AN: If you want to see a Sketch of Shikimaru's apartment, there's a link at the end of my profile, because I obviously have too much time on my hand. ~Akane Nyx


Takes place just before the end of the time skip


-1-


Tsunade had been very clear. "You'll been helping with the Chunin Exams. There is a liaison from Suna coming to help prepare. You will be meeting them at the gate tomorrow morning at eight. They will be your charge while they are here."

What a drag. It was little more than glorified babysitting: not something that would usually be assigned to someone of his rank. He pushed those thoughts aside. "What does this shinobi look like?"

"Like a Sand ninja. Now get out of my office. I've got a meeting with Ino in twenty minutes, you should know how unpleasant that can be. I need time to prepare."

He nodded glumly and turned to leave. Tsunade routed through a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle. As she opened it, the aroma of warm sake caught him and threw him backwards into memories. He wore a smile as he left the office.

Maybe this shinobi would have news of Temari. He pushed that thought from his mind. He would not ask. He did not want to know what the local gossip would say about her. He knew from her letters that she was well.

At least her last letter had indicated as much, but that had been almost two weeks ago. She had written that Gaara was sending her on a mission. Even she didn't know where she was going yet, just that she had been encouraged to shop for something aside from her usual garb. She'd promised to write as soon as she could. Of course he understood; missions were a part of who they both were. On her request, he wouldn't write to her until he'd received another letter, especially since Kankuro had taken to sifting through her mail while she was gone.

He went to watch the clouds.

It had been nearly a year since he'd seen her. It was ridiculous to feel this way; it wasn't like they hadn't been in touch. They wrote every week when they weren't on missions; sometimes more often than that if time allowed or there was news to be shared. Still it had been far too long since he'd seen her face. Her letters weren't as warm as her kisses.

It drove him to distraction. Memories were painfully real. Every time he smelled sake he could taste it on her lips. He only drank with her. He only kissed her. He only missed her. For far too long he'd been keeping it to himself. Of course his father knew, but they they'd never really spoken of it after that first night. And Asuma knew, but he didn't bring it up, just as Shikamaru didn't mention Kurenai. Even Chouji and Ino didn't know. That was a half-lie. They thought that they knew. Everyone thought that they knew what was going on, but no one really knew the extent of it.

All of the clouds seemed fan shaped. She was weighing heavily on his mind. This was no good. He needed distraction.

He walked back to his apartment, via the market. On the off chance that he actually had to entertain this liaison, he'd better have something edible at lying around. This mission, if it could even be called that, was going to be such a bother.

Afterwards, he went to his parents house, almost ashamed to admit how unpleasant and uneventful of a task he'd be assigned to. Something crossed his father's face for the briefest moment. Pity? Humor? Perhaps he had been assigned to the same detail at some point. His mother had no qualms about voicing her relief that he would be safely within the village. She was a worrier.

Shikamaru met Chouji, Ino, and Sakura for barbecue around dinnertime. The girls wore expressions of suppressed amusement as he complained about having to baby-sit the visitor. Of course, the three of them had been given a real mission and were set to leave first thing in the morning with Kiba.

"Ino? Sakura? You work with Tsunade. How long is this liaison going to be in town?"

Ino laughed so hard that she snorted. Sakura turned red and giggled. He looked at Chouji who shrugged innocently. "The liaison," Ino replied with a tinge of amusement, "will be here off and on through the start of the exams and will be staying in Konoha full-time during them."

He cringed.

"They're helping plan, set up, and proctor. Just like you," Sakura offered.

"What a drag. I have to baby-sit and work during the exams?"

Ino bit her lip and Sakura nodded.

Chouji finally spoke up. "You're going to be seeing a lot of this liaison. If you keep a positive attitude it could be very good for relations between the Sand and the Leaf."

Ino found his remark terribly amusing.

Shikamaru left the restaurant feeling more put out about his next assignment than he had when he'd gotten it.


He arrived at the gate at 7:30. He didn't know why, only that sleep had eluded him nearly all night. He'd fallen asleep long after midnight and woke long before dawn.

Chouji was right. It was best to make a good impression. He'd meet the Sand ninja by the road outside of town.

He leaned back against a tree, propped his heel against the trunk, and waited. Somewhere in his wait, he dozed off. It was a testament to how little sleep he'd gotten that he wasn't awoken by the shinobi's approach sooner than he was.

He felt another presence near and his eyes snapped open just in time. Temari flung herself at him. She might have been the one arriving, but he felt like it was he that had come home.

He traced her face wit his fingers, whispering, "I love you" before kissing her deeply. It had been far too long since he'd held her.

When they finally allowed each other to break away, she was the first to speak. "What are you doing here?" She sounded so thrilled.

He gave a sideways smile. "I'm waiting for the Sand's liaison who's helping with the exams." He nearly laughed out loud. 'Liaison.' The word choice made perfect sense now. It was as funny as the girls had found it last night.

"Gaara wouldn't even tell me where I was going until the very last minute. And then he said that I'd be stuck with Ino for a guide. I didn't even have time to post a letter."

"They don't me that I'd been assigned as a guide to the Sand shinobi. They wouldn't even say 'he' or 'she'. Everyone seemed so amused, but I thought it was because I had to baby-sit."

They paused at the gate. She handed the guard her papers and he gave her a thick envelope. He then turned slightly and smiled at Shikamaru apologetically. Had everyone known?

She was smiling again. "I'm supposed to take the rest of the day to get settled in. Then we're to meet with Tsunade at eight tomorrow morning."

Did Tsunade know the gift she'd given him? A whole day for them to catch up.

After dropping her belongings at the Hokage's guesthouse, they went to his apartment.

It was a simple space. The walls were all a stark white and the floors were wooden. A small kitchen to the right of the door along the front wall was open onto a large room. A generous wooden dining table with two long low benches for seating partially hid a tan couch. In front of the couch was a dark green rug and behind it was a pair of windows. The rest of the walls in the room were covered by shelves containing books and scrolls as well as framed pictures and some wooden storage boxes which varied in size and shape. She assumed the door at the back of the room lead to a bedroom. A small closet faced the entry door, and a bathroom was tucked behind it. She was slightly amazed. What she could see of his space was orderly. It was not completely spotless or sterile-feeling but nothing seemed out of place.

He walked through the door behind her and he did see something out of place. In the center of his dining table was a brown paper bag. Scrawled down the front of it was a message. The Kazekage specifically requested you. Tsunade said she'd have my head if I told you. Enjoy! He smiled. "Asuma," he said out loud.

She turned to look at him questioningly as he drew a full bottle of sake and two glasses from the bag. All of the pieces were falling into place. It seemed that everyone knew that she was the reason he couldn't concentrate. Of course, practically begging for missions to Suna might not have been exactly discreet of him.

"Are we celebrating?"

"Well, we did rescue each other."

"We did?"

"Sure. You're not stuck with Ino. I'm not stuck with a stuffy diplomat."