Chapter 98

Shikamaru, staring at the trench knife he's holding in his hand, asks, "What if I have to go back to Suna?"

"I know you'll do the right thing," Kurenai answers. "You'll come back."

"What if I can't?"

—o0o—

"Where have you been?" demands Temari. Half an hour ago, she arrived back home expecting Shikamaru to be in bed but Yoshino confirmed he left after her. So now, she's in the patio glaring at the new arrival.

"I went to speak with Lady Tsunade. My father—the Kazekage— is bound to learn soon what happened to Hidan. We have to be ready."

"Is that why you're carrying that around?" Temari gestures at the pouch attached to Shikamaru's waist. The pointed ends and shape of the trench knives obvious on the stretched fabric of the pouch.

"I also went to Kurenai's to return Asuma's things. She said I can have the lighter and one of the trench knives."

Temari pointedly looks at the pouch. "I can see two."

"I still have the other one on loan. I'm to return it once Asuma's daughter is ready to wield it."

"I see."

"I hope you don't mind," says Shikamaru quietly.

"Mind what?" scoffs Temari. "That Asuma-sensei wanted you to have his lighter and his knives?"

His expression turning impassive, Shikamaru nods his head.

Watching his face closed off, Temari scowls, "I don't smoke, ass. And even if I want to start now, I can't. I'm four months pregnant, and pretty soon, I'll be a mother. As for the knife, what do I need it for—I already have a very huge, very heavy fan. Now, I can't speak for Choji though and for…" Her voice turns low, hesitating, "…Ino," only to turn louder, as she continues in a still irate voice, "But if Kurenai-sensei wants you to have Asuma's memento, those two have no right to argue against her decision, not after what you have done. Get it?!"

Hearing Temari's words, it would have touched him except he detects something…Nervousness? Unease? "You're rambling. Why?"

"I'm not!" huffs Temari, totally on edge.

Shikamaru, scrutinizing his pregnant wife closely, notices that she's flushed. He knows she went out, the same as he, and the weather has been hot and humid the entire day. He has become accustomed to the sticky weather here in Konoha but for Temari, who had a difficult first trimester, it's expected for her to feel better in her second trimester so…maybe it was thinking that, that she has gone and overdone things in this heat. "Is everything okay?" he probes.

"Of course," Temari answers in a rush, taking a step towards the door. She's not yet prepared to be interrogated. "Everything's fine."

"You went out. If it's not the weather—" Seeing her flee, Shikamaru makes a sudden grab for her upper arm, stopping her from moving away. "Did something happen?"

Temari bites the inside of her cheek, not ready with an answer. They were just talking about Asuma's weapons—his legacy, how did it end up that they were talking about her?…Really, it feels like an ambush, like being pushed into a corner to answer.

"Are you ok? You look like you're gonna be sick," utters Shikamaru, "Whatever that's bothering you, you can say it. I won't let anyone hurt you and the baby."

The way he says that last line, with conviction, is asking her to believe in his words. And just like that, the bothersome feeling that she wants to tell him comes back to her in full force.

She really has to tell him. She can't keep it to herself anymore.

"I—" Temari takes a deep breath, holding the air for a while before releasing it through her mouth, willing her racing heart to slow down.

The moment that petrifies her has come.

"—love you," she utters the words in a clear, concise tone. "I don't just think it. I'm sure of it as sure as I am that my name is Temari. I love you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru's lips tilt upwards on one corner. His eyes beaming with happiness, he pulls Temari and enfolds her in his arms. "I know," he murmurs into her hair.

Temari is shocked as she hears those two simple words… It is then that it dawns to her that, good or bad, she has been expecting more of a reaction. Pushing on the chest that crowds her in, she scowls, "Oh fuck you! Is that all you're gonna say?! I have agonized ever since I discovered I have feelings for you—wondering how to tell you, to make you believe it and all you have to say is you already know."

Shikamaru simply pulls Temari back into his arms, tightening his hold.

Temari lets him, but her voice, muffled by his shirt is still filled with venom. "How the hell did you know?! I'm not that transparent!"

"You are."

"Shut up!"

Shikamaru's chest shakes with his answering chuckle. Temari fumingly squirms in his arms and that puts a pause to his laughter.

"At first, it was just a suspicion," admits Shikamaru. "But when I arrived back from that latest mission it was confirmed. When you welcomed me home…I felt I'm truly home." The smile can still be heard in Shikamaru's voice. "Do you understand that?" he mumbles on top of Temari's head.

