I do not own Naruto…thanks everyone for the r and rs and holiday wishes.
XXXTEMARIXXX
As I walked home from our strategy meeting I couldn't help but be thrilled at how productive our night had been. We had planned everything out and there was no way those boys could win. It helped that for the most part the boys involved happened to be a lot more brawn than brain, well except for Shikamaru. He was the wild card. Though we really didn't think he'd invest enough effort to carry his whole team through this. Hmm who is that standing in front of my apartment? Well speak of the devil.
"Shikamaru, what are you doing here? Isn't it past your bedtime?" I teased.
"You troublesome woman. I'm here to make a deal." He said getting down to business.
Hmm, this was not good. I didn't expect him to make a move this quickly and definitely didn't think he'd want to make a deal. I needed to go into this very carefully, and think everything through. "I'm listening." I said.
"Hey look, can't we go inside its starting to get cold." He complained. "This isn't a ploy to case your apartment for that precious item. I already know its not there."
I froze at that statement, how did he know it wasn't in the apartment. He's already two steps ahead of me, where is he going with this and what can I do to take back control? I'll play along for now and see what happens. "Of course. Let's go!" I sweetly said with a big grin trying to hide my growing distress. We made it up to my apartment and I started to boil some water for tea. I was hoping that action would buy me some time to try to figure out what he was planning.
He continued with, "Look, Kiba pulled your name. You know Kiba, he's a horny bastard and I'm afraid he's planning to do something really stupid. Basically he thinks this game of yours is a free pass for bad behavior. Why don't we just trade our things here to save you and me from the trouble and embarrassment of his actions. Look, this is my item." He held his hand out for me to see.
A broken shogi piece? Wait a minute. "Shikamaru, this is a shogi piece from your old board. I was the one who broke it remember. How is this your precious item. You must think I'm an idiot?" I stated shaking my head.
XXXSHIKAMARUXXX
That woman, what's her problem. I started with "You suspicious woman. This shogi piece and the rest of that old set belonged to my grandfather, the one who taught me the game. Did you know, I never lost a game on that board, not even to my father. I used to think that that shogi set was lucky. Since only good things happened when I played with it." I thought fondly back to that old board and the bond Asuma and I developed over our games. It was also the board Temari and I used the first time I convinced her to play with me. "Well good things happened, until you and your troublesome temper came along. Even though I don't believe in luck anymore, I have a lot of good memories attached to that set, so I've been carrying this piece around ever since. Are you satisfied with that?"
XXXTEMARIXXX
I thought back to that night years ago. It was the first time we had played shogi together. He had asked me to play a million times before and I always refused, not wanting to waste my time with this lazy Konoha brat. Finally I relented, mostly to get him to stop bothering me about it. I remember being impressed by his skill and intelligence and surprised at how much I enjoyed the game…and his company. I didn't even care that I lost two games in a row to him. But, the statement "I can't let a man be beat by a woman" drove me to kamaitachi his scrawny butt over the couch. Unfortunately a few of the pieces were casualties of that action. I apologized with, "I….I'm sorry about that, I had no idea that set meant so much to you. It's funny that you still carry that thing around. You're not the sentimental type."
"Whatever, it's in the past. So do we have a deal?" He asked. "Where's your item?"
I looked at him coyly saying " Hnnh, I don't remember agreeing to a deal. But don't worry Shikamaru, you still have over thirty six hours to try to figure out what my item is. Thanks for telling me what yours is though." Hah, this little piece of information was going to make our original plan go much more smoothly.
He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, but don't come crying to me when Kiba does whatever perverted thing he's planning."
XXXSHIKAMARUXXX
That troublesome woman. Well I warned her, I'm not responsible for Kiba's actions. I stuffed my shogi piece back into my pants pocket and looked back at her before I left. She was reaching up into her cupboard. Oh no. "Wait, Temari!" I warned.
XXXTEMARIXXX
The cans started tumbling out as soon as I opened the cabinet. I didn't have time to react and closed my eyes, expecting impact when suddenly I was pushed to the ground. I heard the cans falling around me, and looked up . Shikamaru was perched on top of me, staring at me with a look of panic and fear. This was gently replaced by relief as he glanced over me and realized I was okay. He was breathless and flushed from the exertion it took to make it over the kitchen table and get to me in time.
We stared at each other dazed for what seemed like an eternity before I noticed something warm and wet dripping on my cheek. I went to touch it, it was red, "Shikamaru! You…YOUR BLEEDING." I exclaimed. I reached up to examine the source of the bleed. He had a nasty gash on his forehead.
"Ah," he sighed sitting up. "Yeah I wasn't quick enough…that one caught me at an angle. He said pointing to a square can lying on the ground near us."
"Let me get the first aid kit. Stay here, I'll be right back." I stammered. I made my way to the bathroom and closed the door. My heart was pounding and my stomach was churning. My body was telling me what my heart had realized a long time ago. Something my mind wasn't ready to accept. "No…No!" I spoke quietly to myself as I searched through the cupboard for some bandaids and antiseptic. I stopped as I looked at myself in the mirror. There looking back at me was a scared, vulnerable and…hopelessly in love girl. "I won't lose to you." I said in challenge, and the strong, in-charge kunoichi returned.
