XD A one shot Harry x Hermione would be fucking beautiful you know. Maybe someday when one of these are finished. *dreamy sigh* 

And no no no your post was a great, your message got across well, don't worry! I feel bad for the other guys being compared to Sasuke who's a 'hunk' though someday I wanna make SasuHina happen if you're still game, I did it with that one girl and found it utterly awful but I think with [b]you[/b], it would be less of a trainwreck.

I was thinking (without having read the OOC while lurking) Sakura would already know how Ino feels about Shikamaru. I mean girls do gab when they've got free time and I am sure they've talked about Sasuke leaving is such a shame and how they're kinda getting over him or trying to, at least. I was thinking she'd be quick to just relay to Shikamaru how Ino views him like a brother or close pal, but no inclination of romantic feeling, but she could then as you suggested with option A, mention he could date someone else and maybe catch Ino's eye. I don't think either could come to the conclusion on the spot about them pretending to date.

I think Sakura could suggest them dating but it may be a stretch since 'it' itself is a stretch. I like the idea of Sakura parting with Shikamaru, letting him think about dating someone (real or not) to figure out his feelings for Ino and to make her look at Shikamaru differently. I think the idea of Ino prompting Sakura to lie on the spot would be pretty funny. I think after work Sakura would rush to Shikamaru's place before Ino gets there (cause you know she's gonna wanna find Shikamaru and find out what's going on with him and Sakura for realz) and say he now owes her for covering for him and that they're now pretending to date. Maybe Ino gets there two minutes later and expresses her surprise?

That wouldn't happen all in my reply of course but it's a good thought. I think?

EDIT - Got you a post, I figured I'll put Ino in my reply when I also skip to after work? Maybe Shikamaru could go to the bookstore and see if he could read up on dating? Otherwise he could hang out at his house until Sakura comes over? Unless we wanted to go a different route than I mentioned above. :3