The looks he got from the villagers were different now. Where once there had been only fear or hatred, now there was an infuriating amount of pity, regret, and shallow admiration. All the difference a single name could make. Naruto couldn't stand it. Tsunade had even offered him the right to claim his father's family name for his own, to further cement the fact that he was the son of the fourth Hokage. He had refused. If it had been up to him, the village would have continued knowing him only as the nobody Uzumaki, the jinchuuriki, the orphan, the stain on the village's legacy. Things had been so much simpler when it had been like that. Sadly, those days were long gone, and Naruto knew he had to get used to the way things were now. Still, that didn't quite prepare him for the looks he was getting today.
He winced as Temari shifted his weight against her. One of his arms was pulled across her shoulders as she helped him walk— stumble —back to their home. Naruto could only imagine what he looked like right now. The growing looks of concern and worry spreading across the faces of those they passed told more of a story than any mirror would. At least the pain was a decent distraction from the world around him, each step reminding him of just why it was Temari had to help him walk home in the first place. For whatever reason, his training had been stepped up to a ridiculous level, not that he was complaining about it.
It had been nearly two months now since Tsunade took over the village. Her reign was ushered in with open arms from the civilian and shinobi populace alike. In many ways, things continued on as normal, smoothly transitioning from one Hokage to the next. Other aspects of life, however, those that weren't quite as public, were beginning to change drastically. For one, the Anbu were on full alert, and Naruto had it on good suspicion that they were currently being put through their paces by Tsunade. After what happened to the Third, no one batted an eye that the village security was being increased. On top of that, the general forces weren't exactly slacking off either. Time off was more of a luxury right now than ever before. Genin teams in particular were being loaded up with as many missions as they could handle safely, all for the sake of fast tracking their experience in the field.
Naruto understood what was going on. Konoha was preparing for war. Honestly, it was surprising that things hadn't kicked off already. Tensions between Konoha, Kumo, and Kiri were growing by the week, and Iwa had gone suspiciously dark for the time being. Accusations were being thrown around, more and more run ins between the shinobi of each village were becoming a common occurrence as missions pushed their forces closer to bordering nations. Politically speaking, it was a shitshow. Naruto wanted no part of it, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. A jinchuuriki was a valuable war asset, and Kumo and Kiri both boasted two jinchuuriki each, even if the whereabouts of the Sanbi was still up for debate. No, if war broke out, then Naruto would be thrown headfirst into the fray, his own wishes be damned.
Hence his new training routine. Tsunade had held up her end of the bargain. There was no shortage of people lined up ready to teach him something, all wanting to play their part in either helping the Fourth Hokage's son improve or arming the jinchuuriki to serve the village better. Reasons didn't matter to Naruto so long as he got results. Elemental chakra training was coming along at a steady rate. Earth was all but perfected now, along with fire to a lesser extent. Water was a close third, and wind and lightning were trailing behind but improving every day. Had he only the need to master a single element he might have been finished by now, but Naruto wouldn't be content with that. He had the shadow clones and enough chakra to abuse the shared knowledge of the jutsu; to restrict himself to singular training would be a waste.
"This is the third time this week Roshi has left you like this," Temari said, looking at him in a way that expressed both her annoyance at having to go through this again as well as her concern for Naruto's condition. Of all those that dared try to be concerned about his wellbeing, Temari was the only one that Naruto accepted it from these days. "Don't suppose you can ask him to leave you well enough to walk home yourself?"
Naruto gave her a blank look. It wasn't exactly up to him, and with things the way they were currently, he didn't blame Roshi for being a little rough. With Iwa currently going no contact, there was no progress to be made with the situation of Roshi and Kurotsuchi. Kurotsuchi, being the technical princess of a major village, was being taken care of well enough, but Roshi, being a massive threat no matter how you looked at him, was being held under harsher conditions. He wasn't an outright prisoner, but he didn't get the same freedoms as a normal person. Jiraiya had added restriction seals to the main seal containing Son-Goku, which were only allowed to be deactivated during his training sessions with Naruto under a lot of supervision. Naruto made a point of training with his fellow jinchuuriki as often as he could, not just because it offered Roshi a chance to stretch his legs, but also because that was arguably the most important training he had access to right now.
War won't pull its punches… that's what Roshi had said on their first session, right before he pummelled Naruto into the ground so badly that Tsunade had to get involved. A few weeks later, and Naruto couldn't argue with his logic. Roshi wasn't actively trying to kill him, and he was still walking all over him. If any of the other jinchuuriki, or just some of the other villages' shinobi, were to be half as good as Roshi was, then Naruto was screwed. On a positive note, he was improving. Not fast enough for his own likings, but enough to impress Kakashi and Tsunade. Regardless of how it left him at the end of the day, Naruto wasn't about to turn away from the challenge. He needed to keep improving, to keep getting stronger, if not to eventually escape his life as it was, then at least to make sure he was still alive long enough to make the choice at all.
"I'll run it by him next time," Naruto said with a smirk. Temari could only role her eyes at him in response, an amused smile of her own on her lips.
It was dark by the time they got home, both silently thankful to be out of the apartment and away from the need to climb stairs. Their house had been repaired, almost to exactly how it was before. Making their way inside, Temari helped Naruto down the hall to the bathroom, leaving him propped up against the wall to sort himself out. He wasn't so injured he needed help washing up. Thank the gods for small blessings. They each went through their usual nightly routine in comfortable silence, and after cleaning up and getting some food down, Naruto was ready to pass out. He stumbled into the bedroom, the embrace of a soft bed beckoning him closer with each step. Faceplanting onto the bed, he let out a long content sigh. No more sleeping on a lounge for him.
The bed shifted as Temari climbed in to join him. It hadn't taken long for Naruto to relent to the idea of them sharing a bed. The house having been returned to them with only one furnished bedroom also helped things along. There was simply no escaping it anymore. They were bound together, and they trusted each other as well as could be expected; fighting it would have been no better than postponing the inevitable. After a small adjustment period, Naruto found that he slept much better with Temari by his side, though waking up trapped in her arms from time to time would still require some getting used to. He wasn't going to complain about it, but he certainly wasn't going to admit to liking it anytime soon.
"You get a rest day soon, right?" Temari asked.
While he had grown quite accustomed to her presence, Naruto still couldn't quite shake the habit of getting the slightest bit flustered whenever they got into bed together. Temari was extremely mature for her age, not held back by matters of shame or embarrassment. This much could be expected of any young, aspiring kunoichi, and normally it wouldn't bother Naruto at all. However, Temari wasn't one to find sleeping in many layers comfortable, an opinion that didn't change at all once they started sharing the bed. Knowing that she was willingly dressed in little more than a baggy shirt every night while in the same bed with him, and knowing what one-day would be expected of them, it was a lot for his poor, developing mind to process sometimes. Much to his gratitude, Temari never brought anything of the sort up in conversation, nor did she comment on his reactions to her, which he was positive were not unnoticed.
