A Wager of Love
Chapter Two: Questions, Confusion, and Farewell!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any other characters within his world. Though I do wish I had the rights to Naruto and Temari.

Warning: As in the first chapter there may be spelling, grammatical errors, or parts that seemed chopped/missing/confusing that I may have overlooked in my reviewing. Sometimes I read what I what to write, and overlook, and spell check doesn't always help. If found, please inform me so that I may edit them. Thank-you.

Comment: Wow, I didn't expect such nice reviews about my first chapter, let alone my first attempt at this pairing and a fanfic in general. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter, and hope that this one is decent enough for your approval as well. .

" Hi" Speech
'Hi' Thoughts
' Hi.' Kyuubi
'Hi' Temari's Inner Voice

After being dismissed by the Hokage so abruptly, Temari had time to fall into retrospect. She had began to silently contemplate why she felt no objection to staying the later night at Naruto's apartment? 'Perhaps,' she began to ponder, ' with his perversion aside...it's because he's trustworthy.'Even with the slow altercations involving Gaara, Temari rarely gave her trust out to anyone; however, he did save her brother...sort of. The sand-nin found herself stopping when her unofficial guide let out a very pleased, "AHA!"

Naruto smiled seeing now that for once in his life he'd have a guest stay at his house for a night, and that made him a host! It was still too early to consider bed, only being about 6:25 p.m when he stopped infront of his apartment. This prompted the ninja to release a very energetic, "AHA!" 'Okay,' thought Naruto as he opened the door and stepped to the side so as to allow Temari's entrance first, ' hey since I have a guest here, that means I can finally cook for someone too!' This thought of course instantly awarded him a fox-like grin, and of course a few comments from our favorite and only Kyuubi.

'...Well kit, are you sure that wouldn't be disastrous to her health at all?' Behind an immense laughter, kyuubi was actually impressed that he came to that reasoning without his interference.

Naruto growled mentally before replying to his inner demon, if found there was no pun intended. 'Shut-up you baka kitsune, I can cook just fine now and you know it! Now say either say something that matters or be quiet, I'm still mad at you about getting me in trouble with Temari earlier!'

Kyuubi sighed before, as innocently as he the greater demon could, smiled (which looked more like an evil grin). 'Well kit, I didn't do anything your own body & mind didn't. And that's letting you know your attracted to her, and hey with age comes a pleasant experience kit.'

Kyuubi won the conversation in point when Naruto, as if on cue, was lost to a fuming blush.. Sometimes he had just purely hated the fox, but in some way these weird arguments were proof of their awkwardly stated bond. Naruto could have sworn he had heard someone elses voice as he turned to see Temari stood at his door. "Coming in Naruto," she questioned him with a raised brow.

The kunoichi was overly impressed by his gentlemen-orientated action (as it opposed to every other example Naruto had ever displayed of his behavior), and walked into the living room of his apartment with a bit of imposed shock. 'Maybe he's not completely hopeless,' she thought as her eyes reviewed the relatively clean apartment. True, there were empty ramen packets scattered towards a door she assumed lead to his room. Temari simply surmised that the worst of the ramen trash could be found behind that door. She turned around to notice that the blonde-haired boy was still standing outside, and moved to stand at the doorway about the same time he turned to enter. The startled jump in reproach was priceless, leaving her lips to open and words to part from them. "Coming in Naruto?"

She guessed that he was lost in thought or perhaps arguing with the kyuubi within him. The later seemed the most logical in the view of the annalistic female as she folded her arms over her chest. "Hmm, did you forget I was here all ready, Naruto?" Temari frowned at the thought of her host forgetting her, not that she cared. 'But you do...' echoed a small part in her mind that wasn't heard in years.

Temari would begin to start arguing with her conscious, 'I was always simply tolerated as Gaara's sister, so one boy forgetting my presence doesn't mean anything."

'True, but then again, the one boy who honestly wanted to know and befriend Temari, forgetting her, is just devastating isn't it?'

