Realization
Chapter 5
That night, after Temari realized her fears and insecurities about the relationship she had with Shikamaru, she knew she needed to sort out what she felt and how she was going to approach those emotions when they had that conversation once he returned.
The Sand Princess was baffled at her ability to find so many things she felt, let alone that had gone unacknowledged. She cared and felt unexpectedly attached. She was extremely protective and found herself worrying constantly over the past few days.
Recollecting her prior dating experiences, these kinds of emotions never really lasted very long with her previous beaus. What was so special about him? Heart swelling with uncertainty, a part of her was fearful of more…
But could there be more?
Of course, there's more... Temari reminded herself. She recalled the moment when she couldn't lie to herself any longer about the Shadow Possessor. There was no point in denying it, denying herself anymore. Now that her romantic feelings were blossoming, they began to mature into intimate feelings of lust. Her cheeks burned at the thought of intimacy in that sense between the two of them.
"Temari? Are you okay? Why is your face so red?" Tenten questioned, breaking the young woman out of her trance. Laughing awkwardly, Temari wiped the sweat from her brow as nonchalantly as possible.
"I'm fine, don't worry, Ten," Temari reassured; Tenten skeptically looked at her with an odd, yet curious expression. Anyone would have wondered what was going through Temari's mind at that moment at how displaced her behavior was.
The Weapons Mistress had decided to spend the night to help ease Temari's concerns about Shikamaru whilst on his journey. It seemed like the longer she waited for his return, the more anxious she got. She had already called Neji and told explained everything, saying that she'd be home when she could once Shikamaru made it back to the city, despite how much he objected.
Temari, the one who didn't have a say in whether or not she wanted any guests, found herself stuck with Tenten until Shikamaru made his way back. She wouldn't dare admit that Tenten's presence was helping distract her, so she decided she would enjoy the company while it would last and take advantage despite her pride gnawing away at her.
"…Are you sure?" Tenten pried. Temari's face only darkened at the attention she was receiving. Nervous that Tenten could get her to admit to what she was thinking about, she had to keep her resolve. That embarrassment was something that she had to avoid at all cost.
"Shouldn't you be doing something to ease your loss for Neji?" Temari quickly countered, Tenten taken aback at the sudden response. The Hyuga's Bride's cheeks didn't flush so easily; she was very comfortable with her sexuality and discussing it. Her eyebrow quirked up at the challenge.
"Oh really? Something like what?" Temari grinned.
"You don't have any toys you keep on hand?"
Tenten's jaw dropped as she swung a playful punch at her friend, Temari dodging it before it could land. Her laugh shattering the gasp that had escaped Tenten's mouth.
"Where the hell do you think your going, Sabaku! You're not going anywhere until a pummel you to pieces!" Tenten shrieked, her anger diminishing, replacing itself with a childish tone. Temari found this kind of distraction was just the one she needed.
"Shikamaru? Are you sure you're okay?" Ino asked for the umpteenth time as he balled his hands up into fists out of aggravation. Her constant inquiries about his slight attitude were driving him insane. Grinding his teeth together, he felt the pressure starting to take a toll on his jaw. He exhaled, trying to remove the tension from his body before he snapped at her too hard.
"Ino. For the last time. I'm perfectly fine," Shikamaru seethed as Ino scoffed and stuck her nose into the air before folding her arms across her chest. All she wanted to do was make sure he was alright and he was being such a jerk about it.
"Geez, can you stop getting such a snobby attitude all the time? I was just worried about you. I care, ya know!" She snapped before walking away from him. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, his resentment seeping through his corneas.
Drifting over towards Choji, his eyes softened; he bared no animosity against him. The guilt in the pit of his stomach ached at the Akimichi. He wore a mask of exhaustion to hide his disappointment. Not one word made it out of Choji's mouth since Kakashi had rejoined formation. Overall, the man was disinterested in human contact altogether.
They had at least a half a day left before they made it back to the Konohagakure. It was nothing but pure relief that dwelled in each of their hearts; they had defeated Hidan of the Akatsuki due to Shikamaru's deductive reasoning and skills, but deep down, Shikamaru's mind was scattered. There had been a lot of stress about the Love Triangle at hand, but there was a more concerning romance that awaited him at the village.
