He woke up from dreaming and put on his shoes
Starting making his way past two in the morning
He hasn't been sober for days
Shikamaru didn't really know why he was having dreams about it. Asuma's death was just like any other noble ninja's death: on the battlefield against a stronger opponent. It hurt Shikamaru to sit up in his bed. The constant hangover would eventually have caught up with him. He knew this. He was a genius after all. He just didn't estimate it to catch up with him so quickly.
He looked over at the clock on his bedside table. It was blinking red lines and dots that made up the figure 2:00. Shikamaru looked beside the clock to see a half-empty beer bottle. He knew that enduring this much alcohol wasn't healthy. His father actually warned against it. But that feeling that things would get better was no longer near. Since Asuma's death, nothing felt permanent. Everyone was going to die. There was no way to prevent it so why even try. Even after avenging a person's death, you still would never see them again.
Shikamaru breathed in deeply and reached for his pack of cigarettes. He opened it to reveal that it was empty. He looked at it for thirty seconds stunned. He was as empty as his pack of cigarettes. He threw it against his wall as hard as he could. He sighed and rubbed his forehead intensely. If he can't smoke and can't drink, the only thing to calm him down was a peaceful walk. He knew that everyone was asleep, even Naruto. No one would bother him.
Leaning now into the breeze
Remembering Sunday, he falls to his knees
They had breakfast together
But two eggs don't last
Like the feeling of what he needs
He walked quietly out of his house, making sure not to wake anyone up. He didn't want to imagine the kinds of questions that his parents might ask. He placed his hands in his pockets as he exited through the back door. The breeze felt rejuvenating against his face that was full of sweat from his terrible nightmare. Reliving the past in a dream was hell.
He leaned into the breeze and briefly smiled as he leaned against the wall of his house. As much as he hated to admit it, she could make him smile like no one could. There was nothing like her wind. It actually had saved him once or twice in the midst of a battle.
He looked up at the sky as he sat down on a grassy patch closest to the wall. He remembered the last time she had been here and the last time she left. It was a Sunday. She always left early. That was a major pain, but Shikamaru dealt with it. There were worse things in life than waking up early to spend time with a beautiful woman.
He wouldn't admit it for a long time. He didn't have the guts too. He wasn't going to associate romantically with any troublesome women, so as a defense mechanism, he didn't date. He wanted someone plain, but as he grew up, he realized that he attracted trouble. Apparently, as much as he hoped it wasn't true, it was inherited.
He had asked her if she wanted to have breakfast before she left. Just like he did every time. And every time, she simply said that she'd find something on the way. But not this time. She asked if she could pay for it. She asked if she could pay for it. So they went to get breakfast together.
It was a light breakfast for both of them. She ordered a gravy biscuit with two pieces of sausage. He ordered toast with two eggs, over easy. They talked more than ate. They didn't know why, but in some weird way, they enjoyed each other's company. As the meal was ending, Shikamaru saw the tab on the side of the table. Normally, he would never have taken it. But, it felt wrong not to. No matter how troublesome she was, she was still a woman. Although he hated paying for anything, he was still taught chivalry. His dad said it would come in handy one day. That Sunday was the day. She brushed his hand as he swooped in like a hawk to grip the tab. He placed the money on the table to cover it.
She looked at him, smiled, and got up from her seat. "Very nice, crybaby." She laughed, and then he chuckled. He hated that his time with her was nearing its end. Though he would deny it, he knew the truth. He was a genius, but alas, he fell for the most troublesome woman he would ever meet in his entire life.
She smirked as she realized what time it was. She smiled and grabbed his wrist as they exited the small restaurant. "I have plenty of time. I want to show you something, and you can't say no."
Shikamaru smirked. "That would be too troublesome anyways."
Now this place seems familiar to him
She pulled on his hand with a devilish grin
She led him upstairs, she led him upstairs
Left him dying to get in
He sat there for awhile before he forced himself to get up and walk through the village more to get to the place where he enjoyed the most. If anyone were to ask him where his favorite place in the village was, he would tell them that he enjoyed the highest hill so that he was closer to the clouds. But, deep inside, he knew that was a lie. He liked the top hotel room that Temari stayed at every time she visited.
That Sunday, she claimed that she had left something in her hotel room. He evaluated this in his mind, and he knew that she was lying. But, he wasn't going to call her out. He was intrigued, even if that meant that he had to walk at a faster pace.
