Title: Bachelors
Author: tiashew14
Genre: romance and humor
Pairing: ShikaTema
Raiting: K+.
Fandom: Naruto
DC: the original story belongs to the author. I'm only responsible for my own imagination.
Annotation: The bachelor party is the time when all the hidden secrets and desires will finally show itself… Short story. Extra chapter to the 'Moments' story.
Author's note: There was this thought that dwelled inside of me ever since I've received one of the reviews. That stated "I want to see angry and possessive Shikamaru". I won't hide it, but my first thought was "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" But the thought never let go of me. So some days ago I actually came up with this idea, hehe. I'm pretty sure it's not what you expect! And I admit, that there might be some OOC, that's why now I confidently put 'humor' genre this time (and that's the reason why I don't add this as a chapter to my 'Moments' story). But working with this idea was rather fun, so I'm actually posting it.
Enjoy! (I hope).
"Why it has to be you?"
You don't have to be a genius to know that the guy was drunk, to the point when he couldn't control his movements and tongue anymore. It was hard to tell, just how much they've drank that evening, but even Shikamaru started to feel just how much alcohol is messing up with his head. It has to be a lot, since he was pretty sure himself, that he won't be able to walk or think straight.
Kankurou sure can drink.
None of this made any sense to Shikamaru. Ever since his future brother in law asked him out to drink. It was still a week before the wedding, all five Kage gathered together for one last meeting before the celebration. But now instead of seeing his bride, Shikamaru was stuck with her middle brother. Since next time they see each other would be at the wedding itself, this was some kind of awkward bachelor party. Everyone else passed out long time ago, showing a little resistance to alcohol. Before Shikamaru even noticed, there was just two of them left.
Kankurou sure can drink.
That was probably his plan from the very beginning.
"Half of the Hidden Sand is crying right now, you know that? All because of you."
"Huh? Why is that?" The conversation turned out to be troublesome again. Well, Shikamaru always knew that Kankurou is a jealous type, but to go on about it for all this time...
"Don't you know? Don't tell me Temari never told you." The smirk on Kankurou's face didn't mean anything good.
"Tell me what?"
"So you're not that smart after all." Future brother in law laughed. "Just think about it."
Thinking was troublesome.
"About what?"
"You might have spent a lot of time together, when she's in the Leaf." His smirk was kind of annoying. "But that's still just couple of days per month. Have you ever though what happens when she's in the Sand?"
It's not that Shikamaru didn't think about it, but he always imagined her to be just as busy as he is.
"Have you ever thought that she might be popular?"
Well, that's to be expected, since she's fourth Kazekage's daughter and fifth Kazekage's sister.
"Have you ever thought that other guys may fancy her?"
Shikamaru never really thought of that. Probably because he himself was never that much into girls. But not everyone out there was like that. Most of the guys will go crazy about attractive girls, especially someone as popular.
Some kind of cold sluggish feeling woke up down in his stomach. 'It's probably just the alcohol.' Shikamaru thought, trying to explain this unsettling sensation to himself.
"Have you ever thought how the other guys look at her?"
Shikamaru better than anyone knew that Temari preferred shorter clothes mostly due to its convenience rather than hot weather in the Sand. When it comes together with a beautiful body, there's no stopping a guy's imagination. That one fact Shikamaru experienced himself. And yet he forgot that the others might just do the same...
The unsettling feeling started to move its way up. There was no blaming alcohol now.
"Have you ever thought that she might have another boyfriend there?"
Shikamaru froze, and so did the beast inside him. That wasn't true. There was no way it could be. The reasonable part of his mind tried to shout out to his senses, but there was no use. Shikamaru felt his insides starting to boil.
"Not that I know about it. She only told me about you when you got engaged."
"Wha?.."
"I just hear guys talking, you know. Even the youngsters would gladly take your place, you know that? Half of my squad will give anything to have her, and the other half is secretly planning to sabotage the wedding."
"What a drag..." Shikamaru said calming down. It was just alcohol messing with his emotions, no doubt about that.
"So yeah, guys of the whole Hidden Sand are crying right now. If the girls are crazy about Gaara, all the guys will be ready to die for Temari.."
"What about you then?" Shikamaru never thought about it before either. Being the middle brother sure is tough. Especially when the other two siblings are this outstanding. The groom was kind of happy that he is the only child.
"Shut up!" Kankurou next glass he finished in one go.
'That can't be good...' Shikamaru thought watching future brother in law pulling that stunt. 'I'll give him a minute or so.'
