Shanan and Kakashi had been married for five months now. She hadn't really seen Shikamaru in that time, at least, not in that way. They had a passionate little make-out session once, but Shanan truly was busy and had to go after a few short minutes. She also didn't really like kissing him down the hall from Kakashi, because he didn't deserve the utter disrespect and she knew that she needed to work even harder on being stronger around Shikamaru now that she was officially married again. Shortly after their kiss he left with Naruto, Hinata, Sakura and Sai to find Hinata's sister that had been kidnapped.

Kakashi had to leave to meet with the other four Kage and Shanan was needed for an ANBU mission. Tenzo was off doing other things, so Shanan suggested that Sasuke be made an ANBU member, and Kakashi knew that next to himself, nobody would have her back more than Sasuke would.

The mission itself was pretty straightforward, and they'd had to carry more gear than usual due to it being so cold out, but she was glad to have Sasuke along with her.

Shanan had a lot of people that she considered her best friends, but she was really glad that she had Sasuke too now. And they shared a really strong bond, so strong that they could feel each other's chakra presence. Sasuke could even sense Shanan's feelings before he could see her, she'd probably be able to sense his if he didn't block her from stuff like that, but she didn't even know about that ability. She had noticed that he was only ever really warm to her and Naruto, except he also casually insulted Naruto whenever he could. He didn't insult Shanan much, and when he did it was much more gentle than with Naruto.

Their mission had been to retrieve a stolen map of some of the more secret places in Konoha and to dispatch anyone that had seen it. And honestly, Sasuke was the perfect partner since he could use Kurushimi and it would make things faster having two Sharingans that could use it if needed.

Unfortunately, by the time they caught up with the thieves, they were in a small hidden cave and they'd shown about twenty people or so. It didn't take much to end it all. Just some water and electricity. But that usually did do the trick.

There were no inns to stay at on their way home, so they'd had to sleep on the ground. And even with a fire, it was still freezing.

"Sasuke, we should just sleep together," she suggested, shivering under her blanket.

Sasuke blushed. They'd fallen asleep together a few times in the past, but they were kids. And the one time they were in the same bed together after he'd returned, he made sure not to get too close. But laying together to stay warm would mean bodies pressed against each other.

"I don't think that's appropriate, Shanan," he decided.

"No, it's what you're supposed to do. Tenzo and I slept together all the time on missions, even though he always made a whole house, it was still freezing on most of our missions when I was starting out."

Sasuke looked slightly alarmed. He knew Tenzo was about six or seven years older than Shanan and he suddenly found himself not liking him very much anymore.

"Shanan, I think he just told you that so you'd sleep with him."

She rolled her eyes at him as she moved closer to the fire. "Shikamaru and I were already doing quite a bit by then and Tenzo was always a gentleman. I'd be able to tell if he liked me and I can assure you, he didn't," she informed him. "We even had to strip off most of our clothes once, no twice actually, because we'd been soaked in late winter, early spring. So we hung our clothes to dry and piled both of our sleeping bags on top of us while we spooned and slept all night, mostly naked. It wasn't awkward at all, it was warm and that's just what you're supposed to do on missions if you have to."

Sasuke didn't say anything or look at her, but he was thinking about it. He'd be mortified if he couldn't control how his body reacted to her being pressed against him, though.

Shanan continued trying to persuade him as she was freezing and had never done particularly well in the cold. "We're supposed to have eachothers backs. What if I wake up tomorrow and I'm just a solid block of ice?" she asked, half jokingly.

That had done it. Sasuke still hadn't said anything, but he lifted the side of his sleeping bag for her to crawl into. Her eyes lit up as she grabbed her things and tossed her sleeping bag over his and climbed in with him. She was now sandwiched between Sasuke and the fire and felt so much better.

Sasuke was suddenly overcome with that sinking, fluttery feeling he always had when they touched. And the smell of her hair always brought back so many memories, mainly of the day that he'd said goodbye to her. A day he longed to go back and change.

He was lying with his arm on his side, and it wasn't the most comfortable position for him, but he really didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Are you warm?" she asked him quietly.

Sasuke nodded, he knew she would feel it, but he still whispered. "Yeah." He was. Very warm.

"Sasuke?" she asked as she turned halfway to look at him.

He finally looked at her, but didn't say anything.

"We're friends."

He was confused. "Yeah...?"

She continued to look at him, which made him a bit uncomfortable and nervous.

"So just stop. Stop being shy. I love you and I like it when my dear friends aren't afraid of me. You've been back for like two years, you don't have to be awkward around me anymore." She laughed a bit as she touched his face and patted his cheek lightly. "I have noticed that me and Naruto get more of the real you than anyone else does, but I know you're still holding back," she said as she turned back over. "That makes me happy at least."

Sasuke swallowed hard and smiled to himself. She was right. And she was still the same honest person she'd always been. He wasn't ever sure if he loved or hated that about her.

"Also," she continued, "I'm gonna need you to put your arm around me. I get cold very easily and I know that'll be more comfortable for you. I don't want you to sleep awkwardly and wake up in any pain. Ok? I promise I won't think you're weird. We're just trying to be warm and sleep."

He still didn't say anything to her, but he did put his arm around her and she put her hand on his and pulled it tighter around her.

He swallowed hard again.

"Just don't make it weird," she said.

He shook his head at her as he laughed a little.

"So, are there any girls you like?" she asked teasingly as she laughed.

"Shut up," he said as he casually pulled her closer and closed his eyes. Yes, he was very warm now.