Temari was literally doubled over with laughter. Ino's ignorant comment had set her off and she was laughing so hard she thought she just might hurt herself.

"Ok that's it! I did it and I'm going now." Kankuro tore off the hair band and let his hair fall back down. He shot one last look at his sister and started to leave.

"Kankuro," she got out between laughs. "I expect you to keep all the terms."

"I know, I know!" He stormed off and was gone from sight just as quickly as he had appeared.

"What was all that about?" Shikamaru asked.

"I'll tell you later." Temari managed to stand erect again as her laughter finally died down. "I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life."

For her part Ino had calmed down, though she was still very angry. "Chouji let go of me right now or I am going to kick you later."

Chouji looked over to Shikamaru. "Ino…"

She frowned at him. "It's ok, I promise not to hurt your girlfriend."

"Hah, I wouldn't be the one who'd get hurt little girl."

"Who are you calling little bimbo?"

Temari sent her a coy smile. "Well you do only come up to my chin." Shikamaru coughed and sent her a look. Temari opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. Shikamaru thought he heard her say, 'fine,' under her breath. "Look Pi… uhm, Ino, I'm terribly sorry if I accidentally misunderstood your name." She sent the young kunoichi a look that clearly said that this was as much as she would get.

"Mistakes happen; I shouldn't have gotten so upset. It's fine." The look she sent back said it was anything but. Shikamaru nodded and Chouji ended his jutsu releasing their teammate.

Temari made a show of standing beside Shikamaru and lightly touching his shoulder. Ino could only watch.

"Wait, I think I remember you now. Weren't you the one who lost to that cherry blossom girl during the preliminaries?"

"I never lost to Sakura, it was a draw."

"Draw huh? Well I just remember you being knocked out on the arena floor."

"That was a long time ago Temari, we've all come a long way since then." Shikamaru said in a firm tone. Ino smiled, glad to hear Shikamaru finally say something in her defense.

Temari looked at him a bit surprised. She slowly took her hand off his shoulder. "I suppose that's true." She looked over to Ino and Chouji. "Well as I've said I've arranged some much better lodgings for all of you. Tanya will show you how to get there." She gave Shikamaru a quick glance. "I will see you later." With that she turned around and left.

XXXXXXXXXX

Well that certainly hadn't gone the way she'd hoped. She had imagined many different ways how her first meeting with him would go. She had never expected to be insulted by one of his teammates and then have him side with her. She had actually been hoping that after being away from each other for so long he would want to spend some time with her. Given that he had come all the way to Suna to see her that hadn't seemed like such a far fetched expectation. But maybe he wasn't as eager to be alone with her as she'd thought.

"Oi, Temari hold on!" She looked back to see him hurrying to catch up to her. "Where are you going?"

"I have things to attend to; I just made a little time to make sure you would be able to find your hotel." She did not stop.

"And humiliate your brother."

She tossed him a little smirk. "I can always find time for that." He gave her a small grin. "Anyway shouldn't you be with your teammates?"

"We've been together for seven straight days they can manage without me for awhile. I was hoping we could spend some time together."

Hmmmm, "We can get together later, but right now I'm really very busy." A great thumping lie as she had gone to the trouble of clearing her schedule just for him.

"Then can I walk with you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "If you want," she said indifferently. She slowed her pace and decided on the longest most roundabout way to the Tower.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" He pulled off his backpack and began rummaging through it.

"What are you looking for?" She asked a bit curious.

He took out a small package with a pink bow. Looking just a bit embarrassed he held it out to her. "This is for you." He thought back to the conversation with his mom. "I missed you and you look beautiful."

They stopped walking. She looked at him. "Thank you, I've missed you too." She took the gift and unwrapped it. She pulled out four gold colored silk hair ties. "Shikamaru I love them, thank you!"

He felt himself starting to blush just a little. "Actually my mother picked them out."

"Well she has excellent taste. You should let her pick out all the gifts you get me."

He gave her a bit of a smile. "What makes you think I will be getting you anymore gifts you troublesome woman?"

"Because if you really intend to make me your girlfriend you had better remember my birthdays, holidays, and just so you know I consider the dinner with your family our first date so you had better have something for our six month anniversary." She was half teasing but half serious.

He rolled his eyes. "I am with you for less than ten minutes and you are causing me trouble for the next six months. You are so troublesome."

She put her hands on her hips and leaned towards him a bit. "Good thing some women are worth the trouble." She enjoyed seeing his blush get a bit darker. She circumspectly put a hand on his arm and moved closer to him. "You know I think I might be able to make just a little extra time today. Are you hungry?"

XXXXXXXXXX

She led him to a small out of the way restaurant only a few blocks away. It was late morning and the place was half empty. They got a booth in a back corner. She sat next to him and as they ate and talked they both began to relax. A waitress came over and nervously set down some bread all the while giving little nods to Temari.

"Everyone seems to know you." Shikamaru commented once the waitress had withdrawn. He had not missed how people treated her.

