A/N: This is a little three chapter story to take a break from the zaniness of Entwined Tails.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
The Garden
By MountainWind
Sabaku no Temari tried to sleep. She really couldn't. It was by nothing as simple as guilt, which many would-be psychologists had told her such was the case. It was because the road to Konoha was so damned cold.
Temari was born and bred in the hottest country on the continent. So, when she went to one of the most seasonal countries on that same continent, she preferred to go in summer. It was currently spring, early spring, at that. And cold.
She hissed in her sleep and pulled her body and covers into a tight ball. When a chill breeze floated over her she shuddered and growled. The sister of the Kazekage would not stand for this. She grabbed her pack and pulled out her special extra blanket. She quickly wrapped it around herself and sighed happily when her body heat was stuffed back down onto her.
That's better…she whispered mentally. She put her head against the pillow of her bedroll. As she was about to drift off into the darkness of REM sleep, a terrible howl ripped through the air.
Her eyes snapped open and she froze. Her ninja training took over, causing her hand to find the hidden kunai holster just under the curve of her rear. Once she felt the leather wrapped metal in her hand she let her senses open and felt only the owls, the mice they were hunting, and her own escort.
The older jounin, who didn't truly enjoy Konoha like a mongoose did not enjoy a cobra, was the only one who Gaara thought was able to protect his sister. This mostly because Nuto was completely paranoid. He never left his hotel room, eating food he brought, always monitoring the homing scroll jutsu he had given Temari.
But the odd mannerisms of her escort were the farthest thing from Temari's mind. She heard the howl again, a terrible sadness filled howl. It was like the call of something or someone who had lost all hope. Who was going to end their life or end whatever had caused this painful hopelessness.
Such a cry had chilled Temari's heart once, maybe twice, before. She remembered the days Gaara would leave the village for a mission, alone much of the time, his return marked by a tremendous sand storm. The sound of it not unlike the howl she listened to now.
"Nuto," she whispered. He snorted and continued to sleep. "Nuto," she insisted.
"Magic shuriken from the grassy knoll!" he coughed sitting up. He glanced around, saw and sensed no enemy, or shurikens that disappeared after killing, and promptly went to lay down again. Until he heard the sound. He sat up again. "What's that?" he asked no one, which was a frequent thing for him.
"I don't know…"
"Maybe an animal. Just sleep and leave it be," he sighed going back to sleep.
Temari, who was now completely awake and unable to sleep no matter how warm she was, got up and grabbed her fan. "I'm going to go find it."
Nuto looked at her over his shoulder, "If it's an animal, put it out of its misery. I need to be alert once we to get Leaf-Head-Ville," Nuto's personal name for Konoha. His personal name for any Konoha Nin was, of course, Leaf-Head. He called Tsunade, but not to her face, Leaf-Head-On-Fire. He turned from her and promptly fell back to sleep.
Temari grimaced at the jounin and leapt off in the direction of the sound. She dashed through the trees of Konoha, taking note of the different species to calm herself. Temari studied botany and found looking over the kinds and types could calm her, much like Gaara's meditation. In fact during the sessions he requested she join him she made note of the types of weeds or grass around them instead of sitting in silence. Gaara usually became exasperated when she began to talk out loud, but tolerated it.
Now as she approached the epicenter of the noise she realized she knew the voice. It was someone she had heard before she had heard this before. At least something like it.
She saw an opening in the trees and quickly ducked to the ground, low. The road, to Konoha, she was on was a well-hidden one only taken by Ninja to and from Suna. It had been lost for three generations, until Gaara had led his siblings to it after his defeat at the hands of Naruto.
So, anyone who was this close to it either didn't know about it, or did and was hoping travelers stayed close to it. This was ANBU country. Any unauthorized person that stepped into this area was soon to find that they would be either in a jail cell or before the odd Jounin she had met during her first Chunin exam.
Temari crawled forward on her belly.
She stopped when another, less terrible scream, rocked the area around her. Her senses roared at her to RUN as if whatever she was looking for was her natural predator.
It was the owl; she was the mouse.
Letting the image of whoever or whatever it was swooping down on her go, she crawled forward again. She heard another cry, this one much softer in volume and feeling. Her nose tickled her and she smelled…Flowers?…she thought.
She moved to the edge of the clearing and could not stop herself from gasping. Flowers. Hundreds of flowers. Some of the most beautiful she had seen. Some were from her own country; others were from such exotic places as the Land of Spring.
