Checkmate!
-Chapter One-
Hello!
"Can't-can't you reconsider? P-please??" Temari felt the color draining from her face as the village elders turned to shake their heads at her. She gulped and stammered, "B-but, why me?"
Gaara sighed and folded his hands. "Sorry, Temari. I did what seemed best, I married a girl from the Leaf. But even so, it doesn't seem they are too convinced. So these superiors here wanted a family member of the Kazekage to also marry someone from the Leaf. They chose you." He crossed his arms together and leaned back in his chair. "But you're lucky Temari. You get to choose who you want to marry."
"LUCKY?!" she shrieked. "How is it LUCKY that I get to choose?! It's not like I KNOW anyone from Konoha!!!"
"Well the superiors refuse to take this any farther; you're gonna marry someone from the Leaf. You decide whether you want to live here or there. You decide if you want a ceremony or not. It's all your choice."
"B-b-b-but...but--"
"What about that guy you always flirt with?" Temari's head snapped in the direction of Kankuro. "That shadow-controlling guy with the ponytail? Nara Shikamaru, I believe?" Kankuro smiled and winked at his sister.
Temari twitched and gave Kankuro the hairy eyeball. "Shikamaru?! What are you, crazy?! That guy is like my opposite!"
"Well somehow, you guys get along well."
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Do NOT."
"Okay, here's some trivia. Who is the ninja you SOMETIMES fight with on a Konoha mission?" Kankuro lifted his hands and moved his two fingers up and down to emphasize the "sometimes".
"..."
"Who is the guy that ALWAYS sees us off when we're heading back home?"
"...He does it because he's usually the leader of the missions! It's his duty!"
"Bull crap. And when he sees us off, who does he talk the most to?" Kankuro pointed his fingers at Temari. "Face it Temari. You know you guys have fun together."
Temari sighed and glared at a nearby superior, who visibly cowered under her gaze. Gaara grabbed his pen and unrolled a scroll of paper. "So, is it Nara Shikamaru? "
"Wait! Why can't it be Kankuro? I want to wait till I find the right guy to marry!" Kankuro scratched his ribs and looked around nervously while Gaara stared at him. Temari relaxed a little, imagining that look of reconsideration on her wonderful, adorable baby brother's face--
"Temari, don't you want the relationship between Suna and Konoha to be strong? Now answer me. NARA OR NOT?" Damn that evil little eyebrow-less red-headed squirt!! Just wait the next time I lay hands on him--!
"Alright."
"Sign here. Oh, and Temari? Just make it seem like you both get along. Probably the reason why Konoha isn't convinced about my marriage."
Temari signed the scroll before stomping out of the room, growling curses under her breath. She went up flights of stairs until reaching the very top of the Kazekage building. She made her way to the edge of the balcony and gazed at the beautiful sun setting over her village. Man...what will Shikamaru think of me once he gets that message?
"Temari-san?" Temari looked back to see Matsuri approaching her, with a timid smile on her face. "Um, Temari-san?"
"What do you want?"
"I...I heard about your marriage proposal to...to Shikamaru?"
"So what?"
Matsuri cowered. "I...Please be happy. Kankuro told me about...I'm pretty sure your marriage will be fun. I mean, you're tough and funny. Who wouldn't like that?"
Temari scoffed. "Fun. We have fun because we make fun of each other. It's only fun because we're totally different. But if we marry, what do you think life together would be like?"
"But-but it will make memories, right? Unlike that Rei guy you've dated couple years ago..."
Temari sighed, rested her chin on her hand and glared at Matsuri. "Mention Rei again and I'll blow you away." She gazed into the golden horizon. "Making memories? Just more to be sad about."
Matsuri smiled and punched the woman's arm. "Oh, Temari-chan. You are so optimistic. How do you stay so sunny all the time?"
Temari grinned and returned the punch. "I know. I'm so awesome like that."
Three Days Later
"Shikamaru, Shikamaru! Nara Shikamaru!!"
"Mmpfh...What do you want, Mom?" Yoshino (Shikamaru's mom) danced into her son's room, grinning ear to ear and swishing a broom.
"Tsunade-sama has a big surprise for all of us! She said to come right now!" With that, the mom sashayed out of the room, singing happy songs to herself.
Troublesome, thought Shikamaru. He rolled out of bed and slowly dressed up. He began walking to the Hokage tower with his parents.
"WHAT??!!" Shikamaru stared at the scroll as if it were a piece of wet turd hanging on a string.
"Yeah. I've no idea why the Sand's superiors are requesting another Sand and Leaf marriage. But they chose Temari. And Temari chose you."
Shikamaru just stood there gawking while his mom was ecstatic.
"Oh my goodness! Our little Shikamaru finally has a woman who's in love with him!" Yoshino nudged Anko and giggled. "You know, Shikamaru's NEVER had anything to do with a girl. This is like his first time any girl ever acknowledged him and like, it's a marriage proposal!!"
Shikamaru's dad was just as shocked as Shikamaru. He scratched his head and stared at his son. "I never knew a lazy-ass like you would find a wife," he remarked.
Shikamaru glared at his dad and gestured to his mom. "As expected of my dad, leave it to him to become drunk and marry some crazy woman he always complains about." Yoshino stopped her dance and stared at her husband.
"Shikaku?"
Shikaku's eyes widened. "No...no wait! Yoshino, I can explain!"
"No time for explaining now!!" shouted Yoshino.
"A woman is always tender to the man she loves!" yelped Shikaku. Yoshino paused for a second before backing off.
"Fine, we'll continue at home," she growled. Shikaku tensed up and trembled. Tsunade cleared her throat and looked at Shikamaru with an eyebrow raised.
"Shikamaru, do you accept?" Shikamaru nervously looked back and forth.
Troublesome, he thought. "Uh, um...is it fake?" Tsunade slammed her palm on the table.
"YESSSS IT'S FAKE!! THAT'S WHY I CANCELLED ALL OTHER APPOINTMENTS FOR THIS HOUR JUST SO YOU COULD HAVE A NICE PRIVATE TIME DECIDING!!"
"Okay, man! Scary ass woman." Shikamaru stared at the scroll. His head was in turmoil. Temari, asking me to marry her? Did she actually have a crush on me these past years? What if she thinks I like her back if I say yes? No wait, this is a marriage. Of course she would think I do. Should I say yes or no? She's a hard-ass woman like my mom...hmm...well she's cool. I knew her for a long time. But we're pretty different...what should I say??
"Gck" said Shikamaru.
"What?"
Shikamaru nodded his head weakly. "I-I accept."
"Sign here."
Hello everyone! I decided to start a ShikaTem fic! ...Yeah. Please review, enjoy, thanks for reading!
