By the time Temari had run back to the door and looked outside, Shikamaru was gone. She closed the door and slowly made her way back into the living room, sitting down and taking a few deep, calming breaths. She was Temari. She could figure this out. She thought back to what that blonde girl had said earlier. It made sense. Shikamaru had no motivation in life, and had only admitted the possibility of liking her when it looked like it could become a problem for him. And…

"That's it?"

Her face scrunched up in confusion and she stood, pacing around the room. There had to be more to it then that. Passing a mirror, she stopped. Turning, she stared at her reflection for a moment before striking a pose. Shikamaru was lazy beyond belief, and that's the way he liked it. But when she entered his life, he was worried she would break up his plan for a boring, easy-going life. Because he was Shikamaru. And she was TEMARI!

"That's it."

She smirked and grabbed his wallet. When he came back, she would assure his poor, fragile psyche that she had no intention of staying with him any longer than absolutely necessary. But since the cover story stated that this was one of her 'vacations' that she used as an excuse to see him, she might as well act like she was on vacation, and she would do so in the most indulgent, expensive ways possible.

With evening approaching, Temari was making her way back home, after enjoying many of the best creature comforts Konoha had to offer. She decided she would do this again tomorrow, and might even bring her husband along. Knowing him, he would love to be pampered.

The air suddenly grew still. The people around went about their daily business, unaware of the danger in their midst. Temari had thought of Shikamaru as her husband, and not as her 'husband.' And she knew she had. After a moment, she blew it off as a fluke, a sign that she had nothing to worry about, that her infiltration training was paying off and this mission would be a cakewalk.

"Temari-san!"

A Konoha nin dropped from the rooftops, out of breath.

"What?"

"Konoha…hospital…husband…injured…please…"

Temari was already moving.

She ran down the white, sterile hallways of the hospital, looking for the room Shikamaru was in. She swore that if that idiot had gotten himself killed before the mission had even truly begun…She found the right room and burst in. Shikamaru's team turned at the sight with faces downcast. Taking in their expressions, she steeled herself and strode forward. Shikamaru was propped up, bandages wrapped around his midsection, blood soaked through the padding on one side. He looked up at her mournfully before turning away.

"So…what happened?"

"The farmstead we were helping out at was attacked by a group of bandits. The leader was a missing-nin. He attacked Ino first, and Shikamaru went to help her…"

"I was careless. I shouldn't have let him sneak up on me."

"By the time me and Asuma-sensei got there, Shikamaru was already injured and Ino had her hands full with the rest."

"You got yourself hurt rushing to a teammates' aid? Guess you're not completely useless after all, huh?"

Shikamaru grumbled as Temari smirked, leaning down and running a finger around the injury. He turned back to her and smirked as well.

"You know, now that I'm injured, you're going to be doing all the housewor-OW!"

She poked his wound.

"If you have the strength to smile, you have the strength to wash dishes."

"How troublesome…"

The wound was minor, and he was clear to go home, despite what he said to the contrary. After the newlyweds and the rest of the team parted, Ino smiled and motioned to her sensei, who reluctantly turned over some cash.

"Never bet against a woman in these matters."

"Huh? What did you two bet on?"

"Oh, I just asked a nin to rush the message to Temari. She then proceeds at top speed to the hospital, and then gives him a compliment, disguised as a jibe."

"Ahh, I see! But I wonder how long it will be before Temari finally admits she has feelings for him."

"Hmm…hard to say with those two. Such are the mysteries of love."

"Damn it Temari, I can walk by myself!"

So she let go, and Shikamaru dropped to the ground with a grunt of pain. She immediately grabbed him by the collar of his vest of pulled him to his feet, throwing one of his arms over her shoulders and supporting him.

"Apparently not."

"You're embarrassing me in front of the whole village!"

"You want me to throw you over my shoulder and carry you home?"

A grumble was her answer, and the only sound out of him until she had gotten him home, sitting him down on the couch and helping him out of his clothes. Konoha had some impressive medic-nins. The wound was closed and reduced to an angry red mark on the skin, though it would be a few days before the cells healed and were back to their normal strength.

"What did you say?"

"I said…Thank you."

Temari smirked and poked his side opposite the wound.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That thing. Where you act all macho and then turn out to be helpless. It's actually kind of cute."

She leaned forward and gave him a peck on one cheek, and watched his face flush bright red. She half-turned away when a shadow snaked across the floor, up her legs, and pulled her forcefully into Shikamaru's arms. She was stuck, his arms tight around her, his face inches from her own and moving closer.

"Temari…"

"Y-yes?"

