AN: So we slow it down some, and possibly break into some plot. I haven't gone in depth on the plot yet as I needed to develop the relationship with Naruto and Temari. Now that we've got some sort of base, I can start building on it. I think Temari would feel guilt towards the whole Gaara thing once she got some perspective. Just a theory.
Don't worry for those of you worried about weak plot. It's coming, just not as quickly as I was hoping. This might end up being more chapters than I anticipated but that's not a bad thing if I can make this story actually good.
Go shower love and praise on purpleshinigami who has volunteered to be my new beta muse. She's the reason you have this update.
Temari rounded the corner of the rundown streets of Konoha having long since abandoned his hand to simply follow with ninja speed and prowess. It gave her a boost of pride that he was trusting her in this sort of area. After all, Naruto was Hokage of all of Konoha, even the run down portions of the hidden village. Any normal kage wouldn't have taken his intended anywhere near this place. The blood was drying to his shirt, welling there from the gouge to his back from Sasuke's sword reminding her of their purpose. She needed to tend to his wounds.
Naruto kicked a door open, the broken rotting boards, mostly for show apparently.
"Careful on the steps" He warned, and Temari took in the rickety staircase, following after him skillfully, careful to step only after he did.
They entered the second floor into a hall way with a single door. Temari looked to him, eyebrow quirking in question.
"This is home" He told her with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. His eyes were dark, clouded the calm before a storm about to break. "Or was when the Sandaime lived."
Temari followed, and Naruto pulled out a set of keys. He placed the first one in the lock, and the second and the third following after. Turning them deftly, he applied pressure on the door. He pushed, with a grunt of effort, and it popped, creaking open. Temari was surprised by the extent of locks, but the sinking feeling in her gut told her it was necessary. Memories of her brother, of the way people had treated him, the fear she had felt of him encompassed her in that moment. Temari swallowed angrily, mentally berating herself. She wasn't weak, and her brother was not that monster anymore.
Naruto walked in, placing his keys on the dusty counter, heading to the cupboards. The walls bore marks, previous wear and tear, and something faint in red. Temari stepped closer to the wall, fingertips tracing the paint. Her nail scratched the top coat of paint, revealing red letters. Naruto's hand on hers startled her, and she turned to regard the whisker cheeked kage with a glare.
"Leave it." He told her, blue eyes dark still, though she could see the warm sky blue breaking through the stormy surface. His fingers stayed near her own.
"What is it?" Temari replied, eyes piercing. Temari wasn't much for taking orders.
"Nothing important." Naruto replied, turning.
"I want to know." Temari insisted. Naruto sighed, and turned regarding the wall. "People used to come and vandalize my apartment before I got the locks." Naruto replied, refusing to meet her eyes as he looked at the wall.
Temari blinked. Of course. Gaara had experienced that sort of cruelty from the people of sand. Of course the people of Konoha having a hatred of the Kyuubi would blame a child. Temari clenched her fists, feeling her nails bite into the skin of her palm. Temari used to be one of them. It made her skin crawl. She was disgusted with herself of all people.
"Stupid, stupid hateful people" She whispered. Naruto turned, sky blue eyes rimmed with that darker blue.
"No." Naruto replied.
"No? No, you got the justice you deserved? No?" Temari demanded outraged. He of all people should understand this. Naruto's blue eyes were calm and piercing in their silent intensity.
"No. They just needed something to do with it, is all." Naruto replied simply as always. Perhaps that was the difference between them, Naruto's simple thinking. Did he have it within him to hold a grudge? He was still best friends with a man who tried to kill him, several men who tried to kill him as she thought of her brother.
"With what? Their petty in-differences? Their anger towards a child who'd done nothing wrong?" Temari snapped as she stared at the wall angrily. Why couldn't he understand?
This wall, the wall those people had put up to keep a child; those who had the misfortune to bear the jinchuuriki, out. The wall she had been a part of, helped make.
