Summary: This is an AU. Chronicles Temari's life up to a point. Will it end without Shikamaru?
Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto
Rating: K+
Then, Now and Always
When Temari was 5, she lost her mother. She basically grew up with her two younger brothers, Kankuro and Gaara. Their father was a workaholic and was always away on business in Suna while they stayed on in Konoha. The three learned how to fend for themselves early.
"Temmy, the other kids won't play with me," Gaara hiccupped.
"Gaara, some kids don't like sands being thrown at them," Temari explained in an almost adult-like voice.
"But Temmy, you and Kankuro don't seem to mind," stated Gaara.
"That's 'cause we don't want to be scolded by dad, if you have a tantrum," Kankuro explained.
"Yeah, and anyway you're scary when you do," Temari added.
When Temari was 10, she realized she was not like her brothers. That she was actually a girl. But the other girls in school were weird. They spent lots of time doing their hair and painting their lips with pink gloss. Temari tried the hair styling and came out with a unique hairdo- -four ponytails. And the pink gloss was okay but she tended to lick it off instead. She never learned how to be subtle as the other girls and she was still prone to be loud and blunt.
"What are you staring at?" Temari asked the two girls who she caught staring.
"Anou, your hair it's beautiful," the shy girl with blue-black hair said.
"But, it looks a bit weird," said the other girl. "Shouldn't you just tie it in two or just one?"
"Whadaya care? I like it this way." Temari shrugged.
When Temari was 15, she met some lazyass named Shikamaru. Shikamaru was younger by 2 years and was so laid-back the first time they met, he ignited Temari's ire. Temari was carrying a lot of materials for a school project when she eyed a boy with spiked ponytailed hair going her way. She called his attention –loudly, but the boy ignored her. Of course, Temari thought it was because she hollered instead of the way the other girls asked prettily, that turned-off the boy from helping her. Temari had put down her numerous school project materials and stalked the boy. The boy actually entered her classroom. So it was the new transfer student who was a genius, he skipped several grades. Temari grabbed the boy's hand and dragged him out where she left her school project. The boy murmured, "Tch."
"You! Carry this and this" Temari asked the boy unsweetly. Before a female classmate had already attempted to teach her how to ask and talk nicely. But Temari already tried that when she hollered a while back, "Hey you, I need some help" and was ignored.
The small eyed boy just eyed the Styrofoams and paint, and said, "Why?"
"It's called helping" Temari remarked while carrying some of the load. She left the boy with the rest. Shikamaru picked up the Styrofoam and the can of paint while murmuring something.
"What that you said?" Temari inquired after turning her head to raise her brow at Shikamaru.
"I said it's troublesome."
Temari glared, "I bet it would be no trouble if the other girls ask you?"
Shikamaru placed his pinkie inside his left ear and complained, "you're too loud."
"And you're...you're short! Yeah, short!"
"Woman! I'm just short because you're a giant!"
"Yeah. I'm a giant, and I'm gonna squish you if you don't move it."
"Troublesome woman."
When Temari was 16, she was not a giant anymore. She still hanged with her brothers but sometimes she also hanged with Shikamaru.
"My name's Nara Shikamaru by the way. I would extend my hand but as you can see I'm carrying your can of paint."
"I know your name"
"Well, yeah but I don't know yours"
"It's Temari"
When Temari was 17, she got irritated with Shikamaru. The boy was sooo slow and for a genius he couldn't very well read signs.
"Now, you're taller than me." Temari looked up since Shikamaru was now a good 3 inches taller than her.
"Tch, now you're the midget," Shikamaru stated with his usual expressionless face.
"What did you say?" Temari asked, a dangerous frown developing on her forehead.
"I said you're cute," Shikamaru remarked still wearing his expressionless face.
Temari felt her face get slightly warm. "Ass, I—I'm not cute!" and whacked Shikamaru on the head with her hand-held fan.
"Ouch," Shikamaru rubbed his head. "What you did that for woman?"
"For calling me cute! I'm not cute. I'm—I'm lethal and I kick ass."
"Whatever"
Temari glowered at Shikamaru.
At 17, Temari had taken matters on her own hands. After all in less than a year, they could go their separate ways.
"So, do you like me or not?" Temari looked at her reflection in the mirror. She felt stupid and embarrassed talking to her own reflection. But it was nothing compared to what happened this morning. She saw Shikamaru, talking to Ino. Well, she did not really eavesdropped but it may look like that to others but thank God nobody saw that she was actually amongst the shrubs. She liked plants. She was just admiring one when the two passed and stopped in front of the area where she was quite hidden by the leafy things. She would have called their attention but when she heard what they were talking about, she shut her lip and just... eavesdropped.
"Shikamaru, wait" Ino called in her girly voice.
"What?" Shikamaru with his usual bored voice.
