Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters.


Burying the Past, Looking to the Future


"Come on now, don't move so much. I'm having enough trouble getting this on you already." Sakura scolded as she tugged Ai's kimono over her head, all the while Ai trying to wriggle out of her strong grip. Shikamaru chuckled at the sight of his daughter, huffing and mumbling about how "troublesome" it was to get ready for fancy parties, something that she most definitely took from her fathers' side since Ino absolutely adored getting all dressed up. Unlike most girls her age, she absolutely detested dresses and she would choose khaki cargo pants over a kimono any day. In a way, he thought that she took after "Aunt Tenten" in that manner.

"See! You look so pretty in your kimono, I bet you'll have those Sunan boys falling for you in no time!" she exclaimed, causing Shikamaru to blanch and Ai to scrunch up her face in disgust.

"Let them fall over me, but I'm not dancing with any of them at the festival." Ai said confidently, beaming as her father smirked at Sakura and smiled happily at her.

"Damn right." he said, giving a crooked smile as Sakura looked pointedly at him.

"She's gonna learn sooner or later." he said in response, earning himself a smack on the head. Ai giggled as he gripped his head muttering "damn troublesome woman" under his breath. Sakura scoffed and was about to hit him again when there was a knock at their door.

"Come in." Sakura said cheerfully, thwacking him on the back of his head quickly.

"Hey, Sakura. So I was thinking about this kimono and how much I want to slice it with my Kirikiri Mai but do you think Gaara would be too mad? I mean, I think he could de-" Temari began as she came in, noticing Shikamaru and Ai mid-sentence.

Temari P.O.V

I hate this damned kimono. I hate this kimono. I hate this kimono. I thought this mantra to myself, willing myself not to just rip it off and stomp it to the ground. The festival's in ten minutes and three of the most important guests aren't there, me not included. Freaking great. I knocked on another door only to come face-to-face with Tenten as she and Neji left their room. I smiled, made polite small-talk, and continued my foray. As I rounded the corner I knocked a blue door with a gold doorknob.

"Come in." she cheerfully called, I was already halfway through the door.

"Hey, Sakura. So I was thinking about this kimono and how much I want to slice it with my Kirikiri Mai but do you think Gaara would be too mad? I mean, I think he could de-" I began ranting, only to stop mid-sentence when I looked up, letting my gaze drift to two other figures in the room. Bloody freaking great. As if my day couldn't get any worse.

"Oh, hey Temari!" Sakura greeted airily as she stood up and hugged me.

"Er-hi Sakura." I replied as I glanced at Ai and Shikamaru, smiling as my greeting to them both. Ai was busy trying to take her hair out of a few barrettes while Shikamaru was just sitting there...staring at me blankly. It's actually kind of weird.

"Sorry we're late, Ai here was squirming like a little pig-" Sakura paused in realization and her face immediately went somber.

"What's wrong, Auntie Sakura?" Ai asked, confused as to why the whole room had gone quiet.

"Oh it's nothing, Ai." Sakura replied quickly, putting on her best smile. I looked sadly at Sakura and saw that she was mere minutes from losing it.

"Okay." she replied as she tried to tug her hair out of its' loose bun.

"You touch your hair one more time and I'm gonna have Temari here put her through one of her most deadly jutsus." Sakura warned.

"How'd I get pulled into this?" I asked jokingly as I tugged at the hem of my kimono.

"Well Temari, it all started that fateful day when Shikamaru nearly beat you at the chuunin exams." Sakura said seriously, waiting a few seconds then bursting into laughter. I cracked a smile and looked to Shikamaru, who was sporting a smug grin.

"Okay, okay. We have to go now before Gaara kills me." I hurried them along, already opening the door.


By the time we got there the Raikage was just finishing up his speech and Gaara was walking up, Kankurou in tow. My eyes widened and I rushed up to the stage, earning me a questioning look from Gaara and a chuckle from Kankurou. Ugh, I swear if we weren't onstage I would've whacked the side of his head. Gaara thanked everybody for coming, gave some speech about peace and treaties and such, and within fifteen minutes the festivities had begun.

Gaara had found Matsuri sitting at the front of the audience, for only the royals could sit onstage, and she immediately started talking to him about the speech, she was his main advisor after-all, and briefing him on all the funny things that happened during the speech. Kankurou was probably chatting up some random girl, boasting about some huge mission he just finished.

I sighed and was just about to make my way to the buffet table when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hello, Temari-san. My name is Kyoko" a dark-haired, green-eyed man about my age greeted cheerfully. Oh kami, not again.

"Good evening, Kyoko." I greeted, bowing to him slightly. See, since I'm the kazekage's sister there have been many er-suitors that have been trying to marry me to get on Gaara's good side. At nearly every event that I've been to at least ten guys come up to me and ask me to dance. I'm not trying to brag or anything because, in reality, it's such a nuisance. I mean, I'm not married now so what makes them think that I'm just suddenly going to change my mind and say yes to the first guy that looks my way?

