4. In Which Shikamaru Does Not Behave At All
Dinner was sublime. She was pretty sure that this was due just as much to the fantastic company as it was to the food. To be more exact, Sakura was pretty sure that this was due to Shikamaru. It wasn't that he had said anything profound, or that he was particularly charming that evening. It was simply his presence.
Despite what he said to Hitoshi, all the chairs were empty at their table when they had their little discussion.
Sakura smiled happily at the memory. Shikamaru rarely doled out compliments, even when under duress. So when he told her she was pretty, with that cute little blush and a put-upon expression on his scowling face, she didn't think about kissing him. She just did it. And she was glad.
When they came back from the food tables, they found two other couples seated around their table. Sakura was relieved that they had left their empty glasses there to hold their spot. The table was in the corner of the garden, very close to one of the larger koi ponds. She had been eyeing the tiny bamboo bridge over the water throughout the evening, imagining what a peaceful, beautiful spot it must be. She'd have to separate from the crowd later and enjoy it.
She had always liked water. It was such a versatile element, and in its calm state it could soothe away all her worries.
"It's lovely, isn't it?"
Sakura turned to the elderly woman next to her, who was also gazing out at the bridge and ponds beneath the shade of several weeping trees whose branches were just long enough to dip into the water below. She smiled at the woman when she turned back to catch her eye.
"Yes. It is. I was just thinking about how I'd like to sneak back there for a while before the night's over."
The old woman smiled delightedly at her, a glimpse of a young girl in her wrinkled face. "Oooh, that sounds like fun. You should! Never pass up an opportunity to slow down and appreciate the stillness, young one. Life hurries by so quickly. Do not let beautifully peaceful moments slip by!"
Sakura grinned warmly at her, taking her advice to heart. "I won't. I promise."
She looked over to where Shikamaru was speaking with who she assumed was the elderly woman's husband. She was just trying to figure out what sort of subject could have the laid-back shinobi so enthused when she saw the old man pull a tiny game board out of his jacket, a cloth bag of pieces after it.
Sakura shook her head in amusement. 'I should have known. Shogi.'
The woman next to her laughed, catching sight of the two men setting up pieces together. "It would seem our companions have found a kindred spirit in one another."
Sakura giggled as well. "You have no idea."
"Well, my dear, there are a few friends here I'd like to go and visit with. If I were you, I'd take this moment to take a nice peaceful stroll and enjoy the gardens." She glanced at the two men, who were now intensely focused on their game, in amusement. "I think you'll have a good deal of free time to do so."
Sakura smiled. "Knowing Shikamaru, I think you're likely right."
The further she got from the crowd of guests, the more at peace Sakura began to feel. No one was watching her here. No one was judging her appearance, or expecting polite conversation. Here Sakura could relax and enjoy her beautiful surroundings. Shinobi often traveled to many places and saw wonderful sights, but rarely were they afforded the time to appreciate them. And yet, Sakura had always loved nature, and took in as much as she could.
She walked silently beneath leafy cherry trees, gingko, and maples. She paused inside a beautiful gazebo, set next to a small creek that wound sinuously through the gardens. Everything around her was perfectly groomed, cared for with gentleness and precision.
Leaning against the railing closest to the party, she looked out over the twinkle of lights that could be seen filtering through leafy boughs. If she focused, Sakura could make out the faint murmur of conversation over the music of flowing water. She smiled. 'Shikamaru's probably still at that game.'
She had, of course, leaned over to tell him where she was going. It would not only have been rude not to, but also dangerous. A mission was a mission after all, and a partner should always be aware of where the other was.
She was pretty sure he had heard her. He nodded absently after she had whispered in his ear, but never took his eyes from the game. She blushed when she remembered how he had stiffened slightly as she leaned over him, her nose accidently grazing his ear. She wasn't sure why his close proximity affected her so.
But it did. Oh, how it did.
She shivered slightly in memory, eyes looking beyond the scene in front of her.
