"Temari."

His voice, lazy, magnetic in a way – she basked as she heard him call her name, again and again …

"Temari."

She turned around irritated as she felt his arms holding her by the shoulder gently.

Slowly opening her eyes, she pouted as she stared at his usual lazy face, smiling at her; his dark hair dangled in front of his face, visibly moist.

"Morning," he smiled.

She flashed a grin, and sat up. "You are early this morning."

"Hmph." He shrugged and wiped his hair dry.

Temari pushed him gently on the shoulder and went into the bathroom with large white towel in her hand.

He was still sitting at her bed when she came out, her hair dripping.

In between his lips hung a cigarette, the smoke floated in the air like a white dragon, minty, spicy.

"Where are you taking me?" Temari leaned forward, her face next to his.

He smiled and yawned the next second. "Dress nicely, I guess. It's kind of formal?"

Temari eyed the dark office chair in her room, a dark suit sat there quietly, perfectly ironed and as straight as a board.

"You did wake up very early this morning." She commented. "Getting the suit back at home and all."

"You noticed." He smiled, blowing a mouthful of smoke from his mouth.

Her eyes felt watery for a second; she rubbed her eyes.

"I think I know what to wear then." Temari said, moving towards the closet.

Shikamaru said nothing, smiling to himself as he began to put on his shirt and trousers.

He turned around as he tied his hair up in his usual ponytail, only to see Temari sitting at her dressing table, half naked, blowing her hair dry.

At that moment, he noticed the scars on her body; they are not conspicuous but they were there – on her arms, her chest, he abdomen …

She looked like a map of scars – he did not remember seeing that the night they met…

Must be the alcohol.

"Temari …" He muttered, she did not hear him as the hairdryer blared itself into her ears.

She did not notice as he walked up towards her.

She only knew when she felt a piece of fabric, rough against her skin draping onto her.

She turned around, and found herself in his embrace.

"Your scars…"

"Ugly, aren't they?" She chuckled softly, a soft smile hidden beneath her messy blonde hair.

He pulled her closer; she could feel his soft sigh on her shoulder.

A sigh and nothing more, as he gently let her go.

"I will wait for you outside."

He walked out of the room, barely able to contain his frustrated tears of helplessness.

The last bit of his cigarette turned into ash and fell onto the ground like a grey snowflake.

He waited, staring out at the large window.

The clouds hung there, gently floating in the sky.

It crept onto his mind – the day he angrily dismissed her words with a forceful kiss, her anger, her disgust …

It all made sense now.

She grew up bearing scar after scar; it was only normal for her to be hardwired to protect herself from any sort of harm.

"An onion," he muttered. She was an onion – you had to peel her back one layer at a time; and when you do, it was inevitable that some tears and suffering was included.

He laughed at the thought softly, scratching the back of head.

"Why so happy?" Her voice broke his laughter, he turned around and saw her, dressed in a dark navy colured dress; her make up lit up her eyes, her hair rested on her shoulders.

She stared at him with brilliant green eyes. "Pick your jaw up," she smirked.

"Hmph," he said with a smirk of his own. "Let's go."


She arched an eyebrow as they arrived, side by side, at a church with pointy rooftops and white walls. She could see that it was decorated elaborately with flowers and ribbons – it was a wedding.

He pushed her gently by the waist, urging her to walk inside.

"Shikamaru! I thought you wouldn't come," a middle-aged woman approached him, she had his nose – almost without second thought she realized that she was looking at his mother, and she was looking at her.

"This is?" An older version of Shikamaru spoke up, a touch on her shoulder made the lady snapped out of her eternal gaze at Temari.

"Hello, I am Temari." She smiled, flinching a little as Shikamaru's hand took her in his.

"This is my old man and my mom," he smiled, as his fingers found its spot in between hers. "This is Temari, my girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you," his father offered a firm hand, and she shook it well.

His mother remained skeptical, arching an eyebrow – somehow she could see his resemblance to her. "Your girlfriend?"

"Yes, mom." He shrugged. "Anyway, we will go say hi to our friends." He nodded at his parents and led her away.

"Since when am I your girlfriend?" She arched an eyebrow and smiled, her face blushing, she attempted to shake off his hand, but his grip was firm.

"Troublesome," he muttered, not letting go of her hand.

They approached a bunch of people who seemed more like his age.

"Hey," he greeted his friends, who shot peculiar looks at her.

"Temari-san?" Chouji, the big-boned brown haired man arched an eyebrow. "You two ..."

"Wait," another man with darker brown hair, and triangular red marks stopped him from talking. "Don't you look familiar?"

