[SHIKATEMA] Obvious (English Version)

Chapter 4 : Not that easy.

  "- that we become so close over the years..

- And we think that you are the genius of Konoha? Shikamaru, I think that for today, you have made me angry enough. I would even say, for the whole week. I am now going to sleep, leave now and refrains you to be present. And we are not close.

- But you was angry because I was absent and now you want me to be absent? I struggle to follow you .. troublesome women. 

The slap left alone. Yeah..  that had to happen. It was certain. Both knew that that was going to happen. Temari was impulsive, strong, she would make tremble more than one. Until there she was calm for we don't know which reason but any more the Nara spoke, the more the hatred grew up inside the young woman. She wanted to revenge.  For every person outside their "relation" - If we can say - her slap was totally illegitimate. But Shikamaru knew from now why he deserved this slap. He accepted it. Temari needed to let off steam, to show him that she had been hurt. The young man took the hand of the princess of Suna with delicacy to put down a kiss there: ultimate way to show her that he was sorry but also a way of showing her his attachment, the fragility which she released this evening charmed a little more the boy. He got up without a word, put on his shoes in the same silence and left the hotel room. Knowing perfectly well that he will see her no more than a week at least.

******

Temari woke up slowly. An eye after the other one she observed the sun getting up on Konoha. He had to be around seven o'clock to be able to contemplate this landscape, the morning dew was really beautiful in the country of the fire. The movie of the yesterday's evening had turned indefatigably in her head, until she fall of tired in its sheets there. Taking back immediately her morning thoughts. She did not expect this gesture of tenderness by Nara.  She closed her eyes before hiding her face under the pillow, not wanting to think about it again and again. It was half an hour later that she resigned herself to leaving her cozy bed, too much dynamic to do anything. Today she had some administrative tasks to perform in the afternoon but nothing more complicated. To kill the rest of her morning, the blonde decided to train in the forests surrounding Konoha, hoping to find a space open enough not to be accused of deforestation.

After a quick breakfast, the young woman left her hotel room to head for the east exit of the village. She announced to the supervisors that she was going to train and probably go back in no more than three hours. After all, Shino had to be warned of these moves. The countdown of the council of the Shinobi alliance is getting closer: in nine days the five great Kages of the different nations will meet. Security was also amplified around this event. Temari was in a hurry to see his two younger brothers, Kankuro and Gaara. Always protective of them, the older sister could not help but think of these two. Yes, she was eager to find her Suna no Sobaku "Suna's brotherhood". 

*********

It was around 3:40 pm when Shikamaru decided to wake up. The legendary lazyass had not been dull like this one for ages. Only a year in fact. He just then noticed how much to become a member of ANBU has changed him. Strict schedules, training, short but intense missions, or long but demanding a lot of concentration, reflection. Anyway it was what he had decided as a means of medicine: rush into work, even if it's a pain. The boy is known to be bored with everything, focusing only on simple things like cloud analysis or shogi strategies. Yet he was shinobi where the action clearly dominated laziness. The boy nonchalantly came out of his bed to join the bathroom where he took a quick shower. What would he be able to do to occupy his day?

He decided to go to the cemetery. He had not been for a long time to see the grave of his patriarch, nor that of his old sensei, Asuma. He would also visit Neji's grave. Finally he had too many people to see here. He went to the florist's - other than Ino's - before entering the cemetery. He headed for Neji's first, telling him that Hinata was happy, having managed to get Naruto's love. He also told him that he had changed jobs. He placed a lily on the grave and headed for Asuma-Sensei. The emotion was stronger than on the previous tomb. He remembered all the principles that Asuma had inculcated. The trainings, the councils, their Shogi parties together. The trust between the two. Shikamaru blamed himself for not having the time to take care of Miraï, the daughter of Asuma and Kurenai. He would spend tomorrow seeing them, he promised himself. Here again, he spoke alone in front of the engraved stone, playing with the flame of the lighter of his sensei, a fetish object from which he no longer separates. He smoked from time to time when the opportunity lent itself to it. A habit that his father did not want him to take, he had told him one evening. He also laid a lily flower and walked to his father's grave, Shikaku Nara. No words could cross the barrier of his lips, his thoughts constantly swirling. The tears flowed alone. His father was sorely missed. And all he could do for a year is to fight against mourning. Part of him had not already done it. Shikaku was gone, like a hero. Only staying now him and his mother.

