They stopped in front of a wall of barbed wire fences; Shikamaru stared at the white building behind it, which was barely visible in the cover of the night.
"Do you remember this place?" Temari asked. He shook his head.
"I can't recall anything," he said, pressing on the side of his head. "I wish I could."
Temari smiled at him and pressed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Let's get in," Temari clawed her hands onto the wired fence and in several swift movements, she leapt over the fence and stood on the other side.
"Hurry up." She urged, as Shikamaru followed suit.
"Is this even safe?" He arched an eyebrow as they walked soundlessly towards the entrance of the building.
"You are asking me, you who kill people as a side job." Temari rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, this place is off the records – so nobody would even know."
They entered the building; Temari flashed a torch and led the way.
"Still don't recall anything?" She asked, only to see him shake his head in response.
"I don't suppose you would, so quickly." She shrugged.
They took a few turns and took a few flight of stairs.
Temari knelt in front of a particularly large steel door, fishing out a small device and plugging it in, the small black box began to decode.
The steel door opened after a loud beep. The two of them walked inside.
It was a large arena - the ceiling of the dome was very high, complete with spectator's stands above and floodlights, although those were covered with dust and cobwebs.
"Do you remember this place?" Temari led Shikamaru to the middle of the dome, and stood there.
He stood, staring all around him, he began to see flashes, pictures, fragments.
"You are to fight until I tell you to stop."
"Troublesome."
"Just keep talking," the picture shifted to an image of a long-haired girl, who was staring at him smugly. "I will make sure you suffer!"
Clashes, sounds of thumping and clashing of arms and kicks.
The next thing he saw was his blade resting on her neck, he was panting.
"Kill her."
The girl stared at him desperately.
He sighed and dropped the blade. "Too troublesome."
"Are you defying my order?"
He remembered looking up …
Shikamaru pressed on his forehead painfully, yelping in pain, he crouched down onto the ground.
"Are you okay?" Temari looked at him concerned, she knelt down next to him. "What do you remember?"
"A girl, dark hair, dark eyes, he asked me to kill her," he said, panting. "But I couldn't see his face."
"At least you remembered something," Temari said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Don't push yourself, we can try another place and see if you remember anything."
Temari helped him up, as he stood, he jolted and his mind plunged again.
"Leave it, he is just lazy as fuck," a voice emerged.
His vision turned and he saw her – blonde hair, green eyes, smirking at him.
"I bet you won't be able to beat me," she said, turning her thumb downwards at him.
"Troublesome."
The next thing he recalled, she was finally restrained, but he was badly battered up, both of them were panting, as she waited for his finishing blow, glaring at him angrily.
"I give up," he said, shrugging. "Too troublesome."
"Very well," the mysterious voice came again.
He helped her up, with her pushing him away roughly.
"I can't believe you beat me."
He remembered his heart racing when shaking his head.
"Troublesome."
Shikamaru turned and stared at Temari.
"We fought." He said, confused. "Right here."
"Yes we did," she replied. "We met here the first time, when we fought."
"Why did we fight?" He looked at her, putting his hands on her shoulder. "If we were enemies, why are you helping me? Why did we take photos together?"
Shikamaru shrugged and walked further away.
"All of this is so troublesome, I don't understand."
"Don't worry, you are doing remarkably well." Temari said, smiling painfully. "Especially for a lazy ass like you." She whispered, staring at Shikamaru, who was pressing his hand against the wall.
She approached him from his back, tapping him on the shoulder. "Maybe we should just call it a night."
Shikamaru turned around, his dark eyes stared straight into Temari's brilliant green eyes.
"I still can't believe you beat me."
"Heh, troublesome. A man shouldn't be defeated by any woman."
"I bet I can beat you somehow."
"Try me."
"Let's have a staring contest, whoever blinks will lose."
"Are you serious?"
He smiled and looked into her brilliant green eyes.
She thought she saw her own smirking reflection from his dark vortexes.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
He could feel his heart pounding against his chest, he felt weirdly hot, as if he was burning …
An irresistible urge took over him, as he cupped his hands around her face.
She did not flinch, she just stared at him, as he leaned forward and covered her lips with his.
He broke away and stared at her, she didn't move, her face was emotionless.
"I am sorry." He said softly. "I don't know what came over me."
Temari caught his hand with her hand, and gently pushed it away.
"We should call it a night, you have to teach tomorrow." She smiled faintly. "Let's go."
"As I have said, the test will count part of your final grade, if you have any problems, you are welcomed to meet me in my office after class. I will be there until five today."