A mental growl would ve emitted as she wasn't able to believe the suggestions that her own mind was giving her. ''He's just a friend, so I supposed it would bother me A LITTLE bit...' Temari sighed as she glanced up to see Naruto's form moving around in panic. 'Did I miss something?'

And with a slight snicker her mind replied, 'You've missed everything he said and more.'

The moment that Temari asked him that question he blushed; she thought he forgot about her...when in fact was talking about her with the kyuubi. 'Great,' Naruto thought, ' one of my precious people thinks I forgot about her...' In the far reaches of his mind, surprisingly without influence of the kyuubi, he began to believe that he'd never be able to forget about her if he could (of course this was reasoned that he couldn't forget any of his friends by his own rights). "N-n-n..n..n..no, Temari-chan, I couldn't forget you!" The shinobi didn't even question about how he stated that, it just left and he knew it was true.

'Chan, kit? See I told you that you were just lusssssssssssssssssting for some slender, rough attitude, and find Sand-ninja!' Kyuubi snuck into Naruto's thoughts with his outburst, and then implanted the memory of the boy feeling Temari's body underneath his own. 'It would seem my little kit is trying to grow up just a little...he knows he likes what he sees and feels.'

' She really is pretty...and I was sorta comfortable...' At that moment he began to run around in a panicked motion, on the realization that damned Ero-sennin and fox were beginning to corrupt his mind! That and, he really did enjoy their accidental position, but did that mean he was betraying his love for Sakura? Oiii, the boy was beginning to confuse himself even more, and perhaps enter a state of mental instability if not for the hand that came to grab his shoulder.

"N..na..nani?" Naruto would turn around as he jumped slightly freaked from the motion, until he turned to meet at eye level with a familiar kunoichi who was simply smiling at him. A warm tone would come to rest on his cheeks as he found himself starring at Temari dumbfounded, unable to speak or say a word. 'Man...she's pretty...' Temari would smirk as she took her finger and rose it to rest underneath his chin, "So you think I'm pretty, Naruto?" Well, at least he had thought that his thoughts were just what they were...until he heard and recognized the origin of her question.

The kunoichi's first impulse was to blush towards his compliment; however, she forced herself not to...after all, she was Temari of the Sand. Her emotions weren't an accessory she vested, as a ninja as well it should be that way...so she decided to play this event and learn more on the mysteries of Naruto's thoughts. "So you think I'm pretty Naruto?" Even though she didn't hint to it, Temari was quite pleased by his innocent compliment as opposed to certain statements used to talk about her appearance. Temari was smirking wildly as she removed her finger from underneath Naruto's chin. '...He thinks I'm pretty!'

'And why should that matter to you, I thought you said he was just a friend?'

The Sand-nin couldn't immediately reply with a decent comeback, so instead decided to tastefully (if you can call it tasteful) reply with an aggressive 'Shut-up.' Why did it matter whether or not Naruto thought she was pretty? It was only Naruto after all, it wasn't important what he said right?

'But he's important, isn't he? Hehehe...'

'I don't care if you are my mind, if you don't shut up... it's just nice to be complimented by a boy without the bull that usually follows that's all,' Temari replied mentally to the statements her inner voice were making, while giving a quick nod to assure herself of what she just said, well umm thought.

'So then are you saying you'd like to compliment Naruto's body the way other do about your own, a bit provocative Temari?' This was the unexpected reply from what she recently discovered to be her own perverted mind.

'Na...nani? He's only fifteen, and besides... I'm not going to say anything like that about NARUTO!' Temari was disturbed to find that inside her calm, logical, and otherwise deadly mentality...she was such a pervert!

'Did it matter that he was fifteen when you were enjoying the feeling of him on top of you, Temari?'

This statement caused the kunoichi to blush furiously, because there was some awkward truth behind it. She lucked out though, when Naruto's voice leaked into her mind, causing her attention to be diverted from her uncharacteristic thoughts roaming through her head.

