Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Grounded	By : djserani Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2818 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
Shikamaru woke to Chouji’s face hovering over him. “I will never get used to seeing that ugly face to wake up to, I don’t care how many missions I go on.”
Chouji laughed and stood up. “Your turn, man. I need a little more sleep.”
Shikamaru chuckled. “If you and Ino had actually done any watching, you might not.”
Chouji just raised an eyebrow at him. “Right. And I’m sure you and Temari will sit on opposite sides of the camp for your watch.”
“Just go away.” Shikamaru grumbled and waved Chouji on. “I’m awake.” He turned to Temari, who was still sleeping. He took a moment to watch her sleep, loath to wake her up. She’d be pissed, though, if he didn’t, insisting that he was treating her like she couldn’t hold her own or something.
He leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’m awake,” she said against his lips. “And I’m not interested in giving Chouji a show.”
He chuckled and sat up. Temari stretched and looked around. Her eyes landed on Kakashi and Sakura, laying together on the other side of the fire. He was on his back and Sakura was curled up with her head on his shoulder, his arm around her.
“You don’t have a problem with them, too, do you?” Shikamaru asked her.
Temari shook her head. “It’s not for me, but it’s their choice. You don’t really choose who you love. And why do you ask?” She gave him a sharp look.
Shikamaru shrugged. “Lee asked about it last night and though Neji defended them, sort of, you could tell it was on everyone’s mind. I feel bad for them. This is likely only the beginning of the shit their going to take for it.”
Temari looked back at them. “Yeah. Ino was kind of harsh last night. And it’s not like Kakashi is suddenly proposing marriage or anything. Sakura wasn’t looking all that happy about any it, though.” She paused, then shrugged. “It’s not my business.”
Shikamaru shook his head. “He was certainly uncomfortable with the questions. It’s hard to tell with him, but it was there.” He sighed. “I’m glad you’re, at least, my age. It’s troublesome enough without that kind of thing, too. Ow!” he said when Temari hit him. “What was that for?” He rubbed his shoulder.
“I’m troublesome?” She glared at him.
He just raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s troublesome, isn’t it?” She sighed. “Come on, lazy man, I need to take a short walk and you’re going to have to go with me.”
A few minutes later, she packed their things while Shikamaru checked the area. Satisfied they were still alone, he came back and sat against a tree, looking up at the fading stars. Temari finished tying her pack closed and sat next to him.
Shikamaru reached over and pulled her a little closer to him and wrapped one arm around her. She glared down at him, but he wasn’t looking. “If you truly don’t want me to touch you, that’s one thing. But don’t pretend, after sleeping next to me, that you’re worried about them seeing us.”
She sighed. “Be patient with me. I’ve been denying this for a long time.”
Shikamaru said nothing, just nodded and waited. A few minutes later, he felt her brush her fingers over his forehead and hair. She pulled the tie out and ran her fingers through it. He looked up at her and she had to fight the instinct to look away from what she saw in his eyes.
“I can be patient, Temari. It’s not all laziness, you know.” When she nodded, he turned back to the stars. “I’ve waited two years. I can wait a little longer.”
She stared at him another moment before looking up at the stars with him. “Have you really? All that time?”
He gave a half smile. “Well, not the whole time. I did spend plenty of that time trying not to like you.”
She laughed. “You’re something Nara Shikamaru. I just haven’t figured out quite what that is yet.”
He chuckled quietly. “Let me know when you figure it out.” He rolled to his side and studied her face. He’d memorized it more times than he could count over the years he’d known her. First as an opponent, then as a woman. He’d learned to read her expressions, even when she hid them from everyone else.
She squirmed under his scrutiny, and looked back up to the stars. “What?” she asked irritably.
He just shrugged one shoulder. “I was bored with the stars.”
She snorted. “Right.” She glanced down at him again and, meeting his eyes, blushed. “What?”
He gave her his half-smile. “I love you.”
She wasn’t used to hearing it. Yes, he’d said it last night. He’d even said that she loved him. But she hadn’t actually said it back and though it was true, despite what they’d done, she wasn’t quite comfortable just saying it like that. The only experience she had with loving anyone was her brothers and they weren’t exactly given to outward displays of affection.
Her brothers were the only people—besides Shikamaru—that she had in the world. Their parents were long gone and she’d nearly lost Gaara and Kankuro more times than she could count. And they were strong shinobi.
Death was a fact of life for them, she knew that. But the sheer terror she felt when Gaara had gone missing and they’d nearly—well, when the Akatsuki had killed him, even if she got him back, thanks to Chyo—she never wanted to experience that again.
