Chapter 5

Temari removes her palms from her knees and straightens her back. "What the hell are you doing?" She demands from the boy beside her.

"Saving you," the boy replies.

"I don't need to be saved," Temari almost snaps.

"You're troublesome. Even Jounin level nins can't fight Gaara," the boy argues.

"What's your name?" Temari questions, her curiosity fuelled by a more practical reason; that of knowing the identity of the person who saved her and her team.

"Your friend doesn't know your name, big bro?" Kankuro sniggers, obviously listening to their conversation and having fun on their behalf.

"Shut up!" Shikamaru addresses Kankuro, seeming to lose his cool at last.

Temari approaches Gaara. "Here," Temari extends her right hand to give to Gaara the Heaven scroll.

Gaara looks at the item and then turns around and strides away without taking it.

When Gaara has walked a few meters away, Temari expels a sigh of relief. She approaches the unconscious Ino and shakes her after crouching besides her. Ino remains still but obviously breathing. She has sustained a gnash on her head and several bruises on her body where Gaara's sand pummelled her. The cut on Ino's forehead worries Temari, as it continues to bleed. Temari using a kunai, cuts a long strip from the seam part of her yukata. She uses the hacked cloth to apply pressure on Ino's forehead. Afterwards, Temari glances towards where Choji is lying on the ground about five meters away.

Temari notices that the boy has approached her other team mate.

When Shikamaru has reached Temari's other team mate, he notices that the slightly rotund boy lying on the sand is groaning but his eyes still remains closed. "Oi, Kankuro, let's help her team get medical help," Shikamaru instructs.

"Your friend is looking daggers at you. I think she can manage from here," Kankuro glances at Temari, his eyes observing her every move.

Shikamaru stands up from squatting beside Choji. Then he faces Temari "You shouldn't underestimate your opponent," Shikamaru doesn't need to add 'this is what happens if you do'.

"I didn't underestimate you. Just your brother," Temari glares at Shikamaru. "You and that guy," Temari nods her head in Kankuro's direction, "the one you're calling Kankuro, didn't even lift a hand to help your brother."

"That's because we don't need to. Gaara could have easily taken all your life. But he did not. You're luckier than others," Shikamaru speaks, his tone back to being indifferent.

Temari is looking up at Shikamaru from her position of sitting on her heels to better apply pressure on Ino's head. "If you are waiting for my gratitude—"

"I'm not," Shikamaru cuts her off, his tone of voice showing that he means it. His eyes bore into Temari's.

"You have it anyway," Temari's lips lift at the corners ever so slightly. After making sure that the wound on Ino's head has stopped bleeding, she stands up and advances towards Shikamaru, one arm outstretched. "Here, you can have this. It was actually you who deserves it," Temari offers the Heaven scroll to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru just stares at Temari before taking the proffered scroll.