Thawing an Icy Heart

The Grand Return!

Taka released the two from his headlock, before slowly turning around to them, a big goofy grin still etched on his face. "Yep! 16 years young, but damn Naruto. You've gotten a lot taller! Heh, but I'm still taller." Taka poked his tongue out, his two front bangs flowing in the wind, he really did look like an older Haku. The resemblance was uncanny now. "Well, why don't you two go on ahead. I've got to report to Tsunade anyway." Naruto and Taka both looked at each, smiling from ear to ear. "Race?" Naruto said cockily, almost too cockily. "Sure, from here to Konoha gate." The boys then nodded after Taka had suggested the destination, both hunkering down and preparing to run.

Before Naruto got the jump on Taka, and was off already with Taka playing catch up. Naruto was a lot quicker than he was back then, but Taka had gotten faster too, as he breezed past Naruto just as they reached the gate, and flew past it, with the two guards looking at each other in bewilderment. With Naruto and Taka now inside the village, the two boys began wandering through, seeing if they could see any of their friends. "Hey Taka, I see Shikamaru and Temari over there." Taka raised his eyebrow slightly at that statement, Temari in the leaf? Did something happen? "You wanna go and say hi? I know you two were close." Naruto turned his head, to see Taka was already gone, and running along the rooftops.

He then used his ice, to create a slide from the rooftops to the floor, the sudden appearance of ice, took both Shikamaru and Temari by surprise. "What the hell?!" Temari shouted out, before looking up and seeing an all too familiar face, sliding along the ice on his feet, until he stopped right in front of the pair of them. Had he gotten even more handsome than before? She thought to herself, before shaking those thoughts from her head, before noticing he wasn't wearing a shirt. Her cheeks suddenly changed to a dark shade of red, as she stared at his perfect he looked. "Uhh, Temari? You ok?" Taka said, poking the sand Shinobi on the cheek, which was enough to shake her from her stupor, before she lunged and wrapped her arms around him. Which of course he was only too happy to return, his hands resting upon her back.

"Hey! Don't forget about me!" Then the blonde haired wonder appeared from behind Taka, and Shikamaru's grin only got wider. "About time you two came home. Hey! Guess who's back?" He bellowed out, as one by one the other rookies began appearing from out of the woodwork, Temari was now at Taka's side, with his arm firmly wrapped around her waist. As each of the former rookies, Sakura, Shino, TenTen, Neji, Hinata, Lee, Ino and Chōji all appeared and gave the two returning boys a hug and a fist bump. "Damn, you two grew up! You're so much taller than I am, so not cool." Sakura said, slightly annoyed at how big the boys had gotten. "Oh! I almost forgot, guess who's birthday it is today?" He said, whilst pointing a finger at Taka.

"Thank you Naruto." He sighed in defeat, as everyone looked at him with a shocked look. "Your birthday?" Temari said in his ear softly, causing his head to turn and face her, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, it's my sixteenth birthday." He spoke softly in return, before turning back to face the gang again. Shikamaru, had a look of mischief on his face. "You know Taka." He began, which immediately caused Temari's head to rise up, as she stared down the shadow master. "Temari hasn't stopped asking about you, and when you'd be back. It's been a total drag honestly, even when we were organising the Chunin exams, she just wouldn't stop taking about you." Temari's face turned a darker shade of red than before, but her eyes were now looking venomously at Shikamaru. Who must've known he was in danger, because he soon hid behind Chōji.

Whilst all this was going on, Taka's grip around Temari's waist tightened, as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "If it's any consolation Temari, Karu had to listen to me talk about you the whole time. Drove him mad." Temari couldn't believe what he had said and did, so openly as well. She gently pushed herself away from him, before turning to make a quick escape. She wasn't ready to admit how she felt about him, even though deep down she knew she loved him. She just couldn't bring herself to admit it to him, she wanted to. So badly did she want to, but she didn't want to have her heart broken, if by the off chance he said no. She knew it was silly, of course she did. But she didn't take rejection well, especially from someone she cared about.

"Did I say something bad?" Taka said, looking across at his friends, when they shook their heads, he then turned away and looked down at the ground. Slowly moving himself away, and out of sight. With everyone looking slightly bewildered, at what had just happened.