KABOOM

A loud explosion sounded from his right plunging the area in brightness before obscuring it. Debris flew everywhere blinding him to his surroundings. Another explosion sounded at a little distance from him, its force causing him to lose balance and tumble to the uneven ground. He pushed himself up and tried to look around but the smoke-filled air hindered his sight. He coughed and spit out dirt that had entered his mouth. His chances of survival were decreasing rapidly and he needed to come up with a way to flee quickly.

The most strategically brilliant jōnin Konoha had to offer, Shikamaru Nara, stood in the middle of the combat zone trying to think of an efficient escape plan. He was covered in grime from head to toe and the enclosure was collapsing around him. He had zero visibility and could not make out the other forms — friend or foe — but he could hear loud grunts and roared attacks in a familiar voice close to him. That knowledge should have given him some comfort but, at that instant, Shikamaru's prime objective was to make his way to his overzealous comrade and prevent him from destroying the place before they could get out.

They had found themselves in this predicament because of an urgent joint mission between Konoha and Suna. Two teams of four ninjas belonging to both villages was dispatched earlier in the morning, and after reconnaissance, the two squads had located their target hidden in a hollow near the eastern border of the Land of Wind. Expecting minimal resistance, the team had cautiously entered the enemy's lair to locate survivors — for the undertaking was primarily a rescue mission — only to be caught in their opponent's trap. While the hideout did not have an army defending it, it was booby-trapped and guarded by a large amount of explosives. The men who were left behind were also powerful missing ninjas capable of giving the rescue team a challenging fight.

Now, less than thirty minutes after they had made contact with their adversaries, Shikamaru realized their disadvantage and moved to gather his teammates for a strategic retreat.

"NARUTO!" Shikamaru yelled over the racket of crumbling rocks and striking metal hoping to locate his friend through the blinding smog. "NARUTO STOP ATTACKING! THE CAVE IS GOING TO COLLAPSE AROUND US!"

A large gust of air hit him on the face making him wobble, but the lithe assassin managed to regain his footing. Bits of rocks hit him on the face and he used his arm to shield himself. When the air calmed, Shikamaru looked up to find the atmosphere cleared. He saw his allies scattered around and called out to them, "EVERYONE! WE ARE LEAVING! IF THE CAVE FALLS, IT'LL BE THE END FOR ALL OF US!"

Grateful that he was heard over the noise, he observed his teammates acknowledge him and prepare for escape. Suddenly, he was targeted by an opponent who displayed no intention of giving him an opening for attack. The darkness in the cave rendering his Shadow Techniques useless, Shikamaru had to resort to more conventional methods of combat making use of his diverse arsenal. He recalled the flash bomb in his bag which could give him a brief advantage allowing him to utilize his Shadow Techniques, but discarded the idea because of the cramped site. As he was contemplating the best way to overpower his foe, his target was hit with a Fireballeffectively incapacitating him. Looking towards his right, Shikamaru spied the chūnin who accompanied them on the mission.

"Thank you!" He called out.

"Nara-san! We need to evacuate quickly! The cave won't hold for long!" The chūnin called back and turned out towards the exit with the other squad members.

Shikamaru heeded the youngster's advice and called out to his remaining associates to withdraw. Before he could turn and act on his own warning, he heard simultaneous yells of Rasengan and Cyclone Scythe and witnessed the most destructive moment of the mission.

Shikamaru cursed at the senselessness of his teammates. Temari, especially, had unfolded her iron fan completely and used her Cyclone Scythe Jutsu on her challenger. The use such a devastating technique in such a confined space provided the last hit required for the cave to disintegrate completely. He saw the ceiling of the grotto fragment in to giant rocks which crashed to the base creating large tremors.

Shikamaru hurriedly glanced around. Much of his squad had escaped. Even Naruto was making his way towards the exit, avoiding the falling rocks or punching through them. Temari's situation, however, was worse. Her area had suffered the most impact of her techniques resulting in Temari losing her traction and dropping to the splitting earth. Now, she was about to be squashed under the rubble.

