Temari

It was a little over a month later when we returned to Konoha. The trees were in full color, some of them bare of leaves already. Dried leaves stirred in the breeze and crunched under our feet as we walked.

Shikamaru didn't meet us at the gate; he had told me to meet him "where the club used to be" which meant that, as he predicted, it hadn't lasted long.

People were starting to recognize us, and some of them even greeted us with smiles or nods or a wave of the hand. "Friendly town, eh?" Kankurou murmured as he gave a curt nod to yet another person.

"Yeah," I said, somewhat distracted. Gaara was distracted too; we kept losing him along the way. "Gaara, come on," I urged. He looked away from the tree he had been staring at, his expression almost guilty.

We were dressed normally this time, Kankurou huddled in his hoodie, Gaara with his gourd and without anything to declare him as kazekage except his bearing, which was somewhat diminished by his obvious interest in the season change. The weight of the fan strapped to my back was reassuring.

"What's your hurry?" Gaara asked as he caught up. "You know he'll wait for you."

"I know," I replied, but I still walked quickly down the street.

We reached the building. The neon leaf was gone, replaced by a hanging wooden sign that swayed in the wind. "The Perverted Hermit," it read, and had a silhouette of someone who was shaped suspiciously like Jiraiya chasing a buxom young woman. I shook my head.

There was no line, no bouncer or doorman, no velvet rope. Kankurou went forward and pushed the door open, holding it so I could pass inside.

The place seemed a lot smaller and cozier, all warm, varnished wood instead of plastic and metal. There was only one bar now, and that's where Shikamaru sat, in front of two pale yellow shots. He didn't look up when the door opened, though Jiraiya, behind the bar, gave us a huge grin. Everyone seemed to be there. Tsunade sat at a table across from Shizune, who was clutching her little pig on her lap. Ino and Chouji sat at another table with Sakura and Naruto. Chouji appeared to be working his way through a mountain of chicken wings; a pile of soiled napkins lay on the floor around his chair.

I slid onto the stool next to Shikamaru's, and I could tell by his crooked smile that he knew the instant I walked in. Kankurou sat next to me but a few seats apart, while Gaara joined Naruto's table. Everyone was taking part in their own private conversations, but I could sense their eyes on us.

Shikamaru nudged one of the shots over to me. "A little early in the day for that, don't you think?" I teased, but raised the glass.

Finally our eyes met. My breath caught. Shikamaru brought his glass up to mine with a clink. "To us," he whispered, and smiled.

I echoed his toast and we downed our shots. "How was the trip?" he asked.

"Chilly, but it's a nice change," I replied. "I thought we'd never get here because Gaara kept wanting to examine the coloration of every different kind of leaf in the forest."

Shikamaru chuckled. I sensed movement to my right; Sakura had gotten up and settled herself next to Kankurou at the bar. "Hey," I heard her say hesitantly. Kankurou grunted in response. "I wanted to apologize for what I said last time," Sakura went on.

"Really?" Kankurou said, his voice free of growling bravado. I wanted to laugh. He sounded so hopeful. Good luck, little bro.

Shikamaru reached into a pocket of his flak jacket and took out a little wooden box. I got a little ceramic pillbox out of my pocket and slid it over to him as he slid the box over to me. We opened them at the same time. He was true to his word; it was platinum, just a flat band with a leafy vine engraved around it. The one I got him was similar, only engraved with cactus flowers.

"I hope you aren't emasculated by the flowers," I teased.

"I think I'm secure enough in my manliness," he replied, and lifted it out of the box to examine it. "You know my mom's gonna kill me for going behind her back like this."

I waved that away. "She can throw us a big party if she wants," I offered. We would know that the real thing happened here, without fancy costumes, big cakes, flowers and music and useless pageantry. We weren't going to wait a year while Nara Yoshino planned a huge, fancy, bothersome production.

Shikamaru took the leafy ring from me, lifted my left hand, kissed it. I smiled. He held the ring poised to slip onto my finger.

"Let's do this properly now, kids," Tsunade said right behind us. We turned in our seats. She stood there, holding a scroll. "You know how much I hate doing paperwork, so you should appreciate this," she continued, unrolling the contract. "Who are your witnesses?"

I gestured to Kankurou, who excused himself from Sakura. Chouji dropped a gnawed bone, hurriedly licked his fingers, and rushed to Shikamaru's side.