She looked a bit uncomfortable. "They know my name; Sabaku is considered the most noble House in Suna, much as Hyuga is in your own village."

Shikamaru thought of the way people would react when the clan head Hiashi would walk down the street. All the reaction to Temari suddenly made much more sense. "It must be nice to get so much respect even from the Jonin and Chunin."

"Not really, people have acted that way towards me my entire life. It's my birth they hold in esteem not me." She really wanted to change the subject. "Speaking of esteem I couldn't help but notice you think very well of the pig."

"Please don't call her that."

"Does it bother you?"

"Yes, when Sakura calls her Ino-pig its part of a game those two play. When you call her that it's just hurtful. So I would like you to stop."

"You seem to care a great deal about her feelings." She noted suspiciously.

"She is a teammate and a very close friend. Our fathers were also teammates and our clans have been allied to one another since the founding of our village. I've known Ino and Chouji all my life and they are both dear to me."

"You know it almost sounds like you are a little in love with her."

"I am in love with her." Temari shot him a stunned look. "I love her as a very close and dear friend. Do you remember when we were playing Shogi?"

"Sure."

"You said to me that if I was serious about you I would have to learn to deal with Kankuro and Gaara because they were a part of your life and they weren't going anywhere. Well, if you want to be with me you will have to deal with Ino because she's not going anywhere. And calling her pig all the time will not help."

She didn't look very happy about that. "When you put it like that I suppose I understand. So the two of you were never anything more than friends?"

He looked contemplative. "Well there was a time when she would kiss me almost every day."

Temari's eyes became slits. "Really, how long ago was this?"

"It was when we were eight; she would give me little kisses on the cheek."

Relief flooded her. "Well that's fine just so long as she isn't giving you any kisses now." His mind flashed to that playful kiss when he had walked her home. His survival instinct told him to purge the memory immediately. "I had better not ever see any other woman's lips touching you or I will make you and her sorry."

"I'll be sure to inform my mom."

She spoke as one making a great sacrifice. "I'll allow an exception for your mother."

"She'll be relieved to hear that."

"Tell me something, was Ino," she deliberately stressed the name. "Ever someone's fan girl?"

Shikamaru looked at her in surprise. "Yes actually, she and half the girls in my Academy class used to chase after Uchiha Sasuke. I am not sure but she may still have some feelings for him."

"I knew it." He lifted an eye brow. "She just struck me as fan girl material." Before he could ask she pressed on. "So did you like my brother's new wardrobe?"

"Well it was an improvement. So what was all that about?"

"The blonde actually had it right, he lost a bet."

"He did all that just because he lost a bet?"

"That's right, just like with our hospitality we take our betting seriously."

Given the evidence he had seen he came to a swift decision. "In that case I will never make a bet with you."

She laughed. "Wow! Maybe you really are a genius. You've just proven you're smarter than Kankuro at least."

"High praise indeed," he said rather dryly. This set her to laughing again. "So what was the bet?"

"Well if you must know it was whether or not you would come to see me."

"I appreciate your faith in me. What would have happened if I hadn't come?"

"Three things," she replied. "First, I would have had to put on a servant's dress and cook and serve a dinner for Kankuro and one of his, 'girlfriends.' Second, I agreed that I would no longer interfere with the horde of idiot girls he brings in and out of our house. Oh, and just so you know, since I won Kankuro has promised never to threaten or attack you."

Shikamaru looked mildly amused. "Was that an actual possibility? I keep hearing about hospitality, I would think that would preclude beating up your guests."

"He wouldn't have done anything while you were a guest in our home, but he might have wanted to harass you later, now he won't."

"So what would have been the third thing?"

She smiled sweetly. "I would have come to Konoha and beaten you to death."

"Good thing I came then."

"Yes, I hate cleaning blood out of my fan." Their meal continued in the same vein as they both relaxed in each other's company.

XXXXXXXXXX

They were standing outside the Garden Rose. Following their meal they had strolled over to the hotel. Temari had been on his arm the entire time pointing out favorite places and telling him of local customs and points of interest.

"So there's a Spring festival tomorrow night?" He said.

"Yes, the whole village turns out for a night of music and dancing. You'll be taking me of course."

He shook hid head slightly. "Shouldn't the man ask the woman that?"

"Well I've been asked by about a dozen of my other suitors already. I suppose I could simply go with one of them."

"Temari would you like to go to the Spring festival with me?"

She decided to keep him waiting for a bit as she pretended to consider it. "Well I don't know you're not as handsome or interesting as some of them." She let out a dramatic sigh. "But I suppose I can take pity on you and allow you to escort me there." She regretfully let go of his arm. "Dinner tonight is at seven. Tanya will take you over to my home so meet her in the lobby by at least six thirty. And though I know you've been traveling for a week at least try and look presentable. Now there is one last thing I have to ask you."

"What?"

"How do you like your steak?"