Here's the second part! Sorry it took so long, I had completely forgotten about this story. I don't think it's as good as the first one, and it is less Shika-Tema centric. NarutoxGaara if you squint.
"What do you mean 'married'?" Naruto asked me from the top of our tree, truly puzzled. I pity the poor blonde sometimes. "With like, a girl?"
I sighed and prepared an answer, but Neji beat me to the sarcasm. "That is typically how it's done Naruto," the Hyuuga remarked dryly from his low branch. "My question is, why so soon? You're only 22 Shikamaru. Why not wait a few years until you can actually afford to be together?"
Remembering how it all came about, I cringed. "You know how Temari can get," I said curtly. None of them could see my face thankfully, because I was sitting on the ground. The most of guys made some noise of understanding. Except for-
"You're marrying Temari?!?" Naruto yelled. He fell gracelessly from his spot at the top of the tree and landed in my lap. His blue eyes bored into mine for a few moments. Then he scrambled up the tree again, peaceful.
"What the hell was that about!" Kiba demanded as he clung to the branch below Naruto for dear life.
"It was a most energetic display!" Rock Lee yelled. "I must try it!"
"Not right now," Neji snapped with a glare at the green-clad boy.
Choji, our voice of getting back on topic, asked, "What was that all about Naruto?"
Even though I couldn't see it, I could feel Naruto's smile. "This means," he began grandly, "That Gaara and Kankuro are coming up for a visit."
"Who?" everyone asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Temari's younger brothers. Gaara is the Kazekage and Kankuro is a puppeteer. I've never met them before," I admitted.
"You're marrying the Kazekage's sister?" Neji asked, his voice devoid of emotion. It was his way of showing shock.
"You didn't know that Temari was the Kazekage's sister?" I thought everyone knew… "Did the rest of you guys know?" Please say yes…
Kiba glanced around at the other guys, who each shook their head no. "Nope," he answered. "Dude, that practically makes her royalty. How did you manage to impress her?"
I rolled my eyes. "She has a fetish for lazy bastards," I replied. Kiba snickered. "Seriously though Naruto, the Kazekage wouldn't come here. We'd have to go to him."
Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Opening it with a flourish, he read:
Dearest Naruto,
How are you, my friend? I have not heard from you in a long expanse of time. It is my most fervent hope that you are well. I know that life has an unfortunate habit of throwing circumstances at one to make things seem to spiral out of control, and I presume that is why you have not sent a missive to me recently.
Other than to hear of your wellbeing, I am writing to tell you that Kankuro and myself will be visiting Konoha soon to meet Temari's fiancé, a man name Nara Shikamaru. I assume you know him and that he is a good man, because you would not have allowed Temari to court him otherwise. I trust your judgement, for I know that you are just as loving and protective of her as Kankuro and I.
We will see you soon. I anticipate being able to speak with you once more face to face after so many years apart.
My heart to yours,
Gaara
"When Gaara says that he's going to do something, it happens," Naruto finished simply. Damn. I was hoping to meet them in Suna, which would give me a chance to find baby pictures of Temari.
"So what are you going to do?" Kiba asked as we all settled back comfortably. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"What am I going to do about what?" I asked, staring up at the dog boy.
"About her brothers of course!"
I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'll worry about it later," I informed them firmly. "For now I'm just going to enjoy the sun, my friends, and the little time I have left as a free man."
"Very little time," Neji chuckled. I cracked an eye and looked up at him. "Here comes your beautiful betrothed." He pointed down the path that went to into town. Sure enough, there was my woman. As lovely as a rose and just as likely to jab me.
"Here you are," she growled. I smiled up at her, trying to figure out what I had done to piss her off this time. She was like my mother sometimes: angry for no reason, just for the sake of being angry.
"Yes?" I asked politely. "What may I do for you?"
Anger rolled off of her in waves. Any lesser man, such as my companions, would have shaken in utter terror at the murderous look I was receiving. As it was, I only quivered a little. On the inside, of course.
"You can tell me why you are not at Tsunade's office with me to greet my brothers!" she growled. I opened and closed my mouth several times, but no words were coming out.
Thankfully, Naruto saved me from having to answer that rhetorical question by once again falling from the tree. "Gaara and Kankuro are here already?" he demanded frantically. The kid was scatterbrained, that was certain.
The inhuman amounts of vehemence wafting from my beauteous fiancée disappeared as she turned to Naruto. Smiling broadly she replied, "Yes Naruto. He's here. Let's go," she grabbed me by the ear.
Allow me this brief aside: You see people hauled around by their ears in the cartoons and such, right? Well, let me be the one to tell you that it only take 7 pounds of pressure (I don't know what that would be in metric conversion) to rip a human ear off. Temari made sure do drag me extra slowly so as not to disfigure me. Or to cause the most pain, I'm not sure which. Let it be known that we love each other dearly.
"Temari!" Kankuro yelled as soon as we opened the door to the Hokage's office. The kid was funny looking, I'll give him that. A black jumpsuit and purple face paint with a mummy on his back. According to Temari and Naruto, he was the normal one. I shuddered internally at the thought of Gaara.
