Sorry this is so short. I'll continue the chapter tomorrow night. Two chappies a night is my limit. Most of the time. Anyhow, I've got the entire fic planned out, and since it's almost spring break, I might go up to four chapters a day.
Who Could Love You:
Shikamaru lay on the roof of the hospital, staring up at the clouds like usual. Thinking, though, about what had happened with Temari. Why had he cried? Is it possible that…
"Hey! Idiot! Are you just going to lay around here all day gaping at clouds, or are you going to get up and ask me how I'm doing?" Shikamaru shot up from the ground.
Standing there was Temari. Bandages looped over her right shoulder and around her chest and abdomen, and she wore only a skirt and her sandals. She came over and sat next to him, wincing in the process.
"H-Hey! Are you okay? Are you supposed to be up!" Shikamaru asked, alarmed by her presence.
"Heh. Someone did a good job on me, that's for sure. How long have I been out since you found me?"
"Only a day!"
"Hm? Who stitched me up, Hokage-sama?"
"No. Well, partly, but that was after Leiko did."
"Leiko?"
"Yeah," said Shikamaru, leaning backwards again. "Some ten-year-old Jounin from the Hidden Ice Village. She's the one you owe your life to. Apparently she also knows Gaara pretty well, considering she calls him Gaara-chan…"
Temari lay down too, saying, "Well, you'll just have to introduce me, then. A ten-year-old Jounin, you say? From the Hidden Ice Village? Weird…"
They laid in silence for a few minutes, before Temari said cautiously, "So…about that time…"
"Look, I don't know what came over me. But who really cares? It's troublesome…"
Temari whispered after a few seconds, "I care…" she then got up and walked towards the door.
She was just in time to hear Shikamaru answer back quietly, "Feh…who could ever love such a woman as you?"
Temari hung her head and closed the door behind her.
(&)
"You said WHAT to her!" Sakura screamed at Shikamaru. Temari had gone missing from the hospital, and apparently it was his fault.
"How troublesome," he muttered, but was secretly worried. Shikamaru hadn't meant it, really…
"We have to search for her, she's not fully healed yet!" Sakura yelled.
"Yes, yes. I understand," answered Tsunade. "You and Shikamaru go look for her. I'm busy."
Sakura dragged Shikamaru by the ear out of Tsunade's office and across the streets, looking in every shop they came upon.
All the while, Sakura lectured Shikamaru. "Do you know what that can do to a girl's heart! Jeeze! Some girls have killed themselves over that!"
Shikamaru noticeably pales, and Sakura noticed, and added, "But Temari's stronger than that. The most she would do was get drunk." Some of the color returned to Shikamaru's face, and they continued the search.
'Damn…' thought Shikamaru. 'I didn't mean it. I really wasn't thinking. I messed up big this time. So now that I've come to realization, can I tell her the truth? Will she ever forgive me?'
Sakura noticed Shikamaru's attitude again, and said, "Hey, she'll forgive you. Just admit it…you love Temari."