Wind of Truth & Sands of Change

After the Failed Retrieval Mission

067. Things to Do

"Cheh," Kankuro muttered, "What's wrong, Temari?"

The blonde looked about awkwardly. Her eyes drifted to the ground and she bit her lower lip. "I – I…need to do something."

Kankuro looked at her oddly and Gaara inclined his head in puzzlement. Kankuro sighed. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what you need to do, right?"

"It's just…" Temari clucked her tongue and turned her head to the side in her usual haughty manner. "I just have to do something, okay, Kankuro?" She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him, an irate expression on her face. "I'll catch up later. Don't bitch and whine."

Kankuro rolled his eyes. There was his sister; he'd been worried for a second.

He was still curious though. He probably would have kept prodding if not for Gaara.

"Fine." The youngest boy said, his arms crossed. "Don't do anything stupid. We'll be at the hotel. Bring some food when you're done."

Temari swatted the boy with her fan. "Baka! Why should I bring you anything? You sound like you're giving me permission. I wasn't asking. I was notifying."

Gaara stared at her blankly. He just turned around and headed toward the hotel. "Remember, Temari, food."

Kankuro saw Temari grind her teeth and walk off in the opposite direction muttering angrily. "Stupid brothers. They should all just die…"

Kankuro smiled and followed Gaara. "Oi, Gaara."

Gaara turned his head slightly in recognition.

"Where is she going?"

"That's her business." Gaara said quietly. Gaara never asked stupid questions like 'why' or feigned innocence. Kankuro really appreciated that aspect of his brother's personality. Such tedious things were annoying.

"But you do know, right?"

"I have an idea."

Kankuro grunted.

Gaara smiled slightly. Kankuro worried too much. Temari was a big girl. She was their older sister; she could take care of herself. Besides, all she was doing was heading to the hospital. To see whom, Gaara wasn't too sure. He suspected it had something to do with the shadow-nin.

"I don't like this." Kankuro grumbled.

"Oh, shut up already. She's bringing food and she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

Kankuro grumbled again.

068. Why Should I Care?

She didn't know what she was planning to do as she entered the building, but she felt like she had to be there. She couldn't place the reason why, but just the fact that she was there proved to her there was something strange about the whole thing.

Temari sighed and pushed her thoughts aside. She walked through the corridors until she saw him. He was seated in the waiting room twiddling with his fingers anxiously. Temari took a deep breath, and then walked inside the room. She took a seat directly opposite of him and crossed her legs. She placed her hands on her knee and looked carefully at him. He didn't raise his eyes to meet her, but the twiddling stopped, just momentarily, then resumed again. She didn't say a word. She didn't think it would help, not at the moment anyway. She kept her lips sealed, simply watched him. He was worried. Time passed slowly, nothing greeting her but silence. The silence really didn't bother her. She'd lived in silence most of her life as a child, but now words were brimming at the tip of her tongue, urging her to speak. "There's no use in fidgeting." She said calmly. She didn't know why she cared, really. "Sacrifices are inevitable parts of missions." Sure, that probably wasn't the most comforting thing to hear, especially when his friend was in critical danger, but it's was what Temari thought best. She'd always hated being babied, though not many dared to do so to her. But every now and then some moron tried, thinking her a helpless soul in desperate need of comforting words. It always sounded so condescending, so…patronizing.

Sometimes the cold, hard, bitter truth needed to be said. Temari believed in being honest. Nothing else was needed; the only thing that fancy and sweet frilly words did was obscure the true message. "You received emotional training, didn't you?"

"Training is different from actual combat." There was a pause before he spoke again. "I knew what missions would consist of, and I thought I understood what the world of shinobi was like." Temari said nothing. He was really wrestling with himself. He was incredibly upset. "This was the first time I was made the team captain for a mission, and now I understand…I'm not cut out to be a shinobi."

His words were clear, simple, and precise. They were thought out and deep. She was a bit disappointed and just a little surprised. He was planning to give up again. "Unexpected fragility…Men are strange…"

He stood. "I shouldn't have been team captain this time. All I did was put my trust in everyone else. I was too naïve. I didn't have enough strength." He clenched his fist. "It's all my fault."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she heard a different response than what he said in his speech. "Are you afraid of being hurt?"

Shikamaru didn't reply. He shoved his hands in his pockets, eyes trained on the floor and walked toward the hallway.

Temari didn't move. The same question from before flitted through her mind.

Why did she care? He was just some random ninja. Why did she care?

069. Because When It Comes Down to it: It Doesn't Matter

He was crying. Nara Shikamaru was crying. It should have made her roll her eyes in annoyance or make her feel peeved, but the scene didn't.

It was such a…soft moment…and she…

Temari closed her eyes for a second. He'd learned a lesson, she reasoned. This would make him a better person in the future. He's changing. That's why she felt so…strange at that moment.

Temari inwardly sighed. She couldn't figure it out. She knew this moment would mean something to him in the future. She knew… But she didn't know why she felt that this moment would hold some importance for her as well. She didn't know why she felt like she did.

She felt…empathy.

For Nara Shikamaru.

She just didn't understand why.

She studied him. Maybe it didn't matter. She was here for some reason and he was going through an important moment. Maybe, in the course of it all…it didn't really matter why.

070. Hyperactive Midgets with Kunai

Temari rolled her eyes, "And here I though you hated bratty little kids."

Kankuro shrugged. "They're not so bad. They're just hyperactive midgets with kunai."

Temari laughed.

"What?"

"'Hyperactive midgets with kunai'?" She asked choking back another laugh.

"Cheh. They're better than you when you were a kid."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"You were a psychotic, blonde, overemotional, murderous midget."

Temari laughed again. "Watch it, Kankuro. Keep talking so jovial about those 'midgets' and you'll end up a teacher."

He snorted. "Yeah right."

Temari laughed again.

071. Joys of Teaching

A strange girl with two ponytails and goggles looked up at her. Moegi, they called her. Temari took the shuriken from the girl's hand. "You're holding it wrong. If you hold it like that your aim won't be any good and worst case scenario, you'll get hurt." She held the shuriken carefully before the girl. "You should hold it like this, see?" Temari threw the shuriken at the target.

"Bull's eye!" Moegi exclaimed.

Temari handed the girl another shuriken. "Try now."

The small girl attempted it again. Her aim still wasn't very good, but she was holding it correctly. "Better, but you need to work on your aim. Come on, let's try that again." Temari smiled. Teaching wasn't too bad. She wouldn't devote herself to it, but it was nice. She glanced up and noticed Shikamaru looking at her. "Humph!" She said haughtily, with a smile on her face.

072. What's Up With That?

"So…Temari," Kankuro began carefully as they walked back to Suna. "Why'd you call that shadow ninja a crybaby?" Kankuro shoved his hands further in his pockets and gave his sister a teasing smile.

"Cheh." Temari muttered giving him a pointed look. "Like it's any of your business."

Kankuro shrugged, "Seemed awfully friendly is all."

"Whatever."

Kankuro grinned, a theory beginning to grow in his head. "Ok, sis."

A/N: Okay…very Temari-centric…And Shika/Tema hints…Aw, well. I just couldn't resist.