And not just flowers, there were also herbs and small trees and bushes. It was arranged haphazardly. Almost at random as if the person who had made this place didn't have any particular layout and had simply planted away. Her body shuddered when a second chill wind floated over her.
And with it, a final horrid howl.
Temari was knocked from her small bit reverence and she peered through the flowers, as there were no bushes or trees near her, and saw a man sitting on his knees, his hands clenched into fists, his head down.
The clouds had covered the moon so Temari could barely make him out. But she knew him. She knew she knew him. She took a single crawling step forward and the form raised his head. Unruly hair fell from in front of his face back to hang from his head. He was wearing a headband, but because of the dark she could not see what village he was from.
As she was about to go closer the moon came out.
Its light shimmered down and illuminated the entire garden. Temari gasped again as the flowers opened to the light and the man took in the many scents.
Blonde hair. Whiskers on his cheeks. Blue eyes as deep and expressive as the sea.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Temari gulped. She felt entrapped by the image of the Jinchuuriki who had let out his sorrow in a series of powerful vocal blasts. He now shuddered, as if he was effected by the cold, and lowered his upper body once more. There were a few moments of silence and he stood.
He walked out of her line of sight. There was the sound of a lock being fiddled with, a plain metal one she guessed, and the sound of squeaky hinges. He came back a few minutes later with a large water can. He began to water. Whenever he would run out he made a few seals and trickled water from his mouth back into it.
He's using his chakra to make Suiton jutsus (1) to water his plants…Temari thought. She wondered if this was his garden. Something Naruto had made on his own. If it was it would explain the crazed arrangements, which weren't really arrangements. Despite the chaotic sectioning, as to any true gardener it would seem, each plant was healthy and lovely.
As Temari was looking at him water she decided to leave. If Naruto had truly done this it was a private place. Somewhere he went to be alone. She was intruding. Fretting slightly she left, leaving no trace of herself behind, and hurried back to her camp.
If Temari had waited a few more moments she would have seen a lithe female form stroll behind Naruto and take the water can from him and water with him. Before Naruto himself put his arms around her midsection and necked her.
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
Temari entered the Village of Konoha just after lunch the next day. Nuto immediately went into his 'that guy looked at me funny' mode and gathered chakra to his feet in case he would have to move faster. Despite the treaty, one actually written on paper and not purely verbal, Nuto was still Nuto, he would always be paranoid within Konoha.
Temari felt exasperated at once and told him to hurry to their hotel so they could see the Hokage, report in, and get to work. Once more the Chunin exams would be held in Konoha. Temari would have to organize the movements of their ninja and the authorization papers of the candidates.
However, Temari had a little bit of extra business as of last night. She was going to at least ask Naruto about the garden.
So she and Nuto went their separate ways. Temari decided that Nuto wouldn't be the best person to go with him. Apparently he was very nervous after the 'animal' from last night and would not be able to keep himself from calling Tsunade his little nickname. Already he had called two village men Leaf-Head-Suckers.
Temari understood the other names, but she chocked that one up to nerves.
Entering Tsunade's office was always a little intimidating to Temari. For nothing more than if the woman had been given her post a mere month earlier the attack on Konoha would have gone far differently. Temari would not be here probably.
The older Kunoichi sighed as she looked at Temari enter. Not because she didn't enjoy the presence or personality of the young woman, but because her entrance meant that there was going to be even more paperwork.
"Ohayo Temari-san," Tsunade said in a little more than a groan.
"Ohayo Godaime Hokage-sama," Temari responded with a bow.
"Don't you have escort?" Tsunade asked.
"I do, Kame Nuto," Temari answered.
Tsunade's patented anger vein appeared. Temari knew that Nuto didn't keep his…ideals…in check, at least not enough to avoid the Hokage's attention. "Ah…yes," it sounded like a hiss. "Well that explains you being alone. You won't be working with Shikamaru this time. He's on an important mission." She shifted a rather large stack of paper with a single finger, something that marveled Temari, and drew out a form of some kind.
"Then who…?"
"My new apprentice. He's going to need the experience anyway," she pressed the button for her intercom. "Naruto I need you."
Temari stiffened.
No one came.
"Naruto!" Tsunade said with some force. Her vein bulged and her eye began to twitch and twitter. "UZUMAKI NARUTO GET IN HERE NOW!" she bellowed at the door, ceiling, and both walls simultaneously.
