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“So you’re still going to insist that you’re not overreacting?”
Temari bristled. “I am not-“
“Overreacting, yeah, I know, I know,” Shikamaru suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “Fine. Are you going to come with us?”
“Yes. Someone has to make sure he survives.”
“Survives?” Shikamaru blinked. “It’s not an S-class mission.”
“It’s dangerous, and unnatural, and –“
“Temari.” Rare were the times that Shikamaru interrupted her, but he felt this was one of those times that warranted it. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “All I’m doing is teaching Shikadai how to swim.”
Temari was very familiar with the lake hidden in a clearing in the Nara forest. She and Shikamaru had spent many an hour there, choosing between shade or sunlight, watching clouds, or sleeping peacefully. There was a small group of deer who loitered around, and it was altogether a peaceful place that Shikamaru liked to visit.
And, occasionally, swim there.
Alone, because Temari was stubborn and willfully opposed to getting in the water.
“You like water,” Shikamaru tried, standing mid-thigh in the lake while Shikadai took his time sitting in the very shallow water on the edge, experimentally slapping the water’s surface and pulling faces at the droplets that rose up and settled on his hair and face. “You like the hot springs.”
“That’s different,” she replied stiffly, “I can touch the bottom of the hot springs.”
He blinked at her. “Do you think I’m magically levitating?”
Temari drew herself up slightly, sitting in the shade of a tree that was far away enough to provide security, but close enough for him to hear her constant mutterings.
“The lake isn’t a sheer drop into a black hole, and you know it,” Shikamaru said. “There’s plenty of ground that you can stand on.”
“I’m standing,” Shikadai claimed with the flawless logic of toddlers, despite that he was, in fact, sitting down.
“You don’t know what kind of lake demons are in there,” Temari said. “You can’t see the bottom.”
“Tem, I grew up here, and I have never seen a lake demon. There are no such things as lake demons. And if there are – you can shout at me as much as you like when Shikadai gets eaten by one.”
“Huh?” Shikadai looked up.
“Nothing, little guy. Get up, and let’s get started.”
“I’m not little anymore,” Shikadai said, standing up. He wobbled slightly, unused the softer footing of the lake. “Catch me, Dad!”
Shikamaru had to clench his jaw to stop from bursting into laughter as Temari tensed and flinched forwards at the sight of her child hurling himself into open water. He caught Shikadai, hoisting him up by a hold under the child’s armpits. “Okay, kiddo, today we’re learning how to swim.”
“Okay,” Shikadai said agreeably. “Why just us?”
“Ask your mom.”
“Mom!” Shikadai squirmed in Shikamaru’s hold, trying to twist enough to face his mother. “Why aren’t you swimming with us?”
“I’m supervising,” she replied stiffly.
“You always say you’re a better teacher than Dad,” Shikadai observed. “So wouldn’t I learn better if you were helping?”
“Yeah, come and help,” Shikamaru called innocently, grinning at the death glare she levelled at him. He turned his attention back to Shikadai, “Alright, first things first – you know how to hold your breath, right?”
“Yup,” Shikadai said proudly. He drew in a deep breath to demonstrate, cheeks puffing up, and held it in.
“Good. Because you can’t breathe underwater, so if your face goes under you need to hold your breath-“
“Don’t put him under the water,” Temari shouted.
Shikamaru fought the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s a safety check, Tem, in case he goes under by accident.”
“If you’re so good at teaching him, he shouldn’t go under at all.”
“I can hold my breath underwater, too,” Shikadai claimed, taking in another deep breath and folding forwards to submerge his face with a cheerful splash that had Temari almost leaping up from her spot under the tree.
Shikamaru hid his laugh behind a strategic cough.
Shikadai straightened up, wiping water from his eyes and nose. “See? I won’t drown.”
Temari looked unconvinced, shifting uneasily.
“Good. Remember not to breathe underwater.” Shikamaru lowered his voice, “Your mom will have an absolute fit.”
