Ch.9:The Moment a Heart Breaks


"I'm free! I'm free! I'm free!" Temari chanted happily as she skipped out of the hospital.

Tenten covered her ears in annoyance. Hinata smiled meekly. Naruto joined her in her chants.

"Seriously!" Tenten exclaimed. "Shut up! So you're free, get over it, girl!"

Temari stuck her tongue out at the brunette. "Oh, shut it. You weren't cooped inside a room for two weeks."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Firstly, it was not two weeks, it was twelve days." Temari huffed out in annoyance. Tenten continued, "And, I was there with you so much I could have spent a week there."

"But you got breaks."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, sand wretch, but you'll never get a break from yourself. Although, I know you desperately need it."

Temari shoved her.

Tenten shoved back.

In two minutes the two girls were now having an odd sparing match outside in public for the world to see.

Hinata smiled at the two temperamental and playful women. Naruto just looked at them dumbfounded.

"It's about time Tenten found a decent playmate." Ino crooned suddenly.

Temari collapsed onto the ground on her back laughing hard. Tenten settled beside her, breathing heavily a wide smile on her lips.

"Sh-shut it, B-Blondie." Temari breathed.

"Tomboys to the end," Ino chastised.

Naruto drew his hands behind his head. "I'm hungry, is anyone up for ramen?"

Tenten sat up. "Oh, yeah. Food, that's what I need."

Hinata nodded her agreement.

Temari frowned. "Ramen? I just got out of the hospital, I want better food."

"Ramen IS THE BEST FOOD!" Naruto exclaimed with glee.

Temari stared at him speculatively. "Riiight."

Ino held out her hand. "Come on, Temari. Let's go eat at that nice little restaurant by the store you work at."

Temari eyed the skinny girl's hand. She thought taking her hand had to be something akin to jumping inside a pool of carnivorous sharks.

"They have the best cookies."

It suddenly made sense to Temari how Shikamaru always managed to bring her a cookie when she was working. Oh, those cookies were fantastic. Temari considered it for that alone.

"Honestly, I'm not going to bite or anything." She huffed. "I just need to talk to you about something."

Temari slid her eyes to Tenten.

The brunette was watching Blondie very carefully. After a few more seconds she shrugged and mouthed 'just see what she wants' to her. "Well, Temari," She chimed "Naruto, Hinata, and I are headed for ramen, you know where we'll be if you change your mind."

Ino looked at her expectantly. "Well?"

"I don't like you very much."

"I've realized." She pushed platinum bangs out of her face with an air of superiority. "I just don't care."

"So you like me?"

"Shikamaru likes you. Whether I like you or not is completely irrelevant. You're part of his life so I must play nice."

Temari sighed. "Alright." She took the blonde's hand, surprised to find it was actually rather cold. "Let's got chat."

Ino pulled her up with a wide smile. "We'll be friends yet, Temari."

"I doubt it." Temari answered truthfully.

Most people would look crestfallen at such a comment. Ino just smiled ever-more brightly. She seemed to think her disdain as a challenge.

Upon thinking about it, Temari mused that's exactly what it was. After all, everyone in the village liked Ino. Even Tenten, who hated the girl admitted that Ino was nice, she just had… witchy tendencies.

There had to be something brimming under the surface right?

Besides, it was best to get to the princess of the fairy tale if she wanted to be in the fairy tale at all right?

Wonder who was Ino's prince?

Twenty minutes later, she was settled comfortably in a nice both a chipper Ino before her chattering about some fashion necessity.

Temari merely stared blankly at the blonde, her attempts to pay even the slightest bit of attention long gone. At the start of the conversation she had tried to listen to what the skinny girl was twittering about, but now she just settled for looking at her and nodding when it seemed appropriate.

It was shoes they were talking about. Or at least, that's what she figured the topic of discussion was. For all she knew Ino could be chattering about bracelets, coffee, or even the starving children in Ethiopia. Temari simply could not concentrate; she just kept staring at her and wondering what it was about her that made so many people like her. Sure, she was friendly, but her crueler tendencies more than made up for that.

