Title: She's The Desert Rose

Rated: K+

Couple: BakixTemari

Summary: Baki has been pushing Temari to train extra hard, she wants to know why.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! I do own the plot.

She's The Desert Rose

As usual, I slipped out of the house. Not making a sound. It was my way as the older sister. I needed to be protective. Now that Gaara had his demon taken from him, it was up to me and Kankuro to take care of him.

My clean kimono was soft against my showered skin. I knew that just going out for a bit could put him at risk. But I ignored that fact. All sisters need a break every once and awhile, don't you agree? So, there I was, walking down the street.

"Temari-san," I heard a voice call my name, I spun to see a tall man walking towards me. His face half covered, something I have never seen before. I smiled knowing right away who it was. He was my sensei; now that I was 18 I didn't need him anymore. Yet, he still was in charge of my training…I mean I never got out and practiced unless someone forced me too.

But he was making me practice a lot lately. Too much for even the trainaholic Rock Lee. And I mean, that's just crazy.

"Baki-sensei," I greeted with a bow of my head. He didn't say anything. He just stared at me. He was 24 years old. I've known him my entire life as well. He's been like a guardian to me. He was wonderful, very sweet and protective.

As usual, he wore his Suna markings; the left side of his face was covered up. He was your typical Suna warrior. But he was much more; he was everything to my family. He was the only one that ever get close to Gaara, he was the man who made Kankuro comfortable after he was teased or hit by kids.

But out of all of that, he was ours. He had told us that. When we were children, he spoke to us clearly. He told us that if we needed him, he'd always be there. He warmed my heart every time I saw him.

"You need to train, Temari," he said, bowing his head slightly. I stared at him, frowning now. That's all he wanted to say! Why can't he ever come just to talk about something? But ya know! That's his job.

"I understand, I was going out to get some breakfast." I had walked into the Kazekage's office this morning and noticed that Gaara had pulled an all-nighter. Kankuro was sleeping on a visiting chair in his office.

Papers spread everywhere, on his desk, the floor, even Kankuro. How? The world may never know. I had laughed when I saw this, only to shut the door quietly after. I had walked down the two flights of stairs running into one of the five maids that worked there. They greeted me and let me pass.

"You left Gaara alone?"

"Is that a problem? Kankuro is with him."

"Kankuro wouldn't know any better, he's only 17. He's a dumb teenager that can't even take care of himself."

"This is coming from the man that raised us," I snapped ungratefully. "Gaara can take care of himself if he needed too. He is still a fabulous shinobi without the flashy chakra that he once carried. Which practically got him killed. Oh wait, it did. But you're blaming this on Kankuro it seems. Maybe me."

"You, yes. You were in Konoha flirting with that boyfriend of yours. What was it? Kikamaru? Thikamaru?"

"Shikamaru, thank you very much," I snapped just as evilly back. He simple crossed his arms and smiled, "What's so funny?"

"Oh, just that when you're not around everything seems to break down."

"I find that hilarious, and Shikamaru is not my boyfriend!"

"That's not the point. You could find yourself dead if you keep this up." I was about to say something, but I choked on my words. What did he mean? "You need to train, take this seriously. I couldn't live if I found out that you were dead."

"Is this why you are working me so hard," I began to feel my eyes well up with tears. "Is this why, you want me to train."

"It's not about your brothers. It's about you." He stepped closer. He reached for my chin. I slapped his hand away and ran off. Dodging any possible bystanders that were watching this awkwardness. I didn't know where I was going. But I was just running.

Two weeks later, I found myself training. In a simple outfit of shorts and a purple tank. Beginning the training by punching a target until my knuckles started to bleed. And then kicking. It wasn't my wind that I needed to work on; it was fighting, kunai and all. I turned around. He was there. Staring at me, observing.

"What do you want," I yelled not turning from what I was doing. I continued to punch, my knuckles started to ache. I paused and grabbed some tape; I simply wrapped up my knuckles and began to punch, waiting for the explanation.

"I'm observing you."

"Is that what you're doing," I asked sarcastically. "Because you've been doing it a lot. When I train, I like privacy."

"Is that right?" he asked. I turned to look at him, slightly glaring. He was grinning. Not toothy like Naruto Uzumaki would. But his quite sexy smile. I know that he looks strange on the outside, but he's actually pretty cool. I looked at his one eye, all I could see was that it was brown, a very light brown. I never saw his hair, or the other half of his face.

I stopped and turned to look at him.

"You watching me," I began awkwardly, "it kind of freaks me out."

"I apologize, Miss. Sabaku." I nodded and wiped off my face. I began to walk towards him. He stayed where he was. Just watching him. No where but my eyes. I liked that.

"It's nothing," I said, only two feet away from him now. I saw him, his features were soft, and he was handsome. He nodded.

"I should probably get going," he said and began on his way.

"Wait," I yelled as he was turning around to walk in the opposite direction. He stopped and looked at me puzzled.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering," again very awkward. "If I could see you're face." He looked even more puzzled. He turned and looked around. "You don't have too-" but he was beginning by taking off his headband. It fell to the ground with a soft thump. He then began with the tape wrapped around his head.

I watched every second, not caring about training, or my brothers. Only Baki. When it was off, I saw that he had dark brown hair. It was messy, he was so hot. He then grasped the edges of the curtain that covered half of his face.

"I will warn you, Miss Sabaku, that what you see may frighten you." I nodded. I didn't care what he looked like. So just like that, he carefully took the white curtain from his face.

I cringed, I felt myself tense. He noticed my reaction and tried to look away. He had red markings all over his face. Like some sort of spell. As well as faded scars. And his eye was red.

I watched as his brown hair tumbled into his eyes. He looked completely different. I liked it, I liked it so much.

I stepped closer. I touched his face, tracing the markings. "Even you," I whispered, "when I was younger you would never show me this. Why now?"

"You deserve to know, what I am, who I am. I'm cursed. As a child my parents wanted me to be a weapon much like Gaara. But it went terribly wrong." I nodded. "And I also wanted you to see before I let my emotions take over." I blushed knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Thank you," I whispered. "But why do you want me to train?"

"I couldn't see you die, Temari. I want you to be alive as long as I am. And longer. You're my desert rose, something that is very rare and special. Just like what you are to me." I blushed deeper. Only to feel him making it worse. He closed the gap between us. It was soft and sweet. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck.

He probably didn't expect me to kiss back, because after he gave me a lecture about how wrong it was for a sensei to kiss there students. I just laughed and told him that he was crazy. I said that he wasn't my sensei anymore. Because I felt more. And so did he.

But I knew that this relationship would come with loads of awkward silences. Like the one we are having right now…

This was my atempt at a major crack couple. whaddya think?