Cold Winter
It was winter in Konoha as Nara Shikamaru stood waiting at the gate, a large white cloak wrapped around him to keep out the cold. He was waiting for the Suna ambassador which he had to escort during his entire stay in Konoha because although they where ally's now they still don't thrust each other. "This is too troublesome…Why do I have to accompany that guy all the time in the upcoming week to prepare for the Chuunin exam next month…" Shikamaru thought as he looked up. 'And because of all that snow there are not even nice clouds to look at…damn I don't like winter' he now said out loud. A hard voice began talking next to him. 'YOU dislike the winter? Be glad, you're used to it, I never saw snow before or felt cold until yesterday!' he turned around surprised by the voice he thought he heard, "No, can't be, right?" he turned around thinking of it, and then he saw her.
Temari smiled widely as she had red cheeks and an obviously oversized coat with a cloak over it. 'Don't tell me you're the ambassador' Shikamaru asked as he turned to face her, only to see her smile even more.
They walked towards the main building to sign her up as they began talking. 'So…I see you reached Chuunin rank' Shikamaru snorted at her as he knew she did, he watched her fight some sound Shinobi. She fought really well and disabled him with great strategy he had to acknowledge. 'Yup, I'm almost Jounin now, you should be to if you'd took your missions more serious I presume' she smirked at him before they both heard a small growling sound. Temari blushed but no-one could see trough her already red cheeks. 'I-i-i' she stuttered as she shook her head, 'You're always complaining about guys and gal's, I'm hungry, want to treat me to dinner?' she smiled evilly as she gave him a little poke. Shikamaru let out a little sigh, 'I guess I should, what would like to?' he asked as she turned to joy crying out 'Anything as long as it's hot!'.
He looked around and nodded to another street where they found a small barbeque restaurant where he always ate with Chouji and Ino. 'Just order something, my treat' he snapped at her after she ordered 2 different meals for the two of them. 'So, you're here on an official trip, not to give me more trouble about being lazy or you saving my ass right?' Shikamaru said as he leaned back, 'where even, if you've forgotten about it'.
'Oh don't worry about that, I'm only here to annoy you before I go back to hating this forsaken cold' she sneered back as she looked around to check the place for any other customers, they where alone. "Why did they sent such a troublesome woman, out of all their men a troublesome woman…" Shikamaru tough, not looking forward to the upcoming week at all.
'Ah, here comes the food' Temari said while a waiter walked up with 2 dishes of raw meat and some vegetables. 'One meal for the couple' the waiter smiled until he saw the bloodthirsty look on the woman's face as he almost wet his pants he quickly went to the kitchen. 'Ah, I've seen you've worked on you're beautiful smile' Shikamaru sarcastically said. 'Oh don't worry, I only use my good smile for you' she winked as she began laying the meat on the grid. A bit frightened by what she just said he started laying down his meat as well. 'Will you be with me every moment of the next week?' she asked in an excessively cute voice. 'Always, except when you're asleep or when you're in the bath room' he smiled as he ate his first piece. She blushed lightly and the rest of their dinner they ate in silence.
---------------------------------------------------------
'Do you have a place to stay yet?' he asked as they walked trough the snow. 'I don't but I'm sure they finished the Suna embassy by now haven't they?' she asked as frightened by the idea of having no where to sleep, she didn't had much money as this was a diplomatic mission, expected to receive a place to sleep at the embassy as well as 3 meals a day. 'The embassy construction is stopped for 3 months until the snow has melted away, they can't do anything until then' he said as he frowned. "Now I have to search for a place for her to sleep as well…How troublesome" he thought to himself as he walked to the nearest inn. 'Let's find you a room then shall we?' he said as he entered the building.
