A/N: For this story I did A LOT of research into Japanese Hot Springs, a ryokan is a type of hotel attached to a Hot Spring, the onsen is the actual Hot Spring itself. The ryokans can be fairly expensive to stay at (think $200+ a night American), but from what I've read, it's a worthwhile expense. Many Hot Spring areas have public baths, and sometimes ryokans allow the public to use their baths for a fee but only during the day, whereas guests of the ryokan have unlimited use of the onsens. Now you can say you've learned something too!
Disclaimer: Again I state most vehemently, that I am not Masashi Kishimoto, and my bank account proves it.
Chapter 2
Temari rang the bell for the second time and tapped her foot impatiently. Even with all the traveling she'd done, she still wasn't used to such cold weather. One more time she chided herself for not getting a thicker jacket, suddenly the idea of immersing her body in hot water became incredibly appealing.
"Konnichiwa!" A large woman with a friendly smile appeared from behind a yellow curtain. "Welcome to Kimochi Ryokan," the woman bowed. "My name is Nishizawa Mieko, I'm the innkeeper how may I help you?"
"My name is Sabaku no Temari, I have a gift certificate for this weekend," the blonde stated holding out the scroll.
The innkeeper pulled on a pair of glasses and examined the paper.
"Ah yes, Sabaku-san, we have your room all prepared. It has a lovely view of the mountains, though not as good as the view from our mixed onsen." The woman smiled conspiratorially, "of course, a lady of your rank would probably prefer to maintain her modesty, and stay in the women's onsen. Still, this is our off season, we've only got five other guests here this weekend, so maybe you'll get a chance."
Temari nodded smiling, she didn't feel the need to explain that she'd never really been one for modesty. So she silently followed the innkeeper to her room and listened as she rattled off the ryokan's schedule.
"I hope you won't be shy and will join us for dinner, it's sure to be a treat after your travels. I'll send a girl right over with some of our special jasmine tea that we make with flowers grown right here on our property."
Temari thanked the woman and closed the door. Turning to check out her room, she smiled. It was large, with floor to ceiling windows, and simply furnished. The chairs were identical to her room in Konoha, and that brought on a flood of memories that she wasn't quite sure how to deal with yet. Now that the Chunnin Exams were over, it would be months before she had any reason to return to the Leaf Village, and even then, there was no guarantee that she'd see had been ages since she'd battled Nara Shikamaru in their own Chunnin Exam, and they'd come a long way since then. From enemies to allies, to…friends? Temari wasn't quite sure what they were, but ever since Uzumaki Naruto had asked if they were on a date, she'd begun to wonder if that wasn't a thought worth considering. He was smart, capable, a decent shinobi, and if she was really honest with herself…yeah okay, handsome too…
"Just so damn lazy, and with that whole man-woman thing…and he's three years younger," she grumbled. "But then so's Gaara, and he's a Kazekage."She threw herself into a chair, staring out the window at the mountains. The innkeeper was right, the view really was spectacular. Temari began to wonder just how much better the view was from the mixed onsen. Knowing from the schedule that dinner wouldn't be served for another three hours, she got back up again to change into the yukata to go to the bath. There was a knock at the door and the smell of jasmine suddenly permeated the room.
"Sabaku-san," a voice called. "Your tea and cookies are here on the table. Please let us know if you require anything else."
When she heard the door slide shut, Temari darted out from behind a screen half-dressed and grabbed a cookie. She closed her eyes as she munched, simply based on this cookie, her brothers were going to get some outstanding souvenirs.
o-o-o
Temari was the last to arrive in the dining room that evening. Her skin was glowing, and her eyes were still a bit heavy from the nap she'd taken after bathing. That's why she didn't trust them at first when she walked in, but who else would wear a Chunnin vest to a hot spring? Was he on some sort of mission? Did Gaara think she needed another escort?
"Sabaku-san, how did you enjoy the onsen this afternoon?"