They reached the hotel, and she pulled him up the stairs while he was a step behind her. They didn't take the elevator because they never did. Temari said that if she'd take the elevator every time that she entered the hotel, she would get lazy and end up like him. He always revisited that moment every now and again for a good laugh. She was being so serious about it.
They finally stopped at the door of her hotel room. She let go of his wrist as she turned around against the door. She blushed, and Shikamaru was taken aback. He had never seen her do that before. He didn't think that it was even possible.
Temari was always brutally honest and brutal in general. That was her most attractive quality. Well, besides some of her physical qualities. She was also controlling. She got her way, no matter what it was.
Even so, as she grabbed his vest and pushed him closer to her face, Shikamaru didn't know how to react. So, he guessed. He assisted in her attempt to bring him closer. Their lips met with intensity. Suddenly, Temari opened the door and pushed herself away from Shikamaru's lips. She slammed the door in his face and locked it. "That's all you will get for awhile."
Her voice was taunting, but she knew that she had fallen for the smartest and laziest ninja she would ever meet in her entire life. She didn't have anything to get in her hotel room as Shikamaru, who she thought would never have any motivation to do anything, banged on her door.
She smirked as she opened it to see Shikamaru's stern face. "You are a very troublesome woman," He held a steady grip on the door as he forced himself into the room. "But you're messing with a genius here."
She smiled. To this day, he loved her genuine smile. "Actually, I already knew that."
Forgive me,
I'm trying to find My calling, I'm calling at night
I don't mean to be a bother
But have you seen this girl?
She's been running through my dreams
And it's driving me crazy, it seems
I'm gonna ask her to marry me
He kept walking down the empty streets. She had last visited after Asuma's death but before he had killed Hidan. She was generally nicer to him, and that drove him crazy. He was trying to find a way out of the mess that the world had put him in, and she wasn't helping him out much. And, yet, he knew she was.
She would nag, but it felt like she cared. Like she cared specifically about him and not his emotions. When she would throw insults, they somehow were filled with love. His were filled with love back.
He knew they would never be a "lovey-dovey" couple, but that was okay because they didn't need to be. They needed someone to put each other in their place, and someone who would make it impossible to get overly-cocky about anything.
Shikamaru heard a rustle that came from a bush outside of the flower shop. "You can come out now, Naruto."
Naruto jumped out of the bush and trotted toward Shikamaru. "Oh, man! I was gonna scare you. You're too smart!"
Shikamaru really didn't want to see Naruto. It was too early to hear his voice. But, what else was he going to do? He couldn't sleep or watch the clouds. "I get that a lot, Naruto."
Naruto showed his pearly whites as he nudged his elbow into Shikamaru's side. "Enough of that already. You're never gonna guess who happened to show up last night to the village."
Shikamaru sighed. "Naruto, I'm really not in the mood for gossip right now."
Naruto just looked at him puzzled. "Well, never mind then. Just thought you'd like to know that your girlfriend was here."
Shikamaru shot a look at Naruto. "I don't have a girlfriend. But I'm guessing that you are talking about Temari right. Go figure she's be here early. Too troublesome." Shikamaru couldn't help but grin a little at the mention of her name. He hated that about her. She entered and left his life as she pleased, and yet, she never truly left. She controlled him from afar.
Naruto took note of the grin quickly. "You know, it's stupid to just walk around the village at night." He paused to look at the stars. "Especially when someone you love and rarely see is here early."
Shikamaru had to admit that sometimes Naruto was halfway intelligent. Only sometimes though. "I don't love her, Naruto. I care about her. There's a major difference."
Naruto laughed and pointed at Shikamaru. "Either way, she asked about you at the gates."
Naruto left Shikamaru on that note and walked off.
Shikamaru looked up at the stars as he placed his hands back into his pockets. They all twinkled brightly. Shikamaru searched through his memories to his childhood. His mother sat outside with his father and him as they gazed at the stars. She said that if the stars twinkled down at you, whatever you felt at that moment was the truth. She explained to him that he wouldn't even have been here if it weren't for the stars twinkling the night she asked his father out on a date.
Shikamaru sighed. He knew where she'd be at, and that he couldn't buy any flowers or even a ring, but he was smart. He'd find a way to get her approval. To get her to say yes.
