(Rock Lee & Shikamaru Nara)
[Artwork is not mine! Credit to Maxiuchiha22]
Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:
Name Calling: Pretty Girl, Good Girl
Sprinkle of Toxic Power Play
Mentions of Scratch Marks
Asuma and Neji aren't dead cause I said so :)
Also, forever a believer that the Nara men call their women "Pretty Girl"
Shikamaru's eyebrows are pushed together, annoyance coating his expression. He's kneeled down, hands busy messing with the bands of my safety vest, making sure they're done right. As always, Choji is oblivious to his best friend's recent fascination with me but it doesn't slide past Ino, who's side eyeing the hell out of us.
Sensei is outside of the room, on the other side of the door having a hushed discussion with whatever Sensei is responsible for the squad we'll be working with on this mission. The mission isn't a difficult one, just high profile, but that comes with any mission dealing with the family of another village's Kage.
"Why don't you tighten any of your straps? It's a drag having to fix them for you. Do you know how unsafe that is?" Shika lectures, a grumbly sigh being huffed out after my lesson on safety.
"Says the man who smokes a pack a day," I poke back, using the bad habit he's picked up from his father and Sensei alike. "That's not any safer."
"I don't smoke a pack a day. Three or four max."
"Per hour, maybe." Shikamaru's sharp eyes jump up to glare at me, slit and stressed and such a temptation to keep pushing his buttons.
The no-sex rule we agreed on last week during our heavy conversation about us was a dumb idea, and one I'm currently regretting. Why I agreed to that term during the walk home from the drugstore is beyond me. Whatever my thoughts were conjuring up then is no match for how sexy Shika looks on his knees, hands on my hip, mixed with the rooted glare on his face.
He's his sexiest while strategizing. Calm face, determination in his features, and not a single detail escaping the watchfulness of the melted bronze that make up his irises. But, stressed Shika is a close second. A very close second.
Slowly, he climbs back to his full height, keeping the close quarters between us as he stands. A tad of humor burns the edges of his expression, an expression I get a close look at as he inches his face closer to mine.
"Pretty Girl." The nickname comes out chilled despite the heavy humidity between us. "You are being both a bad shinobi and a bad clan member. Good girls don't mock their squad leader or their future chief." The slight squeeze of my thighs doesn’t go unnoticed, noted by a tip of Shika's lips as he pulls away from me.
The harsh whispers between the two of us caught more of Ino's attention, her nose scrunched and eyes swimming in confusion as they flicker between the two of us. "What was that about?"
"Somebody doesn't understand respect," he answers, sending me another pointed look. Shika settles against the wall, his body relaxed and counteracting the sharpness still present in his slit eyes. Even with our little heated moment, he's still focused on the mission. Definitely his father's son.
"With a squad leader like you, you can't really expect us to know what respect is, can you?" Choji teases with a slight chuckle in his voice, his focus on us now that his rice ball has been finished off.
"Shut up, Choji," Shika grumbles, his head rolling back, finally dragging his loaded stare off of me. I'm both glad not to be the center of his attention anymore and a bit unhappy with the torn-away heat of his stare, but I guess I shouldn't complain about the calm before the storm our mission is sure to bring.
The storm that's here a lot sooner than I expected. Just as everything is evening out, the door comes crashing open, slamming against the wall as it swings. "Hello, Team Ten! Team Gai is here to assist!" Might Gai yells, his excitement about everything including life itself shattering the relaxed vibe of the room.
All the chill from Shikamaru's position is gone, his muscles tight, especially his shoulders and his eyes heated again, but not in the way they warm up when looking at me. No, in the way that makes me fear he's going to burn Gai into a pile of ash. "You have to be kidding."
"I am just as unpleased with the situation as you are," Neji's monotoned voice filters into the room, a one-eighty to the sunshine and rainbows his Sensei oozes.
"Speak for yourself, Neji. I'm thrilled to be working with Team Ten."
If Shika's eyes could burn Gai to ash, they're now unleashing a thousand paper bombs on Lee, his temper hot enough I half expect actual flames to fill the sockets of his eyes.
Lee is unfazed by the glare my... I don't know what Shikamaru is to me anymore.
Lee is unfazed by the glare my future Chief is sending him, a full smile on his face and full attention on me. "I look forward to spending time with you again, Lotus-Chan, even if it is work-related."
"She told you to stop calling her that," Shikamaru butts in before I can reply, his tone not giving away any of the anger burning through his veins.
Dear Lord, help us on this trip. Or, at the very least, don't let Shika come up with any crazy ways to 'accidentally' get Lee killed.
