My Trip To... (ShikaIno)

Day 3 - EPCOT

Nobody could say that Ino wasn't kind. Day two of Disney World had been spent as a girls day. Sakura and Ino had ran around the park like it was their personal playground. They had hit all the rides and watched every theatrical show with smiles. There was not a gift shop in the theme park that they didn't hit. They were having so much fun they almost forgot to meet back up with the guys at the Sci-Fi Dine In Theatre Restaurant. It was a cute place to eat where there were life size cars placed all around a retro drive in movie screen.

Ino was so generous that she let Naruto take over as Sakura's partner in crime for the night. She had even let Naruto and Sakura take the second car all to themselves. She guessed it was only fair since she had taken her best friend for most of the day.

But she quickly regretted it when she turned to see what was left for Chouji, Sasuke, Shikamaru and her. They would all have to share one car with two rows. One row could only take two people and Ino knew she should want to take the seat with Sasuke. Choji immediately took a seat in the front row of the car, ready to start eating while Sasuke took one in the back row.

It couldn't have been anymore awkward as she moved to take the seat beside Sasuke while very actively avoiding eye contact with Shikamaru. She didn't even know why she felt she had to avoid him. She just knew she should.

The waitress came and went quickly. It was the perfect moment to get closer to Sasuke but it felt wrong with her two oldest friends right in front of her. Ino would have thought the tension in the air would have left but it didn't.

Every time she did try to start a conversation with Sasuke, either Choji or Shikamaru would turn around in their seats to join in. It was just not how she had planned this dinner reservation to go at all. She tried to make the best of it though with big group conversations but it also felt like a ruined moment. It was supposed to be romantic to have her and her crush in the backseat of a car with a movie playing up ahead.

But instead it had been like any other hang out night. While still fun, it had also been disappointing.

At least Shikamaru and Choji seemed to have a good time.

- - -

So dismayed that another day had gone by without any real progression with Sasuke, Ino let the group sleep in the next day for EPCOT. She put on her cutest flow-y skirt for this day. She didn't know a theme park that was as romantic as EPCOT with its Eiffel Tower, flowery gardens and sparkling lights. She was going to be prepared to have a magical time tonight. She didn't care if she had to drag Shika -- Wait! No! -- Sasuke into it.

She shook out her long blonde hair, wondering what was wrong with her. She wasn't getting all done up for Shikamaru. It was all for Sasuke. There was no doubt in her mind for that.

"You ready?" Sakura asked suddenly as she pulled on her sandals.

"Yep!"

The bus ride over with the guys had been uneventful. The group hit a few of the big rides of the park before finally getting to Ino's favorite part of the park. The eleven countries all had their own special detail that Ino adored. She couldn't imagine anywhere else she would want to stroll along while hand in hand.

Which is exactly what Naruto and Sakura did the moment they left Future World.

"I'm so jealous," Ino murmured as the group of them followed after the happy couple.

"You can hold my hand," Choji grinned as he showed off his cheese powered covered fingers towards her.

"Eww! No! Don't you touch me," Ino threatened, ready to kick the boy if she must. The other boys laughed at her reaction. It only stopped by the sound of Naruto's yelling.

"Nobody told me they sold alcohol here!"

"Do they?" Choji asked with a wide grin. "A lot of drinks go well with food."

Ino laughed at them all. "Actually I thought we could do a time old Disney tradition," she announced, having this plan in her head for a while. She didn't doubt that the group would be against it. The lot of them had finally became legal to drink this year so Ino couldn't imagine this wouldn't be popular. "Let's try a drink from every country!"

"Yeah!"

"That sounds fun!"

"This is making me thirsty!"

"Well let's find our first drink," Ino squealed, overjoyed that everybody was loving her idea. She was about to follow the rest of the group when a hand grasped at her wrist and pulled her back. She was surprised to see it was Shikamaru. They had avoided all physical contact since the ride back in Animal Kingdom. "What?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Something squirmed in her stomach at his touch and the way his eyes lay into her. She told herself he was just concerned for the group. It wasn't about her but something in her wanted it to be about her. "Well... Why not?"

His hold on her tightened but she didn't fight it. If anything, she lets him pull her in. "It could... It could get messy fast."

"What could?" She sounds breathless but she needs to hear this. She needs to know what could get messy. To her, everything already felt messy and entangled. She wasn't sure of how to save herself from it all.

The look in Shikamaru's eyes and the tension in his face looks like he's wrestling himself. Ino feels herself getting pulled in closer for a split second and suddenly his hand on her is gone and she's falling back a step, catching herself. "You know how crazy the group can get..." His hands are in his pockets and Ino's eyes fall away.

"We'll all keep an eye on each other," she whispers before turning away from him. Sakura is waving a hand towards them and Ino quickly moves to catch up.

She could use a drink badly.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Author's Note: Ow! That hurt to write but I had to. This moment felt way too sweet to pass up. I just live for interactions between Shikamaru and Ino.

Though I have to admit Naruto and Sakura have been pretty cute in this fanfic as well.

Oh! And I do know in USA, the legal drinking age is 21. I should know I remember waiting to be 21 when I traveled down. But I thought I would change that for my fanfic. Where I live, 18 is the legal drinking age and I wanted to work it into my fanfic for a living dangerous fun.xD I know some birthdays are later in the year but let's forget that too. Haha. A few cocktails won't hurt anyone, right?xD

Things are going to get a little crazy in the next chapter!

Please don't forget to vote and comment!