Grief
Monday 9:12AM
Mission- Desert Storm- Part Four
Status- Complete
She was ready, and he knew it.
A heart attack.
Temari had stared back, head held high in the back of the crowd, her hidden backup plan a success, the speech about a meeting set on the top of the capital steps addressed that Monday morning. The press circled around, the rumors of war mingled with the death of the Suna General, the civil war at the edges of Wind had grown to obvious since her departure four months back, the Sound secretly aiding the chaos against the front of River, she was losing time and the Serpent had grown impatient with her.
The fall of a great nation, because of a woman.
Sato had spoken during his turn, only for a minute before coughing and gripping his chest, his fall causing a instant panic among the crowd gathered. The reason, a larger than normal dose of his heart medication, the pills foreign to his body, the results working within the hour. It had almost been too easy, simple, delayed against orders, but it was finished. The beast had fallen down to its knees and the head was now within her reach, just a step away, and all she needed was a push towards her, to draw out Tsuande herself.
Control of a nation given back to the youngest child of Wind, the true Lord of Suna, in exchange for the life of Tsuande.
It had been the deal, one made in revenge.
She was the weapon he had decided to use, anything to keep her ties from being severed.
The backup plan for the negotiations started before the betrayal, after the death of Lord Rasa, it had been delayed now by Suna, by the false leader. Her hand now forced, a harsh tug back on the leash of a shadow, forced to obey, her brother still far from her desperate grasp, the fear of losing him, terrifying her. It was almost a foreign feeling, but anger was the cousin of fear, and she was angry.
She was the calm before the blinding storm that threatened the earth.
Standing in the back of the crowd, across the street from the scene, a sigh to calm himself as Shikamaru walked towards the sun, her fire tempered down to a frozen grief as he neared. Temari didn't need to look to know who had come to stand at her side, still stubbornly alive as she was, feeling the shadow of the man, she did not fear it, or him, but she knew that the past brought nightmares and she could not afford those right now. She might have had a plan, but he had allowed it to happened, he allowed her to kill this man, the peacekeepers she recognized disguised around the steps had told her enough in her observation.
Even dead, he led.
His gaze set to hers as they turned to look at one another, acknowledging the other quietly, the sun no longer burning, but cold, the heavy heart of Baki's passing still lingered behind those teals, his regret for not rushing in sooner would be there, but Baki had been ready the moment he stepped across the border, prepared to give his life for the ones he protected. A man to be respected, not just for his sacrifice, but for just the right push she needed, and Baki had known.
She truly was a dangerous and powerful woman, a beautiful woman, the very sun resting in her soul, to stay away would have been the smarter choice, but he had made a promise, one he intended to keep.
"I am sorry about Baki" he had whispered, turning a side eye to her, to bear witness to the cracked facade in the light of day. Her chest heaved with the name, eyes shut, a exhale escaped her parted lips, but she did not move away, her hand to her side clenched, a moment before releasing the pressure, the anger, and allowed her fingers to loosen, a brush away from his own calm hand.
Fingers close, but refusing to touch.
Turning away from him, she had left, having not spoken a single word, her silence had been louder than her shout back in those woods of River.
He needed her to come to him, to step into his domain and trust him, to give up control to him.
Monday 10:24 PM
Location: Commons District.
Did it have to be this troublesome?
As Shikamaru glared into the door, preparing himself for what stood behind it, eyes set on the seven one number of his apartment. A fleeting thought that he hadn't been back since the incident that had killed him, his decision made with her unexpected help, and now he was here to return the favor and keep his promise.
The devil's voice greeted him when he entered.
"You're late"
He almost sighed, particularly in relief that it was her, another part dreading this very encounter. The door shut behind him, his chance of escape gone with it, to turn back now still ran as the smartest decision, the easiest path, the effort only needed to turn a doorknob one way, yet he remained, keeping calm. He had cheated death to many times these past couple of weeks, and now it was his turn to make death fear him for good.
"Didn't know I was expecting company tonight" he called back evenly, casually stripping his suit jacket off as he entered into his domain, finding her across from him settled in the moss colored armchair. Sat back with her bare legs crossed over one another on the seat, drink in hand, her expression practically unreadable, but cold as she had been earlier in the day. A couch, a coffee table, a gun, and a half empty bottle next to a game of Shogi he had left behind before his mission to find Sasuke.
That is all that stood in his way from her.
"You know" she spoke first, a hum to set the tone of the meeting, thoughtful as she glanced to the cup in her hand, the last taste of his scotch left to soothe "you are surprisingly a hard man to kill and I usually don't have the patience to keep a contract open this long, especially one I already confirmed complete" she looked back to him, the subtle narrow of her gaze calling for him to pause behind the couch "and I make it a habit not to lie"
"Just following orders, that's your purpose here, right?" He set his jacket on the back of the couch, casual in movement, cautious inside, but keeping the quiet stare back to her.
"Everything that I've done here in Konoha, has had a purpose" tipping back what remained of her drink, she set the cup down on the table with a soft clink, licking her bare pink lips and looking back to him, leaning back and brushing a hand against the black fabric of her dress to rest it at her bare knee, a line, flowing at her sides, open in front exposing a peek of her chest and breasts, ending with thick straps at her shoulders, golden hair loose and flowing "but you" she hummed and finally grinned, it was almost a comfort at this point to see the gesture, knowing the true intent behind it "have been an interesting addition to say the least"
"You find me interesting?" He grinned back, hooking a finger to the loosened tie around his neck, calm and cool, guard down outwardly, aiding himself with the unexpected, her gaze moving to watch.
"Don't flatter yourself, Nara" she scoffed leaning against her fist, head cocked to one side, but focus set on his hand "I only saw what needed to be seen, you're mudane life did not interest me"
"Or perhaps, that's exactly what you find interesting about me" he ventured and pulled the tie loose, continued on calmly, voice low and vibrating, ready, knowing she'd watch to see it through "because I am someone you've never met before, because I can separate my life from the work that I do" he shrugged "unlike you"
"Oh please" she scoffed softer, distracted "your work is your life, same as me, especially when what we do is so important to our nations" she trailed off watching his hand, a finger dragging against the bottom of her lip, wiping at the remainder of her drink, at the sight of his caution, like a predator zoning in on her prey to find a weakness.
