Yes, rewritten, edited and all the rest. I didn't like the last one. I like this one more. Deal with it if you don't agree, you should have c/ped it while you had the chance.
VI
He wasn't in the mood for a celebration. He was bone-weary, but not quite tired enough to sleep. Not that he would have been able to with the fireworks going off overhead. He tested his muscles, feeling out his exaustion, mesuring with an active ninja's accuracy how much more he could take. Probably only one more mission, and even then he would be pushing it.
But it was midsummer's eve, and the full moon was out, and the entire villiage was on holiday to celebrate, including him. Including Kakashi, which was surprising, but not unwelcome.
Somewhere a bell was tolling, signalling the year's end.
Shikamaru regretted for a moment sending off Chouji to talk to a girl and letting Ino go off to make out with another guy, but it wasn't that important. He and Kakashi sat on Ino's mother's blanket on their grassy hill, now taken over by the festivities. No one seemed to notice that it was iShikamaru's/i hill, and didn't see fit to tell him that it would be ambushed for this festival of lights, so when he had come up for his usual moon-gazing, thermos of hot tea present, he had been a little surprised.
They were sitting on the edge of the larger group, people-watching, waiting to toast the new year. Only a few seconds now.
"How the years go by," Kakashi said quietly, below the laughter and cheering of the crowd.
"One at a time," Shikamaru finished, a small, wry smile twisting his lips. It was from the opening of volume six, Icha Icha Paradise.
One of Kakashi's hands was holding him up, beside Shikamaru on the blanket. The other was pulling down his mask and lifting up his headband.
A now-familiar red and black swirl appeared in the night, as well as the finish of a scar better not mentioned.
"So, Shikamaru, who are you planning on kissing for luck in this new year," Kakashi said, seemingly off-hand, despite the mischivious twinkling in his blue eye.
"No one. I don't believe in luck."
He took a sip of tea to disguise his discomfort at the well-placed prod at his bachelorhood.
"Well, it certainly doesn't hurt."
Said shadow-nin nearly choked on his tea when the second-final bell wrang and hurriedly swollowed. Kakashi wouldn't dare... But then, he would. Shikamaru really didn't know why he was friends with such a perverted old man...
And then he was being kissed. Gently, quickly on the lips, and Shikamaru somehow knew that Kakashi was smiling as he did it. He subtlely licked his lips afterwards, when Kakashi looked up to the final, flowery explosion in the sky, still smiling in a melencholy sort of way. It was a different taste, one he wished he could put away to experience later and rewind and replay.
And then he realized he was acting like a stupid girl, so he laughed at one of Kakashi's jokes, got up off the blanket, and walked with Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai to a house party in the villiage.
He didn't particularly want to think about his feelings right about now, and he definitely didn't want to get drunk and do something he'd regret later, so he found a happy medium, somewhere in the cups of sake.
He could remember, later, Kakashi holding his drink well, but nevertheless making subtle moves on Shikamaru, half joking and half serious, and Shikamaru let him go, trying to ignore the serious half. He could remember Asuma dragging him to the side in order to ask for help in getting a decidedly drunk Kurenai to his apartement. He didn't remember what he answered, but it must have worked because the next morning there was no sign of either of them.
But Kakashi seemed much better at this sort of thing, and when Shikamaru really couldn't summon up the energy to tell Kakashi to fuck off, he walked him home, ignoring the stumbling/groping act that Kakashi was putting on. Shikamaru knew he wasn't drunk, and he ididn't want to think about it/i.
But when he got Kakashi home and stepped inside his apartement, something happened and his back was against the wall and Kakashi's mouth was so damn hot and ihe was a ninja/i he wasn't supposed to be this easily trapped, so he slipped away, light as a shadow, and when he shut the door behind him he tried to ignore the sound that Kakashi had made when he pulled away.
He tried to ignore the thumping of his heart as he walked back home, walking just a little faster than normal to allow for the heat rushing through his body.
He hadn't wanted that to happened, did he?
Thank you still goes out to Fairady, kakashidiot, vanyelashke89, and Yianne-21 for chapter five reviews. The other chapter six reviewers, thank you for your continuing support Fairady (problem erased), Rinpu (the angst'll show up again later, I promise :P), amwong (probably not, since I've never seen much in the pairing, but maybe some NejiHina eventually?), Eveilae (pleaaase continue your intelligent and long reviews. Having a fan who can communicate is a huge plus.). And, of course, thank you Porti dear for helping me figure out what the hell I was doing wrong. Let loose your debator on my fics more often, na?
And now, you all should review again while I try and wrangle chapter seven into being!
