A/N: Written as a response to Kudari-chan's challenge on BandaiCG.
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Shikamaru smiled as he looked at the trinket in his hand. His brain didn't understand why he had spent upwards of half a month's salary on the custom-engraved jeweled brooch, but in his heart, the spark of comprehension was there. He blushed slightly as he thought of her soft, sweet-smelling hair and bright, understanding eyes. He loved how she always doted on him and knew what he was thinking…a few years ago, he might have called her troublesome, controlling, annoying, and irrational, but people change…
Love isn't always rational, no matter how hard you try.
He smirked to himself as his brain finally caught up with his heart. Sometimes being intelligent was just too damn troublesome. His boots crunched through the snow as the lazy shinobi meandered his way back to the village. There wasn't a soul on the road this snowy Christmas Eve.
Not even a single cloud in the sky...
Shikamaru sighed as he looked up at the clear blue heavens. There was nothing to ease his boredom, nothing to distract him from the anticipation gnawing at his innards. A chill wind picked up, causing Shikamaru to shiver. He noticed a tendril of chakra embedded in the gust and grinned, quickly shoving the brooch into his pocket. At least the rest of his trip would be interesting.
The lazy chunin winced as a large metal fan floated over him, inches from impacting his skull. The wielder (and currently rider) of it, amused at his discomfort, jumped off and snapped the fan shut.
"There you are, pineapple head." Temari drawled. "I was thinking you got too lazy to walk all the way home."
"Troublesome woman."
A vein popped in Temari's forehead.
"Troublesome?! Your favorite person in the whole world comes all the way out into this snowy wasteland to greet you, and that's all you can say?!"
Shikamaru had to smile at the Suna kunoichi's mini-explosion of rage.
"Why are you out here anyways?" Shikamaru asked. "I didn't think you'd go out of your way just to find me."
Temari smirked.
"Don't get your ego going, baka. You're right, I wouldn't."
Shikamaru sighed. Temari continued, a smile playing across her features.
"It never snows in Suna…" Temari breathed. "It's just so beautiful out here…"
She trailed off, her eyes sparkling as she took in the scenery. Shikamaru sniggered at the dreamy expression on the normally violent girl's face, and was rewarded with a sharp fan whack on the head. He pitched forward into a snowdrift.
"Just because I'm appreciating nature doesn't mean I've gone soft!"
There was a muffled groan from the snow.
Temari kicked Shikamaru's backside (eliciting another groan), and then pulled him out of the blanket of winter. She eyed the lump on his head.
"Hm…maybe I overdid that one a little bit…"
Shikamaru eyed her warily.
"You think? Why'd you pull me out, I was icing it…" he whined.
He yelped and dove back into the snow as Temari attacked him again.
"You should be thanking me for pulling you out, baka!"
She pulled him out again. He whimpered at the expression on her face.
"Whatever. I'm going back to Konoha now." Temari motioned to her fan. "Want a ride?"
Shikamaru looked at the Suna kunoichi and was about to grunt a witty, sarcastic, positively scathing reply when he remembered what was in his pocket, and the setting sun only reinforced his decision.
"Sure."
Temari looked surprised, then grinned evilly.
"I didn't expect you to be so courageous."
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Fortunately for Shikamaru, the fan ride passed without too much pain for him. As the pair slowly drifted over Konoha, the conversation turned to what they had planned for the night.
"I'm going to go spend the night with the blonde." Temari said, a slight tinge of pink rushing to her cheeks.
Shikamaru raised his eyebrow suggestively.
"So…how about those pictures?"
Temari turned as red as a tomato.
"BAKA!" she yelled and pushed him off the fan.
He screamed and fell headfirst into a conveniently placed snowdrift.
No broken bones…the she-devil's being nicer to me today…and she landed me right next to the hospital too!
The aforementioned she-devil smiled sweetly as she leaned over the edge of the fan.
