Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

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Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them.

~Dion Boucicault

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Chapter 3: Rudolf and the Bed-hog

Shikamaru drudged down the road, alone.

"Stupid troublesome woman." He shifted the pack on his back, "I was only an hour late, she didn't have to leave me."

Lazy ass. Tea shop. Now. Was all her letter said.

"She's lucky that I am a genius." he grunted, "If I were a regular guy, I wouldn't know what the heck she was talking about." Shikamaru remembered walking in endless rain, in the Land of Rice Patties, also known as the Land of Sound. And after three hours, a tea shop came out of no where. The old woman who owned the shop, lived on the upper level, and offered him to stay the night. What she didn't care to mention was that she only had one extra room, with only one bed, and there was already a blonde occupying it. It would have been helpful to know that, because when he opened the door Temari was changing. Shikamaru slept on the floor, and not by choice.

He mumbled curses and swears to himself about her, but mostly the summer heat. Shikamaru was kind of glad for this mission, when it hits noon in Konohathe temperature is roughly around 101 degrees, and the land of lightening is at a high elevation its much cooler, plus he is closer to clouds. And she hated the cold, it was her least favorite type of weather, sweet revenge. Temari often told him that she preferred the desert heat rather than Konoha's heat. Her heat was dry, smoldering but dry. But Konoha's heat is humid, muggy, she complained about feeling the moisture clinging to her skin. It's true but he rather live in Konoha than Suna any day.

He had another ten hours, until he would reach the border. Another ten hours till he slept. Another ten hours till he saw her.

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Shikamaru emerged from the forest, covered nearly from head to toe in mud,and twigs and leaves strung through his hair. He was not having a good day. While looking at his beloved clouds he fell down a hill falling face first in questionable smelling mud. He was chased half a mile by some strange giant monkey thing. He ran into a caravan of thugs and thieves, and they attacked of course. Stepped in a beehive while running in the trees, and once again followed by bees. Walked through a flower field that was overrun with pollen and his sinuses were acting up. And as soon as he crossed the border, the rain began to pour down, and grim and the muck washed away. His hair was pulled down from it pony tail, and it was glued to his face and neck. Shikamaru trudged through the mud, "Why does it only rain when I come through this troublesome place? Stupid Rain. Stupid Temari. Troublesome."

A couple hours later, just like before, the tea shop came into view. He threw open the doors and his eyes shot around the room looking for the troublesome woman. But she wasn't in sight, the shop was completely empty, other than the same elderly woman from before. She looked towards him and shuffled towards him.

"Your friend has been expecting you for some time now. But I am afraid she isn't feeling all that well." she woman looked upwards, "You should go check on the poor thing."

Shikamaru scoffed to himself, I didn't think it was possible to use the words poor thing and Temari in the same sentence. Unless your talking about her victim.

"I was caught by surprise when it started to rain today." She mused, "It hasn't rained in the past six months. We needed a good pour."

Just my damn luck. "Thank you." he nodded and went up the stairs, each step creaking. This place is ancient, Shikamaru was surprised that it was still standing. He went down the hallway and knocked softly on the door on the right. No one answered, so he opened the door. "Please don't let her have sharp objects."

Shikamaru peeked inside, her pack was laying on the floor but she was no where in sight. He set down his bag and sprawled out on the bed. It was so warm, his eyes started to get droopy, until he heard a series of powerful sneezes coming from the bathroom. Troublesome woman. She hummed a soft melodyHe heard the squeaky shower nozzle turn off, and the door slowly open.

"Oh." she said under her breath and covered her body with the door, and just peeked her head out. "Shikamaru, are you awake?"

"Hmmm?" he wanted to fake it at least, so he wouldn't be in as much trouble. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and couldn't help but smile. It had been so long since he had seen her. She was still beautiful as always; Her face was flush from her hot shower, her golden hair fell at her tan shoulders, but she adorned a bright red nose. He almost expected her to sprout antlers and lead Santa's sleigh. She sneezed again, and nearly knocked her off balance.

She sniffled, her eyes slightly getting puffy, "Can you hand me my clothes?"

"No." he grunted.

She growled at him, and he chuckled in response. "Its been two minutes and your already picking a fight, just hand me my damn clothes!" Shikamaru didn't answer, he just turned away from her facing the wall. "Fine just don't turn around, or I swear..."

