Summary: Who believes that Friday the thirteenth brings misfortune? For the Konoha kunoichis it brings opportunities. OOC. Implied TemariXShikamaru, TentenXNeji

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto

Banana: A Sort of Friday the 13th Story

"Hey, Temari had you ever had a Friday the 13th like experience?" asked Ino.

"Why'd you ask?" Temari looked at Ino and frowned. She actually remembered the time she was on her way to Suna when her teacup just cracked and then she received that awful message from Kakashi's team that both her brothers were in danger.

"Well, Tenten over here claimed that yesterday she was so unusually clumsy she fell because of a banana peal that was thrown on the ground," Sakura replied.

"Yeah, yesterday was the 13th and its Friday," Ino added. "No wonder Tenten fell."

"So what happened after you fell?" Temari asked Tenten directly.

"Nothing," Tenten answered. Three pairs of questioning eyes stared at her. The way she said nothing had made it seem like there was something. Sakura and Ino were smiling as if they had an idea what that something could be.

"Come on. Give!" from Ino.

"Yeah," from Sakura.

Temari just shrugged.

"Neji was able to break my fall. He was just suddenly there and before I hit the ground, he sort of wrapped his right arm around my waist and caught me just in time," Tenten said with her ears a bit red.

"Tch, why would a kunoichi like you slip just because of a banana peal in the first place?" Temari asked. For Temari, she would rather hit the ground than be grabbed by someone else. That would be more embarrassing.

"Well, I think it's sweet," Ino blurted out with a giggle, claspping her hands together.

"So what did you feel when Neji was sort of holding you?" Sakura questioned, trying to hold in check her brimming curiosity.

Tenten smiled mysteriously. "Well, it wa—"

"Well, she felt embarrassed, of course! You guys, no need to rub it in that Tenten was clumsy. You said it yourself it was Friday the thirteenth," Temari barked at Sakura and Ino, sounding exasperated. Honestly, Temari didn't know why she felt sorry towards Tenten. If Tenten practiced her Taijutsu more, she probably wouldn't just fall and lost her balance just because of something as insignificant as a banana.

Tenten, Sakura and Ino all looked at Temari as if Temari just said something shocking.

"What?" Temari asked perplexed.

The three girls then just ignored her.

"So?" Sakura inquired calmly, but still appeared ready to break into a huge grin.

Tenten gave a giggly laugh. "It was pretty exhilarating!"

"Whaaat?" boomed Temari. If she was perplexed a while back, now, she was dumbfounded. Are Konoha kunoichis' okay with being saved all the time? Where is their pride?

The three girls continued to ignore her.

"Then what?" exclaimed by Ino; excitement written all over her face.

"Well, Neji if you could imagine, he sort of turned pink then—"

"Neji blushed? Why the hell would he blush? Neji is a man. He doesn…" Temari was cut off because both Ino and Sakura glared at her and with their index finger on their lips both said, "Shhhh."

"As I was saying Neji turned pink just a bit though and then we sort of stared at each other then he helped me to stand up after well clearing his throat and asking me if I was ok," Tenten chattered to Ino and Sakura and the two girls listened as if the news was the news of the century.

"Oh that was so cute," remarked Sakura, smiling.

What the hell was cute? "What the hell was cute, Sakura?" growled Temari.

Sakura glanced at Temari and laughed. "Well, do you want us to do it for you too? But it has to be on a Friday the 13th otherwise the boy of your choosing would be suspicious." Sakura was obviously thinking ahead already. "Its ok next month, the 13th falls on a Friday again."

"Yeah, that's a good suggestion. Maybe we could also help Temari and I-know-who to get closer." Ino beamed.

"Wait, guys, what the hell are you talking about?" Temari looked mad enough to hurt Ino and/or Sakura but the two didn't seem to care.

"Oh you know who?" Sakura asked Ino. Temari was again ignored.

"I didn't know that you are close enough to Temari to know that? Did Kankuro tell you?" Tenten also turned her attention to Ino, addressing just her.

"Na-ah," Ino said smiling naughtily at the two.

