You returned to the docks at 9 o'clock, feeling a small sense of satisfaction overcome you. You knew Shikamaru said 8, but he made you wait half an hour last time, so why not beat him at his game and make it an hour?

You smirk as you see him laying on the docks, his head resting on top of his arms and one leg sitting at an arch, the other crossing over it.

You take your spot next to him, laying on your back and looking at the stars.

"I'm night and your day, huh?" You remarked with another smirk, turning your head to look at him.

"Well, seeing as the clouds aren't out, stars are the next best thing." He said as he met your gaze. "Making me wait here an hour, huh?"

"Thought I'd beat you at your own game."

"You can be such a drag sometimes." He says with a chuckle, averting his attention back to the stars.

"Hey I created your trademark. At least show me some respect." You laughed as you hit him lightly in the chest. "As much as I love this view, shouldn't we start training?"

"I knew you loved looking at me." He said with his sly smirk.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"No, you just don't know that's what you meant." He retaliated.

"How does that even make sense?" You laughed as you stood up, outstretching your hand so you could help him up as well.

He took your hand and pulled himself up, not letting go once he was to his feet. He stood close to you, his body towering over your own.

"Wow. Since when did you get so tall?" You asked, surprised at the height of the Chuunin.

"Amazing how one grows up after the age of twelve." He says, sarcasm lacing his words.

"You can let go of my hand now.." you say, not breaking eye contact.

"So can you." He retaliated.

Neither one of you moved. You just simply looked each other in the eyes, getting lost in one another's gaze.

His eyes traveled down to your lips, then back to your eyes. He bit his lip and moved his hands to around your waist. Your heart beat started accelerating again, your cheeks warming up. You looked down to his lips. The soft, pink lips that has met yours once before. You looked back into his eyes. Shikamaru moves his left hand from around your waist to your cheek. He cupped it, stroking it lightly with his thumb, causing them to turn warm with red.

"You're so beautiful..." he said outloud, not sure if he was saying it directly to you or just speaking the words that came to his head.

"Shika..." you said hesitantly.

"Yes, (y/n)?" He asked as he pulled you even closer into him, his hand moving from your cheek to the nape of your neck.

You didn't say anything. The only thing you could do was stare at him and try to ignore the butterflies that were fluttering in your stomach.

He leaned in closer to you, his lips lightly grazing yours. Your breath hitched as he took your bottom lip in with his teeth, slightly biting at it. He released it, causing disappointment to grow slightly within you.

His lips still so close, to yours he whispered. "I know you want to kiss me, just as bad as I want to kiss you..."

Those words.

The same words he said to you six years ago right before kissing you the first time.

He wasted no more time. He moved his other hand from around your waist and placed it with the other one right on the nape of your neck. He leaned his head down and collided his lips with yours.

They were just as soft, but more full. The way his lips worked with yours more advanced than the last time. Your top lip seemed to fit perfectly in between his top and bottom one. Your bottom lip colliding in with his.

He tilted his head to the right, deepening the kiss as he licked your bottom lip, his tongue begging to explore your own.

You gave into him, allowing him to slip his tongue in your mouth. It wasn't too much, but just the right amount to have you begging for more.

You stayed like that for a few, blissful moments. Only pulling away to catch your breath. He went to kiss you again but this time you put your hand on his chest and pushed him back a little, stopping him from doing so.

"Shikamaru... I-I can't do that again.. I have to remain loyal to Kak-"

"To kakashi. I know.." he said as disappointment and hurt filled his voice.

"Yes... to Kakashi." You two stared at each other again, this time sorrow filling his eyes.

"Why... why him over me? You know I've loved you since the day I brought you here, (y/n)." You could still hear the sadness, but anger seemed to over power his words more so.

"Shika.."

"No! Don't call me that.. I brought you out here in hopes that-"

"In hopes of what Shikamaru?" You cut him off. "In hopes that you could just kiss me and I'm supposed to fall so madly in love with you I drop the only other person who showed their love for me? Kakashi Sensei has been here for me since the day I was assigned to his team! You haven't shown one ounce of care for me in SIX YEARS!" You didn't mean to raise your voice, but you couldn't stand the fact that he was trying to make you seem like the bad guy here.

"Maybe because you never gave me the chance!" He retaliated.

"How am I suppose to give you a chance, when you never made an effort in the first place?!"

"I did, (y/n)! I took you out here and kissed you! I was twelve! What more was I supposed to do fucking propose?!"

"After that Shikamaru! Not once did you ask to see me after that! Not once did you try to sit next to me in class or talk to me on the training field or even sit with me THE COUNTLESS TIMES YOU SAW ME SITTING BY MYSELF AT THE RAMEN BAR, WHILE YOU WERE THERE WITH ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!" You screamed at him, pushing him slightly in the chest. Your eyes were welling up with hot tears as they clouded your vision then slipped down your face.

"Why now huh? Why is it now you want me? Because you didn't like the fact I was getting close with somebody else! I'm not some toy Shikamaru! You can't just leave me be and then fight for me when someone else takes interest like a FUCKING TODDLER!"

Your voice broke and your tears really started flowing. You walked to the end of the docks, dropping to your knees and looking out over the water as a steady stream of tears still cascaded over your cheeks.

He walked up to you slowly, taking a seat next to you as his eyes stayed glued to you. He wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close, holding you in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry.." he said with sincerity.

"For what.."

"For making it seem like I am toying with you..." he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Truth is.. I was scared. I kissed you, and I felt that spark.. and it scared me."

He let you go, his eyes and body shifting towards the water.

"Scared you?" You asked, confused.

"Yes."

"Why did it scare you?"

"Because. I never had that feeling before. And I didn't know what to do with it. I thought I knew everything and everyone, but you were always a mystery. You were the only girl who didn't swoon over Sasuke. And you were the only girl who actually seemed to take interest in me. You were the only girl who made me second guess everything about me. My looks, my brains, my skill... and then even the way I kissed." He turned and looked at you. "You made me forget about all of the important things I have been taught to always remember since birth... and it scared me.."

You didn't know what to say.

Part of you wanted to tell him it was too late.

But the other part of you wanted to hold him and tell him you would be his forever.

"Why couldn't you have told me this sooner?.." was the only thing you could say.

"Because I saw the way you looked at Kakashi ever since you were assigned to him six years ago... and part of me felt like I no longer had a chance.

"But hearing Naruto talk about how close the two of you were getting, and how cute of a couple you two would make... it really got under my skin.

"I didn't want--I don't, want, to see you with anyone else, (y/n).." he grabbed your chin softly and turned your head to look at him. "But I'm trying now, (y/n)... doesn't that count for something?.."