Pairing: ShikaTema x3

Song: Remembering Sunday (MTV unplugged version)

Writer: Kiryulover (Kureru Elric)

It was karaoke night at Konoha's most popular club. All of our favorite shinobi were there: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Chouji, Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba and Akamaru, Hinata, Shino, Tenten, Neji, Lee, even the three sand ninja, Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro. They had rented the whole place out for a big get-together. They each took turns singing one of their favorite songs.

"Next up is Shikamaru!" the announcer called.

Naruto and Kiba patted his back. "Good luck man!" Naruto said with a smile.

"… What a drag." Shikamaru murmured.

He reluctantly got up on the stage, patting his left pocket to make sure his secret package was still inside. He got up on the stage and took the microphone in his hand. "The song I picked is called Remembering Sunday. Enjoy."

Almost instantly, a man behind him started to play a soft acoustic guitar.

"An acoustic!" Sakura whispered to Temari. "That's a bold move, especially for him!"

Temari didn't say anything, only listened as Shikamaru began.

"He woke up from dreaming and put on his shoes
Started making his way past 2 in the morning
He hasn't been sober for days

Leaning now into the breeze
Remembering Sunday, he falls to his knees
They had breakfast together
But two eggs don't last
Like the feeling of what he needs"

'Oh wow…" Temari thought. 'Who knew he was such a good singer?'

"Now this place seems familiar to him
She pulled on his hand with a devilish grin
She led him upstairs, she led him upstairs
Left him dying to get in"

Temari suddenly found herself remembering the first time they had met. It was the chunin exams, and she had been picked to fight against him. She had laughed at him, but ended up falling for his Shadow Possession Jutsu, the same jutsu she had been trying to avoid the whole time. But he had withdrawn in the end when he could've won the match. She shook her head to clear the thoughts and continued to listen.

"Forgive me, I'm trying to find
My calling, I'm calling at night
I don't mean to be a bother,
But have you seen this girl?
She's been running through my dreams
And it's driving me crazy, it seems
I'm going to ask her to marry me"

Temari stifled a gasp. Something in what he said had pierced her heart. 'What does this feeling mean?'

"Even though she doesn't believe in love,
He's determined to call her bluff
Who could deny these butterflies?
They're filling his gut

Waking the neighbors, unfamiliar faces
He pleads though he tries
But he's only denied
Now he's dying to get inside

Forgive me, I'm trying to find
My calling, I'm calling at night
I don't mean to be a bother,
But have you seen this girl?
She's been running through my dreams
And it's driving me crazy, it seems
I'm going to ask her to marry me"

With that, Shikamaru stood up and walked down the stairs, off the stage, and into his crowd of friends. They stood aside as he made his way over to Temari. He reached for her hand and pulled her towards the stage. As she and him stepped up onto the stage, a microphone was put In Temari's hands. 'Oh,' she thought. 'He wants me to sing the next part.'

"The neighbors said she moved away
Funny how it rained all day
I didn't think much of it then
But it's starting to all make sense
Oh, I can see now that all of these clouds
Are following me in my desperate endeavor
To find my whoever, wherever she may be"

Temari took a deep breath and sang her part.

"I'm not coming back
I've done something so terrible
I'm terrified to speak but you'd expect that from me
I'm mixed up, I'll be blunt, now the rain is just
Washing you out of my hair and out of my mind
Keeping an eye on the world,
From so many thousands of feet off the ground, I'm over you now
I'm at home in the clouds, and towering over your head"

Shikamaru took over again, reaching into his left pocket.

"Well I guess I'll go home now...
I guess I'll go home now...
I guess I'll go home now...
I guess I'll go home"

As the guitar trailed off, he opened the little velvet box and knelt on the ground in front of Temari. She gasped at the sight of the shinning silver ring inside.

"Temari," Shikamaru said (into the microphone so everyone could hear) "Will you marry me?"

Several of the girls in the audience screamed. Temari gasped as hot tears ran down her cheeks. She nodded and threw her arms around Shikamaru, who hugged her back.

"She said 'Yes'!" Kiba yelled. Akamaru barked loudly as everyone cheered. Several of the girls ran on stage to hug Temari and admire the shinning silver ring that was now on her finger. A few of the guys crowded around Shikamaru, patting his back and saying things like "That was brave, man." And "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" But everyone backed off as Gaara and Kankuro walked up to Temari. Kankuro had tears in his eyes, but told everyone that they were part of his 'allergies'.

Temari looked at her two brothers. Her eyes were wet with tears of happiness and there was a smile on her lips. "Hey-" she started to say, but broke off as Gaara and Kankuro hugged her tightly. "Way to go, sis." She sighed and hugged them back.

Shikamaru sighed too. "How troublesome," he said.