"Sure, but" he pulled the tie off, setting it beside his suit jacket, glad to know she couldn't use it to choke him now, that would have been a drag. She returned to her quiet observation, hand lowering, eyes softly narrowed, curious at his arrogant smirk "you still find me interesting, don't you?" a moment before she shut them and smiled, amused by him, even now he found it hard not to observe the curl of her lips.
"You'll be dead before you figure it out, genius" she reached to the spot beside her dress and threw something at him, he knew exactly what she had taken from him.
"We'll just have to see then" as he caught it, the familiar weight of the silver lighter a instant comfort, a reminder of what happened last time she returned it, he almost laughed at the morbid recollection "honestly woman, how aren't you tired of trying to kill me yet?"
"I like a challenge, and haven't had this much fun in years" she continued on with a chuckle, a smile to follow, reminding him that she didn't make anything easy, trouble following her every step "and I took out a entire private militia in heels once"
"Then you should probably change your profession, if it doesn't make you happy anymore" the tense air had yet to settle, their banter simply a warmup, he sighed as he pocketed the lighter "Tell you what, ladies first" her gaze narrowed, the humor gone, the focus returned to her "I knew you were here the moment I stepped into the building anyway, so it'd be rude of me to go first"
"And yet, you still decided to come right on in" she tutted and stood, a breath taken as she slid the gun off the table to hold it at her side "not very smart of you to corner yourself with me"
"It got you to come to me, saved me a lot of work" her weapons his new caution, the end of the silencer appreciated, at least his neighbors wouldn't hear this "remember, you make mistakes when you get mad" and the taunt was just enough to darken her glare, anger her to get closer to him, one step closer to witness the heat burning bright in her gaze "and right now" he hit right where he needed to with each word "you are angry"
"It's just the grief" with her hollow spoken words, she raised the gun to finish speaking for her, he ducked and rushed past the back of the couch to take cover behind the counter in his kitchen, a line of bullets following the first move. Pressed behind his counter, crouched and waiting for his turn, the path chosen thanks to the truth.
Song Suggestion- Nelly Furtedo- Maneater
The click of heels, the only sound.
"Do you want to know why they call us shadows, Nara?" The devil spoke, the one from the first introduction, the real one, the one who controlled each step she took.
"Enlighten me, Princess" he called out, counting calm steps walking towards him, the sudden loss of sight making him readjust to the dark, the dim lights having been turned off in the apartment with only the lights from the streets shining now. The darkness now aiding her, an annoying addition to the fight.
"Because like shadows" her steps vanished suddenly, the hard click of heels gone, a internal curse as he turned to the other side of the island accompanying her next words "we are right behind you" the glint of a throwing knife flew past him, the street lights shining from the blinds aiding him in escaping the first attack, coming to stand, but not the second strike, her backup plan.
The woman tackled him, his fall back met with a groan, recovering fast as she straddled his chest, her glinting knife aimed at his neck, too familiar with the move. He pushed back at her, one hand at her wrist the other pushing at her waist throwing her at his side, he rolled, going to pin her down, but the legs didn't wrap around him this time, they came under his abdomen, pushing up.
Sasori had been right to warn him.
With a snarl she used all her strength to throw him behind her, landing roughly on his back in his attempt to subdue her, surprise lingering as he rolled his head back to look at her, fucking strength in those legs, and his first thought aside from survival, impressed with her skill yet again. She had already rolled to her front, a glint passing his eyes as he moved his head away, the strength of the attack now stuck in his hardwood floor, a afterthought, his poor apartment would be in ruins after this.
"You should have just shot me when you had the chance" he rolled to his front, keeping eyes on her, following his own path to be upright for the fight.
"Guns are too quick" he sighed, Suna women and their knives "I told you back in River, this is personal, and what's more personal than a slit throat" With a irritated huff at her threat, her promise to be kept, he pushed back to stand, her movement mimicking his, moving as he did, both upright and glaring back to the other, one cautious, one with cold anger, fire gone, a unhinged winter glazed over her eyes. Words no longer a path to take, he almost groaned at the realization, she really didn't want to make this easy for him.
Her patience wore thin and she moved first.
The dance resumed, as if they had never left River, as if they had never left the floor of the mansion, a never ending reach for the other, a pull back here, a missed strike there, a grab for air. He moved past his counter, around the island, guided the blinded fight closer to open ground, keeping away from the glint of that damn knife from himself, absently thinking about the poison the tip held. He recalled a pillow being used in defense, a pillow now torn. Her style sharper than before, focused, faster, moving around as if she was a unavoidable gust of wind.
Motivation enough to keep away from her touch.
"Do we have to fight all the time? It's so much work" he groaned missing the next strike by a hair, stepping a few feet back when she stilled suddenly, glaring past her arm at him, the knife from her right hand held in his, a slash on his button up, skin untouched thankfully.
"You really are a lazy man, aren't you?" a look of annoyance flashed on her face, murderous intent still there, but covered loosely by the realization as she straightened her posture.
"All I want is a simple conversation, is that too much to ask for?" his question met with a smirk.
"As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words" he rolled his eyes, she really did like to fuck with people, seeing why she controlled Suna with her confidence alone "and I'm not in the mood to talk to you"
"Fighting is pointless right now" he argued back, falling on deaf ears, glaring as he noticed the side of the dress lift up, he knew all to well what she had strapped to that thigh "come on, woman, have mercy, will you?" he groaned, raising the throwing knife he'd taken from her up in defense.
"I don't believe in mercy" a cruel smile accompanying her second knife coming out "but I will have you on your knees, begging for it" he inhaled sharply, this woman really knew how to push just the right button, get just the right reaction, guess he'd play her dirty game of who can piss the other off more.
"And I will make you admit that you need me" rage his instant reaction to his confident statement, his move to bring her to him. Check within sight.
"You do not get to decide what I need and don't need" her voice raised, eyes tightly narrowed, sparked fire "I decide that" she declared firmly.
"Thought Orochimaru decided that for you" just the right push, the fire, sun set a blaze, her mistake seen in the distance, and she closed in.
"I warned you more than once" a slash flying past his face, another just missing his chest as he sprang back from her "are you deaf or just ignorant?"
"It's called being stubborn" he stilled, weight ready to move as she came at him, one hand to her wrist another to her arm "And you" he held tightly onto her, leveling his gaze with her, his calm against her storm "are scared of losing Gaara, that's your biggest fear" Just the right push.
