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His steps silent and senses on high alert, Shikamaru didn't miss a beat as he quickened his pace past the border and towards the end of the ravine. A few more bombs and the plan would be in place, perfect timing to. The sun creeped over the cliffs the sky fighting to change the shade of color in it as the dawn made way.
He'd once have been just waking up to start his day, sluggish morning hassle before school, napping in between lessons, training after with team ten, cloud watching for hours at a time, shogi games with Asuma and his father. To tired he'd become over the years, he was sixteen when he found his way into the high ranks of war now at twenty, he felt as if he's grown even older over the years. He had the potential and soon the naps ended, the clouds escaped him, the body count totaled.
With a shake of his head, he exhaled pushing past the reminiscing thoughts and dropped from the branches, far enough away from any borders. Path clear, trees swaying in the wind, a distant thud. He lifted his chin eyes narrowing when the silent hit him, to quiet, the wind died along with the silence, and he tensed.
He'd been in this position more than once.
Shikamaru glanced back eyes widening as the air current came at him, bracing himself, feeling the harsh pull forward, he forced his body down to keep steady digging his heels into the ground. He could hear the distant sound of trees giving way and falling to the powerful attack. Feeling the quick slashes against this vest and back, baring his teeth as the screeching wind blew past him, his eyes widened when it died down to a soft breeze and everything around him became still, a few distant thuds catching his attention as he looked up grimacing at the sight of the trees once before him now cluttered the forest floor.
"Damn it" He muttered under his breath and slowly glared back at the splayed fan, three purple moons resting open beside a masked woman, sandy blonde tuffs shifting as she tilted her head the sand headband glinting on her forehead, slanted eyes amused. She leaned against the end of the fan one hand on her scarf pulling her mask down revealing a devious grin resting on her sharp expression as she savored the fallen trees before her and narrowed her look over at him, daring for a response. Temari of the Sand, dangerous, cocky, beautiful? He brushed the last one off the list after a second of eyeing her, she looked like she could split a mountain in two if she got pissed. With a sigh he straightening to stand and turn around slowly, unamused by her appearance. Perfect timing to ruin the ambush he thought to himself.
"Cutting it a little close to the Sand don't you think?" She lowered her gaze, mocking him with her cruel grin. With a sigh Shikamaru rubbed his neck, quickly scanning his surroundings while slipping both hands in his pockets pulling the most unbothered look he could manage.
"Yeah, and you're the one in Fire country" He began to time in his head how long he had before the seals would activate. A few minutes at best, he had to finish this quickly "Why don't you turn back now before the others get here" He stiffened when she grinned, taunting him, not the usually she was a commander of the Suna shinobi after all. Temari leaned forward pulling her fan to rest behind her as she took a step, calling his bluff.
"What others? Your team is miles away and you know it" He cringed when she narrowed her eyes, her fun ending. If looks could kill. They didn't call her the Cruelest kunoichi of Suna without reason. He shut his eyes steading his breathing, he'd fought her once many years back and after this long he had to face her again, how troublesome, odds in her favor considering most of his shadows now laid piled together behind him. "What are you going to give up again?" With a long drawn-out sigh he lowered his head and met her glaring seafoam gaze.
"I guess it's time for a rematch huh" She responded with a small twitch to her lips when he smirked "So let's do it"
Temari moved the moment he accepted the challenge and pulled her fan from behind her readying as she glared back at his arrogant grin. One rematch she'd always wanted to take on. The Leaf's ultimate genius, captain, and strategist. She admitted he'd gotten the leg up on her a few times over the years during battle, but now it was him alone facing her, no armies to pawn out in their defense. He didn't stand a chance against her. He'd gotten taller not that scrawny slacker she remembered during her chunin exams years ago, he even vaguely resembled a true general, but all she could see was the kid who had given up eight years ago. She growled twisted her body and swung forward, her target lunging right into the woods before she reached him. With a huff she chased after him, his best strategy was always to run it seemed.
She carried her fan with grace and each step led her closer to his fleeing form. She had to stay away from his shadow that was for sure. Once caught she'd be dead. Her strategy, corner and strike stay away from close combat if she could avoid it. He jumped above her pushing off the branches as he made his way into the darkened treetops. Temari pushed up after him and stopped only when he disappeared form her view, not in the trees rested on her closed fan eyes looking past the steel as she scanned the shadowed trees. He thought he could run and hide in the trees, his mistake. Withdrawing her fan, she splayed the three moons and swung forward the wind slicing right through the branches ahead. When it died down, she silenced her breathing and glanced back slipping her closed fan behind her at the hissing kunai as it contacted the metal and fell to the forest floor.
