Chapter seven, His Promise
Temari paled as three men entered the room, each one with a sadistic grin etched upon their face. She had to get out of this place, now. And these thee men were going to help her out.
They didn't waist any time, that was for sure. As they entered her prison, two of them stayed back at the barred door. The third man was tall and slender, with long black hair resting at his shoulder blades. His black eyes priced her own as he pulled a knife from his belt.
"This won't hurt a bit." He sneered, licking the blade as if it were supposed to scare her. Yeah right.
It won't hurt me, in any case. She thought, cowering in fear. It was exactly what he had wanted her to do. This was all too easy.
As the too-thin man with the blade came closer, she silently slipped her hands out of the manacles that she had previously loosened. They suppressed chakra, and they had immediately expected her to be completely helpless. Idiots.
The blond shinobi had made quick work with the three drunken men. It wasn't even challenging, though she had refused to use her chakra and defeated all three of them with her taijutsu alone.
After locking up the three of them, she shut the barred door with a grin, pleased with herself. However, she had not anticipated extra company.
Makoto walked up to her from the open doorway, half-smile on his hansom face. "I am most sorry." He apologized.
With Temari's blank look of confusion, Makoto elaborated. "For sending in three idiotic men and expecting them to be able to handle you, I am deeply sorry for underestimating. Unfortunately," He started again as his grin vanished. "The job must be done. That is why I am here."
Temari had expected an attack the moment he finished talking. She knew now that he wasn't a man to mess with his food before devouring it. He pulled his Kunai swiftly from his pouch and sprinted menacingly towards Temari. However, before Temari could even attempt to parry his blow, he stopped. He had a strange look on his face, as if he were contemplating on even killing her. Still, a look of confusion, and then anger replaced his features. And she knew instantly what was going on. Her eyes rushed towards the open door.
Shikamaru slid from the shadows of the doorway, and placed his arms down against his sides. Makoto mimicked his movement. With a smirk he addressed Temari. "Miss me?"
The blond shinobi sighed with agitation clearly written across his face. "And here I thought you were dead."
Shikamaru smirked. "I guess you were mistaken."
Makoto tried to break free of the shadow, but his effort seemed pointless as the most he could do was twitch a finger here and there. "It seems that I have underestimated my enemies' one too many times." He pointed out.
"You should have thought through your plan enough to realize that attacking the Kazekage was an idiotic move to begin with." Shikamaru retorted blandly.
Temari saw his face become a snarl. "I wasn't aware that I asked for your opinion."
Abruptly, the three of them heard a noise coming from behind the door. Shikamaru turned just in time to see Kankuro sprint into the room as an alarm sounded from apparently nowhere. "What's taking you so long? Gaara's coming." Kankuro stared from Makoto's back, to Temari's face. "Finish him up, Shikamaru." He ordered with a rare stoic expression.
As Shikamaru nodded, Makoto started a soft chuckle. Confused, all three of them turned to the tall frozen shinobi.
"Well, since the Kazekage himself is coming, I do not believe I should stay much longer." He set his gaze firmly upon Temari. "But be assured, I will complete my mission." And in a sudden spout of smoke, he was gone.
Resting against the safe walls of his room in Suna once again, Shikamaru turned to the Kazekage. "So, what's the news?" He asked.
Gaara turned from his brother to address the Konoha shinobi. "Most of the rebels have been dealt with, though there still are some that escaped the after invasion when we left. One including their leader's right-hand man, Makoto Hibishi."
Shikamaru mentally punched himself. How could he have let the man escape?
Temari turned to him. "It wasn't your fault, idiot." She scolded, obviously catching the reason for his disposition.
Shikamaru sighed. "I need to be leaving in three days, to take my report back to Konoha." He started, throwing off the previous subject. "I should be back about a week later."
Gaara quickly turned to Kankuro. Nodding silently, he and the puppet user left the room, closing the door behind them as they went, leaving only Shikamaru and Temari.
It was an awkward silence, by all means. Neither of the two would even so much as look at the other for a time.
With an abrupt pull of courage, Shikamaru finally spoke. "Temari… listen, I'm—"
Temari cut him off before he could even finish his broken sentence. "I said it wasn't your fault, didn't I?" Temari straightened up from her leaning position on the wall and came over to the bed where the shadow user was lounging. As Shikamaru turned to look up at her, she threw herself at him, forcing him down onto his back on the soft bed.
"Just don't let it happen again." She mumbled into his black shirt as she gripped it with both hands.
Shikamaru silently agreed.
He wouldn't let it happen again.
"I'll get him, Temari. You know I will." Shikamaru told her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.
Temari closed her eyes, content with simply lying there with him. "I know."
"I promise."
A/N: Well, this is it! If I have time, I will write another one Peace!
