(Hello, my loyal readers! (you know, if you haven't given up on me yet) I'm back with chapter 4! Disclaimer: Have you seen the Kiba/Shino messed up shit yet?...exactly. Now this chapter is where it gets really good. I totally made up Shika's street address. Read and find out what I mean. I'm pretty proud of myself for cranking out three chapters in one day.)
Not Because I Wanted To
At one in the morning, Sabaku No Temari tapped her pen to her teeth, looking down at the parchment.
Dear Shikamaru
Oh, where was she to start? There were numerous things that she wanted to say to the shadow nin, but she had no idea how to put it into words. She settled with a simple:
Yes, this is Temari, and I got your letter. I would find it extremely nice to see you once more.
Was that too formal? She quickly added,
So I can whip your lazy ass like cream again.
Temari's heart sank in her chest; what if she offended him?
She'd never offend him. He was her crush, her interest, and she only prayed that he felt the same way.
Ha, Ha, just kidding. I'd like to talk and learn some more about you.
She nodded and grinned; yes, that sounded right.
I'd also love to see more of that amazing shadow technique you used on me in the exams. Do you know any more? I heard from a reliable source (your mother) that you take a great interest in playing shogi. I don't mean to brag, but in my village, I'm known as 'the shogi bandit'. Isn't that just something? I guess that means I'm pretty good. I hope you're prepared.
Temari nodded; yes, she was starting to sound very much like herself in this letter. She added a few more teases and witty remarks, she ended the letter with
Yours truly,
And scrawled her signature before folding the letter and slipping it into an envelope carefully.
Temari pulled on her jacket and shoes before tiptoeing to the mailbox on her front stoop.
She snuck past Kankaro's room, his door slammed shut.
Gaara's room was open, and the fourteen year old lay sprawled out across the bed. Temari slid through the half-open door, and placed a loving kiss on her brother's forehead.
She smiled when she noticed a worn, old teddy bear tucked carefully under his arm.
She hadn't seen the kid so peaceful in ages
Temari left Gaara's room quietly; the passion flower had worked, and the sand nin had eight years of sleep to catch up on.
She opened the door almost silently and slid outside into the night.
A gust of wind blew by furiously; ruffling Temari's loose fitting pajamas and sending an involuntary chill up her spine.
She was about to drop the letter into the mailbox when someone slapped a hand over her mouth.
The letter fell from her hands, and Temari attempted to bite the intruding appendage, but to her horror, something long and slimy slid across her lips.
She squirmed and writhed, as an arm reached out of the darkness and locked itself around her waist.
"Don' struggle, un," grunted a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere, "It'll jus' make this a hell of a lot harder."
And with that, Temari was carted into the darkness.
…
Gaara rolled out of bed, feeling more relaxed than he'd been in a very long time.
"Temari?" he called, yawning and ruffling his hair.
Where was it?
The familiar smell of Sunday breakfast, where was it?
Where were the scrambled eggs?
Where was the syrup and French toast?
Where was his sister; wearing an apron and humming a jaunty tune as she poured orange juice into three glasses?
He wasn't relaxed anymore.
Gaara rushed frantically into Kankaro's room, being greeted by the putrid odor of mold as he entered.
He scrunched up his nose in obvious disgust, and nearly killed himself trying to make his way through the dangerous terrain of his brother's bedroom floor.
Gaara shook Kankaro frantically, hoping to wake the snoring teenager.
"Kankaro, you slug, wake up!"
The puppeteer peeked groggily through one eye, and then rolled onto his side.
"It's too early, Gaara."
The younger of the two kicked the frame of the bed, causing the mattress to shake and disturbing Kankaro from his slumber yet again.
"Temari's missing!"
This woke Kankaro quite a bit.
"What?" he screeched, bolting out of bed and accidentally smacking Gaara with a frantic, flailing arm.
"Ah!" Gaara shouted, rubbing his head, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Kankaro didn't reply, but instead, ran around the house, his filthy socks sliding across the smooth, wood floor, treating to catch him off balance at any second.
"Temari? Tema-chan? Tema-hime?"
"Calling her by multiple names isn't going to coax her out of hiding, if that's what you're thinking," Gaara mumbled, his head still sore.
His brother dashed outside, hoping Temari would be there, but stopped dead in his tracks: the letter.
Kankaro picked it up, fondling it carefully.
Mr. Shikamaru Nara
33 Green Leaf Pass
Konoha
…
A young boy buried his face in his hands, not even daring to look at his meal.
"Honey, eat," his mother ordered, pushing the plate a little closer to her son.
"No," the boy muttered, turning his face and shooting Yoshino a pathetic look.
Wooden spoon in hand, she turned to her husband,
"Shikaku, talk some damn sense into this boy and get him to eat."
The man shrugged,
"Can't do that, dear. If the kid doesn't want to eat, he won't eat. He got that stubbornness from you, woman."
Scowling, Yoshino plopped down at the kitchen table and rested her chin on her fist.
"If you won't eat, Shikamaru," she said, "At least tell me what's bothering you."
"The girl," the boy said quietly, "She didn't answer my letter."