I just can't stop writing enjoy the aftermath

hehehe

7/8/22 updated

Was he sorry for what he did? not even in the slightest.

Would he do it again? Probably if given the chance.

Was he feeling confident? Not anymore.

Shikamaru treaded through the mud towards the captain's tent stepping out of the rain and into the tent and halted before he could slip on the broken shelf scattered before him. He'd almost forgotten about Temari's first strike, broken wood chips now scattered everywhere, as well as the reports and maps, what a troublesome woman. He sighed and stepped around the pieces looking for scrolls on his way towards the table he had once occupied. He remembered a mention of the Akatsuki in one of them and made his priority on finding it.

Only half focused on his search, he couldn't help but wonder what Temari was going to do now, she had plenty of choices in the way to react to his pure act of idiocy. She could always kill him, but he doubted she'd try that anytime soon the look on her face was too stunned to react that way. At least he hoped. Soft lips, the moan, the way her body pressed into his, he paused his search a second to shut his eyes and compose himself. The first kiss he'd spooked her, thankfully he'd be ready to read her surprise and counter it before she could strike, that knock out would have hurt.

When he had pulled her in and she pressed against him he'd barley had a single thought in his mind, quite frankly there could have been a whole battle going on around him and he wouldn't have so much as noticed, to absorbed in the push and pull from their lips. She had completely melted under him, and he had more than taken note of it, possibly in some way he'd taken advantage of her, or she had played her part too well. She'd always been one to mock her foe, after all he wasn't a fool to not notice the way she enticed her enemy towards her before striking, such as a goddess would. She'd been luring him in for years, he'd noticed the way she'd steer a smile his way even if she wasn't close he knew how she'd favor him over the others, possibly because he'd play along when the others wouldn't. Yet he couldn't help but react in some form since the first moment he saw her when he first took command of the troops on the west border of the Leaf.

Four years ago

"Shikamaru" The gruff call for his name met with a groan from his son as he had finally escaped from work, missions, and the war, finally finding peace upon the hillside and the wide blue skies brimming with lazy clouds of Konoha resting above him, and only to be interrupted to ruin the rare bliss. Shikamaru chose to rest on his back continuing his attempt at a nap as he heard the rustle of grass and the faint steps of his father "Boy you should learn to respond when your father calls" his rough voice sounded defeated, as if he'd been working; possibly Yoshino making him do chores before he somehow managed to slip away. Nara men were known for their ability to disappear as such.

"Whatever it's about you could have just waited until I got home old man" He muttered back eyes remaining shut. A shift in the grass, Shikaku stopped, then a long-tired sigh before the spot next to his son shifted and he sat beside him.

"Listen it's about your position as the Commander of the Leaf army against the Suna offence" Shikamaru opened his eyes and glanced over at his father half listening.

"So, you heard?" not surprised his father already knew about his latest achievement, disguised as a troublesome task in his opinion.

"Lady Tsunade told me" He muttered and turned to glance at his son catching his attention as Shikamaru slowly rose to sit beside him looking into the sky uninterested, he felt a speech coming on "Son whatever you do out there you can't kill the Commanding officer" Shikamaru turned his full attention to his father poorly hiding his sudden surprise.

"Isn't the point of war to kill their leader?" His tone although a question could have sounded like he was mocking his father who shook his head gravely. He took a second to read the situation, he's heard about the struggle on the Sand border before, hell even seen a few patrols go down on that side with his own eyes, but to make his next endeavor a peaceful mission he had to question his father's intent momentarily.

"You see we would have a year ago, but the command has changed" Shikamaru raised his brow, his father was serious, and his tone was distant as if he'd been thoughtful on the manner for some time. Old man could have been mistaken for worried if Shikamaru didn't know his father so well "The command now belongs to Subakuno Temari and her brother Kankuro, the Kazekage's siblings" Shikamaru leaned back quickly searching the name in his mind and turned a questioning eye to him

"Isn't she the girl I fought during my Chunin exams?" Shikaku grinned faintly and stifled a chuckle.

"Well son she's no girl now, that woman can take down and entire march with one hit" He dropped his head and Shikamaru almost grimaced at the thought, she sounded troublesome and loud not that she wasn't as such during their match "three captains lost after a year of her command" with a tired sigh he continued "over the past four years, since Suna declared war against us, we have managed a simple, mostly peaceful battle, keeping each side's losses minimal. This war's purpose is being fought between the Feudal lords after all we just happened to be their only pawns in it" Shikamaru glanced away listening but mindful of the situation at hand. A week from now he'd be leading his own shinobi against an opponent even his father deemed necessary to warn him about "Temari has different ideas, since her command her forces have ultimately become deadlier than before. She had pushed our troops hard, gained more land than we initially thought they'd get since the start of the war, and we've had a struggle against her troops for the past year to get ahead. Suna reveres her as Kaze no Megami" Although serious his son snorted a chuckle

"Goddess of the wind?" Shikamaru almost grinned amused at the thought "A little much for a woman don't you think?"