"She is the Suna…"

"Oh wait, you're the blondie from the club…" Chouji covered Kiba's mouth before Shikamaru's eyebrows twitched to a grotesque angle.

"This is Temari, troublesome as it is, she is my girlfriend." He sighed slightly, his lips slowly turning into a smile.

"I see…" The two men looked at each other for a second.

Temari felt uncomfortable as the two men shot her glances, something that told her they were skeptical, even a bit sympathetic of her.

She thought she had an answer in her mind… but she was not sure.

"Come on, let's go in." Shikamaru nudged her gently, and she followed without another word.

The decoration was a collation of pastels, pink, baby blue and light yellow balloons filled the chapel; flowers filled the vicinity, making the room felt like a florist's boutique or a greenhouse.

Temari stared at the altar, a man stood there, his dark hair was short, his face pale as the first winter snow. He had a tiny smile, formal and reserved – he was the bridegroom.

Everyone sat quietly, waiting for the star of the show – the bride.

A few minutes later, the music began, and the crowd stood up.

The doors of the chapel swung open, as a tall blonde man led the bride into the room.

She was draped in white from head to toe, the semi-transparent chiffon of her headdress showed her long, light blonde hair, tied neatly into a bun and decorated with flowers. Her small oval face was painted perfectly like a doll, blue shinning eyes brimming with happiness.

She knew who the bride is – the woman that he loved, perhaps he still do.

Temari looked up at the man beside her, at first glance he looked relaxed, but she saw him biting his lip lightly, and holding her hand – no he was almost crushing her hand in his. He was in pain; she did not need to be a psychologist to see that.

"Shikamaru, we don't need to see this." Temari patted on his hand with her free hand.

He relaxed his grip a little. "Sorry." He muttered. "But I need to see this."

Everything was blurry as the priest read the vows to the couple, both of them staring at each other; Ino's eyes were gentle and loving, but for Sai – something about his expression made Shikamaru felt uncomfortable.

Something twitched deep inside of him as Sai lifted the veil and pressed his lips onto Ino's.

He said nothing as the newly-weds left the chapel and entered their limousine.

"Shikamaru." He heard her voice, her calm, concerned voice.

He turned around and saw her brilliant green eyes, looking at him.

"Do you still want to go to their banquet?" Temari coiled her arm around his. "We can go home, if you want to."

He smiled and patted on her shoulder gently. "I am fine, we can go for a short while."

"If that's what you want." Temari was not as convinced as she would like to be, but she knew deep down this was his choice – this was his way of letting go, by killing the last bit of hope, memory deep down in his heart, his mind.


The banquet was held at one of the grandest hotels of Konoha city, complete with a large banquet hall and giant crystal chandelier.

They were seated with Chouji and some of his other friends – all of them were friends since high school; Temari felt a little out of place, but Shikamaru patted on her lap reassuringly.

The newly-wed couple went around table from table, touching glasses with everyone, receiving their blessing and congratulations.

Eventually, they reached their table.

"Shikamaru!" Ino exclaimed happily, holding her glass towards him.

Temari glanced at him, he had a rigid smile on his face, kind of like what Sai had on his face.

Obviously, the three of them knew exactly who the other two were.

Temari felt uncomfortable as she stood next to Shikamaru.

"This is…" Suddenly she realized all three pairs of eyes were on her.

He slung an arm over her shoulder, and smiled at her. "This is Temari, she is my girlfriend."

"I see." Ino smiled back at her. "Thanks for coming, Temari-san."

"Congratulations," she offered her glass, which Ino touched with hers.

The two women downed the glass in whole.

Temari turned around, and saw Shikamaru touching glasses with Sai, his eyes calm and placid, chillingly cold.

She sat back down, trying to warm herself from that cold glance with another glass of wine.

Everything about the night turned blurry, as the two drank more and more.


Shikamaru unlocked the door of his apartment in silence, Temari was clinging on his arm – both of them were not totally drunk, but they were not totally sober as well.

He closed the door, as he moved Temari over to the couch, she pulled him down, causing him to crash onto the sofa next to her.

The next second, he found her on top of him, straddling him as she gently removed his tie and threw it onto the ground.

Instinctively his hands reached for her body, one of them cupping her round hips and the other stroking her face.

She leaned forward, and stared at his dark eyes.

"You are not okay." She demanded, it was not a question, but a statement.

He said nothing in return, as his hands slowly reached for her waist, and rested there.

Her hands reached for his face, gently holding it with both of her hands, she stared, eyes brimming with concern.

"What has she done to you?" She asked softly, stroking his cheek.

"Like what I had told you." He said, calmly.

"Then you haven't been completely honest." She said plainly. "You still love her."

"Temari, I…" He found himself holding onto her from the back, both of them on their feet.