"Fuck you!" The snarl met with his simple turn, pushing her towards the wall, arms firmly crossed behind her, her head turning to make him a witness to the burning look and barred teeth.
True rage.
True fear.
"Stop moving or you'll dislocate your shoulder" he fought against her, attempting to keep her still.
"I know this move better than you do, Nara, it's from Suna" she pushed back against the hold on her arm, one shift upwards and he'd pop her shoulder out, but he fought against her purposeful move to do it herself, her words aiding her, the name spoken "Asuma taught you how to do this, didn't he?"
"I'd like to think I know how you move pretty well with how many times you've tried to kill me" to keep from rising at the mention he gripped at her, tighter, closer, just catching her side eye as she glanced back with a smirk.
"I still have a few secrets you don't know about" she lost the grin and threw her head backwards, the grip gone and his hand coming to his nose with a groan as white stars came to accompany it. Using his need to be so close to keep her still, against him.
Whipping around she raised her leg, he almost groaned when he saw it, this would hurt. She shoved the end of her foot into him, watching him fall onto his back behind the couch with a groan. This woman and her damn legs. At least his landing was prepared, his chest screaming for a break, his back following, the cut from River aching him even now.
"What, can't hit a woman, Nara?" Sliding her hand to her thigh, she slipped out one of her throwing knives and turned it in her hand, flipping it between her fingers like an expert, keeping his eyes guessing when she would throw it.
"I don't hit women if that's where your going with this" he sniffed wiping the trail of blood from his nose and glared back up to her, she wasn't smiling anymore.
"Most men" she emphasized "give up at this point"
"Probably the reason why I'm not dead" he glared back, ready to move.
"Yet" she agreed and aimed the knife down, he rolled narrowly missing being pinned in his chest, his hand went under the couch, the taped gun ripped from it's hiding spot and turned to point it at her. Her kick connected with the end of the gun before he could fire it, the weapon thrown back onto the ground.
The move predicted as he took the little advantage he had of her being so close, using his leg to swipe under her, her fall accompanying her shout of surprise, as she attempted to sit up he'd already maneuvered around to climb on top of her, grabbing at her wrists and shoving them into the hardwood floor above her head, legs finally trapped between his. Both halted their movement and the only noise was their panting, eyes pinned to one another.
"Why do we keep getting into this position?" She huffed, frustrated, breathing heavily past her words.
"You really make a guy work for it, don't you?" he groaned and steadied his breath, chest aching from the effort, loyalty made way "You know I'm supposed to kill you right? That's what Tsuande wants, you dead"
"You don't have the balls" she snapped, leaning up to get closer "coward"
"It is unbelievably difficult to find the will to want to help you sometimes" frustrated and angry himself.
"I do not need your help" stubborn, distrustful and still angry, he sighed to keep himself calm.
"Yes, you do" his simple comment met with a growl, her chest heaved and her body jerked under him, all she needed was one leg to gain her advantage. A jerk to her side, she slipped one of her legs from under him.
She crossed her leg around his torso, tightening bringing him close to her, the unexpected pressure, his grip slightly loosened, enough for her to slip her hand free and shove it towards his neck, he was grateful now that he had taken his tie off. He leaned back in the grip, hers pulled him closer and with all her strength she rolled them over, he went for her wrist, her grip to his throat, a sharp prick at his neck still any movement.
"I hate last words" her final threat, panting, exhausted like he was, digging the tip of the knife in his throat and he made his final move.
Checkmate.
"You were right about Gaara" he managed to speak quickly enough, the tip drawing blood, the name made her stop, but she didn't release the pressure, so he continued in her frozen state "the peacekeepers are planning to kill him when he comes here to negotiate" the hit was instant, her face fell and she blinked down at him, his chance to move. He grabbed her wrist again, the knife nicking his skin ignored as he sat up, pushing himself towards her, leaning her away, only coming closer to bear witness to the true facade breaking right before his eyes.
Fear.
"No" a breathless whisper, realizing "he's supposed to be safe here"
"He won't be" He kept calm, kept focus on the vacant gaze staring back at him, she was too quiet "Tsuande thinks Gaara is working with the Sound to attack Konoha, that's why Sasuke was headed to Suna, he was going to kill him there, the war Tsuande was funding was just a way to force him out of Wind, they gave him no choice, Temari" he paused, unable to finish. He had a part in this one Tsunade had hidden from them all, she had used his mission to vote Naruto in as a way to bring out the leader of Wind, to bring him out into the open, to force change "the negotiations were just a different way to get him here, they alway wanted to kill him" he added quieted, regretful "you were right"
"You" she blinked, quiet "why are you telling me this?"
"I am trying to figure out a way to make them stop, I was trying to make you stop, I told you I want to help before it's too late"
"You're lying" she whispered, conflicted behind her wide eyes.
"Temari I'm trying to help" he repeated, raised a hand to her arm as of to comfort her, suddenly feeling caution run up his spine as he continued "If Tsuande just knew-"
"Stop lying!" The knife that had been at his neck quickly caught as she swung her arm at him.
"I'm not!" He shoved her next to him, settling on top to glare down "stop trying to kill me and trust me please"
"Why should I?" she spat out bitterly, straining to get any traction to push away, but to no avail. "Your loyalties lie with people, not nations. I even showed you what her intent was and you still want to crawl back to her like a sheep, a follower" she leaned further towards him venom in her barred words "a coward!"
"Is that what you honestly think?" he growled back, forced to match her tone as if she couldn't hear his calm pleas "do you really believe I want to follow down this path? A path that leads to war? That is not why I became a peacekeeper" he kept firm matching her anger with his own, at how blinded he was to the things right in front of him "I have to convince Tsuande to stop before it's too late"
"Oh please tell me you are not this stupid" she groaned rolling her head back before snapping it back to him "People like her, they don't stop, she wont stop until the mission is complete. She's like me" she leaned up to him as much as she could "we do not stop"
"Then why did you stop?" He calmly asked, her expression fell, blank and quietly staring back at him, her body finally relaxed, his firm grip loosened when he noticed, the exhaustion finally hitting each of them. He clenched his jaw and pulled back turning his gaze from her to quiet the thoughts, quiet the reminder of the ties that kept them grounded. Kept them human. Leaning against the back of the couch, leaving her laying, quiet as she was, too quiet. Slowing tuning his gaze to the rise and fall of her chest, she remained laying her head turned away from him, hiding weakness.