Temari...
The woman's name alone passing through his mind brought so many unexplained thoughts and emotions. They seemed a bit confusing to him at first because of the loss of words, but what confused him, even more, was the lack of a similar emotional connection to the Yamanaka.
His biggest fear at the moment was that he had compromised a potential connection because of his behavior on this mission. Not only between him and Temari, but Choji and Ino altogether.
I was waiting for Choji to admit his feelings for her for years. They're so obvious. But at the same time, she hasn't paid it any mind.
It felt as though he derailed their potential romance. If he knew she liked him before when they were younger he would have addressed it then before it could bloom. But now, it's grown and blossomed and it was right under his nose the whole time.
No. That's not even logical. There's not a chance she liked me when we were younger. I'm not even gonna put that kind of guilt on myself. She was obsessed with Sasuke, just like all the other girls, at least until he left. And then after that...
Nothing?
Not possible. Ino had been with a number of guys. She was particular about the men she chose, even when she didn't know what she wanted. She had plenty of guys who fell victim to her charm, but she always chased a challenge. Which brought them to Shikamaru, himself.
"Women," he accidentally muttered aloud, forgetting he was with the other members of his squad. Kakashi understood the current situation at hand from everyone's perspective just off of life experience. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit to himself before turning his attention to his Icha Icha book.
Choji cracked a faint smile and knew that Shikamaru was conflicting within himself about the situation. Part of him was enjoying the stress that his best friend was enduring, but he couldn't help but start to understand Kakashi's point of view.
He stole a look at the Squad Leader's face, seeing it was stressed and trapped within deep thought. He knew it had to do with Ino, but he had no idea about the current situation at hand with Temari. If he did, Choji's loyalty would shine and he'd support his friend. But for now, he'd enjoy the anguish.
Ino heard it and gasped, appalled that Shikamaru would say something so sexist. A faint "hmph" escaped her lips. Part of her was annoyed that he was still the usual chauvinistic asshole, but at the same time, she was joyous that she was on his mind, or so she thought. The idea that he was warming up to her was in her mind out of denial at this point.
She still had time.
Temari, his mind drifted over her again. Those deep green eyes and sandy blonde hair. From her laugh and the way she had a retort for every word he said. Part of him always avoided going deeper than where they stood in shallow water. But why?
It's because you know, he finally admitted to himself. She knows too. That's why she avoided it as well. They both knew what was there, they were just equally terrified of it. But not anymore. Things weren't the way that they used to be anymore. Everything changed the day Asuma passed on.
But what about those sentimental feelings that he was avoiding to release? If those thoughts and feelings he had for her were serious, what was he going to do about them? Where would that put him now due to his current situation with Ino?
She said she loved you, his mind reminded him. When he remembered those words, it felt as though the world froze around him. He paused in mid-walk, his heart suddenly fearful of the consequences due to his actions.
His squad members paused as well, concerned that he detected a threat. Ino's hand instantly found its way to her ninja tools pouch and Choji got into his defensive stance. Kakashi merely looked up from Icha Icha, knowing that there was no danger surrounding them.
"What's wrong?" Ino practically barked in a whisper. "Is there someone close by?" Kakashi chuckled and shook his head before he continued walking forward. Choji and Ino both exchanged glances before Kakashi gestured for them to follow.
"Nothing's wrong with him, and no one's nearby. He's just in a very deep thought right now." Choji's arms slumped down to his side and he trotted to catch up with the Ex-ANBU; Ino hesitantly followed after.
Shikamaru, still frozen, let everything click together. She did love him. She wanted every part of him and was probably terrified for his life at this very moment and yet…. He'd manage to demolish her heart and he hadn't even returned to the village yet.
Fuck.
He remembered telling her he'd be back and that he'd visit her and they needed to discuss some things about their relationship status. His feelings were at their strongest at that particular moment; maybe it was because of the slight bit of doubt in his heart of his survival. He may not have ever returned. But even at that moment, almost a week later, those feelings weren't dulled. They couldn't be mentioned or compared to how he felt about Ino. He felt nothing.