Shikamaru tapped on the table, as the class stared at their professor. Some of them looked devastated, some of them looked content, and some seemed to have other matters on their mind.
Shikamaru walked out of the lecture hall, and was stopped promptly by a girl.
"Professor, I want to talk to you." She said through her painted red lips, cat-like eyes staring at him. "Privately."
"Sure," he said.
She followed him to the office, as he took his seat in his chair, he pointed to the chair opposite from across the table. "Take a seat."
She sat down promptly. "Professor, my grade is not very good," she said, showing him the paper.
"Ah, you got a C," he replied, one eye closed. "I think it is a proper grade, since you missed out quite a lot of the points in your essay."
"Is there any way that can improve my grade?" She blinked her eyes, long eyelashes brushing her cheeks. "I would do anything."
Shikamaru shrugged at her. "Study harder I guess."
She pouted, and stood up. "Oh please, mister, I would do anything."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Please don't be so troublesome," he said. "The door is that way."
She smirked as she walked up to him, her finger resting on his chest, slowly sliding down to the buckle of his belt.
Shikamaru stood up and backed away. "That's quite enough."
"Oh please," she blinked. "I have never seen a man that would reject me."
"I don't mind being a first," he replied.
She smirked again and winked at him. "Surely you wouldn't mind some afterschool entertainment?" She proceeded to move her hand to the bottom of her blouse, and pulled it up, revealing a lacy black bra beneath that was barely containing her bosom.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes again and prayed for someone to come and save him.
"Hey," he heard a saving bell, and turned his gaze upon the door.
Temari stood there, looking at the situation with both confusion and amusement.
"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on her face. "Am I interrupting, dear?"
The word 'dear' stung in his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.
She was dressed in a sleeveless blouse, complete with white trousers and stilettos that made her look like she just stepped out of the office.
The girl blushed so hard she looked like a scorched tomato. She quickly put her blouse back out and dashed for the door.
"You left your paper," Temari smirked again, holding the paper in her hand. "It's not like you want a C hanging around with your name on it."
The girl ran back in to get the paper before storming out again.
Temari waited until she no longer heard her footsteps before bursting into laughter.
"You looked like you were filming a porno, I was thinking whether I should come in." She could barely finish her sentence before bursting another fit of laughter.
"Troublesome," he rolled his eyes, before resting them back on her.
"Why are you here anyway?" He raised an eyebrow as she finally stopped laughing.
"What do you think? Of course I am here to help you find your memories, which is exactly why we are getting dinner together."
"We are?"
"Just shut up and follow me." She reached over and grabbed his hand. "Hurry!"
Shikamaru grabbed his brief case and was pulled out of the room.
He could not help but smile as she pulled him through the corridors, something about her bossy air just made him feel strangely familiar.
He was happy about regaining his memories, but something frightened him at the same time.
What if Temari was not who he thought she is?
What if this is all an act?
He wanted to know everything, but he did not want to know at the same time.
He did not want to realize one day that she was not who he thought he was.
Because he was falling in love with her.
"Hold on, you go get the car, I need to go to the washroom." She suddenly let go of his hand, and tossed him her car keys.
"Aren't you afraid that I will ditch you?" He smirked. "It's a long way from home."
"You know fair and square I will kill you if you do." She winked before turning around and walking away.
He stared at her back and smiled, what he did not see was a murderous glint in her emerald eyes.
She closed the door of the ladies' room soundlessly.
"Yes, I almost got him." She heard the familiar voice – it was the bimbo she saw at Shikamaru's office. "I had the pill beneath my tongue, could have slipped it in, but yeah."
Then Temari heard a flush, she stood next to the stall, and as soon as the woman walkd out of the stall, she stabbed her neck with a needle. The sharp end pierced the skin and into the vein with deadly precision.
"Argh!" Temari covered her mouth, her hand still firmly against the woman's neck, her other arm wrapping around her shoulder and dragging her down.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," she said, with a smile on her face. "You won't be dead, just your brain will turn into mush, and you will become a vegetable."
The woman rolled her eyes back, trying to take a look at the face of her attacker.
"Oh, and just one more thing before you pass out." Temari said, as she gently removed the needle and putting it back into her purse.
She let go of the woman, as she began to collapse, gasping for breath.
Her vision began to blur, as she saw a few shapes with a shade of blonde, the periphery of her vision darkening, and her hearing started to fail.
"Don't you dare touch my boyfriend."
The last thing she heard was a thud, and then everything turned dark.
Author's note:
Long time no update! I hope you enjoy the story :D
Well things are staring to clear up as Shikamaru began to remember :)
Anyway, enjoy! Read and review xoxo
V.S.V