After many inns and hotels they still couldn't find a room and it was getting late. Everything was booked for the holidays. 'Ah well, you can stay at our guest room, I'll see if I can arrange something tomorrow' Shikamaru signed as he turned towards Temari 'or do you have a problem with that?' he tried to give her a smile but she didn't notice. 'I'll be fine, as long as we get away from this cold weather, I feel like I'm frozen!' she replied as they turned around and walked towards his home. 'You do have your own home right?' she asked as they walked straight towards a big house. Shikamaru let out a sigh as he knew what was coming 'No, I find it to troublesome to find an apartment when I'm gone almost every minute' he said as he found his key and opened the door.
---------------------------------------------------------
'I'm home, I brought an ambassador from Suna since the embassy is not done yet and all hotels are full' he yelled at the kitchen while taking her coat and cloak as he nodded her to follow him. 'Here's you're room' he said when they reached the last door in the hall. 'you're welcome to join us downstairs or tomorrow at breakfast, I'm off to play a little Shogi with myself as my father is to lazy to even loos' he said as he walked to the door next to hers, opened it slightly to pick up a small box that was next to the door as he walked downstairs.
Temari thought of it, knowing he was a good strategic she thought "Maybe this winter holiday isn't such a total disaster!" as she went into her room to lay her fan down and follow Shikamaru. Walking into the room she greeted his parents and was introduced by Shikamaru. After a moment seeing them she saw the resemblance between Shikamaru and his father, also she liked his mother; to the point, not accepting his laziness and the room was perfectly clean as was the rest of the house. 'Shikamaru, can I play a match of Shogi with you?' she asked.
Shikamaru looked up and thought back of their match and their previous encounters, she was a good strategic like him and this could become an interesting night. He grinned 'Sure' he said as he stood up from the couch and sat down at one side of the table laying the Shogi set in the middle of the table while Temari sat down on the other end. 'You may begin' she said 'and don't give me that crap about being a woman' she herd his mother grin and whisper something but ignored it as he gave her a glare and set the first piece.
The match took quite a long time and after many moves Shikamaru finally won, he was about to smirk and tell her off when he saw her face. "Damn, she's sad, maybe I should try and loose one match to cheer her up, else she'll go mad" he thought as he replaced the pieces. 'Another one?' he asked as she looked up and changed. 'I'll beat you this time!' as they began another match.
---------------------------------------------------------
It took Temari less then half the time to beat him as she grew red and stood up 'You brat, you did that on purpose now play a good game, I know you can do more then this!' she yelled as Shikamaru's mother thought "I like this girl". They played another game which took almost double the time of the first match and when they where both down to their last pieces they where stunned, they both played a lot and where used to winning but every now and then they lost but this…they never ended equal. 'I'm going to get some sleep' Shikamaru, still stunned, said as he grabbed the little box still looking at it as if he'd seen a ghost in it. Temari said good night and went to her room.
---------------------------------------------------------
The next morning Temari woke up, cleaned up her self and dressed, she walked down to find the Nara's sitting at the table with a 4th plate ready for her. 'Gomen, I didn't realise you where waiting for me' she blushed as she sat down waiting for them to respond. 'Don't worry dear, normally Shikamaru wouldn't be awake at this time, or not at his likings if I'd say so' Shikamaru's mother said as she gave her a cup of tea and handed her some bread. During breakfast they discussed what they had to do for the day and after it Shikamaru helped his mother clean up as his father was too lazy. They left the building and went to the Hokage's office to notify her of Temari's arrival. When they knocked on the door they where told to come in and to sit down. 'I hope Shikamaru found a warm place to stay for you for the night, I'm sorry but the construction company couldn't finish the Suna embassy yet because half of the village was destroyed during a resent attack' Tsunade smirked at the somewhat embarrassed Temari as she continued 'Luckily the attack was just an order from a person who died' she winked after taking a paper from her desk. 'Would you sign this please? It displays that you're with her every moment Shikamaru as well as that it's an explanation if anything where to happen to her, you'd be guilty' she smiled with the friendly face of a snake as she handed him a paper and pen. 'If I have to…' he said while looking out the window he signed and passed the pen 'n paper to Temari to sign. 'I want you 2 to report at the reception to fill out a list of Genin you'd like to enlist for the Chuunin exam' she said as she took out a small scroll, 'oh and give this to Kazekage would you?'
