AN:This is my first fanfiction. I got the inspiration for this story from Dante Gabriel Rossetti's "The Woodspurge". It's part of my literature syllabus and the idea suddenly hit me. I don't know if all the characters will survive till the end of the Great War but I hope that Shikamaru and Temari do at least..

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. I don't own the poem "The Woodspurge" either.

I hope you like it :)

Edit: Hey! So I've edited this story. This chapter is bit different now, with more details. Hope you guys like it! Thank you all so much for the reviews and follows! The manga has become really really interesting now (31/05/13 so Chap 632)...

Shikamaru's Woodspurge

Chapter 1

The war was over.

Gloomy grey clouds created an ominous ceiling over the buildings of Konoha which stood out shockingly like new tombstones. Even the buildings, although repaired, seemed to exude the feeling of melancholy. The atmosphere in Konoha was not one of merriment, countless of brilliant shinobi and dear friends perished in the war. An air of sorrow clung to the village, mourning for the beloveds lost.

Yoshino was a strong, rational woman. That was the reason why Shikaku loved her; he was an unquestionable victim of the Nara Clan Curse. Both Yoshino and Shikaku knew that the likelihood of him returning from the war was slim. Both her men were going off to war, her husband the second time. He was lucky enough to return the first time with only two scars across his face. Yoshino had screamed her head off at him when she'd him in the hospital. Shikaku was in the ICU, critical condition. Yet, he was too scared to die. No. He dared not die. Not with that domineering woman presiding over his almost limp body. If he had died at that moment, then Yoshino would've probably tracked down Orochimaru and coerced him into resurrecting Shikaku's poor soul. Then she would've slowly tortured him (with a mad glint in her eyes and an evil look that was oh so endearing) until his second, more painful demise. Shikaku was much too afraid to die.

But the second time Shikaku walked out of the door, Yoshino had a gut-wrenching feeling in her stomach. She had to be strong, for her clan. She couldn't show weakness. As he walked away, she knew deep down in her heart, that it would be the last time she ever saw him. It was scary, frightening, that he wouldn't be in battle. Instead, he was going to be cooped up at headquarters dishing out orders. Yoshino would've felt more relieved if he were fighting on the battlefield. Shikaku would easily stay out of death's grip with his innumerable strategies. The last night they spent together was unlike any other. She felt young again, like a teenager with Shikaku trying to woo her. It was raining that night; the distinct thuds of the beads of moisture drowned her screams. Shikamaru was, hopefully, sleeping.

She had received the news of her husband's death from her husband himself. That was worse. He knew he was going to die. Inoichi, in a last ditch effort, connected Shikaku to Yoshino and himself to his wife. He didn't think it would work but imagine Yoshino's surprise when she heard her loving husband's voice in her head. He was precise and to the point, he didn't beat around the bush. He was going to die and he knew it. It had a good forty-one years, twenty of them spent with her and he was utterly undeniably grateful to her for making him into a better, although thoroughly whipped, person. She cried. She cried long and hard that night, after Inoichi disconnected them. It was raining again; this time, the rivulets of water drowning her sobs.

After the war, Shikamaru returned to her, exhausted and worn out, but still alive. He hadn't run into his mother's arms, despite the fact that many of his fellow shinobi were doing so unashamed. Yoshino was relieved. That would've been too uncharacteristic of him. Instead, both of them entered the makeshift apartment in the Nara grounds that had been constructed by the Clan members who weren't drafted into the war effort. Those who stayed back needed to reconstruct the village after the Akatsuki attack. Shikamaru walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it, falling into a deep slumber. When he woke up, he smelt his favourite mackerel and sukonbu wafting through the air. They ate in silence.

Afterwards, Shikamaru went to feed the deer. A few hours later, Yoshino decided to go look for him since it was getting late and found him sitting next to the koi pond in the Nara Clan grounds, watching the fishes aimlessly. It was a childhood habit. Whenever he was sad or angry, he would go missing for a while. Usually he could be found on his favourite roof or beside the koi pond. The moonlight was casting an ethereal glow on the plants around him and shadows dotted the ground. It was the perfect battleground for a shadow user. "Shikamaru. Come inside. You'll catch a cold," she began.

