A promise for future chaos to show.
Enjoy
Friday 8:23 PM
Location: Mansion of Kai Yoshito
Mission: A Dangerous Dance
Konoha called it the event of the year.
A annual charity ball created by Kai Yoshito, all proceeds said to go to various charities.
Truthfully, they went to aid Fu enterprises and the smaller companies who created military essentials. What the people never saw was the way war was prepared. And right now the four had been stocking up, readying for the call of the final strike, but who was making that call.
The few over the many.
He hated suits.
Not the casual button up he could throw a half wrapped tie around, but tuxedos with bow ties and layers for special occasions. For a moment he felt like Ino, wrapped in her deep purple satin gown, snuggly hugging each curve of her body, and barely able to move. She had insisted she needed to be at the event, for surveillance, secretly for the purpose of wearing the three thousand dollar dress. A fleeting thought that she needed to be near him, she knew his real purpose here.
To keep the secret Asuma had failed in seeing through.
"I hate this" Shikamaru muttered, another complaint as he fought with the bow tie for the third time, unable to even out each side.
"Stop whining" Ino slapped his hand away and slid over in the seat to fix the tie for him "you haven't looked this good in ages" he rolled his eyes at the statement.
"It's only appropriate we wear these tuxedos" Sai, sitting on the other side of Ino, fixed his own tie and went back to his calm lean back in the limo "we must blend in with the other guests"
"At least you're not in a dress" TenTen huffed beside him, just as uncomfortable as he was in her red and white qipao dress, the end of the dress cutting off just below her knees "I mean how are we even supposed to run in these heels? Or fight" she stressed as her hazel glare turned down to her strapped red heels. She had protested going, but Shikamaru was more than convincing, he needed an even team and Sakura had not taken well to the official team meeting about Sauske's capture, leaving her distracted.
"I think you look youthful, TenTen" Lee called back to her with a smile, their chafer driving the team to the mission "Neji could barely take his eyes off you before we left"
"Really?" A bright shine glazed over the woman's eyes.
"Not now Lee!" Ino growled back to him "we don't need her off her game"
"Let him talk" TenTen hissed, waving a dismissive hand at Ino and leaned forward "what else Lee, tell me everything"
"Focus" Shikamaru called out, calm, the team instantly settling to look at him. He gave each of them a once over, only four needed inside for now, the others already at their posts for internal security. He slicked his hair back into his ponytail and touched the speaker to his phone, calling his watcher for the night "Alright run it down, Sakura"
"Kiba and Choji have successfully infiltrated the security team inside" Sakura began listing out mission updates before they entered "Kai should be at the stage, only VIP can enter there, so Naruto will be attending as the Hokage and Choji will remain close by as his bodyguard" she paused, he could feel the bitter tone behind her voice "as for the main priority, you guys are tasked in protecting Kai Yoshito at his annual gala tonight, our second priority find this woman who is responsible for the deaths of Haku Fu and Dai Shimaru, as well as the capture of Sauske. Be cautious as this mission is now classified as level one, Suna agents are now a possibility" Ino exchanged a knowing glance with Shikamaru and both nodded.
"Don't worry Sakura we got this" Ino piped in with a determined tone, ready to comfort her friend. Everyone knew now that Sasuke had been captured, the ongoing mission to search for him still yielding nothing. Her possible ally aiding in hiding his own brother, as Itachi was never been able to be found by the agency after he had abandoned it years ago.
After their search with the security team in the front of the extravagant mansion, the team made their way down the grand marble hall, walls filled with priceless paintings and ancient parchments, stolen and bought alike. Kai Yoshito was a man who enjoyed the finer things in life, elegant parties and balls, expensive cars and jewels, his escort of the week drowning in only the best of fabrics, even she was art to him.
Making their way to the end, following the crowd, the four stood near a balcony staring down into the great banquet hall ahead. Huge could barely describe it, crystal chandeliers covered the ceiling, the walls painted in the theme of the renaissance, and in the middle a marble floor meant for the purpose of classical dance. At the very back the VIP section, Kai speaking to people, laughing, and enjoying what life had to offer, near him Naruto cheered just as joyfully. Target alive and guarded.
"Let's separate here, cover more ground" Shikamaru glanced back to his team, TenTen fidgeting with her dress as she attempted to pull the end down to no avail. Beside her, Ino perked up looking away from her gawking, having been staring at the great hall ahead.
"Sai can come with me, right?" Ino insisted, biting her lip nervously as she looked to Shikamaru for approval.
"Can I?" Sai asked hopefully, the two staring back as he sighed. Ino would have his head if he said no, might as well save him the trouble.
"Fine, take the high ground and be careful" he nodded to them, Ino quick to move away, quick to press into Sai's side "TenTen and I will check the lower half" he offered his arm to TenTen who nodded as she looked around, vigilante as he was.
