Ten minutes later, and Temari was still standing dumbfounded. She had blinked her eyes a couple of times, but other than that, she hadn't moved at all.
He kissed….we kissed…
She caught a glimpse of the darkening sky and realised it was time to go home, to feed her two hungry rascals of a brother. Actually, make that one hungry rascal. Gaara could manage just fine by himself.
At the thought of her brothers, she quickened her pace-she didn't want them thinking that she and net-boy had experienced an, uh, intimate moment. In no time she reached her house, but when she flung open the door she saw Gaara and Hinata hugging.
Better let them have their time alone…. Temari was about to retreat, when Gaara turned around.
'Ah, Temari.'
'I'll…just be going now Gaara.'
'No. I want to tell you something.'
Temari glanced at Hinata, and the Hyuga blushed.
Weird. She decided that they were a weird pair, but possibly cute, had not Gaara been her little brother.
'What Gaara?' She was worried. He had said those words before, and that had led to little dark haired girl entering their lives.
'Me and Hinata are getting married.'
Temari blinked. 'Ok. Cool.' And then made her way to the fridge for food, as a distraction from yelling and screaming congratulations.
Gaara shrugged, and Hinata smiled. He was glad that Temari hadn't blown it out of proportion, and she was glad that she was accepted into the family.
'And…Temari?'
What now?
'Yes Gaara?' Temari tried to act busy trying to open a can of peas.
'I've realised marriage isn't some trivial thing that you can just choose for others. You don't have to get married to Shikamaru.' Hinata smiled encouragingly at Gaara, remembering their conversation.
-Flashback-
'Gaara-kun…''What?'
'It's j-just…..t-thinking of this m-marriage, I was thinking about someone else's..'
'Temari's?"
'Y-yes.'
'What about it?"
'W-well, if w-we're allowed t-to ch-choose who we want to marry, w-why should y-you force her? Plus it was only a way to get c-closer to me…and now we're g-getting married, d-does that really m-matter anymore Gaara-kun?'
'You're right. It doesn't. I will tell her when she returns.'
-End Flashback-
Temari blinked for the third time. Then she returned to the can of peas.
'Thanks Gaara.' Just then, a red haired bundle crashed through the door.
'I'm home!' Kankuro yelled. Gaara gave Temari a look. Temari shrugged. Gaara glared.
'Hinata and I are engaged.'
'Hey, do we have any more instant ra-engaged? Oh! That's-' Kankuro took one look at Temari's face and realised he should shut up.
'Cool…just cool.' He finished lamely. Gaara silently thanked Temari.
'Hinata and me will be upstairs planning. We don't want any kind of fuss or celebration about this do you hear?' And with that he and Hinata walked upstairs.
As soon as they were gone, Kankuro quickly rounded on Temari.
'They're married! Do you think it will last long?'
Temari shrugged, and then leant over the sink, still trying to open her can of peas.
'He said I don't have to marry net-boy.' She said bluntly.
'Oh that's good.'
She nodded, but didn't hear him. She stared at the can of peas.
Don't have to see him anymore.
'Now it'll be only the two of us!'
Net-boy.
'Not that I mean it that way…'
Don't have to see him.
'Or are you going to be hanging out with Shikamaru still eh? I mean, there was some fine chemistry there if you ask me!!'
Kankuro winked. Then his smile dropped as he noticed his sister wasn't focusing in anymore.
Fine chemistry??? Temari felt angry. What do they know about me? How could Gaara play my feelings like that? I won't let him get the better of me.
'Hey?? Sis???... usually you would hit me with your fan by now. man...' He waved his fan infront of her face, hoping to gain her attention.
Then Temari abruptly walked away, as though not even hearing a word that Kankuro said.
'Weird…' He said.
The can of peas was still on the counter.
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five minutes later
Temari was doing what she had been doing a lot lately, and that was walking through the streets of Konoha. Even though it was dark.
Don't have to see him.
She thought, somewhat surprisingly miserably. Now she really had no excuse to see him… Doesn't mean I like him like that though. He's just a friend.
Then she stopped. Did it really matter? Were there any laws saying she couldn't be friends with Shikamaru? But then, that meant that she really did like him, and that it wasn't because of the arranged marriage. And she couldn't quite bring herself to agree with that. There was a lot of pride at stake, in her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to admit to Gaara and Kankuro that they were right all along, and that all the screaming and silent tantrums had been for nothing, because, they had assumed correct from the very beginning. It really pissed her off- she just wouldn't admit that her foolish brother and Kazekage had known right. What did they know about her anyways? They had just thought Shikamaru was good because he was a strategist like her. He would've been her rival if it weren't for the arrangement. And now that Gaara had cancelled the whole thing, they would probably have to be. What would the Sand people think of her if she actually married him?
'There goes that sister of the Kazekage…a great kunoichi she was once…until that leaf ninja came into her life…now she's just another housewife cleaning up after the lazy thing.' She shuddered at the thought.
That was not her idea of becoming a great kunoichi.
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Shikamaru lay on his bed, staring at his cloud-poster-covered ceiling. He allowed himself a smug grin, satisfied with the day's events.
She is interesting.
Indeed she was. Tough on the outside, but somewhat sensitive on the inside. She was like an complex puzzle that he somehow couldn't find the back door to, couldn't find the answer to, like it was an endless pile of riddles that he would have to keep on solving, time after time. It was both relentlessly exhausting and exciting at the same time. She was a challenge.
Time to go.
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Temari was still walking…in fact, only know was she starting to notice the fatigue in her legs.
I don't care if I have these strange feelings. I will not hang around Shikamaru anymore. Before, I was going to spend the rest of my life with him anyways, so it was good practise. But why should I now? Net-boy can just shove it-
'You're out late, Troublesome woman.' Shikamaru had this knack of appearing out of nowhere.
'What's it to you, net-boy?'
A complex puzzle indeed.
'Just curious.'
'More like you should mind your own business lazy ninja.'
'Troublesome woman shouldn't be walking around so late at night you know.'
'Then why are you net-boy?'
'Because I was on the way to your house.'
'Why?' Temari looked at him suspiciously
Best leave soon.
'What's it to you?"
'It's my house stupid net-boy.'
'Remember the last time you called me stupid…'
She winced. He kissed me. Walk. Away. Now.
'Leave me alone net-boy. I better things to do than stick around with you.' And she walked off.
Can't get me with his shadow jutsu now can he? It's night-time now.
No shadows…well not here anyway. What's wrong with Troublesome woman now?
Temari felt a small jab in her stomach as she walked off, but then she reminded herself that it was for the best.
A/N-Thanks for the review, k-chan the dragon girl. I'll try and improve on what you said, though, if you thought that Shikamaru said troublesome too much it might be because he says 'troublesome woman.' But this isn't him saying his favourite phrase, it's his nickname for Temari, and she calls him net-boy. I've tried to do less thoughts with full sentences too. AWWWWW SHE REJECTED HIM!!!! If you don't understand why she rejected him like that, I will explain more elaborately in the next chapter. I feel this isn't as good as the other chapters but still acceptable.