Just something for belated Valentines' day.
Disclaimer: nope, so don't sue me.
Three simple words
Shikamaru walked the streets of Konoha aimlessly. Something tells him this isn't going to be an ordinary day. Just this morning when he was having breakfast at home, with his dad at the table drinking coffee, and his mom barking commands to them both, he asked his dad why did he marry his mom, the same question he always asks in the mornings.
"Even the roughest woman is tender with the man she loves." As usual, that was his dad's reply. But today he asked something more.
"What on earth did you do that made her agree to go out with you in the first place?" it was not meant as an insult to his dad, but just out of the curiosity that built up in his mind over the years that Shikamaru asked.
The streets are rather empty today, he thought. Not surprising though, since there was a small incident yesterday that involved a small infiltration by a small country. Shikamaru shifted his gaze up to the sky, decorated with several interesting-looking clouds.
"Three simple words huh?" he sighed.
Three simple words, yet the most difficult of all words to say to someone special, not to mention the most difficult situation to be in.
Three simple words…
"I love you."
Shikamaru lowered his head in a jerk as he heard the phrase. He turned his head in the direction of the voice that spoke those words and raised his eyebrows. Then he blinked his eyes several times to confirm whether or not did his ears deceive him.
There, sitting in an eating-house is no other than the dear weapon master Ten Ten and her beloved Neji.
Yes, can't be anyone else who said those words, because there simply isn't any. Shikamaru saw Neji reached out to tuck some loose strands of hair behind the girl's ear and reached forward to kiss her.
Shikamaru shook his head violently as if what he was seeing is a dream.
Nope, they are still kissing.
"What on earth has gotten into him?" Shikamaru said out loud to himself. This isn't the Neji he knew… The usual Neji would have walked off without saying anything after hearing those three words, and probably leaving poor Ten Ten screaming after him. But it isn't happening. And judging from the situation, it isn't going to happen either.
Shikamaru walked off in a rather stiff manner, leaving the couple sharing a stick of dango and started thinking. Did those three simple words have such great power that even Neji couldn't counter? Just what the hell is with those three simple words?
The clouds shifted again, this time forming other patterns.
Shikamaru walked further, his mind starting to fill with thoughts. His dad's words echoed again.
"Three simple words, you just need to tell her those three simple words. And make sure you mean it. If not, don't ever use them."
Three simple words…
Three simple, yet difficult words to say…
"I love you!"
Shikamaru jerked back into reality again as he heard the three words being spoken, or rather, being shouted out loud. The genius turned and saw he was standing several paces away from the village's renowned Ramen stall…
And there on the stools sat an orange-clad figure, and someone wearing a beige jacket with furry ends. Even with the banner of 'Ichiraku' blocking the two figures' upper bodies, Shikamaru knew perfectly well who they are.
Then there was clapping coming from the stall, needless to say, must be the stall owner and his daughter applauding and praising. If there was someone else beside him now, Shikamaru would have betted all his money that the figure beside the guy at the stall is going to faint at any moment.
True enough, the beige jacket tilted to one side, with clanking of chopsticks and hurried voices following.
Shikamaru took in a sharp breath and held it there. He blinked several times before resuming his journey to nowhere in a more stiff action.
This is a weird day… Shikamaru thought. Just in a matter of a few hours he heard the three simple words being said twice in a row…
By midday, the streets are filled with people. Apparently everyone knew its safe to come out again, now that the intruders are caught and safely behind bars.
"What the…" Shikamaru uttered when he passed by his teammate's family business.
He stood outside the shop and peered in. There, standing at the counter is his blond teammate, Ino, tending to her customers' needs, wrapping the flowers into bouquets and tying ribbons around them.
"Wait, who's that standing near the counter?" Shikamaru asked himself aloud. There was a figure in black perching at the counter after the last customer left with his gigantic bouquet of 99 roses. The genius squinted to see who it was.
The guy had face paint…
"Oh…" Shikamaru mouthed, surprised at his teammate being extra friendly to the visitor from Sand. Then just as he walked past the door to continue his journey, he heard something.
"I love you."
Shikamaru froze in his tracks and turned to look at the couple in the shop. Then he saw his teammate screamed and threw her arms around the puppeteer.
"Help…" the genius cringed and took off. He hurriedly made his way through the streets, his mind set on going to one place.
Through the streets, Shikamaru wondered if it's Halloweens… because the couples among the crowd today looked like scary creatures wondering around the streets. Well, maybe because he's single while the others are attached… Maybe…
Shikamaru broke into a run, not long before he started leaping on the rooftops to get to his destination.
A little shelter at the top of a building where he would come to watch the clouds alone whenever he had free time.
The genius breathed a sigh of relief when he finally reached. Somehow he felt safer here then out in the streets. He sat down and closed his eyes, and started thinking.
It's not like he didn't have someone special to say those three simple yet difficult words to, someone who once stood on the opposite side of him, and came to his aid when he needed a miracle. Someone who's ten times more terrifying than his own mother, but whose smile is brighter than stars.
