Gaara winced as the brunette's fingernails dug into his hand.
"Pull yourself together." Kankuro shot at him sharply.
Gaara glared at his brother before readjusting his Kazekage robes and looking ahead with a stoic grimace on his face.
He inhaled deeply as the music announcing the arrival of the bride filled the the hall.
His eyes flickered towards the dark haired male, who seemed to have actually made an effort to look presentable. The Nara readjusted his tie as he stood on the podium, a lazy smirk on his face as he saw his bride-to-be walking down the aisle, at her former sensei's arm. Baki glowed with the pride of a father as the oldest of the Sand Siblings was to be given away in marriage.
The blonde returned him a graceful smile, one that the redhead had presumed beyond the capability of his ever-smirking sister.
Suddenly a feeling washed over Gaara possessiveness? protectiveness? sorrow? pride? Perhaps all of them.
He sighed softly as he saw Temari turn towards him, her teal eyes twinkling as she gave him a quick nod.
He returned her a strained smile as his fingers dug into his brother's hands, which squeezed back harder.
Time seemed to go so quickly she seemed to be going so fast away from him.
Temari, his sister the one who stood up for his and believed in him, the one who supported him through thick and thin, the one who was now, going to move to another Village, away from him he felt an impulse to stop the wedding. It wasn't too late yet, was it?
Kankuro gave him a knowing look and jolted him back to his senses.
He turned back to the podium, only to hear her firmly say, "I do". Shikamaru took a deep breath, and for once said in a loud clear voice, "I do".
Gaara's face softened as he saw the brunette silently whisper "Mine".
Yes, they loved each other.
The next day, as they stood at the gates of Suna, Gaara pulled the Nara into an embrace, and silently whispered in his ear, "You will take good care of her. You will keep her happy." It didn't take a genius to see the or else threatingly hanging at the end of his sentence as the Nara gave him a lazy nod before scratching the back of his neck and turning to the teary eyed blonde, who untangled herself from the puppet master and wrapped her arms around her youngest brother.
"I will visit a lot, okay?" she whispered as he felt her tears wet his shoulder through his robes, "Promise me you'll visit too."
"I promise." he replied earnestly, "Write to me."
"And bring your kids the next time you visit!" shouted Kankuro, the teal eyed blonde as she wiped her eyes and laughed.
The Sand Siblings were never the kind to exchange "I love you"s and fluffy goodbyes.
The promise of an unbreakable bondthat was all they need.