"Yes," he answered, doing his best to focus on the sensations of his body regenerating from today's adventures. Turning his head, he watched as she pulled her hair free of her ponytails and ruffled it loose before laying down facing him with a smile. In that simple action, she singlehandedly undid all of Naruto's composure.
Temari continued, unfazed by Naruto's blush. "Want to do something?" she asked. "Aside from training, I mean. I'll still help you with your wind chakra training at some point, but I think we both need a little break. Things have been a bit hectic since we got back."
That much was true. Between the Third Hokage's funeral, the missions, the training, the moving back into the house, there hadn't been a lot of time to get anything else done, let alone have any time to themselves. Again, Naruto wasn't complaining. A busy schedule suited him just fine. The more he had to do, the less time there was for people to bother him. Temari though, she wasn't a bother. Far from it. If he asked her for distance, he knew she would give it without question, which only proved to make him want to keep her around more. If she wanted to spend time with him, then he found it hard to say no. This must have been the downfall of all men that the old man had spoken of.
"Did you have something in mind?" he asked, immediately regretting his words. There was something unsettling about the way Temari's eyes lit up that just spelled trouble for him. To quote a certain know it all, women were troublesome. Naruto was starting to understand that statement more and more these days.
"I've got an idea, yes. But you are welcome to make your own suggestion."
Naruto was too tired and sore to put any brainpower into thinking of something. As had been proven, he wasn't one for finding things to do in his spare time that weren't practical or without reason. If Temari wanted them to do something enjoyable, then it was best left in her hands to decide what that would be. "No. Whatever you have in mind is fine. I'm sure it'll be fun," he said, yawning as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He may live to regret his words, but that was something for future Naruto to worry about. Current Naruto was exhausted and needed to sleep. Besides, Temari wouldn't set him up, would she? The Kyuubi had been pestering him to try and enjoy his life more anyway, so it would hopefully appease both of them.
She said something else that he didn't quite make out through the haze of his tired mind. The last thing he remembered before sleep fully took hold was managing to mumble out a simple "G'night" and the feeling of fingers gently combing through his hair. Somewhere, deep in the back of his mind, Naruto found his current situation amusing. When he had first taken notice of Temari, he never would have guessed how the two of them would end up, their lives forever entangled, and him actually being okay with it. If you asked the Naruto from back then, he would have tried to hurt you for even suggesting that he would postpone his plans for the sake of a single girl. How time makes a fool of everyone.
{I}
(Flashback: Sand/Sound invasion: Outskirts of Konoha.)
Naruto was pissed. He was in agony, and he was pissed. This was not how things were supposed to go. The Chunin exams, his first time meeting another jinchuuriki, all of it was ruined by that stupid snake Sannin. Factoring in the way said Sannin had also knocked him out in the middle of the second exams and left him with no access to the Kyuubi for days, Naruto was happy to add Orochimaru's name to the list of people he wanted dead before his time on this world was over. But none of it, not a single thing, could compare to how angry he was at his current situation.
He clenched his jaw as the Kyuubi's chakra did what it always did, burning through his body and stitching it back together. Muscles rewove themselves, bones mended and popped back into place, skin grew back where it was needed, fresh and unscarred. A painful process, but one Naruto was well adjusted to by now. As such, he powered through the whole thing with a blank expression, eyes never tearing away from his target. Gaara, the jinchuuriki of the Ichibi, the first person he had met who should have understood his plight, who should have been on his side, who should have been someone Naruto could grow to trust. He wasn't any of that.
Gaara was a jinchuuriki yes, but he was broken. His mind fractured from a duel sided onslaught wrought down upon him by those in his own village and the beast within him. The Kyuubi had warned Naruto of the Ichibi's inclinations towards tormenting its vessels, and while Naruto couldn't blame the bijuu for being hostile, he couldn't understand how it would let Gaara get to this point. The bijuu were meant to be better than humans, better than those that looked at jinchuuriki as nothing but expendable weapons.
"When surrounded by only cruelty, it is hard not to become cruel yourself," the Kyuubi said. Naruto could tell that behind the disgust it currently felt towards the Ichibi was a level of pity and sorrow. To see one of its own reduced to such a low state must have been disappointing, maybe even painful.
Naruto shook his head. He didn't have time to worry about the rights and wrongs of it all. Who or what had turned Gaara into what he was didn't matter. What mattered was that Gaara, and Suna, were trying to kill him, and all of Konoha while they were at it apparently. Otogakure Naruto had already deemed a problem once he pieced together that it was involved with Orochimaru. His eyes, still red with the Kyuubi's chakra, locked onto Gaara. The redhead looked terrified as he laid sprawled out on the ground. Naruto hadn't held back in the beatdown he had dished out, though not quite wanting to kill the boy. The same could not be said for Gaara, who took each and every opportunity provided to crush Naruto with his sand to what should have been fatal results. Clearly, no one had ever regenerated from Gaara's attacks before, if his horrified and frustrated reactions were anything to go by.
"Stay away. Don't come any closer!" Gaara yelled, barely able to try and crawl back away from Naruto. It was a pitiful sight. "What are you?"
The question struck Naruto harder than any insult. He paused in his advance, looking down at himself unsurely. He was covered in blood, his own blood mostly, though he supposed some of the Hyuuga's blood was still mixed in there somewhere. Today had been nothing if not a display of just how far from normal Naruto was. Techniques designed to brutalise and incapacitate any normal shinobi had proved little more than an inconvenience to him, wounds that should have been fatal were shrugged off easily enough, and an opponent that was said to be untouchable now laid defeated at his feet. What was he? A shinobi? A human? A jinchuuriki? More or less than the sum of his parts? Naruto didn't know. He was what he needed to be, what the world had forced him to be, just as Gaara was the way he was. For better or for worse, they were different, moulded by the harshness of their lives, and that was just fine with Naruto.
"You weren't supposed to be like this," Naruto said softly.
Gaara was trembling. "Like what?"
"Broken."
It was silly now that Naruto thought about it. What should he have expected? Jinchuuriki weren't seen as human by the shinobi villages. No matter how much Konoha tried and failed to be different, the truth was all too clear to Naruto. Why did he think that the other jinchuuriki would be anything like him, anything other than a mindless tool for their owners to aim and let loose. In a way, he supposed that made Gaara the better jinchuuriki. Weaker, but better in the eyes of his own village perhaps.
