WARNING

Before everyone rips me a new one I want the first to say yes I agree Shiho is very OOC in this story. She is based on a RP I had & how my partner portrays "inner Shiho" which I absolutely love. So if you don't like OOC or if your a huge Shiho fan I warned you. Just turn back now instead of sending me hate mail later.

Everyone else this is not a typical love story between my all time fav couple. Thought it was an interesting take on a long term relationship. Enjoy.

Shikamaru looked at the beer in front of him as he sat in the dimly lit bar. He had been about 4 drinks deep and that was when he stopped counted. His old man would of been proud. Here he was drinking in a bar hiding from his wife all night. He knew his father was an expert at hiding whenever there was a fight at home.

Sure enough there had been a fight at home but at this point Shikamaru couldn't even remember what had started it. He was sure he did something stupid and Temari over reacted that's how it always started. But this one, this one ended with her threatening to move back to Suna and him telling her where the suitcases were as he stormed out the house.

He had known this fight was coming even though he wasn't even sure what it was about. He could feel it coming for days as they both grew more and more short with each other over little things, the tension in the house building. He was just happy that Shikadai wasn't home to hear it.

When did it become like this? When did work, home life, parenting become all consuming in their relationship? There was a time when they were all over each other all the time. All he could ever think about was being with her. They were practically connected at the hip in more ways than one. Now he could hardly remember the last time they went to bed together always something coming up. Though he couldn't help but wonder if it was just an excuse on both their behalf's.

There was a word for that if he could remember right, at one point being almost obsessively attracted to someone then lose the passion over time. That's right the word was limerence. He knew a lot of people argued that it wasn't a thing just an excuse for divorce for people who were never really in love but then again a lot of people also argued that true love was passion that would dull over time. Basically the same thing right?

He thought of some of the couple's he knew Naruto and Hinata, Ino and Sai came to mind first. They all seemed to still be madly in love with each other even after all these years.

Behind closed doors.

A random voice in his mind reminded him. It was true you never knew how others were behind closed doors. But that still didn't help his current situation. Was everyone really as happy as they seemed or was everyone just indifferent? He finished off his current drink motioning for a new one.

You're going to pay for this in the morning

But he didn't care not at the moment. In fact he was hoping he would pass out somewhere close to the couch and be left alone for the rest of the night he could deal with stuff in the morning. Or at least that's what he was going for. He took a drink trying to stop that little voice in his head discouraging more liquor.

"You know you should slow down or you're going to have a bad morning tomorrow." It seemed like his mind wasn't the only one discouraging this.

He looked up groggily at the voice talking to him. It was a blonde, a blonde female. One he knew from long ago.

"Hello Shiho." He managed to slur out.

"Hello Shikamaru." She said taking the seat next to him without even asking. Not that Shikamaru minded at all.

She had sure changed over the past few years. Dropping the glasses, caring more about her appearance, & updating her clothing style to more attractive clothes. In short she became a bombshell. It wasn't just her looks that changed though, from what he heard she went on some sort of soul searching adventure. Her shy demeanor was long gone she was now outgoing and friendly to everyone she met. Making her very popular with the male as well as some of the female population of Kohona.

They sat for quite awhile talking about all matters of things what they have been up to, work, current events, the past. Or at least she did, he was sure he wasn't being the best conversational partner at the time being as deep into his newest drink as he was. But then again she didn't seem to mind at all as she downed her own few glasses of Saki. Something that admittedly surprised Shikamaru, he had never taken her for a drinker.

"Well everyone needs a hobby." she joked as she poured another glass for herself.

"True I just expected yours to be more…." He said trying to figure out what to say that wouldn't come off as offensive.

"You thought I'd be into sitting at home alone reading or something." She said for him, he just shrugged she wasn't wrong. "Well most people would assume so. I guess I'm just full of surprises." She said taking a drink. "What about you what hobbies do you have?"

Now of all the things she could've said this was the one that took him back. He took a moment trying to think of what he did in his spare time lately when he realized he had none. His life was constant stream of work, home life, & sleep nothing else.

"To be honest I don't even think I can remember anymore."

"Such a pity a brilliant mind wasted on such a mundane life. You could of done so much more." She said but he highly doubted that he would of changed anything if he even could. He like mundane it was in his nature.

She's coming onto you.

No she's not.

"I suppose. But I really don't mind mundane."

"Nonsense I've been traveling around the world for the past few years and I've had so many adventures. There are just so many exotic and erotic things out there. You would be amazed."

Oh yeah, she's coming onto you.

Defiantly.

"It sure sounds like you've been living a full life." He said setting his drink down.

"Oh I have. I have learned so much that books could never teach." Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a pack of cigarettes looking over at him. "You wanna go out in the back for a smoke?"

Everyone knew the smoking area of this particular bar was out front on the porch. No one went out into the back (to smoke at least.) The only reason anyone ever went into the back was to screw around.

You're married.

Do you ever shut up?

Shikamaru downed the last of his beer in hope of silencing the voice lecturing him in his head and sure enough it worked.

"Yeah sure I haven't had any in a while." He said with a casual shrug.

Standing up he could feel the alcohol he had been consuming all night coming over him as a warm fuzzy feeling washed over him making him slightly dizzy. Every one of his sense seemed to be blurry, he knew he was most defiantly drunk at this point. But his mind being as numb as it was just didn't even care anymore.