"Ummm...uhhh, well y-y-y-ou ...se..see," the words left his lips shakily as NAruto was attempting to answer, "y..y...yeah, of course I think you're pretty..." He began to twiddle with his fingers shyly as if Hinata's behavior had been instilled within him. 'You're not pretty... you're beautiful,' he thought while attempting to regain some composure that was more than lost, it was non-existent. It was around this time that Naruto began to notice that her complexion was a bit, well red.

"Umm, Temari-chan, are you okay? You're all red and stuffs..." His eyes narrowed to slits as she seemed to look at him with a raised brow. "Huh," was all that Temari managed to say while, calming herself now that her mind was focused. She noticed the expression he was giving her and smirked at his concern. "Yeah I'm fine, but maybe we could find something to eat...and why did you start calling me 'Temari-chan', eh?" Food would be the best change of subject, considering she was actually a bit hungry, and wasn't -chan only affiliated with Sakura as far as Naruto was concerned?

'Ohh, she's just hungry...for a minute I was worried she was getting sick or something...I'm not exactly a medical expert...' Naruto's thoughts were cut short as he heard the question trailing behind Temari's statement, and honestly had to give some thought as to when he began adding the -chan honorific to her name. He simply shrugged, signifying he had no clue himself as to when this phenomenon started. "I dunno, but now you get to be the first to taste my WONDERFUL COOKING TEMARI-CHAN!"

'Oh God.' Those eyes began to widen and lock onto the pleased figure of an eager Naruto; however, Temari could only stand mortified with the thought of Naruto cooking dinner. 'With my luck,' she mused after trying unsuccessfully to tell him she'd cook instead, '...death should be quick, but...' Temari sighed as she sat down on a nearby couch wondering how he managed to convince her to give-in, to what she felt was an accident waiting to happen. "...It really must have meant a lot to him..."

FLASHBACK to Five Minutes Ago

"Nani...you're, wonderful cooking?" Temari watched as Naruto gave her a nod, followed by his trademark grin. "Naruto, maybe I should cook instead." The inner voice ringing within Temari's head began to assault her after the relative peace she had.

'You know you're curious...'

The genin blinked before shaking his head with a passionate refusal to her proposal. "Nah, it's okay Temari-chan, and besides you're ...ummm actually my first guest ever, so I want to be a good host!" It was at that time the Kyuubi within Naruto began to speak up after his own relative quite moment. 'She doesn't think you can do it, Kit."

Temari began to panic silently, if she couldn't get Naruto to change his mind ...she'd have to eat HIS cooking! However, it was comforting to know he'd go out of his way to make this temporary arrangement pleasant by offering to cook dinner. "The host, doesn't always have to cook Naruto, and uhh, I probably have more culinary expertise than you do." As if to enforce that knowledge, Temari crossed her arms and folded them over her chest. She then decided to answer her inner voice immediately, ' It's Naruto, anything he cooks is bound to be hazardous to my health!'

The moment Temari put his cooking ability into question by stating she'd be a better cook, Naruto began to sigh sadly. '...She really doesn't think I can do it,' but a lot of people have doubted his ability to do things and proved them wrong. "...Then I promise to make the best meal you've ever tasted, and I don't go back on my word. It's my way of the ninja you know!"

She found herself starring into the depths of those blue eyes Naruto sported and seeing the sadness hidden behind them, Temari sighed. 'He really wants to cook for you, and do you really want to make your "friend" sad by being his first and only guest to deny his cooking Temari?' The kunoichi managed to place a false smirk through the use of her thin lips, as she managed a wink of sorts in hopes to raise his spirits. "Just be sure it doesn't taste like Ramen."

End of FLASHBACK

"..He wanted to cook for me..." With her horror aside, Temari was reasonably happy. She couldn't hope or trust eitherof her brothers to offer to cook. It felt good to have someone interested in taking care of her for once, even though she was the most independent individual there was.

Meanwhile, Konoah's number one loudest ninja was in his kitchen preparing dinner for both Temari and himself. He was going to prove to Temari that he could cook just fine, and he never went back on his word. Naruto pledged himself to making the best dinner she ever tasted, and he never went back on his word. This was his nindo, his way of the ninja.