The wind shifted unnaturally. Naruto didn't flinch as Gaara's sister appeared between them, coming to a skidding halt with her fan open to the ready. Temari was her name, if Naruto was remembering that right. He hadn't needed to fight her, so his attention had been focused elsewhere. Their other brother, Kankuro, the weird puppet user, was quick to join them, landing beside Gaara and hovering protectively over the youngest of the siblings. A touching scene, if only Naruto didn't already know that Gaara's two siblings were terrified of him. They were only here covering their own asses, making sure that the village didn't lose a prized asset amidst the catastrophe that was this piss poor attempt at an invasion.
"If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill us first," Temari said sharply, whipping her fan around threateningly, the wind picking up around them.
Naruto's eyes widened slightly. There was something in her tone, something that didn't feel quite right. She was terrified, that much he could sense thanks to the Kyuubi, and yet she still stood there, willing to lay down her life to protect Gaara, and for what? For Suna? For their father, the Kazekage? No. There was something else. The look in her eyes was one of determination, laced with a warmth Naruto only vaguely recognised. This wasn't the strength one mustered to protect a village asset, this was the strength of someone trying to protect something they loved.
'She… loves him?'
Gaara had those that cared so deeply for him, and he still turned out the way he had? Naruto didn't understand. Focusing back on Gaara, he saw that the boy was just as confused. Maybe there was something else at work here.
"What are you two doing?" Gaara asked.
Kankuro lifted Gaara up and supported his weight. "Saving our little brother. What does it look like?"
Naruto took a step forward, though he wasn't sure why. He wanted to question them, to talk. That was all he ever wanted to do when he first met Gaara, but the boy's murderous intent had made it impossible. Naruto's first chance to connect with someone who could understand him and it had turned to this. It was only a miracle one of them wasn't dead right now by the other's hands. Seeing how Gaara's siblings were acting only made him more frustrated. He ought to hurt the redhead more. How dare he be this broken when he had family who so obviously loved him. It wasn't fair.
"The world rarely is," the fox lamented.
"You will not lay another hand on my brother," Temari said warningly, pinning Naruto in place with a glare.
Naruto didn't react. Instead, he took a step back and watched silently. It was all very interesting. Before this, Temari and Kankuro had shown a notable amount of fear towards Naruto. Nothing like the fear they held for Gaara, but enough to notice. Naruto's status as the Kyuubi jinchuuriki had been out for some years now, and if their only experience with a jinchuuriki was their murderous little brother, then it made sense they would be afraid. Yet here they were, ready to face him, afraid or otherwise. Their desire to protect their brother was greater than their fear for Naruto, and that gave them strength. It was amusing. Such thinking would be the death of them sooner or later. Nevertheless, Naruto found himself feeling… something at the display. Gaara didn't understand how lucky he was.
He nodded to Temari. She didn't need further invitation. She and Kankuro left with Gaara, retreating away from Konoha as fast as their feet would take them, leaving a bloodied Naruto to ponder what he had seen. If he had any family, would they have come to his aid like that? Would they have protected him as fiercely? Naruto let himself fall to the forest floor as the tole of his fights caught up to him. At least in his dreams he could pretend to have the things he didn't have when awake.
{I}
(Present day.)
Temari smiled to herself, listening to the light snoring of Naruto next to her. She continued to stroke at his hair for a few minutes, having found that no matter what he said to the contrary, he did in fact enjoy it when she did this. He was admittedly quite cute when he was sleeping, his face not permanently contorted into a scowl or completely devoid of emotion as it was throughout most days. In these times, Temari could really see Naruto for what he was, just a boy trying to succeed in his own way.
She had been robbed of this sort of comfort with Gaara, who had been himself robbed of sleep; always protected from all contact, loving or otherwise, by the sands that clung possessively to him. Temari could only imagine how things might have been different had she been permitted, or able, to show Gaara even the slightest inkling of affection during their youths. Had she only the strength back then to go against her father's wishes. Her efforts with Naruto in such a short time had done more than she could have hoped, so there was no reason to doubt that it could have done wonders for her little brother. Sadly, lingering on the past wasn't going to help anyone. When the opportunity presented itself, she would bridge that gap between her and Gaara, but until then she was content to help Naruto however she could.
His training was getting extreme. Temari herself was shocked by how much Naruto was putting himself through, though she found herself more curious than concerned. Naruto always healed quickly, jumping back into the next day as if the day before had been a picnic, but for what? Why was he training so hard? Yes, there was the growing threat of war breaking out, but was that it? Was Naruto just worried about surviving what was coming? It felt like there was more to it, and while Temari desperately wanted to ask, to know more about why Naruto did what he did, she chose to wait. The bond between them was growing every day. She had already been trusted with so much in a brief time. When he was ready, Naruto would tell her himself, and it would mean all the more to Temari.
Holding back a chuckle, Temari took a moment to truly admire how ridiculous this all was. Here she was, laying in bed with her actual husband, worrying about him and trying to plan what they would do on their day off together. It was quite silly, especially when she thought about what her initial plans for her own future had been only a year ago. Marriage had never occurred to her, and it certainly wasn't something she would have expected to deal with so soon, let alone find comfort in it. Temari wasn't not enjoying her life as it had ended up. She could have done a lot worse than Naruto in the partner department, that was for sure, and that was saying a lot considering her initial thoughts on the Uzumaki.
It was funny. The chunin exams had left her thinking that all the jinchuuriki were alike, all cursed to be monsters in their own right. These past months had opened her eyes in ways she never thought possible, and it was all thanks to the boy next to her. He had given her hope. Hope that her future with him wouldn't be the miserable existence she had been prepared to resign herself to in service of her village, and hope that there was still a chance to save her brother. For those two things alone, Temari had already promised to do everything in her power to help Naruto achieve his own dreams, whatever they may be. It was the least she could do for him.
And to think, she was willing to go so far for a boy who had, at first, made her skin crawl. The world was weird like that.
{I}
(Flashback: Chunin exams preliminaries)
The chunin exams were going about as well as Temari had expected. With Gaara on their side, nothing any of the other villages could throw at them stood a chance. They had breezed through the second stage of the exams, the so called 'forest of death' being a minor obstacle for her and her brothers. It had lived up to its name at least, especially with the trail of pulverised corpses Gaara left in their wake. Something told Temari that Konoha would be upping their safety procedures for the next exams… well, at least they would, were the village not going to fall in the coming month.