He didn't know why he was going to ask her to be his wife. He could blame it on the fact that she was worth the trouble. Or blame it on the fact that the stars twinkled. Or he could blame it on Naruto. But he didn't want to blame anyone because he was walking to the hotel. He was taking the stairs. He was the one who loved her.
And even though she doesn't believe in love
He's determined to call her bluff
Who could deny these butterflies?
They're filling his gut
They had a conversation about love one time. She had told him that love didn't exist. She explained that you cared about people that you wanted to love, but seeing that love didn't exist, there was no full-proof way of making sure that you always cared about them. That response sent butterflies up and over the inside of his stomach.
He knew that she had to believe in love, and that she only said that to put up a front. She never really told her feelings to anyone. Except for him, which was absolute trouble. It, at first, annoyed him. Though, soon afterwards, he started telling her his thoughts as well. It was a bond made solely of trust. No word of their conversations was said to anyone else.
He was now determined to change her mind about love because love was the emotion that was changing his rational thinking. There was no other thing to motivate him like this.
Waking the neighbors
Unfamiliar faces
He pleads though he tries
But he's only denied
Now he's dying to get inside
Shikamaru walked up to the front desk of the hotel. Usually, the same two people sat there, gladly allowing him up to her suite. However, he couldn't recognize the two people sitting behind the desk in front of him. They were halfway asleep as he asked if Temari had checked into her room yet.
They looked at him with pure disgust. They simply replied yes. But she was not in the hotel at the moment. Then they looked down at a clipboard with what Shikamaru could see was list of guests at the hotel. He sighed and asked where she was, knowing that he wasn't going to get an intelligent reply. In his lifetime, he almost never did.
He was right. They replied with "not here". They snickered as he walked out of the hotel disheartened. The stars had led him astray. That was the reason he was going to stick with the clouds.
Forgive me, I'm trying to find
My calling, I'm calling at night
I don't mean to be a bother
But have you seen this girl?
She's been running through my dreams
And it's driving me crazy, it seems
I'm gonna ask her to marry me
By the time Shikamaru walked out of the hotel, the sun was poking its head out from the horizon. The sky was colored brightly, but Shikamaru was solemn. He would ask where she was inside his head for the rest of his life. He just knew it.
He could ask the villagers, but that would cause more problems than it was worth. Plus, Shikamaru didn't want to bother anyone with his problems. That would cause even more trouble.
Shikamaru looked up at the clouds for a few minutes as the sun's rays caused them to change colors. Shikamaru knew what would be coming after the sun completely rose: the rain. Those clouds were dark grey now, but soon, they would become completely black.
The neighbors said she moved away
Funny how it rained all day
I didn't think much of it then
But it's starting to all make sense
The attendants at the front desk didn't help him at all, and he couldn't think of anywhere she could be. And the rain started to pour right on cue. Shikamaru let it pour on him. He didn't think it would have been necessary to bring an umbrella with him at two in the morning. Now, this day was starting to be troublesome. He was starting to piece it together: today was not his day.
Oh, I can see now that all of these clouds
Are following me in my desperate endeavor
To find my whoever, whoever she may be
However, he wasn't heading home. He figured that he would stumble into her eventually. They, at least, always seemed to meet up with each other that way. The clouds followed him along his way. Though, he truly didn't know where his way was going. It was simply going to lead to her.
I'm not coming back (forgive me)
I've done something so terrible
I'm terrified to speak (I'm not calling, I'm not calling)
But you'd expect that from me
I'm mixed up, I'll be blunt
Now the rain is just (You're driving me crazy, I'm)
Washing you out of my hair
Temari got to the village early on purpose. She wanted to surprise him. She always wanted to get the upper hand with him, but it seemed he always had it (even when she would throw a surprise at him). She had made her way to the check in table, and had headed to the hotel as quickly as she could.
She knew that what she was about to do was terrible, and that he might not ever be able to speak to her truthfully again. She, however, was a risk taker. A smart risk taker at that. She just hoped that he wouldn't expect this from her because she hated how smart he was.
As much as she was trying to stay calm as she walked the streets of Konoha in the early morning, her emotions were throwing her insides around like a play toy. She wanted him to not know what was coming next. She wanted him to be excited for once. To show that he was excited for once.
She was blunt. That was the way she always had been. But as the sun rose and the rain fell, she didn't pull her fan over her to prevent getting wet. She let it pour on her head. She tried to get him out of her head.
