He slid open the door and saw her sitting where he had left her, but all the food had been devoured.
"So Temari, your bath is ready", he exclaimed.
She didn't turn around.
"Temari?", he asked, walking closer to her. "Are you feeling ok?"
She looked like she was...crying?
He quickly sat down next to her as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Temi?"
She looked at him confused for a second and then looked away, trying to cover up the fact she had been crying. "I'm fine."
"You can tell me", he said gently placing an arm around her. She resisted for a moment before turning back to him with eyes bright from the tears as she threw herself into his arms. She buried her face in his chest as her arms encircled him. "Just hold me, Shikamaru."
He was a little surprised.
Last night he could explain. The cold, the fatigue, the alcohol at dinner...
But now? He wasn't going to complain though as he enfolded her in his arms. He felt her tears soak into his shirt as she shook against him, her blonde hair tickling his face. He breathed in the fruity scent of her. He drank in the warmth of her body nestled against his.
He just held her as she allowed herself to let go of her sadness. Finally, he felt her body go still against his. And through it all, he didn't do anything except hold her, weathering her storm with her. He had never seen her like this. The events of the past few hours had opened his eyes a lot.
Eventually she squirmed out from his embrace as he reluctantly let her escape. He tried to make eye contact. But she wasn't ready for that just yet.
He watched as she got back under the covers, curling up into a ball.
Unsure what to do, he sat watching her.
Suddenly realising the time, he said "Temi, I have to go soon but your bath is ready." Then more gently, "you'll feel better after a hot soak. I promise. And I'll be back later to take care of you."
She didn't move for a long moment. And then she turned, stiill avoiding his eyes, to pull him into bed, repeating her words from before. "Just hold me Shika-...please!"
He fought his own conscience again as he allowed her to persuade him to join her.
She was already curled up into a ball and he gently eased in next to her.
He began to gently rub her top shoulder and when she didn't stop him, he snuggled closer and wrapped an arm around her. She had stiffened then for a moment. But then she leant back into the warmth of his embrace.
After a while, he knew it was time as he tried to turn her towards him. "Temari, I-"
She rolled over and met his gaze for a second as she said, "Not now." She then dropped her gaze and burrowed her held into his chest again, working herself tightly against him. "Please...just hold me."
He responded to her wedging herself more tightly against him by squeezing her tenderly, brushing his cheek against the softness of her hair.
He tried to savour every moment of it, drinking in the gentle warmth of Temari's body against his, the tickling of her short blonde hair against his face and neck, and the delicious fruity scent of her, some kind of berry or cherry.
He felt her gradually settle into his arms as he lay on his back thinking how wonderful it was to have Temari in his arms. A whole bunch of other thoughts also ran through his head, namely what he was supposed to do.
Eventually, he worked up the courage to stroke her hair. Then further down her back...
"Temari, I-", he began, before realising that she had fallen asleep in his arms.
A little disappointed, Shikamaru continued to stroke her back as she slept.
After a while, he realised she wasn't going to get up anytime soon so he reluctantly pried himself from her body before getting up. He took one last look at her before reorganising the quilt to keep her warm. Then he got up, collected the remains of her meal and took them out to the kitchen.
He quickly washed the dishes and cleaned himself up, getting changed into a new set of ninja gear.
He checked in on Temari again and found her still asleep so left a written note for Temari in case she woke up while he was gone.