Fanfic: The Office, Part 4
Title: The Office, Part 4/?
Author: meepers369
Summary: AU. Ino can’t help but feel miffed regarding Shikamaru’s duty to escort the Chicago representative around the office.
Read the chapter on Fanfiction.net
Read Previous: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Sakura watched Ino, amused. She requires careful handling today, thought Sakura. Or, I could just needle her until she comes out with it. Sakura grinned. That method always brought out more interesting results.
“So…how was your morning?”
Ino merely grunted. Oh my, thought Sakura. This was serious.
“Did Temari come by?”
“Yes.” Ino stabbed her salad furiously. “Along with that no-good, fern-watching, lazy-bum Shikamaru!”
Interesting. Rather than being jealous over Temari, Ino was madder over Shikamaru. “What did he do?”
“Nothing.” Ino slammed her fist against the table. “Which is all that he ever does! He might take Temari around to all the places, but that’s it. Temari’s the one asking questions and taking notes, Temari’s the one who really does the following, Temari is the one touring the company! All he does is sit there with an incredibly stupid look on his face. Why does he need to follow her around everywhere if all he’s doing is watching her? Doesn’t he have his OWN work to do?” Ino returned to stabbing her salad. “He’s eating lunch with her right now. Why the hell does he need to be with her for that? It’s not like she’s doing any observational work by eating!”
So there was a slight bit of jealousy. Sakura smiled. “I hear that Temari basically reviews everything that happens in the morning and hounds him about it.”
“Well, it would make more sense for her to have lunch with me then!” Ino cried. “I’m the one most qualified to answer her questions about what’s she’s seen today! She followed me this morning, not him.”
Sakura blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that.” That was interesting. Why was Temari doing this?
“Well maybe you should. And maybe she should think about that, too, so Shikamaru wouldn’t have to abandon Chouji and me for afternoon breaks and reject my lunch offer!”
Ah-ha!
“What are you grinning about?”
Sakura sipped her tea. Dare she? Sure, why not. “You know the logical conclusion, Ino dear. Temari probably has a crush on Shikamaru.”
“Hrmph!” Ino’s expression turned absolutely vicious.
“That’s the only way it makes sense-“
“I know it makes sense, I’m not stupid!” Ino scowled. Of course Sakura just had to go and point out the obvious. It’s not as if Ino hadn’t suspected it before, but now that Sakura mentioned it, too…
“Well I think she has awful taste in men. Shikamaru! The only thing he has going for him is his intelligence, and he’s so lazy that it hardly shows!”
Sakura laughed. This was getting more interesting than she’d thought it ever would.
--------------
Shikamaru sneezed. Little luck needed to guess who’s talking about me behind my back, he thought wryly. This day was turning out to be troublesome. Things usually did, whenever it involved too much Ino.
He scrolled lazily through the pages of company reports he was supposed to be looking over in lieu of working with the rest of his department. Normally during lunch, he’d be reading attentively trying to make up for lost time carting Temari around, but today he couldn’t concentrate. Not that he could concentrate very well normally anyway, with Temari demanding answers to questions he never thought mattered, but today was especially hard when the last time he saw Ino was her disappointed face and her refusal to look at him.
“Shikamaru, I don’t understand.” Shikamaru gave a long-suffering sigh. Temari, instead of being annoyed as she had the first day, merely looked amused now. “The marketing department’s atmosphere is very similar to the Chicago office-fast, quick paced, highly efficient. Yet despite the rush, when I went in, it felt like a highly relaxed atmosphere. Why is that?”
“It’s probably because of all the plants,” Shikamaru responded, surprising himself. Where did that answer come from?
“The plants?”
“Err…Ino always went on about the psychological benefits of having green in the office. Chouji and I used to meet in at her desk because we got tired of staring at the same things all the time,” Shikamaru recalled. “Her flowers were a nice distraction.” Not to mention her cheerful smile and teasing conversation. Shikamaru sorely missed that in the last few days, he realized.
“Once promoted to department head, Ino insisted on having them in her department, and not just in reception halls and cliental meeting places. She insisted on having them everywhere, in every cubicle and even the bathrooms. The idea somehow started catching on.” Gai and Lee had, predictably, been ecstatic about the idea after one step into Ino’s newly organized office. They promptly went into raptures over her brilliant display of YOUTH and CHEER, praising the brilliance of ETERNAL SPRING to Tsunade until she (annoyed) had portioned a budget for plants and ferns.