She could see his face clearly in her mind's eye. When one looked beyond his bored expressions, one could see that he had sharp, calculating eyes that were softened with sooty eyelashes. (She never found it fair when men has thicker eyelashes than she, but she was still grateful for his.) They were a rich dark brown. Not murky, or muddy. Not cold, wooden, and indifferent. They reminded her of...
'Chocolate.' She giggled to herself. 'Rich, yummy chocolate.'
And his lips! There was something about that lazy smirk of his that made her stomach just flop right over inside of her. It couldn't possibly be healthy. They weren't exceptionally full lips, but weren't too thin either. And they were soft.
'There is no way he doesn't wear some form of lip balm.'
And his body was definitely worth noting as well. He wasn't thin and lanky - his strong shoulders and legs kept him from fitting into this category. And his slimmer hips and toned abdomen kept him from being bulky looking.
She sighed a little. It wasn't like he was perfect or anything. His facial features were a little sharp, and his demeanor was, well, it had room for improvement. But Sakura found herself inexplicably drawn to him anyway. They clicked nicely together, and all of his quirks were humorous and endearing.
'Damn. If he wasn't such a puzzle, I might have some sort of clue about what to do about this... this...'
She furrorwed her brows. 'Attraction?'
She had found herself staring at him periodically throughout dinner. He was making polite conversation with other members of the table, putting forth more effort than she usually saw from him. If she had been a paranoid person, she would have thought he was purposely making himself busy by talking to other people at the table. But why? To avoid conversation with her? The Shikamaru she knew would have eaten his dinner with as little conversation as possible. He wasn't rude, but he didn't go out of his way to be congenial either.
And yet he had been. He smiled politely, nodded his head, responded to questions. Usually Sakura was the one who did such things, the more friendly and out-going of her peers. But she found herself sitting there in near silence, watching his hands gesture, his lips speak. He had really nice looking hands, she noticed. And his mouth looked soft when he spoke. Soft and sensual.
Well, damn. She shook her head back to the present.
"Is something troubling you?" Sakura spun and had to stop herself from knocking the man's head clean off his shoulders. She relaxed slightly when she saw it was only Hitoshi.
To his own credit, he only cowered slightly at the very real threat that a kunoichi caught off-guard could bring upon his person. And he straightened quickly, flustered. He nodded to her.
"You seemed to be brooding a bit."
She smiled politely at him before leaning against the railing again. He stepped further into the gazebo and leaned casually next to her, just a bit too close for her comfort.
"Someone so lovely should not be off alone on such a nice night. It would be a crime to waste such beauty."
Sakura raised a brow at the line. "I was just enjoying the peace and quiet and how gorgeous the gardens are at night. I enjoy taking walks by myself. It gives me time to think."
'Surely he'll take the hint.'
He smiled charmingly at her. "A delicate young woman like yourself shouldn't wander unaccompanied, though."
'This from the guy who was nearly cowering before me less than two minutes ago.'
This time her smile was more forced. "I assure you, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." He leaned in closer to her and she moved away. "If you'll excuse me..."
Sakura left the gazebo, hoping he wasn't so full of himself that he'd follow her.
He was.
He was next to her in a moment, telling her about his own estate ("Though it of course isn't nearly so large as this one, I like to think it rivals it in taste and beauty. You really must see my own gardens, they are quite a sight to behold..."), keeping pace with her hurried steps as she wound her way through the small footpaths, hoping he'd lose interest and stop trying to keep up with her.
She finally stopped on the small bridge she had been gazing at during dinner, placing both hands on the railing in front of her. A few koi swam lazily about beneath her, long trailing fins rippling in the water, lantern light reflecting from their scales. She could see her table from here, her empty seat where her dishes had been cleared away by a servant. One of the older couples still remained chatting, but Shikamaru was nowhere to be seen.