"You better tell me everything, before this gets any further." She spat, brushing his arms off her roughly. "I don't need anyone's pity, certainly not yours, Nara Shikamaru."

"I told you I need time."

"And I have given you time."

"You don't understand." He said, with a soft sigh.

"Make me!" She exclaimed, holding his hand in hers. "Whether you are going to let go, you need to let me know."

"Alright, alright!" Shikamaru threw his hand up in the air and rested his hands behind his head.

Temari looked calm, as the man sat back down on the couch and lit a cigarette.

"Well?" She arched an eyebrow as she leaned on the wall, waiting for his answer.

"You want to know everything, right? I will tell you every troublesome goddamn thing." He spat, after inhaling deeply from the cigarette, each word shooting out of his mouth along with white, minty smoke.

He closed his eyes as he began to tell his story with Ino Yamanka, in every full, painful detail he could remember.


The first time they met that he could remember.

Her blonde hair was short and a clip held her short fringe in place.

His dark brown hair was tied into a small ponytail.

"Hello! My name is Ino. Ino Yamanaka."

"Nara Shikamaru."

"Shika! We will be friends forever!"

"Sure!"

Two chubby pinky fingers held out and coiled around each other, accompanied by the childish giggle of two kids.

The picture switched to an autumn evening, a blonde girl stared at the sunset, as the dark haired boy leaned onto the tree.

"I like you, Ino."

"Of course you do, Shikamaru, you are my best friend."

"More than that." He said, a hue of pink on his face. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

"Eh." Ino looked bothered for a while, but she smiled at him. "I suppose we can go on a date?"

"That'd be great." He grinned widely, pulling the girl into his embrace.

He did not realize that a confused expression hung on the girl's face.

The picture switched again.

"I am sorry Shikamaru." She said, her head down and staring on the ground.

"How could you?"

"I love him."

"But I love you."

"I am so, so sorry." Ino ran off.

Leaving Shikamaru, crouching down at the tree where he first confessed his love to her.

No one but the wind could hear his soundless sob.

The sob of a boy who had his heart broken for the first time.

The picture switched again.

They were in college, and Nara Shikamaru was lying on the grass, staring at the clouds.

At that moment, his phone rang.

Annoyed, he picked it up and heard a long-missed voice.

By long-missed he meant how she ditched him again, two months ago after she broke into his room one night and had sex with him, then took off again.

"Shikamaru." She said, there was an air of urgency in her voice. "I need to talk to you."

"Sure, go ahead."

"I am pregnant."

"You are what?" His eyes almost popped out of his sockets.

"I am pregnant." She sounded dead nervous. "Father is going to kill me."

"Whose baby is it?"

"I am not sure, could be yours." She said, he could picture her almost crying, hiding in a corner of her room.

"Well… if that's the case…"

"Well…"

"Let's get married."

"Let's get an abortion."

The two ends of the phone turned silent.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "But Ino…"

"Shikamaru, I can't let it drag me down."

"But it's a child, Ino, it's a life." He said, his eyebrows furrowed together. "Don't you think it is a bit rash? Besides, it is my child too."

"I am not sure Shikamaru, it might be yours." She said. "It might not be yours as well."

He bit his lip. "If that's the case, I guess you have made your decision."

The next second, her end of the phone turned into an endless beep.


"That's the important parts." He said as he crushed the cigarette butt into the ashtray. "You happy now?"

Temari smiled at him scornfully. "Do you think I am forcing all of these out of you, just to mock you?"

Shikamaru stood up, his eyebrows furrowed, he sucked his teeth and said nothing.

She walked up to him, her hands placed on his shoulders, she could feel him tense up at her touch.

"To let go, you first have to let it out of you." Temari stared at him with fiery determination in her eyes. "If you are not willing to spill everything, how can it leave you?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Troublesome."

Temari moved one of her hands up onto his face. "You have scars, just like mine."

Her other hand traced down and pointed onto his chest, where his heart was.

"They are just hidden here, deep inside." Temari leaned forward and placed her head onto his shoulder, her arms wrapping around him.

"We have all the time in the world, Shikamaru." She said softly into his ear. "We can heal our scars together."

She could feel Shikamaru's arms slowly moving up from his side and wrapping themselves around her, his head slowly sinking onto her shoulder.

"We have all the time in the world." She pressed a kiss on his cheek, and said with a reassuring pat on his back. "Crybaby."

Something about her just made him cry so easily, he thought.

Perhaps that was why she was an onion, as he peeled her layer by layer, it made his cry.


Author's note:

Another chapter! Sorry for the late update.

I hope you all enjoyed the long chapter!

Thanks for the love!

V.S.V xoxo