Naruto shook his head sadly. "Their pain" He replied as he stared at the wall with different eyes. His eyes were soft, dark, but resolved. Naruto had settled with this wall long ago.
Temari looked up. "Naruto..." She paused. This was why he was hokage. His belief in his people, his steadfast belief in himself and in others. Naruto saw the best of people.
He met her eyes, smiling, though sadness threatened the creases of it. "It's alright. I've made my peace with it." He told her, this time the smile finally meeting his eyes.
"You've proved them all wrong." She replied, impulsive. He needed to hear it. "You are the Hokage of Konoha now."
Naruto's smile grew wider those eyes brighter and he nodded and turned. It pleased him immensely. She understood why. Temari saw the blood again and was reminded of their purpose.
"Do you have a med kit here?" She asked him all business again.
"I had Sakura for a teammate." He replied sarcastically, but went to retrieve it. He returned shortly, handing her the case. Temari set it on the counter, fishing through what she would need.
"Take it off" She ordered.
"W-what?" Naruto stammered, startled by the order, and feeling his cheeks flame.
"Your shirt. Off" She motioned with a jerk of a thumb, as she ripped open sterilizing pads and ointments.
Naruto did as he was told, lifting the short sleeved shirt over his head. He let it fall to the floor as he waited for his intended, feeling nervous and not understanding entirely why. He'd been shirtless in front of Sakura chan, and every other nurse and pragmatical kunoichi who had tended him. When she was finally ready, she met his gaze, turqouise eyes taking in the expanse of flesh revealed. Naruto tried not to read too much into that look, though secretly pleased with her reaction; the surprise at his physique and the unexpected look of approval she wore on her face. It gave him a base for some confidence, which if the whisker cheeked kage confessed, was lacking. Temari unsettled him. He never knew what she was thinking. She always seemed to catch him off balance. He didn't want to be a klutz in her eyes. He wanted to be dashing and attractive and...
Temari took in the sight approvingly. He was muscular, taught abs practically a wash board across his tanned flesh. The seal that had held the jinchuuriki was no longer there, a fact that startled Temari. She moved on trying hard not to stare. Nice muscular arms, but not too bulky, he fit his frame, filled it without being too big or lanky. Tan, his shaggy blonde hair unkempt and sky blue eyes like a suna sky, sitting there shirtless and a look on confusion and something akin to hope, but hope for what she couldn't begin to guess.
He wasn't just handsome, he was downright sexy, albeit cute in his confusion. The man was hot, though part of his appeal was that he was seemingly unaware of this trait, a fact that Temari intended to take full advantage of later. It wasn't surprising, he was a ninja and perhaps that was the glory of being a kunoichi, to be surrounded by delicious looking men. Naruto was tanned all the way from what she could see. Briefly, she wondered if he had other tanlines. She felt the smug grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. She would discover soon enough.
Naruto tensed as he felt her calloused fingertips touching carefully across the expanse of his back. Very few people had really touched him, and even less females. The only other one he could truly recall was Sakura Chan touching him, but her hands were always cold and it had always been as a medic, never as anything more. In contrast, Temari's hands were warm, calloused hands coming in contact and roaving over his skin professionally. What profession? He wondered biting back the purr he felt.
"Does it hurt?" Temari's warm voice came to his ear, feeling the warmth of her breathe on his shoulders. He fought the shiver he felt.
"No." He replied firmly. "I'm fine"
Temari made no reply, just continued to gently examine and stroke the skin around the gouge. Naruto closed his eyes, the feel of her fingertips on him good, too good. He liked her touching him, feeling the muscle that tensed beneath the surface of his back. He took a deep breathe.
"Doctor's assessment?" He asked teasingly, trying to distract himself.
"The color's off." She replied, with a frown. "It's poisoned."
"Aah. Sasuke lines his blades with poison. Don't worry." He told her with a smile.