She…she's skilled with that…Temari thought.
The doors opened. Both women watched as Naruto entered. As he raised his hand he exploded in a puff of pink smoke that made Temari cough. Tsunade roared loud enough to blow the smoke away and threw ten Kunai around the room.
Temari dodged them by leaping behind a chair. She saw, after they hit, none were aimed at her. Five ceiling panels fell hard to the floor, two trap doors broke in half, a hidden door was nudged open, one wall slid away to reveal a small crawl space, and finally one hit the opposite chair, which promptly came apart revealing it to be a costume.
Temari stood slowly and looked at Tsunade as if she was mad. "Why did you do that?" she asked her.
"He normally sneaks in here. These are the secret passages he made to do it," Tsunade grunted.
"Naruto…made all of these?"
Tsunade nodded, "Well the ones in the floor were used by the Fourth. Jiraya used the hidden doors in the wall. Naruto only really made the ones in the ceiling. If nothing else the brat is skilled in sneaking around and eavesdropping."
As Tsunade was about to continue there came a tapping sound and Temari pointed to the window. Naruto was on the edge waving in and grinning like a loon. Tsunade, who had turned and was not really visible because of her large chair, but whatever Naruto saw that Temari didn't, was very scary.
Tsunade stood, opened the window, and grabbed Naruto's collar. "Join us won't you. Naruto?!" she hissed throwing him across the room and into the hidden crawlspace. The door closed, fast and on one of his hands. He cried with pain and swiftly wiggled out.
"Why are you so mean Tsunade-bachan?" Naruto whined, much as he had done when he was little more than thirteen, now almost twenty-one.
"Because my heir is a complete juvenile idiot!" she cried at him.
"You're the one who didn't check the ledge," Naruto mumbled.
"What did you say?" she asked, in a tone that said it would be best not to answer.
Naruto bowed, "Gomen…" he replied quickly.
"What I thought," Tsunade huffed. "You'll be working with Temari to get things ready for the Chunin exam. Remember that we don't need any of the genin from our village to fill out forms just yet." She shifted a few papers around and handed Naruto a folder. "Well? GET GOING!" she screamed slamming her foot against the ground.
Temari and Naruto stood at attention, bowed, and hurried out.
As they walked into the hall Naruto laughed to himself and motioned for her to follow him. "Sorry about her. But I try to give her something to vent on once in a while. By tomorrow she'll be so angry she'll chase me around and be calmed down for another week," he grinned at her. "How's Gaara?"
"He's fine. The council is driving him crazy. He almost made a sandstorm during an elder meeting." Naruto grinned even wider and held his hand out directing her to a large office. "This is yours?"
"I am the next Hokage," he said with a smile. "Take a seat and pull it up. I'll get this shit started." He sat down at a desk and opened the file. With a groan he looked at the papers and rubbed his forehead, which she saw was missing his forehead protector.
"Where's your…" she pointed.
"Huh? Oh Tsunade-bachan said I should get used to not wearing it. Plus I'm saving space for the hat," he said with his patented grin. He returned to the papers and the grin fell. "Shit." He pressed the intercom button, "Shizune-neechan?" he whined. Temari felt herself smiling.
"Yes Naruto-san?" an equally amused voice asked.
"I need your help. It's the 5-OP funding form," he said.
"I'll be right there." And she was.
Shizune walked to the desk, nodded her head to Temari, and bent over Naruto shoulder. Temari noted how Shizune went to using –kun when talking to him now. She and Naruto spoke briefly; apparently the differences between the form he was working on and another were minor.
"Thanks Shizune-neechan," Naruto replied as he hurriedly filled out the report. "Before you go," he raised his hand to her, while still working, "Could you call the ANBU commanders and ask them who will be available for detail on investigations?"
Shizune beamed, "Of course." Something told Temari she had to remind of that more than once.
"What's the investigation for?"
"It's something new starting this year for us. We're checking to see if anyone trying to enter is an agent for someone other than who they say they are. A new rule will state that all examinants must be in Konoha and the Land of Fire for the exam and only the exam. If they are there under false pretenses they'll be arrested and held until their village comes to bail them out."
"Wow…" Temari awed.
"I know it's a good plan, but a pain in the ass it diverts-"
"I meant how grownup you sound Naruto-san," Temari said.
Naruto looked at her and blushed, "Hey I need to know this crap okay? Leave me alone," he said in that childish voice.
