Chapter 2: The way things are

The pressure from the showerhead was rough like raining bullets but it wasn't completely unwelcomed. The tension from her shoulders had grown stiff over the past few days from sleeping on her harder-than-necessary mat. Her apartment was nice and all but she would think they would have gotten her a better bed. Maybe they figured she wouldn't be sleeping much, another wrong assumption. Temari rarely missed her 8 hours. Except during the war where she basically never slept, ever since she was a child she was a wreck without proper rest. The fact that her sleeping was disturbed by firm lumps and basically nonexistent barrier between her back and the wooden floor forced her to gain an ever greater control over her sleep-deprived characteristics.

Rubbing the back of her neck, she dipped her head under the water. "Maybe Sakura has a trick to loosening me up."

"Stretch." Glancing casually to the left, she saw a hazy figure of a guy leaning against the doorframe in a black t shirt and cotton navy pants leaning casually against the doorframe. His sudden appearances didn't surprise her anymore.

"I'll try it." Grabbing a bottle of shampoo, she soaped up her blonde tresses until they were covered in light white suds.

"There's a towel on rack." She caught him just in time to see the door close.

I wonder how long he was standing there….

It had come to a point where those uncomfortable, private moments were overlapped with unpremeditated conversation, casual glances and familiar physicality's that created an alternate universe existing behind the doors of his and her apartments. The friendship was a dull yet cool grey that suited them both and kept them warm in it's own unconventional way. They both just went with the flow of their time together and whatever became of it, simple became. It never occurred to her to think further than a few minutes, to not think back more than a day and seldom questions their actions towards each other. This was the reason why it all worked.

No matter….

She continued her shower in peace under the barrage of water droplets. Turning her back to the showerhead as the shampoo ran down her torso, she lifted her arms above her head and slowly reached down to her toes.

"Maybe he had something there."

Once she found herself properly eased of some of the knots in her back and neck, it was high time she got out before she started to shrivel. He told her once that her fingers resembled one of those leaky water balloons with the folds that formed as the water escaped. She then proceeded to call him an ass which he merely shrugged with that small indifferent smirk that only made her hate even more that she listened to him. Stepping out of the shower, she spotted the white towel draped over it's said place but when she grabbed it, something fell to the floor. She smirked. A subtle invitation.

…

"You should get another board." Temari stood behind him who was appeared to be fixated on the numerous papers that were tacked onto the wooden square on his wall. To a mere person, it would seem like nothing more than a scribbled oh incoherent thoughts, unfinished sentences, misplaced numbers and a down right mess but she knew better than that. It didn't take much for her to understand that she may not be meant to understand all of what goes on his brain at any given moment.

All he did was point to the wall on the left of him where another board equally unorganized was nailed to the wall. It wouldn't surprise her if he bought that one yesterday and it already looked like that.

"Want a drink?"

"Yea. It's been a while." She was grateful that he offered so she could use the personal excuse that she didn't want to impolite when she tried to rationalize later why she broke her this rule, among other rules.

30 days now completely down the drain.

Brushing past her, their bare arms met and in an unspoken understanding, she knew he welcomed the interaction as much as she did. Making her way to their usual spot on his balcony where they would talk politics, the events of the day and after-fuck-conversations, she found herself in a lighter mood leaning against the wooden railing.

"You're not gonna wear pants?" Leaning on his back beside her, he handed her a simply fashioned glass of bitter red wine while glancing down at her bare legs coming from under a cotton t shirt.

"I'm a little ashamed that you've forgotten about me that quickly." It sounded like a simple filler statement but she actually felt a little disappointed.

Chuckling as he lit his cigarette that flickered a orange glow in the darkness, he leaned back further. "I should know you by now shouldn't I? It's only been 4 weeks or so."

He's been counting.

The wine went down slow and burned her throat a little but that was the price of liking honest things. Bitter alcohol was honest alcohol.

"I'm sure you've kept yourself busy though."

"Sadly….The chunin exams are months away and they already have me doing shit."

"I'm sorry…"

"No you're not." When he looked as her, his deep eyes glowed in the flickering light.

"You're right. I'm not." Her gaze met his that lead to a unison smile which lead to a small laugh between them.

"You're a slave driver Temari. While you're off being a liaison, I get dumped with the brunt of the work…it's such a drag working solo."

"I'm sure you haven't been dedicating you're entire time to working." On the tiny metal table in the corner, barely lit by the moon there sat a pair of diamond earrings crossed gently over one another.

"I was suppose to find her when I found them." He didn't even have to look at what she was referring too.

"You didn't."

"I didn't care all that much to find her. If she wanted them badly enough, she would have found me. They're fake anyway so I can't even do anything with them."

