A/N: Hmmm... so it's taken me aaaaages to get round to finishing this - so much for submitting the first chapter as a prompt! I'm not completely happy with this but it's one of those stories where I don't think i'll ever be completely happy. I wasn't sure which way to take the couple but I figure they've both been after this for a while... I just hope it's not too naughty/slushy. I can't seem to avoid either of those things! Once again thanks to all who have reviewed so far - any more reviews will be gratefully received!
The first bar had been set and the next days levelled fresh competition and ever-increasing standards. Both nins had given ground and returned to hiding behind a façade of formality, using it to lever the excitement that boiled beneath. Shikamaru found himself waking steadily earlier to sleepwalk the way to his starting post, outside the inn. Likewise, Temari pushed herself out of bed with increasing tiredness, fumbling for the opportunity to scold Shikamaru for being late. Their days stretched further into the evening, now eating together and surreptitiously studying for signs of tiredness – anything that could count as a crack in the mission to stay awake and conscious.
Two evenings later found them, once more, heading towards the inn, with only a few more left before Temari's return to Suna. The air was cool and easy, laced with an indefinable thrill. Emboldened by the lack of time and the challenge to catch her guide out, Temari pushed for Shikamaru's breaking point.
"You know, for a cry-baby, you make an okay guide… you're not as noisy as some I could mention."
"Hn. I would have thought you'd find it a pain to be ushered everywhere by me, no less to be seen everywhere with me – after all, who'd want to date a guy like him?" he offered his best impersonation of the blonde.
As they reached the inn, the night grew thick and muggy. Shikamaru offered his usual wave, waiting for Temari's response and to see her enter safely. Stepping toward the side door, she turned.
"Chuunin," she stated, breathing heavy lungfuls of anticipation.
Shikamaru raised his brows and rolled his eyes.
"Woman," he grumbled.
Hiding her blush in the dark, the kunoichi stole her moment.
"No moon tonight, boy… If you want to teach me some manners you'll have to be a man this time," she inwardly smirked in disbelief at her own words.
Shikamaru blushed violently, unsure of what was really going on. Trap… no trap… trap… no trap… It's an effort but someone has to stand up for the men… The dark haired chuunin ambled over, grabbed Temari by the waist and disappeared through the open window of her room, above. Leaning in close, he could feel her heart beating into his chest and his calling back. He brushed aside a few loose strands of hair and put his cheek to hers, tickling her ear with the heat of his soft whisper.
"Is this manly enough for you?"
As Temari let out the tiniest of whimpers, Shikamaru inhaled his fill of her mesmerising scent and pulled away.
"Hn. You've had your fun, woman. I'll see you tomorr-"
Temari drank his words into silence, pressing her lips and her body against his. She withdrew when his only response came in a look of surprise.
"What?" she snapped, "You're not going to cry, are you?"
"Ouch. I'm just not going to fall for your plan… you're way too obvious this time, Temari."
"What are you talking about?"
"First you actually compliment me… now this… I haven't forgotten, you know."
"Forgotten what?"
"You said – and I even reminded you outside – "who'd want to date a guy like him?" So, it stands to reason that this little game of yours won't be working." However tempting…
Temari's face burned and she let her head sink keeping only her timid eyes on Shikamaru.
"For someone so intelligent, you really are an idiot," she began.
"To take on this mission, yup," Shikamaru rolled his eyes again.
"You've got all the evidence but you're overlooking something," she continued, the blood spreading across her body as well as her face.
"It's true, who would want to date a guy like you…"
"Yeah… thanks."
"Well, who would, when they have the you right in front of them?" Temari shook with embarrassment.
Shikamaru's jaw dropped. Either she's really determined to trick me, or… I'm a complete idiot… Seizing her back in his arms, he pressed himself close, shivering in the aftermath of Temari's confession. Looking her in the eye, he kissed her and felt the truth of it. They melted into each other, closing their eyes to absorb the moment by taste and touch alone. A warmth spread between them, desire mingling with hesitation. Still locked in an embrace, they eased their way sideways onto the edge of the bed, looking at each other as if for the first time, with opened eyes. Eyelashes flickered as each explored the sight in front of them, taking in the whole, coming back to the curve of the brow or the flick of hair and over again.