“Also, Ino’s family owns a flower shop, so there’s a bunch of plants that she’d specially bring in for her department. Maybe that’s why her area still feels more cheerful than the rest of the office.” Another reason why he should visit her more often.
Temari seemed to digest this information carefully. There were a few blissful moments of peace as Shikamaru took another bite of his sandwich.
“You’ve never talked this much before.”
“Uh, really?”
“Usually you limit yourself to the simplest and shortest explanations. Either that, or you redirect my questions at me.”
“I didn’t even notice,” he replied, slightly confused. When did this girl notice so much about the way he talked?
------------
After lunch, Ino returned to her office to find her assistants and interns clamoring for her attention. Temari and Shikamaru, she noted sullenly, had not yet returned. Temari can keep Shikamaru with her as long as she wanted, she thought. She scolded an intern more harshly than she normally would have done, and word soon went around the floor that Ms. Ino in one of those moods, that everyone had better be on their best behavior during her afternoon rounds today.
-----------
When Shikamaru had trudged behind Temari into Ino’s office after lunch, Ino had warmly welcomed Temari back in, asking her where she would like to go, what she would like to see, who she would like to talk to, I want to schedule my afternoon around your requests, Temari, no, it’s no trouble at all.
Shikamaru looked at Ino suspiciously. She had completely ignored him. No “Hi, Shika!” followed by a bright smile, nor was a simple look thrown his way. She was also using that sickly-sweet tone of voice she usually reserved for people she really didn’t like, but still had to please. Like certain customers of her flowershop.
If Temari noticed the change in Ino’s demeanor, she didn’t show it. Shikamaru watched Ino carefully. What could have changed her so completely during lunch? He trailed after the two blondes, watching one of them with particular attention.
-------------
Ino gave up being mad with Temari. She just couldn’t do it, she admired this girl too much. Temari might ask some strange questions, but she was highly professional, meticulously thorough, and gave valuable insight, even if they were given unsolicited.
She was just a bit too cold, Ino reflected as she earnestly answered Temari’s questions. I don’t have to warm up to her, but I shouldn’t be fake to her, either. And it’s none of my business if she likes Shikamaru or not, she thought guiltily.
With that, Ino snuck a glance at Shikamaru. She had refused to talk to look at him all afternoon, feeling nothing but pure anger when he trailed into her office behind Temari, maybe now she would feel better…
Nope. As soon as she saw his slouching figure trailing behind Temari, she felt a flash of...anger? Hurt?
Shikamaru noticed her looking at him. (How?! It was only for a second!) He gave an awkward side-smile and a quiet ‘hey’. Ino quickly turned back to Temari to answer the next question she had already thrown out to her.
-------------
A half an hour later, Shikamaru was getting exasperated. Ino had said not one word to him, even when he experimentally gave her a smile compounded with a quiet ‘hey’. She merely turned and spoke to Temari, explaining the little things that came to Temari’s attention.
At least she wasn’t using that sugary-sweet customer voice anymore, Shikamaru thought. But he still couldn’t help but feel annoyed that she wouldn’t even look at him, for goodness sake, what in the world did he do? He couldn’t wait until afternoon break so that he could corner her and make her talk to him. Temari could do without him for one day.
-------------
Ino could feel him staring at her the whole afternoon. She absolutely refused to look at him. At least Temari was here to distract her. She couldn’t wait until her usual afternoon break, when Temari and her stupid shadow could leave and do whatever it is that kept him away from their sacred meeting time with Chouji.
-------------
Shikamaru was getting Very Very Annoyed. When he mentioned that he’d be going to afternoon break with her today, Ino looked appalled. Shouldn’t she be happy? He was sure that she would appreciate the fact that he, you know, wanted to go because he really Missed Them Very Much and was sure that she (and Chouji, of course) missed him, too. Temari had looked surprised at his wish to change their usual plans, only nodded gracefully.
When afternoon break came and Temari left to do her usual reports, Shikamaru tried to accompany Ino to their usual meeting place. However, the dratted sneaky girl slipped off using the excuse of “Need the bathroom, go on ahead,” only to never show up until the very last second, when she waved cheerfully-to Chouji, only Chouji!-and apologized-to Chouji, definitely not looking at him-saying, sorry, I had unexpected business, we’ll talk tomorrow, okay?