Nothing.
You risked it all… For nothing.
He swore again.
I've never even seen Temari's emotional side. I've never seen her infuriated with anyone either, he thought to himself before shuddering. I want the woman scarier than my mother. I should have expected consequences of making this decision way before now.
The thought of ducking from her fan and avoiding being gutted like a fish seemed to be the only likely situation. But there was something he feared more than physical pain inflicted for his poor choices.
The thought of the Sand Princess crying made his heart drop out of his chest.
Beginning to fall too far behind, Shikamaru continued walking at a leisurely pace, not concerned with catching up at the moment. He had to deduce what to do. He could always lie about what happened and keep it to himself. Pretend and deny it, make Ino swear to never tell a soul. But he knew he couldn't live with that on his conscious. He had to tell her the truth, he'd want to know.
The Shadow Possessor cringed. I'd rather not, actually.
If he loved her, he knew he had to tell her.
That sparked the question of the entire year. Did he love her? What was his definition of love? How would he know if that's what these emotions were leaning him towards?
I'm too much of a logical person for this shit. I mean hell... He thought to himself, frustrated and angry. He reminded himself of Tenten's constant badgering about the subject of him and Temari.
"Do you think about her a lot or more like all the time?" Tenten's voice rang out in his head. She's always crossed my mind frequently... And even now after we lost Asuma, she still finds her way in my head...
"Do you feel 'different' when you're with her and nobody else?" Different...? We've gone cloud watching. And that eases me but... when it was with her, it did seem a lot less stressful.
Shikamaru groaned before letting out an exasperated yell. It was exhausting and hard to piece together. Shikamaru could feel Asuma laughing at him for his romantic situation. If Asuma was here, I probably wouldn't even be in this mess.
That much was true. Asuma, the 'King of Romance' as Choji used to tease him with, would never allow Shikamaru to get himself into a predicament like this. He would have gotten smacked on the back of the neck ages ago.
"Okay. I do have very strong feelings for Temari. Possibly, love. Ino's feelings do not cloud those feelings. Point blank. I don't have feelings for Ino, outside of our friendship we've had since we were born. They would have shown up by now if I did. But overall, romantically, I want Temari Sabaku. I... just can't have her right now because I'm with Ino...?"
He stared into space briefly before letting out another agitated yell.
"Why is it always me who gets into this kind of dramatic shit?"
Temari woke to Tenten's distorted voice breaking her out of her sleep. Temari felt a pain strike through her head when she attempted to open her eyes.
"Temari, come on..." Tenten whispered in a tired voice as she shook the woman once more, only this time more gently. "I've got some aspirin and water here for you. It'll ease the pain." Temari attempted to open her eyes again as the sun peaked through.
"I hate the sun..." she moaned, her hands finding their way up to her head to cover her face. Tenten scoffed as she attempted to help her best friend sit up to take the medication she had provided.
"You need to take this to help that headache you have," Tenten insisted.
Temari sluggishly took the two pills out of Tenten's hand before she took the glass of water with the other. Quickly, she gulped down the water and the pills until Tenten took the glass from her hands again and placed it back on the side table. Temari's body dropped back onto the mattress, groaning at the aching between her ears, trying to get comfortable in her bed.
Finally able to distinguish her vision without too much pain, Temari looked down; she was still dressed in her black yukata from the day before. When she looked up, Tenten's rounded face and brown eyes were avoiding hers, concern covering her face.
"...What's wrong?" Temari asked slowly. The Weapons Mistress was still avoiding eye contact but seemed hesitant.
"Temari...? Do you have a...drinking problem?" Tenten asked quietly before Temari's eyes widened at the sudden question.
"Excuse me?" She seethed in a disapproving tone, her voice saturated in venom. When Tenten didn't respond or repeat herself, Temari took the question personally as she sat upright in her bed. "No. I do not have a drinking problem."
Tenten looked slightly hurt with the response.
"You were out of it, Tem. I'd never been so scared for you. I thought you had alcohol poisoning... Imagine what would have happened if you had... Do you even remember last night?" Tenten quickly tried to explain. Temari's mind wandered back to the night before. She found it to be a blur. She didn't remember a damn thing.