"Don't worry? Your so called best friend fights you and stabs you with a poisoned blade... and I'm supposed to be unconcerned?" Temari retorted. "What kind of friend is he?"
Naruto was surprised by her anger. She simply didn't understand. "He's my best friend. Besides, it will heal on it's own." He said with a shrug.
"Heal on it's own?" Temari repeated, in disbelief.
Naruto sighed. "The Kyuubi keeps me pretty healthy. One of the perks of being a jinchuuriki of the fox is that he heals me. Poisons just take a bit longer which is why Sasuke uses them in our spars. They don't seem to take affect on me like regular ones should." He replied.
Temari sighed. "You must be some kind of masochist."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked genuinely.
"You became the kage of a village that hates you, befriended an anti social man that was a traitor and might just as soon kill you as anything else, you are in love with your teammate who's engaged to said sadist best friend, and you're forced to marry me, Kami sama, Naruto, it's like your glutton for punishment or something" Temari exclaimed as she applied the antiseptic on him.
Naruto winced, the sting in his wound too much like the pin pricks earlier. "I'm not forcing myself to marry you, Temari." Naruto replied, turning.
Blue eyes bright, he eyed her with his heart in his eyes. Temari looked away, embarrassed by his easy emotions and her own reaction to it. She slaved the ointment on top of it delicately, and brought out the bandages for binding the wound. Naruto sighed into her gentle touch.
"I want to" He continued, softer admonition startling the sand kunoichi.
"Why?" She asked, softer still as she glided her hands across his back, bandaging the wound in spite of his assurance that the Kyuubi would take care of it.
"Because I can and I will." He replied, with a boyish grin.
"Chee. Are you always so determined?" Temari replied with sarcasm, rolling her eyes.
"Usually, though you'd have to ask my teammates to be sure" He responded with a grin. Temari responded with a huff. She had no desire to deal with the pink haired medic any time soon. He turned, and grabbed her hand, brushing a haste kiss across it impulsively. Temari grabbed her hand back, eyes narrowed. To which Naruto only grinned more.
"Thank you" He said, a sort of seriousness making it's way across his features.
"For what?" Temari replied, wondering at the many moods and tones that Naruto seemed to fade into and out of within a moment. These Leaf nin were so open about their emotions.
"Taking care of me" He replied with a shy smile.
"Your welcome" Temari replied.
Realizing she'd given up a perfect oppurtunity to bring up sound, Temari inwardly seethed, cursed herself. Maybe Matsu was right. She was getting distracted by him. Temari's eyes flashed, darkening. Seeing her look, Naruto frowned.
"Did I do something wrong...?" He asked, stepping forward, eyes full of concern.
Turqouise eyes met his own and she forced a smile. "No, No" She said, waving her palms. "I'm just lost in thought, sorry." Temari replied, turning from him "Shall we go?" She prompted.
"It's okay." Naruto replied with a smile. And then the sound of his stomach gurgled, loudly.
"ehehehe...." He said scratching his head.
"Lunch then?" Temari asked with a grin unable to stop from laughing at his antics. His laughter, much like his personality and enthusiam, was contagious.
"Lunch it is!" He replied, taking her arm. "Naruto." Temari said, tugging him back. "You forgot your shirt" She said, grabbing the shirt from the floor.
"Oh. Right. That." Naruto replied, a little sheepish. Temari cocked her head at the whisker cheeked kage. "Come here" She ordered with a sigh.
Naruto's eyes widened, but he did as he was told. Temari pulled the shirt over his head, guiding his arms through. The shirt in question rumpled and twisted at the top of his chest. Temari used her hands un bunching and untwisted the shirt, guiding it down his torso with her fingers, carefully at the top to avoid brushing and sticking with the bandages. Her hands guided the shirt over those taught muscles, fingertips brushing his abdomen. Temari looked up.
"All done" She smiled.