Temari raises her head to meet Shikamaru's eyes. "Yes."

Shikamaru holds Temari's blue-green stare as the one truth he has always known, he utters gently, like a pledge, "I belong to you. Not to Suna or Konoha. To you."

She understands that too but…"It's not that simple."

The look on Shikamaru's eyes say, it is.

"Yes," she simply agrees.

"And you know that I feel the same, don't you?"

"Yes." Temari nods her head. It's gonna be okay. She has finally stopped wondering whether she was just born to be… the villain. Because really her existence didn't ruined Shikamaru's life. She hasn't ruined his life. In fact, it's the opposite, she has plans on making him happy.

"I love you," she murmurs, returning Shikamaru's embrace and his smile. "And I will trust you and what we have."

—o0o—

She mentions trust…Shikamaru stiffens. Temari still doesn't know that one of the reasons why the mission to avenge Asuma was a success was because he has already been training with Ino. He already knows about his new teammate's jutsu, and how to best utilize it.

He was forbidden to train with Ino, Shikamaru suspects it's because Temari is jealous…but not for the reason Ino thinks. His wife, his very competitive wife, grew up believing she was a failure with the shadow jutsu while alongside her, Ino improved her jutsu immensely.

It's quite understandable really, and human if Temari gets angry…

Maybe it will help his case if he tells her that Ino and Choji still haven't seen his shadow jutsus. But still, he went around her back and trained with both her former teammates.

Shikamaru clears his throat. "I have to tell you something. Choji, I and even Ino—"

"Good thing you mentioned Ino," interrupts Temari. "I went to her place."

"And?"

"I don't want you to continue hanging out with her—"

—o0o—

Earlier that day, Temari had knocked on the door of the Yamanaka Flower Shop even though it says, closed. She knew Ino must be inside tending to the shop's flowers.

"Ino, open up. It's me," she demanded, banging the door two more times.

The other blonde opened the door with a pout, grumbling, "About time. Took you two months."

Temari came inside, glancing all over the place. As usual, it was full with a variety of flowers and indoor plants. Taking a deep breath, she sniffed the mixture of overpowering fragrances and distinguished most of them. Finally, she could do it without her stomach churning. She really loves plants and ever since she was a child she had spent time here at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, appreciating them.

Still near the door, Ino pointedly tapped her foot awaiting some form of an answer.

Temari done checking the blossom filled shop, turned around to face the other woman. Jutting her chin, she rasped in a reproving tone, "You could have dropped by at my place anytime too but you didn't."

"Who was it that accused me of spreading false rumor about you?!" snappedIno, crossing her arms on her chest. "And warned Choji that it was better for me to run if I see you?"

"That wouldn't have stopped you in the past," Temari snorted. "You would have come and annoy the hell out of me."

"Well, this time, I felt—" Ino stopped talking abruptly. "Nevermind." Walking towards her work table, she started to snip the tip off the stems of the roses before putting then in the pail.

Temari raised a brow. "You were going to say something."

The other woman just continued with her task and the silence stretched…Until suddenly with a huff, Ino unable to bite her tongue for so long, grumbled, "Well, this time, I felt you should be the one to come and see me." Glaring at the flowers, she asked, "So why didn't you?"

Temari retorted, "I hated the flowery scent that clings to you."

"Not just my scent. In fact, you hate me, don't you?"

Silence, heavy and oppressive, reigned as Ino waited for Temari's answer.

"Yes."

Hearing her friend's answer, Ino's eyes seemed to glimmer with unshed tears. "Did you just come here to confirm something that I already know?"

"No." Temari met and held Ino's eyes. "I finally realize why I hated you so I damn well have to come here to tell you why."

"Ouch." Ino cringed then squared her shoulders, forcing the watery gleam to disappear from her eyes. "But go on."

"You're a first class flirt," accused Temari. "But still, I envied the ease with which you could flirt with Kamaru."

"Of all the things that you could say you envied—my beauty, my body—you say that?!"

When Temari didn't answer, Ino added, "All our lives, I felt like you consider me your rival but I never felt you hated me. I was your friend—granted just a well-tolerated friend. But these past few months, you couldn't stand my presence, couldn't you?! When Kamaru was here buying you a present, you just stood outside that door not even bothering to say hi. Don't say it was because I smell funny…because the Temari I knew would damn well risk all the discomfort in this world just to give me a hell of a comeback."

Temari remained quiet then in a voice uttered defensively, admitted, "I kept wondering what if Kamaru met you first then surely he would fall for you."

