Shikamaru Week 2019 - Day 4 Tears | Proposal
Temari looked at the clock resting on her dresser. It was 1 a.m. She rubbed a hand on her tired, sore eyes and looked outside the window. The sky was dark, countless stars were shining around the moon that gleamed upon Konoha. The young woman sighed and turned her attention on the papers scattered on the table.
She had been in the Leaf for the past four days. Her presence had been required by the Hokage in order to discuss some guidelines about the new shinobi curriculum the village was trying to establish cooperating with the other ones. After the war, it had been quite common for her to visit other villages, but she enjoyed travelling to Konoha the most, as it meant she would be able to spend some time with her boyfriend.
Things didn't go as she had expected though. Temari knew something was off the moment she entered the gate and didn't find Shikamaru waiting for her. In his place was a Leaf jounin who escorted her to the Hokage's office. Her discomfort didn't go unnoticed to the Sixth, who promptly told her Shikamaru had been charged with the coordination of a task force that was meant to guide the new strategic department. Temari knew what it meant: he wouldn't have much spare time to spend with her.
She was right. They managed to meet only one day after her arrival. They had dinner together, then they didn't see each other for the next two days. And there she was, spending her last night in the village all alone, in that same apartment she shared with her brothers during her first trip to Konoha, reading reports and dossiers, trying not to mind the bags full of food and drinks she had bought for their dinner.
Shikamaru had promised her they would have spent at least that night together. He was supposed to meet her in her apartment to eat together, then take a walk or just quietly enjoy each other's company.
He didn't show up. Temari wasn't really worried. She knew he probably was overwhelmed with work. She had gone from angry to disappointed several times that night. Now she was just depressed. She hoped he would at least be able to greet her at the gates before her departure, as he always did.
Temari sighed again and got up. Reading papers hadn't distracted her as much as she thought, so she decided it wasn't worth her time. She headed towards her bedroom to change into her night clothes and finally go to sleep.
A loud knock came from the front door. Temari stopped in her tracks. She turned around and rushed to open it. Shikamaru stood on the other side of the doorway, looking terribly tired and regretful. He was still wearing his flak jacket and he was carrying a pack of papers under his arm.
«I'm sorry», he muttered looking at her.
«You'd better be…», she answered sharply. She regretted immediately her harsh words. She knew it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help feeling upset.
«Listen, I wanted to spend time with you too, but things are really troublesome and…», he said taking a step into the room.
«I know, I know…», she retorted closing the door.
«Did you eat?», he asked her glancing at the bags on the table.
«No. I lost my appetite», she answered plainly. Shikamaru's eyes lowered. He grumbled something and put down the pack of papers.
«Put your shoes on. We have to go out», he said rubbing the back of his neck. Temari looked at him with wide eyes.
«Excuse me?!», she said in disbelief. «Shikamaru, I'm leaving at dawn. I was about to go to sleep», her eyes narrowed. «Do you even remember I'm leaving in literally four hours?», she asked him.
«Yes, of course I do. That's why we need to go now», he reasoned, a small blush coloring his cheeks.
«What's wrong with you?», she exclaimed starting to lose her patience. «I'm tired and I need to rest. Where are we supposed to go anyway?»
Shikamaru looked away from her face, trying to hide his discomfort.
«I can't tell you», he answered vaguely. Temari felt her face heat up. That situation was annoying her.
«No. We had four days», she told him. Shikamaru turned his gaze on her again. She could tell by the slight tremble of his lower lip he was terribly nervous.
«Temari, please. We need to do this… before you leave…», he added looking pleadingly at her. She looked away, unable to hold his gaze. A few seconds passed in silence.
«Fine», she agreed. Shikamaru's face lighted up. Temari grabbed her shoes and sat down to put them on, mumbling. «It'd better be worth it…»
They left the apartment and went straight towards the northern region of the village. Shikamaru was completely silent and since they started walking he seemed to refuse to look at her. Temari decided to just follow him without further complaining. Soon after, they reached the neighborhood where his house stood among others of his clansmen's. Before actually reaching his home, however, he abruptly turned to his right and guided her towards a narrow, almost invisible path that opened between his own garden and his neighbor's. She shot at him a questioning look, but he still didn't dare to turn towards her. They walked along the path for a few more minutes before Temari decided to speak again.
«Where are we going?», she asked.
«I can't tell you», Shikamaru answered plainly.
«Why not?», she pressed. Shikamaru didn't answer her latest question. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, hoping it would calm her down. Temari was about to talk again but the feeling of his skin against hers stopped her. His hand was hot, something that never happened to him, except when he was nervous or uneasy.
