12/15/09
I'll start dating each chapter/edit so that people know when I'm talking about, just in case something hasn't come out in the manga/anime yet. ^^
This is just a random collection of Shipping Ficlets between Naruto characters. Some of them will be in the same universe, but I'll deviate depending on my mood.
–Blue
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Speaking Without Words
Chapter 1: ShikaTema
by Rachel Poulson
––––––––––
Temari crossed her fingers and walked into the Dean's office, her black shoes tapping on the linoleum. I do not deserve to be suspended; I do not deserve to be suspended, she chanted silently. Quickly, she shut the door, stealing a glance around the room.
There was only one other occupant, a dark haired boy named Shikamaru. Temari's eyes narrowed in distaste as she momentarily forgot her anxiety.
She marched up and propped a hand on one hip. "What are you doing, Nara?"
He didn't bother to glance away from the window. "Watching clouds go by."
His barely audible reply soothed Temari slightly. Slacker he may be, but troublemaker he was not. The lazy know–it–all had been unwittingly annoying since she entered high school. She didn't talk to him outside of class; they rarely spoke unless assigned to a group project. The boy was two years younger than her and still managed to get significantly better scores on his exams. He deigned to talk only when the conversation was interesting and deemed everything else as 'troublesome.' Temari had been slightly miffed when it was clear that he was barely even aware of her. Everyone knew her. She was the Sabaku family's heir and the elder sister of Sabaku no Gaara, terror of the local Juvenile Correctional Facility. If he couldn't get off his high horse to sneak a look at her once in a while, she wouldn't be any more than civil to him.
Temari felt the urge to grind her teeth at his presence. Just being smart didn't give him license to talk down to people. But she couldn't fault him there; his work habits were impeccable. She was sure he'd be pleasant if she made the effort to be nice to him, but he had never really caught her attention before. Now that she noticed him, she realized that he was probably a better person than she gave him credit for.
Crossing the room, she put her teacher's note into the little box marked 'In' on the office secretary's desk. The woman barely spared a glance for her, typing and occasionally pushing her glasses further up on her nose.
Temari smirked. Setting down her book bag, she slid sideways into a seat and picked out a magazine from the rack. It was just her luck. Though the magazine was an issue of Vogue, it was from three years ago. No one in their private school had any taste or, for that matter, any common sense. She settled for straightening the white blouse and uniform green skirt she wore while checking her makeup in a mirror.
"Sabaku no Temari."
The blonde girl glanced at the open door and kindly smiling eyes. Crap. So the Dean was expecting her. She left her bag on the desk, knowing she could just pick it up when she was done.
The Dean gave her a lecture on etiquette, reminding her that it was against the school's policy to harm other students. She was reprimanded for taking school property and using it to commit violent acts. When she tried to explain her actions, he held up a hand.
"Temari, you are a bright girl. You have almost spotless grades, a kind personality, many friends; do not throw that away on stupidity. If you wish to continue here, you must learn to control your temper. The only reason I am not suspending you now is out of respect for your estimable father, and because this is your first offense. Please take my words to heart. You may spend the remainder of your P.E. period in the waiting room. You are dismissed."
For such a softly spoken man, the Dean could sure push her buttons. Temari ground her teeth over the Dean's blatant reverence of her father, but saved her rage for another time. She strode out of the room, sitting down and ripping open the flap on her book bag.
About halfway through digging for her iPod, she remembered school rules and realized she was acting like a brat. She set her bag back down with a sigh and leaned back, hoping for a quick nap. It irritated her to no end that the high school insisted on using the desks with attached chair. Were people really likely to walk away with a chair or desk in their pocket? It was a disgrace to the intelligence of delinquents everywhere that they even had the ridiculous desks in the Dean's office.
After what seemed like an hour, the Dean's door cracked open again.
"Nara Shikamaru."
Temari's eyes slid to Shika's. The senior shrugged, stretched and pushed away from his chair. She thought she heard him slip in a "Troublesome" as he moved sluggishly across the room.
As the door shut again, Temari rolled her dark green eyes. Hopefully they could get this over with quickly, and she could get some carbs in her body before she fainted. No matter how much weight she wanted to lose, pizza was something she was unwilling to sacrifice. To hell with dieting when she burned nearly five–hundred calories a day at soccer practice alone.
Slumped in an uncomfortable position, she dropped off before long, only to be awakened minutes later by the click of the door.
Shika stuck his arms in his pockets as he trooped back to his seat. "What a waste of time," he muttered, "How troublesome."
Now that was odd. Even if he'd broken some sort of rule, he'd doubtless be logical about it and accept his punishment. "What's troublesome? Why are you in here?"
This time he looked her over critically, as if deciding whether or not she was worth his time. It stroked her ego somewhat that he answered.
