this fic is based off my other fic "Music Box." This is the long and detailed version of their relationship and will consist of the letters they wrote rto each other. Only the first and last chapters will be in the format below. I hope you all enjoy!

Letters

Prologue

Temari looked at the scroll in her hands as she slowly walked down the streets of Konoha. She couldn't believe it. All this time here, all the friends she made, all the fun times. Soon to be gone. Just like that. How, why did her brother did this to her? He knows she loves Konoha! Was she really needed elsewhere?

The sand-kunochi sighed and stopped walking, tilting her head back. The clouds were nice today. She would miss those clouds…

"Oi woman!"

Her head snapped down, her mask on. "I'm coming. And don't call me woman!" She snapped at, what she considered to be, her best friend.

Nara Shikamaru was standing in front of the small café that Temari had picked out for lunch that day. It was a nice place for quiet talk and a good game of chess. Chess had become quite popular in Suna and Temari knew that Shikamaru would be intrigued by the variation of his favorite game and bought him a set for his recently passed 17th birthday. Temari walked up to him and inwardly giggled at the smug look on his face with the chess box tucked underneath his arm, both hands in his pockets. She always thought his face resembled a dogs and even more so when his visage was smug.

He wordlessly opened the door and she followed him to their usual corner. He went and ordered while she set up the board. Usually she was quick about it, eager to begin the game. Today however, she placed each piece down slowly, as if she would never see them again. She set up her marble black pieces first but hesitated when she took a white pawn in her fingers. She set it gently down and followed suite for the rest of the pawns. Then the rooks in the corners, the knights on either side, then the bishops, and she held onto the king and queen.

She gave a start when she saw a black sleeve move along the other side. Shikamaru had finished ordering and sat back down and was fingering the side of the board reverently. He looked up at her and she placed the white queen down and then the king to the right of the queen.

She saw that he had brought her a drink and she took a sip. Ahh, green tea. Her favorite. She sipped it quietly waiting for him to move. He however was watching the board, fingering his queen as he thought.

"You go first." He said which took her by surprise. The whole reason that he was white was so that she could play off of him. It gave her a small advantage when he went first, he knew that.

"No. You're white." She said shaking her head and he frowned.

"I'm tired of going first."

"I'm not going." She snapped and regretted it. She didn't mean to come off harshly. The scroll was troubling her greatly. She couldn't imagine not playing chess or shogi with him anymore.

"Don't assume that just because you go second that you have an advantage. You don't know what the outcome may be and it could be something completely different than what you expected." He said gently, surprising her. She had expected him to frown and make a comment back to her which would cause her to get angry and then the whole afternoon would be spoiled.

Temari set her tea down as he went to get their orders. She took the knight on the right side and promptly placed it forward and sat back in her chair confidently. His words had helped her get over her brothers words for the moment. She was going to win this match or come close to it. When he came back with their lunch, he saw her and smirked.

"It's about time you're ready to play."

And she smirked back.

"Aw man! I was so close! Oh well." Temari leaned back stretching her arms after lying her king flat on the board.

"It was a good game." Shikamaru said and then added as an after thought "A close game. I thought you were doing one thing but you were really doing another. I figured it out though just in time."

"I know! That was so frustrating!" Temari agreed as she put the pieces back in the box.

"Well you have next week to try again." He said and she froze for a second before putting a fake smile on.

"Yeah, I know. And I'll kick your but then!" She got up and put their cups in the designated place, but not without seeing the frown on her friends face.

He took care of the rest of the trash and held the door for her as they exited the café. The walked along the streets in silence until Shikamaru spoke up.

"Wanna go to the waterfall?"

The waterfall he was referring to was smaller than the larger one where women bathed. It was more secluded, perfect for thinking and coincidentally, cloud watching.

"Sure." She shrugged but before they took off a glint in the sun caught her eye.

"Music boxes! Handmade music boxes! Perfect for little girls!" the vender yelled somewhat loudly; his age prevented him from calling as loudly as the usual vendors.

She walked over to the table interested and she felt Shikamaru follow her. The old man smiled as she walked up and scanned her eyes over the boxes.

"Ah, Lovely Lady of Suna, would these interest you? They carry designs and songs from your land." He gestured toward the right side of the table. They all had intricate designs with gems and rhinestones embedded in them. She eyed them all when she saw the old man smile out of the corner of her eye.

