Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of its characters used in this piece. I make no money from this writing

Cinnamon Latte

Shikamaru resisted the urge to repeatedly beat his head against his keyboard. For one thing, it would probably break his glasses and lord knows he couldn't afford a new pair of those right now. He just didn't get it. The one time the lazy young man actually tried to write something, was the one time his brain wouldn't help him. Right now, that intellect of his was wandering through many avenues pertaining to entirely different subjects than the ones he needed to focus on. That's not to say these subjects were entirely unwanted, but they were wholly confusing.

The brunette wasn't quite sure when the thoughts had started, or quite how they'd invaded his mind. He was certain though that he was utterly incurable at this stage in his infatuation. Groaning loudly in frustration, he sank back into his seat and took a long gulp from his coffee. The other people frequenting the coffee shop ignored him. He was just another man, on a laptop, doing some work as far as they were concerned. Shikamaru was nothing out of the ordinary.

Had he been outside, Shikamaru would undoubtedly have fallen back on his favourite hobby of cloud watching to clear his mind. Perhaps he'd have stopped by Chouji's place first, and brought his best friend along with him. Being around the other man always helped him to relax, even if all they were doing was lazing around and eating junk food. However, he was inside right now, and in a basement level. Clouds were not accessible down here. Placing down his coffee mug he supposed he could try people watching for the time being. That was the sort of thing Ino swore by to help her own mind, though Shikamaru was of the opinion it was more for the purpose of gathering gossip than organising her thoughts.

Pushing his glasses up his nose he glanced around at the other people in the room. There was a couple, on the squashy orange sofa in the corner, holding whispered conversations over hot chocolate and a shared muffin. Regarding them Shikamaru just felt creepy. And he wasn't afraid to admit a tad jealous. There were some other students, and business types too, on nearby tables, with their own laptops out, typing away furiously, in between eager sips of their own drinks. Great, the brunette mused, another reminder that he was supposed to be working. What else was in the room? Apart from the "art" decorating the walls, and some more fashionably mismatched furniture, not very much.

People watching, Shikamaru concluded, did not help. And his mug was empty too. Fantastic.

He knew that if Temari were here she'd only make fun, saying he brought all this crap upon himself. She would probably bully him into buying her drinks as well. Surprisingly she had actually been understanding and helpful lately when he voiced his problems to her. Most others had a habit of assuming he was being himself and complaining again, whereas she actually listened before teasing him about it. The genius was starting to feel somewhat guilty about burdening Temari with his concerns lately. After all, they'd had that thing back in high school. Then there was the person he was actually obsessing over right now. Shikamaru hadn't actually told Temari who it was on his mind every day, but he knew the woman wasn't stupid. She'd have had to have guessed by now. The feisty blonde had interrupted him last time they'd spoken, not allowing him to confess completely.

"Aww, my little cry-baby actually cares about something other than sleeping and strategy games," she had smirked, before cuffing him playfully. She'd informed him that she didn't need to know, and proceeded to kick his ass at a game of chess.

"You're such a troublesome woman," he'd groaned at her. The comment had only earned him another derisive smile.

Shrugging off the memory, Shikamaru supposed it was time to get his drink refilled. He sighed wearily, hunting around in his wallet for the change. The brunette was a little wary of leaving his laptop and belongings unguarded. The main counter, and therefore the drinks, was located in the upper level of the coffee shop. He preferred it to downstairs as it was, generally, quieter. Eventually, he had pieced together enough cash for his next drink, and stood up.

He needn't have bothered, as the moment he got to his feet, a very familiar set of legs began to descend the stairs. There was only one person Shikamaru knew who would dare to wear such narrow fitting pants. Said person was now winding through the other tables and seats toward him, two large mugs and a plate in his hands. Shikamaru allowed himself another sigh, sitting back down and waving to his friend in greeting.

Gaara nodded back at him, carefully setting a cup in front of Shikamaru. He also put down the plate, but kept his own mug cradled in his slender hands. The redhead sat down on the seat opposite Shikamaru's own and looked at him. The other had never been the most expressive of people, but after years spent with Gaara, Shikamaru recognised the look as one of scrutiny. He rolled his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked, trying to keep his tone free from annoyance.