"Don't underestimate her" Shikaku's tone remained serious "she was a student under Commander Baki" His father grumbled stroking his chin "Man was merciless during the Third great war, and he seemed to have passed that down to her" Unfazed physically Shikamaru turned to his father and listened quietly his father's next words fighting a hidden unease in Shikamaru "However, if she or her brother are killed the war will truly take a bad turn" Shikamaru glared down into the grass taking it all in, vaguely remembering seeing her a couple years back on a mission with his team.

"So, we can't kill her or her brother because they will have an uprise in Suna, and they'll launch a full force against the Leaf Village, in what revenge?" His father nodded, without looking Shikamaru nodded back and sighed leaning back on his hands and rolling his head back to look up "My job would be to maintain a defense against the troops then, no need to gain territory just take back what they took" he looked over at his father "As long as she isn't killed right?" His father nodded "How long do you think it'll last?"

"That is an answer I don't have for you son" Shikaku laid back resting quietly in the grass "But I can tell you if you have to fight against her, just do your best to not die"

"Wise words old man" Shikamaru grumbled sarcastically and laid back beside him "This is such a drag why did it have to be me" He huffed closing his eyes replaying the match six years ago in his head.

"Because Tsunade knows you can keep the peace" Shikaku muttered "You're no killer Shikamaru, but you're a leader now so make wise choices" Shikamaru turned to his father with a smug grin.

"Did you make a wise choice coming here instead of doing the chores mom told you to do?" Shikaku grumbled and let out a defeated sigh.

"Forgot to mention" His father turned to him and smirked "Your mother was looking for you too" They both sat up and slowly glared at each other.

"She'd gonna kill us isn't she" Shikamaru frowned

"Most likely" Shikaku nodded.

Damn Asuma, yeah don't hesitate to kiss a woman it'll turn out great, even his thoughts mocked him. He had to mentally slap himself awake to release her when he did, he'd never really had a chance to kiss a woman before and to have his first be his adversary from the opposite side, was either impressive or, his new favorite word for himself, stupid. He opted to not overthink the matter further when his eyes slipped onto the dark green sealed scroll suck in the mud, reaching down he shook the excess mud off and attempted to open it.

Lady Kurostuchi,

Our forces have marched into the capital of the Village hidden in the Rain, on your orders.

Upon entering our forces were ambushed by the member of the Akatsuki, and our numbers had diminished to only eight.

I fear that the new leaders in the Rain have-

Shikamaru groaned as the rest of the letters smudged against the page, black ink blurring with the thick grey mud. With a frustrated sigh he tossed it onto the table slipping his hands into his vest and grabbing his pack and lighter. Great just what he needed another dead end on the bastards who's been sneaking around for the past few years. He'd managed to kill one of them couple of years ago, avenging his Sensei's death and wondered absentmindedly how Hidan was doing buried in his backyard. He could have smiled at the thought, but solemnly turned his mind to Mirai and Kurenai, grateful that they remained in Asuma's memory. In his absence he hadn't seen the shift of the tent curtain opening and the room sitting in faint light.

"Find anything?" Shikamaru's body went still, and he stared down into the mud splattered sheets before him, biting his cigarette as to not drop it. The nerves rose and if he turned around now, he's began to overthink things again, he could vaguely hear Asuma laughing at his side, taunting his cowardice "Shikamaru" Her voice now a demand he sighed and straighten from the table glancing back at her expectant glare.

"Nothing useful" he muttered occupying his mind with a puff, forcing himself not to notice the faint blush on her stern expression. Temari turned her eyes away and glanced around as she stepped through the mess towards the table passing him without a word. Her eyes trained to the papers as she shifted through the reports, quiet. Quiet women were dangerous, he thought to himself. Remembering the time Ino didn't speak to her team for a week before she inevitably exploded in rage towards him and Choji, not a great day for the two. He almost groaned at the trouble, the confidence he once had diminished, and he called himself a man, woman uttered three words to him and he became nervous. With a sigh he turned to the shelf that remained in the far corner slipping through the reports fixated at taking his mind away from her.

