And here's Chapter 7. This one took a while, but I'm setting up future altercations with this chapter. I like it. I think I captured two uneasy teens pretty good. We'll see when you guys review. I recently ordered my new laptop, since the one I'm currently typing on decided to be a bitch. I forgot how expensive those things were...Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Pain Inside.

Oh, and uh, expect things to be kinda sporadic until I get my new laptop in. I never know what this crazy thing I'm typing on is gonna do.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Naruto woke up the next morning at the crack of dawn. There was much to do and so little time to do it. He needed to perfect the rasengan and the rasen-shuriken. He had made good progress with the rasengan and was well within completing it fully. The rasen-shuriken was another story altogether. It was still shredding his arms and the memory of that pain was not comforting. Luckily, none of his clones had had a 'Kyuubi episode' and hadn't needed to be dispelled.

He figured that another two hundred clones and he'd have rasengan perfected by lunch. He wondered how many he should dedicate to the shuriken technique as he wandered down to start breakfast. He wanted to avoid Temari as much as possible, at least until that evening. That way they'd have something to talk about. He grunted as he grabbed some eggs out of the fridge. Thinking in too many directions had never been his strongpoint.

First, he had to get his priorities straight for the day. As he sat the frying pan down on the burner and turned it on, he quickly stepped outside and formed two hundred clones. He gave them their instructions and they rushed off into the desert to work on the technique. He figured it wouldn't be too long now…

He shuffled back inside and cracked the eggs against the pan, pouring the yolks inside. Stage one complete, now for stage two. He waited for his eggs to finish before putting them on a plate and taking a seat at the table. As he quickly ate, his mind turned back to his date for the night. She was certainly a lively one. She loved to tease him for some reason and yet, even when she was aggressive, there was an underlying playful tone to it. He shook his head and wolfed the rest of his eggs down. He couldn't afford to be distracted today. There was too much to do.

Not wishing to wash his plate at the moment, he threw it in the sink and walked out the door. He focused and summoned nearly five hundred clones, gave them their orders, and they left to start the rasen-shuriken jutsu. He hoped they would make some headway today…

Turning on his heel, he began to trek to Gaara's office. He wanted to get started on his land if possible.

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Gaara had been having a peaceful morning, something not often seen in Suna. His hopes for it remaining like that were crushed when he saw Naruto walk through his door pulling an angry secretary behind him. The Kazekage winced and sighed heavily. His blonde friend could be such a pain in the ass.

"I'm telling you, you don't have an appointment to see Kazekage-sama. Please leave now!"

"And I'm telling you, I'm a friend of his and it'll only take a moment. Get off me lady!"

"Mori, leave him be. I'll deal with him."

The woman bowed and shot Naruto another glare before shutting the door behind her with a firm click. Naruto huffed and sat down in the chair in front of Gaara, ignoring the swirling sand behind him.

"And why have you chosen to grace me with your presence this morning Naruto? I hope it isn't anything too pressing? Or have you decided to renege on your date with my sister?"

"Easy, easy. Nothing like that. I was just wondering if you'd found a plot of land for me to purchase yet. I was kind of hoping to get started on it."

Gaara blinked twice and turned around to grab a scroll sitting on his windowsill. He tossed it to Naruto and leaned back in his chair.

"It's on the outskirts of the city, outside the walls. It's all I could get you that put you away from everyone else. You have virtually unlimited space, it's larger than the compound. There is a small spring located in a cave on the property and sparse vegetation like you asked for. It is truly a desolate little piece of dirt. Why did you ask for those specific requirements?"

Naruto grinned at his friend and stood to leave. He needed to inspect his new home.

"Because even a flower on the verge of dying can be brought back to bloom beautifully if taken care of with tenderness and love. Remember that Gaara."

Naruto left out the room, glaring at the secretary as he went by. Gaara could have sworn that he saw electricity shoot between the two. He sighed as he ushered in his next appointment.

