The Next Generation

Chp. 2

"That's some kekkei genkai you have there, Shigeru." Temari said as they were approaching the village gates.

"Thank you." He said and smiled. "Only the men in our family got it. My mother and sister didn't get it."

He brushed the hair back from his eyes and he looked ahead. He saw a figure go into the gates, and he apparently came from the same direction they did. As they arrived at the gates, they were greeted warmly.

"Shigeru-san, Temari-sama! Welcome back!" A guard called out to them. "Oi, open the gates, they've returned!" The guard said. The large gates made of sand suddenly opened and they walked through.

"So, did you guys have fun?" Kankurou asked them.

"Yes." Temari answered, a little quickly.

"Well, if you don't mind, I would like to speak to my sister. Is that ok, Shigeru?" He asked the elf.

"Yea, you don't have to ask my permission, you're her brother."

"Thanks." He then took Temari's arm and started off.

"K-Kankurou, what's wrong?" Temari asked worriedly.

"Temari. . .I saw you two. Why are you doing this? Aren't you in love with that shadow boy as well?"

"Why were you spying on us?! Kankurou, that's not right!" She exclaimed and pulled her arm out of his grasp. "I'm the oldest, you know that. And I can take care of myself, just fine. Besides, it didn't mean anything. I just needed to comfort him."

"Oh, and kissing him is comforting him. Now that makes me wonder what you do with the Nara when you're comforting him."

"You know what, just shut the hell up Kankurou! It's none of your business."

"Fine, I won't care anymore, Temari. Maybe when you end up getting raped by someone you thought was your friend and you end up getting a disease or something, don't come complaining to me, because I won't care." Then he walked off. She looked down, she didn't mean that. Was she right, did the kiss have no meaning, or was she just kidding herself? She didn't know anymore. When they were in the desert, she had deliberately kissed him, to get him to stop worrying about her. But when they were kissing, she had absolutely loved the feeling he gave her.

She suddenly remembered. 'That feeling, it was like the first time Shikamaru and I kissed. What does that mean. Am I in love with them both?' She thought frantically. 'I need to see Shikamaru.' She then started off for Gaara's office.

-

"Gaara, I need to see him. I have some. . .issues I need to settle with him." She said to her brother.

"Does this have anything to do with your and Shigeru's "accidental" kiss?" He asked. Her eyes widened.

'Damn it Kankurou, you're such a blabbermouth. Baka.' She thought. "Yes, Gaara it does. Just in case he told Shikamaru, I need to talk to him. I need to tell him that it meant nothing. Please Gaara."

"Fine, but you need to come back as soon as possible. You aren't even supposed to be there when the Chuunin exams aren't going on. You know that. So get this over quickly. Do you want Shigeru to go with you?" His cool voice asked.

". . .No, I don't want him to come, he might cause even more problems. So can I leave today?"

"Temari, you should take him with you. So Shikamaru can hear both of your stories, and since he is one of his closest friends, it might be better. You never know." Gaara said and then turned the other way. "You can leave today, if you want."

"Thank you Gaara." Temari said and turned to leave. She opened the door when she heard him say something.

"Temari, make sure that whatever choice you make, that you're happy with it, and don't hold any regrets. Especially in these types of situations." Then he fell silent.

"I understand." Then she left and went to find Shigeru. She found him sitting on the top of one of the cliffs surrounding the village. "Come on Shigeru, we have to go to Konoha again. I need to speak with Shikamaru, just in case Kankurou sent any information about us over to him."

"Ok." Shigeru said solemnly. "Temari, is that true, what you said to Kankurou, that you didn't mean any of the kiss?"

"Shigeru, I. . .you know how I feel about Shikamaru, and you probably know how Shikamaru feels about me. And I need to clear it up, if Kankurou told him anything about our intimate contact, ok. It's not that I don't like you, I just. . .I just, I don't know. I just need to talk to him. Now come on, pick me up, and let's go to Konoha."

"Ok." He then picked her up bridal style and ran to Konoha. They arrived there in about 20 minutes and were greeted again. He let her down and walked beside her.

