Two smart shinobi find love in a hopeless place.

...Gosh, that describes most Naruto pairs doesn't it?

Well this is our ShikaSaku hideout, I swear I'm gonna help you fall in love with these two:

[indent][b]Prompt:[/b] Taking place during the two to three year gap when Naruto is gone. Shikamaru confesses to Sakura his feelings for his teammate, Ino. Shikamaru and Sakura decide to start dating in order to make Ino see Shikamaru as serious boyfriend material. Both Sakura and Shikamaru begin pretending to date and it quickly catches the eye of Ino. as planned. Shikamaru is visiting the hospital where she and Sakura train under Tsunade, seemingly happy to take Sakura out for lunch. They hold hands around town and take shopping trips together. Shikamaru even helps train Sakura for her upcoming Chunin exam. Eventually Ino soon confronts Sakura about the sudden romance and Sakura insists it's genuine attraction but Ino isn't so sure. Ino decides to try and figure out the truth for herself. Essentially either Shikamaru or Sakura will soon develop real feelings for the other as feelings become mangled, even more so when Tsunade sends Shikamaru, Ino and Sakura out on a mission together.[/indent]

So we're thinking they're 16 years old, it's likely the first 2-3 months since Naruto and Sasuke leave Konoha, we'd start with Shikamaru approaching Sakura? Likely at her house or someplace secluded where Ino wouldn't catch him approaching her pink haired friend?