"So how have you been? I didn't know you were actually accepted to become the Hokage," Temari said as she examined a form.
"I didn't have time to write to tell Gaara. And even if I did Tsunade-bachan told me not to tell anyone outside of the village."
"Why?"
He used the Henge to change into Tsunade and pointed at Temari. "What if our enemies found that letter and targeted you in an effort to cripple the village?" He changed back and sat down. "That's kind of what she sounds like."
To Temari it was exactly what she sounded like. The Konoha-Nin was being humble. Too humble.
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
Despite this little thought, they worked hard until the great clock in Naruto's office, a gift from Neji and Hinata, rang five o'clock loudly.
Naruto signed one final form and let the ink dry before putting it back into the folder and sliding the folder into his desk drawer. He took the files that Temari had and did the same.
"Will they be safe in there?" Temari asked.
Naruto grinned and nodded. "Special sealing technique. Come on want to get a bite to eat?" he asked.
Temari blushed a little, but only from the cold as they left the tower, and said yes. "No ramen," she insisted almost at once.
Naruto whined about how Suna people didn't realize what good food was but eventually relented. The two headed to the restaurant section of Konoha and walked to the moderate area where other ninja ate. Naruto walked in and all of a sudden three men were around him and Temari. One of them offered to take her fan, another was asking if Naruto wished to go to a smoking section seat, and the third was asking for Naruto's coat, much like Tsunade's own.
Naruto kept his coat, went to a non-smoking table, and asked (more told) them to allow Temari to keep her weapon. Naruto knew more than anyone what someone could feel if they were in a place without something that gave them comfort. And for a ninja, what was more comfortable than a weapon?
"What's good here?" Temari asked.
"Anything traditional. I like the red miso soup and the spiced pork. They have good rice to, they make it with oil and vegetables. It's fried," he said grinning.
Temari sighed, what was she going to do with him? "Fine I'll try it," she relented.
Their waiter appeared, bowed to Naruto and even to Temari (which surprised her greatly), and took their order. A second waiter brought a small bottle of Sake with a bowl and two pairs of saucers. One pair was heated and the other chilled. The Sake was room temperature.
"This place seems kind of high end," Temari said as she took one of the warmed glasses. Naruto poured for her and watched her sip before taking a drink himself.
"It's a nice place. I come here once a week. I get paid more than I ever did as a chunin," he said with a slight grin.
Temari rolled her eyes, "Well duh Uzumaki! What did you expect? A pay cut when you became the new leader of the village?" she asked with a sardonic tone.
Naruto winced in his charming and child like way, "You don't have to be so mean…"
Temari laughed and caused a few chuckles from Naruto as well. In fact the two of them were having a good time…
Until she came.
Haruno Sakura walked into the small establishment. Temari saw her first, but didn't wave. She personally didn't see any reason to. Sakura had never been someone who Temari had gone out of her way to be around.
Something about her ever rubbed Temari the right way.
Naruto realized Sakura was in the room a second later. Temari heard his nose take in a rough 'sniiifff' and he turned his head just enough to glimpse at her. the humor and good nature in his eyes flashed away and was replaced by something Temari had seen many times in Gaara's eyes. But then it was gone.
Not because Naruto was happy again, but because he was squinting as when he had been a child. Temari didn't like the look. "Naruto? Are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" he smiled, wide, almost too wide.
He's…he's acting…Temari thought just as she saw Sakura turn around and say something. A dark man entered. Uchiha…Sasuke…Temari whispered in her mind.
That explained it. Sakura had finally gotten her man. They were together. That was obvious enough by their matching clothes. Sasuke was wearing the traditional Uchiha tomoe covered short shirt and pants. Sakura's kimono and shawl also had Tomoe on it.
Oh god…She's married him. Or is going to…Temari was about to say something when Sakura waved at her. Temari raised her hand weakly, hoping the girl would not come closer.
But she did.
She dragged Sasuke over to the table and Naruto grinned at her, "Hey Sakura-chan," he said with enthusiasm. False enthusiasm.
"Hello Naruto. Hello Temari-san," Sakura bowed to Temari. Sasuke nodded to his rival and to Temari. She turned back almost immediately to Naruto, "Did you get the letter I sent to your apartment?" her voice was hopeful.
"Yeah I did. I talked to Tsunade-bachan about it. She told me if I saw you before tomorrow to tell you make an appointment. That area is still under the jurisdiction of the Military Police," Naruto explained. "She won't have to see anyone around one tomorrow so that would be a good time. Call early."
