He looked expectantly at the Sand ninja as she approached. He seemed to be searching her face for a moment but when she stood over him without another word, he realised he had better say something.
"So what do you want, troublesome woman?"
He tried to play it cool but Temari was no fool.
Temari found her gaze wandering down his features as her heart beat a bit faster. Her insides were churning as she scrutinised the boy, no man, lying down on the ground at her feet. He had always been lean but now she noticed that he had put on a little bit more mass. Not really that noticeable to the untrained eye but she noticed. He seemed more solid, and more powerful. But in a subtle kind of way. He had always strong but he had also been content to just be himself, she thought. But now, he was radiating even more power and yet the calmness that surrounded him had also deepened.
Interesting, she thought to herself as her gaze continued to travel down his body. His ninja headband that was normally worn high on his arm was now wrapped around his wrist. Doubles as a guard I suppose, she thought, her ninja instincts kicking in.
Her gaze continued wandering down his body. He sure has grown up the last few months, she decided. Even though I'll always be three years older than him, she thought. Sigh...
"Ahem, did you have something you wanted to tell me or did you just stop by to bother me as always?"
Her eyes flew back up to his, as his words brought her out of her pleasurable observations.
It took her a minute to process what he had just said.
She must have looked a bit silly standing over him, smiling to her herself, seemingly spaced out.
He repeated his earlier statement.
"Well, did you have something you wanted to tell me or did you just stop by to bother me as always?"
They had always been at each other. Confronting, taunting and teasing each other. It may sometimes have looked like arguing to others but it was just the way they had been comfortable communicating with each just worked and they had stuck to it over the years through all their interactions but now they were grown up. Obviously, she thought, admiring the way just how he had grown up.
He had stood up to her ever since the first time they had met. She saw the potential in him and so she pushed him to be all that he could be.
"Hello, Shikamaru to crazy Sand kunoichi, come in!"
Temari felt her face heat up as she was caught a second time in her wandering thoughts.
"What did you say Nara? I'm the Lady Ambassador for the Sand Village and I can bother whomever I want in this village. If you don't like it you can take it up with the Lords Kazekage or Hokage", she announced a bit more firmly than usual to cover up her previous lack of composure.
"As if Gaara or Kakashi would scold me if they could have seen how silly you looked standing above me, Lady Ambassador and all, mouth open, drooling."
"Was not, I was surveying the landscape of the Leaf Village in my official capacity as the Lady Ambassador..."
"Whatever. I didn't get any official summons." He grinned up at her, knowing he had beaten her, just like that first time they had battled at the Academy. Although over the years he wasn't so good at hiding his victory smirk.
Come to think of it, that smirk had been haunting her a lot lately. In her sleep. And even in her waking hours if she were truthful with herself.
"...to Lady Ambassador, come in!"
Dammit, she had been caught again.
"Why you little! You're supposed to get up when a lady approaches!" She knew how much this chivalry stuff meant to him although she thought it a bit silly. Because she didn't need any protecting. But when he said it, it was a bit...cute. Not that she would admit it to his face.
She drew her fan ready to smack him on the head. That would wipe the smirk off his face!
But boy was it an enchanting face.
And why did she feel so warm all of a sudden?
Oh well, she thought as her fan descended.
But his expression never changed.
And her fan never made it to its target.
Something had stopped the momentum of her strike.
That's when she noticed it. The clutch of his shadow jutsu holding her hands, preventing her from striking. Not enough to stop the rest of her, but just a gentle holding back that served to remind her how powerful he was. Efficient, effective and easy. All without having to get off his back.
"Well, Nara, you have gotten stronger", she admitted with a bit of admiration. "But strength isn't all there is to winning. You taught me that one yourself."
She paused and then continued when he had no witty comeback. "As the Lady Ambassador to the Sand Village and the sister to the Lord Kazekage, I must be both strong and yet still get my way without having to kill everyone who bothers me when I'm working. You could learn some of that."
"Whatever. I beat you so easily and you try to lecture me. Mighty Ambassador and scary Sand Kunoichi and all!"
The glint in her eyes was all the warning he got as she kicked him in the ribs.
"Ow, what was that for!" he exclaimed as he lowered his hands from behind his head to protect his sides.
"Just because you have my arms doesn't mean you have my legs", she lectured.
She felt a smile creeping back onto her face.
"Well if this were a real battle, I would have used my jutsu to possess all of you. Then you wouldn't have been able to even draw your fan. Admit it. I just let you have that one."