This was getting ridiculous.
Read next: Part 5
Author: meepers369
Summary: AU. Ino can’t help but feel miffed regarding Shikamaru’s duty to escort the Chicago representative around the office.
Read the chapter on Fanfiction.net
Read Previous: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Sakura watched Ino, amused. She requires careful handling today, thought Sakura. Or, I could just needle her until she comes out with it. Sakura grinned. That method always brought out more interesting results.
“So…how was your morning?”
Ino merely grunted. Oh my, thought Sakura. This was serious.
“Did Temari come by?”
“Yes.” Ino stabbed her salad furiously. “Along with that no-good, fern-watching, lazy-bum Shikamaru!”
Interesting. Rather than being jealous over Temari, Ino was madder over Shikamaru. “What did he do?”
“Nothing.” Ino slammed her fist against the table. “Which is all that he ever does! He might take Temari around to all the places, but that’s it. Temari’s the one asking questions and taking notes, Temari’s the one who really does the following, Temari is the one touring the company! All he does is sit there with an incredibly stupid look on his face. Why does he need to follow her around everywhere if all he’s doing is watching her? Doesn’t he have his OWN work to do?” Ino returned to stabbing her salad. “He’s eating lunch with her right now. Why the hell does he need to be with her for that? It’s not like she’s doing any observational work by eating!”
So there was a slight bit of jealousy. Sakura smiled. “I hear that Temari basically reviews everything that happens in the morning and hounds him about it.”
“Well, it would make more sense for her to have lunch with me then!” Ino cried. “I’m the one most qualified to answer her questions about what’s she’s seen today! She followed me this morning, not him.”
Sakura blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that.” That was interesting. Why was Temari doing this?
“Well maybe you should. And maybe she should think about that, too, so Shikamaru wouldn’t have to abandon Chouji and me for afternoon breaks and reject my lunch offer!”
Ah-ha!
“What are you grinning about?”
Sakura sipped her tea. Dare she? Sure, why not. “You know the logical conclusion, Ino dear. Temari probably has a crush on Shikamaru.”
“Hrmph!” Ino’s expression turned absolutely vicious.
“That’s the only way it makes sense-“
“I know it makes sense, I’m not stupid!” Ino scowled. Of course Sakura just had to go and point out the obvious. It’s not as if Ino hadn’t suspected it before, but now that Sakura mentioned it, too…
“Well I think she has awful taste in men. Shikamaru! The only thing he has going for him is his intelligence, and he’s so lazy that it hardly shows!”
Sakura laughed. This was getting more interesting than she’d thought it ever would.
--------------
Shikamaru sneezed. Little luck needed to guess who’s talking about me behind my back, he thought wryly. This day was turning out to be troublesome. Things usually did, whenever it involved too much Ino.
He scrolled lazily through the pages of company reports he was supposed to be looking over in lieu of working with the rest of his department. Normally during lunch, he’d be reading attentively trying to make up for lost time carting Temari around, but today he couldn’t concentrate. Not that he could concentrate very well normally anyway, with Temari demanding answers to questions he never thought mattered, but today was especially hard when the last time he saw Ino was her disappointed face and her refusal to look at him.
“Shikamaru, I don’t understand.” Shikamaru gave a long-suffering sigh. Temari, instead of being annoyed as she had the first day, merely looked amused now. “The marketing department’s atmosphere is very similar to the Chicago office-fast, quick paced, highly efficient. Yet despite the rush, when I went in, it felt like a highly relaxed atmosphere. Why is that?”
“It’s probably because of all the plants,” Shikamaru responded, surprising himself. Where did that answer come from?
“The plants?”
“Err…Ino always went on about the psychological benefits of having green in the office. Chouji and I used to meet in at her desk because we got tired of staring at the same things all the time,” Shikamaru recalled. “Her flowers were a nice distraction.” Not to mention her cheerful smile and teasing conversation. Shikamaru sorely missed that in the last few days, he realized.
“Once promoted to department head, Ino insisted on having them in her department, and not just in reception halls and cliental meeting places. She insisted on having them everywhere, in every cubicle and even the bathrooms. The idea somehow started catching on.” Gai and Lee had, predictably, been ecstatic about the idea after one step into Ino’s newly organized office. They promptly went into raptures over her brilliant display of YOUTH and CHEER, praising the brilliance of ETERNAL SPRING to Tsunade until she (annoyed) had portioned a budget for plants and ferns.