Her knuckles turned whiter as her gripped tightened on the banister. Hitoshi was getting less charming by the second as he rambled on next to her. She had tuned him out, trying to think of a polite way to excuse herself without decking him when she felt his hand on one of hers. She glared at the offending appendage, but he took no notice, raising it to his lips.
"Perhaps I could interest you in a visit sometime?"
She blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"My estate, my dear. I would be honored at your presence."
She grimaced, trying to force the expression into a smile. "Ah, I'm really quite busy."
He laughed as though he found this idea quite absurd.
All attempts at politeness gone, Sakura glared at him. She tugged at her hand, but his grip had tightened, holding her fingers to his lips again. She tried not to shudder in disgust as she felt him nibble at one of her knuckles. "Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you would remove your hand from my person." she started angrily, "and please leave me in to finish my walk in peace." She did yank her hand away at that, wiping it on her thigh to remove the dampness.
He stepped closer to her, placing a hand on the railing on either side of her waist, pressing forward. "My darling, you're even lovelier when you're all worked up like this. Please...do me the honor of escorting me to my quarters this evening. I assure you..." he leaned in close, smelling her hair, "you won't be disappointed."
"Ugh!" She shoved him off of her, furiously repeating in her head, 'You can't maim him, you're a guest. You can't maim him, you're a guest...'
She turned on her heel to storm off before she did something that would get her into trouble when she ran headfirst into her partner. He was standing, arms crossed over his chest, glaring over her shoulder at the man now behind her.
"Shikamaru," she gasped. 'That is the second time someone has snuck up on me tonight. What is my deal?!'
He didn't glance down at her, but spoke in a cold voice to Hitoshi. "She could easily kick your ass. She's obviously not doing so out of politeness. If I see you talking to her again, you'll find out that I'm not as concerned with courtesy as she is."
Sakura glanced back and forth between the two men who were currently staring each other down. She was about to open her mouth to tell Shikamaru that she was just fine and had handled the situation when Hitoshi was stupid enough to open his mouth again.
"You are obviously unaware of who you're talking to, boy. I would show more respect to those of title, if I were you."
Sakura fought her gagging reflex while Shikamaru raised a solitary brow, apparently unimpressed.
"Come, my dear." Hitoshi reached a hand out and snagged Sakura by the elbow. Turning an angry glare to the grabby man, she was wholly unprepared for Shikamaru's reaction. His hand shot forward, breaking Hitoshi's grasp on Sakura's arm and twisting the appendage behind the man's body. Judging by the Hitoshi's gasp and the tears that instantly sprang to his eyes, Sakura assumed it was rather painful.
Shikamaru skewed a bored look at the man he held so easily before he seemed to come sort of internal decision.
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief when he let go of Hitoshi's arm and began to walk past him, in her direction. But her sigh changed to a gasp of surprise when she watched him extend his arm with an air of nonchalance and flip Hitoshi's body directly over the railing of the tiny bridge and into the koi pond below.
The splash that resounded and the subsequent sputtering of the astonished nobleman splayed out on his ass in two feet of water were perhaps the most beautiful noises to grace Shikamaru's ears all evening.
He smiled serenely down at the scene below, amusing himself further by trying to decide who looked more astonished at the current situation: Hitoshi, the koi, or Sakura.
Sakura's features quickly turned from shock to anger, however.
"What the hell, Shikamaru?!"
He raised an eyebrow in question.
"You can't just go around tossing noblemen into ponds. ESPECIALLY ones who are personal friends of our host!"
He bit back a chuckle when Hitoshi, trying to scramble out of the water, slid on a mossy stone and fell once again into the pond, before finally marching off in an indignant huff, spouting angry promises of retribution.
Sakura looked like she was about to chase after him and apologize when Shikamaru reached out and caught her arm. She stilled, not facing him. Her arm relaxed under his grip after a Hitoshi had finally disappeared from sight around a copse of trees.
He let his arm drop and she heaved a sigh.
