10 Words

In response to Lollipop-Mania

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This is using the 10 prompts that Lollipop-Mania suggested. Thank you Lollipop-Mania for the wonderful stories you write and the great ideas you bring to life! So glad to see chibiver post her response as well.

I apologize that I probably went over on a couple of these.

10. Proposal

"Nara men have a tendency to marry bossy, troublesome women," he commented as they looked up into the night sky from his favorite hill.

Temari gave him an odd look but didn't say anything.

"You're bossy and very troublesome," he stated still looking towards the stars.

"Is that your idea of a proposal?" Temari laughed after letting him sit in silence for a few moments.

Shikamaru placed a small box on the ground between them as he shrugged finally looking into her emerald eyes, "Yeah, it is."

The blonde smiled, "Well, your lazy ass can at least open the box and put the ring on my finger then."

9. Shogi

Shikamaru continued to sit and stare at the shogi board. Temari sat across from him with her arms crossed, drumming her fingers impatiently. Shikaku and Yoshino were on the couch not far from the couple. Shikaku sat on the end closest to the pair, rubbing Yoshino's feet while sneaking glances towards the board. Yoshino was lying across the couch, feet propped up in her husband's lap, reading a book. She too kept peeking out from her book at the duo.

Shikamaru actually put his hands down into his deep thought position as he continued to intently stare at the board. Temari let a small grin creep onto her lips. Fifteen more minutes passed and Shikamaru's face began to wear an expression of disbelief. He began to glare at the board as if it had wronged him somehow as he continued to play out multiple moves in his head which still ended with the same result. The young Nara's face changed to frustration while Temari's expression began to change to one of triumph. Shikamaru placed his palms down on each side of the board and lowered his head closer to the pieces to look at every position as if there had to be something he was overlooking.

"How," Shikamaru growled as he glared at Temari. The blonde was positively beaming now with a smile from ear to ear. The young Nara caught the smiles on his parents' faces out of the corner of his eye and turned to leer at them. His eyes widened as he looked specifically at his father. "You," he said with a quiet and dangerous tone narrowing his eyes to slits.

"I," answered Shikaku, "gave lessons to someone who was eager to learn."

8. Sweat

"Blade dance!" Temari yelled as she swung her fan.

Shikamaru side stepped the blast with his hands still in his pockets. He brought one hand up to cover a yawn as he stood waiting for the next attack. The Nara was trying to appear bored, but the sweat pouring off of him proved he was actually putting forth more effort than he wanted it to seem.

"What kind of training is this?" Temari grumbled breathing heavily which only caused Shikamaru to smirk. The blonde's skin glistened in the sunlight since she had made sure there was no shade on the training ground for him to use.

"Why don't we do taijutsu?" he suggested. Temari knew he was setting her up for something, but at this point she was game for whatever Shikamaru thought he was going to pull.

"What are you Rock Lee now?" she grinned throwing her fan to the ground and motioning to 'come and get it'.

Shikamaru openly smiled back as he disappeared only to reappear behind the blonde throwing a kick at her knees. Temari jumped over it and countered with a shuto aimed for his neck. The Nara grabbed her hand, did a wrist lock, and was about to throw her; but Temari did a somersault and wrenched her hand free in the process. The two began to strike and shield back and forth in what looked like an intricate dance. This went on for ten minutes until the kunoichi started to get the upper hand by finally landing a couple blows. The Nara quickly did hand seals and directed the combination of his and Temari's shadows to come up from the ground and pull her down flat on her back. He had the shadows hold her down as his body collapsed on top of hers to immobilize her further.

"Have I ever told you how ridiculously sexy you are when you're all hot and sweaty?" he whispered in her ear trying to catch his breath.

"Ahh, so this wasn't training," the blonde smiled up at him as she panted. "This was foreplay."

7. Smiles

"We need to talk," Kankuro spoke in a low menacing voice lowering his face in front of the genius.

"Leave him alone," Temari weakly spoke opening her eyes to plead with her brothers as Sakura healed her.

Gaara crossed his arms and locked eyes with the young Nara, "How long?"

"Since Valentine's Day," Shikamaru answered unflinchingly.

"Nine months?" the Kazekage asked, his eyes flicking to Temari who nodded her head in agreement.

"Why didn't you tell us?" the red head asked Temari looking hurt.

"I didn't want to jeopardize your position as Kazekage," the blonde softly said as Shikamaru motioned for her to stop trying to talk.

"She felt members of your council would see her and I being together as too large an influence over you as far as Konoha is concerned," the genius explained as he patted her arm reassuringly.

Gaara quietly stood there, his face slowly contorting into a grin, progressing to laughter.

"You can make your relationship public knowledge after tomorrow," the Kazekage said after regaining his composure. "I am announcing my betrothal to Hinata Hyuga at noon."