Just like he didn't currently care he was following a borderline stranger out into a dark. Or the fact he had a wife waiting for him back at home. Not even the fact that someone could see them and get the wrong idea mattered. None of it seemed to mean anything to him at the current moment.

The only thing that he did seem to care about was how soft her hand felt on his when she handed him the pack.

"Your hands are soft." He observed as he unconsciously stepped closer.

"And yours are big. I like that." she said with a smile as she leaned up closer to him. As if testing the water to see if he'd move away. When he didn't move away she moved closer her lips meeting his.

She kissed him a lot harder then he expected from her but he liked it a lot. He could feel how much she wanted him. He hadn't been kissed like that in a while he almost forgot what it had felt like. He responded by kissing her back just as hard.

He couldn't help but notice how she smelled like fresh cotton.

Your wife smells like vanilla and spice.

That damn voice in his head was back. But he wasn't going to let that ruin the moment. He pulled her closer the pack of cigarettes falling to the ground forgotten.

She responded by slipping her tongue into his mouth, which he gladly accepted. He could still taste the whiskey on her tongue. It was different he liked it.

Temari drinks tequila. You hate it.

Shut up!

He moved Shiho so he was almost pinning her against the wall. He did it with more force then he meant to as he heard her gasp. But she didn't complain instead it seemed to encourage them both. She seemed to like like it rough as her hands started pulling at his hair. This was something he'd never done before.

You think Temari would like it rough?

She's not here. Is she?

Unaware of Shikamaru's internal battle Shiho let out an encouraging moan as his hand moved to the hem of her shirt. Noticing what he was doing Shiho lead his hand under her shirt guiding it to her breast. He could feel her lace bra. God she was sexy.

When was the last time you thought of Temari as sexy?

When was the last time she was this hot?

He moved down to start kissing at her neck changing between soft kisses and rough nips as his hand still fondled her breast. She leaned back against the wall running her hand through his hair moaning. After one particularly hard nip she pulled his hair back so he was looking at her.

"If you want me I'm yours." She said still panting slightly.

It was that comment that hit him suddenly like a punch right in the stomach sobering him up almost instantly. Memories came flooding back to him. He felt like he went back in time years ago. A day he almost forgot about.

It was a bright sunny day the breeze blowing slightly as he sat on his hill Temari by his side. They were both sitting in an awkward silence tension between them. They had been on a couple dates now but that was it, they seemed to be in some sort of odd relationship limbo.

Of course being her nature Temari straight up asked him what it was between them exactly leading them to the awkward silence. He wasn't sure what to say? He wanted to be with her. Hell he wanted to be with her more then any person in the entire world but he couldn't just say that could he? She was from a different village, she had her own life, she had a family. It'd be selfish for him to tell her that he wanted her. But at the same time he did, he wanted her all of her forever through the good and through the bad.

It was Temari who broke the odd silence between them.

"You know I'm yours if you want me."

That comment it was so simple but implied so was offering herself to him in every way. She was willing to turn away from her life just for him something he never thought she'd do. He felt his stomach tighten, his mouth went dry, & suddenly for the first time ever his mind was completely blank on what to say. He knew right then this was it. If he could have her he was going to take her every piece of herself she was willing to give him that day and every day from then on.

"Yes. Please." Was all he could manage to get out which cause her to let out an amused laugh.

And sure enough she gave him everything she had. She gave her life to him, her body to him, and even gave him a son.

That was when he came back to the present. How in the hell did he get to this point? Out in a dirty alley making out in the dark. All while the women he loved for over the past 10 years (more like since he was 13 and had no idea what love really even was) was possibly on her way back to Suna leaving him forever.

He had fought his share of terrifying oppoints, almost died more then once, hell he even fought an immortal at one time but not 1 of things scared him as much as he was now. He backed away quickly distancing himself from the blond as much as he could. Moving away quickly she looked at him almost offended.

"Where are you going?"

"To find my wife." He said running out of the alley way down the road to his house.

He could feel his heart pounding out of his chest when he noticed all of the lights off. There was no way she could of really left him could there? Then again he really wouldn't of blamed her not with the way he treated her that night. He rushed through each and every room praying silently to himself that she'd be there. But it seemed like every room he entered was more disappointment.

This was it he finally did it he wrecked the best thing to ever possibly happen him and there was no one to blame but himself. Then he saw it something outside on the back porch. It took his eyes a moment still blurry from the booze to focus on the silhouette in the dark night.

"There you are!" He said practically throwing the sliding door off it's hinges.

"Yeah I've been out here for a while now." She said looking at him for a moment before turning away. "Your drunk."

"I know but that doesn't matter." He said walking over & pulling her close to him ignoring the way she grudingly tried to keep some space between them. Holding onto her tight he burried his face in her hair. "I thought you left."

"I was never leaving you big dork." she mumbled noticing how upset he was she returned his embrace.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, please don't ever listen to me." He begged his face still in her hair breathing in her scent. "Promise me."

"You are so drunk." She said with a chuckle.

"I'm serious just promise me you won't listen to me & you'll stay with me." He said looking down at her.

"Forever." She said looking up at him with a smile. That was it, that was the first thing he ever fell in love with about her that damn smile. No doubt about it he loved her then & he still loved her at this very moment. Wasn't limerance at all.

"God I really do love you."