He watched her pinch the bridge of her nose, mumbling something about being thrown out on their asses, never being able to face Tsunade again, and international relations going down the crapper.
Hmmm. Perhaps he had been a bit hasty. But he couldn't bring himself to feel too repentent. That bastard deserved far worse. No one manhandled his partner and got away with it. It was blatantly obvious that Sakura hadn't been about to do anything about the guy's attitude, so for once in his life he was going to step up to the task.
He glanced back up at her when she dropped her hands to her sides again and turned to face him. "Care to explain?"
He shrugged. "He had it coming."
"Shikamaru, I can handle myself. Just because he was being a complete sexist bastard doesn't mean you have to go charging in." She shook her head. "Wait, since when do you go 'charging in' anyway? Taking the initiative doesn't really seem to be your thing."
Not really knowing how to reply, he simply leaned back against the railing and shoved his hands in his pockets. When he had finished his game with the elderly gentleman at the table (He hoped and prayed he would be as relaxed and enjoyable as that man one day!) he had gone in search of his partner. When she hadn't been sneaking glances at him during dinner, he had been eyeing her carefully, not missing the wistful expression on her face as she looked out at the gardens. He could empathize. He was a cloud watcher, after all. He knew a thing or two about peace and solitude and just enjoying the stillness. So he headed directly for that bridge she had her eyes on, and wasn't disappointed. She appeared around a corner of bushes just moments after he had encountered the path by the pond that led to the little bridge. What he was disappointed by was the fact that she was looking obviously harried and annoyedd. The cause followed her moments later, and Shikamaru's eyes narrowed in anger, his fists clenched.
But why? Why so angry? He had nothing to be jealous of. Certainly nothing to be possessive of. And yet, all he could think about was knocking Hitoshi into next week for even thinking about approaching Sakura again and causing that angry and harrassed expression on her face.
So, Shikamaru was just as stumped as Sakura. He had no explanation, and this was a first.
He slid his eyes back to her as the silence stretched between them.
She toyed with her fingertips and let out a long breath. 'Here it comes,' he thought. 'This is where I get bawled out.'
She stepped forward and Shikamaru had to stop himself from cringing from the slap that was sure to follow. He looked away, ready to take it like a man, when she leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek.
He blinked.
'Well. That was unexpected.'
"You acted completely irrationally, idiotically, and you might have just gotten us both kicked out and made us fail what could possibly be the simplest mission in history."
She huffed quietly, her cheeks turning pinker by the moment as he just stood there and gaped at her.
"However, I know you...and I've never seen you act that way before. And so I know that something must have really affected you to do something like that. I mean, let's face it...you're no Naruto. You don't just fly off the handle like that all the time."
She smiled a little. "And I know that you did so on my behalf. To be honest, you did what I really wanted to do. So, thank you, Shikamaru." She smirked and fisted her hands on her hips. "In your own stupid male way, that was really...sweet."
She flashed him one more embarrassed smile. "Now quit gaping at me like some fish, and walk me back to our room."
He finally shut his mouth, shook away his dazed expression and attempted to get a grasp on what had just transpired.
He stared at the woman before him as she smirked at him, waiting for him to get a grip on himself.
'Don't question it, man. Just be grateful.' He shook his head slightly and smiled before stepping forward and offering her his arm.
She took it and they started off on the path that would lead them back toward the mansion.
"Well," she said, "Here's hoping they haven't already tossed our bags out of our rooms yet. I'd really like to get the chance to actually sleep in the place before being banned from ever entering it again."
Perhaps it was because he had been too embarrassed to report the incident to anyone. Perhaps they were in for a more public dressing-down in the morning. Whatever the reason, Sakura and Shikamaru found their room as they left it, and spent the evening peacefully, if somewhat nervously, there. He had never seen Sakura flinch so much. She was constantly shooting glances at the door, probably waiting to be tossed out for his earlier actions.
