Sands of Time, Winds of Change (12)

The Endz...oh noez.

---

Temari took one last look at Konoha...the land that was not her own. The one she had helped to save. The land that he was from...

And she turned away.

And started walking, as much as her heart tried to pull her towards the gates again, she walked. Tears fell down her face. And that was one thing that Temari never did.

She never cried.

Even when she was in danger, pain, stress...she never shed a tear. She sucked it up, stayed tough.

But love was another story...

And when her heart wasn't strong enough, something else helped to pull her back towards those gates.

And succeeded.

A hand upon hers, pulled her away. Gaara and Kankerou turned around, confused at seeing their scary sister in this strange state. She flung herself around, readying a shuriken to kill the person who was stopping her...

And found herself inches from Shikamaru's face.

"ACK! DO YOU MIND!" She shrieked, trying to pull away. He held her tightly.

"Just hear me out, okay!" He said, staring at her. 'Has she been...crying!' She narrowed her eyes.

"What now!"

"Listen! Okay, man this is troublesome...but...the things you did for Konoha...meant a lot to me. Helping a country that wasn't your own, risking your life. That's one thing. But going against orders, treason, just to rescue my team...All of the things you've done for us. But also the things you've done for me... You are the one woman that scares the shit out of me, more than my mother. Your smile...it's like getting a death wish." At this Temari narrowed her eyes in anger. "But...I have to say...out of all the girls in Konoha, the world for that matter..." He sighed, and look her right in the eyes. He took his thumb and wiped away her tears.

"You're worth the trouble." He said with a smirk. She stared at him like she was crazy. So did her brothers. They backed away slowly, hoping she didn't take out a shuriken and stab him. But she did the most unexpected thing.

She hugged him. He looked just as surprised as they did, and then sighed. "How troublesome..."

"Shut up, you're ruining the moment!" She growled.

"Erg...women..."

---

The next day, Shikamaru faced his father.

"So. You took the Medical Book."

"Errm. Yeah." He said, cowering in fear. His father was frowning. Then he smiled.

"So you proposed to her?"

"Yeah."

"She said yes?"

"Yeah."

"That's my boy." His father said, clamping him on the shoulder. "Let me see your hand." He showed him the marking on his left hand.

"That's a Binding Seal."

"So?"

"Basically if one of you is hurt, chakra from the other will keep you alive. But it can be dangerous. For now, though...you're fine." Shikamaru smiled with relief.

"So this is all over, right? Man this was troublesome."

"It's over."

"Okay, so I can go watch clouds now, right?"

"Sure."

---

So there he was, the lazy genius, sprawled across his favorite spot, eyes closed, a content smirk on his face. And next to him was his fiancé, now sporting a Konoha forehead protector on her left arm and a Suna one on her right, a symbol of her new job as a liaison again. Suddenly Naruto walked up to them, an angry frown on his face.

"Man, it's not fair." He said with a moan.

"You're blocking the view, nitwit." Temari said.

"What she said." Shikamaru said with a grin.

"I mean, you're the first to become a Chuunin, now a JOUNIN, and you get the girl in the end." Naruto said, not moving.

"Hn."

"What's your secret!"

"Secrets are troublesome. I don't have one." Shikamaru drawled. Naruto sighed, and sat down next to them.

"You are so troublesome." Naruto groaned.

---

YAY IT'S OVER!

WudaiMarsWind