Notes from the Authoress: Sorry, people! I've been so uninspired the last few days (I have several written ahead, but I refuse to post unless I write something new so I am always several ahead). Uh...heh...I've forgotten what chapter this is (right about now I'm just hoping I have the right one), but read on.

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Naruto, and neither do you.

When Shikamaru's mother answered the door and saw Temari and her brothers, she was ecstatic. Throwing away the bitchy attitude she always saved for Shikamaru, she invited them in with a cheerful smile and a greeting of happy holidays. Shikamaru was rather happy to see that, while Temari and his mother seemed to be hitting it off, which was bad, Kankurou and Gaara stayed far away from her. Shikamaru's mother just gave off vibes that boys could read so very well. I knew it wasn't in my head, Shikamaru thought proudly.

Everything went mostly okay through the evening. Mrs. Nara and Temari chatted about god knows what, while Shikamaru, Kankurou, and Gaara played Scrabble with Shikamaru's father. It wasn't until dinner came around that Shikamaru had anything to worry about.

"So you're Shikamaru's grammar teacher, aren't you?" His mother was asking ever so happily, unaware to her son's sudden worry that Temari would say something to set Mrs. Nara off. "How does he behave in your class? We get letters and phone calls from every other teacher about his behavior and sleeping all the time."

"He's a pain, but he behaves for me," Temari answered immediately, looking quite pleased with herself. "I know how to handle trouble students. I might be a new teacher, but I know the tricks, and Shikamaru's nothing I can't handle."

If Mrs. Nara noticed that Temari forgot to add a suffix to Shikamaru's name, she didn't say anything. "Good! You're a strong woman, Temari-sensei. I'm glad people like you still become teachers, rather than the pansy teachers we get these days that are too afraid to do anything lest they get their pants sued off. How old did you say you were, now? My son's a late bloomer, you see, in his last year of high school and has never even had a girlfriend. I thought Ino—but no, he denies it. I need to find him a good girl who can get him to stop being so lazy all the time."

Shikamaru could immediately see what his mother was trying to do. She was trying to hook him up with Temari—his teacher. His mom never was conventional. She would probably dance if she found out him and Temari were already dating, but that was a secret. "Mom, stop it," He insisted, but when she turned a glare on him, he quickly went back to pretending to eat his dinner.

"You have got to teach me how to do that," Temari said enthusiastically. Shikamaru's mother instantaneously rose to the occasion, showing Temari exactly how to narrow her eyes and change her expression in a split instant.

If it didn't suck enough, Kankurou was snickering into his hand and Gaara, while his expression didn't change, seemed pleased. The only sympathetic one was his father, whom slipped a piece of candy into Shikamaru's hand after dinner, obviously forgetting that one little peppermint hadn't been able to cheer Shikamaru up since he was three.

At the end of the night, when Temari and her brothers were getting ready to go home, Temari pulled Shikamaru aside the moment his mother was distracted with "Gaara-chan" (she had taken to calling Gaara that, and Shikamaru just knew that if Gaara had an Inner Self, the Inner Gaara was throwing a fit).

"Here," Temari mumbled while shoving a small, poorly wrapped present into his hands. "I didn't know what else to get you."

"What—" Shikamaru started, but Temari gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she walked back to her brothers, as Gaara had just smacked Mrs. Nara's hand away from his face and looked as if he was about to blow.

"All right, boys, get on out," Temari said while practically throwing Kankurou out the door. Gaara quickly followed. "Thanks for having us over, Nara-san. It was loads of fun."

"Come back any time!" Shikamaru's mother said cheerfully, shooting a meaningful glance to Shikamaru, who was trying to conceal the present behind his back while his father watched him curiously. Shikamaru's mom waved when Temari stepped outside and closed the door behind her. She turned around and smiled at her husband and son. "Well! What a nice evening, wasn't it, boys?"

They knew better than to disagree. Shikamaru inched away slowly, and as soon as his mother put attention to his father, Shikamaru snuck off to his room. He sat on his bed for awhile, staring at the little present and wondering if it was safe to open it. Just when he thought it would be okay, the door opened and Shikamaru's father was standing there.

"Your girlfriend is pretty," He said after a moment. "Just don't tell your mother, or she'll be planning your wedding next."

"Temari-sensei isn't my—"

"I saw how you were looking at her. Now open your gift then get to sleep."

Shikamaru's protests about looking at Temari were on deaf ears, as his father was already retreating. I was not looking at her in any specific way, He thought indignantly. Stupid dad. I wonder how he really figured it out. Shikamaru put the thoughts out of mind as he went to work on tearing the wrapping paper away from his gift. It was a box, and upon opening said box, he found a little plushie inside it. He pulled the plushie out to see that it was a little brown deer with some white spots.

He stared at it for a long while before placing it back into the box and putting the lid over it. "Figures," He mumbled to himself while dropping the box on the floor. He lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling for several moments, but finally sighed, got out of bed, retrieved the box, and placed it in the top of the closet where it would be safe from being eaten by the mess that was his bedroom.

Notes from the Authoress: Review, kk? The next chapter will make the stupid deer plushie a little more clear.

In the Next Chapter: Shikamaru could be infuriating. It was the last day before Christmas break, and he hadn't said one word to Temari about…well, anything! She didn't know if she was going to be seeing him during Christmas; she didn't know if they should exchange gifts; hell, she didn't even know if he was going out of town with his family. Usually she would pursue the subject with him, but she wanted him to actually approach her about something. It wasn't going as planned. She had become more irritable over the past week with him, and kept dropping hints about needing to talk, but for a smart guy, he was incredibly stupid.