Oh yes, the invasion plan. Temari was sure her father wasn't walking into a complete shitshow, being blindly led along by a carrot on a stick like an utter fool. No. Her father was a Kage, the best of the best of Suna. There was no way he would be so dense as to let himself be manipulated by the likes of Orochimaru. Temari sighed. She loved her village, she really did. Too bad said village was currently in the hands of a man who would throw away the lives of his own children if it meant a gain for his village. In some ways, Rasa was an exemplary Kage, if only he could be consistent with it. As it were, Suna was preparing to join Otogakure in a joint attack against Konoha, which, in Temari's opinion, wasn't going to go down well. Her reason for thinking so currently making his way down to the arena to face his opponent.
Naruto Uzumaki. Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, and quite possibly the biggest threat to this invasion plan outside of the Hokage himself, along with a few select jonin that Konoha boasted among its ranks.
He was the wild card, the unknown asset, the ticking time bomb. Temari had hoped that Konoha, soft hearts that they were, would produce a jinchuuriki just as peaceful and unprepared. Not the case, as she had come to learn. Naruto held himself much like Gaara did, silently and closed off from those around him. The other genin from Konoha did their best to give him a wide berth, interacting with him only when necessary. The reports Suna had scrounged together on the boy weren't much to go by either. There was talk of a mission the jinchuuriki's team had taken to wave country, wherein they had faced the demon of the mist, Zabuza Momochi. Not only had all three genin survived the encounter, but Zabuza, one of Kiri's famous seven swordsmen, along with his apprentice, had wound up dead. The details were muddy and unclear, with many attributing the feat to Kakashi of the Sharingan. Temari wasn't so sure.
The referee, Hayate, seemed more on edge than he had during any of the other fights. Actually, now that Temari looked around, all of the Konoha jonin present looked ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Their level of wariness unsettled Temari. Gaara often elicited a similar response at times, but never to such an extreme. The Kazekage alone was enough to reel Gaara in were he to lash out. Was it not the same for Konoha's jinchuuriki? Was the power of the Kyuubi that immense?
Temari's attention focused back on the arena. She would learn all she could from this exchange. Gaara had voiced his desire to kill the Uzumaki in particular, so there was a very good chance they would end up fighting him in the near future. Better to be prepared than dead. Naruto himself looked agitated as he took his place. Aside from the dirt and blood staining his clothes, there wasn't a mark on him. Temari quirked an eye at that. Did he have an ultimate defence as Gaara did? What could it be?
His opponent, Kin Tsuchi, a girl from Otogakure, looked far too cocky as she strutted onto the scene. Temari never did like any of the Oto shinobi she had been forced to deal with. They all needed to be knocked down a peg. Hopefully this fight would be a humbling experience for the girl, as well as an informative one for Temari in how Oto shinobi liked to fight. The boy who had blown his own arms off fighting the Aburame left much to be desired.
The fight began, and Kin was quick to show off her skills with her senbon. Naruto barely bothered dodging as he charged at the girl, getting littered with projectile as he went. It wasn't until he closed the distance between them without slowing down that everyone realised something was wrong. Kin was fast and agile, utilising a series of small bells attached to her weapons to cast a genjutsu as she weaved around Naruto's brutish attacks. Temari had to shake her head at the girl's actions. Genjutsu wasn't exactly effective against people with two sources of chakra in their bodies. Surprisingly, Temari was proven wrong. The genjutsu did its job, disorientating Naruto enough to keep Kin out of his reach while she continued to try and disable him with her senbon. Sadly, no matter where she aimed, or how many needles she stuck Naruto with, the jinchuuriki did not relent at all. Everyone watched on in their own morbid curiosity as Naruto ignored the senbon peppering his body as if they were hardly there to begin with, even summoning numerous solid clones that never survived long enough to accomplish anything.
Everything had to come to an end eventually however, and soon enough Naruto found himself caught in a trap. Temari was unimpressed. The trap had been obvious, even if he were under the influence of a genjutsu. No self-respecting shinobi should have fallen for it, regardless of rank. It seemed that Konoha's jinchuuriki really wasn't the threat he was made out to be. Her attention had almost faded completely from the fight when something caught her eye. Naruto, who was currently at Kin's mercy, on his knees with a length of razor-sharp ninja wire wrapped around his neck, was grinning. Even as Kin pressed a foot to his back and tightened the wire, his fingers getting cut to the bone as he fought to keep his throat uncut, he was still grinning.
What followed was as surprising as it was shocking to those watching. Before Hayate could announce Kin the winner, Naruto twisted his head and clamped his teeth down on the wire leading up to one of Kin's hands. With a jerk of his head, the wire severed several of her fingers from one hand. Naruto shrugged the foot from his back, spinning on his hands to deliver a heel straight to Kin's jaw. Temari winced at the sound the girls jaw made when it snapped like a twig under the attack. Getting to his feet, Naruto unravelled the wire from his neck. He closed in on Kin, who was wrapped up in the shock of her missing fingers and broken jaw, and knelt down on her chest, pinning her to the ground. Trapped Kin's one good hand with his free one, raising the other in preparation and channelling a large amount of chakra.
"Naruto." The Hokage's voice boomed through the hall, commanding authority even though he had barely raised it.
With a single word, the room had frozen. No one moved, and much to Temari's intrigue, that did not include Naruto. The Uzumaki continued without pause, bringing his fist down with full force. Temari felt the ground beneath her feet shake as the stone slabs that made up the arena broke, a decently sized circle of destruction spreading out around the impact. When the dust settled, there was only Naruto, kneeling in the middle of the damage over what looked like the splintered remains of a training dummy.
All eyes shifted to Hayate, who held a whimpering Kin in his arms, before turning expectantly to the Hokage.
The old man stared at Naruto sternly. "That is enough."
And just like that, it was over. Naruto was declared the winner while Kin was passed off to the medics, whimpering as she nursed her fingerless hand. In mere seconds she had gone from a smug and confident kunoichi to a complete mess. She would be lucky to have a ninja career after those injuries. Hand signs alone were now out of the question.
Temari continued to watch on as Naruto strode past the medics that tried to offer him assistance. He plucked senbon from himself as he walked, leaving a trail of blood and needles behind him as he walked back to the observation deck. Once he was back to his spot, ignoring the horrified looks of his own comrades and the gentle attempt of his sensei to check on him, he locked eyes with Gaara. Temari could feel the bloodlust surging from her brother.
