Here's chapter two; enjoy!

Chapter Two: I Think I Like You

"Come on Shikamaru, hurry up!" Naruto said as he climbed the stairs, with Shikamaru slowly following behind.

"Hey, don't rush me. I recently fainted; how do you know that I'm at complete strength?" Shikamaru complained.

"Well, you did come this far didn't you?" Naruto cleverly responded.

'...' Shikamaru didn't respond immediately to the obvious fact, but sucked his teeth and said, "Let's just keep..."

"Ahh... Ahh... No... AHHH..." Desperate screams interrupted Shikamaru's sentence.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

The two rushed up the stairs but still remained low so that they were not easily seen by anyone at the top of the stairs, "It's that weird, spooky guy from the Sand Village." Naruto stated.

"Yeah, but who was it that was screaming just now?"

The two slinked up a few more stairs, until they were able to see a medic ninja on the ground, slowly being engulfed by... sand, which was coming from the huge gourd on the eerie Sand ninja's back.

As the lively sand continued to jerk and slowly creep up the medic ninja's body, Naruto and Shikamaru were paralyzed by the horrific sight. The two Konoha genin shinobi wanted to jump in and help the man in peril but they, somehow, felt that they were greatly outmatched, "Wait… if that's one of those sand ninjas… Then that means that that girl must be in connection with this guy. I've got a bad feeling about having those Sand ninjas here." Shikamaru thought a little depressed.

Big Scene Skip

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"Asuma-sensi, I'll leave them to you, I've got to go join up with the rest of my present team."

"Seems kind of boring but I'll join up as soon as I can." Shikamaru then disappeared after a hoard of the enemy moved in on Asuma.

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It didn't take long before Shikamaru arrived to the scene of Sakura being held against a tree by a tan, mutated hand; Sasuke seemingly unconscious on a tree branch and Naruto engaged with a mutated Gaara, "Hang on Naruto, I'm coming to help you now!" Shikamaru shouted before launching himself up to a tall tree branch. He was about to jump to another, but ceased mid way to avoid a kunai which grazed his face, leaving a shallow gash across his cheek.

He looked in the direction it came from to see a familiar blonde beauty, crouching on a higher tree branch, "That's definitely disappointing. I thought…I mean she was just so… Damn it…! I guess I have to fight a girl…the same girl…again." Shikamaru had an advantage, being that the tall trees provided a huge canopy thus more shadow for him to manipulate, "I hope she doesn't have too much chakra, because since that fight with those other ninja and the time I recharge on my way here…it's just not much." He thought before he sucked his teeth and leaped towards the tree Temari's branch was connected to.

He landed on a limp branch before speeding directly up the tree, "It's possible that she may try to help that sand guy fight Naruto so…I'll just chase her away." Shikamaru threw a kunai at Temari causing her to jump to another tree's branch. After he reached the branch she was previously on, he threw another kunai and continued to chase after her with this process, "I only hope I'm right and I'm not just leaving Naruto to be slaughtered."

After a short while of Shikamaru chasing her, Temari realized what he was up to. She drew a kunai and deflected the last one he threw, "Now, how am I going to take her out without using too much chakra…If only she wasn't a girl."

As Shikamaru stood there trying to figure out what he was going Temari stuck her fan to the tree branch and leapt towards him. She tried to slash straight down but he sidestepped; quickly she began to spin and tried a back kick but he jumped back, "Damn…! She so persistent; I think I may have to break my moral of never hitting girls." After his brief thought Temari, who was still low to the ground, continued spinning and delivered a kick straight to his stomach. She sprang to her fight and spun again and was about to stab him.

Before she could stab him she got a look at his eyes; just before she delivered the lethal wound, she adjusted the direction of her hand and she only end up grazing the side of his abdomen. She was about to pull away but before she could, Shikamaru caught her extended arm and hastily and without a second thought got behind; he wrapped both arms around just under her breasts: holding down her arms and close to his body. It was just like a hug from behind but much tighter, "You were about to stab me; you were able to finish this fight and yet you didn't…, why?"

