Shikamaru crashed through his kitchen, hunting for something edible. Fish would take too long. Pasta was a dinner food. He wasn't in the mood for a sandwich.

"What do you want?" He asked Temari, offhandedly.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't we just eat Ichiraku's with the kids?"

Shikamaru made a face.

"Kids are loud."

"Don't you teach them?" She asked, exasperated.

"Well, I did, before..."

"Oh." Temari ended the argument.

Shikamaru returned to the pantry, wondering what he could make out of horseradish, pickles, matzo, and expired spray cheese in a can when the sound of Temari's voice grabbed his attention like an ice cream truck. (He really was hungry, you know.)

"Was it fun; to teach?"

Shikamaru shrugged.

"It was OK. It calls for high energy, which I lack excessively. Haven't you ever taken care of kids? You seemed really comfortable with my group on the training course."

"Yeah..." and here there was a brief pause before she continued;

"My brothers."

"Oh."

"I was never really asked to do anything laborous because of my father's rank, but Kankuro and Gaara, when he was an infant and after he got to that stage where he'd kill anyone who looked at him cross-eyed; they were always my responsibility. Then Gaara was me and Kankuro's responsibility...but he always liked to be independent and we had no choice but to act something like attendants. He forgets who played games with him until the early hours, when he'd cry because he wasn't allowed to sleep. I use to sing him songs when he felt tormented by the beast; before Shukaku stole his very identitiy from him." She turned her head away from him, and he could tell that it was an extremely emotional thing for her to relive.

Shikamaru had long since set down the jars he was holding, and now leaned against the kitchen counter, listening with his eyes through the bar window (his favorite part about his kitchen) on the other side of which Temari sat. Her hands were folded on the countertop, and he could see that they were tightly clenched.

"You are a very strong person, Temari," He said, slowly and clearly, so that there would be no misunderstanding. "I admire that in you."

Her eyes lit up, and began to glisten.

"Oh, you're being so-"

"SHIKAMAAAAAAAAARU-SENSEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Shikamaru nearly jumped out of his skin, and whirled around to see the chubby face of a gap-toothed little boy grinning through his kitchen window. Temari smirked, then giggled, then began to laugh so openly that her eyes actually did overflow with tears.

"Nosy little squirt! How long have you been there?"

"Hiiiiiiii Shikamaaaru-saaaaan! We want to eat our ramen now! Take us out to eat!"

"You little spy. What are you standing on, anyways?"

"Kichiro!"

Shikamaru peered out the window to see another of his students grinning up at him.

"Hi Sensei! Let's go eat! And bring that nice lady, too!" He smiled widely.

Shikamaru groaned inwardly before turning on his students with vigor. He growled as he grabbed the gap-toothed kid and hauled him through the window and onto his shoulder.

"You want ramen? I'll make you ramen! The Kiyoshi special! Fresh vegetables and finely sliced Kiyoshi! Though I don't know how much there will be to go around!" He exclaimed, teasing the petite child. Kiyoshi beat his sensei's shoulders with his fists.

"Come on, sensei!" Kichiro called, waving his fingers through the window. "Everyone's waiting and if we're not back soon, they'll get grumpy! I'll meet you at the front door!" And with that he disappeared around the corner.

"All right, all right; I'll take you out for ramen now. It's starting to sound a whole lot better than stale spray cheese-pickle-horseradish-on-matzo sandwiches."

"Ewwwwwww!" Kiyoshi squealed, jumping down from his sensei's arms. "That's grooooossssssss!" He stuck out his tongue in disgust before bolting off down the street with his arms extended.

Temari laughed.

"He's a sweet little boy!"

"It's hard to believe he'll be graduating soon," Shikamaru commented.

"Is he really?" Temari asked. "How old is he?"

"Eleven in October," Shikamaru said, fondly. "He's very childish for his age, consideringin that he's surrounded by older students. Despite being the youngest, he progressed so quickly in skill at an early age that he's now about to graduate, and even has a fairly good score rank in his class."

"Wow, now that's impressive," Temari noted.

"A lot of other students show promise, too. Some of them might even exceed him...even the ones with lower scores! All of my students are very talented," He acknowledged, proudly.

"Am I, Sensei?" Kichiro asked. Shikamaru had forgotten that he was there. He placed a hand on the lanky boy's skull.

"You're a great problem solver, when you can keep a cool head," he said, looking straight at the boy.

"Th-thank you! I'll make you proud!" Kichiro exclaimed, blushing violently.

"Alright, let's get this show in the road!" Shikamaru exerted, as he was enveloped by a small crowd of children across the street from Ichiraku's ramen bar.

"YEAAAAAAAAHHHH!" was the collective response.

Temari smiled. Shikamaru was such a great sensei!

Just so you all know, this chapter was initiated by a review from "Hinagiku Kaichou." So, on that note, please leave lots of reviews! This story was getting stale, and now I've finally found out what it needed! Lots and LOTS of KIDS! (not the goat kind, mind you.) :)

Kira-sama is VERY pleased! happy reading to you!