Driving home I had some inspiration so here it is. Enjoy!

A few hours later they finally came up for air again.

"You really are a genius, Shikamaru!", Temari exclaimed, collapsing back against his body with a very satisfied exhaustion.

Shikamaru simply responded by wrapping his arms around her belly contentedly. "I try", he finally replied dryly.

"Well, it's good to see I can motivate you to not be lazy all the time", Temari responded cheekily as she gave his hands a warm squeeze.

"You know, we do have to leave this bed at some stage!", he said, squeezing her hands in return.

"Do we have to?", she playfully pouted as she squirmed against him.

"Actually we'll have to get up rather soon", Shikamaru said seriously, noting the angle of light and shadow in the room. "We're supposed to have lunch with my mother. I mean, I'm supposed to but I'd like you to come with me." He waited for the explosion.

But none came.

"Ok", she agreed.

"Ok? I ask you to meet my mother and you say ok?", Shikamaru asked confused.

"What do you not understand about the word, you genius?", Temari replied, turning to look at him.

"Well, I know this isn't the first time you've met my mother, but, ah, things are a little bit different now", he said solemnly.

"I know. But I'm not worried because I know your mother loves you and only wants what's best for you. And I'm the best thing for you, even if it took you so long to realise it!", Temari concluded triumphantly with a smirk. "And we both know it!"

"Confident aren't we?", he said as he kissed her long and tenderly for the millionth time that morning.

She was silent for a moment as she returned his kiss with equal passion.

"You know you wouldn't have it any other way", she declared loudly.

"Troublesome woman!", he replied, looking into her eyes with such tenderness that her heart melted again.

"Crybaby!", she responded, her radiant smile matching his.

Shikamaru tried to lead Temari as quietly as he could into the house but even as he did so his mother appeared from nowhere to meet them.

"Good afternoon Shikamaru!", Yoshino said, giving her son a hug. "And good to see you again, Temari dear", she said, offering the surprised Sand kunoichi a big, long hug. Yoshino had never hugged her before and the blonde ninja was shocked speechless for a change.

"Mother, you're scaring her!", Shikamaru protested.

"Is that anyway to greet your mother, Shikamaru!", Yoshino demanded. "Especially when you are late for lunch and forgot to mention that you would be bringing such lovely company."

Shikamaru took one look at the set table and knew that even though he had not informed his mother that he would have a guest with him, she had somehow known. Surely it was Ino who had told on him.

"Yes dear, it was Ino who told me that you were finally going to be a man and let Temari know how you feel", Yoshino confirmed as Shikamaru's jaw dropped. "I ran into her and Sai on my way to the markets this morning."

Temari watched on with more than a little amusement as Yoshino embarrassed her son.

"Ino and her big mouth!", Shikamaru declared.

"Oh, do be quiet son. Let's have lunch", Yoshino said, looking at Temari.

As they sat back after a very filling meal, Shikamaru knew that things were about to get, well, interesting. He had seen the way his mother's eyes had watched himself and Temari throughout the meal. And she had asked some rather pointed questions without too much explanation.

"So, my son", his mother began, catching his eye. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Shikamaru saw Temari watch him out of the corner of his eye as she gave his thigh a supportive squeeze under the table.

"What do you mean, mother?", he said, stalling.

"Your father, rest his soul, tried to pretend to be stupid with me too sometimes, but genius that he was, he soon learnt better", she replied, laughing out loud.

"You are in a good mood today, mother!", he said enquiringly.

His mother kept laughing as she addressed him again. "I'm not stupid, Shikamaru. But it doesn't take a genius to work out that I'm finally going to be a grandmother soon! Isn't that right, Temari san?"

Temari blushed as she stuttered, "what do you mean, Mrs Nara?"

"Oh, come now! You two remind so much of Shikamaru's father and myself when we were your age!", Yoshino replied warmly. "Nara men may think they are geniuses but it's us Nara women that are the real geniuses for allowing them to think so. Tea dear?"

Shikamaru's jaw dropped again as Temari brightened even more.

"Mother!"

"Temari san is obviously as taken with you as you are by her, maybe even more so", Yoshino answered happily. "So, it's only going to be a matter of time until she's going to persuade you to settle down and that means grandchildren for me! I've waited a long time for the two of you to get your act together. Now finally it's going to happen."

Shikamaru had never seen his mother this excited. "Well, we've only admitted our feelings for each other so we're in no hurry to settle down just yet." He looked at Temari for support.

