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The day was warm – almost too warm – bringing upon the dulling of senses as the body slowed down beneath the comforting rays of the sun in preparation for sleep. Movements were lethargic and small as he tried to keep his eyes open enough to at least anticipate an attacker before he'd no doubt fall under.
Man, all he wanted was sleep.
He wasn't opposed to the heat, and by no means a stranger to swear; but the hot unrelenting rays and their hypnotic spell was beginning to irritate him. Heat was never good for missions for this very reason. It slowed down everything in the body, mind, and general life.
Now, outside of a mission, he welcomed it with relish. It meant satisfying days of being sprawled out underneath the vast sky, maybe a few care free cloud floating around for a distraction from the thoughts that he forced to slow down from the normal high race that his genes seemed to have cursed him with. Really, Naruto's lack of thought was really a blessing sometimes, and it irked him to know that it was being wasted.
Feeling the increasing hard pull of sleep, Shikamaru turned his head to say something that would start an argument from the blonde next to him. An obviously desperate tactic to take, but he really needed something to get his blood moving again or he'd be useless if something happened.
His mouth froze partially open as he took in the sight before him.
The sun seemed to have enhanced everything that was light on her, creating an image of a glowing ethereal beauty lying on the ground next to him. Sure, her eyes had nasty dark shadows underneath, but the rest seemed to overcome the flaw. Blinding Midas gold hair was carelessly fanned out around her fine boned face, a limb arm thrown up over her face to partially conceal her eyes from the sun. The pale skin glowed almost to being see through, and fascinated, his eyes traced the faint blue veins that were so visible.
The vulnerability of that small barrier to her life gave him a sudden urge to wrap himself around her, holding tight as if he could protect that skin from being broken. As if a single fall would shatter her into a million pieces.
He also felt the fear of knowing that if she knew what he was thinking then his skin would be the one being torn apart.
The mixed feelings were so common that he almost felt at home with them, and that realization made him want to smile in happiness and groan in pain.
"Staring, Nara is very rude."
Ino's eyes opened to find beautifully dark eyes, surprisingly framed with dark lashes, staring at her with open admiration. The image of him, the light from the sun shadowing against him as he leaned over her, was enough to make her want to shut her eyes again in hopes of having the picture imprinted into her mind forever.
The thought that he was looking at her like she was a treasure, albeit a rather useless one, was so much that it brought pain to her chest. It also brought back what he had done only a hour ago. The thought had her fighting a blush.
"I don't mind being rude."
Blinking up, she found an odd smile on his lips as he regarded her in a way that resembled a mountain lion looking at a tasty fat sheep, and her stomach tightened in response.
"Why are you looking at me like that Shikamaru?"
The smile disappeared from his face as he considered her questions, as if it was a great IQ test. Ino watched as the crease between his brow appeared, and the warmth pooling in her stomach heated tenfold when he reached out a hand to brush along her cheek.
My god, give the tuck away emotions an inch and the whole bloody damn breaks!
"You….know it's me right?"
The odd question forced Ino's mental hyperventilation as she slowly sat up to regard his considering stare at a more equal level.
"Huh? Speak non-genius."
His answer was a kiss, almost soft enough to have been missed if her eyes hadn't widened to saucer proportions, lingering enough to quicken her breathe and slow the brain before he leaned back to tilt his head up towards the sky.
She was glad his closed eyes couldn't see her shaky hand rest upon the frantic pulse at her throat.
"Sometimes..I'm not sure you realize that you get that look you use to get with him..." he must have felt her stiffen but didn't stop as he slowly continued – his tone was as if he was in a trance "I.. am lazy.. and generally unmotivated" he again ignored her rude snort " but I am a man and won't share. Ever."
Bringing his head down to stare at her, Ino was caught at the hard resolve in the usually annoyed eyes. It took her minute to wrap her head around an answer, and even then it wasn't very tactful.
"You kiss enough to distract me, just to throw this at me? You're a complete moron Shikamaru!"
Forgetting the fatigue in her body and fueled by the acute arousal his uncharacteristic attitude, Ino reached out annoyed and with a fistful of vest – yanked Shikamaru back towards her.
Falling back towards the ground, she was mildly surprised when he actually didn't land on top of her as she had intended. Instead he hovered inches from her body, as if a single touch would electrify him, and stared at her with wide eyes.
"Woman! You need to rest! No trysting today!"
Shikamaru watched as her lips silently formed the word "trysting" before his ears were filled with her loud laughter. Wincing at the volume of the noise, he sat back – secretly glad of the distraction. He wasn't sure what she had been planning to do, but he knew what his body was only too ready for and though it pained him to admit, now was not that time for anything of that nature.
The loss of her closeness (though it was his fault) and the fact that his recent more ungentlemanly thoughts had brought up the soon to be resumed mission had him grumpy again. It would have almost been better if he had just gone to sleep, at least no one would have gotten too mad.
"What the hell are you laughing at?"
Hiccupping, Ino sat back up and placed a sweet kiss at the corner of his twisted frown before leaning back to smile fully. An arch brow high on her head as she spoke.
"Who the hell uses that word Shika, honestly you are really an eighty year old man."
The word though, had led her back to the present, and although she would love to simply lay here and be with Shikamaru (in a rather intimate way - but she wasn't ready to admit that) the fact was that she needed to rest so she could seduce another man.
The thought had her speaking without thinking.
"I just wanted some….time before I had to work again…. Shikamaru there's a chance of me losing my…"
His hand slapping upon her mouth had Ino biting her tongue. Shoving him away, she glared daggers as he merely stared at her.
