I don't own Naruto or we'd know all the deets about ShikaTema. Enjoy.

She walked fast, totally expecting him to keep up with her gate, and she was shocked when he did.
"Where do you want to go Tem?" Shikamaru asked tenderly, wondering how long he had until she detonated. She didn't answer him straight away, but looked at him with a pained expression. "Home." She said quietly, not breaking eye contact. Suddenly she stopped, clucthing the file to her chest and Shikamaru noticed that her eyes were glazing. He had never seen her look so uncomfortable and he didn't like it. "Temari," he said quietly, moving closer to her, "If you really want to go to the Sand, I can escort you, but I really think we need to talk about –" "What?! Shikamaru, the Sand Village isn't my home anymore, my home is here, the Leaf, with you. I want to go back to my apartment." She rolled her eyes and continued walking, heading towards a nice looking apartment block at the end of the street.

When they arrived Temari put her keys on a hook near the door, placed the file on the dining table and made her way into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Shikamaru removed his flak jacket and hung it on her coatrack, taking in his surroundings. He couldn't believe that in all the time he had known her, he'd never been in her apartment here. It was beautiful. He'd expected something basic, but it was warm and homely. Comfy looking cushions and the sofa with blankets, books piled on the coffee tables and in the bookshelf running along the entire length of one wall. Pictures of her brothers and parents, and of her friends in the leaf village were scattered around the living area, with lots of potted plants, and the colours reminded him of what he has seen in the Sand Village – warm browns and oranges, turquoise, red and accents of gold.
On her dining table he noticed a large vase of fresh flowers and a delicate cake stand with beautifully decorated cupcakes. He smiled slightly and followed her into the kitchen. He stood in the doorway watching her gently placing biscuits onto a platter. She looked so, well, feminine. He'd always seen her as "womanly" – she was older than him, more mature than the girls he knew, sexier. Lost in thought he didn't noticed she had turned around, looking less than impressed.

"Stop daydreaming and help me carry the tea Nara."
He flinched at the renewed use of his surname, clearly indicative of her feeling towards him. She brushed past him with the teapot and tray of biscuits, allowing him to juggle the cups, sugar and milk. He noticed that it was all very fine china. He re-entered the living area to find her sitting cross legged on the floor, the file open in front of her on the coffee table. He placed the cups on their respective saucers in front of her and poured them some tea. He then took a seat on the side of the coffee table facing the TV, so that Temari was diagonally next to him. He had no idea what to do, and wished that Chouji was here to help him. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry, but he didn't know where to start.

"Shikamaru," she said calmly as she looked at the file, and he braced himself for what was surely going to be a yelling match to rival his mothers. "If Lady Tsunade wanted you to 'understand' me, why wouldn't you just ask me? Do you honestly think you can understand me from reading what some random clerical ninja has written about me? What did you think about me when you were reading that? Nothing in here reads well, its like an old school drama, and I'm some damsel in distress that's lived in sadness and – "
"Tem, stop! This is insane, how could I judge you for having to deal with situations that you had no control over?" With that she stopped and looked at him incredulously, like he had entirely missed the point.
"Insane? Really? Example number 1: Orphan. Never seen a functioning relationship, how could I have one? Example number 2: Daddys little girl. Example 3: Had no friends, perfect for the Leaf village aren't I? What with all the friends I don't know how to make…" Temari rattled on, getting more and more upset while Shikamaru tried to get a word in. And then he remembered when Asuma had died and his dad had told him to let it all out. He remembered how important that was for him, and then he remembered that Temari had helped the Kazekage raise Kankurou. So instead of stopping her and reassuring her he listened quietly as she listed her reasons, he sat quietly when she got up and started to pace, and when she reached her last example, he stood up to embrace her as she was.
Even Shikamaru was trying not to tear up when she threw herself unceremoniously into his chest sobbing about not knowing how to be a mother because she never had one. He held her silently and when she started to pull away he restrained her, holding her close as he explained to her why he proposed.

"I was scared to read that file, I felt like I was going behind your back. But it honestly never occurred to me that I even could ask you. And I never thought any of those things about you! I never pitied you, I never thought you were in anyway incapable of looking after yourself. It made me realise how truly brave you are, how kind and full of love and how I want to marry you so that I can make you happy." He lifted her head carefully, with his hand under her chin and looked her in the eyes. "I get told all the time we are in love with each other, and asked how we can't see it? But I think we did, and that's how we were able to live apart and never stress out. It's a drag, but hey, what isn't?" he smirked at the kunoichi as she raise her lips to his. They parted suddenly when they heard a knock at the door.

"Just a minute." Temari called as she attempted to fix her face, startlingly aware that her face would be red and blotchy. She heard Shikamaru clearing up the tea as she opened the door to reveal a package. She picked it up and walked it over to the dining table where she placed it carefully and removed the card.
Shikamaru walked out of the kitchen and stood next to her. He recognised the handwriting as Gaaras and wondered what they could send that Temari couldn't have brought herself. "You should go home lazy ass. You've spent enough time here today. Go watch clouds or something, we've got some busy weeks ahead of us. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and took the package to her room as the young Nara let himself out.

He went to his usual cloud watching spot and nestled down to think about the day he'd had so far. And the weeks he was going to have. And everything after that. So much for the life he'd planned out when he was younger. But he smiled to himself as he started to fall asleep on his little hilltop. He'd never planned on being this happy.

Sorry about the 2 year wait guys. I promise to try harder! I hope you liked this and hopefully the next chapter will be up soon xoxo