Temari found herself going to wait, since the chef of the abode, stated that dinner would be ready in about an hour and a half, and thus gave her time to settle into this guest room of hers. It wasn't that she had many items to arrange; however, she was curious on the state that this unused room was in. Moving down the hallway and to the door next to the one in which a pathway of ramen packages marked as Naruto's room, Temari opened the door to see the room in which she would be staying in currently. "Hmm, it's actually...not bad." Closing the door behind her, the Sand-nin was able to get a better view as she entered it fully.

The walls were white as were the majority of the rooms in this building, but they weren't dingy or cracked...it was almost as if this room was freshly painted. A bed was found near the window, as well as curtains that contained a well, black and red checkered design...and a fairly sized closet. Simple, but it was rather well taken care of...it even had a bathroom in fairly good condition as well. It was hard to believe that Naruto kept such good care of this room, and as she was laying her traveling pack down, she began to question herself. "Why does he take such good care of this room and this one only?"

It was about that time that the kunoichi had discovered something, a small journal of sorts, laying near the doorframe of the closet. The cover was leather bound, and seemed to be in pretty decent condition. Normally, the ninja wouldn't think twice about such objects since they usually absolutely nothing that she'd care about reading, but she was curious as to find some insight in the mind of Naruto. He was after all the number one surprising ninja, and no one could ever really say they knew how he felt or thought. Temari blinked, something wasn't quite right...this wasn't anything how she usually acted.

'Then again...when have you had a chance to just be yourself Temari?'

Temari was beginning to hate the inner voice that was located in her mind, as it as of recently, has produced nothing but aggravation. This time; however, it did have a point...but it was not one in which she intended to dwell on for the time being. 'And what does that have to do with me being tempted, uncharacteristically, to read this journal...which I'm pretty sure should not be opened under any circumstances by his?' Temari was wondering if that inner voice had been nagging her silently, urging her, to look into this little book that contained possible secrets and whatnot.

'You've always been the tough one haven't you Temari? Hmm...I wonder, you've always felt alone even though you've had your brothers correct? Well, you know Naruto's always been alone...so maybe seeing how someone else truly is might make you appreciate who you really are a bit more?... Okay, forget that, we both know you want to see what he wrote because WE want to know how he thinks.'

"...This is pointless, it's simply a book, I have no reason to look into Naruto's private matters. Besides, his life is none of my business."

Temari had said it was none of her business; however, the kunoichi's curiosity had gotten the best of her, not to mention the little fact that somewhere within her mind, a small voice was driving her insane with its repeated nagging. Naruto had haphazardly left his journal in that room ages ago, and never thought on going back for it...it was easy to discern it as a journal when the opening line stated, "Uzumaki Naruto, What You Don't See." Something about that line made her flinch inwardly, exactly how different could Naruto be in reality then what he showed around to everyone? How different could he be from what she and everyone else in the world knew of him? '...I don't think I should be reading this...'

Naruto was laboring away within the kitchen, trying to make the perfect dinner assortment for his guest to marvel upon. The blonde haired ninja may have been a goof at times, but even he had picked up a bit of culinary talent along the way with his travels in Jiraiya's company. Of course he wasn't perfect, and the real reason he told her it would be an hour and a half in waiting for dinner, was because he was sure that he'd screw up somewhere before getting it just right. "AHK! I forgot the right way to get the rice and the whine to blend right without leaving much of the alcohol in it!" He was about to panic, well that was until he smirked..

'Okay you baka kitsune! Help me out here, what the hell did Ero-sennin say about this when we were in the country of Wave?' That was his trump card, Kyuubi always remembered everything so...he could get the information from that stubborn fox! Well, at least he had hoped it would be that easy...

'And what if I refuse to help you out kit? After all, you did say that YOU would make the best meal she ever tasted. That doesn't include me kit.' The Kyuubi watched Naruto's mental image from behind his cage, laughing at the horrified expression the boy was giving him. Like Kakashi and Tsunade before him this day, he couldn't pass up a chance to embarrass of enrage his vessel.