That was when she saw it. It was a struggle at a distance, but there was no mistaking it. Kin's attempt with the ninja wire hadn't been a failure. Right there, across Naruto's throat, was a deep cut, the kind that had definitely reached deep enough to hit something important. The front of Naruto's clothes were drenched in blood, and Temari finally took notice of just how much blood Naruto had left behind him on his little victory walk. How was he still standing? How was he still alive? Why were his comrades not panicking more? Then, in the span of a few seconds, the bleeding just stopped. In a blink and you'll miss it moment, the wound on Naruto's neck simply ceased to exist, and with a wipe of his hand, it may as well have never existed in the first place.
Temari understood in that moment just what kind of monster they would be up against. Gaara was a monster that couldn't be touched, couldn't be harmed no matter how hard you tried to break through his defences. Naruto was a monster that didn't care if you managed to touch him. It clicked in her mind. He hadn't fallen for Kin's trap, he had walked into it freely, knowing that she could do nothing to truly hurt him, and using it as a way to get her close. He acted with complete disregard for injury, even using it to his advantage. And he was still smiling.
Temari swallowed the lump in her throat. This was what Konoha had? This is what they had created? She glanced at Gaara. Her little brother, the monster that he could be, seemed giddy now. The stench of blood had flooded the great hall, and she knew he would need to kill someone soon to satiate his appetite.
Doubt began to fill her. Gaara was strong and ruthless, but what if that wasn't enough? She shared a knowing look with Kankuro. What would the two of them do if Gaara couldn't stop Naruto himself? The boy hadn't even used any of the Kyuubi's power in that fight, so they had no knowledge of his capabilities with the beast. Temari frowned. Were they sure attacking Konoha was a good idea?
One thing was for certain. For the plan to go off without a hitch, they would need to deal with the Kyuubi jinchuuriki quickly. Temari only hoped that Gaara would be enough.
{I}
(Back to the present.)
"I see you're taking my advice to heart," Koharu said. "Good to know you are the kind to put your smarts to good use."
Temari gave the elder woman a perplexed look as she set a pot of tea and a small plate of biscuits on the table. "Have I?" she asked. Is that what she had been doing this whole time? Temari thought she was just trying to do what benefited her the most, as well as inadvertently continue to fill the role the Third Hokage had expected of her once she became aware of it. Perhaps there had been a mix up of sorts. Then again, this could have been another of those weird moments where she had been unintentionally meeting someone's expectations without meaning to, much like what she had done for the Hokage. Gods she hoped that wasn't the case. Temari was tired of accidentally playing into other people's plans.
Koharu smiled warmly. "But of course. Getting close to Naruto, forming a real bond with him. I could not have expected better results."
A coldness filled Temari's gaze as she took a sip of the tea. So, this was going to be another one of those situations. Brilliant. Figures the Hokage wouldn't be the only one that had some motive surrounding her and Naruto. Now to find out what Koharu's angle was. "You were hoping for this?" she asked carefully, eyeing the old woman keenly.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," Koharu admitted. "Truthfully, I didn't think it would go this far, but I am pleasantly surprised all the same." She sat down across from Temari and poured her own cup of tea, even snatching up the first of the biscuits for herself. "I knew of Hiruzen's intentions when he agreed to the marriage proposal on Naruto's behalf. A foolishly hopeful plan, though I suppose the results speak for themselves. You've managed to exceed many people's expectations in numerous ways. You should be proud of that accomplishment."
Temari frowned. "And I'm to understand that I've somehow played right into your own schemes surrounding Naruto?"
The elder woman laughed, shaking her head at the idea. "No. No. Nothing quite so devious I'm afraid," she said. "My days of scheming and plotting are long gone. My usefulness to the village and its people lies only in my knowledge and wisdom. What others choose to do with what I provide them is no business of mine, assuming it doesn't bring harm to the village."
"I don't understand then," Temari said unsurely. This was part of the problem when dealing with village elders. Temari could still remember trying to pry any semblance of a meaningful conversation from lady Chiyo. Shinobi who managed to live to a ripe old age tended to be rather… strange, both in how they acted and how they spoke. It wasn't always riddles and half-truths, but sometimes it may as well have been nothing but.
"You remember what I told you, don't you?" Koharu asked. "Back when I first gifted you this house, I told you that you weren't to marry the village. Vague, I know, but I wished to see what you would do with that little hint on your own. You have not disappointed me."
"Naruto." Temari's lips pursed tightly into a line. It was always about Naruto, obviously. That wasn't what bothered her. What bothered her was everyone's insistence on dancing around the subject. A straight answer occasionally would be a lovely treat. That, and Temari wasn't exactly thrilled about her attempts to form a bond with Naruto being so carefully observed. An expected reality of the marriage, albeit an annoying one all the same. It made it feel as though her actions were not her own. As if no matter what she did, it was always going to be part of someone else's design. To say it put brought the mood down was an understatement.
Koharu chuckled at Temari's dejected expression. "No need to let it get to you, dear. As the child of a Kage, you must know that your life has always been under much scrutiny. Everyone's minds are always hard at work trying to figure out the best way to utilise those with natural political standing in the world. You and Naruto are a unique case, but it all works the same in the grand scheme. There will never be a shortage of people working the two of you into their own machinations."
Temari sighed deeply. "I know, I just… I had hoped to escape that part of my life by coming here," she said. "Things were simpler when Naruto's identity wasn't known."
"Many in Konoha would agree with you on that," Koharu said. "Sadly, now that both his status as jinchuuriki and relation to the fourth Hokage are public knowledge, I'm afraid neither of you will be finding much peace in the foreseeable future. However, that doesn't mean the two of you can't enjoy your lives together in your own ways. Political marriages can be difficult things, but they can also prove to be great opportunities for both parties."
"I agree," Temari said.
She would be the first to admit that, while at first, she had held doubts about the union, but now she was learning to truly appreciate the benefits of having wound up with Naruto. Annoyances aside, the young Uzumaki was growing on her more than she could have anticipated. Once the awkwardness of things faded, and they each dared to let their guards down, they had a fair bit in common and found funny little ways to enjoy each other's company as time dragged on. Far from perfect, but not nearly the disaster Temari knew it could have been.
"I do wonder what you mean when you say that though. No offence, but I'd rather make sure we are on the same page."
Koharu waved at her dismissively. "No offence at all. It is about time that I be a bit blunter with my words. The youth these days are quite the direct bunch," she said, laughing softly to herself. "To put it simply, you are a kunoichi from another village. Ally, enemy, such titles change just as easily as the direction of the wind. Your loyalty to Konoha is not something anyone here will put much weight on, nor would we expect you to suddenly devote yourself fully to us. This is not your home, and we understand that." She paused, adding a cube of sugar to her tea and stirring it gently. "Then there is Naruto. The boy has been dealt the short end of the stick for the better part of his life. We've no one to blame but ourselves for that, and as such, most of us are prepared to wear the consequences of our neglect. Hiruzen understood our failures well, which I believe was what drove him to accept Suna's proposal so easily."
