Chapter 3:Truth or Dare

"Truth or Dare?" Naruto grinned. "DARE! DARE! DARE!" The blonde was jumping up and down excitedly in a small circle before Sakura whacked him on the side of the head. "Owwwwwww! Ow!"

"Just wait your turn!" Ino told him as she herded the rest of the group together.

"His turn for what?" The voice startled them all. Everyone turned to look toward the shadows as the young man stepped forward quietly.

"Gaara?" Kankaro and Temari both said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Training mission for my student." Gaara replied. "She needs to build up her endurance and tracking abilities."

Everyone turned to look behind him, but he seemed alone.

"Er, where is she?" Temari finally asked as Gaara helped himself to some of the rice balls. What had been pure fun now seemed to have a slight edge to it. Her younger brother had changed a lot since their first visit to Konoha, but still … his potential for violence and death had never really dissipated.

"Visitor dorm. She's exhausted from the trip, thus the need to train." Gaara shrugged, "I saw you all as I was dropping her off."

Neither Kankaro or Temari needed to ask if Gaara was tired. Even if he was, he probably wouldn't sleep soon at all, especially not away from home. His ability to sleep and control the demon within him had improved greatly, but he still didn't sleep much at all.

"DARE! DARE! Pick me! I want a dare!"

Gaara simply stared at Naruto and then looked at the others as if to ask the obvious question.

"It's a game." Temari offered. "You probably wouldn't want to …"

Gaara sat down as if to join them. Kankaro's eyes boggled slightly and then he grinned. Temari caught her breath as the others watched with various expressions of shock, except for Naruto.

"All right! Gaara's in! Let's start. Now!!! I want a dare!"

"Fine," grumbled Sakura. "Ino will start since it was her idea."

"Right. I choose, Sakura!" Naruto groaned loudly.

"Dare."

Ino stared at her a moment and then grinned. "I want to read that book your sensei always has his nose buried inside. Go get it for me."

"Ooooh!" Breathed Naruto. "Good one."

Sakura frowned outwardly, but inside she was grinning. She acted like it would be difficult, but as the Hokage's student she happened to know that Kakashi-sensei was out on an S-rated mission. Finally after much (false) grumbling, she left on her dare.

"Do we have to wait???" Naruto was vibrating with energy.

Ino shrugged, "nah, Sakura will get her turn … if she returns!" She glanced at TenTen and nodded secretively. "TenTen, why don't you go next?"

TenTen smiled and chose "Temari".

The Sand nin looked and acted surprised, but wasn't. This was all part of the plan. TenTen was going to tell her to kiss Naruto on a 'dare', then Temari would pick Ino and repeat the dare. Finally Ino would chose Hinata and dare her to kiss Naruto as well. This would show the girl that it was okay and part of the 'party', not the set-up it really was … if ALL the girls kissed Naruto, then it wouldn't be a huge shock for Hinata. And sending Sakura away was to keep the young man from getting too excited about kissing the wrong girl.Temari pondered the moment, the plan had a lot of holes in it, but … blondie and no idea what was heading his way. She smiled darkly.

"Dare."

"Temari of the Desert, I dare you to kiss …"

During this time, Shikamaru had noticed something. A very small something. A spider dangling barely an inch from TenTen's shoulder. No biggy, he looked around to make sure Shino was nowhere in the vicinity and reached out and squished it.

"Shikamaru!" TenTen gasped as the name left her mouth. She'd only said his name because he'd made a sudden move beside her, startling her. And now … she watched as the young man's eyes widened from shock.

"Ah, that's dumb." Grumbled Naruto.

Kankaro laughed. Gaara stared. And Temari held her breath.

Temari rose a bit unsteadily from her seat and started stalking toward Shikamaru. He thought about running, but in truth, he'd thought about kissing her before but never thought she'd appreciate his advances. Not to mention her homicidal brothers. He silently thanked TenTen to himself although his eyes never left the figure dropping down before him.

She moved into his lap and wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you doing?" He murmured. This was just a kiss right?

"Showing Hinata how it's done." She said, glancing over at TenTen whose shocked face finally gave a weak smile.

"Huh?" That made no sense to him … and then nothing made sense anymore as her lips met his. Her soft lips nudged his as she inhaled his scent. This was Temari? Soft was not how he pictured her. He felt her tongue trace the seam of his mouth and felt the sharp nip of her teeth on his lower lip. Yep, it was Temari.

The two melted into each other. One moment stiff and unsure, the next melded together like a single unit. Their mouths opened and the kiss deepened, Shikamaru's hands wrapped around the Sand nin like he'd never let go.

Hinata blushed beet red and looked everywhere and anywhere else than at the two kissing. Her eyes lit on a confused Naruto and she felt as if she might pass out. She dragged her gaze from the object of her crush and found herself staring at a cold green gaze. Gaara? Why was he staring at her rather than at the shameful display his sister was making? Desperately she tore her gaze from the youngest sand sibling and found everyone was looking around trying not to stare at the couple.

"Oi." Kankaro let out a loud sigh. "When are they coming up for air?"

The silence was broken and everyone laughed. Except for Temari and Shikamaru who were wrapped up together. His hands were playing with her hair while hers wandered his back.

Neji coughed and looked at Gaara, who was staring at Hinata. Why was he …

"Temari?" TenTen poked the wind princess in the back. "It's your turn." She continued poking and only stopped when Temari broke away to growl at her, then moved back to sink into Shikamaru's embrace.

"This is stupid." Naruto finally said. "I want a dare!"

"Go catch a Snipe." Kankaro said snidely.

"What's a snipe?" Naruto asked with excitement visibly running through his eyes.