Now what?

I

Shikamaru rested his back against the wall, took a sip of his cold beer, and sighed.

His shoulder still ached a little after a strain during a fight, but he didn't mind. He was where he and everyone else were supposed to relax after the mission or their daily tasks, and he intended to do just that.

He, Choji and Ino came back from an escort mission no more than 2 hours ago, having taken an important lord from point A to point B (Konoha) successfully, aside from the single and relatively easy assault from the expected band of rogues. The only surprise was one of them managing to sneak behind their backs and attacking Shikamaru directly, forcing him to actually use his close combat skills. Anyway, it ended with an uneventful collision of their weapons before the rogue was taken out, therefore as everything went well in the end, Shikamaru decided not to overthink it today and relax in a company of his friends.

TenTen had an idea to throw a party at her place as her parents were both away for a weekend, and team 5 joined as soon as they got back. Even Shikamaru didn't take much of convincing this time, somehow even he felt like hanging out with people today rather than being alone. Perhaps it was a light mood of a well-executed mission that put him in an energetic state where he really did want to party, rather than the usual need for slumber.

The house was filling up rapidly, and looking around Shikamaru could swear everyone was here. Even Sasuke, even Sai, even Shino. Even himself. Naruto, already drunk, has glued himself to his future wife, Ino screamed in unison with other girls, Choji and Kiba had their mouths full of food, and TenTen finally stepped away from the door, having let inside probably the last guest.

He thought she deserved a glass of wine - Shikamaru could only imagine how long did it take to plan a party like this, prepare all the food, though most likely other girls helped, take care of everyone so they'd be fed and drunk… he stepped towards the table and poured a drink. TenTen seemed more of a white wine girl to him, and taking a glass into one hand, and his beer into the other, he turned around. And stopped in his tracks, seeing who was the last guest behind TenTen.

Temari.

Shikamaru turned around once more and filled another glass, this time with red wine, somehow very sure of his decision, and walked towards them.

"TenTen, I think it's time you relax a little too." he gave her a glass. "I hope I picked this right." His eyes darted to a guest from the Sand and her provocative stare. "Temari." He nodded.

While she stayed silent, TenTen was melting over his little gesture. "Thank you so much! In fact I only drink white wine, red one is a little too sour for me." Someone called her from the middle of the room and she gazed over his shoulder shortly. "I think I'm gonna take your advice and try to catch up with every drunk soul here!"

Temari looked stunning. Loose blond wavy hair, red lipstick, red nails, black dress with a cleavage showing just a little, leaving a whole lot to your imagination, ending somewhere above her knees, leaving even more to think about. He gathered himself though, and before he gave her a reason to mock his wandering eyes, he extended a hand with a glass.

Finally she spoke.

"Oh Shikamaru…" Her voice clearly gave away she did find a reason to mock him. "Taking care of everyone, what has gotten into you?"

But she did take the wine, brushing her fingers against his, but paying no attention to that.

He scoffed at her question, then smiled slyly.

"And what has gotten into you to put yourself in a dress like that?"

Her reaction surprised him. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, and she took a second longer to answer, but in the end she raised her chin a little higher and asked, staring directly into his eyes. "What exactly do you think is wrong with my dress?"

Something in her tone alerted him, and the shine of her eyes gave away the risk he put upon himself. A lot depended on his answer to her trick question.

"Wrong?" He did a deliberate pause, watching her reactions. "Nothing."

"Then what is it?"

"You look…" this time the pause wasn't intended. "...beautiful."

"Ooh. I didn't think you'd be able to squeeze a world like that."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "That's one way to say "thank you"..." He half-smiled, taking a sip of his beer, and noticing a nearly empty glass of her. "I see I picked the right drink for you too."

Temari narrowed her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself, Shikamaru." She gazed at him for a second, her lips curving into a small smile, before she gracefully slid past him to greet other people.

Shikamaru was left standing with a suppressed grin and feeling all smut for some reason.

Few beers later, Shikamaru sat by the entrance to the inner yard of the house, chatting with Choji, who looked like he had some splinters in his behind, his face burning.

"Oh come on, don't pretend you didn't like her." Shikamaru teased. "You couldn't take your eyes away from her while me and Ino tried to responsibly begin the escort."

Choji flushed even more, and gulped down some beer. "Well she was pretty! Like you don't know what it's like to find a pretty girl talking to you."

