A/N: Ehe...sorry it took longer than usual. I went to Universal Studios!! I tripped going out of the Mummy ride. :P Curse my clumsiness and my effin' awesome Airwalk's. :))
I got a new laptop! Now, I can update faster!! iBook BAYBEH! \m/-\m/
SHIKI'S TURN!
D is for Date: Because he shouldn't have told his teammate--or the blonde one.
Suna was less than a mile away for the four ANBU (ordered to dress jounin for this specific mission). Without their masks, their faces were red in the midday heat. Sakura, the one with the most exposed skin in her black half skirt, mesh shorts and red Haruno shirt under a heavy jounin vest was suffering extreme sunburn and fatigue. Neji, with his heavy Hyuuga robes was (not so) obviously tired, trudging through the desert. Shikamaru had rolled up the sleeves of his Nara-Konoha uniform, and Sasuke had downed the last of their water supply.
Once they got through the gates, Sakura raced for her blonde girl friend and nearly collapsed in the Sand-nin's arms. "Tema-chan, I don't know how they hell you stand it! Kankuro wears a black hoody!" The medic cried.
"Ne, you get used to it Saku-chan." Temari explained, pushed Sakura a safe distance from her. Once she did, the other Konoha shinobi appeared behind their female teammate. "Good afternoon Hyuuga-san, Uchiha-san, Shikamaru."
Sakura got over her 'OMEE IT'S SO HOT' rant to raise a perfect pink eyebrow. "Tema-chan, why are Sasuke and Neji referred to with last names while Shikamaru is…well, Shikamaru?"
Temari shot a look at her pink-haired friend. "Er…ehm, Gaara is waiting for you in the Kazekage tower. I'll take you guys there." She raced ahead of the group, the three boys following after. Sakura continued to raise her eyebrow before shaking it off, deciding to ignore it for the moment.
--
They were halfway back to Konoha, the Sand Siblings in tow. They set up came about a mile and a half from a lake, surrounded by the large pines of River Country.
The Konoha shinobi took 2 shifts from the 2-hour watch circulation, 2 shinobi at a time, with the Suna bodyguards of the Kazekage and siblings. Neji and Sasuke took the first shift. With the Byakugan and Sharigan, they could find any potential attackers hiding in the flora of the forest. Two hours and no attackers later, two of the four-man team of Sand shinobi took over for the two prodigies.
Another two hours later, Sakura and Shikamaru took the watch. They attached their radios on their necks and stuck the extension in their ears. The shadow wielder took the north side, while the medic took the south.
"Honestly," Sakura's voice came over Shikamaru's earpiece. "You could be so dense."
"Pardon?" The Nara asked, confused by his kunoichi teammate's inquiry.
"Yeesh, and I thought you were a genius. Temari is SO into you. What, do you need a neon sign hanging above her head screaming 'Ask me out GODDAMNIT!'" The fifth's apprentice cried, causing Shikamaru to cringe slightly. "When we get to Konoha, you're going be her guide, whether you like it or not. You shall take her to Yamato Park, sit by the big-ass waterfall, out in the open under the sun so you can go cloud watching together!"
Shikamaru was so overwhelmed with his teammate's rant; he had to pull the earpiece away from his sensitive eardrum. "Alright, ALRIGHT Sakura, I'll ask her out! Just quiet down! I still don't know how the hell you passed the ANBU exams with all your noise…"
"Genius, remember? And take note of two of my best friends—blonde, loud and obnoxious, remember?"
"You're best friends with quiet Hyuuga too, right?"
--
"INOOOO!!!" Sakura ran into the flower shop and slammed her fists on the counter, just as her blonde best friend was coming up from under the counter. A violent bump was heard followed by a screech, just before Ino herself was able to appear, rubbing her head.
"Billboard Brow, can you keep the screaming to a minimum? Geez, you're worst than Naruto sometimes."
"Guess which one of my teammates bagged a date…?" Sakura said, and Ino noted the teasing tone in her voice. After the blue-eyed girl thought long and hard, and silence grew between them, the pinkette's overly cheery grin turned into a scowl. "C'mon Ino. At least ONE of my teammates should be straight."
Ino eyed the girl curiously. "Are you sure?"
"IT'S SHIKAMARU FOR KAMI'S SAKE!" Sakura cried, waving her arms frantically in a 'matter-of-factly' way. "With Tema-chan!"
Ino suddenly lightened up. After she and Chouji became an item, she's been trying to get Shikamaru on a date for God-knows-how-long. "I've been trying to do that for years! How'dya get him to do it?"
Sakura sighed. "Scream in his ear through the earpiece in a loud and obnoxious voice."
--
"Nani Sakura, what are you so happy for?" Tsunade asked as her apprentice as the pinkette was dancing around with a stack of papers.
"You haven't heard, Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura questioned. "One of my teammates has finally found love!"
"YOU MEAN NARUTO FINALLY CONFESSED TO HINATA?!" Tsunade stood up and plastered the overly happy grin Sakura wore a few seconds ago.
"A…no. The other team."
"SHIKAMARU FINALLY ASKED TEMARI OUT?"
Sakura nodded, and the teacher-student team was jumping around the circular office, celebrating the strategist's first date.
Shizune walked in, holding a clipboard full of meeting schedules. "Tsunade, the—" She saw the two other females rejoicing for some strange reason. "I'll come back later." She said, closing the door as a single sweat drop trickled down her forehead.
(A/N: Sorry, I just HAD to add that. :D)
--
Sakura was overwhelmed—SHIKA FOLLOWED HER ADVICE! And she was following him…along with Ino.
The two girls were perched in a tree, not too far away from the falls themselves. The tandem was nearby. The falls may have blocked the audio, but being kunoichi, they were experienced in the art of lip reading.
"Holy…"
Shikamaru leaned into Temari, so close that their noses touched. They could see him smirk and Temari blush as he came in closer and…
"PICTURE OP!" Sakura shouted/whispered and brought out her digital camera. While Shika and Tema were having their own moment, Sakura was having her own. "My team's not completely gay!" She chanted. "It's my birthday!"
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru and Temari appeared beside her. "I would chase after you since you have that picture, but after seeing Sasuke and Neji fail, it's too…TROUBLESOME."
"Aha! Smart boy…" Sakura smiled and ruffled his hair.
A/N: Please review! It will make me happy!!! :D