Not really sure of the pairings that may or may not happen in this fic, although the main emphasis is ShikaTema. Feel free to make suggestions if you have any favourites that might fit (or make a special guest appearance...)
I apologise beforehand for any OOCness - particularly Gaara and Kankuro. It's a fanfic, it's pretty much a given that they'll be different from cannon. On that note:
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, quite unfortunately, it still belongs to Kishi-sensei... I'll go sulk in a corner now...
Oh, this takes place during Naruto's break/training. Maybe, 7 months after he leaves? Around that time somewhere.
The sun shimmered across the open expanse of desert, colouring the world a vivid gold. Four specs darted across the unforgiving terrain. Each member of the four man squad proudly bared their sand hitai-ate. After a two week escort mission in the River Nation they were eager to be home.
For a second the sky darkened. Ominous clouds were speeding at an alarming rate towards their remote location. A frown crossing their leader's young face, her sharp green eyes glanced around at the never ending golden sea that surrounded them. She was sure that the sky was clear just a moment ago. Scanning the area she found nothing suspicious. A delicate sigh was pulled from her lips as her light brown hair continued to whip in the wind behind her. Hopefully the storm would wait until they were closer to the village and could take shelter in the cliff top caves. She looked at her genin team and noticed the fatigue plainly marring their young features. To her left a boy with deep purple hair turned to face her, his deep blue eyes catching hers. He raised a single eyebrow and looked pointedly towards the approaching clouds. She nodded, answering his silent question and moved slightly to the right, closer to the youngest member of their group, to reassure him.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt pierced the sky. The boom that followed shattered the thick, eerie silence. Two genin jumped in fright. A dark scowl crossed the face of the third. The team's captain shouted for her young students to hurry for cover.
Temari opened her eyes and sighed, breaking the heavy silence. Turning towards the arched window, her teal eyes narrowed, a large electrical storm could clearly be seen moving across the open desert. Biting her lip, she edged closer to the unusually cold window and placed her forehead against the glass. A shiver racked her slight frame and she pulled the thin, green blanket closer around her shoulders.
"Being stuck in that would suck." She muttered dryly to herself and turned back toward her open sketch book. No amount of daydreaming would solve her problem. She tugged at the two ponytails closest to her shoulders in exasperation. For the last two months she had been unable to concentrate. She just wanted some peace of mind.
"Some sleep would be nice too."
You know, daydreaming could be what you need. Just sit back and think about…
"Oh no, you don't. Why am I stuck with a conscience that won't stop arguing with me?"
Maybe it's because I'm right. Come on, no one would ever know. It's just you and me in here.
Her hand rubbed down her face, trying to scrub away whatever was causing her frequent lapses in focus. Her inner suggestions, which she still didn't totally understand, were getting harder to resist. Sighing, Temari moved forward on her leather couch and looked at her latest drawing. Her attempt at sketching the tulip in front of her was pitiful. Each time she had drawn the petals they looked… wrong. She wasn't sure which aspect was off, but every time she tried the result was the same. After scrunching up yet another failure and throwing it into the already overflowing waste paper basket she hung her head in her hands.
You can't draw properly today because flowers aren't your preferred subject. Just admit it. You want to draw…
"Argh! This is so pointless!" She exclaimed, leaning her head back as her frustration reached its peak.
"O.K., but you don't have to yell." Kankuro complained as he walked into her room, trying to stuff the escaping dark brown locks back into his cap.
"What are you complaining about anyway?" Kankuro asked, a rare smile adorning his usually stern features.
"These drawings! I'm useless!" She threw her once beloved sketchbook across the room. It landed on the large wooden desk and slid across the smooth surface before hitting the wall.
Kankuro laughed at his sister's outburst. Inwardly, he scowled, more confused by her actions than ever.
There she goes again. I wonder what's up with her. She's not normally this moody.
Ever since they had returned from the land of fire after rescuing Matsuri, Temari had been in an awful mood. Although it was perfectly normal for her to constantly harass Gaara and himself it wasn't like her to doubt herself, or her abilities. The fact that she was declaring her self-doubts to Kankuro…something was terribly wrong with her.
"Time out. I just wanted to know if you'd like something to eat. I'm going out to get dinner for Gaara and myself. I thought you might like…" Kankuro dropped to his knees as a kunai embedded itself into the wall behind him. Just where his head had been only moments before.
I'll take that as a yes then…?
"Women…" he muttered as he hastily retreated, eager to get out of a raging Temari's sights. Over the last few months he had learnt the hard way that it was best to retreat, as hastily as possible, when Temari suddenly snapped. He could hear the dull thuds of shuriken implanting themselves into the once untarnished walls as he hurried down the halls.
