Elementary, my dear Naruto
XII. Team Temari at work
Naruto lifted his head and looked down into that amazingly dear face raised up to his. Her beautiful, unique eyes were closed, her cheeks were flushed (of course), and her mouth looked full and inviting from his kiss.
Man, this was going too fast and at the same time not fast enough. He wanted some sort of commitment with Hinata, but the idea also scared him shitless. Yet the thought of no longer being completely alone was too overwhelming to allow him to back away. He was Naruto Uzumaki after all. Nothing scared him. He would especially not allow a sweet, silver-eyed siren to completely defeat him with the power of her hot kisses and soft body.
She might seem like putty in his hands as she clung weakly to his shoulders, but on the inside he was the one really in a puddle at her feet. He wanted everything from her, but would accept whatever she chose to give him. He would start small and ask for the least first.
"Hinata," he said in a husky voice. "I don't want to pretend anymore. I want—Damn it!"
"What? What is it?" Hinata asked blinking up at him in bewilderment still dazed from his kiss.
"Shikamaru. Can't you hear him? He's calling my name. Damn it! He sure knows how to pick his moments. What does he want now?" he hissed in frustration.
"Should we call or go out to him?" Hinata asked resigned to the interruption. She reluctantly lowered her arms and tried to find her land legs. It had been lovely while it lasted.
"No way to either option! Get back here. Don't let him see us. He can wait." He held her tightly against him behind the tree which wasn't such a hardship. He wouldn't giving up so easily. He might not get another alone moment with Hinata on this damned mission. "Good, Temari's found him. Don't even breathe loudly, Hinata. Let's just wait until they leave." They froze leaning together against the tree and practically held their breaths as they waited for Shikamaru and Temari—who just happened to meet up near the bench where they hid—to leave. Unfortunately, it wasn't very quickly.
"Temari, have you seen Naruto?"
"How could you lose him already? You were all together in the hot springs not that long ago."
"He said he forgot something, but he's been gone for awhile."
"Don't worry about him. He'll show up eventually."
"Maybe, but we can't be too careful in this situation. We have no idea what we're up against. One ninja's been killed, I don't want to find another one."
"You're not his father. He's a big boy now. What could possibly happen to him between your room and the hot springs?"
"We're talking about Naruto here," he said dryly.
She laughed. "You're right. What was I thinking? Still, I'm sure he'll turn up just fine. Why don't you put your worry to better use than wasting it on Naruto."
"What do you mean?"
"Walk me to my room? If you think Naruto might be in danger walking alone between your room and the hot springs—what about poor helpless me?"
"Neither one of those adjectives even closely resembles you."
"Which ones do you like better?"
With his hands in his pockets, he looked her over with narrowed eyes. She looked damned cute in the hot springs robe. "Capable."
She pouted. "That's so dull. Can't you do better than that?"
"Strong."
She rolled her eyes. "Please."
"Difficult."
"I'm ambivalent about that one."
"Dangerous."
She smiled. "You're getting warmer."
He threw her a very meaty and deserved bone. "Attractive."
"Now that's more like it. Tell me more."
"I'd like to, but not here and not now."
"When?"
"You tell me. I haven't seen you in over a year. When will I see you again that has nothing to do with a mission?"
"I don't know yet, but I'll work on it. Come on and walk me to my room. I bet Naruto will be back in your room before you are."
"Temari, what did I say about time and place?"
"Don't forget—dangerous, here. I think you can protect yourself if I attack you."
"I might not want to—but I will."
"Ah, that sounds very promising." She smiled up at him and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.
"Don't get any ideas," he told her sternly. "I'm just accompanying you to your door. That's it. Let's go."
"You need to work on your persuasive techniques, Shikamaru. You can practice on me anytime," she said in a teasing voice.
"Troublesome woman," he mumbled as he put his hand over hers holding his arm and practically marched her away.
Naruto gave a sigh of relief. "Finally, they're gone. Hey, Hinata, I think she likes him—and I think he likes her, too."
"What did I tell you? That reminds me of something I want to ask you." He still held her with her hands resting flat against his chest.
"What reminds you?" Naruto asked knowing what the flirtation they'd just witnessed reminded him of, but ladies first.
"How could you—you didn't—did you—actually peek in women's bathhouses to develop your sexy jutsu?"
"What?" This wasn't a question he was expecting. "Where did you get that?" he stalled. He squeezed her tightly in surprised reaction to the question and only relaxed his grip when she gasped in involuntary protest. "Sorry. Why are you asking me that?"
"It's just—Temari mentioned the possibility when we were in the hot springs. I just thought—it just never occurred to me that you'd do that."
He scratched the back of his head and scrunched up his face as he tried to think of a way to answer the question that she'd find acceptable. It never had embarrassed him before, but it's different when the girl you liked calls you on some of your past dubious behavior. "Well, Hinata, it's like this—while I was perfecting that jutsu, I did make a study of the female form purely for research purposes. I tried cloning the kind of women I liked at the time—motherly and grandmotherly types—but they just weren't effective weapons. So naturally, I had to study younger women to get just the right shape to nullify my adult male opponents—more commonly known as 'sensei.' I needed some advantage over my sensei back then. But I swear to you that that was the extent of my research. Once I'd mastered the most effective form, I ended my more questionable research."