And out of my mind
Keeping an eye on the world
From so many thousands of feet off the ground
I'm over you now
I'm at home in the clouds
And towering over your head
But it was no use. She knew where she was headed. His house wasn't far from her hotel. She had never been formally introduced to his parents, so today was going to be the day. It was not, on the other hand, going to be her day.
She had never even liked a guy until Shikamaru came along, and she hated him a little bit for that. She wanted to be over this feeling. This stupid feeling of longing was dragging her down. But she somehow knew she never would get over it. She sighed as the rain pounded harder against her head. She saw his house and the Nara property. Shikamaru had told her that it was peaceful, but even in the pouring rain, it still held true.
Her nerves hit in as she walked up to the Nara household. She could smell the sizzling bacon, and it made her more nauseas. Meeting his parents had been on her "to do" list for a long time, but she imagined him being beside her when she did.
She brought herself to the front steps. She could hear arguing from behind the door. She smiled. Shikamaru had mentioned his parent's unique relationship. They needed each other because no one else would take them. She lost her smile as she realized that it was a repeating pattern for her and Shikamaru as well.
She was completely soaked as she knocked on the front door three times. She knew the drill. One time would go ignored. Two times would sound weak. But three knocks on the door meant someone was there, dying to get inside.
She sighed as Yoshino opened the door. She kept her composture as she shivered from being wet for so long. "Hello. My name is Temari. I'm looking for Shikamaru."
Yoshino stopped yelling at her husband as she saw the girl. No one ever came looking for Shikamaru. No one was ever interested in him. Shikamaru had mentioned Temari's name once or twice, but these days he didn't really talk to anybody about anything. He was eighteen and still living in her home.
"Come in inside. You are drenched." She practically shoved Temari inside and sat her at the table. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I'm sure I can find something for you to wear. I think there are still some of Shikamaru's clothes that he's grown out of somewhere around here."
As she passed the couch, she leaned down and hit Shikaku. "Wake up, lazyass!" Shikaku grunted and sat up on the couch. He looked forward to see Temari. He remembered seeing her outside of the hospital room with Shikamaru long ago, but after that, he never had seen her. She had grown up just as much as Shikamaru had. That was a scary thought, though, as he found the energy to travel to the kitchen table and sit across from Temari. "I have a question for you, Temari. If you don't mind one or two." Shikaku smiled softly at her. He had heard nothing but good things about her from the villagers. Though, he knew that she was exactly like Yoshino. She was bossy. Shikamaru complained about that all the time.
Temari pushed the towel down and around her tightly. "I don't mind a question or two. I am, after all, here. I figured some would come up sooner or later."
Shikaku was in momentary awe. She didn't seem comfortable, but she was being polite. No wonder she had been chosen as Suna's ambassador. "Ok then. Why are you here? It's raining heavily outside, and Shikamaru isn't even here."
She lowered her head. She thought for sure that he would be here by now. "Umm…to tell you the truth. I'm not sure."
Shikaku chuckled. "You know, I said the same thing when I said yes to Yoshino. She asked me on a date, and I said yes. I still don't know why I did it." He paused to make sure that Yoshino was out of hearing range. "But I'm glad that I did."
Yoshino rushed out with a t-shirt that had the Nara symbol on its arm and training pants. "This should fit decently. You can change in the bathroom. I can dry your clothes afterwards." She smiled warningly towards Temari. Temari took hold of the clothes and thanked Yoshino as she walked into the bathroom.
Yoshino glared at Shikaku. Shikaku sighed, "What is it this time?"
Her glare intensified. "An interrogation? Really, Shikaku! She is a guest that came to see Shikamaru! When do we get those? Outside of Ino and Choji, no one comes to see him. Are you determined to run her off?"
Shikaku took hold off Yoshino's arm and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her as he did so. She fought him away from her, but he didn't allow it. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I asked one question, troublesome woman. And, anyways, she was excepting that. She is smart, Yoshino. She won't take shit. I can't run her off. She reminds me of someone." She smiled as he let her go.
Her attention returned to the kitchen, and Shikaku made his way to the couch. Yoshino turned in his direction. "He needs her. That's for sure."
