Hi you guys! Sorry for taking so long to update. I had been feeling a little blue and went into hibernation mode. But things finally got back on track and things are going great now! :D I'm really happy at the moment but i know life is a roller coaster but as long as we keep our chins up we should all be okay! It's the start of June and work is going to get busy this month but I try to work on this whenever I can!
chrysant: Whether Shikamaru will get out of this lie or not well you'll have to stick around and see ;) And as for a TemaYoshino moment i dont think at the moment would be a good idea. Shikamaru and Temari at some extent are trying to distance themselves from each other even if they're not doing a very good job at it. But maybe in later chapters I can squeeze that it in. But that's a big maybe and it would be way later, later, later. lol
TheRedSin: Ryota's past will be revealed eventually, I promise. After all him and Temari still aren't that well acquainted. They need to build up their trust wall (;
saraphernelia:stay strong we all go through our rough patches but i believe we all have someone out there for us!
Skies of gray taunts the onlookers as clouds huddle up together probably creating rain to splash down on them but it never comes. Looking down at the turf that she steps on she supposes that whether the water decides to come down or not won't make any difference. In fact it might just make the grass grow more. The leaves have fallen and grown back up as winter gets near. For now November rain fit perfectly. Constant changes in weather that the Land of Fire went through were always amusing, but there was nothing like her never changing home. Suna could not get any closer as she readied herself to walk through those gates.
The man strolling next to her seems to forgotten last night's slip of the tongue, of his melancholic past, or has decided to ignore it in hopes that she'd do so as well. Lucky for him she was never one to pry into other people's business.
Venturing upon this path with the dent that was left upon Ryota's life long ago was risky, but all her walls were up now, nothing could hurt her, not anymore.
They walk down the road she's strangely become accustomed to despite it being her second visit. The sky roars and the wind blows at her skin faster and even more cold than she'd like it to be. It was going to be a long journey…
"Do you really have to leave today? It looks like it's going to rain."
"I could have left 5 hours ago if it wasn't for your Uncle's insistence to have breakfast together before leaving." A very flustered Temari grumbles.
"He likes you." Ryota laughs at her grumpiness. "My Aunt seemed to like you as well."
Temari snorts, one of the few women who did so. She only figured it was probably because they shared a love for food, they'd both agreed eating to be as skinny as a twig was vastly overrated.
Another clap of thunder catches their attention; they were beginning to get louder.
Ryota halts in front of her; blocking her way. "The sky is getting really dark. It's dangerous to go out on this weather."
Temari mentally rolls her eyes. It was against her will that he had walked her to the gates in the first place. She had a feeling he was going to give her trouble; she'd already heard it from the Fire Lord that morning.
"Since when does it seem like Temari of the Sand fears a little rain? Besides if I can live through sand storms I'm sure I can manage through this."
"They are two different things, but just as dangerous." He frowns at her.
"I promise that if the weather gets too out of hand I'll stop at the first shelter I can find. I'm still deep in the Land of Fire. Finding a village should be easy."
"Promise? You look like the reckless type." A cringe on his forehead forms, he doesn't look convinced.
She laughs at his words. "I'm stubborn, not stupid."
Over dramatically (but highly comical to her) he slumps his shoulders and lets out a flustered breath.
"Come on, keep walking." Temari pokes atop the blue jacket that he wears, covering the mesh shirt underneath.
Their feet make a stop past the entrance of his beloved village.
"So… I guess… Until next time?" she says awkwardly, she was never good with goodbyes.
"Yeah… Ummm…"
"What is it now?" she turns around to face him, arms crossed, he was acting the same way he did last time he was at her village.
Ryota laughs and smiles at her sheepishly. "You're good at reading people." A tinge of red colors his cheeks. "I wanted to know if you'd like to do this again. If you want to of course, I know it's gotten out of hand with the rumors. But I'd really like to continue dating you, and get to know you better."
Her mouth opens before she can even register the words through her head, "Sure." And with that answer gives him a smile, a true sincere smile, earning a show of Ryota's pearly whites in return.
Suddenly, like the light bulb in his brain has just turned on he asks. "Can I write you?"
Temari agrees and gives him the information on how to reach her.
After a long lecture on which places to stop, or what to do in case of a thunderstorm emergency they finally bid farewell. As she begins her hike, only a few yards in, she turns around to find her guide still standing in front of the gates. She waves and he waves back. Turning back around she laughs at the worry she's causing at a man who barely knows her. Mentally she admits that she kinds of likes it.
Temari takes herself back home after her Monday morning ritual. The paper bags on her arms are filled with bread all the way to the top that she can barely see where she is going. Which was a good thing she knew her village like the back of her hand that she could walk around it blindfolded.
Shining bright up in the sky the sun glistens reading itself for another hot day. Thankfully it was still early and the heat wouldn't hit for another three hours or so.
During her walk home strangeness stirs inside of her, she almost misses the feel of the wind that the leaves give her as they scatter away back in the Land of Fire. Abruptly her body halts; she shakes her head furiously and starts her venture back home again.
Distracting herself from other weird thoughts she thinks about what she should make her brothers for breakfast. They'd be appreciative either way, she's been gone for two weeks, and they'd eat her food even if it was burned. Temari snorts at the thought.
Temari stands with her hands on her hips right in front of Kankuro's sleeping face. Considering he had arrived at a reasonable time last night, she took her best bets and risked entering his room knowing there could be a chance of a naked woman. There was not. Nevertheless that didn't stop her from teasing him, he wasn't a morning person and at least she wouldn't be throwing a bucket of ice water this time. Still, he'd startle when he'd feel a presence staring at him during his slumber, like a child she sniggered mentally.
