This is a sudden change that I wish to make a one shot collection instead of uploading them in seperate stories. Enjoy :D

Chpater one summary: Temari is now a stressed smoker, and there is a reason and a story behind.


Temari sat on the village walls of Sunagakure, and stared at the setting sun at the West. The wind blew through the desert. Her honey golden brown hair shone in the setting sunshine, her emerald like green eyes shone in the setting sun, dark circles around her eyes made her look extremely tired, and she began to look like Gaara. The nights recently have been restless, she could not sleep but could only toss and turn in her bed.
There were no clouds today,damn, she thought to herself, and looked into her ninja side bag that was tied onto her thigh. Inside there were kunais and shurikens and flashbombs and explosive sheets…and a small white paper pack, also a silver lighter.
Without hesitation, she pulled out the lighter and the paper pack, and pulled out a small white stick, a cigarette. Slowly she put the cigarette right between her lips and lighted it from the small flame that came from the lighter.
She breathed in, allowing the refreshing yet irritating scent of mint penetrating her trachea, through her bronchus and deep into her lungs. She closed her eyes, allowing the stimulation to take over her stressed mind.
Then she breathed out, puffing out white smoke that was not usually coming out of her lungs. She held the cigarette between her index and middle finger. She looked at the orange red sky, and took another breath from the cigarette. She knew that cigarettes are harmful to her body, and smoking is totally against the rule of keeping your body at the best shape and status. She sighed as she puffed out another breath of white smog. No one understand the reason behind why she took on this harmful habit. No one does, except herself.
Who taught her to do such a health harming habit? She thought to herself. And she smiled at herself.
As time went backwards, into her memories.

"Hey, give me one of those cigarettes," said Temari, as she looked at him who was lying on the grass, looking at the clouds in the sky. He took the cigarette from between his lips and looked at her. "Are you sure? This thing is highly addictive, and if you are addicted to cigarettes, you will be in huge trouble, woman." He said, as a puff of white smoke came out of his mouth. "Then why do you smoke?" Temari frowned and ask. he said nothing but took another breath from the cigarette. She hated to be ignored by him.
"I don't care; I want to have a cigarette." She laid out her hand, with a rather impatient look on her face. Shikamaru shook his head, and took out one of the cigarette. He put the cigarette in between his lips, and lighted it with his lighter. "Here you go, you troublesome woman." She took it with her fingers and put it in between her lips. She took a breath and immediately she coughed. Shikamaru grinned. "Told you, you troublesome woman." She summoned all her courage and took another breath. The scent of mint and tobacco went straight into her lungs. And that way, she smoked her first breath from a cigarette. Her heart beat started to become faster. She wondered, is it just the cigarette, or is it because it has touched his lips? She shook her head and took another breath. "This thing is harmful to your body, woman, and it will turn your skin bad. So it is troublesome." Shikamaru smiled.
"Duh, I don't care." Temari took another breath from the cigarette. Shikamaru shook his head. "Mendokuse." He added and closed his eyes.

My first cigarette is to prove myself to you, and to impress you. But it only seemed to be more trouble for you.

"This mission is to wipe out all the remaining hostile rebel ninjas from the earth village. We will divide you into groups of two and began a clean swipe mission. Did I make myself clear?" The leader jonin said. "Now let's go!" The ninjas scattered in the forest.
"Guess I am stuck with you again, you lazy ass." Temari sneered. Shikamaru smiled. "I am stuck with you too, you troublesome woman. What a pain." He said nothing then, and stopped. He took out a cigarette and lighted it. He took a deep breath. "Want one?" He held the pack in front of her. "Thanks." She took one, and held it in between her lips. He lighted it for her. They puffed out a cloud of white smoke in unison. "This is going to be a difficult mission. We don't know where they are, and most likely, we will be ambushed, and most likely we will be outnumbered, and die." Shikamaru frowned. "Aren't you afraid of dying, troublesome woman?" Temari shook her head. "We are shinobis, and were expected to sacrifice for glory, for our love ones."
"So should we enjoy this moment before we risk our lives on the line, huh?" Shikamaru said. She smiled, and they looked up in the sky. "There are no clouds today, damn." He said. Temari suddenly said something immediately. "Still I think we should defend ourselves and counter attack the enemy, you could use your shadow imitation, and I will use the wind." Shikamaru raised his eyebrow. "Nice stragergy." He said. But suddenly they heard sounds within the bushes beneath.
"Shh...I think someone is closing in," said Shikamaru. He dropped his cigarette, so did Temari. "Good luck, lazy ass," said Temari, as she pulled out her fan. Shikamaru smiled at her. "You too, troublesome woman."

My second cigarette is to wish us luck and to share your burdens with you.

