Turning point: Chapter 11

:Kin:

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Never one to back down from a challenge, Tayuya resumed her walk, she made her steady way towards her new home with an attempt to possibly ignore the boys that were blocking her way. For a moment it seemed like they were simply going to let her pass, she managed to make it past them with her head facing forwards and her eyes avoiding theirs. That was until she was stopped by a voice.

"Hey, don't think you can just pretend we're not here sunshine."

The taller boy spoke up, the pair of them turning together to face her again.

"I think you know why we're here."

"Kankuro, c'mon, you don't have to-"

"Enough Temari, you know full well that this is how we deal with these things."

Temari shot the boy a dirty look but lowered her head and went silent, Tayuya didn't really understand why she would suddenly start taking crap from anyone, but it definitely wasn't making her feel any better about any of this.

"So why ARE you here?" Tayuya responded without turning around, taking a moment to watch Temari's almost pained expression. "You gonna try and take my lunch money or something?"

Turning her head just enough to see Kankuro's face drop into a scowl, she gave an arrogant smirk. Much as she was trying to be a good girl, she had to admit that it felt good to act like a badass again.

"Don't fuck with me!" Kankuro snapped as he reached to grab the redhead's collar, pulling her towards himself, their faces meeting close up as she kept the taunting sneer on her face.

"You think you can just attack my sister after she risked her neck to save yours? Do you have any idea what I'm gonna do to you you mangy bitch?!"

Tayuya wasn't even tuned in enough to listen to Temari's pleas to her brother to stop, the realization that Temari really had risked everything to bring her back hit her into a brief moment of shock. It wasn't until Kankuro did let her go that she snapped back to reality, she stared almost blankly at the black-clad shinobi and watched him change his stance from closed and confrontational to open and taunting.

"Alright, since my dearest sister seems to think I should give you a chance, I think I will." He brought his face closer and looked Tayuya dead in the eyes. "Hit me. If you think you can hit her then hit me too, I'm ready whenever you-"

WHAM!

Kankuro reeled backwards and landed flat on his ass as Tayuya cut him off with a solid punch in the nose, a silent six seconds passed until she stood up straight, still holding up her fist.

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you were ready."

The rage building in Kankuro's expression was instantly wiped for one of surprise when a loud and hearty cackle from behind the redhead caught everyone's attention. Temari had literally doubled over she was laughing so hard, the tough guy look firmly knocked off his face, Kankuro turned to the shorter boy as if asking for help.

"Gaara, are you gonna let her get away with that?"

The cold stare of the third sand sibling watched Tayuya for a moment, sending a slight chill up her spine, wondering if she'd have to defend herself against whatever he might have she changed her posture a little to better react.

"You were asking for it."

The calm and reserved response he gave caused even Tayuya to let out a snort of amusement, Kankuro's mouth hung open as all his options ran out in one fell swoop. Realizing there was no coming back from such an embarrassing setback he simply picked himself up and walked off to the side of the street to tend to his bleeding nose.

Tayuya looked down at her shopping bags which had been dropped in the dust when she'd been grabbed, the few pieces of fruit and vegetables that hadn't rolled out into the dirt were badly bruised and useless now. Cursing under her breath she knelt down to start salvaging what she could but was halted by Temari's face lowering to her level, a wide smile on her face and still chuckling in her throat.

"Look Red, I'm sorry about earlier." Tayuya gave her a look that was intended to be disinterest but just wound up looking bratty. "I know I overstepped the mark and I won't go back there if you're gonna slap me back behind it. Let's just go back to before, I'll make the witty comments and you give me the eye over them, yeah?"

As dumb as she was being, Tayuya couldn't help but think that the girl had a point. She was still pissed at Temari for poking the bear with a slab of meat, but not being able to be in the same room as her was annoyingly hard for her. She was after all the person who saved her life.

"Fine." She replied after purposely making it obvious she was thinking about it. "But you cut down on making me mad, or there's more than a sore face waiting for you."

Giving an oddly enthusiastic nod, Temari grinned like a kid who had just been given free candy. "Deal."

Tayuya couldn't stop the smirk that pulled at her lips with the blond's childish demeanor, looking back down to retrieve her shopping. Taking hold of her wrists without warning, Temari stopped her again.

"Let me make it up to you, let me buy you dinner tonight."

Chestnut eyes blinked rapidly as Tayuya did a double take, looking at the girl in disbelief.

"What? Dinner? How is that?-"

Temari simply stood up, pulling the redhead to her feet with a giggle one would expect from a younger girl.

"I'll come get you at seven, you don't have to dress up or anything, just make sure you're ready."

Without waiting for a reply the suna girl took off running and leaped to the rooftops, Gaara bowed his head shortly after and followed, a frantic Kankuro taking the rear of the movement as they simply left him behind.

Still watching the space where she'd last seen Temari, Tayuya stood alone in the middle of the street and tried to comprehend what she'd just been pulled into. The sudden realization of it all hitting her like a ton of bricks on her head.

"I don't even have dress clothes!"

Her words echoed in the empty street, nobody but herself to hear her delayed response.