AN: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, only my OC's…wait I don't have any OC's, they're all my co-authors *sigh*. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Masked Affections

A Naruto FanFiction

Chapter 4: Failed Babysitting

Outside the meeting area Shikamaru and Temari wait, one patient, the other not so much, "Why can't I just go watch clouds…?"

"That's boring! This is a mission, gosh pineapple head, you're so boring…" Temari sighs.

"Watching clouds isn't boring, and why must we babysit her anyways?" Shikamaru asked, exasperated. While the two bicker, Dawn begins to wonder over to a nearby market, staring at the things on display.

"Because Gaara is busy, and she can't go in and hear the meeting. He just said she's now going to be part of our Village Hidden in the Sand. And I've watched clouds, it's boring!"

"Ugh…fine, but watching clouds isn't boring, they change all the time, they aren't all the same." He argues half-heartedly as Dawn gets further away, drawn deeper into the market.

"It's boring!" Temari exclaims.

"It's not…" He begins to mumble to himself, "Especially if some of them remind me of you…"

"Is to…wait…what?" Temari stops shouting and her head snaps towards him.

"Um…" He almost whispers it, wishing he had shut up earlier, "some of them remind me of you…" He turns away from her, all the while Dawn disappears from their line of sight into a shop.

"Me?" Temari murmurs.

"Yah…" He states blankly.

"…" Temari is silent for a moment, "Why me?"

"Because...well…you are interesting…and…" He mutters.

"Wait…where'd Dawn go?" Temari jumps and interrupts Shikamaru, though he can't complain about the interruption.

"I don't know. If Gaara finds out, he isn't going to be happy." They dash off, scouting for her, and about thirty minutes later they find her in a small park, by herself, swinging on the swings. Valiant is pecking the ground for worms, and she just looks lonely.

"There you are…thank Suna." Temari pants.

Dawn looks up at them, "Oh hello, can I help you?" Valiant squawks as he chases after a wild mouse.

"Gaara is almost done so we can head back." Temari says.

"Come on Valiant." Dawn says as she stands, but he looks depressed as the mouse flees.

Just as they return, Gaara emerges, solemn faced. "You are allowed to stay; you may take my room Dawn." He turns to the other two, "Temari you and Shikamaru are dismissed." As soon as his name is uttered, Shikamaru disappears in the blink of an eye.

"Get back here pineapple head!" Temari shouts, doing her best to chase him down.

"Come on, I'll show you around." Gaara begins walking, first showing her the Kazekage's tower, and her room, then the rest of Suna, eventually returning by afternoon time.

"Wow…your city is beautiful and here I thought Konoha was pretty."

"I'm glad you like it, it may be your home in time." Gaara leads her to a small restaurant, "Are you hungry?" He inquires.

"A little." Her stomach growls in agreement.

"Then I'll treat you to some food." He gets a table for the both of them and settles down, quiet as ever.

"Thank you, but you don't have to…I can always find something lying around…"

"I will have nothing of the sort. I cannot treat you every day, but with you living in the tower, you will be given food, even if not made to your wishes, but food none the less."

"Thank you. I will be grateful for anything. I don't really care for anything in particular, I eat just about anything. I haven't eaten much for the time I've been chased." The waiter stops by, and takes their orders, returning not long after with food; her portion is small, a simple salad, and Gaara does not eat. She finishes, but her stomach still growls, and she gives a sheepish grin, "I'm fine, don't pay that any mind."

"You know I don't mind if you order more food…"

"I don't want to impose…" Dawn frowns softly.

"It's not a problem." Gaara replies.

"Okay…" She orders again, and an hour and several plates later, she sits back. "Thank you Lord Kazekage. I can't remember the last time I had real food."

"I don't mind, though I don't believe I've ever seen anyone eat that much, even Naruto and his ramen."

She looks to the side, obviously embarrassed, "Sorry…"

"I didn't mean it like that, it is fine if you eat a lot, you are very thin."

She sighs happily, "So now what…we go back to the tower?"

"I imagine so. You may feel free to explore Suna, as long as you take an escort that is."

"Very well." She stands, and heads back to the tower, obviously not the follower type, and Gaara just walks beside her. "So where was your room again, since I am staying there?" He leads her up, and opens the door; the room is clean and a desk sits in the corner. "It doesn't look like it gets used much." Valiant walks past her and hops up to the open window, and takes to the sky.

"I mostly stay in my office. I don't sleep very often."

"Hm…that really isn't good, but who am I to chastise you about it. I could be put as a hypocrite." She smiles and turns back to Gaara, "So when will my first mission here be?"

"We need help in our hospital, so you'll just be running errands, and by the end of the week I need a description of what you can do, such as if you fight, heal, cook, etcetera.

"Okay, though wouldn't it be better to find someone to spar with me to find out if I can fight?"

"That's mostly what I mean."

"Very well." She ponders for a moment, "So is there a place I can go to bathe?"

"Yes, follow me." He leads her to a small bathhouse, but only a few other people are there at the time. Gaara leaves her to bathe, and she does, mask still on, and after she finishes, she heads back with an escort to her room.

During all these events, Temari has chased Shikamaru tirelessly, and has managed to trap him in a corner. "Why don't we talk this over some coffee, or a game of shogi, something?" He protects his head from Temari's large fan.

"Because I want to know why the clouds look like me!" Temari brandishes her fan at him again.

"Well…it could be the wind currents, or other scientific explanations, and maybe a little imagination…"

"Wind currents…that's the best you can come up with pineapple head?" Temari backs of and her shoulders slump a little, as if saying 'Really?'

He sighs, "Maybe it's because I want them to remind me of you so I imagine them to…"

"But why do you want them to remind you of me? I don't get it." She puts her fan on the ground for a bit; shoulders still slumped in a confused look.

Shikamaru sighs and gathers his breath, getting ready to say something he'll probably regret for quite a while.

AN: Don't worry, the question from last chapter will be answered in time, it's called suspense. This time I'm doing some romance, or am I? I really don't like the title of the chapter, but I couldn't think of anything else, well nothing catchy anyways.

AN: Will Shikamaru finally admit his feelings? Will he chicken out instead? Why haven't I answered the questions from chapter 3? Will we ever know? What will happen next? Stay tuned for the next installment of Masked Affections!