Watching and Waiting

Shikamaru liked to watch.

Since his childhood he had watched the clouds drift across the sky, admiring the logic behind their seeming randomness and the hint of menace in their beauty.

Since his early days in the academy he had watched shows of strength, both physical and mental, as shinobi with ambition attempted feats that he found much too troublesome to try.

Since his adolescence he had watched men perform a variety of activities. He watched them train hard, bodies taut with effort and slick with sweat. He watched them lounge in the baths, drops of water leading his gaze over every sinewed muscle. He watched men touch themselves. Touch each other. Touch him.

There were many things Shikamaru liked to watch.

For over a year now, on nights when Shino was away on missions and Kiba went looking for a playmate, Shikamaru watched him unhurriedly hunt. He watched Kiba as he effortlessly attracted all eyes in whatever room he entered, sprawled on chairs turned backwards, and used his body to communicate with the various men who approached him.

Shikamaru's eyes interpreted Kiba's folded arms and distant smile as telling certain men that, no... They wouldn't be the one frantically clutching at the ground and calling his name. Not that night.

Shikamaru learned that Kiba's pointed tongue teasing a canine while his head tilted slightly up and over to one side suggested maybe this man would be the one tonight. Maybe.

Shikamaru always had to reach under his own table, keeping his left hand conspicuously in sight in an attempt to distract from the clandestine, over-the-pants stroking of his right when finally, at the right time of night with the right sort of men, Kiba communicated yes. His troublesome erections demanded at least the minimum of attention when Kiba finally leaned towards the fortunate men, his eyes and body telling anyone observant enough to read the message... It's been too long. Shino's been gone too long. Tonight I'll fuck this man.

Shikamaru liked watching Kiba, and one night he discovered that Kiba liked to be watched.

On the night of this discovery, Kiba expanded his nonverbal repertoire: A quick pause at the tavern door as he held it open for that night's companion, a lingering look over his shoulder, and a subtle head gesture told Shikamaru... Follow us. This will be worth watching.

That first night Shikamaru hesitated. It really was such a bother to get up from his warm, comfortable seat and have to sneak around outside in the growing chill. Irritating as it was, his confined arousal made the decision, bypassing all rational argument and seconding the command to Follow and to Watch.

The next several times Kiba issued invitations there was no hesitation.

Shikamaru rarely knew the names of Kiba's partners, and he doubted that Kiba knew either. Their names didn't matter any more than knowing the names of deliciously exotic dishes eaten to satisfy hunger in foreign villages. When Kiba satisfied his hunger with men foreign to him, deliciously exotic in their non-Shino-ness, he never called out names. The sound of his animalistic growls and grunts of completion always carried easily to where Shikamaru crouched, concealed, only stroking over his clothing.

Taking care of his own need without the comforts of home was just too much trouble. He could wait.

Months passed with this system of hunting, choosing, inviting, watching, and waiting drifting along as random yet predictable as Shikamaru's cherished clouds.

Then came a night that made no sense.

On that night, Kiba signaled no to man after man, well past the point where he usually would have chosen his mate for the evening. Shikamaru frowned thoughtfully, tilting his head slightly and studying this change in the pattern, this shift of logic. The machinery of his mind whirred into action, trying to analyze this deviation from Kiba's system of selecting random satiation fucks.

Shikamaru felt a jolt travel straight through him when Kiba turned his head, looked past his luckless table companion, and locked his gaze directly with Shikamaru's. Kiba tucked his bottom lip into his mouth, biting down with a pressure that surely must have drawn blood. Blood rushed to Shikamaru's erection at the sight, and the sight of Kiba tilting his head to look at Shikamaru with his half-lidded yes eyes.

Shikamaru reflexively started stroking himself under the table, blushing when Kiba's eyes dropped to observe what he must have noticed many, many times before. Shikamaru frowned and looked away, snatching his hand from his pants and returning it to the table top. Too much trouble. Kiba, his complicated exclusivity arrangement, and his insatiable appetites were way too much trouble.

He threw back the rest of his drink, strategizing the best way to untangle himself from this potential mess. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he was startled to find Kiba looming over him, grinning down for just a heartbeat before sinking into the empty chair by his side.

