SUMMARY:
They have to decide. They need to decide soon. They need to choose who will give it all away for the other. With Kurenai constantly reliant on Shikamaru to raise her son, and Temari constantly busy with her position in Suna, the pair realise the decision will not be easy. To have a happy life with each other, one of them will have to sacrifice so much... But who will be willing to do it? Or better yet, who will ask the other to do it for them?
Author's Note: This chapter is very angsty I guess... Some emotional, argumentative part at the end.
WARNINGS
NaruHina- Its spoke about and they will have a part later on.
NejiTen- This contains massive spoilers for those of you who aren't up to date with the manga. Just a warning, its emotional as hell.
SasuSaku- If you really, really squint then its there, just not very obvious... Though that may change. Actually, it probably will change.
R&R Guys! They're the things that make me update quicker!~
Thanks for follows and reviews! I loved them all X3~ 3
"Taiyō! You've left parts of Hansha everywhere!" Akarui whined loudly. He stood at the gates of Suna with his team, plus the members of Team Shikamaru, or as they called themselves 'Team 10'. Whatever that meant... Akarui pulled another glass splinter from his toes as he glared at the red haired kunouchi who smirked at him demonically. He was standing with Sakkaku, who was holding his things whilst Akarui glared at his team mate, who was showing off to Shina. Korosu stood silently between the girls and Kankuro-Sensei. Taiyō flicked her wrists and connected extremely thin chakra threads to the pieces, pulling them together in a heap as she manipulated the shape into a tall woman. Taiyō focussed as she made her puppet move to Akarui, taking one of his bags and balancing it on her back. Shina cheered in delight as Hansha threw the bag up in the air to cover it in glass, reflecting the harsh rays of the sun onto her team mate. Akarui cursed and covered his eyes, only to open them a few moments later and see a bag falling towards his face. "Arrgh!" He yelped, bracing himself for the impact.
Sakkaku took this opportunity to lunge into Akarui, sending both himself and the sand nin flying away from the bag, which landed to the floor with a heavy thud. Akarui looked at Sakkaku in amazement, the messy haired Inazuka adoptee grinned cockily.
"We're friends now, we've got to look out for each other." Sakkaku laughed, standing up and outstretching an arm to the black haired nin. Akarui took it with a grin of his own.
"Yeah, thanks a lot Kaku, I've got your back!"
"Haha, no problem... Rui."
" Taiyō! What an irresponsible waste of Chakra!" Temari's voice snapped from behind them. The two Sensei's had scouted on ahead to see if the bandits had cleared from the allocated path and from their nods to Kankuro, Akarui found it safe to assume they had. Taiyō apologised sheepishly before falling silent, falling into line behind Shina and Korosu. Akarui smirked before fist pumping the air.
"Okay let's go! I've never been out of Suna before!" He yelled theatrically, his sensei sighed before pointing towards the gate.
"Let's move out, a Konoha squad is expected to meet us at the Nara forest in two days." She commanded, receiving nods of agreement from her companions, she marched forwards, away from her home.
Temari had situated herself at the rear of the group, watching the backs of all her fellow nin. In front of her was Shina, Taiyō and Korosu, in front of them was Shikamaru, Akarui and Sakkaku and taking the lead was her antisocial sibling. Shina had been telling Taiyō and Korosu about Konoha for forty minutes now, and was blathering on about the hot springs. Akarui and Sakkaku were loudly proclaiming challenges to each other and would occasionally break out into a sparring match that Shikamaru would stop.
Temari was lost in her thoughts as she scoured the wastelands around her for any threats. They were closing in on the borders of Suna now, then there was the strip of land that connected the two hidden villages, belonging to neither of them. The area was cut out on the usual route to Konoha, however in this alternate route they crossed straight through it. It was that place where they would most likely find trouble. She donned another black and red kimono today, seeing as she was travelling into storms her short fishnets didn't seem appropriate... And she'd most likely be staying in the Nara compound, with Shikamaru's mother, who she did not want to displease. Her mind lingered back to a time where she had ganged up on Shikamaru with his mother...Heh... The lazy ass hadn't known what hit him.
"Temari-Sensei?" Taiyō whined next to her, Temari looked down at the carmine haired girl and frowned questioningly. "It's Shina... She just goes on and on and on... I can't get her to stop!" The tanned girl sighed loudly, not alerting the blonde in front of her of the displeasure. Temari shrugged with a smile.
"She has her moments I guess... Her parents are polar opposites. Hinata, her mother, as I remember her was a shy girl who was too nervous to say anything to anyone... Whereas Naruto, well I'm sure you've heard rumours about him, but when we were kids that short idiot was always in trouble, never listening to anyone's instructions and always very loud. If you got him to shut up, that was an achievement in its self." Temari laughed elegantly. "I suppose it's natural for Shina to speak so freely when she comes accustomed to her company..."