"How will we know who's a Suna agent and who's not" TenTen glanced around the room, keeping her arm around Shikamaru's as they looked past the railing into the mingling crowd below them.
"You'll know them when you see them" his glare darkened, spotting the golden hair from his decend down the stairs, standing beside the bar, a older gentleman speaking to her in casual conversation. Blending in as he was.
The trap was obvious, but he needed to know.
"That's her?" TenTen hummed beside him, following his gaze down, he only nodded in response and pulled away from her, making it known he was going alone "Be careful, whoever she is, she's dangerous" Shikamaru glanced to TenTen as she lifted the gun from her hand purse, the one she had snuck in without the guards seeing, but Shikamaru shook his head making her pause her exchange.
"She won't make a scene here" he confirmed and stepped away from TenTen "even she knows that"
His team had yet to know who she truly was, Tsunade, Kakashi, and Ino being the only ones, and truthfully Shikamaru was still trying to figure it out, figure who his opponent was, because the one thing that he could not decide was if his promise would be seen through before hers.
He'd be lying to himself if he wasn't curious about her. A part of it being the moment Hidan had spoken about her terrifying presence, the first exchange with her a false one, the second quiet unforgettable, his chest still felt that ache, the third time she had been soft, explaining the internal turmoil of Suna itself.
Who was she?
The way she spoke Gaara's name made it clear she was a protector of his. The balance of power was shared by both the family and the people, broken it now weighed on the council side, the people in chaos, Gaara's power gone. Why had she shared this with him? This knowledge went against what Konoha had known, what Naruto had been able to collect. Yet she claimed to be working on her own, was she a shadow, one who worked behind the scenes, or was she forced to obey.
Who was she working for?
His approach was known the moment he had seen her. Passing the guests, skilled in avoiding unnecessary conversations, he kept watch on her, the man she had spoken to seemed disappointed as he left her presence, to old to be an agent, so a partygoer who had been turned down by the looks of it.
"Nara, what a pleasant surprise" she was already smiling when he moved by her, face painted lightly her lips the same shade of red he'd seen the first time he realized who she was.
"Is it really a surprise?" He muttered leaning one arm against the bar, but searching past her, trying to pinpoint anyone who stood out, anyone who aided her.
"Well then, I guess it's just pleasant" she let her eyes drop, shamelessly dragging them slowly up his body to meet his hard look as he turned back "you clean up well" he regretted looking down, to size up his opponent he claimed to himself. He only caught a glimpse before of her dress, now she stood before him, unknowingly to him, a perfect distraction.
Dripping in black silk and small shining stones, barely visible to the eye, but gleaming anyways. Hair pinned back neatly, but the bang turned to one side. Long sleeved and her front modest, but just tight enough to show off every curve of her body, like the hourglass she spoke about. A opened slit that rode up her leg, exposing the tanned skin underneath, hard to hide any weapons in a dress. Her back opened and the bare skin light and smooth, a dangerous afterthought followed, that he wanted to touch it, feel her under his fingers. He refused to acknowledge the word that threatened to escape.
Beautiful.
"I know who you're after" he managed as he turned away, temporary relief. Temari looked away as soon as he spoke it into existence, he knew exactly who her eyes went to in that moment, Kai Yoshito.
"Do you now?" She hummed and furrowed her brows thoughtfully "then I should really get to my target" she made no motion to get away only gaze into the crowd same as he had been doing. He had to remember suddenly that he had interfered and was a target himself, Wind wanted him dead, or at least the one who gave her orders to her did. His life, literally, in her hands.
"No" he drew out with a low hum and pulled a half grin to her, a facade for his caution "you're not going to get your hands dirty" her next words sticking to him, forcing him to remember each one carefully.
"I don't have to be close to kill someone" she reminded and finally looked at him, his heart began to race, his jaw tightened, anger slowly rising. The spark was enough to start a fire in his gut, one gesture was all she needed, and her hooded glare was the real danger, she was challenging him.
"But you do" he stepped around her, avoiding her gaze, forced words through a tight grin. Brushing a finger to her back, noting the sudden chill of her skin to the subtle touch "have to be here to see it through" leaning over closer to her, attempting to ignore the intoxicating smell of her perfume, his eyes forced to Kai as he mingled innocently with the partygoers, hers slowly narrowing, Shikamaru put a firm hand to her bare back and accepted the challenge "now move, and don't try anything funny"
"If you wanted to be alone so bad, you should have just said so" she put on her best smile, one that he was sure brought out a irritated blush whether he could stop it or not.
"Troublesome woman" he mumbled under his breath, as he guided their push forward, forcefully keeping her walking beside him, outwardly blending in with the people. Kai was safe and his killer had been apprehended, or at least he thought.
This had been too easy, and a woman like her wasn't easy.
Towards the outside of the crowd, the end so close, he saw exactly why she had smiled at his approach. Of course she wasn't alone, she had begun to mimic his approach, leveling the playing field. Her pawns against his, protecting their kings.
