Title: Learning to Love
Summary: Itachi is the Uchiha prodigy, and Temari is basically a warrior princess. Whoop dee doo. That doesn't mean they have to marry each other! But with two forceful fathers and a signed contract, their destinies are kaput. ItachiTemari.
Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop
--
Do I love you because you're beautiful,
Or are you beautiful because I love you?
~Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
--
Itachi- 11
Temari- 9
Chapter 6: Observing
Temari snuck out of the embassy that morning, as silent as mouse. She strolled the streets, completely and utterly alone, a fate she had grown accustomed to. She enjoyed her lonely morning walks, it gave her time to think or to keep her mind completely blank. She smiled at the fact that no matter where she was, Suna or Konoha, the sunrise was still the same. Beautiful tangerine and crimson explosion upon the horizon, to a ninja's eyes it was like battle. Bloody skies of war, the riches of gold that prospered from the bloodshed. Foliage grew dark and seemed to be set ablaze. Then it bloomed into a soft peach, like the innocent skin of angels and goddesses. Beautiful. Simply beautiful. No artist could capture the sunrise's magnificence, no writer's illustrious word would do it justice.
And with the sun, woke the life that inhabited the leaf village. Sparrows, bluebirds, and many more lovely twittering birds flew through the air singing their sweet melodies. Squirrels and chipmunks scurried up and down the mighty redwoods, by far the largest she'd ever seen. Temari sat down, hugging her knees to her chest and listed of the trees she saw.
"Sycamore, hickory, beech, maple, ash, oak, redwood." Temari sighed, gazing over the few trees she could see. She wondered what other kinds she would find in the dense plethora of mighty woods. What types of rare and exotic plant life, she'd discover. What sweet aromas originated from each flower released. It was strange that a girl living in Suna would know so much about botany, but very understandable why she would be fascinated by it.
She placed her hands behind her head as she laid down on the plush emerald grass, not minding the fresh dew saturating it. The green carpet beneath her felt like heaven compared to the scorching coarse sands from her home. Her jade orbs stared at the now baby blue skies, wispy clouds striped the vast opening above. They reminded her of silky brushstrokes, soft and simple.
"You're trespassing." Came a scratchy voice.
Temari sat up quickly to find a boy, no older than herself, possibly even Gaara or Kankuro's age. He had small onyx eyes and matching hair pulled into a ponytail. She couldn't help but to compare it to a pineapple. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I'll leave."
She stood up and he laid down next to were she once was, "I didn't say you had to leave, just that you're on my property." She narrowed her eyes on the boy, suppressing a vicious growl. "You like clouds?"
"They are alright. I prefer stars." She stated absentmindedly, following his gaze back to the white strips adorning the sky.
He didn't respond, it looked like he was going to fall asleep. Soon his breath evened out and Temari couldn't help but wonder if the boy needed psychiatric help. He was extremely complicated, making absolutely no sense what so ever. She retraced her footsteps, and notice a small sign nailed into the dirt 'Nara Plantation, Private Property'.
The blonde grumbled to herself, "It's an amazing invention called a fence. Stupid boy."
By the time she reached the market, it was already hustling and bustling. Women carried their babes on their hips and woven baskets in their other hand, children ran swerving in and out of the venturing horde of people, and men lifted large crates into their shops their wives complaining about not dropping them. Suna wasn't like this in the least. If anything, complete opposite. People hated leaving their homes, and when market was open they kept to themselves. The children played at the barren park, or playground at the academy. Otherwise they were reprimanded to their houses.
Konoha was so different than her home. The leaf village was full of life and love, not a single frown in the entire crowd. But Suna was defiled by hate and resentment, and the closest facial expression to a smile would be a victorious maniacal smirk after demolishing their victim. Green and tan, one so beautiful and the other so dull.
Her fascination with her superb surroundings was shattered when she caught tuft of red hair making it's way through the conglomerate of people. "Gaara.."
She had no idea where he was going, or even where they were. He just kept walking, his head swaying from side to side, as if he were looking for something. Temari made sure she stayed far enough away from him, there was no knowing what he'd do if he caught her pursuing him.
Gaara twitched and spun in her direction, she hid behind the tree her heart pounding in her chest.
"Hey are you Temari's brother?" Came a familiar voice. Temari saw a blonde hair poke out of a bush just a bit in front of her. "My name's Naruto."
The other boy just glared, "You know her?"
Gaara's eerie and malicious voice scared Naruto, but he just chuckled, "Yup, sure do! She wanted me to meet you."
"Meet me?" The redhead said to himself.
"Do you want to go play with me and my friends?" Naruto asked, his sparkling azul eyes pleading.