"What the fuck! You scared the shit out of me! Waking up to your scary ass face is not something people look forward to in the morning." Kankuro rubs off the sleep with his hands.
"I'm sure all your little friends think the same way."
"Ah well-"he smirks at her, "can't tease you now can I? Rumor has it my big sis has found herself a boyfriend."
"Shut up Kankuro and wake up already. Breakfast will be ready soon." She smacks his face with a pillow.
"I'm up. I'm up." He grumbles.
Eventually she knew the subject would come up from her brothers. She was just hoping it would be, well, never. They were boys, who knows what questions they would ask. Well more Kankuro than Gaara. Temari closes the door of her brother's room; well it looked more like a basement if you asked her… Along the way Gaara's room resides but she knows he's been up since before her.
She sits along with her two siblings in the small kitchen table, the gigantic dinner room they had at the far end of their house unused since her father was alive. There was an awkward tightness in the air that was suffocating her through every bite. She knew it was coming, there was no avoiding it now…
"So sis, tell us about your boyfriend. What's he like? Is he a douche? Have you guys fucked?" Kankuro asks as if simply asking about the weather.
Her appetite has already been ruined, shooting daggers through his skull she's interrupted before she can rant on him.
"Kankuro," Gaara's voice is calm as usual but not deadly like long ago. "Those are details I would not like discussed during breakfast. Besides I have enough hearing about your rendezvous affairs."
"Oh come on its perfectly normal. Human nature. We all need a good fuck every once in a while."
"Well than I guess that makes you not normal Mr. I-Have-To-Screw-Every-Girl-I-Meet." Temari points at him accusingly with a fork dangling her eggs.
The Kazekage sighs while he quietly continues eating his food no longer participating in their childish fights. Although he secretly enjoyed them.
"Hey, they're the ones that show up at my door asking me for pleasure. What am I supposed to do? Reject them? I'm being a good citizen here, helping girls in their time of need."
"You're disgusting." Temari spits out. "Besides what I do or don't do is my business. People just like to run their tongues because they have nothing better to do with their lives."
"Now this is the end of this discussion." Temari continues. "Plus I don't exactly like having these types of conversations in front of our baby brother." At the end of the day regardless he is still their kage.
"What!? Why!? Oh come on Temari he's not a baby and I gave him the talk of the birds and the bees a long time ago."
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is!?"
"He's still our Kazekage you idiot! Have some respect!"
While Gaara secretly enjoys their banter he figures it's time to intervene before one of them really end up physically hurt, in all cases it being Kankuro.
He interrupts, "That's fine Temari. Through the years I've managed to mentally block out all of Kankuro's stories about his late night conquests adventures."
She sticks out her tongue at him because she knows this conversation is over and she's won, again.
"Pfft. Whatever." Kankuro rolls his eyes at her but smirks afterwards, a sign of no hard feelings.
"Nonetheless from what I recall at that night of the ball Ryota-san seemed like a respectable man, he has a future, and is a prestigious ninja. But in all honesty that would not matter to me. He could be homeless and non hygienic for all I care. Whoever you wish to marry you have my blessings. As long as my beloved sister is happy, I am happy." And then Gaara raises up his orange juice glass as if toasting for her future and gifts her with a small smile.
Kankuro bursts out laughing, clutching his stomach from the pain as he cannot stop while unsuspected tears run down his red face. Temari just stares in awe at her younger brother, her mouth shaped into a perfectly shaped "O".
She's not sure who's lost it more, her (no matter how many times he denies it) nymphomaniac brother, or the other still awkwardly emotional one.
Ailment was usually the reason for peoples visit into the hospital, she thanked her lucky stars there was never an occasion when she had to be permitted in towards the emergency room. Temari was always in good health, and her injuries were never severe. Only reason she sat right now in one of the many waiting room areas was to get her confirmation packet of her monthly physical that the village requires to make sure all is well. It also comes in handy when a kunoichi is pregnant and does not know it yet.
"Sabaku No Temari."
They call her out and hand her a yellow thin package. She sits down again, rummages through each word to make sure everything is in order and takes her leave.
A healthy life leads to a happy life, she thinks.
There's nothing that can stop her now. The past three weeks have been stress relievers despite her excessive traveling. Or it could do something with the recent letters that have her laughing about the Fire Lord's and his wife's absurdities from Ryota. Honestly she doesn't care, nothing can ruin her mood.
Oh boy was she wrong.
In almost an UN-Temari fashion she strolls down the streets towards the Kazekage mansion looking a little too happy, humming a tune played at one of the many restaurants Ryota had taken her out to. Arms swing front and back, a smile creeps on her face as she remembers the letter she just read last night.
Her feet carry her closer towards the entrance of her destination, the large global building.
Temari's smile turns upside down, and tries to stop any emotion from showing. Nevertheless her stomach betrays her as it tugs a painful assault.
The words "Hey" are spoken by a laid back shinobi waiting with his back against the wall, and his arms criss-crossed on the back of his head.
"Shikamaru…?"
Nothing much happens in this chapter. It was just mostly a buildup for this little cliffhanger. Next chapter will be Shika/Tema moments. I just cannot reassure you how that's going to turn out to be. Could be good or bad. :/
Until next time! Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to read my story. It means a lot to me :,D