Chapter 21 - the real one

Temari was nervous. As if going out with Kiba on a real date wasn't bad enough, he had dressed her again. Just like the first time when he took her to the club the dress fit perfectly. It wasn't as flashy as the club dress but it was a very nice semi-formal dress. Just as before it fit her perfectly.

It was easy enough to get dressed in her section of the hotel room. Now for the hard part: how to get away from the girls. How to get away from them without them even knowing she was gone. If they knew she was gone they would follow then they would be a problem to avoid after that. She would have absolutely no privacy with Kiba if they got that.

She slipped over to the door before cracking it open. She caught Etsuko's eye from the living room before motioning for her to come over. The girl excused herself from the other three by saying she was going to the bathroom to come see her.

"Wow. Don't you look pretty?" she commented when she enter the room. She jumped onto Temari's bed while the blond closed the door behind her.

"Thanks. I need to get out. Cover me." Temari said and Etsuko smiled.

"Sure thing." Etsuko said and got off the bed. She gave Temari a sceptical look. "How are you getting out?"

"The window." Temari answered as If it was the most obvious thing in the world. Etsuko laughed.

"In that dress?" she managed.

"Yea. Kiba will catch me if he has to." Temari said defensively and Etsuko only laughed more.

"That's not the point. Are you wearing tights?"

"Well duh. Not that dumb. I usually leave that to you."

"Hey!" Etsuko said affronted but smiled again when she saw the smile on Temari's face. "Hope you have fun. Now go jump your window."

"Whatever." Temari said before going to look out the window. Kiba wasn't there yet. She looked back at Etsuko with a small smile. The girl gave her a clueless look in return. "How was your visit to Shino? I forgot to ask yesterday but didn't you go hang with him earlier anyway?"

"It was fine. He's smart." Etsuko answered with a grin. "His bugs are really cool too. He's a cool guy."

Temari smirked at her before glancing out the window again and seeing Kiba approaching on the street. She gave Etsuko one last smile before teasing her. "Well I hope you two enjoy your next date."

Etsuko didn't get to reply because as soon as Temari had said it she had jumped through the window. Temari ran down the wall quickly keeping her dress from flaring too much before jumping towards Kiba. He caught her expertly despite being surprised by her sudden run and jump show. He raised a brow at her as she looked back at the window she had just come from to wave at Etsuko and call:"Told you so"

"Do I want to know?" Kiba asked when the Etsuko disappeared into the room. Temari smiled up at him and shook her head.

"Probably not." she said. He took her word for it and lowered her to her feet.

"You look stunning by the way." he told her as a smile tugged at his lips.

"The same could be said about you." she said offering him her hand. Her smile from before became a blush when he brought her hand to his lips before holding it properly. His eyes never left her face. "You're being awfully sweet today."

"Couldn't help it." he said leading them away. He gave her a smile. "You're cute when you blush."

"Shut up." she told him using her free hand to slap him playfully the arm. "I'm fierce."

"Yea. I think you would be pretty hot when you get like that but I don't want you getting all fierce on me so I won't test it." Kiba said with a laugh.

"That's 'cause you know I'll kick your hinny all the way to Suna and back express time."

"Hinny?" he asked trying to stifle a laugh. Temari pouted at him and he couldn't hold it in again. She was too cute when she was like this. "You set yourself up for that one."

"Oh! So we're playing this game! Oh cool. The night's still young kiddo!"

"If I'm a kid what does that make you?"

"It's only three years!"

"Don't worry. I don't mind age. As a matter of fact I find that some older women are more attractive than my own age groups."

"Oh really? Older women such as...?"

"Do you really want to know or are you ok with knowing you're at the top of the list."

Temari narrowed her eyes at him as she thought. "I'll let that one go... for now. That one there was too suspicious."

"You'll always be my favourite old lady." he said hugging her.

"It's only three years!" she exclaimed into his chest.

"I know." he said. "You beat out all girls that are older than me... And younger than me."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Temari told him pushing out of his arms.

"It's the truth." he told her before looking over her head at something behind her. "We're here by the way."

Temari spun to face the restaurant they had stopped in front of. It was actually a nice looking place.

"It's a civilian place so there's a low chance of any nins being here." he told her before leading her to the door and opening it for her. She realized just then that he hadn't let go of her hand since they set out. They quickly found a table where Kiba pulled a chair out for her to sit down on it. Temari watched with a smile as he walked around to his seat. "Menu is on the wall."

"I'll just have what you're having." she told him but still turned to look at the wall.

"What I'm having will have lots of meat and be very big." he told her with a smile.

"I like big." Temari said with a smile. He gave her an amused look when she turned to him. She raised a brow at him. "What happened to your tattoos? I swore they were there earlier."