Temari glared at the three Konoha kunoichis. What the hell are they talking about?

"Come on tell us," Tenten demanded.

"Well, Temari could I tell them?" Ino batted her lashes, prettily, at Temari.

"Tell them what?" Temari glowered at Ino.

"Sorry, Ten. If I tell you and Sakura, I will definitely be dead," Ino solemnly stated.

Temari had finally lost her patience with the three. "Ok, I'm going ahead first," she hissed as she prepared to leave. She opted to jump from Sakura's room window to the next building's roof instead of using the door.

-o0o-o0o-o0o-

Temari jumped from roof to roof. It was faster to travel that way. She was on the ledge preparing to leap to the next roof when she slipped. She noticed too late that somebody left a banana peal on the already steep and slippery ledge. It was a good thing something broke her fall. It was 3 floors high afterall.

"Get off me you, troublesome woman!" groaned Shikamaru from underneath.

"Oh," Temari gasped, still winded. She was sprawled on top of Shikamaru's chest.

"I said get off me, woman!" Shikamaru's hands went around Temari's waist to move her to his side.

Temari felt Shikamaru's hands holding her around the waist—almost like an embrace. She became rigid and tense.

After Temari was moved towards Shikamaru's left side, Shikamaru's hands immediately retracted from around her. With his now freed hands, Shikamaru pushed himself to a sitting position.

Temari remained prone on Shikamaru's side for few quiet, awkward seconds before she hastily stood up and spluttered, "I didn't do it on purpose! It was the banana and the roof was already slippery and tilted and..."

Shikamaru remained seated there on the ground and stared up at Temari dispassionately. Then he shrugged and rose himself. Shikamaru just calmly cleaned the seat of his pants, the back of his pant legs and the back of his vest with his hands.

Temari was blushing a bright red as she explained, "Unlike Tenten who as I understand it did it on purpose I really didn't. It was an accident and you could check the roof if you want."

Shikamaru was done removing the dirt from his vest and pants; he now glanced at Temari and noticed that she was glaring at him. "What?" Shikamaru asked.

"I didn't know you were down here. How the hell would I know you were here?" Temari defended herself.

Shikamaru placed his right pinkie inside his right ear, rotating it. "You're too loud woman. Alright you didn't do it on purpose." Shikamaru rolled both shoulders before turning and starting to walk away.

Temari was dismayed."That's it?" Temari addressed Shikamaru's back.

Shikamaru pivoted around, slowly. "Tch, was there going to be something else?" Shikamaru asked in a bored voice.

Temari stared at Shikamaru, watching him and trying to read his expression. "Tenten said Neji turned pink at least...And that's Neji!"

Shikamaru drawled, uninterested. "So Neji blushed? Well, that's a big deal. So is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"Nothing! Just don't tell this to anyone especially not to Ino. Ino would definitely tell Sakura and Sakura would probably tell Tenten." Temari glowered threateningly.

Shikamaru shrugged again and was about to turn when...

"You, you didn't feel anything did you?" Temari asked.

"When you fell and crashed on me?"

"No after that."

Shikamaru scratched his head. "Well..."

"Well, what?" Temari waited for Shikamaru's answer. Honestly, the boy seemed to take more time in answering this one.

"Well, now that you mentioned it—" Shikamaru paused, "—my butt felt like it was smashed and my back felt like it snapped. Really woman, you're so damn heavy!"

Temari blinked. She could not decide if she should just hit Shikamaru or strangle him. In the end, she did both.

Epilogue

"What happened to you?" Ino asked the limping Shikamaru.

"Temari fell on me from a building," Shikamaru answered.

"When?" Ino inquired with a frown.

"Yesterday."

"Ah," Ino breathed, seeming to discover something.

"What?" Shikamaru raised a brow.

"I bet she fell because of a banana and you we're just... just standing there," declared Ino, straight faced.

"How did you know?"

Ino just giggled.

—o0o—

A/N: Feb 13 and March 13, 2009 both happened on a Friday in my country.

Please R & R.

11-3-10, 1/20/11

~4/24/12AF~