Sakura winced a little, as if what he had said was some sort of harsh curse, "Alright…I will…" she looked at her feet.
"Come on Sakura. Let's sit down before the host has a conniption," Sasuke grumbled. "See ya around dobe," he grunted to Naruto, tugging at his wife's/fiancée's arm.
"Goodbye Naruto it was good to see you," she said weakly and followed Sasuke.
Naruto waved weakly. He looked at his food, as it had just arrived, and swirled it around with his chopsticks.
"Naruto?" Temari asked softly after a few minutes.
He was silent. "I'm not hungry. Are you?" she shook her head. "Alright. Let's go," he called for the check, gave a short apology for the wasted food and gave the waiter a few extra hundred Ryou. And they left.
Walking in Konoha's nighttime air made Temari shudder. Naruto offered her his coat, and when she said no, he put it on her anyway. He insisted he didn't need it, and showed her by allowing her to touch his arms, which weren't even chilled.
"The tenant," he explained grimly tapping his belly. She nodded, knowing who he was talking about.
They reached her hotel only a few short minutes later and he led her to her room. As soon as the elevator opened Naruto was faced with Kame Nuto, glaring down at him. Nuto was a head taller than Naruto.
"Hello Leaf-Head," Nuto growled.
"Hello Sandy-Ass," Naruto retorted.
The two stared each other down before Nuto moved out of their way. Naruto grinned at him, in a very Kyuubi like way, and walked Temari to her room. Nuto followed Naruto and was only a few centimeters away from him, leaning down so whenever Naruto looked back at him they were eye-level.
Temari got fed up with it after only five feet and ordered back to his room. The conspiracy-ninja, who was older and higher ranked in almost every way than Temari, complied. But not before sending back a random quote from his own book, "Lay down with Leaf-Heads wake up with aphids!" and he was gone.
Temari, blushing now from complete embarrassment, gave Naruto his coat back and told him good night. Naruto said the same and left the building.
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
Temari couldn't sleep once more. She had tried to, desperately, but every time she closed her eyes she would see Naruto, on his knees blaring his voice to the sky in an effort to rid himself of some sort of terrible pain or emotional burden. She was currently sitting in one of the hotel chairs that always seemed to be on the border between perfectly comfortable and completely un-sit-able.
She had turned it to look at the window and gaze at the moon. Konoha's moon didn't have the same ethereal beauty of the moon in Suna on those rare calm nights. But the Moon was the Moon.
And it had just been obscured.
Temari furrowed her brow and opened her window. She saw someone land hard on a roof, far away, too far to see her when she had not turned on the light by her bed, and then leap off again. Temari furrowed further and looked down at herself. She was partially dressed, enough that a pair of sandals and maybe a light coat would be good enough.
She shifted her legs and arms and felt her hidden kunai pouches and leapt out of her window after the form.
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
The person she was following obviously knew of the hidden road. As soon as they left the village he dashed to the right and then back in his original direction with a distinct purpose. A practiced purpose. He's done this before…Temari believed as she followed him. She wondered if he knew she was on his trail, she doubted it.
And then he fell to the ground and moved slowly, walking, and entered a small clearing. Temari saw at once, by smell more than eyesight, that the man had entered the Garden.
Naruto.
The man didn't fall to his knees and begin to howl, he just sighed and looked at the flowers, moving his head from left to right. Temari had dashed to the right and scuttled around to be on his front. She could make him out a little better because the moon was out, but it was still hard.
As Naruto was about to turn toward a small shed, which Temari believed to e where he kept the watering can and maybe other gardening tools, a strange sound came to her ears. When a female form came from the informal entry to the Garden, she understood it to be footsteps on leaves.
"You're here early tonight," the woman said. Her voice calm, composed, mature. It was one she had heard before, but when it was still young and different, the voice of a child. "I'm surprised you're here at all after the racket you made last night."
"I…I just needed to be with them," he motioned toward the flowers, "since they need me and won't leave."
The tone was sorrowful, a little angry.
"Sakura?" the woman asked.
"Yeah…"
"Is it just her? On her own Sakura is a good girl, but when she opens her mouth or does what's on her mind…" the woman drifted off.
"Yesterday I got a letter," while this was not uncommon as of late the woman waited, "it was from Sakura, or someone who signed like her. They have so many servants at the Uchiha house now…" again she waited, "it was a request for the re-opening of the formal center within the Uchiha Compound."