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely, his eyes gleaming. I forced a smile and nodded my head. We started talking, or more of he started talking, and he seemed like all the others; seemingly nice but really a self-absorbed egotist.

"-and I should be inheriting my land next year but my bro-" he continued, pausing abruptly. I turned around to see who he was looking at and came face-to-face with none other than Shikamaru.

"Wanna dance?" he asked casually, ignoring the horrified look on Kyoko's face. See, nobody ever talks to royalty like that. Ever.

"Sure." I replied hastily, making Kyoko turn a nasty shade of red.

"Arigato, Ms. Sabaku." Kyoko said formally, bowing as he left. We danced for a few seconds and then he took my hand and motioned for me to follow him. I usually wouldn't but since I can see at least six guys staring at me (probably hoping that they'll dance with me and make me fall head-over-heels in love with them) I followed him quickly. We made several twists and turns and ended up at one of the many buffet tables. Around the table were all the "Konoha 12" as I'd dubbed them.

"H-hello Temari-san." Hinata greeted as she walked to me, bowing slightly.

"Oh, enough of that formality crap. I've gotten enough of that from the council." I said as Hinata turned a light tinge of pink and cracked a small smile. I smiled crookedly as everybody greeted me, some more enthusiastically than others, Naruto included. He practically jumped me, however he tripped on his long Hokage robes as he darted to me, falling flat on his face.

"Hehe, same old Naruto." I chuckled as he popped right back up and smiled just as brightly as he had before he fell. I have to admit that the guy can really bounce back from what I'd classify as utter humiliation. I surveyed the crowd and couldn't help but smile, everybody looked so different yet so the same. Hinata's hair was all the way down to her waist and her features were more defined, more mature. Wearing that light violet kimono, I'm surprised that some of the guys haven't tried to ask her to dance or so-holy crap! Is that a ring on her finger?

"Hinata?" I asked calmly, probably scaring most of the people around me since I never say anything calmly. Ever.

"Er-yes, T-Temari?" she asked, suddenly picking up that nervous habit I thought she had gotten rid of so long ago.

"Is that a ring on your finger?" I asked sweetly as her eyes widened and she smiled coyly.

"I'm s-sorry Temari, I t-thought I had told you. T-the wedding i-is this w-winter, you a-are welcome t-to come." she said quietly. I smiled and pulled her into a large hug. I'd known that her and that dog-boy had been dating for what seemed like an eternity but I had no clue that he'd have actually plucked up the courage to ask her "the question". Kiba smiled widely, showing his sharp canines, and kissed Hinata on the top of her head, practically radiating happiness.

"Are you kidding? Congratulations!" I exclaimed as I went over and peered at all of the other girls' ring fingers to see if they, too, had forgotten to tell me of their engagements. Sakura playfully swatted me away as I tried to peer at her hand however Tenten held up her hand and showed me a white-gold band.

"Holy shit! How much have I missed, here? I swear the apocalypse is near, the Neji Hyuga finally asked Tenten to marry him." I said dramatically as Tenten giggled and pecked a very cross-looking Neji. I swear, the guy is like a human ice-cube. He's just as bad as that Sasuke kid!

"So...Shikamaru." Sakura began, a hint of mischief in her voice. I glared at her, already having a bad feeling about what she was going to say.

"Eh?" he asked lazily, already beginning to drift off.

"Temari looks pretty hot in that kimono, right?" she asked casually, causing me to nearly choke on one of those delicious appetizers.

"E-excuse me?" I croaked out, sounding like some old chain-smoker with a nasty cold.

"I was simply asking him a question, Temari. I don't know why you're so stricken by it." she replied calmly as she pretended to examine her nails.

"You do know that I have five senbon in my hair and two kunai on me?" I asked threateningly, however she wasn't fazed in the least bit.

"You have kunai in your dress?" Naruto asked confusedly. Face it, when isn't Naruto confused? I smirked and turned around, pulling a kunai from the holster attached to my thigh and another from the strap against my back.

"Always have to be prepared." I said, smiling toothily as I put them back.

"Hey, Temari!" someone called from behind me. I turned around and saw none other than my favorite "big-boned" leaf-nin ambling towards me, hand-in-hand with Ai.

"Hey Chouji, Ai." I greeted warmly, smiling as I saw him hand Ai a clump of cotton candy from his rather large bag.

"Hello, Ms. Sab-I mean Temari." Ai greeted, blushing as she caught herself. I chuckled and looked around me, watching as Tenten playfully swatted at Neji and as Kiba draped his arm protectively over Hinata whenever any guy would look her way. Watching everybody laughing and drinking and dancing just makes me think of the last time we were all together like this.

Flashback

"Hey, Mr. Big-shot!" Temari called to Naruto as she sashayed over to him and the rest of the Konoha 12.

"Temari! Gaara! Kankurou!" he called back jovially, raising a bottle of sake as greeting.

"It's about time you caught up to Gaara, here. We were thinking you were gonna just let him live with all that paperwork and shit by himself." Kankurou said as he grabbed a bottle of sake and plopped himself in the chair next to Temari, waiting for Gaara to follow suit.

