The Weasel and the Deer

10. Snow

Temari angrily wiped the offending tears falling down her face. She didn't even bother looking around her as she continued walking on the street.

It was a stupid and petty argument that somehow led to a more serious one where words were said without meaning to and led one of them to storm out of the building and the other to slump in the seat, burrying their face into ther palms.

"Stupid Nara."

She mumbled, turning to another corner. She had no idea where she was heading or where she was, but Temari doesn't even care anymore. She just needed to be alone for awhile to try and cool down.

She didn't mean to bring up all the times she had breezed through her work in Suna just to have more time to be with him when he comes to visit. Or the times she understood him and did everything to make sure he was comfortable in Suna, knowing that he was probably not used to their climate.

But why couldn't he just drop his paperworks and spend some time with her, even for a little bit? She was only here Konoha for a few days before she had to go back to Suna.

"Don't be so troublesome, Temari."

That's what he told her when she tried to talk to him earlier. He was too busy to even look at her face.

Was she being selfish? She was acting like an annoying and clingy girlfriend. Maybe she should have just let him be. Maybe she should have been more understanding. Maybe she shouldn't have come and visited him at this time, winter is a busy time for him what with all those paperworks after all, but it's been months since they last saw each other and she really missed that pineapple head.

"No. I'm not the only one who should be understanding in this relationship."

She glared at the snow crunching under her feet.
"I don't always complain to him how cold it was during winter here. He could at least show some concern. Stupid snow."

She suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and looked around with a sigh. "Great, now I'm lost."

Another tear fell down her face and she angrily wiped it away.  "Now's not the time to be a crybaby."

She looked around her to try and see something familiar that will lead her back to her apartment, but no such luck. Everything seemed to be the same. She sighed and decided to go right. There were more lights up ahead and she sighed in relief. There were stalls lit up, selling different sweets and other snacks. Some sell small trinkets and other souvenirs. It was a festive place and yet she felt even more alone.

Deciding to look around rather than wallow in self pity and anger, Temari went over to the stall with many trinkets and her teal eyes immediately noticed the little wooden deer with the black beady eyes. She held it carefully and ran the pad of her finger over its smooth surface. Right beside where the deer had been was a wooden fan with three black circles, similar to her tessen. She grabbed the fan as well and paid for the two items, smiling at the stall owner. She walked around for a few more hours, stopping only to eat at a small diner. After a while, Temari found herself in a park. It was empty and quiet.

It was almost 10 pm and there she was, sitting at a park, alone and lost. Pathetic.

She scooped up some snow and started forming it into a ball. She's seen kids do it before and having nothing else to do since she had no idea where she was and her feet were starting to hurt. She'll stay there for a bit before trying to find her way back to her apartment.

...

Shikamaru sighed, putting aside the last of the documents he had to go through. He looked at the clock and almost stumbling out of his chair when he noticed how late it was. He was going to go after Temari and apologize and ask her to dinner but he had decided to let her cool down a bit before doing so. He hadn't meant to get so caught with work when she visited. He made sure to finish all his paperworks early when he learned she was coming to visit, but they suddenly got reports that needed to be taken care of right away.