79

Theatre

Shikamaru seated on the ground. It was still early - maybe about 6. But he needed a rest before he entered Suna. He was going to stay here a bit, looking at the figures made by the moving sand. When he succeeded to get his now chaotic thoughts in order, he was going to go again.

He sighed and took off his backpack, then he laid down, to close his eyes just for a few minutes.

He could have made up a lot of variations of what Temari would say to him. But she still was unpredictable and he kind of loved that. It was challenging to predict what her moves would be. Anyway, whatever she had to tell, he would bet his head that won't be either nice or compassionate. It may even be brutal… By the note, he got a really clear feeling she was angry. And the angry Temari was way more troublesome than the usual Temari…

"I really hate trouble…" He said to the surroundings…

Quiet knock on the door dragged Tenten's attention. Kankuro was still holding her hand and looking intensely in her eyes.

"Unless there is a deadly attack of Water golems, we are not here…" he shouted, smirking.

The uncomfortable silence continued for about a minute. Then there was another knock on the door, even more uncertain.

"It is probably not a Water golem attack, but it is probably important." Tenten whispered, smiling.

He growled with annoyance and got up. He went to the door and opened it. Matsuri stepped back, fear all over her face. She had never seen Kankuro's eyes so darkened - they really scared her.

"I'm… Looking for… Tenten-sama…" She said, trembling while making yet another step back.

"You found her!" Tenten appeared behind Kankuro's back and pushed him aside.

"Shikamaru-sama arrived." Matsuri obviously relaxed.

"All right. Then I will be off to meet him right away." She attempted to exit the room, but the man grabbed the door and went after her. "Now, where are you going?"

"I am not missing that." He said with a hint he is not backing off.

"You are going to destroy the plan…" Tenten tried to make him quit, but he shook his head.

"No, I won't do anything like that. It will be even better, you will see."

"You are not going to say a word." She warned, though he just chuckled silently.

Matsuri was looking at them with eyes wide open. She was admiring Tenten and she was scared of her former teacher's brother for some reason. Tenten thanked her and asked her to notify Gaara as well. Then she headed to the reception area where Shikamaru should have been. Kankuro was walking behind her and she could feel his predatory smile.

"Yo." Shikamaru greeted when he saw them.

"Oi, Shikamaru." She had put a serious expression on her face. "What on earth have you done to Temari? She has been for some time now."

Konoha's shinobi didn't answer, but put his hands in his pockets. Kankuro stepped ahead and lifted him in the air with one hand, making an angry face.

"You do realise I will have to kill you, right? She's my sister and you treat her with disrespect!" There was a hearable threat in his voice. And even so Tenten knew it was an act, a cold chill passed down her spine.

"Look, I have come here by her request. So… Let me talk with her first, yell at me, then break my nose… I will have a conversation with you later on, if needed." Shikamaru said, gently pushing Kankuro's arm.

Kankuro let him down and laughed. He patted his back and smiled.

"I have no idea what you have done, but this is Temari… She solves her problems on her own. I do not intend to meddle."

Tenten was going to shout at him, when she noticed Shikamaru's face actually went paler…

"Well, come along, I am just going to show you her room."

Tenten felt sudden pity for Shikamaru. Temari really had decided to get him really hooked like a fish. She glanced at her fellow shinobi and she could tell he looked a bit down… which was understandable.

They soon reached Temari's room and the girls knocked.

"Yes?" Temari's voice came from the inside.

"Temari, I got Nara here for you."

"Come in."

Tenten opened the door, but she didn't enter, just gestured to Shikamaru to go inside. And he did - the room was really poorly lightened just by a small lamp near the window. The door behind him shut. Then he saw her - proudly standing in front of the window, looking outside. She was dressed with her usual clothes and she still was a bit thinner from what he remembered. Her hair was tied in 4 ponytails as she used to wear it before. Shikamaru realised she seemed very lovely and even more threatening.

"Temari…" He said quietly and made a step forward.

She had her back to him, obviously still looking out of the window.

"Nara Shikamaru…" she started quietly, the anger was hearable in her tone.

"Look, Temari…" he took one more step and stopped. "My wish was not to make you angry. But since this is the result anyway, you could just give that back. I will try to forget about all of this… At least I will act like I did."

"Then what was your wish?" She said after she was silent for some time, not looking at him at all.

"When I heard your situation… That your life is really in danger and I may actually not see you ever again… Then it came to my mind that I wanted to give you that pouch, together with the content. To you only, no other one…"

"And why did you think I was going to accept it?"

"I hoped…" he sighed. "I know you hate sentimentality, Temari…" he smiled. "And I know I never invited you to a normal date. But I do know, you were most probably going to decline anyway, out of stubbornness."

"Most probably, I would have declined…" she confessed with a sigh, realising he was right about that.

He was silent. Stucking his hands in his pockets, he looked out the window over her shoulder.

"Did you know I saw you as a really unpleasant person some time ago. I mostly saw your brutality, rudeness and toughness. But when the time passed I started to see other traits in your character, which I pretty much liked. Until a point when I realised I came to like the whole you… with all of your traits, making you just the way you are.

It took a great amount of effort for her to not cut out her play. He had never said anything so kind and honest.

"Why do you think I have started to like you, you dimwit?" She looked at him over her shoulder, frowning.