"I'm enjoying the Dean's hospitality because I corrected one of Mr. Brian's equations."
Mr. Brian was a brilliant particle–physics professor who was hostile about his supposed pittance of a paycheck. She'd barely passed his classes last year, before she submitted her English Major. She looked at Shikamaru in disbelief. "You corrected him?"
The answer was another gusty sigh. "Look, I wouldn't exactly bother to lie about it when I'm in here. He had solved it incorrectly and I tried to tell him quietly. He got angry, sent me out and requested that the Dean change my class. Apparently I've been holding the class back since the beginning of the year. The Dean said I can stay in here until the end of school. There's only–" he glanced at his watch "–half an hour left anyway." He sighed again and looked out the window again, lacing his fingers behind his head.
Temari received this with no little indignation. "But he was wrong! Doesn't that count for something? You should reject his decision and get something out of his class."
Shikamaru regarded her pensively, interested. "But what would that solve? He would still resent my being in his class and I still need that course to qualify for my teaching credential. What about you? You wouldn't be here, asking me about this, if you hadn't done something wrong. You're not exactly Dean's office material."
She blinked and raised an eyebrow at his assessment of her and chose not to answer. She didn't have to answer, and she wasn't feeling inclined to at the moment. His arguments made sense, and it irked her that he could discuss something that could affect the rest of his life so casually. She felt like being rude. He could be confident and silent for all she cared.
He watched her for a moment, waiting for an answer, before his cellphone buzzed in his pocket. "Hello...? Oh, hey Ino..."
Temari, feigning deafness, felt a sudden and unexpected pang of jealousy. Who was Ino? The voice on the other end was obviously female, and extremely loud. Someone who held Shikamaru's attention, someone interesting, someone beautiful? It was a blow to her confidence, that someone named Pig could capture Shikamaru with relative ease while Temari was left floundering.
She propped her chin on one palm, brushing a spare lock out of her eyes with her other hand. She'd always meant to cut her bangs differently, or let them grow to the length of the rest of her hair, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her mother had worn her bangs short. For most of her life, her mother had worn the four blonde ponytails that Temari sported; around the time of her first pregnancy she'd cut it into a blunt bob. That was how Temari remembered her, laughing and holding Kankuro up as they played in the garden around their house. That was when every day had been filled with sunshine, before she'd been pregnant with Gaara, before she'd died...
"...yeah, I understand, Ino. Tell Choji I'm coming over to his house later. Thanks, bye." He snapped the phone shut and stuffed it in his pocket, clearly irritated with something. The silence was so thick that Temari almost felt afraid to breathe. They both jumped when the ten–minute bell rang, signaling that the end was near. Nevertheless, the minutes pressed by before her curiosity finally got the better of her.
"So, who was that?"
Shikamaru grimaced. "Yamanaka Ino, one of the forces of nature. She just called to say that she can't give me a ride home because her mom wants her to work tonight."
Temari didn't want to ask, but she felt compelled to. "Girlfriend?"
Nara leaned back in his chair, setting his sneakers on the desk in the next row. "Ex. She's my best friend's girlfriend."
Temari was slightly sheepish and extremely guilty about asking. "Sorry."
"It's okay. She's a great friend, but she's kind of an airhead. She just wasn't really that into me, except as an accessory. She's better with Choji."
Temari winced.
Again, the silence between them seemed to drag on, pierced only by the constant chatter of the secretary's fingers on her keyboard. What the hell was going on? It had been comfortable enough before she'd asked about the call.
So does that mean he doesn't have a ride home? She glanced at the clock on the wall. There were only a few seconds until the bell rang. This was stupid. She barely knew him; they'd spoken briefly, tersely, about a subject that didn't interest either of them. And she knew she was going to do it.
She breathed in for clarity and out for determination. "Do you need a ride home?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess..." Temari was glad he was staring at the ceiling so he couldn't see her bite her lip. She had offered. Offered. When was the last time she'd offered something like that to someone she could barely be polite to? What was wrong with her? And she was about to offer him a ride home! Had the world gone insane?
"I mean, I could drop you off, if you want." Her voice didn't shake, but it was a near thing; especially when he turned his dark eyes on her, one eyebrow quirked in surprise.
"Sure, I guess. Thanks."
He stood up, slinging his backpack over one shoulder in preparation. Temari opened her mouth to say "No problem," but the bell rang. She followed him to the door, straightening her skirt and slipping the strap of her bag over her head.
Students spilled out of the classrooms on either side of the hall. There was barely room to move. Temari shook her head, knowing that they would have no chance of finding each other in the crowd. Holding down a slight blush, she took his hand, guiding him through the halls towards the student parking lot. It was annoying, but he kept bumping into her since he was taller. Do guys have to have every advantage? He's two years younger, damn it!