Kiba's arm felt heavy yet somehow comfortingly familiar as it fell across Shikamaru's shoulders. Shikamaru was spared the hassle of thinking up small talk when Kiba leaned closer and whispered, "Let me fuck you."

Shikamaru closed his eyes and gripped his empty glass, telling himself that he just wanted to walk away from this bump in his evening plans. It was so much easier to just watch, go home, jack off, clean up, then sleep.

Kiba meant trouble.

Unfortunately, Kiba could easily see his arousal. He had no problem smelling his desire or hearing the way his breath quickened. He could definitely feel the slight tremble in Shikamaru's shoulders.

Kiba thrilled in the hunt. He never abandoned his prey, although he did enjoy toying with it.

He leaned closer, running his tongue up the shell of Shikamaru's ear before asking, "Do you like watching me, Shikamaru?"

In response to Shikamaru's intake of breath he continued, "I like when you watch me. I like knowing that you see me fuck other men. Men who aren't Shino. Men I don't know. Do you like that?" He gently suckled Shikamaru's earlobe, running his tongue over the earring.

Shikamaru pressed his eyes shut even harder, putting his hand back onto the unbearable hardness in his pants. He just needed to take the edge off. He pressed his flat palm down, stroking slowly through his pants as he tilted his head back to signal yes.

He heard Kiba's low growl of possession just before he leaned forward to give Shikamaru's exposed neck a quick, soft bite. Just a nip to show that Shikamaru's trust was well placed.

Kiba pulled back and murmured, "Back alley. Now."

Shikamaru stopped stroking himself and opened his eyes as answered, "Wait..."

Kiba's eyes widened in confusion.

"That's too fast. Too rushed. I don't like to rush." Shikamaru felt his jaw settle stubbornly. This was already turning into a pain.

Kiba sprawled back in his chair and grinned at him again. "I like it fast. Hard and fast." His canines flashed as the grin got wider.

Shikamaru found that his hand had gone back to work under the table. Willing his face to stop flushing he calmly replied, "I know your appetites, Kiba. I know them well. But I'm telling you, I... don't... like... to rush."

The desire in Kiba's eyes shone more intensely at the sight and sound of his desired plaything struggling in his grip, asserting its will. He leaned forward, one elbow on the table. "What do you like, Shikamaru?"

"If I'm going to actually do... that..." Shikamaru paused, cursing himself for blushing even harder. Scowling he continued with as much dignity as possible while over-the-clothes jacking himself and negotiating fuck details with someone else's boyfriend. "I want to be in my own apartment. In my own bed."

Kiba laughed out loud at this, but not unkindly. He reached over to run his calloused thumb down Shikamaru's cheek. "So conventional, Shikamaru." He laughed again, looking pleased at this surprise. "Okay, then. Your apartment it is."

Shikamaru was grateful for the long coat he'd worn. He put it on while he was still sitting down, waiting until his tented pants were covered before standing up and glancing around to make sure no one had been watching them.

Kiba smiled, delighted. "So shy!"

Shikamaru scowled and shoved his hands deep in his pockets, walking slightly behind Kiba as he made his way out of the tavern and down the sidewalk. His erection throbbed as they passed first one, then another, then another of the places where Kiba had grabbed various men's arms and pulled them from the sidewalk, pulling down pants and mercilessly fucking in alleys, behind buildings, against trees... So many places with the memory of Kiba.

He watched the other man stride and strut ahead of him, content to be followed. Liking to be watched.

Kiba quickly strode to Shikamaru's apartment, bounding through the door and removing his clothes before Shikamaru had removed his shoes and shut the door.

Shikamaru shook his head and sighed, scowling to cover his pleasure in the sight of Kiba. The primitive simplicity of this beautiful man fascinated him and he leaned against the closed door of the apartment, drinking in the view.

Kiba crossed the room in three large strides, reaching back to roughly spill Shikamaru's hair free from its tie before pushing the other man's shoulder, urging him to get down on his knees. Kiba spread his legs wider, adjusting his stance as Shikamaru ran his hands slowly up the backs of his thighs and leaned forwards.

"Oh, fuck yeah Shika... That's what you want."