"Mhhh." He only hummed. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"What? Nothing." Choji's eyes darted down.

"But she did invite us for a visit to Hidden Cloud! Looking directly at you…" He sneered, as his friend unsuccessfully tried to hide his face in a glass of beer that was nearly empty.

"Stop taunting me, Shikamaru…"

"All right all right, I'm just saying…" He laughed silently. "She obviously liked you, Choji."

Having heard that Choji muttered something about the beer and disappeared, leaving Shikamaru laugh by himself. Soon after, a full glass appeared by his side, but it wasn't Choji joining him - a girl in a black dress instead.

"Seeing Choji's face when he ran away from you I bet I missed out something important." She gave him a wide smile, much like the one she flashed at him the very first time they fought together.

"Might be." He smiled back coyly, looking at her. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the wine, but her eyes didn't miss the sharpness. This new look suited her so well - the curls added a bit of girlyness, but the way she held herself gave you no doubts of how much of a woman she was. Excellent poise, back straight, thighs on top of each other. It was still weird seeing her without a fan on her back, but despite what she wore - was it a cocktail dress or a uniform - she bended the prejudice of her attire, appearing not so girly, not much of a tomboy, but simply a tough woman.

"Let me guess… from his reactions and your teasing smile, I bet it's girl related… Choji run away while you were laughing, it means that he likes someone… Perhaps someone new? Adding that you just came back from the Hidden Cloud…" She smiled widely as he tried to remain calm and unsurprised.

"You sure notice a lot. It almost seems you spent the evening watching us rather than minding your own business…"

"After the stare you gave me when I came here, I can watch you for as long as I want and you can't really say anything." Temari raised a cocky eyebrow and inspected his reaction.

"Did you notice my injury then?"

She scanned him up and down, noticing a T-shirt that didn't hide his chest muscles, and a shirt that unfortunately hid his biceps, but no noticeable signs of some kind of an injury.

"If I can't see it, you don't have it."

"Tsk… you're so cold hearted."

"Won't deny."

"I strained my shoulder today."

"How?"

"During our mission we were attacked by a bunch of rogues. I caught 4 of them with my shadow and while Choji was taking care of them and Ino probed the mind of the 5th one, there was another one behind our backs and he charged me. So I had to let go of the binding and kind of twist my body around to counterattack…" Seeing her snicker made him shut up. "Really funny."

"Sorry, it's just that… I guess you're so unused to close, dirty battle that you find something like this worth a story."

He rolled his eyes. "My pain is not enough to entertain you, huh? That's new."

"Oh I'm sure someone besides me here would gladly lend you a sympathetic ear."

"And someone else here would probably do a better job of entertaining you."

"Are you speaking of someone in particular?"

"Perhaps. Do you want me to..?"

"Maybe I do."

"Alright." He secretly gazed around the room. "Kiba could barely pull his eyes away from you for the whole evening. Now he's successfully getting drunk and I bet he will make a move on you soon enough."

Temari laughed. "No way. He doesn't have the guts, he always held his distance with me."

"We will see about that."

"Okay. Anyone else?"

"You could get Lee with one movement of your finger. He always admired you."

"Pfffft, no thanks."

"Sai."

"Sai doesn't seem very into girls… or anyone, in fact."

"Perhaps, but that didn't stop him from glimpsing at your cleavage from time to time."

"Well well, so now it seems that you have been watching me this entire time rather than minding your own business."

"You know you're an eyecatcher." He looked at her, itching to ask whether she had a problem with that, but her small smile, probably intended as a silent "thank you" stopped him from further provocations. "How long are you here?"

"Arrived yesterday, leaving tomorrow."

"On what matters?"

"Sorry. Classified." She smiled innocently, and Shikamaru burst into laughter because of her expression.

"Okay. What's new in Suna?"

"Absolutely nothing. Konoha?"

"Same."

As the silence filled the small distance between them, both stared outside where the faint light of the stars lit the small, but pretty garden with artificial springs, water swirling over small stones.

"Wanna go outside?"

Temari nodded. She was thinking of offering the exact same thing.

"How are you? After the war and... " she stopped briefly, lightly touching some greenery with her fingers. "...your loss?"

Shikamaru took a while before finally answering. For once he really thought about it rather than just blurting out that he was okay.