Naruto growled, as he left the rice/whine mixture alone for now and was moving to prepare some season chicken, all the while taking out his anger with the kitsune that was sealed within his body. ' Baka Kitsune! I thought you protected your own, and doesn't that mean protecting them form mistakes too! GAH! DAMN YOU... YOU STUPID FOX!' It seemed to him that his friend, in a manner of speaking in terms of their mutual relationship, was intent on being an ass hole at times when Naruto actually wanted his help!

It was priceless the way that his kit reacted to his comments, and it was something the Greater Demon would never get tired of so long as he was alive. Which was another point he had to make in protecting his own, and grinned with demonic malice. Of course, there was no threat behind it whatsoever. 'Well kit, first you use your chakra to separate the alcohol from the flavor, afterwards you slow begin to dilute the what you've separated with an additional dish that you've all ready prepared...or maybe some lemon juice? ...But then again, if you're really lussssssssssssssssssssssting for her company tonight kit...maybe you should giver her a massage...hmm, you know you liked how she felt.'

Naruto began to flush as he was unable to help but listen to the perverted comments that the Kyuubi began to insert into his mind, and sighed. It was about that time that he noticed he was over seasoning the chicken a bit, and quickly began trying to correct his mistake by immediately deciding to begin cooking it. Ignoring the statement made by that kitsune-teme, he decided while the seasoned chicken was cooking he'd begin to take the advice given behind that. Yet, his mind did keep wandering to think about a certain Kunoichi...

Those silverish hues would begin scanning the paper within the journal, reading every word that appeared to her vision carefully and quickly. And just as soon as the beginning statements were interpreted, she was starting to picture a whole different Naruto than the one she believed to have known well enough.

Journal Entry #1 Uzumaki Naruto

...I don't know why everyone hates me so much...but they all look at me as if, as if I was nothing more than a monster. I just wanted someone, anyone, to look at me the way a parent did their children and I tried and acted my best while staying at the Orphanage. Yet, no one ever wanted to adopt me...they only looked at me with those eyes, eyes that were more frightening than anything I can ever remember. They were like ice, no colder than that, starring at me with an intent to kill if they could, and I think I would have felt better if they did. I hated being alive, waking up everyday trying to prove that I could be someone a parent could love and just being rejected by every individual that even dared to glance at me. The adults never let their children play with me, and in time even they began to despise me like their parents did. I was alone and hated, and I didn't know why... So I just cried. I'll never admit it to anyone, but back then I cried every night before I went to sleep and in the morning when I knew I'd wake up just to have people leave me in the road, curse me, and sometimes they even decided to beat me up... I just wanted them to love me, to acknowledge my existence, to let me know that they knew that I was alive and they accepted that fact.

...I began to believe that the only reason I was alive, was so that people could hate me, and ...maybe that was how they were going to acknowledge my existence. No body cared to ever teach me right from wrong, though I had a pretty sharp sense to it for the longest time ever, and so I decided that if they were going to ignore the fact that I was a child in need...I'd become the child they couldn't keep their eyes off of. The one they would have to think about at all times of the day, I resorted to pranks. I'll admit that it wasn't something I wasn't initially proud of, but I came to enjoy it the more I did it. Then Iruka-sensei was telling us about the Hokage, the most respected member of the village, and even though he thought I wasn't paying attention...it was at that time I promised myself I'd become Hokage one day.

What is the Hokage? The Hokage is the strongest ninja in the village, the leader, and most well respected figure in all of Konoahgakure. He or she is a person that will fight for everyone in the village with their life, and command the loyalty of every individual that lived in their presence. A person that cares for everyone, and commits themselves to striving not for themselves but for the greater good of the village. Of course I didn't know the true meaning to that until I got to learn more about the Old Man Third Hokage, because he was the one who showed me what it really meant to be a Hokage. I promised myself I'd become the one to succeed him and I knew then there would be no easy roads to obtaining that goal, and even then I knew that there would be no easy paths to take in becoming Hokage...there would be no way I could just make everyone love me and accept me, I'd have to prove to them I wasn't the monster they thought I was...

