Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto and never will….lawyers back away………
The following day, Shikamaru decided that the best way to resolve the problem would be by apologizing to Temari. Nervously, he walked up the steps to her house and knocked softly. While he waited for someone to answer, he rehearsed what he was going to say. He needed to be cautious because knowing Temari, anything could set her off.
Dear heart, I am so very, very sorry thought Shikamaru No that's too cheesy …
He tried another approach.
Yo! Dudet! I'm frickin' sorry…That's not formal enough.
Then, he tried the regular way.
Sorry. He froze and repeated it in his head sorry.
That's perfect. I'm such a genius.
The door flew open and there stood Sakura.
"What do you want!" she said coldly, closing the door behind her.
"I'm here to apologize to Temari. Now let me in." demanded Shikamaru
"First, you have to tell me if you're really with Ino."
"I'm not. It's just an act to get Temari jealous."
"You…you…IDIOT!" Sakura exploded, "That is the worst thing to do to a girl!"
"How was I supposed to know? I'm a guy." Shikamaru defended himself.
"Well…you're a pretty stupid guy."
"No shit. Now will you let me in?"
"Fine."
Rather reluctantly, Sakura opened the door. Before she did, she hissed, "Watch your tongue up there."
He followed Sakura up the stairs, dreading every moment. Sakura led him to Temari's bedroom and then left him to his doom.
He saw Temari on the window seat, starring outside with her arms crossed.
"Ummm…Temari…I'm very sorry…I was stupid to follow the guidelines of a magazine."
Temari turned to face him, eyes glaring daggers. She got a hold of the nearest thing she could reach – which happened to be a heavy vase- and threw it at him. He ducked and the vase hit the wall behind him, shattering into a rainfall of shards of green
"Temari-" he started, but that was as far as he got before he dodged a thick paper back book.
Once Temari got started she rarely ever stopped so she continued to throw everything within her reach at him.
"By gods Temari, please stop it!" he yelped "I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry!"
He covered his face, but then discovered that objects had stopped flying at him. He hesitantly uncovered his face to see Temari glowering at him, breathing heavily.
"I don't accept your apology, NOW GET OUT!"
To make her point, she threw another book at him. Shikamaru would have stayed and tried to apologize again, but when she hurled her lamp at him and attempted to pick up her desk, he figured things were too out of hand, and rushed out of the room.
---
Shikamaru was on a new mission. To persuade Naruto to call off the bet. He found him easily at the ramen shop, where he was stuffing his face as usual.
"Naruto, there's something I need to talk to you about."
Naruto looked up at him, a few noodles dangling from his mouth.
"Yeah, wha' abountt?" he asked thickly, chewing.
"Huh?"
Naruto swallowed his mouthful. "Yeah, what about?"
"About that dare…."
"You're chickening out."
"I feel like it's unfair…"
"You're chickening out."
"I'm not sure I want to do it anymore..."
"You're chickening out."
"When I agreed to it, I wasn't thinking straight..."
"You're chickening out."
"Yes," Shikamaru gave up finally "I'm chickening out."
"Well, you can't," stated Naruto matter-of-factly
"Why not?"
"Shikamaru, you should know why not," sighed Naruto, "Because I said so."
"But I don't want to walk around Konoha dressed as a maid!"
"But I'm looking forward to it," Naruto grinned evilly
Shikamaru glared at him, but he was honor-bound to the dare until Naruto said it was off. And Naruto obviously, was not going to.
"May you choke to death on your ramen," Shikamaru said with one last glare at him before leaving.
Miraculously, he heard Naruto inhale sharply and start to cough as he left the ramen shop.
Tomorrow's the last day. Tomorrow's the last day. He repeated over and over in his brain, wondering what he was going to do.