Until he heard the words, Shikamaru hadn't realized that what he wanted was to hear Kiba say his name. Shika... The word floated from Kiba's mouth down to caress and tease the neglected arousal straining almost painfully against Shikamaru's clothing. He paused just short of Kiba, desperate for contact but luxuriating in the anticipation.. In the wait. After a year of watching, waiting, and not daring to hope Shikamaru didn't want to rush one minute of this borrowed evening.

"Come on, Shikamaru..."

Shikamaru... The syllables curled around the hesitating shadow nin, urging him to lean forward... Just a little bit more... Right- there.

Shikamaru was surprised to find his lips pressed against Kiba, running slowly up the velvety hardness and softly parting to allow just the tiniest touch of tongue to slowly slide, feather soft, until Kiba bucked his hips forward, impatient for more.

Shikamaru murmured, "Wait, Kiba. Patience..." just before leisurely licking up the underside of Kiba's cockhead, teasingly fluttering over the tip, then slowly tracing back down.

Kiba bucked forwards once more, gripping Shikamaru's hair and trying to force him to move faster... to suck more.

Shikamaru resisted, pulling back altogether and sighing.

Such a pain. He tried to convince himself that men like Kiba really were better left for private fantasies. In reality they were such a hassle to train.

He frowned and asked, "Do you want me to stop, Kiba?"

Kiba growled low in his throat and arranged his facial features into a frown, but his body understood this game. Shino's game. Somehow Kiba had become the prey, and his predator was now toying with him. The realization sent a surge of sensual pleasure through his body, finding a whisper of release in a small, sweet drop of leaking pre-come.

Shikamaru's cock jumped at the sight, begging to be touched, but he willed himself to hold off. To prolong the pleasure.

Shikamaru's bottom lip grazed lightly against that silky sweet drop as he said, "Slow down, Kiba. Experience this. Don't rush it." He lightly ran his pointed tongue just over the very tip, teasing and tasting until Kiba trembled with need.

Kiba tightened his fingers in Shikamaru's hair, growling, "Shikamaru... Ah, fuck... Oh god... Please."

Shikamaru ... please.

Shikamaru slowly slid Kiba's heavy, dripping cock into his relaxed, open mouth, feeling another surge of almost painful pleasure when Kiba cried out, yet kept his hips perfectly still.

He fought the ridiculously giddy urge to pull back from the now-obedient man and say, "Good boy." Without tightening his lips, he began oh-so-slowly circling one direction, stopping to teasingly flicker his tongue on the head before changing direction, letting Kiba's cock slide loosely and carefully inside of his relaxed mouth.

"Fffuuuck Shikamaru... Oh, fuck. Faster..."

Catching himself, Kiba quickly added, "Please... Please faster... Oh god, please...."

Shikamaru laughed quietly. He pulled back with a smile bordering on a smirk. "You're surprisingly well behaved tonight, Kiba. Not at all like the man I've watched so many times... Although I have to admit I like watching you not behave..." He took Kiba's entire cock quickly and deeply into his mouth, forcing himself to quickly pull back before Kiba had time to react. Taking advantage of the other man's flustered confusion he heightened his own desire by asking a question whose answer was quickly becoming obvious.

"Has Shino been training you?"

Kiba's eyes flashed with surprise and anger. He stood looking down at Shikamaru without answering. Or moving.

Shikamaru leaned forward as though he were going to take Kiba in his mouth again, then stopped short. A shiver of anticipation ran down his spine as he looked up and whispered, "What's Shino's favored method of discipline?"

Embarrassment flashed across Kiba's face, but was quickly eclipsed by increased arousal. Other than reaching down to tangle his fingers in Shikamaru's hair he remained perfectly still. "That's private."

Shikamaru again took Kiba quickly and completely into his mouth, thrilling at the resulting moan of pleasure and pull of his hair. He relaxed his throat to take in as much as possible before slowly sliding back... back... back until that heavy, gorgeous cock slid completely free.

Forcing himself not to show any lust or longing he looked up in mock innocence and remarked, "I know how much you value your privacy, and no one respects that privacy more than I do." He leaned against the apartment door, smiling.

"Fucking hell, Shikamaru," Kiba cursed. Done waiting, he stepped backwards and tightly fisted himself, hand flying in a frantic race towards release.