...I tried my absolute hardest at the academy to become someone worthy of the title Hokage, but well... I was never really that good at the Academy. I failed three times, a first in the history of Konoahgakure, and the part that shamed me the most was that I really did try my best! Looking back on it, those times I wasn't motivated to pass with all the hatred and loneliness that consumed me...but I wasn't the only one that was alone. Uchiha Sauske, my best friend and greatest rival, we were like one and the same...but, everyone loved him...and they all hated me. That's okay though, because I promised myself I'd become Hokage so it was okay for them to hate me...well no it wasn't, but that's how I thought back then.

It was sometime during the Academy that I had to do the replication technique, and I was never able to do one...and well one of my instructors told me that anyone who learned a technique form the forbidden scroll would automatically pass. I did my best to learn one, I practiced over and over again until I got it right, the Kage Bushin no Jutsu...shadow clone replication. It was then that Iruka-sensei found me and and...that bastard hurt Iruka-sensei! It was around that time that I found out the truth about the reason everyone hated me so passionately, it was because within me was the Kyuubi, the nine tailed fox demon that had almost completely destroyed the village years ago. I was about to turn to the verge of becoming the Kyuubi, allowing myself to be taken in by anger and go and slaughter everyone I could...that was until I heard what Iruka-sensei said...he accepted me.

...The first person to accept me was one of the people I thought hated me the most, and it was then I understood that he was so hard on me because he cared about me...Because of Iruka-sensei, I found the strength to forgive everyone and move on...so that I would become the next Hokage!

Journal Entry # 2 Team Seven

Today must absolutely be one of the best days ever, at least that's what I thought during the time I finally achieved the rank of Genin and able to start my career as a ninja. Iruka-sensei told me that I'd be leaving his tutor age and would be working in a three-man cell that was headed by a Jounin, which is the highest level of ninja one could make aside form becoming Hokage that is. I was going to be apart of team 7, headed by Kakashi-sensei. After Iruka-sensei treated me to some ramen, I decided to go get ready to meet my new team...but on the way to my apartment, those icy daggers kept watching me with such cruelty. Villagers began, instead of realizing that I'm not the Kyuubi, questioning the wisdom in allowing me to even become a genin, but what happened after that doesn't matter...because, it hurts for me to think about it and makes me angry.

Well, the other members of my team were quite surprising, because I was paired with the two people I secretly wanted to be on a team with. Uchiha Sasuke, my greatest rival and current best friend, and Haruno Sakura...my crush..

It was about that time when Temari digested those words, that she began to feel extremely uncomfortable. She wasn't sure why, as a matter of fact it wasn't a secret that the blonde-haired shinobi had a thing for the pink-haired kunoichi... 'Seems like someone's getting a bit jealous, ehh Temari?' Ignoring the inner voice that survived in her own thoughts, the young woman began to pick up where she left off.

I was happy to be paired off with Sasuke because he was the best ninja when we were at school, and because I really wanted to make friends with the one person I knew understood what it meant to be alone like I did. Yet, it just seemed like he hated me, so I pretended to hate him too, even though he's actually everything I admire to be. Sakura on the other hand, was the smartest genin of our year and the prettiest to me. I told myself that I'd do anything to win her heart and protect her, but even she hated me...

Even with that rejection, I told myself that if I could prove to Sakura I was a decent guy, she'd like me, but even as I'm writing these words now and even then, I knew she was Sasuke's forever. Reality hurts, and when I came to that conclusion, it felt like my heart (did I even have much of one) was fragmented and broken...all because I loved someone who'll never love me back, but I'll move on. Yet again, another story for later...

We waited awhile before Kakashi-sensei finally arrived, and later on we realized that he was always late. Kakashi-sensei then decided to give us the bell test, which I didn't exactly pass, and he even did this really painful move on me...