'A dying flower huh? I wonder if you can actually do anything with that dirt pit…'

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Temari groaned as she woke up and stretched, her oversized t-shirt riding up over her toned tummy. She always slept in late on weekends she was off, simply because there was nothing better to do. Besides, she'd need all her energy for tonight. If there was one thing she'd learned over the years, it was that when with Naruto, expect the unexpected and be well rested. You never know what kind of trouble would follow the boy…

She was somewhat irked to find that Naruto had left the house already, leaving just her there alone. While not normally a problem, she had become somewhat accustomed to having the blonde there in the house somewhere. He was like a security blanket, as long as he was close she felt…safe. Hell, the other night, he had been reading a scroll on the couch in the living room and she had plopped down beside him to see what he was reading. Her curiosity piqued when she saw it was a gardening scroll. After several minutes of reading over his shoulder she had suddenly became sleepy and fell asleep propped up against his shoulder. She had woken hours later to find the blonde passed out sitting up and herself stretched out lengthwise, her head in his lap, with a blanket over her.

She secretly wished for more nights like that…and who knows what the future may hold?

It had been comfortable and comforting to just sleep leisurely like that. And he hadn't seemed to mind in the least…as long as she wasn't trying to grab his goodies. She giggled as she remembered the night before. He had been afraid she was going to make a grab for him. Of course she wouldn't. She'd never do that. She might tease and bully slightly, but she'd never act inappropriately toward someone she was genuinely interested in…and there weren't many she was interested in.

As she poured herself some cereal, she thought back over the past few weeks. Her fellow blonde had invaded her thoughts constantly and, while annoying at times, the thoughts about him were always happy ones, filled with laughter and mirth. Even the stoic, stony Gaara loosened up around the last Uzumaki. Not much mind you, but enough to count. Temari's eye twitched as she threw her bowl into the sink. All this thinking was messing with her head.

'Screw it. I'm going to the hot springs and then the salon to get ready for this evening.'

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Naruto nodded to the gate guard as he stepped out of the safety of Suna and into the desert to make his way around the wall to his new home. He whistled as he walked, the hot air blowing in his face. This was not his native land. The trees, the rivers, the forest, the sweet, clean air…that was his home. But here, in this barren wasteland, perhaps he could bring a little of his home closer to him. If his mother's jutsus were worth anything, perhaps he could restore what was once lost. He could bring life back to that which was all but lifeless…

He looked around as he entered the grounds that Gaara had laid out for him. He could see the cave up on a hillside, the mouth gaping like that of a fish. Naruto grimaced as he spun around, taking it all in. There was a cactus here and there but other than that, no vegetation.

'I believe Gaara and I have a different definition of the word sparse.'

When he said sparse he meant a plant every few feet, not nine or ten total in the whole area. He walked into the cave and looked around. It had a hole in the ceiling that filtered light in and he noticed immediately why the place was lit up. Crystals of all shapes and sizes were everywhere. Prisms throwing light in every direction. It was spellbinding. He'd absolutely have to bring Temari here…that thought threw him for a loop. But upon further introspection, yes, he would bring her here. After all, it was pretty and girls liked pretty things.

He walked to the far back of the cave and ran his hand over the rock. It was smooth and cool to the touch. Not like he'd expected. The spring in the middle of the cave was small and a pool of water had formed below it. He bent to drink and found the water cold and sweet. He'd have to inspect and see if he could find the source further down. He walked back outside into the sunlight and shielded his eyes from the sun. He turned back to stare into the cave one last time and saw a pair of black eyes staring back at him from the pool.

The creature sat on two legs staring at him while washing something in the water. Its bushy tail swept back and forth and its banded eyes seemed to bore into him. He watched as its whiskers twitched before its eyes widened and it suddenly poofed out of existence.

'Was that…a raccoon?'