His eyes were dark, clouded and unreadable as he looked at her.
"Naruto" Temari asked, confused at his look. And his stomach rumbled interrupting them.
Naruto blushed.
"Lunch then" Temari replied with a grin, turning and leading the way out the door.
…....................................................
Naruto waited with baited breath, blue eyes as wide as saucers as he waited with eager anticipation of his intended's reaction. She could feel his breath on her neck and it gave her the chills. Naruto was being worse than the creepers in sand who thought they could peep on her while she bathed at the hot springs. She slid her stool away from him rather than pummel him like she wanted to. He was still staring and began to lean even closer.
Temari frowned. "Stop looking at me like that." She ordered with a dark glare. It was annoying.
"Sorry." He replied fidgeting like a small child on candy. Hands, legs even squirmed in spite of his seat on the stool, which wobbled dangerously with his pent up energy. She had flat out refused to order it, while he was leaping and bounding. Idiot. Why had she thought it was a good idea to let him choose the place? Temari glared.
"I said stop it" She replied firmly, glaring at the whisker cheeked kage with her firmest jounin voice. The voice did nothing whatsoever but disappear, lost on the ramen loving blonde. It didn't even take the blue from his eyes. No wonder his friends were so abusive. The only way to get through was to beat the sense into his dense skull. Temari scowled. Did nothing damper his goddamn chipper attitude?
"Try it!" He insisted, eager as he tapped his fingertips together that stupid grin on his face.
Temari frowned as she looked heisitantly at the noodle concoction sitting in front of her in the maroon-ish brown bowl. She had never tried ramen before, but knew that this was, in fact, his favored food. And he was giving her that look again. She sighed. She wouldn't be able to avoid it forever. Picking up the chopsticks, to which Naruto exhaled sharply and took another sharp breathe, Temari lifted them up. She looked over at Naruto who looked like he might keel over from lack of oxygen at any moment with his held breathe and sighed. Best to get it over now then later, and the kage passing out in the ramen shop would not bode well for her political favor. She blew on the noodles and lifted them to her lips, slurping the noodles up. Hmm..
"Well?" Naruto asked with excitement practically dancing in his antsy anticipation on the stool that was threatening to give way. He really was just too pleased with himself to contain his over enthusiasm.
"It's...alright" Temari replied reluctantly. To which the blonde looked aghast. The stool had finally given it's last effort to preserve the kage and he leapt to his feet, whilst the chair fell apart. Temari watched, wondering if that had been from skill or sheer luck.
"Alright?! ALRIGHT?!" Naruto exclaimed, aghast, opening his hands in a gesture of horror. "It's- it's- ramen, Temari! The single handed-ly most awesome food ever invented. Greater than sliced bread or dango-" Naruto lectured on.
The poof of Anbu appearing, had Temari on her feet, fan out with steeled eyes as she glanced at them. She sighed. She'd have to learn to stop reacting to Konoha Anbu. They were not her enemies and she might wear out her diplomatic immunity that way,but it was her nature to be weary. She'd lost too many good ninja that way. Naruto's face lost all silliness a look of business overtaking him.
"Hokage sama, your presence is required immediately-" The first one said, eying him. Temari sighed, snapping her fan up.
"duty calls?" She replied to the forlorn look in his eyes.
He nodded, deflated as he trudged out . "I'll see you later?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.
"I can't exactly avoid you in your own country" She replied.
Naruto deflated further and suddenly Temari felt like she'd kicked a puppy by his expression.
"I'd like that" She replied. He looked at her and then leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. Temari tried to fight her flinch. "Finish your ramen"
Temari made a face.
"Pleeeaasseee" He begged, and then promptly vanished with ninja smoke along with the anbu members.
Temari sighed from her seat on the stool. She pushed the bowl away, and grabbed her fan. Ramen was the last thing on her mind. She was getting too close to the situation for comfort. It was time for some training.
….............................
