Disclaimer: Uh... I no own Naruto?

Author's Note: FIRST NARUTO STORY! CHA!!! Ok, so I've been watching for a while now, and reading as well and instantly fell into a deep love for Shikatem. And since it's Valentine's day, I /had/ to make a romance one.

Updated to be entered in a contest.

Shikamaru grumbled and dropped what few things he had brought on the bed. His next mission was in Suna and the Kazekage had been ever so kind to make a room available for him. Just great… Not only was he on a mission he did /not/ want to be on, but now, he had to share a house with the Kazekage and his troublesome sister. So far he had been lucky and the two hadn't run into each other, but he was there for a week, if not more. They were /bound/ to meet.

As if on cue, Temari came strolling ever so casually into his room and plopped herself down on his bed. He narrowed his eyes and mumbled a few words about irritation and troublesome women.

"So Gaara tells me you're going to be here for a little while," she started, opening the conversation.

"Mmm," God, he was so lazy he couldn't even give a good answer. And Temari didn't seem too pleased because she shot a glare his way and crossed her arms.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means yes, I am staying here for a few days. Happy?" Shikamaru would give her the answer she was fishing for. Maybe then she would get out of his room.

"Yes, thank you," she snapped back. "If you must know, I'm right next door, so keep quiet!" And with those final words of warning, Temari stood and pranced out the door.

"Troublesome woman!" he called after her.

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It had been a day since Shikamaru first arrived and just as he had thought, the mission was just a bunch of wasted energy. It really was a drag. And so after the hard part of talking to Gaara about matters, he had decided to relax and take a shower. The water always seemed to soothe him.

Wrapping a towel around his neck, he opened the door to the bathroom. Steam poured out and he felt his skin prickle. The water was turned on and there was a shadowy figure moving behind the curtain. Then, a slight pause and the water turned off. Out reached a hand, followed by a completely nude Temari.

Shikamaru tensed, hoping on his own life that she hadn't seen him and maybe he could still escape. He couldn't see too much of her through the steam from her shower, but there was a faint outline of her nicely curved figure and round brea—

"Shikamaru!?!"

He looked up, for his eyes had started to wander down her exposed body, and found a very angered Temari staring at him. She scurried to wrap the towel around herself before walking over and roughly shoving him back into the wall. He winced and remembered some enemy ninja she had once taken out and how scary her wrath could be.

But as he looked a little closer, it was obvious her cheeks were flushed with a deep pink. Ah, so the terrifying Temari was blushing. How… cute, in a way.

Damn it, now he could feel his face heat up in a blush that, if not matched her pinkish color, surpassed it to a violent red. He had just seen more of the beautiful sand ninja then probably any other /living/ male on the planet. It was embarrassing and probably spelled his death sentence. But not all of it was bad. She had a hot body and to get a glimpse of it was like—

Ok, really, he needed to stop thinking like that. Temari still glared him down before turning, towel now completely wrapped around her, and storming off to her room. The sound of her feet padding away was a relief, but he almost jumped out of his skin when her door slammed shut. It was a miracle the wood hadn't cracked after the impact.

"Troublesome woman. How was I supposed to know she was in the troublesome bathroom taking a troublesome shower and her troublesome self was going to come out and present itself before me to make this troublesome situation," Shikamaru drawled on just making it seem worse then it already was.

"You calling my sister troublesome, house guest?"

Startled by the sudden appearance of someone, he turned right before closing the bathroom door and looked into the face of Kankuro, Temari's younger brother. The sand siblings were one thing to fear and having both Temari and Kankuro mad at him was /not/ something he wanted.

"No, just the problem with her right now."

"And that would be…?"

Shikamaru groaned. He hated explaining things. It took up time. Time that would be better spent doing something… useful, like taking a shower.

"I was going into the bathroom and your sister was in there and she got out, naked of course, and saw me looking at her without meaning to, and… That's about it. She stormed off to her room and that was the loud bang you heard."

"So, Temari's mad at you because you're a peeping tom and were watching her bathe?" Kankuro raised a brow in interest, ready to beat the brains out of Shikamaru did he prove to be that kind of person.

"No, no, no!" he shook his head violently. "I just… Ugh, this is troublesome!"

"It's ok, I was just teasing. Listen, you don't want her to be all mad and life-threatening? Is that all you're saying?"

"Well…" Shikamaru stumbled over a few things to say but settled in a small nod.

"It's simple really. Just, apologize. Be nice. You know what tomorrow is right? So get her a valentine."

Shikamaru had almost forgotten about the holiday and seemed appalled by the advice, slinking back into the bathroom without another word. He was clueless on what to do and Kankuro hadn't exactly helped either. Hopefully, something would come to him later on…

"This is all too troublesome."

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Another day passed and luckily, the two hadn't seen each other since the shower incident. So Shikamaru was safe… for the moment. Meaning, he would probably die as he walked out to the training grounds where Temari had her fan out, swinging it around at wooden posts.

Seeing him approaching, she swung again, this time aimed more in his direction. Quick on the attack, Shikamaru leapt to the side and growled. Raising her fan again, she thought about striking, but instead let him come closer, annoyed look on her face.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"So troublesome…" he muttered. "Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. It was a complete accident."

Temari said nothing, instead, stood completely still, the look of death still aimed in his direction. He seemed to get the point and moved on.

"Just… here." He shoved a small item into her hands and looked away, still muttering things under his breath.

Temari looked down at the familiar looking item. It was a small fan. She had seen one just like it in a shop in town. But the price had been outrageous and she had passed it up without even double-thinking it. How had he known?

"How… How did you…" she trailed off, not really able to finish her question. It was such an odd gesture from Shikamaru who almost did nothing for nobody.

With a sigh he dropped to the ground and looked up at the sky. Whether she accepted it or not was up to her, but he hoped she wouldn't hit him like most times. Instead, she sat down next to him and looked between the fan, him, and the sky. Setting the small gift to her side, she neared a little closer to him and gently, placed her hand over his.

Shikamaru didn't make a motion to pull away, but he felt the blood rise to his face and he did all he could to fight the blush coming on. Latching their hands together tightly, he continued looking up, hoping the clouds would ease his slight embarrassment. It was made only worse when Temari laid her head on his shoulder and sighed, letting out a few incoherent words. He felt a mixture of awkwardness and surprisingly joy. But instead of moving, they sat, Shikamaru looking up at the floating clouds and Temari resting on his shoulder, hands still wrapped together.

"So troublesome.

A/N: So…. Was it as bad as I think it turned out to be? hides Don't kill me please?? It you did like it, then please, do enjoy.