I found some wonderful memes which I have quoted in the text below. Not sure how to credit.

This is the main story finished and it has already been much longer than first planned. I started with 4-5 chapters and a few thousand words but it has developed into this extended adventure for this pair who were always meant to be.

I do have some material for extending/continuing the story but not sure if that will happen right now. What do you think?

Wrap it up with an epilogue, leave it be or continue the adventures up to/including the big wedding?

As Temari had taught him over the years, actions speak louder than words.

He reached out a hand.

Temari was surprised to feel Shikamaru's hand close on hers. Out of instinct she almost pulled it back, but caught herself in time.

Shikamaru felt her try to free her hand but he wasn't going to let go. Not even if she hit him with that tessen of hers.

She looked at him. He looked back at her. She cast her gaze down as she felt the heat rise to her face again.

Her eyes came back up to meet his, readying herself to speak. But was lost in the depths of his eyes, which were not like their normally blank look.

He was about to speak when her eyes came back up to meet his. The vibrant green in them reminded him of the grass he loved to lay on looking up at the sky. The clouds, the sun. The sun that shone like her hair.

His mind blank, Shikamaru forgot strategy for once.

"I love you, Temari. Always have."

Temari was taken aback by his directness.

"...you love me?"

"Yes you crazy, violent, troublesome Sand ninja. I love you."

But, but...then why...

For once she was speechless.

Without a word, he took her with his Shadow Possession Jutsu and stood up. He pulled her closer with his Shadow jutsu, bent down lightly cupping her face with his hands and kissed her.

It was like nothing Temari had ever felt before.

It was simple, passionate and full of longing She knew her face was heating up.

Her whole body was heating up.

At first she struggled, she had never let anyone in close enough to do that to her before!

But then she relaxed as she had the strangest sensation of floating off like Shikamaru's beloved clouds.

She felt herself responding to him. It felt right. But she was still confused by it all.

She pulled away to say something, still confused.

He felt her pull back, but he wouldn't let her.

If this was the only kiss they would share, he wanted to remember it. She could punish him afterwards.

And despite his disbelief, she was starting to kiss him back.

He began to lose himself in the sweetness of her lips. But then she pulled away.

But Shikamaru would have none of it, holding her in place with his Shadow jutsu. And kissed her again. This time, she stopped resisting as his hands made their way down her back, pulling her closer.

When at last they broke for air, she could only say "you are one brave shinobi, Nara Shikamaru."

But despite her fighting words, she didn't hit him. He took that as permission to kiss her again.

She was his enigmatic puzzle. He had tried to work her out. Until he realised that she didn't need to be worked out. She just needed to be loved.

"And you are troublesome indeed woman", he returned as he kissed her again.

"Always making my life difficult" Kissing her once more.

"Me?" She slapped him lightly, "You're the one that always needs saving, you big crybaby!"

She countered, feeling more herself again but not before making sure he wasn't going anywhere.

"Remember that time with the sound ninja when I had to come and save you. Or that wind ninja when-"

"What? If I recall correctly, I had to hold her down so you could get her!", he countered, holding her hand gently so she couldn't hit him again.

"After I had forced her back. And who delivered the finishing blow, thank kyou very much", Temari countered smugly. Now that they were back on more familiar territory, she felt her wits gather again.

"Troublesome woman. You know I only let you win right? Like our little battle in the arena. As if I was stupid enough to let myself run out of chakra just like that", he countered, happy they were back to their normal, what his mother had called odd, way of communication.

"Why you little?!", Temari pulled her hand back ready to have at him again when she realised that his arms were still verry much around her. And he was simply staring back at him with a smirk on his face.

"Little what? Little boy?" he said, and she noticed a small flash of hurt in his eyes. But his senses were slowly returning to him too. As did his strategies.

"You may be older and worldlier than me, Temari. But I would concede a thousand battles to you, I would battle a thousand Madara Uchiha's for you and I would let you vent your anger and frustration on me, putting up with your tourblesome antics the rest of our lives because I love you Temari-sama of the Sand.

And I don't care if you think I am just a little boy or a crybaby or...you live in another village, I love you and I'm not going to let you get away from me again." He gazed lovingly into her eyes.

"Well you are always going to be younger than me." Temari conceded.

"And a crybaby", she added with a smile so he would know she was just teasing him.

"And I may live in another village. For now."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off, continuing. "But I don't want to be anywhere else but here. Because I love you too you big crybaby", she said, bringing her lips to his and wrapping her arms around him.

When they finally broke for air again, she continued, "My brothers sat me down and said you were a fool. Something I've always known of course" she said with a smirk.

But they also made me realise just how happy I am when I'm with you. Even if it's just training together or fighting together. Or playing games of shogi.

And how you make me calmer and more grounded. And I wouldn't need you to concede a thousand battles to me because I'll win at least one.

And I hope there are never any more Madara Uchiha's for anyone to battle...but I will take it out on you if you hang around me. Because that's my way of showing my affection." She paused. "And my brothers have arranged to have me be the permanent Suna diplomat here. They've even arranged for Matsuri to take over my role. So I plan on being here for a while." She paused, fighting back tears of joy but failing.

"I love you too, you big foolish crybaby! Now kiss me again." She looked expectantly up at him.

Which he did.

Gladly.

"Troublesome woman."

Curious, he had to ask, "So why didn't you tell me before this?"

"Because actions speak louder than words, you big fool! So I HAVE been telling you for years. And arent you supposed to be able to figure all of this out. After all you're the genius!", she teased, running her hands through his hair.

"Oh, I thought you were just a vicious, aggressive, obnoxious,..." he teased back, pausing to make sure she knew he was just joking. "crazy , beautiful woman I've ever met."

"You forgot troublesome", she whispered after they kissed again.

"Women! Always having to have the last word!"

"Men, always wanting to protect women. And yet the big genius who is always telling me that can't even rescue this troublesome woman when she needs it. How could you?"

"Because I'm a genius that's why!", he dodged as she swung playfully at him.

"Well if you were a genius you would know this! Shikamaru, you see, a woman's heart isn't reached solely by romantic gestures and beautiful words that one wants to hear. A woman's heart is more complicated than that. It opens only to those who show sincerity, respect, appreciation, courage, deep feelings. You showed me all that and nourished my heart to the point it belonged to you. Also you were a challenge to my brain. Your intelligence always fascinated me and I wanted to spend more time with you, to know more about you, to understand you. Little by little I noticed I was starting to miss you when I was away and when I was with you I felt happier than ever in my life. That's how I knew I'm hopelessly in love with you."

He watched as tears of joy started rolling down her face again.

"All you call me a crybaby!"

"All this time we wasted. You have a lot of making up to do, Nara!"

"Dad was right. All women are troublesome! And how was I to know that you decided that hitting me and yelling at me, calling me a crybaby was your way of telling me you loved me?"

"Ha! And you call yourselff a genius. And even your dad got married to your mother though he called her troublesome. Couldn't you have worked it out for yourself earlier? And what was that about the rest of our lives crap you were saying before Shikamaru Nara? Sounded a lot like a proposal to me." Temari looked up at him, a cheeky smile on her face.

"Well why not? Apparently it was a foregone conclusion to everyone but us."

"Tell me about it. I was being grilled by all your idiot friends at dinner!"

"At least they weren't your brothers!"

"Baka!"

"Troublesome woman!"

They smile at each other.

"I love you Temari of the Sand."

"And I love you too, you big crybaby! Because you're my big crybaby!"

He drew her closer and kissed her again.