Temari nodded along as she listened intently. Koharu was rather odd for an elder. She held a surprisingly open minded and unbiased outlook on things which Temari found quite refreshing. The elders of Suna could barely see the error of their own ways, always finding someone else to point the finger at and blame. She doubted all of Konoha were quite as wise, so Temari would make the most of these moments in Koharu's presence. The woman was old, and there was no telling when her wisdom would no longer be available.
"You were going to be married one way or another," Koharu continued. "That Suna came to such a decision proves that you were an asset ready to be used by them in that way. Had it not been us, then you would have been used to secure some sort of benefit from another village, of that, I'm sure. I think there was a level of protectiveness in Hiruzen's decisions. At least here we could make sure you were treated fairly, all the while avoiding insulting your village by outright rejecting the proposal. Then there was the issue of Naruto. His loyalty is surface level at best, it doesn't take a genius to see it. To be honest, there were talks of drastic measures being taken to ensure he didn't run off at the first chance he got. Thankfully, those were unnecessary."
Taking one of the biscuits and dipping it in her tea, Temari couldn't help but feel a touch overwhelmed at the notion that she was somehow vital to securing Naruto's loyalty to Konoha. "I don't think I'll be as effective as you all think," she voiced. "Me and Naruto get along, sure. Every day is getting easier, and I can see the marriage working out in a practical sense should things continue as they are. But as a link to the village, I feel I won't be much use." That was the truth as Temari saw it. If Naruto really had wavering loyalties to the village, then there was nothing she or anyone could do to change that. Honestly, she wouldn't blame him. Konoha hadn't exactly made the best decisions on Naruto's behalf, and he had suffered for it.
Koharu smiled wide and winked at her. "You've already succeeded, dear," she said. "There was no better opportunity for Naruto to escape Konoha than the Third Hokage's assassination. Amongst the chaos of the battle, hidden in the masses of the capital, Naruto could have slipped away easily. By the time we deduced that it wasn't one of the other villages that had taken him, it would be too late. The boy is young, but he is as resourceful as they come. With enough of a head start, catching up to him would be a fruitless endeavour. And yet, he stayed. He came back… with you."
Temari shook her head. "I'm not why he came back."
"You're so sure?" Koharu asked. "Don't think we aren't aware of how much closer you two have grown since returning from that little trip. Finally sharing that master bedroom as it was intended." There was a knowing smirk on the old woman's wrinkled face.
Temari grimaced. "Are we not permitted any privacy, even in our own home?"
Koharu laughed. "This is a shinobi village. No one has any privacy, not truly. But do not worry about it too much. Tsunade has already demanded a reduction in the monitoring of Naruto. She seems to be under the impression that he is in good hands. You'll both be given the same amount of privacy that anyone else has within these walls."
Well, that was something she supposed. Temari filed that info away for a later date. She would consult Naruto on upping their homes security and privacy measures when there was time for it.
"Now, back to the point," Koharu said. "No matter how strong, there is no denying that there is a bond between you two. What that leads to is entirely up to the two of you, though I am willing to wager there is more to it than meets the eye. Call it a woman's intuition."
Temari buckled under Koharu's expectant gaze. Her shoulders slumped as she failed to fight down the reddening of her cheeks. She eyed the tea incredulously. Had she been spiked with something? "I don't see how any feelings I may or may not have for Naruto are relevant to this," she said. "You said it yourself; I'll never be truly loyal to Konoha. So why would mine and Naruto's connection be important?"
Koharu nodded sagely. "That is the question. Why would we allow our jinchuuriki to grow attached to someone who wasn't devoted to the village… unless…"
"Unless…" Temari narrowed her eyes at Koharu, who was in turn smiling a little too wide. "Unless you don't truly care if he is loyal to Konoha. But… why?"
"Hiruzen was a soft touch. He could be ruthless, don't get me wrong, but when it came down to it, he was gooey at his core," Koharu said, sighing wistfully as she spoke of her late teammate. "He knew that when Naruto's identity became known, his status as a jinchuuriki would no longer matter. As much as some in Konoha may wish for the boy to remain a loyal asset, no one would dare desecrate the memory of the fourth Hokage by forcing his only son to do anything he didn't want to do. The tricky part was keeping him preoccupied while we tried to set up a suitable future for him without making the truth known too early. Then you came along."
It made sense. After the failed attack, Suna was desperate. Them offering Temari up on a silver platter wouldn't catch anyone off guard, just as no one would blink at the thought of marrying the foreigner to the village jinchuuriki to keep her from the respected clans. Had the Tsuchikage not blown the lid off things, it may have been years before anyone found out the truth. Now, however, there was more to it. The newly formed alliance between Suna and Konoha was now further cemented through the union of the children of a Kage from each village. Naruto's lineage would not be seen as sullied by him being married off to some nobody, and the people of Konoha could attempt to save some face at the fact that the fourth's son, who they had treated as a pariah, was effectively set on the path of resurrecting a near dead clan. Temari didn't feel good about being a part of it, but it made sense at least.
Sadly, that still didn't explain the little issue of Naruto's loyalty.
"So, when you said I wouldn't be marrying the village…" Temari trailed off, looking to Koharu to elaborate.
"Konoha is not your home," Koharu said. "Nor is it Naruto's. That ship has long since sailed. Something also tells me that Suna is no longer a place you would call home either. Your heart isn't in it anymore, and a home is where the heart is, as they say. So, if I were either of you, I'd be more worried about figuring out where home is rather than worrying about my loyalty to a village that has done little to earn it." She looked around the house with a pleased expression on her face; the house that had once been hers. "There is a warmth here now, the likes of which was absent during my years living here. It is faint, but it is there. I don't think I need to spell it out for you any further, dear. The two of you have each other now. Sometimes that is all anyone ever needs."
Temari smiled. She understood. It was a very roundabout way of telling her, but she understood. There was only one problem. How the hell was she supposed to try and explain it to Naruto?
Koharu laughed at the panicked expression on Temari's face. "Do me a favour. Whatever you two decide, wherever life may take you, do try and keep him on the straight and narrow," she said. "He's a good boy at heart. He didn't deserve what happened to him, what we let become of him."
"I'll do my best," Temari assured her honestly.
That had been her plan from the start anyway, only now she was more committed to the cause. One way or another, Temari was going to make her life with Naruto work. All she needed to do was figure out where Naruto stood, what he wanted from this. Once she knew that, then she could plan her next steps.