As Temari began to read details of Naruto's bell test, and this really painful move, she began to make a mental note to kill Kakashi if she ever was given the chance. Perhaps, she'd kill the pink-headed twit while she was at it for being a constant pain for Naruto to care about...either way, she went back to reading.

Well we're receiving our first mission soon, and hopefully it'll be something where I can prove my worth...and maybe it will get my mind off these weird dreams I've been having about a desert...

"Aha! Finally, it's done!" Grinning broadly, Naruto smiled as he reviewed the table full of food that he had prepared for dinner, and the side that was exclusively ramen for himself. He hoped that Temari would like it since he was after all, making this for her.

'Kit, I've got to hand it to you, not bad...but if it wasn't for me remembering everything you'd have been way over your head. Hey, but you're definitely in the game for some lo-lo-lovvvvvvvving tonight!' Kyuubi couldn't pass up this opportunity to both tease and praise the boy, and savored every syllable wasted.

Naruto fumed, blushed, and ferally growled. "You damned kitsune, shut-up! And leave me alone will you...I'm NOT trying to get in her pants you baka pervert!"

'So, you're swinging to the left then kit?'

"HELL NO! ...Grr, you baka kitsune..I'M NOT GAY!'

Naruto was seriously getting sick of the Kyuubi and sighed as he blocked all commentary from his mind. Strutting off to the living room to inform his guest that dinner was done, he soon came to stop as soon as he entered the room. "NANI?" Temari was no where to be seen, and that's when he remembered the guest room. "Ahh, maybe she went to try and get comfortable here?"

'..Kit, maybe she went to go change into something more comfortable? Hehehe...'

'Shut up you stupid fox!'

The blonde-shinobi was making his way to the doorway of the guest room, when he knocked on the door. She could have been changing clothes, so he didn't want to just barge in there...but the thought of her in a black slip entered his mind. The response to his knock was a crashing sound , provoking him to open the door thinking that she may have been hurt. However, a different scene was apparent. Temari was on her back and his journal was on the floor next to her, opened!

"Nar-Naruto-san?" Temari gulped, feeling for once in her life quite vulnerable and expose. She was a guest at his house, only to be found invading his privacy quite clumsily for her jounin ranked abilities. Privacy was something she cherished herself, so why was it so hard for her to keep herself from invaded his own? The jounin would rise to her feet as she glanced towards his feet rather than directly at him, before staring straight up and meeting his eyes. Temari couldn't afford to appear weak, especially not infront of him now... "Naruto-san, I," but he cut her short.

"Temari-chan," the boy's voice was deathly chill, as those blue eyes began to narrow on the kunoichi's frame, "..."

"Yes, Naruto-san, I...apologize f-," once again she was cut off in mid apology for her actions.

"Dinner's ready Temari-chan, hehe, and prepare to tell me how good my wonderful cooking is!" Naruto's expression completely changed from the reaperish tone that had been placed there merely moments beforehand. It seemed that he was now overly abundant in energy, and could actually care less about the red-handed action of reviewing the private thoughts of his existence. Granted, what she had read was three years post-dated but still.

Temari was for the second time in her life, completely stunned, as the confidence in her rough outer appearance was deteriorating under a simple question and mask of confusion. 'He's not mad at me?' "You're not mad at me, Naruto-san?"

Naruto was smirking vividly, he simply couldn't contain his laughter in any longer, and burst into hysterics. "Oh MAN! You should have seen the look on you're face Temari-chan, and nah. If you want, we can talk about what you read...but it's pretty yeah, it doesn't bother me if you want to learn something about me I guess."

'He doesn't mind me learning about- oh I see, Naruto's been alone for so long, I suppose having someone who is curious about leaning some details about his life other than his smile and confidence must feel, good ?' Temari found herself smirking, her own confidence and emotional boundaries placed over her person once more as she walked up towards the younger teen, who was now resorting to the twiddling of his fingers. " Well Naruto-kun, don't keep me waiting too long, if you know what I mean..."

"YESSSSSSSS! My kit is finally going to get laid, and hmm, maybe start a litter of his own? Think of the blood limit your kids could have kit, and not to mention you get the rough lover you've been lusssssssssting for.'