"Think again" Temari grinned as he slowed, stopped and glared ahead.
Awaiting was one of her men, remembered him from the elevator tape they had taken, evidence taken away from the police. The one where she had knocked out both Kotetsu and Izumo and left with a large scarred man. Her fighting style vicious and accurate, deadly to say the least. Standing beside the man, a short dirty blonde with a calculated stare as she reached inside her bag, a warning. He searched again as he pulled her back much to his surprise that she followed without missing a beat, almost as if she was a happy addition to his side.
Think. Think. Think. He kept repeating to himself catching a glimpse of a familiar raven haired woman and her short mousy twin, both speaking with partygoers, their gazes instantly met his, her people. He couldn't make a scene, no not here.
He paused in the middle of the room, his left now had a waiter serving guests close to Choji. The exits all guarded his one route left for escape blocked by a glaring blonde he'd met once at a club called The Red Cloud, one that lived across from him and had been tasked to watch him.
He didn't like that one, she seemed to have something personal against him.
On the balcony his ally watching him, at least they were supposed to be.
Ino tugged at the side of her dress, nervous and suddenly hot all over. She almost begged for a fan to release the heat. Why? Why did he have to say it now?
"I think we should go out" Sai looked from the crowd before him and back to Ino, taking in her blush with a tilt of his head, their light conversation before making a turn.
"Out?" Ino instantly burned red, fidgeting with her curled bang as she rambled nervously "you mean like out out, like date out" Sai grinned slowly as she kept speaking, always amused at the blonde's reactions "or like out out, like friends like uh colleagues out"
"Yes" he stopped her and gave a small smile "like date out" he confirmed and laughed lightly to her lost composure. He did enjoy that. As he took a sip of the champagne, his dark eyes narrowed, down below Shikamaru just turned his glare up to him, a silent sign given, the woman beside him grinning quietly as her gaze followed his.
"Ino" Sai turned the blonde's attention to her stranded comrade "I believe we are needed" as Ino looked over, her eyes narrowed down to the scene.
"Let's dance, Sai" Ino grabbed his hand and nearly dragged the man behind her as she furiously went for the stairs to aid her friend.
"Not what you planned for?" Temari turned to him and smiled, light and knowing "Did you think I'd just go with you willingly or has your snooping around taught you nothing, Nara? I am prepared for everything" A part of him wanted to wipe her mocking smile away, quite a sight, but man did it rub him the wrong way in the moment.
He has never been challenged in such a way, so blatantly outmatched by the likes of such a opponent.
Such a woman.
He almost smiled himself when it began.
The music.
"Well then, I hope you're prepared to dance, Princess" his turn to mock her back. She seemed instantly confused by the statement, the unexpected check made in her corner.
Looking to his right, to her, he turned and like the other dancers on the floor bowed forward and extended his hand as a invitation, two options available to her. Make a scene or accept, they were in the middle of the grand hall, attention turning to them. To his left he could practically feel the glaring eyes from the scarred man as he moved to enter the circle. It was subtle the motion. She balled her right hand in a fist, the man stopped his advance into the crowd and slowly drew back at the silent command.
As she stared down at him, her gaze never wavering from his own darkened glare, she gently placing her hand in his.
"Hope you know what you're doing, Nara" though light in touch, her voice never seemed to lack a certain rough edge, the threat behind beautifully painted lips lost in the music.
Song Suggestion- Indilla- Ainsi Bas La Vida
"Oh I do" leaning towards her, speaking his threat quieter "Temari" he brought her close to him, firmly holding one hand, but gently, cautiously, trailing the other down her bare back until it just hit the end of the dress. At least she couldn't hide weapons there, just like she couldn't hide the sudden sharp inhale to his press against her.
Then they began to move.
The start of a dangerous dance.
Taking the first step he walked toward her, half surprised she moved just as swiftly as he did, making a step back she followed and allowing his lead to began. Guiding their glide alongside the crowd, eyes locked to the other stuck in a match to outsmart the other. He needed to be a step ahead, she had already planned this very night out.
Now how would he make her drop her guard.
He slowed, tilted her back just enough, holding the hot bare skin of her back with his hand. She even relaxed in the move, for a moment.
A moment was all he needed.
Her head snapped up and he swore his eyes would burn away from the look. While his left busied with holding her, the other made its way up her bent knee in her distraction, lifting it to his side, trailing lightly up her soft skinned thigh and stopping right at her weapons holster. Just as he remembered, a little belt lined with six sharp throwing blades strapped high up on her leg.
The grip on his jacket tightened in warning, he ignored it.
He unstrapped it just as he leaned her up, trapping her glaring look against his amused one. Taking a moment to slip the belt behind him, just as Ino and Sai moved past them, doing their part in taking away her escape.
Pushing forward he continued and she was forced to follow. For every harsh step she pushed against him he countered just as stubbornly. As if he'd trained for this, as if he'd rehearsed this with her countless times before, each moving in synch to the other, despite the heated battle between eyes.