"Lovely Lady, it seems you are a simple woman. Perhaps this box would appeal to your liking?"

The old man pulled out a wide dark mahogany box. She took it from him and set it down on the table gently. She traced her fingers over the Eucharis Lily, inlaid with purple stones. She opened the top gently and gasped as the music chimed.

"What is it?" she heard Shikamaru ask from behind her and she turned to him, a wistful smile on her face.

"My mother used to sing this lullaby to me after I had a bad dream or if there was a thunderstorm. That's what father told me. I know that that's the one thing that's true though because I do recognize this song." She said softly.

She closed the lid and handed it back to the old man. "Thank you."

"No problem Lovely Lady of Suna. I shall be there soon if you are interested." He said bowing with his head slightly.

"I will be sure to look for you." She said politely back, bowing slightly. She walked a bit of a distance before turned to her male friend and nodding at him. In a flash, they disappeared, heading toward the forests.

Temari laid down on her back, looking up at the clouds. She closed her eyes as the soothing rush of the waterfall calmed the tensions in her body. She felt a tingling sensation in the fingertips of her right hand and she smiled. It was a teasing game they played, a touch here and there, never mentioned and never discussed.

She more over, she found their game to be comforting. To her, it was a sign he cared about her enough to bother with her, something she was always afraid of. She sometimes pondered on whether or not he considered her a friend but times like these reassured her.

"So what's wrong?" he asked. His finger tips stopped playing with hers and they intertwined with her hand. She blushed at the motion but kept silent and handed him the scroll.

She felt his soft warm hand leave hers and she heard him sit up and the scratching of the scroll unrolling.

"I see." He said quietly. Temari turned to look at him was surprised by the sorrowful expression on his visage. She sat up, biting her lip. She had no idea what to say. Letting out a single word might let out the waterfalls threatening her eyes.

He rolled up the scroll slowly, in thought. What could he be thinking about? A way to change the order? Was that even possible for him? He set the scroll on the other side of him away from her and turned to her, a small smile on his face.

"You liked the music boxes?"

Temari was surprised by the sudden question and nodded. "I've always wanted one. Father never let me have one. He said it was too girly for me and that I shouldn't waste my time on such trivial objects."

Shikamaru didn't say anything but rested his chin on his knee. She laid back down and closed her eyes. Her father… she decided that today was an angsty day just before she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Had she fallen asleep a minute later, she would have felt lips gently brush her cheek.

The week passed to quickly for Temari. Never in her life had she wanted to slow time down so badly. Why though? Why did she want to hold on to every image, every touch, every sound her lazy friend made? Perhaps she had fallen for him but her mind was too concentrated on focusing on grabbing what little of him she had to carry with her.

They played chess, shogi, go, did jigsaw puzzles, sparred and they basically anything and everything together. She spent some time with her girlfriends in Konoha, Ino, Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata but it wasn't the same as being with Shikamaru. They were equals. Their thought processes were the same, even if it took her a bit longer than him, their morals were the same, the way the regarded the world, life, and family.

So when she was standing at their waterfall spot the evening before she had to leave, she couldn't help the tears that fell as she hugged him goodbye. She felt as though she was losing a part of herself. Who would entertain her when she was in other villages? Who would pretend he didn't want to be around her but took her out to dinner nonetheless? Who would listen and console her as she complained and spilled her latest troubles?

She usually wasn't one to cry but she figured she was allowed to be a Crybaby once and a while when it mattered. This defiantly mattered. Half of the rain on her cheeks was from the thought of not seeing him but the other was from his actions. Shikamaru had avoided her leaving until that night and had never brought it up. Every time the subject came close or when she mentioned it, he always turned away from her, somber.

"Shikamaru, will you miss me?" She asked quietly, her head buried in his neck. She let a soft gasp escape as she felt his arms around her tighten.

"Yes." He whispered hoarsely and she thought he was going to cry too. She didn't feel the tears stain the cloth on her shoulder but she figured there should only be one Crybaby this night.