"I'm coping... But my mother is having a hard time. She'd never show that or say anything, but I know her well enough she is barely holding on. I even thought of moving out after the war, but now I simply couldn't leave her alone."

Temari carefully, gently dipped her toes into the cold water of a tiny river, and shook her feet like a cat would shake a wet paw before she looked up at him. Even in this dim light he could see compassion in her eyes, something he always thought surprising to appear in that face.

"She's not made from porcelain."

"I never said she was."

"But you underestimate her, and overestimate yourself."

"Why do you say so?" He stopped and turned to her, really interested in her answer.

Temari stepped closer, and took a good, deep look into his eyes. Something inside him trembled for a microsecond.

"No matter how grown up you seem and how many times people will say your biological age doesn't meet your inner one, it's way too soon for you to be over it. Despite your experiences or your age, when it comes to your parents you are nothing but a child. So you shouldn't pretend to be okay and to be over it. At least not in front of yourself. And as for your mother… Well you'll just have to trust me when I say she will be alright. She will take not only of herself but of you as well."

"Are you talking with me as if I'm a child to emphasize your point?" He raised an eyebrow, unsure what to think.

"No. It's because I've been through this."

His defensive attitude that called for snappy come back now left him ashamed of what he just blurted out. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Temari smiled somehow sweetly. "It was long ago." She looked around once more and crossed her arms, hugging herself. "I think I'll go inside, it's getting a little cold."

Shikamaru nodded, and continued to stare into the sky where the stars were being hidden rapidly by approaching clouds, his thoughts getting lost in them.

If Temari felt a little affected by alcohol few moments ago, these minutes outside in the cold air helped her sober up. She looked around the room at the people having fun, drinking, dancing, playing games, flirting, and just as she decided to pick a glass of water instead of alcohol, Kiba approached her.

"Hey, Sand princess."

Temari raised an eyebrow at such call, and withheld a scoff that emerged because Shikamaru was hilariously right in his prediction.

"Can I invite you for a dance?" He leaned a little over her, forcing Temari to instinctively lean back, and Kiba used the opportunity to grab her by the waist, pretending to hold her steady, but actually looking for some balance for himself. From up close he was reeking of alcohol, his eyes clouded and even though he had a piece of boyish charm, Temari pushed him away. "Maybe not this time."

"Oh come on, Temari…" He was persistent, and gently grabbed her hand, pulling. "Just one dance." He smiled.

"Let go, Kiba." Her voice got more serious. She never had an unlimited patience, and certainly not now. However, even though she didn't want to make a scene here this wouldn't stop her from teaching this dogboy a lesson he wouldn't forget.

Since Kiba's drunk mind really couldn't take in the seriousness of the situation, and Temari's expression already alerted trouble, Sakura came to save the situation. "Kiba, leave her alone. Let's go sit, huh? I'll bring you some water." She winked to Temari, taking him away, and she nodded grateful.

A little regretfully Temari decided to go back to her hotel. Even though this was supposed to be a huge and serious party, somehow her mood faded and as much as she wanted to get a little more drunk and have some fun, she knew it won't happen. She looked around the room, noticing busy chatting or flirting girls, laughing boys, and realized it will be much easier to sneak out without saying goodbyes and avoiding the pleas to stay. There was one person though she wanted to at least wave to, but Shikamaru was nowhere to be seen.

She went down the corridor towards the exit where her shoes and jacket were, and reached for a light switch. She pushed the button and got startled, seeing she wasn't alone there.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" her voice was almost accusing.

"I'm not sitting, I'm putting my shoes on." She heard him talk through a smile. Then Shikamaru proceeded to stand up and looked at her a little mockingly. "Did I scare you?"

"You must be kidding me." She raised an eyebrow. "You're the last one I would get scared of." A tiny, innocent lie.

"I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

With mere words Temari felt her cheeks blush for a reason she couldn't name. However she was glad the light in the corridor was dim, and slipped her feet into her shoes, having found a reason to look away. "Who knows."

"You're leaving too?"

"Yeah." She put on her jacket and buttoned it up.

"Why?"

"Don't feel like partying any more. You?"

He thought for a second. "I guess I could say the same."

As they stepped outside, cold wind suddenly blew from the side, urging Temari to wrap herself in her thin jacket tightly. She was surely underdressed, and stepped towards the street in a hurry.

