The Deer

"Shikamaru listen to me, there wouldn't be any men if there weren't any women. Men are no good without any women around."

It started with a deer.

Somehow she knew it even before it began. The moment she looked into his gazing eyes…

Perhaps that was why she decided to stand there for seconds…minutes even. She didn't care if it took him hours to step closer, she would wait for his first move. Patiently, calmly and determined. That was the only way things would flow smoothly, right?

"Damn you Shikamaru… " She couldn't help but to curse. She didn't know what the reason was behind all this mystery, hell she didn't even know how she ended up here. She needed to rethink the scenario from the start. How it started and how it got here, in this shadowy forest of…deer.

"What?!"

Temari's scream made the genius Shinobi flinch a bit, still he shrugged it off.

"Jeez woman, you don't have to yell at me, I told you I need you to come with me somewhere."

"But why?" Raising a brow, Temari put her hand on her waist, "And where?"

"I'm not going to tell you." His tone cool as usual.

"Why?" She was skeptical.

"Because I can't."

"And why is that?" She said now inching closer to examine the surprisingly motivated face of Shikamaru. Now it was obvious even to her, that he was hiding something. She could see it in his eyes-not looking straightly at her and the way the color on his cheeks was turning into the shades of pink. There was definitely something wrong with him… lately.

Shikamaru backed away immediately, " Troublesome," he muttered, " Will you come or not? "

"Hmm…"

The genius searched her face to find any trace of disagree. He could tell she was curious after all but still this woman was the most unpredictable person he had ever seen in his whole life. Of course he could come up with a thousand and more scenarios for her reactions to things though it was always likely for her to surprise him with a complete different attitude. So when she looked up to face him rather brightened, he let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Temari looked up at the sky. It was getting dark and it didn't help how much she stared at the back of her longtime associate. He was up to something, when he asked her to follow him to an unknown place without any good reason, Temari knew she might have missed something and that was what made her doubtful.

Still there wasn't any reason not to trust the guy although lately he acted a little nicer than he should and honestly... for a guy like Shikamaru, that was definitely weird. After his dangerous mission to the Silence Country, things didn't change between them that much. Yes, he asked her if they could have a dinner together, which was obviously him asking her on a date, but even that didn't progress anything. By the end of the day, they realized they were only talking about work as per usual.

But after Naruto got married, Things got a bit... different and warmer between them. Or maybe not… maybe she was thinking too much. She just didn't want to end up misunderstanding his intentions once again. Maybe that was why she got sharper to his signals, but that didn't seem to work as well. This man was full of surprises, the way he analyzed even the little details was beyond her, surely she didn't admit it out loud.

"We're here."

Temari had never been caught, drowning in her thoughts before but by the time she got back to reality, not only the full moon was shining deep inside the pitch-black sky but they were completely out of the village. Somewhere she hadn't been before.

"This is the family forest, " Temari wasn't surprised when she saw how casually Shikamaru talked with his hands in his pockets and his eyes focused on the dark branches. " No outsider allowed to come here. "

Temari had heard of Nara forest before, there were stories of wild deer there that had no mercy towards the strangers. Be it Shinobies or only civilians. That was why no one other than the clan members would ever come here. but wait a second… what were they doing here? or more accurately why did this guy bring an outsider -and not only any outsider but a complete stranger from another village- here?

"Why would you brin-" She stopped mid-sentence when she found no one around. She couldn't even sense Shikamaru's Chakra any more.

"What the… " And that was when she saw an unfriendly shadow between the trees.

Incautiously, she brought her hand on her back in the search of her Tessen*. "Dammit!" How could she forget to bring her weapon? What kind of a Shinobi she was? how could she act so reckless?

"Haha... okay, you're funny crybaby now stop hiding and face me like a real man!" She shouted into the darkness. Still a feeling told her even though he was unseen he was nearby.

As the shadow moved closer, under the moonlight, she could see it was a deer. With those beautiful dark eyes and a calm feature. So much like Shikamaru, she bit her bottom lip at the thought. She didn't want to hurt it then again she didn't wish to get hurt because she was just an outsider and she didn't suppose to be here.