"You should really work on your aim" She called back listening for him, looking for any signs of his shadow "Now how about you explain those paper bombs you've been leaving everywhere, while I wait for a real fight" Temari heard the annoyed sigh as he slipped out from her left leaning against the tree across from her, so casual, unfazed and leaning his shoulder against the trunk of the tree facing her but hands linked together holding a sign.
"Why should I share anything with you?" He called out his laid-back composure causing her to tighten the grip on her fan. With an irritated smirk his way she peered at his shadow as it darkened. Slowly rising, eyes shifting from watching the shadow to the captain's impassive face, serious, yet a certain interest in what she would do.
"Simple, I'll kill you faster" She casted a grin towards him, teasing his useless move, tossing her head to the side as she leaned against her fan facing him arrogantly, yet watched absently as the snaking shadow made its way down the tree he stood on.
"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" He glanced away the slight twitch of his lips, smile threatening to show itself, signaling her to sneak a look at her tree, seeing the shadow continue along towards her. She'd have to react as soon as it got to close, yet the nagging feeling of an incoming attack made her tense.
"Unless you'd prefer a slow and painful death, then I'm sure I can accommodate" a hesitant pause, the shadow stopped and he dropped his head with a groan his hands releasing, and the shadow returned to its master.
"You'd enjoy that wouldn't you" Temari watched him slip a hand into his bag and pull out a paper bomb between his fingers, her eyes narrowed instantly "Shame about our rematch, but I just don't have the time" She lifted her weapon as he slammed the bomb into the trunk of the tree beside him and jumped down. With a growl she swung forward knocking the exploding tree back right before it struck her. The smoke and fire dispersing into the forest ahead of her. Her eyes glared down as he hit the forest floor; he was on the run again. She didn't acknowledge the few trees that fell with the force of her attack and dove down charging after him, a noticeable rage waving around her, angry. He moved quick, but not enough to lose her when she followed.
His body reacted before he could even think, the harsh metallic clink of the fan opening pushed him to move, swiftly side stepping into the brush as the harsh wind cut into the path he had been taking. Damn woman didn't give up he thought with a tense frown. He cursed the moment he made contacted with the dirt path below him, wrong move, he'd managed to lead right back towards the canyon entrance, the final bomb site. With his pace slowing he finally stopped in the middle of the path huffing out a pant, body heavy, and turning back hand slipping towards his bag on his thigh. She emerged from the tree above landing to a crouch like a predator having cornered her prey. Her body straightened chest heaving and the fan behind her clinking shut as both casted glares at each other. He wanted to groan and simply give up this was too much work for him.
"Come on Temari, we've established I don't have the time for this already" He muttered, his fingers curling around Asuma's chakra blade in his bag. Temari lifted her chin and smirked, as ruthless as always.
"What you gonna run away again?" She scoffed "I'll just keep chasing you until you give up, Nara" His eyes shut jaw clenched keeping down the desire to talk back at her, he had less time than he thought, and he could hear the distant wind flow in the canyon. They stood still, tense awaiting the first move from one another. As predicted, he knew she'd grow impatient with him and at the twitch of her lips she rushed forward fan coming towards him. The blade connected and directed her iron fan to slam in the ground beside him. Twisting her body before landing, they connected, dark eyes meeting her unforgiving rage filled teals as he pulled back away from her, blades crossed before him in defense.
They both exhaled and she pulled her fan free, swinging at him, her attempt to slip it open, stopped, the edge of his blades pushing the weapon down at his close range.
Always quick on her feet, he ducked her next swing, her steps moving after his while he stepped further away down the road shifting swiftly from her threatening attacks, leading her towards him, keeping the fan from ever slipping open. He pulled back a final time, but never saw her hand reach out snatching his collar and bringing him forward towards her, his own hand reaching up and finally stopping her with the blade an inch from her neck.
A moment of silence followed between the two, both panting at the tense air around them. Temari gripped his collar, surprisingly strong for her size, with her head tilted up in a glare, like fire threatening to burn him, like the desert sun, her closed fan held tightly behind her. His hand pushed the blade to her neck, the tip just grazing, but never cutting the delicate flesh. Her eyes too cold, his too dark, yet neither moved, he'd gotten the upper hand and she knew it.
Shikamaru kept a firm gaze down at her, and his count ended, his expression fell and the distant voices made his eyes widen. He heard the shinobi, the ambush he'd been working on for days was about to commence. Temari's face faltered eyes widening for a moment and she looked to her side towards the ravine, the blade at her neck pressing ever gently against her. The calls from the Hidden Rock shinobi down the road would never see the ambush set up for them, but they'd see the two in the middle of the path.
