While Shikamaru is strong, he doesn't have Naruto's crazy stamina or Neji's near pinpoint ability to defend. He's nowhere near Sasuke's bloodthirst for revenge, but Tenten can't help but be annoyed that he isn't breaking a sweat pinning her wrists down over her head.
She has a reputation to uphold and his relative ease at subduing her is embarrassing, considering how she just concussed Sasuke and previously skewered Neji during the last sparring session she had with him. Rock may be annoying, but at least he's not an asshole, so she doesn't feel the need to go after him so strongly when they're paired up.
"What are you doing?" she asks evenly as Shikamaru stares at her.
Tenten is lovely under the shade of a big tree and his shadow.
That dark look on her face has lifted and she's flushed from the exertion of fighting. Very sweaty from the way her shirt sticks to her.
For once, he's thankful that Tsunade sent him to deliver a scroll to Kakashi. She's not know for winning during gambling, but this is literally perfect timing that he wonders how she was on the money for once.
Tenten moves her chin up and looks at their joined hands. Shikamaru tilts his head to one side and smirks.
They both know she could have easily broken out of his hold.
Except that injuring the boy she would very much like to make out with is not the way to win him over. After all, she needs him full functioning if he's gonna get under her clothes again.
Shikamaru is not like Sasuke and Neji, who tend to be on the deserving end of her target practice.
Even though she's surprised that he's suddenly on top of her under the pretense that she not kill Sasuke, she assesses him with calm eyes. Internally, she's delighted that he interrupted their session. Sasuke tires her out and she'd very much prefer not be stabbed by him.
"Funny," Shikamaru says cryptically, studying her face, his gaze lingering on her eyes.
It's obvious from the way her gaze softens and drifts down from his eyes to his mouth what she's thinking. The way she blushes has nothing to do with the workout he just interrupted.
She can't bring herself to say she missed him, but before anything else can come out of that smart mouth, Tenten tips her head forward and closes her eyes before pressing her lips against his.
Shikamaru can't say he didn't see it coming since it's a much slower, gentler attack.
A few meters away, Kakashi is busy dragging a nearly unconscious Sasuke away.
His eye nearly pops out at seeing how easily Shikamaru defuses Tenten. She still seems tense, but she doesn't carry the same dread she approaches sparring matches with Sasuke.
Shikamaru responds by slanting his mouth against hers, asking for more. His fingers entwine with one of her hands, pressing their palms together.
He sighs when she slides her tongue over his and she feels a wave of heat go straight to her head.
Tenten feels her blood rush as she leans forward, resting her weight on an elbow as she feels his other hand cup her jaw.
Then, she shoves him off. Lucky for him, she doesn't embed him into the nearest tree or stab him.
"Interesting," he mutters as he sits up while she gets up and dusts herself off.
Tenten lifts her arms and stretches, trying to not to notice now he's tasting her residual sweat on his lips.
"What is?" she asks, hoping a bit of distance will cool her down.
"You," he says simply.
He stares as she bends over to pick up a discarded scroll. She was about to unseal the thing before he showed up.
Her rage drained, she feels a nervous energy tickling her stomach instead.
"Are you free tonight?" he asks.
She holds out her wrists.
"Are you planning to tie me up?" she asks with a grin before spinning and walking away.
Shikamaru stares at her legs in those dark shorts.
"Only if you want me to," he replies lightly.
Tenten grins.
So he was thinking the same thing.
"You look stressed," he points out. "Thought you might need to relax a bit."
She laughs. The stress relief she's thinking about would probably keep them both up most of the night.
Dark, thoughtful eyes. Soft lips. A firm body. Curious hands. A shiver surprises her with the thought of him begging to be let back in between her legs, of his hands encouraging her to keep doing him, of his mouth on her skin. She misses that look he gives her when they're alone together. She can't even count how long it's been since the last time they fooled around.
The urge to tackle him almost, almost overtakes her.
Instead, she chooses to be cool and stops right beside him, trying to imitate to his annoyed glare as she offers him a hand. Shikamaru takes her fingers and tenderly presses her knuckles against his lips, just short of a kiss.
"Shika-kun," she says softly when his other hand glides up the bare skin of her calf.
She half-wonders if there's goosebumps from how softly he is touching her.
She understands he is trying to seduce her. Not that it's really difficult for him, but she sort of wonders when he got so good at reading her.
"Is tonight a good time?" he tries again, hiding a smile behind her hand.
As Tenten bites her lip, he reaches for her other hand and circles both her wrists with his fingers.
"I think you'll like what I have in mind."
It is not an innocent offer.
Since she has mostly initiated these encounters between them, she's a little shocked by how bold he's is in asking to meet, in a training field of all places. After her, a group of genin are scheduled to use the place.
She takes a look around.
"Everyone's gone," he informs her.
Mostly because she scared the hell of them by unsealing nearly all of her weapons on Sasuke in that last attack.
Tenten grabs his hands and pulls him forward so he stands. Shikamaru takes advantage of her momentum and keeps moving until her back is pressed against tree bark.
He towers over her easily, hands sliding onto her hips, thumbs finding their way under the hem of her waistband, pressing into her bones. Tenten giggles, wondering what the hell has gotten into him.
It's a major change from the murdery vibe she was emitting a while ago. The hardened lines of her body have completely softened, seemingly melted by his presence.
"I gotta shower," she whines, gently pushing him away. "I feel gross."
It's probably a mistake to look up at him because all she can think about is pushing him onto a mattress.
When he looks up, Kakashi doesn't expect to see her impulsively throwing her arms around Shikamaru's neck to kiss him. Again. And Shikamaru isn't exactly resisting a pretty girl making a move on him.
As Kakashi turns his head at an angle, Tenten seems lighter, less burdened.
Like now.
Clearly, she likes him.
By the way Shikamaru is responding, it looks like the feeling is mutual.
Although he usually frowns upon public displays of affection, Kakashi sort of marvels at how Shikamaru calmed her down so effectively.
Eventually, she reluctantly pushes herself away from Shikamaru.
"See you tonight," she tells him.
She practically skips out of there to get to a shower.