The tirade died in Ino's mouth. Whatever she was expecting Temari to say, it was never that. "Are you kidding me?!" she finally burst out incredulously.

"Listen, there are circumstances you don't know about," explained Temari warily. The way she saw it, if not for the birth switch, Shikamaru and Ino would have met first, then they would surely fall for each other and get married.

The truth was, she, Temari, is the villain in their love story…so how could she face Ino, her friend, knowing that. "I kept thinking that if those circumstances didn't happen I won't be Kamaru's wife."

"You mean you being pregnant?" Ino asked, confused.

"Not that." Temari shook her head. "Because of a mistake from the past, I ended up with the happier end of the stick and Shikamaru got stuck with a fate that really didn't belong to him."

Ino frowned. "I don't get it."

"I ended up being his wife because he was screwed up right from the start."

"You're not making sense."

"I know." Temari nodded her head, almost chuckling humorlessly. "Sometimes, I feel like Kamaru lives in two dimensions. I keep thinking what it would be like on that other dimension."

Ino tried to understand, to follow Temari's words. "Are you telling me that in this other dimension you think that Kamaru will end up liking me instead of you because I made myself so obvious around him?"

"Yes."

"Really, Temari? Are you crazy?!" Ino shrieked. "Have you seen the way Kamaru looks at you?" She continued, recalling that just yesterday, she witnessed upon their return from their suicidal mission, how he looked at Temari. "Have you ever consider that even if Kamaru lives in two, three, four dimensions, he will only see you?"

"Yes, I finally did."

"Ba-ka," Ino intoned.

"You don't like him anymore?" Temari asked, ignoring the fact that Ino just called her stupid.

The beaming radiance returned to Ino's eyes as coyly, hiding her answer behind a mysterious smile, she prevaricated, "If I said I like him…"

Temari's brows knitted into a frown then slowly, gradually, her lips started to twist into a tight line as her eyes began to glint dangerously.

"Aww, you are insanely jealous." Ino erupted into a laughter, openly mocking her friend. "And I bet this insecurity was caused by that guilt back when we were kids, I declared I like Kamaru but you lied and said you didn't."

Temari glowered because the other woman was right. Unlike her, Ino openly admitted that she liked Kamaru and perhaps, it was that that led her to thinking that if Ino and Shikamaru grew up together in the same village they would end up together.

But on the other hand, if fate had wanted it, with the birth switch, she and Shikamaru could have not met at all either.

But they did…

So even in that other dimension, where everything was right and where things should be…Temari finally realized, she and Shikamaru would still meet… and because they are who they are, they would be drawn to each other.

So both in the what if and now, Shikamaru was destined for her.

The shop continued to be filled with Ino's teasing laughter.

"Oh shut up!" grumbled Temari, with not much heat. "I just came by to get my lavender plant back."

—o0o—

"I don't want you to continue hanging out with her—"

Shikamaru admits simultaneously, "I had been training with Choji and Ino for months now."

"—behind my back," Temari continues, not missing a beat.

"Tch, you knew!" Shikamaru accuses.

"Yes, I knew," smirks Temari. "Just because you have become friends with Ino doesn't mean I stop being her friend, you know."

"I know that. I just wasn't sure you do," mutters Shikamaru, exasperated. "So you're not jealous of her jutsu anymore?"

"Jutsu?" asks Temari. So the ass thought, the reason why she forbade him to train with Ino is because, with the shadow jutsu, the InoShikaCho is finally complete…and that means another accomplishment under Ino's belt as a kunoichi. Arg if not for the fact that admitting she was jealous of Ino because of him rankles more, she would have corrected Shikamaru. "You're right. But now, it doesn't matter. You can train with Ino and Choji and you can even show them your visible shadow jutsu."

"We can trust them with our secret," Shikamaru concludes with a relieved sigh.

"Yes, we have two trustworthy friends," agrees Temari. Then reaching up and grabbing Shikamaru's head, she warns, "But still, Ino may smile at you a lot, offer you her shoulders—Things like that, you tell me, so I can smack her down. Nobody flirts with my man, understand?"

Staring up at the face she holds between her hands, Temari mutters snidely, "But then don't flatter yourself…she's just doing it to irritate me. Because that's what kind of friendship we have."

—o0o—

~11 27, 12 16 14, 1 10 15AF P 1 16 15~

A/N: Aww whatever it is, you guys think—good or bad—I would love to hear it.