They were now in Shikamaru's small kitchen area, where they were making dinner together. Well Shikamaru was just standing around while Temari yelled at him for not helping, which was pretty much the routine every time she'd visit.

"Shika, hand me the rice"

"Why can't you do it"

"Because I can't reach it, why the hell do you put it on the tallest shelf anyways"

She stood on her tippy toes and tried to reach for it before Shikamaru came and reached over her to grab it.

"I rarely cook rice, most of the time it's either take-out barbecue or I go to my moms and help her cook"

"That's a horrible reason seeing as you know how to cook"

"It's too much work"

"I should have known"

Temari finished cooking the food and placed two plates across from each other on the wooden table with a bottle of beer for him and a cup of tea for her. They sat down and began catching up.

"So why did you have to leave Suna in such a rush"

"The deer were acting weird"

"Did you find out why"

"Yea, the thunder was making Hidan move so that riled them up"

"I thought it was more serious"

"Me too, it just sucks that I had to leave. But we can go back after the exams"

"You voluntarily want to be near Kankuro"

"It's not really a choice, we hang around the same people"

"You mean me"

"He hangs around Kiba and Choji too, he'll be here in a week. I think he purposely come here just to bother me"

"Don't be so bothered by him, that's just his way of showing his acceptance"

"You know that's not true"

"I know, but you guys will get over it"

"I'm over it, he isn't"

"I heard Naruto is throwing a party at a bar and Hinata doesn't know about it. So I assume it's for the guys"

"Yea, that's why your brother is coming"

"What's it for"

"Choji's engagement"

Temari choked on her tea, and Shikamaru checked on her to make sure she was okay. She couldn't believe this, she hadn't even known that Choji had a girlfriend. And Shikamaru never brought up marriage, so she assumed he wasn't ready. On the other hand she had told him multiple times that she wasn't ready to give up being a Kunoichi in order to be a housewife.

"He's engaged already,To who!?"

"Karui, a girl from Kumo"

"Ohh"

"Yea, another man off the market"

"You're off the market Nara" She said in a irritable tone to let Shikamaru know she was serious "so who's going to be at this party"

"Me..." His voice trailed and she knew he was trying to avoid answering the question. 'I'll ask him again later' But Temari wasn't interested in the party, she knew Shikamaru was loyal so the people at the party didn't matter. What she did care about was the pace of their relationship. She knew Choji couldn't have been dating this girl long and he already proposed and another thing was that Ino and Sai had already taken a huge step in their relationship by moving in together. She was actually jealous when Ino told her the news.

'Guess what Temari'

'What is it Ino'

'Me and Sai are moving in together'

'Really' It came out more angrily than intended and tried to cover it up with a smile. And it must've worked because Ino was even more giddy than when she started the conversation.

'Yea, we're renovating an old house on the Yamanaka compound. You should come in a few months when were finished'

Sure her and Shikamaru stayed together whenever she came to Konoha, but it wasn't a long term commitment. It would always be his apartment that she just so happen to have access to. She was wondering when he'll move into his own house and ask her to permanently stay in Konoha. She would say definitely agree to it, but put up a petty fight just for show. 'Maybe he's not ready, or thinks that I'm not ready. I do always tell him how I would never give up being a Kunoichi. Maybe that's pushing him away'

"Okay...So how long have they been dating"

"I don't know, a couple of months. Why"

"I was just asking, well I'm about to watch some TV"

Before Temari walked away, he knew something was up, so he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back so that she would fall into his lap.

"Come on Shikamaru, let me go"

"No because somethings bothering you and it has something to do with this party"

"I'm fine, now back off Nara"

He knew it was the marriage that was bothering her. He thought about proposing, but he knew that she was in her prime and she would reject his offer. 'She loves Suna and her brothers, I doubt that she's ready to give that up, maybe I have to take initiative. This whole thing is becoming more of a drag'

"You know, we've been bickering like a married couple for about seven years"

"What's that suppose to mean"

"I can get a ring to make our bickering more official"

"I don't want to get married right now, I just can't believe all our friends are actually-"

"Taking the steps to make a family, while we haven't"

"When you put it like that, it sounds bad"

"We're just moving at our own pace, things will happen just give it time"

"I know,

"So you never told me who was going to be at that party besides you"

"Not really sure but Naruto and Kiba said they had everything handled"

"By handled you mean called girls of certain professions"

"It's Kiba we're talking about"

"Listen, while you're at that party you better act like there is a fucking ring on that finger. Got it"

"If there are females at the party I'll leave. So you don't have to be jealous"

"Please, me being jealous"

"Let's not forget the whole Shiho incident"

"Shut up, I wasn't jealous"

"Sure you weren't"

"Why are you guys going all out just for their engagement, what will you do for the bachelors party."

"Knowing them, they'll probably do the impossible and use the fact that Naruto didn't have one as an excuse to make Choji's as wild as possible"

"So you're saying the first one is not suppose to be wild, but yet half naked women will be there"

"I don't have to go, if you don't want me to"

"You can go, I trust you"

A small smile appeared on his face. 'All the guys were giving me shit about how strict she was. But they'll never understand her like I do.'

"All the guys thought you weren't going to let me go"

"I'm not your mom, and everyone knows how hard you work so why not go to a party to have fun and relax. When is it anyway"

"Next week"

"Next week is the five Kage summit"

"They actually planned for that"

"Why"

"That allows for your brothers to come, and they thought having Bee there would make everything better"

"Gaara's going"

"Maybe, Naruto already invited him"

Temari quickly hopped up from his lap and went into the room to grab some paper and a pen.

"Why are you writing so aggressively"

"Because I want Kankuro to feel the wrath that I am writing this with. There is no way Gaara is going"

"You just have to be troublesome don't you"

She gave him a death glare that told him to back off and left her to write in peace. He would hate to get that letter, but it's Kankuro so he really didn't mind it. 'He is an asshole after all'

oooooooooo

Authors Note: just a short chapter to help with the story. I hope you guys like.