Dreamsome
Theme #4 - Pansy/Remembrance
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Little known fact - Temari suffers from insomnia.
(It's not quite as acute as her brother's case but it's still pretty bad.)
Strangely enough, it occurs most often in Konoha. Temari doesn't know why - she chalks it up to homesickness.
(Homesickness? Really? Anyway...)
On those nights when she finds herself unable to sleep, Shikamaru stays with her.
(Neither can remember how this started, nevertheless it has become a ritual of sorts between them.)
Every night is the same - they turn off the lights, Shikamaru gets into bed first, Temari follows soon after, lying against him and fitting herself perfectly into the crook of his arm. Then they settle in and let their eyes drift up to the ceiling of her bedroom.
Sometimes she asks him questions but usually, they remain silent, wrapped up in their own thoughts, Shikamaru running his hand absently through her now loose hair and Temari listening to the faint sound of wind chimes in the distance.
When Shikamaru drifts off - and naturally, he is almost always the first one to do so - Temari amuses herself by watching him sleep, counting the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. If she does eventually doze off, it is with the image of his peaceful face in her mind's eye and a smile on her lips.
On those nights when he misses her (which aren't quite as rare as he'd like them to be), Shikamaru opens his window and breathes in deeply, inhaling cold night air tinged with the scent of pansies. Then he gets into bed, takes some time to get comfortable and spends the rest of his waking moments, thinking of those other nights and of their quiet time together in the darkness.
A/N: So I was going for a relaxing, soothing atmosphere - did you get that? Also, the parentheses (brackets) - good or bad? If you comment, please let me know. Thanks for reading!