Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Rating: K+
Pairings: None, really. But I guess you can see a little ShikaTen
Rant: I had a really bad day today, so I had a strange need to write when I came home from school, and I couldn't find inspiration to Cousins 'cause it just gives me a headache. And then I started to think about water. This is what came out in the end!
Tenten sneaked through the kitchen door, smiling triumphantly, and approached the fridge. Finally, she'd get a nice glass of cold water. Nothing could compare to pure cold water. As she pulled out the already prepared pitcher, she started humming. The day had been long, and when her team and the other teams arrived, most of them had been exhausted. She though had prepared a pitcher of water so she could drink fresh water in the middle of the night.
Pouring the water into a glass, she started to think about the day in a happy manner. At least they had found a good place to sleep – a cabin for them all was luxury.
Since she had been all to busy with her water, she didn't notice the boy sitting at the table before she had seated herself in front of him. Dropping the glass in her hand, she cursed as it fell to the floor. Ignoring it, she turned to glare at Shikamaru Nara.
"Damn, you scared me!"
"You should be sleeping." He retorted.
She bent down and started to pick up the pieces of glass on the floor, while muttering under her breath. Finished, she went and got herself a cloth and cleaned up the whole mess. She then sat down at the table, the pitcher and a new glass in front of her.
"Water, god's gift to the people, don't you agree?" She sighed with delight after gulping down a whole glass.
He just raised an eyebrow. "Water is fine."
"Water is wonderful!"
"Whatever makes you sleep at night..." He rolled his eyes, but a slight smile appeared in his face.
"So what are you doing down here when you could be sleeping?" She asked, pouring another glass. "Want some?"
"No thanks." He put his cheek in his hand and sighed.
"Wait, do you have trouble sleeping at night?" Tenten was shocked.
He glanced at the kitchen door, before answering. "I guess."
"Ah, okay."
The silence that ensued wasn't tense; actually, it was rather comfortable. While she drank her water he just sat there, thinking.
"When do you sleep, usually?" She felt a sudden need of knowing.
"I don't know, it depends on how I feel like." Shikamaru frowned.
"Okay." Another glass of water was gulped down.
He finally seemed to give in to her pressure. "Could you hand me a glass?"
"Sure!" She grinned. "I just knew you'd want water eventually. Luckily, I prepared two pitchers!"
"Yeah, luckily…" He murmured, and chuckled as she glared at him.
Tenten was back at the table in a matter of seconds, giving him a glass and placing the new pitcher on the table. Then she took the empty pitcher and started to refill it. Humming, she returned it to the fridge before sitting down in front of him again.
The lights started to flicker as the night continued. A little small talk was made, but during the coming hour they were mostly quiet, both in deep thoughts about the past and the future.
"Do you ever wonder how it would have turned out if you had been one year younger?" He suddenly asked her.
She almost choked on her water. "N-no, not really, I'm pleased with my team, you know."
"I see." He said, and then closed his eyes.
"Why?"
"I've been wondering what would have happened if the teams had been different." He told her, sighing. "Not that I hate my team… Chouji and Ino are both really good people. I just want to know."
"You can't figure it out?" She tilted her head to the left, and in this angle, his troubled expression was much easier to see.
"No, I can't."
"It must be weird to always know things and then find that you don't." She poured them both some water.
Shikamaru turned his gaze to the ceiling, like he was avoiding her eyes. "I never know things. I know what I can expect, but I never really know. But it does hurt your ego when something is incalculable."
"That's a different look on it. Before I could've sworn you were omniscient." She smiled at him as he turned back to faze her.
He laughed, eyes twinkling. "Sure you did."
"And then I saw the true you. What a disappointment."
"I could say the same thing to you." He retorted.
"Okay, I admit defeat." She rolled her eyes as she put down her glass on the table.
"Good." He said. "It feels good to win."
"This isn't over yet." She told him, and stuck out her tongue at him.
"If you say so." He grinned and scratched the back of his head, before yawning.
Tenten smiled. "Tired?"
"Yes, I'm going to bed."
She poured a last glass and gulped it down slowly this time, enjoying it thoroughly. Shikamaru stood in the doorframe, chuckling.
"What's so funny?" She asked, confused.
"You drink water like its alcohol."