Chapter 5
Well, it could have been worse, but it was still pretty bad. Kiba and Naruto had only minor injuries, and were expected to be released from the hospital in a matter of days, but Neji and Choji were each in intensive care. It turned out, that along with Temari and her brothers, Rock Lee had appeared to help, but he returned from the ordeal virtually unscathed. And other then a broken finger, Shikamaru was unharmed as well.
Shikamaru's mother was so thankful for Temari's help in "saving her little boy" that she invited her over for dinner. Where she instantly fell in love with Temari's take charge attitude.
"Come over here with me, and help me with dinner," Shikamaru's mother beckoned to Temari.
"You know, I'm really not much of a cook…" but Temari didn't get a chance to finish because she was being dragged into the kitchen.
"Nonsense, every girl knows how to cook."
Temari threw a helpless glace to Shikamaru, and he just shrugged his shoulders.
"I like her." Shikamaru's father announced to him. "I think she'll be good for you. Help you straiten up." He gave Shikamaru a hard pat on the back, causing him to strainen from his slouched position.
"No, dad, I don't like her like that-" but his father cut him off.
"You know, I said the same thing about your mother. But if you let them get away, you might lose them forever."
But they wereinterrupted by the two women returning from the kitchen. Temari had some flour dashed across her cheek, but she was smiling widely. She set a platter of lamb chops down on the table, and looked very proud of herself.
When dinner was done, Shikamaru's mother promptly said, "Honey, we need to go out, remember?" She gave her husband a brutal look.
"Oh, yea, right, let's go then," he said, getting up from his chair. He obviously had no idea what he wife was talking about, but he figured he had better go along with it.
"You kids can stay here as long as you'd like, we'll be back later." And there it was. She was trying to get Shikamaru and Temari alone together.
After they had left the house, Shikamaru heard Temari giggling to herself. It seemed she was very amused by the fact that Shikamaru's parents were a bunch of lunatics.
Shikamaru felt very awkward being alone in the house with a girl so he said, "So, um, do you want me to walk you back to the Inn?"
"No, I don't think I want to go back there yet. Let's go for a walk." She got up and headed for the door, and Shikamaru followed her out into the fresh night air.