His hands moved back behind his head as he returned his gaze to the clouds. But not before one last smirk and look at her.
What? Him possess all of me? She processed that for minute.
Now, that would be interesting- She caught herself mid thought before she was caught daydreaming again.
"Well, if this were a real battle I would have drawn my fan from a distance before you'd even-"
"If you have nothing useful to say just take a seat and watch the clouds with me."
She gasped as she felt the shadow jutsu release her body.
But it wasn't the jutsu release that had made her gasp.
She was shocked at being interrupted and also being invited to cloudwatch with him. She always felt special when he asked her to join him.
She knew it was his private space, even if she teased him about incessantly.
She stared at him.
"Well, come lay down beside me, you bothersome woman so I can get back to my clouds."
His words may have been fighting but his tone was softer, gentler. And inviting.
Caught speechless, Temari did as asked.
Time passed in companionable silence as they both gazed up at the clouds.
She had to admit, this was actually pretty nice. Something she could get used to.
Except that in her village there was no soft green grass to lay on. And most of the time, the skies were pretty blank. But most of all, the man that was laying down next to her was not normally found in her village.
She suddenly felt shy lying next to him. She wondered what it would be like to hold his hand. To snuggle up next to him. To have him hold her.
This was ridiculous. Sure she thought he looked grown up but where had that sudden desire to be closer to him come from?
She fought hard not to sneak a look at him.
She was one of the strongest, bravest kunoichi in all the lands and yet she couldn't find the courage to reach out and bridge the gap between them. And right now, that bridge was only a short one.
All she would have to do was shift position slightly and she would have been touching his hand.
Just a little bit.
She couldn't help it any longer.
She reached out one hand cautiously.
Slowly.
Further...
Contact at last!
Hold on, this isn't a hand.
She turned to look at him. Oh, it's his holster that he wears on his thigh. Oops!
Temari felt the embarrassment wash over her face.
And what was even worse, he chose that moment to turn to look at her.
Her already flushed face only went an even darker shade of red!
She quickly cast her eyes down, not daring to meet his gaze. What had come over her?
"Ah! So that was your sneaky plan all along. To lull me into a false sense of security and then make out with my weapons while I was looking at the clouds."
Well at least he wasn't annoyed at her.
In fact, his tone was rather playful.
She looked back up at her companion despite the flush on her face.
"As if. I already have a weapon" she said patting her tessen. "Why would I need to steal yours?"
She stared defiantly at him, daring him to contradict her.
Without even so much as a pause he replied, "So what were you doing then?
The words were innocent enough but she thought she saw something else on his face. Odd.
"There was something crawling up your leg", she muttered lamely as she forced her attention back to the sky, trying to hide her growing embarrassment from him.
"You know I'm all grown up now and don't need anyone to take care of me."
"Why you!" She whirled back to him, daggers in her eyes. "I was not trying to take care of you."
"So what then?" Good question. What had she been trying to do, hold his hand? But all that came out was a mumble.
"Whatever."
Shikamaru returned his attention to his clouds leaving Temari both relieved and frustrated.
Relieved she wouldn't have to admit her feelings to the object of her affection and open herself to possible teasing, scorn and rejection. And frustration that she couldn't just be more upfront with him either. Frustration he didn't take the initiative as the man.
Despite all the things he might have believed and sprouted about gender roles. Her, she preferred to just be human beings. Me and you. Her thoughts caught at that particular one.
Me and you. Me. And you. Shikamaru.
.
Oh why couldn't I be stronger when it comes to things like this? Why can't I just close this last gap between us and take you by the hand? We've known each other so long now. Fighting together. At first against each other, she conceded. But then alongside each other. And then there were the constant letters between them. Despite his cool and collected exterior, she knew that inside Shikamaru beat a strong desire to protect those he cared about.
She knew he cared about her. Well at least as friends.
So why couldn't she reach out? Why couldn't she do it? Oh why can't you get off your hands and do it? YOU'RE the man!
She looked back at him and just watched him laying there on the grass next to her, hands behind his head, seemingly not a care in the world.
So peaceful. And yet inside, there lurked a great power. A great presence.
You could be Hokage! But maybe in another lifetime.
It was obvious to everyone that Naruto was going to be the next Hokage of this village. He had been so strong, so determined and now so recognised.
No one deserved it more than he did. He had shown everyone what a truly determined ninja, even a knuckle headed one could do if one just never gave up. He had saved them all countless times over.
And that was why she was here in the first place. For his wedding to Hinata.