Right?

"Temari!" Ino snapped.

She blinked. "Yes?"

The girl before her sighed in aggravation. "You weren't listening to me at all were you?"

"Not really."

The blonde huffed out in annoyance. "I really don't know why Shikamaru bothers with you."

Temari leaned forward; she liked this turn in the conversation. "You know, I've been thinking the exact same thing. Well, but about you."

Ino's eyebrows knitted together.

"But before we start on that. Do tell me, what's so horrid about me?" Not that Temari wasn't aware of the numerous faults of her person, she was just curious as to what fair Ino thought was wrong with her.

Ino picked up her glass of lemonade and stared coolly at her. Temari figured the blonde was trying to figure out if she had ill intentions in asking that question. Temari figured it did sound like she had ill intentions, but she really didn't. She sipped at the lemon drink with her blue eyes watching her carefully. "You're too honest." She paused. "You talk as if you're perpetually annoyed even when you aren't." Ino settled the glass down on the table. "You're very contradictory and heaven knows you're the clumsiest creature I've ever met." Her nose wrinkled.

Temari flushed at the last mention. Everything Ino had just said was actually very true, but it was only the last one that bothered her. She actually liked everything else about her personality.

"You also dress ridiculous. I mean, really," Ino flicked one of her ponytails, "who wears their hair like that?"

"I like it." Temari defended stubbornly.

"That doesn't stop it from being ridiculous." Ino clicked her tongue, "And you're just plain odd."

"So that's all?"

Ino's nails tapped against the glass. "Yes, that would be all."

"None of those things are really all that bad."

"Normally, I would agree with you but," Ino's lips quirked up into a smirk, "Shikamaru's just so lazy. I find it amazing that he is willing to put up with you considering you are a remarkable amount of trouble."

"Yes, well…" Temari raised her glass to her lips. What could she say that? It's not like she had an answer. She had been wondering the same thing; probably everyone in the town thought around the same lines as Ino.

"I'm envious to be entirely truthful."

Temari spit out some of her drink in shock. "Wh-What was that?"

"I'm jealous, Temari." The blonde propped her head on her hands.

Temari considered what to do with this new information. Parts of her wanted to attack the blonde out of sheer possessiveness. Dammit, Shikamaru was hers. Other parts of her wanted to ask why. Parts of her were pleased. Nobody had ever been jealous of her. In fact, people looked at her and thanked the powers above that they weren't her. Now somebody was jealous. Mostly, the largest part of her wondered what Ino had up her sleeve.

Ino chuckled softly. "Oh, don't look so bitter. I'm not talking about Shikamaru here."

Temari lowered her glass instead rubbing her temple. "Blondie, you're sending me in a loop. What are you talking about?"

"I'm over Shikamaru. In fact there never really was a Shikamaru that way for me to begin with. So don't get all furious because of that; that's not what I mean. You see," Ino leaned forward, "I'm pretty damn hot. I don't mean to sound conceited, but I look good and I know it. Yet, I've never been able to attract a guy like you seem to have interested Shikamaru. There's a . . . magnetism between you two that is just so fantastic. I'm hard pressed to say it's love."

Temari blushed horribly. Love? No…it couldn't be love… It was something, but love?

"It's a nice thing." She smiled charmingly. "I used to say I loved Sasuke. Even then I always knew I was full of it. But now it's just so clear how little of the thing I actually knew."

"You still chase Sasuke."

Ino waved her hand about. "Of course." She smirked. "Just because I don't love him doesn't mean I don't want a taste."

Temari almost fell off her chair. "Fuck, Ino!" Temari held her hand to her heart trying to calm the sporadic beating. Something about Ino's words and determined smirk just scared her from head to toe. "You remind me of a shark. Or a tiger maybe." Temari mumbled trying to calm herself.

Ino laughed. "Maybe I am one." With one finger she traced the rim of her empty glass of lemonade. "Now, Temari, tell me what's so wrong with me."