Shikamaru wet his lips and stared, momentarily transfixed by those hypnotic hand motions and Kiba's erotic demonstration of a man-who-liked-it-hard-and-fast.

As he knelt, watching, he quickly removed his shirt to prevent blocking his view for one second longer than necessary. His eyes didn't waiver from the sight of Kiba standing less than three feet away, muscled body tense with need, hand frantically working towards the end he would have like to have much earlier in the tavern's back alley.

Shikamaru slowly kicked out of the rest of this clothing. As he stood, he drew his fingers up to his mouth and began sucking the middle and pointer, slowly drawing them into his mouth then sliding them back out, realizing after a moment that Kiba was staring back with the same intensity and had subconsciously slowed to match his pace.

He stepped towards Kiba, letting his own cock sway freely until he had closed the distance, stopping when his arousal brushed against Kiba's slow stroking hand.

He pulled his fingers from his mouth and slowly reached behind Kiba, first using his palm to urge the other man closer, then slid his middle finger to teasingly touch his entrance.

Kiba closed the scant distance left between them, engaging Shikamaru in a frenzied kiss for one... two... three moments until Shikamaru dazedly broke away. Too frenzied. Too fast.

Kiba understood.

He proved his understanding by leaning forward slowly, touching foreheads with the other man gently, and opening his grip to encompass Shikamaru's cock with his own. He slowly... oh-so-slowly stroked both of them, pausing to spread the silky drops of pre-come with his thumb before leaning forward to engage Shikamaru in a soft kiss.

Kiba, whose body belonged to Shino when they were together and random men when they were apart... Kiba, who liked it hard and fast... Kiba, who had captured Shikamaru's interest and then, somehow, his affection, was doing so well performing Shikamaru's favorite trick of waiting. He really did deserve a reward, but Shikamaru wasn't done playing. Not just yet.

Shikamaru swiveled his hips slightly, increasing the friction before asking, "Do you do this for Shino?"

Kiba pulled back and studied the other man's face for the two seconds it took to figure out the question wasn't born of jealousy. He leaned his forehead against Shikamaru's again, but remained silent.

"Does Shino do this for you?" Shikamaru slid his middle finger inside of Kiba- just...to...there. He slowly crooked his finger until...

"Fffuuuuck Shika... Ah, fuck..."

When Shikamaru added the second finger Kiba automatically sped up their mutual stroking, then remembered... And stopped.

"Shika, I can't... I have to..." He broke off, this time waiting for permission before increasing his pace.

Shikamaru pressed his hips slightly forward, feeling his own cock pulse wildly against Kiba's as the other man's hand trembled from the effort of keeping still. He wanted to question further about Shino and his private appetites, but he was afraid the answers might push him over the edge too quickly.

He tilted his head slightly, indicating his desire for a kiss which was quickly delivered. He stroked in and out of Kiba several more times before withdrawing his fingers, pulling back and murmuring, "My room."

Kiba protested the removal of Shikamaru's talented fingers, but quickly crossed the distance to enter the bedroom. He swept the bed clear of clothing, scrolls, and mussed bedding before flopping down on his back, hands laced behind his head, grinning with anticipation.

Shikamaru entered the room, stopping just inside the door. He stopped and leaned in the door-frame, lazily reaching down to stroke himself with his circled thumb and middle finger. "Show me..."

Kiba stopped grinning and tilted his head inquisitively. "What do you want to see?"

Shikamaru settled comfortably against the doorway and added his ring finger to his unhurried self-pleasuring . "Whatever you want to show me." He couldn't resist adding, "Something Shino likes to see."

Kiba's eyes reflected his heightened desire at both the mention of his regular lover and at this opportunity to perform. He slowly licked up his palm before wrapping it firmly around his arousal. He began stroking himself at a speed slightly faster than Shikamaru's. "This what you want to see?"

Shikamaru subconsciously sped up just a little as he whispered, "Yesss... More..."

"Yeah? You like seeing this?" Kiba raised himself up on his knees, turning his body to give Shikamaru a side view. Without slowing the pace of his right hand he wet the first two fingers of his left, then slowly... slowly... pushed them inside of himself, mimicking Shikamaru's attentions of just moments before. His body preened from the physical pleasure of the touches and well as the pleasure from Shikamaru's hunger and attention. "That look good, Shika?"