"Oh, right," Rock giggles, his nervous playing between the two words. "My apologies. Still, I look forward to working with you again, Nara-San."
"I'm glad," I utter, trying my best to plaster a smile on my face.
For the most part, I've gotten over my little fling with Lee, chalking it up to miscommunication of my feelings caused by my enjoyment of his attention and the lack of Shika's attention because of his recent time spent with Tamari.
Now, with both the guys in the room, the only thing I can think about is running my fingers through Shikamaru's hair until he calms down. Lee isn't even a wisp in my thoughts.
"Great," Sensei drags out, looking at Shika with a mix of 'What the hell?' and 'What’s going on?' written on his face. "Great, I'm so glad we're all so excited to work together," he softly cheers, a bit of a hiss poking out and aiming at our squad leader.
"Me too!" Gai cheers, hooking an arm around Asuma's neck and yanking him down a bit. "This is going to be so fun!"
Dear Lord, please let me survive this mission, both physically and mentally.
Good note: Shika hasn't killed Lee yet. Bad note: the atmosphere is packed so full of his loathing that even Choji notices.
As I suspected, the mission isn't too difficult. The Tsuchikage's daughter seems to be at ease, too wrapped up in her one-sided flirting with Sensei to care much about her safety. Neji and Shika are on each other a bit, the two big brains pulling teeth to agree on anything. Aside from that, it's been a breeze. No attacks, no signs of enemies, and plenty of empty space to fill.
Gai is busy hounding Choji with failing attempts to get him to join his work-out regiment. Tenten and Ino are talking about her upcoming wedding with Sai. Shika and Neji are fighting again, debating where the next stop should be. That leaves Lee and me silent, the boy standing two people away from me without a lick of an attempt to hide his staring.
I keep my eyes forward, trying to focus on scanning the dark forest for any possible threats. It's better than stressing about Shika's constant fighting or Lee's constant attention on me. I can't ignore it for long though, the latter of the boys slowly weaving his way over to me.
"Hello, Lotus - er - Nara-San," he greets, his usual huge smile on his face. "How's this side of the carriage."
"About as eventful as your side," I answer, sparing him a tight worn smile.
Rock doesn't pick up on my silent command to leave me alone. Instead, he keeps up his loose posture and grinning expression. "I'm not too sure about that. It seems Neji and Shikamaru are about ready to brawl."
My eyes flicker forward, taking a peek at the two squad leaders. For once, Neji is actually expressing emotion. Anger, most definitely, but still an emotion. Shika on the other hand seems relatively calm, nothing but the spark of a new challenge in his eyes. I swear those two mix like water and oil.
"That would be a wonderful sight to see."
"Not as wonderful as seeing you," Lee answers, instantly making my nose turn up. There was a time I would have been thrilled to have him flirt back, but now all I can think about is how cheesy the line is and how Shikamaru would never waste his breath on something so overused.
Shika isn't much of a romantic, even less so when it comes to words, but he picked up his father's gift of speaking in ways that make poets jealous. There are reasons Shikaku is happily married and why his specific lineage is in charge of the Naras. Brains, bronze, and words able to affect others are those reasons. All reasons why his son is suitable to take over. All reasons why his son makes my heart and core burn in equal but different ways.
"But anyway," Rock starts up again, his attention tearing away from our squad leaders to focus on me again. "I really am happy to be working with you again. I know we haven't been..." his words cut off, a soft exhale and a shrink of his smile filling the gap. "I know a lot has happened between us recently and I respect your decision to take some space, but I do miss you. I miss talking to you and seeing you and getting to hang out."
My mouth clicks open, the words for a response stuck in my throat. Just as I finally muster the different syllables onto my tongue, I'm cut off. "Ya? Would you miss my foot up your ass too? Or maybe you just miss the makeout sessions. Is that what it is? Do you miss having a Pretty Girl fill the void of Sakura's rejection?"
All of a sudden, everything seems eerily quiet, like everything on and off the dirt path is watching the interaction unfolding.
"Hey, Shika," Lee greets, his voice weary and his eyes slowly peeling off of me.
"You don't get to call me that. She," Shikamaru motions towards me, eyes softening for a beat before they're back on his newest sworn enemy. "Gets to call me that. Hell, Ino and Cho could call me that if they wish. You don't." Before the older boy can answer, Shika's hand is around the arm loop of my vest, using it to tug me away for Lee.