It had taken the last incident a while back when some fool had tried to steal the Hyuga clan's Byakugun and the current holders respectively that had prompted Naruto into finally realising that his beloved Hinata had only been watching and waiting all these years for him to realise that they belonged together. That she had been his quiet peace and he had driven her to greater heights also.
In short it was a match made in heaven. And it had only taken them a mission to the moon itself to bridge the gap between them.
She wondered what it would be like to have someone be her calmer counterbalance. Someone who understood her and who she could...Wait what was she thinking? How had she gone from thinking about Shikamaru to thinking about settling down with someone.
Could it be? No we're not like that. Are we, Shikamaru?
But when she thought back to it, he had been an oasis of calm for her. Taking all she had to dish up and still coming back for more.
You have been my quiet peace, my source of power. And I hope I have driven you to greater heights. Taking the Jounin Exams. Advising my brother through the War. Leading the mission to the moon that ultimately lead to Naruto and Hinata finally getting their act sorted.
I don't know about doing something silly and useless like knitting you a damned scarf, but maybe I could try it and see...
"So..."
Although minutes had already passed, Shikamaru had simply waited, patient as always. She had to give him that. He never interrupted and he was always patient. Even when it came to her own stupid antics and taunts that she only did to get his attention.
He continued, "You're really not going to tell me then..."
Jolted back out of her train of thoughts, Temari reacted out of instinct and lashed out, hitting him none too gently on the arm. "Why you!"
Then she saw the look of surprise on his face.
He had been genuinely asking about her feelings and she had lashed out at him. Again. He deserved better.
Now angry at herself for lacking his infinite patience and control, she jumped to her feet.
"Temari?", he asked quietly, looking up at her gently.
But it was too late. She had made a fool of herself in front of him yet again.
"I'll see you at the wedding, Nara", she bit out a bit more vehemently than she had meant to. Another surprised look appeared on his face.
Now just angry at herself and the situation she had made for herself, she knew that she would begin to cry once the anger wore off.
And HE was the last person she wanted to cry in front of. Ever since she had teased him and called him a crybaby all those years back, she had never cried in front of him. Had promised herself he would never see her cry. That he would only ever see her strength.
For she was Temari of the Sand. And a fiercer warrior could not be found.
Feeling the imminent tears, Temari turned her gaze. She repeated, "I'll see you at the wedding." Then a bit more quietly, "Nara."
And with that she beat a hasty retreat, seeking the safety of not having to be vulnerable in front of him.
She didn't see that Shikamaru had finally gotten off his back and stood watching her leave, an odd expression on his face.
Or the long shadows that followed close behind her, but not too close as though afraid they might hurt her.
Shikamaru looked at her as she approached.
"So what do you want, troublesome woman?"
He tried to play it cool but Temari caught the mischievous look in his eye.
He could feel her gaze wandering down his features, which made him blush as he lay there pretending to be nonchalantly looking up at the clouds.
She was Temari of the Sand, sister to the Lord Kazekage and a powerful kunoichi in her own right. She had even made Jounin before him but that wasn't why he was suddenly so caught up in the clouds.
They had always spent time together on missions and such but she was a whole three years older than he was.
And she was a strong woman.
And always would be.
Both.
He decided to take the offensive, "Ahem, did you have something you wanted to tell me or did you just stop by to bother me as always?"
He had wanted to probe yet not wanting to seem too interested lest he betray...what exactly?
He wasn't quite sure.
He enjoyed her company and she seemed to reciprocate, or at least tolerate his.
His train of thought was broken as Temari's eyes flew back up to his. A smile was on her face.
Shikamaru caught himself getting nervous. Because he knew she was a creative and strong woman. Very strong. But also he found himself nervous in an excited manner. And he never got that nervous excitement unless he was cornered in a game of shogi or on the battlefield and he knew he had to dig deep.
Stall for time, he thought.
So he repeated his question. "Well, did you have something you wanted to tell me or did you just stop by to bother me as always?"
She continued to look at him with that damned smile on her face. Ok, well in that case he would have to draw out her strategy. And the best defence is a good offence.
He braced himself as he ventured a stronger attack, "Hello, Shikamaru to crazy Sand kunoichi, come in!"
He noticed Temari's face heat up. Damn, I overdid it. She's angry now.
"What did you say Nara? I'm the Lady Ambassador for the Sand Village and I can bother whomever I want in this village. If you don't like it you can take it up with the Lords Kazekage or Hokage"
Shikamaru braced himself for the blow from her fan that he knew must follow.
