[ShikaTema] The Thirty Day Challenge

Day 20: Misteltan

(A/N: An early Christmas update since I won't be around in Christmas. Enjoy!)

Simultaneous incomprehensible buzzes from the townspeople of Sunagakure echoed vividly around, their comments of anger and disagreement had taken the best of them.

"With all due respect, we are to take down that order, Kazekage-sama," one of them quoted, making his utmost best to sound respectful to the lad. "Our allied village had enough people; we need some here, too," explained him next.

Annoyed, Kankuro looked at the worried kage; his brows immediately forming in furrow, then hues shifting towards the villager next. "Are you stupid?! That's why the Kazeka--" Words had been interrupted by the red-haired male himself as his right arm blocked the puppeteer's way.

"That's why we're asking you; only if you can. If you don't want to come, it's okay," stated Gaara, closing his eyes next before turning to his brother. "How's she doing?"

"Haven't heard anything yet-jaan," said him upon shrugging.

---

Chatters of the people--visitor and ones that belonged to Konohagakure--rang inside the place, one understandable statement the blonde could tell was "I'm excited!" but she had to ignore such to avoid a stampede of villagers.

Hands continued waving to one direction, in hopes to guide them without an accident emerging from somewhere within the town. As the number of people died down, Temari left her post and passed it onto a shinobi of a lower rank. Pretty sure she was, it wouldn't be too hard for him to handle since the surges already had calmed down.

Onto her next mission, she went off.

Not from afar was the image she had been looking for with an unbelievable effort. Temari marched towards him, facial expression hardly changing.

"Let's go. With this amount of people, a day isn't enough to see if everything's prepared well, and the event will all turn out alright. Christmas party's going to start soon," effortlessly, on the other hand, had the pineapple-haired man stated.

No actions or small movements of agreement had been seen on the lass' face, but she began drawing her path as Shikamaru had intended to do so too.

Hands kept inside his pockets, small pupils had begun to observe, scan and check his surroundings. The look of normality in every scenery his optics would meet could end up pretty deceiving. Anything that he would sense suspicious had been registered in his mind.

Illusions? I might just be overanalysing things.

However, it just clicked to him that with his utmost desire to keep the village safe had he and Temari's surroundings stay in pure silence, creating nothing but an uneasy feeling. And as he would understand it deeply, it was beginning to feel awkward for him. Shikamaru knew he had to utter something.

"S-So, uh... Guess you're gonna be celebrating Christmas with your brothers," started him. It wasn't exactly a question, as well as a good way to start a conversation. Yet, it was the best he could come up with.

Teal orbitals moved to the side, wondering to herself if it was buzzing she heard, or the male Nara was speaking to her. "Did you say anything?"

Shikamaru returned his gazes onto the floor, making his statement next. "Huh? No, nothing," he sighed upon lying, feet dragging him to anywhere they hadn't checked yet.

Albeit of her uncertainty if it was her friend who had spoken earlier, Temari cast her gazes back onto the road as she composed her seemingly indirect response. "We're here. Some from Suna, including Gaara and Kankuro. We will celebrate it with everyone."

A surprise of realisation awoke him as he heard how accurate her answer was from his seemingly unheard question earlier. Shikamaru wanted to respond, but his guts were being pulled by something else--most possibly another thing than the gravity itself.

Silence had grown; and the genius had felt like it was probably the proper time to speak up. The quantity of people around them wouldn't be much of a hindrance for him at this kind of moment. Intentionally, Shikamaru halted his own steps, timely in front of the flaxen-haired maiden.

"...?" A minimal movement of Temari's head had occurred, indicating how puzzled she was of the latter's preceeding actions.

"Just everyone?" Reconfirmed the ninja.

Temari's left brow raised slightly whilst confusion crawled in her spine. "Just everyone? Is there more than having everyone in a party, Shikamaru? What are you expecting?"

"Well...," hesitantly began the man, right hand delivered at the back of his head to perform his habitual scratches. "I was wondering if we could..."

"That's so amazing!" Cooed a woman.

"I didn't know something like that could happen!" Another, but a man, expressed.

Followed were cheering, encouragements and provocations of people telling a couple to kiss.

Shikamaru's attempt to invite Temari for a peaceful, paparazzi-free Christmas date had been interrupted by the people's noises nearby. Uncertain why, it successfully grabbed both of the shinobi's attentions.

Standing on both sides of the road were people from Suna whilst attaching wires and bunch other Christmas designs on the wall and across the street as they also would regain their balance to put the decorations perfectly. The men smiled sheepishly at the two, then passed their gazes onto the townspeople.

Unfortunately, they were looking above them.

Confused, Temari and Shikamaru simultaneously shifted their gazes overhead, and to their surprise, a European smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaved mistletoe was hanging before them. Seeing it alone, matching with the cooing of people, made their faces glow in low crimson.

Shikamaru avoided the blonde lass' gazes, as the other would upon realising how they were submerged in an embarrassing situation. However, it only took the genius a few seconds before a perfect strategy had came into mind. Though hesitating, the lad still grabbed the other's hand and sprinted away from the crowd.

"S-Shikamaru! Hey!"

Intentionally, he ignored her.

The latter took a detour to the left where surprisingly a part of the village was empty. He placed both of his hands on his knees to regain his lost breath, and immediately turned to the lass.

Quite astounded, Temari looked up at him with her unfinished gathering of air. "What...?"

I'm not going to kiss her, but... "Would you...," began him, clenching his fists next. "Would you spend the Christmas with me?"

Temari flashed him her usual grin, expressing her response thereafter. "Who said I won't? Stupid," before she could even let out a chuckle, it already had been blocked by the genius' lips against hers. S-Shikamaru?! In haste of attempting to free herself from his kiss, the flaxen-haired maiden began stepping backwards.

However, Shikamaru pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her waist then.

The female lost all the energy remaining for the day because of Shikamaru's kiss, undeniably melting. Freely, he had let the man take control of her by closing her eyes to feel the ardent smooching which was beginning to feel quite amorous.

Tenten, Sakura and Ino raised their thumbs up towards the shinobi of Suna that Gaara sent days ago to indicate that their plan had came out as a huge success.

(Reference: https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/mistletoe.shtml
The name mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words 'Mistel' (which means dung) and 'tan' (which means) twig or stick.

I apologise for the errors! I did this today without rechecking, so...!)