Sorry guys for me being a lazy piggy...Btw I love reading your coments and seeing you following my story makes me really happy! There's one I think I realised you complained a lot about - the spacing. Let me plz know if this is any better! XOXO

'Hey Nara, where do you think you're going?' Ino Yamanaka was staring at him at the main village gate, while carrying a massive planter.

'Hey…' He put his hands in his pockets. 'I've got some business to do. Hokage send me.' He blabbered although he realized it sounded rather fake.

'Alone? Where are you heading to? Somewhere far I assume, measuring your backpack size.' Ino put the planter down and rose a brow at the yawning boy.

'Suna-gakure.' He stretched. 'Can I go now? I need to be as early as possible.'

'Shikamaru heading on a extremely troublesome trip in the early morning hours, telling me he has to hurry.' She crossed her arms unimpressed. 'Either it's a matter of life and death, but for this you looked way too relaxed, or you are not in a hurry because of your business in Suna.'

'Whatever Ino.' He turned around. 'Take care.' He dashed off not leaving any space for more chit-chat

'Say hello to Temari from me!' Ino called after him and made his heart skip a beat.

He already revealed her his destination and this might cut his time even a few hours lower than he calculated. He wasn't on a mission from Konoha, and actually had no business in Suna-gakure, he was on his win-back-mission and knew they wouldn't let a Jōnin spend his free time on foreign grounds without an actual reason or earlier announcement. Those were not times of peace where nobody cared. So he needed to make sure Temari wouldn't get married, by having only a couple of hours before the message falcon gets back to inform Gaara-sama that his visitor lied about his visit. How would he do that? He didn't have much of a precise plan, but it was impossible for him to confess to her. This wasn't right. All he had to do was to bring things back to the state they were 15 years before.

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'Good morning, Shikamaru-san.' Gaara spoke calmly as always. His face didn't show any emotions as usual although Shikamaru guessed he must be rather surprised to see him. 'What does bring you to us?'

' I am here for the sandstone import documents.' He said casually as if was obvious.

'Sanstone documents?' Gaara looked into the pile of files on his desk. 'I am afraid I must have either forgotten of something, which is absolutely impossible, or there must be some kind of misunderstanding.'

'Absolutely. The Hokage assured me that you've been negotiating for the last couple of weeks and were now ready to give out an agreement.' He straightened up and hid his hands behind his back to reassure himself.

'Absolutely not.' Gaara stared straight at him.

'So what am I supposed to tell the Hokage? Should I come back with empty hands?'

'You are being shockingly emotional about this sandstone Nara.' Gaara kept looking at the ponytailed man who was gathering all his power not to show his growing fear.

'I just find this extraordinarily unprofessional.' He decided to play it dangerously. 'I came all this way to gather this documents and you are telling me this is an misunderstanding?'

'Well…' Gaara frowned. 'I guess I could send a falcon to Konoha, asking what all of this is about if that is what you want me to do.'
'That seems the only logical option in my opinion.'

'It should be faster than you, that is for sure.' Gaara started writing down a letter and left Shikamaru standing in an uncomfortable silence.

'Am I supposed to wait here till it's back?' Shikamaru almost whispered.

'Certainly not! I have real work to do.' He looked up at the brunette. 'I'll leave you under the care of Matsuri. Wait for her in front of my office, she'll get you any minute.'

Shikamaru nodded and left the office although he felt deeply disappointed that Gaara didn't send Temari for him. Why Matsuri? Why did he have to make this even more complicated?

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'Good morning Shikamaru-san.' Matsuri bowed in the good old-fashion Suna way. 'I am sorry to have kept you waiting, the message from Kazekage Gaara-sama came quite unexpected.'

'No big deal.' The boy decided it wasn't the time or place to play formal as in fact they both were still kids. 'I actually have a question to you Matsuri. I absolutely need to find Temari-san. Where could I eventually meet her?'

'Temari-sama?' Matsuri looked at him and gave him a pretty cheeky smile. 'I am sorry to tell you, but she seems to have a day off for personal issues today.'

'Personal issues?' He couldn't hide his surprise.

'It's nothing I know from first hand but I think she might be spending the day with a friend.' Matsuri giggled. ' I am sorry.' She looked at him.

'Damn…I really need to talk to her. This is serious. Are you sure, you don't know where she might be?'

'Well maybe…Maybe I've heard something about them talking to meet at the village gate in about an hour.' Matsuri looked away.

