Disclaimer: Oh, I wish I owned Temari and Shikamaru. But, sadly I do not...
Nicotine
Shikamaru stood in the shadows under the trees, embers on the end of his cigarette glowing as he took another drag. He was watching the gates of Konoha, waiting. He had stunned his family by rising early that morning, heading out to the gates. He had someone to meet.
Finally, the gates opened, and a kunoichi stepped through. To say Shikamaru jumped to attention at the sight of those sandy blonde pigtails would be an exaggeration, but he certainly stood a little straighter and no longer looked like he was on the edge of falling asleep.
This time her mission was to deliver a message to the Hokage. It didn't exactly require a jōnin, but by now the Kazekage knew his sister would jump on any mission that let her go to Konoha. As usual, Shikamaru's mission was to escort the diplomat about the village, although by now she knew her way around like a native.
Sometimes Shikamaru wondered what happened to his life. He was supposed to have a simple life. He had always planned on leading a moderately successful career as ninja, marry an ordinary girl, have a couple kids, and eventually spend his retirement playing shogi and go. That was the plan, until a certain windstorm blew in from Suna. Yes, Temari had completely hijacked his life.
She was troublesome, but Shikamaru couldn't stop. The next week would pass by in a blur of sparring and strategy games. Some of which would inevitably end in an entirely different game, tangled up in his sheets.
But it only ever lasted a week, two at the most. They could never justify her staying any longer than that. So she would leave, and Shikamaru would be left behind.
Sometimes he was angry with her, for hijacking his life, for making him miss her when she was gone. It turned his simple life on its head. Her love was a drag.
Choji had once asked him why he kept seeing her if it hurt so much. He hadn't been able to come up with an adequate response. He could never bear to tell her not to come back, or to show herself around the village. He needed her. Temari's love was a drag, yes, but he needed it so badly.
Shikamaru dropped his cigarette, twisting his heel over it, snuffing out the flame before going to greet the most troublesome woman in his world. The truth was, she was addicting. Shikamaru couldn't get enough of her. Temari was worse than nicotine.
AN: Behold my OTP! I was half listening to Pandora and only really started paying attention when I heard "Your love's a f***ing drag" So I listened to the song again, and fell in love with it. You get an internet cookie if you figured out what song it was while you were reading the story. It's Nicotine by Panic! at the Disco. Great song, hopefully decent story. Review?
