"Oops!"
Temari flailed as she fell into the hot spring pool, arms and legs spread in a splash that sent water flying in every direction.
Shikamaru's instincts kicked in immediately. "Temari!!!" he shouted, panic cutting through his usual calm.
For a moment, his rational thinking vanished. Without a second thought, he jumped into the steaming water after her.
"Ouch! Ouch!" Temari sputtered, swallowing some of the hot water in her surprise.
Shikamaru reached her quickly, wrapping his arms around her to stabilize her. "Temari, are you okay?" he asked urgently, his tone tense with worry.
Temari coughed a few times, wiping water from her face, and managed a small smile. "It's okay… thank you, Shikamaru."
He nodded, preparing to lift her fully from the water—but then something felt off. His hands were touching bare skin.
Bare skin?
He froze. Where he had wrapped his arms around her waist, there should have been a bath towel—but there was none.
Shikamaru's eyes widened in realization. The towel… it must have slipped off when she fell!
He lowered his head subtly to confirm his suspicion.
Silence.
Temari's eyes met his, wide and alert. For a split second, confusion flashed across her face—but then she understood immediately what he must have realized.
"Oops!" she exclaimed sharply, pushing away from him.
"Satyr!" she shouted, her voice a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
Temari quickly squatted down in the water, covering herself with her hands while searching frantically for her bath towel. Sure enough, it had slipped into the water when she fell.
Shikamaru rubbed the side of his face, a small grimace forming. "Yeah… sorry." He raised one hand to shield himself from her glare. "I didn't mean it!"
Temari's scowl deepened. "I'm sorry? That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"I really didn't mean to!" Shikamaru insisted, his voice steady despite the awkwardness of the moment.
As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at her—just a little. Temari's eyes immediately narrowed. "Still looking, huh?!"
Shikamaru jerked his head back, turning quickly to give her privacy. His face heated as he realized how red he had become. The water… it must be the temperature, he reasoned internally. Yeah, that's it.
Temari, finally gripping her bath towel, shouted over her shoulder. "Hey! I found my towel. I'll wrap it back around in a moment. Don't peek!"
Shikamaru raised his hands immediately, responding, "I swear! I won't!"
Temari stood, adjusting her towel, and turned back toward him. Shikamaru turned his back, crouching slightly to respect her privacy. The sound of rushing water filled the room, and he realized his heart was still pounding faster than usual. His face felt unusually warm.
Once Temari was fully wrapped again, she squatted slightly, giving him a small nod. "Hey, hey… I'm ready."
Shikamaru nodded in return, his own face betraying a hint of tension. Their eyes met for a brief instant—and both quickly looked away, the silence thickening around them.
The water's steam curled between them as they soaked, neither speaking, both waiting silently for the other to break the tension.
Finally, Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Well… I guess I'm… done soaking."
Temari nodded quickly. "I… I've soaked as well."
Shikamaru gave a subtle nod. "Then… let's get out."
"Yeah," Temari replied softly.
Slowly, each of them grasped their bath towels and stood. They froze for a moment, awkwardly staring at one another.
Temari tilted her head, noticing the intensity in Shikamaru's eyes. "What… are you looking at?" she asked, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.
Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. "Nothing… I just… um…" He trailed off, unsure of how to put his feelings into words.
Temari, sensing his hesitation, asked softly, her voice laced with curiosity and subtle challenge. "Does… it look good?"
Shikamaru froze. Her words hit him like a lightning bolt. Did she just ask that? he thought, blinking at her in disbelief.
Temari's head lowered, blush deepening. "I… I'm asking… does it look good?"
Shikamaru felt his heart hammer in his chest. He straightened, gripping his towel tightly, and said with firm resolve, "It… looks good."
His tone was sharper and more confident than when he swore an oath as a ninja. Temari's eyes lit up, understanding the gravity behind his words.
A slow, knowing smile appeared on Temari's face. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Do… you want to see more?" she asked, her voice gentle but unwavering.
Shikamaru's mind raced. He understood immediately—this wasn't a joke. This was a true confession of trust, of willingness to share herself with him. No girl would ask this lightly.
In that instant, he realized the weight of the moment. Could he devote himself fully to Temari? Could he dedicate his life to her?
He hesitated—just for a moment, three seconds—but for Temari, those three seconds stretched unbearably. Every second felt like an eternity as she waited silently, her chest rising and falling with restrained anticipation.
Because she was a woman expressing her feelings boldly, even while vulnerable, every extra second without an answer felt like a test of his resolve.
Temari understood Shikamaru's nature perfectly. A wise, careful man like him would not rush into love; but once he committed, he would give everything—his heart, his life, and his loyalty.
Seeing the moment of hesitation, a flicker of sadness crossed Temari's face. Forget it… I won't embarrass him further, she thought, ready to retreat into playful denial.
But then, Shikamaru inhaled deeply, exhaled steadily, and looked directly at her. A grin spread slowly across his face, and he said, "I want to see it… and I want to see it for the rest of my life."
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