"You're manipulative." Temari muttered without thinking over her words. "And given this recent information, scary as hell."

"Aha!" Ino exclaimed in triumph. "That's it!"

Temari edged farther back away from the blonde. "What's it?"

"You're threatened."

Temari's eyes narrowed. "I am not."

"Oh, just ignore the whole sex thing. It's all past."

This time, Temari did fall out of her chair. "The whole what thing!?" She clamored in panic as she pulled herself back on to the booth.

Ino blinked slowly. "You didn't know?" She frowned, "Then why did…"

"You had sex with Shikamaru?"

The blonde suddenly looked very agitated. "Temari, dear, you're telling me that Shikamaru hasn't spoken to you about that?"

That was the secret everyone was keeping from her? The worry in Ino's voice was strikingly clear. The chatter in the store suddenly increased volume and her heart seemed to be beating ridiculously fast. "No." She muttered through gritted teeth. "He's failed to mention anything of the sort."

Ino bit her lip nervously. "Temari, really it's not so ba—"

"Shut up, Ino." Anger broiled in her veins.

This was, as a matter of fact, a very big, very bad thing. This is the kind of thing she would have liked to know. NOT the kind of thing you put off. Sure it wasn't a nice topic of conversation, but it was not something you hid.

At least not from her.

Really, people only hid stuff like that if…if the person still had feelings over the other person.

What if Shikamaru still had feelings for Ino?

She had asked him when he got over her.

He said he didn't like to lie.

That could only…

That jerk!

Temari stood up and left the restaurant without another word to the skinny blonde.

Ino followed after her, "Oh, Temari!" She called out, sounding rather agitated. "Could you let me explain?"

"Explain what exactly?" Temari asked tersely.

Ino chewed on her lower lip. "It's really not what it sounds like. If you would just—"

"I don't want to hear details, Ino."

"I'm not intending to give you details, dammit!" She exclaimed furiously. "Just listen."

"I don't want to listen." Temari spat back. With a huff she turned on her heel and marched back home.

"Dammit! Quit walking away from me!" Ino hurried after her. "Who cares if we had sex?"

"I care!" Temari protested, not able to ignore her as she'd fully intended.

"And why?!" Ino continued, "That was the past! The PAST. It doesn't matter anymore. It's not like we ever really had anything going on."

Temari turned around and jabbed the blonde in the chest with her finger. "That makes it worse!" She hissed out slowly. "The fucking idiot had sex with you when there was nothing going on!"

Ino groaned. "Temari, look—"

"I don't want to look."

"That's it!" Ino screamed. "This is why everyone finds it hard to like you at first! One little thing pisses you off, and you won't listen! People are stupid, Temari, you're gonna have to learn that! While Shikamaru is a genius, he is no exception. He does stupid things. That doesn't mean anything! He is in love with you, dammit! And what happened between him and me—"

"Is what happens with you and every male in this stupid town?" Temari spat bitterly.

Ino's mouth dropped open and her face flushed. "I am not—"

"This is why a lot of people dislike you." Temari continued, not caring if she was hurting the blonde. "You're a vindictive slut that should just—"

"I've only had sex that one time!" She hissed out. "And I—"

"Just leave me alone!"

Ino's teeth ground together. "I just knew Shikamaru was making a mistake. I knew I shouldn't have told him anything when he asked me about you!"

"You really shouldn't have." Temari sneered. "Then we'd both be happy."

"Go back to Suna where you belong." Ino glared.

"If only I could, Blondie."

The two girls stood there on the sidewalk glaring at each other as if they were the worst of enemies. Temari hated Ino right then and there. Temari hated Konoha. Most of all, she hated herself.

She'd officially become one of those girls.

She'd fallen for a guy, had her life revolve around said guy, and felt as if she'd been cheated. She wasn't Temari anymore. She was Shikamaru's girlfriend. She was one of those girls.

Temari stalked off from the angry blonde and headed home. That was, if the house they had in this dumb green place could actually be called home.

