So, here's my first fanfic, hope it's not too bad... I'd love feedback.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in the story.
There they are, the top two candidates for sixth Hokage.
Naruto, shirtless, a solo cup of keg beer in hand, screaming into the crowd.
Sasuke, fully clothed, drinking water, gazing into space.
So different, but so alike.
Temari stands up, tired of sitting alone while her friends dance, yet still not wanting to dance herself. She sweeps the room from the keg, solo cup in hand she
heads towards her target. The spiky brown hair is ever noticeable, even in the dark room. He looks up, noticing as she approaches.
"This'll be an interesting night," he thinks to himself, he's wasn't expecting her tonight.
"Nara," she says cooly, her tone is unreadable.
"Princess," he replies, teasing her, he knows she hates it.
"Ok, brainiac, what's new?"
He tenses up, she of course knows his weakness.
"I told you not to call me that, Jesus!" Anger sparks out of the typically apathetic Shikamaru.
"Sorry, Nara." She doesn't want to argue with her only sane friend while she's stuck in Konoha.
"It's fine. Nothing is new, Naruto still uses me as his DD, and Sasuke still follows us home anyway. What's new with the sand?" he says it in a way that makes it seem like he doesn't care.
"Not much," she responds, equally as apathetic, "just in for the week on business. There's not much business to be done though, mainly just waiting."
The old routine sets in again. He asks her to go on a date with him the next day, she laughs. This is their favorite joke. Temari remembers the first time he asked, he awkwardly laughed, then she cracked up; she knew he couldn't really be asking her out, that was so not Nara. She said yes after her outbreak of laughter which forced his laughter. The whole ordeal ended with the two of them cackling on the ground with tears in their eyes. It was obviously a joke.
Temari wanders away to find TenTen and Hinata sitting on an old red couch, bidding Shikamaru goodbye she approaches her friends. A few solo cups later she decides to join her friends on the dance floor: after an hour or so the party starts to cool down and people start leaving. Temari feels disoriented and realizes that the girls have all left, she starts heading to the door. As she approaches the door she runs into Shikamaru who's dragging a senseless Naruto along with him, Sasuke is following them at a slight distance to evade Naruto's flailing limbs. She decides to join the guys and walk towards her hotel with them.
Walking along the chilly abandoned streets Temari fights off a shiver. Naruto has finally either given up on arguing with Shikamaru or lost the energy to continue; Shikamaru leads him to Sasuke and pushes them towards Sasuke's house.
"He's Sasuke's problem now," Shikamaru thinks to himself, this is not an unusual outcome for a night of partying.
"Hey Princess," he calls out to Temari, who is twenty or so paces ahead by now, "where are you going?"
"Muh 'otel," she mumbles poorly as she turns to face him.
"Which one?" Shikamaru asks back.
"Um, 'm not r-r-really surrreee."
"Smooooooth," he replies sarcastically, "wanna crash at my house?"
"Mmmmm, I guess," she states quietly.
Shikamaru catches up to her and offers her a piggy back ride, under normal circumstances she'd blow him off but her feet ache and her legs were wobbly. She latches onto his back and they're off. Shortly after they arrive at Shikamaru's apartment, he struggles to unlock the door while supporting her weight, but alas is successful. He places her under his covers and goes to lock the door then climbs onto the couch. He closes his eyes and is asleep within minutes.
Abruptly he awakens to the burning sunlight streaming through his window, it's morning. He gets up, realizing that he's still in his clothes from last night and that there's a sleeping Temari in his bed. He quietly maneuvers himself around the bed and to his dresser: grabbing a pair of shorts and a plain tee shirt he turns away from the bed and quickly attempts to change.
Temari slowly opens her eyes, and subconsciously smiles slightly at the sight of Shikamaru's toned back and legs. Suddenly her face bursts into a fiery blush as she realizes that he's only in his boxers. She quickly turns her body and sits up, alerting Shikamaru to her now-conscious state. He pulls on his shorts with lightning speed and turns towards her, a blush now adorning his cheeks as well.
"Urg, um, sorry I thought you were still asleep," he quickly spouts.
"No, it's okay… I, um, just woke up," Temari stammers.
"Uh, ok… want any breakfast?" he asks, as he pulls his shirt over his head.
"Sure, whatcha got?" Both of their blushes finally fading as they get back into the usual flow of things.
Shikamaru approaches his kitchen opening a few cabinets, "I've got cereal and more cereal," he says somewhat apologetically.
"That's cool with me," she retorts.
They sit on his couch and eat the cereal. They both sit cross-legged facing each other. His TV is broken so they're surrounded by a not too awkward silence, when Temari decides to break it. She carefully scoots so that their knees are almost touching.
"So… why'd you, uh, offer for me to sleep here, I mean I could've showed up to one of the girl's houses or something."
"I guess I just didn't see why you should have to walk that far in the state you were in. Plus we're friends and all, yeah?" a slight blush flashes across his face, and she can tell that there's more to it.
"And that's it, that's all there is to it?" she tests him.
"Well, um," he debates what to say next, worried about what will happen if he tells her the truth, "Why do you always assume I'm joking when I ask you out?"
"What? Aren't you? I thought girls were too troublesome," she shoots back. Suddenly she nearly explodes, "SHIKAMARU DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON ME?!"
"What, don't be stupid," he sighs inwardly, apparently she doesn't feel the same.
"Oh," her voice drops a bit as she tries to hide her slight blush.
"Wait, do you like me?" Shikamaru asks in disbelief, the typically fearless and strong Temariis hiding her face like a young girl.
"Maybe," Temari replies quietly.
"I kind of, might, like you," he states simply.
"Oh, wow. I always just thought girls were too troublesome for you,"
"I could probably make an exception," he jokes, "So, will you?"
"Will I what?" she asks.
"Go out with me," he says in all seriousness.
As per usual her reply is "Yes" but this time there's no laughter involved.
