Temari couldn't help but feel that everyone's eyes were on her.

Though it was somewhat of a formal event, she wasn't underdressed. If anything, the dress she wore was slightly too elegant for this type of thing.

She should have listened to Shikamaru; it was his clan after all.

Everyone one here was dressed much more casually than anyone at any tribe gathering she had been to in Suna.

No, it wasn't her dress, which was more than modest and midnight blue, that was gaining her the unwanted attention but rather herself in general.

At any other time she may have laughed. Temari couldn't quite think of anywhere else where she had been surrounded by so many similar looking people.

There was a sea of dark spiky hair all around.

Even the children, who should really be running around and getting into mischief, were sitting around with disinterested looks. Naturally, she stuck out like a sore thumb.

One woman had even gone as far as to tell her she looked exotic.

"I thought the Naras were allowed to marry outside of the clan," she murmured to her fiancé. Temari had thought that the family she was marrying into was different from the Hyuuga or other exclusive clans which were very intent on keeping their techniques secret. Now that she was standing here, she wasn't so sure.

From what she could see, even the wives all seemed to have different variations of black and brown hair. The whole experience made her wish that her own hair wasn't such a bright shade of blonde.

"Hmm," Shikamaru had been spacing out until now; he wasn't really one for these types of events either.

Though, he'd have to get used to it as he would be instated as clan leader in a matter of days.

"We are," he affirmed to Temari.

Looking at his clan from her point of view, he could see why she may be second guessing the Nara's marital practices. Similar to the Hyuuga, it wasn't all that difficult to pick a member of their clan out from a crowd.

But unlike Konoha's most prestigious clan, this was just due to a similar preference in partners, not because their clan mandated everyone had to marry a Nara.

"So you're just the strange one then," she stated point blank.

The evidence was right in front of their eyes so he couldn't disagree with her. Temari wasn't anything like the other dark haired, dark eyed women in the room.

It was only expected that his clan would be curious about their imminent new member who was not just unlike them in appearance but from a completely different land.

Shikamaru realized that she wasn't completely comfortable being the center of so much attention. It was obvious in the way that she had stood no more than a foot from him throughout the entire evening. This was her first time being introduced to the clan as a whole.

Even though that wasn't the reason for this meeting, everyone knew that their future clan leader's fiancée was the main attraction tonight.

Temari had no problem being up front and center on the battlefield or in a political debate. Here, she was out of her element.

Shikamaru wouldn't say it aloud but he sort of liked that she stood out in the crowd. And not just for the added convenience that it was easier to locate her.

He wasn't one to tout his intelligence, but he could admit to being the smartest member of his clan and he didn't think that any of them would be able to grasp just how exceptional Temari was without her looking as foreign as she did.

He didn't think it was so much that his taste in women was outside that of his clan's.

He wasn't partial to blond hair, unless it was hers. Green eyes, he could take them or leave them but he had committed Temari's to memory.

As long as she still had her personality and temperament, she could be the plainest looking woman and he would still be engaged to her.

He may also be just the tiniest bit proud to show her off in a sense.

She was beautiful.

None of it was about invoking envy in anyone else, though he wouldn't doubt that some of the younger single men in the clan were feeling quite bitter right now. Shikamaru actually felt incredibly humbled to be by her side.

All of his pride was for her.

"Not you too," she whined. "Stop staring!"

Temari was starting to become self conscious about the way his relatives were smiling smugly at the pair of them. His eyes focused in on her face unsettled her in a way that was not necessarily unpleasant which annoyed her. She really didn't want anyone thinking that something improper was going on; a clan meeting was really not the place for that.

"I can send them all home if you want."

"Abusing the power of your title already?" she questioned tauntingly to mask her interest.

She couldn't lie and say that the offer was not tempting, extremely tempting.

"If they're going to saddle me with all this responsibility, I should get to have some fun out of it."

Before Temari had a chance to stop him, he was already calling out to for everyone to leave. She would have yelled at him for it, if he hadn't turned his eyes on her again. Except, they were narrowed now and she somehow felt like prey being stalked.

"Shikamaru," she started warily and backed up a little.