"Psh, if you hadn't messed up your chakra, then you could heal it ..anyway.. Ino…"
He paused at what he was going to say. It wasn't something that would go well no matter what was used for wording, and the situation as delicate enough as to where he felt he couldn't say it at all. Ino had always been one of the main comfortable zones in that sense of knowing he can speak honestly.
Still, this wasn't just about her anymore, so taking a deep breath he began again. While keeping an eye on her eagerly violent hands.
"No matter what happens you'd still be a virgin to me."
The look on her face clearly said that she thought he was an idiot, at which he could agree for different reasons.
"I know you worry about losing it in a mission but ….oh fuck I don't know. What I'm trying to say is that if you don't want it, and don't enjoy it.. then it shouldn't count."
Her expression was even more amused now, despite the bitten tongue. He found it highly irritating.
Ino wasn't entirely sold on it, but he was obviously trying to cheer her up and really if he felt that it didn't matter then she really couldn't let it affect her anymore. In reality, she had been more worried about the other more messed up parts of her and their history then her virginity's current state.
Reaching out to shyly take his hands, Ino laid back upon the ground, feeling the sheen of sweat on her brows drying with the light warm breeze. When had she gotten so worked up? Was the real reason he hadn't taken up her quiet offer for intimacy because she was a sweaty beast?
Na, he's not that picky, he really thought she needed rest.
Closing her eyes against the sun's glare, Ino unconsciously brought their entwine hands up to rest above her heart, unknowingly giving away the sedate beat beneath her chest.
"We're so unpredictable, Tsunade is going to be so unthrilled if any of this gets back to her; she would work me to death with paperwork."
Shikamaru's murmurs rolled over her, and she smiled at the image of Tsunade stacking piles of paper upon more piles of paper in his arms.
The amusement was replaced with a sense of resigned sadness. She really was a tool, and though it bothered her to no end there wasn't really a choice in it. It made her wonder how many other kunoichis were broken down by the demands of the job. Did they want to give up and run away? Had they felt as if they were a mishap portrait that was set as a masterpiece but was really a simple rough draft?
Long thin fingers tightened around hers as if in response to her inner questions, reassuring despite not knowing what the problem was.
Just like Naruto; it didn't matter what the problem was, there was always an answer for the good.
………………………………….
"Urg! I can't believe people are out in this heat!"
Tenten distastefully picked at her sweat soaked tunic as they made their way through the throng of people in town. Not a super hot weather person to begin with, her cheery mood had deteriorated a bit as the sun kept rising.
"Well, there is a festival tomorrow, I'm sure there's a ton of stuff to do."
Barely resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at the man next to her, she instead chose to cross her arms across her chest and thrusted out a fat bottom lip.
"Festival mestival, I'm hot let's get something to drink with some shade."
Not bothering to wait for him to agree, Tenten abruptly swung to the left – towards a promising cool stand with drinks advertised. Sitting down with a loud sigh of contentment at a bench in the corner, she smiled in encouragement towards the crusty old man behind the counter as the jouin sat across the table from her.
"What will ya be wanting, little girl?"
Staring up into the smiling weathered face of the senior, she didn't have the heart to get mad about the child comment, and smiled back just as warmly.
"Cold tea please! Same for this guy too."
As the waiter walked away, Tenten finally let her eyes meet the brown ones looking at her.
"So, what's up?"
Genma.
The man was as mysterious as Kakashi, and just as good looking (minus the whole Kakashi being masked- so-no-one-really-knows thing). While Kakashi was generally friendly if not aloof, the shaggy head sitting across from her was a general sarcastic ass.
This wasn't the point though, she knew him enough to know he wanted to discuss the mission, so when he spoke, she listened.
"Shikamaru's not happy with Ino."
Tenten shrugged and sipped at the blessedly cold tea that had been set in front of her.
"Is he ever happy?"
As usual, her own sarcasm was missed or completely ignored.
"Not the point, if Ino gets too involved he might lose it, he's very possessive."
Pausing in her movements of chugging down cup after cup, she eyed the man in front of her. Surely he wasn't stupid enough to talk about the mission in a place like this? No, watching the way his lazy lidded eyes were watching her, she knew that he was aware of someone that she wasn't.
Okay, maybe he always looked like that but her gut trusted him enough to allow her brain to catch on.
Someone was eavesdropping.
"Well, she is kinda…promiscuous, no?"
Receiving the small nod in approval, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his instructor antics and tried to focus on the surrounding area. Who would know they were connected? Thoughts of the rogue attackers came to mind, but she pushed that idea aside, those guys weren't exactly in the shape to be stealthy.
"Yes, she does tend to go for rich blokes."
Snorting tea at his choice of words, Tenten simple nodded. Sometimes Genma killed her, really, she can't believe she actually willingly spent time with his company.
Grabbing the end of her shirt to dab at the tea on her face, she grinned prettily at him while murmuring quietly.
"Have you considered retiring due to old age?"
Genma's eyes narrowed at her at the crack but suddenly straightened up. Tenten straightened as well, he was a bit sensitive to the differences in their ages but well….
"Miss, I couldn't help but hear your conservation and was wondering if you spoke of a tall gorgeous blonde?"
Tenten noticed two things at this point: Genma was staring hard at the man who was standing super close to her back, and she –a kunoichi trained in assassination- had not noticed his approach.
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A/N: Ok, so this took awhile to post because.. I had it under a didn't title.. ...how .."smart"
Anway, next chapter will get things moving!
And for those who don'ts approve of the tenten/genma in this.. dont' worry..they have their own fic so nothing serious other then being support characters will happen. lol have no fear of them overrunning Shika and Ino. lol!