Chapter 8

The chilly autumn winds were soon replaced by a biting cold that announced the approaching winter months. But like clockwork, every Wednesday morning Sakura would find a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate on her desk as she entered Kakashi's class. And every Friday she would buy an extra one for Shikamaru in return.

Shikamaru had officially wormed his way into her life, not that she was complaining. She loved the impromptu decisions to ditch class and visit Tiffany's (at this point they'd sampled all eight variations of pancakes on the menu) and the late-night texts and quiet phone conversations. It warmed her to know that she occupied his thoughts as frequently as he did hers.

It had been easy to fall into a routine, to meet every Thursday at the library to study and sometimes to forget equations and nearly impossible to pronounce medical terms with a more pleasant way to twist tongues. It made all of the studying for semester finals much easier to bear.

Yet, that also made the coming break harder to face. They'd completed the last brain melting exam of the week and to celebrate, Sakura invited him to her apartment for dinner and a movie. She also had news to share, and she wasn't quite sure how to tell him.

So she put in extra effort, ordering grilled mackerel since she found out it was his favorite, along with those noodles he really enjoyed, and of course, some dango to share afterwards. She had panicked all afternoon, cleaning her place to perfection and trying on several outfits. Ino would be the perfect person to turn to for fashion advice, but that doing so would raise suspicion, but they still hadn't come to the decision to tell any of their friends yet. They didn't even have a label for themselves, not that it bothered Sakura by any means. She was more than content to just be with him.

Staring at her wardrobe despairingly, she huffed, making a decision and then quickly getting dressed. Black leggings disappeared under a thick grey skirt. A large but thin teal sweater with matching grey dots and buttons clung to her form and its round open neckline showed off the simple charm necklace she wore. She fluffed her hair with her fingers and tucked stray strands behind her ears. She considered putting on makeup, but she'd taken so long to get dressed that she worried she didn't have enough time.

There was a loud knock on the door and she rushed to answer, securely shutting her bedroom door behind her. It was a mess after raiding her closet, and she didn't want him to see it like that. Her excitement faded a bit when she realized it was just the delivery man. She paid for their food and then set it at the table just as there was another knock.

This time she knew it had to be him, and her heart pounded erratically with excitement as she opened the door. Shikamaru looked as handsome as ever, clad in dark jeans and an equally dark leather jacket. Hints of his navy blue shirt poked out near the collar as he leaned in her doorway.

"You look lovely," he complimented, a half-smirk gracing his lips as his eyes raked up her body.

She could feel her face warm as she smiled back and murmured a thanks. "Come in."

He handed her a bottle of sake as he stepped inside. "Since we're celebrating," he explained and she grinned at him and shut the door behind him, only to freeze as she spun around, nearly bumping into him. He chuckled as he swept his knuckles down her cheek. "Tomato."

She sighed and pushed him further into her apartment. "Go, before the food gets cold!"

He toed off his shoes and then followed her to the table. "It smells really good."

Sakura began unpacking the boxes from the takeout bag and hummed in agreement. "I got your favorites."

His brow quirked, but he smiled. "You didn't have to."

"I just… wanted this to be a good night."

She could feel his eyes on her as she moved to throw away the bag and pull out a couple dishes from the cupboard. "Did you have any doubts that it wouldn't be?" he teased.

Sakura's pace faltered as she set the plate in front of him. She knew she was going to have to tell him, but she was hoping it would've waited until after dinner at least. He must have picked up on her worry because he reached out, his hand cuffing her wrist. "What is it?"

She looked up and met his calm yet curious gaze. His eyes were always so warm and understanding when focused on her. She sat with a little sigh. "I wanted this to wait, but… I guess I should get it over with."

He turned her hand over, rubbing his thumb along the pulse point of her wrist soothingly. She stared at his hand over hers, and already knew how much she was going to miss it. "I'm leaving town for a while."

His hand stilled and she couldn't bring herself to look up at him. "When? For how long?"

"I leave Wednesday to go back home and visit my parents."

"Well, it's good for you to go be with your family, even if that means I'm going to miss you like crazy." His caress began up again, his fingertips tracing her veins. "When will you be back?"