Shikadai shrugged. “Okay.”
“Whatever you’re muttering there,” Temari said. “Stop it.”
“Just giving him tips,” Shikamaru replied breezily. He ignored the glare that she shot his way, instead keeping his focus on Shikadai, gently encouraging him to move his arms and legs in some semblance of a pattern, instead of enthusiastic flailing. He kept a hand under Shikadai’s stomach, keeping him from going under, while Shikadai splashed about and tried to get the hang of supporting his own weight in the unfamiliarity of water.
He was doing well, and Shikamaru started lowering his hand, seeing if Shikadai would sink like a stone or start swimming.
“Don’t drown my child,” Temari said warningly, the moment Shikadai began lowering below the surface, his face pointing at the sky.
“I’m not going to drown him,” Shikamaru replied patiently. It was not the first time this conversation had surfaced. Shikadai was splashing happily, still mostly supported by his father, unconcerned with the death glare his mother was levelling in his direction. “Why would I drown him?”
“Because you have him in the water,” Temari replied waspishly.
“Well, if you’re so concerned why don’t you come here and help me teach him?”
Temari huffed, looking away.
Shikadai stopped paddling, and Shikamaru tipped him upright before he sank. “What’s wrong, kid?”
“Tired,” Shikadai sighed. “Need a break.”
Shikamaru pulled Shikadai’s back to his chest, and Shikadai dangled over his arms, seemingly comfortable in the water. He looked at Temari.
“Why won’t you swim with us?” Shikadai asked, moving his arms idly through the water, secure in the knowledge that Shikamaru would not let him go.
“I don’t like swimming,” Temari replied.
“Are you scared?” Shikadai asked.
“I am not scared,” Temari snapped hotly. “There is a difference between not liking something and being scared of it.”
Shikadai took a moment to muse on that, before nodding. “Yup. I don’t like broccoli, but I’m not scared of it.” He took a few minutes, before tipping his head back to eye Shikamaru. “Can I try again?”
“Yeah,” Shikamaru positioned him in the water again, hand staying beneath him for support.
Shikadai paddled off again, in a determinedly straight line, and Shikamaru took a few steps to keep up with him.
“Not so deep,” Temari said sharply.
“You know I can swim as well, right?” Shikamaru asked. “It doesn’t matter how deep he goes, I can still hold him up.”
“I still don’t know why you think he needs to learn this.”
“Swimming is a basic skill.”
“He’s going to learn chakra control and he can walk on it.”
“Not when he’s three, he isn’t.” Shikamaru glanced at her. “I know you never fell into water as a child, but he might, so he needs to be able to swim. It’s to keep him safe.”
“Or we could teach him to never go near water, and then he’s equally safe.”
Shikamaru sighed. Whatever deep seated emotional childhood trauma had caused Temari’s aversion to water would clearly need to be faced one day. He tried another tactic, because sometimes facts would win out against her stubbornness.
“Tem, all animals can swim, and that includes people.”
“That sounds like complete bullshit.”
“I’ll throw a deer in the lake and prove it to you,” Shikamaru kept his hand beneath Shikadai as the boy paddled madly.
After a while, Shikadai stopped moving completely and rested his body weight on Shikamaru’s hand. “Tired again. Can we stop?”
“Yeah, sure,” Shikamaru pushed Shikadai back towards the edge of the lake, only letting go when he was certain Shikadai could reach the bottom without dunking his head underwater – he had a feeling Temari wouldn’t be amused by it.
Shikadai pattered over the grass to Temari’s tree, presenting himself with arms out to show off the water dripping to the ground. “See? I can swim.”
Temari cocked an eyebrow. “If you say so.”
She chucked his towel at him, and Shikadai wandered a short distance away with it, shaking his head as he went and scattering water everywhere.
Shikadai spread his towel out in the sun, and flopped down. He squirmed himself into a comfortable position, closed his eyes, and was asleep within minutes.
Temari snorted softly. “Naras.”