"But it's so... She just won't stop sensei!"
"Hmm... Korosu seems to be able to take it, maybe you're just being picky Taiyō."
The red haired girl snorted and shook her head. "It's only because he's gone all googly eyes on her... He'd listen to anything she said."
"You sound jealous, Taiyō." Temari laughed as the girl next to her sighed in exasperation.
"I'm not jealous... I just preferred her when she spoke less."
"Mmm... I know a few people who I prefer more when they speak less." Both the sand Kunouchi's eyes travelled to yet another playful fight between Sakkaku and Akarui. Temari sighed, looking up at the sun, then back at the dune filled wasteland. "If we want to set up a camp whilst it's still light then we should do it soon... Kankuro!"
"What?" Her sibling growled in annoyance.
"Go ahead, find a clearing to set up camp." She barked, her brother smirked and exhaled some breath he'd been holding in.
"Get away from these guys for a while? Happily."
"The rest of us will continue on this path... Come find us when you've found the place." Her brother nodded and jumped upwards, removing himself from sight. "Akarui, if you have one more competition I will knock you unconscious and carry your beaten body." The raven haired boy in front went deathly silent to his new friend's amusement.
"Sakkaku, she'll do the same to you if you rub it in." Shikamaru added quietly, the messy haired teen shut up also.
"Shina, we must travel in silence until we find camp. We're nearing bandit territory and I don't plan on being caught because of a young girl's mouth."
"Oh, S-Sorry, Temari-Sensei." The blonde turned and blushed deeply. Taiyō walked back to the blonde girl's side and turned back to her sensei when Shina wasn't looking, mouthing 'Thank you' much to Temari's approval.
"Yo sis, there's a clearing right up ahead." Kankuro called from her left. "Keep going straight... I didn't see anybody around either."
"Good work Kankuro."
Their camp was minimalistic. It couldn't even be classed as a camp in all fairness. The centre of the clearing had a small fire, softly crackling against the sounds of the desert night life. They were in a pit, surrounded by sand dunes and providing cover from the cool winds. Taiyō, Shina and Korosu had fallen asleep already, they were the closest to the fire due to feeling the chills of the desert first. Kankuro was keeping watch at this time, sitting atop of one of the dunes quietly, tinkering with a puppet as always. Sakkaku and Akarui still talked avidly about their new found friendship at the edge of the camp. Temari found herself polishing the metal of her fan, thinking about what was going to happen when she finally arrived at Konoha again. Ino would swarm her first, demand a girl's night out with all their other friends, which would only end up in the others getting very drunk... Tenten would be her usual self, overly friendly and warm, and yet still trying to prove she was better than Temari. Choji would be pleasant enough, he would welcome her back and try and convince her to stay as he usually did. Naruto and Hinata would turn on the charm, boast about married life and having a child... Usually Temari would go along with the trivialities, but this time she knew that Kankuro wouldn't stand for it. For every nice comment about Konoha there would be a snide remark and a counter compliment for Suna, for everyone who asked when Temari would make the move to Konoha, her brother would go mental at. The sandy haired nin chuckled to herself. She knew that was why Gaara had assigned him to escort Shikamaru. Speaking of the lazy ass...
She looked across the camp at him, watching him laze against the slope of sand behind him. She knew he wasn't sleeping. She could always tell when he was faking it. It was a knack she had. Without reason she found herself stand up, stepping over the sleeping heaps of genin. He opened his eyes to observe her calmly.
"Hey." She nodded, nudging his foot with her own.
"Hey." He replied, his eyes locking on hers and slowly softening. She sat herself next to him and exhaled loudly, touching her hip against his as she leaned on his broad shoulder. "What's all this about?"
"Nothing... I don't need a reason to come and sit with you." She snorted, he chuckled next to her, placing his lips on her head softly.
"That's true..." He murmured, resting his head on hers. "I was just thinking..."
"About?"
"You."
"Ah..."
"I want to spend more time with you... I think I'll come back to Suna with you after."
"Nonsense... I'll be staying in Konoha for a while, Kankuro will eventually take my team home and I'll stay for a month or so."
"I want longer than that." His voice took a serious edge, making the Sand Kunouchi's heart ache. "I need longer Temari."
"Shika... We have responsibilities..." She sighed, he turned to face her, knocking the blonde off his shoulder and holding her head in his hands. He gazed at her with an intensity that Temari couldn't remember she last saw him look at her like that. His eyes were filled with need, with passion, with emotions that Temari didn't even dare to place... They just locked her in place.
Then he kissed her.
