Forced or Not

((Chapter 1-Neji.))

"I'm going to show you what is forced and what is simple…" Shikamaru told me simply. I nodded and rolled my eyes at him, "Because apparently you don't want anything to do with the blind dating that is going around, Tsunade made the decision that it is the most fun thing ever. If you ask me it's troublesome." I nodded again and wrinkled my nose, blind dating. I didn't like the way that sounded. "Apparently you are clueless on love- and before you counter me with some remark- I do know more than you- if you watch you realize."

"Whatever, who are our first targets?" I asked looking around not noticing anyone that was completely familiar. It was seven o' clock in the morning and nothing had happened since I came here except this blind dating game. I sighed thinking of how stupid this was and how most had to do it because they were forced.

"Neji, is going with three girls today, one for breakfast, one for lunch, then one for dinner, then he else picks or he gets an earful from Lady Tsunade." He told me as Neji walked in and sat at the table across from us. Shikamaru took a drink from his coffee cup and pointed to Neji. "His first date is…" He stopped and watched as Sakura sat down. "It's already a wreck, Mr. No-Emotion is completely ignoring her, not even a hi."

"I see, but why are we doing this?" I asked looking at Shikamaru from the corner of my eye. He yawned and then set his drink down softly. I looked back at Sakura and Neji who were now in a conversation, that looked as if she was the only one talking and he was nodding.

"Do you want to sit there?" He asked, boredom in his voice. "Anyway, it's something to do… The clouds aren't out today and I rather do this than nothing, well, I have to be with you, guide you and all." I shook my head at his question and looked back at him. "It's clearly forced."

"But he doesn't seem to be forcing anything." I said examining him again. Shikamaru shook his head. I looked at him and waited for an explanation. I waited until he finished taking another sip.

"She has to ponder when thinking of stuff to say, she has to watch her tongue. And he has to force himself to be more than apathetic, he is forcing himself to look at her and to nod." He told me and the waitress filled his cup up again. I nodded now understanding, I took a sip of my coffee and then collected my things. Shikamaru already had a take out cup, we had planned ahead.

"I'm going to go home, start dinner, do something, avoid the Hokage at any costs." I said paying my half of the bill. Shikamaru picked up the money and gave it to me and paid for the whole bill shrugging at my expression. I waited for him and once he paid we left together. He walked me to my door and then followed me in.

"I'm going to stay here if that's alright? We are going to lunch together and you are going to pay." He said. I grinded my teeth together and then glared at him, but he was lying on my couch, asleep, or at least close. "You are very troublesome, trying to bore a hole in my head with that glare?" He chuckled and I stood there with a bewildered expression on my face. How did he know? His eyes were closed, had we spent that much time together?

"You go to sleep, I'm going to-" I stopped, what was I going to do? I turned to the sleeping figure and decided that I would go to my room and polish my fan. I sat on my bed and pulled out the note from Gaara signaling the reasons why I would be here, to strengthen the bond and everything. "Gaara…" I whispered to myself, Matsuri and Kankuro would watch over him, and Gaara wasn't helpless. I got up a couple minutes later and walked back out to Shikamaru's bed. I sat on the table in front of the couch. He didn't even move. I sighed and smiled at the jerk. He looked peaceful. I moved and accidentally kicked him. He slowly opened his eyes and they met mine and he didn't advert his gaze he only stared deeper.

"Temari." He finally said and I rolled my eyes at him and got up. He followed suit and then sat on the counter in the kitchen. "What are we going to do?" He asked and I shrugged, "You wanna play shogi?" I cocked my head, what an odd decision, I mean, nobody asked them to play shogi in the Sand, it was an old person's game. "We can go to my house…"

"I have a board." I told him and walked into my room pulling the shogi board from under my bed. "I don't really play, I know the rules and the basics, but let's play." I told him and he put the game together and we sat there, playing shogi.

11:47 am

"If. You. Move. That. Piece. I. Will. Leave. Wait this is my house, I'm not leaving you will. Don't. Touch. That. Piece. I will knock you into next week!" I gritted my teeth and yelled at him as he won the umpteenth game. "I hate you." I told him.

"Is someone a sore loser, come on, let's go to lunch…" He said getting up and I got up too. "Remember, you pay this time." He said and I shot a glare his way. I, unwillingly, took more money, to pay for whatever he would get. He watched and waited, not too patient. I took my sweet time and then I finally followed him to the door.

