The longest journey

Another short chapter, guess I’m as lazy as Shikamaru.


English isn’t my first language, so if something wrong, let me know.

I don’t own Naruto characters, I just borrow them.

I lied, I own Shikamaru, he’s under my bed. :)


A few days past. Both traveller start to talk to each other. This were just random conversation about food, wheather or whatever. And usually Temari was the person who talked, as Shikamaru had to listen. He was ok with that, since sometimes he could just pretend he listened and sometimes her stories were interesting. She mainly told him many stories about her brother. How he has became Kazekage, how people treat him when he was a child. Sometimes she mentioned that she also had hard times because of him. At the evenings Temari was rather quiet and almost all the time she looked worried. Shikamaru knew that she thinking about her brother, so he was just watch the sky at that times.


This was a really unusual situation for Shikamaru. For the first time in his life he spent so much time with a person who wasn’t from Konoha. Maybe that’s why he was sometimes intrigued how life in Sunagakure was different from his dialy routine in Konohagakure. What was unusual, well almost weird, he enjoyed listening to her stories, and even told her a few about his own old team. They start to act as almost real comrades when they reach the city at the border of Fire country.


They were a snack bar where they ate dinner.

‘From now on who should stop looking like ninjas’ Shikamaru said.

‘Why’s that?’

‘We need a disguise. We will look suspicious. Two nins travelling outside the Fire country. Actually, the fact that we wear different hitai-te will be even more suspicious.’

‘So let’s not wear them at all, or give me Konoha’s hitai-te. And let’s stop using official roads, we are nins after all.’

‘Baka onna’ he answered. She already figured out that it wasn’t offending, so didn’t hesitate using this expression ‘this so called ‘official roads’ are the fastest way to travel. And for now I’m planing to travel by river on trade barge. If we go upstream the Fire River we can get to the feet of the Dark Mountains at the border of Earth country quickly and safely. What’s more, unnoticeable what is essencial from now on. We aren’t official diplomats after all and no one should know why we travel. As you know your brother’s situation is a secret.’

‘Yeah I get that. I guess you planned that from the beginning. ‘ she sound even impressed a little, he thought about everything ’So, I assume you already know what disguise we will use?’

‘We will become mercers’

‘What?’

‘It’s because of that fan of yours. This thing is huge. The easiest way to hide it is to put it inside bale of cloth.’ Shikamaru smiled when he saw expression on the face of his companion. She was astonished, she would never thought about that.


Next day they went to the market to organise necessary cloth and disguise, of course. They ended in shop with clothes and Shikamaru started regret that he ever got this stupid with becoming mercers.

‘How about this one Shikamaru?’ Temari asked him showing a red kimono with flower pattern. This was fourteenth he saw. They were in this shop for an hour he had enough of it. That’s what happens when women start picking up clothes.

‘Whatever. Just make sure it isn’t expensive’ He already wore dark-blue hakama he took from home. He knew he will need it but Temari didn’t have any normal clothes.

‘So maybe this one?’ she took blue kimono with star pattern.

‘Yeah, yeah. This is perfect.’ Shikamaru said realising that she won’t pick up something unless he accept it. Women are troublesome but sometimes too easy to understand.

‘I try it on.’ she went to dressing room.

‘You have a really nice girlfriend.‘ old merchant said smiling at Shikamaru.

‘She’s not my...’ he went silent as he saw her going out of dressing room. She looked... nice, even very nice. Wearing blue kimono covered with little stars Temari seemed different from her everyday self. She looked older and prettier. She laugh when she saw Shikamaru staring at her with open mouth. But he quickly become his usual self.

‘Okay that will’ he said to old man. They paid and went to port to organise their transport upstream Fire River.


At dawn they were at port putting their bale of cloth on barge of Kizuna family. Kizuna’s were the big family, they owned and lived at few barges. They earned money transporting various products. Head of family, Kazuma, didn’t mind taking mercers and their cloth as long as they paid and Shikamaru paid the whole sum in advance.


They got a small cabin with medium bed that took over a half of place in it. The problem was that it was only one bed inside.

‘We just take turns sleeping’ Shikamaru said ‘or I can sleep on the ground.’

‘Ok.’ Temari agreed ‘Did they thought that we are a pair or something?’

‘Probably. Che.. Let’s just pretend to be one, it would troublesome to make up other explanations about who are.’

‘What do you mean ‘pretend’ ?’

‘Just don’t denying this. What did you thought?’

‘Erm.... nothing’ Temari answered after a moment of hestitation.

