Age Gap

In which Shikamaru finds out that Temari is older than he is. Enjoy! Please review and thank you!

Shikamaru shuffled through his paperwork, this wasn't fair. He never wanted extra responsibilities as a Chunnin, but Tsunade insisted he help with this year's exams. Naruto was still training out of the village with Jiraya, and this year the rest of his team and everyone else was re-doing the exams.

Ino and Chouji made a squad up with Sakura since they needed a three man squad to enter. Tsunade had informed Shikamaru he would have a partner to help him set up for the first round in the Chunnin exams, she told him it would be someone from Suna.

"Someone from Suna? Who is it"

"Do you have a problem with anyone from there?"

"Uhm. No?"

"Then don't worry your pretty little head about it. I expect nothing but excellent behavior from you, as always."

"Understood"

He balanced his pen against his paper waiting for them to arrive, apparently they were already in the village. His mother especially was elated to know about the new responsibilities that her son had taken. She nagged him to take on more positions as a Chunnin ever since he got promoted.

He heard someone approaching and he thought finally! When Temari entered she peeked through the door and crossed her arms against her chest.

"So you're my partner?"

"Seems like it." He lazily sighed.

"You don't seem very enthusiastic about it." She smirked at him.

"I didn't know I was going to be partnered up with another girl, let alone be in charge of these exams. It's such a pain."

"Well get over it, clearly you're trusted and the only one that qualifies so stop complaining." She uncrossed her arms and took the chair next to him. Jeez, she always had to be so annoyingly blunt with him.

"So what is it we are doing as of now?" She asked eyeing the papers on his desk.

"As of now these are all the entrance forms and the teams that will be participating; their basic stats, village, and so on. We have to sift through them and create an attendance sheet for the separate groups."

"I see, so meaning we will be here all day?"

"Apparently."

He leaned back in his chair and came back forward to separate the sheets in half, Temari would do one half and he the other. They went through the paperwork and three hours passed when they were almost done. They made light conversation here and there to try and make time go by faster.

"You're team is entering the Chunnin exams this year?"

"Mhm? Oh yea. They're entering with Sakura, since Naruto is off training and Sasuke being MIA and all."

"Interesting they still have your name under the group."

His eyes perked up and he took the sheet from her hands.

"What? Let me see that." Damn it! He groaned out loud. Now he had to go print a new one with the correct names. He had no idea they would use the groups and names from years before.

"Also I didn't know today was your birthday."

"Yea. Nothing says happy 17th birthday than sitting in a room for three hours doing work."

"That's life."

"Tch. Yea I guess. Anyways I have to go put in the order for the team, and then print it out. I'll be right back."

He got up from his chair and walked to Tsunade's office to give the order to print out the new form for Chouji, Ino, and Sakura.

"Wait. Happy birthday Shikamaru." She smiled softly at him. His anger somewhat subsided as he gave her a small thanks on his way out.

He entered Tsunade's office to make the order in order to print out the new forms.

"Oh whoops. You're right my mistake I forgot that you were made Chunnin and that they were going to enter with a different group."

Shikamaru walked back down to his office to see that Temari had finished the rest of the paperwork but held one in her hands frowning.

"What is it?"

"Kankurō is entering the exams this year with two other Suna participants, since Gaara was made Kazekage and I'm already a Jounin through my village.. they still have our old team too." She laughed softly.

"Seriously? Damn it." He walked over and she handed him the sheet he examined it. Then he read over Temari's information and his eyes widened.

"What?"

"You're 20 years old?"

"Pardon?"

"You're age."

"What about it. Are you calling me old." She challenged.

"What? No! It's just I didn't know you were so much older than the rest of us..."

He had no idea there was that much of a gap between them. He always noticed she was very 'developed' he wasn't blind nor naïve about the changes men and women go through. He thought she was just an early bloomer, figures she was just older.

"What's wrong? You're all intimidated now because I'm an older woman?"

"No I just didn't know." He growled, she irritating him now, but he'll never tell her that he was a bit intimidated by the age difference. Just a bit.

"Sad you can't ask me out on a date now?" She teased while he got up to go and make another order to the Hokage for the new form. She laughed while he stormed out with a small blush dusted on his cheeks.