She didn't know what to think about it. She was used to his calmness and those changes in his mood always startled her. She started fearing something had happened. It couldn't be something good, he wouldn't be so hesitant about it if that was the case. What could it be to affect him that way? A shiver ran down her spine. There was the possibility he wanted to talk to her about their relationship. Maybe he wasn't happy with her anymore. Maybe he realized it was too troublesome. Maybe he realized she was too troublesome. Temari forced herself to repress that thought. If he wanted to end their relationship, why would he have insisted on taking her to some mysterious place? He could have just told her earlier, when he had come to her apartment.
«Here we are».
Shikamaru's voice brought her back to reality. She was so lost in her own thoughts she hadn't realized he had stopped. They had reached a small clearing, on the top of a small, gentle hill surrounded by high and mighty trees whose fronds covered almost completely the dark, starry sky. Beyond their strong trunks, the village's lights shone illuminating the night. The view was quite stunning.
Shikamaru squeezed her hand tighter.
« This forest… is special», he said, staring at the village laying peacefully at the base of the hill. «Nobody but Nara Clan members are allowed to enter it…»
Temari frowned.
«What's the point in of all this then…», she mumbled, feeling more and more uneasy. What damn game was he playing? First he persuaded her to follow him to some weird, mysterious place, then he states she shouldn't even be there. «I'm not a Nara…», she whispered to herself, unconsciously voicing her thoughts.
«No…», Shikamaru said quietly. «Not yet…»
Temari's heart skipped a beat. She felt her face warming up and her hand, still held in his, trembled slightly. Her eyes were fixed on the yellow lights scattered among the village, unable to move.
«I don't know why I've never told you before, but when we got caught into the Infinite Tsukuyomi, you were in my dream», Shikamaru told her. His voice was a mere whisper, but somehow she could clearly hear every word he spoke. «We were watching my parents, and my sensei, Asuma. He was struggling, trying to hold his newborn daughter. My mom was yelling at my old man. I remember saying perhaps marrying someone would be too troublesome, and you agreed with me».
«Why are you telling me this now?», Temari asked him. Her voice trembled. She felt overwhelmed with all the emotions that his words awakened all at once in her chest. She was starting to feel dizzy, and even before she could fully understand what he had said, he spoke again.
«I've been thinking about it lately and… although I still think marriage is bothersome, there are people who are lucky enough to find someone that makes it worth it. It took me a while to realize it, but I am among those ones».
That was it. She had no more doubts. Her heart started beating so fast she feared it could burst. Her mind was spinning madly, her face was burning. She felt him moving for the first time since he started talking. Shikamaru turned towards her. He rested his hands on her waist and gently pulled her closer. Temari couldn't help but lower her eyes. She was sure she would faint if her eyes met his. However, Shikamaru had something else in mind.
«Look at me...», he said, his fingers brushed gently on her cheek before resting under her chin. «I am lucky because I found you», he told her lifting his hand, making her look at him. She finally locked eyes with him. A light blush was covering his cheeks. The slight trembling of his voice was proof of his nervousness, but the glint shining in his eyes showed how resolute he was. He tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her in his arms.
«Temari, you are worth all the trouble, the pain, the bother. You are worth it all. Will you… Do you want to marry me?»
She was glad he was holding her so firmly. She would have definitely collapsed otherwise. She kept staring at him, mouth slightly opened, burning cheeks, and barely breathing.
Shikamaru didn't move his gaze from her face, while he mentally cursed himself. He had done everything wrong. Nothing had gone as he had planned. He had a good strategy, he should have gone down on his knee, pull out the ring he had bought for her, and ask her to marry him properly. But when he turned around and looked at her, he forgot everything about his perfect plan. His instinct took over and all he could do was follow it. So here he was, holding her in his arms, the ring still hidden in his pocket. He had ruined it all. And he started panicking when Temari's eyes started to fill with tears. He couldn't blame her for looking so lost. He probably had to give her time to ponder over his words.
«Yes…»
«What?»
Maybe that wasn't necessary.
«Yes…», Temari said again, as a single tear escaped her eye. She finally smiled at him, and that was all Shikamaru needed to overcome all his doubts. He wiped away the tear that was lingering on her cheek with his thumb and smiled gently as she threw her arms around his body and buried her head in the crook of his neck. He hugged her tightly, placing a soft kiss behind her ear.
He had been an idiot to even think he could stick to his plan. No matter how smart he was, she could change his mood, his actions, his life in a blink of an eye. None of his strategies would never work when it came to her.
One more reason why his love for her would never end.
A/N: Hello:) I know it's been a while since last time I wrote something, I might be rusty, but I hope you'll enjoy this story anyway. comments, reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed.