"I hate how you always sleep, no matter where we are."
Shikamaru shrugged, "That, woman, will never change."
"Yeah, I hate how you always say 'woman' too. 'Troublesome' as well, while we're on the topic of words."
"Anything else?"
"I hate how you're smarter than me too," Temari added after a moment's pause.
Shikamaru smirked. "That list was a lot longer than the 'like' section."
"It's because there isn't much to like about you," Temari answered in a cheerful tone.
He rolled his eyes. "I'll never know how I ended up with a girl as special as you," the young man said sarcastically.
"Guess you just got lucky," she smiled.
"Your turn," the fan wielder said as she sat up, waiting for the sunset to begin from the top of the hill.
"I suggest you start with the hates first, Nara. You might live if you end on a good note."
He chuckled. "The only good thing you've said all day."
He laid down and closed one of his eyes, the other open to make sure she wouldn't assault him if she didn't entirely agree with his opinions.
"I hate how troublesome you are in general."
Temari gave him a look that could kill, but Shikamaru had well and truly adapted to her anger through past experiences.
"Elaborate, Crybaby."
"Yeah, I hate how you call me that too."
Shikamaru decided he'd be safe to close his second eye. "You're bossy, loud, and arrogant. Also, you're too competitive for my liking, it makes it too hard to sleep that way."
She remained silent, but Shikamaru could feel a killing aura surrounding her.
"I also hate the way you look."
"What do you mean by that, idiot?" Temari scolded.
Shikamaru frowned. "As if you haven't noticed the turning of heads whenever you walk down the street. Hell, if other men didn't know you for your scary reputation, It'd be too troublesome trying to see you."
She didn't say anything for a second. "Go on," she finally replied, her tone slightly lighter.
"I hate the way you talk. In a crowd, in a group, anywhere really, I hear your voice, and I can't get it out of my head. It's as if I've become attuned to your stupid voice. Now, I can't even relax properly unless I hear you."
Shikamaru opened his eyes, but didn't look at Temari, not wanting to see her facial expression, not yet.
"I hate the way you move. Once again, it makes the guys turn their heads around at you, even me. You make me use too much effort, you know that?"
Temari shuffled closer to Shikamaru. That's when he knew he was safe.
"So in general, I just hate the way you are. You make things way too troublesome in my life."
With the sun finally beginning to set, Shikamaru felt a soft weight on his chest.
"My, those are what you hate from me, Nara? I can't wait to here what it is you like," the blonde girl said in a slightly playful tone while watching the sun disappear into the horizon.
Shikamaru kissed her head, then smirked.
"Who ever said there was anything to like?"
End.
#08 - Doors
"Alright class, since you're all so cheery today, I'll ask you a question that's going to affect your grades... Which one of you punks thought it'd be funny to write 'Mrs Nara' on Te- the Suna ambassador's hotel door?"
#09 - Drink
He blinks in surprise when she smoothly hands him her water bottle ("You never bother to pack one, lazy idiot."), and twitches when his friends' snicker behind their hands.
#16 - Flying
He knows she's pissed when she marches into his room and sends his shogi board and pieces flying with a well placed, furious kick (though why his Father is smirking at him, of all things, he has no clue).
#25 - Light
He is surprised when she doesn't object to his smoking, and then, shocked and hypocritically enraged when she asks him for a light the next day (he is so busy making up plots and reasons for her to quit the unhealthy habit, that he ends up quitting himself, if only to make sure the troublesome woman didn't kill herself).
#29 - Old
"...This fan was my mother's," she says, and he feels like he's just been given a world of secretly treasured, forbidden memories, ("...Oh.") and a universe of trust.
#35 - Roses
He knows she has her thorns, however, she's anything but a rose in his eyes- imagining Temari being all elegant and tragic and portraying true love, pfft, the contrast makes him laugh.
#42 - Strange
She laughs when he tells her (he doesn't really know why he does, he just impulsively blurts it out,) how the men in Konoha propose, and although he, illogically, feels like he should be irritated at her flippantness, his lips twitch up at the corners ("W-with a, haha, with a ring? Really?" "What did you expect, woman? A weapon?" "That's how we do it in Suna." "..With a wea-...really?" "Mmmhmm.") and he suddenly has the strongest urge to examine that bladed fan he'd glimpsed in a shop window...
#46 - War
Though he doesn't always show it, Shikamaru is terrified: terrified of making a mistake and costing someone their life, terrified of being left without a friend or comrade or family member and with another grave to visit, terrified of a certain fiery girl with far too much carelessness dying three days away from him, terrified of all the ways the world can be ruined, terrified of the sky falling down- terrified, terrified, terrified- and his father was right, he was a coward, but at the very least, he will push down his fears (and he will square his shoulders and fight his battles, and though he may not always win against every possible, frightening outcome, he will win this war against death, and even if he dies in the end, he swears that his loved ones will be breathing at his funeral, damn it all).
#47 - Water
Seeing her again after being deprived of her presence for months is like finding an oasis of water in the middle of the desert; he scrambles for the chance, prays he's not dreaming and can't get enough of it ("If I don't have you in my arms in under 10 seconds, I can't guarantee I won't grab you." "I-i-idiot! My brothers are watching!" "Don't care. Time's up." ).
#49 - Winter
While eating a hot breakfast she wonders if he is warm in Konoha, then shakes her head and forces the thought away; as she changes her clothes, she absentmindedly asks herself if he bought a new coat like she told him to- and bangs her head on her closet's door; in the office, a white, clear piece of paper is in front of her, waiting for her to write an important message, and she notes to herself that she should ask whether it was snowing in Konoha- and roughly slaps her cheeks (the pattern continues and worsens, until the Hokage receives a mildly confusing letter from the Kazekage, politely demanding that, for the sake of his sister's physical safety, she send her best strategist to Suna for a few weeks).