"Oh. Just a small henge." he said running a thumb over one of his cheeks. "They draw attention in civilian crowds. They'd just keep staring."

"I didn't even notice when you did it." Temari marvelled. Before she could say anything else the waitress came over.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asked with a smile.

"Yea. Two of the special, one with extra meat for me." Kiba answered and she smiled at him writing on her notepad.

"Sure thing." she said before leaving them. They watched her go before looking back at each other.

"So today is the real one, right?"

"Yea. I didn't want to do anything too extravagant." Kiba answered and Temari leaned across the table with a sly smile.

"Then let's enjoy it."

"Hey. Where is Temari?"

"She went to sleep. Said the trip was finally catching up to her." Etsuko answered not taking her eyes from the TV.

"Doesn't she usually stay up?"

"She's getting old." Etsuko said with a shrug.

"Hey. I'm older than she is and I'm not getting old." Aiko said offended.

"Who knows, she's got a long day tomorrow doesn't she and maybe she wants to look good for her boyfriend or something." Etsuko told them before getting an idea. "Hey, they might work together!"

"She works with Shikamaru." Natsu dismissed with a frowned. It was a well-known fact.

"But is he the only one she works with?" Etsuko persisted. The girls gave her thoughtful looks as they contemplated it. It was quite possible. They had never asked that before.

"You do have a point." Hoshimi said eventually and the other girls agreed. This was their Temari they were talking about here. "Then we should do some research."

"Now?" Etsuko asked with a whine. Aiko looked just as unwilling to get up as she did. This was their Temari but it was also a small rest after a long trip.

"I don't want to go now either." Natsu stated with a small scowl. She was tired, very tired. Hoshimi sighed and got comfortable once again.

"Tomorrow we will be vigilantly watching Temari's every interaction." she said and received a grunt in return. Tomorrow was just fine with them. What could they find now anyway? Etsuko was just relieved that they were too tired to get to Temari.

All things considered, this was one the best dates Temari had in a while. It was great to be walking back to the hotel room with a pretty awesome guy walking with her and their hands twined together. The date had gone good as far as she was concerned and she didn't particularly want it to come to an end but any longer would be pushing it with the other girls. Etsuko could only hold them off for so long.

They both stopped walking when they came to the hotel. Temari looked at him almost shyly. She was always awkward with the end of dates. He smiled at her anyway.

"Well, I guess this is where I say goodbye til next time." Kiba stated and Temari laughed a little.

"Yea I guess." she said and he scratched the back of his head.

"Uhh... Bye?" he said awkwardly. They both laughed at how odd it was for the usually confident Inuzuka to behave like that. Temari decided to end the awkwardness with a step closer to him before raising her arms to wrap around his neck. His hands moved instinctively to her waist. She leaned up to kiss him softly before leaning about to look into his dark eyes.

"Bye Kiba." she whispered to him but didn't move to let him go. He didn't move away either. He leaned closer to her before capturing her in a slow sweet and long kiss. Temari could feel his hands move on her waist to pull her closer to him. Her hands combed through and softly tugged at the back of his hair.

"Goodnight Temari." he told her when they broke away. Her fingers were still in his hair. He leaned down to kiss her neck briefly and a hand came up to her arm to feel for the arm band he had given her. He could feel it.

"Goodnight." she told him as one hand slipped down to his cheesy to feel the chain she had given him. It was right there under his shirt. He gave her waist one more squeeze before releasing her.

"Sleep well." Kiba said taking a step back.

"You too."

"Well up you go."

"You just want to see under my skirt." she teased and he looked at her dubiously.

"Who else is supposed to see up there?" he asked and Temari gaped at him.

"Go home Kiba." she told him but couldn't hide her laughter. He gave her a suggestive smile.

"I can always carry you up." he offered still smiling.

"If you did you wouldn't leave then we'd be screwed." she pointed out. They looked at each other comfortable smile smiles adorning their faces.

"Later." Temari said finally.

"Later." he answered. They were still staring at each other.

"This is getting ridiculous." Temari said after another pause. Kiba laughed at her assessment. She stomped playfully. "I'm going up."

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." she repeated before skipping onto the wall and running up to the window of the room she was staying in. he watched her go and smiled back at her when she waved at him from the window before returning the wave. She would definitely see him tomorrow.

And thus began the blooming relationship that resulted in their marriage only a few months later. The wedding was a small one with only Tsume, Hana and Etsuko attending in the name of protecting the game. This was only the first wedding; the second more well attended and extravagant wedding would be held after the game had been found out. The game however would not end until the birth of their first child, their son, in the next year. Needless to say everyone was shocked but there was little that could be done at that point. Many people lost their money in the betting pool as well. In the end of it all though, they were laughing their hearts out.

-THE END-