She held onto his hand as she lead him through the markets. She wove in and out in a haphazard manner to ensure they were not followed.
Although she focussed on their route, she was also very aware of his hand in hers. It felt so gentle and warm...and comfortable in hers. In the end it hadn't really been that difficult, she reflected. All she had had to do was reach out to him. As always, he let her have her way with him.
Part of it was probably the surprise but he hadn't fought her or tried to break free from her grasp. She felt the way his long fingers closed over hers. The way the heels of their hands joined together...like two halves of a whole...and it felt so...right
She snuck a glance at him to try to see what was going through his head. And saw that he was transfixed on their entwined fingers.
Noticing her glance, he coloured slightly.
"Watch where you're going woman!", he yelled at her as they almost collided with a group of school kids.
She felt herself heat up as she turned her attention back to their passage. And not just from the exertion of escape, she reflected.
She was sure they had escaped by now but she kept dragging Shikamaru along, as she wanted to savour the touch of his skin on hers. Feeling the warmth of his hand, his pulse, his...
As though reading her mind, she felt him slow down. "Ok, I think we can stop now. I'm pretty sure we've lost them", he observed as he pulled her to a stop.
She turned to him, thinking of something to say to explain.
But he beat her to it, "So what was that all about?"
She noticed that he was still holding onto her hand.
"Well, those two were bugging me so when you came along, I-I took the opportunity to run away", she responded lamely, her thoughts scattered by the sensation of her hand in his.
"Oh." He looked at her for a long moment in silence. "What a drag. Those two can be really annoying sometimes. And it's worse when they get together." He paused. Then looking intently at her, "So what did they want with you anyway? I mean, did we have to run away like that? You almost made me sweat!"
"Umm." She looked down at her shoes, trying to think of something to say. His gaze followed hers until they locked onto their linked hands. As if burnt, he quickly pulled away. Now it was his turn to look down at the ground. Was he...?
"So..." He said, looking up at her before looking down again at the ground.
She looked at him briefly. "So..."
His stomach growled. She looked at him as he grinned sheepishly. "Weren't you saying something about lunch earlier?"
She thought back. It had seemed so long ago now. "Actually, some food does sound good."
"Great, there's this new place I've been meaning to take you to..."
He didn't really care where she was taking him because he was very focussed on the fact that she was holding his hand. And he found himself enjoying it.
Her hand was so warm and nice, he thought slightly nervously...trying not to make too much of it.
He could feel the warmth, the perspiration and the pressure of her hand. And it was a pleasant experience, he thought.
He wasn't sure where they were going but he was willing to follow her.
As always, he let her have her way with him.
As they ran away from Ino and Sakura, she turned to check on him. And caught him staring at their joined hands.
Noticing her glance, he coloured slightly.
"Watch where you're going woman!", he yelled at her to try to cover up his embarrassment.
They ran on a bit longer until he realised they were not being followed. "Ok, I think we can stop now. I'm pretty sure we've lost them", he observed as he pulled her to a stop. Why did this woman have to be running around all the time, he thought? Bad enough she does it but now she has me doing it too?
She turned to him as though to ask him something. Not sure if he was ready for it, he decided to get a question of his own in first.
"So what was that all about?", he inquired curiously, still holding onto her hand.
"Well, those two were bugging me so when you came along, I-I took the opportunity to run away", she responded lamely, her thoughts scattered by the sensation of her hand in his."
"Oh." Why was that not enough? What did he want her to say? "What a drag. Those two can be really annoying sometimes. And it's worse when they get together." He paused. Then looking intently at her, "So what did they want with you anyway? I mean, did we have to run away like that? You almost made me sweat!"
"Umm." She looked down and he found his gaze following hers. Oh, she's realised I've still got a hold of her hand. He pulled away hurriedly, a little embarrassed. Now it was his turn to look down at the ground.
He tried to think of something to say but his mind was a blank.
"So..." He said, looking up at her before looking down again at the ground.
She met his gaze. "So..."
His stomach growled. Not now! She looked at him as a thought popped into his mind.
"Weren't you saying something about food earlier?" He thought she was going to say no for a second.
She smiled at him and he felt his heart beat faster. "Actually, some food does sound good."
He thought for a second and then turned back to her, trying not to look too nervous. "Great, there's this new place I've been meaning to take you to..."