"Temari" she refused to look at him, but he spoke anyways, relaying the message she needed to hear "Baki said he's sorry" a sigh escaped him "had I gotten there sooner" he began to explain, but she cut him off.
"We do not speak of the dead" his brows furrowed at the sudden calm in her voice, the grief "for seven days, we do not say the name of the one who has passed, it is forbidden" she sighed and shut her eyes as she explained "it is so that their soul doesn't get lost and return to linger where they had died" she tilted her head in his direction, meeting his quiet gaze back to her red rimmed teals "so do not say his name, please" her ties with the general, closer than he had thought, Shikamaru sighed into the silence and stood, ignoring the ache in his back, the throb to his chest, his body whining to be seated again. Moving around the couch, kicking aside a torn pillow, grabbing the bottle of scotch that had surprisingly remained standing on the table. Unbroken and ready to soothe, he returned to the couch and slowly dragged down to sit with a final exhale as he allowed himself to finally relax.
The bottle sitting between them.
"It's not called the impenetrable fortress for kicks" Temari suddenly chuckled, reminded once of the knowledge Fire truly had of the inner workings of Suna city, the ones hidden away behind generations of traditions and structure, a land made of rules and stubborn people, a land of survivors "Everything is my fault" quiet, she took a breath, inhaling to compose herself, knowing that this was the second time she had shown weakness to the man "it was taken from me" a forced statement, regret, slowly she moved to sit up, a wince and sore as he was, the second stage of grief lasting longer than it needed to, anger "I should have never went back to Suna" looking to the bottle, she reached out and grabbed it, bringing herself to sit back with a exhausted breath. His own return to lean back against the couch accompanied with a curious raised brow at her amusing muttered words "should have just stayed in that stupid cabin with those three gay idiots, I would have made a great criminal" she mumbled under her breath and swung the bottle back with a sigh.
"You said it yourself" he piped in with a shrug, watching her settle the bottle to her side and glance at him "the balance was broken, you were just trying to fix it, that's why you went back" she breathed a quiet laugh, leaning against the wall across from his position pulling a leg up to rest her head against her knee for a second.
"I was hoping that damn poison would kill you before you got back to Konoha" she muttered, peeking up at him when he scoffed, perfectly annoyed by the statement.
"Yeah, thanks for that" he shut his eyes for a moment, listening to the hum in her voice as she spoke, even now he wanted to lean forward, closer to the sun.
Soft.
"Breaking something is easy, it's quick, takes two seconds" she hummed glaring at the floor, quick to wipe away one of her stray tears "trying to fix it, to mend what your anger has destroyed, it can take a lifetime, and I am willing to give my life to fix what my father broke for Gaara and the future of Wind" she stared at the ground, a short grin played on her lips, his eyes opened to witness it, to see the crushing burden she carried "he made me do it, made me submit and kill him, gave me the choice" she took another swing, swallowed and set her eyes to him, the quiet dark gaze back soft "the choice between killing my father or killing Gaara, a choice between keeping control of Suna or giving it up for my brother's life" a bitter note finished her confession "it's not something I had to think about, but because of my choice I handed the power to him" she turned her gaze down "to Orochimaru"
"Her old friend" Shikamaru finished for her and Temari nodded to herself, glaring at the bottle in her hands before sliding it over to him, her gesture met with his own grab to take a share of the scotch.
"He threatened with war against Fire and Earth, about eight months ago, it's why I'm here killing the beast" she huffed draping her arms on her knees "it is our deal" Shikamaru nodded slowly, understanding "and If I don't listen he hurts anything that ties me down, he killed him as a warning, a reminder of what he could do. That stubborn old fool died before he bowed to him" she shook her head with a deep sigh "if I try to rebel or even hurt him he threatened to make it known Kankuro and I exist, and I'm sure you already know what will happens to our nations if that happens"
"Hint why I'm trying to stop everything" he muttered sliding the bottle back to her.
"He fucking knew, that Snake" she snatched the bottle swung back and glared past him, catching her hints of Sunian, her light accent coming out with it, his head tilted just a bit to listen closer, intrigued "he knew that she was after Gaara, that why he was allowing him to keep with the negotiations, making me think he'd be safe here" slamming the bottle to her side, frustrated suddenly "fuck how can I be so stupid"
"At least now you know why they delayed his official appearance in Konoha" With a sigh of his own, his days spent alone aiding him, preparing him, he raised his brow at the sudden glaring look, as if she had just realized something.
"Sen told you I talk when I drink" she huffed and slid the bottle over aggressively, he already had a hand out for it.
"Maybe" he shrugged nonchalantly as he met her groan with a sigh of his own, finally ready to settle things "Well princess, I'm tired of fighting you, it's become counterproductive and a hazard to my health, to say the least" he caught the roll of her eyes, but her focus kept on him "we both want the same things, we don't want a war and we don't want to see the only hope we have for stopping it, get killed" her eyes narrowed as he extended a hand to her "so truce"
"Now you want to take action" she scoffed, leaning against her palm, hiding a grin behind her hand, eyes filled with shining mirth "took your sweet time, didn't you, lazy ass"
Mocking he swore it was her default mode.
"I'm extending a olive branch here woman, just agree" he pulled his hand back with a grab at the bottle.
"What do you plan to do then?" she gestured to him with a wave of her hand "genius" taking a moment, taking a swing back, knowing his answer was about to cause a scene, groaning inside as he set the bottle down and spoke.
"First we need to talk to Tsuande" she blinked back at him, quiet as her eyes slowly narrowed.
"Hell no" she stood swiftly, her dress flowing behind her as she headed for the door.
"Hold on" he followed after her, ignoring the ache in his back, annoyed, his words failing to still her as she continued, his grab at her arm and turning her to face him "I need you to come with me to help try and convince her"
"Oh like that's going to happend" she jerked her hand away from his grip "fighting with words will lot help here" she turned, he grabbed at her arm again, turning her back to face him, angry as she glared up to him, speaking before he could "What will me speaking to your precious leader do anyways? She wants me dead and my orders are to bring her to him"
"It'll convince her to stop for one if she heard you out" he glared down, everything about her irritated him, an afterthought.
"It wont" she argued firmly, balling her fist as she leaned closer to him, glaring and serious "people like her, they don't stop, because they see themselves as protectors, she thinks what she is doing, her actions, are going to help, because she only sees borders between the nations" she jerked herself hand away but remained in her spot this time "she only sees her side and nothing else"
"Then you need someone who considers all the sides, same as you" he gestured to himself "you need me"
"I do not need you for anything Shikamaru" turning to the door again, she moved, even now making him work for it.
