" She snapped. "Jeez."

He gave her a long look. "You're…" He paused, sighed. "Troublesome."

-0o0o0o0o0-

"Wow, they're really getting it on." Ino, hiding behind a bush, grimaced. "Hey, are you stupid? Don't just stand there!" She dragged him down to her level.

"They won't notice." He muttered.

She glared.

"What now?"

She laughed nervously. "Uh…well, we could…"

"No. Besides, they won't even notice us."

She sighed. "Got any better ideas?"

"This isn't my boyfriend we're stalking."

Ino rolled her eyes, and concentrated.

A smile suddenly graced her lips. "There's only one person who would be godly enough to stop their current make-out session…"

"If I say no and go on about how my dignity would be trampled on, would you…yeah, didn't think so." Shikamaru sighed.

-0o0o0o0-

"You're not paying me enough." He sighed again, dragging a hand through his short raven locks.

"Aha, you're so funny, Sasuke-kun!" Ino said, her fingernails digging into his back in a threat.

"You do realize that tomorrow, Sakura's going to kill you?" He drawled in Sasuke's voice.

"Living in the moment here." Ino whispered wickedly as the girl's eyes suddenly flashed murderously, and abruptly disentangled himself from the young man.

"Wha—" He glanced up and saw Ino, and his eyes grew wide. "Ino! What're you…who…Sasuke Uchiha?"

Shikamaru didn't reply, only tightened his arm around Ino's waist protectively.

"Sasuke-kun!" The girl gasped, tears running down her face. "What are you doing with… with that…girl? I've heard rumors about you dating the Forehead Girl, but this, she's so…this is Ino Yamanaka! You're not delusional, are you?"

The young man coughed, and gave Shikamaru and Ino a look that bordered on a glare.

"Well, do any of you have something to say? Or can my girlfriend and I get back to business now?"

Shikamaru could feel Ino shaking. "How dare you…We broke up yesterday!"

He glanced at her, surprised. "So?" He laughed. "Are you serious? You and the Uchiha just hooked up today!"

Under Shikamaru's glare, he paled. "I mean, honestly, man. This girl will not meet up to your standards. She's loud, obnoxious, and really stupid. I think, personally, that you should stick with the pink-haired one. She's cute, at least. Much better than this annoying, dumb blon—"

Sasuke Uchiha sighed, and punched the guy in the face.

-0o0o0o0-

They walked in silence.

"So, uhm…Why did…I mean," Ino started awkwardly. "Look, are they having a sale there?"

"My chakra was running out." Shikamaru shrugged. "I had to punch him."

"Oh." Ino said quietly.

"And he deserved it."

"Oh."

Shikamaru chuckled.

"What?"

"Tomorrow, we're going to be royally screwed by both Uchiha and Sakura."

She laughed. "I guess you're right." She flashed him a dazzling smile. "Partner in crime?"

"Oh, and I expect my pay to be doubled, at least."

Ino pouted. "You know I don't have enough money to."

Her pout broke into a geniune smile. "But hey, I will pay you back, even if I have to work night shifts at the flower shop for the rest of my life."

The lazy genius scratched his head. "I don't need money that badly, you know."

She smiled softly. "Thank you."

"For what? You didn't exactly get him back like you wanted."

"But now he has a broken nose…you did break his nose, right?"

He sighed, and stopped. "This is your street, Ino."

She gasped. "How could you not break his nose?"

"Didn't put too much power into it…"

"Gahh! Shikamaru! If you're going to punch him, then at least do it properly…"

"Troublesome woman, I'm not your slave."

"How am I troublesome? I—"

Silence.

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "I had to. You wouldn't shut up."

She laughed nervously. "I give you permission to do that again. It can count as me paying you back."

"So if I can pay you to do that, then doesn't that mean you're a—"

Silence.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru said through reddened cheeks.

"Now, I expect to go out on a date once every two weeks, presents every holiday, of course, and oh, if I wanted to meet you, I'd just saunter up to your house, we live close anyway…"

He sighed.

"But I'm not a great person." She added quietly, as an afterthought. "Just try not to be… disappointed."

"Well, you're less ordinary than I hoped for." He admitted, and smirked. "But I don't feel disappointment easily."

Ino was silent for a few seconds. "In Konoha, you know that you can choose anyone…anyone."

He sighed again.

"I don't care. It's too troublesome to choose someone else." He shrugged. "If it has to be someone, then it might as well be you."

Ino laughed shakily. "Oh, jeez, that's the worse pick-up line I've ever heard."

And with those original lines, they walked off toward the sunset. Or rather, each to their separate houses.

And lived happily ever after.

THE END

A/N: So...Just tell me how I did. It's hard to judge from my perspective. Really. I'm thinking it borders on cheesiness. Thanks.