Chapter 73
Temari is lying on the bed looking out at the window, watching the first rays of the sun as they try to pierce through the thin, flapping curtain when the body beside her starts to show signs of stirring up.
Since she has woken several minutes ago, she has been asking herself, 'What now?' After all that has happened, she's been debating whether she should leave the bed before he rouses up or stay and have her answer.
The thing is—this isn't just something between him and her and the reasons why they got married still stand.
But then with him awake before she could decide, the choice is made for her.
Standing up, still naked, from the bed, knowing that Shikamaru's eyes are surreptitiously following her every movement, Temari opens her drawer, taking a new pair of underwear and putting them on before reaching for a new yukata.
Belting the piece of printed fabric around and tying it behind, on her back, she finally faces the man still reclining negligently on the bed.
Meeting Shikamaru's eyes head on, brusquely she states, laying down her words fiercely, "I don't like you. I can never like you. After what happened yesterday, I'm pretty sure of that fact," Temari pauses, letting her words sink in before she continues almost defensively, "However, I told Kasan the opposite."
After a long, heavy silence, Shikamaru simply asks, "Why?"
"In case you didn't notice, my whole family is upset since you came here."
"What does that have to do with your false claim?"
"Everything," rasps Temari as she glowers at Shikamaru, clearly also blaming him for her lie.
"Tch," Shikamaru grunts as he watches Temari seethe for all the usual and now another additional reason. "What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing. I don't want you to do anything," the blonde woman suddenly snaps then just as abruptly she marches towards the door, turns the knob and storms out of their room.
Shikamaru scrambles to get up from the bed, following her into the hallway, recognizing that 'nothing' definitely means something if the word came from a woman— a woman humiliated with her lie.
Temari walks briskly, knowing Shikamaru is after her. Since she woke up this morning, the thought that things between her and her ass husband have become much worse has perturbed her. With their marriage not a normal one with other people's feelings involved, she realizes that these people—in particular her mother— should be considered.
The blonde kunoichi can only groan inwardly. Honestly, she doesn't want another argument, however, if she has to put other things into consideration, there are —strategies— that she needs to suggest to Shikamaru that will definitely be met by averseness especially after what happened yesterday.
Temari scowls as she's about to turn a corner, her thoughts going farther into introspection. She has to admit that last night's fight shouldn't have happened if not for her temper. She should not have kissed Sasuke then Shikamaru, goaded by his damnable pride, wouldn't have any reason to act out of his usual blasé self.
Suddenly, as she manoeuvres the junction of the passageway that leads to another one, her eyes fall on Yoshino, carrying a pail half-full with soapy water and a rag, coming from the other side.
With her and her mother's paths about to cross, Temari abruptly stops walking and Shikamaru careens into her back on the corridor. Temari pivots quickly on her feet and just grabs Shikamaru's collar and pulls him towards herself and kisses him full on the lips.
Shikamaru, after a slight almost imperceptible hesitation, opens his mouth readily for Temari. Swiftly as their lips lock, the unsettled talk of minutes ago is forgotten and the remembered heat from last night resurfaces. Finally needing to breathe, their mouths separate only a hairsbreadth away from the other as Temari's hands still clutch Shikamaru's collar.
"I only kissed Sasuke because I knew you were watching," Temari whispers quietly over Shikamaru's lips as she meets his bewildered eyes. It is then that Yoshino snorts loudly as the older woman puts the pail down with a thump on the wooden floor before, with her heels clicking she leaves them alone, growling that she'll clean after they are done.
Shikamaru removes Temari's hold on his collar before calmly putting his own hands inside his pants' pockets. "I always like your honesty. It's stupid for you to change now."
Still somewhat reeling from the kiss, it then takes a brief moment before Temari finally grasps the derision in Shikamaru's words and when she does, she pushes him away. "Ass, you're a liar too," she scowls.
With his shoulders visibly tensing, Shikamaru wonders if Temari already has guessed his feelings for her even when he had denied it before. "What do you mean?" Shikamaru asks, scrutinizing the woman closely.
"You know what I mean!" Temari growls, irately.
However, Shikamaru just continues to gaze at her with a blank expression.
"I want my mother to think we're in love. It'll ease her mind. Do not undo what I have already done by going to her with a tale. I swear to God if you tell her again that you raped me or anything like that in effect, I'll kill you myself. You understand?" threatens Temari.
"Tch," Shikamaru mutters under his breath, inwardly relieved. For a while, he had thought Temari has discovered his secret that he has been lying about his feelings and worst, has come to realized that all these time, he has been taking advantage of what for her is their 'hateful' situation.
Shikamaru subdues the urge to twist his lips in amusement as another realization occurs to him. Really, Temari has just presented him with another opportunity to take what he can as a new plan is formulating inside his head. "I don't think your mother was convinced by your display of affection," Shikamaru utters, deadpanned.
"She will come around."
Shikamaru shrugs, openly showing Temari that he doesn't give a shit whether Yoshino will or will not.
Seeing the nonchalance, Temari snaps, "She's your mother, asshole!"
"So."
"So?" growls Temari in frustration, "Is that all that you could say?"
"What do you want me to say?"
So he wanted to act dumb! The ass! Disgruntled,Temari finally erupts, "You and—and your mother are really making things difficult!"
Shikamaru sighs."So that's what you want me to do— tell Yoshino, 'hey, can't you try to like me because we're making Temari uncomfortable'. Woman, you should have told me that earlier when she's still here."