"Yes you do Temari" a few strides past her, he now stood between her and the door, pointing at her "You have to tell her, because she'll kill Gaara no matter what I say"
"And he will kill Gaara no matter what I say" she batted his hand away.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He vented in his own frustrations, of her need to argue.
"I am rarely wrong" pulling away from him, a step back, she took a breath, confessing "but I was wrong about you" she admitted "I had used you to get to her, because you were their leader, but you were blinded just like everyone else, I was wrong about you" she inhaled and exhaled, keeping her gaze away "but if you want to go back there and beg that woman to stop" she scoffed "be my guest, because I will now bend to anyone, especially the woman who wants control of my country and my brother dead" with her final words, head held high she went to push past him.
"It's nonnegotiable, you are doing this with me, because I know how to get out of this whole mess, without killing everyone in site" a remark on her current track record, she almost groaned at the accusation "because you're to dangerous to be on your own" she scoffed, irritated and seeking to jab back at him now.
"Afraid I might hurt one of your friends again?" glaring back at each other.
"I hurt one of yours and you don't even bat an eye" leaning closer, feeling the other breath against the other.
The smell of scotch.
"Sen is a big girl, she can handle herself" she moved away first, shoving past him only to be pushed back, by a firm hand to her abdomen as he stood between her and the door, between her and escape.
"We are doing this my way" a firm command met with expected burning anger, waiting for her mistake to show itself.
"Your way?" she stepped forward closer to him, closer to the door he was blocking. Words seeming to fail him when she grinned, baring perfect teeth, that hooded glare, one gesture to infuriate him, challenging him to take control, this woman and her need to fight back "And what exacly are you going to do if I don't do this your way, Nara?"
"Don't make me have to do this" he warned, quieter than her, feeling the heat behind the look, his body tensed when she spoke, the devil's voice making him lean forward, one hand behind his back, his own backup plan.
"I dare you to try" each word spoken with the threat of a fight, his hand already moving to grab her arm and snapped one side of the cuffs to her wrist, locking it into place. Her eyes narrowed. He attempted to move her, to grab her other arm, but she was quick to drop the hand from his reach and grab ahold of him.
He should have seen this coming, he expected another fight, he really had, but this seemed to be her backup plan instead.
They both stilled, she smiled small, innocently, amused at the sudden fall in his face, his confidence. Continuing to hold her other arm, but seeing as he wasn't moving, her free hand gripping firmly onto his member, the adrenaline rush from fighting earlier not helping him, she pulled away from his loosened grip. The faint clink of the cuffs the only noise in the room, his breathing stilled when she waved it before him.
Mocking, he swore it was her default mode.
"As much as I love playing with these" she tightened her grip onto him, the sharp inhale to remain calm meeting her taunting voice "I will not go into the lion's den to be interrogated like some common criminal, that is not my plan"
"People have never really said no to you, have they?" The nightmare made way, why did she have to be a attractive woman? One that caused trouble wherever her steps made way, the sun stood before him and was beginning to blind him.
"It's how I ruled an entire country" her hand moved against him, another strained inhale his response, her own lips parted at the sight, her voice quiet like a secret "with nothing more than whispered words"
"Temari" he managed just as quiet, swallowing and licking his lips nervously, his body failing to listen the cause "You want to let go of me?" she glanced down, a part of him wished she hadn't.
"I don't think you want me to, Shikamaru" his eyes shut, the sultry whisper from his nightmare made his head roll back into the door, his name spoken like honey, sweetly, like a dream, calm he tried to remind himself. When she dragged up his length again and again, the motion finally spurring the involuntary movement forward to get closer to her, grinding against her hold "just admit it, you want me, don't you?" running the length repeatedly teasing his silence, testing her own limits.
The thoughts of trying to stop himself further diminishing, it's not like he really wanted her to stop either, logically he should have tried harder, but the effort didn't seem worth it the more she made him suffer. She had warned him. He had touched the untouchable and this was his punishment. Dark eyes glared down to her, and by the look of the cruel smile growing, she was either immensely enjoying this or just waiting to kill him when he least suspected it.
"Enjoying yourself?" He managed somewhat evenly, trying to remain as unaffected as he could, but failing as her lips parting to speak under her hooded gaze.
Like a siren's song, she drew him in.
"I'm about to" distracted, teals firmly set to his lips, she stopped, palm at the tip of his traitorous member, a finger hooked into his belt, the slight tug towards her, an invitation that was hard to decline, hard to believe. The devil was a temptress and he hated temptation, yet here he was falling for it, for her.
He had stared back at the sun for too long he concluded.
Keeping dirty secrets behind closed doors.
As words lost him, thoughts too, he beckoned to the pull, leaning down and sealing the deal, meeting the lips that had turned up to him, a crash of need rather than want, no gentle touch, no soft caress, just pure demanding lust, a fight for control of the other.
He didn't want this, he needed this, as if she was air and he was deprived.
The push this woman had was enough to make him fall back into the door, but he didn't let it last long, he had learned to fight back.
Her body crashed against his, lips locked to one another, rough hands now dragging down the sides of the hourglass and claiming her hips in the battle, he pushed into her, off the door, forcing her to step back and take him along with her. Her hands came up to grip his shoulders, on the tips of her toes, the handcuffs making a clank, fingers passing his neck and suddenly her nails dug into the skin at the back of his neck, pulling him down, closer, both unable to get close enough to the other in the heat of the first exchange.
Lips parted for the tongues that fought against each other, the bitter taste of scotch between them, her moan that hummed in his mouth made him grip at her flesh harder, bruising, pushing her hips into his awaiting member, the one she had created in her attempt to escape. She dropped her arms from his neck, impatiently dragging them down his chest and to his belt, busied by the kiss, as she pulled at the end of the button up to expose his own skin underneath. Confirming to himself that she wanted this just as much as he did.
Each touch burning like hot iron, each kiss giving life, each body deprived of their oxygen.
"Temari" he managed when her lips left his and moved to his neck, her control lost with the disconnect, the foggy decision clearing with his pull back for air "we really shouldn't, we need to" while he spoke, breathless, conflicted suddenly, she began to work at the belt, hearing the clip, she pulled away and harshly tugged it open, pulling the hem of his pants and underwear down, just enough for her hand to come and stroke his exposed member, skin against skin.
