[ShikaTema] The Thirty Day Challenge

Day 18: Poison

The noise of the Leaf Village, slowly molding into modernity, retained as lively like it was before. Several stalls stood along the way, calling of vendors went on rather simultaneously in hopes to attract enough buyers for the day.

It didn't annoy both Temari and Shikamaru, however, for it was the usual thing in the aforementioned village. In the voices engulfing the place, one vendor had stood out somehow.

Rather aggressively, the middle-aged purveyor approached both of the shinobi, and offered them a box of cookies. "You're Temari-san, right? I really look up to you!" Not mentioning of his amazement towards the popular, seemingly world-renowned genius of Konoha wouldn't mean he didn't idolise the man as well. The merchant did, but a female with such a strength had driven him in astonishment.

Pair of teal-coloured optics blinked twice, expression in utmost suprise, hands hesitantly accepting the man's gift.

Though it happened often, the flaxen-haired female couldn't help but be thrown into a short-living bewilderment.

"Wait, Temari," called out the pineapple-haired guy. Unbeknownst to her knowledge, the young man took the box away gently from her, and somehow claimed it as his for a brief moment.

There was silence.

"Shikamaru?" The blonde maiden called out in confusion, wondering what had been going on.

The bright face the merchant had as he had drawn closer to them earlier had now dimmed into a seemingly held back madness. His eyes had been covered with the shadows of his bangs, head slightly downcast. Whoever would see could definitely deem actions like that were suspicious.

Shikamaru refused to speak; only as if allowing the seller to talk about his idea on his own will.

A motion of shrugging came after, glaring and grinning devilishly particularly at the Nara. "I thought kids like cookies."

The young male finally had freed his urge to see what was inside the intriguing box--there were standard cookie-sized of various sights and things in the superficial Shinobi World. Fans, kunais, shurikens, flowers, bamboos, rivers, leaves, mountains, and even the face of their current hokage, were engraved on the food.

People who weren't aware of others being after their lives would definitely bite the bait of the aged man.

Shikamaru returned the older man's gazes, unafraid nor taken aback by the demonic aura the trader brought upon him. "And I thought you would be smart enough not to try and poison her. Guess we're both wrong, huh?" His confirmation sounded more of a provocation, which apparently was headed immediately.

The villager's hand moved from behind him, slowly grabbing something. Albeit was he in a pinch, the smirk carved in his lips remained unshakable. "If that leads to that, then that leaves me with no choice; I would just--" Intentionally, he hadn't finished his statement, grabbed his newly-sharpened knife from his back, and directly aimed at the kunoichi without a tint of hesitation or uncertainty.

"Temari...!"

Quick reflexes answered the man's charges by withdrawing her tessen from behind her and blocking the attack. "You have to be quicker than the wind to deal me a scratch," stated her, as if showing such a vain. Even kids who dare to prove her their strength would be demeaned same as the man who attempted to end her life--heartless, as they would deem her so.

The blonde snatched the older male's smirk and kicked him from the stomach. No permission was asked from the shinobi of Konoha, even from Shikamaru; someone who would send the village into even the littlest destruction didn't deserve to be alive.

Eventually, the man rolled belligerently on the floor, his face landing flat soonest the impact of Temari's strike would permit him to. Groans of pain escaped his lips whilst striving to stand using his staggering legs, yet to no avail.

Temari came, and placed her right foot over his arched back to forcefully let him remain stuck on the ground while waiting for their rescue to arrive. People of Konoha Strict Correction Facility had arrive a minute after, shouts of the villagers had been heard simultaneously but certainly comprehensible.

S-So unsympathetic. She's really one scary woman!

"Isn't the facility only for shinobi who have strayed off from their paths?" A girl muttered audibly.

"Even so, people like him deserve to rot in there, and work himself off to pay their debt to the society!"

"The hokage has been working hard; we don't need the likes of him here!"

In the surges of annoyed, and infuriated people were a loud expressing of their amazement towards the power of the kunoichi of Sunagakure.

The guards had finally made their ways to grab the man, and politely but sternly asked him to come with them, else force would be applied without warning. Fortunate for them, the middle-aged man fought no more nor gave a glance towards the two shinobi, but only a frown--a pity for himself for being lowly.

Temari returned her tessen to where it was resting earlier, and shifted her body to face where the sharp-witted ninja was standing. "Thanks for earlier," said her, following a vividly, noticeable grin. It was the word she had been having a hard time expressing before, but not anymore--specifically after Team Kakashi had rescued his brother, Gaara, back then.

Seeking a banter, she had started. "I'm surprised you didn't let your guard down."

In such a high-speed response, the noir-haired male formed a tired facial expression. "Give me a break."

The lass chuckled, amused at how effortlessly Shikamaru answered her. "I can't count how many times you had saved me from danger."

"Not too many, really. Maybe, three or four," stated the male, not bothering to count at all. "It's inevitable; you're a part of the allied village--" the Nara's explanation had been cut in the mid-air when the other consciously interrupted him.

"I did mine not because we are allies," said her in a comprehensible mutter.

...Huh?

"A friend?" Countered the lad.

Temari had casually turned away, leaving the man bemused. "You're not stupid not to know," began her. "That is for you to find out, Shikamaru," a smile had been released by the kunoichi before continuing to head towards the gates of their allied village, as well as preparing herself to walk back for whole three days to reach her own.

Still baffled, Shikamaru followed the female's tracks, but mind had wandered to find the answer she was talking about.

Was it love?

(A/N: Not really sure if I did good in this one, but it's better than nothing!

I'm searching around to find a prompt that is at least applicable/suitable for these two, so the next update would surely take a lot of time. If you do have a prompt, send them my way, I'll write them, and dedicate it to you!

Thank you for supporting this book, and the ship itself!)