"TEMARI!" Shikamaru yelled.

He raced towards the Suna ninja disregarding his own safety. He agilely maneuvered the crumbling stones focusing only on reaching the blonde woman. The debris made it harder to navigate in the collapsing cave. He knew in the back of his mind that his chances of escaping alive were now next to nothing.

"SHIKAMARU! HURRY!" He heard Naruto call out as soon he arrived at Temari's general position.

The encroaching darkness made it harder to see in front of him. He reached out his hand trying to locate Temari. His hand met warm flesh and he immediately pulled it close holding it firmly. Transferring maximum chakra to his feet, he kicked hard, launching himself and his burden towards the gradually disappearing light which indicated the exit, hoping — praying — to make it on time.

Sitting in a cave so soon after their earlier episode made Shikamaru anxious. Yet, his exhaustion and the after-effects of diffusing adrenaline made it hard for him to leave his spot. So he leaned back against the wall giving his body its much deserved rest.

The two four-men-cells had — thankfully — made it out alive without any life-threatening injuries. At the moment, they were taking shelter in a small cavern not far from the enemy hideout with Naruto and Hinata guarding the entrance. One chūnin tended to the fire and prepared food for the squads while two others helped the injured.

Shikamaru sat against the grotto's wall watching Temari through half-lidded eyes. To his relief, her injuries were just cuts and bruises with the exception of a large wound on her forehead which was now covered with a bandage. He thought back to the events of the day and recalling Temari helpless under the wreckage left him breathless. He had witnessed death before and the war had played a big part in it, yet seeing Temari about to be trampled filled him with a terror far worse than he had ever experienced. At that instant, his heart had frozen and the thought of not seeing her ever again left a sour taste in his mouth.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that she was safely sitting right in front of him. Her blond hair was matted with blood, her fair complexion was darkened with dirt, her black dress had turned gray, but she was alive. She was alive.

He did not have to introspect much to decipher the reason behind his heart's erratic behavior. In a moment of blinding clarity — which, according to him, was very inconveniently timed — he had realized exactly why he had rejected all his potential suitresses even though selecting one of them would have saved him much trouble and satisfied his nagging mother. He finally acknowledged that his illogical justifications for rejection and his responses to the Nara matron that it was too troublesome to think about it were just an excuse to conceal the real reason he was hesitating: the one woman he imagined sharing the rest of his life with was not among them.

Shikamaru was a man of action and now that he stopped trying to deny the obvious, he ascertained the best solution and wasted no time in its implementation.

"Temari!" He called out to the blonde Suna jōnin.

"Hmm," She indicated that she was listening.

"Marry me."

A deathly silence filled the room. As seven pair of eyes gawked at the Nara Clan Head, the only sound heard in the small cavern was the crackling of fire, rustling of paper, and the cool desert wind billowing outside in the dark night. Then a soft noise was perceived as the Kazekage's sister cleared her throat.

Temari was baffled by the sudden, unexpected expressions uttered by the Hokage's Chief Advisor. For a few moments, her brain activity ceased while she tried desperately to process the words addressed to her.

"What?" She asked blankly.

"Marry me." The lazy Konoha jōnin replied.

This time Temari had little doubt left about what was said to her. She stared hard at the inquirer. His black hair contained in the spiky pony-tail was grayed from the dust and his handsome face blackened. His black clothes and green jōnin vest were similarly dirtied, their original colors unrecognizable. Was the supposedly most intelligent man in all of Konoha asking her to marry him in a small cavern while they were covered in blood, sweat, and grime? Was the man who served as the chief strategist during the Fourth Great Ninja War asking her to share her life with him while they were surrounded by the desert sand, injured teammates, and the threat of an attack by bloodthirsty mutants?