Glancing about the room, I noticed a distinct lack of red hair. "Where's the other one?" I drawled. Temari shot me a glare and hugged her brother tightly. Women, I swear.
"Kankuro, I missed you so much!" she squealed. Over her shoulder I saw him mouth 'help me!' to Naruto and I. I smiled. Kankuro was going to get along with me just fine.
"I missed you too Temari," he assured her through the death grip on his neck. "I miss breathing too." Temari let go of his neck, kicked him in the shin, and came over to me. Wrapping an arm around my waist, she dragged me foreword to meet her stoner brother.
"This is Shikamaru," she said with a smile. I recognized it as her venom smile. Kankuro was apparently the brother she could bully. Poor man.
Kankuro knew she could hurt him too. "Sup," he replied timidly. Way to make things awkward Temari.
Sighing, I stepped out of my woman's embrace and stuck out my hand. Kankuro, looking me in the eye, clapped hands with me. "Nice to meet you," I said trying to be honest.
It apparently worked. "You like football?" he asked. Why sports bring men together I don't know. It's all too sweaty and bothersome for me, so I told him as much.
"Nah, sports are far to much of a drag," I informed him. Then a thought did occur to me, so I amended my statement. "Except baseball. That's tolerable."
Kankuro nodded seriously, then a wide grin cracked across his face. I passed a test, I think. "You and I are going to get along quite fine," he assured me. I sighed in relief. Now there was only one more to win over. Sadly, Gaara was the one who scared me.
Naruto, I was proud to notice, had stayed quiet through the whole meeting process. Now he decided was a good enough time to burst in. "Where's Gaara?" he blurted. I rolled my eyes. Bothersome and impatient. Why did I hang out with him?
"Gaara thought it would be best if he met all of Temmy's friends at once. He's at her apartment ordering pizza," Kankuro said. I almost exploded with laughter, but I hid it with a snigger. Temmy. Hah! And she called Shika a stupid nickname. Sadly, she knew. Temari always knew. I got a slap to the head for my trouble.
"So then Naruto gets the bright idea to go get Temari a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding," Kankuro said, shaking his head. The group of people around us laughed hysterically. "And you know Temari. She flipped shit. 'That's not the kind of bleeding I meant, Naruto!'" he mimicked shrilly. It was an accurate representation.
"It's not my fault!" Naruto protested, his face red with laughter and a little embarrassment. I clapped him on the shoulder in understanding. Women were an enigma and certain things about them men just shouldn't know.
Kankuro had fit in surprisingly well. Pizza, beer, and icecream might have had something to do with it, but Kankuro was a pretty chill guy. What ever happened to Temari's disposition I will never know. Gaara on the other hand had sat on the balcony all night. Temari and Kankuro had been unable to coax him inside, so I figured it was my turn to try.
Excusing myself from the group, I walked out into the clear spring night. There in one of the lawn chairs sat Gaara. He was staring up at the stars. "You know, the pizza is getting cold," I informed him.
Turning his head slowly toward me he said simply, "I know." His voice was creepy. It was quiet and whispery, like snakes across rock.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked bluntly. Gaara, who had gone back to staring at the stars, snapped his head back to me startled. "Temari's freaking out about you being out here all alone. I'm supposed to be trying to win you over because it's important to her for you and Kankuro to like me. I don't know why, but it's what she wants. Personally, I say it's bothersome." Without waiting for a reply, I turned and walked back into the house. How terribly rude of me.
A few more hours passed. Gaara stayed outside and Temari was blaming me for it, but there was nothing I could or would do. If the guy wanted to be antisocial and brood all night, far be it from me to stop him.
Glancing around the room I notice that there was no bouncing bubbly blonde in sight. Naruto never left before all the food was gone. I sauntered casually over to Kankuro who was in deep conversation with Kiba no less. "Where Naruto?" I drawled. "Did he leave already?"
Kankuro looked up and gave me a smile. It was full of both innuendo and peace at the same time. "Nah," he assured me. "He's outside with Gaara."
That piqued my interest. Walking as casually as I could muster while being completely interested, I made my way to the patio door. Sliding it opened gently, I marveled at the scene before me.
Gaara was seated on the ground leaning against the building. His eyes were still staring at the stars, but his hand was on top of Naruto's head. Naruto had fallen asleep on the ground beside my redheaded almost-brother-in-law, his head resting lightly on Gaara's knee. Naruto had done what I couldn't: he had won over Gaara.
"I'm not that antisocial," he murmured. "And it's not that I dislike people. I just take some getting used to."
I gaped at him. He knew what I had been thinking. Before I could open my mouth and make a bored comment, it hit me. He was just watching the stars. He wasn't cold or aloof, he was just contemplative. They were his clouds.
Sitting down gingerly so as not to wake Naruto, I smiled at him. He stared back at me with empty eyes. "I prefer clouds," I told him quietly. "They move."
Light shone in his pale green eyes. "But the stars don't, and their always right where I left them last," he said.
We sat there the rest of the night in perfect silence. And we had reached a perfect understanding.
