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The Land of Iron was much colder compared to the last time she was there. It was the middle of December and the snowfall was heavier.
Temari ran through the hallway and took a turn to use the back stairs in the headquarters of the Shinobi Union.
Nobody would use that as it was far from the main room and mostly closer to the back door which was only used for emergency exits.
So to find a specific Shadow-nin user leaning against the wall with his arms crossed took her by surprise.
“Fancy meeting you here.” Temari greeted, walking past Shikamaru. She couldn’t make a u-turn because that would be too obvious.
"Why are you avoiding me?" Shikamaru queried, pushing himself off the wall and started walking behind her.
“I am not.” Temari replied. She continued, briskly walking to establish a distance between them. However, Shikamaru took longer strides, away from his lazy approach.
He overtake Temari for quite a steps and then,
“What the fuck, Shikamaru!” Temari exclaimed.
Shadow possession jutsu - a special technique of the Nara clan, allowing its user to merge its shadow to their target, immobilizing them.
“Language, Temari.” Shikamaru sighed. “I don’t want to resort to this, but you won't stop walking, you won’t even talk to me.”
Temari groaned, rolling her eyes at Shikamaru.
“Tell me what’s wrong.” The Leaf-nin said softly.
“Nothing.” The Wind mistress replied sharply.
Shikamaru took a step forward that made Temari tense. Stiff shoulders and rapid breathing that did not escape Shikamaru’s watchful eyes.
“Nothing that involves the Union, but something that has to do with me?” He remarked, on point.
Temari averted her gaze, anxious that Shikamaru might read her. “And where did you get that?”
“You can’t even look at me.” Another step closer to her.
Every step Shikamaru took, a hundred beats on Temari’s chest.
“Undo your jutsu, now!” She commanded.
“I will, once you tell me what’s wrong between us. You’re acting strange and I am worried, Temari.”
For the duration of the meeting, Shikamaru tried to get her attention but she wouldn’t give him even a glance. Giving insights but wouldn't address it to him. Would look anywhere but to him.
“Why? Why would you worry? Who am I to cause you concern? What are we to each other?” She questioned, frustration etched on her face.
“You tell me, Temari. What are we?”
Temari couldn’t answer. Not because she doesn’t want to, but because she didn’t know how to.
Because how does she say they were friends - without lying, without revealing how she feels for him that’s more than just a friend.
So she tried to sidestep the issue. “Are you going to undo your jutsu or am I going to make a scene?”
Shikamaru took back his shadows, releasing Temari from his grasp. He took another step forward, leaving a little space before them.
“I’m not trying to rile you, Temari. I want to understand. Can you tell me the problem? I’ll work on it, I promised.” He uttered in hushed tones.
“No, Shikamaru, it’s… it’s not that. There’s nothing you can do.” Temari bowed her head in defeat. “The problem is me.”
Gently, he placed his finger under her chin to lift her head, and meet her gaze. “Tell me so I can help? We’ve been through everything together, don’t make me a stranger now.”
"You’re not a stranger. I couldn’t make that, even if I wanted to.” His eyes were so tender and soft, she wanted to get lost in them.
“Let me in, I want to know your thoughts.” He asked earnestly.
“Because....” Temari bit her lip, trying to stop herself from confessing. But the look in his eyes made her weak, and she finally gave in. “Because I think I'm falling in love with you.”
Shikamaru’s eyes searched her face, his breaths shallow and rapid.
“That's why I'm avoiding you. I don’t know what love is, Shikamaru. This is all new to me. How do I do love?"
Her eyes were questioning - scared, vulnerable.
“You do know how to love, Temari. Protecting your siblings from harm, wanting what’s best for Suna, allotting time to be with your friends, encouraging and showing appreciation. When you show love in little ways, that makes my heart full. You love in different ways, Temari.”
“But I don’t know how to love you, Shikamaru. You're not my brother, or our people; you're not just a friend to me, Shikamaru.”
Shikamaru doesn’t belong in that category. He has a place in her heart that solely belongs to him. No one else comes close.
“If you don’t understand yet, then just love me like you want to be loved. And from there, we’ll figure it out.”
She wanted to. Oh she wished it was that easy. But it wasn’t. Not for her. Because for the first time, she felt a different kind of fear. If this goes wrong - the rejection and the risk of losing Shikamaru was just too much to bear.
"I can’t. I’m scared."
"You can, Temari. You’re not alone in this."
“You mean…?”
A smile played on his lips. “I do, Temari. I have loved you for so long now. But I haven’t told you since I know your priorities - Suna and your brothers. I don’t want to cross the line yet, not until you're ready. Then you suddenly started avoiding me like a plague, I thought you hated me for some reason I didn’t know.”
Those times that Temari ignored him filled Shikamaru with dread. He had racked his brain trying to solve where he went wrong; If it has been too late to confess how he feels. Thought he was losing her when she was not hers in the first place.
“It pains me when you underestimate your love, even though you know how to love unconditionally.”
Temari didn’t believe in romance. On how someone could have feelings on a broken piece like her. Little did she know that Shikamaru loves every bit of her.
“So if you can’t figure it out at the moment, give us a chance. Just one chance, Temari.”