He stopped, looking into her eyes and then looking at the position they were in. He released her, stepping back and sitting back down on the sofa, letting his head fall back.

"My streak. Medium-rare. Try not to overcook it."

Temari gave him a glare-of-death before turning and stomping to the kitchen. Once she was inside, though, he couldn't see the blush on her face. The rest of the evening was silent. Dinner, dishes, helping Shikamaru up to their room, tension stifling any conversation. It just made the next morning all the more awkward.

Temari awoke to find her head resting on Shikamaru's chest. She looked up to see him looking down at her, and after a moment, the two wordlessly separated, going back to their respective sides of the bed. After a few minutes, however, both were moving around, unable to get comfortable, and they ended up on their sides, staring at each other. Temari smirked and moved closer. Shikamaru tried to move away, but she caught him, pulling him closer and raising a hand into the air.

"What are you…ow!"

She whacked his ribs a few times before resting her head on his chest.

"You're lumpy."

She purred and nuzzled into his chest, only giving his wound a gentle poke when she felt a hand creep around her waist. The peace was interrupted by a discordant tone from the wind chime hanging outside the window. The two tensed, and hands squeezed the skin they were holding, a silent affirmation. That was the signal, a special chakra-reactive adhesive dissolving and releasing the metal pieces formerly held together, now swinging freely. The notes sounded clearly in the morning air, a warning that told them they were now to consider themselves being observed at all times. Their mission had now officially begun.

"Good morning."

"How's your injury?"

"Almost healed. Damn, I was careless, letting that nin get me…"

"Your just need to train harder."

"My training is-"

Further words were cut off when Temari gave him a light kiss on the cheek as she passed, setting breakfast on the table.

"What about your training?"

"It's…wonderful."

Temari giggled and Shikamaru slapped a hand over his face. It was the third official day of their marriage. As the mission outlined, ANBU would not act in any way other than to protect them from an outright attack. It also meant they wouldn't do anything about the nin that were perpetually staked out around their house, observing them constantly. Which was why Shikamaru, purely for the sake of the mission, was doing his best to appear infatuated with Temari. Temari had realized long ago that it wasn't an act, at least not totally.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

Temari yawned and stretched her arms upwards, and Shikamaru's eyes shot downwards as her breasts strained against the fabric of a rather tight shirt. He sat there, staring dumbly, while Temari laughed inside. Men were so easy…

Temari knew that the ANBU had sounded the signal early. After all, living together was annoying enough, but the required displays of affection had nearly driven her mad on the first day. Still, they had managed to settle into a nice routine. In the beginning, the worst part of it was allowing Shikamaru to touch her freely, but now, she wasn't creeped out anymore when she woke up with him wrapped around her or ready to hit him when he pulled her into an embrace after he got back from training. Shikamaru was probably one good kiss away from asking her to marry him for real. Still, could she blame him, knowing whom he was up against? Hell, before that day in the Hokage's office when he was assigned this mission, he had probably never even been kissed by a girl before.

A knock at the door allowed Shikamaru to finish his breakfast without further distractions as Temari got up to see whom it was. She came back after a short conversation to tell him that the Hokage had sent a message asking them to appear in her office, immediately.

On the way, the two walked casually with Shikamaru's arm around Temari's waist, accepting the looks from their fellow nin without complaint, and returned a few with glares of their own. Manipulation behind the whole mess or no, Suna nin weren't regarded very highly in Konoha right now.

Entering the Hokage's office, Temari caught sight of the man that was the cause of this whole mess. She kept her face carefully neutral as she debated how to repay him for the situation he had forced her into. He, however, stared at her openly, a perverse look of want that told her marrying Shikamaru for life would be heaven compared to him having the slightest bit of power over her.

"Ah, Temari-san. It's…so good to see you again."

"Huh?"

"Huh? What do mean, huh?"

"Do I know you?"

"This is Ginko Motoyoshi, assistant to the diplomat that arrived yesterday from the earth country. You'll be part of his escort while he's in Konoha."

She pursed her lips, just the slightest bit. Then she tilted her head, one way, then the other, and finished it off by shaking her head with a bored look she had picked up from Shikamaru.

"We met a short while ago, while you were on a mission in my country. I had hoped to see you again while I was in Konoha."

"Did we? Regardless, I don't know when I'll be called back to Suna. So while I'm here with my husband…"

She moved into her husband's side, putting her arms around his waist. He turned his head to her with a slightly surprised look and caught a kiss that turned it into a blissful one, before he turned to glare at the man who was looking at Temari.

"We've going to be very…busy."

The look on the man's face was priceless.