He was silent. Yoshino didn't prod him anymore. She just sat beside him and started humming a light melody, just like she used to when he was little. Usually, he would fall asleep in a few moments and either Shikaku or she would carry him back home.

"Otou san," he started, letting out a sob.

"Shush.. It's okay," Yoshino replied in an attempt to comfort him.

"You know what he said to me before dying? He said he was sorry that he wasn't a better father," he said.

Yoshino didn't respond.

"I told him it was enough. He wasn't like other dads. But he taught me a lot. He taught me shougi and jutsus and trained with me. He taught me so much, but I'm still only a Chuunin. I should have at least become a Jounin for him. I… I feel like I let him down," he whispered.

"Shikaku.. Never showed it. But he was very proud of you. When you became Chuunin, he wouldn't keep quiet. He told everyone. He went on that two week trip and told you it was a mission but actually, he was visiting relatives in different villages and telling them about you. He was always harsh on you because he wanted you to grow up to be a better man than him. He wanted to see you get married to that ambassador as well," replied Yoshino lovingly. It was hard for her not to burst into tears at that moment, but she had to be strong; especially now, when her son seemed to be crumbling in front of her. She could sense the gears turning in his mind so she kept quiet.

After a few minutes, he spoke up. "Does Otou san have any scrolls or notes I can read? And now I am effectively the head of the clan right? That means I have to get stronger."

Yoshino beamed. She kissed his forehead and stood up. "Of course. He was going to give them to you when you turned eighteen. It's a year early but I think you're ready." She went back into the house with Shikamaru following behind her, his hands in his pockets.

Suddenly he asked with a hint of worry, "Wait. Otou san thinks I'm going to marry the ambassador? You mean Temari?"

"Yes. He was hundred and fifty per cent sure it was going to happen," Yoshino replied absently while searching for the scrolls. "Where did Shikaku keep them again?"

"Okaa san.. I'm not going to marry that woman! She's bossy and domineering and egoistic and… and if I marry her I'll end up like Otou san," stated Shikamaru earnestly.

"And how did he end up Shikamaru?" Yoshino asked with a threatening grin on her face.

Utterly whipped by you, he thought to himself but decided not to say it out loud. He did, after all, cherish his life.

Consequently, for the next one year, Shikamaru was thrust into the responsibilities that befell the Nara Clan head. He spent every waking minute of his time learning all the secret Nara Jutsus and handling the clan.

Shikaku would have been proud.

After that night near the koi pond, Shikamaru wouldn't speak about the loss. He was obstinately against that. He knew he'd burst into tears. Instead, he hid in the shadows, watching the clouds and immersing himself into his work. Often, in his free time, he would not only watch the clouds. He would put his hands in his pockets, stare up at the sky and keep walking in the direction of the wind. He had no direction, no destination. Instead he just went where the wind took him. When it stopped blowing, he would lie down on the grass and stare up at the clouds. Sometimes Chouji joined him. Like the good old days, they would munch on chips. Of course, he would leave the last piece for his pleasantly plump friend. The death of his father had taken a huge toll on Shikamaru. Yoshino knew that every night he would lie awake in bed gazing at the shadows in his room. She knew he didn't sleep but she didn't question him about it. He needed space to figure out his own way to get pass his loss. She knew he was not comfortable with showing anyone his vulnerable side.

It was saddening that Shikamaru had become an insomniac who'd waste his nights smoking. The black bags under his eyes were blatantly apparent to any passerby, yet they dared not question him. He wasn't overly depressed, but he didn't like to talk about it. Not even to Ino or Chouji. Chouji understood. He was more than happy to give his best friend space. He was content to just share chips with him and train at the peculiar hours that Shikamaru wanted to. More than once a week, he would awaken at odd hours in the night due to sensing Shikamaru's chakra in his room. They would then go to the old Team 10's training grounds and practice taijutsu till dawn. After that, they would go their separate ways. Shikamaru stayed away from Ino, who wanted to mourn together. He always pretended that he had a hectic work schedule. She turned to Chouji instead, the only other person who was always there for her. He also spent an increasing amount of time with Hiruma, Asuma's son. He was now a year old, with little tufts of black hair and crimson red eyes. He would be a lady killer. Definitely.