“He’s tired,” Shikamaru defended, coming to sit under the tree with her. “That’s the most exercise he’s gotten in months.”
“He’s gonna burn, if he stays there for as long as he wants to sleep.” Temari sent Shikamaru a look.
“What?” he asked. “I didn’t drown him so now you’re going to accuse me of burning him?”
“I’m just saying you need to move him out the sun in a bit. He won’t wake up.”
“I’ll move him,” Shikamaru promised. He yanked at the towel she was sitting on until she deigned to shift to the side and let him have it. He absently wiped the water droplets off his torso before flicking the towel at her face, which she caught, pulled away from him, and immediately snapped it across his chest.
“Play nice,” Shikamaru said.
“You started it.” Temari gathered the towel back, ready for a second assault.
Shikamaru grumbled, moving close enough to lean against her. He checked on Shikadai, who looked perfectly happy snuggled in the sunshine. For a while, they sat in silence. Shikamaru closed his eyes, dozing and focusing on Temari’s warmth against his side. The birds were chirping, and the sun was creeping into their shady spot and warming his toes.
Temari broke the silence. “Are you going to move him, or should I?”
“Leave him; he’s fine.”
“I’ll move him.” She stood up abruptly, and Shikamaru opened his eyes, grabbing the towel from her and using it as a pillow.
Shikadai didn’t stir as Temari went to lift him up and bring him back to the shade, flicking his towel out before placing him down again. He snuffled once or twice, finding a comfortable position, and continued to sleep.
Temari sat down at Shikamaru’s head, absently combing her fingers through his hair. He cracked an eye open. “Tem?”
“Hm?”
“Come and swim?” he offered.
“No.”
“You really need to get over this fear of water.”
“It’s not a fear of water-“
“I know, I know,” he held up his hands in defense, sitting up. “Don’t kick my arse for saying it. But just think,” he continued. “How nice it would be on hot days, to float around in the lake.”
“Konoha doesn’t have hot days,” Temari scoffed.
“Hot for normal people, not mad desert people who think sweating to death by nine in the morning is just how life is.”
“No.”
“I’ll make dinner,” he offered, always quick to move to bribery to get his way.
“I don’t care. I’m not swimming.”
The truth was, Temari just didn’t like cold water, plain and simple. She hated the cold, she hated how it slowed her movements, she hated that she couldn’t touch the bottom in deep water, she hated how waves in the ocean moved her and went over her head, and she hated the lack of control she felt.
If it wasn’t a bath or she didn’t have chakra holding her above the surface, Temari hated water.
In all the years they had known each other, Shikamaru had managed to cajole her into swimming with him only twice.
But Shikamaru was in a good enough mood that he felt like pushing a few boundaries was a good idea, and he stood up, offering Temari a hand. “I’ll hold you the whole time.”
“I’m not swimming.”
“Yes, you are.”
Automatically, Temari’s eyes flicked down, checking where his shadow was in relation to hers, and she shifted her position slightly closer to the sunshine.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. “Really?”
“The only way you’re getting me in the water is by force, so yes, I’m going to check what your range is.” She wasn’t beating the shit out of him, though, so Shikamaru had a few minutes of her patience left. Coaxing playful moments out of her was a challenge, but so far she seemed up for it.
Figuring a direct route would be best, since his window for teasing was rapidly closing, Shikamaru asked, “Do you mind those clothes getting wet?”
Temari cocked an eyebrow. “It’s your shirt anyway. But I do mind, since getting them wet would mean I was in the water.”
Still no attack. Shikamaru decided it was worth the risk.
He scooped her off the ground in one swift motion, before she could summon another protest. Instantly, Temari’s arms went around his neck for support, her body tensing. “Calm down, woman, it’s just water.”
“You know I don’t like someone else being in control, and now you’re carrying me; what did you expect?”
“I expect you to trust me,” he rolled his eyes. He checked Shikadai was safe – snuggling into his towel and perfectly content – before carrying Temari to the edge of the water.
