[ShikaTema] Serendipity

Chapter 21: Threat

Somehow... Having all eyes on both of me and Temari aren't helping us act normally. It has been a few minutes since Kankuro decided to stare at us--Gaara's issue is different, though, since he always had that look in his face. The more he does this, the more it gets awkward. Man, troublesome...

"So, is something going on between you and my sister-jaan?" Asked Kankuro, pointer finger and his thumb were on the line of his jaw, eyeing the two as if they'd done something wrong.

Gaara and Kankuro had followed where the red-haired had ordered his big sister and the most genius in Konoha to go to their allied village and do what they were supposed to do.

"I see," stated the current Hokage of the said village upon hearing what had happened in the forests outside Sunagakure. Her green hues remained pinned on the two, Shikamaru avoiding them. Somehow, he had a hint as to why she had been staring at him for quite some time now. "So," when Tsunade was beginning to say something else, it immediately grabbed the genius' attention. He quickly shifted his gazes toward the Hokage, and waited to whatever she was planning to say.

Temari, however, remained standing in front of the other, completely awaiting for an order. Shizune on Tsunade's left side, Sakura standing beside Tsunade. The Suna shinobi looked straight at the Hokage, only to notice her lips forming a smirk. This had taken her aback, but didn't let her reaction be noticed by the oldest female in the room. Yet, that one flinch the sandy blonde made had let Tsunade create an even bigger smirk on her lips.

She looked like she knew something.

"Is there something going on between you and Temari of Suna?" It was a question that seemed to sound straight-forward.

Shikamaru was out of words at the moment, but Temari dislike taking over a question that wasn't for her that's why she didn't speak. However, her name was involved in the given question so she was somehow feeling of answering it instead of the latter. Yet, still didn't try to. "We...," the lad didn't know how to start. "Well, we..."

"We managed to defeat and seal Daimaru," said Temari. "Unfortunately, there were-"

"Sorry to cut you off, but I did hear from Sakura about what had happened. It'd be much preferred if you're going to answer my question," cleared Tsunade. She leaned her back on her swivel chair, crossed her leg on top of the other and looked intently at the two. "Well?"

The sandy blonde looked at the Hokage for a second, glanced at Shikamaru as they nodded simultaneously. "We-"

"We are, Hokage-sama. Since people began asking... We were able to notice, we were able to tell, and now, we are together."

"Hm, I see. Just as much I've seen back in the hot springs. You never failed to amuse me, Shikamaru."

Upon accidentally overhearing this, Kankuro had the urge to step in and shout at the pineapple-haired guy but Gaara stopped him; it didn't surprise the Jinchuuriki anymore. He remained calm, began stepping off as slowly as the usual, and went out of the amenity. Gaara was certain they didn't had the right to overhear more of it...especially if it's already called 'eavesdropping'. Karura had never taught them such irresponsible actions.

"Gaara, where are you going?! Temari's with that ba-"

"Kankuro," called Gaara, stern-sounding like the usual. "Temari is old enough to tell herself what to do. We don't need to be there for her to come to a decision."

"But Gaara! We still need to be there! Who knows what that person might- I mean, yeah, we're close, he's a good guy, but still! We don't know what he can do or does around her!"

"Calm down," replied the youngest male, still walking ahead. His tone sounded normal, but it also felt like he was commanding his big brother. "Temari wasn't raised to be stupid. She's 20, she can stand on her own."

Now realising what the Kazekage meant, Kankuro slowly calmed down. Things had gathered in his mind--viewing, saying that Shikamaru is never a bad guy. They had been spending time for years, and never did he hear something unnecessary about the lad, except that he's lazy and doesn't involve himself to arguments or things that are troublesome enough for him. Kankuro clenched his fists. "I swear, if we meet, I'll crush his face."

"You don't want to see our sister sad, do you?"

"...That's true but.."

"Give her her happiness."

"I can do that but..."

"But?"

"I can't help it! I'll interrogate him once I see him-jaan!"

That didn't change Kankuro's views; however, the discussion, which the two siblings of the sandy blonde-haired female weren't able to hear, were continued. "Sakura did report that Daimaru was successfully sealed even if his body already exploded by the help of those detonators around him. Shiho was retrieved; but I heard there were two more around."

Temari sighed before proceeding. "Yes. Kin and Tayuya."

"If it was true that Daimaru was controlling Shiho's body to completely kill you," the Hokage paused for a bit, then continued. "Why are Kin and Tayuya still around? Aren't they supposed to be dead too?"

Shikamaru turned to Temari, then to Tsunade. "Is it possible that...?"

Gaara didn't talk, thus only listened to the interrogation his big brother was doing.

"There's nothing going on between me and Shika-"

"Lies!" Insisted the puppeteer. "We've overheard that you and that pineapple-haired guy are already together! Hokage-sama was a witness!"

This took the blonde aback. She was about to tell it to her brothers, especially to Kankuro since Gaara seemed that he's not worried about it at all, when Shikamaru grabbed her right hand together with his and entwined it. He smiled at her and gave her an expression saying "I'm going to tell them; don't stress yourself," after an assuring facial expression, he returned to glance at the puppet user. "Yeah, we are."

Kankuro, not seeing this coming, almost fell from the open window he was sitting on. "Are you serious?!" Man, I didn't expect they'd open up that easily. He mentally scratched the back of his head. But, hey. Good and bad choice. Look at his appeal; definitely the most unromantic guy in the whole world. But he's the smartest; smart enough to even make my sister fall for him. If Temari chose him, there's probably something in him that makes him different from the other...'attractive' guys out here. Gaara's big brother crossed his arms over his chest, walking over towards the man.

The red-haired placed his right hand over his shoulder, shaking his head once. He was telling Kankuro to not do whatever he has in mind. But the puppeteer smiled a bit and thumbed up. Thus, Gaara letting him go, now his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey, you," called the teen for Shikamaru once again. "You better take care of my sister or I'll have to do use KuroAri and Karasu for your immediate death. Even if my sister loves you, I don't care. Once I see her crying because of you, you'll really get it."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah," how troublesome..

Temari let out a chuckle. "He can't. He won't do that. He's too lazy to even make an effort about everything," she said jokingly towards the latter. "However, thanks for worrying about me, Gaara, Kankuro."

The pineapple-haired male just stood there, listening. He never dared to make a wrong move, because the shinobi of Suna are different from those who are of Konoha's in terms of killing. What they say is what they say; and upon Kankuro saying that was no joke. At all.