Okay, enjoy and review.

Chapter XIX: Sur la Touche- Ages, 16 and 19, respectively

Shikamaru gripped his hand around the cool brass knob of his door. It was hot out, and the feeling of the cold metal against his palm sent small shivers up his spine.

Was he ready to do this? It was the right thing to do, and something that should be done. Hell, it wasn't supposed to mean anything. It was just a convenience.

But that hadn't meant that he hadn't been thinking about this for weeks, debating on whether it was a good idea since she had broken down the door during her last visit.

"You could have left the goddamn window open!"

"Temari, it's eight below outside!"

"What if I wanted to come in?"

"You didn't even tell me you were coming to Konoha. Anyways, it's not like you couldn't use the fucking door."

"I just assumed you locked it. What kind of jonin would leave his front door unlocked?"

That was March. Now, it was the beginning of June, and Shikamaru had been leaving a lot of windows open. But that wasn't the point. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened last time- the shattering of wood waking him up at three in the morning. He hadn't even gotten laid for hours after that because Temari had gotten too many fucking splinters.

"What's taking so long?" She snapped. He turned around and shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. She raised her eyebrows, arms crossed.

"You want to go get something to eat? I'm hungry." Shikamaru asked, face blank.

"No" she said slowly, taking a few steps closer to the doorway. His apartment building was large and open, his door only accessed from a balcony, like in those cheap hotels downtown. It wasn't exactly a cheap place, but for the large size of it, Shikamaru was getting a great deal.

A breeze waved through her hair, ruffling her robe. "You want go to have sex? I'm horny." She said, mocking him with complete seriousness.

He shrugged again. He had promised himself days ago, the minute he found out she was coming, that he would do it when she came home with him. She would come home with him, if not right away, then eventually. So it was inevitable. Whether he wanted to or not, it was going to happen.

But that didn't mean he couldn't prolong the inevitable.

"Then let's go to the embassy." He took a few steps away from his door.

"Look" she said impatiently, "if you don't drop your pants within the next few minutes, I will take them off for you."

He sighed, glanced up to the ceiling so she couldn't see him mutter "troublesome."

"Shikamaru" she warned, "I'm serious."

"Good god, woman" he said, looking back down at her. "Your libido is astounding."

"Nara" she warned again, this time in a lower, much sexier tone.

He just stared at her.

She crossed her arms.

There was a silence for a few moments. And then Temari stepped forward, grabbed the front of his pants and pulled him closer so their breath mingled.

"Shikamaru" she said, looking up at him with a small smirk on her lips. Her fingers slipped inside the waist of his pants, brushing along his skin as she leaned up to kiss him. Their lips met briefly. "Let me inside" she whispered, fingers beginning to undo the button.

Shikamaru pulled his head away and sighed. It was hard to prolong things when she was already beginning to trace his slowly bulging crotch with the pads of her fingers. It was harder as she pressed her heavy breasts against his chest, lips so close to the warm skin of his neck.

Slowly, her tongue came out, licking his pulse. His breath faltered.

Yeah, this hesitation wasn't going to work.

Instinct taking over, he grabbed her chin and pulled her lips to his, wrapping his hands around her to grab her rear and pull her up and into him.

She laughed at his sudden action as he backed her up to the railing of the balcony, pushing her against it.

She reached into his hair, pulling his head sideways to allow better access to his mouth. Within moments, tongues were sucking tongues, lips wet and warm. It was pretty hot kissing for being in public around noon.

"Shikamaru" she said breathlessly as he moved down to nip at her neck. "Take me inside."

This time, he didn't hesitate. Detaching himself from her, he turned to the door.

But again, when his hand touched the cool knob, he froze.

She waited, and seeing he wasn't opening the door, threw her hands in the air and pushed him out of the way.

"What's your problem? It's not like you don't want me," she snapped, eyeing his pants.

Shikamaru sighed, tilting his head and rubbing his neck. "Temari" he murmured.

She tried the door, "You locked it? You never lock your door. What's in there that you don't want me to see?"

