It was past midnight when the Athletics' houses came into sight.
Tenten shivered. It was still a little walk until she got there, so she thought she could just adress her persuer right now. She had noticed him ages ago, anyway.
"Shikamaru, step out already!" She said to the darkness.
Two shadows stepped out from behind a house.
"How long?"
"Ages ago. It was still bright." She said. Then something wet touched her hand and she jumped violently. She looked down and saw Akamaru.
"Akamaru, you too?" She smiled at the dog and patted his head.
"He never lost your trace." Shikamaru said.
Tenten shivered again. She was damned cold and tired.
Shikamaru sighed and walked over to her. He opened the zipper of his jacket. Confused, Tenten looked at her, then he took her arms and placed them around his waist, pulling her against his chest.
Tenten blushed brightly.
"Better?" He asked and rubbed her back.
The brunette nodded. "Thanks."
Shikamaru sighed. "Good. It was getting on my nerves since two hours ago."
"Er... sorry?"
Shikamaru yawned and mumbled something.
"What?"
"I said I'm almost falling asleep even though I'm on my feet."
"Shikamaru?"
"Hm?"
"You're always falling asleep while you're on your feet."
They got to the girls' hous after a couple minutes more.
"Shikamaru?" Tenten said quietly?
"What?"
"Why did you come after me? Didn't you look after anyone else?" She asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, wouldn't you've wanted to go after Ino?"
"Why would I? Sasuke went after her and she doesn't need that. She's pretty tough on her own." The darkhaired Nara shrugged. "And nobody would survive with her for longer than a few hours. They'd most likely give her back willingly - Ouch!"
Tenten had slapped his stomach - the only place she could reach from under his arm and inside his jacket. A light grin on her face.
"How long did you say you know each other?" She grinned.
"Surprisingly short." He said. "But it's the same with Naruto and Sasuke."
"So why did you walk after me?" Picked the earlier topic up.
"Well, you were agitated. You had had a fight with Neji and Kiba, didn't you? A girl shouldn't walk off alone when she's mad. My mother taught me that... might be the only thing that ever stuck with me." He shrugged.
Tenten's eyes were huge. "Your mom raised you to be a gentleman."
It wasn't a question, but a statement.
"A gentleman?" His brows rose high up.
"Yes. Definitely." Tenten nodded and smiled.
"Thanks again for today. Goodnight." She hugged him tightly and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Then she vanished into her home.
Inside, Tenten saw light was still burning in the living room.
She took off her shoes and walked over to see who was still up.
Tenten smiled lovingly as she saw the scene before her. Hinata, Sakura and Ino lay across couches and armchairs, all fast asleep. They must've wanted to wait for her. Their teacups were still on the table.
The brunette snickered quietly. She walked into the kitchen to get herself a glass of milk, changed, then she grabbed the spare blankets from the living room and started to drape them around her friends.
When she put the blanket around Sakura, the pinkette opened her eyes sleepily.
"Tenten?"
"Hey. I'm back. Go back to sleep, I'll tell you tomorrow, okay?"
Sakura nodded tiredly, her eyes already drooping again.
"Tenten?" She asked again, when she asked again, when Tenten settled down on the last unoccupied armchair.
"Hm?"
"Did you drink some milk from the kitchen?"
Tenten was very confused now. "Wha- yes, I did. How-"
"You got a moustache."
"Oh." She giggled. "Thanks. Good night Sakura."
"Night..." She mumbled.
Oh, if only Akamaru&Shikamaru's arrival at the boy's home would be just as quiet and easy. Of course it wasn't.
He was still thinking that his mother had gotten what she wanted - a gentleman for a son, great. Then, he saw that light was still burning in the living room.
"What the heck?" He muttered and walked into the room, the dog at his heels.
There they were, his roommates, sprawled on the several couches and armchairs, each a beer in front of them, each a little stupid looking. He saw a few other bottles in the corner of the room. Oh great.
"I thought you're not allowed to drink during school?" Shikamaru asked. None of his friends had noticed him until that moment, now their heads spun around.
"Ah, Shikaaa!" Sasuke slurred. "Nice of you to drop byyyy."
"How did you get the beer?" He repeated his question more pointedly.
"Neeeejiii! He's a'right man!" Kiba said rather loudly and stuck his beer in the air.
"Neji? What the heck?! Why did he give it to you?"
"He didn' give it to us. He brought it with him!" Naruto said and hiccuped.
"With him? Is he still here?"
"Ye-hic-s."
"Where?" To that question, the other three boys started giggling madly.
"Under the taaaaable!" Sasuke giggled, taking another swig of his beverage.
"You're kidding."
"Naaaaahhh! Loooooook!" Naruto giggled.
Shikamaru bowed down. In fact, there were feet.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Shikamaru groaned. "Why did he bring the alcohol?"
"Because it wasss a shitty day!" Kiba yelled and drank again. "A damned shitty day!"
"Nah, Sasuke an' I jus' like beeeer." Naruto grinned stupidly.
"Okay, guys, come on, let's get you to bed." Shikamaru sighed.
"Wha?! Nooo!" Naruto whined.
"You can' tell us when to go to bed!" Sasuke said stubbornly.
"Oh, but I could get Ino over here to nag you all into bed, believe me." Shikamaru grinned.
"Awww, man, Shikaaa. You'e no fuuuun." Naruto sighed, but got up and swayed on the spot.
"Come on, I'll help you." Shikamaru guided the blond boy up the stairs and to his room.
As soon as Naruto's head hit the pillow he was out cold.
When he got back down he was surprised that Kiba already set foot onto the first step of the stairs, leaning onto Akamaru.
"Kiba, wait, let me help you." He ran down to the dogboy.
"How is Tenten?" Kiba asked suddenly.
Shikamaru looked at him, he was surprised that he knew that he had gone after her.
"If you're with Akamaru, you've been with Tenten. He must've gone after her to take care of her." He explained, surprisingly clear.
"She's okay. Really cold, but she's okay."
"'s she still mad at us?"
"I suppose so." He shrugged. "Don't worry, you'll make up."
Kiba scoffed as Shikamaru placed him on his mattress. "Thanks dad."
"Don't 'dad' me. Night." Shikamaru ruffled Akamaru's furry head. The dog gave a sleepy bark and lay his head down.
"Night."
When he came down the stairs for the third time he couldn't suppress the shivers that ran up and down his spine when he heard the music that was coming from the living room.
He daringly, stepped into the room and found what he had feared. Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji, drunkenly dancing the Macarena to the matching music.
Shikamaru thanked Kami or whoever he could thank for his phone's camera. He pulled it out and started recording until he toppled over and crashed to the floor, laughing so heard, his stomach started to ache in a matter of moments. He would never let them forget this, never.
After their dancing, he dragged the swaying Sasuke into his room, then placed a blanket over Neji who had fallen asleep on the couch.
Oh god, how he'd love to have just one quiet day with those friends - but he could just as well abandon the thought on the spot.
Dropping onto his mattress in his room, he closed his eyes and dozed off immediately.