Enjoy. It's a bit longer than I usually write but it would have been longer.

"Temari. . . You came," the lilting yet low voice of Shikamaru spoke as he straightened his shoulders from his previously slumped position. He looked straight ahead smiling a small smile at the fact that she wore her hair just like normal even if it was a formal setting. But no one bossed Temari around, so she was perfectly allowed to. But her blue-green eyes sparkled and she looked straight down before gazing back up at Shikamaru.

"Why wouldn't I?" Temari answered bright sparks of fury sparkling in her eyes. Her cheeks flamed with anger but she started to count to ten in order to calm down long enough to look back at her love. She didn't want to cause any type of loud commotion but angry words were much better than crying. As long as she didn't start bawling, things would be fine. If she ignored Crybaby for the rest of the night, she might just get through tonight without any trouble at all. She eyed the simple black Kimono he wore and figured that he had been too lazy to try to find any other, because it was slightly too large for him. It might have been his dad's old Kimono from his younger years. But the expression on Shikamaru's face was different and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. His deep dark eyes called to her and Temari studied them until she felt dizzy. She shook her head and narrowed her eyes to figure out what was so different. His lips were straight and indifferent, but with a slight curl at the edges as if ready for a smug yet bored smirk. But that wasn't it. It had to be something but she didn't know what yet.

"Temari. . . . Ino need's some help with her gown. And she doesn't want me to see her until she's ready," Kankuro butted in, wearing a deep dark purple and black Kimono that would have matched his Kabuki face paint if he had worn any. He glanced around as if someone was missing, "Where's Gaara?"

" Where can I find Ino?" Temari teased, completely ignoring Shikamaru even if he was only a few steps away. She smiled toward her brother gratefully and glanced back at the door, "His bodyguards are making him take it slow and easy because they are so overly protective. They won't even let him out of their sight because they want to make sure that's he's okay at all times."

"I forgot. . . They are always following him around when he has to visit another land," Kankuro groaned rubbing his hand against his face as he shook his head. Kankuro looked up at the ceiling and then back at the door, "I guess will see him later, once he loses those guys."

"If he hears that, Gaara will take that as encouragement. He might be the Kazekage but that does not mean he can take chances like that," argued Temari, walking off before stopping in place, "Now where is Ino at?"

"In one of the dressing rooms. The one with the purple golden dragon on the door," he informed her shrugging about why there was such a design in a reception building like this. Temari rolled her eyes thinking that he was not so very descriptive. She hoped she would be able to find it.

Temari walked off without another word but glanced back at Shikamaru when she was half-way across the floor. She caught his eye and she quickly turned her head back. Temari now knew what was so different about him. It had taken her a while but the difference was that lonely look in his eyes that was edged with determination. It took all of her willpower not to turn around and take away the pain she saw in his eyes, but she was hurting too.

Temari attempted to look in some other direction and smiled when she saw Naruto and Sakura yanking on Kakashi's sleeve and nagging. She could see that they were bothering him about his mask, because Kakashi kept backing up and shaking his head from side to side while holding his mask in place in case they decide to pull a fast one. She laughed a small laugh when she saw Naruto jump to reach for it, and fall back instead when Sakura attempted to do the same. Remembering her job, Temari hurried onwards and groaned when she saw the dressing rooms.

"Darn you, Kankuro! You weren't trying to save me. You were just gonna irritate me," Temari muttered beneath her breath, when she realized that every door was purple with gold dragons on it, "Maybe I missed something in his words. What exactly did he say? Purple doors and golden dragons? Maybe there's something different about one of them."

She groaned inwardly and glanced through the hallway to figure out how many dressing room doors there actually were, "Where's the others who's helping her? Possibly already there. Kankuro, if it wasn't for the fact that Ino would be heartbroken without you, I'd kill you. You could have least shown me which door it was instead of just telling me."

"What is it? I know you've been meaning to have a word with me," Shikamaru said glancing at Kankuro with lazy eyes that missed nothing.

"Obvious isn't it? Well, I hope you luck with Temari. You're sure gonna need it," Kankuro laughed throwing back his head as his whole body shook, "But you might want to speak with Gaara first before you head after her. But then on the other hand he was the one who started it all."

"What?"

"Tsunade and him played matchmaker and got you two involved with one another. So you shouldn't have to worry about Gaara's reactions," Kankuro said sighing as Shikamaru's eyes widened when he fully comprehended the situation, "So you better rush after her."

"Well. I guess I can't disappoint them. But won't Temari already be helping with Ino? I can't interrupt," Shikamaru analyzed shuddering at the thought of Ino's reactions would be when he disturbed her, "Ino's a troublesome woman. I don't how you can take it, she can be so scary when she's angered."

" Well, you won't have too. Because Temari won't be able to find Ino's dressing room. I gave her a too vague of an answer. If she's like the sister I know, she won't find it so soon," Kankuro chuckled, "But you better hurry before she catches on."

"I'll see that I do," Shikamaru smiled warmly back, before walking off while using his signature wave. He stopped in his tracks, when he heard Kankuro's inform him of something. He smiled again and knew that when Temari found out, he would have to stop her from injuring her brother.