Disclaimer: see part 1.

Of Sand and of Leaf

Part 6

Blurry

By Random1377

Shikamaru was pretty sure that he had found a secret, personal gate to Hell, flinging it open inadvertently and stepping through without so much as a second thought and hurtling headlong in oblivion – the sounds of his parents' and Temari's laughter echoing all around him as he fell to his doom.

"Wow," Temari said with a shark like grin, "nice butt."

It was the pictures, of course.

Every teenager's worst nightmare… the baby pictures. Some stupid, some funny, some wistful… most of them, naked.

"He was such a willful baby," Shikamaru's mother said, ignoring her son's groan of anguish, "see? Here's another one… he just would NOT keep his pants on."

"Mom, please!" Shikamaru pleaded, "Do we have to do this? Isn't this like, child pornography or something??"

His mother gave him an indulgent smile, but refused to reply. "Oh look!" she said, giggling like a school girl as she pointed to a picture in the album, "doesn't he have the cutest little-"

Snap – the covers of the album flew closed, Shikamaru's hands holding tight to the front and the back as he slipped it deftly out of his mother's grasp. "Isn't it time for dinner…?" he grated, trying desperately to maintain his calm façade as Temari covered her mouth with one hand.

"Hmm," his mother hummed, unconcerned by the loss of the album, "perhaps you're right. Temari? Would you like to join me?"

Temari's smile vanished. "Umm, I'm not… really good at-"

"Nonsense," Shikamaru's mother interrupted, "what you don't know, you can learn. Come with me."

Like a lamb to the slaughter, Temari was led into the kitchen, casting a helpless look back at Shikamaru, but finding him unsympathetic as he mouthed, 'Your turn.'

"Dad," the chuunin called quietly, shelving the photo album and heading into the dinning room, "you can come out now."

The door to his parents' room, closed since they had gotten in the house, creaked open, and his father emerged, yawning expansively

"Stop," Shikamaru muttered. "They're both in the kitchen, you don't have to pretend."

His father laughed. "Sorry I threw you to the wolves," he chuckled, taking the seat opposite his son, "but I just couldn't watch you suffer like that."

"So you fake a headache and go lie down?" Shikamaru said, shaking his head in wonder. "Some father!"

The older man grinned faintly. "Divide and conquer," he said diplomatically, "sacrifice one to save the many."

"Sacrifice me to save yourself, you mean."

His father's smile widened. "Tomato," he said, holding out one hand, "Tomatoe."

Heaving a sigh, Shikamaru rose to his feet and began setting the table for dinner, explaining, "Might as well do it before she-"

"Shiki-kun? Can you set the table?"

"Yes, mother," Shikamaru replied, exchanging a look with his father that said, 'See?'

Once the places were set, he sat back down, fiddling idly with his fork for a moment as they waited for the meal to be prepared.

"So," his father said calmly, "I like her."

Shikamaru nodded. He knew this was coming… if his mother was on board, his father would be too. She probably talked to him about it yesterday after she left, he thought darkly, Truly, the man has no backbone when it comes to her.

As if to contradict this idea, his father said, "I didn't think I would."

"Hmm? Why not?" Shikamaru wondered.

"Because your mother was so impressed by her," is father said coolly. "Your mother usually has excellent judgment when it comes to raising children, and her battle tactics are second to none… but she's an awful judge of character – just awful. So when she said your young friend from the Hidden Sand was smart, charming, and clever, I pictured her to be dumb, tactless, and dull."

Shikamaru did not quite know what to say. Has he ever talked about Mom that way?? he thought, amazed by his father's candidness. Well, never in FRONT of her, but even to me? Granted, we've never really had a reason to talk like this… but still…

He frowned as he realized that most of his conversations with his father tended to be superficial, and decided to make a conscious effort to actually start communicating.

"So," his father said after a short pause, "tell me… do you like her?"

"Eh, she's ok," Shikamaru said reluctantly. "She's just…"

"Just what?" his father prompted as the young man trailed off.

"She's not what I want," Shimamaru said flatly, "I want a soft, obedient woman – someone who wears, like, a kimono – she's too-"

"Shh!" his father hissed, glancing around quickly, "don't let your mother hear you say that…"

Shikamaru barely managed to bite his tongue, keeping the words, 'See, I don't want to end up like YOU' in his mouth before they could spill out. It was unfair, and he knew it… his parents were among the most stable in the Hidden Leaf. Sure, they had their fair share of fights, but anyone that spent more than two minutes with them could see the love there.

"Listen, son," Shikamaru's father said easily, "women are… complicated."

"You can say that again."

"No, hear me out. Your mother is a… powerful woman, most of the time – but she's fragile as well."

Shikamaru looked dubious, but he held his tongue as his father continued.

"The trick," the older man was saying, "is to blur the lines between strength and weakness. It's ok to be weak sometimes, Shikamaru… as long as you have someone that can take up the slack and be strong for you. Then you can be strong for her when she's weak." He shrugged, his voice deceptively light as he shot a significant glance towards the kitchen. "No one can be strong all the time – no one."