'….' She didn't answer as she felt his warm breath, seemingly caress her soft skin. The first time he did it a shiver went down her spine. She released a heavy huff before she analyzed what he said but responded with a question herself, "So, what are you going to do now?"

'….' Shikamaru was quiet as he held the petite yet firm body of the sand goddess. He was tempted to feel the smooth skin of her neck against his chin and also tempted to do other things, (A/N: ….wink… wink… X D), as he felt a bit of her chest inflate and deflate as she breathed.

They remained in that position for a short while before Temari brought her right foot ahead of her left and pushed off of it, which ended with the back of Temari's head bashing into Shikamaru's nose. His hold loosened and she broke free before giving him another kick in the stomach. He took a few steps back before watching Temari jump to another tree branch that was much thinner than the one they were both on.

Shikamaru made a quick recovery before hatching a plan that would inevitably fail anyone. He jumped onto the tree branch she was on and she prepared herself with a kunai. Shikamaru stared at her for a brief second before quickly making some seals and sending his jutsu at her. She was easily caught, seeing as how she was low on strength. Before he revealed the second half of his plan he said, "I don't hit girls you know."

"…What?"

"It's just one of my morals. I'm sorry but I can't think of anything else since you're a girl." Shikamru got on his knees brought his head back, "I won't be able to help Naruto but at least I'm going to get her out of the way." He quickly slammed his head against the tree's limp and weak limb causing it to crack half way. The stress of Temari repeating this action caused the limb to crack the rest of the way. The two, now unconscious, were quickly falling to the ground.

Shikamaru was the first to land followed by Temari dropping, face down, on top of him.

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They were unconscious for a while and Temari, having the softest landing, was the first to recover and wake from the brutally forced sleep. She pushed herself up with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes to find herself staring at the scratched up, still unconscious Shikamaru, "Why do I get such strange feelings around this guy. I... wonder what one kiss…; my first kiss…to him…would feel like." She thought as her face inched closer with each pause.

She came to an almost permanent pause when her lips were mere centimeters away from his. As she remained in the exact same position, not even budging, her hand began to move towards an abandoned kunai which was just two inches away.

She grabbed it and brought to Shikamaru's throat, "One flick of my hand and I could end this foolishness. These emotions are only getting in the way and besides it's probably just a simple infatuation. I'll get over it..., won't I?" After that question she thought back to when she was under his control and he asked her about the sky. She looked up and only saw few stray beams of sunlight shining through the thick canopy, "It's dark; the canopy provides cover from the truth. Very much unlike our village; sunlight clearly pronounces the truth: that our village is in a time of need. We teamed with the Sound Village with promise of fortune. I still don't entirely believe that but with the condition of our village, it's the best path to be seen."

Her grip on the kunai tightened and she brought her sight back to him, "So, what's the reason for misery in your eyes?" She asked angrily, "Your village is prosperous; there's no reason for you to be miserable. People like you… infuriate me, but you... you're different."

After her words to the unconscious Konoha shinobi, (pointless conversation) it was silent, which was normal for a fight with Gaara. Temari wrote something on a piece of paper and attached it to the kunai and stuck it in the ground close to his face. (A/N If you review then do not ask me what she wrote with.)

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Temari returned to the scene of a batter and bruised Gaara and Konoha idiot, "Gaara..." She whispered while crouching on a branch. Suddenly, Kankuro appeared beside her, "So..., why didn't you aid Gaara while he fought that guy. Even a little kunai here or there would have done the trick."

"I had to deal with another Konoha ninja. I thought Gaara could have handled it himself." Temari defended against his incriminating tone.

"Temari, I saw you with the 'Konoha ninja'." Temari blushed with her eyes still focused on Gaara, "I hope his presence doesn't distract you from the mission." Temari jolted, "It won't, will it?" He asked almost threateningly.

Temari's composure returned to normal before, "It definitely won't."

"How can I be sure of that? We just can't jeopardize the plans of the Sand Village."

"I understand. To show you that it really won't... I'll kill him the next time we meet. Now, let's go get Gaara." She finished before they jumped down to retrieve Gaara.

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Scene Skip

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"I would have never thought that if you came back that you would be helping us." Shikamaru said after Temari dispatched the Sound ninja.

