Belong

Part 2: Obsession

Since the detainment of the rogue shinobi that attacked the village, there hadn't been anymore trouble. The medical ninja continued their work so did those who did security except this time they were more alert. Shikamaru would go and check on Temari from time to time hoping she'd wake up soon. Though, he wondered why he was hung up on her getting better after all he knew full well she's actually fine, all that's left is for her to wake up.

"Damn it!"

He uttered in his mind. Is it only that by seeing her awake and moving again will he be truly convinced that she's fine? He wondered.

"Shikamaru?" The voice calling out to shook him out of his state of mind "You okay? You look a little spaced out"

"I'm fine." He says simply

"Something on your mind?" Ino asks

"No"

"Nevermind we've been best friends and on the same team for years. You still think I can't  tell when something's on your mind"

"Come on, you can't hide anything from me. What's up?" She insists

It was no use lying to her, it was evident in her a persistence. He might as well tell her, he thought. Ino always has  been a good person to talk about stuff when he couldn't talk to his sensei, she's always been a good confidant.

"Just worried about Temari" He confesses

"Really?" He didn't have to look at her to know that she has a smirk on her face  "Well, Sakura said she's fine. She only has to wake up"

"Never mind, I'm just worrying myself over nothing" He says

"Or maybe there's more"

"More? What are you talking about?" Shikamaru asks,

"Don't get me wrong but you never worry this much about somebody who's in Temari's situation especially knowing they'll be fine. So why're you so worried for her?"

He could tell she was insinuating something

"What do you mean? She was paired with me, it's only logical I feel this way" He says. But even he could tell what he was saying was giving him away. Giving him away?

"Right. Or because you like her" Ino says

His eyes widened, taking the thought into consideration and realising it could be the answer to why he's obsessed with Temari's well-being and maybe even Temari herself but no, that couldn't be it. Him, like Temari? Not likely, he thought but what if it is like that? What if he likes her but just doesn't know or hadn't realised it yet? The questions swirled in his head, making him not realise he hasn't reacted to Ino's statement.

"So you do-"

"Of course not!" He says, not realising his voice is slightly raised making him seem too defensive of course this only made Ino suspect even more that a girl is finally making her way into her best friend's heart. A girl from the Hidden Sand. Not what she'd expected, and she definitely wasn't expecting it to be Temari of all people. She thought it would be somebody from their home village, a simple and nice girl who isn't a Shinobi because she always thought if Shikamaru would settle down with somebody, it'd definitely be somebody who isn't a Shinobi. But Temari still works too

"I don't like Temari... At least not like that." He states, coolly

"You should tell her how you feel."

"There's no need to advice me to tell Temari how I feel because I don't like Temari in that way. But that doesn't mean I don't have to worry about her" He states. He laughed at himself, knowing he wasn't the type to argue especially with girls.

"Maybe I'm just kidding myself"

*****

Exhausted from his duty, he stretched and yawned making his way to where she is. And soon as he realised it, he immediately stopped in his tracks. And soon followed those thoughts and questions again. What a drag, he thought. No! There was nothing wrong with it, there's was nothing confusing and no reason to wreck his brain over anything because he didn't like Temari at all, or so he thought. So he did it, he went straight to her room, no second thought. He walked in and no matter from what angle he was standing or seating, her beauty still had the same effect. Her facial changed indicating she was waking up as if in pain.

"Temari!" He quickly acted, nearing her

Her vision and hearing was distorted, slowly returning to stability. She groaned in pain, the headache did not make her waking sweet at all. But it immediately subsided as her vision became clear and her hearing fine. She was not expecting his face to be the first she sees.

"Shikamaru?" She questioned

"'You okay?" Shikamaru asks showing signs of concern

"Has he really been here all this time?"

She questioned herself

"Yeah, I'm... fine" As she leans against the bed headboard her hair dropping perfectly behind her and and the bangs hanging beautifully above her eyes.

"Hey! Why're looking at me like that?" Temari asks but her facial expression clearly stating 'Quit starring or else...!'

"Oh... N-nothing. Sorry." He stutters "Just glad you're finally awake" He confesses

"You're..  glad?" She asks, taken a bit by surprise

"Oh, Temari. You're finally awake!" Sakura exclaims as she enters the room "How're you feeling?" She asks, checking her temperature.

She then diverts her eyes to the man who takes his leave completely ignoring Sakura and her thousand questions.

"Sakura" She says, stopping Sakura from what she's doing

"Yes, Temari?"

"I'm fine. There's no need for all this. Thank you, though." She says getting out of her bed

"Sure, you're welcome... Where're you going?"

But she didn't bother answering, she was long gone after him. The chilly wind hit hard against her beautiful skin. She wrapped herself with her arms. Shikamaru was just about fifteen feet away. She hurried, enduring the rough ground.

"Shikamaru!" She called out

"I don't think you should be out yet" He says

"Never mind that. I need to ask you something"

"What is it?"

"Did you really... stay with me... while I was out?" She asks, hesitantly

"Of course not. i just happened to be there when you wake up."

"I guess it was dumb of me to actually believe he stayed by me. Why did I even take the thought seriously anyway. After all, everything's a drag to him. What was he even doing here when I woke up  and why was he looking at me like that. He looked at me  almost like how.. Kenji used to look at me."

"Temari... At least wear something for your feet. Here." Sakura says, approaching, handing Temari her shoes

"Sorry to interrupt you guys"

Temari graciously took the shoes from Sakura and thanked her and walked back to her room.