"Are you…asking me…to…marry you?" Temari repeated idiotically, her voice a little shrill. Her brain activity was still halted and she worked hard on jump-starting it. Belatedly she realized that with her last question she had sounded as stupid — if not stupider — than the daft man she was addressing.

She heard an irritated sigh from the Nara as if he wanted to say his famous catchphrase but decided against it at the last moment. His tone, however, did not hide his annoyance when he gave a positive reply to her question.

"Is this a joke?" She countered now that her brain was functioning again, albeit not at its full capacity.

"Have I ever joked about something like this?" Shikamaru posed a query in reply.

Temari silently conceded that he did not. In fact, she mused, if she were really honest with herself, she would admit that she had never known Shikamaru to joke about anything — ever!

"Why do you suddenly want to marry me?" She inquired curiously.

Shikamaru shrugged. "It seems like the best course of action."

Temari felt her jaw drop as she angrily gaped at the Nara Clan Head. Did the lazy man weigh her against possibilities and outcomes?

"Why you — " She started her outburst before she was interrupted by the recipient.

"Aaa aaa. Just answer with a yes or no, you troublesome woman!" Shikamaru said in a lazy yet vexed tone.

Temari huffed and turned her eyes away from the obnoxious man. She wanted to reject him just for his manner of proposing. It maddened her that he had so nonchalantly put forth such an important question to her, as if he was talking about the weather rather than asking her to spend the rest of their lives together. Yet, regardless of her indignation, she knew that her reply right now will be the only answer she would be able to give to his question in her entire life.

She had felt displeasure and sadness when she found out that Shikamaru was appearing in matchmaking meetings. However, because the topic never came up between them, she shoved it in a corner of her mind. She felt that she had no right to expect anything from him. They never had a whirlwind romance like the ones she had observed many girls experience. They never even went on a single date. All they ever did was follow each other during their diplomatic missions, dine together in restaurants as diplomats are wont to do, and keep each other company whenever they did not have an official conference to attend.

Yet, through these encounters, they had developed a bond that transcended friendship and somewhere along the line the lazy Nara had managed to claim a very special place in Temari's heart. Their relationship did not meet the requirements of the fiery, passionate love affairs she had heard about, but she tentatively acknowledged that it was love — their own special romance. They shared a gentle companionship filled with mutual respect, support, and wordless comfort. If she were to select a man from among billions to share her life with, Temari was certain she would choose Shikamaru.

It was a fact that they never confessed their love to each other, but she knew that through his inconsiderate proposal, through his offhanded shrugging and pretense of indifference, the insufferable, slothful crybaby was declaring his love for her. And now she had to answer it.

Best course of action? Indeed. Putting on a mask of outrage, she haughtily returned her gaze to her beloved.

"You're asking me to marry you — "

"Are you sure there wasn't any serious damage because of her head injury?" Shikamaru interrupted her by asking the chūnin tending her wounds.

Temari glared at him. "In the middle of the desert — "

"How is the desert relevant to the question?"

" — while I'm covered in BLOOD, and we have crazy mutants chasing us?!" Temari finished infuriated.

"It's a simple reply." Shikamaru replied impassively.

The nerve of that man. She almost shrieked, "There is supposed to be a protocol to proposing! A pleasant atmosphere. A nice restaurant. Food. Flowers. A RING!"

Shikamaru started pointing. "Fire. Food — " he pointed to a far side of the cave to a strange looking plant " — we even have flowers. And these people — " he pointed to their stunned audience " — they are going to eat with us, so it will be like a restaurant. Also, the night desert is surprisingly beautiful. Nice atmosphere.

"As for the ring," he continued. "That's the only thing missing. I'll get you one once we get back. But if you insist, you can wear one of my kunai on your finger."

Temari was speechless. What? The desert has a nice atmosphere? These rations are food? Are those even flowers? What if this strange plant poisons the unfortunate person who touches it? And, what? A kunai for a ring?

