Monday, April 8th, 2013.

Sorry for the late update, guys! I finished it though! And I think it was a good chapter; moderately good at least.

To White Tiger:

(1): You plan/planned on reviewing consistently? Man, I love you, in a totally not-creepy, not-awkward way.
(2): As far as Temari's fan goes, I know she can fly on it, but two people and for a long distance and time probably isn't possible. Although, the forest was pretty close to the arena, so that's why I let them fly over. Plus, it's cool and allows for some ShikaTema inspiration.
(3): Thank you. :)
(4): I love your reviews. :) I don't mind the parantheses. I had a pretty bad habit of using them in everything sometime back, and I had gotten rid of it after a while. But it seems to be coming back...damn it.
(5): I'd love it if you got an account so I could PM you. Your reviews are awesome. :)

My answer to the Question of the Week: It turns out that I had and answered the same question in ReWind, so I'll just copy that answer here: SasuSaku is my favorite Naruto couple. I don't believe Sakura could love anyone else but Sasuke, and I think she's kind of proven that, and Naruto's even accepted that, more or less. And I feel, if Sasuke fell in love with anyone, if he let himself, it'd be with Sakura. I don't feel like going much more into depth about it. And don't you think they'd make a good couple? Obviously you do, if you're here. Plus - they're an amazing couple. Their relationship can be cute, real, dark, and heartwarming - love it.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, there wouldn't be a filler episode every other episode. Fillers were okay in Part 1, in my opinion, because they were appropriate, entertaining, and ENDED, damn it! These now...WTF are these anime producers thinking?! It's not beneficial to them - less and less people are watching the anime or even STARTING Naruto because of the endless, inappropriately placed, never ending fillers. I used to watch every episode, and now I read the manga and rarely watch an episode because I know it's going to be fillers. Good Lord...

Excuse the rant. It just really pisses me off.

So, read on, my lovelies!

And thanks to all that reviewed and to you all, my beloved readers.

Chapter 25: Budding Romance | Budding Bromance

Shikamaru POV

"Well," Temari said, snapping me out of my thoughts of what I was going to do next. "That went better than I thought it would."

"What?! How is this better?" I replied, shocked. Just what did she imagine this fight to be like?

Here we were, lying, exhausted and slightly injured against a giant tree trunk. Temari had fired her flare gun and now we're waiting for help to arrive.

Now why couldn't we fly on Temari's fan like we did to get here?

Temari's fan is cracked in some places and flying requires, though not much, some chakra. And she can't spare that. Neither can I.

"For starters, neither of us have concussions or bleeding arteries." Temari said.

I cocked my eyebrow, nodding my head to the girl beside me show she would continue.

"We're alive."

I nodded again. Obviously. She's being oddly optimistic, though, looking on the bright side of this situation. I guess someone has to be when she has those two for brothers.

"And our main problems are exhaustion, as opposed to a gaping hole in our stomach, hemorrhaging, multiple broken bones, insanity, the like."

"Insanity?" I raise my brow at her.

"What? Genjutsu, if used that way, can drive someone absolutely crazy!"

"Mm-hmm." I agreed quietly. "Here's the proof right next to me." The blonde playfully punched me.

Thank God she's tired…that would've hurt a lot more.

I yawned. Women…so troublesome sometimes.

The next thing I knew the world spun and I found my head resting against something that radiated heat. Not a burning heat, a comforting warm, body heat.

It felt good.

But what was it?

I looked up. "Temari?!" What is she doing?

"You're tired," she said, nonchalantly. "You can sleep on my legs. Now shut up, would you?"

Her thighs were warm and the fabric of her skirt wasn't itchy against my cheek. It was pretty comfortable. But still…

"Why?" I asked.

"'Cause I want to. Problem? If you want me to be bitchy, I will, but I think I'll be nice for now, so don't screw it up." That's Temari, all right.

"Thanks." I muttered, my heart racing and my face heating up. I adjusted myself into a comfortable position against her thighs, and at an angle that she couldn't see my face well from. There's no way I'd let her see me blush!

Softly, I heard her reply. "You're welcome, Shika." I decided I liked her calling me "Shika". It…feels nice.

…I'm going to blame my mushy tone on my half-awake status.

It was different than when Ino called me "Shika", or even Chouji sometimes. Those two…they're my friends, practically my siblings. Ino may be annoying sometimes, but she's still family, and I care. So when she calls me that, I don't feel anything like I do when Temari did.

She should call me that more often…when we're alone though – Ino'll have a riot, and won't leave me alone.

I felt Temari remove my (very loose) hair tie and weave her fingers through my hair. My brain turned into further mush.

"W-wha-" Great. I can't speak either.

"Shh…just sleep. I used to do this to Gaara, and occasionally Kankuro when they were little. It helped them sleep." She whispered this.