"Well pray tell..."
"We started drinking to relax, and then you wanted to go shot for shot. Even after I said I was done, you were still drinking. You kept drinking. I had to pry the bottle of gin out of your hands," Tenten yelled assertively. "I know you're an adult, but jeez, Temari. That wasn't normal..."
The room went silent between the two of them. Tenten, who was once timid, was now strong in her stance on how she felt and Temari knew right then that she had behaved inappropriately. She hadn't planned on drinking and getting drunk like that on purpose, but she understood her best friend's concern.
"Ten?" Temari whispered, her voice slightly raspy. She cleared her throat and called for her again. Tenten finally looked over at her. She had on a mini blue camisole and plain white underwear. Her hair cascaded down her back cupped her face.
"Yes?"
"I'm...sorry I snapped at you like that," she apologized as Tenten's eyes softened before she finally looked back at her.
"It's fine."
"...I don't have a drinking problem. I just needed to clear my mind and just forget...I didn't-"
"Shh," Tenten eased as Temari's bloodshot eyes started to water from embarrassment. She quickly blinked the tears away before her best friend could even notice.
"I don't know how much you drink when you're in Suna, but this is definitely a cause and effect thing. It was just the easiest way out to avoid your problems, but when you scared me, I couldn't help but be more concerned than usual," Tenten stated with a slight smile on her lips. "You know I'm a mom."
"I know," Temari admitted, with a slight smirk on her lips. The silence between the felt natural but started to stretch awkwardly as time went on.
"You started crying..." Tenten admitted to her, sighing as Temari's eyes widened.
"Crying?"
"Yeah. You were crying about Shikamaru... You said you wanted to be with him, but you knew you couldn't have him," Tenten whispered as Temari felt her heart skip a beat at her recklessness. She should have known she would have let out all her insecurities to Tenten.
"I couldn't...have him?" Temari squeaked.
"Yes... You said Ino had already won..." Tenten sighed as Temari felt all of her pride drain out of her body. She couldn't help but laugh at little, only puzzling her best friend. "What's so funny?"
"Even I know deep down inside..." she chuckled as Tenten rolled her eyes.
"No, you're not, stop selling yourself short. Shikamaru doesn't even like Ino like that, so she doesn't have a chance. All you have to do is tell him that you love him, like you did to me last night," Tenten pressed as Temari shook her head frantically, suddenly becoming terrified of that scenario. "Stop denying it! You can have whatever you want-"
"Everyone's love story doesn't end like yours, Tenten! Okay?" Temari finally shouted, Tenten drawing back. "Just because you love someone... doesn't guarantee they're going to love you back." Tenten bit her lip in silence.
"I just think you're overestimating Ino and Shikamaru's relationship," Tenten expressed before taking Temari's hands in hers. "If you saw those two and how they interact, you'd never think-"
"You mean the way I never thought I'd feel the way I feel about him?" she interrupted. Tenten sighed. "They've been together, been friends since they were born. She's got pieces of him I'd probably never see. He asked her to go on the mission-"
"Don't do this, Temari, you know it's because of the ties between their clans, her abilities and her residency in Konoha, you're not even a citizen of Konoha-"
"Which is another reason for me to believe this is going to end in complete shit," Temari retorted. Tenten realized that there wasn't much else she could do to raise her friend's confidence. At this point, Shikamaru had to be the one to prove her wrong.
The Hyuga Bride let her friend's hand's go before standing, removing the glass and the bottle of aspirin from her bedside.
"I'll go get you something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry," she chimed, almost as if the conversation they had been engaging in wasn't emotionally tolling; Tenten always felt the need to eradicate that kind of tension. Tenten walked out of Temari's bedroom just as her head hit the pillow, a swear sliding from her lips. I always say the wrong thing. What the hell is wrong with me?
Suddenly, Temari heard the front door open and Tenten's voice shrilled out a scream. She scrambled up out of her bed and ran into the conjoined kitchen and living room to aid her best friend from the intruder. There stood Kankuro, dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a fitted black tee-shirt. He had a pair of sunglasses over his eyes and he peeked over them to take a full view of Tenten's slightly exposed body due to her lack of clothing.