"Come on, I have to find Shikamaru." She led the way through the village, like she lived there or something. She stopped, apparently she spotted him. Temari looked ahead and saw that the lazy bastard was eating, not alone, but with two other girls. "Shikamaru?" Temari said in disbelief. Shigeru looked at her expression, and could tell that she was going to kill somebody. "SHIKAMARU!!!" Temari yelled at him.

"Temari? What are you doing here?" he asked calmly.

"I need to talk to you." She said and pulled him out of his seat.

"Oww. . .Ouch, woman, be careful, you're going to tear my ear off! Oww!" She took him behind the building. Shigeru looked at the girls at the table, Sakura and some other chick. He smiled and waved at them.

"AWWW! He's soo cute!" They both said in unison and ran after him. Shigeru bolted and ran away from his fan girls.

-

"Ahh. Ouch, what was all that for?" Shikamaru asked impatiently as she stopped pulling him behind the ear.

"What were you doing eating with those girls?!" Temari exclaimed.

"I was just having lunch, is there a problem? You could've eaten with Shigeru you know, aren't you two together?"

'So that puppet bastard did actually send him something. He's soo dead when I get home.' She thought. "Look Shikamaru, it was all a big misunderstanding, there's nothing going on between me and Shigeru. If Kankurou told you what happened, he's a lying idiot. Shigeru was showing me his kekkei genkai, because I asked him to, and the force of his attack sent us both backwards, and he accidentally landed on top of me."

"Right, and you just accidentally kissed him?" She suddenly pressed a pressure point in his shoulder. "Ugh, Temari, let go." He said through gritted teeth.

"No, not until you believe me." She said, and pressed her two fingers into his shoulder even more.

"Fine, fine, I believe you." He said. She released her hold on him.

"I kissed him, because he was worried about me, it meant nothing, ok. Shikamaru, he's like a brother to me, why would he be anything else? He's not like. . .you." She said and turned her head the other way. "I needed to comfort him, but that's all, don't you see- She suddenly felt his lips on hers. Her stomach suddenly became a nest of butterflies and a blush was rising up to her cheeks. She felt him wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer to his body. Temari felt the heat that radiated from his body and she then realized that this is was she always wanted. It's what she had secretly longed for all of her life. She put her hands around his neck and deepened their kiss. After about a minute or two, he pulled away, but still kept her close.

"Was that enough to get you to believe that I understand you?" She still had her eyes closed but reopened them shortly.

"Yes, that's good. Now, tell me what you were doing eating lunch with Sakura and that other chick."

"Sakura was discussing health policies because she knows that the Nara clan has members with a lot of medical experience. The other girl was her apprentice, and she wanted her to learn as much as possible. Is that better?" he asked the woman in his arms.

"Thank you for clearing that up." She said and then got out of his embrace. "Now if you don't mind, Shigeru and I have to get back to the village. Gaara allowed me to go here for a short period of time, so I guess it's time to go back. Help me look for him, will you?"

"Sure, whatever you want." He said sarcastically. Then they both jumped up to the roof of the building, and looked for the elf. Shigeru was running all around the village and the girls were in hot pursuit of him. And after attracting a lot more attention to himself by running everywhere, he ended up attracting even more girls to go and chase him. Soon enough, he was backed into a corner of the village and had nowhere to run.

"Ladies, ladies, I know what you're thinking, but I really must protest. I really have to go back with Temari to Suna, Gaara wants us back as soon as possible. So maybe next time, I'll take one of you out ok, but not all of you. Understand?" Shigeru said, trying to reason with them.

"Shigeru!" Temari yelled at him. "Now be reasonable, you must take all of these ladies out, they must be dying to get to meet you. I think it's time for you to get a girlfriend anyways. Right Shikamaru?" She asked him.

"Huh? Oh, yea. Dude, if you're ever going to get married, make sure it's the right one, and that you like her. And hurry it up, you'll be like the only without a girl in the village, so I'd be quick if I were you." He said. "Now, go on, get out of here."

"Sorry, ladies." He said and smiled. He eyed Sakura and Ino in the back and looked surprised, weren't they dating already? "Whatever. Can we please go now Temari?" He asked, secretly pleading.

"Come on, we have to get back. See ya around Shikamaru." She said and smiled at him. Then her and Shigeru left the village.