His mother laughed, catching his glance. "You see! You're just as clueless as your father!"

Then turning to Temari with a knowing look, "you'll have to train my boy like I did his father but he's worth it, this one."

"Yes, Mrs Nara", Temari replied obediently.

"Hello, mother! I'm still here", Shikamaru protested.

"Then you should go make us some tea, son!", Yoshino said, her attention still directed at Temari who fidgeted a little under the scrutiny.

Shikamaru hesitated. "Tea, son so I can speak in private with my new daugther", his mother reiterated.

Obediently, he complied, getting up from the table.

He could hear their voices and even their laughter as he prepared the tea in the kitchen, his mother's loud and Temari's a little more unsure. That could only mean one thing. They were talking about him.

He wanted to hurry back but he knew that wouldn't stop his mother.

By the time he finally made it back to the table, the two women were stretched out more casually across the table from one another. They both looked up at him as he returned with the tea.

"Now what have you been telling Temari, mother?", Shikamaru demanded. "I could hear the two of you laughing from the kitchen.

"Well, you shouldn't have been eavesdropping on us!", Temari replied. His mother just laughed some more.

"Oh bother. Father warned me about troublesome women but this!", he sputtered.

"Your father, if he were still alive, would be so proud of you and Temari", Yoshino rebuked her son. "He told me how you were always pining over 'that troublesome woman', pardon me Temari dear. And that you had better get yourself sorted because Temari san wasn't going to wait around forever for a lazy nin like yourself."

"He did not!", Shikamaru protested loudly.

"Your father was the same with me. Always troublesome this and troublesome that, but deep down he wouldn't have had it any other way. And you're the same as him", his mother replied with another laugh. "If only he were here to see you now, he would be laughing too, my son."

"Don't give Temari any more ideas, mother! She's difficult enough as it is!", he protested again.

"So now it's difficult, eh?", Temari asked, eyes on him.

Yoshino laughed again before he could reply. "Don't fight it son", she added as both women sat and laughed at his expense.

Shikamaru could only look on, wishing that his father was still alive so that he would at least have someone to share his embarrassment with.

"Oh, don't be like that, Shikamaru!", his mother exclaimed. "Your father learned to take it gracefully and you should too."

"Yeah, don't be such a big crybaby", Temari added laughingly.

Shikamaru only looked back blankly as his mother chimed in. "You've got yourself a winner here, yes you have, Shikamaru."

He could still hear the sound of voices and laughter when he returned after a walk through town to clear his head.

Strange, he thought. It sounded like there was someone else there.

He opened the door to see that he had been right.

Ino had showed up. Just what he needed.

The three women who knew him best, with the exception of Kurenai Sensei, were all gathered together. Talking about him no doubt judging by the look on their faces as he returned.

"Ah, you're back, Shikamaru!", Ino said loudly, greeting him with her customary cheer.

"Thanks for warning mother!", Shikamaru replied, addressing his childhood friend.

"When did you show up? And where's Sai anyway?", he said, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Don't try and change the subject, shadow boy!", Temari exclaimed.

"Yeah, 'shadow boy', don't change the subject", Ino teased. "And Sai is none of your concern. But if you must know he's out with some of the others. They're just helping with some last minute wedding things."

"Now, Ino dear, don't be so hard on him", Yoshino began. "He is just a Nara male after all."

"And advisor to the Hokage in waiting!", he added in protest. "Shouldn't you be helping too then, Ino?"

"Nah, Sai's a big boy", Ino replied teasingly. Then more seriously, "Don't worry Shikamaru, I just came to drop in on Aunty Yoshino and see the women in your life. I'll be gone soon. I need to pop into the shop and do some wedding stuff too." She laughed aloud. "But I really just had to come by and see how Temari was getting along with your mother! If you're not nice, I'll swing by and tell Kurenai Sensei that she should pop by for a visit too!"

"You wouldn't dare!", Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Oh wouldn't I?", Ino returned, laughing again as she looked at Shikamaru. "Don't worry, Temari has already told us everything so I was just waiting for you to come back so I could say hi. I'll be leaving then Aunty Yoshino. Temari."

"Ino", the other women replied. "Thanks for dropping by dear", Yoshino added. "See you at the wedding. I'm sure you will look beautiful."

"Thank you Aunty Yoshino", Ino replied.

"I'll see you later too", Temari chimed in.