"Temari" he said again.

"Your house is never messy," she said to herself, thinking it over. "So, what, do you have another girl in there or something?"

His brows furrowed. "Why w- no, I don't. I just-"

"Do you even know how much of a turn off you are being right now?" She snapped again, anger growing. "Why won't you let me in?" She took a deep breath, and then in a whiny voice, "Shikamaru, I just want to have sex."

"Temari."

"What?" She said sharply, glaring at him.

He gave a long sigh, rubbing his neck. She always had to make everything difficult.

But he was going to give in. He was making it into something it wasn't by prolonging it. It was a gesture of simplicity- he was just making life easier for the both of them; and whatever fears or qualms he had about that must be hidden if she was to believe that he was sincere in the fact that what he was about to give her meant nothing.

He gave it one more silent second before slipping his hand into his vest.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out something enclosed in his fist. Shikamaru held out his arm, and dropped the object into her open palm.

Her wet mouth fell open slightly as she stared at the brass key in her hand. "Shikamaru…" she said wearily.

He had to make it nothing. It wasn't anything. Really.

So why was this so difficult?

He inwardly cursed himself before responding in a bored tone, "It'd be easier if you didn't knock down my door again."

She looked up defensively, "Hey, I apologized and paid for a new one." Her brows creased then, and she looked down at her hand again and then back up to his face. "I… I can't. We're not…"

"Temari" he said, biting his cheek, "I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend or any shit like that." He eyed her, and then relaxed, grabbing her fingers and curling them over the key. "Now, you can get away with raping me in my sleep without waking me up to get inside."

The corners of her lips curled slightly, but then fell into a hard line.

"I just don't think-"

"Temari" he said sternly, stepping closer. "Take the key."

They were both silent for a long time, before he let go of her hand and stepped away.

"You promised yourself you'd give me the key when I came home with you, didn't you? It's why you didn't let me in."

Shikamaru shrugged. "You got here an hour ago, I thought I had more time before we slept together." He shrugged again, "You really shouldn't wear such short dresses."

She smiled a bit, relieving him of his silent worry. "I don't really rape you in your sleep. I can't make you hard." She stuck the metal into the lock and pushed open the door.

"Hey" he said, "it's been rape for the past two years. I'm only sixteen; you're an adult."

"Baby" she said, stepping inside.

"Hag" came his response.

She grinned to herself, pulling off her sash and short black robe. Although she wouldn't admit it, because clearly the key meant nothing to him, having the object in her possession made the apartment feel different.

Maybe it was the idea that she was allowed in anytime?

Or that he trusted her enough to let her have access?

Either way, there was something different.

But she stopped focusing on that when he stepped up behind her, putting his hands on her thighs and rubbing them over her hips, to her waist, and down again, lips on her neck.

Yet, as she felt him turn around and lead her into the bedroom, she realized why this all suddenly felt different.

It was because Shikamaru was wrong in what he was asking.

Keys weren't for people like her.

They were for girlfriends.

And Temari was most certainly not the girlfriend.

So, when she felt his long hair brush her face as he laid her down, she reached into her pocket to slip the key from her robe and let it fall to the floor, hoping Shikamaru would be to preoccupied to notice.

Because she just wasn't ready.

But even with his lips around her nipple and the sounds of her groans in his ears, he was able to hear the clatter of the metal hitting the floor.

It means nothing, he wanted to tell her. But he didn't. It was her choice.

And he was okay with that, because when he was cleaning his room the next week, there was nothing left behind his bed.

So yeah, he was okay with that.

edit 12/28/12: okay last chapter!

I WANT to come back and edit all of these (because atm they're that embarrassing first fic attempt and i pretty much used all of my pet-peeves in shikatema writing in here. ie: ino sleeping with shikamaru, nicknames, annoyingly perfect sex, etc.) but for now, I' just going to go away and pretend these don't exist. (Read my new stuff! NOW I TELL YOU.)

okay, goodbye for now then

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