"Well hello, Ms. Tenten-"
"You perverted Puppet Master!" Tenten shrilled flinging a nine-inch Chef's Knife at him. Barely evading the large weapon, he backed away, holding his hands up in protest.
"Now, now, Tenten, it's not like I expected to see you here, practically naked! This is my sister's house-"
He ducked again, this time avoiding Temari's Iron Fan, creating a large hole in her wall. Backing away slightly, he analyzed the hole, shaking his head.
"See, that's going to come out of your security deposit-"
"Tenten. Go in my room and get dressed while I handle this hentai-"
"Hey, hey, that's harsh, Tem!" Kankuro objected. Tenten rushed into the bedroom and closed the door as quickly as possible just as Temari backed him into a corner. "Come on, Temari, I'm your little brother! You really don't want to have my blood on your hands, do you?"
"It's one thing when you burst into my house, unannounced. But at least have the decency to respect the privacy of my guests and not look at her like she's a piece of meat!" Temari snarled as she swung again.
Somehow once again, the Wind Mistress created a large sinkhole in her wooden floor just as he held his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, okay! I was wrong! I'm sorry!" he pleaded as she threw the fan aside; it hit the floor like a ton of bricks. She snatched him by his shirt collar and yanked him towards her until he was about an inch away from her face. Looking into his sister's eyes, he shook his head.
"Ohh… No wondered you're acting like that, you've got a hangover," He pointed out sheepishly. He stiffened to keep a cry from leaving his throat as she kneed him in his gonads. Dropping to the floor after she loosened her grip, Kankuro clutched his crotch. Temari stepped over him after and closed the front door, locking it.
Tenten appeared just then as she peered around the corner to see how it went, cautious about her friend's methods of dealing with her brother.
"Everything okay in here?" she asked as Temari headed back into the kitchen, somewhat ignoring her brother writhing in pain.
"Yeah, everything's fine," she stated, shooting a quick glare to Kankuro. Tenten then entered freely, now dressed in a pair of sweat pants and an oversized tee-shirt. Kankuro managed and struggled to stand up, stretching in hope reduce the pain. He couldn't deny, he had kind of asked for that, but he'd never give her the satisfaction.
A cell phone went off. Temari didn't even bother checking hers because hers was in the room, Kankuro shuffled for his before he realized it was Tenten's. She looked at the caller ID and instantly lit up when she opened it.
"Hello? Hey!" She exclaimed, stars in her eyes as she held up a finger and went back into Temari's bedroom to give herself some privacy. Kankuro's face changed from somewhat pained to aggravated. Temari scoffed and shook her head at him. Kankuro's eyes met with hers again.
"What?"
"She's married. Get over it," Temari stated point blank. She turned around and turned the sink on, biting her lip at the realization of what she had said to her brother. She knew it was harsh, but she really needed him to let it go. He was only embarrassing himself at this point.
Temari found herself collecting the dishes from the night before's alcohol shenanigans and dinner that Tenten had prepared. The least she could do was show appreciation by cleaning up.
Kankuro rolled his eyes.
"It's not just the fact that she's married that bothers me, ya know. It's the fact that it's him. I don't like him, and she knows it. I'm just waiting for her to realize that he isn't what she thinks he is or he says he is," Kankuro admitted. Temari's eyes widened as she turned around, in shock about what her brother had dared to speak.
"Are you waiting for her marriage to fail so you can have her to yourself?" Temari asked in a disgusted tone. She found herself getting highly upset with her brother at an exponential rate. "I hate it when people do that. You need to stop."
"Stop doing what exactly? Wanting more for her? What's the crime in that?" Kankuro snapped back as her eyes shot through him.
"Stop basing your happiness on her pain and his failure. It's pathetic," she muttered before starting to put the clean dishes back into the cupboard. Kankuro found himself silenced in shame; he had never seen it from that perspective, but he indefinitely lacked honor because of how selfish he was being. The Puppet Master took a seat on the barstool and silently watched his sister wash dishes.
Tenten entered the room once again, grinning from ear to ear, but it faded when she felt the aura in the room shift due to the tension between the siblings.
