Chapter 5

The conversation between them continued easily. Shikamaru wasn't one to talk idly, but Sakura had a manner of posing questions in such a way that he felt both enchanted and compelled to respond. She asked several questions about the progress and nature of his current lab work, gracefully connecting that to her own experiments, even suggesting that perhaps the flexibility of the cord blood cells could be put to use in an antidote she had found particularly troubling. On the surface, one could surmise that she was just cleverly planning to throw the Nara and herself together again. This however, was unlikely. For despite her immense cleverness and prowess in battle, amongst friends Sakura was purely and irrevocably sincere. Romantically, she was relatively inexperienced, so plotting to put herself in Shikamaru's way for that purpose was far from her mind. The same couldn't be said, however, for Nara. He had an ear for details, and due to his genius tactician status when it came to warfare, he sometimes had occasion to flex his ability to calculate in other arenas. Despite having ultimately deemed Temari of The Sand to be too masculine and domineering for his taste, he had experimented a bit with the effects his planning skills could have in the art of seduction.

Sakura was a wholly different case, though. He liked her. He respected her as a friend and colleague, and had for quite some time. He had all but abandoned his childhood crush on her after watching her dance attendance on the Uchiha heir all throughout their academy days. There had been moments since, when he had felt the old feeling stir again- the first time he spotted her in full hospital gear, or the time he had failed as a mission leader and looked up into her eyes to apologize for not bringing back her precious Sasuke... but there had been something more recent, hadn't there? The first morning she fell easily into step beside him, slowing her pace a bit rather than hurrying him along to the medical tower, as Ino was often wont to do. Sakura could be bossy, and just as frightening as Ino at times. In fact, when you added in that superhuman strength, she was certainly even more intimidating than Ino at her worst. But Sakura seemed to save her ire for only the most appropriate times. Shikamaru was particularly grateful for her easy company, and having taken notice of her maturation into someone who could appreciate silence, who was skilled and calm in her power, he was intrigued. She would have to be handled a bit differently, he decided. Funny, how quickly his thoughts had turned to seduction, from only just acknowledging to himself his attraction to her this afternoon. Well, emotions were like that, weren't they? Fickle, fluid, unpredictable. This was why women were so dreadfully troublesome: they were ruled by emotion, even strong-willed kunoichi like Sakura. Even now, her effect on him was pleasant, but disruptive. He smiled to himself. He could hardly help it.

"Now what are you smirking to yourself about, Nara? I'm not sure there's anything funny about inbreeding," Sakura intoned in mock-seriousness. "Unless you're imagining the consequences don't apply to you at all, what with your clan's lack of female heirs?"

"Hm? No... I apologize, I was thinking about something else entirely. There's nothing funny about inbreeding, you're absolutely right," he replied, slowly dragging himself from his thoughts. He stretched his arms behind his head, arching his back and stifling a yawn.

Sakura eyed him, irked. "I'm sorry, am I boring you, Nara-san?"

"Oi, Sakura, no need to get feisty, woman. In case you haven't realized, we've been sitting here, on these very comfortable couches, for nearly three hours now. I'm always tired, sleep is one of my favorite pastimes as you well know, and I can assure you- you are far from boring." At his last line, Shikamaru's lips turned up into a genuine smile. It was warm, and sincere, and achieved his exact intention: Sakura was looking up at him now through her lashes, biting her lip, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink. "In fact, I am really enjoying myself talking here with you," he added quietly. Even he was surprised by how direct that statement was. It was almost as if by saying it quietly, he hadn't expected it to be heard, but he'd been completely disarmed by the sweetness of her blush, and it had slipped out almost unconsciously.

Shikamaru wasn't one to generally be open with his thoughts that way, least of all towards the fairer sex. He was more than aware that they seemed to prefer a bit of mystery. In his dealings with women in the past, at least, in any kind of romantic way... well, was it fair to say romantic? Really, it had been more along the lines of sexual experimentation, actually... perhaps that was what was so telling. It was Shikamaru's turn to blush now. He was suddenly flying blind. He had romantic intentions when it came to this girl, this woman, across from him. It wasn't simply a physical attraction, it wasn't the lustful game of cat and mouse he had played with Temari. This was something more consuming, was affecting his ability to think, to strategize. He was not keeping his cool, aloof exterior, and he was perfectly aware that Sakura seemed to prefer that sort of aura in her love interests. He shook the thought and looked up, finding his gaze drawn into hers, her large green eyes open wide, the darker green outer ring of her iris mesmerizing.

She smiled. Really smiled. A spark of electricity seemed to pass through the air between them, jarring them both from the intensity of their locked eyes. The chemistry in the air was palatable. Sakura felt it, the heaviness of things as yet unsaid between them. Or could she be imagining things? Perhaps she'd had too much coffee? That could certainly explain how high-strung she was feeling. She distracted herself momentarily by glancing at her watch. It really had been nearly three hours- and yet the time had passed so quickly, it seemed. She sighed.

"I am glad you're enjoying yourself. I am too," she said, her smile waning, "But unfortunately, I have to get something to eat, all of this coffee has made me a bit jittery. I hope you don't mind? I'll have to be going." Her smile faded as she signaled the waitress for her check and dug into her bag. She hoped she hadn't sounded rude, but really, she was starving. The sweets had been wonderful, but now she was in need of real sustenance, and as much as she wished to continue her time in Nara's company, she assumed he would want head back to his apartment and get something to eat, or more than likely, go to sleep, as well. She didn't want to keep him hanging around just for the sake of being polite.

"I'm hungry as well, actually," Shikamaru found himself saying. "Would you care to join me for dinner, perhaps?" He wasn't ready to let go of her yet. He knew, somehow, that this could be interpreted as pushy, but they seemed so comfortable, so at ease just moments ago, and maybe that could be recaptured at dinner. That electric current was still crackling, unseen, in the air between them, and he found himself uncharacteristically anxious. "Really," he thought to himself suddenly, "This is perfectly ridiculous. Get ahold of yourself, you're acting like an overemotional woman, for Kami's sake."

Sakura was surprised, and despite the slightest hint of a spike in Shikamaru's chakra, his face was otherwise unreadable. It was almost as if he hadn't just casually asked her to dinner after sitting in a coffee house with her for hours. He looked almost bored, his hands folded in his typical posture behind his head, his gaze focused toward the coffee table before him. The waitress chose that moment to bring by the check, but before Sakura had even had a moment to reach for it, Shikamaru unfolded one arm and snatched it from the table quicker than the strike of a rattlesnake.

"I asked you to join me, it's my treat," he said evenly, by way of explanation. "And don't worry, I don't regard tacking on a dinner invitation as asking you on a proper date either, Doctor Haruno."

Sakura laughed. The tension was broken, perfectly effectively, and Shikamaru relaxed. His composure regained, he tilted his head cheekily at her, awaiting her reply.

"Well, in that case, I'd love to join you for dinner, General Nara."