The rumbling groan in his throat that followed was involuntary, he decided, his death would not be a gun to his head, or a knife to his throat, but her instead.
The woman kept her promises.
"I decide what I need" He rolled his head back, silenced just like she wanted him to be. The sudden sensitive hot touch resulting in a quiet moment, one he used to switch off the noise in the background, deciding then it was his turn.
Like hell if he'd let her lead this dance.
Her hand stopped, his grip on her wrist pulling her away from his member, making her stand back as his lips lunged down into her neck and roughly pushed in, one hand holding the curve of her back against him, the other forcing her head back with a sudden grab of her loose golden hair to expose her, her breath coming out in a rasping gasp as he did, chest heaving against him as he dragged bruising kisses from her neck down to the skin of her chest.
In the same motion to mold her against himself, he turned her around and forced her back to the door he had been on, pressing against her. His hand gone from the hair and dragging down to the end of the dress. Without much thought he began to pull one end of the fabric up, although cautiously slow in the movement after, when he touched bare skin, testing his own limits, learning each touch sent a shiver, his touch, until the sudden push into his chest, her hand, stilling his slowed study of her body.
"I don't like waiting" he heard her mutter breathlessly as his shirt tighten in her hand, the cuffed one, pushing him off her enough to allow her to take a step forward, making him stumble back "so don't be slow, we are not making love, we are fucking" at her scold he glared down into her, teals narrowed back up at him, her fingers beginning their work to unbutton his shirt during the stare down, but he was a patient man with a plan.
She only made it half way down before he smirked and leaned down suddenly, hands reaching under the dress to her hips, touching lace fabric as he did, and pushed her back toward the end table near the doorway.
Whatever he had on it, as he lifted her up, was suddenly on the floor, he definitely heard a vase crash to the ground. Unexpected, but the chiming humored laugh that followed at the mishap made him take a step back to observe, even in moonlit darkness the heated blush couldn't be hidden. What a sight Shikamaru told himself, grinning with her, before remembering the task at hand.
He closed his distance to her, raising an arm to rest over her head, she quieted, eyes met, and the desire returned. Curious to see what he would do. One hand dragged slowly up her thigh, her eyes narrowed, only stopping when he hit the familiar strap, letting his thumb brush over the handle of one of the silver throwing knives, before stripping it off her with a sigh, a memory of their dangerous dance brief in his thoughts. He didn't hear a protest as he tossed it aside and looked up, catching the warning look with a smirk and continued.
Trailing his touch up her leg, feeling her tense right before he slid to her underwear, wet from anticipation, the feel of lace moved aside with a single finger. His quiet glare held hers, the one that peeled away the truth, her breath came out heavier as the heat grew, his finger stroked the end of her wet slit, the bitten back moan that followed ended as a soft whine, on the verge of pleading. A new idea. Keeping the testing pace, taking his time to look into each reaction, doing what she told him not to, he grazed her back and forth, slick and soft, a sudden thought of what it tasted like, what she tasted like, spurring him to quicken, not to overwhelm, but only enough to feed into her impatience.
Leaving her wanting more, leaving him just as yearning for a taste of the divine.
She had made him suffer and he might as well returned the favor.
The teals closed and she tilted her head against the wall, body relaxed, he watched her swallow the gentle feeling, his eyes dropped, a new focus, as he leaned in to her neck, finger working at a calm pace over her clit. The delicious start of another pleading whine caught in her throat when he leaned down, pressing into her neck, a kiss, moving towards her jaw, another kiss, to her lips he breathed against them for a moment, readying, the sudden whining gasp quickly silenced by his press to her mouth, two finger slipped inside of her, wet and tight and as deep as they could go.
He felt himself throb, wanting to be inside in a different way, but he pushed the need aside for now, giving her what she wanted, ladies first he thought, that being the new controlling pace of his finger stroking inside of her, grazing against soft tight walls, guiding in a ever rising climax.
When she broke from his lips, a escaped moan accompanying her need to disconnect, her nails digging into his shoulder to keep her grounded, the other hand dragged down his chest to his member, seizing him closer. The sudden touch enlisting a rumbling groan from him, the willpower to keep at his slow teasing pace testing his own patience, and she knew it, this woman and her need to fight back. He swallowed every sound she made during the fight for dominance, each one adding to his gradual increase in speed.
The sounds. Oh what sounds they were.
A breathless gasp.
A pleading whine.
A desperate scream that never got a chance to leave her throat.
Pure torture when he suddenly stopped.
He slipped out from inside of her, much to her growl of disapproval for stopping so suddenly, bringing the fingers up to his lips, the question from before answered as he tasted her. The narrowed gaze turned to him, stilling her movement on his member, watching curiously with a slow rising smile to accompany it.
"Enjoying yourself?" she repeated his own words, keeping her gaze down to his lips, the fingers slipping out leaving them wet.
"I'm about to" the silence between them lasted briefly, she bit her bottom lip subtly, each searching the other to see who would give in first, and his patience won.
"Down, now" the demand clear and he mindlessly obeyed, she did say she would have him on his knees begging for mercy. Kneeling down before her, dragging the start of his touch from her knees up her toned thighs, a weapon he'd come to enjoy now.
Reaching her hips he dragged the wet lace fabric down her legs and pushed the dress up to her waist, until she laid bare before him. Pink and glistening, spread open and inviting him in, a trap made just for him. His mouth watered as he lowered between her legs, a low hum rumbled in his throat, he hooked his arms under her thighs settling them against his shoulders and dragged her closer to the end of the table, close to his hungry lips.
He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside, to obey, to taste and kiss the glistening skin between her shaking legs, but he let himself enjoy the little power he had until she finally gave in, her chest heaving in anticipation, and he offered her the only option for relief.
Give in, he thought, she was on the verge.
"Beg for it, Princess" he glared up to her, tongue frozen in place, she snapped her own heated eyes down to him, stubborn and defiant even now, she was the sun indeed.
"I do not beg" he had a death wish he admitted to himself, but kept firm, his grip tightened, her glare sharpened.
"Say please" he spoke against her, low and soothing, the opposite of her, but just as aching for her to give in "and you'll get exactly what you want" a storm threatening the calm of the clouds, but if anything he was a patience man. He purposefully breathed against her skin, waiting, dragging his hands against her shivering thighs, tightening his grip when her anger just hit its peak.