The feeling of her hands in my hair and on my scalp lulled me to sleep. Damn…that feels so good…

She started humming, and I couldn't stay awake any longer.

She did one last thing before I drifted off. "Here's your reward…" I heard her say lowly.

I felt something soft…lips, against my own. If I was more awake, I have no doubt my heart would have thundered and my face would've looked like Ino's that one time Chouji accidentally got barbecue sauce all over a special outfit she had just bought to win Sasuke over, in the academy.
But I would've been red for an entirely different reason.

I-is she…?

She moved her lips along mine for a moment, then slowly pulled away.

I would have kissed her back if I was conscious enough. I don't know why, but I know I would have. Maybe that's why she did it now…when I was too tired to respond…but why?

Then, she went back to humming and stroking my hair, like nothing had happened. Damn her, sometimes…this feels too good…

Goodbye, Consciousness. The pull of the World of Sleep is much too strong.

I'll observe these feelings of mine later….for now, I'll just sleep…

*Around the time this chapter began*

Temari POV

Here I was, just lying here, gazing at the clouds from against the trunk of a tree on the ground. Sounds fine, right? I sound like the lazy ass.

But honestly, it was kind of relaxing. Must be why he does it all the time.

But it'd be better if we (Shikamaru and I) weren't so tired after kicking Pain-in-the-Ass Tayuya just moments ago.

I promised him a reward, hoping it'd be an incentive to try hard. I should've known he wouldn't be the type to fall for it, but his performance was good, and I can't tell if it was because he was genuinely trying or he wanted the reward. So should I give it to him or not?

I think our fight was a good one – Tayuya surprised us (well, Shikamaru at least. Me? Not so much) with her ability to control her summons with her flute and with those clear-chakra-monster-things that proved to be difficult.

I don't feel like going into a flashback, so don't expect to get one. He's really rubbing off on me…

Anyway, with my help, Shikamaru had been able to figure out how Tayuya was able to manipulate the summons – with her fingers. Her music hardly had anything to do with it. He may be lazy but he's smart. Scary smart.

However, after we gotten rid of the summons, Tayuya used a genjutsu on us. Both of us.

I had gotten Shikamaru out of it eventually.

After stabbing myself to wake up from the genjutsu, of course. It wasn't very deep though. That would've been just utterly stupid of me.

Unfortunately for us, afterwards, both of us were pretty drained of our chakra and stamina. He was worse than I was –my fight with him took more out of him than I thought– so I deposited him in a nearby tree where he could watch over me fighting Tayuya, and instruct me if necessary through a comms unit I stole from some Sand Nin's ninja pouch when he wasn't looking.

What? He was the enemy! He's a traitor in my eyes, and a traitor is no brethren of mine! Forget nationality!

*cough*

Moving on.

I also left my fan with Shikamaru – one of Tayuya's summons cracked parts of it, and I can't use it again until I fix it. There goes our ride.

Anyway, next, Tayuya decided to go into her Second Level of the curse form.

So naturally, I summoned my favorite little buddy – my weasel summon, Kamatari. (1)

Since, like I said, I couldn't use my fan, I had to fight Tayuya head on with Kamatari.

Soon, the fight was over with a swift kick to the head on my part, and a clawed swipe to the stomach on Kamatari's. Good boy!

I thanked him, and sent him back to wherever-the-hell he goes when I don't have him summoned. Sakura says there's a frog world where Jiraiya and Naruto's summons are from, and that the 3rd'summon, Enma is the Monkey King. He must have his own realm. Maybe there's a weasel realm?

Exhausted, I leaned against the trunk of the nearest tree, on the ground. Shikamaru, having gained some of his strength back, climbed down his tree and sat next to me.

I fired the flare gun into the sky.

"So that's what the colors were for," I said. "The flare guns were to give our location to the Jounin, and our colors represented who was at which flare."

I nodded.

For a while, we sat in silence.

Then I spoke.

"Well," I spoke. "That went better than I thought it would."

"What?! How is this better?" Shikamaru replied, shocked. I can imagine what he's thinking: "if this is 'better', just how bad did she think this was going to be like?!"

"For starters, neither of us have concussions or bleeding arteries," I said, naming off reasons for why this was better than I originally predicted. I'm feeling particularly optimistic right now…sort of.

He nodded

"We're alive." Obviously.

He nodded again.

"And our main problems are exhaustion, as opposed to a gaping hole in our stomach, hemorrhaging, multiple broken bones, insanity, the like."

"Insanity?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What? Genjutsu, if used that way, can drive someone absolutely crazy!" I said defensively. It can!

"Mm-hmm." He muttered quietly. "Here's the proof right next to me." I playfully punched him. Or not playfully. Who knows.