"Stop being an ass!"
Shikamaru mutters, "Fine," under his breath as he moves his foot, about to swivel around and leave Temari to end their discussion.
"Alright!" reluctantly, Temari grunts as she suddenly grabs Shikamaru's arm, stopping him from going. Taking a deep, calming breath, she utters, "We really need to talk."
Shikamaru's steps falter and Temari then removes her hold on his arm.
Swivelling her head to glance around, feeling for chakra to make sure that Yoshino is no where close, Temari then gives Shikamaru a serious look. "We can't continue fighting—like what happened yesterday."
Returning her look, weighing her words, Shikamaru then heaves a resigned sigh. "I know."
"Then you agree that we should at least try to be civil to each other," Temari adds firmly.
Shikamaru nods his head.
"Good."
"Anything else?" Shikamaru asks.
"I really would appreciate it—" sarcasm drips from Temari's tone on the words, "—if you could try to be close to your own mother."
Shikamaru's lips pull into a straight line. "I'm not the one who ignores me when I'm in the room or if I can't do that spits fire in my presence."
"Ass! That's why I said try," Temari retorts. "I don't want my baby to grow up seeing that kind of animosity between you and Yoshino."
"Don't worry. The baby won't." Shikamaru mutters, remembering his and Yoshino's agreement. He'll only be around for a limited period of time.
"Good." Temari's lips tilt upward, readily adding, "I'll even help you—"
"If your idea of helping me is ambush me with kisses in corridors while your mother looks on, no thank you."
"Ass," Temari hisses. "Do you have a better idea?"
"No."
"Then we'll do it my way!" Temari rasps.
"Do I have a choice?"
"Yes. Continue to incur Yoshino's wrath."
"I don't mind that."
"Well, asshole, forget about me and the baby but how about Shikaku?" snarls Temari, trying for Shikamaru to see reason. "Your biological father is a good man but if he continues to favour you over his wife, his marriage will eventually suffer. Before we knew about the birth switch, even if my mother nags and my father laze around, they have one of the strongest marriages here in Konoha. But now, all that is changing…" Temari pauses meaningfully. "It's not like I want to lie about liking you either but it's worth a shot, don't you think?"
Shikamaru expels a breath loudly, conceding defeat. "Okay. We'll do it your way."
Temari nods her head, not questioning Shikamaru's almost lazy acquiescence.
"I'm off duty tomorrow. I'll stay home and rest," Shikamaru deems to report. If they are to go ahead with Temari's plan, his wife should atleast know his schedule.
Temari's brows knit together. "You can't stay here."
"I want to stay in bed."
"You're such a lazy ass!"
Shikamaru swivels around, finally retracing his steps back to their room.
"You can't just stay in bed!" yells Temari, following closely behind.
"Why not?"
"Don't act like you don't know!" snaps Temari. "Of course, okasan will expect that I will join you. We're only married more than just a week afterall!"
"Not my problem."
Temari visibly tries to control her temper as she bites each word out, "How about we go out instead?"
Shikamaru shakes his head. "Not interested."
"Well, I can't stay inside our room for endless hours doing nothing!"
"We can—"
"Have sex? Forget it. I'm not your whore."
Shikamaru doesn't bother to glance at Temari. Instead he carefully opens the door and enters their bedroom. "I never said you're a whore. And I thought when we agreed that we'll be civil to each other that we won't allude to things like that anymore."
Temari follows Shikamaru into the room. Ignoring what he just said and his tone as she mentions with finality, "We'll go out tomorrow. We'll let people see us together. They're bound to gossip and kasan is bound to hear. Yeah that's what we're gonna do."
"Notice woman that I haven't agreed," mumbles Shikamaru as he plonks back to bed.
Temari stares down at the man lounging lazily back on the bed, her eyes flint hard and intimidating.
After a while of meeting Temari's glower, Shikamaru shrugs. "I'll only agree to go out with you—" he halts, noticing Temari starting to smirk; seeming to want to dash that smirk he continues with his ultimatum, "—if you're going to allow me to nap for a while at the spot near the Hokages' monuments."
"Alright, you can sleep for awhile, lazy ass. I'll go and do some errands then."
"You misunderstand. You're going to stay while I'm resting my eyes."
"I'm not going to waste my time—"
"Us going around town—holding hands— isn't that a little obvious?" Shikamaru utters. "Your mother is a shrewd woman. If we just hang out together at my favourite spot doing nothing that should make your mother think."
Temari considers Shikamaru's words, looking for faults. Finding none, she agrees condescendingly, "Alright, we'll do that. I doubt your acting skills around people anyway."
"My acting skill is fine, actually better than most."
Temari harrumphs in disbelief.
"Tch," Shikamaru grumbles, sounding affronted, "Trust me if I act like I like you, you will think I'm not acting at all. Not just your mother but even you will be fooled."
"Ha!" Temari sneers. "That won't ever happen."
"Remember that when you start to doubt." Shikamaru hides a triumphant smile. "I'm going back to sleep. Just prepare my breakfast like a good wife." He then closes his eyes, wriggling into a more comfortable position but still aware when the door is jerked open and then close carefully.
Temari must have successfully restrained herself from banging the door shut. The smile then finally slips through Shikamaru's lips.
TBC
—o0o—
~2 23 13AF U 5 15 13~