Taking out the four bands that held her blond hair back, Temari sighed and dropped unceremoniously onto her bed. Hiding her face behind her hands she began to chew her bottom lip.
"What's wrong with me?" She asked the surrounding darkness softly.
I know. You just won't admit it. If you did you'd feel better. Less tense and edgy all the time…
"Lord Kazekage, the team we deployed to the River Nation, they haven't arrived back yet."
Gaara held his breath as he turned with deliberate, calculated movements towards his attendant. Despite his accession to the role of Kazekage, people were still deathly afraid of him. He tried his hardest to always move slowly, so as not to startle them. It caused an almost unbearable ache to bloom through his chest when he had to step so cautiously around his people. How could they not understand how much he wished for their happiness and friendship?
"Do you think…" Gaara paused to consider the options before him. This could be a disaster.
"Yes, my lord. It's just like the others. A sudden and mysterious storm appeared on the horizon yesterday… in the direction they should have been approaching the village from." The attendant shuffled nervously, eyes darting around the room before briefly landing on the young man before him.
"Summon Kankuro and Temari. Her team is about to be deployed." Gaara commanded cold green eyes blazing. His attendant looked up in shock, dark eyes widening comically. The villagers might still be unsure about Gaara's feelings towards them but everyone was aware of his savage protectiveness towards his siblings.
"Sir, what if… what if lady Temari is taken as well? She is one of the strongest and fiercest of our jonin and a great teacher. We can't afford to lose her!" The dark haired attendant argued, gaining confidence in his confusion.
"That's precisely why I'm sending her. Her team is one of the best and perfect for such an important mission. I trust them completely." Gaara responded quietly. To be honest, he didn't want to send his sister into an unknown, highly dangerous situation, but he had no choice. The safety and wellbeing of the village had to come first. It was his duty.
His attendant bowed and hastily left the office in search of the two jonin. Once he was clear of his leader's detached, emotionless eyes he shook his head. Arguing with Gaara, no matter how much he had changed, had been a mistake and he should have known better.
"It's not Monday if you haven't danced with the devil before lunch." He muttered bitterly to himself.
Gaara and Kankuro stood at the gates, squinting into the rising sun as they watched the retreating figures of Temari and her team. Pulling his hood closer to his head Kankuro watched his younger brother from the corner of his eye. Gaara's vibrant red tresses glowed in the morning light, caressing his blank face as a gentle wind wafted across the empty desert in front of them. Despite his stoic countenance Gaara's green eyes burned with emotions.
"You sure that was the right idea?" Kankuro quietly asked his younger brother, breaking the silence that had descended over the pair. Gaara sighed and looked up at his older sibling. After all these years it wasn't often that Kankuro had seen Gaara looking so exposed. He knew his younger brother made a conscious effort not to show the world his thoughts and feelings. They were just another thing that the villagers could manipulate and use against him. It was a harsh lesson he had learnt as a child and despite the best efforts of Temari and Kankuro, with the help of a certain blonde knucklehead, he had yet to drop the impassive mask.
"I'm unsure about most things, these days." He remarked softly looking away from Kankuro's gaze. Gaara's shoulders hunched slightly as if to protect himself from something. There would be no change in the Kazekage's stance to anyone who happened to pass, but to the trained eye he seemed alone and broken. A small child once more. Kankuro was usually pleased when Gaara was so open with him, however this time he only began to worry more. Hoping to clear his brother's conscience somewhat he glanced around quickly.
"What's done is done. Temari can handle herself." Kankuro stated firmly, staring at Gaara. He nodded and broke contact when he found whatever it was that he had been looking for. It was evident that they had both been worried about their elder sister's odd behaviour. He'd never seen Gaara look so tired and dismal.
"Go water your cacti, Gaara. She'll be fine. If not, we'll just have to jump in and save her…and get chewed out for it." The tension between the two brothers broke and they chuckled to themselves. A smile bloomed across Kankuro's face; it had been such a long time…
"Maybe this will help settle her." Gaara sighed after Kankuro's rambunctious chuckles finally faded. For the last two months he had noticed the steep decline in Temari's mood and her weird actions. She had been irritable and unfocused. As each day passed and her strange behaviour continued he had grown more worried about her. Temari had been considered the 'stable' one and he had never noticed quite how much he depended on her to fulfil this role. Despite never discussing the changes in their sister outwardly, he knew Kankuro had noticed and was just as concerned.
Hopefully the excitement will do her some good. Get whatever is bothering her out of her system.
It was wishful thinking but, that's all Gaara had.