Chapter 13: Jealousy

"Is it just me… or is Temari not speaking to you?" Sakura muttered from her perch on Sasuke's knee.

God fucking damnit lady, why would you go there.

"Rub it in why don't you." Shikamaru sighed, eyes sliding to the blonde's irate form and then closing as he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to will away some of the tension.

"What did you do?" Shikamaru kinda resented the fact that she automatically assumed it was his fault. The pinkette was always right… but that was beside the point.

"I may have boxed her in… I didn't mean to I just-I lose my head around her." He dragged a weary hand down his face. "Fuuuuck." He sighed, dropping his head back. He wished the teacher would get here soon, he needed a distraction, cause he was losing his mind.

To repressed sexual tension.

"Hn. Come to the arcade later, shoot some zombies, get your mind off it." Shikamaru weighed the pros and cons. Before fist bumping the Kingpin. Anything to get his psyche to stop giving him shit. Maybe he'll drown his woes in Choji's chips.

"Who knows, maybe I can win something for her?" Shikamaru smirked sardonically.

"What, a peace offering?" Sakura's laugh tinkled through the room, as she relaxed further into Sasuke's hold. "That's actually a great idea. I'll see if I can talk to her too, see where her head's at-I know I know, I'll try not to meddle." She smirked. 'Too much.'

She's a bitch, but she's alright. Don't trust that no meddling though.

I know. But, I think a little intervention might speed things up. Cause if I go another day without something then I'm going to lose my shit.

"Ah, thanks strawberry shortcake." Shikamaru cracked a grin. Sakura's mouth dropped, face twisting in indignation. The guys had stopped messing around, frozen, Naruto and Kiba choked on their laughter, trying not to get the female's anger directed to them.

"Watch it pineapple for brains." She narrowed her eyes to emerald slits before standing up, kissing her boyfriend's cheek, and huffing off. "I'll get you back for that." She called, sashaying to her seat as the teacher entered the room.

Touché.

"Has anyone ever told you, that you have a way with women?" Neji smirked as Naruto and Kiba's snickers turned to full laughter. Sasuke sighed, annoyed. He just wanted to brood in peace, his distraction was gone too.

"Shut up." Shikamaru cracked a spiteful half grin. Maybe he deserved that. But it was nice to be back in his home town, with his boys. "I'll kick your asses in The House of Dead, then we'll see who's laughing." He flickered his eyes over to his girl's table once again, watching as the girls discreetly chatted.

"What was that all about?" Temari asked. It was ridiculous, but she was feeling a little peeved off. Of all the people to get jealous over, Sakura, longtime extra/extreme loyal girlfriend to Sasuke fucking Uchiha was a bit irrational, but damnit the girl spoke with Shikamaru so easily and naturally, she'd be lying if she said it didn't bug her. Especially while they were on the outs. It just put to the forefront of her mind how easily Shikamaru could find another girl and have a great relationship with them, maybe even fall in lov-

"Shikamaru was just being an asshole, nothing too different." Sakura chuckled, brushing off the tense vibes radiating off Temari's passive aggressive tone and body language. She of all people, completely got it. "He's really torn up over whatever went down between you too, doesn't look like you're handling it much better. You must be tired."

Temari let a bit of the tension ease off. "It's been full on." She admitted, biting her lip before her eyes shot to Shikamaru, unsnagging the petal at the warning look. She 'tsked and pouted away from him. She could do whatever she wanted… she just didn't want to start up an argument… right.

"Are you guys getting together?" Ino cooed, winking and nudging, completely disregarding the mood.

"No." Temari bit out. She managed to talk to Kizeki before class. Obviously, the break up hadn't gone over very well, but man she wished she didn't feel like a complete shit bag. Even if it was a farce, she wouldn't do that, get with Shikamaru just like that. That was some other kinda bitchy. It helps that the genius naturally pisses her off.

"…So, no sex?" Ino gaped a little, she put a comforting hand on Temari's arm, eyes pitying.

"Now no one ever said that." Tenten grinned, cheshirely, twirling a pen in her fingers. "We all know you of all people should know that Ino." The brunette grinned and winked, as the girls snickered to themselves.

"Oh ha, ha, asshole." Ino scowled, pouting when even Temari grinned at that.

"You will talk to him soon though, right Tema-chan?" Hinata piped in, a small frown drooping her lips. "You two have spent so much time apart already, it would be heart breaking for the two of you to be so close but so far away. Don't lose anymore time, I'm sure you'd regret it later." Temari contemplated that pensively. The white-eyed beauty had a point, she was lucky to have someone like Hinata to put shit into perspective.

Slowly Temari flickered her eyes Shikamaru's way again, unsurprised when teal locked onto slate grey. He was an asshole… but he was her asshole. Who didn't think sometimes. But, maybe that was okay. Maybe they just needed to pause a moment and really catch up. So many things have been left unsaid, shoved aside to more base desires. They needed to hash things out, properly. The dirty blonde wasn't naïve enough to not know bickering was their thing, like TPE was Sasuke and Sakura's, complete honesty was NejiTen, co-dependancy was NaruHina and no-filter was InoSai. It was an inevitable part of their relationship, it was just bugging her more because they hadn't completely fallen back into their groove yet.

"You're right Hinata, I think after a bit of cooling off, I'll go to him. Maybe in a public place to keep us from getting distracted." Temari contemplated. The girls shared a look. Since when did something like that stop them?

"Well I think that sounds like a great idea!" Ino gushed, getting a sharp look from their sensei, the girls quieted down.

Sakura whipped out her phone and typed out a quick text to Sasuke, filling him in. The Uchiha boredly read over the information before cracking a smirk, forwarding the message to Shikamaru. His smirk softened a bit when he watched his friend practically sag in relief. Sasuke raised his eyes to his girlfriend, giving her a soft smile. She glowed in happiness. Both men thought the same thing: they really fucking loved their girls.