"For the earth's sake, Temari!" He rolled his eyes and raised his arms in despair. "You have no idea how easy it was talking with you a month ago!"

She smiled slightly. She was well aware that what she was trying to force him to do was most likely the hardest thing he ever did. Temari had remembered every word he spoke… She remembered what he had whispered to her and she wanted to hear it again.

"Shikamaru…" He looked at her, since she was stubbornly still looking outside the window. "Are you still convinced I am the one you want to get that pouch of yours?" she asked softer.

"Even so you obviously summoned me here to give it back and beat me up… Yeah, I still am." His words came out with uncharacteristic firmness.

"But I am going to give it back, anyway…"

During the trip he was mentaly preparing for this moment, for those words. Still it hurted a lot... It hurt way more than when she hit him in the chin awhile ago. But he was here mainly to apologise and find a way to fix things… That's what Tsunade-sama expected. Because, frankly, his feelings were way less important than the two villages' good terms.

"Then you can just give it back, attack me and I will get out of your sight as fast as possible." He paused. "I would do anything in my power to see you, not more than necessary. I will ask Tsunade-sama to replace me…"

Temari interrupted him:

"It is on the nightstand on your left."

Shikamaru nodded and went to the pointed location. He took it and stopp dead in his tracks - it was empty.

"What's all of this, Temari?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. His mind had already explained what's going on, he just needed verbal confirmation by her. Meantime a wave of relief washed over his body and he could take a decent breath for the first time since he got the note. Little tears filled up his eyes, threatening to drop out. The emotion he felt was too great to ignore.

"I said I am giving you the pouch back." She said innocently, finally turning to him with hands behind her back. "I did not say anything about the content."

His pupils dilated when she turned and headed to him, slowly and somehow provocative. Her facial skin had a really beautiful healthy colour and her eyes were so green, his breath got caught in his throat.

"I am a troublesome woman, I know…" She made a step towards him. "But you think I am ubiques, don't you, Shikamaru?"

He was looking at her, unbelievingly. He also recognised his own words.

"But you do hate troublesome women… You hate headaches as well. You have told me this not just once. And even so…" She stopped in front of him.

He didn't dare to move. As if this was magic and if he moved, the magic would disappear. She lifted herselt, stepping on her toes, approaching his ear with her lips.

"What is the reason, Shikamaru? The real reason you want to give me this?" she whispered, showing him her hand. The silver ring was resting beautifully on her finger.

"Temari…" He relaxed his shoulders, even though he didn't notice how tense they were. "You have remembered what I told you. You know… Now you are just trying to make me say it again."

"Well, you do get a hold of what's going on relatively fast." She smiled sweetly really close to his face. "Oh, you are not going to cry now, right?" She said, seeing the tears in his eyes.

"I think I love you, Temari." He said suddenly, looking into her beautiful green eyes.

Then she failed to stop them - her tears appeared so straight away, she wasn't able to do anything. She just sobbed and let them out, wetting her cheeks. Her body started to shiver…

"Hey…" He said tenderly and finally let himself touch her, hugging her.

Temari burrowed her face into his chest and just kept crying and sobbing. He gently stroked her back until she calmed down.

"You know…" He started. "Your little play here didn't have a single mistake until now…" He whispered quietly and caressed her neck. She started to laugh through her tears.

"Thank you…" She pulled back a bit to see his face.

He had a really tender and warm smile on his lips. Temari succeeded in calming down completely. She also smiled at him.

"Now, now long I am going to wait for you to kiss me?" She teased, causing him to laugh.

"Crybaby." She said quietly and leaned down to her lips.

Her lips were incredibly soft and tender. He closed his eyes, so he could fully sense her lips, touching his. Then she slightly pulled back, looking at him again.

"Temari…" he whispered softly, but she smiled with an impish smile, causing him to flinch.

"Oh, I am not done with you."

Temari put her palms on his chest and pushed him until his back pressed against the door. She pressed her breasts on his and slid her hands up to his shoulders and neck. Then she tore the tie he had on his hair, letting his black locks envelop his face. She pulled him down and dug her lips in his. This was another type of kiss… It was passionate and it literally took his breath away. She was daring and craftly in the ways she was kissing him, spinning his world around.

He, of course, had some experience in the area, but it seemed like she was a few levels above his knowledge. He felt strangely excited about the matter.

Her fingers burrowed in his hair, pulling him down to her with no option to run away. Not that he would…

He let his hands wrap her body, sliding them up and down her back…

Then there was an insisting knock on the door. Temari pulled away, her breathing ragged and shallow, her eyes filled with promise for passion he would have never dreamed of. She straightened her clothes and when Shikamaru moved away from the door, she opened it.

"Gaara?" She was surprised.

The Kazekage looked at her, then looked at the man with the loose hair.

"What is he doing here?" he asked seriously.

"I summoned him. We spoke about this earlier…"

"Yes, that's correct. So what is going on?"

"I am marrying him, Gaara." She said with a slight smile.

Gaara suddenly became threatening and turned to Shikamaru:

"You have not asked for permission to marry my sister." He said.

Temari noted innerly Shikamaru's expression was priceless.

"Gaara!" she said laughing.

There was a loud laughter coming from the hallway behind Gaara. It was Kankuro's…