"Um... Did something happen?"
"No, everything's fine," Temari stated with a faux smile that Tenten couldn't detect. Temari closed the cupboard, turning around folding her arms over her chest now that she was finished cleaning. Kankuro scoffed and rolled his eyes, refusing to look at either of the women. Tenten scratched the back of her head nervously, feeling a bit awkward in the current situation.
"Um... So... Kuro... What brings you here?" Tenten pried tentatively; he seemed like he was ignoring her at that point of the interaction. Tenten cleared her throat, awaiting an answer, but she didn't get one until Kankuro received a smack on the back of the head from his sister. Swearing slightly, he decided to answer.
"Gaara decided to have me come down and check on Temari because she's been gone for a while now, or in other words, 'too long'. She was supposed to be back three days ago but it seems that she's cozy and snug instead of rushing back," Kankuro said in a saccharine tone as Temari felt a vein pop out of her head. "He had a mission set aside for you, but he couldn't wait on you forever, so he had to send someone else. And he won't put out a warrant for you and log you as AWOL because he knows you're just lazy about coming back from Konoha."
Tenten giggled and Temari rolled her eyes before putting her hands on her hips.
"Do you guys need me back as soon as possible or what? Is the mission that urgent?" Temari snapped as Kankuro shrugged.
"Gaara just told me to make sure you were here." Temari scoffed and threw her hands up in defeat.
"Pointless, I tell you!" She yelled out of aggravation, turning around and bagging up the trash from the night before.
Everyone within Temari Sabaku's house froze as they started to hear a lot of ruckus and noise outside; it seemed a bit concerning at first. Everyone exchanged glances of confusion about the commotion. All three of them went out the front door to see what was going on. When they realized they weren't directly near the noise, yet they could still hear it, their curiosity intensified.
Kankuro seemed more annoyed that the peace and quiet within his sister's abode was disrupted, but regardless, it didn't stop him when Tenten urged him to come with them to find out what was going on. Climbing on top of Temari's house, they hop from building to building towards the projecting sounds. As they approached, it grew louder and sounds of cheer and music was able to be translated through what seemed to have been a scramble of sound waves.
The three nin paused when Kankuro pointed down into the street, a parade of some kind was going on. They hopped down in with the intention to get a better look. There were candies, pop up shops, and food being shared with all civilians, though they were unsure of what they were celebrating exactly.
"Is there a festival today?" Temari asked Tenten, slightly confused about the reasoning. Maybe it was a national holiday or something? Still brushing up on Konoha's traditions, it was something that happened often for her whenever she was in town. Tenten shrugged, just as confused as the Sabaku Siblings. Nothing seemed to be special on today of all days. It had seemed to be a normal Tuesday.
The cheering grew louder and the citizen started screaming louder than before. Kankuro peeked over the heads of the citizens, thankful for his height. Tenten and Temari couldn't see due to their lack thereof, so they tried to squeeze through the crowd, something that was far more challenging than they expected. Tenten managed to get through first; her eyes widened at the sight before her.
"Oh no…"
Temari, unsure of why Tenten suddenly seemed disappointed, continued to break through the large crowd of people. The Sand Princess realized it once she managed to get through to the front where she had a direct line of vision to the events taking place.
It was a parade.
There they saw the floats and banners, confetti, and marching bands. The largest banner read, "Welcome Home", the loudest of marching bands blared the alliance anthem between the three clans, and all the citizens of Konoha were invited to participate in the celebration with members of each clan cheering and leading the joyous event, passing out candies to children.
Shikamaru's father led the parade in front with his wife on a float that was shaped like the head of a stag; Shikaku was not at all mildly amused by the extremity of the celebration but was still able to bask in the glory his son in the most modest way. Similar floats that represented both Yamanaka and Akimichi followed with Ino and Choji's parents as well, waving to the citizens whose enthusiasm gushed with gratitude.
The heads of each of these clans were delighted for their children's work; they had completed the mission and had made it home safely while ensuring the future progression of the country. Who wouldn't be proud?