Behind her she heard a zipper sound and glanced at Shikamaru, seeing him sliding out of his jacket. He came over and threw it on her shoulders, leaving himself to stand in the wind in much lighter clothing. "I'll walk you."

"You don't need to…" She protested, but his expression seemed too decisive, very unlike his lazy go-with-the-flow demeanour.

"Let's go." He interrupted, and she didn't have a chance to reply as she would have been speaking to his back, her words lost in the wind.

He walked with his hands in his pockets, shoulders down, as if he wasn't cold one bit, but Temari increased her pace for the sole purpose that stupid boy wouldn't get sick the next day.

The place she was staying wasn't very far away from TenTen's house, but in this weather it took some walking and by the time Temari could see the shining sign of her hotel, her fingers clutching his jacked were ice cold. Just as it seemed the weather couldn't get more nasty, it began raining - at first slowly, with big, heavy drops and then within the matter of seconds it was pouring like in a shower.

Half laughing, half annoyed they increased their pace until they were both running and racing each other to the wall of the hotel where they'd be safe both from wind and the rain.

Shikamaru allowed her to reach the finish line first, and leaned against the wall besides her, where the roof hid them from the rain. He took in cold air, trying to regain his breath. What he exhaled came out as white vapour, instantly melting into nothingness in the rain.

He looked down at Temari - her wet hair, some strands sticking to her face barely lit by the light of the hotel sign. Despite being hid in the shadows, he did see her bright smile.

"Thanks."

Temari pulled one arm out of his jacket, brought it behind herself and pulled out another arm, the move making her lean towards him. Their eyes crossed that second. It felt like an accident. One look was enough - it was in her shining eyes, and in her slightly parted lips - and he knew what has to happen.

He never grasped the jacket. Instead his hand went up to her face, and his lips touched hers.

Very carefully, as if completely amazed, his fingers brushed her gentle skin, and mouth pressed her soft lips, tasting the sensation, slowly, as if afraid to make one wrong move and to ruin this. In the back of his mind he probably realized what was happening, but the operating part of his brain was drowning in this experiment and the unknown, new emotions. He felt her hand slowly slide up to his neck, but the move wasn't threatening or pushing; her body moved an inch closer to his and she inhaled sharply through her nose, without breaking their contact - and with her response his body was suddenly on fire.

His fingers slid into her hair and pulled her closer, his body earning to push her against the wall; involuntary breath escaped his lungs and just for a second he pulled away to inhale, deeply. Her hand sneaked at the front of his neck, her forehead resting against his, nose against his cheek. Ever so gently, she pulled her lips away, but lingered in the moment, breathing deeply. He could feel her words on his cheek.

"I think I'd better go."

After a moment of silent disapproval he hummed - "Mhmm." - his answer still sounding more like a disagreement.

That low, husky voice of hers kept ringing in his ears over and over again that night.

II

Temari sat by the round table with people already gathering, nodding greetings to every one of them and getting back at the papers in front of her. The preparations of the upcoming chuunin exams, precisely planned and thought-through were both in her head and on the report she prepared, and she was ready and excited to present these to the newly founded Training committee with representatives from every hidden village. There were some new faces in the room, reminding everyone of the war - the war they won, but not without losses. However, there also were a few familiar ones, some of them probably had a new scar of two, but they represented that Allied Nations was an object worth protecting, thus resuming the shinobi training and resuming the exams was the next logical step.

Half of the chairs were still empty and they all patiently waited for the rest of the people to gather. A chair on her left was still vacant, and for as long as she could remember, this place would always be taken by Konoha's representative.

Temari couldn't deny the thought of Shikamaru made her heart jump, despite some time has passed after what happened between them. She wondered if he would come or Konoha will send someone else; and if he will appear - will he join and sit by her like he always did or rather choose to maintain a distance.

And there he was, walking through the doors the next second.

Strangely enough, Temari thought he looked really handsome - something she didn't really pay attention to earlier, but now - as he was slowly approaching - she took note of his manly, confident walk, dark hair and dark eyes fitting so well with the face that reminded her more and more of Shikaku with passing years. Her prediction turned out to be right, and Shikamaru gradually reached a chair next to her, shortly glanced, said hi, and sat down, the movement sending a faint scent of his perfume to her nose; his rolled up sleeves nicely revealed his arms, and his fingers were laced together right in front of his chin. Several-days old stubble framed his lips, and his expression together with the whole demeanor shone mystery.