One Nara Shikamaru had just finished submitting his most recent paperwork, had finally caught up with Ino on the majority of wedding preparations and had effectively delegated the majority of the work (though Ino had screached it was because he was lazy and wanted to cloud watch) and was actually enjoying a half day off when he saw Temari walk from the ramen stand. He took a look around. Their whisker cheeked kage was no where in sight. Anbu was no where near her. It was as if they had simply let her wander without any restriction around Konoha.
Naruto must have had business to attend to and had left her. Shikamaru muttered as he stuck his hands in his pocket, fishing for his cigarettes. He lit up, taking a deep hit as he exhaled the smoke, the quad pony tailed kunoichi within his sights as he followed her. Naruto was a good kage, but he was too trusting. Or he was getting too attached. Or he simply couldn't see what she was doing. Shikamaru couldn't either, but then again he was closer to the subject matter at hand than he would have preferred. He wanted to think that he knew her, but Temari had changed, and he wasn't so sure anymore. Regardless, he trusted his instincts because they had saved him more times than one. He followed after her.
Temari was too good of a ninja not to have noticed his presence, which he didn't even bother to hide. Shikamaru had nothing to hide from the woman in front of him and to hide would send the wrong message to her about his own intentions. Besides, it was too troublesome. She walked, meandering. And he saw her destination. The training fields.
She stopped.
"You planning on following me all day? I assure you, even you'll get bored." Temari didn't turn.
"Chee. You know why I'm following you." Shikamaru replied with a half hearted shrug.
Temari finally turned, turquoise eyes narrowed and sharp enough to cut steel with that look. This was the look she had worn whenever they had fought, which had been frequent. This was also the look she'd worn when she'd told him to get out of her life.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about. Mind filling me in? I don't appreciate stalkers and I'm sure your wife wouldn't either." Temari replied, tone hard as she looked balefully up at the taller nin. Pinneapple hair spiked, annoying as she eyed the shadow user. He was too lazy to start a fight here, but he annoyed her nonetheless.
"Tell me and I'm gone." Shikamaru replied simply, crossing his arms.
Temari glared. "I already told you."
Stubborn to a fault. Exactly like Naruto. Gods the two were a match made in heaven. Or hell, depending on the situation. The two would be a force to be reckoned with, that was for sure. Shikamaru sighed and stepped forward.
"Whatever it is, Temari, you'd better be damn sure it's worth another ninja war over. Because that's exactly what you're risking right now." Shikamaru told her, flicking his cigarette on the ground and crushing it beneath his sandle.
Temari felt her resolve bruise. It wasn't that she hadn't known her diplomatic relations could be stretched, but with Shikamaru knowing, the stakes seemed to have risen. The consequences of this sort of action gave her pause to her resolve. Was Matsu lying to get closer to Konoha? But even if he was, she was here to stop him, and the only thing she had really committed to was discovering more about the situation. Temari wasn't stupid. She didn't trust Matsu enough to think he wouldn't betray her, or hadn't lied to her. She simply didn't have enough information to go on before she started pointing fingers and making assumptions. It was better to have Matsu assume she was on his side, and to take him down herself should things prove troublesome. Right now, she needed to buy herself some time to investigate this. She needed answers.
"You're one to talk. You're risking diplomatic peace simply by accusing me" Temari replied."Was it worth it?" She challenged, eyebrow arched.
"You're not the type for cheap political shots like that, Temari. I know you better than you think"He replied.
"Or so you think." Temari replied back. "As you can see, all I'm doing is planning on getting some training in, while Naruto attends to Kage business. So leave, before I'm tempted to use it."Temari replied.
Shikamaru merely looked her in the eyes, those black eyes piercing and penetrating. He was looking for a lie. He was looking for some sort of clue to tell him what was going on. She wasn't going to give him any. Temari couldn't look away. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her back down and more importantly she was resolved to figure out what was going on. She wasn't stupid. There was more at stake here than what was happening. She would figure this out, but it would be her way, not Shikamaru's, Matus's or Naruto's.