He shook his head and cursed himself for not covering up more while out under the accursed sun. He was already starting to hallucinate. Better to finish up what he wanted to do before heading back to the compound to research more. He walked down the hill and stopped beside a cactus at the bottom. He sat down underneath it in the shade of one of its arms and crossed his legs, his hands clasped together, his eyes screwed shut. He shut out everything around him, the wind, the sand, the blistering heat of that damned sun! He focused only on what lay beneath him, the untapped potential that the desert had lost for ages.

He lost himself in the green, remembering his mother's written words.

It is not enough to see the green, feel the green; you must lose yourself in the green, bring it to the surface, make it bend to your will. You must push the life giving chakra into the green and force it into the sun. If it is existing flora, make it flourish. Make it large, make it beautiful. If it is a seed, make it grow, make it strong, make of it what you will. The hardest thing to accomplish, is to make green from nothing. The Shodaime Hokage was able to make Konoha by utilizing his jutsu.

The green bowed to him and observed him as its master. But no man since has come close to ruling the green. The green is reluctant to serve. One must make it their own. Making barren land fertile again is a worthwhile cause but it must be for the right reason. If one seeks to make the green come forth for ill will, the green will turn on that person and consume them. The green is like all other elements. It only bends because it wants to and recognizes the wielder as worthy of that power. One must have a tie to nature to use the green.

If you are able to utilize the green, it will follow you wherever you go. It will help you in life. The green is vain and wants to be seen as beautiful. To bring the green to a place where there is no green makes it stand out and it will be pleased. And remember always, the green can be your best friend…or your worst enemy. If you cannot make peace with it, better to let it alone than to be consumed by it.

Naruto had pondered her words for quite a while now and thought he understood them. As long as he didn't use the green for malicious purposes, it would help him make this land beautiful again. All he had to do was act as the conductor and let it take its course. He shuddered when he felt the first spike as it began to creep toward the surface. He could literally feel it coming. Soon he felt the ground vibrate and sand began to erupt everywhere around him. After several moments everything settled back down and he opened his eyes to find…green.

In a fifteen-foot circle around him, everything was green. There was soft grass and a few flowers; there was even a small shrub. He knew of course that they would die without water, but if he kept them watered daily, until he could secure a better water source…surely the green would forgive him if the first experiment failed. He stood and glanced around, happy with his advancement.

'It's not near what mom could have done, but then again, I don't remember reading where she tried to bring life back to a desert. I hope you are happy with our arrangement.'

He knelt on the grass reverently and could feel a cool sensation pass through him. Whatever essence made up the green seemed to be pleased. That was a good sign. Naruto smiled and made his way back to the gates of Suna to get ready for his date.

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A furry figure watched from the mouth of the cave as the blonde ninja walked away, its eyes wide with excitement.

'He can make the green from nothing! The Master will want to hear about this. Perhaps, we have found the right one…'

It poofed away without a trace, throwing one last glance at the luscious green grass.

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Naruto sighed as he walked past the sight where his clones were training. One of them saw him and dispelled itself, the memories flooding his mind. All the rasengan clones had perfected the technique and he smiled as he did it with no difficulty. It was like second nature now. Those clones had gone on to try to perfect the rasen-shuriken but that was still slow going. They were making small progress however. The blood flow was lessening with every try.

He waved to the guards as he walked past toward the compound. It still was unsettling even now to be walking through the streets of a city and not be looked down upon. Hell, some of the girls were pointing and giggling at him. Not because he looked funny, but because they were thinking impure thoughts about him. It made him happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because he was finally seen as a heartthrob. Sad, because in Konoha, no matter how good he looked, he was a demon. As he walked through the gates of the compound, he grimaced and looked up at the sky.

'Ah fuck 'em. I've got a new life here.'

He walked inside to begin cleaning up for his date…and to get a little more study time in.