Troop sizes in the Rain, once over five hundred of which two hundred were relocated to the main camp. The supplies accounted for, a lot of sake and beer for such a small camp. Deaths since entering nineteen until the recent attack. A rather lewd magazine he quickly tossed aside. A scroll speaking about the attack on the Kazekage in Suna. He pulled it away and slipped it open taking in the damp parchment and widened his eyes.

Lady Kurotsuchi,

We have heard remarkable news recently from out intel form the Village Hidden in the Rain.

Our spies have uncovered a secret during our march towards the city.

The Kazekage, Gaara, is said to have been attacked recently by the members of the Akatsuki.

They have killed the Jinchuriki and taken his one-tailed beast.

During Suna's weakness I propose an attack on the Village Hidden in the Sand.

We await you command

Captain Chikyu

Shikamaru grinned slightly past his cigarette when he noticed the date written, that being today. He might have hated killing but he knew when it was necessary, thankfully the captain had yet to send out the scroll to the main camp that chance being none now. Turning to Temari intended to show her the scroll, he observed her curious furrowed brows scanning the scroll resting in her arms eyes narrowing as she lifted the words to the faint light as she read, thinking back to the recent events between them he was once again staring. Choosing not to overthink or listen to his gut which would result in bothersome ideas, he stepped over raising the scroll to her and watch as she turned her gaze slowly to it than up to him.

"What is it?" Teal eyes narrowed up at his, the unease falling over him almost instantly.

"Letter hasn't been sent about your Kazekage" Before he finished, she had already tossed the scroll in her hands to the table and grabbed the green scroll quickly slipping it open and reading. Her wide eyes betrayed her excitement and she smirked as she finished turning to him.

"This is just perfect" The short laugh, relieved, following forced his eyes away as he nodded for a response and stepped over to the table furthering his search. she rolled the scroll up turning to him with a casual sigh when he kept his gaze turned away "really Shikamaru you kissed me first and now you can't look at me" She scoffed "Some man you are" A tease picking at him for a response. Well at least she was talking, maybe a quick round to counter.

"If I recall, it was you who pushed into me" Her huff of irritation proving his point, he smirked eyes remaining forward reading a report with little interest.

"Well, you grabbed me first" The fire returning to her raised voice, demanding to lead.

"You laughed at me" Calmly spoken by him he glanced back amused at her crossed arms and glare at him.

"Do you think that was an invite for you to kiss me?" He shrugged turning back down to collect the pages, aware of the eyes burning a hole in his back. A truth behind his next words, after all she did put a little trust in him.

"You're beautiful when you smile, couldn't really help myself" Temari's silence spoke loud enough, he took his win slipped the papers to his bag and turned to her. Wondering to himself when his confidence had come back, he was sure she'd knocked it out of him the moment she entered the tent. With a smirk he walked to her, taking in the rosy hue to her cheeks to his response. Had he known that a compliment would silence her, he would have done this four years ago, it would have saved him a lot of trouble on the front. He grinned down at her, her eyes wide and expecting him to make a move, possibly an easy move to make, but he seemed to savor the little power he had over the situation. Leaning down far enough to shower her blushed cheeks with the light of the cigarette "We should get going, wouldn't want to cause any more trouble here then we already have Princess" When he pulled back, she blinked, and he could feel her fury rise as he left the tent once again to be assaulted by the rain.

Fuming in her own humiliation Temari clenched her jaw willing her blush to relax, unsuccessfully, tensely shoving the scroll into her bag, and turned to the entrance. Mocking her openly now he had gotten too comfortable, yet she could feel a little proud of him, she didn't think he had it in him to go up against her to this level. Annoyingly, she respected the man, his tactics, his mind, and possibly the arrogance he rarely showed on his usual impassive façade. Stifling the returning heat to her cheeks she marched out the tent unwavering as the cold rain fell to her bare skin and walked past him, purposely brushing the side of his cloak as she slipped her damp mask over her nose, concealing her lost battle with the blush.

"Try not to fall behind Crybaby" She turned her glare back to him, meeting his glowing smirk under his hood.

"Speak for yourself, woman"

2 years ago

Temari's body stood rigid arms tensed on her fan and a ruthless glare turned to the dark eyes of the panting captain before her, his shadow restricted any movement she tried to force. Not a single blow had hit him, and it infuriated her, he'd managed to split her ambush up in three separate units, somehow her being alone in one. Feeling foolish for falling into a basic trap placed by Shikamaru, no doubt she'd somehow played into his taunt and in the frustration chose to give him a piece of her mind, that or she was excited to see his at command again after his three month-long absence from the border.

