The Wounded Deer

Chapter Twenty

Author Note: I figured it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and upload another chapter. So, here ya go. Thanks for reading and supporting me! ^^

"He… he wants me to meet him tomorrow evening."

"Are you gonna go out with him?"

"I don't know." Kaede meekly shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't decided yet."

Shikamaru stared up at the sky with a dazed expression as his previous conversation with Kaede echoed in his mind.

'Wonder if she's made up her mind yet...'

"I thought I'd find you up here." A new voice interrupted his thoughts.

Shikamaru removed his hands from behind his head and sat up from the wooden bench he was resting on, staring at the person that stood in front of him. 'Temari...?'

His brown hues met her dark green ones. "Did you now?"

"Well, it was mostly just a wild guess." Temari sat down beside Shikamaru. "I figured I'd check here since I know how much you enjoy watching the clouds and this is a good spot to watch them."

Shikamaru gave Temari a lazy shrug, shifting his eyes back to the clouds floating above his head. "Yeah, I guess..."

"So, what's on your mind?" Temari stared at Shikamaru expectantly.

"Is it that obvious?" Shikamaru sighed under his breath.

"Are you surprised that I could tell? You always get this look on your face when you've got something on your mind."

"Well, you certainly are observant aren't you?"

"Aren't I always?" Temari chuckled with a small smirk. "So, what's been bothering you?"

"It's nothing really important," Shikamaru waved the subject off in a dismissive fashion.

"Is that so...?" Temari briefly tore her gaze from the sky to stare at her boyfriend. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me now. It's not like I'd physically beat the answer out of you or anything."

"It'd just be too much of a drag to explain." Shikamaru retorted simply.

"You think everything's a drag," Temari laughed. "But I think I know just how to help get whatever it is that's on your mind off your mind."

"What did you have in mind?"

"So, tonight's the big night huh?"

"Is that what dates are called now-a-days?"

"C'mon Kaede, you should be more enthusiastic." Sakura sighed. "It's important to make a good impression on a first date."

"I guess that's true." Kaede ran a hand through her hair.

"Wait, don't do that! I just finished curling it."

"Sakura, I know it's important to make a good impression, but it's not like I have to look perfect."

Kaede grabbed a few bobby pins off the bathroom sink and begins pinning her hair up into a simple low up-do that hung at the side. She allowed some of the curls to dangle down at the base of her neck and frame the side of her face.

"Well, comfort is also important." Sakura smiled a little.

"I appreciate the help though Sakura."

"I'm sure Ino would've loved to help you get ready if she wasn't already on a mission."

"Yeah, I hadn't made up my mind about going on this date when Ino and I last talked."

"I'm sure once she gets back, she'll be bombarding you with all kinds of questions." Sakura giggled. "Although I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't do the same thing."