"And why does that make you angry?"
Naruto turned to her, his back now to Temari, "Because she sent it directly to me. Requests like that go to Tsunade! I don't have the authority to reopen an area of the village closed by the Military police when a good eighty percent of their force died, no were murdered there. She sent it to my home not my office. The informality of it pisses me off!" he stomped his foot. Black soil shifted uneasily, almost afraid of him.
The woman had remained still, but now she stepped closer to him, "It's alright to be angry at her Naruto."
"I'm not angry at her!" he growled. "I'm angry at myself!"
"Why?"
"Because I…I didn't try to give myself any kind of-"
The woman took a quick step and struck Naruto hard in the shoulder, enough to make him stumble backward. "Shut up. If you're going to start babbling about stuff that isn't your fault then I'll stick you with the watering and leave you."
Naruto's head was downcast. "I'm sorry."
She put her hands on his face and stroked his whiskers with her thumbs. "If that girl is so stupid she didn't even realize you were telling the truth even as a boy, then she doesn't deserve you. Let her have the angsty bastard," she said softly. She kissed Naruto gently on the lips and hugged him. Naruto returned the hug and kissed her cheek when they broke the one on their lips.
Temari felt a warm feeling wash over her. They were close, intimate. And they were lovers.
Temari let a little sigh escape her lips as subtly she watched the woman slide her hands along Naruto's back. They moved down to his shirt's end and bunched the material up. Naruto raised his hands from her and she quickly took it off. Naruto hugged her again and took hold of some zipper or clasp and undid them quickly.
Once her breasts were free, despite theri size (they looked a bit bigger than normal to Temari) she wore no bindings or bra, she crossed her arms over them in a demure manner. Naruto took hold of her wrists and moved the arms.
"You know, it's kinda funny."
"What is?" the woman asked.
"Every time I see you like this…I feel a little bit more like an idiot," he said.
Her face became pouty, angry, "Why?"
"Because I wasted so much time on her." He kissed her, hard, as her neck bent backward. One hand went to her breasts, molding it so the nipple was sticking into his palm. The other shifted her skirt up and her panties down.
She moaned into his mouth and wiggled in his grip. Naruto slowly moved their two bodies down and began to stroke her secret flesh. Temari heard the woman 'oohing' and 'aahing' and watched her thighs tighten on Naruto's hand. She did it with enough force Naruto winced and grinned down at his lover.
"I put it in the wrong place?" he kidded her.
The woman's face was illuminated better now and Temari saw her pout again, "You always do that…get me down on the ground and ravage me," she said in a playfully innocent accent.
Naruto snorted and kissed her again, moving his hand as well as he could. Slowly, softly, and gently, the woman opened her thighs. She hugged Naruto and whispered to him, too low for Temari to hear. But whatever she said caused Naruto to end his playing, and move to what both of them wanted. Naruto removed his pants and the woman shifted out of her panties and skirt.
Soon they were entangled in each other. The woman wrapped her legs around his hips and buried her face in Naruto's shoulder. Naruto himself was using one hand to stroke her rear, while the other supported their two bodies.
Temari knew she shouldn't be watching. Not only was it a private act, it was in a private place. This was something and somewhere Naruto had chosen to be alone, where none of the villagers or other ninja could see him at his most vulnerable.
The woman gave a particularly loud grunt and shift so she was on her side and Naruto was up, holding one of her legs.
Temari shuddered as she watched, feeling her own arousal begin to take hold. She also took note of her deeper breathing and the hard points at the peak of her breasts. She shifted a little, and made sure to be as silent as possible, and made to leave.
As she crouched down to take off, and then swoop around to head back to Konoha, there was a shattering roar and cry.
She swiveled her and saw Naruto kissing the woman fiercely. The kiss was so hard Temari wondered if he was trying to hurt her. This though left her head as soon as she saw the woman take hold of Naruto's hair at the back of his head and pulled him closer to her.
She blinked, amazed at the display of animalistic passion, and watched as the woman wiggled out from under Naruto and stood up. She put her hands on her hips and watched as Naruto scratched his head.
Temari saw her raise her leg and winced when she stuck Naruto, again in the shoulder, knocking him flat.
Well…Temari thought, with a little bit of humor…not flat. Not entirely.