And Shikamaru wasn’t on her team. She didn’t really have one. It was bad enough before last night when he went out and she had no idea if he’d come back. She hadn’t said the words. They hadn’t made love.
But now? Now she knew, for a fact, that he loved her. Now she knew he wanted to be with her, and somehow that was so much worse.
“What are you thinking?” His voice broke through her thoughts.
She glanced back at him and sighed. What could she say? He’d already told her last night that he had no intention of going anywhere anytime soon. But how much could he really be sure of that? There were no guarantees. “Too much.” She ran her fingers through his hair again and tried to convey with her eyes what was so hard for her to say.
He looked a little disappointed, but didn’t say anything more. They sat together like that for another few minutes before she became aware that it had lightened considerably. With that realization came the one that there were sounds of stirring from the camp.
She bent down and kissed him softly. She swallowed the lump in her throat and opened her mouth to speak.
“It’s okay.” He cupped her face and kissed her back. Another long moment and he released her, then sat up. “We better get moving.”
She nodded and stood up, but paused to take in the view of the rising sun. Another new day. How many did they have? When the sun didn’t answer her, she turned back to the camp and got ready to face the day.

Sakura woke to the unfamiliar sensation of another body next to her. She was still sprawled over Kakashi, who had his arm around her, holding her firmly to his side. “You’re so much more pleasant to sleep near than Naruto,” he said for her ears only.
She laughed. “Thanks. I think.” She looked up at him, grinning. “Good morning. I could get used to seeing that first thing.”
His eye crinkled as he smiled. “I can’t imagine why. I’m pretty sure I’ve got the better view.”
“Well, it could be better. If we were alone, I’d get to see the whole thing.” She laughed when he rolled his eye and started to untangle herself. With a sigh, Kakashi dropped a kiss on the top of her head and let her go. She sat up and looked around. Shikamaru and Temari were, of course, still awake. She heard quiet whispers from the other side of the tree that she and Kakashi had… been… next to the night before.
Ino was still sprawled over Chouji and Lee and Tenten were fast asleep. The only ones stirring besides them were Neji and Hinata, who were carrying on a whispered conversation while still curled up together. Hinata, as usual, was blushing about something Neji was saying and Sakura turned around quickly to give them what privacy she could.
She sighed. “I’d kill for a cup of strong tea right now.” She stood up and stretched.
“Will you make do with cold river water?” Kakashi asked as he got up, too. Before she could do anything, he’d rolled up their mat and blanket and tied them up.
“I don’t suppose I have much choice.”
Kakashi chuckled at the mournful tone. “Next time, perhaps you’ll think through things a bit more before running off.”
She swatted at him, but he simply slipped out of reach and reappeared behind her, kissing her neck and ear. She turned up to him and smiled, then she stood up on her toes and whispered, “I love you.”
His good eye crinkled. He pulled the mask down, then captured her lips. He folded her into his arms for a moment. “I love you, Sakura.”
In that moment, he felt like he could face a thousand people asking a thousand questions. Nothing in the world could compare to having this woman in his arms. She knew what was in him, knew his failings and loved him anyway.
He didn’t deserve her but for that minute, he didn’t allow himself to think that. Right then, he just savored the feeling of her in his arms, loving him. He’d face the rest later. He closed his eyes and gave himself up to her for that short time.
Shikamaru thought the look on the older man’s face couldn’t have been more obvious if it had been written in neon and hung over his head. A blind man could have seen how he felt about the pink-haired woman he was holding.
He shuffled his foot a little and couldn’t help but watch as Sakura put his mask back in place for him. She kissed him again on the outside of the mask before turning to greet Shikamaru. “Good morning.”
He gave a half-hearted wave. “Nobody sighted.” He reported to Kakashi, who nodded.
“They’ve likely continued south. They’re not stupid enough to stay in any one place for long. There are two more villages along this river in Fire country. We’ll head first to them and see if there have been any more sightings. Unless, of course, we get lucky and meet them along the river.”
Shikamaru nodded. “I wonder if they know we’re after them.”
Kakashi considered it before shaking his head. “I doubt it. Unless more have joined them, I doubt they could know. Not yet, anyway. I’d be more willing to bet that they’re just going to keep moving.”
“How far to the first village?” Shikamaru asked.
“I don’t know, exactly. We can be there by lunch, I think. If we can get these lazy people out of bed.” His eye crinkled and Shikamaru laughed.
“Yeah, better get started.”
- 11
- 12
- 13
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