Her hesitance did nothing to deter him in the slightest and, eventually, she had the palms of her hands pressed against his chest and her head turned to the side to avoid him.

"Wha-What's wrong with you?" she stammered nervously. "People are still here. Stop it," she hissed quietly.

"Hn, they're just family," he remarked lightly, trying to get her to face him.

The task proved to be more difficult than he would have liked as Temari was more than embarrassed by this display of affection. He was a little surprised by how far she was able to arch her back in an attempt to escape.

The last stragglers from the meeting were almost out the door now, not that he cared much.

"Shikamaru," she protested, though not as compellingly.

"Temari," he smirked, drawing out the last syllable of her name.

And the last thing she thinks is 'damn him' because this whole situation is completely not like her. Yet, somehow, the traitorous part of her mind is winning. The worst part was he didn't even have to try that hard to wear down her resolve.

"You're the worst," she muttered before finally caving in.

How she ever fell for such a man she'll never wholly understand but that doesn't matter because she would never change it for the world. She's very glad they no longer have an audience because the way he's kissing her is certainly something that shouldn't be seen by anyone else. It's not indecent but there's definitely passion and a large amount of gentleness on his part that makes her heart hammer wildly.

Suddenly an old memory flickers in the forefront of her mind of a namesake she once held long ago. Temari remembers always hating it. The people who addressed her by that name were always fake, never actually on her side.

She despised being called princess Temari.

Lady Temari had a much better ring to it, commanded more authority. But right here and now, the way he held her with fragility and firmness all at once made her feel like she was a princess and not the gritty cynical woman most people knew her to be.

No matter how many times she tried to tell herself that she resented being treated like a delicate flower, she could never be convinced when it came to him.

It was foreign and strange to her but then again their relationship still seemed so surreal, too good to actually be true.

Yet here they were, in a home that would be their own in a matter of weeks. And she was allowing herself to be pressed up against a wall, completely defenceless, hair let down. When had she become the woman who threw social etiquette out the window for a chance to fool around with her fiancée?

Her train of thought was broken when she felt his lips detach from hers.

"What are you thinking about, troublesome woman?"

Temari looked a little guilty at being caught for her straying mind. Shikamaru can't blame her. After all, he had been rather forward and a bit forceful with his advances. Regardless of receiving a wounded ego, if she wanted to stop he would.

"Um...uh," Temari was unusually at a loss for words. The tinge of pink that was starting to appear on the tips of her ears intrigued him more.

"You."

The word was so quiet that he second guessed himself for a moment. He blinks twice before resting his head on her shoulder, letting out a groan of frustration and happiness. It should really be a sin for her to look so shy.

However, Shikamaru isn't allowed to reflect upon this momentary lapse in character as Temari seems to return to her usual self. She pulls the elastic out from his hair and lifts his chin to initiate another kiss.

He begins to let his mind wander in thought as his body is occupied. Other guys always seemed to complain about being 'tied down'. If this was what married life was going to be like for them, Shikamaru was half kicking himself that he didn't propose sooner.

There was nothing troublesome about this.

That is, nothing was troublesome until a familiar someone yanks the front door open without knocking.

"I forgot my coat on the way out," Yoshino announced before realizing what she had walked in on, an arrangement that was definitely not suitable for company.

The three inhabitants of the room stare at each other blankly.

Yoshino quickly takes note of how the two of them are both trying to catch their breath discreetly, how their hair is down and that the collar of Temari's shirt has been pulled slightly to reveal some of the girl's shoulder.

The longer the older woman stares, the redder the faces of her son and soon to be daughter become.

Temari can't believe that they actually forgot to lock the door.

While, Shikamaru could only focus on the fact his mother, of all people, had caught them in a heated lip-lock. Yoshino smiled, grabbing her jacket.

"Don't mind me," she said with amusement clear in her voice.

In record time she had made it back to the door.

"Have fun," she called out over her shoulder before disappearing. The door slammed shut, startling the two of them out of their shock.

Temari felt embarrassment transform into laughter and once she starting giggling she couldn't stop.

Soon enough, Shikamaru joined in and any discomfort was erased as the two smiled foolishly at each other.