A/N: I don't know why, but I really like this chapter. Maybe it's the slightly different format I've chosen. I think the idea of sending handwritten letters is beautiful and I wish more people did it. There's something quite intimate about it, even though ironically, distance is the usual reason for sending letters in the first place. Anyway. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'm working on all my other stories too - I've just started uni so my life is a bit of a whirlwind right now, but I'm very excited to finally update everything as I know some of you have been waiting a while for it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Shikamaru,

I don't know if you've realised, but it's the modern age. Email exists. Why do you still insist on sending letters? To use your own catchphrase, it's 'troublesome' having to pay for postage or send a messenger summons. Not to mention, it takes a good few days either way, when we could be receiving messages nearly instantly if you just took the time to log into your damn email account.

Aren't you the Sixth's assistant? Surely you need to use email for work, anyway?

Anyway, in reply to your last letter, things are good here in Suna. The council keep making thinly-veiled efforts to enquire about the wedding, or more specifically a date for it, so we should probably figure out our game plan soon. With any luck I'll be visiting Konoha for business in three weeks. I'll try and stall until then.

To summarise, just switch to email, lazy ass. I'll keep this short and sweet. I miss you.

Temari

Temari,

You know I don't trust any of this 'email' technology. I'm sure it doesn't take a genius to expose some holes in the system. Besides, aren't handwritten letters supposed to be more romantic, anyway? You should be impressed that I'm taking the time and effort to get out a pen and paper to bare my soul to you.

Okay, maybe not 'bare my soul'. But you know what I mean.

Sure, I have to use email for work, but that's different. Wouldn't you consider our conversations a little more private? If anything, the wait keeps me on my toes. It gives me more time to miss you.

I'll bet you just rolled your eyes at that last comment, right?

Sorry I can't be there to help keep the council off your back. If it makes you feel any better, Lord Sixth's on my case about it too, since he's also getting pestered by them and needs me to appease them. I'll have a think about it and when you return, we'll sort something out.

Leave it to me, Tem. Just focus on getting here safely, okay? This crybaby misses you, too, you know.

Shikamaru

"Another letter from Shikamaru?"

She looked up from the piece of paper between her fingers. "How'd you guess?"

"He's the only one who still sends letters these days," Gaara replied. "Why is that?"

"He's a little old-fashioned in that way," Temari smiled fondly. "He's been wary of this kind of technology ever since it was introduced."

"Well, he's a smart man. He must have his reasons. But why don't you just get him to send letters to the house, at least? It doesn't seem logical for personal correspondence to pile up in your office. That's a real risk of a security breach."

"You know all of our mail has to be checked anyway, no matter what address it goes to. We have a surprising number of enemies, even in this day and age," she chuckled. "Might as well have it directed to the office, where I definitely won't miss it, and you and Kankuro won't snoop through it."

"I'm offended you think so lowly of me," Gaara mused. "I understand your concern regarding Kankuro, but me? That's cruel, Temari, even for you."

"Old habits die hard," she shrugged, but came to smile at him with that warm, face-splitting grin she knew a certain someone would love right now.

Shikamaru,

An eye roll would be an understatement, you weird, romantic dork.

I still think you're making life harder for both of us by refusing to switch over to email, but at least it means by the time you receive this letter, I'll already be on my way to Konoha. Ironic how time flies when you're using snail mail.

Honestly, the thing that surprises me about this whole wedding ordeal is not the fact that we're being chased endlessly by our superiors, but that they weren't at all fazed by how quickly our relationship 'progressed'. Think about it; to be engaged after around four months is pretty fast for any couple. Or six or whatever, if we're including the...break. It makes me wonder why that wasn't the part that initially turned heads. Did they expect a snap engagement from us? Are we those kinds of people? Or maybe they're so used to arranging marriages that a wedding weeks into a relationship is totally normal. Who knows? Maybe it all points to glaring impatience. Hence why I have people knocking on my door day and night, asking about when I'm going to become 'Mrs Nara'.

Oh, that's another thing. If you think I'm taking your surname if and when we do get married, you're sorely mistaken.

Just thought I should let you know before you commit to anything/spout your men-and-women drivel.