"That's the real reason you married Mom," Shikamaru mumbled astutely, uncomfortable with the weight of the conversation, "you're just lazy and you wanted her to do all the work."

His father dropped him a conspiratorial wink. "They always said you were a smart one," he said dryly, "but in all seriousness… think about what I've said. I may come off as a little bit lazy and unmotivated, but I still have a few years' more experience than you – and you'd be AMAZED what people are willing to talk about if they think you're napping."

Shikamaru chuckled, giving his father a considering look. I should be more careful around him, he thought sagely, he's like the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing.

Though he hated to admit it – for a number of reasons – Shikamaru found his esteem for his father raising a notch or two. Several minutes later, his mother and Temari reappeared, each carrying a large plate of food. Temari, Shikamaru noticed, had a large streak of flour across her right cheek, and a decidedly sour expression on her face.

Guess the kitchen isn't a place she'll be spending a lot of time, he thought wryly as the two women joined them at the table. Just one more reason she's not for me. I'm definitely marrying someone who can cook.

"Idtadakimasu!"

Conversation, thankfully, stayed off the topics of naked baby pictures and dating, the two sorest spots in Shikamaru's mind. The four of them discussed odd topics like how the new Hokage was doing, when they might be called for missions, what Temari did for fun back in her home village – essentially light, easy flowing, no pressure discussions.

Just the way Shikamaru liked it.

After dinner was over, his mother stood up and announced, "Your father and I are going out for a while. We'll be back before ten."

"Alright," Shikamaru said, "I'll take Temari ho-"

"No, no," his mother cut in quickly, "she can stay if she'd like, that's fine. I trust that you two won't do anything… inappropriate."

"Of course," Temari said smoothly, "You have my word."

Great…

His parents left the house with suspicious speed, leaving Shikamaru alone with Temari in uncomfortable silence. "So," he said slowly, "now that their gone… do you want me to walk you home?"

Temari grinned. "Nah, not yet," she said deviously, "let's do something – watch a movie or play a game or something like that. I wasn't expecting to have you all to myself."

"Me either," Shikamaru admitted, sounding far less enthusiastic.

"Hey!" Temari growled, "I'm not a leper, you know!"

The chuunin raised his hands. "Sorry," he muttered, averting his eyes from her scowl. "Hmm, ok, a game – hey, do you play chess?"

Temari nodded. "Uh huh," she replied, "but I'm not that great."

Shikamaru waved one hand. "Don't worry about it," he said lightly, "you wouldn't win anyway – there's no one in town that can beat me."

"Well aren't you modest?" Temari snorted, shaking her head.

"I just know my own worth," the young man replied dryly. "Come on."

Temari she followed him into the living room, sitting on the couch as Shikamaru dropped into a chair opposite her and pulled out a well-worn, wooden chess set. He set up the pieces without saying a word, preferring the silence to any topic of conversation the girl was likely to come up with, and took the white and black queens in his hands, putting them behind his back and shuffling them before offering her his closed fists.

"White," Temari said happily, after a quick tap on his fist revealed the white queen. "I get to go first – a coup before the war has even begun."

"Very funny," Shikamaru said, setting the pieces on the board. "Go ahead." For several minutes, the only sound in the small house was the click and hiss of felt-bottomed chess pieces moving across the board. After several failed attempts at a quick kill, Shikamaru was forced to admit, "You're pretty good."

"Thanks," Temari said, giving him a small smile, "but nowhere as good as my father. My sensei – the one who taught me how to play – said my father was unstoppable in a chess game. Of course, since he's…"

She trailed off, her smile fading as her hand hovered over the board.

"Sorry," Shikamaru said quietly.

Temari rested her chin in her palm, her eyes bright and observant as she surveyed the chess board. "Well, I never really knew him that well," she murmured, laying a tentative hand on a pawn before slowly pulling back. "I mean, he WAS my father and everything, but he was usually so busy being Kazekage that I never saw him. We were all raised by a series of nannies and housekeepers – and we were kept separate from Gaara for most of our lives." Settling on a bishop, she concluded, "It's no wonder he wound up like he did…"

Shikamaru considered this in silence for a moment, trying to imagine feeling bad for the seemingly unstoppable Gaara of the Sand. Naruto said the guy's got a demon living in him, he reminded himself, man, even if your parents were never around, that alone would be enough to mess you up pretty bad.

"That's why I'm jealous of you," Temari whispered, leaning back from the board and averting her eyes as Shikamaru looked up at her. "You've always had your family around you. You know about my father already, and my mother died when Gaara was born… all I've ever had was Kankuro, really."

"And everyone knows he's a charmer," Shikamaru said lightly, edging a pawn forward and pressuring Temari's knight.

Temari laughed softly. "He's not that bad," she said, moving her knight out of the way, "just a little spoiled, I guess. We always got pretty much everything we wanted when we were growing up."

