Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto. I own a box of ferrero choc. Not bad.

A/N: For Rose. Here's your request.

—o0o—

Chocolates and Rose

With the war not yet over, everyone is taking advantage of the temporary respite.

A woman with blonde hair tied into four ponytails, seems to be looking for someone as she trudges the open area where numerous tents are set up on the ground, her eyes going from face to face of shinobis present.

Finally, seeing her quarry past the edge of the clearing, the woman's strides become faster. Reaching his side, Temari opens her fist before she can change her mind. "Here."

Shikamaru glances down and accepts the three pieces of chocolates, wrapped in glittering red wrapper.

"The wrapper could only fit three and you don't like chocolates anyway," murmurs Temari, sounding almost uncomfortable.

"Thanks," Shikamaru replies, then without taking his eyes off the kunoichi, he immediately unwraps one and shoots the brown piece into his mouth. Temari's mouth gapes open and her hand reflexively goes up seeming to stop him. "What the hell!"Shikamaru splutters in surprise after, glancing down at the wrapper and remaining chocolates.

"You're not supposed to eat it, ass!"scowls Temari, outstretching her hands as she rudely tries to seize the gaily wrapped packages back.

Pocketing the empty wrapper and remaining chocolates,Shikamaru just continues to swirl Temari's gift inside his mouth. "It's mud."

Temari snaps, "I couldn't make up my mind so by the time I got to the ration they only have the wrappers, and none of the chocolate ingredients."

The shinobi simply nods his head, his high ponytail bobbing with his movement.

"Shikamaru?" a female shinobi wearing a green flak jacket and the Allied Shinobi head protector approaches. After nodding at the kunoichi from Suna, she offers three pieces of similarly wrapped cubes to the kunoichi's companion.

"Is that chocolate?" Shikamaru asks the nin from his village.

"That's chocolate, ass! I saw her, she's one of the first in line for the rations," Temari rasps.

The girl smiles her thanks to Temari. After all the old kunoichi just proved to Shikamaru how special her gifts is, so with arms still extended and both palms cupping her Valentine's present, she proffers the chocolates to the male shinobi.

Shikamaru just continues to chew. "Why does it have pebbles?"

"Those were supposed to be nuts! Seriously, just spit it out!"Temari glowers exasperated at the male nin; the presence of the other kunoichi, the only reason why her hand has not strayed onto her back to take her big metallic fan and put it into good use.

Knowing that it's her chance, the girl reiterates, "These are real chocolates."

Shikamaru shakes his head. "I don't like sweets. There are a lot of men out here. You'll find someone who'll appreciate it."

"But—"the young Konoha kunoichi stammers.

Slowly, Temari smirks. "He's eating mychocolate." Then the smirk turns scary. "Now, go scram!"

—o0o—

~2 10 13 AF P 2 14 13~

A/N: Aw whether you celebrate it with the traditional chocolates or flowers still Happy Valentine's Day, guys!