/I don't know how to feel about this. I wrote it some time ago even before the Silence-part, but maybe it's a little bit OOC and all. But actually after reading it again, I like it. So here you go. Sorry for grammar and everything as always.
He was drowning. Drowning in work. Drowning in sorrow. He didn't know. He just sat there in front of his desk trying to fix things destroyed by the war. Going through all the paperwork that has to be done to take work off the shoulders of the Hokage and maybe to forget everything that happened. Actually it was kind of his idea to form the Council and Alliance of the five Villages so there was nobody he could shame for all the work. „Troublesome.." flew from his dry lips. When he allowed himself to be honest he was glad about all the work, so he didn't have to handle the death of his father. He just couldn't cope with the empty expression in the eyes of his mother, it was selfish and he knew it. Sigh. Massaging his temple Shikamaru starred at the lines in front of him „I am a coward." His father would scold him, his former Sensei would, too. A lump was forming in his throat and he fought the tears of his eye angles./p
„Nah, you're just a crybaby." her voice got him out of this thoughts, clearing his throat he tried to answer in his usual lazy tone „Shouldn't you help rebuild your village, or something instead getting on my nerves?". Temari walked trough his little office and sat on the edge of his desk „Gaara send me for starting the Council as soon as possible and as support for Konoha." he looked at the Blonde frowning „As support?" she nodded and her eyes softened „Yeah, I mean it's pretty much paperwork and the war hit Konoha pretty hard. I don't know.". She would never admit the actual reason she got to Konoha, was her worry how emHE/em would handle it. „Actually I thought you were taking some days of and got to your house at first." she gulped „And I met your mother.
Shikamarus eyes darted the paper in front of him and instead of answering he just continued his work with slightly shaking hands. The sand Kunoichi sighed and sat across from him on a chair „You know..she cried..because..". Suddenly he rushed out of his chair, fists on the desk „..because I am a terrible son who doesn't care. Yeah I know that, thanks for pointing it out." his voice was harsh and the lump in his throat was back. „No, because she is worried about you, idiot." her glance made him flinch and embarrassment settled for his sudden outburst „You need a break, Shikamaru. Not only from work, from beating yourself up.". Sighing he got back into his chair „This has to be done. The village has to be rebuild and as you said the Council should be established as soon as possible and I have to do the preparations for this." he didn't dare to look up he just couldn't handle her judging eyes now. „So I'll help you, give me something." her gentle voice widened his eyes in surprise „Don't look at me like this, I am here to help you, remember? And then I'll kick your ass for being such a stubborn idiot.".
They worked in silence for some time till Temari cleared her throat and asked silent „Shikamaru?" he looked up from her unusual silent voice and just hmed „Can I ask a favor of you?" his eyebrow arched, she was acting really weird. In front of him sat a shy woman almost looking vulnerable „How can I help you?" his body stiffened and he counted the seconds she took to answer. When her sad teal eyes pinned at his he could feel his body shiver, never had he seen this look on Temaris face and his hand grabbed his pen harder, afraid of what she was asking of him „Please, don't give yourself up and become like my father." her voice was nearly unheard and he could feel his body freezing. He never heard her speaking about her father or her past. Even when she mentioned Rasa she always referred to him as the 4th Kazekage. His eyes wandered over her nervously tangling hands and wandered to her face plastered with a strange expression. She didn't seem to acknowledge his presence anymore and her words came out without thinking „You can say what you want, but he was drowning and nobody could stop him. Sometimes I wonder how our lives could have been when my father stopped himself from drowning in sorrow and didn't just work to not see his children which remembered him of the most precious thing in his life he had lost. He wasn't just cold I could hear him cry in the night sometimes." she bit on her bottom lip „When I killed my first enemy, I was standing in front of him to report covered in the enemies blood and crying because I didn't know how to handle it. All he did say was in his cold Kazekage tone „You are a Shinobi of the Sand. You don't cry, go and wear the blood of your enemy with pride and don't be such a disappointment." I didn't stop crying all day and night in my bed. When I didn't have any tears left I decided to wash my face. I opened the door to my room and found my father sitting beside it on the ground sleeping with swollen eyes and a photograph of my mother and me as baby in his hands. Sometimes I wonder if I could have helped him to be our father again. I think I could have. But I was a coward, I didn't have the courage to fight for him and us. Obviously he was a cruel man and I didn't and don't agree with him on his methods but he was a broken man after all."
When Shikamaru stood up she suddenly woke up out of her monologue and embarrassment flushed on her face. Never had she told anyone about this and her eyes followed his movement with fear of the consequences of her vulnerable words. She could hear him mocking her in her head. But all he did was standing in front of her, offering a hand to get up „Stand up" his voice was husky and she shivered not meeting his eyes her hand took his „If you want to mock me go straight ahead, I can handle it." her voice was weak and she hated herself for it. His one arm gripped her waist and pushed her towards him, the other hand holding her head against his chest „Thank you." Temari could feel warm salty tears forming in her eyes and couldn't fight her broken voice „For what?" he chuckled silent and she could feel warm drops falling on her head „For having the courage to tell me this and for kicking my stubborn sad ass.". Temari mouth curled up in a gentle smile and she wrapped her arms around him not fighting back the stupid tears anymore „Anytime, Crybaby."
They were standing like this some time till Shikamaru cleared his throat „I think I'll take some of the papers and get home to my mother." the Blonde nodded „Will you join me?" she nodded again and added „Let's grab something to eat on our way, I am starving." - „Everything you want, Crybaby." the glance Temari sent at him flushed a wide grin on his face and she couldn't help to grin back.