When a knock finally did come at the door, she yelped loudly and stood frozen in the midst of pacing back and forth in front of the window of their common area. Shikamaru, less jumpy, calmly answered the door to find a servant standing there.
He raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?"
The servant bowed slightly. "Sir, we are just checking in for the evening before our guests retire, to be sure that nothing else is needed."
Shikamaru shot a look at Sakura to see her relax her shoulders slightly. "We're fine, thank you."
"Very well, sir. Breakfast is at eight in the morning, followed by audiences with the new daimyo."
Shikamaru nodded as the servant turned to go on to the next guest suite and shut the door.
Sakura let out a loud sigh of relief before collapsing on the sofa. "Unbelievable. I can't believe that windbag didn't turn us in."
Shikamaru shrugged and sat next to her, tossing his feet onto the low table before them and leaning his head back in relaxation. "Eh. Maybe he did. Maybe we're just too much trouble to deal with tonight. Or perhaps the daimyo wants to publicly humiliate us in the morning. Or..."
Her hand was warm and trembling slightly against his lips. "Not another word, Shika. Not one," she said tightly. He nodded at her and she let her hand drop to her lap before she raised them both, long fingers massaging her temples.
"You worry too much." She looked over at him.
"And you don't worry enough."
He shrugged and smirked a little, closing his eyes as he leaned back in a stretch. "What happens happens, Sakura."
She slanted a disbelieving look at him. "Shikamaru, you're a strategist. I can't believe that just came out of the mouth of someone who excels in planning and altering sequences of events."
He grinned lazily. "True. But when the situation is no longer in my hands, and the outcome can't possibly be changed, then why worry about it? It's a waste of energy and impractical."
"You know what's more impractical?" She glared at him, leaning in and causing him to sink further back into the sofa until he could back away from her close glare no further. "Damning all consequences and dumping potentially important people into koi ponds."
He couldn't help it. She just looked so...alluring when she was all riled up like that. He reached out and tapped her nose. She looked cross-eyed at the offending digit, appearing momentarily shocked out of her irritation.
"Admit it, Sakura," he drawled. "You're just mad that I got the pleasure of tossing him on his ass, and you didn't."
Only then, when he finally felt her breath hot and stuttering against his hand, did he realize that she had stopped breathing when he had placed his finger on her nose. She was still leaning over him, one hand outstretched and holding her propped against the armrest to his right, her body tensed and twisted toward him on his left. Her face was so close to his, in fact, that when the blush started to spread over her cheeks he could actually feel the heat of it against his own.
He cleared his throat and drew his finger slowly from the tip of her nose to her lips, watching his own actions as if he was no longer in control of his appendages.
'Damn. Get a grip on yourself.'
He shook his head slightly and tapped her lips, forcing a casual chuckle. She shook her head slightly, as if coming out of a daze and he watched her gaze travel from his lips to his eyes, looking a little disoriented.
'That was close. If she didn't stop looking at me like that, I'm not sure what I would have done.'
She seemed to get a grip on herself as her blush deepened and that slightly irritated look came back - the one she always got when she felt awkward about a situation and wasn't sure what to do about it.
He chuckled again and her glare deepened.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Nara. But if anything bad comes out of all this, you can rest assured it will be your ass that I'll be tossing."
He laughed outright as she got up from the couch in a huff and headed for the bathroom. "I knew it. You've been wanting to get your hands on my ass all evening. Can't get it off your mind, can you?"
He ducked, still laughing, as her shoe went sailing over his head. He shook his head and sighed to himself as he heard her slam the bathroom door loudly.
Messing with her was just way too much fun.
I'm not bothering with excuses. I had 80% of this written since Thanksgiving. I'm just now posting it. I suck at life.
However, many of you are still nice enough to review. And for that I thank you! I WILL try harder. I only write short bits at a time, I know, but that seems to be how my inspiration hits...tiny bits at a time! And THIS is why I should stick to one-shots. Or drabbles. Bleh.
Feel my love.