"Not until after the new year," she mumbled.

Shikamaru didn't respond right away, and she had been nervous enough to tell him, but now she could feel the anxiety ball up within her stomach. She looked up to face him, but found that he was staring intently at their hands, just as she had been doing a few moments ago.

He took a deep breath and nodded, almost solemnly, before smiling at her. "That's okay, Sakura, you should be with your family during the holidays. And a couple of weeks isn't that long, you know. Besides, if I miss you too badly, I can just go stare at the tomatoes at Miki's and-"

She playfully pushed his arm, biting back a grin. "If you miss me that badly, just tell me. I'll send you a picture. Can't have people questioning your sanity."

"My sanity?"

"What else are people going to think if you just stand in the produce section all day long staring at tomatoes?"

He chuckled and slid his hand down to curl his fingers around hers. "You didn't have to be so nervous to tell me that. I know how important family is, even when they're a total pain. We still have ways to talk to each other. It's not like I won't ever get to see you again, although I'm sure it'll feel like it until you return."

Sakura could feel a grin tug at her lips. "Why do you have to go and say things like that?"

He cringed, but laughed - warm and hearty. "Was it that corny?"

She lifted her other hand and pressed her fingers together. "A bit, but… you really make me wanna stay."

Shikamaru leaned forward and Sakura found herself mirroring his movements, meeting him halfway for a kiss. His lips were always so soft and inviting, she could kiss them for hours. But Shikamaru pulled away with a soft hum. "Shall we eat?"

She nodded and then sat back, opening the containers. His eyes lit up at the grilled fish. "You're too nice to me," he commented happily as he dug in.

After eating some and working up a thirst, Shikamaru opened the bottle of sake that they enjoyed at room temperature. Conversation flowed freely as they reminisced about classes, and how fun or disastrous they had been.

"I'm just really glad it's over for now," Sakura sighed happily, dumping the empty container of her food in the trash.

"Me too," Shikamaru chimed in as he helped her round up the empty food packets and throw them away.

"You can start setting up the movie if you want, I'll just make us popcorn and be right there with you."

Shikamaru nodded and headed over to the entertainment center where he picked up a couple of movies that had been set out. He hadn't seen either movie, and told her so, and then he flipped them over to read the backs.

"Pick whichever one then!" she encouraged.

The steady popping of the popcorn echoed in the background and he decided on the "action-packed" spy movie. Sakura watched as he fumbled with the remote to the DVD player. He was so damn cute it should be illegal. She pulled the bag of popcorn from the microwave and dumped it into a large bowl as he inserted the disc.

She switched off the kitchen light and joined him at her sofa, tugging the remote from his fingers with a chuckle and pressing play. As they got situated on the couch, Shikamaru lifted his arm to wrap it around her shoulder; she fit perfectly into the nook of his arm and settled in against his side.

Setting the bowl of popcorn atop her lap and grinning, she held a piece to his mouth in offering. He snatched it between his teeth with an airy laugh and then the opening sequence began and their attention was turned to the screen.

The movie had started out promising, keeping them glued to the set up as they mindlessly munched on the popcorn. Sakura tried to ignore how wonderful it felt to be snuggled up beside him, but it was difficult to when he smelled so amazing. The way he chuckled at a cheesy line reverberated through his chest and she was taken by the feel of his laughter.

Soon it became apparent that even the brilliant acting couldn't save the movie from the terribly predictable plot. It quickly turned into a guessing game, with Sakura and Shikamaru betting each other over what would happen next.

And even when the agent targeted the beautiful mistress of the syndicate's boss, and the corny dialogue was inevitably leading to the obligatory love scene, neither of them had anticipated how steamy it would be.

The atmosphere between them rapidly changed as they watched the actors grope each other; it grew thick with something unnamed, and electric, and familiar. Shikamaru's hand squeezed her shoulder and proceeded to rub gentle circles against her. His touch was deliberate, titillating, moving up, down and across, again and again. Sakura's breath quickened and she shifted the popcorn bowl, boldly resting her hand on his knee, her fingers splaying just on the inside of his leg, caressing the spot there with light, mindless touches to the rhythm of his on her shoulder.