"Why would she reject every guy in the Hidden Sand for you?" Said Kankurou and fell on the table. "Why it had to be you?.." he mumbled passing out.
'So, I guess the party is over...' the groom looked around. Maybe some of these sleeping bodies will wake up sober enough to carry unconscious ones back home or their hotel rooms.
"What a drag..."
On his way to the hotel, Shikamaru realized he drank too much. It wasn't just walking straight that was difficult, but walking in general. The whole world was spinning and shaking. Barely conscious Kankurou, whom the groom had to drag back to the Kazekage's hotel room, only made this task harder. The guy couldn't stand, was constantly mumbling about some guys back in the Sand and had no desire to fight the urge to fall and sleep right in the middle of the road.
Plus, Kankurou was heavy.
Gaara with his gourd will probably weight less than this guy, let alone Temari...
Speaking of, weren't the girls also gathering for a bachelorette party? Is she even back? Well, Gaara will probably be there, since he escaped before the party even started.
But it was Temari who opened the door.
Took her a second to analyze the situation.
"Sorry about that." She sighed. "Put him on the couch."
Kankurou was still mumbling something about all the Sand guys who were drowning in tears. But he seemed happy to finally lie down. Middle brother drifted into deep sleep in one second.
"You want anything?" Temari asked. She of all people could see just how drunk her future husband really is. And yet, she didn't look drunk at all. Was it just her, or girls parties didn't involve this much alcohol, Shikamaru didn't know. He just struggled to keep the answer to the last question to himself. Because the only thing his drunken mind was capable of thinking was "you." One of the most annoying traditions prohibited any physical contact a month before the wedding.
Trying to get rid of that one thought, Shikamaru remembered Kankurou's mumbling.
"Did you really reject all the guys in the Sand?"
She stood startled for a second.
"Who told you that?"
"He did." Shikamaru pointed at his future brother in law. Judging from Temari's look, her middle brother will have to suffer through a long and profound lecture why alcohol can be harmful to one's health. "Is it true?"
"Of course not. There can't be that many..."
The unsettling feelings Shikamaru felt during the conversation with her brother was back again.
"How many?"
"Just a couple of guys every now and then." She never counted them to begin with. "Just those who actually has the guts to confess in the first place..."
The feeling started clawing its way up to his throat.
"But it can't be helped, you know. Since we're kind of became famous after the war. It's natural for them to be flocking around the heroes."
The sluggish sensation that already invaded every single cell of his body started to heat up.
"I mean, isn't it the same for Naruto? I bet, that was one of the reasons why Sasuke Uchiha left the village. Even Gaara would receive hundreds of love letters every day. Isn't it the same for Hatake Kakashi?.."
"...op it..."
As everything started to boil inside of him, he found it impossible to control himself now.
"You said something?"
"Stop it."
"Huh?"
"I said, stop it!" He shouted. Few steps to break the distance and he grabbed her shoulders. A little bit harder than he should. "Stop talking about other guys! You're MINE!"
He sobered up in an instant, when sinister shadow covered Temari's face.
'Oh, crap! What did I just...' he immediately removed his hands, as they started to pick up dead cold aura.
Temari made a step forward.
'I'm dead!' Shikamaru thought in panic, but he didn't dare to back down.
"Sorr..."
His apology was interrupted with a kiss.
"So you can get jealous after all." She was actually smiling. The look she had on her face seemed rather satisfied.
"Huh?" It was still hard to believe that he's still alive.
"You should go now. I still have this drunkard to take care of."
Already outside Shikamaru raised his eyes to the sky and thought: 'I'll never be able to understand this woman...'
When Temari locked the door, she already had no strength left to control her emotions. She leaned on the wall and covered her face as it was slowly turning bright red all the way up to her ears.
'Oh my god...' she thought. 'That was so cool!'
Some part of her wanted to behave like a six-year-old girl in love.
Hungover Kankurou was clinging to Gaara ever since the Sand Siblings left their hotel room. Unwillingly he gave Shikamaru another couple of minutes alone with his bride.
"Hey, Temari, do you ever get jealous?" He still couldn't stop thinking of the last evening.
"Hmmm..." she wasn't looking at him.
In her mind Temari thought about that long haired childhood friend of his, and the other glassed girl, who was clearly in love; and many other girls who might be after him when she's not around. 'Is it possible not to?' She thought. There was no use lying here. And yet, it was way too embarrassing to admit. He'd figure it out anyway, so it would make no difference at all what she was to say now.
"I'm not telling you!" She said catching up with her brothers.