He paused at the edge of the lake, waiting to see if Temari would tolerate his foolishness or jump out of his grasp. She stayed, although her expression was murderous.
“Better keep an eye out for lake demons,” Shikamaru said.
Temari glared at him.
“They might try to eat you.”
“Shut up.” She shifted in his grasp. “Drop me and I’ll skin you alive.”
“I won’t drop you,” he said. “Why would I drop you?”
“Because you’re an idiot.”
“A very, very smart one.” He walked into the lake, somehow suppressing the urge to grin at how Temari’s grip on him tightened. “Would you calm down?”
“I don’t like the lake, and you know that!”
“And I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He paused just before the water touched her.
Temari eyed the lake’s surface.
“And . . . we didn’t die,” he took another step forward, water lapping against them both. Temari tensed in his arms, and Shikamaru stood still, waiting to see how much she’d tolerate before kicking out of his grasp and pulling herself to dry land. “Feeling okay?”
“You have about two minutes of my patience left before I’m getting out.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay. Can I go a little deeper, or are you going to climb over me and run for the shore?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” Temari adjusted her grip around his neck.
The fact that Temari hadn’t bolted made Shikamaru braver than he had any right to be, and he took another step into the water, so it was lapping at the centre of his torso. Temari allowed it, even splashing a foot experimentally out of the water and back in.
“Starting to think you just like being carried,” Shikamaru said.
“Well, you never carry me anywhere otherwise,” Temari smirked.
He shifted the hand behind her back, sliding it down to her thigh and pinching her.
“Shikamaru,” she growled.
“It wasn’t me,” he said innocently. “It was a lake demon.”
She gave him a look, and he dared to do it again.
“Stop it!” she ordered, but she was fighting back a smile.
“You know,” he said, taking another casual step deeper into the water. “I think all the lake demons are here in the shallow parts.”
Quick to catch his meaning, Temari shot him a warning look. “Shikamaru, no.”
“So the only way to be safe is to get out to where they can’t reach us.” He stopped, eying her. “For safety, of course.”
“Shikamaru, don’t you dare, or I’ll-“
He jumped before she could finish her threat, plunging them both into cold water. He could feel Temari’s fingers dig into his shoulders, but the fact that she was still in the water and not gone filled him with a sense of accomplishment. They both knew she could have been out the lake at any time she wanted. He resurfaced with her still attached to him, shaking the water from his face.
Temari dug her nails into his shoulder harder. “Shikamaru . . .”
“No more lake demons,” he explained.
She flicked her head, sending water flying, to get her wet bangs out of her face. “Why do I put up with you?”
“No idea.” He let them bob in the water for a moment, before asking, “Wanna go under again?”
“No!”
“You’re no fun, sometimes.” Lazily, Shikamaru swam out further to the centre of the lake, with Temari remaining clinging to him. He dipped down teasingly, close to submerging, stopping only because she glared at him and was definitely leaving bruises. He floated them in the centre of the lake. “Relax, princess, I’m not going to drown you.”
“I don’t like how cocky you get when we’re in the water,” Temari said.
“Because there’s only two battlefields where I have the advantage over you,” he said. “Swimming and board games. Forgive me for wanting to savour my few chances at victory.”
Temari rolled her eyes. “Okay, now take me back.”
“Swim back.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Walk back.” He remained where he was, floating serenely.
“No. You dragged me out here, and you can take me back.”
He eyed her, then took a deliberately deep breath, ignored her shouted warning, and plunged beneath the water.
Temari let go of him, and he could feel her chakra lance through the water beside him. When he came up for air – sooner than he had planned because he nearly laughed out loud and almost drowned himself – she was standing on the surface of the water, dripping wet and looking livid.
He pulled himself up next to her. “Aw, don’t look so mad.”
“If you go under again, I’m holding your head down.”
“Did I scare you?”
“I’m not scared-“
He grinned. “I know, I know. Come here,” he held out his arms.
Temari looked suspicious. “Why?”
