An Update! I looked through my reviews today and was shocked at how much time has actually passed since my last update. I really had no idea it had been *that* long. But, that's how I roll, I suppose. I was also a bit shocked at my writing. I am a perfectionist, and I am beginning to think it is a bad idea to read my stuff after I've posted. The mortification makes the delete button very tempting. Anyway, here is another chapter. Be sure to tell me what you think.
Sakura was undeniably moody throughout the mission, much to Temari's amusement. There was nothing she liked better than pushing buttons, and the pink-crowned hot-head had all but labeled every possible option, along with the expected result, for her pushing pleasure.
The group of five had settled in for a final night of surveillance. The "suspicious activity" had been established to be the beningn in nature, and after one more day, the leader was comfortable with listing it as no threat. Temari would have been bored to tears, if not for the flashing-eyed medic. Certainly, Temari's own skills were going to waste on this mission, but she had been the one complaining of nothing to do. The mission may have been a bore, but then, it had opened her eyes to other possibilities, hadn't it?
"Damn it!"
The shout pulled the fighter from the sand village out of her thoughts, and had her focusing her gaze (and thoughtful grin) onto the medic. Said medic had thrown one of her kunai across the small clearing they occupied before she began pulling, no, ripping, the stakes meant to ground her tent out. Temari's grin became a smirk. Time to pull rank. She stood and began to leisurely make her way towards the other girl.
Sakura had settled at the edge of the camp, to the relief of her current teammates. The two other Konoha members, and one Sand fighter, had been careful to give her the space she needed, and then some. The two who remained in camp while the other took their shift on surveillance (and of whom they found themselves rather jelous) watched with varying amounts of trepidation as the leader of the mission walked casually towards the beasts own home-turf, and exchanged silent looks, before simultaneously deciding to head into their respective tents. The sun may only just be hinting at setting but they would surrender the daylight. No matter the outcome from this interaction, they didn't expect it to be pleasant, or safe for third-party observation.
Temari stopped ten feet behind the other girl, and shifted her hips to the side, tilted her head, and crossed her arms. She watched as Sakura stopped mid-grumbling rant as she became aware of the blondes' presence, and became stiff in an attempt to restrain whatever it was that was demanding to be let out. Temaris smile was now from ear to ear. Too easy.
"Can I help you?" Sakuras voice was tight, her breathing rough. Temari answered viciously sweet.
"No, Sakura. It's not how you can help me. It's how you can actually do your job. You see, we are mid-mission, and it does involve a certain degree of...subtlety. You do know what that is, don't you? And with all your huffing, and puffing, and occasional threats of knocking trees down...Well, I'm certain you can see where I am going with this. Maybe you could put all that energy to good use."
Temari stopped to take in the effect she was having on her target. The smaller girls shoulders were shaking, her fists clenched at her sides. Maybe just a bit more, Temari decided. Just one more switch to flip, before she got to see her long anticipated show. She had been working on this girl for days, now just a little bit more.
"In the Sand Village, we actually like to take our jobs seriously. Leave our personal issues at home. Is it too hard for you, Konoha? You can punch through trees, and save lives, but get denied a booty call and you're all undone? From what I hear though, it seems like you have trouble getting anything at all. Well, keeping anything." She allowed a hint of mockery to slide into her tone. Check and Check. Temari slid into a defensive position with her last sentence, and just in time.
Sakura whirled on the sand ninja and slammed her fist into the the frame of the fan Temari raised to protect herself, swearing loudly as she saw the joyful expression on the others face. How dare she. Her thoughts struggled to find some balance as she continued her frenzied assault on the other woman, further enraged at the fact that she seemed to be inflicting very little of the damage she intended. Time vanished in the wave of the raw force of hot emotion
"So what if she's with Shikamaru, Haruno? You're a big girl, aren't you?"
The words slid like ice across a hot pan from Temaris mouth, an odd mixture of cold and hot, and brought Sakura to a sputtering stop. She blinked rapidly, and was suddenly able to take in her surroundings. She had pushed them further into the woods, beyond their gap in the trees.
Exhaustion laced her body and pain from the words spread from her gut and slide upwards, choking her. Her last punch had been caught by the taller woman as her strength began to lessen, and now she found her eyes held as well. Sakura pulled her eyes away, desperate to escape from the barbs she knew were coming, exhausted with her own lack of self-control, and behavior in the last month, and unsure of what to do with the information that the others deep green eyes were communicating, and irked by the prick of tears. She knew she was being goaded on, and still she couldn't stop herself from falling into it. And then Temari spoke again.
"You're a big girl, Candy Floss."
Sakura's gaze darted back to the others, shocked at the softness of the words and the nickname. The blonde continued.
"You're a big girl, and I want you."
The low murmur hung in the air while Sakura hung suspended in time, echoing the last sentence in her mind, trying hard to make sense of what was happening.
Temari made the statement, and then waited, refusing to break gaze or back down from her words. She just waited. And then, all at once, Sakura shifted into a state of heated animation, as she surged forward and pulled Temari to her. Temari smiled into the kiss, tasting the hint of tears on the lips of the pink haired girl.
"I hate you." Sakura's voice rolled through the kiss, punctuating the comment with a yank of the blondes collar which the medic held fisted in her hands. I hate myself, Sakura added to herself, her frustration and confusion and hurt, pounding into her, and flooding her with simple want.
"Feel free to." Temari smiled, giddy, and pulled them towards the nearest tree trunk, grunting softly as she felt Sakura press her against it. She wrapped her arms around the others shoulders and mentally congratulated herself, making the final check on her list. This mission was a complete success.