Their clasped hands got much more acquainted than she'd originally bargained for, and by the time they reached the exit, she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from leaving him in the hallway.
She released his hand quickly, taking long strides towards her car. It was beautiful, in her eyes, a classic model with the original paint job. It had been her grandmother's, but it ran as well as the day Chiyo had bought it.
Temari stroked the convertible's hood fondly as she put her bag in the back seat. She vaulted over the side, ignoring the gleaming door handle. Her cherry red monstrosity was nimble under her careful hands.
Her fingers itching to start the motor, she only remembered at the last moment that she was supposed to be driving Shikamaru home. She looked at him sharply as he struggled with the old style door. Finally, sighing, she reached over and opened it. He flashed her brief grin and got in, placing his bag carefully at his feet. When Temari was sure he had his seatbelt on, she started the motor.
"What's your address?" Her eyes scanned the parking lot as she carefully pulled out, taking care not to hit any pedestrians. "I need to know if you want me to drop you off."
Shikamaru gave it to her and told her how to get there. He was studying the shiny paint job as they started off.
"Is this your car?"
It surprised her that he was initiating conversation. Something must have interested him.
She didn't take her eyes from the road as she answered. "Yeah. I got it from my grandmother. Do you like it?"
"It's a nice car. I was just wondering why you don't drive a newer car."
Was he dismissing her baby as a pile of ancient junk? He'd just crossed a line.
"I love this car. I drive it because I like old cars and it has sentimental value. Do you have a problem with that?"
She knew he would be smirking, even though she was more focused on steering.
"I was just thinking that it suited you. You seem to like stylish things. You like to make an impression, but you're not as extreme as Ino. She wouldn't even consider wearing something unless its number one factor was fashionable. I don't think she'd appreciate your car." He glanced at the streets that sped by. "She drives a yellow hybrid with pink seats. And a GPS."
Temari scowled at the abuse of an automobile and took a left. "Who would make those kinds of choices? My favorite color is purple–" she gestured towards her fluorescent nails "–but that doesn't mean I'm going to paint my car that color. A GPS like that sounds ridiculous. If I want to know where something is, I'll look it up in the Thomas Guide; what's the point of making a map if it's only there for emergencies?"
He laughed and she smiled.
"So, are you going to tell me how you got into Dean's office?"
She glanced over in surprise; she'd hoped he had forgotten her previous silence.
"My P.E. teacher sent me there."
"I meant, why did she send you?"
"Some guy in my class snapped my bra strap and I broke his nose with a baseball bat."
She heard him snort as she turned on to his street and looked for the address he'd given her.
"Hey, he deserved it!"
He didn't stop chuckling. "I'll bet he did."
Temari was surprised to find that she didn't really want him to leave. It was nice to find someone who wasn't interested in her for money or romance. He was intelligent and polite when he liked you, and Temari fervently hoped that he liked her.
A similar train of thought was running through Shikamaru's head. He really liked her. Not for her looks (although he wasn't averse to those) but for her personality. At first she'd seemed conceited, but he supposed she had every right to be. She defended her thoughts even if they weren't planned out. She seemed loyal to her morals and always ready to jump into action. She was, in short, extremely troublesome. And he liked it a lot. He wondered what she thought of him.
Temari smirked when she found the address. The house was nice, with a tree in the front yard that she just knew he'd used for cloud–watching when he was younger. She pulled up and parked next to the curb. "This is your stop, Nara."
He climbed out, careful not to scuff the leather seats. "Thank you, Temari. By the way, my friends call me Shikamaru." He grinned at her.
Temari just smirked. "I'll see you at school, Shikamaru."
She pulled away from the curb and drove down the street, looking in her rearview mirror. Shikamaru was watching her go, a crooked smile on his face.
Well, I hope you all liked it. I'm sure people were looking for some more serious ShikaTema, but this is what you get. I may do an extension chapter later on, so get a grip on yourself. There is much more to come! I am forcing myself to write for lots of different shippings in lots of different ways, and here are the main contenders.
*Beware, this list may be edited at any time.*
The bolded ones have been completed:
1. ShikaTema
2. ShikaIno
3. SasuSaku
4. TemIno
5. SaIno
6. ChojIno
7. NejiTen
8. KankTen
9. ShinoHana
10. NaruHina
11. ItaSaku
12. KonaPein
If people would be brave enough to comment, then I might get some more suggestions. You can suggest crack pairings as well. Anything and everything is accepted, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade).
When you comment, please explain if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.
You'll notice GaaSaku is not in that list, though I am a faithful GaaSaku fan. This is because all of my GaaSaku ficlets go into 'The Medic and the Demon,' which you can find on my story page.
Do not fear! Every chapter will be submitted as soon as possible, and it will be updated much more frequently since I go on break at the end of this week.
–Blue