Work Text:
Sometime between the chunin exams and Lee’s gradual recovery, Shikamaru developed a bond with him. He referred to what they had as a “tentative” friendship, but truthfully, he didn’t know what else to call it. They played an abundance of shogi and go, ate lunch together on several occasions, and whenever Lee wasn’t in the thick of training, they shared Shikamaru’s favorite pastime: cloud-watching.
He could confidently say that he had a sincere romantic interest in Lee, otherwise, he wouldn’t go out of his way to hang out with someone so… youthful , but…
For all his straightforward and unhidden attempts to advance their friendship into something more, to make Lee understand how he felt without having to outright say it… what a drag. Lee was completely oblivious.
It was hard to admit, but Shikamaru couldn’t confess his feelings given how unclear it was how Lee felt. Sure, there was the obvious mutual enjoyment in the things they did together, but Lee was too damn hard to read. Maybe he was too polite to turn Shikamaru down, or, more likely, he was innocent enough to assume that they were doing things that the average pair of friends did, even if Shikamaru had called their lunch get-togethers dates right to his face to gauge a reaction, to no avail.
The fact of the matter was, the situation was growing frustrating. Shikamaru didn’t know what course of action to take when the circumstances were so stand-still.
“Shikamaru, are you all right?”
Oh, damn. He zoned out.
“Uh, yeah. I’m good,” he answered simply. Despite the fact that they already ordered, Shikamaru pretended to look at the menu in front of him.
To his right, he could feel Choji side-eyeing him, and looking past the colorful menu, he silently watched as Neji raised an eyebrow and Ino and Tenten smirked at him through their conversation.
Shikamaru had asked Lee on another lunch date, but with the rest of team Gai with him after training, Lee insisted on Neji and Tenten joining them. Though he really would have liked to be alone with Lee, he figured things weren’t going anywhere anyway. To even it out, Shikamaru tagged Ino and Choji along, even if a certain blond would make things way more troublesome.
“You know, Lee, your hair has such a nice, natural sheen.. How do you do it?” Speak of the devil. Shikamaru could tell by the tone of Ino’s voice that she was being sneaky about something, so he rested his cheek on his palm and quietly observed.
Lee chuckled. “I appreciate that, but I do not do much to it! Just some shampoo and wishful thinking!”
“Here here to that! Hmmm, you know… I know a certain someone who could use some ‘wishful thinking’,” Ino’s smirk widened, glancing at Shikamaru. God, she was so obvious.
“Who?”
“Ino..” Shikamaru bit out in warning, and he could feel Lee’s confused stare.
“Oh, well, I’m sure he can tell you himself!”
At Lee’s small “huh?” Ino and Tenten quickly slid out of the booth. Even as Choji whined about the waitress not being able to give them their food if they moved, one wave of his favorite potato chips convinced him to leave with the girls. That only left Neji.
His arms were crossed as he glared at Shikamaru from across the table. Shikamaru only stared back, and there was an understanding between the two that Neji’s glare was an unsaid promise of “hurt him and you’re toast”. After a few beats of Lee looking between the two with concern, Neji stood and trailed after the other three.
That left just Shikamaru and Lee. Of course.
Shikamaru shifted to the right so he could turn to Lee where he sat.
Lee’s normally furrowed eyebrows were pinched upward with worry. “Um. What was that about? They are not mad at us, are they?” He looked like a kicked puppy, and Shikamaru could feel his heart pang at the sight.
It wasn’t Lee’s fault if he didn’t completely catch on to his hints or the reactions of everyone around them, and Shikamaru shouldn’t have let that get in the way of making how he felt about Lee clear. He deserved that much.
“Shikamaru?”
“The truth is…” he gulped, unable to keep his nerves at bay. “The truth is, Lee, I really like you. I have for a long while now.”
An awkward pause.
“Oh…kay?” Lee croaked, and Shikamaru couldn’t bring himself to look at him.
“So, how do you feel?” The anticipation was killing him.
Lee’s head tilted in confusion and Shikamaru’s heart sank.
“I do not understand, Shikamaru. I thought we were already dating?”
N.. No way!
“You what?! S-Seriously?” He wanted to hang his head in his hands.
Lee turned to face him fully, expression back to its usual stern yet determined luster. “Well, you have called our lunch outings ‘dates’ and we have held hands on occasion.”
Shikamaru’s shock dulled down to a light buzz in the back of his mind. “Heh.. when you put it that way…” They grinned at each other, and Lee began to laugh.
“Shikamaru, I can not believe you!”
Shikamaru gave in to the laughter bubbling in his throat. “I can’t believe myself, either. Figures…”
That’s what I get for underestimating Lee of all people, Shikamaru thought to himself. So much for being oblivious.