“Also, Ino’s family owns a flower shop, so there’s a bunch of plants that she’d specially bring in for her department. Maybe that’s why her area still feels more cheerful than the rest of the office.” Another reason why he should visit her more often.
Temari seemed to digest this information carefully. There were a few blissful moments of peace as Shikamaru took another bite of his sandwich.
“You’ve never talked this much before.”
“Uh, really?”
“Usually you limit yourself to the simplest and shortest explanations. Either that, or you redirect my questions at me.”
“I didn’t even notice,” he replied, slightly confused. When did this girl notice so much about the way he talked?
------------
After lunch, Ino returned to her office to find her assistants and interns clamoring for her attention. Temari and Shikamaru, she noted sullenly, had not yet returned. Temari can keep Shikamaru with her as long as she wanted, she thought. She scolded an intern more harshly than she normally would have done, and word soon went around the floor that Ms. Ino in one of those moods, that everyone had better be on their best behavior during her afternoon rounds today.
-----------
When Shikamaru had trudged behind Temari into Ino’s office after lunch, Ino had warmly welcomed Temari back in, asking her where she would like to go, what she would like to see, who she would like to talk to, I want to schedule my afternoon around your requests, Temari, no, it’s no trouble at all.
Shikamaru looked at Ino suspiciously. She had completely ignored him. No “Hi, Shika!” followed by a bright smile, nor was a simple look thrown his way. She was also using that sickly-sweet tone of voice she usually reserved for people she really didn’t like, but still had to please. Like certain customers of her flowershop.
If Temari noticed the change in Ino’s demeanor, she didn’t show it. Shikamaru watched Ino carefully. What could have changed her so completely during lunch? He trailed after the two blondes, watching one of them with particular attention.
-------------
Ino gave up being mad with Temari. She just couldn’t do it, she admired this girl too much. Temari might ask some strange questions, but she was highly professional, meticulously thorough, and gave valuable insight, even if they were given unsolicited.
She was just a bit too cold, Ino reflected as she earnestly answered Temari’s questions. I don’t have to warm up to her, but I shouldn’t be fake to her, either. And it’s none of my business if she likes Shikamaru or not, she thought guiltily.
With that, Ino snuck a glance at Shikamaru. She had refused to talk to look at him all afternoon, feeling nothing but pure anger when he trailed into her office behind Temari, maybe now she would feel better…
Nope. As soon as she saw his slouching figure trailing behind Temari, she felt a flash of...anger? Hurt?
Shikamaru noticed her looking at him. (How?! It was only for a second!) He gave an awkward side-smile and a quiet ‘hey’. Ino quickly turned back to Temari to answer the next question she had already thrown out to her.
-------------
A half an hour later, Shikamaru was getting exasperated. Ino had said not one word to him, even when he experimentally gave her a smile compounded with a quiet ‘hey’. She merely turned and spoke to Temari, explaining the little things that came to Temari’s attention.
At least she wasn’t using that sugary-sweet customer voice anymore, Shikamaru thought. But he still couldn’t help but feel annoyed that she wouldn’t even look at him, for goodness sake, what in the world did he do? He couldn’t wait until afternoon break so that he could corner her and make her talk to him. Temari could do without him for one day.
-------------
Ino could feel him staring at her the whole afternoon. She absolutely refused to look at him. At least Temari was here to distract her. She couldn’t wait until her usual afternoon break, when Temari and her stupid shadow could leave and do whatever it is that kept him away from their sacred meeting time with Chouji.
-------------
Shikamaru was getting Very Very Annoyed. When he mentioned that he’d be going to afternoon break with her today, Ino looked appalled. Shouldn’t she be happy? He was sure that she would appreciate the fact that he, you know, wanted to go because he really Missed Them Very Much and was sure that she (and Chouji, of course) missed him, too. Temari had looked surprised at his wish to change their usual plans, only nodded gracefully.
When afternoon break came and Temari left to do her usual reports, Shikamaru tried to accompany Ino to their usual meeting place. However, the dratted sneaky girl slipped off using the excuse of “Need the bathroom, go on ahead,” only to never show up until the very last second, when she waved cheerfully-to Chouji, only Chouji!-and apologized-to Chouji, definitely not looking at him-saying, sorry, I had unexpected business, we’ll talk tomorrow, okay?
This was getting ridiculous.
Read next: Part 5