As soon as she closed the door of her house behind her, Temari let it all consume her.

She was angry.

Damn straight she was angry. She wanted to strangle Shikamaru. She wanted to strangle Ino. She wanted to go home.

Her real home.

Not this green, smushy area. She wanted to go where the sun was unbearably hot, the sand warm, the people harsh, and everyone's emotions detached. She wanted to go back to the place where she wouldn't be like this. Where her emotions wouldn't hurt her like this.

It never hurt like this in Suna.

Even when things were at their worst – it never hurt.

Because she never let it become real. She never let herself feel it. She was always detached, always a spectator. She was always alone. Being alone was nice, being alone was safe. There was never anybody there who could hurt her when she was alone.

She'd tried to be the same way here, but the people just wiggled into her life. The people just made their imprint in her life whether she wanted it or not. They knew her. They didn't let her be lonely.

With them, they could help her just as much as they could hurt her.

This way of life was too hard.

She sunk to the floor and rested her head on her knees breathing hard. Her lips trembled and gasps erupted from somewhere deep inside of her.

It took Temari a few seconds to figure out that she was crying.

She tried to rub the liquid off her face, but it just kept falling. It kept falling and falling and it just wouldn't stop.

It wasn't just the idea that Shikamaru had had sex with Ino that was disturbing her. It wasn't just the idea that Shikamaru might still have feelings for Ino that was bothering her.

It was the fact that she cared.

It was the fact that such a simple thought could ruin her.

It was the fact that she wasn't Temari anymore, she was everybody.

It was the fact that she was dependent.

She didn't want to be that girl. She didn't want to be the girl who could be ruined by a man. She didn't want to be the girl who could break easily. She didn't want to be the girl that old men and women looked at, and said 'that's why men are in charge of the country'. She was not fragile. She was not weak.

Except, she was becoming it.

Soon enough, she might just end up like Tenten. Soon enough, she might understand what it was the pushed Tenten to put up with Neji.

And she just didn't want to be that.

Temari jumped as a familiar ringing filled the room. She wiped at her eyes once more and pulled herself up from the floor. She crossed the room and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She answered quietly.

"Temari." A familiar voice said in concern. "I was just – Ino told me that you – I'm not even sure. What happened between you two? Ino's in a state."

Temari lowered herself to the couch and weighed his words in her mind. Not that it mattered much to her. She'd already made up her mind. He sounded more concerned for Ino than for her. She sighed. "Shikamaru?"

She could almost hear his confusion. "Temari, what's bothering you? You sound—"

"Thanks for everything you've done for me, Shikamaru, but I…" She hesitated. Somehow it felt like she would be cutting off a piece of herself if she finished her thought. She trembled as a fresh tear slid down her face. No. She didn't want that part anyway. It was a troublesome part. "I don't think I want to see you again."

Silence. Then, "Troublesome, woman. Don't say stupid things. Let's—"

"Shikamaru, I'm serious. I'm breaking up with you."

"What did Ino tell you?" His voice was strained, and maybe, maybe sad. Or perhaps she was just imagining that.

He never had after all shown much emotion toward her other than amusement, indifference, and annoyance. "It doesn't matter. I'm just not meant to do this, okay? It's not working." She hung up the phone before she could hear him say anything else.

She breathed in and out slowly as she came to terms with what she'd said to him.

It really wasn't because of what Ino said.

It was because Ino had made her realize who she'd become.

Temari rubbed at her eyes. That was a person she did not want to be. Shikamaru had made her that way, so clipping him off should fix the problem. Besides, it never would've worked in the long run anyway. They were too opposite. People said opposites attract, but in reality opposites could never make it work. Shikamaru wasn't a prince. Or maybe she wasn't a princess.

Either way, she wasn't meant to have a fairy tale. She wasn't that kind of girl. She refused to be that damsel.

It was better this way.

It had to be.


A/N: Well, how did that chapter turn out? Review please, I really need it today. One of those really, really bad days, well, more like really, really bad week. Ugh.