Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.

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Chapter 3. Almond Cookies?

Temari immediately regretted what she had said. Why would she wan Shikamaru to go to her house? But since he has already accepted the invitation, how could she turn him down now? "Deal with it for being big mouth…" Temari muttered.

"Lazy bum! Time to get moving… you shouldn't make a lady wait." Temari barked at Shikamaru.

"Amazing… she considers herself as a lady. How thick skinned." Shikamaru blurted out. If he could not stop her from winning that dumb competition, he must stop her from being his bride. By agitating her, Temari would act rashly. Then, the elders would see everything and send Temari home. All would be well if only he could survive the trashing he would be receiving from Temari. After all, Shikamaru figured that it would be hell for him if Temari was his wife. He would get whipped just like his father. Why not take the risk?

"Why you…" Temari gritted her teeth. Having her family's reputation in mind, she tried her best to keep her cool. It is just a trip around the city. What could go wrong?

"Hey. That is the candy shop. And that is the flower shop. That is the bakery…" Shikamaru yawned. There was no end to this. This town was boring, and Temari was making it worse. Shikamaru figured that she could never be a tour guide. The city's economy would certainly go down the drain if she was one. After all, no tourists would come.

"Are you even listening?!?!"

"Yes…"

"And finally, this is my manor. Feel free to tour it yourself. I don't want my brothers to see me with such a rotten piece of trash like you. Just make sure you don't break anything. Since you're the prince, I'll cook something. Be thankful I'm even stepping into the kitchen for you." With that, Temari left for the kitchen.

Shikamaru yawned. He walked around. Where is the best place to look at the clouds from here? As he approached the garden, he saw a strange man with a kitty hood. And when the strange man turn around, he is actually wearing face paint!

"GOSH!" Shikamaru gasped. "So in this house hold, it is the men that dresses up and put make up?"

"Who are you? Intruder! Guards, seize him!" the strange man shouted.

"I'm so dead…" Shikamaru started saying his prayers as he ran from the massive amount of guards that came out of nowhere.

"Stop it Kankuro! Guards, disperse." Temari commanded as she stepped out of the kitchen. "You're making such a din till I can't concentrate on cooking."

Kankuro stifled a laugh. His sister was trying to cook for a man? A rare occasion worthy to celebrate, Kankuro thought.

"Hey Gaara! Come out and see this rare occasion! Temari is cooking for a man!" As Kankuro finished his sentence, a boy walked out. "Who?" he asked.

"Another man that wears make up! What large amount of eye liner you use!"

"Sand funeral."

"STOP IT ALL OF YOU! HE IS THE PRINCE! HAVE SOME RESPECT AT LEAST! Kankuro… This isn't what you think! He is just some prince I had to bring to tour the city…"

"It must be hard on you. Temari is the worst commenter ever."

"Shut up. Are you going to listen to me or not?"

"Shoot Temari, I'm interested."

"Even you Gaara? Oh no…"

"Don't keep us brothers in suspense! Talk now!" Kankuro exclaimed with glee.

After a lengthy explanation, Temari left back for the kitchen. After all, she didn't want the almond cookies to be chard.

"Welcome to evil clutches of Temari, brother-in-law. She is the fiercest woman in this whole world. Tough luck, but live with it. By the way, I'm Kankuro and this is Gaara. Nice to meet you."

Shikamaru wondered if he was being friendly or trying to scare him off. After all, Temari is scary…

After having a brief chat, Temari walked out of the kitchen feeling proud. Her famous cookies were done. She was well known for making the best almond cookies around. "Cookies anyone?"

As they were all eating, Shikamaru felt his stomach churning. Did Temari poison the cookies? Just as Temari asked him "How are the cookies?" Shikamaru immediately took off to the toilet.

"I'll kill him! If he doesn't appreciate my cookies, why don't he just say it instead of running off? YOU'RE SO DEAD SHIKAMARU!" With that, Temari got up and started chasing Shikamaru with her killer fans.

"Poor Temari… She must have been heartbroken. She rarely cooks for us. Now, she is cooking for a man and he just rejected her cooking. Get ready the tissues Gaara." Kankuro muttered.

Gaara sighed. He took a box of tissues and got up. It was time to calm his sister and console her, if she ever cries. He went to garden; where the noises of screaming and shouting could be heard. They must be there, Gaara thought.

"Listen Temari! I think I'm allergic to almond cookies! I always get diarrhoea when I eat them. But I swear they were very good Temari. Really!" Shikamaru shouted as he ran through the garden.

"You should have told me earlier. I'll go cook something else." Temari shouted back in response. Wow, Temari thought to herself, back against Shikamaru. He must really like my cookies to eat them even when he is allergic to them. He is really becoming a nice guy. Temari blushed a little before making her way to the kitchen again.

"Temari must have liked him a lot to blush like that," Gaara thought. "But I doubt she'll ever confess to him, given her character. Shikamaru seems like a decent guy. I wonder if I should play matchmaker for them. Although I've never been one, I'll do my best to bring them together, I hope…" Gaara had to make sure that Kankuro would not botch up everything. After all, Kankuro is the walking magnet of trouble.

Author's Note: What is Gaara going to do to bring them together? Continue to read on (don't forget to review xD) next week! Thanks for the previous reviews!