It was the next morning, and once again, Shikamaru was staring at the cloud-poster-covered-ceiling, his hands in that special thinking position.
She was angry.
He had sensed an aura of resentment around her, a great difference to the welcoming one he had felt the day before. He thought of meeting up with her again, and then shrugged it off.
Why should I bother? After all, she was the one who wasn't talking to him, not the other way around. Not like he said much anyway. He closed his eyes for some peace and quiet, but all of a sudden Ino and Chouji came barging through.
'Hey Shikamaru! Your mother let us in! Me and Chouji decided that we have been neglecting you too much so we decided to spend some quality time with you!' Ino cheered. Chouji grumbled, still snacking on chips.
Shikamaru groaned.
But then. It might distract me from her.
'Fine.'
He got up from bed with what looked like great difficulty.
'Oh, the past week has been great! Thanks to you and Temari, everything is fine now! Right Chouji?' she nudged the giant eating machine next to her.
'Uh yea.' Chouji wasn't one for words.
'Oh speaking of you and Temari, how are you guys?'
So much for a distraction.
'Cheh, that woman is troublesome.'
'Yea, but I bet she is a special kind of troublesome right?' Ino winked.
'When I say troublesome, I mean troublesome.' He said with a look on his face that said he meant it with every fibre of his lazy body.
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Back at the Sand Sibling's place, the same thing was happening.
'Good morning everyone.' Temari yawned. She saw that everyone was at the table.
'O-Ohaiyo…Temari-san..' Hinata whispered.
'Morning.'
'You are late'
That was obviously Gaara. He stood up and excused himself.
'I have work to do.' Then he kissed Hinata lightly on the forehead and walked out.
Hinata blushed. Kankuro turned to Temari.
'So….'
'What?' she shot him dagger eyes.
'How was it?'
'How was what? Make sense next time.' She snapped.
'Someone's grumpy. I mean, how was Shikamaru?'
'What do you mean?'
'Stop acting so dumb.'
'Once again, what do you mean?'
'How are you two "getting it on"?'
'We aren't.'
'Oh that's cool, I mean-WHAT?? You aren't?' Kankuro nearly fell out of his chair.
'Yes. Got a problem with that?' Temari glared at him.
'Aren't you two together?'
'Of course not.'
'You made a great pair.' Kankuro tried to hint.
'As if.' Then she laughed.
'Me? Like a guy like him? In his dreams.' She replied coolly, before walking away.
Kankuro raised his eyebrows.
What happened to her?
Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji were walking down the streets. Countless times Ino and Chouji looked at each other, because Shikamaru was acting very strange. Ino tried to break the awful silence.
'So… Shikamaru, why haven't you been talking to Temari?'
'What? Why should I?'
'Isn't she your friend?'
'Don't like to associate myself with troublesome women.'
'Oh…ok then…' Ino swapped another glance with Chouji.
'So then…how's you're shadow training?'
'Good. Even better without a troublesome woman around.'
Ino gave Chouji another stare.
What's with the whole 'troublesome woman' thing???
'Oh ok…that's good to know….me and Chouji have just been spending a bit of quality time together…'
'That's great. I'm sure you don't annoy each other like troublesome woman.'
This time Ino rolled her eyes.
Again with the troublesome woman. That's it. I don't think we can take it anymore.
Ino turned around and thrust her hands up in the air in despair.
'That's it Shikamaru!'
'Eh?"
'You've only talked about a 'troublesome woman' for the past hour! Me and Chouji wanted to have fun, but it seems we'll have to take matters into our own hands.'
Ino grabbed the reluctant Chouji and Shikamaru with the other, and pulled both at full force towards the Sand sibling's house.
Two troublesome women in my life! Shikamaru sighed.
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Temari was making her way to Ino's house for a chat, when she saw a blonde whirlwind heading straight for her. She neatly sidestepped it, but something reached out and she discovered she was being pulled along with the whirling force. When she looked closer, she stared in surprise.
'Ino?' She yelled, over the chaos.
'Taking you on a side-trip Temari!' Temari looked even more and saw Shikamaru and Chouji being towed along by her. Ino could be very powerful when she wanted to be.
'Where are you taking me?' Temari yelled.
'Back to your house!'
Chouji gave Temari a look that clearly said to stop talking. Ino wasn't going to be deterred from her idea. Shikamaru just wouldn't look at her at all.
Fine…if that's how he wants to play it!
Temari ignored Chouji.
'WHY?' This was so confusing.
'YOU AND A CERTAIN SOMEBODY NEED A CHAT!'
Temari sighed. Great, matchmaker Ino is all I need today.
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Once back at Temari's house, plus a stunned Kankuro and a silent Hinata, Ino began to explain.
'Ok, it obviously looks like you two need some talking to. You both act as if everything is okay, but we can see you're both angry and miserable! Since both of you are being so unwilling to explain ANYTHING to us, here's what we are going to do.'
Ino clicked her fingers, and Kankuro and Chouji picked up Temari and Shikamaru, respectively. Temari instantly reacted, banging her fists on Kankuro's back.
'Put me down baka! Where are you taking us?'
Kankuro and Chouji didn't reply. Shikamaru didn't even bother talking. There wasn't any point-wherever they were going, they were going. It's not like people of their size could match up against Chouji and Kankuro.
'To the spare room!' Ino commanded.
Kankuro and Chouji dumped the duo, before slamming and locking the door.
'Don't bother asking to come out until you've sorted everything out!' Ino yelled.
Shikamaru was the first one to speak.
'We're locked inside.'
Temari didn't reply.
'What are you going to do?'
Temari still didn't reply. She had a lot of pride.
'Fine.' They both proceeded to turn their backs to each other.
Outside, the others were listening at the door. They all heard silence. Ino sighed. 'Shikamaru and his pride.'
Kankuro shook his head.
'Temari too.'
'As long as they keep being stubborn with that pride of theirs, there's no way they'll make-up!' Ino sighed.
Kankuro nodded. Chouji just munched on his chips. He was trying to be loyal to his best friend.
They still weren't talking.
I am not talking to this troublesome woman. She's the one not talking to me anyway.
I don't like him! I'll never! Damn Gaara and Kankuro.
Why should I bother if she won't reply?
I don't have to be with him! Why don't they just leave me alone! I can do what I want! Why does everybody have it in their heads that we have to be together!
She is too troublesome for my tastes anyway.Out loud, they both yelled 'And too stubborn!'
Ino backed away from the door. 'Did they just say….stubborn?'
Kankuro sighed. 'This is getting nowhere. Should we interrupt?'
Ino nodded. They barged in.
The room was empty.
Ino gritted her teeth. 'Kankuro….'
'Yes?'
'Next time you want to hold people prisoner…'
'What did I do?'
'DON'T GIVE THEM A FREAKIN ROOM WITH A WINDOW IN IT!!!!'
Chouji and Hinata just stared silently at the open window; curtains flapping in the air and all.
A/N-I hope that you gusy are satisfied with this chappy! umm...i hope that you gusy also understand teh sudden tension between them...coughspridecoughs. anythign else? EXAMS ARE OVER! I watched Ouran high school host club that was really good...so might make a fic about that if i can be bothered...and I MADE A ONCE OFF! its caleld in his shadows its about Sakura and Itachi but NOTE-they aren't a pairing. i think people would like it...so check it out if you have time ; .