The actors on screen tumbled into bed, panting and pulling at clothes, and Sakura took a deep breath, trying to remain focused on the film and not the delightful sensation of his touch. But it was difficult to do when his hand slid up to her neck, his fingers warm as he softly rubbed her flesh. Sakura's heart stuttered in her chest, and then his touch was moving higher, up into her hair and then through her long, soft tresses.

She could feel his warm breath at the temple of her head before his lips pressed ever so softly to her. Her eyes fell close to soak up the tender feeling, her hand at his knee pressing harder into him. As his lips left her, she opened her eyes and turned to look at him. She could hear the rough breathing of the couple on screen, but she no longer cared about them.

She sat a little straighter and tilted her face towards his as his hand raised to cup her cheek. Their lips met, lightly at first as if each time they kissed was a new experience to savor. His lips were so plush against hers, so damn delectable that she had to have more. As their mouths meshed together again, she hinted at wanting more and Shikamaru graciously gave it to her. Gods, he was so warm, so sure as his tongue swept over hers.

His hand abandoned her cheek, trailing down the expanse of her neck in a slow, purposeful movement. The heat of his palm met her sternum, his fingers sliding across her bared collarbone as his body turned toward her and- Sakura was tingling. Her head was spinning, and it wasn't enough.

Her fingers curled in the front of his shirt, communicating her want, so wonderfully breathless and lightheaded from his kiss.

His touch slid down her arm, the tingles following it, and as he reached for her waist, he knocked the nearly empty bowl of popcorn from her lap.

It startled them apart for only a moment, long enough to trade a smile and a knowing look before he tugged her right into his lap.

Straddling him should have made Sakura, who was rather inexperienced, embarrassed by the position and all its implications. But all she felt was a desire to kiss and touch him, a desire that she had every intention to appease as she wrapped her arms around him and connected their lips once again.

Shikamaru immediately responded, matching her move for move and his hands grasped her sides, holding her firmly as their tongues tangled, as they sighed against one another.

Sakura hands dragged up either side of his neck, cupping his face as she slanted her mouth more deeply against his, pleased by his moan that reverberated into their kiss, and he pulled her against him with a hint of desperation, her pelvis rocking over his with the motion. It only seemed to ignite that spark within as she gripped his shoulders for support. She gulped for air as she broke the kiss, only to quickly reattach her lips to his skin, scattering kisses along his stubble covered jawline and down to his neck.

And then one of Shikamaru's hands skimmed up her back, her neck, and tangled into her hair as he cradled her head with something possessive and dark and… Sakura was simply listening to her body, to his reactions, and doing what felt right–so, so right.

His voice quivered her name as her teeth scraped against his pulse point, something quiet and raw and it went straight through her, to the darkest depths of her and nearly consumed her. She knew that things were intensifying –rapidly– but she couldn't stop; she didn't want to.

The hand in her hair gently tugged, his free hand coming to cup her cheek and pull her back up to him. Their eyes locked, equally hot; their breaths mingled desperately in the scant space between them. Then Shikamaru pulled her into him, devouring her lips with a yearning more acute than she'd ever felt.

Sakura's world teetered off balance and then her back met the softness of the couch cushions, Shikamaru falling above her. His weight, solid and so damn hot, pressed against her, trapping her there and for a few moments Sakura completely lost herself to the wonderful, foreign feeling of being trapped under a masculine body.

She huffed as he pulled away from the kiss and looked down at her. His dark eyes held her captive as he searched her face; she had no clue what he was looking for, and she didn't dare break the fragility of the moment. She just craved his lips back on hers and the wondrous feeling he inspired in her, subtly shifting beneath him, letting her hands trail down his body to rest at his hips.

The motion seemed to pull him to her by some magnetic force, for he leaned back down, seemingly satisfied with whatever he had been seeking. Their noses bumped as their mouths met and her legs widened a little to allow him more room to fully settled on top of her, his hand curling around her thigh and his body, burning with the same desire the fueled hers, pressed more firmly to her curves.

The heat of his touch bled through her leggings, but Sakura found herself wanting to feel him against her skin. She mewled against his lips as their tongues met more feverishly, stealing her breath for his own.

