I have a bunch of crux_australis' yaoi CDs with me. I just figured out the basic formula for yaoi one-shots: boy meets boy, boy has sex with boy. Amazing. @__@ After this I'll bee needing a huge amount of shoujo cheese to make up for the ghei smut. ^^;

Oi, crux_australis, I'm coming over next Wednesday, right? XD

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TEH PAIRING MEME: Nara Shikamaru x Sabaku no Temari (Naruto)
[Note that most of the answers are not necessarily canon and would just be how I view things.]

01. Please state your name.
aoimidori

02. How did you get into this pairing?
I first saw it during the Chuunin exams, during their first match against each other. I tried looking for fanstuff, to no avail. I gushed over the chapters where Temari saved Shikamaru from Tayuya, and by the time they appeared together, all grown up, after the time jump in chapter 247 I was very much into them ~ ♥

03. How long have you been shipping them?
More or less a year now. :D

04. Are they your OTP?
They're most definitely my Naruto OTP. And they're right there around the top of my OTP list. XD

05. What is your ideal [ShikaTem]?
I'm perfectly fine the way they are in canon -- always bickering but with some sort of mutual respect.

06. What is their appeal?
The fact that Shikamaru finds bossy and assertive women troublesome, only to have him end up with someone like that. ;)

07. If you had to choose, which character in the pairing do you like better?
Ah. This is hard. Shikamaru is my little beloved lazy Leaf nin, but Temari is my girlcrush. But if I absolutely had to choose, I'd say Shikamaru. By a super small margin.

08. Why?
Because I've loved his character far longer than I've admired Temari.

09. In your opinion, what kind of person is [Nara Shikamaru]?
In some ways, he's like me, an underachiever. He can accomplish so many things, what with his IQ of 200, its just that he chooses not to be troubled enough to even try. But he's a very loyal friend and he would certainly come through for you when it really counts.

10. In your opinion, what kind of person is [Temari]?
She's loud and brash and fairly opinionated. Not to mention pretty sure of her abilities. In the end though, like everyone else, she has her insecurities. She can be merciless but she also knows how to feel for others.

11. What's [Shikamaru's] view on love/romance?
He originally thinks its troublesome, like the way he views everything else. Pft. :p Sure he wanted to eventually settle down but he never really believed in things like great love and romance. Although of course, eventually, he reluctantly gives in and realizes that his father was right all along: Even the toughest woman is gentle with the man she loves. [Haha, this sightly canon concept is SO USED UP. o_o]

12. What's [Temari's] view on love/romance?
She's not completely averse to it. She likes boys, for sure and would not mind falling in love. She doesn't know how to show it though, once she finally did. So basically, she feels a bit awkward about love and romance. XP

13. How did the two of them meet?
Like everybody doesn't know yet, since this part is pretty canon. ^^; Chuunin exams. They were in a match against each other where Temari underestimated Shikamaru, who eventually ended up outwitting her, only to give up in the end. Hee.

14. Have either confessed feelings to the other? If so, who did it first?
I swing both ways in my fics. Sometimes, usually because its too troublesome, Temari makes the first move. But I've done lots of scenarios where Shikamaru acts first because he's gotten pretty fed up of the usual banter. In my ideal, yes, they both already know of the other's feelings, but without any grand confessions. ^^

15. Do the people around them know about their relationship?
Yes. At least the people closest to them do. They don't exactly go around announcing their relationship, but they don't go the extra mile trying to keep it a secret.

16. What does [Shikamaru] think about [Temari]?
As usual, he was just another troublesome (let's count the number of times I use this word in this questionnaire now, eh? :p) girl so he doesn't think much of her. He gains a sort of respect for her after she saves him from Tayuya (in chapter 214) though and everything else after that is history. He also finds her extremely pretty, especially when she smiles. XD

17. What does [Temari] think about [Shikamaru]?
She first pegs him as an oddball and is insulted when he gives up while he was winning in their match. She respects his IQ though and knows that he is a far better tactician than she will ever be. He amuses her and she likes finding out new things about him.

18. And what do the people around them think of them?
Some people think they're an odd couple, but the people who know them best see just how well they complement each other.

19. What do Shikamaru and Temari think about their relationship?
There are times when they take it for granted, like when they are together. But ultimately, they value it, especially when they can't be together -- its a long-distance relationship after all, try hard as they may to visit each other often.

