Disclaimer: We do Naruto. If we did, we would be freakin' rich right now.

The day had come. Today was his last day to get Temari out on a day. If he failed, his fate of walking around Kohana dressed as a maid would be sealed. dun, dun, dun – scary music-

It would be easier if he was actually on speaking terms with Temari, but since their last meeting, he wasn't counting on that.

Every step he took felt heavy with doom as he imagined what a laughing stock he'd be if he had the dress up as a maid. He paced around outside of Temari's house like a worried hen.

No. He wasn't going to back down without a fight. He would try again after he tried apologizing once more. With a new determined air, he marched up the stairs with confidence and knocked hard. He can do this.

Temari didn't answer the door, not that he expected her to. But hefelt faint fromshock when Kankuro opened the door. Shikamaru had been getting used to the idea that Temari was living alone.

"You," growled Kankuro, "I've been waiting for you."

Shikamaru gulped. That didn't sound too friendly.

"Um… hi?" he said weakly.

"You broke my sister's heart, you damn bastard!"

"Well, techinically, I didn't break her heart," squeaked Shikamaru in fright, inching away as Kankuro stepped forward menecingly.

You're the reason why she extended her stay in Kohana! And you go off cheating on her! I'm freakin' glad I decided to visit, 'cause now, I CAN RIP YOUR FACE OFF!"

Gasping like a fish at Kankuro's threat, he found himself sputtering.

"I – I didn't know…. I…uh…bye!"

He ran off as fast as he could as Kankuro slammed the door and ran after him. It was a good thing that Shikamaru knew his way around Kohana better than Kankuro and lost him quickly.

"Well so much for that," Shikamaru sighed looking back at the house. "I've got to get her alone somehow."

Coke: Yo! Coke here! One of the two writers of this fic. This is my little note of randomness, so you don't have to read this. But recently, I went to another countrty when I saw these little Naruto figures. I thought they would make a great souviner, but when I went closer, I saw that they were SO FREAKIN' UGLY. I'm serious. Kakashi had yellow skin, Sasuke looked like a vampire, Rock Lee was wearing hot pink, Shikamaru resmembled the Grim Reaper, and Naruto...you DO NOT want to hear about Naruto. It's not even funny. Now their good images are ruined forever! I totally hate the person who made those. The only good one was of Gaara, which I got for Sprite. Anyways...

"Sakura, I need your help," Shikamaru said urgently.

He had cornered her as she had come out of the library, her arms full of books. And now, his fate rested on Sakura.

"What kind of help?" Sakura askedv suspicously, only the top of her forehead visible from the tall stack of books.

"Can you lure Temari out of the house and into this spot ten minutes from now?"

"I guess. What for?"

"I need to apologize to her again."

Sakura paused, and then to his relief, said, "Fine. But you do realize if you mess this up..."

"Yes. Yes. I know. Kankuro would kill me."

"Well, I was going to say Temari will never speak to you again, but that's true too. Gaara wanted to come down here as well, but he's too busy," Sakura added a little nastily

"Oh… did you tell her that Ino and I aren't going out?"

"No… must have slipped my mind."

"You were supposed to tell her."

"Tell her yourself. It's your problem. You should be glad I'm even doing this for you!" snapped Sakura huffily. She set down her books on the steps, and ran off, pink hair streaming behind her.

Shikamaru walked back and forth, thinking how to apologize to Temari. Knowing Temari when she was mad, anything could set her off, so he needed to be careful.

Suddenly, he heard quick footsteps and Sakura's voice "This way,"

When Sakura had come to the clearing, Shikamaru could see Temari behind her. Temari and Shikamaru stared at each other for what it seemed like eternity. Shikamaru opened his mouth but no words came out. What is wrong with me? He thought. I can't talk! I'm spacing out!. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again. Whenever he gathered what little courage he had left, he would look at Temari, and it would all evaporate. Sakura allowed two more minutes of this before saying,

"Ahem…Shikamaru? Is there anything you would like to say to Temari?"

"Uh, yeah," he managed to gasp out, unnerved by Temari's stare. "I'm very sorry for causing you pain and suffering. Would-"

Shikamaru stopped and choked his words. He couldn't say them. He couldn't say; "Would you go out with me?" It was that simple. So simple but he couldn't do it. All he said was "Ino."

Temari's faced tuned from puzzlement to anger at the word, "Ino". She said, fighting back tears, (Yes, yes. We are well aware that Temari is not the type to "fight back tears" or even cry, but it adds to the drama, neh?) "Fine. I thought you were going to say sorry to me! If you care for Ino so much, go comfort her then! I don't care! I hate you! You stupid bastard!"

With that said, Temari took off with Sakurapausing to reload her arms with her books and then running after her. Sakura looked back at him once with an odd mixture of pity and exasperation before disappearing around the corner.

Shikamaru slumped down against the wall. He screwed up. Saying "Ino" was the dumbest thing he had ever done...besides letting Naruto give him a dare. He blew his only chance and now suffered a cruel fate that awaited him. The whole world seemed to laugh at him as bad luck continued to favor him.

"Oh, Temari. He didn't mean to say Ino." said Sakura, patting her back. "He wanted to say sorry and tell you that he wasn't with Ino. He was just with her to make you jealous."

"Really?" asked Temari, sniffing a little.

"Really. And he wanted to ask you out, but you know how guys are...they're idiots."

"Heh, tell me about it," muttered Temari, brushing the last of her tears from her face.

"Yes, I am. You should go find him tomorrow. You know. Talk about it. Hear him out."

"Okay," she said, then chuckled and added, "You know Sakura. You should really be a theripist or something."

His life was going to be over. His life as the coolest ninja (cough, yeah right, cough) was over. He would have to move out of Kohana and live his life as a hermit. Never experiencing the life he could have spent with Temari. Oh, the cruel fate was upon him.

He brushed his teeth and went to sleep. But he couldn't. He tossed and turned, thinking all the screw ups he made though out the week. He was doomed forever, as a laughing stock. A LAUGHING STOCK FOREVER!

Nooooooooo! His brained screamed.

Special Thanks

To

Silver Gingko

(who we know will be mad at Coke unless we write this)

For letting us use our signature phase

"Rip your face off"