There were no spoken vows. Words are cheap, anyway, and we knew what this meant. Shikamaru signed his name first, then I signed mine. Chouji and Kankurou followed, and Tsunade added hers last as officiator. Then she took out another, smaller scroll. "Your visa," she said, and handed it to me. I tucked it securely away. Gaara handed Shikamaru his.

"Well?" I said, holding out my hand to Shikamaru again. He took the ring and slid it on my finger. I did the same with his. Everyone's eyes were on us. Shikamaru licked his lips nervously. I reached out and touched his face; he relaxed. We leaned in, our lips barely brushing at first, then meeting. The room erupted in applause.

" Drinks on me!" Jiraiya announced as people started lining up to give their congratulations.

"I don't have to threaten you with anything, Nara," Kankurou said with a smirk as he shook Shikamaru's hand. "I know she'll kick your ass herself if you do her wrong." He winked at me and I shook my head at him, smiling.

Ino and Sakura hugged me at the same time. "I'm so happy for you!" Ino sobbed.

"So, when am I getting grandkids?" Gaara asked.

The room when silent as everyone wondered whether it was safe to laugh.

"I think you mean nieces and nephews, Gaara," I corrected him gently.

"Right, of course," Gaara amended.

"Um, not for a while," Shikamaru said nervously.

The door boomed open and Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Chouza walked in, laughing and talking. They stopped when they saw us. Shikaku gave his son a confused look. Realization dawned when he saw the rings on our hands and his confusion transformed into a smug, knowing look. "I knew it!" he exclaimed, and laughed. "I knew I saw you at the jeweler a few weeks ago! Your mother thought I was crazy. 'He'd never do that without discussing it with us first, Shikaku!' Congratulations!" He came forward to sweep us both into a bear hug.

"Dad, don't tell Mom yet, okay?" Shikamaru pleaded.

His father winked. "Don't worry. I just came here for a drink. C'mon, guys," he beckoned to the other two men. They went to sit at the corner of the bar.

Tsunade looked to Gaara. "I formally request the hire of Nara Temari," she said. My new name sounded strange, but good.

"Request accepted," Gaara responded. "She's all yours."

"Well, Temari, Shikamaru, I have a mission for the two of you," Tsunade announced. I straightened up, hiding my disappointment.

Shikamaru wasn't as stoic. "Hokage-sama, can't we even have a honeymoon?"

Tsunade went on as though he hadn't spoken. "You are to go to Otafuku City and bring me back one of those toy ANBU masks they sell at the festival."

"What?" I couldn't help but exclaim. What kind of mission was that?

"This mission should probably take you about a week," Tsunade went on, ignoring my outburst. "Now, I know that accommodations aren't cheap there. Normally I'd have you file an expense report but, like I said, I hate paperwork," she said, dropping a bulging money purse into Shikamaru's hand.

He turned his head towards me, the beginnings of a smirk creeping onto his face. Ah, she was being clever, giving us this "mission" to one of the entertainment capitals of the Fire Country. "Any particular mask you have your eye on, Hokage-sama?" Shikamaru asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Tsunade pondered a moment. "I don't think I have a deer in my collection yet," she said.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Shikamaru replied. "We should get going, then," he said to me with a wink. "We still have to go back to the apartment to… pack." He waved to everyone. "Feel free to celebrate in our absence," he shouted. "And Dad?" Shikaku looked up. "Wait until after I've left to tell Mom?"

"I'll wait until tomorrow," Shikaku replied. "You won't want her chasing you down the road, brandishing a frying pan."

"Good point," Shikamaru muttered. "See you in a week, then."

"Goodbye!" "Have fun, you two!" "Be careful!" I gave everyone a wave as we exited.

We walked out into the street, loosely holding hands. Shikamaru was already fiddling with my ring, twisting it around on my finger. "Knock it off, that's irritating," I griped.

"Sorry."

We sighed and smiled at each other. "Feel any different?" I asked.

"Happier."

"Yeah." I leaned against him for a moment, then we kept walking back to his place. "I'm already packed. I left my stuff outside your door."

"I have to get a key made for you," he said. "Remind me next week." He shook his head and smiled. "Tsunade's funny."

"That was a clever move," I agreed.

We reached his door and he fiddled with the key as I hauled up my pack. "You'd better hurry up with your packing; we're losing daylight already," I prodded.

Shikamaru opened the door, then turned and pulled me inside and into a fierce embrace. Our lips met and melded, and he reached around and started to untie my obi as he kicked the door shut. "We'll have time for that when we get there," I protested between kisses.

"Can't wait," he replied, and moved down to kiss my neck.

"Oh, all right," I gave in, and he smiled in triumph. "You win."

END