"Is this beginning of the end?
We don't know yet,
But what I want right now is you."
– "Melting" by Miss A
Months had passed since Temari had last stepped foot in Konoha, yet little had changed. She strolled down the street, eyes gazing over the same businesses staffed by the same people. Occasionally, she would even see people walking down the street who looked familiar, though she had yet to see anyone whose name she knew. That was rather surprising. Over the years, Temari had become well acquainted with many of Konoha's citizens.
While Suna would always be home, Konoha had managed to forge its own place in Temari's heart, and her diplomatic missions here had managed to become a relaxing break from life in Suna, even if she was still working.
She'd needed this trip after months of being unable to visit. Gaara had sent her on mission after mission, and while it had never been something that Temari couldn't handle, she was happy to have another chance to be in Konoha instead of helping out yet another foreign dignitary. Those people got annoying after a while.
Of course, there was one shinobi in particular who Temari was itching to see, and it was that desire that had her ambling along Konoha's streets with more purpose than a casual stroll would call for.
She had yet to find any trace of him, but she knew that he was around somewhere. She'd stopped by his house already, and he wasn't home. And that asshole liked to call her troublesome.
When she did find him, she was unsurprised to see him lounging on his back, face tilted towards the sky and eyes closed. The rooftop he'd chosen was otherwise deserted. He had to have heard her approach, but he showed no sign of it. For a few moments, Temari maintained the silence, watching him.
"Lazy as ever, I see," she quipped, plopping herself down unceremoniously next to him. He cracked one eye open for a second before closing it again, but one side of his mouth quirked upward in a smirk. "Have you done anything over the last several months?"
He took his time with answering, but he did answer.
"I've done plenty. Unfortunately, my job does involve actual work once in awhile."
"Does it? I wouldn't have guessed, what with you being Konoha's laziest ninja."
Shikamaru's smirk grew, and he opened his eyes to look at her.
"Can I help you with something?" he asked. "Or did you want nothing more than to ruin my midday nap?"
"Is that what this is? Only a midday nap? Are you sure you're not sleeping the day away?"
Shikamaru huffed in annoyance.
"I haven't gotten away with that in months."
Temari took petty satisfaction out of that and couldn't help but chuckle.
"And what have you been getting away with?"
He sighed at the question and muttered something about her being bothersome. It didn't phase her. She continued to watch him, waiting for the answer that she knew he would give her.
"Not much," he said with a shrug. He had given up on sleep, and he propped himself up on his elbows in order to speak to her with ease.
It was a lie. Temari just wasn't sure if the lie was because what he'd been up to was confidential or because he couldn't be bothered to speak about it. Probably both.
Either way, she wasn't going to let him get away with the lie. Not entirely.
"If you don't want to tell me, fine, but don't sit there and pretend you've done nothing but sleep all day."
Shikamaru sighed again, giving her an irritated glance. One that always caused her breath to catch in her throat as she outwardly smirked.
"I've been doing a lot," Shikamaru admitted, "but none of it's worth discussing now that it's in the past."
That was an answer she would accept.
"Same here," she said, knowing that Shikamaru wouldn't care to hear the ins and outs of her recent missions even if she'd had the desire to share them.
A silence fell between them, and it was a measure of Shikamaru's fondness for her that he didn't lay back down, even if his eyes fluttered shut, taking in what rest he could during the lull.
Temari had missed this over the months. It was always what she missed most about Konoha when she was gone, though she'd never admit as much. She knew that Gaara was aware of her feelings. It was why he kept sending her here when it could easily have been someone else.
"You're thinking hard about something."
Temari glanced over at Shikamaru to see that his eyes were open and on her. His gaze was calculating. Shikamaru was capable of solving almost any puzzle, even her thoughts if he set his mind to it. They had been doing this long enough.
"One does tend to have thoughts frequently."
He didn't respond at first. Who was thinking hard now, she wanted to reply, but she didn't, silently submitting to his wordless interrogation. Whatever Shikamaru was looking for, he shrugged, leaning back and closing his eyes once more.
"You don't need to explain yourself," he said. "We both know what's on your mind."
Temari's heart sped up. He'd said it with such confidence, and she had little doubt that he was correct. The thought terrified her even as her facial expression remained glued in place.
"Do we?" she challenged, knowing that it was foolish of her considering what she'd rather avoid.
Shikamaru opened one eye, smirking at her. She stared straight back, not letting her embarrassment overwhelm her on this one. Temari didn't do embarrassment if she could help it.
