Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Temari returned from her weekend feeling wonderful. Her brothers were annoying assholes, Matsuri was a delight, and the children ran her ragged. Gecko absolutely loved all the attention she received from the children. She enjoyed the giant yard to run around in.
Naturally the children were sad to see their aunt and dog go. Temari hugged them all and promised to visit again soon.
"Promise?" Izumi asked, teary eyed.
"I promise."
"Don't worry kids. We'll make sure aunty keeps her promise." Kankuro placed a comforting hand on his daughter's head.
"Ryota's birthday party is later this month. You'll see your aunt very soon." Gaara comforted his two youngest.
Matsuri handed Temari two large Tupperware of leftovers.
"Shinki insisted you take the rest of the pie from last night. Plus we don't want any food to go to waste."
Temari hugged her nephew and kissed his temple. "He knows I love his mother's pie." Shinki looked away in embarrassment.
"Bye aunty."
The children gave her one last giant hug. They also cuddled and kissed Gecko once more.
Temari returned to the busy city.
Her life went back to normal. She bossed her employees around and demanded excellent work. They talked shit about her and complained about work in general. She turned in their latest project and her bosses still found something to complain about it.
In turn it caused a massive email war between her, her bosses, and their poor assistant who was stuck in the middle. Temari did feel bad about some of the things she sent to the assistant but her bosses just knew how to piss her off. In the end her bosses said the work was 'adequate'.
Temari nearly had an aneurysm at the end of their exchange. Fuckers.
Luckily Shikamaru was there to help make her days better. She continued their sleepovers.
Sex also helped immensely.
This particular sleepover was a Saturday afternoon. Two weeks after seeing her family, Shikamaru was a bit nervous. Temari had gone home to take care of Gecko for the better half of the morning. His mother sent him a message that she would be visiting him. He tried to get out of the meeting by coming up with some half assed excuse. His mother saw through the lie.
He tried to warn Temari about the doom she would be walking in. She didn't answer his call. Well he tried.
The world would have to find some way to recover after these two troublesome women met.
His mother arrived shortly after her message. His apartment was not it's usual messy state. He thanked having Temari around. She made sure he kept his place tidy as long as she was there. That would be one less thing she could complain about.
"Hi mom."
"So my son knows he has a mother?"
Shikamaru sighed. Here came the lecture.
"Mom-"
"Just because you finally get a girlfriend doesn't mean your father and I don't exist."
"I know-"
"It's not like you can blame work either. You're still being a lazy ass on vacation!"
He just decided it would be better if he kept his mouth shut. Let her run her mouth until she felt better. Maybe having Temari pop in soon would better his mother's mood. His mother continued to scold him.
"I know I raised you better than this. Some gentleman you turned out to be."
She smacked the back of his head.
"Answer me when I'm talking to you boy!"
"I didn't know I could speak."
Another smack.
"Don't talk back!"
"Ack! Mom!"
Yoshino Nara could only shake her head. She loved her only son very dearly. He was just an idiot. So much like his father. She prayed his girlfriend had patience.
"How does your girlfriend put up with you?"
Shikamaru hissed as he rubbed his sore head. "She thinks I'm adorable."
His mother giggled. "It's your pouting isn't it?"
Shikamaru blushed in embarrassment. "Kinda."
"When do I finally get to meet this mystery woman?"
"She went home to feed her dog. She should be back soon."
"Your father will be jealous. He's dying to meet her."
Shikamaru frowned at his mother's tone of voice. Something was off. "Why?"
"He's still under the impression she's not real."
Ouch. That hurt. His old man thought he was lying?
That was just rude.
"I could just send him a picture of the hickies she's given me."
Double smack.
Shikamaru held his head in pain.
"Don't use that kind of language around me young man!" Yoshino snapped.
"Shit mom! That really hurt!"
"Maybe manners will finally get through your thick skull!"
It was at that moment Temari walked back into the apartment. Opening the door she was met with Shikamaru clenching his head between both hands. A woman with long black hair shaking her head in disappointment. Both were sitting on the couch together.
"Is this a bad time?"
Both Nara's looked up at their guest.
The woman's eyes light up like fireworks.
"Oh my she's gorgeous."
