He wasn't crying, Temari didn't think he had the energy to cry, but he was shaking, a lot. They stood there in front of the kitchen bench holding each other, Temari had tried to pull away but Shikamaru just squeezed tighter, how long exactly has he been putting up this front?

Temari knew Shikamaru had had issues with his mental health in the past but it was never anything to worry about, obviously she worried but he always seemed to be able to help himself and pull through it just fine, this time however was different. This time he needed someone to help him, or at least give him a push towards helping himself.

"Shikamaru it's pretty late, you should really try to get some sleep," Temari suggested, Ino's letter said that he hadn't been sleeping. She managed to get him to eat now she needed him to sleep.

"Can't" Shikamaru replied, "Shikamaru," Temari sighed.

"Can't sleep. Nightmares."

Nightmares? How long had that been going on? It's okay, she could help with this, Gaara would get nightmares when he was a child and she would sit with him to help him sleep, and again after the one tails was extracted from him and she helped him then to, she could help Shikamaru now, she hoped.

"How about I sit with you for a while okay, but please you have to at least try and sleep," Shikamaru squeezed her again before he slowly let go and stood up straight, Temari's body finally relaxed as she stood flat on her feet again, she hadn't realised just how tall he'd gotten, this close she actually had to tilt her back almost all the way back to look at him.

But he wasn't looking at her, just staring at their feet, Temari could see it now, he was good at faking it, probably had a lot of experience in that area, but now it was showing, he'd dropped his mask. His eyes held no emotion or sparkle, his face was pale and almost skeleton like, he looked like he was dying, the dark circles under his eyes and the lose hair that came free of his ponytail, how had she not noticed that before Temari thought.

"Come on, you should get changed," with that statement Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at Temari in a slight protest, changed clothes required effort and energy, energy he didn't have.

"Now," Temari said, pushing Shikamaru toward the hallway, she could only presume the door at the end of the hallway led to his bedroom. Shikamaru let out an exhausted sigh and turned away heading for his room.

A few minutes later and Shikamaru emerged from his bedroom back into the living room where Temari had taken it upon herself to clean up their dishes and the pans she'd used to cook what little food he had here. Temari sensed him and turned to find him standing at the entrance of the hallway, as if he just couldn't make himself take another step, Temari finished up the dishes and only a minute or two later approached Shikamaru.

"Come on," she said nudging him to encourage him to walk back down the hallway to his bedroom, "you know, you might want to consider talking to someone about these nightmares. I understand Lady Tsunade isn't an option, but there's still Shizune and Sakura,"

"Shizune would tell Lady Tsunade and then she'd tell Kakashi. Sakura would tell Naruto, if I need one person to not know it's Naruto. He relies on me, he turns to me when he needs help I have to be able to be that person." Shikamaru spoke softly, his voice was barley audible, as if he was losing his voice.

"What about Ino, I'm sure she could help somehow," Temari suggested as Shikamaru opened the door to his bedroom.

"I can understand why you don't want to ask her but she's your friend, she's practically your sister if you ask her to keep it quiet she will. I know you probably don't want her to see you like this but she wants to help, she wants you to be able to ask her for help."

Shikamaru knew Temari was probably right but he didn't want Ino to see him like this, she relies on him just as much as Naruto. Although it's clear she's already seen it since she was the one who told Temari, she'd managed to see what was happening when no one else could, not even Choji, Kakashi probably knows to but he's the Hokage now he can't be focusing on things like this.

Temari pushed Shikamaru into the room, making him realise he'd been standing in the doorway thinking to himself for a while. Temari walked a head of him and sat down on the bed.

"My brother used to get nightmares, I was able to help him sleep he doing this. Now I can't be sure it'll actually help you but it's worth a try isn't it? I know how much you like your sleep, can't have it taken away from you," Temari giggled and Shikamaru thought it might be the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. He swallowed and took a step forward, and another one, as if in a trance. When he finally got to the bed Temari gestured for him to lay down.