“Stop being so troublesome and just come here.”
For a moment, she stayed where she was, clearly weighing the odds of him doing something stupid. After a minute of analyzing, she took the chance and stepped closer to him. Shikamaru pulled her into a firm hug, hooking his chin over her shoulder.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close. Temari relaxed a bit. Shikamaru checked the tree, making sure Shikadai was still safely napping. Satisfied his family was fine, he tightened his grip around Temari, kept her pressed firmly against himself, and flopped backwards into the lake.
For a moment, he enjoyed lingering below the surface. There was something peaceful about being underwater, and the light filtering through was mesmerizing. It wasn’t the soul-soothing relaxation of cloud watching, but for a few seconds he could grasp the same level of serenity.
Then Temari dug her nails into his skin hard enough to bleed, and he reluctantly pushed them both to the surface.
Temari flicked her hair out her face and levelled a glare at him. “Moron.”
“That’s the last one, I promise,” he assured. “No more throwing you in the water.”
“You better not,” she said dryly. “I have run out of tolerance for the day.”
Shikamaru grinned at her. These were rare times that she let him overpower her and take all her comfort away. Her compliance needed rewarding. He leaned in to kiss her softly, apologetically, for dunking her underwater without warning.
When he pulled back, her expression had softened a bit. Shikamaru tucked some of her hair behind her ear, watching the water droplets run down her neck. Temari leant forward to rest her head against his shoulder, and for a moment he thought he had survived the ordeal of hurling her into a lake without ramifications.
Until she bit him.
“Argh, why?”
“Lake demon,” Temari said flatly. She pulled out of his arms, pushed her chakra down and stood up on the surface of the lake. Without a backwards glance she walked to the grass.
Shikamaru rubbed his shoulder, trying to ease the sting. “Troublesome woman.”
He swam back to the edge and followed her to the tree. Shikadai was still asleep.
“If I bring Shikadai back to swim again tomorrow,” Shikamaru wrung water from his hair. “Will you come with?”
Temari had peeled her shirt off and dropped it in the grass, and was toweling herself off. “Maybe.”
He went past her into the shade of the tree and picked up the shirt he had worn on the way to the lake. “I won’t make you swim.”
“That’s what you said about today.”
Absently, Shikamaru hooked a finger under her bra strap and snapped it lightly to get her attention. Temari sent him a look. “Where are you finding all this courage today?”
“I’ve been saving it up.” He offered her the dry shirt.
She pulled it over her head, and continued drying her hair.
“Thank you, by the way.”
She paused, head tilted slightly, rubbing a handful of blonde in the towel. “For what?”
“Letting me drag you into the lake. I know you hate it.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay.”
“And for not maiming me for doing it.”
She tossed him a smile. “I’ll get revenge at some point.”
“I don’t doubt that.” He threw his towel and the wet shirt over his shoulder, and Temari bent down to pick up Shikadai, who had slept merrily throughout their entire conversation.
They walked back home in silence.
“You really should learn to swim properly,” Shikamaru eventually muttered as they were close to home.
Temari rolled her eyes. “I’ve had the chakra control to walk on water for longer than you’ve been alive-“
“Sounds like a lie.”
“- so swimming isn’t something I’ll ever need.”
“What about for fun? What about if Shikadai wants you to swim with him? What if you just want to cool off on a hot day?”
She sent him a reproachful look. “I’ll have you there.”
“What, you think you never need to swim properly because I’ll hold you the whole time?”
“That’s exactly what I think.”
Shikamaru stopped, and Temari carried Shikadai up the porch alone. She glanced back at him.
“Really?” he asked.
Temari shrugged, and it caused Shikadai to snuffle lightly against her shoulder. “You’ll keep me safe. Always.”
Moments like this were why he took risks with her. He smiled warmly. “I will. I promise.”
She didn’t say anything in reply, but allowed him one of her soft smiles, and he knew he was forgiven. And that smile made everything worth it.
Even the ache in his shoulder.