-1Chapter One: Far too long…
The clouds had stripped their plain white colors for the dying sun, which was setting over the hill tops. They moved slowly overhead carefree and beautifully. Lying on the hill was a spiky pony tailed Shikamaru, he laid back with his arms crossed behind him and his eyes stared up toward the sky. He went to the hill to keep his mind free and empty from all the "troublesome" errands that Tsunade had made him do that day.
"Shikamaru!!! Go fetch Kakashi for me!"
"Shikamaru!!! Where the hell is my food?!"
"Shikamaru!!! Go get my laundry!"
"Shikamaru!!! Stop cheating!!! That piece wasn't there earlier!"
Shikamaru sighed and focused his eyes back up to the sky and saw a golden cloud float elegantly over him. It looked so close he could almost touch it with his fingertips. His mind was clear and he didn't a have a thought going through his mind, until the beautiful golden cloud began to take form of a person. Four spiky pigtails formed first and then the shape of a chin, a jaw, and beautiful eyes appeared as well. It took a moment for Shikamaru to finally catch himself and his wandering mind.
He closed his heavy eyes and chuckled to himself. "Its not as good as the real thing." He said aloud to himself smiling.
"What isn't?" A harsh scratchy voice threw Shikamaru off guard and made him jump from his short lived slumber. His eyes gazed upon a confused and intrusive Naruto.
"Naruto!!! Don't ever sneak up on me like that again!" Shikamaru shouted as he waved his arms around and turned slightly tomato red in the face.
"Hey, hey take it easy. I'm sorry to startle ya." Naruto smiled. "I was ordered to fetch you from Granny Tsunade." He said scratching the back of his head.
"Troublesome." He turned to look back up at the golden cloud but only to see it shift and disappear, Shikamaru sighed and dragged himself up the hill along side Naruto.
Shikamaru made it to a tall flight of stairs that led to Tsunade's office. He took one step at a time and thought of the person the cloud began to portray. It had been at least 5 months since he had last seen the terrifying beauty. He almost missed the term "Mr. Crybaby."
Shikamaru made to the top of the stairs and didn't even have to open the doors, for a worried and quick talking Shizune burst through the doors at the sight of him. "YOU'RE SO LATE SHIKAMARU!!!!! Hurry up! She's going on a rampage!!" Shizune grabbed his forearm and pulled (almost dragging) Shikamaru down a long white hallway. She took Shikamaru and tossed him into the room. "He's here!!" She called to Tsunade. Shikamaru barely landed on his feet but caught himself on Tsunade's desk.
"You're late!!!" She shouted. "I knew I shouldn't have sent Naruto after you…his mind wanders way too much."
"Man…this is troublesome." As Tsunade continued rambling Shikamaru started to collect himself…not even paying attention to her.
"Temari…" The name slipped from her red lips and immediately caught the sluggish boy's attention. His head and eyes jerked up to met Tsunade's face. She leaned in the chair with her hand on her chin, a sly smile spread across her face. She knew she had gotten his attention. "I need you to escort her from Suna to Konoha. I tried to get someone else to take the job…but she specifically asked for you." Tsunade's sly smile and shifty eyes got wider. Shikamaru's expression was if it was a burden asking him to do such a thing. However, deep down he was smiling.
Shikamaru walked out the Fifth's office as if it was nothing. He rested his head in his arms as walked home.
"HEY!!!!!!!! SHIKAMARU!!!!" That same raspy loud voice pierced Shikamaru's ears like a bullet. Startled and irritated Shikamaru turned quickly around to give Naruto a powerful punch to the face. Naruto flew backwards and slid across the ground.
"I told you never to do that NARUTO!!" Shikamaru shouted with his face again turning bright red. Naruto chuckled out loud before gathering himself and standing back up.
"So what did granny Tsunade want?" asked Naruto walking along side Shikamaru.
"What is it to you?" replied Shikamaru stopping.
"Well I want to know…she did yell at me and was like turning red in the face and acting a little strange…more strange than usual, and more mean."
"I need to escort Temari of the Sand to Konoha." Shikamaru didn't reveal it to Naruto but he had a slight smile spread across his face.
"Oh!…hmmm? Do you love her?" Asked Naruto stepping in front of him.
"What?!" Shikamaru didn't know how to answer that question, "What makes you think that?" Shikamaru began to pick up speed .
"Well…she's always requesting you to go get her. Not anyone else…and you always seem to take them without hesitation." Naruto got this sparkle in his crystal blue eyes as if he knew he unveiled Shikamaru's little secret.
"Whatever man, it's a total drag she constantly bickers and whines about everything. I would gladly give the job to someone else…but you know…you can't upset the Kazekage's sister."
"Yeah, that's true. Well tell Gaara I said Hi! Later Shikamaru." Naruto waved goodbye as he left Shikamaru's side.