In the one year since Shikamaru returned from the war, he was sent on many sole A and S rank missions. He had completed 50 A ranks and 30 S ranks. He had earned himself a famous, feared title. Of course, no one knew it was him; he attacked from the shadows and strangled his victims to death. But the way he killed had earned him a reputation. No one wanted to be killed by a shadow strangler. No matter what the mission, Shikamaru got it done. He subdued all his emotions and quite literally, killed in cold blood. His friends wouldn't believe him if he told them it was him they were hearing about. He was quite dumbfounded they hadn't pieced it together.

The last time he had cried in front of people, was when Chouji was in the ICU. That was the first time Temari had seen him cry.

Temari… The last time he saw her, it was on the battlefield. After the war ended, she was a few shinobi away from him and had given him the same, teeth to teeth grin that was reserved for him only. The smile that he thought was beautiful. (How'd that word get there?) It had been a year since he had seen her. The ambassador business stopped for a while as all the villages were recuperating. He was tempted to accept a mission to the Sand but was held back by his duties in Konoha. He couldn't just run to the sand when he wanted anymore; he had to take care of a baby and a clan.

Today, like every other day, he was lying on his back watching the clouds. He was thinking about a certain blonde haired woman. No, not Ino. Her name started with a T. He hadn't seen her in such a long time. A part of him was annoyed that she hadn't come to visit Konoha since she was the Sunese ambassador. But he was being quite hypocritical. He wasn't any better. He hadn't accepted any missions to the Sand in the past year. He was quite miserable that Temari hadn't come to see him after hearing about Shikaku's death. He thought she would. After all, she had rushed to Konoha after hearing about Asuma's death. He remembered that moment pretty vividly. He had never seen the troublesome woman so worked up before.

Every month Konoha and Suna exchanged a report on the military strength of their respective village and the progress of the alliance, whether the general public opinion leant towards being for the alliance or against it. In one of such reports, written by the infamous Kakashi Hatake, there was one part that caught Gaara's eye. It took a lot to interest Gaara;

Name: Shikamaru Nara (Chuunin)

Status: Alive

Mission: (Initiated by Shikamaru Nara) Track down Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu.

Brief: Plan to defeat both Akatsuki members formulated by Shikamaru Nara. Hidan defeated by Shikamaru Nara without help. Read [In Depth:] for details on Shikamaru Nara's role.

Team: Chouji Akimichi (Chuunin), Ino Yamanaka (Chuunin), Shikamaru Nara (Chuunin), Kakashi Hatake (Jounin). [Backup] Naruto Uzumaki (Genin), Sai (Anbu), Sakura Haruno (Chuunin), Yamato (Anbu)

The Kazekage was utterly bewildered by the mission report. It said that Shikamaru had initiated and thought of the entire plan to kill two Akatsuki members. On top of that, he had killed one of them by himself. Gaara was impressed. He hardly gave credit but awarded it when someone deserved it. He felt a slight bit of awe for the Chuunin. It had only been a few months since he was killed by the Akatsuki. Needless to say, Gaara now had a high amount of respect for the Chuunin. He immediately sent for Temari.

Instead of entering through the door, like normal people (she wasn't normal in any way), she blew open the windows with her powerful fan and jumped into Gaara's office. He didn't even have to look up from the flying papers on his desk too know that the wind mistress had entered.

"You called Otouto?"

"Temari… Can't you enter through the front doors?" said Gaara with a tinge of hope.

"No. I like making an entrance," replied Temari. She proceeded to sit down on his desk and take the mission report.

"Konoha's monthly report. You want me to read it?"