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Temari hummed happily to herself as she walked home. Her time at the spa and salon had been wonderful. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone there with intent to impress someone. Probably never, but hey, that's beside the point. She bounded up to her room to get ready for the evening, ignoring the sounds coming from Naruto's bedroom. She'd be seeing him soon enough.

She began to dig through her closet to find something, anything to wear. She frowned at her miniscule selection. She really should have gone shopping earlier. All she had were kimonos and the old battle dresses she used to wear. Temari was a practical girl though, and figured that a teal kimono would be best, as it complimented her eyes. She wasn't truly sure what he would be wearing, but then again, she didn't really care. He could show up in a clown outfit for all she cared, as long as she had a good time. She knew he was a good person and totally worthy of her consideration. This was just to get to know him better.

She jumped onto her bed and grabbed a stuffed bear, cuddling it to her chest. The world outside may know her as a jounin, a kunoichi, the sister of the Kazekage, but here, in her own domain, she was a soft, caring individual. She loved her stuffed animals and the comfort they brought her. They helped her to think. And right now, she needed to think. She had a date to plan out and a boy to impress. She had her kimono, now she needed to finish the ensemble.

Her shoes weren't of much consequence. She'd just wear some formal sandals and that was that. She never wore much jewelry so a necklace wouldn't be a bad idea, but she didn't want him to take his eyes away from her. She wanted him to look at her, not at anything too glittery. Makeup was out of the question. She looked good without it and she knew it. Besides, she'd have to raid Kankurou's room to get some and she absolutely refused to wear kabuki makeup. Nope, not happening.

Her mind wandered to what Naruto was doing at the moment. She wondered if he was as worried over the date as she was…

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Naruto was freaking out. He had no idea what to do on a date. Sure, he'd gone out eating with his friends and had even eaten out alone with Sakura once, but Sai and Kakashi had interrupted them. He shook his head and looked back at the scroll that he had been intending to read further into. He was letting old memories get to him. He needed to look to the future. He needed to think about the date…

'Oh fuck! What time is it?'

He immediately swung his eyes to the clock and blanched when he saw he only had an hour to get ready. He snapped the scroll back shut and leapt off the bed, headed for the bathroom door. He needed to shower and then pick out what he was going to wear. Shit, hopefully Temari wasn't very picky when it came to attire. He leapt out of the shower and began toweling off, his hair standing in every direction. He growled at the follicles; they never did what he wanted. He resigned himself to his usual hairstyle and ran to his closet.

He wanted to knock her on her butt with his sense of fashion but he had little in the way of eveningwear. He'd have to use his normal clothes and try to look acceptable. At least he had one suit that was semi formal. It would at least get him into any restaurant she wanted to go to. He threw on the outfit and summoned a clone to look him over.

"So? How's it look?"

The clone gave one last appraising look and offered a thumb's up.

"Eh, it'll work. You'll be able to get into formal places at least. Hopefully she'll approve. I think it looks ok."

Naruto nodded and the clone dispelled itself with a salute. Naruto sat on the edge of his bed, a nervous wreck, and suddenly fell to the floor clutching his head. He growled and punched the floor.

'Which fucking clone's idea was it to dispel all at once? Fucking dumbasses.'

"Ugh, I hate when that happens. Feels like I been kicked in the balls…"

He stood back up and shook to rid himself of the tingling feeling that came with an information overload. He glanced back at the clock and sighed.

'Might as well head downstairs and wait for Temari to make her grand entrance.'

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Temari let out a long breath and opened her bedroom door. She was ready. This was it, the moment of truth. Her entire evening hinged on his reaction to her when she walked down those stairs. If she didn't get a favorable reaction from him, the date was as good as ruined right off the bat. And she didn't think she could take that. Temari calmed herself and began her descent. It was showtime.

Naruto sat on the couch, twiddling his thumbs nervously. It was nerve-wracking, waiting on the girl to come down. Luckily they had no time constraints; they had no one to over see them. This was their night. He heard her soft footsteps coming down the stairs and stood to receive her. His jaw dropped at the sight and his eyes widened.

