- VII -

When he came back home after the long day, Mina was already waiting for him at his flat. The laundry was done, the dinner was on the table, and she was wearing a light pink dress with her hair tied up with a pink ribbon. As usual, she hopped to meet him at the door and kissed him, taking his face in her arms gently.

"What's the occasion?" He asked curiously. He appreciated what she has been doing for him but sometimes it made him feel a little guilty for not having enough motivation to be so caring as well. He was tired today after running various matters for the damned upcoming camp; the workload increased since Suna nins left. Despite that most of the construction work was already done, the schedule of trainings was still not clear, and there was only a week left to finish everything. All he wanted was to lay on his bed and switch his mind off.

But he forced himself to go with the evening as his girlfriend had planned. Dinner, some wine. She was very affectionate today. As they sat on the couch, her tiny feet climbed on his lap and he caressed the soft white skin, that already became a habit in this relationship. She shifted all satisfied. He could see what she was craving for and decided to tease her instead of making a move. She was too shy to show any initiative for sex except these little subtle hints, like a silent sigh as his hand slid up to her knee.

He smirked. His fingers were crawling up her thigh, hiding under the dress, and Mina closed her eyes, resting against an armrest. Her chest lifted as she inhaled deeply; hardened nipples protruded through thin fabric.

So much for his teasing game – he got hard by simply watching her. Not feeling too patient about waiting for Mina to start something, if that was to happen at all, he crawled above her and brushed against her lips. She lifted up to kiss him willingly, her hands wrapping up around his neck, one leg flexing and the dress sliding down to reveal more of her skin.

Normally he would take her in his arms and bring her to the bedroom. She was very light so that was no problem to him, and that was the way she liked it – romantic. And gentle. Fairytale-like. This time Shikamaru needed something else and ignored the surprise in her face as he slid the strap of the dress off the shoulder and down her arm, revealing a small breast. Ticking her skin with kisses, he descended down to the nipple while his hand tried to free the other one from the covering fabric. Mina whimpered. Her hands were pulling at his shirt, not really trying to take it off but rather remind him to do that. Normally, he would already be shirtless, not caring about complaining that she never takes his clothes off during the moment, but today he did not care taking it off at all.

He grabbed her waist and sat down, pulling her skinny body on top of him. The sight of that girl with already messed up hair and messed up dress made him want to hurry with this as the passion took over him, but only until he noticed the protest in her face.

He knew she didn't like to be on top, and he never forced her, but always hoped she would one day. Mina didn't realize how hot that was for a man, a girl on top. Shikamaru brought her face close to his, kissing her again, silently whispering "Come oon…", but her answer was a shaking head and a plea in her eyes.

Not giving a second thought Shikamaru came back to the previous position and continued kissing her neck. Soon she was taken over so badly, she barely noticed how the zipper of his pants was suddenly open; the condom was on and he was entering her.

"What…what are you doi..ng?" she muttered weakly as he slid inside. She seemed to be enjoying this more than being really confused about what he was doing, and he continued, gazing shortly into that sharp stare of hers before burying his face into her neck and the hair, spread on the couch. She gasped as he increased his pace, a silent moan forming in her throat and her legs trembling with the tension.

He was close, too soon, he figured but couldn't – or didn't want to – try to hold on longer, and with a few hard thrusts he came, exhaling the air through clenched teeth. After that he knew he will feel even more exhausted, but what's done was done.

He pulled out slowly, careful not to lose the condom, and started crawling down after kissing her. Mina wasn't one of the lucky who could finish during vaginal sex yet he never left her unsatisfied. It took some time to convince her to let go of that ridiculous shame she stated she felt when he was going down on her, but since then she was having no less orgasms than he.

Yet this time she stopped him in the middle of lifting up her dress. She shut her legs, stood up and hurried to the bathroom without saying a word.

Shikamaru stared at the door she disappeared behind, feeling completely dumbfounded. What in the world happened? Why would anyone run away like that after sex? It was the first time she did that, yet he couldn't figure out what has gone wrong. So he decided to wait until she comes out and ask her, but after good 10 minutes as he almost fell asleep on the same couch, he came up to the door to hear her crying.

Oh my god.

"Mina… Come on out. What happened?"

Instead of an answer he heard her sobs get even louder, uncontrollable gasps and voiced whimpers.

"Please open the door… Talk to me, Mina…" he sighed, resting his head against the wood. The lock suddenly clicked and she opened the door, eyes blood-shot and hurt.

With trembling voice she started.

"I made dinner for you, took care of you, I was good to you and you… On the couch and with all the clothes on! That was not love making! You behaved with me like I was some slut!"

Tears fell from her eyes, she wiped her blushed cheeks with the back of her hand. She was shivering and still sobbing, looking vastly hurt. He could not believe what she said. Instead of guilt he usually felt seeing her tears, this time he felt nothing. He just stared.

"…what?"

Hoping for some explanation, something that would enlighten this situation and her reaction for him, anything, he waited as the silence grew so big it filled the flat with uncomfortable vibe.

"You have to be kidding me…"

This is actually what she thinks.

"Mina." He covered his face with his palms, trying to sober up from his fatigue to create a logical sentence. "Couples have sex in many ways. On the couch is one of them. With the clothes is a second one. It makes no difference how we do it, it doesn't change what I feel for you and what I think of you, and I certainly do not think you're a slut!"

He heard himself a little too late – his voice has risen without him even noticing. Mina was in tears again in an instant, and she ran off to the bathroom again, locking the doors behind her. "It makes a difference to me!" he heard through her sobs.

Shikamaru sighed. He very well knew Mina wanted him to stay there, try to talk her out of this nonsense, convince her she's being silly about this. But he was simply not in the mood. Too tired, physically and emotionally, and he couldn't bring himself to care enough to do what she wanted.

He lazily shuffled to the bedroom; stripped off his clothes, throwing them on the ground; slid under the sheets and closed his eyes. Who in the world wants to have a fight after sex..?


Will be waiting for some reviews. I'm as tired as Shikamaru here so the chapter might be a little raw, but give it a go and tell me what you think.

Kisses goodnight,

Cafe