"Well, I'm just wondering – we just noticed that— by we I mean me and Sakura that well—"
"Well, what?"
"Are you and Temari going out?"
There was a slightly long pause then Shikamaru asked, "Who told you that?"
"Well, we just noticed and I discussed it with Hinata and Matsuri. They said the same thing that you two are always together"
"Tch, troublesome" Shikamaru's right hand went to his nape and said "you girls, obviously have nothing better to do." Shikamaru mumbled another "tch," turned around and walked away.
Ino shouted "You did not answer the question!"
Shikamaru with his back still towards Ino just waved his right hand in goodbye then he inserted both of his hands inside his pockets while walking farther away.
Temari was rooted on the spot. She waited for Ino to go away before she stood and brushed the knees of her jeans. All the while Ino's parting shot "You did not answer the question!" reverberated in her head.
Yeah at 17, Temari had accomplished a lot of things.
Temari called Shikamaru on the phone "Hey, lazyass could you meet me at my house tonight at around seven?"
"Why?" Shikamaru sounded like he was blocking a yawn.
"I have something to tell you, that's all. "
"If you have something to tell me, that's all, why not just say it?"
Temari removed the handpiece from her ear and glared at it. Honestly the boy is so lazy. "Shikamaru, my place is just ten minutes walk away from yours."
"Then why not go to my place instead?" Shikamaru sounded bored.
"Lazyass, I prepared something here."
"Then bring it here"
"No! I won't carry the utensils, the tablecloth, the candl—Shit! Listen just move your lazy ass here"
"Why would you need utensils, tablecloth and candies, Tem? Do you need to do some weird project again?"
The boy is a genius. The boy is a genius. The boy is a- oh heck! "For someone who got a reputation for being a genius, you sure are stupid! I prepared us dinner. But you go and ruined it by being your lazy self. I slaved myself preparing it so I could tell you I like you but you can't be bothered to-"
"Gotcha" Shikamaru's soft voice had cut in Temari's diatribe.
"What did you say?" Temari was still fuming and did not get what Shikamaru just said.
"I said 'gotcha'" Shikamaru's voice sounded like it carried a smile "Ok, expect me to be there in ten minutes."
"Hey, don't put down the receiver just yet! Di—did you just plan what happened?"
"Yes. Bye. See you in a while."
When Temari was 18, she had her first heartbreak. Nobody saw it though. She even grinned as she waved goodbye to Shikamaru. Temari went back to Suna to take business administration while Shikamaru stayed on Konoha to take an engineering course. They promised to email and call each other. But Temari was sure that her lazy ass boyfriend would balk at the effort.
"Lazyass, if you don't contact me you're dead."
"Tch, troublesome. I will call, I promise."
At 18, Temari learned how to trust another person's promise.
Temari at 20 years old, had seen Shikamaru only four times since she went back to Suna. They argued and argued over the phone, over the emails, over the webcam and over the four times they actually saw each other.
"Who is that guy?" Shikamaru asked while eyeing the back of the boy who was walking away with his dog.
"Kiba," Temari answered.
"What did he want?" Shikamaru sounded bored but his eyes were alert and focused on Temari's face.
Temari stared at Shikamaru. "Me" Temari grinned.
Shikamaru with his slit eyes glared at Temari, "Woman, he can't have you."
"And why not?" Temari was getting good with this kind of flirting. She smiled.
"Because you're mine," Shikamaru stated. The edge in his voice disappeared.
At 23 years of age, Temari had her first job interview at her father's company. It was just a formality. She was hired and she started at a junior position. Other employees talked behind her back because of who her father was and because she was downright bossy for a junior executive and because of the type of person she entertained.
"Ma'am, someone is looking for you" Temari's assistant said.
"Does he or she have an appointment?" Temari did not lift her head from the stacks of papers she was reading.
"Actually, ma'am he doesn't" the assistant answered nervously.
"Then why don't you do your job so I can do mine" Temari then lifted her head and kind of glared at her assistant.
"I—he said you would let him see you if I told you his name. I—I said I doubt it since he looks like a starving artist, you know with his hair tied up that way and his earrings" The assistant gestured at her head and ear to emphasize her point.
"You mean Shika's here?" Temari stood up and went out of her office to the reception area leaving her assistant to follow her.
Shikamaru slowly rose from lounging on the chair while Temari walked briskly towards his side.
"Lazyass, you could have at least told me!" Temari admonished with her hands on her hips.
"Woman, the least you could do is greet me better than that" Shikamaru complained.
"Serves you right for dropping by without warning" Temari glowered still.
"Come here"
"No"
"Woman, come here"
Temari closed that one foot of space between them and hugged Shikamaru "I missed you."
"I know. I miss you too."
Temari lifted her face from Shikamaru's chest. "How long are you going to be here?"