They stood there awhile, taking in the other's presence before finally sitting down. He held her in his arms as they stargazed together, commenting quietly on different constellations. She leaned back into him and she felt his body stiffen, then relax. She closed her eyes wondering what she really felt about the shadow-nin and how he felt about her. It seemed as though they were dating-

Temari's eyes snapped open as she felt her cheeks heat at the thought. But as she thought about it, it wasn't so bad. The agony she felt during the week was most likely because of her recently subconscious internal desire to be with him and too accepted romantically by him. She bit her lip. If there was a time to say anything, it would be now. She also however didn't want to look like an idiot. Should she take Tenten's advice and keep her mouth shut, and not chase him or take Sakura's and Ino's, it's alright to say you like a guy first? Before she made up her mind, she felt his chest rumble as he spoke.

"We should go back now. You have an early morning tomorrow."

She sighed. She could always kiss him or something the next morning. He'd most likely get the hint and she wouldn't have to say a single word about it. Yeah, sounds like a plan. She was sad that it was her last night but she would se him in the morning and she felt that it would be a little easier because she had already cried her waterworks. Maybe he will be a Crybaby and live up to his nickname…

She pushed herself up and offered a hand to her friend who took it. She pulled him up but he didn't let go of her hand. She turned to him confused. He looked her straight in her obsidian eyes with his piercing black spinel ones. She felt her cheeks redden and she was glad that it was night.

He clasped the one hand he was holding with his other free one and said.

"Two years."

He did not demand or plead, it was a statement. A statement so simple, she did not know what to say or what it meant for that matter.

"Two years." He stated again, this time in affirmation.

Temari stood there speechless. His statement was beyond her but she had a feeling that that was okay. She didn't have to know what he meant immediately, she would figure it our later. She decided, as they began to walk back to her hotel room, her feelings could wait too. He didn't let go of her hand.

Tears threatened her obsidian eyes as she stood in the dark cool morning at the gates of Konoha. She rubbed her eyes snarling. No more crying for her. She did too much of that the previous night. If he was going to show then fine. If he wasn't… then fine. She swiveled around and faced the forest that she had come to love so much. With a final glance at the town of Konoha, she crouched and pushed her body upward to-

"TEMARI WAIT!"

Temari stumbled a bit from stopping her jump into the trees halfway and turned to see Ino, panting heavily, clutching a brown box.

"Ino? What is it?" She asked as Ino caught her breath.

"Shikamaru got called for a mission in the middle of the night. He was going to give you this but you asked not to be disturbed by anyone after a certain time unless it was your family. So, he brought it to me and asked me to give it too you." She handed the box to Temari who took it gently, as though it were glass.

"Thanks." She said softly. So he didn't ditch her.

"He asked for you not to open it until you got home." Ino said running her hand through her untied hair.

"Thanks Ino. I've gotta get going now." Temari said and gave her friend a hug.

"Bye!" Ino called to her as Temari leapt up into the trees.

The journey back to Suna was always quick. Temari loved watching the scenery change from forest to desert. It was like a magic was warping the land slowly and she was caught in it. She reached her home the next evening, just in time for dinner.

Her brothers hugged her and said how much they missed her while she griped about the condition of the house. She began to pick up, like usual and it seemed as though she never left.

That evening however, she sat down on her soft covers as she ripped the brown box open. She threw the packaging paper out and this time, she gasped as she saw the Eucharis Lily and the purple stones. She slowly took out the familiar mahogany box and shook her head in disbelief. She pushed the brown box asked and set the mahogany one gown gently on her bed and lifted the lid.

The lullaby clinked on and she slowly took out the folded piece of paper that was laying inside. She opened it reverently, her hands shaking.


"Every girl should have at least one, no matter what the age."

–A Wise Woman Named Yoshino

Shikamaru

Temari blinked tears as the music played and as she read the address listed below. She could not believe the gift he had given her, the lullaby meant so much- her finding out her mother was dead, being told Gaara was a monster, growing up afraid of her baby brother in fear, growing up with her baby brother in shame, living with a man who called himself her father when he cared little for any of his children. And here he was, Shikamaru!

She kissed the letter, folded it up and placed back in the music box. She closed the lid and picked it up, walked over to her desk, and placed it gently down. She switched off her light and she stared at eh stars in the sky through her window. Shikamaru… he had given something that recognized the inner child in her, desperately waiting to come out and flash smile. She glanced back over at the music box and smiled as she drifted off to sleep, thinking about what she was going to write back.