"Ohhh, hell yeah that looks good..." He sped up just a bit, and saw that Kiba did the same. He was close. He would need Kiba inside of him soon, but if they could just wait... A little longer... Play for a few more minutes... He licked his bottom lip and asked, "Will you tell Shino you fucked me?"

Kiba didn't pause in his self pleasuring or hesitate to answer. "Yes."

They both sped up a little bit more.

"Will he be angry?"

"No."

Their pace increased just a little bit more...

"Will he reclaim you? In a way that's private?"

"Yes, yes... Yes."

Somehow the rest of Shikamaru's fingers had joined his stroking, and the pace had sped up, and he couldn't seem to slow it down... Couldn't seem to make the word wait escape the confines of the rational corner of his mind. Other thoughts also struggled to break free: This might be the only night, may be the only time... Don't rush it. Don't rush...

His body was past caring about any of that. The sight of Kiba wantonly pleasuring himself, ready to fuck whenever Shikamaru said the word, was too much.

He felt the sweat beading at his hairline as he crossed the room much more quickly than he would have liked, kissed Kiba much more passionately than he would ordinarily have done, and threw himself down on the bed on all fours, legs invitingly parted, much more needily than he would have thought possible. Kiba was trouble. He knew Kiba was trouble, but he was in this too deep to logically strategize his way back out.

Kiba made an educated guess and slid the night table drawer open, snatching around until he found the lube, and quickly prepared himself.

Shikamaru wanted to protest, to say, "Slow down... Wait... Don't rush..." but the words split apart into meaningless strings of disconnected thought as Kiba's fingers pushed, spread, and prepared his waiting entrance. Shikamaru felt his treacherous body pushing back against those skilled fingers, begging for the promised hard and fast even as his mind fought to regain control.

He leaned his forehead down against his laced fingers, raised his hips in anticipation, and relaxed his muscles to welcome the nudge... stretch.. push of Kiba. He felt the other man grip his hips, nails digging in slightly as he kept their bodies flush for just a moment before pulling back and beginning to wildly thrust towards release.

Halfheartedly, Shikamaru mumbled, "Slow down, Kiba.. Take it slow..."

"Fuck slow." Kiba dug his nails in deep and drove into Shikamaru with a ferocity mirrored by the shadow-nin's frantic clawing of the sheets off the mattress.

A thread of thought swam upstream, struggling to break the surface of Shikamaru's mind... Too fast, too fast, will be over too soon but oh-so-fucking-good, too fast... Even as he clutched the sheets and dug his hands and knees into the mattress to keep from being driven forward into the wall, Shikamaru fought for one more show of control... One more chance to prolong this night.

He forced the words out. "Kiba, stop!"

Kiba stopped.

Sweating... shaking... panting... He stopped.

Shika pulled his hips forward, almost crying from the self imposed frustration as Kiba slid heavily out of him.

"Fucking hell, Shika... What the fuck..."

Shikamaru could feel Kiba's hands tremble slightly as they gripped his hips. He kept his body still for several tortuously long seconds, then slowly pushed back again, moving his hips until the head of Kiba's cock bumped teasingly against him.

Shikamaru waited, trembling from the effort, then wiggled his backside to ensure that the two men were awkwardly lined up again. He felt Kiba shaking as he took the necessary liberty of re-lining them up.

Shikamaru slowly... oh-so-slowly... pushed his hips backwards, stopping when he felt the ridge of Kiba's cock enter his body. Both men moaned with relief wrapped in frustration, pleasure tangled with on-the-brink-urges as they kept perfectly, tremblingly still for one...two...three seconds until Shikamaru pushed back, just a little more... Then stopped. And waited. Then pushed his hips back just a little bit more. Then stopped. And waited... Until Kiba finally cracked.

"You want to get fucked Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru's self control and rationality melted in the heat of Kiba's words, and his voice sounded like someone else's as it whispered, "Yesss... God yes..."