There stood Temari in a teal kimono that hugged every curve of her body, accenting everything that made her both dangerous and sensuous. Her hair was pulled back into the four familiar ponytails and Naruto was glad for that. He rather liked her unique hairstyle. She wore no jewelry or makeup, save for a locket on a choker around her neck that only diverted his attention for a moment. His eyes traveled all over her, taking in the luscious curves and the newly manicured toenails, back up to her taught stomach and the white sash around her waist, to her smooth arms and finally to her immaculate face.

He drowned in her green eyes and had to pull away so that he wouldn't get lost in them. He stared at her pouting lips and barely registered the gasp that escaped her lips or the hand that rose to her chest. He was drinking up everything about her.

She was beautiful…

Temari had walked downstairs slightly hyperventilating. She had rounded the corner of the small hallway and had kept her eyes unfocused until Naruto had taken in her appearance. She heard no response and her heart sank. Slowly, she raised her gaze until she saw how he was dressed and she gasped and her hand flew to her chest, right over her heart.

Before her stood a young man who seemed to be chiseled from the finest stone, created by a master artisan. Everything about him screamed danger and yet, he also exuded a calming aura. His well-defined muscles were present under the long sleeved white button up shirt he wore, the black jacket slung over his arm. The black pants were loose and yet, if she squinted hard enough, she could see the well-muscled legs beneath them. He was the epitome of how a shinobi should look. She noticed how his hair fell over his eyes and gave him an otherworldly look. She liked it like that.

His blue eyes seemed endless and Temari couldn't tear her gaze away from them. She was somewhat aware of the fact that he was blatantly staring at her and usually that would warrant a bash over the head. But for the moment, they were both allowed to look unhindered. She took in his whisker marks and suddenly wanted to touch them again. She wanted to run her fingers through that oddly feeling hair.

He was perfect…

Both let out breaths they hadn't known they were holding and he spoke before her.

"You're so beautiful…"

She blushed slightly at the high praise and offered her own appraisal.

"You're so handsome…"

Naruto let a nervous grin splay across his face and crossed the room to stand in front of her and held out his arm.

"Shall we?"

Temari smiled and hooked her arm in his. Tonight was going to be good.

"Yes, let's."

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The crowd seemed mesmerized by the two blondes that walked through the city on their way to dinner. Neither had said anything during their walk, preferring to save conversation for dinner, but both felt extremely comfortable with one another. Temari, despite the chilled night air, felt warm and felt no sign of goosebumps on her arms. She knew how to use chakra to guard against the hot days and cold nights of Suna but she was sure Naruto did not. The boy didn't seem bothered by this however. He just walked on without a hint of discomfort and it was then that Temari remembered that everytime she had physical contact with Naruto it had been warm, like a blanket had enveloped her.

It was then she realized that the boy emitted a natural warmth around him and whoever was in contact with him received that warmth. It was just right, a temperature that was pleasant, and with long enough exposure, could be like a tranquilizer. Temari was enjoying it already.

They reached the restaurant she had chosen and were ushered in immediately. Temari chose the best food and drink for the both of them and they lapsed into conversation to pass the time.

"So tell me Naruto…what did you think when you found out who your parents were?"

A sad smile flitted across his face and his voice echoed both his happiness and sadness.

"I was both ecstatic and angered, at the same time. I finally knew who they were, I had pictures, I had a family. They might not be there, but they had loved me, I had been…wanted. I didn't just appear out of nowhere you know? I hadn't always been an unwanted child. As soon as I saw my mother's face I nearly fell into tears. The picture showed her with her hand on her belly, she'd been about eight months pregnant with me and she seemed so happy. My father stood beside her with his hand beside hers. I was happy that I was his son, but at the same time…"

Naruto's face darkened and Temari stiffened slightly.