He kissed her in such a way that Temari was sure her heart had stopped beating. It was almost as if time had stopped just so she could feel the adoration and lust that was caged up within him. She tried to deepen the embrace, but he held back... He kept it at the unbearable intensity that would cause her heart to shatter in a matter of minutes.
"I want to spend every day of my life with you Temari..." He exhaled close to her lips. She looked at him, big eyed and dazed and struggled to formulate any reply. "I want to one day have a family with you... As troublesome as it may be..." He laughed. "I can't stand the thought of being apart anymore... We're not getting any younger."
"Speak for yourself Nara... I still look nineteen." She chuckled, he rasped a laugh in reply.
"So I'll come stay in Suna for a while... A long while... We'll see how it goes." He smiled against her lips, which now contorted to a frown.
"I can't ask that of you... Shikamaru seriously, I can't make that decision."
"So let me make it..."
"No. You're willing to leave your clan, your mother, your friends who depend on you, for me?"
"Marriage is about sacrifice."
Temari pulled away further, a stern expression on her lips. "Then let me sacrifice it. I'll talk to Naruto and begin arrangements for a wedding. We have Gaara's blessing already, I'll live with you and your family in the compound... Then I wouldn't have the constant guilt of having snatched you from Konoha."
"And you'd rather I had that guilt? Taking you from your brothers, exonerating you from your country... You'd rather I live with that?
"Shikamaru, you know that isn't what I mean... "
"Temari please... I just... I just want to make you happy."
"I am happy! But I won't be if I'm that 'Suna bitch' who stole you from everyone... Sure I'll miss my brothers and my team, but you've so much more to lose!" She had risen to her feet now, attracting the attention of Akarui and Sakkaku who averted their curious gazes. Shina and Korosu were stirring, the blonde haired girl actually sitting up to see what was going on.
"I don't care Temari!" He growled, looking up at her lazily though his voice expressed his true emotions... She had frustrated him and the fact that he was getting like that made her even angrier, her hand was reaching for her fan, twitching near the grip zone until suddenly she felt her body go still. She couldn't move, her hand trembled with the force that she was exerting but it did not move. She glared at the dark haired man below her who looked up.
"Release me. Now." She snarled, he raised a brow at her, a stoic mask on his face.
"No."
"I said now, Shikamaru." Her voice cracked halfway, trembling with aggravation.
"I said no, Temari."
"Uhm, Shika-Sensei..?" Shina spoke up. "My- My mother is-"
"I know Shina, this is different." Shikamaru's harsh tone cut the stuttering girl short.
"N-No! I mean..-"
"Shina this isn't the time." His head snapped to hers, making Temari's follow . His eyes flared in anger. The shy Uzumaki drew into a silence.
"I'll kill you if you don't release her." A cold voice uttered behind Shikamaru's head, a wooden mechanism of an arm rested against the shadow master's throat. "Let my sister go." Kankuro ordered. Shikamaru did exactly as he commanded, releasing Temari, who drew her fan and lunged forward at her fiancé. Pointing the metal edge of the fan at his throat, though it shook with rage. "Temari, as the Uzumaki tried to say, there are two chakra's drawing near. I'm pretty sure one's Naruto so the other must be Hinata."
"That's right! So no killing my shinobi, Temari." A hoarse voice echoed over their camp, making Shina jump up with joy and run over to the dune.
"Mother!" She squealed as she tackled a dark figure to the floor. Temari's hand never wavered, nor did Kankuro's puppet.
"Aww... Shina... It kills when your mother gets a welcome like that, ya know?" Naruto whined, scratching the back of his head, only to be lunged at by his daughter in return.
"Haha... You shouldn't get jealous, Naruto-kun.." Hinata murmured softly, smiling at the whole camp in turn. "It is good to see you all, Temari-Chan, Kankuro-san."
"And so the suffix hell begins..." Kankuro murmured sarcastically, sparking a nod in agreement from his sibling.
"Lady Hinata." The two siblings nodded to the blushing ex-Hyuga. Shikamaru exhaled a deep breath in relief of his friends arrival. Temari resisted a bitter laugh, as if that would stop her.
"If you'd kindly release Shikamaru, we'd like to talk to you both." Hinata smiled at the situation.
"I'm not releasing him until he apologises to my sister." Kankuro roared, Shikamaru flinched as the concealed poisonous needles within his puppets arm jotted out threateningly.
"I apologise." Shikamaru growled, Temari shoved her fan to the floor before replacing it behind her back. She couldn't meet his gaze, she knew he'd look vaguely apologetic and she'd crumble. When was the last time he had used his own technique on her? She was sure it'd been in the bedroom some time but he had never used it on her during an argument. He had taken away her freedom, her will... And there was nothing she could do about it.
"Just leave me alone." She whispered. "I'll take the next watch."