"You don't sleep with your hair like that do you?" Temari said as Shikamaru sat beside her, she reached a hand up, making a move to release his ponytail. Anyone else and Shikamaru might have pushed them away for moved away from them but, Temari was different from other people. Once his hair was freed she pushed on his shoulder silently telling him to lay down, Shikamaru obeyed her and put his head down on the pillow next to her.

"Close your eyes, try to relax and stop thinking," Temari said. Stop thinking, easier said then done, Shikamaru thought to himself. He sighed and looked up at Temari, some strands of hair falling over his face. Temari froze for a moment, just a moment, with everything that's happened over to years since they met it's easy to forget how much they've grown up.

"You have to at least try, please," Temari said giving him the softest smile she could muster. Shikamaru knew he couldn't return the smile, he wanted to but he just couldn't, he turned away from her and his eyes ended up on her legs.

Temari watched as his eyes widened the slightest bit before he quickly looked away again, this time some colour in his cheeks. That was good Temari thought, until she realised it was most likely because he'd remembered she wasn't wearing pants.

Shikamaru took a deep breath and finally closed his eyes, after a few seconds he felt something in his hair. His eyes shot open to find Temari still sitting above him and smiling down at him, he realised she was playing with his hair. After a few seconds of staring Shikamaru closed his eyes again and relaxed into Temari's hand as she gently massaged his head and played with his hair.

Shikamaru tried but he just couldn't shut his brain off, he was definitely relaxed, but his mind was still thinking. He wasn't thinking the same way he usually was whenever he tried to sleep though, no this was different, a good different but still keeping him from sleep. Pictures of teal eyes and sandy blond hair filled his thoughts, her body, her cute laugh, her bright smile, Temari filled his thoughts tonight.

Shikamaru sighed through his nose as he sat up, he turned to look at Temari who had her tilted in question.

"Can't turn your mind off?" Temari questioned, Shikamaru nodded, he was staring down at her legs again, she wasn't sure if he was aware of it or not.

"How about... this," Temari said, she moved around and laying down on the bed putting her head of the pillow. Shikamaru watched in a daze as she moved, noting the pink on her cheeks. When she was comfortable Temari looked up at Shikamaru blushing and trying and failing to hide behind her hair, she held her arms out as if asking for a hug.

Shikamaru sat there dazed, obviously she was giving him permission but he still wasn't sure if it was okay for him to move, he just sat there wide eyed staring at her. Now his mind really wouldn't stop, a half naked girl laying in his bed holding her arms out for him, as if he was getting any sleep tonight. This wasn't good if he didn't stop his train of thought now it wasn't going to end well, he turned away from her trying to hide his own blush, as he did so he caught a glimpse of Temari in the corner of his eye, she looked hurt. Oh no, she probably thought he'd rejected her, as if he'd reject a woman like her, as if anyone could.

He turned back around to see her pulling her arms back into herself, she looked up to meet his eyes, obvious sadness in her own. Shikamaru moved slowly, he fully turned around and got on his hands and knees, hesitating he looked into Temari's eyes again. She could see he wanted to but just wasn't sure if he could, she held her arms out again in encouragement, trying to silently tell him it was okay.

On his hands and knees Shikamaru crawled over her now staring down at her from above he could easily see the red in her face, she smiled up at him again, a gentle loving smile, one he isn't seen before. When it was clear Shikamaru was frozen in place Temari took it upon herself to move him. She reached up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, he fell on top of her and instinctively tried to move off her but she held tight.

Temari once again put her hand in his hair and started massaging his head again trying to relax him, which worked, easily. He relaxed into her, closing his eyes as his head lay on her chest using her full breasts as a pillow, she playing with his hair smiling at him as his arms wrapped around her and squeezed tight.

It was only about ten minutes before Shikamaru drifted off to sleep, Temari still playing with his hair. She smiled brightly when she realised he was finally asleep, happy she'd been able to help.

She heard him release a feint hum as he snuggled into her more.

"Shhh."

Temari pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head, before she to fell into sleep.