I, for the most part, was fine. No major injuries except for a broken arm and wrist – one of the summons had broken them when I tried to attack it. It was the same one that broke my fan.

Other than those bones, I was fine – shallow cuts and scratches, bruises, and a few shallow stab wounds are all I have. Exhaustion and charka depletion are my main problems, other than the broken arm and wrist.

Shikamaru hadn't suffered many injuries, simply minor ones. A couple broken fingers – I broke one to snap him out of the genjutsu. A stab wound in both on one of his feet and abdomen – albeit shallow. Also, he had some cuts and bruises here and there. Exhaustion is his main problem, as well as chakra depletion, like me.

Shikamaru yawned.

I decided to do something impulsive.

I swiftly pull Shikamaru unto my lap with my good hand.

He looked up. "Temari?!"

"You're tired," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "You can sleep on my legs. Now shut up, would you?"

His face told him he was still skeptical about it. Why does he have to analyze everything? I mean, it's kind of attractive that he likes to think thing through but-…!

…Forget that last part. Please.

"Why?" He asked, still skeptical.

"'Cause I want to. Problem? If you want me to be bitchy, I will, but I think I'll be nice for now, so don't screw it up." I think that was pretty in-character of me.

"Thanks." He muttered.

I felt his heart race through my thighs, and I saw his face heat up. He tried to hide it by adjusting himself comfortably on me, but I still saw it. That's cute, I'll admit.

It felt good with him so close to me. I'm blaming my mushy-ness on my exhausted status.

Softly, I replied. "You're welcome, Shika."

It also felt good calling him that. I don't say it often, but when I do, I get this tingly feeling…and I kind of like it.

I think I'll do it more often…but only when we're alone. Ino will have a heyday.

Unable to resist, I took out Shikamaru's very loose hair tie, weaving my hands through his hair and across his scalp. His hair very nice, oddly enough. It feels silkier out of the hair tie. Though I wonder how it sticks out the way it does while in a ponytail...

"W-wha-" Shikamaru stuttered. He must have been surprised, but I think he liked it. He shivered when I did it.

I interrupted his stuttering.

"Shh…just sleep. I used to do this to Gaara, and occasionally Kankuro when they were little. It helped them sleep," I whispered, faintly reminiscing nights sleeping with my brothers, telling them bedtime stories, and playing with their hair while humming them to sleep. Back then, I didn't have to worry very much about Gaara having nightmares, or not sleeping at all. We were a small, kind of happy, family…

I started humming, and I knew Shikamaru was a goner. I could see him fighting sleep furiously, but losing terribly.

But I decided to do one last thing before the fight was over.

I leaned down, lowly whispering, "Here's your reward…"

I pressed my lips softly against his, moving them gently. After a little less than I moment, I pulled away, slowly.

Afterwards, I was blushing furiously and had the urge to touch my lips. Why?! I've kissed plenty of guys before him, and even had a couple of boyfriends! Why am I so flustered by kissing him…they never felt like this either…I like this better…

Then, like nothing had ever happened, I played with Shikamaru's hair and started humming again.

I watched as he drifted off to sleep.

I kissed him when I did on purpose…I don't know what I would've done if he had pushed me away…

Soon, I fell asleep against the bark of the tree, deciding to think over my feelings –Damn, do I feel girly!– some other time.

Now was the time to rest.

Kiba POV

"Ugh." Kankuro grunted, adjusting my weight as he carried me.

"We won, man. Lighten up," I said, thinking over our fight.

I had opened up to Kankuro a bit more. He's not that bad – he just grew a bit bitter after having to live the life he did and the pain his family had felt. I almost feel bad.

Almost. He's still an ass, though.

I think we made a connection though. I don't think we're friends yet, but it's possible. Maybe someday soon.

"We may have won, but you and Akamaru together are effing heavy." He said.

The three of us had been able to defeat Sakon and Ukon, like we had promised to Hinata.

However, in the process, I had suffered some internal injuries – injuries that seemed to have effected my nervous system. In my legs, at least.

You see, Ukon, with his creepy ability to grow from my body by "attaching my chemical proteins to his" or something like that, had nearly killed me.

Kankuro was busy with the younger brother, Sakon, to be able to help me.

So, I was on my own, with Akamaru out of commission. He was knocked unconscious, and at first, I had thought he was dead.

However, I had decided to stab myself multiple times to force Ukon out of my body through pain. Before it got too much, however, he had done something in my spine, controlling the proteins in there or something, and had almost snapped it.

Luckily, he hadn't and my spine was still totally intact, albeit sore. But whatever he did had made me slowly lose feeling in my legs. For some reason, I don't feel what he did was too life-threatening and serious, so I'm pretty calm about.

That doesn't mean I'm not pissed, though.

Anyway, using the last moments I had, I was able to finish Ukon off with the last of Akamaru's strength, using Gatsuuga.