Breathe in… Breathe out…

How holy it's shaped, she thought. She had had never seen a deer up close. Not only its eyes but its finely formed snout and the ears. The antlers on the other hand, How complicated they're patterned, she marveled. Under the bright light of the moon, the creature's strong muscular body glowed amazingly. She didn't have a favorite animal before but here … and now… she was so fond of the deer, and not any ordinary deer but the deer she was facing now. She couldn't resist the urge inside. She wanted to touch it. To stroke its soft, fluffy body and so she moved closer as the deer stopped moving.

What is that…? she was surprised when she saw a shining jewel hanging around the deer's neck. Without any sudden movement she inched closer to the animal and when she was close enough she saw what the jewel really was.

"A ring… " She wondered.

"That's why."For a moment she forgot all about the deer when the familiar voice sang through her ears.

There between the shadows, he stood. And although she couldn't see his face she knew it was him. The tall shape of a man with his signature cool attitude. And as much as she tried to frown and act as though she was angry because he had left him there, she couldn't… a smile… unveiled what she truly felt inside.

"Don't you want to take it?" Asked Shikamaru, stepping out of the shadows, his eyes much like the deer, shining in excitement. She could have sworn she had never seen him so hyped, like a little boy.

"Huh?" She turned to see the warm huge body of the deer right next to her, with its head almost on her shoulder. She looked at the ring. Still unable to move, unable to even breathe.

The same went for him. But he was the one who planned this all along, he had to make a move, after all he was … The Man here. So when he closed the space between himself and the famous wind user, he could feel how shaky her breath was. It was somehow amusing to see a troublesome woman such as Temari, became this stunned silence. Perhaps this way she wouldn't tease him anymore.

He took out the ring and brought it up to her face.

"So… would you like to wear it?"

"Are you proposing me?" She asked so suddenly and seriously, Shikamaru almost stumbled back.

Why am I doing this? He questioned himself, just like all the times before. Like when he first asked her out or when he asked her to dance with him at Naruto's wedding or when his heart was about to jump out of his throat whenever she smiled at him… he knew it was always like this as long as it was about this troublesome woman.

"Yeah…"His eyes focused on hers, how beautifully they shone in this darkness, "Will you marry me?" This request seemed to be buried somewhere deep inside his heart for so long.

He didn't look away from her eyes.

In his surprise she looked away though, putting her hands on the deer's neck and starting to stroke it.

"Marry, huh?" She almost whispered in the deer's ear. Then she looked back at him, still standing only inches away."So that's why... " She thoughtfully said, " I see… "

And for a second Shikamaru's heart stopped beating, what if all his strategies and analyzing were wrong. What if she wasn't interested at all. What if she says no and what if he becomes humiliated. What if she wasn't ready, what if he wasn't ready? but it was too late, wasn't it? and he couldn't just give up now, could he? Still though according to how she had been acting and how she always showed him, her smile it is possible that she says-

"Yes."

What? Shikamaru looked at the ring in his hand, and glanced back up at her again. It was possible if this much of thinking made him imagine hearing things or was it-

"Stop thinking already… " But the smile seemed real enough. " I said it's troublesome but… yes… I will." She said. This time with a touch of tenderness in her voice.

He looked at her flushed face, she wasn't embarrassed a minute ago but now… was it because of the moonlight or the aura or the cool breeze whistling between the branches? Shikamaru never felt like this before… this strong feeling towards someone… and not just anyone… but this woman, the very cruel kunoichi he scared more than his own mother… now she seemed so fragile, so loving…

Oyaji was always right about women, wasn't he?

Never had he imagined this before. To place his hands on the sides of this very woman's face, to feel her soft skin beneath his fingers and surprise her and even himself with a heated kiss on her sugary taste lips. That was definitely not like him. then again... he didn't mind that.

Being kissed under the moonlight in the shadowy forest of deer, huh?

Never had she seen this coming even in her wildest dream. Still though... she didn't mind at all.

Good strange things seemed to be happening so much to them, lately... but that was okay. They didn't mind, might as well enjoy these moments.

It seems like my One-Shots separately get more visitors than when they are inserted in my collection of one shots " Dancing Leaves"

Any way... All because I love ShikaTema so much and I've been shipping them even before it becomes canon I decided to open up another collection of drabbles only for these two.

Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing them ;)