About twenty minutes passed without him moving, sitting cross-legged in front of the tomb. It is the rain that comes to wake him from his spiritual wandering. He decided to put the last lily flower on his father's grave before getting up, he left after one last look. Hands in his pockets, the body soaked, the hair sticking his skin, his ponytail fell to the back of his neck. He went to the secret building of ANBU, he wanted to empty his head. Training being a good cure for that. He wishes to have exhausted all his chakra to be able to sleep all night without making a crisis of insomnia. It was odd that he slept so well last night..

*******

Temari left her office in the Hokage administrative establishment. She sighed at length, her hand weakened by many parchments to sign or write. Suna's warrior left the circular red building to go to her hotel room. Shit. It is raining. She was not really used to this climate: at her home the sun is king. She used her weapon, a giant fan, as a temporary umbrella. The distance between the headquarters of the Hokage and his hotel seemed very long, the bad weather being the cause of this observation. Finally, she saw in the distance the front of the hotel, rushing to warm up inside her room.

In her hurry, she did not feel the eyes of Shikamaru, just out of the shop open 24/24. They had not talked about the day. Should he .. Kss. He couldn't do anything anymore. If they had to talk to each other again, it was up to her to take the first step, knowing full well that she would shatter it if he tried anything. Temari was not one to go back on her decisions.

******

Shikamaru slept badly that night. Again, it is by combining sleeping pills and reading that he manages to get  five short hours of sleep. The plan for the day was to train, to help the Hokage and to see Miraï and Kurenai. A second day was quickly elapsed when he went to his little protected three year old in the late afternoon around 17 o'clock.

- "Oh, Shikamaru, it's nice to see you again! It's been a long time!

- Sorry Kurenai, I should have come more often but with the missions it is troublesome.. 

- Do not worry, we know why you joined ANBU, Asuma would be proud of you!

- Maru! Maru! "Miraï's childish voice came to cling to the shinobi's leg.

Instinctively he took the child in his arms, she had grown so much. This observation made Shikamaru suffer a little, he who had promised his sensei to keep an eye on his child. A year had passed. He regretted his behavior. For nearly two hours Shikamaru was chatting with Kurenai while playing with Mirai, a child it's boring but also fun anyway. Seeing Mirai's smile erase the legendary facepalm of the Nara.

- "I saw that Temari was there, you do not take care of her anymore?

- Huh? Uh, yes. No. Finally, it is Shino who guides Temari in the village now.

- And don't you mind?

- No. She has the right to attend other boys.

- I was not talking about that Shikamaru, excuse me .. I would not ask a question so inappropriate, I did not formulate well  maybe.. I wanted to know if your administrative work did not miss you? Shino having taken your old post .. "

Shikamaru felt very stupid. But really, really stupid. Of course Kurenai would not dare to ask that kind of question! Naruto could have totally, but Kurenai was respectful and a woman with tact. She does not interfere in the relationships of others. The Nara sighed, visibly a little spoiled by the woman. Because even if it was a discreet woman, she remained a woman with a flawless intuition. She understood that Shikamaru was hiding something ..

- "Are you no longer friends?

- We haven't really been friends .. I thought .. But now she does not want to speak to me at all.

- Shikamaru has a lover? Who is it? "Miraï asked, her red eyes shining with curiosity.

Kurenai sneered, watching the discomfort on the brown man's face. She decided it was time for him to leave. Shikamaru disheveled the girl's hair, saying no, he was totally free, and the lovers anyway, it's too much trouble, he already had his little Miraï to take care of. An answer that pleases the girl, then agreeing to let him go home.

On the way back to return to his apartment Shikamaru turn in a loop in his head. "She has the right to attend other boys." Yes, she has the right. Does she really do it? No. Temari is very very selective, in addition she is a warrior, ultra feminist, she would need a submissive and silent husband to please her. And again, no, it would not please her. What man would suit Temari? And why was he asking himself stupid questions ?! He did not want to see her with anyone Nobody could match with her. Not even him.