Chapter Three

Kankuro stood up after Sakura was finally done. He glanced at his ripped shirt sleeve, frowning in disapproval. The pink haired kunochi had bandaged his arm neatly and was now sitting opposite him on the other side of the cave. Kankuro just played with the straps that fastened his puppets to his back. Temari said that he did it a lot when he was bored or nervous. So what was he? Bored…Or nervous? Why the heck would he be nervous? The sand ninja quickly pushed the thought away.

Sakura sat with her knees up to her checks. For some reason those very checks that her knees were against seemed to burn up when she was near the annoying puppeteer. She couldn't have a crush on him. It was impossible…right? Of course, at first, she had hated him. After she had gotten to know him better though she found how…caring he was under the mask. He wasn't really that bad…

"Hey, Kankuro!" Sakura called over at him.

"What?" he grumbled back.

"When are you planning on heading out?"

"…why?"

"I was wondering if…I could go with you."

"What about your village?" he asked.

"We need all the help we can get, and Gaara is a powerful ally. You could find him faster if we looked together."

"I guess…"

"…Please?" she pleaded, using her best puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine, fine! Just stop that!" he said, annoyed that her technique had worked. "You better not be a burden."

"Who, me? If I remember correctly, I wasn't the one who Sasori mopped the floor with."

"Don't. Push it," Kankuro growled.

By the time their conversation was over the sandstorm had slowed to a stop. No sand grains ready to fly into people's eyes. No piercing wind. Kankuro stood up, walking towards the entrance of the cave. He simply nodded at Sakura, signaling for her to follow. Both shinobi stepped out into the sun. It was a bright and clear day without wind to blow away the immense heat. Sakura groaned as she shaded her eyes.

"Why does it have to be so hot here all the time?" she asked, already feeling warmer then she wanted to be.

"Because we're in the desert. And it's not that hot," Kankuro stated, obviously amused by her suffering.

"You're a sand shinobi! You're used to the desert!"

"Get used to it then."

"Cheater!" Sakura taunted, sticking her tongue out.

Kankuro pointed to his clothes. "I'm wearing all black! Doesn't that give me some credit?!"