"Please" spoken forcefully through her teeth.
"You can do better than that" he scolded calmly, turning his gaze up to witness, her eyes shut, chest heaving to remain calm herself "you need me, so tell me how much you need me for this" unarmed and within his hold, even now he felt naked under the glaring look down to his quiet one, just how far did her limits with control go?
She finally broke.
"I need you, Shikamaru!" she moaned and threw her head back against the wall when he finally pressed his lips against hers. Her plea enough, his name, the control given.
His grip tightening on her shaking legs, stilling them, stilling her arched body with a hand dragging up her abdomen to her breast, grabbing to hold her down, stroking a long tongue against her pussy and ended it at her clit to finish. Lapping a tongue over the soaked skin, he swam in her aroma, intoxicated by the salty taste and the warm feel of her against his teasing tongue.
The ego boost of a choking gasp when he tipped his tongue at just the right spot, her hand came down to the top of his head, raking back into the loose ponytail, hooking the tie and letting his hair fall back freely.
He continued, motivated to force the very air from her lungs, to dare her to speak, but he had silenced her tongue, only whining sounds making it past her parted lips. Just as she bit back the final moans as her climax rose, he slipped a curled finger back inside her and nearly lost the battle himself when she rolled her head back and screamed against the wall. The feel of a throbbing orgasm around his finger his goal all along, the new knowledge just a bonus.
Slowly pulling away from her, feeling cold himself, he joined her as he stood straight, sights set to the blushing shimmering skin and breathless pants, the last waves of her high moving away, her eyes still closed. His hands that had once been gripping her thighs now sat gently, brushing light circles with his thumbs on the soft skin just above her knee, using the motion to stir life back into her.
When her eyes opened, the burn never ceased, even in shadows she was the sun, and he was instantly warmed.
She moved back, slow and careful, panting lightly now, a slip of her tongue across the bottom of her lip and a grin, dangerous, fully aware now of her own fall, of her need for him. With a scoff she lifted her hand to her chest and grabbed something from the side of her bra.
A hair pin.
Observing her with a curious furrow of his brows, watching as she moved her cuffed hand up, picking the lock with a successful click and finishing with unceremoniously dropping the metal to the floor with a hard clank. He had always wondered how she out of them.
"We are not done" a firm threat in Sunian, her voice returned enough to whisper, when she forced his gaze back to hers.
"No, we are not" he accepted her challenge just as quietly, swallowing as she grabbed him again, her hands hot and firm as she pulled him closer to her by the hem of his opened pants meeting him halfway as she pushed off the end table to stand against him. Her hands already moving from his exposed chest to his shoulders pulling at the fabric impulsively to get it off. His lips found hers again in the touch, allowing her to taste herself, while locked together he shrugged the shirt off to the floor, the last few buttons simply ripped off in the haste between them, his pants following somewhere along the way as she kept him close to her in the new match.
While his hand grabbed at her waist dragging down to the edge of her dress over her rear and cupped the firm bare bottom, pushing up, the cue taken she leaned back and he lifted her, her legs wrapped around his waist to hold on, the kiss never breaking, when he pressed himself against her and the wall, warm and wet, his needs returning to him, the sound of breathless pants clouding the room as he turned them to move.
He took little air as he made a effortless walk towards his bedroom, knowing it by memory, both breaking away only when he came to the edge of the bed and brought them down into it, she fell back and looking up to him, his advance seeming to stop for a moment as he looking down to her, backing away as he expanded his view of the perfect masterpiece before him.
Like some kind of blushing goddess sprawled out before him, not a demon, but an angel, a body meant to be worshipped, caution for legs long gone, the loose golden hair laid wildly behind her, hooded teals staring back up, lightly panting, lips parting whether to breath, speak, or command his attention.
He was afraid that he might be hallucinating again.
"Beautiful" he hadn't even realized that he spoken, spoken the one word he refused to say from the moment he first laid eyes on her, the first connect between his dark eyes against her shining shade of teal in the Iwa embassy. The observation lasting too long, he realized he had been lost in thought, when she leaned up, a soft smile following her movement towards him, meeting her approach with a step back, a nevous retreat to his thoughtless confession.
"When you want something you take it" coming to stand right before him, she smirked, a faint tug at her reddened lips, from the kiss, she took it upon herself to reach to the collar of her dress and push it off her shoulders, lower and lower it dropped, his gaze never leaving her every move, the wait well worth it. She slipped the dress from her arms and down, rising to show the body he had seen in his nightmares, the ones that used to be covered in shadows, his breathing stilled, the only thing standing in his way now, a bra and her question "so do you want to take me or will I take you?"
His options given, she made the decision in his thoughtful silence.
Song Suggestion- Shaker- Taste of the Divine
With little resistance on his part, memorized into obeying her lead, she moved forward and used her hand to turn him, firmly shoving his fall back into the bed, his hesitation met with her crawling up his body to hover over his waist on her knees, over his twitching member the only part of him that could think at the moment, the sight of her above him simply leaving him a mute. It had been too long, he thought to himself.
The curves, the smooth tanned skin, the silver shining scars from fights before him, the space between her thighs glistening from the faint light gleaming from the window, the sinful body before him made for temptation, a perfect distraction. He dragged his eyes over every part of her, taking the memory of it to heart, scolding himself for ever allowing it, then telling himself to shut up and let her do whatever she wanted to.
He had no plan to escape this, nor did he want one.
He was hers if only for the night.
Free hands wrapped behind her as she unclipped the bra from its place, the rush of what he saw pushing him to sit up and look closer at the flesh that she exposed to him, what the shadows had hid, allowing him to be a witness. Beautiful perfect mounds, a lingering bruise from the gunshot she took from him, the smug grin turning into a thin line, waiting.
Looking up to her, approval given at her narrowed stare down, he leaned in using a hand to drag from her thigh to her bare hip, following each quiet move up the hourglass, a slow inhale, until he reached her breast. Wasting no time, circling a hand around it, caressing, touching the skin softly as if a touch to eager would break her, probably not, but when he heard the moan bitten back as he stroked the end of the hard nipple, he didn't fight his restraint and gripped tighter bringing himself to cover the nipple with his mouth, sucking and pressing his tongue around the hard nub.
She had watched each move with bated breath, a short sigh of relief following the final touch.