'Thank you Matsuri-chan!' He squeezed her hand, making her blush heavily and dashed off towards the Sabaku residence. If she had an appointment in an hour she probably would still be home.

He stopped at the main doors and looked at the knocker but froze before making a move towards it. He made it all that way and wasn't actually sure what for and why. What would he tell her? How would he convince her not to marry some random guy he doesn't actually know? Maybe he was better for her than he himself was as a husband? She probably deserved better. Temari is a bitch. She always was bitchy and never lost that trait. That is something she has never hidden from him. Why was he so upset with that lately? Yeah, she did force him to do things, she did yell at him and call him names, but also did she do his laundry, cook his diner, clean the house, raise their son and found the gentleness to kiss him goodbye every morning he left for work. She was a good wife. Not extraordinarily great, but good and this was all he actually expected. He knew what he offered her at Konoha wasn't actually thrilling. Far from the adventurous, dangerous life she's been used to as a teenager. But times have changed too. He was a regular office worked, seldom doing much beyond paperwork with Naruto. That was also one of the reasons he got so frustrated. None of them was made to be a lap dog. They weren't those jungle tigers like, let's take, Sasuke, whom you simply can't image at home, but there were genuinely interested in a bit more activity. Maybe if she stayed in Suna, she would have had a better life. Maybe here things would be different for her. She would have a more responsible job in Suna, a husband, who would give her security, probably some kids. Maybe even more than one, although Shikamaru was quite certain she would give up the idea of a big family after labor like the last time. Why was he even here? He looked at the knocker once more and sighed heavily. He should have stayed home with this lack of reasonable arguments. His lifted hand slowly fell down and he looked at his feet. He should have stayed home. This absolute rock-bottom of confidence got interrupted just the same second he turned around to actually leave her in peace for ever. The door threw open and a hair-tying Temari faced him. She dropped her elastics and looked at him astonished.

'Nara?' She mumbled.

'Good morning.' Shikamaru put a rather fake smile on and scratched his back. 'How troublesome…'

'Good God…' She kneeled to pick up the elastics and seemed back in her routine. 'What are you doing here this early? Gaara send you? He knows I have my day off.'

'No…I am her for business and I just stepped by, because I thought it would be nice to spend some time together.'

'Absolutely, we should do that, some other time. I am quite busy today, sorry.'

'Yeah, I heard from Matsuri, that you've got a date.' He glared at her carefully.

'Matsuri…' She finished doing her hair and pushed her way past the pony-tailed boy. ‚So as you already know, I need to get going.'

'Let me walk you.'

'Whatever rocks your boat Nara.' She closed the door and started walking in a quite fast pace.

'You're looking nice. Meeting your fiancé?' Shikamaru pushed his hands in his pockets and admired her slim legs, looking endlessly long thanks to that short dress she was wearing.

'He's not my fiancé.' She eyed him. 'Not yet.'

'You really must like him when you gussy up from him this much.' Shikamaru looked into the sky.

'What is your point Nara? You came here to spend time with me, just to make awkward comments on my outfit and my relationship with men?' She stopped making him trip a bit.

'Sorry. I just spotted that.' He shrug his shoulder and looked rather miserable.

'Capitan obvious.' She looked at him for a longer while. 'What's going on?'

'What?' He now was looking straight into her eyes.

'I can see something is going on. What is bothering you?' She crossed her arms. 'Don't try to give me some bullshit Nara. I don't have time for this.'

'No it's nothing. I think I am just disappointed that you won't find any time for me today.' He spoke in a hushed voice and blushed slightly.

'Don't be such a sissy.' She pull her tongue out on him and laughed loudly. 'I know Matsuri isn't that much of a great company as I am, but you'll survive. She's nice.' Temari once again turned around and stared walking away. 'Besides we can meet up in the evening if you want to.'

'I don't know if I'll be still here by the evening.'

'Gaara is strict, but he's not that ruthless to send you home the same day you arrived.' She laughed again.

'It's complicated.' Shikamaru mumbled but she didn't seem to have noticed. 'So Temari…I was wondering how you liked Konoha?'

'That is a weird question to ask me while being in Suna. I like Konoha, I think I like it a lot. You have lots of trees, green, lakes, ponds…all that stupid shit that's not possible here.' She smiled towards him. 'Why do you ask?'

'Just like that.' He stared for that tiny moment at that very weird, wide but absolutely heartwarming smile of hers. 'Is it only me, or are you in a way better mood than last time we've met?'

'Possibly.' She answered mysteriously.