Shrugging, Shikamaru reached out slide his bishop down the board, smiling faintly as it bumped into her queen. "Must have been hard to take when you got out in the real world and realized you don't always get what you wa-"

He was cut off as Temari laid her hand over his, leaning forward until she was inches from his face and whispering, "I still get what I set out to get, Shikamaru-kun… I may have to earn it now that I'm on my own, but I refuse to give up on the things I truly want." Holding his eyes with her own, she guided his hand to her king, gently tipping it over and allowing it to roll off the board.

"…mate."

Shikamaru swallowed hard as the Sand nin rose to her feet and stretched languidly.

"Thank you for dinner," she called out, grinning at the soft curse that came from the kitchen, "it was great."

After a moment of quiet, Shikamaru's mother came out of the kitchen, looking for all the world as if she had just gotten home. "Oh, you're still here," she said with a forced laugh, "please – come back tomorrow. It was so nice to have another woman to help in the kitchen."

Though Shikamaru was sure he saw Temari flinch at the thought of having to help cook again, she still nodded, flashing him a small, almost apologetic smile. "I'd like that," she said, her tone surprisingly honest as she gave Shikamaru's mother a polite bow. "See you tomorrow."

As she made her way out of the house, escorted by Shikamaru's father (who also tried to pretend that he was just coming back in, rather than eavesdropping), his mother turned to face him, looking him up and down and waiting until the Sand nin had exited before speaking.

"All I'm going to say," she said coolly, speaking before the young man could cut in, "is that you could do way worse."

Knowing it was pointless to argue – and secretly grateful that his mother was not planning his wedding – Shikamaru simply nodded. "Yeah, I know… but she's-"

"Uh uh," his mother said sharply, "I've said what I wanted to say. I don't want to waste time telling you that she's a good woman – I think you know it already. And besides…"

"Besides what?" Shikamaru prompted.

His mother shrugged, looking mildly offended. "She asked me not to pressure you."

"Huh??"

"When we were making dinner," his mother clarified softly, "she said, 'please don't try to talk him into dating me. If he wants to, he will, but if I found out later that someone else forced him into it, I wouldn't be happy.'" Turning away, she added, "If I thought I could talk you into it, I might try anyway… but you're stubborn – you've never really known what's best for you – so I know it would all go in one ear and out the other."

Shikamaru sighed gustily. "And you think SHE'S best for me?" he muttered, amazed that his mother could be taken in so easily.

"No," his mother said, her voice entirely serious, "I think she may be GOOD for you. In the end, Shikamaru, you have to be the one to decide what makes you happy… but after talking to her, I think you have a lot more in common with that girl than you think, and if you gave her a chance, you might actually find that she's worth the time."

Without another word, she strode out of the room, leaving Shikamaru to his thoughts.

- - - - -

Temari made good on her promise to come over for dinner the next two nights, though like the days that preceded them, they were not anywhere near as eventful as that first day and night. They spent most of their time walking around town and talking to people, finding that there really wasn't too much else for them to do, since there were no pressing engagements for either of them. They visited Shikamaru's ill-fated team in the hospital several times, drawing mixed reactions to their six-day arrangement, and each evening they ate dinner at Shikamaru's house and played a short game of chess, with Temari coming up the loser in each game, but taking the defeats in stride, reasoning that the chuunin WAS a tactical genius, after all.

On the fourth day, Shikamaru found that he was not dreading his meeting with Temari QUITE as much, rising on time and making it to their agreed-on meeting place with four minutes to spare – a record for the Lazy Nin of Hidden Leaf Village.

Gotta shake that title, he thought grimly, leaning up against the ramen stand where they had first met Ino on the first day. Not that I care all that much, but it's getting annoying – especially now that Naruto's decided to call me LN. That guy… man, you'd think after what happened with Sasuke, he'd be all down, but he's already starting to get back into his old ways. You have to admire him, I guess. If anything had happened to Chouji, I know I would have been-

"Wow… look at her!"

Glancing up, Shikamaru frowned, trying to figure out what all the commotion was. "Can't… see…" he muttered, craning his head to try to gaze past a knot of staring teenagers. Abruptly, the crowd parted, allowing him an unobstructed view… and causing his jaw to drop wide open.

Mentally, he agreed with the person who had first brought his attention to what was going on.

Wow…

"Ohayo, Shikamaru-sama."

Continued…

Author's Notes: everyone loves a cliffhanger, right? RIGHT?? Relax… I won't leave you hanging long. Actually – I've already got part 7 almost ninety-nine percent finished. Just need to double-check a few facts, have it reviewed, and Bob's yer uncle. Look for it in a couple days. Not like you can't guess what he's looking at or anything, but damn it, you're gonna have to!

Six String Samurai looked at this chapter before its release and said that when you get right down to it, he's not too choosey when it comes to women. Weak, strong, underage, comatose – it's all the same to him. Hehe

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities, or by e-mailing me directly at random1377(at-symbol)yahoo(dot)com