"Congratulations, Naruto." Gaara said, not nearly as exuberantly as his siblings.

"Thanks, guys!" Naruto said, standing up and draping his arms over the three of them, the sake already beginning to have an effect on him. I smirked and made my way to Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten.

"Hey, Temari!" they chorused, giggling as each of them were a bit tipsy. I smiled, oh this is so payback for when they dragged me to that mall.

"So, girls. Why don't we play a little Never Have I Ever..." I began, smirking Ino and Sakura bubbled with excitement and ran up to the guys, voicing my brilliant plan. Tenten simply took a large swig of her sake and Hinatas' eyes went wide.

"I-I don't think that-hic-is such a good idea, T-temari." Hinata said, alway being such the voice of reason.

"Oh what harm will it do anybody?" Sakura asked Hinata, eventually getting the girl to give in.

"Okay, how 'bout I start off with an one." Sakura said as we all gathered around a table, sake in hand.

"Never have I ever um-kissed a girl on the lips." she giggled out, grinning as all the guys took a gulp of their sake.

"Okay, never have I ever read any of those Icha-Icha books that Kakashi's obsessed with." Ino said, laughing as Naruto begrudgingly took a swig.

"He made me edit them!" he protested as all of us looked at him quizzically. Soon enough, we were quite the bit drunker and were banding together to get those less drunk more drunk.

"O-okay. Never have I ever been considered a prodigy." Tenten said, laughing as Neji scowled at her.

"Hn. Never have I ever had one-hundred percent accuracy with weaponry." he retorted, smirking as she begrudgingly took another sip.

"Okay, never have I ever trained for eight hours straight." Ino said, gaping as Neji, Lee, and Tenten took gulps.

"I'd rather not remember that day." Tenten grumbled as Sakura and Ino began sputtering.

"Never have I ever kissed..." Sakura began, looking at everyone, her eyes landing on Shikamaru. Oh no. You better not freaking say-

"Shikamaru." Sakura said, smiling cheekily at Ino. Oh freaking shit. You're kidding me. I'm dead. I glanced at Shikamaru and he looked at me as if to say "I don't give a shit what you do". Fine if that's the way you want it...I glared at him and Sakura and downed my shot. Everyones' eyes narrowed at me in disbelief and, probably, disgust although I can't be sure.

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist." I said hoarsely, trying to cover up my nervousness.

"He wasn't with Ino yet, I hadn't a clue they liked each-other. It was nearly two years ago." I said. Great, I'm already lying. It wasn't exactly two years ago, although I really didn't know that they liked each-other.

"Wait-that wasn't when I asked you two if you were on a-hic-date? Was it?" Naruto asked.

"Erm. No. It was really just like a goodbye thing. Like it was totally out of the blue." I said. Such a freaking lie. I swear, I'm going to Hell for this.

"Oh, so you guys didn't have, like, a fling?" Ino asked worriedly. Yeah, I probably would be too if I just found out my boyfriend kissed my friend. Oh Kami save me.

"Of course not, Ino. I would've told you all and asked you guys first at least." I said, giving Shikamaru a "go with it and shut up" look. She looked at me with relief and went back to her normal, bubbly self. Oh god, I am so screwed over because of this. Let's think, I've had three, or was it four?, bottles of sake. A few more and I'm knocked out. Kankurou and Gaara better not drop me on the way home this time.

End Flashback

"Er-Temari?" Shikamaru asked, tapping me on the shoulder.

"Hm?" I asked.

"Oh nothing, you were just like spacing out is all." he replied.

"Oh, hehe sorry bout that. You know? I do that a lot. Spacing out, I me-" I rambled only to be rudely cut off by him.

"Hey, you wanna dance?" he asked.

"The Nara Shikamaru going through something as completely and utterly troublesome as asking a girl to dance? The end really is near!" I teased faux-dramatically.

"Yes or no, woman? Why must you all be so troublesome." he grumbled as I swatted at his shoulder.

"Fine, fine since you asked so nicely." I teased as I turned to excuse myself, earning a wolf-whistle from Kiba and a sort of creepy "all-knowing" smile from Sakura. As he led me away from the Konoha Twelve and closer to the center of the center of the festivities he stopped and we began to dance. Every so often he'd twirl me but we kept it simple, just swaying back and forth.

"You know, hate to break this 'moment' or whatever but we can't keep everything from your friends." I said after a minute or so of swaying.

"I know." he replied simply, letting me go as the song ended. I was just about to reply when Ai came barrelling into Shikamaru.

"Hey, Ai." he greeted warmly, giving me a crooked smile.

"Hello, Daddy!" she chirped, latching onto his neck as he pulled her up.

"I'm sorry, Temari but frankly this wouldn't work out. I mean, why would I dance with you when I have somebody like Ai here." he teased as he began tossing Ai up into the air, making her giggle and squeal. Laughter resounded around me and I smiled as Shikamaru put Ai down and began twirling her, her dark hair flying all over the place and her light blue eyes dancing with happiness. Maybe, if I kept the past in the past and just looked to the future I might get to see moments like this a whole lot more.