A/N: This story is going up a little earlier because I'm away over Christmas, but I hope you still enjoy it :)
Sitting in a room where from the bed to the walls everything was pink while Ino was letting her hair out of its usual four ponytails Temari asked herself how she got into this troublesome situation.
It all began with a joint mission between Suna and Konoha that took longer than expected. Then Tsunade insisted that after they got back Temari should stay in Konoha for Christmas so she wouldn't have to celebrate the holidays on the road alone. Somehow Ino must have overheard that because she had kindly invited, or more like forced her, to join her annual Christmas party that she was throwing for the Konoha eleven and a few other friends on Christmas Eve.
These events had all lead her to sit here in Ino's room with Sakura, Tenten, Hinata and of course Ino to get ready for the party, a meeting the young Yamanaka kindly invited her to as well.
"So how are things between you and Shikamaru?" Ino's question pulled Temari out of her thoughts.
"What do you mean? We are friends and that's it."
A simple answer which was only half true. They were friends, but there could be more between them, at least Temari felt that way. She told herself that it wasn't like she was in love with him, but that she had special feelings for him even she couldn't deny. However there was no way she would confide her conflicted thoughts on this matter to anyone and especially not Ino, a close friend of the source of her confusion.
"I don't believe you. You are always together when you are in Konoha and he barley leaves your side until you have to go back to Suna. You can't tell me there is nothing going on." Ino insisted.
"You know she has a point. Even Naruto thinks you two are dating and he is as dense in love matters as you can be." Sakura said with a side glance at Hinata.
"Naruto-kun isn't d-dense, he is j-just concentrated on his training." Hinata, now red faced, defended the blonde shinobi.
"That sounds more like Neji, training obsessed I mean." Tenten entered the conversation.
"Way off-topic girls. So Temari spill."
"There is nothing to spill Ino." Temari began to feel annoyed.
Ino and Sakura exchanged a glance behind the blonde kunoichi's back. So this wouldn't be as easy as making Hinata admit that she liked Naruto, but they had made Tenten reveal her feelings for Neji to them so they would get Temari to confess as well. Deciding to change their strategy Sakura spoke up again.
"You know to be honest we are kind of glad that you don't have feelings for Shikamaru, because there is someone who obviously has."
"Yeah and she is coming tonight as well so it would have be awkward if you really felt something for him." Ino joined in.
Tenten really thought about telling Temari that her friends were only messing with her, but thinking back at her fight with the Suna-nin at the Chunin Exam she thought that there was not much harm in a little fun.
Temari tried to act as normal as she could, but deep in her heart something ached at the thought of Shikamaru with someone else. Not that she would admit it, but maybe her feelings for him were stronger than she had thought, if her upcoming jealousy was anything to judge by.
"That's nice." She tried to ignore how forced her words must sounded.
Ino smiled, having recognized Temari's reaction. Her plan was working better and especially faster than she had expected, but who would have thought that the strong and self-assured kunoichi was really so in love with the lazy shinobi to actually get jealous so easily.
"Do you mean Shiho?" Tenten played along.
"Yes, I mean they would fit perfectly together. Both are very intelligent and they work together almost every day now, so it wouldn't surprise me if they become a couple in no time."
"That's right Ino. Didn't you want to help her get ready?" Sakura asked.
Ino knew exactly what Sakura meant. She would give Shiho a quick make over and then Temari would get even more jealous and hopefully confess to Shikamaru one way or another.
"That's right, I totally forgot all about that. Well I have to go. See you later at my party." With that she left.
Sakura and Tenten exchanged a smirk behind Temari's back, that evening just got interesting. While the two kunoichis were amused by the situation Hinata could only hope that it wouldn't turn out really troublesome.
When Ino returned an hour later, just in time to welcome her first guests, she looked more than content with herself. A side glance at Temari, who was busy talking to Tenten and Hinata, told Sakura that it was save to ask Ino openly how the make over went.
"So how did it go?"
"You wouldn't believe how surprised poor Shiho was when I showed up at her door, but I think I did well." Just in this moment Shiho entered the room and Ino smirked. "There she is so you can compliment me. I know I did an awesome job."