Koharu sighed contently as she relaxed into her chair and admired the faint signs that showed the house was being lived in. "We should do this again," she said. "It is quite nice to talk to someone who isn't as old and crabby as I am once in a while."
Temari snickered. "I think that can be arranged."
{I}
Their day off had come around much too quickly for Temari's liking. She found herself a little anxious when she woke up in the morning, remembering how she had sworn to herself that today would be the day that she confessed her intentions to Naruto. Her mind had given her no peace on the subject ever since the talk with Koharu. Temari still had no idea how she was going to go about it in the first place, but she figured it was best left to the heat of the moment. She had been trained to think on the fly in the middle of battle with her life on the line; surely, she could manage a simple talk where the only thing at stake was her dignity.
The morning rituals passed as usual, only with Naruto having waited for Temari since gods knew when to hand her a fresh cup of coffee. Temari had to admit, Naruto was quickly wearing her down with this one small gesture alone. If he kept it up, there was no telling what he could get away with. In no time, they were off. Temari led the way as Naruto followed without question. Temari took it as a display of trust that Naruto didn't bother asking what she had planned or where they were going. That made it all the more amusing for her when their short run left them standing at the gates to the forest of death. The perplexed look on Naruto's face was worth it.
"I thought you wanted to do something other than train?" Naruto asked, eyeing her curiously.
Temari could see the gears turning behind his eyes. She knew Naruto would happily train all day if she let him, even if it was his day off. He was a freak like that. As such, she had figured out a way to have some fun as well as give Naruto what he wanted.
"True, but I know how much you like training, so I thought we could try something," she said. A smirk made itself at home on her face as she began stretching, readying herself for what was to come. Naruto was getting much more brazen these days with his gaze. On more than one occasion she had caught him staring that second too long, or his eyes drifting that inch too far. She'd be lying if she said it bothered her. His harmless curiosity only helped Temari's confidence in doing what she needed to. Attraction was, after all, an important aspect of any budding relationship.
Naruto did his best to maintain his composure. "And what would that be exactly?"
Temari grinned at him. "A game of tag."
Naruto's face fell immediately. "Tag?" he asked to which Temari nodded enthusiastically. "The game for children?"
"Exactly," Temari chirped, finishing her stretches and closing in on Naruto. She enjoyed the way he panicked slightly when she got too close. It was cute. "When was the last time you let yourself have some fun? When was the last time you allowed yourself to act like a kid?" It had been too long for Temari, so she could only imagine how long it had been for Naruto. "Plus, I think it would be an interesting way for us to see how we compare in the speed and dodging department. Chasing down an enemy or running away are valuable skills."
He rolled his eyes, even if he couldn't fully hide the traces of a smile on his face. "I guess," he said, turning towards the forest. "Who goes first?"
Temari scratched her head. "Good question." Without a second's delay, her hand lashed out and slapped Naruto on the shoulder. "You!"
She was gone before Naruto could say a word, a chakra enhanced jump sending her rocketing into the forest. Temari didn't dare look back to see if he was following. He was, no question. If there was one thing she knew about Naruto, it was that he never backed down from a challenge, though she imagined this was one of the few times said challenge was on friendly terms. Her feet carried her far and fast into the depths of the forest, her chakra filling the wind around her and letting her slip through the air like a knife. In a straight short burst, only someone with a lightning affinity stood a chance of matching a wind user in speed.
After a few seconds of uninterrupted speed, Temari felt herself slowing, her senses spreading out in preparation. Her eyes widened as she came to a sudden stop on a large tree branch. Chakra flowed effortlessly into her arms and pulled at the wind around her. She spun on the spot, hands guiding the air around her into a powerful torrent. The timing was perfect. Naruto collided with the torrent of wind, his own momentum halting with only inches separating his hand from Temari. The flow continued, ripping him around and away from Temari as Naruto was thrown through the air and sent on a collision course with a nearby tree. He caught himself before he could get hurt, coming to a stop on a nearby branch with a surprised look on his face.
Temari put a hand on her hip and winked at him. "Don't tell me you expected this to be easy. We are ninja, remember? You won't win by sticking to the rules. You do want to win, right?" The grin that split Naruto's face was infection, and Temari matched both it and the fierce look of determination in his eyes. "So come on, show me what you've got."
From there it was on. Naruto chased Temari through the forest for what felt like hours, managing to come close to tagging her several times to no avail. For all his superior speed and strength, it meant little in the face of Temari's gracefulness and ability to use her element to her advantage. She slipped and weaved effortlessly around his every attempt, sometimes letting him get just close enough to think he had a chance before snatching the victory away from him at the last moment. Temari's laughter at doing so every time only spurred Naruto on more, and yet he never gave into frustration. Not once did he try to dip into the Kyuubi's power to get one over Temari, nor did he let anger cloud his mind and actions after each failure. He was enjoying himself. Temari could sense it, and more importantly, she could see it.
Naruto was smiling. A proper smile, not a forced one or one born of sadistic pleasure. A proper smile. A tad goofy at times, especially when Temari managed to make him trip up and stumble somewhere along the way, but Temari found the expression rather suited him.
It continued like this for some time, until eventually Temari felt herself wearing thin. She didn't have the stamina, or the chakra reserves that Naruto did. She was no pushover, it was just that when compared to a monster in both fields, she fell a little short. The fun had to come to an end, and Temari knew just how to do it. Naruto was hot on her tail as she made her way to some of the lower hanging branches of the forest, something that wouldn't kill them to fall from. Finding the perfect spot, Temari enacted her plan. She came to a stop on a branch, spinning around as she had several times already. Naruto was ready, already adjusting himself mid-air in expectation of being pushed aside by Temari's wind manipulation. Only this time there was nothing to stop him.
Temari held her arms open as Naruto collided with her full force. She held onto him as they soared through the air and hit the ground, tumbling across the forest floor. They came to a stop, a mess of tangled limbs and unruly hair, both breathing hard and groaning at the bruises they could already feel forming. Through it all, Temari couldn't stop herself from laughing. Naruto was the first to recover, lifting himself up off Temari and smirking down at her victoriously as he placed a hand down on her shoulder lightly.
"You're it," he said.
Temari continued to laugh through her haggard breaths, putting her hands up in surrender. "Yeah, you got me," she said. Composing herself quickly, Temari was fast to realise the position the two found themselves in, a devilish glimmer shining in her eyes as she looked up at Naruto, who had yet to move from his place hovering over her on the ground. "Comfy there?"