The woman, Temari wished she knew her name at least, crouched down over Naruto and laid on top of him, squeezing his member between her legs. Naruto's face changed to a cross between an aroused grimace and his normal grin.
"Heya," the woman grinned back at him.
Naruto scoffed, trying to pretend having his dick tightly clamped between two slabs of muscle and desired heat didn't affect him and turned away from her (and, to her relief, Temari), "You're so weird."
She laughed and poked his chin making his head move. "You still fuck me," he said, not too angrily.
Naruto turned and looked at her, his arms limp at his sides. "What's wrong?"
She let her headrest on his chest. "I'm tired. I'm really tired Naruto." He didn't speak, listening to her as she had listened to him. "I spend all my time out in the middle of nowhere, screwing and gardening by moonlight. Maybe on a day off when my parents don't know about it I come out here and go some of the latter. Some of the former with myself if you aren't here."
"What's wrong?" he asks again.
She looked at him. "Why can't we be together in the village?"
Naruto was silent. "I can't let you do that."
Her reaction was so animated and angry she startled both Naruto and Temari. If her voice had been anything under a screech Naruto would have heard Temari gasp. "WHY NOT! WHY THE FUCK NOT!" she slammed her fists repeatedly against his chest and shoulders. Her little game with her legs and his dick forgotten.
Naruto hugged her tightly. "NO! Stop touching me!" she cried, but it was far weaker than the voice she had had just a few seconds prior.
Naruto stroked his fingers than her hair and whispered to her. "Because they would hurt you."
"They wouldn't dare touch me."
"Not like you think." She looked at him. "Prices will get higher for you. There won't be anything you want. Anything you need. None of your money will be good enough. Their eyes will burn into you so hotly they'll scorch your soul. Because their eyes carry their hatred. Your family will lose its shop and home in time.
"As long as I am purely Uzumaki Naruto. When I am the Hokage. They will be unable to do it. Not a one of them, coward, drunkard, or spiteful old fart, will turn away the money or time of the Hokage's wife."
She started. Naruto grinned.
She let her head rest once more. "You're so crazy."
"I'd rather be crazy than weird like some people," he scoffed.
She hit him, weakly, lovingly, one final time and then kissed him.
Temari knew they were finished. She ran off as well as she could, as quietly as she could.
But she had been sniffed out, quiet literally, by Naruto's paramour (2).
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
The next day (Temari had slept well by giving herself a helping hand if you can catch my meaning) the said Suna-Kunoichi stepped into the office of Uzumaki Naruto. He wasn't there, as she had been told just prior by Shizune, but would be in soon. Temari looked at the drawer with her documents in it. She had forgotten to ask Naruto how to open it when they left each other's company.
She crouched down and examined the seal as best she could. She heard voices and the door open, but her mind was so focused on the seals he didn't notice Naruto sounded a bit angry.
"You have to go see Tsunade," he said in a not to kind tone.
"But why can't you-"
"Because I don't have the authority!" he hissed at his company.
"That's bullshit Naruto!"
Temari took the time to stand up. Naruto had his back to her and was facing his…guest…he was standing in a subtle way that proclaimed he did not want to continue talking about this. His guest was Haruno, or should I say Uchiha, Sakura.
"Sakura," Naruto said in an exasperated sigh. He went to his chair and fell into it. "The military police are under the direct control of the reigning Hokage. I am her apprentice. I can only authorize minor payments and troop movements, deal out missions and the like. Commanding ANBU and the MPs is not in my list of duties."
Sakura was wearing a kimono with a shawl over her shoulders, both wearing the Uchiha brand and Tomoe brightly. Temari wanted to sit, as she didn't feel right standing by Naruto's right hand, but Sakura was gripping her chair's back fiercely.
I hope she doesn't break it…Temari thought absently, knowing about her obscene strength.
"Why are you asking anyway? Isn't this a question Sasuke-chan should be ranting at me about?" Naruto asked. Temari winced at the insult he dealt the Uchiha.
Sasuke bit her lower lip in anger. "Naruto. Please can you-"
"Talk. To. Tsunade. Ba. Chan," he gritted out through his clenched teeth. "I have a lot of work to do and trying to get you to understand that will only put me behind!" he grunted.
Sakura looked shocked, almost as if she had been slapped. When they had been younger he never would have spoken to her like that. He also would never have had sex with a woman in the middle of a grove of flowers. But Sakura didn't know about that.