"You have been here for two hours, had one coffee and despite having your computer open throughout this time, you have only completed your essay's title," Gaara spoke monotonously. "Something is bothering you"

Something was wrong all right, but hell if Shikamaru was telling him what was on his mind.

"Shouldn't you be working?" the brunette attempted to change the subject.

"Fifteen minute break," he countered smoothly, "I finish in another couple of hours though. If you're still around do you want to walk back together?"

Shikamaru nodded in response. He doubted he'd be leaving the coffee shop in the next few hours. The redhead looked vaguely pleased, which was rare for Gaara, and began to pick at the snack on his plate. It was a small brioche, laden with chocolate chips.

"I thought you weren't keen on sweets?" Shikamaru questioned him, taking a sip of his own drink. It was an Americano with hazelnut syrup, and extremely satisfying.

"Temari has decided I am to try new things," Gaara rolled his eyes. The other young man let out a snort.

"Glad to know it isn't just me she bosses around,"

Gaara didn't respond to this. Instead he bowed his head slightly, deep red hair obscuring his eyes. Gaara finished his break in silence, the only noise an occasional slurp of coffee from either of the pair.

Shikamaru had to resist the urge to stare at his ass as he walked away. Those pants really were like a second skin on the redhead. Turning his attention back to his essay he groaned inwardly. This... apparent attraction to Gaara had to stop. For starters he was the brunette's house mate, the brother of an ex, and to top it off he really didn't think that Gaara was even interested in romance full stop.

He picked is phone from his satchel and sent a text to Temari. Where that woman was concerned it would be best to let her know.

"Ok you win, I got it bad for your brother"

Seconds later he got a reply back.

"Puppet boy or red?"

"You know exactly which one. Stop being a pain"

"LOL ;)"

Shikamaru threw his phone back into his bag. She was annoying as always, but at least she wasn't being a total cow over it. He sighed in irritation again, but leant over his laptop. He really did need to get to work on the essay.

He had managed to drag his thoughts away from the redhead when said distraction interrupted his work to inform him that his shift was over. Shikamaru nodded up at Gaara and began to bundle his belongings together and sling them into his satchel. More care was taken with his spectacles, carefully packing them into their case and away. Finally he closed his laptop and placed it with equal care into its own pocket in the bag. The brunette pulled on his navy blue hoodie and looked around for Gaara. The red haired male had disappeared again, presumably to gather his own things for their walk home. Shikamaru lifted the strap to his satchel over his head and began to climb the stairs to the upper level of the coffee shop.

Sure enough Gaara was upstairs. The shop was quiet now, allowing the redhead to converse quietly with his co-worker behind the counter. Well, the other barista was conversing, Gaara content to merely incline his head as a reply to each of the girl's statements. He was pulling on a pair of garish orange gloves that matched the awful orange and green scarf around his neck. Shikamaru knew the items to be gifts from Gaara's best friends, Lee and Naruto, who while nice enough, had little to no fashion sense between them. He smiled at the thought. Thankfully Gaara had chosen his own coat, a charcoal, woollen overcoat, that didn't clash with his accessories, and kept the small man warm.

He noticed Shikamaru arrive at the top of the stairs, and waved a silent goodbye to the girl behind the counter. She waved back at him with a smile before turning to a customer.

"Ready?" Shikamaru asked, using one hand to open the door, while the other buried itself deep into the pocket of the hoodie. Gaara shivered at the sudden rush of the cold air from outside. Despite wrapping up so much he still seemed to feel the elements more than their other friends. In summer his pale skin and red hair meant that he would shy away from the sun outside, while in winter, layer upon layer didn't seem enough to keep him warm.

It was still quite early in the evening, but already winter had brought the darkness upon them. Thankfully it wasn't raining now, though the streets were still wet with the day's earlier weather. Light from the streetlamps glittered across the surfaces of windblown puddles. Shikamaru himself was regretting his own decision not to bring a scarf and gloves with him, the cold was bitter. Usually the hoodie kept him warm enough in any weather. It was a few sizes too big, he'd stolen it from Chouji a few years back after all, and comfortingly thick.