But nothing happened. He decided to push his luck a bit more. That was the way between them, always seeing how far they could push the other. It had become a game between them over time.
"As if Gaara or Kakashi would scold me if they could have seen how silly you looked standing above me, Lady Ambassador and all, mouth open, drooling."
"Was not, I was surveying the landscape of the Leaf Village in my official capacity as the Lady Ambassador..."
"Whatever." He grinned up at her, happy not to have received a blow from Temari so far.
Feeling confident when she failed to respond with a quick retort as was her wont, Shikamaru decided to press his advantage. "So what was the Lady Ambassador doing then?"
Nothing.
Quickly summoning his shadow jutsu, he pressed more.
It was a rare day that Temari allowed herself to be defeated so easily.
Normally, she would fight him tooth and nail for every small step.
Troublesome woman indeed!
"Hello! Leaf Village to Lady Ambassador, come in!"
Temari started.
"Why you little!"
Now he'd done it.
"You're supposed to get up when a lady approaches!" She threw his philosophies back at him but he knew better. She was just trying to distract him as she drew her fan ready to smack him on the head. But he was ready.
Even as she raised her fan overhead for a strike, he gently reached out with his shadow possession jutsu and held her up, preventing her from striking. Not enough to stop the rest of her, but just a gentle holding back to see if he could fan her flames higher.
I wonder what she will do next. She always kept him on his toes and that was why he enjoyed spending time with her.
"Well, Nara, you have gotten stronger", she conceded reluctantly before proceeding to lecture him as was her duty as the senior ninja.
"But strength isn't all there is to winning. As the Lady Ambassador to the Sand Village and the sister to the Lord Kazekage, I must be both strong and yet still get my way without having to kill everyone who bothers me when I'm working. You could learn some of that."
Lecture me will she? Who does she think she is? My mother?
Troublesome woman!
But verbally, "Whatever. I beat you so easily and you try to lecture me. Mighty Ambassador and scary Sand Kunoichi and all!"
The glint in her eyes was all the warning he got as she kicked him in the ribs.
"Ow, what was that for!" he exclaimed as he lowered his hands from behind his head to protect his sides.
"Just because you have my arms doesn't mean you have my legs." She smiled down at him triumphantly.
But Shikamaru didn't mind. That was obviously not a full strength kick.
She was only playing with him.
And it was nice to make physical contact with this lovely Sand ninja, even if it had to be in the form of violence.
Content, he returned his hands back to their cradling position behind his head.
But she wasn't ready to let it go.
"Well if this were a real battle, I would have used my jutsu to possess all of you. Then you wouldn't have been able to even draw your fan. Admit it. I just let you have that one."
He quickly snuck a glance at her lovely form, even if she was all flushed from anger. Just that train of thought brought a smile to his face and feeling a bit embarrassed at the unfamiliar feelings, he tried to return his attentions to the drifting clouds up in the sky.
Still he felt a rising curiousity as she continued, "Well, if this were a real battle I would have drawn my fan from a distance before you'd even-"
Why is it always this way with her? Always wanting to have the last word.
Yes, she may be lovely but, boy is she troublesome.
Still...I know, he thought to himself as he released his jutsu, lets distract her with a surprise tactic.
"If you have nothing to say just take a seat and watch the clouds with me."
He heard her take a sharp intake of her and Shikamaru realised too late that he had let his shadow go too early. Surely she would drop her tessen on him now.
Strange. Nothing.
Maybe she'd learnt a little more self restraint. And this from a woman who had grown up with a brother who was both Kazekage and Jinchuriki. Impressed, he thought it safer to resort to some diplomacy.
"Well, come lay down beside me, you bothersome woman so I can get back to my clouds." He kept his voice low, wary that her tessen was still poised for a strike.
Surprisingly she holstered her fan and took a spot next to him.
Really close to him.
Shikamaru felt a little flustered. Sure they had fought with and next to each other, but this...well, this was different.
And she's rather close to me...If he just reached out, he would have her hand.
He wondered what it would feel like to hold her hand. No, she'd probably think I was trying a sneak attack and hit me.
For once, Shikamaru allowed his fantasies to play through in his head as his mind drifted off with the clouds.
No he couldn't make a scene now, not when she was obviously not wanting to give him her attention.
But all I'd only have to do is reaactivate my shadow jutsu and gather her to me. Brilliant, I wouldn't even have to think of anything to say. He gathered his shadow ready for action.
