Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kisimoto. Very sad for me, but great for him.

AN: This is my first Naruto story. Surprisingly enough, I found Shikamaru easier to write then Temari. I thought it would be the other way around!

Shikamaru Knows

Shikamaru knows that no matter how much Temari loves him, he'll always come second in her heart. Because even though she would give up her home, her identity, and her very self to be with him, she would never give up her brothers.

Shikamaru never believed he would fall in love, especially with a woman as bossy and outspoken as Temari is. But he had, and he knew that he had fallen hard. Sometimes when he sat on his usual bench, staring lazily at the clouds, Temari entered his mind and suddenly he was reminded all over again of how bothersome love was. He would groan to himself, remembering all the years that he had asked his father for the reason he had married his rather controlling mother and still not understanding whatsoever why he had.

But he did now. And he would wish over and over again that he could have fallen in love with a more simple girl. Maybe it could have been a civilian who would be willing to clean up after him, or...if it had to be a kunoichi...a girl like Hinata. Definitely not someone as independent and loud as Temari. She would never clean up after him and had already taken to scolding him for being too lazy and having no goals in life.

Shikamaru knows that Temari loved him too. He knows that she is as unhappy for falling for someone so unambitious as he as he is for falling in love with someone as no-nonsense as she. But Shikamaru knows that no matter what, he loves Temari and he would go to the ends of the world for her...even if it is awfully troublesome.

Shikamaru was also aware that Temari loved him enough to give up Suna, her identity as a Sand ninja, and would all too happily give herself to him. But he also knew that no matter what happened, he would always be second in her heart. His analytical mind understood this, but still it rather surprised him as to how much it actually hurt to imagine Temari choosing him second.

Shikamaru knows that Temari had never told anyone the things she would tell him when they were alone. She would speak of her childhood, of the upbringing she had back in Suna. She told him of how hard it had been to be without a mother, and how painful it was to have a father who viewed you as another weapon. She spoke of how excited she had been when she found out she would have a new baby brother, and of how hurt and confused she was when she was never allowed to see or hold Gaara. She would reminisce about the times that she had secretly given Gaara a treat or read him a story book. She would smile at the memory of Kankuro receiving his first puppet from her on his fifth birthday. She would go off into a tirade about her feelings for Suna, about how often she was angry at the villagers for treating her family the way they did. She told him in a somewhat guilty voice that sometimes she thought she could leave Suna. Go off into the world free. Maybe become a missing nin, or perhaps give her loyalty to another village like Konoha. But though she never voices it out loud, he knows she would never leave because of her brothers. Her brothers mean the world to her, and he knows that even though Temari loves him with as much as she can give, there is a part of her that belongs with her brothers. He understands that no matter how hard he tries, he'll never be able to reach her completely.

She would never choose him over her brothers. She would never leave Suna behind and come to Konoha unless she had her brothers with her. She would never marry him if her brothers did not approve. Shikamaru knows that she isn't her brothers slave. He knows that both Kankuro and Gaara would do anything for Temari just like she does anything for them. He knows that both of them would never do something that she was utterly against. He knows that after living years as a separate family, as separate entities, they're trying to become closer than most ninja families are. He knows that, and he accepts that.

So as he stands in front of the jewelry shop in Konoha, he wonders if maybe he's lost his mind just a little. He considers going for testing the next day and seeing if his IQ has dropped below 200. But then he sighs, decides that would be too troublesome, and enters the ring shop.

"Shikamaru?" asks Temari, opening the door some more to allow him in. "What're you doing here? Did you forget something earlier? You know I'm leaving in a couple of hours!"

"Tch, I know," muttered Shikamaru. "But since you're already packed and you've already reported to Hokage-sama, I figured you could watch clouds with me for a little bit."

"...why?"

"Cause Chouji's currently devouring the ramen store with Naruto and I need a cloud watching partner."

Temari scowled. "I should say no, you lazy ass!" she says, her eyes narrowing. She shook her head. "I'll be out in a minute if you can survive the waiting you find so annoying."

Ten minutes later the two were lying in the grass, watching the clouds roll by. Shikamaru breathed a sigh, enjoying the feeling of relaxation that always came when he was cloud watching. Somehow, he always felt more at peace when Temari was there. Even more so than when Chouji or Asuma would join him.

Temari glanced over at him. "I can't believe I'm spending my last hour in Konoha watching clouds with your lazy self! Sakura invited me to go with her and Ino to join a new class set up for kunoichi. I probably could've been advancing my training."

"Do you want to go?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Tch."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the others company, before Shikamaru sat up suddenly. "Temari," he said.

"What?" asked Temari, startled, sitting up quickly.

"Temari, will you marry me?"

"...what?"

"I asked if you would marry me." Shikamaru stood up, dug into his pocket, and brought out a small box.

Temari shot up from the ground. "You brought me out here to ask me if I would marry you?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Shikamaru nodded.

"I...I don't know what...Shikamaru, this is so...I mean...well, what I mean is..."

"Remember how I was in Suna three months ago for that diplomacy mission?"

Temari looked rattled by the change in subject, but nodded wordlessly.

"I requested the mission cause I wanted an excuse to see your brothers. It also kind of doubled as a test for me."

"What...what do you mean?"

"I asked both Gaara and Kankuro if I could marry you, and they said yes."

Temari looked like someone had just knocked her in the gut with her own fan. "You asked their permission?"

Shikamaru nodded again, looking up at the clouds. "Tsunade-sama has also been mentioning that it would be good to send an ambassador over to Suna to live. I told Gaara and Kankuro that if you said yes, I would be taking the job."

There was silence, and then Shikamaru felt Temari's hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her. "You did all that for me?"

"I know you don't want to leave your brothers or Suna. And I don't want to lose you. It was worth all the trouble I had to go through."

Temari let out a shaky laugh. "This is one of the most unromantic romantic proposals I have ever heard of. And I believe that that is the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." She brought her face close to his, her lips hovering over his. "Yes," she breathed. "I'll marry you."

And then she closed the distance between them.

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