Sunsets were one of the most beautiful scenes a visitor could witness in Sunagakure. The completely clear sky would display an impossible set of rare colours while the sun would gradually disappear in an explosion of orangey lights. As night would set in, the skyline would melt with the desert, creating a feeling of infinity. Gaara was sitting there on the cliff that bordered the village, meditating like he's always do during his sleepless nights. His long time girlfriend Matsuri was curled up against him, just as silent as he was. Out of nowhere, a voice interrupted their alone time.
"Ah! There you are! I've been searching for you everywhere!"
"Temari be quiet, Matsuri is sleeping." the Kazekage ordered without turning around
His sister lowered her voice "We need to talk."
"What's the matter?"
"I need to be cut off my duties. For the next months"
"Why is that?" He asked as he turned around this time
She didn't answer and pressed her hand to her belly.
"Again?" the Kazekage asked in sheer surprised
"Yes" she said with a smile "The test is positive! You're going to be an uncle again!"
And this was when she saw "it". That tiny twitch at his mouth, the sketch of half-smile…
"Take as much time off as you want" he simply answered in a dismissive tone
"Thanks Gaara!"
"Oh and one last thing!"
"Yes?"
"Please don't tell your brother I don't want to deal with his stupid questions this time."
"Don't worry, I won't!" she said with a wink before jumping off to the village
One week later in Konohagakure, late night, Konoha's hot springs…
The owner would sometimes leave the hot springs open at night for latecomers. It was actually one of the most agreeable times to enjoy the hot springs. Temari had insisted to go there that night so she could talk with Shikamaru without any annoying disturbance.
"Are you serious?"
"I am"
Around them, the fireflies were hovering, ghostly shimmers in comparison to the brightness of the stars. The night was beautiful and quiet, only interrupted by the chant of crickets and twilight cicadas. Shikamaru began to take his signature frown.
"How…"
"Okay, if I hear you say anything around the lines of 'how troublesome' or 'what a pain', I drown you, got it? You're not the one who's going to bear it!" she warned with a dark look
"I promise you I wasn't going to say anything like this!! You don't have to look at me like this!" he said, putting his hands defensively before him
"Good." She said, reverting to her relaxed stance
Without another word, he came hitherto her and hugged her tight.
"That's just wonderful." He said as he kissed her gently
"Well, I hope you're well prepared!" Her devilish grin was on
"Huh?"
"You'll have to take care of me and Hatsune! So brace yourself cuz I expect you to be especially considerate and helpful this time around or I might just turn into a PMS version of Sakura, got it?"
He nodded dumbly and simply sat at her side with a pissed-off frown. This was going to be REALLY troublesome…
A few months had passed. Temari spend most of her time at her husband's house with his parents. The baby was doing quite well in her belly. A quick sound scan in the hospital revealed it to be a boy, to the secret joy of his father. That same day, all were gently relaxing in the Nara compound…
"Well ain't that great, son? Another little man to back us up! At least we're evenly matched against your mother and your wife!" Shikaku said around a sip of tea
"I was thinking that myself Dad…" Shikamaru replied. And then smugly "But my daughter seems to take after us!"
Both men were fondly watching the smiling black haired baby girl assembling her cube puzzle. Her hair was now coiffed in similar fashion to her mother.
"That's our girl!" Shikaku said as Hatsune swiftly finished the puzzle IQ test "190 of IQ, almost like daddy and grandpa! A few more years and you might just surpass us!"
"Isn't she perfect?" Shikamaru declared as he took his daughter in his arms. Hatsune chirped happily as her father took her in his arms. She was really precocious for her age and could already pronounce some words. "Hey, Pa! How about we all go for a nap?"
"I heard that! Don't even think of it!" a harsh voice called from the garden "Not until you've washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen!"
"But honey we really had a great meal. Can't we just digest peacefully?"
"Sure you can. Once all your chores are done!" Yoshino disciplined
"Honey, you're being a real pain right now…" Shikaku answered with a lazy gaze
"Oh really? Well if you don't wanna feel more pain you get going now! And before you do this, hand me my granddaughter! You two are no example for her!" Yoshino barked as she took the baby in her arms "Come with grandma my lovely one! Come and enjoy the sun" she said gently as she cuddled Hatsune who giggled at the two frowning men
Father and son sauntered to the kitchen, grumbling and bitching.