Temari blushed a bit at the compliment. She still wasn't used to hearing people telling her that. Well normal people. She's used to scumbags catcalling her. Genuine compliments weren't very common. They weren't common before she started seeing Shikamaru. He liked to compliment her just to make her squirm.
"Mom this is my girlfriend Temari. Temari this is my mother Yoshino Nara."
Temari finally got motion back into her legs. She entered the apartment and walked up to Yoshino with her usual confidence. She held out her hand.
"It's very nice to meet you."
"And so polite!" Yoshino smiled. She shook Temari's hand. "It's a pleasure."
Yoshino insisted Temari take her seat next to Shikamaru. Temari protested. She could sit on the smaller couch. She was his mother, their guest, and she should sit next to Shikamaru. Yoshino practically plopped Temari next to her son. Yoshino was beaming as she sat across from the couple.
"My son talks a lot about you."
Both adults blushed at that statement.
"I can only imagine all the horrible things he says."
"Well he does worry you overwork yourself."
Temari gave him a dirty look. Shikamaru shrugged.
"My mother has a similar experience with my dad. I call her for advice."
"I can take care of myself just fine."
"My husband thinks so too." Yoshino shook her head. "And yet he always misplaces his car keys every morning. And I always find them in the same spot."
"Thank you for the concern Mrs. Nara-"
"None of that please. Yoshino is fine."
"Yoshino, I assure you, Shikamaru exaggerates my work schedule."
"She came home last night almost at 9pm. She starts her mornings around 7am."
Temari knew it would be rude and disrespectful to hit Shikamaru in front of his mother. But he was acting like a 5 year old 'telling' on her to his mother. It was a reflex at this point. She normally would hit her brothers when they said something stupid.
Shikamaru was no exception to that rule.
Temari smacked his shoulder.
"That does not happen often."
"Honestly I don't think you would eat if it wasn't for me."
"I eat fine."
"You eat take out."
"You sleep until noon. Everyday."
"At least I sleep."
"You two are absolutely precious."
The couple in the middle of their arguing forgot Yoshino was there. Temari coughed to cover her embarrassment. Shikamaru grabbed her hand.
"I think so too."
Temari had to fight the urge to hit him again. She settled for giving him a glare.
"Temari, answer me honestly. Is my son blackmailing you?"
"Mom!" Shikamaru cried out in horror.
"Why else would a girl as smart, witty, and beautiful as she stay with you?"
Temari coughed harder to hide her laughter. Oh she liked his mother.
"Hey I'm a great catch." Shikamaru tried to defend himself.
"Son let's be honest. You're ok."
Temari couldn't hold it back any longer. She laughed. She really liked his mother. Yoshino laughed as well. Shikamaru pouted. Women were so troublesome.
"I enjoy his company."
"He's adorable isn't he?" Yoshino leaned over to pinch her son's cheek.
His mother didn't stay too much longer. She had some errands to run. She insisted both come over for dinner. Her husband wouldn't forgive her if he didn't get to meet the girlfriend. Temari agreed while Shikamaru complained. Yoshino hugs the couple before leaving.
"Your mom is a delight."
"Of course you two would get along. I think the sun and moon are aligning or something."
"Should I expect baby pictures at dinner?"
"Knowing my mother, definitely."
Dinner would be fun.
The couple sent the better half of the day just lounging around. Temari insisted on going home to get ready for dinner when the time came. Not to mention walk Gecko before leaving for dinner. Shikamaru protested and said she could wear normal clothes to dinner with his parents. He told her she didn't need to impress his parents. His mom already liked her. She could show up in a garbage bag and his parent's wouldn't bat an eye.
Temari was going to go home to get ready.
Shikamaru managed to delay her departure with lovemaking on the couch.
Temari still left afterwards. She did appreciate the delay though.
Shikamaru, being a guy, took 20 minutes tops to shower and change for dinner. He sat in his apartment waiting for Temari to be ready. She would probably come back to his place and then they would go together to his parent's house.
He didn't expect her to send a message with an address.
To her place.
He smiled to himself. So she trusted him more now.
He drove to her place smiling like a lunatic.