"Really?" She searched his face. It mattered, but then it didn't matter, too. She couldn't imagine anything Naruto did that would affect the way she felt about him. She could forgive him almost anything. She just didn't want to be kept in the dark.
"Really." He wasn't about to mention the adult magazines he'd also used for research and that he looked at occasionally even now.
She smoothed down the edge of the robe crossing his chest. "What about Jiraiya sensei? The one who you call perverted sage?"
"What about him?"
"Temari implied that he had a reputation that deserved the adjective perverted. Is he as wicked as she claims?"
That Temari! What a trouble maker! He'd have to think carefully about how he'd get even with her for putting him in this spot. "I started calling him that because at that age that's just what I thought he was. He was old and he liked younger women. But later I discovered that he was doing research himself. He's written a very well-known and popular trilogy. He conducts some questionable research but it's for his writing." Unfortunately, Naruto still thought he was perverted, but he had to defend the guy or be tarred by the same brush.
"What's his trilogy called? Have I ever read it?" she persisted curiously.
"I—ah—don't think you have. I've never read more than a few pages of it myself. I thought it was boring."
"Surely, you must know the name of it?"
"I—ah—don't remember."
"Naruto—you have a guilty look on your face. What aren't you telling me?"
"Not a thing, sweetheart."
"Naruto!"
"What?"
"You—you just called me sweetheart."
"That's because you are a sweetheart. Do you mind?"
"No, no, not at all if you really think so."
She looked so adorably confused with her once again flushed face that he bent down and kissed her and only slightly lingeringly again. Despite what he wanted to do, he kept it short and sweet. That time and place remark of Shikamaru's really hit home for Hinata and himself. And if he didn't get back to the room soon, he'd have Shikamaru persistently on his trail again unfortunately with better results the next time. "I suppose we'd better get back before Shikamaru worries himself into a sweat."
"I suppose we should." She bent down and picked up her clothes. They'd been completely forgotten and trod on in these wonderful moments with Naruto.
"Hinata?'
"Yes, Naruto?"
"When you and I get back to Konoha, we're going on a date—a real date where no one can interrupt us. Okay?"
"Yes, Naruto." And her joyful smile had enough wattage to light up this little village, Konoha and his heart as well.
Despite the onerous task that lay ahead of her—the task of examining a dead man—Temari was in a good mood. She'd entered this village feeling anything but cheerful, however when the inn room door had opened to Shikamaru's scowling, irritated and very appealing face she'd felt her heart skip a beat. Whether it was relief or something else, she wouldn't admit to herself, but she'd felt a certain inevitability that he was here when she needed him.
She hadn't actively thought about him since she'd last seen him over a year ago, but she realized he'd been there in the back of her mind all along—the thought of him, the fact of him when she was ready for it. Now it appeared they both might be ready to acknowledge the attraction they'd always felt for one another. That made her feel happier than she'd felt in a long time.
It was irksome that they could only flirt around the edges of their attraction for the time being. This mission had to come first. But when it was completed—well, she had some thoughts about what her next move would be. And the next move was hers, because she couldn't see him leaving Konoha even to pursue her. She had some ideas about what she could do, and she thought Gaara would agree. He wanted a closer relationship with Konoha. She'd offer him a chance while giving herself one as well.
But she wasn't allowed to feel light-hearted for long. Last night she'd had a few more flirtatious, teasing moments with Shikamaru before they'd all gathered for dinner (kindly delivered from the only restaurant) in his room. They'd discussed in more detail what each member of both teams would do the next day, and then they'd separated to sleep.
In the morning, she and Daiki had eaten a hasty breakfast with the others before heading out to handle their part of the investigation. Only now was she beginning to understand some of what the others had been talking about regarding this village as she found herself face to face with the dour Constable Hayama.
"I don't see why we need two more useless ninja investigating a death that has nothing to do with this village. Just bury it and be done with it. That's what I say," he mumbled quite intelligibly.
"What makes you think the death has nothing to do with your village?"
"He wasn't found inside the village, was he? That means it has nothing to do with us. It was some outsider. There's no point in wasting time and money on this thing."
"Your logic defies credulity," she told obliquely.
He scowled at her in a completely different way from Shikamaru. His expression was totally unappealing and his attitude was downright insulting. "You ninja think you're so smart lording it over a simple village constable with your damned superior talk and useless investigations. He probably just fell on a stone or something sharp in the road. The rain washed away any traces of blood. Nothing complicated about it."
Temari wouldn't dignify that ignorant statement with a response. She'd met his type before. He wouldn't believe anything he didn't think of first in his own little head. "We'll just have our own look at the body, if you don't mind. Your cooperation will be appreciated."
"I don't know why everybody needs to look at that body. There's nothing to see. He's got a hole in his chest. He's got no identifying marks. He's dead. End of story. You're lucky you showed up yesterday. We plan to bury him this evening."