The plan was to take over the village close to their extended border into Fire country, a small village with a mixed population of Sand and Leaf. After three wars they had finally began to merge between the two nations to create a little village of remaining shinobi and their families, simply avoiding the war. A few generations in they decided to declare their own peace among themselves and tended to stay far away from their Feudal lord's law. Frowned upon in Suna but protected in the Leaf, the original idea set out by the Suna council for Temari to lead the charge.

"You look tired" She smirked, at least could still mock him, hiding her initial shock was easy enough when he looked irritated even though the trap worked.

"Damn it woman can't you just stay still long enough for this to work" He grumbled raising himself to stand, eyes focused on hers as his arm straightened and fingers loosened, prompting hers to drop her fan to the ground before dropping her hand to her side as he did. "You're in no place to talk right now anyways" he remained cautious eyes looking past her at the distant sound of shinobi fighting.

"How long do you think you can keep this up? They'll come looking for me you know" She grumbled huffing when her head forced a turn to the side looking away from him, his eyes scanning the trees to his right. She could tell by the silence he was waiting, he'd always avoid a one-on-one battle with her if he could, so when he faced her first before the others attacked, she somehow, stupidly, fell right into the trap. She found it cowardly for the leader of the troops to avoid such an encounter, yet he was the first one to make a move so he had to be distracting her from something else

"Come on Shikamaru you can tell me, I already know your planning something" her teasing voice enticing his attention back, their eyes glaring at each other. With a smirk she proved her point, knowing she was right about the accusation "What is it? ambush of some kind? A second unit perhaps? Maybe you're planning to blow the bridge into the village" his eyes narrowed tightly, and she grinned "So you are" He didn't speak and slowly his eyes turned to his side leaning back as the faint hiss from the brush grew louder and whipped past his face to the tree across. Temari turned her annoyance to the brush where two of her Sand shinobi dropping from the trees and readying their weapons at him.

"Lady Temari are you alright?" one called quickly looking to her then back at her captor.

"I'm fine" she muttered standing as tense as he was. Shikamaru glanced between the two and stepped back arm reaching down to his bag, same spot as hers. She bit back a curse as she wrapped her fingers around a kunai and rose it to her throat, mimicking him, the two shinobi stilling quietly at the realization.

"One wrong move" Shikamaru stilled the blade to his throat smirking at the shocked looks of the two before her "And your commander gets it" one of the men stepped back the other looking at Temari for an order, she didn't flinch. Well, this was new, his arrogance towards the whole situation prompting an annoyed glare back at him.

"My Lady what's your order" the shocked one began looking back to her as she interrupted his reluctance to move.

"Retreat" She ordered keeping her tone even not giving an ounce of fear to any of them, her head tilting up as the kunai shifted upwards "Now" with the final command they stepped back hesitant at first before disappearing. She could have called the sudden blush to her cheeks embarrassment as her hand dropped and arms fell to her sides. Shikamaru sighed "For a genius that was a pretty idiotic thing to do you know" she grumbled eyes narrowing at his smirk.

"Guess it was" he shrugged turning his eyes back to hers, the faint calls of her retreating troops signaling a turn on her lips "either way it made you retreat so I did my part"

"You're going to run out of chakra soon" her threat not taken serious by him at all.

"Suppose I am Princess" her visible irritation could almost be seen radiating from her at his taunt. When did he get so cocky? "But by then your ambush would have failed, and you'd have no choice in following your shinobi back" He sighed losing interest in the matter, waiting his plan out.

"I hate you" two years of the same push and pull between the commanders and point went to him, again.

"Admit it, you missed me while I was gone" He grinned back at her releasing the shadow and stepping back casually slipping his hands in his pockets, her body tensed, and eyes darted to her fan before glaring back at him "it was a good tactic, but we had you outnumbered from the start" She scoffed and although filled with the rage from her loss, she knew as well as he did that this one was a lost cause, guess great minds thought alike. Turning to her weapon and going over her options before she glanced back and smirked, turning his grin down as she intended.

"It's been boring without you here Shikamaru" she turned back waving behind her as she took her retreat with grace, feeling the stare at her departure "Remember I won't go easy on you, so be prepared" She wouldn't admit it, but she did miss the challenge he made for her when it came to the art of war.

The border of the Land of Rain behind them, the commanders of Leaf and Sand stood at the edge of the territory staring into the canyon below, where tomorrow's battle would be taking place. Drenched and covered in mud, the shine of the sun under sandy dunes ahead beckoned Temari to enjoy the warm breeze flowing through the pass below towards the two, the desert beginning to heat the earth. Her hand raised to the scarf wrapped over her head pulling it back to shake out the wet tuffs, content with being out of the rain from the nights mission.