The barges were lined up in long caravan on the river. They were connected with ropes, so that the engines were turn on only on few. And it was easy to get from one to another so on one of the central one the kitchen and dinning room were organised where all the people travelling met during time of meals.


It was dinner time and almost whole Kizuna family gathered in dinning room. Shikamaru and Temari were also there. Temari talked with middle age women about what is life like on the rover, while Shikamaru sitting next to her just ate his dinner at peace.


After meal a few with instrument gathered, people made some room at the board and a little party began. Shikamaru was having a conversation about trade with an elder from Kizuna clan. He didn’t have any problems to talk about this matter. He was suppose to play a mercer so he did that with no problems. Why he should have any as a really intelligent ninja?


Meanwhile Temari was dragged by the women to their dance. They were preforming a traditional dance from Fire country. She didn't know it but somehow manage to learn while dancing. It wasn’t that hard after all, just few steps, bows and woman grace put together.

‘Wow, you a have beautiful wife, young man.’ Old man who was talking with Shikamaru changed the topic and start watching women’s dance.

‘She’s n... erm... isn’t she?’ Shikamaru bite his tongue, they were a ‘couple’ for Kizuna’s. Then he looked at her. She was.... awesome. Was it the light of lanterns that were put around. Or maybe her kimono that really suited her. It might be also that fact that she was a kinochi so her moves were fluent and full of grace. Shikamaru had no idea what was it but he felt that he is blushing.


The dance ended and music changed. A few couples start dancing. Some women pushed Temari to Shikamaru’s side.

‘Go on dance with him’ they’ve said.

‘Go on my boy, don’t let this beautiful flower wait’ old man said.
Shikamaru gazed at Temari standing before him. She was smiling a bit but her eyes weren’t, they had just seemed to say ‘Let’s do it, we have no choice.’ Shikamaru sighed the way he usually did while saying ‘How troublesome.’ He took her hand and they went a few steps out of the crowd. Then he put left hand round her waist still holding her hand with his.

‘Come on, or they’ll notice something.’ He whispered gazing right into her eyes which express a bit of amazement and protest. She sigh at let him pull her near. With a bit of hesitation she embraced him with right hand and put her head on his shoulder. She did it, because she couldn’t stand the look of his eyes. His gaze still suggested that he don’t care but this time it seemed a bit... warmer.


As they dance she felt the movement of his chest. He was breathing deeply. After a moment his lips and nose touched her shoulder. He decided that it is uncomfortable to look at other people, especially when he was felt that his face is red.

The music changed, and the man start singing merrily. Shikamaru didn’t let Temari go but just did a step aside and took her both hands. He did a step towards her, expecting that she would move backwards but she stand still. So he moved closer. Really close. Their cheeks met and she heard as he whispered to her ear.

‘We should continue just a little more. Don’t act weird.’

‘Last time’ she snapped irritated.


They continued for a while. Shikamaru led the dance well. One time he even pull her to him grab her waist and tilted her. When he saw a deadly look in her eyes he just smirked.


The song ended and their bodies separated but Shikamaru was still holding Temari’s hand. He bowed a bit to the elder he was talking with. In response old man smiled. The pair head to the barge where they stayed still holing hands.


After a while, when they left the barge where the dances took place, Temari pulled her hand away.

‘That’s enough. They don’t look at us anymore.’

Shikamaru was suprised. He didn’t notice that he’s still holding her hand.

‘And this whole acting wasn’t necessary.’ Her voice was full of anger.

‘Baka onna... A thought that would be better this way.’ Shikamaru was glad that it was dark there. He felt that he’s still blushing.

Temari just snapped something and headed to the barge where they lived. When they reached the door she said still being in bad mood.

‘I’m going to sleep, you can wake me up after 5 hours or just sleep on floor.’ Not waiting for his answer she entered the cabin and slammed the door.

Shikamaru just sighed and start watching the stars.

After about a hour he realised that they remind him of the pattern on Temari’s kimono. He only did that so they would not look suspicious, didn’t he? He was blushing because it was stupid and troublesome, wasn’t he? He decided that it’s high time for him to go to sleep also. He opened the door quietly and look inside. In light of the moon he saw Temari on the bed. The duvet was laying next to her so he saw that she was wearing short shirt and shorts. He could see her legs and navel.


He closed the door. This night he would rather watch the stars...


In case you didn’t know

Hitai-te are metal protectors with a sign of nin vilage.

Hakama is kind of male kimono.

Kinochi – woman ninja

Wow I still manage to update daily, and this chapter is longer... a bit at least.

So, please REVIEW, I can’t wait to see what you think.

More to come. Soon....