No one has asked me to play... It's a trap, kill him."Ok."
"All right!" Naruto ran off down the beaten path, "Come on!"
Gaara looked awkwardly at his feet, as if they didn't know what to do? But after one foot after the other, he was soon sprinting after the blonde. Something inside him changed, his heart seemed lighter.
Temari still followed after them, watching her baby brother's face go from its regular scowl to a tight lipped smile. They sprinted down to the lake where Temari had first met Naruto, right next to the Uchiha compound.
Speaking of Uchihas. The Sunan princess saw Sasuke, he had grown quite a lot since the last time she saw him, he had a large innocent smile plastered on his face. Three outsiders, all found friendship in one another. Sounds like a corny novel.
Temari observed them play for several hours, kicking a bright red ball around, hide-n-go seek, upon many others. Sasuke and Naruto had to explain to Gaara the rules of every game, and at times her brother got frustrated when it didn't come easy to him. Then he would threaten to kill them, but the two boys would take a stance and challenge him right back. But regardless of him being beat not only during a fight but also throughout the games, he was enjoying himself. Now if only Kankuro got friends other than his dolls.
"The demon has been tamed," She whispered to herself. "by friendship."
A silent tear fell from her left eye, then her right. Gaara was smiling, laughing. Usually when he did that it was the end of the world, his blood lust driving him mad. But this was love, friendship, happiness. Something their family had been missing. Temari rubbed the tears away furiously, tears showed weakness. Weakness lead to death.
"Hi Itachi." She didn't dare turn towards him, in fear that her eyes were blistering red. But she felt his presence, it was something the academy had taught her, to be in tune with her acute senses.
"You've gotten me in quite a predicament with my father, you know." His maturing voice, murmured into her neck.
"How so?"
He smiled behind his wolf mask, "When you told me off about Naruto, it changed my opinion. So I let Sasuke play with him, that naturally had him up in arms. But now Naruto is allowed into our home and it drives him crazy. He hates me for putting his social standing in jeopardy. He ignores me insistently."
She turned head from him, feeling guilty. "I'm sor-"
"Thank you." He cut her off. "Now he isn't so overbearing, I am able to actually live my life."
Temari nodded, looking down at her brother and his new friends. "He's happy, they all are."
"Sasuke has been more joyful since Naruto." The wolf masked ninja replied. "So I have you to thank for that as well."
They stayed silent with the pregnant silence, but neither cared. They observed the boys running down the dock and doing different tricks while diving into the clear lake. Trying to drown each other, then trying to save Gaara from drowning.
The blonde girl chuckled, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. Itachi looked over at her, "What is it?"
"Gaara trying to swim, he should know better." She looked at the older boy, who stayed silent. She could tell he still didn't understand the situation, even though his face was covered. "No one from Suna can swim. No water."
"I see." Itachi nodded. "So that means you can't swim either?"
"Nope," She swayed her head back and forth, she looked at Itachi smiling lightly. "Could you teach me?"
"I don't know when I'd have the time." He looked down at his hands resting on his knees.
"Oh." Temari nodded in understanding, "I'll just ask Shisui then."
The prodigy's head snapped in her direction, his voice was more angry than he wanted it to be. "What makes you think Shisui would have the time?"
"Shisui would make time." She smiled lightly, "He's just that type of person, who would go out of his way for his friends."
Despite himself, Itachi agreed with her. Jealousy was poisoning his thoughts, the only way to rid them was to outdo his best friend. "Tomorrow morning."
"What?"
"Tomorrow morning, I'll teach you." He said in finality.
"What are you doing right now?" She asked.
Itachi looked at her, trying to decipher her hidden meaning as if it were a complex new language. "Nothing, I guess."
"Then you can teach me now." Temari smirked, "Then tomorrow when you planned to teach me, we can just relax."
"You don't have a bathing suit." He offered, trying to get out of swimming this instant.
"I'm wearing a sports bra and shorts, that will do." She said crossly.
"But I'm not wearing a bathing suit." Itachi squirmed uncomfortably.
Temari pointed up the hill, "Your house is right there. If you don't want to teach me just say so, I'll just go find Shisui."
The Uchiha imagined Temari and his best friend swimming in the lake, both wearing next to nothing. Him holding her afloat, having to touch her in order to direct her. It made his blood boil, and what made him even more angry was the fact she knew she was doing this to him! Or was she just that naive?
"I'll be back in a minute."
With that he disappeared and Temari chuckled to herself. Itachi is so easily manipulated. Just mention Shisui outdoing him in some fashion and he literally jumps to beat him to it.
------
Another chapter, another short chapter. But hey it was longer than the last one :D