"Shikamaru, I really hope your daughter will be nothing like your wife and mine…"
"She just mocked us… I think it's already the case!" Shikamaru sighed in exasperation as he began to put the dishes in the sink.
In the garden, Yoshino was teaching the art of gardening to her now huge daughter-in-law. Temari had just complimented her on how skilled she was at commanding her husband and son.
"That's really brave of you to go through childbirth again, Temari-san. I limited myself to once."
"Did you want to be merciful to your husband?"
"Merciful to my husband? The only times when I ever felt this way…huh… looks like I can't remember!"
Both women chuckled with an air of complicity. The Nara matriarch kissed her granddaughter before handing her to Temari who played with her for a while.
"You know, Hatsune was a surprise. Back then I didn't actually plan to get pregnant and, because of this, our lives got so complicated and stressful I almost thought I'd have a miscarriage. This time, I'm feeling just fine. I'm very happy to have a second child. I never knew what it was to be surrounded with a loving family. Mama died too soon and our genitor…"
"Temari! Is that how you refer to your father?" Yoshino asked, scandalized
"I'm sorry, mama-in-law. I never had a father. This unloving asshole always regarded me and my brothers as mere tools. He even killed our mother in the bargain when he sealed the One-Tailed Raccoon in her. He's the one responsible for putting Gaara through his misery. So yes, this man is just our genitor. A man who refuses to love his children is not a father in my book."
Yoshino had nothing to answer to this and simply watered the oleander.
"Did I freak you out? I'm sorry for being so harsh but these are facts."
"I'm not freaked out nor am I mad at you. Not at all" she said with a sincere smile "Actually I was thinking about how lucky I am to have such a daughter-in-law. I won't have to worry about my son's children education. I'm sure you will live up to your name!"
Temari smiled back. She really enjoyed seeing that she could get along with her so well. At first, she actually feared that the typical picture of mother-in-law/daughter-in-law feud would apply. Fighting with her husband's family was trouble she didn't need. She had a brief thought about poor Naruto who just wasn't that lucky with his own father-in-law. Their frequent rows were so notorious they had become regular gossip material in Konoha.
"Don't worry. If they try to get over my knee, I'll just tame them just like I did their father…" she said with a sarcastic grin
"I believe I don't need to teach you anything in the matter!" Yoshino answered with a similar expression. Both women shared a hearty laugh before going back inside the house where their respective husbands were still heard bitching about women.
Temari had to go back to Suna since she preferred to deliver her son in her homeland this time. Of course, not before receiving dollops of presents from her Konohan girlfriends who had come especially for the occasion. Temari went back to Suna with Shikamaru and Hatsune, and spent the last month of her pregnancy at her family's home.
"Gimme it!" Kankuro said as he snatched the errands bags from his sister "You shouldn't be carrying anything in your state, don't you know that? Where's that good-for-nothing of a husband?"
His cheek smarted from a slap shortly thereafter.
"Why did you bitch-slap me like this? I was fucking trying to help!"
"What did I say about bashing my husband?"
"This is no reason to get all bitch-like on me! You don't even have your period anymore by the way so I don't get it!"
Temari was about to correct her younger brother one more time when a neutral voice interrupted the argument.
"Enough now! Whatever you're arguing about this is no example for my niece" Gaara said, an amused Hatsune in his arms "I don't want any violence in our house in front of her, are we clear? And Kankuro watch your mouth!"
"Gaara, are you telling me how to raise my own daughter?" Temari inquired with a fishy stare
"I am not. But I'm still the Kazekage and expect my home to be a house of peace. If you're to fight, go outside."
Temari didn't answer. She felt awfully feverish today, besides Gaara was right. Suddenly, she felt a really unpleasant thing pouring on her legs. She had just broken her water…
"Oh shit! Gaara! Kankuro! I'm in labour!" She said as she sat down, hugging belly
"Mama?" Hatsune said with an interrogative look.
"WHAT?" Kankuro shouted "My nephew? Dammit Gaara come and help me! We must take her to the Hospital now! Where's the stag?"
"I'm right here!" A voice said behind him "What's happening?"
"You wife is about to give birth" Gaara said "A little help please. Take your daughter, we'll just carry her to the Hospital. What took you so long by the way?"
"Well I…"
"Oh please! Stop worrying about unimportant shit! I'm about to deliver dammit!"
