She cracked codes for a living so she could have seen this coming from a mile away. If she were to be truthful with herself it was her crush that had blinded her.

He was smart, caring, and sensitive and everything she had ever wanted.

When she had overheard him and his friend talking about their ideal lives she had almost fainted with happiness. It was her. Everything he wanted, the not too pretty not too ugly, docile and faithful wife was Shiho. By all accounts it should have worked out.

What had changed?

At first Shiho had thought it was the other girl's fault, Temari of Suna.

Every time she came to Konoha he would drop everything. Shikamaru told her he was afraid of the other girl's wrath.

It wasn't fair.

They saw each other at the union. What more could Temari of Suna want? She was everything Shikamaru had said he couldn't envision himself with. But she was also everything Shiho could see any other man wanting.

Temari of Suna did not stutter. She didn't have a shy bone in her body. Her bold attitude earned her looks from many men in the village.

It didn't help that her attitude was accompanied by a near perfect body.

Her curves weren't covered by a lab coat. She didn't wear glasses. Shiho's ash blond hair couldn't match up to the sun kissed waves of Temari.

How could she compete with the older bombshell? The only solace she had was that she knew beautiful wasn't what Shikamaru wanted.

He had said it himself.

So why would he spend so much time with her? He was no longer her guide. The only conclusion Shiho could come up with was that Temari also had a crush and was doing her best to seduce him.

This was how she found herself lurking behind bushes and hiding in alleyways. If she could prove to Shikamaru that the other girl had an interest in him that extended beyond friendship maybe he'd turn tail and run.

The day had started like most days he came into cryptology, with him being pulled away by Temari.

"Hey," he had lazily waved to her; perfect. There were so few times they were together just the two of them.

"H-hello Shikamaru," she could hardly contain her excitement.

"I just came to drop these off." Too quickly he placed the codes on her desk and began to leave.

"Wait!"

She flushed bright red at her forwardness. Surprised, Shikamaru turned back towards her.

"I-I um I was um...What is i-it you h-have to do?" He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I have to meet up with Temari."

Her heart constricted a little. But no matter, it was okay because in the end she was still his ideal woman. Shikamaru continued to look at her questioningly before he left.

Shiho had been so caught up in her daydream of their perfect life together, brown haired bespectacled children, that she hadn't even seen him go. Quickly, she put away all her files and rushed out to him.

"Shik –

She called out but before she could finish it was interrupted by.

"Temari," his voice rang.

The other woman's smile was much too coy to be innocent. Shikamaru's back was to Shiho and she could just imagine his expression as he thought of how exhausting his day was about to become.

The Suna girl reached forwards and pulled his arm without asking. It made her blood boil. Shiho gave herself a mission then; gather information to prove Temari's intentions.

So far she had a small list going.

Temari stood much too close to him when they walked. Every time he spoke she would look right into his eyes and seemingly demand that he do the same. When they stopped for tea she took off her jacket, no doubt in an attempt to get him to notice her exposed arms.

She argued with him and ultimately he paid for the tea. She was trying to coerce him into taking her on a date!

Anyone could see that Shikamaru and Temari were like oil and water.

There were too many things separating them, like the fact that although the war was over, they were still from different villages.

The longer Shiho watched the more she could assure herself that everything would be fine. The two fought like cats and dogs. Well, they weren't yelling at each other but they couldn't seem to agree on anything. Temari looked like she wanted to continue exploring the village but Shikamaru pointed towards the training grounds.

Ultimately, he won and Shiho followed the two from a great distance. They were jonin after all and she would die of humiliation if Shikamaru found out she had been spying.

When it was safe to do so, she slowly crept up the path they had disappeared on.

Then everything went wrong.

Temari stood with her back facing Shikamaru, arms folded over her chest and the tips of her ears were red. What was going on? More importantly why was he twisting her to face him.

If Shiho had been holding a glass it would have shattered as she watched in horror.

Because it isn't Temari who does the unthinkable, it's someone closer to home. Shikamaru leans down and kisses the other girl with so much ardour. There is no way he's faking it for her benefit.

Everything in Shiho's mind screams no.

Part of her wanted to tear the arms Temari had thrown over Shikamaru's neck but mostly she just wanted to cry.

She was so stupid. Those things he had said...that had been seven years ago.

It had been naive of her to think that his dreams hadn't changed in all that time. She had been so blind, chosen to ignore the way that, although he griped about it, Shikamaru's eyes definitely did light up when Temari's name was mentioned.

He didn't guide the other girl around because he was ordered to. In fact, today at the teashop it probably was a date. Temari was probably upset with him for paying. It was hard to admit but they did work on some level. Shikamaru had changed. He was more motivated and Shiho wondered how much of that the girl in his arms was responsible for.

Shiho couldn't stand to stay there a second more as the two lovers – she hated that word – embraced.

It had never been a fight.

Shikamaru had probably loved her years before Shiho herself even came on the scene. But he was happy.

And if she had really liked him, shouldn't she be happy for his sake?

She ran out of the training grounds and furiously wiped the tears from her face.

Wiping down her glasses that had fogged up in the whole ordeal, she went back to her work.

She cracked codes for a living.

Variables and unknowns were what she was supposed to work well with. People were confusing.

She would stick to paper.