Temari emerged shortly after. She had hung her clothes over the shower's rails. They would dry easily that way. She looked down at what she was wearing. It was comfortable. She smirked. No wonder the men were always lazy. Yoshino looked back at Temari and smiled warmingly once again. "I'm sure he'll be home soon. You can join us for breakfast."
She nodded as she sat in the chair across from the couch that Shikaku now sat on. She looked at the coffee table in front of her. There was a shoji board on it. "Do you know how to play, Temari?"
She shook her head. She always wanted to know how to play, so she could play Shikamaru in it. "Actually, I don't. I have no idea how to play, really."
"Would you like some lessons before he gets here?" Shikaku was just as good at shoji as Shikamaru was. He knew the rules and all possible moves like the back of his hand.
Temari's face lit up. She felt the spark of competition come alive. "If you are willing to teach, I learn quickly."
Shikaku placed all the pieces in their original places. "I believe it." They both laughed as he explained the rules.
Well I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home
Shikamaru hung his head as he approached his house. The smell of food didn't help his nausea much more than not finding her. It somehow worried him. She was strong enough to take care of herself, but if anything happened, he'd die on the inside. He wasn't willing to let her trouble go. He opened the door to find his mother cooking. She turned to him, "Well, you are just in time to join us."
Shikamaru stood stunned for a few moments. She always nagged him. It was just their routine. She had the same routine with his dad.
"Yeah, crybaby, you're late."
He turned his head slowly. He knew that voice. He saw her in his clothes, in his chair, in his living room, in his house. He smiled as he saw her leaned over the board with his father teaching her shoji. "Troublesome."
He sat beside his father as he saw her absorbing the rules and moves like a sponge. She was bright and quick. That saved him a lot of times too. Shikaku finished and sat back on the couch. "Why don't you play against her, Shikamaru?"
Temari and Shikamaru looked at each other and smirked. "Fine. I'm not going to go easy though."
"I wouldn't imagine it. That would make this pointless and a drag." She mocked him as they set up the board. "Let's bet on this." Temari looked at Shikamaru with fierce competitiveness.
He looked back with laziness. "As long as I decided what the bet is."
Temari smiled. "Fine. What bet did you have in mind?"
"Whoever wins gets to ask the other one a question. They have to answer and answer truthfully. No holding back."
"Sounds good to me." Temari made the first move, and Shikamaru followed suit.
Shikaku sat there beside his son. That was an elaborate bet for Shikamaru to come up without a reason. Shikamaru didn't bet. He found it troublesome and an awful habit. Shikamaru had something planned. He was going to win this game if he had to cheat on it.
And Shikaku was right.
Temari was angry at herself for not seeing it. It was so obvious. "Okay, Nara, what is your question already?" She was growing impatient, and she was leaning on a short fuse. She hated losing.
Shikamaru smiled. He knew that she would never see this coming, and that he could actually surprise her. He looked her directly in her eyes. "You are troublesome. The most troublesome person I've ever met."
Temari interjected. "You said a question not an insult festival!"
Shikamaru sighed. "Just let me finish." He regained her attention. "But, somehow, I love you."
Her eyes became weak. He could tell her heartbeat had increased tremendously. She had become fidgety.
"So, will you marry me?" The entire household went quiet. The sizzling sound of the food cooking was the only noise that could be heard. Yoshino had leaned against the counter to catch a glimpse of the scene in the living room. Shikaku sat silently next to his son. Temari's glare had faded. Shikamaru waited for her answer.
He reached into his pocket. He fished out the small black box and placed it on the table. He didn't open it. That was supposed to be her job.
She slowly moved toward it and placed it into her hand. She quickly opened the box like she would rip a bandage off of her skin. It was small, but it shined like a star. She smiled as the diamond twinkled at her. She slipped it onto her finger. She normally would have turned anyone down, but she loved surprises. And she loved him. His lazy genius self.
Yoshino slipped, and her pot fell to the floor. She began to laugh and then everyone somehow did as well.
Temari and Shikamaru caught each other's gaze. Their eyes twinkled like stars. Hers were blue while his were hazel.
Shikamaru walked into the kitchen to help his mother. He picked up the pot and hugged Yoshino. "Thank you."
Yoshino was shocked but hugged her son back. This sort of thing rarely ever happened. "Well, why are you thanking me?"
Shikamaru let her go and turned into the living room to see the ruthless ninja sitting in his living room looking at her new accessory. "If it weren't for you, she would have said no."