"Damn it, woman" He hissed pulled his blade back and shot his free hand toward his neck, gripped her wrist and pulled her off his neck, her fingers curling into a fist shocked at the sudden hold. He quickly shoved himself towards her pushing them back towards the woods, but not releasing his vice grip on her wrist as he hastily began pulling her along with him. They had gotten to close to the entrance of the ravine, now decorated in hidden glowing paper bombs.
Temari gapped silently as he led her behind him, yet she followed as he quickly pulling them to the side of the forest edge and forced them behind the nearest tree "Get down" he shouted and without warning pulled her down into him just as the first bomb detonated. Temari ducked her head as the thundering explosion rang around them, one after another dust, rocks, and shrapnel rushing past them, only protected by the thick oak tree that shuddered under the blasts. His arm wrapped around her waist another over her neck pulling her body flush against his and covering her head as if on instinct.
Trees fell, the canyon side crumbled down, the ground shook under the disturbance. He ducked his head into hers not aware of the closeness as he held tightly onto her, both bodies twitching with each rumble of the earth. The unit of shinobi crushed under the rubble, any survivors to be picked off by his awaiting units. The dust settled with the attack over, faint rocks trickled from inside and the distant sounds of men groaning in their final hours filled the still air.
A breath escaped him, slowly pulling away from the sandy blonde hair he had pushed into, he looked up leaning his head back into the tree his mouth slipping open to catch his shaken breath, arms wrapped tightly around her still. The clouds looking untouched by the events even as the smoke from the blasts lazily waved towards them. He felt a throb on the side of his head and huffed, of course he got hit.
The subtle shift in his grip brought his focus back into reality, glancing down wide teal eyes rose to meet his. Softer up close a sense of awe behind them, lips parted ever so slightly as if to speak, the shock of the occurrence or from his touch silencing her. He stared for a moment almost wanting to lean in and pinpoint the exact shade of the iris that stared back. Temari slowly glanced down at his arm, wrapped snugly around her waist as the other slipped off her shoulder carefully. His jaw clenched and he swallowed down the uneasy feeling washing over him, he'd die soon might as well look, adding beautiful back to the list as he stared into the mesmerizing teals when they returned to his. He managed to blink and tightened his jaw, a sudden nervous feeling creeping up, wondering for a moment why he had done it.
With a exhale, he composed himself and pulled his other arm free from her waist, taking note how she inhaled sharply, her body stiff as she leaned away, her eyes still wide from the shock. He slowly reached into his vest pocket pulling the lighter and cigarettes out and lowering his head, eyes remaining on her face, searching for any sign of fury, seeing none, he continued to hold her stare as she watched his movements, leaning away more when he spoke.
"Well, not exactly according to plan" His muttered and his expression went deadpan, bored one would think, as he looked past her and lit the end inhaled and leaned back against the tree casting a glace to Temari the exhale of smoke waving over his face. She furrowed her brows at the casual demeanor, but remained quiet, a bit confused at his lack of intertest as to what just happened. A second ago they were about to kill each other "You know if you still want to kill me, by all means go ahead" The two remained still his arms now resting casually on his bent knees with her in between them. She was turned sideways resting on her leg and arm having pulled away from touching him, her eyes never leaving his from shock or caution he didn't really care to think about it. It was hard, however, not to notice the rosy blush on her cheeks when she finally looked away, causing the slightest tilt in his head to peek at her, intriguing as to why she was still quiet. She was untouched by the explosion, aside from some dirt on her bare legs, but not even a scratch from the fall.
"You're bleeding" She muttered, finding her voice, but keeping her eyes away, hearing this, he lifted his free hand and touched the gash on the side of his head with a wince.
"Great" He groaned, glaring at the slick blood between his fingers. Looking up he watched as she pulled back grabbing the end of her scarf and tearing the fabric into a small strip "Just my luck today, first I get chased by you, then injured by my own ambush, man this is such a drag" He muttered, tensing when she suddenly came back, shifting to kneel before him and press a cloth to his temple resulting in a sharp hiss at the sudden sting. He brought the cigarette to his lips determined to enjoy it while he could, while she leaned in pressing enough to keep the wound from spilling more blood onto his vest, avoiding the closeness of her to him, her delicate features rested in his sights, but keeping his focus on the trees behind her, trying not to stare, twitching when she repositioned her hand.
"Stop moving" Temari commanded, her fire slowly retuning, glancing at her, he sighed and complied quietly, keeping still as she checked to wound, his eyes shutting hiding them from her, thinking why did he do it?