After a step or two he freezes, slowly turning to look over his shoulder. "And another thing, for someone who says they 'respect her decision to take some space', you're not giving her any space. Learn to read body language and when the time is to back off," he hisses, pairing the lecture with another glare before continuing to yank me toward the front of the carriage.
Shikamaru finally lets me go once I'm situated in the front of the group, sandwiched between Neji and himself. The other squad leader flickers his eyes between the three of us, trying to read the situation before he comments on it. "Our teams may not get along, but I don't believe threatening those here to assist your mission is the smartest strategy you've had."
"I don't think poking at my anger is the smartest strategy you've had either so I guess we're even," Shika hisses, his glare now cemented on Neji instead of Lee.
Dear Lord, when I asked you not to let Shikamaru kill Lee, I didn't mean to let him kill Neji instead.
My eyes roll over Shikamaru, watching his reaction as he reads over the letter delivered to him a few minutes ago. His eyes are glued to the sheet, hands pressed into a triangle, and face scrunched in concentration. Slowly, I crawl across the length of my tent, settling on my knees behind him.
He's rooming with Choji and Ino was supposed to room with me, but she ended up switching and rooming with Tenten. I partly believe it's because she's catching wind of what's going on - which wasn't aided by the heated arguments earlier - but I also partly think it's because Tenten is more interested in the wedding details than I am.
With the change, Shikamaru had no shame sliding out of his tent and into mine to spend some time with me. Well, time that got interrupted by the letter from his father.
"If you keep thinking so hard you might blow a fuse," I lightly tease, sliding my hands up to start massaging his shoulders. They're littered with tension, giving me plenty of knots to rub out for him. "Why are you so stressed?"
"You don't need to worry about it. I have it all under control," he mutters, his shoulders relaxing under my touch. "You don't need to carry my stress around too, Pretty Girl. You have enough on your plate because of Lee and me."
"Your dad is still my Chief, Shik. It's my job to serve him," I whisper, tipping my head forward to paint lazy kisses up his neck. "Even if I don't serve him in the ways I serve you."
The double meaning of the word doesn't get lost in translation, evident in the hissy breath Shikamaru lets out. "We have an agreement for a reason," he utters, his body loosening even more despite the fact the head on his shoulders is keeping control. "I don't want your emotions and thoughts getting confused even more. Especially with Lee's constant attention and attempts at buttering you up."
"Lee isn't the man in my tent though," I coo, slowly trailing my hands off his shoulders and across his back, adding pressure to the scratches that have started to heal.
"I am now!" A chirpy voice rings out, shattering the heavy atmosphere that was starting to form. Slowly, Shikamaru and I both turn to look at the opening of my tent, being met with a toothy Lee. "What are you two up to?"
Shika tenses under my touch, sucking in a deep breath before slowly exhaling it. "Clan matters," he answers for us, wanting to keep whatever we are between the two of us until the whole love triangle thing is squared away for good.
"Oh, is everything okay back home?"
"Ya, it's fine. Just a small issue," Shika grumbles, tipping his head backward to gently knock it into mine. "I'm going to go relieve Sensei. Call if you need me."
"I will," I murmur, resting my head against his until he pulls away. Shikamaru takes longer than needed to get up and leave the tent, but I'm not surprised. Lee seems to be the biggest and easiest thing to get him worked up recently.
"Hello," I greet once I'm sure Shika has walked away and that we're alone.
"Hello," Rock echoes, taking slow and steady steps forward. Once he's no more than a step away, he sinks to the ground, sitting next to me on the floor of the tent. "So... Shikamaru is a little... protective of you."
"He always has been," I murmur, snatching up the letter left behind. It's technically not a lie. Shika and I have always been close, attached at the hip most of our lives. He knows every inch of me inside and out. The thought mixed with memories of our less-than-appropriate times together makes my skin heat up with the reappearing craving for the Nara Prince.
"Ya, that's true," Lee whispers, his voice seeming far away even though he's close enough that our knees touch. "Anyway," he chirps, head tipping toward me. "I want to apologize for earlier." I slowly blink as I stare at him, not sure what he thinks he needs to apologize for. "The fight and all," he explains before I can ask, a loose smile hanging on his face.
"I should have known you were going to tell Shikamaru and that he was going to be all jump-ity about me until things smooth out between the two of us. Especially after the whole scene at the store and all." Lee's shoulders jump up before falling back down again, a soft shrug to pair with his soft grin. "I'm sorry we got in another fight and that you had to be around for it again. I know how important he is to you."
"It's not that big of a deal, Lee. Shika will chill out after he's certain I'm over it all."