There was a final float that contained all three of them: Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji. It wasn't fancied with a lot of decorations or glamour. It sported them and their interests and aesthetics appropriately. Temari felt her heart lift the moment she saw Shikamaru; he was in one piece, he had all his limbs, and he was himself. Ino was gleeful and happy, being a bit dramatic to entertain the people, as Choji was a bit shy, yet still trying to appear somewhat socially engaged. But in everything that was going on, the music, the screaming, and the chatter, there was one thing that the Wind Mistress focused on.
Shikamaru.
Temari saw one of his hands go up to wave nonchalantly, the other hand was holding Ino's within its own grasp.
Temari's heart seemed to choke at the sight. Her world slowed down as the gears in her cerebrum started to grind together. She found herself cringing at the public display of affection between the two of them. She had dreamed her pessimistic attitude was out of fear of succession, but now, she knew deep down that she was right to be cautious in the first place.
The Wind Princess inhaled sharply, flexing and extending her hand and her fingers. Her pride had taken the largest blow she ever anticipated and she was trying to remain calm; her temper was capable of so many reactions. Tenten had seen it first and was just as surprised as her best friend was; she had never thought that Temari's irrational train of thought would become reality. It was hard for her to not feel some kind of animosity for her ponytailed friend for the trouble he had officially caused.
"What? What's going on?" Kankuro questioned. He had been left out of his sister's emotional rollercoaster, and with good reason. Temari also wasn't interested in explaining everything, either. She just wanted to retreat and lick her wounds alone, in shame.
Shikamaru looked up from his waves to the crowd, despite looking annoyed and disinterested. He found himself making eye contact with plenty of people in the crowd, nodding at them in acknowledgment. He found himself unable to move when his eyes connected with Temari's. He also saw Tenten right beside her, disappointed and hurt as well.
His eyes widened. She knew.
The one he claimed he wanted seemed to look at him as if she wasn't surprised at what she had witnessed, and she wasn't interested in hiding her pain for the sake of his conscious.
Expecting what? What could she have been expecting?
He instantly snatched his hand away from Ino's, catching her off guard from her joyous celebration of the mission. She glared at him, annoyed at his sudden behavior change; he didn't seem to have a problem with it before.
Shikamaru's guilt started to chew away at him just as he fell into her emerald eyes. This was bad.
He hoped she'd gotten the unspoken plea for her not to leave. If she did, she didn't bother to even acknowledge it. She turned away and dove back into the crowd of people from the celebration from whence she came. Shikamaru yelled out to her, but it did him no good; he was drowned out by the noise of the public. The Shadow Possessor found himself conflicted and unsure of how to proceed.
What have I done?
Temari had managed to disappear through a back alleyway, not bothering to climb onto the rooftops; she didn't want him to see where she was going. She knew that Shikamaru would pursue her at some point and that was something she couldn't handle right now. Tenten sighed at the Sand Princess's escape; it was to be expected. Unfortunately, Kankuro tried to pursue his sister. The Weapons Mistress, annoyed, followed shortly to try and prevent the Puppet Master from trailing her when she clearly needed her space.
"What the hell just happened?" Kankuro asked, frustrated that he didn't know what was going on with his sister. Tenten felt bad about her friend's now wounded heart and about her pressuring Temari to pursue Shikamaru in the way she had. Tenten kept pressing on and on about how she could win the fight if she wanted to and now...
"Kankuro, we've gotta leave Temari alone!" Tenten pleaded as he grabbed his sister's arm. The more she started to think about it and realize what it meant, the more pain started to spread through her body. Temari couldn't face her brother out of fear that her eyes would begin to water.
"No, for real, what's wrong, Temari?"
"Kankuro, just leave me alone," Temari begged, slightly exasperated. Her brother paused, realizing that she didn't have the same energy to fight him like she did when he had shown up at her house. He let her go as she leaned against the alleyway wall, struggling to calm herself down. The silence was briefly eerie as she regained her composure. The Wind Princess turned her heel and walked away, neither Tenten or Kankuro attempting to follow her. Tenten's own guilt couldn't help but speak out of term.
"Tem, I'm-"
"Don't even say it, Tenten," Temari whispered, her voice cold and unwavering. Swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking her tears, a mask had officially been put on her face. "I don't wanna hear it."