The effect was immediate. First the realisation, then the horror, then the brightest blush Temari had ever seen on him. It was good to know that Naruto was, at his core, still just a boy. A jinchuuriki and a shinobi, yes, but not devoid of his humanity. Temari was relived. She could practically feel the anxiousness radiating from him. Guess that made two of them. He made to move before even uttering an apology, only to be stopped as Temari grabbed the front of his jacket. She realised her mistake a little too late as the nervousness in his eyes turned to fear in a flash.
"It's okay," she said softly. She was careful not to pull him back closer to her. Something told Temari that forcing him would only push him away. Instead, she lifted herself up to him, propping herself up on arms and smiled. "I'm yours, remember? You're allowed to get close." Being this close, Temari could see the conflict raging in his eyes. The poor thing really was at war with himself. Never letting yourself trust anyone for so long could do that to a person Temari reasoned. It made things challenging for her, so it was a good thing Temari was also not one to back down from a challenge.
"You don't have to be like this. Not for me," he said quietly. "Just because your village—"
Temari cut in quickly. "My village gave me to Konoha," she said. "I am giving myself to you. No villages. No politics. Just us. In whatever way you want that to be. In whatever way you'll have me. A friend, an ally, a wife… a lover." Temari was powerless to stop the blush spreading across her own cheeks at that last one. She couldn't stop though. She needed to say this, to show Naruto, and herself, that she was committed to a future at his side, with or without the villages. She had come this far dammit. "Any way you need me, I'll be there, right beside you. All you have to do is ask."
Watching Naruto try to process her words was very entertaining. The wheel was spinning, but the hamster had died somewhere along the way. Soon enough, the lights came back on, and Naruto could only stare at Temari in shock and hesitancy. His walls, built so thick and high over so many years, had been worn down over the past months, left brittle and cracked. One good push would knock them right over.
"Why?"
Temari tilted her head to the side. They were so close now; she could feel him holding his breath as he waited for an answer. "I'm tired of not knowing who I can trust, who I can rely on," she said. "I want someone just for me, and I think… you want that too." She hoped he did, that her suspicions were correct. If they couldn't be what each other needed, then Temari wasn't sure what she was going to do. She didn't want to look elsewhere. It may not have made a lot of sense, and it may have been too quick for some peoples liking, but if Naruto would have her, if she could have him, then she would be happy with that.
"Why me?"
She could hear the doubt in his voice. Temari tried to imagine the thoughts racing through his head right now, what he expected her answer to be. To make it look good. For the sake of the alliance. For convenience's sake. To make her village proud. To fulfil her duty. There was no shortage of reasons for why Temari would want to get close to Naruto that couldn't be easily seen as insincere or part of a ploy to manipulate him. To keep you tied down.
"I don't know," she answered honestly, smiling as his eyes widened in surprise. "You can say no. I'll leave it be, if that's what you want. I'll never bring it up again. But… if you're willing… I'd like to see where this could lead." It all sounded so weird out loud. Temari was sure it sounded much smoother in her head. So much for her brilliant tactician of a mind working in the heat of battle. Oh well, no time to quit now. She had already laid herself bare for him, so what was a little more icing on the cake.
"Home is where the heart is," she said softly. She lifted a hand and placed it tenderly on Naruto's chest. "We could both use a home, don't you think?"
Naruto didn't say anything; he also didn't move away. Temari took that as a good sign. Once the shock value wore off, he lowered himself down onto the grass beside Temari, the two of them allowing a comfortable silence to settle between them. Temari found it nice. Overall, this little moment had gone much better than she thought it would. She hadn't scared Naruto away by being too forward, and she felt as though it had been an important step in their growing relationship. It didn't even matter to her that Naruto didn't have an answer for her straight away. He would figure out how he wanted to move forward at his own pace. In the meantime, Temari would wait for him.
Or so she thought.
Temari nearly jumped when Naruto's hand slipped beneath her own, fingers smoothly interlocking.
"Just us?" His voice was barely a whisper.
There was a vulnerability in his words, Temari could feel it. It wasn't just a hunch either. She could physically feel it. A warmth spreading up her arm from the seal on the back of her hand was acting as a direct link to how Naruto felt. Was he getting the same? Could he feel how she was feeling right now? Temari was surprised. She had never considered that the marriage seal would act in such a way. Maybe it was a good thing. Anything that brought them closer couldn't be a bad thing.
Temari smiled. She knew how difficult this must have been for him, to finally open up after so long, to let someone in. Naruto was taking what he saw as the ultimate risk, and Temari knew that it wouldn't take much on her part to shatter any measure of trust in others that Naruto had formed over the years. This would be the deciding factor, the make it or break it decision for him. If she didn't succeed here, Naruto would end up just like Gaara, worse even.
Her hand tightened against his, the warm sensation only growing stronger. It was a good thing she had no intention of failing him. No matter what, Temari would hold true to her word; she would stick by him through it all. The villages' wishes be damned and the Third Hokage's scheming aside, Temari wasn't going to do this because it was expected of her or because it played into a greater plan. She was doing this because she wanted to, because she needed to. Because if she wasn't there for Naruto now, then no one would be. No one else could be. It had to be her, and it had to be now.
She wouldn't sit idly by and watch him slip away. She wouldn't repeat the same mistakes she had made with Gaara. She wouldn't let him be alone… not anymore. That much Temari could promise.
"Us against the world."
A/N:
So, I may have accidentally retconned something in this chapter, what with the flashbacks, which I originally had no plans of including at any point in this fic, but one of you said something about it and my brain did a thing and so here we are. No idea what I could have messed up continuity wise. Maybe one day I'll have the time to go back and spruce this story up when it's finished.
Now, before anyone gets shitty about Naruto going soft, it's only for Temari to see, and she has been wearing him down for the better part of a year at this point. Besides, I'll be jumping back into the political side of things with the next few chapters, so hopefully I'll find ways to let our little killer shine in violent ways. Let's just say that I have ideas forming for War Arc Naruto and Gaara that I want to play with.
Anyway, hope this was as enjoyable for you guys to read as it was for me to write. I must admit, I really enjoy writing these cute mushy moments. Making Temari break Naruto down piece by piece has been therapeutic for me. And yes, this is the official beginnings to them being together. No more 'just married for politics' for them to hide behind, and yes, I will be having fun with it whenever the urge arises. Gotta have some light-heartedness here and there.
Sorry to those of you that wanted this story to go some other direction. The pixies are in charge. I'm only the messenger.
Reviews continue to be amazing, so keep 'em coming. Please know that I read and cherish all feedback, even if I don't respond to it.
Soul out.