Sakura could only agree. Without her glasses and her hair hair styled differently Shiho really looked good. When it came to make overs Ino was just as much a genius as Shikamaru was with tactics.
"So now all we have to do is introduce Temari to Shiho and wait what happens when Shikamaru arrives." Ino smiled brightly and after greeting Shiho took her over to Temari.
The moment Temari meet Shiho she didn't like her. Maybe if she had not known that this was the woman who was in love with Shikamaru she would have found her nice, but not anymore. She was shy and intelligent and probably a better housewife than Temari could ever hope to be and she hated her for that, because she was all Shikamaru searched for in a woman. Temari knew that she was the complete opposite, she was never afraid to speak her mind, sometimes straightforward and definite troublesome.
Temari's fists clenched at her sides and the ache in her heart intensified. She had her confirmation now, her feelings for Shikamaru were indeed love, but it was too late. If Ino would play match maker, and Temari was sure she would, Shiho and Shikamaru would be together in no time, after all she would make a perfect wife in his eyes, while she was only troublesome.
Ino was indeed going to play match maker, but not between the persons Temari thought she would. As soon as Shikamaru entered the room Ino waved him over. The lazy shinobi came over to the small group with Choji ,who had arrived with him, and raised a hand in greeting. Somehow Ino managed that Shikamaru and Shiho ended up standing a little outside of the group talking about their work. Now it was up to Temari to make a move.
In the meantime the Suna kunoichi was having a fight with herself. If she did nothing there was a high chance that Shiho would end up with Shikamaru, but if she interfered now everyone would know that she loved the lazy shinobi.
"If you ask me, I would go for it before it's too late."
Temari was surprised to see Tenten standing next to her. The clenched fists and jealous posture must have given her feelings away. She sighed deeply, there was no way to deny it now.
"I know." She bit her lip before turning to face the brown haired kunoichi. "Before I make a fool out of myself I want to apologize for how brutal I fought against you at the Chunin Exams, but I changed and that also because of that lazy ass. I know this apology is long overdue, but I hope you still accept it."
"It's alright and now go and make a fool out of yourself so I can enjoy it." Tenten smirked.
Temari mirrored her expression before going straight up to Shikamaru.
"I have to talk to you." Ignoring Shiho as well as Shikamaru's bewildered look she forcefully grasped his arm and pulled him upstairs.
"Why are you being so troublesome right now?" Was the first thing he asked her when the door closed behind them.
"That's all I'm to you, troublesome, aren't I?" She had yet to turn back around from closing the door, but Shikamaru could hear the hurt in her voice.
Now he was entirely confused. First Ino had tried to force a conversation with Shiho on him, despite knowing that he didn't have these kind of feelings for his co-worker and now the woman he did have feelings for was being troublesome. Maybe he should just give up on understanding women. They were just too confusing, even for a genius like him.
Temari sighed. This was it, there was no turning back now.
"I love you."
Shikamaru blinked once, twice and couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew that Temari was blunt, but why did she tell him this now and, an even more pressing matter, was it really true.
"I know that I'm only a troublesome woman to you and Shiho is everything you are looking for, shy, intelligent and probably a good housewife and not troublesome-"
So this was what all this was about. Slowly Shikamaru began to understand the situation. Why did he get the feeling that all this had Ino's handwriting all over it. Not that he approved of her methods, but maybe he had to thank Ino later. There was only one problem to solve now and then he could work out the next 200 steps.
"It's true that Shiho would probably make a good housewife and that you are troublesome."
There it was, the rejection she had feared. Temari nodded sadly and was ready to leave the room, but when he spoke up again she changed her mind.
"However Nara-men only fall for the most troublesome women."
Temari's head snapped up and their eyes locked. She could see that he meant what he had said so she returned his smile and stepped closer.
"Idiot." She whispered affectionately before closing the gap between their lips.
Unknown to them Ino had watched them through a small crack of the door. Smiling softly she closed the door.
"Merry Christmas you two."
A/N: Happy holidays and merry Christmas to all of you :)