Thawing an Icy Heart

Suna Awaits!

"Granny Tsunade, I think something's wrong with Taka." Naruto has lingered behind, when everyone else had left to prepare. "I noticed it too, and I think it might have something to do with Temari and Shikamaru." That got Naruto's attention, and he narrowed his eyes at Tsunade. "What do you mean?" Tsunade sighed to herself, rubbing the side of her head. "They thought they could hide it from me, but those two have been dating each other for over a year now. I think Taka might've seen or heard them together, and that's why he's giving everyone the cold treatment." She slowly stood from her desk, and looked out across the village. "He's frozen his heart Naruto, and I don't think we're going to be able to thaw it." Naruto looked equally pissed and upset at the revelation, that his friend was going through heartbreak like this. "Granny. Do you think he should come with us?" Naruto said as he made his way to the office door, pulling on it so that it would open. "I don't know Naruto, I don't know." Was all her response was, as Naruto disappeared from sight.

Soon, the group of Kakashi, Sakura, Temari and Naruto were all at Konoha gate. With their own preparations complete, Taka had been waiting for them the whole time, and when he saw them come into view he turned, and headed out with them trailing behind. "Taka wait up!" Naruto began sprinting after his friend, and had managed to start walking alongside him. The air temperature again began dropping around them, such was Taka's anger. "I know why you're mad, but we've got to save Gaara." Naruto pleaded with his friend, with Taka eyeing him up, before slowly raising the temperature again. "Just keep her away from me." He said coldly, before moving away from the nine tails Jinchuriki and ahead of the group.

Naruto then dropped back to the others, who were looking between him and Taka. "What did he say?" Temari asked, trying to see why they were being given the cold shoulder. "Why would you care?" Naruto spoke in that same cold voice to Temari as Taka would have, this caught her off guard, but before she could respond, Sakura did. "Naruto! You know how much she cares about him, she has a right to know!" Sakura was mad at Naruto, but held back on whacking him. But what Naruto said next, would shock them all. "Oh yeah? If she cared so much, why would she date Shikamaru? Why would she try and keep it a secret? Why would she kiss Shikamaru in front of him?!" Naruto's anger was starting to get the better of him, and that's when it hit Temari. He had seen them together, seen them kiss each other and embrace.....her heart was hurting at him finding out, but she couldn't begin to imagine what he was feeling. "N-Naruto I'm..." But before she could finish Sakura had slammed her hand against Temari's cheek, anger visible on her face. "How dare you! You were talking about seeing Taka again, the whole time he was away, and yet you were dating Shikamaru at the same time?!"

Kakashi knew he had to do something to get everyone back on track again. "We're nearly
in the desert, won't be long until we reach Suna. So I need you all to focus on the mission, which is to rescue Gaara. Understood?" No one said a word after that, simply nodding their heads, as the group continued on. The tension between everyone minus Kakashi, was thick. One small thing could set the whole thing off. Soon they reached the top of a dune, where Taka had been waiting for them, against his better judgement, as they scouted out any potential dangers. "No creatures around, and no imminent threats." Taka looked back at Kakashi, completely ignoring Temari's attempts at getting his attention. "Good, then we'll head down immediately." With that, the group of five hopped down off the dune, and made their way towards Suna's entranceway.