But then he noticed her hand sneaking out ready to push him away. Retreat retreat!
Shikamaru felt her hand sneak out to try and draw his holstered kunai.
Caught, he unconsciously turned to her to apologise but was again lost for words as her face flushed an even darker shade of red. Boy, she must have realised what I was planning and now she's really angry about my childish behaviour!
But again, Temari surprised him by reining in her emotions.
Shikamaru couldn't keep silent any longer.
"Ah! So that was your sneaky plan all along. To lull me into a false sense of security and then make out with my weapons while I was looking at the clouds."
Oops, he thought to himself as Temari looked back up at him, her face still red.
"As if. I already have my tessen. Why would I need to steal your weapon?" She stared defiantly at him, daring him to contradict her.
Now she was just making him curious.
She had reached out for him. Just as he had been thinking about her, she must have been...But when confronted, had made up some lame excuse.
Because he was too young and lazy? Was that it? Or did she think he couldn't keep up with someone so obviously powerful, and brilliant, and gorgeous as Temari of the Sand? Most definitely beautiful, he concluded to himself after a while.
Still he looked at her with awe and a part of him was curious as to just how much diplomacy she had picked up over the years without him noticing "So what were you doing then?
"There was something crawling up your leg", she replied, obviously biting back words so as not to hurt his feelings, as she returned her attention to the clouds above.
A little hurt that she couldn't even be honest, he let his tongue slip, "You know I'm all grown up now and don't need anyone to take care of me."
"Why you!" She whirled back to him, daggers in her eyes. "I was not trying to take care of you."
Just tell me already so I can try to move on. "So what then?"
She grumbled something, obviously biting back her anger.
He was the one who was supposed to be hurt here but here she was trying to protect him, the little boy genius of the Leaf Village. Well, he wasn't going to have any of that.
"Whatever."
Shikamaru returned his attention to his clouds bitterly.
He'd still never lived down that first time he had cried in front of Temari at the hospital.
He tried to bury it all deep down, suppressing his emotions.
Dad was right. Women are troublesome, toying with you, teasing you but never wanting to be more than friends.
She looked back at him as though finally deciding something.
Well, Shikamaru wasn't going to have any of that. He tried his best to be nonchalant but inside his emotions still raged.
Shikarmaru knew that she was still looking at him, undecided, but he just couldn't bring himself to face her now.
Hell, he'd followed her around for years when she came to town for her diplomatic duties and he'd even taken those silly Jounin exams at her prompting.
He'd even agreed to be Gaara's assistant when facing Madara so that he could show her how grown up he could be.
But it had obviously not worked.
She would never see him for more than the kid he must be to her.
She was three years older. More mature.
And he would never be more than a little kid who played with shadows to her.
She had told him that way back when they had had their Chuunin Exams together. How could he forget? They had fought and he just couldn't bring himself to hurt her.
There was just no way he could lay a finger against something so beautiful. I
t would have been a crime. Ever since then a part of him had secretly hoped that if he were just patient like Hinata had been with Naruto that he would finally make her see that he could be the man for her. But another part knew it was just a fantasy.
What chance did he have? Her father was the last Kazekage, the title now held by her brother. And he was just some silly ninja who took orders from her brother!
No, Hinata waited because Naruto was stupid with anything but jutsu.
And Temari isn't stupid. She's too brilliant for someone like me, Shikamaru mused to himself.
She would never even do something so insignificant like knit me a scarf!
I'm nobody to her. Just because she's nice, she's not hurt my feelings before now...and even when I write, she's just too nice to ignore me.
So what do I do now?
"So...", he continued before suddenly realising that he had spoken out loud.
"You're really not going to tell me then..." Nice save.
Obviously not nice enough for Temari to hit him none too gently on the arm. "Why you!"
He looked at her, not sure of his next move. She deserved better.
And just to prove it, she jumped to her feet to get away from his childish behaviour.
"Temari?", he asked quietly, trying to salvage the moment and at least tell her what he felt.
But it was too late.
"I'll see you at the wedding, Nara", she snapped and obviously no longer even wanting to look at him... For she was Temari of the Sand. And a fiercer warrior could not be found. Or a more beautiful one, he thought to himself
She repeated just for effect, "I'll see you at the wedding." "Nara."
And with that she ran away as Shikamaru had finally gotten up to watch her leave, an odd expression on his face. Torn between following and running himself. He reached out his shadows after her, longing to touch her if even just through his jutsu. But too afraid she might hurt him. And not just physically.
Perhaps some things were better left unsaid.