Temari scoffed, displeased when he looked past her to check on the target, she needed his attention on her. Her hand dragged from his shoulder and down his chest to the end of his belt, his attention returned.
The entire touch leaving a burning trail.
"I don't have a gun" he held his breath, keeping a tight smile in place, refusing to give into the purposeful grazing touch just below the belt.
"Who said I was looking for a gun?" She taunted back, lips close to him, a grin covering the unsuccessful search with a win anyways, a win to unnerve him. He found it hard to swallow for a minute afterward, automatically following the steps to the dance and looking from her to the end of the crowd, looking for escape now.
Bodies pressed against each other growing warmer and warmer with each step. The touch lingered, nothing soft, but the reaction it caused to his body was involuntary to say the least. Looking for her target, his true mission just out of sight.
Now he wished he hadn't looked back to the captivating sight.
The gentle dip of her head to the side, eyes closed, her full red lips loose and bright. Was she actually enjoying herself, he wondered briefly, as he caressed his hold on her, carefully aiding her graceful movement. Then his gaze softened as he stared down to her, staring in a way he wasn't meant to. Temari was certainly a sight, even more so that he could witness it up close and personal. She was truly a beautiful woman.
A beautiful troublesome one.
One that was beginning to grin wider.
One that had now opened her bright mirth filled eyes back to him.
She wasn't rushing. She was playing, teasing him, wasting time. She was distracting him from his true task.
"I don't have to be close to kill someone"
"No" he growled out and nearly lost his composure as she laughed, straightening to forcefully press against him, keep him from moving away from her.
Keeping him from escape.
"I warned you" she leaned up to him he could feel the hot breath against his lips "but you just can't seem to stay away" they both moved to look at Kai at the same time, watch the moment the man tilted back and fell. His face a sickening purple and blue, his hands holding his swollen throat uselessly. A crowd formed around him someone shouting for an ambulance.
"How?" Was all he could manage.
"Didn't you know? Kai was severely allergic to shellfish, so we made sure it was on the menu" She grinned, lowering her hands away from him "your move, Nara" he took a step back looking from her to the crowd gathered around the chaos. People began to panic and in the frenzy, the Little Weasel pushed away from him and made her escape. When he finally realized, looking back, she had already left the middle of the floor and was moving down one the winding halls of the mansion.
"Fuck" he let out a breath and forced himself to move, briskly passing people as he went to follow. Hoping his team was close by, as he couldn't see anyone he knew from his side, however, he did see her people. Spotting the scarred man again, glaring back at him from the entrance she had went in, but as he passed he made no move to follow.
Once again a trap, and he stupidly kept running towards it, towards her.
As he ran down the hall determined to finally end his already troublesome night, the haunting feeling that she wasn't alone saved his life, saved him from a knockout at least. He ducked as he turned the corner, just missing the swing of an arm and a muttered Sunian curse.
"It's rude to chase ladies, Nara" the familiar gruff voice of her brother, his sister already making it halfway down the hall.
"Kankuro" even as he spoke to him, his glare kept at the bare back, then the teal gaze as she turned back "you the messenger again?"
"Nope" he shoved into him and gripped his jacket shoving Shikamaru into the wall "I'm just here to kick your ass for fun" both freezing at the next shout down the hall.
"Puppet, let him go, he's mine" Temari spat down the hall, her Sunian aggressive and sharp, her brother stilled and Kankuro gapped, looking from Shikamaru back up to his sister.
"Come on, not fair, you can't claim all the good ones" even at a distance Shikamaru felt the uncomfortable glare, he was sure Kankuro knew what the look meant, because he slowly released Shikamaru "yeah she's mad" he muttered with a sigh, his sister gone around the corner, still glaring though as he stepped away from Shikamaru, letting him go "no one ever wants to fight me" he sighed.
As if spoken to existence, the sudden stomp down the hall he had come from, Shikamaru just stepped away as Kiba veered around the corner with a shout, throwing a fist straight into Kankuro's jaw, answering the man's wish with a straightforward approach.
"Good timing, Kiba" he watched Kankuro stumble back, his comrade giddy as he straightened and looked back to Shikamaru.
"Been tailing this guy for like an hour now, he looked suspicious walking around back here" Kiba grinned, proud of his victory as he glanced back to Kankuro, the man slowly rising from the floor with a groan "who is he anyways?"
"Someone we want alive" alive, Shikamaru nudged Kiba with the realization, he quickly put a hand out to him "cuffs? You still got some on you?" Kiba grinned slowly, chuckling as he grabbed the handcuffs he always carried from his belt.
"Told you they come in handy" Shikamaru grabbed the cuffs from him, moving them to the back of his belt.
"Gun too" Kiba took a moment, but handed his weapon over.
"So what about this guy?" Kiba asked, waving back to Kankuro as he watched their exchange, rubbing his sore jaw in the process.