Love,

Temari

He could barely contain his confusion and frustration as he read the last two sentences of her letter. Just as he was about to pick up a pen and begin his strongly-worded response, he remembered she'd be arriving in two days' time, where he could simply confront her about it in person. That woman always knew how to rub him the wrong way and keep him on his toes.

He nearly jumped out of his seat when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Hey, Shikamaru," Kakashi greeted him casually. "Do you have that planning document signed and ready? I need to send that off to the contractor today."

Immediately, Shikamaru groaned. "Sorry, Lord Sixth," he mumbled. "I haven't gotten around to it yet."

Kakashi smirked. "Too busy reading all of Temari-san's letters?"

Shikamaru felt his face turn an unlikely shade of red. "W-what makes you think that?"

The Hokage looked at him knowingly. "Shikamaru, you've done nothing but sigh every time you sit down at your desk or look out of a window."

"That's because work is troublesome."

"Sure it is," Kakashi chuckled, undeterred. "Only for the last three weeks, of course."

He sighed, defeated. "Nothing gets past you, does it, Lord Sixth?"

"How many more times will I have to say it? Stop with the 'Lord' already." Kakashi glanced at the piece of paper in Shikamaru's hands. "Bad news?"

Quickly, Shikamaru folded it and replaced it in its envelope. "No, no. She's just being difficult as always." He shook his head and covered his face with his hands. "God, why am I even telling you this? I'm sorry. I'll get back to work."

The Hokage laughed. "I'm sure you'll work it out. But anyway, do get that document sorted when you can. This next week will be a busy one for building."

"Uh, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Mm?"

"Will I be needed much during the construction process?" He paused and mumbled, "After all, I'm on escort duty already..."

"Oh, you don't remember?" Kakashi replied, a teasing edge to his voice. "You asked to be taken off escort duty for Temari-san. Ren-san will be greeting her at the gates in two days' time."

Ren. Just the thought of that uptight, overly-polite buffoon coming within a five-metre radius of his girlfriend made his stomach churn. What's worse, he brought this plague upon himself.

"Uh, about that..."

"Let me guess, turns out you do have the capacity to be Temari-san's escort and carry out your duties as my assistant?" Kakashi queried mockingly.

Shikamaru hated every second of this. "Y-yes, looks like it."

"Well, lucky for you, I'm a compassionate person," Kakashi said, eye-smiling all the while in that kind yet potentially facetious manner, since the mask revealed nothing. "I'll see if I can reshuffle the assignments. Make sure that document's good to go," he reminded him, before breezing out of the door.

Needless to say, Shikamaru kept his head down and completed his paperwork.

She walked towards him, eyes sharp, a playful smile spreading across her face.

"Well, well," she grinned. "Where's Ren-kun?"

He tried his best to suppress a growl, though the tail end of it managed to escape his throat in spite of his efforts. "Ren," he said emphatically, indicating how less-than-impressed he was by her choice of honorific, "...was busy. So I hate to break it to you, but I'll be your escort while you're in our village."

"Taking control," she raised an eyebrow. "I like it."

That caught him off-guard. "Y-you do?"

"Don't you remember that night we were out with my brothers?" she teased. "Oh, wait. Of course you don't," she chuckled. "But you probably remember the conversation we had afterwards. I liked how assertive you were that night. It was nice to see a lazy ass like you make an effort." She leaned in towards him, as if she were expecting a kiss or embrace of some sort, and he was ready to meet her halfway; until he felt an iron grip on his chin. "But if you think I'm gonna submit to you all of a sudden, then we should probably end this...'engagement'...here."

He swallowed slowly. "Understood," he nodded, then she released him with a sly grin.

"Otherwise, I'm happy to frolick around Konoha with Ren-kun..."

"Don't," he said sternly. "I don't want to hear that guy's name at all, let alone when you're customising it with your damsel-in-distress idea of a joke."

"Relax," she laughed. It wasn't a cute laugh, or one that sounded like bells; her laugh was loud, clumsy and what most would probably consider unladylike, but it was genuine, and that was what he loved about it. "I'm all yours, Nara."

His heart stopped for a second, he was sure of it.