Naruto; however, could only blush and stare straight into her eyes with a nervous caution. "Nani?"

Temari grinned wickedly, enjoying this moment a bit too much for Naruto's own good. She could hold this up for hours before letting the boy out of her tease, but decided to make the final act then. She leaned forward towards Naruto, purposely closing the distance to their lips so that they were nearly touching. "...Naruto-kun..."

'Oh gawd, could that stupid fox be right for once?'

"You're wonderful cooking, don't keep me waiting, I AM hungry you know." Temari sighed mentally as her inner voice seemed to come back to haunt her.

'When did you start calling him Naruto-san, better yet when did Naruto-kun become a possibility?'

Temari growled mentally as she replied, 'After I finally began to understand just how alone he feels, because I feel it too, just not as strong as Naruto and maybe in a completely different sense...besides I respect him.'

'Correction, you want him.'

Naruto mentally sighed as he listened to her words, 'I guess she doesn't mean it like that then.'

'Sorry kit, I guess you'll have to enjoy her with your eyes only then. Though I admit, that's not so bad either.'

The close distance that separated their lips caused him to blush deeply, his face burning with the intensity of a thousand white suns (law suit from fairly oddparents noted and I'm waiting for it). As soon as Naruto moved his lips to speak, he found out that he met hers by pure accidental chance. However, much to his relief, his clumsy kiss was saved by Temari's eager return. She kissed him back, and was he enjoying it!

Outside the window of Naruto's guest room, a pair of eyes would be peering inside from the window as events unfolded. A heavy sigh being issued into the passing breeze of the night sky. It seemed that her chance to get Naruto alone or to herself was wasted, as he was busy entertaining himself with a lip lock concerning a certain Sand Kunoichi. She just had to have had postponed it after she heard Naruto was leaving, why couldn't she have been smart and told him then and there? "...Good-bye then," and without the pairs notice the figure was gone.

Meanwhile, Naruto was confused as to why Temari had kissed him back...and boy was she good, but as well why did he like it so much? Wasn't he loyal to Sakura at the moment, despite having lost her to Sasuke years ago?

'C'mon kit, what does that pink haired girl have that Temari doesn't? Mmmm, you're enjoying her taste aren't you, isn't it just wonderful?'

Around the same time, Temari was lost to her own confusion and perverted inner thoughts, in place of Naruto's perverted Kyuubi. Why did she kiss him back? She knew it was an accident, but their was something hidden in that clumsily oriented kiss that sympathized with her own desires. The answer was quite simple in the end. Temari wanted to kiss him, and she knew he wanted the same if not more for her.

'He's not the best kisser, but you can teach him how to get better...among other intimate things...'

They blushed from the thoughts that were roaming through their heads, and in Naruto's case comments, as they pulled away from each other with a bit of regret evident in each other's eyes as they looked towards the opposing figure. Both Naruto and Temari were at this time gasping for breath, simply starring at each other with confusion written plainly over their facial features.

'She does taste good...'

'...He could learn to do a lot of things...'

'But I don't I love Sakura-chan?'

'Has he gotten over that Uchiha fanatic yet?'

'...She is one of my precious people...'

'...Could he come to love me? Could I actually come love him?'

'I wish that kiss lasted longer...'

'...I wish I was still kissing him...'

They both sighed, as things were just beginning to complicate themselves the more each ninja thought. As their breath began to find stability, there was one thought that they kept in common between them to the letter.

'...This is confusing...'

Author's Notes: Okay so, this chapter wasn't as long as I would have preferred it to be , but I do believe I got the message I wanted to get through it across. Well it took me a week just about to finish this up and have it ready, regardless of the fact it was posted the same night asthe first chapter. Well this could certainly spark some interesting moments between our escort and her package as they travel to the Hidden Village of Sand in the next chapter or two.As far as the person watching them from the shadows, I want you to guess who that might have been eh? Read and Review. I hope you enjoyed, and once again, my first attempt at a fanfic and a Naruto one at that.