Once at the restaurant, we sat at the same table and I ordered a sandwich, he ordered a salad. I watched him pick at it, and I looked over at Neji's table to find him there again, this time Hinata sat across from him. I was shocked my head snapped back to look at Shikamaru, he smiled. "I thought they were cousins?"

"Lady Tsunade will try anything and since Neji's never shown a special liking for girls, I'm guessing she's trying everything possible." He said, quite bored. I shrugged and watched the couple. They were better then Sakura and Neji, I mean, they were talking and Hinata smiled. "It still looks forced." He mumbled. I looked back at him and I shook my head. "It is the hardest thing for Neji to even look at her, see he's avoiding eye contact and she's pressuring herself to talk to him and to smile at the right times, it's forced."

"So, is everything forced." I asked a hard edge in my voice, he shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not." He replied and I looked back at the couple, this time I examined them and looking closer it was forced. They both looked uncomfortable, like they wanted to go home, Neji's fist were clenched, and Hinata was constantly biting her lip. "I'm done, are you?" He asked. I hadn't even touched my food, I was caught up at the sight of the couple, although I nodded and paid for the whole meal.

"I'm going home, thanks." I said outside the restaurant. He nodded.

"I'll walk you home and then pick you up for dinner." He replied and we began walking, a comfortable silence filling the air. He walked me all the way home and then left with a short, 'bye.'

I instantly felt something missing as he disappeared I rolled my eyes and walked inside and sat at the table, suddenly the door creaked open, very familiar faces appeared. "Hey, Temari." Matsuri said coming in. I smiled at her and Gaara and Kankuro followed her in. "We thought we'd come visit you…"

I scrutinized them, they were hiding something, "Out with it." I commanded watching them all exchange a look.

"Well, Temari, the Kazekage here is getting himself married…" Kankuro told me, I froze and then looked from Matsuri to Gaara and then I got up and hugged Matsuri.

"Aww, that is adorable, I'm so happy for you guys!" I gushed as I ruffled my brother's hair, he flinched and I ignored it. "Why did you guys decide now?"

"We are waiting until you come back, but Gaara proposed yesterday when we were traveling over here." Matsuri told me, Gaara didn't seem to like that Matsuri was telling me the whole story so he walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Kankuro joined him as Matsuri continued talking.

"So, can we stay for dinner?" Kankuro asked. I shrugged and then remember something.

"I'm going out, the Hokage wants to have me over." I lied swiftly and turned to the stove. "I'll start something though." I told them banging around in the drawers.

3:12pm

Two knocks alerted me. I started for the door and Kankuro and Gaara looked over at me, curiously, with a prying gaze. I stood there, one hand on the door. I was dressed nicely and they believed that I was going to have dinner with the Hokage. I didn't anticipate this moment. "It's my guide," I started opening the door, "You remember Shikamaru, he has to show me to the Hokage's dinner." I told them with a wave and I walked out. I heard behind from a very intelligent Matsuri, she notices too much.

"It's a date, or something very close, Mari's a bad liar." I heard. I rolled my eyes and Shikamaru and I walked into the restaurant for the third time. This time I ordered a salad and he ordered some kind of soup. I sat there watching as Neji walked in with his date this time, he pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, smiling at him, their voices even reached us sometimes.

"Your turn, is it forced or not?" Shikamaru asked. I shrugged and looked back. He watched me as I scrutinized Tenten and Neji, they were sitting there and he didn't seem to mind that she was talking excessively and he even joined sometimes. He smiled at her and kept his eyes on her not even glancing at the waitress.

"That can't be forced." I whispered and continued watching them, they were cute and if you looked they were holding hands under the table. "No it cannot."

"It isn't." Shikamaru smirked at me. "It's easier to spot the one that isn't than the one that is." He said confusing me for a mere second. "I'm done. And it seems you are too." He said and I nodded to him. "How about we each pay half this time?" He said laying half of the bill out.

"Deal." I agreed taking out half. We paid and then left, Tenten and Neji were still there. He walked me to my door and we stood there awkwardly. "Today was great, thanks…" I mumbled and turned for the door.

"I bet you'll love tomorrow then." He told me and then walked off. I smiled and walked into my house. I stopped dead when I saw Gaara's and Kankuro's expressions. I shrugged at them and began walking to my room. "It wasn't a date, I promise, I don't like him, is that understood, don't worry about me." I mumbled and they must have heard because I looked back and they were on the couch. I changed into regular clothes and I curled up in a ball on my bed, I don't like him, do I?