"Nothing else to say?" Temari snapped.
"Only that I'm going to stop you." Shikamaru replied not even stopping as he walked, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"You think you're so smart, don't you? Think you've got me all figured out?" Temari's eyes narrowed. Arrogant, lazy bastard. "I'm not doing anything." Yet, she thought.
…...............................
Matsu sat in the comfortable Konoha chairs and went over what he knew of the Hokage tower. If Temari wouldn't help him, he would do it himself. He had to. He owed it to her to do this.
Temari came in, the door slamming.
"Its past time that you were honest with me" She told him, eyes like glass, sharp and piercing as they reflected her anger. "I want answers" She demanded coldly.
Matsu's eyes narrowed. "What answers?" He replied. How typical of Temari to flounce in and demand answers. She was a true princess already, royalty, that didn't ask, but took without tolerance or indifference.
"You need to tell me everything you know." Temari replied.
"Or what?" Matsu questioned. Temari's eyes narrowed. "You're asking me to risk diplomatic relations on this little coupe. I think it's within my rights to question you." Temari replied.
"Why? You don't trust me?" Matsu replied sarcastically.
"You know I don't trust you, and I'm not sure I'm committed to this. You've got two minutes to explain to me why this is worth treason before I let anbu take you. You want this bad. Why?" Temari retorted.
Matsu's eyes closed and he took a deep shuddering breath.
"You remember that Orochimaru had control of our kazekage at the time. Kabuto.." Matsu strangled the word out. "Kabuto was placed in charge of some...experiments during the shall we say captivity of sound."
"What kind of experiments?" Temari asked.
Yes, she remembered. Her team, her own little brother had been nearly sacrificed in the process. Temari had been naïve then, had trusted in the way of the ninja. Instead she'd been used, thrown like dog food to the Konoha ninja and left at the mercy of her own brother's demon. If it hadn't been for Naruto, her brother would be dead, sacrificed by Orochimaru's twisted ambition. Thanks to Naruto and the dying effort of the Sandaime, the situation with sand had been righted and her brother had been given back his soul. Orochimaru was dead now, but it wasn't enough. Temari wanted her own revenge. Angry didn't begin to describe her hatred of sound.
"During their occupation, Kabuto began experimenting on children, snatching them from sand families, telling them that their children had been chosen to participate in a special ninjitsu program." Matsu's scathing tone, hardened, his fist clenched.
"My sister was one of those children. When it was discovered that Orochimaru had masqueraded as the Kazekage, and that we all had been played, we went to search for them. We scowered the desert for weeks. Kabuto's lair was buried beneath a mountainside by the dunes. I.."Matsu swallowed, the emotion in his eyes hard to bear.
"I found my sister, splayed open like a science experiment. Her mouth was open in a silent scream. I thought she was dead...until I saw her eyelids twitch. Without Kabuto she was dying, slowly, from lack of whatever he had been using to keep her alive. I-I couldn't. We- the others ended her life. We found over 150 sand children, splayed out in the same manner. It was evident that he had tortured and...and...molested them" Matsu choked. "She was only nine years old." He muttered.
Temari had heard about the experiments but had never been privilege to this sort of information. But it was the kind of information that would not be shared with a woman.
"I will find him." He said, eyes narrowed. "And that is why I followed through. Konoha lied about killing him. He's alive. He's alive and he's doing-" Matsu choked, taking a moment to compose himself.
"I want to know why Konoha lied about his death. I want to know why they're protecting him. And most importantly I want to find out where they found him last and why they let him go." Matsu told her, eyes hard.
He isn't lying, Temari thought as she took in his countenance. Eye contact the entire time, tears could be faked, but not the sort of passion he was displaying. He meant his words, though what they meant in regards to Orochimaru's assistant, who knew?