It's just that she isn't anywhere around. Also, she might laugh at him if he were to really say them…
"Troublesome…" he muttered as tucked his hands behind his head and let himself fall backwards to lie down.
"What is?"
Shikamaru sat back up in a jolt at the voice behind him and spun his head around.
There, sitting with her head on her knees, was Temari, raising an eyebrow to look at him.
"Wha-what are you doing here?" was all he could say.
"Mission?" Temari answered as though the answer was obvious. "The infiltration here last night, I'm here to collect the report."
"Report?"
"Someone tipped us off that those intruders' next target is us."
Shikamaru nodded as the cloud of doubts cleared a bit. Well, he should have known, after seeing Kankuro just now that it's no surprise that Temari would be around.
"Then what are you doing here?" He asked.
"I said I'm on mission." She answered impatiently.
"No, I mean, here." Shikamaru pointed downwards. "As in this shelter."
Temari was caught offhand by the question and looked away. She readjusted herself and lay down to watch the clouds just like what Shikamaru usually does.
The genius raised both eyebrows at her action and followed suit.
They watched the clouds in silence. The winds picked up and the clouds surfed the sky at a faster pace.
Shikamaru's mind raced at the same speed as the wind. Is it time to use those three words? Would she laugh? It is often unsurprising that one would be caught in these difficult situations when it involved love. Even a hero falters when it comes to love.
But then again, it's either now or never. She is after all, from another village. She isn't going to stay here for long. And what's more, she's on a mission…
He wondered how did the others had so much courage to say those three simple words, and why did he lack it in times like this…
Temari sat up after a while. She reached into her pocket and took out something.
"I came to look for you." She said quietly, avoiding his eyes. Shikamaru sat up and faced her. "I came to give you this."
He held out his hand to her pending one and she dropped something onto it.
It was a silver pendent in the shape of a deer.
He looked up at her, and she was smiling.
"I know it's a little late but… Happy Valentines' day."
And then she got up, took her fan and disappeared.
"Valentines' day huh…" he thought. He didn't want to watch clouds anymore. There's something more important to attend to.
He leaped off the shelter and ran through one street after another, searching for the shop he once passed by on his way home. He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, trying to find it…
The sunset was beautiful, just like every other day and to those who appreciates it. Temari walked towards the gates of Konoha village. Her darn brother is nowhere to be found and she had to collect the report herself. Something else is bugging her… Shikamaru.
She wondered if she did the right thing, wondered if he felt the same. She cast a look at the scroll in her hands and then to the clouds. Even at the gates, she could see couples walking the streets hand in hand. How she wish she was one of them…
"Temari!"
She turned in the direction in which she heard her name. Something dropped down in front of her, startling her. She looked down and saw him, crouching down, panting heavily and perspiring.
"Shikamaru…" she said softly. He stood up slowly and wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. Temari noticed he was wearing the pendent she gave him a while ago and it was hanging outside of his shirt and glistening in the sunset.
He recovered a little and took out something from his pocket. Temari saw it was a chain, and he looped it around her neck. Temari's expression faded as she picked up the little pendent now resting on her chest and looked.
It was a fan, similar to the one she wielded in front of her enemies. Her mind raced and with trembling fingers, she turned the pendent around.
'I love you'
The three simple words, engraved on the back of the fan, Temari smiled and stepped forward to lean against the genius. Shikamaru wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her close.
She felt safe and secure in his embrace, and he felt invincible with her in his arms. Shikamaru looked up a little and saw the patterns on the clouds, a collage of clouds in a shape of a heart…
He smiled and hugged her tighter. They held on to each other as the sun inched downwards by the passing second…
"Temari-sama…"
The couple was thrown back into reality. Temari turned her head and saw a Sand ninja standing a pace away from them.
"Sorry to disturb you but the report?" the ninja smiled awkwardly.
"Oh," Temari let go of Shikamaru and held out the scroll. "Here."
"Thank you." The ninja gave a bow. "I shall return back to the village then. Good bye."
Shikamaru stared in shock as the sand ninja bid their princess goodbye and disappeared.
"What!" He bawled, startling her again. "You're not going back today?"
"No, not yet… I have to attend some other meetings with the Hokage. I'm an ambassador remember?" Temari frowned.
Shikamaru slapped his forehead and cringed.
"Why? You want me to go home now?" Temari asked.
"No!" Shikamaru groaned. "Just that… Ah, never mind."
Temari gave a small laugh at the genius's miscalculation.
"So, say them again." She turned to walk back to the streets.
"Say what again?" he asked, reaching out to take her waist, leading her in another direction.
"You know!" Temari almost shouted.
"Nah, I've already said them." Shikamaru shook his head.
"You didn't say, you wrote." Temari contested.
"So did you…" Shikamaru countered.
"I want to hear you say!"
Three simple words, Shikamaru thought in the midst of Temari's protests, they are still the most difficult words to say.
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