I wanted to write this chapter much sooner, but I've been a bit indisposed lately and totally unable to focus. Not sure I'm entirely happy with how I wrote this, but I might do some editing in the future. Sorry for typos and general loopy wording - I'm still not feeling too up to par.

Again, comments are welcome and thanks for reading!

Her apartment was small and simply furnished, but comfortable enough.

As they kicked their sandals off at the entrance, Temari noticed just how tired Shikamaru appeared to be and felt slightly guilty for having dragged him to the meeting.

She directed him toward the couch and hurried off to rummage through a cupboard. "That sunburn does look pretty bad." She said as she finally found what she was searching for. "I have some more ointment here. You should use it, or you'll have a fever and your skin will peel."

He reached for the small jar in her hands, but Temari stopped him huffily, batting his hands out of the way, "Tch. I'll do it. Here." She opened the jar.

"Fine." Shikamaru muttered, sitting back and squeezing his eyes shut as she sat next to him.

As she ran a thumb over his cheek, Temari felt herself blushing and found herself staring at his dark eyebrows and eyelashes, the slight freckles across his cheekbones… Realizing this, she hastily applied the rest of the ointment somewhat haphazardly in embarrassment.

"Hey." He grumbled, opening his eyes to glare at her. "No need to be so rough about it!"

She glared back, "You could at least be a little grateful for it!" She set aside the ointment. "Anyway. I'm done now."

"I…" He broke from her gaze, "It does feel a little better. Thanks." He murmured.

An awkward silence settled between them, until Temari finally broke the tension and moved forward to kiss him. His lips met hers as he leaned into her to return it.

After a moment, they parted, though they remained close.

"It's been a while." Temari said a bit breathlessly.

"I suppose so." Shikamaru replied and he was kissing her once more.

Temari smiled, pushing him down to the couch cushions along with her, feeling his arms slip around her waist.

She moved her hands, sliding beneath his unzipped flak jacket and he quickly shrugged it off, tossing it aside, and found her lips again, kissing her harder than before. Before she knew it, they had switched places and he was above her, mouth now trailing along her neck and ear, the two of them breathing heavily.

Had things been like this recently? Temari had always either been too elated (or drunk) to care. In the past, she remembered just how shy and awkward he'd been, kissing her, yet now…

Parting her legs to make room for him, she pulled him atop her, simply reveling in the feeling of him being there. His weight and the warmth of his kisses… It really had been a while.

She sighed in false annoyance as he nibbled at her ear, "Honestly, you're going to leave marks."

He raised his head to smirk at her slightly, and she began kissing him again, this time, their tongues meeting, hot and fast. Temari ran her hands up his back, beneath his shirt, and he tentatively let his own hands drift up to her clothed breasts, briefly. She surprised herself when she let out a soft whimper of pleasure.

They'd come this far plenty of times, but they'd never gotten around to… well, the actual act of things. Their schedules had always been too busy, or they just hadn't felt up to it… They'd made numerous excuses. Maybe it was a mutual notion of not wanting to become too attached to one another.

Of course, nothing said that two people couldn't have sex, free of attachment. Whatever the case, it wasn't as if Temari hadn't wanted to go through with it.

Right?

Breaking from their kiss, and breaking her line of thought, she glanced up at him, grinning, "Well, Mr. Enthusiasm, what's gotten into you, today?" The grin faded from her face when she noticed the way Shikamaru was looking at her - a strange sort of desperation in his eyes.

"Six months." He said quietly.

"What…" She began, but trailed off, feeling an odd sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"It's been about six months since we last saw each other, you know." He explained.

"Damn." He sat up, re-tying his ponytail, which had become loose. "I'm so pathetic."

Temari sat up as well, straightening her clothing. She had an idea of where this might be going.

A gust of wind swept against the windows outside.

"I can't believe I'm saying this." Shikamaru pinched at the bridge of his nose, "But, ugh." He expelled a breath, "Temari, I think I love you."

"Damn it." Shikamaru said again, turning away from her.

"I'd completely made up my mind to hate you, all those years ago." He went on, "But… but don't you think, after seven years of going back and forth between villages, and you constantly proving me wrong, we should… possibly… try to find a little more stability together?"

Was he asking what she thought he was?

Temari was silent for a good several minutes.

Finally, she stood and left the room with a "Good night, Shikamaru." And curled up in her own bed, pulling the covers over her head.

The wind picked up, howling, as the sky darkened.