"So… what do you want?" Temari braced herself to ask.
"I… I want-"
Shikamaru leaned in and took the passion from Temari's mouth, exchanging it with his own. When the need for air drew them apart, a silent grin lit up his face.
"- to know," he continued, "what you feel like, for real."
Temari smiled, moving her arms lower down to curl around the chuunin's torso.
"I promise not to dig my nails in, this time," she added with a grin that licked her teeth.
Temari was the first to move, sliding her hands up the front of the jacket a mere inch away; its simple fastening stood only a few seconds against her skilled fingers and a few movements and moments later, she replaced her hands in front of her, this time against warm, smooth skin.
"Hn. Fast work – but I won't be beaten," Shikamaru drawled.
Gripping Temari's shoulders as gently as he could, Shikamaru pivoted her on the bed to present a clear view of her back, before removing her fan and leaning her back into him, allowing his head to rest forward over her shoulder. He slipped his arms around her waist and breathed in flowers and bitter herbs, his hands tentatively daring to feel their way over her body as his lips softly brushed along her neck. He lifted her forward again, to examine the fastenings of her dress. Temari sat in the unknown, her skin burning and heart racing. With her fan gone, she gathered up the silk that fastened it and placed it aside, leaving only a weft of black laces, training down from just below her right shoulder blade to the fullest part of her hips, as the final resistance against nakedness. A tug at the top, a tug at the bottom and one at the waist followed into silence and still. Moments passed in a flash of hopes and fears until Temari slowly twisted her head round to peek over her shoulder. Shikamaru was hunched over slightly, his eyes managing to pierce and glaze in a single step, fixed upon her back. Shifting her gaze lower, Temari understood everything: Shikamaru's arms relaxed over his open legs, his hands dropped between them, fixed in a circle. Temari caved backwards in hysterics, shaking against the chuunin's naked torso before finally composing herself and getting to her feet. Reaching her arms behind her, she spoke:
"Well, if you're going to be beaten by a woman, it might just as well be me. Come on, I'll show you how this works."
"Oi, oi, oi! Woman… let me."
Temari stood patiently, with her back to Shikamaru. A flash of steel and a shriek ushered black folds to the floor, like a curtain. With a satisfied laugh, Shikamaru steered them back onto the bed and into their previous position, his hands making their way over the hot skin and flesh in his arms.
"You ruined my dress…"
"Mmm hmm."
"You… ruined… my dress…"
"I'll make it up to you."
"But… my dress…"
"Che. Would you stop going on about it?"
"My…"
"Woman!"
"So how do you plan to – hah!"
"How do I plan to what?"
"Hah… nnngh… hah… hah… never… hah… hah… mind… nnngh!"
"Is that a good sound or a bad one?"
"Good… hah… very… hah… good… hah…"
"Heh. You know, you're much less troublesome like this."
Shikamaru's face held a fascinated, satisfied grin, watching Temari's every movement, writhing and twitching under his inquisitive touch. He couldn't help but respond to the scorching flesh that shuddered against him, aglow with sweet and breathy intervals; the motion of Temari's twisting back proved an irresistible force against the chuunin's half-woken arousal, coaxing it into a full-formed ache. Shikamaru stilled his hand, sensing the moment had passed and contented himself with gently nibbling the ear beside him, absorbing the form that sank into his own, in the gentle swell of Elysium. As Temari's breathing eased into a purr that echoed her kitten-like motions, Shikamaru set his fingers to work again, this time with increased pressure and speed. Deep moans filled him with courage, slipping his fingers further down and inside the hot and shaking body in his arms. Temari obeyed Shikamaru's touch until she could resist no longer, throwing her body around to face him, alive and on fire. Half knocking the breath from the naked torso beneath her, she groped in his welcoming mouth with her tongue and clawed her hands around the top of his trousers. Eyes locked, Shikamaru could feel his trousers leaving his body and steadied his hands against the breasts, which laughed so delightfully at his touch.