This wasn't a new development, though this wasn't always the way they had been with each other. Between knowing each other for so long and growing older, Temari and Shikamaru's relationship had changed. For one thing, it had become more like a relationship. Temari didn't mean that in terms of romance either. Rather, there was something between them that they maintained, and it had certain characteristics that both of them cultivated. They weren't casual acquaintances or still in the stages of feeling the other out to decide how they fit into each other's lives. They had a routine, something that worked for them.
"We do," Shikamaru replied. He sat up fully this time, not remaining on his elbows. This change in position meant that Temari had to tilt her head in order to look him in the eye, and she counteracted it as best she could by straightening her posture and tilting her chin upward.
"You're quite full of yourself, assuming that you can know the thoughts of others."
"Not of anyone necessarily," he said. "I'm just talking about you."
Despite the implications, Temari found herself smirking. "Aren't you known for being an analyst? You're supposed to be able to read anyone."
Shikamaru shrugged, not ruffled by Temari's poking insult.
"In conflict, yes. I can read what strategies people will take when they fight. Analyzing people's thoughts at other times, say when it comes to their emotions, has never interested me. It holds little value in a fight, and dealing with the emotions of others is troublesome."
"Then why bother learning how to read mine?"
It was a dangerous question. If she treaded much farther, she'd upset the tentative balance they had struck up between themselves, and each time they took a new step forward, Temari felt unsure of what lay ahead.
Shikamaru shrugged, and Temari's heart beat quickly in her chest as she calculated her next move. Shikamaru was far too at ease considering their topic of conversation, and an ever growing part of Temari wanted him to be as thrown off guard as she felt.
Maybe that was why she leaned forward. She wasn't sure. All she knew was that it was a heat of the moment decision that she couldn't have explained to herself if she'd paused even for a moment.
Shikamaru watched her come closer, not moving away but also watching her with calculating eyes. Temari didn't let herself think about it as she closed the gap, her lips brushing against Shikamaru's.
He kissed back, which was enough to quell the panic that Temari felt when she realized what it was she had done.
This was the first time they had done this, though it felt like a long time coming. For a first kiss, it grew heated fast. Temari was surprised, to say the least, when Shikamaru did most things with such an uncaring, lazy attitude. That wasn't what the kiss felt like. He was putting effort into it to an extent that she had only seen from him during battle.
The thought caused more thoughts to begin rushing through Temari's mind, even as she continued to kiss Shikamaru. They were shinobi from two different villages. Though Konoha and Suna were allies and no doubt would continue to be for the foreseeable future, that could always change, casting a layer of doubt over any relationship she and Shikamaru were to have.
Temari pulled away with a frown. Shikamaru watched her, his gaze a knowing one. He didn't seem concerned to see such a lackluster response from her after their kiss. He knew what it was that was bothering her.
"We're setting ourselves up for an extremely troublesome situation," she said quietly.
Shikamaru nodded. "We have been for years."
It would have been easy, scarily easy, to fall for Shikamaru if they were from the same village. But her loyalty to Suna had always been unbreakable. She couldn't put anything or anyone above her village.
"This is the first time I've come to Konoha in months," she continued, feeling like she was gearing up for a rant. She felt embarrassed as she spoke, but there was a lot on her mind and she felt the need to share it. "Who knows how long it will be until I'm here again. This," she motioned between them, "could never easily work."
Shikamaru shook his head.
"You and I look at that differently," he said. "If anything, having you around all the time would be troublesome."
Temari shoved him away in retaliation. Shikamaru smirked.
Then he spoke in a serious tone.
"Really, I think whether it's complicated or not has more to do with us. It's complicated if we think it will be. If we accept it as it is, see each other when we can and don't get worked up when we don't, I don't see why it would be a problem. Unless that bothers you?"
Temari rolled her eyes at the challenge. She was tempted to respond and let him get her off track, but she wouldn't.
"Are you saying what I think you are?" she asked.
Shikamaru shrugged. "Not if you're going to get cryptic."
"Me? Cryptic? You're the one who hasn't asked."
Shikamaru sighed. Temari crossed her arms as she waited for him to say it. While her face remained disapproving, inside her stomach was churning.
"Temari, will you be my girlfriend?"
Temari punched him in the arm. Just for good measure. Shikamaru cursed under his breath, rubbing the place where she'd barely touched him. She leaned forward before he could complain louder and kissed him, effectively shutting him up for the next hour.