dangerouswind | [Appointment Post]

[After the draft's announcement and talking it over with Ino, Shikamaru had gone to Temari's apartment to look for her only to find no one home. And no one home still for several hours after that.

It would figure she'd be this troublesome, even so soon after he got back from his stay with Malnosso.

While the matter he needed to discuss with her was pretty urgent, he wasn't about to sacrifice his first night of real sleep on the floor outside her door to wait for her.

Hence, when she does return to her apartment, she'll find one (sparklier than usual) ninja snoring on a mattress he dragged into the hallway, outside her door.

[It's only a few hours into the 24th that Temari makes her way back to her apartment. After the draft announcement -- on her birthday, no less -- she'd gone out for some much-needed venting. Unfortunately, her venting had turned to trying to meditate had turned to simply sitting at the edge of the forest and thinking far too much.

Gaara had followed Kankurou home and left her here. Shikamaru was still gone, gone long enough that Temari wondered if he'd ever return. Not that she was worried. Never was, about his damned...

... Is there something sparkling in front of her door?

Full stealth mode engage. Really. Because... sparkling in front of her door ranks up there with very strange things. Upon come closer, she stops. Speak of the devil.

Before she can hide it, a moment of sheer, raw emotion shows: eyes closed, shoulders slumped, and a deep (albeit a little shaky) breath. She reels it in, swallows hard, and hopes that he's still asleep. She takes a few steps forward and nudges his knee with her foot. (Any other time and she might have just kicked him. Hard. But he gets a free pass this time.)]

Oi, Nara. Something wrong with your own apartment?

[Also. Sparkling. What's up with that?]

[Normally he would've been up the second he heard her in the hall. Exhaustion does something to a guy though, even for ninjas. She moves so quietly after that that he doesn't even realize someone's there until he hears the sigh, and isn't fully awake until she's nudging him with her foot.]

...hn. [Someone above him, but - light past his eyelids, hands still at his sides, no echoes, dry air - he'll take his time waking up. He yawns, but makes no effort to move, just yet.] Nah. Like it just fine. Wish I were in it.

[He cracks open one eye.] ...time's it?

[Well, he seems all right. Temari props one hand on her hip and quirks a brow as she looks down at him.]

Somewhere between four and five. Thought's appreciated, but I outgrew nightlights a long time ago.

Shuddup.

[He's not that shiny, okay. Okay.]

[He yawns, groggy, but pushes himself upright with his hands. The wrists are bruised, but he pays them little mind. He'll have Ino take care of them in the morning, when she's feeling better.]

Didn't take you for the partying type.

Right. Partying. [Something about the flatness of her voice should tell him all he needs to know. Partying. Of course that's what she'd do.

She's very tempted to just step over him and go to bed, but if he's out here, then he has a reason for being here. With a sigh, she sets her fan aside and takes a seat on the edge of his mattress. Might as well talk in the hall. It's quiet.]

I'm assuming you know about the draft, then? [No use asking him when he got back; it would have been pretty recently and she knows him well enough to know that he'd be poking through the journals right away.] Which is probably what you're here to talk about. Unless, of course, the Malnosso actually dropped you off on a mattress in front of my door. If that's the case, they're a few hours late.

[Pause and she summons up a shadow of a teasing smirk.] No big bows or wrapping paper, either. I'm disappointed.

[Well no duh. He was being sarcastic anyways. But it gives him a good idea of the mood she's in, at least.

That great, huh?]

Tch. Guess there is something I can thank them for.

[And yeah, she called the nail on the head for the reason why he's here. He'll take his time getting around to it though - it's not exactly a happy subject.]

[Best mood ever. Can't you tell? She leans back on her hands and nods once.] You missed a few things.

[Just a few. Nothing too much. Except, you know, at least one thing he really should know about.] Gaara's gone.

[...so much for trying not to darken the already sour mood.]

That's another brother gone for you.

[No "I'm sorry" - it doesn't mean enough. No "How are you holding up?" - because she'll lie to him, or change the subject.

She's been out of her apartment for an entire day, she's lost every family member she's had in this place, and Luceti has a habit of throwing sucky situations at you on a weekly basis. He knows full well she's not doing all right.]

[Her answer is a simple hum; yes, another brother gone. No, she doesn't want to talk about it. Ever.]

So what's on your mind?

You. [For more than one reason now. But he remembers how he was when Chouji left, so he won't push it. Yet.] And Ino.

I'll keep an eye on her. [It's a subject she'll gladly talk about, even given how much she dislikes the draft. It's not because she doesn't think Ino can handle herself; it's the other girl's first draft. She remembers how lost she was.]

I appreciate it. [He knew he could trust her too, but all the same. It's good to hear.] You remember how her abilities work, right? You've seen her fight in the chuunin exams before.

Yeah, I remember. [Their mission had been to invade Konoha, after all. Observing her ninja was primary to that mission.] Not the best offensive technique, but it'd be damned good support, given a little planning.

Tch. Don't sell her short. [She's more capable than she was two years ago.] Given the right circumstances, she should have several tricks up her sleeve out there.

Just make sure someone's there to watch her body.

[Since he can't.]

I can talk to her, then. See if we can't engineer some right circumstances. [Temari sighed softly, then nodded. You worry too much, Nara. She's got it in hand.]

I'll take care of it. [So don't worry about your teammate. In Luceti, she's as good as Temari's teammate anyway.]

Knew I could count on you. [Funny how things work like that now.]

...how 'bout you? You're gonna be kinda out of your element there. [Literally. Ino will be good back up for her, in that instance, but there's still several days of fighting to consider.]

[Funny indeed. A shrug.] I'll manage. A fight's a fight. Gotta learn to adapt.

[Besides, how much different can it really be?]

[Ask him again when he's going along with Sokka in a canoe to fetch you off a sandbank.]

Doesn't mean you have to go in blind. [He stretches - pops something painfully in his back and holds back a wince.] There anything you're gonna have a harder time getting used to? Konoha's not exactly close to the ocean or anything either, but we still have more water sources.

[IE. He does have some experience with battles on a waterfront, not to mention the fact he's been drafted one more time than her, until now.]

[Yeah, like she'll ask then.]

Honestly, I'm more worried about defending the boats. That's something I've never done. I don't know boats; I could guess where weak points are, if all else fails.

Ask for blueprints when you get through the transporters. If you can't get that, ask after the weak points of the ship, so you can come up with a better strategy to defend it.

Will do. Either way -- on a ship or on the ground -- the principle remains the same: keep 'em off our backs. It's not like I need solid ground beneath me.

Normally I'd agree. But you're gonna be in trouble if you're using chakra to keep on top of the water and a Shifter shows up.

[Her? Go out on the water if she doesn't have to? Yeah, no.] I rather meant I could attack from anywhere on the ship, if need be. I'm not going out on the water unless I have to. Too many variables there.

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