"If you're nice, I may just let you watch…"
The snow around Shikamaru's face melted slightly as Temari soared off, her musical laugh echoing in the air. He lay there for a moment, then pulled himself out. After attempting to make some order out of his messy hair, he gave up and walked into the hospital, heading for the floor he knew his target would be found.
He found her chatting idly with the receptionist as they waited for their shifts to end.
Guess most of the patients who could went home for the holidays.
Shikamaru tried once more to make himself presentable, but failed. He sighed and called out to her.
"Hey there."
She turned around and saw him right away. A slight blush rose to Shikamaru's cheeks. He had to admit, her hair and eyes went really well with that nurse outfit. The object of his affections rushed over to him and clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
"Oh Shika-kun, you're going to catch a cold, walking around dripping wet in the middle of winter!"
Shikamaru looked down. There was a puddle beneath him where the snow that had been clinging to him was melting. He hadn't even noticed.
She bustled off and came back with a huge blanket, wrapping it around him as she clucked about his personal habits, then practically pushed him into a chair.
"You wait right here. I'll be right back with something warm."
Shikamaru sighed and snuggled into the blankets. She was going to spoil him…
Who would have thought we were going to end up together? I can't believe it's been a year already. I just thought she was a Sasuke-obsessed fangirl who had eyes for no one else until last Christmas…
He thought back to that party that had been the turning point in his string of failed relationships. Gai-sensei had managed to come up with some ridiculous "Secret Santa" idea for that year's Christmas party, and lo and behold, he had been forced to give her a present. Ironically enough, she had gotten his name for her gift assignment, and the two had bumped into each other while trying to find each other during the party. They both admitted to the other that they knew nothing about each others' true personalities. The awkward gift exchange turned into a conversation, the conversation led to friendship, and friendship blossomed into something more. No one had expected it to develop...they hadn't shown much interest in each other before, and nearly everyone was surprised when their relationship became known. Everyone expected him to end up with Temari, and her with Sasuke…
His thoughts were interrupted as she came back, holding a tray. A bowl of steaming soup rested on top of the tray. She placed the tray on top of his legs and handed him a spoon.
"Now I want you to drink every drop – it's good for you."
"Yes ma'am." Shikamaru grumped.
She giggled at his expression. Although he acted crabby and sullen, the upturned corners of his lips gave away his true feelings. She sat down next to him and leaned against his body as he slowly drank the warm soup.
Shikamaru's thoughts turned to their first clumsy attempts at kissing, their first attempts to express their love to each other…neither of them really knew what they were doing, but the fact that they had each other to share it with made it all the more special. His heart fell as he remembered their first real fight last week, how he had accused her of being controlling, of being meddlesome, and the worst of all, in his eyes - of being irrational. He felt the warmth run out of him as he remembered her crying, the tears in her eyes, her choked sobs…
He finished and set the tray on the chair next to him.
"Oh yeah, I got you something…"
Shikamaru fished around in his pocket and took out the pink brooch. It glittered in the pale light.
"It reminded me of you…of us…"
He handed it to her and she gingerly cupped it into her hands, not wanting to drop the expensive looking piece of jewelry. She gasped as she saw the engraving – an elegantly carved stag nuzzling against an exquisitely presented cherry blossom tree, the tree's long branches wrapping protectively around the deer. Sakura turned it around, reading the engraved calligraphy on the back.
To my beloved cherry blossom,
Love isn't always rational.
Yours forever, Shikamaru.
The pink haired shinobi felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she read the inscription. Tears glimmered in her shining green eyes.
"Shi-Shikamaru…this is beautiful…"
He smiled and reached out a hand to cup her cheek.
"You're blushing."
Sakura wrapped her arms around him and pulled him towards her, wrapping the lazy chunin in a warm embrace. She felt his strong arms press into her back as he returned the hug. She giggled as she felt his voice tickle her ear.
"Merry Christmas, Sakura."