It was never necessary to ask their relationship to other people. What did it matter to her anyway? She had her own ways in the world as much as she did. It was an understanding. Any other night though, she would have just moved on to another conversation but tonight she was feeling a little bit more edgy than usual. Strolling over to the glistening jewelry, she picked them up with the tips of her nails and eyed them as she went back over to her place beside him.

"Useless." Without warning, she sent them soaring over the edge of the balcony and onto the streets below where they would probably be lost in the night. Watching them being tossed over the edge, he didn't move but merely folded his arms and drew his cigarette.

"You're heartless you know that?" A reprimanding without anger, maybe even slight amusement.

She took a swig of her drink, unable to admit that rational of her actions to even herself but merely swimming in the satisfaction. "We all have our moments."

Turning around to her, she found herself eye to eye with this spiked ponytailed guy who suspended her breath for a secret moment. His gaze was more inquisitive than critical but she held her ground.

What is he getting at…

"If we're playing this game….I should take his number he wrote down that you have in your skirt pocket and tear it to shreds." That last breath from him lingered longer on her lips than she would have liked.

"Be my guest." Either way, it wouldn't matter to her.

There was a silence that fell like curtains to cover up what message she truly wanted to relay to him. A written on the top of his mattress, sealed with his tongue tattooing the secrets of their friendship and stamped with those hazy mornings that drew out to 2pm. She was sure he read her unspoken memo as he lips guided like missiles to the tucked away spots on the side of her neck. He defined an aspect of her womanhood and imprinted his name at the base of her torso and she breathed life into his male ego. This little part of their lives together kept them coming back for more even after finding drink elsewhere because nothing was as satisfying as satisfying an addiction. She bit her lip, he touched her waist ever so slightly. The doorbell rang.

"Hey Shikamaru! I know you're awake man! It's Kiba!"

He was inches, no centimeters away from closing in before he paused.

Ignore him…

"Shikkkaammaaarrruuuu!" Kiba pounded on the other side of the door.

"He's drunk…" Temari could measure his heart rate from the long exhales that collided against her nape.

Ignore him…

"He won't leave until I answer….I know him by now." With that, he broke himself away, throwing his cigarette in the ashtray by the door. Now it was time to disappear into the shadows so she moved slightly out of the way outside behind the curtain. Another unspoken rule. Now she would finish her drink and wait. She heard the door open apprehensively.

"Shikamaruuuuu my mans!" Kiba sounded like someone had given him morphine on one side of his mouth.

"Hey. What's up?.."

"Nothingssss bro! Hey I was just in your side oftown and uh-uh-damnit why am I here? Uh…"

"Don't force yourself too hard." That amusing laugh he gave must have been connected to her voice box because she gave the quieter version upon hearing him struggle.

"O yea! Naruto is throwing a wicked party tomorrow! He gave me the ultimate mission of telling you!"

"The ultimate mission huh?"

"Yea! So here and I am and here you are and thazzz it! Ha!"

"Thanks Kiba." Temari imagined him awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"No problem! Later!" She heard the door start to close before Kiba interrupted again.

"Hey Temari!" She quickly perked up, wondering if he saw her. When she looked back, she was completely coveed by the curtain that was partially pulled over the patio door. "You're invited too!"

"Why are you yelling into my apartment?"

"Because I wanted to make sure Temari heard me duh!"

"She's not here…."

"Pshhhhh. I can sniff her out a mile away but don't worry. You guys can go back to getting nasty now."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Suuurreee. Later!"

When the door closed, she emerged from hiding and walked inside to meet him. "So does this mean I'm not invited because I didn't hear that?"

"That's up to you now isn't it?"

"I guess I'm up for a little break from diplomacy in place of a drunk night, loud music and foolery." He took the empty cup from her hand and put it on the table.

"I guess this means I have to come now…"

"You don't have to do anything."

"Yes…I do." Pulling his shirt over his head as he closed the balcony door and drew the curtains, she watched his back muscles jump with his stride. It's not like a shirtless guy was new to her but the appeal of it all was something she rarely experienced.

"You can sleep in my room."

"Got it."

He collapsed onto the couch, instantly closing his eyes. There would be nothing to be had tonight and that was just fine. The way they communicated without words was a part that she enjoyed although him being more vocal wouldn't hurt either. The choice to sleep alone was his but she didn't protest the fact either. It was all part of the flow of things and if she ever wanted some night time company, it was as easy as calling him in. He never admitted it but she casted a spell that made him bend even if he didn't want to. Tonight she would spare him as she turned off the lights and watched him drift off. The expression on his face was the same and it looked as if he lived his life in slumber with his eyes open. In sleep, nothing bothered you, nothing stressed you out and you forgot the problems of the other hours. That was Shikamaru,

Night Shikamaru.

Tonight she would enjoy her mini vacation in the grey area because the world of black and white just didn't always feel right all the time.

"Night."