"Yeah? You sure?" Kiba held still, not yet fully sheathed in Shikamaru, voice husky as he asked, "You want my cock to fill your tight ass, like you've seen me do to other men, so many times before?"

"Yes, yes... Fuck yes... Please...."

Before he had finished speaking he felt Kiba push the rest of the way in, remaining flush for less than a second before pulling back and frantically fucking into him at a pace only an Inuzuka could sustain.

Shikamaru raised his hips higher and fisted the sheets as he thought about the many, many times he'd seen Kiba do exactly what he was doing right now... Kiba with a man from the sand village, with a messenger from the village of mist, with some man wearing a green shirt, a blue shirt, a shirt Shikamaru couldn't remember except for the vague image of it being tossed aside. And now he himself was one of those men. A non-Shino, random, faceless, nameless...

"Shikamaru..."

Kiba's voice filled him as tangibly as his thrusting body, a voice full of lust, ownership, and just possibly... Shikamaru tried to keep the thought from forming.. Didn't want to hope... But it was just possible that Kiba's voice held a trace of affection.

He felt Kiba angle for deeper penetration, gripping his hips and thrusting in a mindless frenzy. All that existed at that moment was being filled...being fucked.

He gave up trying to brace himself against the mattress and welcomed the sensation of his head being driven roughly against the wall, pushed violently forward by the relentless, pounding pace of Inuzuka Kiba. His mind emptied, muscles tensed, heated pleasure coiling through his body until all sensations centered in the cock he hadn't even realized he was fisting... pulsing through and out of him, emptying on to the wall, the pillow, and the mattress just moments before Kiba pulled out and covered Shikamaru's back with his own heated release.

Both men slumped, panting and exhausted, until Kiba laughingly smacked Shikamaru's backside and jumped off the bed.

Completely spent, Shikamaru sank down to lie flat on to his stomach, pressing his closed eyes down on to his folded arms, not wanting to see Kiba go.

He heard the other man padding barefoot out of the room without a word, as he had expected.

He heard the roll and click of drawers being opened and shut, the soft sound of running water, and Kiba's returning footfalls.

He felt the impression of Kiba's knees on the mattress, the heated rough-wet of Kiba's tongue on his upper back, and the soothing warmth of a wet washcloth on his lower back.

Amazed, Shikamaru remained completely still and silent as Kiba finished his languid, gently cleaning. He felt the washcloth pause and Kiba's breath on his back as he murmured words Shikamaru had to strain to hear.

"A small part of me might accidentally have fallen in love with you... Just a little bit."

Shikamaru pressed his eyes closed tight enough to make stars swim in his eclipsed vision. If he were to turn around, look up, and see a hint of joking on Kiba's face it would destroy him. If he turned and saw that the other man appeared sincere, the intensity might fill and shatter him.

Neither man spoke again as Kiba stretched by Shikamaru's side, nudging him to curl up so that their bodies spooned together perfectly. Shikamaru sighed as Kiba pulled a quilt over them, then flung an arm protectively around his waist.

Before slipping into sleep Kiba mumbled, "Shino likes to play Shougi."

The part of Shikamaru's mind that was supposed to protect him from hoping too much seemed to have shut down. The implications of this evening curled around him, warming him as effectively as Kiba's draping body. His rationality stirred awake and began planning moves and plotting steps. Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino? He smiled and nestled back to fit more perfectly into Kiba.

He couldn't rush this, would have to step carefully.

As troublesome as it was, he couldn't deny that, for whatever reason, he loved Kiba. Even more of a pain, Kiba might really have accidentally fallen in love with him... Just a little.

Shino was an unexpected, deliciously wonderful twist. Shino was brilliant, elusive, and apparently had a taste for control that carried over into the bedroom.

Shikamaru shivered and closed his eyes, feeling sleep overcoming him. He would have to patiently plan. Be willing to wait. He laced his fingers with Kiba's moments before falling asleep, completely content.

Shikamaru liked to wait.

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A/N: Much belated gift for llyoung, for all of the supportive reviews and many, many times she's talked me off the ledge with comment conversations on y!gal. I adore you, and wish I could thank you in a more adequate way. Here's some Shikamaru for you, my friend. ^___^

As always- Thank you very much for reading, rating, and/or reviewing. I really appreciate it.