The smoke from the cigarette bringing her back to turn a short glance at Shikamaru as he skimmed one of the scrolls in his hands. They had remained quite since their final taunt back at the camp and lingering back on it she couldn't decide how to act towards it. Some part of her wanted to stay back there and keep in the embrace, another wanted to kick him off the ledge below. She glanced over the edge for a second and smirked at the idea, she'd just end up having to save him anyways, admitting to herself she kinda liked him a little more for his daring act.

"Thinking about pushing me off the ledge again?" Temari grinned as she glanced back his eyes set on a report before him, not looking up when she did.

"Possibly" He sighed rolling the scroll in his hands closed and slipping it into the bag.

"Well, you can try again after tomorrow" He stepped closer to the edge standing beside her, eyes turned down into the large gap in the earth "seems like we are going to have a few extra troops added to the attack" Temari huffed crossing her arms, irritated at the new problem.

"How many more are they adding?" evenly spoken she turned a glare over at him, curiously watching him flick the cigarette into the ravine below, waiting for it to fall before speaking.

"About two hundred to the main unit, and about half the initial troops will be sent out for the decoys and first wave. I'll look through the and we can discuss it later when I move my shinobi west" He leaned his head back and glanced up into the sky eyes gazing around for a rare cloud before resting on it, watching it lazily float by "we're just pawns you know" He muttered.

"I've known that longer than you have" She followed his gaze both staring on quietly for a moment. Her words, possibly a threat of some kind, rose before she could ponder it, whether out of caution for her brother's safety or to know Shikamaru's true intention towards the knowledge about Suna's secret she had to know "Just so you know Gaara isn't weak, he's recovered well after the attack, but it's not something you want out there" her eyes remaining on the thin cloud above, wondering why she was still looking at it.

"I have no doubt about that" Although it didn't ease her, she finally turned her eyes down towards the desert setting her gaze at the peeking sun above the dunes. He'd have to share this intel with his Hokage, who in turn will decide what the next course of action would be. Either they'd launch an attack on Suna by her orders or by some miracle agree to the alliance they had offered years ago, so far her thoughts lingered on the attack rather than a peace treaty.

Betrayal was more common to her than any other feeling, the ache from it grew to big over the years and it was a nasty habit to get out of. Blood to thick to wash off. Hate seared into her heart to scarred to forgive. Her father's death following the conspiracy to attack their once allies. The Leaf abandoning the new command of Suna calling them traitors.

The desert was as unforgiving as it was unforgettable.

She tightened her crossed arms and glared ahead feeling her own unease over the thoughts, feeling a prickling irritation at her actions. Suna wanted its retribution after years of being looking downed upon, what made her tense was the fact that she didn't see it that way as much. To her fixing what her father broke didn't mean taking down the enemy, it meant taking back their own possibly through different means. Funny how a hug made her suddenly overthink, she's never been shown that type of kindness.

"Shikamaru" Her gaze slowly met his as they shifted to her call. He seemed tired and quite frankly could wash some of the mud, from her doing, off his face. She bit back a smile as he raised his brow awaiting her response "I should punch you more often" she grinned slightly, her taunt causing him to falter as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously at her straightforwardness.

"It wouldn't be the first time you've landed a hit on me" Pausing he watched her turn to face him. Teal eyes narrowed challenging him with a tempting smile.

"I've got pretty good aim huh?" though still nervous Shikamaru managed to drop his arm to his side, turning to face her as she took a step forward leaning up slowly, hiding her own sudden nervousness under her usual confidence, she didn't like that feeling.

"Very accurate" Dark eyes fell from hers to her lips and he waited with held breath, wanting to lean down but he never did, never got the chance.

"Don't forget to get that shoulder looked at" as she spoke she patted the cut shoulder twice and each one elicited a sharp hiss from him and a step back from her covering a protective hand over the wound under his cloak "cut looks pretty deep" she put on a devilish smirk and backed to the edge of the cliff "I'm impressed you stayed standing though, thought you would have gave up on me again" she reached for her fan and turned "guess I misjudged you" she waved back to him and jumped off the ledge, taking her leave, leaving him to stare at the edge of the cliff.

Lost in thought.

"Troublesome woman never changes" he muttered and began to walk towards camp, his small grin following him all the way back.

-Gasp- what is to come of this

No idea we'll find out soon I hope

Updated