Standing in front of the mirror a young blonde woman fixed herself over and over again…perfecting herself so that everything was just right. A unpainted Kankuro appeared from his room, wiping away the sleep form his eyes.
"T-Temari??" He looked over to see the young sand ninja fixing herself in the mirror. She turned to him with blushed cheeks.
"What? What is it?" Kankuro blinked twice and shook his head and shrugged his shoulders and walked into the next room.
She continued to fix and re-fix herself in the mirror. She even tried changing her normal four ponytails to two, then she pulled it all back, then she let it hang in her face. She brushed it wildly to give it lift. Believing she was happy with her look she struck a pose…but didn't think it went along with her "smart-ass" smile. She sighed loudly in frustration and pulled back her hair again.
"What are you doing up so early?" Kankuro again interrupted her with a rice ball in his mouth.
"I have to leave to Konoha today. I have to send those documents to the fifth for Gaara." She said turning away from the mirror.
"Then way get so primped and pretty? You're just gonna sweat it off on the way there." He said stuffing his face again.
"…Well…because…Uh…" She stammered as she was about to come up with an excuse to why she was getting ready.
"Miss Temari. Your escort is here." Said a guard from outside their room. Saving Temari an explanation
"I'll be out in minute." She called back with a excited look in her eye.
"Miss Temari, The Kazekage would like to have a word with you before you go." Said the guard.
"Hmm…I get it. Its that shadow kid isn't it?" Kankuro's smile was wide and sly.
"What? No. I always put on my makeup. Duh!" She said in her defense.
"Not that much." Kankuro said with a chuckle in his words and a bounce in his step.
Temari didn't have time to put him in his place. She again turned back to the mirror to check herself once more. Once ready she walked out the room and into a tan painted hallway. Sitting at the end of the hall was a concentrating Shikamaru. His fingertips and thumbs touched and caused an opened hole to form in between his hands. The squeak of the hinge on the door broke the silence he sat in alone. His eyes opened and shifted all the way down the hall to see smiling Temari.
"Hey Mr. Crybaby." Her voice echoed through the room. Shikamaru caught her contagious smile and let his voice echo back.
"It's been a while since I heard that." She walked down the tan hallway to get a better view of him. Shikamaru stood up to greet her till another loud squeaking sound stopped Temari in her tracks. Shikamaru saw her eyes shift behind him and her jaw tense up. He too turned around to see Gaara.
"Gaara. Goodmor…" Temari began.
"What took you so long?" Asked Gaara, his face expressionless.
"I was getting ready, I'm sorry Gaara." Temari apologized.
"Never mind, I need to speak to you." His voice seemed to be more calm and less malicious than before.
As he held the door opened for his sister, his eyes quickly shifted over to a standing Shikamaru. Shikamaru stared back and then looked away, then again looked back. Gaara's dark ringed eyes squinted a little as he shut the door slowly, almost fading back into the dark room. The Nara kid sat back down his heart racing a bit.
20 minutes passed and Temari reappeared from the room with Gaara behind her. Shikamaru again stood up and saw a slight smile on Temari's face that Gaara could not see as she walked passed him. He turned to Gaara and nodded to him. Gaara once again squinted his eyes at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru collected his nod quickly and spun around walking after Temari, he could feel Gaara's eyes still staring heavily on his back. Shikamaru and Temari went through a third door that led to spiraling white metal stairs. A small window let hot desert wind fill the white painted stairwell. Shikamaru was the last to enter the stairwell, he closed the wooden door and quickly turned to Temari with a seductive smile. She carried on her back her oversized fan and a backpack filled with the important documents for the fifth.
She hastily pulled the backpack straps from off her shoulders, causing it to crash to the ground with a heavy "THUD". She quickly lunged forward having Shikamaru wrap his arms around her. Their lips collided willingly, and their eyes closed. Shikamaru's big hands wandered from the top of her back, down to the small of her back. Temari rubbed her thumbs against his jaw line and his then up to his cheeks, as her long fingers combed through his dark brown hair. Their lips pushed together and then pulled back, then repeated slowly. As if to keep her lips from parting his Shikamaru softly bit Temari's lower lip and pulled her closer to him. His hands began to wander a little more, farther down her backside, and then to her netted leggings. As he felt on the soft netting his hands began to become curious and slid slowly up her soft thigh.
Temari giggled and drew back from his soft tender lips but stayed tangled in his arms.
"Ok Crybaby, That's enough…for now." She said with a giggle in her words. Shikamaru opened his eyes and leaned his head against the wall, he paused for a moment and stared into her green beauties. She stared back and to break the awkward silence she stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. Shikamaru let out a small chuckle.
Her eyes turned serious once again and her eyes wandered across his face and noticed a small difference in him. He didn't say it, but he could see that there was also a difference in her. She brought her eyes back to his and again rubbed his cheeks softly with her thumbs.
"Its been too long." She said with a sadden smile.
"Far too long." He replied.
TO BE CONTINUED…