Chapter Two

Shikamaru whistled at Tenten sporting her dark purple slinky v-neck dress as she rounded the corner making her way to the Hokage's office to pick up Kankuro from their meeting. She was just on time.

As she slammed him instantaneously into the wall he would have thought she wouldn't be able to move so fast in those stiletto heels. He refocused his attention on breathing, as Tenten had cut off his circulation by grabbing him around the throat with one hand and lifting him off the floor about half a foot. He tried not to stare at her cleavage and look her in the eye as she threatened him.

"I am going to kill you."

Ok more like explained his very near future.

"yalawwkghhh."

Tenten dropped him as a random shinobi walked by and into a nearby room. Shikamaru gasped for air and held his throat. He coughed and sputtered.

"You look good," he wheezed after a breath of air. She caught him again but this time by his black tie collar leaving only a small amount of room for air to pass as she slammed him into the wall with a killing intent look.

To his luck he could hear the other girls coming down the hall and Tenten dropped him with a promising look that she would get him later. No doubt for how revealing her outfit was at the hands of Ino and Temari. Well, probably mostly just Ino.

Shikamaru cleared his throat and turned his attentions towards Temari who nearly took his breath away-it had nothing to do with his now crushed esophagus. She lifted her head sweetly up to meet his gaze. He could feel the smile bursting forth from every corner of his being. Her bright green dress flowed off her body like the goddess she was, hugging every last curve until it trailed like a ripple on a pond behind her on the floor. He swallowed. He had it bad. He hardly noticed Ino beside her in her strappy blue dress saying something to ...was she talking to him?

He instinctively held out his arm to Temari and escorted her into the Hokages's office oblivious to anything else.

"That boy's got it bad," Ino noted to Tenten. Tenten smiled in agreement. Ino laced her arm in Tenten's and they escorted each other into the Hokage's meeting office.

A dozen shinobi all dressed to the nines clung in different spots around the large circular table. Ino unhooked her arm from Tenten to go join Gaara who presently needed to be rescued from the looks of it. A noble had cornered him quite literally, and he risked falling into a potted plant if he retreated any further. His eyes widened slightly in relief as he spotted Ino making her way to him. Shoulders now relaxed, the red-head uncrossed his arms as he watched Ino politely make the interloper of his personal space retreat.

Tenten shook her head. Damn she was good. Ino blended into every political scene with tact and grace. She had managed to get the noble to harass someone else so that she could talk to Gaara, and by the looks of it, he was grateful…he even managed to crack a small smile, one only intended for Ino. Tenten was more than pleased for the two. The long distance between them was rough but it seemed to strengthen their bond. Every moment was precious with him, Tenten heard her confess one evening after a long time had passed since the two of them had met. Tenten was glad they could steel little moments like this together, even if it was in public.

She noticed that Shikamaru wasted no time fending off fellow shinobi as they ogled Temari. Genma seemed just a little too curious about her fan which was conveniently not here at the moment. Shikamaru looked ready to shove the senbon down his throat if he didn't stop talking to her.

"Hello there," Kakashi's usual casual greeting was much more seductive and low as he looked Tenten up and down with his one eye.

"Don't be jealous," Tenten said fighting the urge to laugh outright as Kakashi tried to place where he had seen her before.

"Jealous?" the copy ninja cocked his head to the side still eyeing her slightly as he did.

"If he finds me more attractive than you," she smiled apologetically and snaked her way past him to stand next to Kankuro who had his back to them both.

Kankuro casually looked down at the person who stood so closely by his side then back to the conversation at hand with the other two shinobi. When the gapping mouths and what he actually saw when he took his casual glance caught up with him, he whipped his head back down at Tenten who was politely looking bored.

"Do carry on," Tenten implored. One of the adjoining shinobi caught himself and finally closed his mouth. Kankuro gapped openly down at her a full head taller than she even in those thin black stilettos. Tenten finally turned to Kankuro and looked him in the eye. "Would you prefer Kakashi be your escort tonight?"

"Heh?" was all the puppeteer could ineloquently muster.

"Be careful how you answer that, I am fully armed and I know he is within earshot." She whispered the last part for full effect with a sultry tone into his ear then winked over her shoulder at the still dumbfounded Kakashi, who seemed the need to consult with Gai that it was indeed Tenten. Gai momentarily lost his spring time expressions and picked up on the salacious manner in which his arch rival was viewing Tenten and shoved him warningly in the shoulder.

Kankuro followed Tenten's gaze to Kakashi and he frowned at first but suddenly caught on.

"You're my escort?" he stated with half belief at his luck. His night was not going to be as lame as he thought. He turned to catch Temari's line of sight. She winked at him mouthing the words, "your welcome."

"Who?" he mouthed the question back, referring to the brunette with the long flowing tendrils at his side with the shiny form fitting dress.

Temari just gave him a dissatisfied look. "Blockhead," she actually stated out loud. She referred to both Shikamaru and her brother as Shikamaru had actually put himself in between his girlfriend and Genma who was now reaching out to try and touch the fabric on Temari's dress. Perhaps she was talking about Genma, but the Hokage interrupted them all before Kankuro could find out. He simply stated a simple, "thank you," as she walked by.

Kankuro offered the woman by his side his arm, praying to Kame that she would take it and it wasn't anyone's idea of a sick joke.

Tenten took the offered arm and followed the others as they made their way towards the Grand Hall.