[action | written}

[dangerouswind]

[She knows she's late. Temari would forever blame the Malnosso for dropping her back in the forest somewhere and never her own reticence to walk back into town. (Like nothing had happened. Like nothing had ever happened.) She's only looking for one person when she comes back into the village, slipping in straight from the forest and making a beeline for community building one. She's making a concerted effort not to be seen, though that's a little harder once she's inside the building and walking quietly toward the door.

Not her door. Her next door neighbor's.

Temari hesitates only a moment before she knocks. (It's a light knock. Not that she can hear it.) Be home, Nara. She doesn't want to have to try this again.

It's some time later before she actually shows up on the journal. The message is written, short. She's doesn't filter it to anyone; she doesn't have the patience. She honestly doesn't want to say anything in the first place, but...

... well, that's unfair to a few people.]

I'm back.

Comments

[endgames]

[He looks away from her, not wanting to hear it. He's felt some emotion he can't name more than he should have ever since learning of this woman's demise, and the way she tries to shove it off makes him so angry.

And it's only a drop in the water for how he feels on her behalf. He wants to sympathize with her and say he's sorry; let it go so she can take what time she needs to recover.

But he doesn't know if she can without having it thrown in her face, and it makes him sick to his stomach. One hand pulls at his hairline, but he's still trying to appear solid on the surface as his hand drops to write one more time.]

You didn't know you were dead until you were flat on your back.

[dangerouswind]

[Trust him to completely ignore that she'd really like him to stop talking any time now. Her hand is clenched into a tight fist and she honestly isn't aware of it.

Anger and shame and guilt -- guilt, damn it all, even that and how is it that one can feel guilty over their own death? -- cloud her perception. She knows he's hurting. Can't see it right now.]

I said that was enough. [The careful, deliberate control in her voice is slipping.]

[endgames]

It's not! [And he doesn't mean to snap, but she's still not getting it. The pencil breaks in his grip, and he's oblivious.] Passing it off like this is a slap in the face to everyone who cares about you! You were going through a lot and-- We could've helped--

[He can't finish; she probably only got half of that as it is. He goes to write but he doesn't know where the hell the top of that pencil rolled off to.]

[dangerouswind]

[She catches enough of it. She doesn't get it; he's right about that. What's done is done and she desperately wants to leave it behind her. Quit talking about it and move on. She died.

She died.

Isn't that enough?]

Helped? [She stands, in lieu of taking a swing at him. What did she expect, though? She knows the mistakes she made -- knows them intimately -- and she's learned.

She's figured it out, okay? Can't that be enough?]

[endgames]

Yes. [But she can't see him to tell he's speaking from that angle. He sighs, exasperated, because this is going to take getting used to.

His fingers find the other half of the pencil, and he scribbles out the words before sitting back up. He hands her the page even as he speaks, all too aware of her rising anger.]

Yes. That's what allies do. That's what friends do. It doesn't matter if you're tough as nails - everyone needs help sometimes.

[dangerouswind]

[She snatches the page from him with a growl, not even bothering trying to read his lips anymore. It's not worth the trouble when he keeps forgetting to look at her. (Troublesome, even.)]

Maybe. [God, she wants to hit him.] Done is done.

[endgames]

[He needs to calm down. He wanted some reaction out of her, but he's pushing boundaries himself. Deep breath. Clear your head.

Furious as he is with her, he knows how hard this must be. Shikamaru can't imagine what it's like to... he doesn't want to. It's the perfect equalizer though, cooling his anger with something more somber.

Doesn't make her right, though. He shakes his head.]

[dangerouswind]

[She's silent for a long moment, absently smoothing the crumpled edges of the pages in her hands.

She really wants to hate him right now.]

What else do you have to say?

[endgames]

[He breathes. Gets a hold of himself. Not for the first time, he can't help but think to that day in the hospital. She's probably disgusted with him for getting so worked up over this.]

You're not alone. Until you get that and rely on us, this will never be over.

[It doesn't take him long at all to write that, and when he's done he says it to her with a straight face.]

[dangerouswind]

[What she wouldn't give to just whack him upside the head with her fan. Just a little love-tap to knock some sense into that too-thick skull of his.

Temari stares at him, chin lifted and unflinching.]

I came here, didn't I?

[endgames]

[Another scribble on the paper.]

What would you have done if I was out? Or if Masaomi answered the door?

[Actually another question is what would Masaomi have done, but that's beside the point.]

[dangerouswind]

[Masaomi may have been punched in the face, just on general principle. She crosses her arms.]

Left a message.

[endgames]

Ino's just across the hall. Naruto's a couple floors down. The whole building is brimming with comrades and allies.

[dangerouswind]

[She's silent for a moment and then, as dryly as she can manage, she finally speaks.] So you'll lecture me on coming here first?

[Don't make her say it, Nara.]

[endgames]

[.....

It's not that he doesn't get the meaning. He does, but (he doesn't deserve it) he's not the only one she should be going to in a pinch.]

I'm lecturing you because I don't think you'd go to anyone second. And I want you to be okay. [And I'm not always the man to go to to make that happen. Something in him deflates, but he remembers to keep his head up.] You need more people around than me to be okay.

Damn troublesome woman...

[...the last part is muttered, and unwritten, though it might not matter much.]

[dangerouswind]

[But she started here and that's something, right? She looks away for a split second, remembering as she turns away that she really should look at him.

I want you to be okay.

Well. That makes two of them.]

If you called me troublesome, I'll lay you out. [There's a bravado there, hiding all the things she should say and can't find a way to voice.]

[endgames]

[His chuckle is watery, and he smirks wide suddenly.]

Truth be told, I'm surprised you haven't already.

[dangerouswind]

[There's a pause before the corner of her lips quirk upward in an answering smirk.] So am I.

[Doesn't mean he's out of the woods yet; at least reading his lips is getting easier.]

[endgames]

So long as it's not just me.

[dangerouswind]

[Humor gone, she crosses her arms and gives him a flat look.] Anything constructive to say?

[endgames]

That comes later.

[dangerouswind]

[A snort.] How much later?

[She might just take a walk until "later" rolls around.]

[endgames]

Does it matter? You're a jounin. You know these things better than me.

[And don't argue that you do. That he's the one telling you these things spells out clearly how bad her mindset is right now.]

[dangerouswind]

[A shrug] I doubt it. [It doesn't matter. He's right.]

[endgames]

[Good. Then she can take what he has to say.]

You asked me what the point is in dwelling on it. [He turns back to the paper, keeping his eyes down to see what he's writing but head up so she can see him.]

...you were gone for a long time. We've dwelled on it. And there's people like Katara - Katara, who isn't a shinobi - who have suffered for it.

[A pause, and then he finishes the next part and looks back up at her.]

She's the one who found your body. She brought back your fan and your forehead protector. At the very least you can repay her with some closure.