Hello all,

Kiki here!

So this suddenly came to me...and I may make it into a story if I get positive feed back..:) just sayin'.

R&R


It was just a normal Saturday afternoon for Nara Shikamaru.

He was laid out on the side of his favorite cloud watching spot with his eyes focused on the sky. He sighed, taking in the sweet bliss of silence. Silence was such a beautiful thing, especially when you were constantly in the company of loud children (this came along with the job he realized). Don't get him wrong: He enjoyed his job, teaching young children the basics of being ninja, trying to install values into their sponge-like brains...but every man had his limit. Shikamaru's limit came in the form of snotty noses and tacks in his chair.

He sighed as he thought of the academy. He liked being a sensei...it was sort of nice. He felt like he was giving back to his own late sensei by passing down the knowledge that he had received, and that made all of the hectic and crazy moments worth while- sometimes. He frowned as he checked his watch. It was getting late as it was almost 7p.m, and Shikamaru had to meet up with Chouji and Ino at the Korean Barbecue.

As he stood he dusted off his pant legs, pulling grass from the material. Immediately after adjusting his clothes he set off for the restaurant, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. While walking he tried to recall the last time his old team had had a meeting, but gave up after realizing it had been more than six months.

"How troublesome." He mumbled, kicking a rock into the tall grass that bordered the path.

When he was nearing the restaurant he pulled out a cigarette, cupping his hand over the flame as he lit the tip. He took a deep breath and sighed deeply. He arrived at the barbecue just as his cigarette dwindled to ashes.

He walked through the open front doors with a polite nod to the hostess, an elderly woman that he saw on a monthly basis. She smiled warmly at him and pointed towards the back. He took off without a second glance. He looked into all of the booths as he walked by, searching for a red head or a blonde. Finally he found a platinum pony tail sticking up over the seat of the booth and he smiled, pulling his hands from his pockets.

As he rounded the booth his smile flipped into a frown, noting that Chouji had yet to arrive.

"Oi Ino."

He was met by a particularly shiny pair of teal eyes.

"Shika." She said, her voice sounding short and strained.

Shikamaru didn't seem to notice though and he sat in the booth, sliding next to her. He also didn't notice the wide eyed expression she gave him, or the way she wringed her short skirt with her hands.

"Where's Cho? He usually is the first to arrive." He closed his eyes as he leaned back, folding his arms behind his head.


"He felt ill so he isn't coming," Ino said hurriedly, her palms stinging as she lied.

She mentally winced as he eyed her suspiciously. She had to clean up her act fast. She sat with her back ramrod straight, pushing her breasts out so that they would be more noticeable.

Shikamaru glanced down at the menu before him and pushed it forward, then evaluated Ino's statement questioningly.

"That doesn't sound like Cho." He cast a side long glance at his ex teammate. He observed no glitches in her behavior, and assumed that she must be telling the truth.

"Yeah we'll..that idiot ate too much again."

Now that was the truth, but what she didn't tell him was that she had been practically forcing ramen and chips down their glutton of a teammate's throat.

She looked up at him and smiled, gesturing across the table to the empty seat. "You can take a seat over there."

She almost laughed at the look he gave her, but she didn't. She had other things on her mind...more serious things.

"Just so you will have elbow room!" She stuck her elbow into his ribs to prove her point, and he stood and slid into the seat opposite of her with a glare..

'Ok, not a good start Ino!' She thought as she watched his features contort into a scowl. He fingered the tender flesh of his ribs. 'Make some small talk!'

They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity before their waitress came to deliver the food.

"So what have you been up to, Shika?" She asked casually, leaning against the table so that she could hear him over the noise a group of older shinobi who sat a row behind them were making. It sounded like a karaoke bar..full of howler monkeys.

He shrugged, his hands coming to rest on the table.

She watched as he lifted his glass of water and took a sip. Then as his lips pressed against the glass with his eyes drifting around the room lazily in observation, she broke her stare for fear of being caught, her eyes glancing over their food.

"Just the usual..I'm teaching at the academy part time."

Ino's eyebrows raised to her hairline, and a smile played across her features.

"Do you like working as both Instructor and Head Strategist? I can see how it might be hard for you to juggle both of those jobs..they are equally demanding.."

Shikamaru shook his head. "It's not so bad."

She smiled at him, Shikamaru Nara, Mr. Responsible. "I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your work."

Somehow Ino had always pictured Shikamaru as a kids kind of guy. He had a patience about him that was abnormal, and it seemed as if he would make a great teacher..a great father.

Ino felt her cheeks burn as she looked up at him. He was watching her with that same bored expression.. so when he spoke suddenly she almost jumped.

"What about you? What have you been doing?"

Ino shrugged taking a sip of her own drink. "I have taken over the flower shop..and have entered an apprenticeship under Lady Tsunade.." She rolled her chopsticks around in her salad.

To that Shikamaru merely grunted, but Ino knew that he was happy for her.

She frowned as they began their meal in silence.


Shikamaru watched her as she spoke, her eyes shining when she mentioned the apprenticeship under the Hokage.

He grunted in response.

When they fell silent again Shikamaru felt awkward. He was happy that Ino was trying to advance her abilities as a medic nin, but he became concerned as he took in her appearance again. She looked tired and shaken up. What if she was over working herself? He knew first hand how.. well.. pig headed she could be, for lack of a better word. He didn't want her stressing herself too much, not because she felt guilty.

One look at her and he knew she was feeling guilt. The way her eye brows scrunched when she was in thought..her mouth pressing into a thin line, and her slumping posture. He wanted to tell her that she didn't have to do this..that she couldn't have saved him if she had held all the knowledge in the world, but that would just make things worse. So Shikamaru chose to keep his mouth closed. No need to reopen old wounds..

It was only after a very lengthy amount of silence had passed that Ino finally decided to speak up.

"Shika..?" She said timidly, her eyes darting from his face to the table.

Shikamaru looked up at her upon hearing his name, his eyes drooping with weariness.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did.."

"This is important!" She snapped, her hand immediately coming up to cover her mouth.

Shikamaru stared at her with mild amusement.

"Go on."

He watched as she wiggled around in her seat, and a confused expression crossed his features.


Ino inhaled a deep breath before continuing, her hands resting palms down on the table. She looked Shikamaru square in the eye, leaning forward slightly.

"I have a proposition for you." She paused as she took in his expression, same as before, that was a good sign. "But you have to promise not to run...and to hear me out."

She could already see Shikamaru squirming, and the next words she would say would have to be tactful, tactical, and merciless all at the same time...

"I want you to father me a child."

She watched as Shikamaru sat perfectly still, his eyes boring straight into her own. she started to worry when the color began to drain from his face, and she winced as his expression became guarded.

Her eyes began to widen as he opened his mouth to speak, hope and fear twisting in the pit of her stomach..

"Are you kidding me?"

That was not the answer she was expecting...


Tell me what you think guys:).