That guy was a creep and a serious pain in my ass.

Afterwards, was sprawled on the ground, no feeling in one leg and losing it on the other, waiting for Kankuro to get his ass over here and help me.

He came soon enough, but he wasn't very well off either. For starters, his makeup was wiped off, he was wet (which is how his makeup came off, I assume), his clothes were torn, his fingers bleeding (from his chakra strings, may), a bruise on his face, and I could see some blood leaking through his clothes.

He dragged Sakon's body over to Ukon's, throwing him unceremoniously over his brother's body. I grinned. Those assholes deserve it.

Without his makeup though, I couldn't recognize him(2) and raised hell about who he was and what he'd done to Kankuro (he was still wearing his clothes and had a mangled puppet thing on his back).

It took a bit longer than I'd like to admit for him to convince me he was still Kankuro.

He was still pretty well off, though, and still had some strength left.

And that's how he ended up carrying me along the forest.

"Can't we ride on one of your puppets? One of them is big enough, right?" I asked. I hated to sound like I cared, but we were never going to get very far at this rate.

"I broke one, cracked another, and the last one wouldn't be able to carry our weight. So no."

I sighed. Well I tried.

I looked over at Akamaru. He was wrapped around in my jacket, in a bundle sort of thing, hanging from Kankuro's neck. He needed his arms to support me and himself, and he couldn't hold Akamaru on his head – his swaying would knock him off. So bundle it was.

I don't know how he did it, but he did, and it worked. So I didn't complain.

I did laugh though, which he didn't appreciate.

He dropped me, which wasn't fun. So I shut up.

Soon though, we (he) couldn't go on any longer, so he stopped and deposited us down against a tree trunk. He unwrapped my jacket from his neck and placed the Bundle of Akamaru on my lap.

He sighed and slumped against the tree trunk.

Luckily, we were close to the edge of the forest and near the Arena. We'd have a better chance of somebody spotting us and getting help, for whatever reason they may be there.

I suddenly remembered something.

I dug through my jacket, being careful of Akamaru.

Then, I found it.

"What's that?" Kankuro asked.

"A flare gun."

"For what?"

"Hinata gave it to me before she left.(3) She told me to fire it after we were done with our fight, signaling our location to the sensei or somebody to pick us up if we couldn't get to the hospital or village ourselves."

"Then fire it!"

"I am! Geez...impatient much?"

So I did fire it, and a royal blue streak shot through the air. Nice choice of color, Hinata.

Afterwards, I put the flare gun aside, and adjusted myself against the tree.

"Now all we can do is wait."

"Yeah," replied. "I'm gonna sleep. I'm tired as hell."

"Me, too." I replied.

We mumbled some sort of awkward "g'nights" –it was the afternoon, that's weird– and the both of us drifted off to sleep, Akamaru safe and warm in my arms.

(1): Kamatari is the name of Temari's weasel summon. His name's a play off the fact that he carries a scythe; "kamaitachi" literally means scythe weasel, so "Kamatari" was derived from that. If any of you read/watch Soul Eater, Maka's name is an anagram (is that the right word?) from the Japanese word for "scythe", since she wields a scythe (Soul) and her father is one (Spirit). Maka's just "Kama" with the letters mixed up.
(2): He really looks a hell of a lot different without his make up. A carbon copy of his father. In fact, in a Shippuden picture of his without his make up, I thought he WAS his father, and I freaked out because he's supposed to be dead. Then I realized it was Kankuro and he looked too young to be his father. Look it up. That's probably why Kankuro wears the makeup - he doesn't want to look like his father.
(3): I forgot to include that in the last chapter. Sorry guys. So I inserted it here.

I originally wrote Shikamaru and Temari's part differently, explaining the fight from the beginning, but it was awful, so I re-wrote it and had Temari explain what happened differently instead. I think it turned out pretty well.

I noticed I'm slowly getting to the couples as they appear in my story. First SasuSaku, though it officially started around chapter 17. Then SaIno, NejiTen (and lots of it), ItaHana, and now ShikaTema. I guess that's an okay system.

By what I'm planning, GaaMatsu and SasuSaku are next. After the Chunin Exams, NaruHina will finally bloom.

I also noticed that there's a lot more NejiTen than any other couple here. I guess it's because they're already being focused, I love the couple, and I'm starved of NejiTen. I believe you manga readers know why. I need all the NejiTen I can get.

Question of the Week: Is there a pet peeve or something you hate or dislike about the Naruto series? A character? Character development? Certain fillers? What?

Adios, my lovelies!

And remember, REVIEW!

Reviews tell me this stuff is worth it, help me update faster, and make me happy. They also make my writing better because I know what you all want and like.

BTW, did you all like the chapter title?

-Cherry.