"Kiba you handle him, don't kill him, I'm going after her" with a excited nod, approval given, Kiba turned back to his opponent. Shikamaru left down the hall, following the trap that had been set for him.
"Been a while since I've been in a good fist fight" Kiba bounced from one foot to the other, fists raised and ready "better not disappoint me" Kankuro recovered from the first hit quickly, wiping the blood from his busted lip as he straightened, glaring back with a lopsided grin as he raised his fists up.
"Alright pretty boy, let's dance"
As he made his way down the hall, ready for anymore surprises, the sixth sense that had yet to leave him all evening, returned stronger.
It had been quiet.
He remembered that tonight was planned, planned by her. Everything he did from this point on was laid out just for him. No guards, empty halls, the click of heels stopped a while ago. As he slowed down on the the marble halls, passing priceless busts and framed works from other lands he noticed a door down the way, slightly cracked open.
She wanted him alone.
Shikamaru took a breath, calm, the gun held in both his hands as he nudged the door open. The faint click of a keyboard echoed as he walked in, past a sitting room and to his left a marble office, behind the mahogany desk Temari glaring back into the screen of a laptop.
"About time" she hummed, looking up from the laptop as she slightly closed it, eyes narrowed past her bangs when she straightened "I was beginning to worry that my brother didn't listen to me"
"Sorry to keep you waiting, but he's busy with a friend of mine" he bit back his glare as she began to move around the desk, stalking purposefully, standing before the mahogany desk with pose that only could be described as fearless.
"All alone" she grinned, leveling her gaze with his and leaned back against the desk "isn't this what you wanted? To satisfy your curiosity? To have all your questions answered?"
"Hiding something?" She had nothing, but the laptop behind her, but he could spot danger a mile away.
"What's there to hide" she slid back and sat herself on the surface, he observed the gesture, she seemed too relaxed, her guard down, the gun pointed at her didn't even make her flinch "you already did your little search, clearly I'm unarmed" she moved the shining silk aside to emphasize her point, bitter about her knives being taken away, but revealing the smooth skin he had touched as she crossed her legs with a huff "you know how difficult it is to fight in heels? I'd kill to be in a suit right now"
"I'm sure you would" he glared past her at the half closed laptop she had been on "what are you doing in Kai's office" he stepped forward, aimed and ready.
At least he had thought so.
Reminding him of the siren song she had spoken once, the one that made his lean forward to listen.
"Would you like to find out, Shikamaru?" The question sounded dirty coming from her lips, the pull at them as his focus lowered to it involuntary, the woman toyed with temptation, distracting, a purposeful move. Even with a gun, he felt unarmed, naked, reminded of the possible true story of her mission in Kumo, reminded that he was stepping into her domain. The woman had no limits, but she gave her options, the means to an end.
A part of him needed to find out.
"What's so important that I need to know" he lowered the gun, still ready to raise it, but she remained still as he took a step forward.
"The fall of a great nation" teals turned to watch his next step, just out of reach "because of a woman"
"Who's the woman?" The slow rising smile that followed, a secret revealed.
"She's right in front of you" the way she said it, not her. Hard to hide the confusion from her, it wasn't herself she was speaking about, but then who was Temari referring to.
His gun raised when he noticed, in his pause, her arm had already moved the moment he shifted his weight. Reminding himself to stay clear of her legs, he really didn't need another bruise on his chest. The first arm came at his wrist, his gun moved, she grinned, and drove her other arm at him, only catching his own palm as he caught her punch. Now facing her, he pushed back using his size advantage, keeping her body against the desk, legs trapped.
"Bet you wish you were in a suit now" he took her previous comment and ran with it, unfortunately in the wrong direction. With a glaring look, the slit of the dress just open and she rammed her leg up towards his groin. That one hurt. Damn legs. His groan muffled, his hands released her as she leaned into him, holding the back on his neck to guide his head onto her shoulder and move them.
"I never said it was impossible to fight in heels, just difficult" she moved around the desk and shoved him back into the chair, remaining relaxed before him as she leaned against the desk in front, caught between annoyance and disinterest in his pain. The gun he once had, held in her hands as she pulled out the clip and barrel, disassembling it while she spoke, taking away any advantage they had against the other "why are you trying to stop me from taking out men who wish harm to Wind anyways? Isn't your whole motto about seeking peace or whatever?" She set the parts to the gun on the table beside the laptop and crossed her arms.
"You can't go around killing people just because they are threatening your nation" he muttered, pushing past the pain to speak, glaring absently to the useless gun "what do you think I've been trying to do with the official public negotiations?" her eyes narrowed as he answered his own question "Avoid exactly what your doing. I'm a peacekeeper, not a assassin"
One word is what she needed to push him over the edge.
"Weak"
"Weak?" He no longer felt, pain in the back of his mind, his pride taking a hit as he sat up in the chair, ready to move "You think I'm weak for attempting a less" he glare tightened back to her "aggressive approach?"