"Well, at first we were in an alliance with the Sound ninja but after they betrayed us we just had to get them back. So, here we are to help you guys." Temari informed.

Shikamaru did not want to admit it but he wasn't just glad that she came back to help; he was just happy that she came, "Okay... this is just weird now. Why am I so this happy to see her?" Shikamaru questioned himself, "By the way...;" she turned to him not expecting much but still forgetting something that she left behind before she and her brothers retreated, "about that note left attach to the kunai. What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Do you really think that this is the time for that?" She asked a little flustered with a light blush across her face.

"Of course; the ninjas of Konoha are more powerful than you estimate."

"Yeah, you really demonstrated that just now in that fight." She said sarcastically after the blush disappeared.

"You know what I mean."

"Actually, no... I don't."

"Okay. I get it." Shikamaru said giving up the conversation, placing his hands in his pockets and looking up at the blue sky, "I don't even know why I was putting in so much effort"

"Your eyes..." she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"What...?" He asked returning his sight to her.

"Your village is prosperous and is one of the top village around and yet, your eyes; they show so much misery. Why is that?"

"..." Shikamaru was surprised that she asked such a question, "Hmm... I guess it's just the way we obtain this prosperity you speak of. That and the way we maintain it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean fighting. So many people die while these villages are at war and all for what; just a little power. I guess it must be a part of human nature."

"..." Temari was rendered speechless for a second, "If you're so against fighting then, why did you become a ninja?"

"I guess, to protect others."

"Inevitably, you will have to fight, probably even kill."

"That makes my life a little futile, huh?" He chuckled.

Temari looked at him like he was crazy. She found herself flustered again. On one hand she thought that he was absurd, one the other hand she thought that he was still a mystery and on a mutated third hand she was still infatuated with him, "You know, at first I thought that you were just another pathetic excuse of ninja and now, I still think you are."

A stress drop of sweat trickled down the side of Shikamaru's face, "Gee... thanks, a lot." He responded with a crooked smile.

Temari giggled, "I never thought that the next time we met would be as allies."

"Yeah, who'd have guessed it?" They stood in silence for a while until one of them had to speak, "Temari..."

She looked at him almost like she was expecting something, "What is it?"

"I... well..." He went quiet for a second, "Am I really going to do what I think I'm about to do?" "Temari, even though we haven't known each other for a while I just feel a strange attraction to you." "Well, what do you know? I was right. I know this is going to be troublesome, being shot down like this; right after a battle."

Temari blushed and to Shikamaru's surprise a small smile appeared on her face before she lowered her head in hopes of hiding it.

"What, no awkward expression? Does this mean... what I think it means?" Shikamaru took a second to look at the sky and then back to her. With his hands still in his pocket, he walked towards her until he was standing in front of her, "Damn...! Why'd she have to be taller than me?" She looked down at the Konoha ninja, who was just barely shorter than she was, "Temari, I think I like you."

"I... I..." The fifteen year old female stopped dead when she felt the twelve year old peck her on the check.

'I hope that you feel the same way about me."

She smiled with a flushed face, "What are you thinking pipsqueak?"

"Damn...! What did I just get myself into?" Shikamaru backed away from her so that she didn't seem as tall, "You call me pipsqueak now, but you wait. You'll always be older than me but you won't always be taller than me."

"Let's make a deal. If you ever get taller than me, I'll... give you my first kiss."

"How am I supposed to know that you haven't already kissed other guys already?" Shikamaru responded immediately after she was done talking.

"Hmm... I don't know. You could believe me or not but..." she paused to seductively place her index finger under his chin, which made him glow red, and direct his ear to her lips, "only I know the truth." She pulled back to look at his expression and giggled when she saw his excited, "What...? Were you expecting me to kiss you just now?"

"You should play with people like that." He responded, "This is just another reason girls are annoying." He thought before folding looking to the right to take his eyes off the sand goddess.

Unexpectedly, Shikamaru felt warms lips press against his right check. He blushed, in shock, and looked back at her, "I think I like you, too."

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There you have it; another chapter. I would love it if you would review and tell me how you think the story's coming. You know, whether it's good or bad. Thanks and enjoy what's to come.