Chapter 5

Tenten had been true to her word and Temari received the sealed scroll that contained the taper shortly after she had returned to the Village hidden in the Sand. Ever the diligent shinobi, Temari practiced daily, every change she got! She was determined to create the perfect sheath for his sword, massive as it was.

Months flew by for Temari with only one or two coded letters from Shikamaru. He was busy with missions, busy with his family, or busy trying to keep Naruto out of trouble. He missed her, of course, but in the world of shinobi, only so much affection can be expressed in a letter. Shikamaru was heir to the Nara clan, and as such he had many formal duties, one of which was soon approaching, his coming-of-age ceremony. This was to be the first of many ceremonies, the next being the contract exchange for marriage, or so Temari hoped. She desperately wanted to go, so she mustered up all of her courage, fully prepared herself to beg and grovel. She went to the throne of the Kazekage and asked.

Her brother seemed confused by her request, maybe he hadn't heard her Temari wondered and then he spoke "yes." "Of course, you are going," Gaara spoke to her, "as a prospective bride to the clan, it would be a set back if you didn't attend. You do still intend to marry Shikamaru Nara correct?" Temari nodded. "Then we will make the arrangements." She thanked her brother and went on to make her own arrangements.

Walking through the gates of the Village hidden in the Leaves, Temari felt prepared. This time there were no more secrets to stand in her way. She had traveled in disguise but once within the walls of the village she could remove it. As Princess of the Sand, she was also accompanied by a pair of attendants to assist her on this diplomatic mission. Temari thought they would probably more of a nuisance than assistance since they had never been to the Village hidden in the Leaves before. "Where do we go from here mi'lady?" one asked.

Temari pointed, "up that street there is the Inn we will be staying in, check in and ready the rooms." "And take this with you" Temari handed them her disguise. They both bowed and walked away, following her directions. Finding herself free from her charges Temari took in the village. She liked it here, it always smelled like fresh baked bread and fruit trees and, well, everyone wasn't miserable and covered in sand, she thought to herself.

Temari turned at the sound of her name to see Shikamaru approaching, this time, he was alone. He was wearing the same gear he always wore but it seemed cleaner, perhaps even new. By the time the two met Temari noticed he was distracted, his dark eyes appearing to search the area around them, "can't be too careful" he whispered, "too many damn relatives, it's such a drag." When he had concluded his search, he grabbed Temari's wrist, "come with me," and she followed him to an out of the way alley, shielded from the street. Once in the shadow of the alley he pinned her to the wall and kissed her passionately, so passionately it wasn't long before she could feel it, his sword, hardening and lengthening, bound only by the cloth of his gear. Temari smiled mentally as her tongue explored the crevasses of his mouth, she slid her foot up the wall behind her until her thigh met his hip and she felt him stiffen, he moaned "god, Temari," as his hand left her back to slide down and squeeze her ass as he thrust into her eliciting an unconscious moan from Temari as well.

Before they completely lost control, Temari caught Shikamaru's gaze, and he nodded in agreement rolling off her and on to the wall beside her. Temari giggled, "what happened to can't be too careful?"

He scoffed, "with you, all bets are off." She smiled at that.

Shikamaru explained that he knew she was arriving today and wanted see her as soon as he could, but he had to sneak away from the Nara home that was a sort of chaos of preparations and distant relatives. "Sounds like someone is a real big deal around here," she teased him.

"Its such a drag," He complained but she knew him better than that. This whole coming-of-age ceremony was a big deal, to the clan, to him and ultimately, to her and Temari knew he didn't want to let anyone down.

Kissing his cheek, "I'm sure you'll do great. See you at sunset?"

Nodding he replied, "yep, I'll be the one in the front." She smiled and headed towards the Inn.

The Coming-of-age ceremony was indeed a big deal. The clan home was covered in beautiful silks, bustling relatives, mounds of fruit platters and incense filled the air. Temari attended the event dressed in a traditional kimono in the grey and white hues of the sand with a single black kanji, indicating that she was his intended, stitched in the sleeves. And, yes, he was indeed the one in the front. Shikamaru sat atop a meticulously weaved rug in a traditional royal blue Kosode with some white stitching on the sleeves, but Temari couldn't make it out what it was.

The ceremony itself wasn't too long and consisted of the presenting of gifts, honoring the ancestors and then presenting to the heir to be confirmed by the elders of the clan. Shikamaru performed his role with precision and before she knew it the ceremony had ended. For her part Temari played the strong but silent intended, just like the clan had prepared her. It was only in exiting that the two could speak, if only in passing.

Bowing she congratulated him, "you did great."

Bowing in return he answered, "so did you."

A short conversation was allowed at this point, so she asked, "What is that stitching on your sleeves?"

"Oh," he smiled, "you noticed that huh?" he held up his sleeves to show 4 embroidered kanji: hand, heart, leaf, and sand. She looked up at his questioningly and he just smiled, "it stands for my hands may belong to the leaf, but my heart belongs to the sand." This visible showing of love and commitment was rare to say the least! Temari beamed with pride.

Back at the Inn Temari had excused her attendants for the evening and was sitting on the window, dressed in a simple Yukata, enjoying the cool nighttime breeze reliving his words over and over again 'my hands may belong to the leaf, but my heart belongs to the sand.' That type of bold commitment was as shocking as it was beautiful. Usually, those types of events would be when several maidens would be presented as possible brides for the heir, but not Shikamaru Nara, Nope, he had one intended and one intended alone, her!

A small rock hit her forehead and Temari shifted her focus down to the street below where Shikamaru stood holding a second pebble up to her, "I got another one if that first didn't break you concentration."

She scoffed, "that won't be necessary" as he easily jumped through the window and into her room. "How did you escape," she asked, "don't these kinds of things end with all the men drinking sake till dawn?"

"Yeah," he laughed, "little trick, I swapped out the sake for water and no one noticed." And then he burped, "ok, maybe not all of the sake." They both laughed as he took her into his arms kissing her so gently as they moved over to the bed. Temari scooted Shikamaru to lay in the middle of the bed with her on top refusing to part lips with him until she felt it, and when she did her plan began. She broke off the kiss much to his displeasure, "hey" he complained, "you know, it is still my birthday."

"It is, isn't it," she said as she slid off the bed. "And what kind of a girlfriend would I be if I didn't get you something" she feigned as she disrobed from her Yukata exposing nothing underneath.

Wide-eyed Shikamaru starred, "oh, wow!"

Moving back over to him Temari started to wriggle him out of his clothes, and he happily assisted, "and I have been working on something for you." She climbed on top of his legs and using her warm mist technique to further tease his sword to its fullest length.

Shikamaru strained, "oh God Temari, can we, can we please." She nodded; her trap baited she was about to snap. Temari crawled further, positioning herself directly above it she lowered the sheath squeezing him layer by layer into herself until she reached the base, and he cried out, "Yes!"

The sex that night was on another level. The two shinobi tried every position they had ever seen or heard of until there was nothing left, and the sun was beginning to lighten the sky. "So, you, trained for this? For me?" Temari had explained her training and he was shocked.

"Of course, I did," Temari smiled and Shikamaru just stared at his to-be bride in all her glory, wearing nothing but a simple yukata he thought she was the most beautiful creature on earth for doing all she did for him.

He grabbed her and held her so tightly, "I love you Temari, and I always will."

In his arms she nodded, "same."

A/N: thank you so much for reading, and please please please review!!!