Arriving at the giant skyscraper of a building, Shikamaru wondered exactly how much money Temari made. He never cared about money. She never flaunted her money. She didn't even seem to possess extravagant objects.
Shikamaru entered the building and followed Temari's directions to find her penthouse. He knocked on her door once he found the right door.
The door was opened after a few moments.
Shikamaru started drooling once he saw Temari.
She was dressed in a modest burgundy colored dress. Her hair was loose, barely touching her shoulders.
"Ready?"
Shikamaru didn't speak. This was the first time seeing Temari 'dressed up'. None of their dates required to dress up so to speak. He didn't count her work clothes as being dressed up. He knew she was beautiful but she was stunning tonight.
"Are you ok?"
Only after his hand was covered in drool did he snap out of his stupor. He looked down to see a massive dog sniffing his pants. He returned his vision to his girlfriend. She gave him a questioning gaze.
"You're beautiful."
"Did you hit your head on the way here or something?"
He shook his head. "You distracted me. In a good way."
Temari still gave him a funny look.
"So this is Gecko?"
"Yes my bear. Gecko is just familiarizing herself with you." Temari let the conversation shift. Gecko was very curious about this new person in her home. After sniffing around she retreated back into her home.
"You have been accepted."
"Good. I would hate to be on her bad side."
Temari laughed. "She may seem intimidating but she's a giant softy. Really no protective bone in her body. She fails her breed."
"So you're saying if I really was a stalker, broke into your place, she wouldn't attack me?"
"No."
"Good to know."
Temari rolled her eyes as she locked her front door. "Let's go."
The couple took Shikamaru's car to his parent's house. Temari brought wine as a gift. Shikamaru teased her saying his parents were going to disown him. They would instead claim her as their child.
Temari teased back saying she knew how to be a good child.
Dinner at the Nara household was fun. Everyone had wine that Temari brought with the steak dinner Yoshino cooked. If Temari liked Shikamaru's food, she fell in love with Yoshino's cooking. She would marry the woman for her cooking alone.
Shikaku, like Shikamaru predicted, also loved Temari. His father asked Temari if Shikamaru held her mother hostage to be dating him. Shikamaru almost threw his fork at his dad as Temari laughed.
"Dad I wouldn't hold anyone hostage."
"He would rather stalk me instead."
Both his parents accepted that answer.
"For the last time I did not stalk you."
"Son it's ok if you did. It's clearly a kink the two of you share."
Both adults flushed red. His parents laughed at their embarrassment.
After dinner, Yoshino did in fact share baby photos of Shikamaru. Shikamaru was no longer embarrassed by this. His mother showed these pictures to any girl in his life. Temari was having a blast looking through the photo album.
His parents asked about her family. Temari was more than happy to gush about her nephews and niece. His parents loved how she was very family oriented.
When Temari excused herself to the bathroom, Yoshino grabbed her son and shook him.
"Put a ring on her finger. Now!"
"Are you insane? Don't say stuff like that so loud." He hissed out. Temari would climb out the bathroom window if she heard that.
"I know we've been teasing you both all night but don't speak to your mother like that."
"Dad-"
"Son, we were worried about you." Yoshino sighed as she stopped shaking him. "You haven't had a real relationship in, what, 3 years?"
"Thanks for that reminder mom."
"We can see you really care about her."
Quiet.
"Just make sure she knows you're serious about this."
Temari returned from the bathroom and his parents continued to ask her questions about her life. Shikamaru did some thinking as his parents and Temari talked. Of course he cared about her. He obviously really liked her. His feelings were strong. After tonight he knew their relationship would shift.
He knows where she lives. She met his parents. He would be meeting her family soon. Things were serious. One thing was holding him back whether he knew it or not.
How the hell was he supposed to tell her that he only went out with her to make her 'nice'?
I think I found out my problem with the story. In the beginning this story was mainly fun and silly. Now I'm entering the part of the story where things get 'serious'. And my brain is having some trouble with the not so fun parts. For example I think I'm 2-3 chapters away from having the major reveal happen. But I don't have any good ideas for how Temari finds out. Ugh. If you guys have any suggestions please share them. I need some help lol. As always thank you so much for reading! Please let me know your thoughts!
Thank you:
V
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