His hand inched higher, but didn't travel beneath her skirt. Instead, his touch smoothed up over her hip, dipping under her shirt, to let his thumb graze her skin. She inhaled sharply against him as gooseflesh bloomed out from under his fingertips and he kneaded at her silky skin, as if trying to pull her closer, showing her how much he wanted her at this moment.

Sakura gasped as he finally released her lips, blazing a trail of hot kisses down the column of her throat that left her burning, wanting to burst.

She hummed as his tongue laved against the sensitive tendons, her hands eagerly holding onto him. His mouth swept along her collarbones, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the dip between them while his hand slid upwards, stretching over her ribs.

She arched into him, overwhelmed by the sensation of his lips, his touch, his body heat. She was no longer treading dangerous waters, she was drowning in them.

His body rocked against hers and she could have died right then and there, a pitiful whimper tumbling from her lips at the action. "Shika...maru…"

Some low, primal sound resonated at the back of his throat as he took her mouth again and Sakura felt dizzy, completely overwhelmed by what she could only call desire. She had never taken kissing this far before, but it was so easy to let go and flow with Shikamaru, to follow him into depths she had not yet explored. She could feel his fingers bump into her bra, and new excitement whirled in her gut.

His hand slid over the swell of her breast, and then squeezed –gently, experimentally– and Sakura moaned in response, her hands fisting his shirt.

Exhilaration pumped heavily through her as his thumb caressed the bit of skin peeking above her bra cup, her shirt having slid down from his earlier ministrations to show a little bit of her modest cleavage.

Sakura's teeth sank into his lower lip and tugged with a groan as she felt his pelvis grind into hers in that tantalizing, barely there tug and pull of his hips. He broke away from the kiss with a hitching breath as Sakura's legs slid up the outside of his and circled his hips, pressing them more surely together.

She arched against him, again, breathless at the ripple of tingling lightning that travelled up her spine at their point of contact. Her fingers clutched onto his back, needing an anchor, afraid of drowning in his wonderful heat.

As Shikamaru nipped at her lips, a sharp trill cut through the electrically charged air between them. He paused mid-breath, his eyes wild and fiery as he looked down at her. Sakura's gaze was unfocused, hazy as if she'd just woken from a dream, but Shikamaru was very real and his firm body atop hers was no dream.

The ringing sound came again, and finding her voice, Sakura asked, "What is that?"

"I think it's your phone," he answered, hesitantly withdrawing his touch from her.

Sakura nearly pouted; it seemed every time they had found a rhythm, spiralling down together to that place there was no return from, they were always interrupted. But she wasn't ready to let him go. "They'll leave a message if it's important, or hang up if it's not."

The phone quit ringing and in the silence, she grinned at him. "See?"

He smirked and her heart fluttered as she lifted her hand to brush down his cheek. Her fingers lining the back of his neck as she pulled him back down. Just as she closed her eyes, the warmth of his lips just barely touching hers, the phone rang again.

She groaned in frustration. "Really?"

Shikamaru snorted, shaking his head in dismay as he straightened up onto his knees and away from her. "I think you better get that."

Sakura sighed, sitting up as well and mentally cursing the interrupter to hell. She stumbled as she stood, shooting him a sheepish smile before reaching for her phone to answer it. She looked over at Shikamaru. "Yeah, hi mom. No, I was just watching a movie…"

He chuckled, giving her an answering nod when she held up a finger and then left towards the back of the apartment. Sakura could've whined for how unfortunate the timing had been, and then her mother hadn't really wanted to talk to her about much – just reminding her to pack certain things and that they had made plans for Christmas dinner.

She ended the call as quickly as she could without raising suspicions from her mom. She was nearly as bad as Ino with her sixth sense to sniff out secrets. After ending the call, she shuffled back out to the living room and placed the phone back onto the receiver. "Sorry about that," she muttered.

She sat next to him with a sigh, her body and head having cooled off after talking with her mom. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed a soft kiss to her head. "It's alright."

She glanced to the movie and then to the bowl on the table, realizing Shikamaru had cleaned up the spilt popcorn in her absence. "I would've gotten that."

"It was my fault," he reasoned, a faint blush dusting the apples of his cheeks.