A gasp at the feel of his tongue pressing harder, the taste of her still lingering in his mouth, she brought a hand to the back of his neck, nails digging into his loose hair, guiding his mouth to her own pleasure. A second heat growing inside of her. His free hand laid flat on her back urging her closer and down towards him, she lowered at the demand and stopped only when she felt the tip of his member grace the outside of her soaked slit. The touch breaking him away from one, but only encouraging him to turn to the other breast and give the same possessive care as he did the first.
If he was hers, then she was his.
She rolled her hips slowly on his tip, teasing him, waiting until he nipped at her breast in warning, him now using both hands to steady her waist when she let out a moan and pushed down on his member burying him inside her in a single effortless move.
They stopped.
He let out a strained breath resting his head against her chest, releasing her, the feeling too good to move immediately when she straddled him, her hands now coming to grab his shoulders for support, to catch her own breath with the connection. The moment brief, before he felt himself fall back as one of her hands pressed into his chest to steady herself, the ache of her kick earlier gone, the other hand dragging her curled nails down his body before she began.
When she rose, he could only witness in awed silence, watching her drag back down onto him, taking him in fully with each move, grinding her hips forward and back, the pace gradually increasing with each rise and fall of her body. The awe and beauty of her repeated motion, he dared not blink, refusing to miss a single second, the observation stopping at the parted lips that curled into a smile, cruel and pleased with herself. She truly was a troublesome woman. The breathless sounds they made, aiding in bringing the edge closer.
A edge he would soon cross, in more ways than one.
He lifted himself up, eyes pinned to hers, seeking truth, hands that were once at her hips, now wrapping around her back, dragging a light touch from the top of her spine to rest his hands at the curve of her back, the shudder breaking her hold on him, pulling her in close with a gentle coax, more calm, more calculated even as she rode him with such need.
A single kiss placed to her chest, his decision made as he pulled her back off of him, the sudden disconnect shocking both, but he recovered quicker. She went to protest, but shut the words that threatened to spill from her lips when he moved. His single movement to flip them around and have her lying flat on her back, making her inhale sharply at the unexpected change in control, his shadow fell over her, silenced, the sun eclipsed and she gave in to him.
Eyes met, the lust slowly replaced with trust.
She inhaled, breathless as he lowered down her body, a kiss placed above her bellybutton, his hand aiding him next as he wrapped it behind her back, pressing firmly to raise her to his lips as he worked his way up, settling between her legs carefully, seeking her approval with each move, letting her choose. His hands dragged through the sheets to her arms moving against the skin to her wrist, pinning them beside her head, the pressure soft, but firm enough to hold her down.
The position familiar.
He laid himself between her legs, lowering his head down to her lips, but never settled. Below, he moved his hips slowly to her slit again, teasing the entrance with his tip like she had, her hips raised, urging him impatiently to enter and he obeyed with a single thrust forward, burying himself inside her warmth, his mouth pressed against hers, and the strained scream of pleasure became silent, the quiet like music to his ears.
What a dangerous dance this had become.
Wondering briefly why anyone would ever do drugs, when this high was just as addicting. He pulled out and repeated the motion, pulling away his kiss to hear her voice, hear it echo around the room again and again, with every stroke a new sound, new knowledge. His grip loosened, one arm dragging down to her leg, already bent and wrapping around his back, his hold keeping her in place as he thrust forward. His other arm bent at her side when her arm wrapped behind his neck and with the next move into her, she arched up pulling him down closer to her, wrapping her legs around his waist, keeping him from escape, to lay his chest against her, to hear her whisper in his ear, hear the moan and whine for him, her need for him.
He pulled back just in time to catch a glimpse of the next sound to see her make it, the pure bliss hidden behind closed eyes and parted lips, another thrust forward, and she bit her lip, eyes opening to meet his quiet stare down at her, his pace remaining even, distracted though, the shade of the teals holding his dark gaze, intensely demanding without even speaking.
The edge so close, he felt her began to tighten to pull at him and keep him from escaping, the bittersweet end closing in.
"Shikamaru" his name, a plea past the parted lips, and all thoughts escaped him instantly, mind blank, primal urge making way. The heat reached its peak, in both of them, her body arched towards his, the call rolling out of her silenced finally by his lips against hers as he joined her when they came, him buried as deep as he could go inside of her, the legs tightening around his torso with all her might, to keep his touch close, lips lost in the high, the releases met with hard pants against each others lips and weakened bodies fused to each other.
The high vanished, thoughts returned, the deal was sighed.
A truce.
"Interesting indeed" Temari hummed thoughtfully into the silence, holding him close still, a finger stroking the back of his neck before he heard the sharp inhale and firm push to his chest, wanting him off, wanting her control back.
"You know, you could have just asked" he lifted off her, remaining above her, looking back down to the perfect facade, her grin meeting him.
"Where's the fun in that?"
"You're right this was a better option" he agreed, blissful as thoughts returned slowly, troublesome ones following quickly after "probably should have used protection" he muttered, brows furrowing with the realization.
"That's your concern?" she laughed, unexpectedly, genuine, the gesture keeping him close to witness the sun brighten before him, blinded by her "Not the fact that you just fucked the most dangerous woman in this city"
"I prefer the term made love" he scoffed, grinning down to her "fucking seems crass, and you are a princess, so" he shrugged and moved off her, noticing her take a breath as the touch of the other left.
"This was simply us signing our truce, Nara" she confirmed, sly in seeking to annoy him now "whether it's with cum or ink, both ways work just fine with me, as far as I'm concerned we just made a deal" she smirked at the sight of his eyes rolling back to her, blunt and brash, but honest.
"We are still doing this my way" he muttered into the wrinkled sheets beside her, eyes open and watching her stretch beside him, trailing his gaze from her fingers, down her arching body to the smooth legs bending.
A weapon, one to be used, that was her purpose.
"It won't change anything" her all knowing voice, amused, but she almost had doubts in her own ability, the sound of his confidence returning, a facade for his caution.
"You're not the only one here who can convince people to change their minds" his statement met with her glancing over, ready to test him, to see where his loyalties truly lied.
"I'd like to see you try" a hooded glare, a challenge, she grinned up to him as he lifted himself to look back down to her, a smirk accompanying his vibrating question. The shadow falling over her once more.
"Want to go again?"
Teals against the quiet gaze and the truth revealed itself.