It was almost a dream: the last few seconds were a blank to Shikamaru but that was fine – he was breathing in the softest skin he had ever known. The best part was that it was cool and firm, great to play with and happened to be wrapped around his face, accompanied by a gentle bombardment of kisses over his head and a stroking over his neck and shoulders. Temari slid further down to rest her face in Shikamaru's neck, the kisses moving with her. Allowing himself to be led, the chuunin's mind staggered as a new sensation gripped him with a warmth, which expanded to dispel all other calls upon his consciousness. Desire streamed down his skin in droplets, washed by the waves of pleasure that gained in heat with every stroke of Temari's careful hand. Shikamaru snaked his hand down his body until it was under Temari's. Taking extra care to concentrate, his fingers found their way to Temari's entrance and two of them dived in. Temari's rhythm became erratic as Shikamaru's fingertips absent-mindedly distracted themselves with a multitude of new textures. Flipping her backwards, Shikamaru caught Temari in a kiss as he pressed against her, still tickling shivers from her glistening body. One hand firm on Shikamaru's leaking arousal, the other hand lost in his hair, Temari drew him in closer to her breathy kiss.
"Don't make me wait, Shikamaru," she gasped.
"Are you sure?" he grinned.
"Yes," she growled, her need biting back several sarcastic words.
"Ok."
"Ah – just hang on a moment."
Temari squeezed her way off of the bed and swiftly padded across the room. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a small, official-looking cloth bag.
"Lie back and close your eyes."
Shikamaru could hear the sound of rustling – it must be that bag of hers… I hope she's not trying anything too kinky… that could be troublesome…. Two hot thighs surrounded his own as a strange, cool sensation slowly enveloped his hot aching, along with the very hands he wanted all over him. Slowly, very slowly, almost unbearably slowly, Shikamaru felt himself surrounded by a tight, scorching heat.
"You can open them again," Temari kissed him.
"Someone came prepared then?" he grinned.
"Standard issue… though I don't think you count as a spy!"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.
"Well then, I'd better have you talk."
"Oh, I hope you'll do more than that," he grinned again.
As Temari leaned in for a kiss, she gasped at the slightest of movements inside her. Their eyes locked widely in mutual thought and sensation, quickened breaths echoing their bodies in unison, a single beat thumping between them.
"Tell me… hah…. what you… know… hah," Temari demanded in elated sighs.
"What… I… nnnghknow?"
"Yes. Talk or I'll stop," the kunoichi's eyes sparkled as she pinned the thighs beneath her own and poised herself on the cusp of unbearable pleasure.
"What I know…"
Shikamaru stretched his arms out fully behind the blonde and wrapped them around her, drawing her deeper into him and himself deeper into her.
"… is that," his whispers fluttered in her ear, "I've wasted three years of my life without you and I don't want to waste another second that way." His voice shook and his honesty dampened her shoulder, even as she dampened his.
"… and also, that I probably won't last a whole lot longer."
The tears were swept away by an embracing laughter and the shaking subsided into shudders once more as their lips met and their hearts raced.
"For someone… hah… soooo… lazy… I… hah… I… just don't waste the next few minutes!"
Time curled into a fuse wire and lost itself in the escalating anticipation, breathed in with the damp, sweet scent of passion, exhaled in the ragged and sultry taste of desire. Skin on skin absorbed the moans, the heady rushes and shivers, surmounting into a shudder of fingers and fireworks. A glow washed over the two, melting into an exhilarated repose, Temari's head against the slowing beats of Shikamaru's chest, his arm keeping her to himself. The lovers rested into each other, neither wanting to break the overwhelming peace and contentedness. The moonlit room played in shadows across the wall, their eyes picked out like stars in the dark. Time seemed to pause, delighting in a single moment before rolling on into the thought of another day.
"Ano… I've been thinking, Shika…" Temari blushed at the grin she prompted, "do you think anyone'll miss us for the next couple of days?"
"Hmmm… well, Tema-chan…" his grin broadened at Temari's giggling blush, "leaving the room would be troublesome…"
THE END.