She sighed but then let a tentative smile grace her lips as she tilted her head to the side and pressed a kiss to the redness in his cheeks. "Thank you."

Shikamaru's grin was almost blinding to look at, his fingers reaching for her sides. "Getting all sentimental, eh? We're supposed to have fun."

And with that, mischievous fingertips began tickling her and Sakura squealed, nearly toppling off the couch in her haste to get away from him. "Shika!"

"Yes, darling?" He purred, his fingers glancing her stomach. Sakura yelped and jolted away from the ticklish sensation, earning Shikamaru's surprised stare. "Would you look at that–! Is your tummy ticklish, baby?" His grin now held the qualities of mischief and evil and Sakura let out another undignified squeal as callused fingertips found their way up her shirt and along the soft planes of her stomach.

Sweet, feminine giggles and shrieks filled the room as Shikamaru dragged Sakura beneath him and mercilessly tickled her until she was gasping for air and begging him to stop. "Shika! Shika—ah! Hehehe, Shikamaru! Please!"

Finally, his touch withdrew and Sakura could breathe. She lay on the couch in a heap, hair mussed and face flushed, eyes alight and sparkling. "You're so evil! Gods I can't breathe..."

He only continued to grin down at her, his hands now smoothing up and down her legs. "What can I say? You're too cute not to be messed with."

Sakura pouted at him, jabbing him in the elbow. "Why do I like you again?"

"Beats me." He tittered leaning down to press a sweet kiss to her lips. "But boy, am I glad you do."

Sakura blushed, mock-punching his shoulder. "Who's getting sentimental now?"

"Right, my bad." Shikamaru chuckled, helping her up into a sitting position and smoothing her hair back into something less messy. "I'm just really going to miss you and I want to squeeze in some quality time before you leave."

Huffing slightly and reaching to help him rearrange her hair, Sakura suggested, "We could always go on a trip or something."

"A trip? Like… a road trip?" Shikamaru arched a questioning eyebrow.

"Um, yeah, if you'd like that." She nodded. "We could go to Suna for a day? I hear the weather is amazing there at this time of the year."

Shikamaru seemed to light up. "That sounds like a great idea. I'd love to go together. How soon Wednesday do you have to be at your parents' house?"

"As long as I'm there that evening it should be fine. I never really told them when I'd be there."

"How about we drive out Tuesday morning and come back Wednesday?" he suggested.

Her lips pursed to the side in thought. "Why not leave sooner so we have more time?"

"Well…" He scratched the bridge of his nose. "Ino wants us to all have dinner Monday to say goodbye. It's supposed to be a surprise so don't let her know I told you or I'll never hear the end of it," he sighed.

She patted his cheek. "Don't worry, I've perfected my surprise face."

A string of chuckles filled the air, and Sakura felt the last of her frustration at being interrupted yet again dissipate. Shikamaru leaned closer to her, tilting her chin up to press one last peck on her cheek, "Do you want to go on a walk?"

If she was being frank, all she really wanted was to pull him closer to her and pick up where they left off before her phone call; but the mood was well gone by now, even when some of the tension still lingered between them. But that was the usual, really. She tried to recall a time when she didn't feel the invisible heaviness hanging over them like a cloud charged with electricity and failed.

And so Sakura nodded, leaning towards him for one last kiss of her own, savouring the taste of his lips with a hum, "Sure, let me just get my coat."

Shikamaru's tongue darted out, swiping over his lower lip like he was trying to hold onto the taste of her, and Sakura hurriedly got up and left as to not fall to the temptation of kissing him senseless. He was too damn much on her senses most times.

Rummaging through her closet, Sakura pulled out her favourite pea coat and shrugged it on, wrapping a scarf around her neck on her way out of her bedroom door.

"Ready to go?" Shikamaru asked from his position by the door, having already pulled his shoes on.

"Yep." Sakura hurriedly slipped a pair of boots on and joined him at the threshold, trying to withhold a smile at the way his eyes swept over her figure and lingered slightly.

Sakura had never found herself particularly attractive; she was pretty when she put the effort into her outfit— maybe with some makeup— but ever since she'd met Shikamaru, she'd been feeling prettier, beautiful even. Especially when he'd seem to struggle to be more discreet about the fact that he was checking her out.

