The bandages
Shikamaru took Temari into his hands and carried her away. She wasn't heavy at all. She felt so fragile it was surprising how she can be so strong awake. A real contradiction. Shikamaru looked down – she was still unconscious, eyes closed and her face pale. She was bleeding from the cuts and his hands were already covered in her blood. He couldn't do any hemostatic jutsu as he wasn't a medical ninja, but his family knew herbs very well so he was hoping to find some medical plants in the woods.
He found a place next to a small mountain river that looked strategically good to avoid any ambushes.
In 5 minutes he already had herbs ready, smashed and mixed with water to form a wet mass. Shikamaru washed his hands in the river, got out some bandage out of his backpack and started mending Temari's wounds, not minding his own as he only had a few.
He started with the biggest wounds on her arms – he counted up to 25 on both arms, most of them still bleeding. He washed the blood away with a wet cloth, put some of the herbs on the wounds and wrapped bandage around it. She also had a deep cut on her inner thigh, and while tending to that one he felt a bit embarrassed, as if he was peeping… Well he was – he could very clearly see Temari's red underwear under her skirt – but there was no other way putting a bandage around her leg without lifting her skirt… Another disturbing wound was located basically between and across her breasts. With a flushed face he slid a wet cloth under her fishnet blouse, trying to clean dried blood between her breasts, hoping with all his heart that she won't wake up just now. It was the first time he actually felt a woman's breast against his hand and he was so embarrassed he tried to finish up with this wound as fast as possible. Finally he put a plaster over the wound and after another plaster on her cheek – everything was done. He then continued to heal himself, flushed but smiling at himself.
The usual
Temari woke up to find herself lying on a sleeping bag next to a fire place, all covered in bandages and very weak. She knew all this would happen but she didn't see any other option in that situation. She tried to sit up but fell down on her back, unable to hold her weight and completely embarrassed about being weak.
- Hey hey, don't overdo yourself, Temari! – Shikamaru was beside her in no time. – You need to rest, after what you did.
- How did it end? – She asked with her strongest voice possible in this condition.
Shikamaru told her everything, and there was a relief on her face.
- I was worried you'll not be able to handle things without me. – Smirk.
She was back to her old self.
- You were worried about me? Are you getting soft, Temari? – he knew how to play this game as well.
- Not about YOU, dumbass. About the success of the mission!
Shikamaru gave her a half-smile and brought some broth he prepared with a fish he managed to catch in the river. She was still too weak to sit by herself so Shikamaru sat behind her and made her lean into him, which was of course protested immediately.
- I do not need your help, I am not a baby! – she even managed to get angry.
However he didn't care much about her protests. He forced her to eat with his help.
Finally she complied, still muttering, and ate two bowls.
After a while she felt better and managed to sit by the fire all by herself. She felt confused about showing her weak side. She wasn't too ashamed about being physically weak – after that jutsu that was only expected. But because she agreed to sit in his lap and be fed, after she categorically shooed him away. She couldn't remember a time she submitted to someone like this! She pouted, worrying what Shikamaru's going to think about her after seeing her behave completely different.
However she couldn't spot a change in the way he talks with her or looks at her, it's as if he didn't notice or ignored that completely. That was weird, but relieving. She realized she really cared what this boy, sitting next to her in front of the fire and chatting carelessly about how he tried to catch that fish, though about her. That was certainly something new.
He turned his head towards her and their eyes met, giving Temari a shiver.