You and Shikamaru were in a small hotel room, preparing for the mission the next day. The air conditioning was broken, and the summer heat made the room suffocating. Sweat clung to your skin as the temperature soared.

You glanced over at Shikamaru, who was tugging at his collar, looking increasingly uncomfortable. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered, his words heavy with irritation.

He hesitated for a moment, clearly not wanting to show any sign of vulnerability, but finally, with a frustrated sigh, he pulled off his shirt. The cool air hit his skin, causing goosebumps to rise, but it didn’t help much with the heat. As he dropped the shirt onto the chair next to the bed, a thin sheen of sweat glistened across his chest and shoulders.

The droplets of sweat started to slowly trail down his torso, some of it gathering along the hard lines of his abs. His skin glowed in the dim light, a stark contrast to the flush of discomfort across his face.

Shikamaru flopped back onto the bed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, trying to avoid the sting of sweat in his eyes. “Comfortable now?” you teased, leaning against the wall, your eyes lingering for a moment longer than you meant.

He sighed, closing his eyes and throwing his arm over his face, clearly trying to escape the heat—and maybe your gaze, too. “Barely. But it’ll have to do. You mind if I just… stay like this?” he muttered, as if it was no big deal, even though his bare skin glistened with the telltale sign of discomfort.

“Sure, whatever helps,” you replied, your voice low. The quiet tension between the two of you felt almost too thick to cut through. Every time he shifted, beads of sweat dripped down his body, drawing your eyes to him despite yourself.

Shikamaru didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he didn’t care.

But as the minutes stretched on, the air was thick with more than just heat. It was the kind of silence that left too much room for thoughts you’d rather ignore. The heat wasn’t the only thing making you sweat now.