"Are you over it all?" He asks, the happiness falling from his face and being replaced with the rare seriousness Lee possesses. "I hope you're not over everything."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, turning my attention away from the letter I've been roughly scanning, focusing my full attention on Lee. Like Shikamaru said, it's just a minor issue with the clan. Some way, shape, or form, someone misplaced a hundred pounds of venison and the Chief wanted to know if -
Before I know it, Lee's lips are pressed against mine, his hand gently cupping the side of my face. My body freezes, not a hundred percent sure what's going on, much less what to do about it. After a few beats, he inches away from me, still close enough that I can feel his soft breaths. The thumb pressed to my cheek rubs soft circles into my skin as his eyes roll over my face, waiting and watching for my reaction.
Dear Lord, it's me again. Are you actively trying to get Shik to murder Team Gai? If so, you're doing an amazing job.
"He what?!" Shikamaru yells, pulling the attention of our whole mini campsite to us.
"It's not that big of a deal," I whisper, eyes flickering around to see if everyone really is staring or if it just feels like that. Eight sets of eyes are on us; it's not the latter.
I knew Shika wasn't going to take the events of last night well, but I didn't think he'd get this worked up either. He's oozing more hatred than he has the whole trip, everything from his eyebrows down to his chest are pulled tight with tension, dark eyes slit more than usual and seeping into my soul as he looks at me. “I’m going to kill him.”
“No!” I yelp, trying to spring forward fast enough to grab him. I’m not fast enough. Shikamaru’s breakfast is disregarded on the ground, the man standing up and already two steps closer to Lee before I manage to scramble onto my feet. “It really isn’t that big of a deal!” I repeat, racing after him.
My arms wrap around him when I come into contact with him, my feet dragging and digging into the ground to try and stop him or at least slow him down. Neither happens. Shikamaru keeps trudging forward, skin burning and mind twirling with different ways to hurt Lee.
“It is a big deal,” he hisses, eyes locked on the man of the hour. “You asked for space and what does he do? Try to make out with you. I’m giving you space, do you know why? Because it’s not that goddamn hard.”
Neji stands up from his spot next to his best friend, chest puffed out but his usual calmness still in place. “It is too early in the morning for your attitude problem, Shikamaru. Honestly, for the laziest man in our generation, you sure have enough energy for your anger.”
Shika stops for a second, a sharp grin carving onto his lips. “Sit down, Neji, this doesn’t concern you.”
Before the other squad leader can respond, Shik has already thrown up a hand sign, one of his shadows wrapping around Neji’s legs and yanking on him until he falls back into a sitting position. The shadow stays wrapped around the man as I’m dragged forward again, the angry cloud back to his main mission.
“Hello,” his voice comes out dangerously cool, like a sharp end of an icicle. Shikamaru grabs a hold of Lee, balling up his body suit to drag him into a stand.
“Shika, please,” I whisper, tightening my arms around his waist. “This whole jealousy thing isn’t cute. It’s fine, really. Can’t you just leave it be?”
“I’m not jealous,” he utters, his main focus still on Lee who’s trying to fight free from his grasp. It’s a task he’s failing, courtesy of more shadows helping Shikamaru hold him in place. “If you want to be with Lee, fine. As your friend and your future chief, I want you happy first and foremost. I would prefer it to be with me but if it’s not, fine. I won’t force you into my arms or walk away from our friendship if you don’t choose me.”
“What I won’t do is let Lee repeatedly ignore your boundaries. Constantly shoving himself into your life like a goddamn thorn does that. Forcing you into a kiss does that too. That’s not giving you space. That’s forcing you into a situation you don’t want to be in. So, no, I won’t leave it alone.” Shika’s jaw is tight enough that I’m worried it’s going to lock and his knuckles are so white from his grasp that I’m surprised they haven’t popped yet.
“Walk away, Pretty Girl. It’s my job to take care of you, remember? I’m always focused on you.”
I let out a slow and deep exhale, reluctantly unlatching from Shikamaru. Once he’s free, he wastes no time walking away, dragging Lee along with him. Our Senseis fill in my gap, both of the older men racing after him and yelling at him to stop.
Dear Lord, I’m here to ask you again, don’t let Shikamaru kill Lee. Though, I’m pretty sure he’s going too.
(Rock Lee/Shikamaru Nara)
[Art work is not mine! Credit to unknown]
Requested by: Myself
Word Count: 3,733
Warnings and/or Pre-Not
(Shikamaru Nara Smut)
[Art work is not mine! Credit to Nachotart]
Requested by: Myself
Word Count: 3,590
Warnings and/or Pre-Notes