"I hated him for what he did. I don't now, but for a second, I did. I understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, but the way Konoha treated me…were they really worth it? I wasn't chosen to be the jailor because of worth…I was chosen out of necessity. Any other child could have been the container, but I just happened to be born that day. Destiny? Or Kami's twisted sense of humor? Sometimes I wonder."

He looked back up at her and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry Temari. I got all gloom and doom on you. This is supposed to be a happy day."

"Don't apologize. Both of our families were torn by our fathers' decisions."

"Perhaps…what about you though? Let's hear about your family."

"You already know that Naruto. I never really had a family beyond Kankurou and Gaara. Our father was too busy leading a country and being an asshole to ever be a parent. Our mother was a loving individual to Kankurou and I but I question how loving she was when she cursed Gaara upon his birth. It hadn't been his fault that father implanted a demon in him. But she didn't curse father. She cursed her newborn son. I hate her for that."

Temari looked into his eyes, expecting to see anything but the understanding she saw. How was it that the boy was so…empathic?

"I understand completely. I wonder at times if my mother cursed me for harboring a demon before she died. If she saw her son as a demon, instead of the child she gave birth to. You know, I don't even know if my whisker marks are natural or not. I guess it's my mark, kind of like the shape of my eyes and my canines. But enough about me, let's hear about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"What you like, what you don't like, your dreams, you know…that stuff."

"This isn't a genin assignment Naruto. You already know all that. Let's swap war stories. I'll start."

They'd sat, sharing stories of their times as ninja of the past, until their food arrived. Conversation was put on hold immediately. Food was more important at the moment.

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Temari covered her eyes with both hands and sighed. Everything had gone perfectly until the food arrived. They were hitting it off so well and then Naruto became a bundle of nerves because he didn't want to offend her with his horrible manners. She, of course, didn't care, but he didn't want to embarrass her. He'd ended up spilling his drink all over her kimono, dumped some of his food on the floor and had nearly dumped the table over when he stood up.

She knew he wasn't that clumsy normally, he was just nervous. And now he was walking beside her with his head hanging in shame. She looked at him and frowned. He hadn't said a word since they'd left the restaurant. It just wasn't like the perpetually happy ninja to be depressed…and she was going to save their date one way or another.

Naruto was despondent. He'd totally ruined everything. The one girl who had shown interest in him, true interest, and he'd fucked up everything. Why did he have to be such a klutz? It nearly brought tears to his eyes. She hadn't said anything to him since they'd paid the bill and he hadn't the courage to say a word. It would only make the situation worse. He was suddenly jerked in the opposite direction by a firm hand.

"Come on Naruto, we're going somewhere else."

He nodded his consent and let himself be led. When they got there he'd apologize for his behavior and beg her forgiveness.

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Temari sighed as they stood atop the cliff overlooking Suna. It was truly beautiful on a full moon, the minerals in the desert seemed to twinkle like a million stars. Her vision swung to the blonde beside her, his eyes still downcast.

"Naruto…"

His head immediately snapped up.

"Temari I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do any of that. Please, forgive…"

"Shut up."

Naruto winced and hung his head. So she really was pissed at him. Hot tears stung at the corner of his eyes. He'd tried so hard to make it perfect, but it seemed higher powers were working against him. He was just about to run home when a calloused, yet soft hand found its way to his cheek.

"Naruto, look at me."

He lifted his eyes to stare into her green ones. No matter what, he still thought they were beautiful.

"I know you didn't mean any of that. And I'm not mad, I'm not disappointed. You had a bad night. You were nervous. I can understand that. I was nervous too."

"…you didn't ruin your date's clothes…"

"No I didn't. But I also realize that I'm not perfect. That could have easily been me Naruto, dumping everything on you. I find you interesting Uzumaki Naruto, and I never was one to let something that interested me go until I was satisfied with my conclusions about it."

"I'm sure your conclusion of me dropped a few notches tonight."