"Why…" she squeezed the chair harder, "Why won't you at least-"
Naruto closed his eyes tightly, laid his forehead against his intertwined fingers. He slammed his hand down, hard, on his intercom.
"Yes Naruto-san?" Shizune's voice called.
"Uchiha-san wishes to make an appointment for Tsunade-sama. Please escort her to the front desk secretary."
"Yes sir," Shizune answered sadly.
Sakura gaped at Naruto. "I told you once. I ignored the rudeness of trying to ask me about office business from my home. I also ignored that you ignored proper procedure, and common curtosy, with this request." He stood, and said the next few lines softly so only Sakura and Temari would hear when Shizune came in, "I will not tolerate anyone treating me with less respect than I deserve. I'm not your bitch anymore. You want anything from me after this Sakura…" he leaned back and moved a piece of paper to the front of his desk. She saw 'Military Police Action Request Form' written at the top. "…make sure to fill out the right form."
Sakura, her face red and her eyes watery, was about to say something when Shizune entered the office. "Sakura-san?" Shizune called.
Uchiha Sakura gnawed on her lip like it was the first meal she had tasted in a year, and turned from him. She was led out of the room. Naruto remained grim and silent for a few minutes after she left before falling back into his chair once more. He held his face in his hands.
"Sorry about that," he said in a muffled tone.
"It's nothing I haven't seen before. At least you weren't about to kill her with a hand made of sand," Temari scoffed.
Naruto moved his fingers to look at her with one eye. He snorted and then began to laugh. His voice rang happily through the office and dispelled the silence that would have been spawned by the entry and exit of the Uchiha mistress.
Xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxX
They worked until lunch, when Shizune entered and asked Naruto for a favor.
"What do you need Shizune-neechan?"
"Would you mind going to the Yamanaka flower shop on your way back from lunch? I ordered some herbs we need to cultivate at the hospital and the damn delivery service sent them there. Tsunade-sama needs me with her during an operation on a ANBU Commander," she explained.
"So that's why I got saddled with that," Naruto threw his thumb toward a large stack of funding forms.
Shizune put her hands together. "Please Naruto-kun?" she asked mimicking his whine.
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Would you mind Temari?"
She shook her head, "No. I'd like to look around if we can."
"Sure. Alright Shizune-neechan, we'll get your herbs."
"Thank you Naruto-kun!" she kissed him on the cheek and he griped about it, claming he wasn't a little kid anymore. "Of course not Naruto-chan." she pinched his cheek and wiggled it.
"AAAH! Temari-neechan! Shizune's being mean to me!"
After Temari convinced Shizune to leave Naru-chan alone the two blondes headed for the flower shop of a third blonde. Naruto entered and said hello to Ino-chan.
"Well if it isn't Foxy-sama!" she bowed dramatically but smiled and leaned on the counter. Her eyebrows went up she saw Temari. "Flowers for the Wind Mistress?"
"No. We came to get Shizune-neechan's herbs. She said the mail service sent it here," Naruto explained.
"Yeah. Whenever they get a big or exotic plant order they bring it to us. Those idiots need to be reformed to actually check the damn labels. Hold on while I get them from the back."
"Need any help?" Naruto called.
"No they're pretty small. Seedlings," Ino called back. when she returned she handed Naruto a medium sized cardboard box he was able to carry one handed. "Oh hey look at these I found!" Ino said as she showed Naruto a pair of yellow roses. One of them had a greenish tint at the edges of the blossom petals.
"New species?" he asked.
Ino shook her head, "No a botanist in the Land of Spring is trying to make a green rose."
"That sounds stupid," Naruto said going squint.
Ino sighed and let her head drop. "Temari-san you value science, ne?" she asked.
Temari shrugged. "Well here take these anyway, you can't see to many rare breeds like them in Suna," she said handing them to Temari.
The Suna-Nin blushed a little as she looked at the flowers. She saw they were tied with a ribbon. When Temari examined it she saw tiny kanji written on it. She looked at Ino, who only gave her a knowing smile. When Naruto called to her, as he was already outside she turned. Naruto was concerned with the box so he didn't notice that Temari was fondling the ribbon.
In kanji, written so small it was almost a series of dots, was a message from Yamanaka Ino to Sabaku no Temari. Three simple words that made the latter's head spin.
I saw you.
A/N: Enjoy it. Two more chapters, coming soon.
Dictionary:
1 (Suiton Jutsu): Water Element Release Tecniques
2 (paramour): Lover