"You insolent man." She screeched, infuriated by his insensitivity. "I should just —"

"Is it necessary?" Shikamaru interrupted watching her intently, his eyes indicating his seriousness and anticipation. "Is it really necessary, Temari? You just have to give a simple answer."

Temari stared back. In a way, he was right. It was not necessary. She had never cared much for social formalities. But this time, she felt differently. She was offended at his sudden way of asking her. Right now, a part of her wanted to be in a place with romantic atmosphere. She wanted a ring with the significant question as a token of the momentous occasion. She would have preferred to have been showered and dressed prettily instead of smelling like blood and sweat. Yet, more than anything, she did not want to miss this one opportunity to answer the most important question of her life.

Temari served as a vital member of Kazekage's team. She served as a chief associate of the Suna administration. She had fruitfully accomplished plenty of diplomatic missions. She knew how to choose her battles. She might not be as smart as the apathetic man in front of her, but she was a good strategist as well. So, she decided she would yield this battle and answer him. And then she would wait. After their marriage, there would be enough chances to extract her revenge.

As her last attack of her forfeited skirmish, Temari decided she too would confess in the same way the cheeky crybaby did. She turned to him, her visage coated with arrogance.

"Fine. I'll marry you. After all, you'll need someone to make sure you don't destroy your life looking at clouds!"

Shikamaru let out a breath as relief flooded him and the sporadic rhythm of his heart attempted to return to normal. For an instant, he had been seriously worried that she would reject him. When she started questioning his motives, Shikamaru wondered if, perhaps, he had mistakenly believed her to be in love with him just as he loved her. Then she started talking about restaurants and flowers, and Shikamaru felt dread fill him. They were both practical people and had shown minimal interests in such social conventions, so Temari talking about them appeared to him as a genuine problem.

Yet, now he had his answer, given to him in the trademark coarse words of the woman he loved. Ever since they first met when he was twelve, they had spent ample time together for him to decipher the meanings behind her statements. And at present, he knew they were her declaration of love.

He smirked in satisfaction and secretly rejoiced at the results. Just for the fact that she acknowledged her love for him, he decided, he would ask her to marry him again once they return. This time, there will be a fine restaurant, beautiful flowers, and a magnificent ring.

The newly engaged duo's audience were coming out of their shell-shocked states and offering them hesitant greetings while trying to process the events that had transpired before them. Naruto left his spot by the entrance and, donning a foxy grin, joined Shikmaru with an affectionate elbow to the latter's side.

"About time. Congratulations!" The blond War Hero said cheerfully.

Shikamaru accepted his comrade's well wishes, his smirk evolving in to a gentle smile, as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes in contentment.

"Gotta say though," Naruto said interrupting his thoughts. "I had a feeling you will choose someone like Yoshino-san. And you didn't disappoint."

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open and he gazed at Temari. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

He looked over to the blond only to find the latter silently observing him with mirthful eyes. Naruto smiled broadly as if he knew a secret Shikamaru was unaware of, patted Shikamaru on the shoulder, and resumed his position by the entrance.

The Konoha genius returned his gaze to his betrothed with Naruto's words firmly planted in his mind. He observed her intently as she talked to the chūnin beside her. After a few moments, he attributed Naruto's statement to the blond's stupidity. There was no way Temari was like his mother. His mother was bossy and nagged him about everything all the time. Temari was bossy, but she never nagged him. In fact, his and Temari's relationship was much calmer and more reciprocative than his father and mother's relationship had been. If her were to make a comparison, Ino fit his mother's description better.

Silently scoffing at the blond's analogy, Shikamaru closed his eyes for some much needed rest. Early morning tomorrow, they would head back to Suna from where they would depart to Konoha with the information they had gathered on their operation. They already had injured associates on their team and it would be bad if the non-injured members acted lethargically.

With the key events of the day replaying in his mind, Shikamaru fell in to a slumber, deep enough to rejuvenate the tired ninja, yet light enough to let him spring in to action should the enemy come calling.

THE END