Temari smiled at her little brother's laughter and happiness. The kunoichi then looked to Shikamaru with that eye squinting genuine smile only he seemed to get from her. The Nara gave a smile of relief, until he heard the clicking sound of puppets.

6. Heart

His heart was pounding in his chest so fast it felt as though it would burst. He heard the cries of his team mates behind him telling him to wait, that it was too dangerous. Shikamaru didn't care. He sensed two people were keeping up with him and that would be all he needed. He sensed her fading chakra just ahead to the right as he motioned the other two to split up and flank the three shinobi that were torturing her.

He recklessly charged into the clearing to see that one of the shinobi was preparing to violate her. The roar that came from him was inhuman as he weaved hand seals, still running towards the group. The shadows sprang forth from the ground and ripped the man into two with more violence than Shikamaru knew he was capable of. The enemy to the right was being encased in sand as the one on the left was entombed in a puppet.

"Sand Burial" spoke a soft monotone voice.

"Black Secret Technique Machine One Shot" barked a gruff one.

Shikamaru fell to the ground and scooped Temari up in his arms. She was limp with her eyes closed. 'No, this can't be happening' he screamed in his head. He could no longer sense her chakra so he desperately put his ear to her chest. There it was; the most wonderful sound that he would never take for granted again. The heartbeat of the woman he loved.

5. Cunnilingus

That mouth.

Shikamaru hated it. Temari's sharp tongue could cut him to the core in ways that no one else could.

But, when that mouth was used for kissing him he suddenly didn't mind it so much.

Until the words came again.

"Give and you shall receive," the blonde had taunted.

It was a challenge to see who could please the other more. 'This could be a fun game,' thought the Nara. He enjoyed seeing her in the throes of passion, then begging him to stop as he pushed her beyond her boundaries.

Then Shikamaru learned a whole new use she had for that mouth. She made him thank the heavens for having such a competitive, creative, and tenacious girlfriend. He made a mental note to make sure this competition continued for as long as possible.

4. Walking

They weren't the type to hold hands or publicly display their affection. Actually they had a tendency to deny they were even involved to most. There was something though, something everyone could see. The way they walked together, deliberately with space between them as to not cause tongues to wag, but looking like they belonged to one another. If you saw one without the other, there would be this sense that something was missing. The two completed one another somehow and it was obvious to all who saw them walking through the streets of Konoha or Suna together.

3. Breath

Shikamaru was lying in his secret spot watching clouds when he heard the familiar footsteps walk up. She didn't say anything, which was unusual. Surely some snarky comment was coming at any moment. He watched Temari lay her fan down on the grass out of the corner of his eye as she sat down beside him. He closed his eyes waiting for the upcoming banter, but was surprised when he felt her body press up against his. Shikamaru instinctively wrapped his arms around the blonde as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. She turned toward him and kissed his neck lightly as she draped her arm over his chest. She was exhausted and fell asleep quickly. The quiet warmth of her body was a pleasant surprise that seemed to make the day absolutely perfect. The feel of her steady breath against his neck was like heaven.

2. Argument

"Why did you come then?" Temari shouted.

"Why do you think I came?" Shikamaru questioned back looking bored.

"I thought you were finally going to fight me again!" Temari growled as she threw her fan on the ground out of frustration. The blonde stormed up to yell in his face, "You know how badly I have wanted a rematch. I can so kick your ass now, crybaby!"

"That's not why I came," he smirked as the kunoichi began shaking with frustration now.

"Then why?" she screamed as she balled her hands into fists at her side, her face dangerously close to his.

Shikamaru smiled which only infuriated her more. The next thing Temari knew he had one arm around her waist and his other hand behind her head as he dipped her towards the ground bringing his face even closer to hers. "I've never done anything for Valentine's Day either," he whispered as he brought his lips to hers. Shikamaru felt her arms wrap around his neck as she began to kiss him back with more enthusiasm than he would have dreamed.

1. Valentine's Day

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Temari asked. Shikamaru noticed the brief dilation of her eyes for only a second. If he had blinked he would have missed it. She had also altered her breathing pattern trying to remain calm.

"Nothing, how about you?" the genius asked seeing how far she would go.

Temari shook her head from side to side. "I'll probably just end up training alone as usual," she sighed.

"You've never done anything for Valentine's Day?" Shikamaru asked surprised.

The blonde laughed, "No. My annual tradition is to disappear and train somewhere secluded so I don't have to see the mushy crap all day long."

"Ah," he responded nodding his head as he stood to head home. 'The man should make the first move anyway,' the Nara thought. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then," he said watching her out of his peripheral vision. She looked dumbfounded for a moment and then smiled.

"Tomorrow then," Temari nodded.