"It was wonderful Nishizawa-san, thank you," she bowed. "I'm sorry I'm late. I couldn't help but take a nap afterwards."
Temari had to bite her lip from laughing out loud at the expression on Shikamaru's face when she confessed to having taken a nap. She quickly walked over to the last vacant spot putting her next to a good-looking blonde man and across from Shikamaru.
"So then I told my father that he would be a fool if he didn't invest in beans, and as you can see, I was right. My father was so grateful that he paid for a week's stay at this ryokan."
Temari swirled her noodles around on her plate. It had been twenty minutes since the nasally-voiced blonde began talking. Twenty minutes since anyone else had been able to speak. If she hadn't been so relaxed she would have probably done something about it by now. She just hoped she didn't meet up with the guy in the onsen, there might end up being an accident if anyone interrupted her bath.
"Sabaku-san?"
Temari blinked, Nara was talking to her.
"Sabaku-san, I was wondering if you might help me. You see, I have a cousin about your age and was wondering if you would be willing to help me find her a souvenir after dinner?"
Temari's eyes sparkled back to life and a slow grin spread across her face, "only if we can leave right now."
o-o-o
Shikamaru had been trying to avoid flying food when Temari entered the dining room. The young woman next to him was from a different country, and was unfamiliar with using chopsticks; he'd felt bad for her until the squid landed on his nose. When he heard the innkeeper call out "Sabaku-san" his head had shot up, which allowed the squid to fly back onto the girl's plate. At first, Nara Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was seeing, but then he heard the voice-haughty with a touch of humor just beneath the surface. Briefly, he wondered if the Fifth had anything to do with this. He'd made the mistake of mentioning Temari's name a few times without the honorific attached, (a mistake Chouji had been more than happy to point out to him) had he slipped up in front of the Hokage? If so, how had Lady Tsunade figured out what he was still trying to understand?
o-o-o
"So you're telling me you have absolutely no interest in beans?" Shikamaru teased as the pair walked side by side munching on snacks from a street smirked, "and I'm guessing there's no cousin?"
Shikamaru shrugged, " That old woman next to me smelled like feet and the girl on my right kept flinging her food around, I got hit twice with the squid. I don't think she's used to eating with chopsticks, she mentioned that she was from a different country, some place called Florida."
They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes when something suddenly struck Temari.
"Why exactly are you here Nara?"
"What do you mean?"
"What I said. Why are you here? Are you on a mission? Please don't tell me Gaara asked that you be my escort here."
Shikamaru snickered, "I highly doubt, with all the talented shinobi Suna has, that Gaara-sama would ask Konoha for a Chunnin to act as your escort here."
Temari shrugged, now that he'd said it aloud, it did sound stupid.
"No mission," he continued. "The Hokage decided that I needed to go somewhere in order to rest, so she sent me here. I offered to just take a week off from duties, but she told me I had to come here, even ordered me to enjoy myself. Troublesome woman,"
Temari giggled at the familiar expression.
"Your turn," he said smothering a yawn. "Though since you were already in the onsen, I'm assuming you're here on vacation as well?"
"Guilty," she replied. "I was ordered to have a good time too, though I'm finding it's one of the easier orders I've ever had to follow. If it's true for me, it should be doubly so for you, relaxing is part of your nature isn't it? Now, unlike you I have souvenirs to buy, so if you want to head back I'll understand."
"Are you kidding?" He gasped, "do you think Ino or my mom would let me live if I went back home without anything for them? Besides, I promised Chouji I'd bring him back some kind of delicacy that can only be found here. Wanna work together?"
"Okay," she nodded. "If you buy for my brothers and Chouji, I'll buy for Ino and your mom."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"C'mon Nara," Temari purred. "Don't you trust me?"
"Uh, sure. Okay," he answered sounding anything but confident.
"C'mon, it'll be fun!"
Shikamaru watched as the normally reserved blonde practically bounced down the street, at one point even stopping to pet a boxful of kittens. He'd heard about how some of the hot springs possessed special powers, but he'd never believed until now.