Reluctantly he pulled his hands out of his pockets, a cigarette and lighter in hand. He stood off to the side to light it. It may have been dark, but the high street was still full of shoppers, probably stocking up on gifts for Christmas. He sparked the little flame to life and held it to the end of his cigarette, inhaling deeply. The rush of nicotine quelled the niggling feeling in his mind momentarily. Shikamaru needed to decide how he was going to continue with Gaara. It would probably be best to let things lie. Like he'd pondered earlier on, the shorter man had never shown any inclination to any romantic activity. At least none that he was aware of.

Then there were the social implications of a relationship between them. Neither of the pair was known for their conversational skills. Then again, Shikamaru mused, that could be a good thing, the brunette liked when life was calmer and quieter. And hanging around with Naruto and Lee all day, maybe Gaara would appreciate the break from boisterous types. Though there were other aspects of their personalities that maybe weren't as compatible. While it was true they were both intelligent, and quiet for the most part, Shikamaru was the type to sleep at any given opportunity. He'd prefer to laze away all day, never pushing himself more than he needed to. Gaara on the other hand, was constantly trying to prove his worth, in his own determined fashion. He also had problems with his sleep, keeping the young redhead up most hours of the night. Would Gaara really enter into a relationship with a man who was able to sleep so easily while his own problems resting just grew worse?

Those eyes were contemplating him now. As usual, Gaara had lined them heavily to hide those signs of tiredness. It served to make him more intriguing for Shikamaru to look at, with bold black contrasting the pale green irises. It had taken the redhead a few moments to realise that the brunette had stopped. He looked back to see Shikamaru puffing on a cigarette and looking pensive. He waited until the Shikamaru got himself together, jogging the short distance to catch up with Gaara, and they began walking again.

"I thought you had stopped smoking?" Gaara asked quietly.

"I had, but then started again. It was a pain to try quitting with all the work I have." Shikamaru replied, blowing out a thick stream of smoke. His brow was knotted, obviously still thinking through whatever it was that was troubling him.

The brunette took another heavy drag as the pair settled into a comfortable walking pace. He'd reasoned that attempting anything other than the friendship they already had would be a bad idea. He'd also decided it wouldn't hurt if maybe he was a bit more vocal with Gaara. Sure they were both calm, but that didn't mean he couldn't make an effort. He looked to his side as the redhead looked at him. His face was puzzled by Shikamaru's actions again. It was only now that the taller male realised Gaara had put his piercings back in, a hoop in his nose glimmered as they passed neon store fronts, and earrings studded the edges of one ear. His job required that he remove the jewellery from his face, but he usually waited until getting home to put it back in. They must have made an interesting pair as they strolled along, Shikamaru looking scruffy in his jeans and hoodie, while Gaara had that cool rocker look about him. The brunette laughed slightly at this thought.

"What?" growled Gaara, his face scrunching up in paranoia as he did so.

"Nothing," the other man assured him, "just a thought about something."

The redhead seemed satisfied by the answer and turned away, his face calming down.

"So, um, how was work?" Shikamaru questioned tentatively. He'd decided to make the effort and while the question seemed lame it should do the job.

"It was okay,"

Should was the operative word. He'd hoped the redhead might break character and give a longer response.

"How did the essay go?"

Well that was a pleasant surprise, Gaara didn't often push for conversation. Shikamaru blinked, before remembering he had to reply to the question.

"Not great," the brunette shrugged, bringing the cigarette to his lips for one final smoke, before flicking the but away, "I don't know what possessed me to come to university sometimes, I hate writing essays,"

"I believe your reasoning was that it was easier to deal with the assignments than it was with your mother's nagging," said Gaara, completely honestly. Had it been anyone else there would have been the hint of humour in there at Shikamaru's expense. Of course it was true, the brunette had complained this fact to them on several occasions, especially when people questioned his lazy attitude.

"What now?" the short redhead scowled as Shikamaru started to laugh at his frank comment. The taller of the pair shook his head dismissively.