"He is losing a lot of blood! Add more pressure on his wound, Ino!" Sakura yelled, as she tried to heal the wounds on his body. Temari was not a medical ninja. All she could do is held his hand in hers. "Hang in there, you crybaby. Why are you so stupid, why do you block the explosion with your body, you stupid…" She could not say anything, except to let herself cry silently. Tears rolled down her dirty face. "Shh…stop crying you troublesome woman…" He squeezed a smile despite of his pain. Words tumbled out of his trembling lips. "A man should…protect...his….woman at all cost…" Temari smiled at him. "Since when, am I your…woman?" Shikamaru raised his hand and wiped away her tears. "You...will always be…my troublesome woman." He smiled faintly. "I…love…you." Temari smiled at him. "Help me... lit a cigarette, please?" Temari put a cigarette between her lips and lit it. Then she put it in between his lips. He took a breath, and puffed out a cloud of white smoke. She lit one for herself. He held his cigarette in between his two fingers. Temari leaned closer to him, and placed her lips onto his. "I love you too, you crybaby." Temari smiled as hard as she could. "It…is… good…to hear that. Keep the lighter for me, it is what Asuma... had left for me, now... I left it to you." He closed his eyes. She leaned on his chest, his heart beat began to slow down and suddenly, she hear nothing. "Shika…maru? Shikamaru?" Temari shook his shoulders, but he did not woke up. Sakura tested his breath and pulse. "He is…gone…" Ino began to cry, so did Sakura. Temari threw herself onto his lifeless body and began to weep.

My third cigarette is to share your pain and sacrastically, your joy and love, and to ease myself from the pain of the truth that you are leaving me.

It rained that day, on his funeral. Temari stood at the front and stared at him, who lay in the coffin calmly, as if he was sleeping. Yoshino and Shikaku stood beside her. Out of their imagination, they did no cry; amazingly Shikaku and Yoshino were smiling. Shikamaru's coffin was buried underground and beside his mentor, Asuma.
"The lighter was his most important possesion, Temari." Kurenai said, with her little baby in her arms."If he entrusts that to you, that means you are the most important person in his life." Temari nodded, her face expressioinless.
People moved towards Yoshino and Shikaku to told them their deep regards and left. Temari stared at the tombstone; she did not move or spoke a word the whole day. She touched the tombstone. "I will not forget you, Shikamaru. I miss you."She whispered. She felt sorry, that Shikamaru died for her. If she could be more careful... Suddenly a tap on her shoulder woke her from her thoughts.
Yoshino and Shikaku walked up to her. "Temari-san," said Yoshino. "Yoshino-san, I am so sorry…" Temari could not control but to cry in front of the couple. Yoshino hugged her tightly. She said softly. "It is alright, Temari, we don't blame you…shh…stop crying." Shikaku sighed and said. "We are grateful, Temari-san. Our son sacrificed himself to save you, and that means you mean a lot to him. Although he died, but he had become a man." Temari smiled faintly. "Therefore, Temari-san, I want you to promise me one thing." Yoshino smiled at her and placed her hands onto Temari's. "Please, protect the thing that our son had protected with his life." Temari nodded. "I promise, I promise." Yoshino wiped away her tears. "Silly girl, don't cry now, live happily, on behalf of Shikamaru." Temari wiped away her tears, and smiled at Yoshino. "Okay, I will live on happily, on behalf of him."
"Do come and visit us often if you come to Konoha," said Yoshino as the couple walked away from the cemetery. Temari turned around and lit a cigarette. She took a breath and placed it onto the tombstone. "I love you, Shikamaru, forever and ever." She took out another cigarette and took a breath. "I will live on, Shikamaru. And I will love you until the day I die."

My fourth cigarette is to promise my eternal love to you and a promise to live on.

And now, she sat there on the walls of the Sunagakure, and puffed out another cloud of white smoke. "You are smoking again," said Kankuro. Temari said nothing and breathed in another mouthful from the cigarette. "Don't worry about me Kankuro," said Temari. "I am just missing him, and I smoke." Kankuro said nothing. He walked away and left her alone.
She stared at the now darkened sky, two stars glittered above her. They shone like his eyes did before. She puffed out another cloud of smog.
Perhaps puffing the smoke away, could also ease my pain of missing you. Nothing could replace you. But I will live on, with you in my heart. I will live my life as happily as possible, because it is a gift from you. My life is a treasure that you have protected with your life, and I will treasure it forever, as I treasure your love mixed in it.

My fifth cigarette is a way to express how much I miss you and another promise to live on happily with you in my heart.

The number of cigarettes will increase as I grew older, because the level I miss you will not decrease.

Until the day I lose my breath, my lungs will be darkened by the nicotine and the tar inside.

But I will keep on missing you and loving, for I know you will. Nothing could seperate us apart, not even the gap between life and death.

The End

Author's note:

This is my one-shot story and don't kill me if it sucked.

Read and review please!

V.S.V