"Then you should have no objection to us having a look for ourselves. It doesn't interfere with your plans at all."
"I've got better things to do than bring every damned ninja who comes into this village over here. I don't see why you have to look at it. Why are you here? What are you looking for?"
'The Konoha ninja have no objection to our participation in the investigation. We don't require any payment from Mountain Ridge. So I think our reasons will remain our business, Constable," she told him bluntly.
"Yeah, you ninja really stick together."
"Since we're allies with Konoha, we certainly do." She was tired of this obtuse, officious little man, but luckily they'd reached the icehouse where the body was located. He gruffly explained that he'd close the door once they were inside to preserve the cold temperature within, and he showed them how to latch the door again once they were through. He handed them a few lanterns and left them to it. Both parties were relieved to part company.
Temari and Daiki made their way down the wooden ladder to the bottom of the ice house. They made the same observations about their environment that the first team had made. Then she stood aside to allow Daiki to make his investigation of the body.
She watched him closely. Despite his 11 years of age, he appeared completely professional. The only tell-tale sign that he wasn't as impassive as he tried to appear was the trembling of his hands which could be from the cold—but she didn't think so. This must be the first time he'd ever examined a dead body. And what was especially difficult was that this could be the first dead family member he'd examined so closely.
"Well?" she asked when his movements became hesitant and halted altogether.
"It's him. It's Hidekatsu. I knew as soon as I touched him. Blood will tell, but I checked the few family traits still visible—hairline, ears, the crease we have in the center of our forearms. Everything matches," his voice quivered slightly.
She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Daiki. I know this was difficult for you, but you were the only one who could help me in this."
"I know, sensei."
"Should we allow the village to bury him or do you want his body sent back home?"
He shrugged disconsolately. "I don't think my father will allow him to be buried with the family—especially not after what he did. He might as well be buried here."
"Good. Then we won't have to explain anything to that Constable—unless you want them to know his name?"
"It depends on what else we find out. If—if he deserved his death then I don't want anyone to know who he is."
"Okay, we'll wait and see."
They left the icehouse and continued on to the next part of their investigation—questioning the shopkeepers about the fan. Since there were very few shops, there were very few to ask. It was Temari's turn to be disconsolate when no one admitted to having seen her spectacular fan. She had no doubts that it was true. She could usually recognize dissembling unless the perpetrator was an excellent actor. She had no instinctual feeling that she'd met anyone of that caliber among the shopkeepers she questioned. So she had no choice but believe that her fan had not been seen in this village.
As they approached the inn after finishing up, they were greeted by a tall, older man.
"Hello, there. I'm Mayor Kobayashi. I was told there were a few new ninja in the village. I'd like to welcome you to Mountain Ridge."
"Thank you. I'm Temari. This is Daiki."
"I heard you were here looking for a rather remarkable object."
"News travels fast." Temari answered simply. She knew better than to volunteer information.
"Did the dead man steal it? Is that why you looked at the body? I don't suppose you could tell, could you? He was impossible to recognize."
"There was very little of him that hadn't been damaged," Temari agreed without actually answering his questions.
"Will you be working with the other ninja? We never expected six ninja to investigate our little problem. Actually, we never expected four ninja to show up."
"Our investigations have crossed, but they may be totally separate. We're under different orders than the Konoha ninja, because our clients are not the same." Temari saw the relief in his eyes when she implied that they wouldn't expect any payment for their contribution to the investigation. A small village like this one must find it difficult to fund a major investigation.
"Well, then, that's good to know. We never expected such young investigators. This young man is the youngest ninja I've ever met." He stared curiously at Daiki who stared blankly right back. Daiki wasn't the one who looked away first.
"There are many younger ninja. My brother was a ninja at age seven."
"Really? How interesting." He stood there looking at them seemingly at a loss for something more to say. "Well, then, you'll come to the dinner this evening, won't you?"
"Dinner?"
"We're having a welcome dinner so our village council can meet our ninja investigators. I do hope you'll come since you all know one another and may be working together."
"Thank you. I'm not sure yet if we can make it. It depends on how the investigation goes today."
"Well, well, I hope you can. If so, I guess I'll see you there." He awkwardly turned and walked away.
"He wasn't as bad as that constable, was he?" Daiki asked when the mayor was out of earshot.
"No. A typical politician, though—more interested in the bottom line than the investigation itself."
They walked into the inn and headed out to the back. Apparently, Temari had intimidated the innkeeper sufficiently from the beginning so that he made himself scarce when she appeared. She thought maybe she'd seen him duck out of sight as she entered. She didn't see any of the inn's employees either. They must have been warned off, too.
"I wonder if any of the others are back yet?"
"Let's knock on their door and find out."
They went over to Shikamaru's room, as she thought of it, and knocked, but there was no response.
"I guess we'll have lunch and wait for the others to get back. I hope one of them has discovered something of interest. I think we've found out all we can from this village. I'm not sure where to go from here—yet," Temari admitted. She'd just wait for Shikamaru to get back. He'd know what their next move should be. She had complete confidence in his abilities. And that thought warmly comforted her as she waited for Team Shikamaru to report in.