Try: Chapter 2

Shikamara Nara was now in charge of the Chunin Exams. It had been two years since he was first promoted to Chunin; and he wasn't sure if this was the best course of action, since a Jonin should have been the first choice in his opinion, but he did as the Hokage asked. And he was slightly glad he did because he got to see someone that he hadn't seen in almost two years. The crazy blonde Jonin was back, and she seemed to be as stubborn as ever in making him do anything and everything she wanted him to. He was ordered by the Hokage to be her escort, because she was going to be working on the Chunin exams as well, and they couldn't have a Sand Nin walking around unsupervised, as some people still remembered the attack on Konoha from two years ago, and didn't trust the Suna as much as the Hokage did.

She even went too far as to demand that she take her to Ichiruaku and buy her ramen. He did so, since it was troublesome to argue, and as a man it was polite to buy her dinner.

Then he had to walk her to the apartment she was staying at . And walking around Konoha with her isn't fun. She walks around with this confidence, and it makes every guy in the village look at her. And stare at her butt. And her legs. And just… HER. One guy even tried to get a little to close, and started hitting on her. And since it was his duty to take care of her as her escort, he did the polite thing and prepared to kick the guys butt from Konoha all the way to the Hidden Stone. But she got there before him, pulling out her giant fan and slamming it over the guys head. And then she told the poor guy off and stormed off, leaving a stunned Shikamaru to chase after her.

Then they got to her house, and she was strangely silent. So Shikamaru did the polite thing and asked her what was wrong.

And he was damn glad he did, because he got the softest smile out of her he had ever seen, as she apologized for making him treat her, and promising that she would treat him next time. Her smile melted his heart, and for a lack of better description, made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. Shikamaru told her that he didn't mind, that it was a man's duty to treat a woman, and she laughed at that.

He loved her laugh. She should laugh more often. And he told her that. And when she glanced at him with a stunned expression, and being the superb genius he is, he took advantage of surprise, and quickly leaned in and kissed her. She didn't move at all just froze in shock, as he leaned back and stuffed his hands in his pocket, trying not to blush. And when she asked what that was, he told her it was her payment to him for her making him treat her, and if she demanded it again then she would have to pay him back again. And then he told her goodnight and walked off, praying to himself that he didn't just screw up their relationship or worse, put his life in danger. After all, even though she wasn't in any condition to chase him down and kill him yet, that doesn't mean she wouldn't be tomorrow. Or it didn't mean one of her brothers wouldn't come and kill him.

The next day he picked her up at her house in the morning. When he saw her his stomach started doing flips. But she just calmly walked out and hit him on the head with a open palm. When he asked her what that was, she told him it was payback for last night, and that he was treating her to dinner again tonight. And then she started walking away, and when he didn't follow her she stopped and asked him if he was coming. And he followed her.

That night he treated her and was walking her home as his brain went into tactician mode. He didn't know if he was allowed to kiss her or not, because this time she wouldn't be as surprised, and she would probably kill him if he put a toe out of line. He was running out of options, and running out of time as they closed in on her apartment.

They got there and he turned to her, deciding to do something incredible stupid that she told him to do all the time. Trust his gut, and go with the flow. She had her head tilted toward the ground, her bangs covering her face. And then he said her name. Nothing but her name. And she stepped towards him, throwing her arms around her neck and kissing him.

He froze uncertain what to do. He wasn't expecting this. He had not planned on this. She was so unpredictable. So he did the most natural thing, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer, tilting his head down and deepening the kiss.

He had never been more sure about anything in his life, except that she belonged in his arms. Forever.

It became a normal thing for them while she was in town for them to go out to eat, and at the end of the night they kissed each other good night. Neither of them ever asked each other what they were. Shikamaru thought it was to troublesome. And he was slightly scared of her brothers. And then the chunin exams were over, and she had to go back to Suna. He walked her to the gate and they stood their awkwardly neither of them knowing what to say or do.

So Shikamaru asked it. He asked her what they were. She asked him what he wanted them to be, and he told her. He told her that he didn't know, but he knew that they weren't friends. That they were more than that. And she told him that next time she came to Konoha, or he to Suna they would figure it out. And that if he didn't write to her she was going to come and kick his lazy butt. So he promised her he would write. And they did write. They told each other everything, and it wasn't long until they had confessed their darkest secrets and deepest fears to each other.

And Shikamaru knew, as he began to prepare for the 4th ninja war, that he was going to see her. And when this was over, they were going to end up together. One way or another he was going to make sure of that.

A:N/ Sorry it took so long to update! I was working on something else and I felt pretty uncreative for this. I know not a lot happened but next chapter is going to be the 4th ninja war, and then some in-between stuff like while they are dating and then the chapter after that will be marriage and all that good stuff.

Ha. It's only 10 so I'm going to work on my other two stories. One of them is a Naruhina on for my very first reviewer, and the other on is my Akatsuki one. Hopefully I can have one or the other up by midnight cause that's how late I normally stay up. And I'm gonna start researching for a actual novel I wanna write! Not a fanfic! I'm uploading it on Wattpadd and I'm so EXCITED! It's gonna be a fantasy thing about a whole continent on Earth that no one knows about because it's magically protected and all the magical creatures of the world have been condensed into that one place. Cliché I know. xD

K I'll shut up about Wattpadd know.

Review because you love Shikatema? :D

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