20. Who's the more supportive of the two?
There's no more or less in this relationship. They are equals and they like it that way.

21. Who's the more easy going?
Shikamaru, D'OH. XD

22. Have they made any promises to each other? If so, what's the nature of the promise?
Hm. Not to each other, but in my ideal they have a silent promise not to get too attached or emotional or romantic. And they promise to themselves not to think too much about the futures. They're ninjas after all, plus its not the easiest trying to maintain a long distance relationship. And seeing as they're both strong-headed characters, neither is ready to just pack up and move to his/her partner's village.

23. Do you think they've kept the promise?
No, not entirely, because no matter how hard they try to deny it, they're already pretty attached to each other.

24. How far have they gone?
All the way. XD

25. Who is the more proactive one?
Temari!!! Although in my mind, Temari just acts as the dominant one in public, but in bed, Shikamaru is just as 'proactive' hee ~ ♥

26. Who or what interferes with their relationship?
If it isn't obvious enough -- THE FACT THAT THEY'RE FROM TWO DIFFERENT VILLAGES. Two villages with, IMHO, a pretty shaky alliance at that. ^^;

27. If they were to go out, where do they go?
Anywhere'd be good, neither of them are rally picky anyway.

28. If they're meeting up at a location, where would that be?
Konoha Gates. XD

29. Do they arrive on time?
Always.

30. How will they be dressed?
They don't really bother dressing up extraordinarily for each other, but Temari always (unconsciously) spends a few extra minutes in front of the mirror everytime they have a meeting.

31. Have they visited each other's houses?
Temari has definitely visited Shikamaru's. She gets along perfectly with his mother. Afufufu~

32. If they do, what do they do there?
Hang around. Like I said, Shikamaru's mother loves Temari. She also loves embarrassing Shikamaru in front of her. XD

33. Do you think they do things for each other's birthdays?
Nothing grand because Shikamaru's thinks grand gestures are troublesome but he always gives her something nice on her birthdays. On the other hand, she's always always in town [Konoha] on his birthdays.

34. If they exchange gifts, who gives it, and what do they give?
They're not really the gift giving sort. I think?

35. Do they hold hands?
Yes. XD *cough*chapter247theywereSOholdinghandsbeforesakurandnarutoarrived*cough* Alhough they found it a bit awkward at first. :p

36. If you answered yes, which one of them initiates it? If you answered no, why not?
The first time around it was Temari. Eventually they just started doing it unconsciously.

37. Do they fight?
Yes, of course. They're always bickering, that's the type of couple they are. They just love snarking at each other. :p

38. If yes, what do they fight over?
Random stuff. Usually the fact that Shikamaru finds everything so troublesome.

39. How do they make up?
They don't. They never have serious fights anyway. Their time together is too precious to spend seriously fighting over something petty.

40. If they were to go on a first date, how will it go?
Smoothly. Because they wouldn't consciously try to act to differently.

41. If there was one situation you'd like to see this pairing in, what would it be?
I'd like to see Shikamaru get jealous of someone, just so we can see how flustered and out of character he can get when it comes to Temari. XD

42. Have you ever written or drawn this pairing before?
ShikaTem made me write fanfiction again. :D

43. Do you have friends who like this pairing?
Of course! I know for a act that most of you guys, while they aren't exactly your OTP, are pretty supportive of these 2. :D

44. Do people know you like this pairing?
YES OF COURSE. I'm the biggest Shikamaru/Temari fan you'll meet ~ ♥

45. What do people around you think of that?
They think I'm a deranged fangirl, LOL~

46. Is this a major or minor pairing?
MAJOR!!!!! LOL. Actually, nah, they're just a minor pair. There aren't really any totally major pairs in Naruto just yet anyway. Except for maybe Sasuke/Naruto, harhar. :p

47. What's your image of this pairing?
Opposites attract. Mutual respect.

48. Do they have an image song?
Morikubo Shoutarou & Paku Romi - Voice For You I wish. ^^;

49. Have either of them appeared in your dreams before? If so what kind of dream was it?
I think they did. I can't be so sure anymore though. Geez. I'm such a ShikaTem geek, haha. :p

50. Good job! Any last thoughts?
Yay! The Silver Pair is to come next. Or maybe Shin/Yankumi. I can't decide!!!! :p

Being the fandom OTP hor I am, I'm so doing this pair meme for all my OTPs. Whee~