Part Ten 'One Night With Shika'
The last three contenders stood in front of Chouji. He was alone; although they wondered where Shikamaru was, they knew better than to ask.
"Well," said Chouji, "There is only one round left to go. Shikamaru regrets that he couldn't be here to tell you the results of the last round himself, but he found it too depressing. He asks that you forgive him for not being able to face this task."
All three nodded, and Chouji produced a letter from a hidden pocket. Brushing a few crumbs from it, he began to read.
"Dear contestants, this is Shikamaru. I could not bear to tell you this face-to-face, but it needs to be said.
"The last round was a revelation. I think I found out more about you yesterday than I ever did in the other rounds. I have a lot to say about the dates we went on, so I'll try to keep it short.
"Ino, I always suspected you were more than just a pretty face. However, yesterday made me doubt that. All you really care about is your appearance, nothing else matters to you. You didn't ask if I was bored. You didn't realise when I was. How could you possibly have expected me to enjoy myself? Shopping is one of the most troublesome things in the world, but shopping for clothes… I can't bear it. How you decided it would be a good idea, having known me for so long, it is beyond me to work out.
"Temari, I know we've had a lot of fights before, in both a professional and a non-professional setting, but seriously – training? You thought I would like to train? Why would I do a thing like that? Again, you never asked my opinion. I was bored senseless – not only that, but exhausted, and almost out of chakra. I don't have a lot, and I rely on tactics to get me through; you never thought to ask me, though, did you? So I did as you wanted, and I didn't enjoy one bit of it. Trying to kill each other isn't the most romantic thing I've ever heard of.
"Lastly, Deidara. You picked something I enjoyed; you obviously thought about what I wanted rather than yourself. But, was it genuine? I can only speculate as to how much enjoyment you yourself had, and that makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Love is compromise, not giving in. If we were together, would every date be something I enjoyed? No, it wouldn't, because that wouldn't be fair on you. Truthfully, I don't think you had as much fun as the girls did, which perhaps isn't fair.
"Having said all of that, I now have to give you my decision. It pains me to do this. Deidara, you're through. You two girls… you didn't do well. But one of you did worse, and that person is Ino. I'm sorry. Being one of my closest friends doesn't grant you automatic passes. You're out. I hope this won't affect our friendship, which I value highly.
"Deidara and Temari, you're in the final now. Please don't disappoint my faith in you."
Chouji rolled up the letter, and Ino walked away without a word. There were many tears in the bedroom above the flower shop… but in front of the others, she remained calm and focused.
An hour later, when they gathered to receive their instructions for the day, Shikamaru joined them. He was quiet and subdued, but he was there, and that was what mattered.
"This is the final round before I choose one of you, and because of its importance, it will last for three days." Shikamaru explained. "The first day will belong to Temari; the second to Deidara. The third will be a day of decision for me, with your results at the end, which I am sure will be very troublesome.
"The challenge is this. Each of you will spend all night alone with me in my treehouse. That is it, pure and simple. I will give you no aim, no goal, no instructions. You will do as you see fit, and you will be judged accordingly."
Deidara looked at him for a moment, stunned; Temari scratched her head; Chouji munched loudly on some crisps, and then silence reigned for a while.
"So… the whole night?" Temari said.
"Yep." Shikamaru confirmed.
"In your room?" Deidara pressed.
"Yep."
"…With you, alone, all night?"
"Yep."
Temari's Night
At 9pm, just as the sun was dipping below the horizon, Temari climbed up to Shikamaru's room.
"Come in." he said to her, and she walked inside, closing the door behind her.
"Are you tired?" she said.
"A little," he admitted.
"Then let's sleep?" She replied, thinking, Well, he told me to ask his opinion and find out what he wants to do… hopefully, this will work
"Uh… okay." Shikamaru replied, a little taken aback. She doesn't want to talk, or train, or do anything? She just wants to sleep?
They had pushed Shikamaru and Chouji's beds together, while Chouji slept in one of the empty rooms. Temari pulled off her outer clothing to reveal that she was already wearing a nightdress, and Shikamaru slept in his boxers, so they were ready in no time at all.
They each got into one side of the bed, and Shikamaru turned off the lights. Ahh… he thought. I bet she'll try something now…
Temari turned her back to him, and wrapped the bedcovers around herself. Shikamaru stared at her – the moonlight allowed him to see her fairly well – and waited for something to happen. And waited. And waited.
Temari began to snore softly, and Shikamaru continues staring in shocked silence. That was it?! She was just going to sleep?
He sighed, and turned over to go to sleep himself. How troublesome she is… he thought, before eventually falling asleep.
Deidara's Night
"Well, I don't know." Shikamaru was saying. "Is that what girls do?"
"I'm no expert." Chouji replied, crunching on some sweets. "But maybe she just wanted to seem innocent and sweet."
"But she didn't even talk to me! I fell asleep waiting!" Shikamaru replied indignantly. "She's just so… troublesome! Gah…"
"Why are you so bothered about it? It's just part of the contest." Chouji leaned forward suspiciously. "You wanted her to do something, didn't you?"
"I can assure you that-"
"Hello?" It was Deidara's voice. Shikamaru looked out of his window and saw that the sun was once again dipping below the horizon. Deidara stood at the foot of the ladder up to the room.
"He's here." Shikamaru told Chouji, and within a few moments Deidara was stood in his room.
"Hello, my little stag." He said, grinning. "Ready for our little sleepover, un?"
"…Of course." Shikamaru replied. Deidara slipped off his Akatsuki robe to reveal a pair of baggy trousers, which, as he explained, he always slept in.
"So, uh, what shall we do?" Shikamaru asked, hoping it would be something interesting.
"Well, I hired this movie… I thought we could watch it. Oh, and I have popcorn, too." Deidara replied cheerfully, pulling various items out of his weapons pouches.
"The Shining?" Shikamaru said, reading the title of the DVD.
"Yeah… it's a cool movie!"
They sat and watched the film, crunching away on popcorn through it all. Somehow Deidara managed to be leaning his head on Shikamaru's shoulder all of a sudden, and Shikamaru put his arm around him out of reflex. (Only reflex, he told himself.)
When the film had finally finished, somewhere between 11 and midnight, Shikamaru stretched and yawned.
"Well, I guess it's time for bed." He said, a little sleepily.
"Aw, really? I thought we could play on Zelda next." Deidara said, holding up another disc.
"What? Oh… fine."
"You know what I found out? If you throw an eagle at your friends, it attacks them!" Deidara chuckled.
Two hours later, Shikamaru tried again. "Right. I'm going to bed now."
"Really? … Oh, okay. Guess I will too, then." Said Deidara, sounding a little disappointed.
After five minutes of being in bed, Shikamaru felt something wet touch his cheek.
"Wha…" he began turning slightly. "DEIDARA! Don't do that! Get it off me!"
The mouth in Deidara's palm retracted its tongue, and he smiled mischievously.
"Sure, stag." He replied.
The next morning, Shikamaru and Chouji met outside his room, ready for a day of decision making.
"So, how did it go? Are you… are you alright?" Chouji asked, looking worried.
"So… tired…" Shikamaru said, swaying on his feet. "Kept… waking me up… with his tongues…"
"I do NOT want to know." Chouji said, quickly.
That Zelda thing? It's true. On the wii game, you can attack anything and everything with eagles. It's my favourite part of the game :D