"Nothing," he chuckled. "I just appreciated your honesty"

They were nearing the student quarter now. The trendy shops were being replaced by cheap bookstores and a plethora of fast food outlets and takeaways. Shikamaru let himself become momentarily distracted by the scent of the fried chicken place on the corner, and contemplated buying some for dinner. He couldn't be bothered with cooking today. He began rummaging around for his cigarettes again, occupied with the thought of enjoying another when Gaara's voice interrupted him.

"I think I would appreciate your honesty too," the redhead spoke softly. Shikamaru ignored his nicotine craving to answer his friend.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. The flicker of the frown crossed Gaara's features briefly once more and he stopped walking. A gloved hand was clenching and unclenching in unspoken frustration at his side. The troubled expression on his face remained in place, like the redhead was measuring up something in his mind.

Before Shikamaru could question Gaara further, he felt his back pressed to the wall behind him and a pair of lips upon his own. Gaara on the other hand felt somewhat relieved. His sister had told him to try new things hadn't she? And he didn't see why that should stop at tasting new foods.

Shikamaru's lips were dry and chapped from the harsh weather, however there was a little patch on his lower lip that tasted of new skin. It had been where the taller male was chewing it as he struggled to write his essay. He also held the taste of tobacco, and the hazelnut from his drink, neither of which Gaara was keen on, but coupled together in the kiss they were much more enjoyable. The brunette, when he'd overcome the initial shock of his crush kissing him, was marvelling not in the other's taste but his smell. While his uniform held the rich aroma of fresh coffee, Gaara's natural scent underneath it all was much more, well, natural. Gaara smelled earthy, not unlike the air after heavy rainfall, with a woody aftershave just managing to cling on to his other clothing. He didn't know why, but he'd half expected the other to smell of cinnamon or something equally spicy and sweet.

It didn't take long for either of them to relax into what they were doing. One of Gaara's hands was gripping gently at the sleeve of Shikamaru's hoodie, the other hanging awkwardly at his side. Shikamaru took that one in his own fingers, while his other hand rested itself at Gaara's waist.

In contrast to Shikamaru's lips, Gaara's were soft. It made sense to him, Gaara was more attentive with grooming than Shikamaru, and had probably invested in some sort of lip balm. His kisses were much like his personality. For the most part they were restrained, almost shy, sporadically interchanging with something more animalistic and vicious. It spurred the taller boy to show the other he was anything but lazy and he began to fight against Gaara's nips to his lips with his own tongue.

It was with some reluctance that the pair parted, Shikamaru frowning with confusion, and Gaara looking rather satisfied with himself. He leant on the wall next to Shikamaru, but kept a hold of the other's hand.

"Where did that come from?" Shikamaru asked eventually.

"I know I'm inexperienced, and I don't express it often, but I'm not incapable of caring for another Shikamaru," Gaara retorted, as if offended by the statement.

"I never said you were," the brunette huffed. The air from his mouth condensed in mimicry of his cigarette smoke from earlier. "It was just, well unexpected"

"Temari," Gaara began to explain, "she texted me while we were at work."

Shikamaru tried to be annoyed but reasoned it out in his mind. Of course Temari would tell her brother how he felt. It really was luck that Gaara found him attractive enough to kiss him. He was thankful she had. If left to his own devices, there was no way he'd have made the effort to tell Gaara how he felt. And Gaara was the type to go after things he wanted.

"Your sister, she's so..."

"Troublesome?" the redhead supplied. Shikamaru gave a wry smile.

"Exactly. Because now I have to deal with where we go next with this," he pondered.

"As I stated I am inexperienced in these things," Gaara paused momentarily, "though we could try kissing again,"

Shikamaru smirked at the cheeky comment that was so unlike his friend, "We could indeed."

And they did.

THE END :D

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story has been sat on my laptop for a few days now while I worked up the courage to post it! I've loved this pairing for a while, despite it being utter crack. I hope that people enjoy it. I've tried really really hard to keep the pair of them in character, though considering its AU and a romance involving Gaara, I concede that a little OOC-ness is bound to occur. Also, I think this might be the longest oneshot I've written yet! Thank you for reading,

Orange