"I don't think, I know" she snapped sharply, his move forward was shoved back, her heel settled to his chest, just near his shoulder, keeping him in place "man only understands force, the physical, they do not think of what they will harm when they get mad" her eyes narrowed darkly down to him "they need to be reminded of the things that hurt them, in order to be controlled"
"Did Suna teach you that?" He remarked, annoying glaring down to the leg, the weapon she threatened him with.
The question answered with a humorless laugh.
"Suna taught me that there are monsters out there that need to be killed" she scoffed, keeping him in place with her words rather than her heel, her voice demanding all attention be only on her "when Dai Shimaru spoke, he openly demolished any good Wind could ever offer to the other nations, publicly shaming Gaara and lying about the civil war being his fault when really Fire and Earth started it, aided it. Haku Fu, my was he an easy man to fool" she scoffed distastefully at his name, reminded of the evidence he had seen at the crime scene on Monday. Her lips had been on his "he supplied weapons to the very people who run through barren villages hunting women and children for sport, aiding criminals in the rebellion" she glanced past him, grinned, and looked back down "Kai Yoshito, the riches among these men, he simply sat back and paid for everything. Throwing his lavish parties and hiding his stolen goods in plain sight" to that she gestured to a sandstone bust resting in the corner of the room "that bust, is from Suna, stolen when I was seven, that is my great grandfather Lord Reno. I remember, because that was the first time I watched a man die right before my eyes" she shook her head, pushing away the memory "Sato Maasaki, oh do I have plans for him" she confirmed her fourth target with a sneer "I will burn his new private militia in River on my own if I have too" she leaned forward, he refused to move away from her threat "unlike you, I am not afraid to kill someone for the greater good"
"What will you accomplish by killing these four?" He sat up, slowly moving as her leg still held him down.
"Wrong question" she chimed in with a grin "let me help you out, the one you should ask is why you didn't meet me first" the false first introduction, the nervous woman he had run into, the one who stole his keycard, ruined his mission, pissed Tsuande off.
"The Iwa embassy" he confirmed.
"They are using Iwa as a way to cover their tracks, it's why I had to intervene your little mission, I couldn't let you find out about it" she grinned, slow as if realizing "I don't only watch" she knew he knew "I collected every shred of evidence that can and will harm this nation and Earth as collateral, in case my personal threat yesterday wasn't enough" she leaned back, straightening, looking down on him "you touch me and I'll make you suffer"
Touch.
He changed his approach, still stoic and calm, but grinning back now, a perfect facade, a perfect escape planned.
"You think" he snaked his left hand to the leg that held him, lightly grazing soft skin, charming as he spoke "you're going to get away with this"
"I already have" her voice refused to falter, but he could see the hesitation in her eyes as she watched his hand slowly drag up to her knee, using her distraction to slowly move forward, the goal to stand motivating him.
"Have you?" He moved slower, her eyes had returned to him, careful now, suspicious "You didn't stop to consider the public side of things, sure your making their deaths look like an accident, but I've heard what you can really do" a stroke to her ego, letting him move her heel off his chest.
"What about it?" He tone lowered just enough, her head tilted, curious, barely seen if one wasn't watching and he was.
"You are holding back" he confirmed when she returned with a sigh, a small gesture.
"I have my reasons" evenly spoken, Temari now looked up at him, he had stood, but his hand remained, just hiding his fingers under the dress where the slit ended. The hit to the groin had been long forgotten, the move to touch had been a double edged sword.
"I bet you do" Shikamaru finished, debating for a second, that perfume waved in the still air. She had lifted her hand, pressing against his chest, stilling him, aiding him, she couldn't decide if she wanted to grab it or push him away. Her gaze burned, hot and cold at the same time, he had to remember that she was the sun, he couldn't stare even if he wanted to.
Neither moved from their spot, a standstill lasting as long they stared back to one another.
His patience winning finally when she pushed him back, he used his left to hold her leg down, his right to grab her retreating arm, pulling her towards him quickly. With the press of bodies, familiar, as if he was still on the floor dancing against her, a grin accompanied his win as he turned her, grabbing each wrist tightly behind her back, pressing her against the desk and snapping both her hands in the cuffs, ignoring the bare back he had once touched, proven a difficult request to his body. With the realization to the sound of the cuffs, she looked back at him.
"Where did you get handcuffs?" she hissed, having been sure he didn't have anything on himself when she had searching during the dance.
"Kiba always keeps some on himself" he would have to make sure to thank him later for it "proved useful tonight" as he turned her around to back her into the desk, his sights set on the laptop and what it held, rather than the distracting woman who glared back at him, insulted, but blushing "now sit and be quiet" the command didn't sit well with her, yet she annoyingly leaned back and slid to sit.
"Just my luck" she huffed in Sunian, crossing her legs again and ranting beside him "one who can't see what's right in front of him, your agency picked a idiot to lead" at her comment he sighed forcefully.
