A/N: I planned to upload sooner, but my grandfather is about to pass, so I have been spending a MASSIVE amount of time with him. I write depending on if I can clear my head long enough to focus. So please bear with me. Thank you.

Due to the murderous look Temari sent him, Shikamaru couldn't even smile, at least not on the outside. Temari's eye twitched most of the way back to Shikamaru's apartment.

How dare that little runt yell something like that? Who did he think he was? What was THREE years? She would repay him for his foolish made her feel better to think of

Naruto's demise. Shikamaru walked next to Temari, he had wisely stayed quite for the short trip.

Going their separate ways she to the bedroom and him to the couch, they each prepared for bed and the next day.

Now it was morning and they were seated on the couch next to each other. Neither of them wanted to be near the other. Shikamaru had told Temari of his pre-made plans to

watch the clouds that day. From what I hear it's more like every day. She thought Temari being a woman of action, was prepared to plan out the next two weeks of their lives.

Shikamaru thought this was going to be very troublesome and decided to let Temari plan out most of the details. Seeing as this wasn't a permanent situation he wasn't really

interested. As far as he was concerned in two weeks' time he would have his house back to himself and there would be to troublesome woman to worry about it. Temari decided

to change tactics. She would make him regret not being more focused on his current enemy.

"Shikamaru you're right. Why waste so much energy on something that not permanent? You go on ahead and look at the clouds and I'll stay here in the house." She said.

Shikamaru couldn't believe her words she was finally leaving him alone. Quickly he left the house in the direction of one his favorite cloud watching spots. Reaching his

destination he began to stare at the clouds as they drifted by like boats on the sea. No matter what ailed him, looking at the clouds had always calmed him. They never spoke

they never nagged and never once gave him orders. They were always there, his silent companions. Looking at these clouds he could strategize any number of battles, listen to

the sound of the earth and clear his mind. He turned his mind to his main problem: Temari.

She was going to be in his house, in his kitchen. In his country, there would be no way to escape her. He had thought of taking more missions, but Shikamaru had decided that

was more work than necessary. There had to be a way out of this. After all, how could he only be married for two weeks and then decide to settle if you divorce? People would

become suspicious, and he would have to answer many questions regarding the matter. Shikamaru figured that he would have to take the good with that there was no way in

hell he was staying married to this woman! All he had to do now was strategize. This would be a new environment for a battle, but he was sure he could handle almost anything.

After all, this was his town he would have the home-court advantage. Deciding to cut his cloud watching short, Shikamaru headed back towards his apartment.

Temari had been busy while Shikamaru was gone. She had to the house into girl world, not because she was particularly fond of the color yellow, but she needed to unbalance

Shikamaru. Temari wanted to even the field, he was at home here. She planned to bring the reality of the situation home to roost. As with any other battle, mental or physical,

Temari had to create a safe zone. Unlike brothers she preferred not to fight, that was the reason she became the two villages peace liaison. She had turned this house upside

down. Temari had added pink and yellow all throughout the house, the kitchen mats were yellow, the towels, and the bed sheets were pink. The welcome mat outside the door

was yellow. She had made a few more tweaks throughout the house. Her plan was to make Shikamaru participate in this process. Temari was not going to suffer through this

alone. The longer it took him to get on board, the more she would do. The little bit of color she had added to his house would appear like a tiny speck in comparison what she

could do. He would probably regret having given her the card, but that was too bad he was never getting it back.

A knock at the door had stopped her decoration plans pre-maturely. She had no idea who it could be, but this was now her residence, Temari was going to answer her door.

Upon opening it she wasn't sure if it was a gift or curse. Standing on the other side of the door Sakura, Ino, Ten Ten, Choji, Neji. They were all shocked to see Temari answer

Shikamaru's door. Ino and Sakura had asked her why she was there. She had told them the truth that she was engaged to Shikamaru and lived here in Kanoha now. The girls

squealed with excitement, the two males looking very unexcited. With the other girls rushing Temari out of the house, she had no time to write a note, she barely had time to

grab her money pouch.

When her lunch with them finished, she felt slightly guilty. Shikamaru was going to be blindsided by whatever the others say to him. Temari had spent most of her time keeping

them off the subject of she and Shikamaru. Of course, she couldn't always steer the conversation away and had to make up small lies, nothing, she hoped he couldn't explain

away easily. She had never been happier that he was lazy. The rest of her time out Temari familiarized herself with the village. I better get food for the house, there's nothing in

it!

Shikamaru thought nothing of the bright yellow WELCOME mat. That was until he caught sight of one of the curtains through a small window. It wasn't just any yellow. It was the

kind so bright you could see from a mile away. It was like she had found the sun and placed it at the door! He wasn't sure if he wanted to open the door, but it was here or his

parents' house. Yeah right! He told himself. The second option was not an option at all. He would have to face his parents soon enough and right now was not that time. He got

the willies just thinking about it!

Pushing the door open he placed one foot inside and cautiously walked into the living room. It looks safe, he thought. He had expected to see that a rainbow vomit all over his

house, but it appeared that there were no other major changes. He checked out the kitchen and had to back out and re-enter, when he saw the yellow floor mats. Something

strange was occurring today. He just couldn't put his finger on it sitting on the now pink pillowed couch, Shikamaru thought about the conversation he had with Ino today. She

had caught up with him on his walk back home. Well more like her fist had.

He caught the mean left hook squarely in the shoulder. What had he done now? Was all he could think.

"Shikamaru Nara, you lazy excuse for a friend! How could you?" She had yelled.

He was still confused, so he could only stare at his suddenly crazed friend with concern.

"Don't you look at me like that!" Holding her hands over her heart, Ino said. "How could you not tell Choji and I that you were dating that Sand-nin?"

Damn! Naruto worked fast! He thought he at least one day before he had to face anyone. If Ino was here his mother would know soon enough. It was moments like this that

made Shikamaru want to be up there with the clouds.

Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck. "The information was too troublesome to share, just as it is now. Whatever Naruto told you may be a bit exaggerated. You know how he - .

"NARUTO!" Ino screamed her eyes huge. "He knew! Seriously?"

"He tells Naruto. NARUTO! Of all people!" Shikamaru didn't say anything because she was sputtering at herself. "Tell his teammates, no we are waayyy to troublesome tell. At

least, Temari had the decency to tell us about your engagement."

"She told you?" Shikamaru asked. Ino completely ignored him and continued talking.

"How could you not plan anything special for an engagement? Who throws a housewarming party that was disguising your engagement party? Especially, when you two were the

only people that knew about it?" Throwing her hands up, she death glared him, her cerulean eyes narrowed. "No wonder she looked pissed for the short time she was at the

party." Gasping she had a look on her face like she had just saw a three-winged butterfly. "You sir have a lot of work to do if you want to keep this one on the hook."

"What do you mean keep this one? I can get another girl."

She shot him a doubtful look, patting him on the back she tried to sympathize. "In most situations positivity is necessary. In this instance, a large dose of REALITY needs to be

held on to… tightly. I will help you to make sure she makes it to that altar."

Ino had made the executive decision to sustain the ShikaTema couple, her nickname for them. Now as he sat here waiting for Temari to return he tried to remain calm. But he

was stressed, and as a ninja who avoided all non-battle related stress, he was peeved. Who did she think she was to tell HIS friends whatever she felt like telling them? And

without consulting him? He had to make her understand that in order for this to work she had to communicate.

A/N: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think of this, my emotions are everywhere outside this story and I want to make it as un-"roller-coaster" as possible.

Thanks.