"A week, two weeks...possibly longer than that" Shikamaru smirked.
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Tch, I just decided to accept the job offer that's closest to your office that's all"
At 26 years of age Temari was engaged and at 27, married.
"So how long are you and your boyfriend been dating?" Tenten, an officemate asked.
"Nine years" Temari answered.
"Wow, that long?" Tenten appeared like a cross between amazed and disconcerted.
"Yeah" Temari agreed. She didn't like talking about her private life but they were currently at party and they had used up all their small talk topics.
"Are you sure he's not some sort of a habit you should have outgrown by now?" Tenten sipped her drink and missed Temari's poisonous glare.
"I'm not some kind of slut like you that changes her man as often as she changes her wardrobe."
Tenten sputtered on her drink "What? Where did that come from? I only commented on your stagnant lovelife."
"My lovelife is not stagnant!" Temari's voice had risen.
"It is if you are dating for nine years and I don't see any ring!" Tenten not to be outdone raised her voice as well.
The other guest surreptitiously watched them. Temari turned her head and glared at them causing nervous laughter to erupt. Temari removed the glass from Tenten's hand and dragged her outside.
"Why do you care if I'm wearing a ring or not? It's not like we are in a hurry to settle down," Temari hissed.
"Well, I just thought that if I were you I'd better hurry" Tenten smiled playfully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Temari asked pissed.
"Your boyfriend is hot."
Temari laughed "Shikamaru is not as you say it, hot."
Tenten continued her playful smile "A lot you know."
"He's lazy. He complains a lot that everything is troublesome."
"And maybe he is like that towards you since he is bored with you. After all nine years is such a very long time."
"Shikamaru's been that way for years" Temari noticed Tenten groaned. Temari then asserted defensively "Shikamaru is like that even before I met him!"
"Alright if you say so... But if you two break up, don't be too shocked, ok." Tenten remarked.
So at 26, Temari broke up with Shikamaru.
"What do you mean you're breaking up with me?" Shikamaru asked, just a slight frown marred his otherwise emotionless face.
"Just that" Temari shrugged.
"'Just that' is not a reason, Temari" Shikamaru remarked calmly.
"Well, that's the best I could give you"
Shikamaru brushed his hair backwards with his right hand "I'm going to need a better excuse than that."
"There's no need dragging this, Shikamaru. I go my way, you go yours. Simple"
"Woman, there's no simple about this. You just don't announce out of the blue, we're through!" Shikamaru said through clenched teeth.
"My, my Shika, finally showing some emotions are you" Temari goaded Shikamaru.
"You're troublesome" Shikamaru almost snapped, eying Temari.
"Right, that's all you say. I'm troublesome this. Troublesome that" Temari's voice had risen a bit in her indignation.
"That's because you are!" Shikamaru's voice went up too.
"Jerk!" Temari shouted.
"Bossy woman!" Shikamaru shouted too.
"Bastard!" Not to be outdone, Temari screamed.
"Ok. That's it. I have been holding this for days now, waiting for that perfect moment but obviously there won't be" Shikamaru declared with a slight edge to his voice while taking out from his pocket a small black box and carelessly placing it on the table. "Here. Keep it. I have no use for it anyway"
"What –" Temari cleared her voice "What is it?"
Shikamaru sneered, "The sign of my stupidity. You have been calling me stupid for years anyway so why don't you keep it."
"Is that an engagement ring?" Temari asked, her lips twitching.
"Yes" Shikamaru heard the laughter in Temari's voice "What?"
"For a genius, you're so stupid" Temari openly grinned. She bent down towards the table to pick up the box. She opened the lid and then gave a tiny gasp.
"So you like it?" Shikamaru questioned with his usual bored voice.
"Yes" Temari slipped the ring on her ring finger and admired it. "Just so you know, you can't change your mind."
"I might want to change my mind but I'm sure I won't" Shikamaru murmured before grabbing Temari and kissing her punishingly.
When Temari was 28 years old, her daughter was born. Then at 31, her son was next.
Today, is Temari's 35th birthday. Her children are growing up fast. She's alive and able to take care of them. Her husband is the opposite of workaholic. Temari is secretly glad of this. No need to tell the lazyass though that it's okay for him to be lazy.
As a family they usually go on picnics wherein Shikamaru would teach the children how to laze around watching the sky. Temari and her brothers would berate Shikamaru about this but Shikamaru would just shrug. But truth be told Temari's brothers are as bad, spoiling the children.
The family would also travel to Konoha to visit the children's grandparents. Her children between her and Shikamaru, their uncles and grandparents have a life so unlike her own.
Not everything is perfect though. She and Shikamaru would still argue-a lot and call each other names. But still Temari is way happier now than she has ever been.
Fin.
10/28/10
~5/20/11~