"You talk a lot, do you mind?" he grumbled, warningly pointing a side glare back to her.
"It's a good thing you're cute" she flashed a grin back to him, dangerous, he bit his tongue, refusing to argue with a woman, and with a troublesome one like her.
"Financials from Kai's foreign transactions" he glared at the account names, Dai Shimaru and Haku Fu, emails recovered from being deleted "this is what you were hiding? We've already been over these, nothing unusual about Kai's records. If you don't count black market deals for some of his pieces" he muttered annoyingly, dirty secrets one could turn a blind eye to.
"Once again, you assume, Nara" she rolled her eyes with a groan "look closer, took some digging, but Kankuro decoded everything during our little dance" she nudged her head to the laptop, he scrolled past the basics and went into the a file listed Desert Storm "Who's the name under" she grinned down to him, just seeing the fall in his expression, the name all to familiar.
Song Suggestion- Maria Mena- It Took Me By Surpise
"Why would Tsunade benefit from a war?" He asked himself, staring back at her enabled name, once hidden now shown.
What was Tsuande doing?
"How does it feel, to know your trusted director is aiding these men? Allowing them to build their little fronts against Wind, allowing them to walk right past you and your agents" she smirked and leaned closer "the fact that she didn't tell you, how does that feel?" he snapped his glare back to her, she wasn't smiling anymore.
"It has to be a mistake" he leaned closer to her, a part hoping he was right, another knowing he wasn't, the many over the few "she would never start a war on purpose" he convinced himself, or at least tried.
"You are too loyal, and it blinds you" her voice sickly sweet, he didn't miss the way her gaze lowered to his lips followed by a soft hum "I almost feel bad for you" she looked up holding his glare, chest heaving as he'd been watching "almost"
"You knew about this" he spoke every word through gritted teeth.
"It's why I'm here" she had spoken just low enough, and he heard it, the lie.
"No, it's not" he stripped her away with his own quiet gaze, moving to look down at her now "You are here because of Gaara" he subtle twitch of her eyes, he hit the mark "an agent might be loyal, but blood is a bond hard break isn't it? Sasori said something along the lines of that. You're trying to keep him safe aren't you? The whole reason your here, risking exposing your identity" she leaned away as he neared, the shadow that casted over her face darkening "you're only doing this for him, because someone threatened him, and your loyalty to him blinds you"
Feeling the heat, god did it burn so beautifully behind the rage, he hit the mark, she was quiet. Reminded suddenly of the dance, she had burned then until the end. The quiet became deafening to both, he had been right.
"What do you want with Tsunade?" The demand was clear, he'd have to focus his anger to this woman before the other. Temari dropped her gaze with a sigh, taking a moment before speaking.
"It's not what" her eyes finally rose to meet his, admitting softly "it's who" as he went to question her, he heard a thud, the clink of metal cuffs dropping on the mahogany desk.
He felt the presence close to him, like a sudden wind dying down, a storm brewing in the horizon, now knowing what she really had been hiding behind her back. One hand now free, the edge of his black tux coat gripping in her fingers as she pulled him close to her. He stilled his breath, tensing and raising his hand just as she came at him, needle in hand, the golden syringe an inch away from meeting his neck.
The moment she had exchanged with her brother, her downfall.
"One thing you have yet to know about me" he gripped tighter, she winced as he twisted her wrist, forcefully turning the needle to herself, her other hand, gripping his shirt, held firmly by the wrist, trapping her "is I don't make the same mistake twice, and frankly I'm tired of these hallucinations" He jammed the needle into her shoulder, forcing the golden liquid to release. Her lips parted in a silent gasp and her eyes widened in surprise.
He waited, ready to settle her, but even as he stepped back, pulling away, she remained seated, still, and insulted? She didn't flinch, even going as far as pulling out the needle herself with a vicious glare back at her loss. Where was the convulsing? The screaming? The panic? The hallucinations? Pushing off the table she dropped the needle behind her.
"I'm practically immune to this stuff, the venom doesn't do anything to me anymore" an absolute fearless solider, they trained their special ops with the venom he remembered, to finish, a threat "but I'll still kick your ass for trying"
A moment passed, he raised his hand, dropped it, opened his mouth to speak and quickly shut it.
He had enough.
"To hell with it, I give up" he raised his hands up and stepped back into the chair with a huff "This has by far been the worst week I've ever had in my entire life" he concluded dragging a hand over his face.