His hand pressed into the small of her back, innocent and comforting and strangely reassuring as it firmly guided her towards the stairs. The butterflies that accompanied his presence never really faded, even after all those weeks of constantly having his company but there was another kind of emotion there now. She'd always felt comfortable with him, since the first time they'd met, but now there was a foreign sense of security there too.

The kind that made her reach for his hand and feel content with the sensation of their fingers interlocking instead of the excited nervousness she used to feel the first few times she'd done that.

His lips twitched into a small smile, his hand closing securely around hers as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

The December weather was cold against her face, the kind of weather that made her want to rub her hands together for heat. Except Shikamaru's body warmth and presence made for a great source of just that and Sakura found herself sighing with contentedness, moving to lean her head against his bicep.

They walked in silence, the road stretching endlessly ahead of them, lined with decorated trees— Christmas was only a few weeks away and with holiday season came the festive moods and celebratory atmosphere that had recently befallen Konoha.

It was a nice time for a walk… a sad time to think about the fact that she was leaving him. Sakura couldn't really explain it without thinking about uncomfortable facts and dissecting her feelings but the idea of being away from Shikamaru made her unbearably forlorn.

His presence had become such an integral part of her routine… his smoke, his motorcycle, the smell of leather that always accompanied him… the raspy note of his voice when he'd call her late at night when he couldn't sleep… the small upward curl at the corner of his mouth whenever he was amused that never failed to make him look that much sexier… all these little things that for a reason or another stuck with her. She didn't want to part with them, no matter how temporary. She'd never really acknowledged just how much comfort she'd drawn from him until then. Until this moment in time when she was painfully aware of the little numbered days that marked the end of their fun times for the next few weeks to come.

And well… maybe she was just selfish, but she wished for an excuse not to visit her parents, which she realised was an alarming thought because Sakura adored her parents. And she, more than many, realised how precious and temporary they were due to the few short calls she'd had in the past.

But there were other, exciting, novel things that had just started to hog her attention lately, like how much she enjoyed being kissed the way Shikamaru kissed her; like she was beautiful, like she was wanted, with the undertones of need and want for more underlining his kiss. Things like the innocent, secure sensation of his hand in hers; as if he drew comfort from her too. Small, maybe insignificant things like the way he looked at her, the way his eyes lingered that made her feel he wanted her like a man wanted a woman, that made her feel sexy.

And they were trivial things in the grander scheme of things because Shikamaru didn't need to do any of the above for her to enjoy his company. But even these things left a lasting impact, and Sakura wasn't ready to let go of any of it yet.

"What's got you all tense?" He asked, and it never really failed to startle her how such a lazy, laid back guy could be so perceptive of people's body language and emotions.

She debated lying to him, maybe giving him a half-answer but another thing Shikamaru was incredibly adept at was sniffing out lies and half-truths. And his trust wasn't something she wanted to shake— she didn't want to risk this comfortable yet fragile stage of honesty their relationship was at. "Nothing just… I'm thinking."

"About?" He prompted when the silence stretched.

"About how much I… well, about how much I don't want to… leave… you…" she trailed off, feeling lame. Sakura ducked her head against his arm to hide the embarrassment burning brightly in her cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed, his hand detangling from hers to wrap around her and tug her against his side. The affectionate name nearly caused her to melt against him and Sakura let out a sigh of her own as her arms encircled his waist.

She nuzzled against him, his voice reverberating through his chest beneath her ear. "You'll be back soon." He pressed a small kiss into her hair. "Don't think about leaving yet. We still have that road trip. Think of how much fun we'll have."

Humming her agreement, they fell back into a more comfortable silence and Sakura couldn't help but smile when she noticed he was tactfully steering them towards Tiffany's for a one last taste of pancake before her departure.

I know it's been forever and I'm terribly sorry about that! Deni and I have both been very busy and going through different things. I'm not a big fan of this chapter, besides it was so long I decided to split it into two parts, so another update will be coming very soon ...hopefully, you're more inclined to forgive the absence now.

Awaiting your reviews excitedly! -Rama