"No. I'm not holding tonight against you. You know what to expect of a date now. Next time will be better. And the one after that, and the one after that. It'll get better, I promise."

Naruto gaped at the girl and his breath hitched. She had yet to take her hand away from his cheek.

"But…why would you want to go on another date with me? Why take such an interest in me?"

Temari sighed and her hand dropped from his face to her side, as she turned back to the desert. She missed the warmth he gave off already and shivered slightly.

"You're a good person Naruto. No matter what anyone says, I know it, Gaara knows it, Kankurou knows it, and you know it. I want to get to know you better because you're one of the few guys I've ever come across who seemed worthy of my time."

'And the fact that you're one of the few Gaara and Kankurou would ever approve of doesn't hurt either. Their guidelines are way too strict.'

Temari turned back to the stunned boy and patted his cheek affectionately.

"Next time will be better. Let's say, next weekend? Now let's go home, I want to get out of this kimono."

Naruto chuckled nervously as she took his hand. He didn't notice the smile on her face as his warmth ran over her body.

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Temari sighed happily as they walked back inside the house. It had been…an eventful night. She turned to Naruto and offered him a bright smile.

"Despite what you may think Naruto, I enjoyed the vast majority of our date. You did good, well above my expectations."

His eye twitched at that.

"You mean you expected a lousy date?"

"No, I just didn't expect to have that much fun or be that comfortable around you. Now, we say goodnight."

"All right then, goodnight Temari."

He turned to go upstairs but turned back when he heard her cough and begin to tap her foot.

"What? Did I forget something?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. You forgot my kiss and hug."

"Kiss? Are you serious? On the first date?"

"Not a make out you moron. A small, chaste kiss and a hug to let me know you appreciated our time together."

"I suppose that's acceptable."

He crossed the room and enveloped her in a hug. He had always loved hugs since he never got them as a child. He didn't really know how to kiss though. That was one thing he was deficient in. Temari, however, was glad to take initiative and pecked him on the lips, lingering only slightly. She pulled back and smiled at him, giving him one last squeeze.

"See? That wasn't so hard now was it? I expect a kiss and hug after every date."

Naruto nodded dumbly and began to trek back upstairs. This evening had gone beyond his expectations. Temari followed him. Neither saw the figure appear out of the shadows holding a night vision camera.

'Heh, blackmail city. Kankurou, you are the man.'

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Temari lay on her bed in her nightshirt, a stuffed teddy bear in her arms. She couldn't get the kiss out of her head. It hadn't been more than two seconds but that was enough to make her want more.

'It was like my whole body was on fire. I wonder if he can make that warmth flow throughout his whole body.'

The mystery of Naruto's warmth began to fade as sleep claimed her. She fell asleep with a smile on her face and a promise to thoroughly enjoy their next outing. It promised to never be boring with him around.

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Naruto was excited as all get out. He couldn't believe it. His first real kiss and it had been great. Sure, it was just a chaste kiss on the lips, but it meant the world to him. In Konoha, he doubted he ever would have experienced that intimacy, even on a friendly level. Temari liked him enough to trust him with a kiss though. If he died tonight in his sleep, he died happy. He made a promise as sleep claimed him that he would not fail her on the next date.

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"So, you say he can control the green?"

"Yes, I saw him make it from nothing. Perhaps we have found him sire."

"Perhaps. I want you to keep an eye on him. If he can do this and his intentions are pure, we will help him. Our tribe will bring back the glory this land has lost for generations. The green has slept here for too long."

"He is a ninja though, my Lord. He might expect us to…aid him in battle."

"If he can bring back the green, it will be worth it. Our kind has not seen battle for ages. It would be quite a commotion were we to enter into the world again, especially for a wielder of the green. If he requires our aid, we shall aid him."

"Of course my Lord. Is that all you require of me?"

"Hai. Keep an eye on this boy at all times. Recruit who you must to keep round the clock vigil. I am intrigued by him."