"No swear words in front of Hatsune, Temari!" Shikamaru ordered
With that, all five set out to Suna's Hospital.
4 days later…
Inside the hospital room, a small group was gathered around Temari's bed. It was a lovely day. In every sense of the word. Yoshino and Shikaku had arrived just yesterday, just in time to see their newborn grandson.
"So this is why you weren't there yesterday. You had to greet your parents and take them to their hotel. Well sorry if insulted you this time around, stag."
"Well looks like you can come up with some actual reasoning from time to time, Kankuro. Kudos!" his brother-in-law quipped
"Hey!"
"Kankuro, no! Not here!" Temari told her brother who immediately clamed down
"We are very grateful of you welcoming you in your home, Lord Gaara. It's an honour." Shikaku said as he bowed to the red haired man
"You and your wife are most welcome, Nara-san. I am very pleased to have you sharing this moment with us."
"Hastune-darling, don't be shy! Go and meet your little brother!" Yoshino prompted her granddaughter "My, my, Temari! He inherited your brother's hair!"
The baby in Temari's arms had red hair and deep onyx eyes like his father. It didn't take long before he went to sleep again.
"Well, looks like if Hatsune inherited your IQ, this little man here inherited your laziness, stag!" Kankuro said before laughing heartily
"Temari, can I?" Shikamaru said
"Please do!"
"Please do what?" the paint-smudged Jounin asked before receiving a heavy slap upside the head "Ow! What was that for? You wanna take it outside, you lazy bum?"
"One more demeaning word and I fill your mouth with sand. This is no way to talk in front of valued guest. Stop acting like a spoilsport, you're not 12 anymore." Gaara threatened
Yoshino chuckled lightly before approaching a little more her daughter-in-law's bed.
"Have you already thought of a name Temari?"
"I did. You can call him Takahiro."
"Takahiro? That's a noble's name." Shikaku said
"Yes. It means "high nobility". Don't you like it?"
"I do. But your husband should give his approval." Her father-in-law answered
"I've given it. This name will remind everyone his mother is a noblewoman. Don't be shy, Hatsune. Come and greet your baby brother!"
The young girl eventually left her grandmother's side and went clumsily to the bed to see her brother.
"Mommy… Baby…Brother…"
Hatsune was still too small to climb the bed. With a little help from Yoshino, she made it to her mother's side and eyed attentively her brother who opened his eyes. He couldn't smile yet but she did.
"Takahiro, this is your big sister, Hatsune" Temari whispered to her newborn son
Hatsune leaned in a little more and managed to land a kiss on her brother's forehead.
"Baby…" she said one more time
Everyone laughed.
"Do you want to take him, honey?" Temari asked her husband
"Sure." Shikamaru took the little baby in his arms and cradled him for a while "Hi, Takahiro, this is daddy. Welcome to your life."
"And one more Nara to add to the family!" Shikaku said gleefully
At this very moment, Matsuri entered the room.
"Hello, everyone. I hope I am not too late."
"No don't worry, Matsuri. You can just come over." Shikamaru answered
She complied and sat at Temari's side.
"Takahiro, meet your mother's soon to be sister-in-law, Matsuri" Temari whispered "By the way, where were you?" she asked the hazel haired young woman
"Well let's say… One more Sabaku will soon join the family as well…"
A series of blank stares aimed at her, making her blush.
"You…you mean…"
"Yes. I am pregnant too." Matsuri answered "It's been 3 month now…" She quickly unzipped her brown waistcoat and exposed her slightly bulged stomach "I'll soon have to stop any military activity as well…"
Kankuro turned to Gaara in disbelief "You hid this form us?"
"I thought that would be unnecessary information until now." His brother answered with that usual matter-of-fact voice of his
"You hear that, Hatsune dear?" Temari asked her daughter "A cousin is on its way!" and then to her brother "Gaara this is grand!"
"Oh by the way" Yoshino said "Since we're all here, why don't we take a little photo?"
"Sure why not?" Shikamaru said as he sat next to his wife with Takahiro in his arms and Hatsune at Temari's side.
"I think we'll just start with this." Yoshino said as she aimed her camera at her son and his family "This moment mustn't die!"
Outside, the weather was unusually pleasant and the usual scorching heat was nowhere to be found. The wind was blowing gently and soon the sun would set again…