"It's been no walk in the park for me either" she rolled her head and rubbed her shoulder, still confused as to why he stepped away, why he gave up "you're interference has been a pain in my ass"
"You are lawless" he scoffed and crossed his arms, glaring back annoyingly at her "what you are doing is bringing more harm than good"
"Is it?" She cocked her head to the side, pursing her red lips, disappointed "clearly, you would rather fight with words than take action" she leaned forward, closing in dangerously, gripping the sides of the chair "weak" she repeated, and to add insult to injury she seemed to relish in her next words, in his quiet rage "just like Sauske, he might be a mess at the moment, but he is as blind as you are, yet to give me a single explanation as to why he was ordered to go to Suna" she moved closer, he felt that fire return in her gaze "if it's for the purpose of what I think it is, I will expose every secret your city holds, mark my words, I will lay you bare before I kill you, make you question everything and everyone if you so much as think to aid the notion of touching what is mine" her brother had warned Shikamaru, she took her time, the perfect murder Ino had called it "I will burn everything you hold dear to the ground if anyone touches Gaara"
He remained silent. The possibility of her theory almost showing on his stoic glare back. No. Tsuande would never allow it. She wouldn't start a war just to take out one man. Would she?
Priorities changed.
"Only death will free you, Nara" she finished firmly giving him a sudden idea and he grinned knowingly to her.
"Apparently it didn't free you, Temari" his retort back to her causing a tense on her shoulders, he noticed and calmly used it to aid himself "you might not answer to Gaara, but you still obey someone, someone who threatens him, someone who wants Tsuande" he leaned closer to her "who?"
"Are you sure you want to find out?" The tempting devil before him leaned closer, an inch from touching, the truth behind beautifully painted lips "because it will ruin everything you think you know, Shikamaru" He swallowed quietly, her perfume almost intoxicating, opening his lips to speak, to make a deal with the devil herself, but someone already beaten him to it.
His trance broken.
"I feel like I'm interrupting something" the sudden intrusion made both agents turn to the sitting room, Kankuro standing with a smirk "maybe I should come back later"
"What is it?" Temari huffed, pulling away, taking away her heat and leaving Shikamaru cold.
"Play with your toy another time, we gotta go" Kankuro gestured to the door.
"What happened to your face" she questioned with a furrow of her brows. As Kankuro went to speak, explain his black eye, and busted lip, someone else rushed in.
"Fuck" A huffing Kiba with his hands cuffed behind him and a black bruise forming over his left eye stumbled into the office, gasping as he spoke "Hey Shikamaru we got trouble, there's" he did a double take as he spotted Kankuro and growled "I'm gonna fucking kill you!"
"I do like it when they fight back" Kankuro snaked his tongue out to the side of his lips, licking at the blood from the first successful hit "always leave them wanting more, I say" When he winked, Kiba growled and stepped closer ready to continue his fight.
"Kiba"
"Puppet"
Both spoke simultaneously, each of their companions stopping their advance towards the other at the command.
"What's the trouble?" Shikamaru asked, coming to stand, casual now, as he grabbed the pieces to his gun.
"The big guys from the front are headed this way" Kiba muttered, glaring back at a Kankuro as he finished.
"Apparently someone stole something expensive while everyone was busy with Kai dying" Kankuro shrugged unconcernedly "wonder who it could be?"
"Your doing?" Shikamaru looked back to Temari.
"Don't assume I'm a thief now" she scoffed glaring back.
"Hard to assume anything with you at this point" as he clicked the clip into his gun, she kept in her place, each a inch from touching, fearless of the other.
"Let's finish this dance another time" she made sure to let him know she wasn't suggesting it, but demanding it.
"Looking forward to it" he countered, glaring back down, the game paused, the gun twitching at his side. A moment more and she pulled back, head held high in her departure. Not bothering to look at Kiba as she passed him and left, her brother giving a salute on his way out to follow her.
"Dude" Kiba looked from the door to him and back "Who is she?"
"That Kiba" Shikamaru took a deep breath and released the last taste of her perfume, putting his gun in the back of his belt as he finished "is a troublesome woman"
"That guys was definitely something" Kiba worked his jaw for a second and turned his back to Shikamaru "uncuff me will ya"
"Don't you have the key?" He looked down at his tied hands, not really seeing a solution to Kiba's problem.
"I should probably get those next time" Kiba grumbled as he realized and groaned "these things are impossible to get out of" Shikamaru grabbed the laptop as he spoke.
"Not impossible, just difficult" the reminder that Temari had gotten out of her cuffs easily making a uneasy new discovery known. He wondered briefly why her nickname was Little Weasel.
Outside the hall, Shikamaru veered right while Temari went left. The knowledge of who worked behind the scene of the brewing war known between the two, but was it true. Each glaring look, as they turned back to each other, a reminder, one to dark, one to cold.
This wasn't over.
"Should have seen my fight" Temari rolled her eyes as he brother boosted, just hearing the start of his exciting tale of his fight with Kiba "that little mutt almost had me worried, man could he throw a left hook" he sighed "I like it when they fight back" he repeated "did you know the guy had cuffs on him"
"Don't mix work and play Puppet, it's a dangerous combination" her brothers low rumbling laugh to her warning died down as they made it to the main hall. Hooking her arm around his as they merged with the group of people leaving.
"Speak for yourself"