"Whatever." He listened to her open the door. He pictured her walking towards him wearing nothing but a towel, bending over and grabbing a fresh pair clothing. Dropping her towel and... he shook his head slightly. Ugh, I sound like a pervert, troublesome. But he heard the soft thud of the towel falling on the floor and he couldn't help but think about what she looked like.

"I get the bed." she said while packing all her belongings back into her sack. He turned and looked at her, she was wearing a long-sleeved red shirt, and matching patching pajama bottoms that had 'bad attitude' scattered around.

"To bad." he shifted onto his side and propped his head on his hand. "I am willing to share."

Temari scowled, "I don't share."

"Oh how did you pass kindergarten?" he mused.

"I threatened the teacher, now get out of the bed." She said forcefully, but her scariness disappeared when she sneezed again with a girly Ah Choo. She grabbed a tissue off the night stand and dabbed her nose, "Come on Shikamaru, please."

He looked at her face, she almost looked pitiful. "Fine, troublesome."

Shikamaru crawled out of the bed and set up his sleeping bag on the floor. She jumped into the bed and laid under the sheets. Shikamaru went into the bathroom and took a quick shower to clean off, and got ready for bed. When he opened the door, Temari was fast asleep looking like an angel. He came close and just stared at her, she had lost some weight, probably from her recovery. Her mouth just slightly open, and her hair spread out like wings. He would have let her had the bed, whether she asked pleasantly, was indifferent, or even if she was forceful. The pineappled haired man laid down in his sleeping bag, and laid there till he fell asleep.

"Shikamaru" she called out to him.

He looked around, nothing but white, "Temari? Where are you?"

"Shikamaru" she called again.

"Shika..."

"Shikamaru." he opened his eyes and she leaning over the bed looking at him.

He sat up quickly, and he jumbled out, "What? What?"

"Come lay in bed, you've been shivering and chattering your teeth." She said softly placing her hand on his shoulder, he looked at her hand and she recoiled, and she looked away. "I mean how the hell am I supposed to sleep with that damn noise?"

He stood up and he felt her eyes on him, and he felt exposed. Wearing just his black shirt and green boxers. Shikamaru quickly slipped under the sheets, and felt ten times warmer. "Thanks."

They laid in silence for awhile, both thinking of the other, both wondering what the other was thinking. "Temari, you awake?"

She turned and faced him, "No."

"How are you?" He asked. To any other person, they would have thought about their current physical condition, but this was meant for something else...

She closed her eyes, "I'm better, but at times it's still hard." She didn't lie to him. She didn't fake a smile to make him feel better, there was no point, he could always tell.

"Is there anything I need to avoid doing?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I don't want you being on edge around me, if you do something that..." she searched for the right word, "agitates me, I will just learn to deal with it. The world won't stop for me, I have to go along with it."

Shikamaru nodded, he understood her seasonings. He thought about what those men said all the time, they haunted his thoughts of her. He would have ripped them apart, inside out, up and down, parallel vertical, any way he could.

"Lets not talk about that anymore. We are getting up early, get some rest." she settled herself in bed, but she shivered slightly. He slowly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Her voice was hesitant, "Shikamaru.."

"I won't do anything, you know that." God she feels good, "We're both cold, just be thankful troublesome woman."

She chuckled, and rested her head in the crook of his neck, "In the morning you're dead."

"You love me too much to kill me."

She socked him in the chest, and he faked that it hurt. "You wish."

They laid in bed, listening to the soft thumps of rain on the window and the wind howl through the trees, until finally Shikamaru's breath evened and slowed. Temari opened her eyes and looked at the man holding her. You sure have changed.

His face was sharper more defined. His body was definitely more muscular, he would have no difficulty with hand to hand combat. You're cuter too.She brushed a strand of hair from his face, and he stirred lightly but leaned closer to her warmth. He was her best friend, which is sad to say because of how she treats him. Shikamaru was the only person to trust her, other than Naruto, after the invasion. But he still brings it up during their arguments, most of which the two of them enjoyed. Their friendship was based on intelligence, which many didn't match up to their intellect. They agreed on more things than they disagreed, and both had open minds. But Shikamaru was a lazy bum, and she was a ruthless bitch. But they completed each other in some strange way. At one point they had tried to "date", but the distance made it to hard, and they mutually decided to end it. She loved him, she has for a long time, but he didn't want her. And they were happy that way, just being friends.

"Goodnight." she said holding him closer to him.

Goodnight Temari.