However suddenly he turned his eyes to her, maybe only now noticing her stare, and his look softened, lips curving into a smallest smile that together with the shine of his eyes signaled her something she couldn't simply ignore. With a mere look a shiver run through her skin, invisible hand squeezed her throat, and something pierced her insides, leaving a tingling in her pelvis.

She forced her eyes away, now unable to return the smile, and gladly welcomed another member who just entered. Only two now were missing, and Temari gazed down at the papers in front of her. She knew them by heart, but tried to read a line or two just to pass the time. However not a single word she read reached her mind, it felt like her brain was floating somewhere in the space. Gradually a flush took over her cheeks and with a rapidly beating heart she turned over to the next page, too aware of him next to her, to afraid to glance at that man again.

And just as she thought she will be able to get a grip, Shikamaru moved. She didn't even have to look, she saw him in her peripheral field of vision, the way he leaned in his chair and rested an arm on the table, grabbing a pencil to play with. Bored of waiting he silently sighed, and that sound was enough to cause another flush of hormones in Temari's body. It came like a wave, rinsing over her from her head to her toes, making every single muscle of her body feel weakened, affected, attracted. Almost annoyed for what is happening she glanced at him, wishing she could accuse him of some ninjutsu he did on her, but completely calm he rolled and twisted the pencil, and that sight - his dark figure barely 40 centimeters away - caused another wave. She inhaled deeply.

To make matters even worse he turned his head to her. "How many are we missing?" He then continued to look closely, undoubtedly noticing something's happening with her, as her mind gave another mental orgasm with the sound of his voice.

"One." Her voice was husky, and she heard that as well as he did, flush again reappearing on her cheeks. Temari cleared her throat, and this time more confidently repeated. "Only one, and we will start."

Even thinking of an answer to this simple question was a challenge to her clouded mind, and seeing his mouth curve ever so slightly into a playful smile was more than she could actually handle. She turned away, took a deep breath again - slowly, hoping to stay discreet - and silently sighed; despite that the weakness held her muscles as her heart pounded in the chest loudly.

The last member came in, and Temari had no other choice than to handle herself. She stood up, aware of a slight tremble in her hands that anyone would have addressed to stage fear, but only she knew the truth, and perhaps the person to the left suspected. That smirk he couldn't shake away during the whole meeting betrayed his amusement, while Temari did her best to ignore it and continue working through the matters of the upcoming exam.

Finally after everything has been settled most people left while others stayed for a short chat or for introductions; Shikamaru was one of those not in a hurry to leave, and he sat still in his chair not even trying to hide he was waiting to be left alone with her.

They exchanged looks over the shoulder of one member she talked with, and anticipation grew inside her second by second. Temari said her goodbyes and farewells, told a few the best places in Suna to stay or to eat and one by one everybody left.

Everybody, except him.

She took a deep breath, and turned around. A little surprised she found him now standing, leaning against the table. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

"You did everything perfectly." He paused, eyeing her, and just as she wanted to open her mouth to thank him, he was faster, and she was more than glad he didn't give her a chance to speak for what came was a mockery. "Don't understand though why you were so nervous." And that smirk.

Without her ever saying anything he stood up and walked over to her; if his movements seemed so slow previously now he moved in a flash, his face appearing mere centimeters away from hers. She had to admit, the only remedy that could effectively take away the tension inside her stood right before her eyes, but she still tried her best to resist that temptation.

On the other hand, Shikamaru didn't. His fingers slid carefully on both sides of her waist, pulling her closer. She closed her eyes but gathered all of what she had to place her hands on his chest and push him away rather than throw them around his neck. Despite that, his lips got closer to hers, and she turned her head away slightly.

"No." That was a weak no. "We shouldn't."

His hands took a hold of her head, his mouth now a few millimeters from touching hers, and stopped moving, freezing in an unbearable moment, until finally he whispered. "Tell me one reason why and I will stop."

She couldn't move, a familiar weakness creeping onto all of her muscles; she could barely breathe for air between their faces seemed thick and heavy; her mind was dazed and exhausted by fighting her feelings for the last hour. Of course she couldn't think of any reason now, she couldn't think anything else than he was being unfair.

Shikamaru smiled. Next second she felt his lips on hers, again.

Tried my best to portray the tension of that accidental kiss you probably shouldn't have allowed. You tell me if I succeeded!

Best wishes,

Cafe