I walked out and noticed he was still sitting on the floor of my kitchen. He was now leaning back on his hands, his legs sprawled out before him with his head tilted back. He was thinking…not strategizing with his hands in an O…but thinking. I had no clue what was on his mind, but his expressions kept changing. At first he looked troubled, then shocked, then peaceful, then he looked … sexy. Man what was I thinking! "Ahem." I interrupted his thoughts. "Here let me clean this up." I knelt before him and he sat up to come closer. He winced when I applied the antiseptic, but followed this with a look of contentment. "Why do you ALWAYS end up bloody and beaten around me?" I teased dabbing away at the blood.
"Because even though you're such a troublesome woman..." He answered back looking at me with peaceful, gentle, and laughing eyes. His arms came around me and he drew me even closer, turning his head to place his ear close to my heart. "…I can't help but want to protect you...always"
With that the wall my mind had built around my heart crumbled. "Shika…"
"Please Temari, just let me. For a little while, let me stay like this." He begged, arms gripping tighter.
"Shika…" I said gently pulling away so I could see his expression. I recognized the need, I had seen that look from many a guy before, but there was something else in his eyes that I didn't recognize. It looked like a mixture of helplessness and desperation. Before my mind could stop me, I took his face in my hands tilted his head towards me and gave this lazy, sexist boy what his eyes were screaming for.
XXXSHIKAMARUXXX
She's kissing me, she's KISSING me, she's kiiiisssing meeee. I had gotten so warm in the last few seconds of contact I thought I would melt right into the floor. My mind, my body and my soul were being flooded with stimuli that had been completely foreign to me. I wanted more. I brought my knees under me and stood up raising her with me. When we broke our kiss she looked surprised, and a little bit embarrassed. That look was really getting me HOT. Without a word I lifted her into my arms and carried her to her bedroom, placing her gently on the bed.
"Shika, I don't think…" She protested.
"Don't think." I agreed before getting rid of my jacket and my shirt. This time I kissed her. This beautiful, strong and scary woman; became shy, embarrassed, and vulnerable only in front of me. I loved her. I loved her so much.
XXXTEMARIXXX
His arms were so warm, and gentle and welcoming that I wanted to be embraced by them forever. We kissed passionately and feverishly at first…with all our pent up emotions flooding out. After a while the kisses changed and they became more gentle, sweeter. It was when things slowed down that I began to notice he was exploring more of me. He started with little nibbles at my neck, then proceeded to taste my earlobes. All the while his hands were gently brushing my back, and my arms. He had lost his shirt early on and I could tell he thoroughly enjoyed the feel of my hands on his bare skin.
"Can I?" he asked pulling on my obi.
I answered back with a long languid kiss before rolling him over on his back and straddling him. He looked up at me his eyes shining with anticipation as I slowly undid my obi. As he waited he ran his hands up along the side of my thighs when…
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "OI TEMARI!"
XXXSHIKAMARUXXX
KNOCK KNOCK
"Ignore them." I stated, looking at her and grabbing her wrist. She looked back at me apologetically and began tying her obi back. "Aww troublesome." I groaned throwing my head back into the bed and lifting my hand to my head.
"I'm coming." She chimed as she tumbled off me, grabbing a brush from the bedside table.
I laid in bed, in her bed, happy as a cloud on a bright sunny day and waited for her to return.
"Temari, Temari our plans are in action and we're all ready." Oh, that was Ino's voice. "I came to drop off that thing I was telling you about. You know the thing that you should use tomorrow when you seduce Shikamaru. There is no man alive on this planet able to resist a woman in this." She blurted.
"Uh, thanks Ino. I'm kinda tired can I talk to you tomorrow. Sorry." I heard Temari say as she shuffled Ino out the door.
"Aah, okay see you tomorrow." Ino called back through the already shut door.
She walked back into the room, looking nervous, then placing her hands on her obi she said "Are you ready to continue?"
"Show me." I flatly stated. "Show me what Ino brought that no man on this planet can resist."
A look of hurt and guilt flashed on her face as she looked away. She put her hands into the bag and brought out a lacey-frilly apron. "Naked apron, that's what Ino said you would like." She quietly stated before continuing with, "But Shikamaru, tonight wasn't…"
"Stop. Let's stop. I've got what I've come for anyway." I sat up and looked away.
An expression of shock and sudden realization bloomed on her face, at the same time her hand reached up to her neck reflexively.
"Looking for this." I stated as I held up her necklace.
"How did you know?" She yelled.
"See you later, Temari." I quipped as I picked my clothes up off the ground and made my way to escape out the window. I left her with, "Don't underestimate me, you've made that mistake before."
XXXTEMARIXXX
Shikamaru…how did it come to this? I thought as I sat on my rumpled bed, a few tears stubbornly escaping. Was all that just now his plan to take my precious item? I felt that wall slowly build back up around my heart. Lying back into bed I forced myself to feel numb again. "Shika…I never underestimated you…how dare you underestimate me." I whispered as I fingered that old wooden shogi piece.
Aww…I wish I could draw a picture…I don't think I convey very well the images in my mind to y'all. waah.