Shikamaru

The crowd was buzzing and the flowers were blooming. Naruto and Hinata were just married. Overall, a pretty great day in Konoha. Yet at this moment, Shikamaru was tense.

He'd grabbed Temari's hand a while ago, walked around the courtyard and chatted with some of his best friends. But she still hadn't spoken to him.

Now the two of them were standing on the side lines of Naruto's wedding reception, watching the guests give them their wedding gifts.

Her lips were pursed and though she had her face turned away from him, he could tell her cheeks were flushed. Was she glad? Was she angry? What was she thinking? Had he embarrassed her? Was she embarrassed to be seen with him?

He knew better than to overthink himself into a rut. He also knew better than to ask a woman how she's feeling. They'd either lie and say "I'm fine" when they're not. Or he'd get an earful of everything he'd done wrong since birth. Usually it was both, when it came to his mom or Ino. But this was Temari, he reminded himself. She was uniquely her own person.

So he readied himself, figuring out what was best to say…

"Are you alright?" …No, too soft…

"What is it, troublesome woman?"…No, that was too hard…

"I like you"….God too much of a simp.

Nope. All were rubbish.

He needed to come up with something quick. Something that made him sound manly. Cool. Something she couldn't say 'no' to. As he was about to open his mouth, she turned to look at him. Her green eyes struck him right in the heart.

He knew that look. He was about to get an earful.

"You've got some nerve, Shikamaru Nara. You think you can just take my hand and parade me around your friends? Holding my hand and pulling me in all sorts of directions like- like some show pony… just who do you think you are?!"

He wasn't sure if it was a moment of genius or stupidity, but Shikamaru replied almost instantly, "Your boyfriend."

Despite the palpitations in his chest, his voice was clear. Alright, that was pretty cool, he admitted to himself. So cool in fact that Temari was frozen in her place. Her eyes were wide and mouth hung open.

In a small voice she went, "Oh…"

She was awfully cute when she was flabbergasted – which was a rare occasion Shikamaru had only seen a couple of times. Once when it was raining in Konoha and Temari heard her first boom of thunder. And another time when Temari's favourite dessert shop gave her a free box of mochi.

"Is that all you have to say, troublesome woman?" he asked her, trying not to sound desperate or demanding.

She brought her hand to her mouth, as if considering how to respond.

"What are you thinking about, woman?" He started to ask.

She interrupted him, "I have more to say, just hold on!"

Temari

Temari closed her mouth, unable to hide how the sides of her lips turned up.

She had to give it to him. Shikamaru could pull off manly and cool when he tried. Not that she'd ever let him know of course. She liked giving him a tough time.

"So holding my hand automatically makes me your girlfriend, is that it?" she challenged him.

Shikamaru nodded.

"I'm not convinced," she said haughtily.

Shikamaru threw her a look before telling her in a low voice, "I can do more."

This made Temari's face blush red as a tomato, to which Shikamaru let go of her hand in a playful disgust, "Temari-sama what kind of perversions have your face so flushed?"

Temari's eyes darted to the corner. She'd never admit to anything.

"Just shut up and hold my hand," she directed, grabbing back at his palm.