They went to a small office down the hall and enlisted some names as they went to the lobby, 'Now, I'm told to escort you and show you around; anything you'd like to see, Temari?' he said as he handed her cloak to her. 'I'd like to see that mountain, can you see it from the inside?' she replied. They went to the mountain and several other sights and around noon he bought them both a sandwich, 'I want another match' she said as she looked at him. Over the day Shikamaru noticed a change in Temari's attitude, she was nicer then before. "Maybe she isn't so troublesome at all" he thought as they went towards his house, both looking forward to the game of Shogi.
They played till night fall and both had an equal win count when they went for dinner and after that they watched a movie his father rented. "Oh god, I think I like her" Shikamaru thought as they sat there she leaned a bit towards him. "Damn, why do I have to be the one with these kind of troubles" he sighed.
---------------------------------------------------------
The next day her felt even more for her and that afternoon he couldn't help himself. 'Want to go out to see a movie tonight?' he asked her as he they where drinking some tea in a tea house near the outskirts of the town. "What's he up to?" Temari thought as she suspiciously looked at him. 'Sure, what movie did you have in mind?' she asked as he didn't show any hidden intensions, except that he did blush a bit. "Damn! I didn't thought of any movies, I don't even know if there's anything nice at the moment!" he almost whacked himself mentally as he thought of a way out. 'I saw a billboard of a movie that's just in last week, want to go?' he said, not even knowing what he was talking about. 'Alright then' she smiled.
"Wow, that he even had the guts to ask me out, perhaps this could become an interesting week" she grinned as she saw him cheer up and smile for the first time she met him. 'Let's go get some sushi' Shikamaru said as he walked up to a close by sushi bar, hoping she would like his favourite dish. "Finally some good food, not that the barbeque was bad or his mothers cooking but sushi is the best" she thought as she said, 'Alright, I guess sushi's not bad' with an evil grin.
In the restaurant she again ordered for the two of them as every time they where anywhere and after some talk they where having quite some fun until the they where done, suddenly he realised "I still don't have a clue what movie where about to go to" as he walked up to the man to pay he saw his chance. 'Say, I'm taking my girl out, got a tip for a good movie?' he said as he thought "Hope she didn't hear me calling her my girl" as he smirked and paid. 'Heh, thought you where a couple…I'd recommend Trouble on the mountain' the young man said as he winked 'I'm sure she'll be happy that you're there' he smiled as he gave him his change and went to another customer.
---------------------------------------------------------
'Let's go see Trouble on the mountain, I don't know what's it about but I heard some good things about it' he said when they where walking to the cinema. Shikamaru bought two tickets and soon after they entered the hall with two small drinks and one medium sized popcorn box. As they found their seats he noticed the arm supports skipped every two seats, "probably so couples could hold on to each other" he thought as they sat down, she leaned a bit against him as the movie started soon after. After a small intro Shikamaru understood what the man said as it seemed to be a horror movie and he heard several girls scream a bit from time to time.
Suddenly he felt a strong grip around his waist and when he looked down he saw Temari with closed eyes grabbing him tightly when something bloody happened, "I hope he falls for it" she thought as she held him even tighter, he threw an arm around her and she lay her head on his shoulder, "I'm glad I was assigned to this mission" he thought while he smiled, finally realising why he felt so good with Temari around.
That night they ended with one match of Shogi as they ended up in an equal score again. They both went to bed satisfied and the next day Temari had an idea. 'Is there a hot spring nearby? I'm getting cold and stiff from this cold weather' she said during breakfast and an hour later they arrived at the only mixed hot spring/bath house in Konoha, as of course, Shikamaru had to watch her every moment.
A small story about Shikamaru and Temari, hope you like it, I'll poste more soon.
please read and review it, i like to know what you think of it, good or bad just tell me :).
Enjoy reading!