Chapter 3: Here she comes again

I laughed to myself as he ran away from me. Where the hell was he going? What was he doing? Only the imagination would tell, and right now mine was running wild! It had been some time and my hangover was almost diminished, not as bad as others I had gotten back at Suna with those drinking contests that me and Kankuro were always doing, so I seemed to get over them quickly.

I walked over to the plate, glaring at the fork I had flung across the room (I had to eat the damned food with my fingers!!) which was nearly under the dresser. I picked it up in common decency and then threw his shirt (and other such garments I was wearing) off to the laundry hamper at the bottom of the foot board of the bed, then I took a long hot shower and then dressed in my newly-washed kimono and tied it with my obi. Leaving my room now, I went to the kitchen and threw my plate in the sink, noting now that it was 2:27pm. Paying more attention to my hair as I decided finally to put it up, and closing my eyes gracefully as I did so, I bumped into Shikamaru, who hadn't seen me coming either.

"Ugh!" I shouted as I dropped my elastic. "You jerk! Watch where you're going!"

"Why don't you? This is my house," he muttered pathetically.

I must admit, I was ready to smack him, but yet I really wasn't all that angry. "Pick it up," I said, using that as an apology, and a way to repent.

"No." he rejected.

"DO IT!"

"NO!" he began to walk away when I grabbed him and threw him towards the couch. I only wanted him to do what I asked, but instead he countered my attack mid-air and flipped me oddly so I would land on the couch, but I too countered his counter attack, sending us into an odd position as we fell, my lips happening to fall on his.

I know does sounds crazy- even I would have a hard time believe it. What are the chances that our lips would meet? But they did, nevertheless, just a little painfully and to the side. It even took a second for it all to process through our brains, and as soon as it did, we pulled apart quickly, Shikamaru and me blushing ravishingly. After a minute, I regained my dignity and glanced over smirking at the boy gripping slightly at his pant legs wide eyed.

"Aww...what's wrong?" I teased. "Did I embarrass you? Or...was that your first kiss?" he jolted after I said it was his first and I knew that he hadn't been thinking that until that very moment. I snickered a little.

"Shut up." He mumbled a little annoyed.

"You mean even though you are with Ino? You still haven't had a kiss?" laughter was still on my lips as my smirk widened.

He frowned at me. "If you must know, before you start rumor shit that you girls do, she has only ever wanted to kiss me while we were in the public, which I refuse to do. If anything she has kissed my cheek - why the hell am I telling you everything?"

"because you wanted me to kiss you - you are so deprived."a large smile crept across my face.

"kay, first of all, that made no sense. Second, no I didn't and I am not deprived."

"But you are deprived, and you know that..." he looked over as I paused. "../you did." I don't know why I felt like I needed to, but I leaned in, kissing him deeply, correctly and slowly. He didn't react to my actions, positively or negatively. He waited until I finished his face as emotionless as Gaara's until I watched a frown stretch over his face.

"I think trees can do better than that." My turn to frown as I picked my body up, picked up the elastic that started it all, and left for my room, fixing the rest of my hair and putting on my headband. I then grabbed my fan and put my shoes on at the doorway, noting that Shikamaru was still there at the couch as I left him.

Then without a word I left, thankful, for once, that there was a meeting with the Hokage. Sure, I was a little early for my 3:30 appointment, but, as I happily found was true today, Sakura usually hung around the Hokage's room, sometimes getting mission or training from her teacher, the Godaime herself. She was outside her office, at the line of chairs that sat waiting, carefully observing a kunai knife (whatever floats her boat).

"Sakura! Good afternoon!" I shouted, sounding almost happy, even after what that jerk had said.

"O-oh, hello Temari! Why are you here? A meeting with Tsunade?"

"Of course I am," I retorted, slightly agitated at such a stupid question.

"So, how is-" but before she could finish, the door to their leader's office opened, the door squeaking, her teammates from the mission they had just returned from trailing behind the blonde with looks of annoyance for her.

Of course the girl who stepped out was Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru's girlfriend, I reminded myself. She looked at me as I looked at her, obviously hating me. But I didn't care because I didn't care much for her either. But she traded her look for a fake smile that was slightly trying too hard.

"Temari - how are you?" I reflected it. "I'm doing fine, Ino. How about yourself?" "Oh I'm doing fine- I guess I'll see you around?"

"Yea yea, bye." She exchanged nods with Sakura as the other team members glanced at me, one of them being TenTen and the other being Shikamaru's best friend; Choji Akamichi was it? Yes...the butterfly boy. My eyes bore holes in his throat and he just waved, as I voiced a simple 'hi'.

Sakura watched as they left, closing the door quietly, wondering what just happened probably. "Um... so how is living with Shikamaru? Quite 'troublesome'?" I sighed, not finding her joke funny.

"As always." And I stopped. I defiantly was not going to tell her what happened a half hour ago.

Tsunade opened her door with a sigh, rubbing her eyes. As she opened them, she noticed me there and smiled.

"Early for once, Temari?"

"Well today I had no lazy ass guide to tale me here. I know it's against the rules but -"

"Its fine," she cut me off. "I understand. He's, well, Shikamaru. How about we start the meeting early then?"

I nodded.

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well...thanks to those of you who read this. i just realized u can check how many peeps read it XD not as much as the other site, but then again, theres no advertisment i can do here, so thats ok i guess. a tad slow in the beginning, but now that the kiss is over with, it gets them thinking...

next chapter...

"YOU ASSHOLE!!" ...typical.