I don't own Naruto and/or its characters.

The sound tore through the silence.

It was deafening and sharp and painful. And he did not bother moving an inch. She wanted to make it clear without words, her anguish. A cold look in her eyes devoid of any pleasant welcome or surprise served a bitter reminder of his guilt.

Her brothers were out. She had no one to remind her how angry she ought to be. Either way, she didn't need any.

"I'm sorry." He repeated with the sensation of her hand striking his cheek still burning half of his face; the impact reverberating.

She looked out of the window. As if it wasn't painful enough. As if it didn't sting enough that he broke up with him without knowing why. He just had to go all the way from Konoha to tell her the reason. Rubbing salt on her wounds.

A new wave of helplessness overcame her.

"Why would you do that?" She asked gasping for air after every word. She was barely controlling her sobs and her legs could only keep her standing tall for so long.

It did not make sense to her. Her pride tearing her to pieces. Questions of what are turning into why.

"I'm sorry." He repeated. He didn't make any excuses. Nothing will ever pass as an excuse and he's accepted it. Hoping to get his feelings across, Shikamaru gently took Temari's left hand.

She looked back at his pleading eyes of noir. Attempting to resist but failed miserably. Her muscles tensed, her resolve wavering. He was sincere. But what has been shattered once will always remain broken.

She shared with him every corner, every crevice of herself. And maybe it was her fault for letting his shadows fill the gaps. But she recalled how he promised her, that he will never betray her and that he'll always be there for her. Those words are nothing but lies now. What happened to us? she wanted to ask. But no sound was produced; no answer would ever be enough.

As if reading her mind, he himself almost reassured her of the everything he promised. But he fell short of courage and only the slight trembling of his lips was all that he could manage. He had no right, he thought. He knew her insecurities and yet he attacked them without thinking.

He remembered the night she laid beside him. She didn't cry but he heard the hurt in her voice. As the eldest, she was the one in need of acknowledgement from her father. And yet she couldn't be the vessel for Shukaku. The former Kazekage couldn't spare a split-second of his time for his daughter. Without anyone to trust, she kept her walls high. But his shadows made it through those walls. He promised her that the sun is up and it won't be dark outside. But he made the sun set again; a night with no moon to light her way and no shadows to keep her company. He left her standing in the dark of the night.

He only wanted her forgiveness. He knew he doesn't deserve anymore than her indifference at least.

"I'm sorry." The fourth.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked pulling her hand out of his without warning. "Are you asking me to forget everything that you did?"

"No." He replied with his hand still open, gapping with the sudden vacancy. "I can't make you forget what happened and I won't ask for you to take me back."

"I just want you to know that what I did, everything, I regret them, Temari." Shikamaru continues. "I… I forgot how much I love you. I couldn't win against distance. I'm racing against the time that stops between us when you're not around."

Temari's eyes widened a bit. In his voice, she hears his desperation. And in her inaudible reply, her realizations.

"I suffered too. I was a victim too." He said. "But I'm not here to justify myself. I know you've suffered every bit as I have if not more than I did. I'm sorry Temari. I screwed up I know."

She looked at him with tired eyes. There was nothing she could come up with. No words would form.

She understood him but her cuts are still fresh. He figured as much from her conflicted gaze. And so he takes it as his cue to leave.

He grabs his belongings and stops before closing the door. Like a cheap chick flick movie character, he takes one last look at the silhouette behind him. She wasn't looking back. She kept her back against his gaze without any movement.

"I'm sorry." The sixth. And he left.

"I'm sorry." The first. And she fell to her knees and cried.

I wanted to make this scene as heavy as possible without ending up with 5k words for just a chapter. haha I tend to get carried away.

Anyway, thank you so much for keeping the reviews coming!
If you have time, please do give me feedback on this chapter.

Thank you for reading!
Next chapter will be more on sand siblings. :)