When patience is in short supply
As the girls laid out on the towels,acting like sun bathers, Shino had dug himself a hole 5 foot wide hole, remaining in a fetal position. The heat was getting to him, but not as bad as before. He was given water and sushi and his body slowly relaxed a little more. When the sun had set, the girl's were completely burned. Sakura had the hardest time moving around in her clothes. Tenten, was completely sun burned, that she used the pain to push her to Suna.
As the night past on, the three ran and walked as far as they could before the sun would set. It had been two days since they last saw trees or any form of shade. The last night before reaching Suna, Sakura and Shino collapsed from the heat. It was a hard night, because the wind from the sand persisted to scratch their burnt skin. After a few hours, they had finally arrived at Suna. The opening gates were welcoming, as Shino and Sakura were hurried to a treatment center for their burns. Tenten had to push everyone off her for she was vividly angry. "Where is Kankuro!" she demanded. A few civilians pointed to a building called the Ninja Academy. No matter how bad her burns were, Tenten hurtled to the Ninja Academy, she slammed open the front doors. Looking left and right, "Where is he." she snarled to the air. A few students had noticed her, and lead her to an arena in the center of the academy which displayed no ceiling. When Tenten arrived there, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro noticed her right away. "YOU!" She shrieked. Kankuro stepped forward, he was in shock. Tenten had come all this way to see him! "Tenten!" he breathed, he walked towards her then stopped inches from her face. "I missed you!" He whispered. "You manipulative jerk! You didn't even say goodbye. And on my birthday, you sent me a bucket of sand! What the hell is wrong with you! I came all this way with Sakura burnt to crisp, and Shino saying the sky is purple but--"
"Sakura was with you?" Gaara interrupted her. "Where is she?" he demanded. "She was taken to the nearest medical nin to heal her sunburns." Tenten explained. Gaara left the arena within a blink. "Wow he's fast. And I'm not DONE WITH YOU--" Tenten faced Kankuro, but her words went dead when she felt his lips upon her own. They were smooth but crisp from the paint across his face. "You should be treated for your burns...but I have some ointment at our flat. That's if you'd like to come with me or go to a medical nin." Kankuro teased through her lips.
The students had watched this, and were suddenly told to go home from Temari's instructions. "Was Shikimaru with you? How is he?" Temari was excited, but the look on Tenten's face said differently. Tenten let go of her locking lips with Kankuro, and said over his shoulder while he held her, "Sakura will inform you why we are here. She knows more of the situation than I do." Temari nodded, and left the arena to find Sakura.
"So...how about that ointment Kankuro..?" Tenten giggled. She had her arms wrapped around his shoulders and giggled into every kiss she felt from Kankuro. She felt soo happy, tears were running down her cheeks. "I've waited for weeks...you left me." She murmured. Kankuro's brows furrowed in worry, "I apologize. If anything I would have dragged you with me to Suna. But my people were in the middle of retreating...forgive me." His eyes held such apology that Tenten couldn't resist. "You'll pay me back with that ointment of yours...because I'm burnt all over!" she giggled. Kankuro gently lifted her legs out from under her, and smugly said, "I'll whisk away to our flat my beloved."
Gaara arrived immediately when Sakura was taken in for treatment. He was by her side in seconds, "Sakura...you came." he smiled. Sakura looked up into his blue green eyes, and flinched. "Don't touch me!" she felt instantly afraid. Gaara stepped back, "I won't hurt you. I'm not the same person I was before. I've learned to control that side of me Sakura...please forgive me. Because of what I did to you, I am able to control Shukaku inside my body for now. Please..." his words were soft and desperate. He had waited for her for weeks. In his heart it felt like months. "I'm sorry. When I was in that coma, I had nightmares of you. Just give me a few minutes to relax around you. My patience is in short supply," Sakura explained.
Author's Note: I got sunburned last week, which was hell, so Shino is living the burns for me! GO SHINO! :D
