A/N: I'm back, and publishing this from an airport, aren't you proud of me? Well, enjoy the chapter, even if it's not very fluffy.

Disclaimer: I have never even been to Japan, let alone live there, so obviously I cannot be Masashi Kishimoto, and thus I do not own Naruto.

Shikamaru finally woke from his daze long enough to realize where he was: being dragged through a crowded dance hall by a troublesome woman that had just kissed him. He dug in his heels and refused to move another inch. Temari spun around and Shikamaru looked at her, eyes inscrutable. To Temari, it almost looked like he was looking through her, calculating who she was, and it made her uncomfortable. "What, do I have food on my face or something?" she demanded finally.

Shikamaru stared at her for a moment longer before speaking one word. "Why?"

"Why what? Why is the sky blue? Why does Tsunade drink too much sake? Why are you lazy?"

He interrupted her tirade before she could get in the swing of things. "You know what I'm asking."

"Then why won't you just say it? Maybe I'm not a genius like you! Why don't you spell it out for the stupid troublesome woman!" Temari had inched forwards, and she was practically in his face now, voice rising in pitch as her thoughts tumbled about in her head uncontrollably Why did I kiss that lazy ass?

"You are not stupid, Temari. You knew that I was asking why you kissed me, but you're afraid of talking about it. And you're responding to this fear with anger, which provides a good defense when you're afraid. Few would dare approach you when you're angry." Shikamaru stated plainly, as if he were commenting on the weather instead of trying to have a serious conversation.

She froze. It was uncanny how he could read her, strip away all her defenses. Her breath hitched in her throat and she couldn't say anything.

Shikamaru watched the vulnerability flash across her face as he had expected. He allowed her a few moments to sort out her thoughts again before repeating the question softly while capturing her frightened eyes with his again. "Why did you kiss me Temari?"

She felt trapped. Trapped by his eyes, which revealed nothing, and his logic which had, in a few sentences, stripped away all her defenses. She felt so vulnerable. She needed space to think. To plan. "I kissed you to stop the betting pool." She stated, hoping that that would be enough of an explanation for him, even though she knew he could see right through it.

"Is that the only reason?" he asked, voice calm.

"Why would there be any other reason for me to kiss you, you arrogant, obnoxious, lazy ass?" Temari practically screamed at him. "I'm leaving!" As she spun to leave the dance, the need for space to figure things out, figure out where it all went wrong almost overwhelming, she heard a low voice that only fueled her rage and fear. "Because you love me." Shikamaru whispered the words that shattered her world as the blond stormed out, face turned so that he couldn't see the tear that leaked out of her furious eyes. Why can't I hate him? Temari wondered in anguish, When did everything go to pieces?

Shikamaru sighed. Things hadn't gone how he had planned. Just because he was a genius didn't mean that he understood women. They were complicated. And troublesome. And somehow even more beautiful when they were angry at him. He would let her go. It wouldn't do to chase after her when he didn't know what to say. Better to let her come back to him, and stage the next move based on how she was feeling.

Light brown eyes had been watching the whole exchange, from the moment the pair had left the drink table, seemingly unaffected by the other blonde's explosion. She turned back away from Shikamaru in his solitude. "When do you think they'll get back together?" Tsunade stage-whispered to her gambling buddies. "I'm taking bets."