"Page 22 Sub Section 8A. That should perk your interest," replied Gaara with an unusual smirk on his face. Now Temari was interested. She flipped through the pages and skimmed through Sub Section 8A. With every passing moment, her eyes grew larger and larger in disbelief. Consequently, she slammed the report down and cursed under her breath. Despite the fact that Kakashi was there with them, it was absolutely mad to take on two Akatsuki members. She was especially alert after Gaara's death.

"The report says that they're all alive except for his sensei. But how the hell did Shikamaru manage to defeat one by himself?!" she exclaimed, her face turning ashen.

"We all know that he's exceptionally intelligent. He is indeed a worthy opponent in battle. He managed to defeat a member of the organisation that killed me and poisoned Kankurou."

"Gaara… I have a mission to the leaf in a week. I'm going now instead," Temari stated as she moved towards the window.

"Why are you going to Konoha?" asked Gaara in a naive voice, after all, he was new to the whole 'human relationship' part of socializing; which basically meant he was new to the whole 'socializing' concept.

Temari sighed. "Shikamaru just dealt with an Akatsuki member and his Sensei's death. I can't believe he did something so rash! I have to go make sure that the crybaby is alright."

"Why?"

"Because he's my close friend Gaara and friends look out for friends."

"I know that… But that doesn't mean I'm going to meet Naruto. I know he's fine even though he took on an Akatsuki member," replied Gaara unknowingly.

"Look. Shikamaru is unexpectedly fragile. I have to make sure he isn't crying," Temari said with a smirk.

"Why would he be crying?" asked Gaara with a disbelieving look on his face, raising a nonexistent eyebrow.

"Oh… He cries." She left thirty minutes later and arrived in Konoha after two days, not stopping to sleep. She found Shikamaru peacefully resting at his favourite cloud watching spot. He woke up, with a start, to sense a large known chakra plummeting towards him at a rapid speed. She swung her fan out at him only to be caught in his shadow possession. He gave her his typical lazy smirk.

"Yo, troublesome woman," he started

"What the hell is wrong with you crybaby? You went after an Akatsuki member? What if you were killed!" she yelled.

"…. I'm not dead, am I?"

"No! But what if you had died?!"

Shikamaru smirked. "Then you would have cried and missed me."

"You wish! Gaara was killed and Kankurou almost died because of them. How irrational can you get?" she screamed.

Shikamaru put one finger in his ear. "Tsk woman. Stop yelling. You're hurting my head."

Temari was seething with rage by then. If she wasn't possessed by his jutsu then she would have whacked him across his head.

"Release your jutsu!"

"Do you promise not to hit me?" asked Shikamaru. A smile graced Temari's lips.

"Of course, I promise Shikamaru. Now let me go," she promised sweetly. He released the jutsu. She whacked him on the head with her fan.

"OW. Woman you promised!" Shikamaru complained.

"Baka. Don't run off like that. Next time, send for me," she said as she sat down beside him.

"I needed to do it Temari. They killed my Sensei," he replied as a tough look encompassed his face. "Plus, it's too much of a drag to die." She laughed heartily and closed her eyes as Shikamaru continued to watch the clouds.

After a few minutes, Shikamaru angled his face towards her shoulder and buried his face in it. He let out a few sobs and burst into tears. Temari didn't say anything, she just ran her hands through his hair. It was distressing to hear him. It made her want to cry as well, but she refused to give in to her emotions. They didn't speak about that moment afterwards but they grew irrefutably grew closer.

After that, Shikamaru worked harder towards becoming a Jounin. He couldn't let Temari be ahead of him.

During the war, he was relieved that he was put in the same division as Chouji and Temari. Both of them knew his jutsus and strengths inside out. He could also keep a watch on Temari, make sure she wasn't pushing herself like she always did.

She was the bold, brash, egoistic one while Shikamaru was the calm, mellow, laid back one.

Perhaps he refused to acknowledge it, but ever since that moment, Temari played an important part in his life. He desperately yearned to see her. Whenever he thought about her, there was a throbbing ache in his stomach. Sometimes, he even saw her teal orbs and rough blonde hair in his dreams (when he managed to sleep). Slowly, he was becoming quite insane.