A/N: Possibly an odd pairing, but I'm working along the premise of opposites attracting, and as typical with my stories, The Language of Flowers Snowdrop: Hope
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone/thing in this story except a few OC's
Chapter: 2
That evening, Kankuro sat alone going over papers in the apartment he shared with Nara Shikamaru. The Shadow Nin was off on a mission, leaving Kankuro with the responsibility of seeing that the rosemary plant Temari had given him didn't die. It had literally taken his sister and Shikamaru years to figure out their feelings for eachother, and another few months to actually do something about it. They'd been "together" for eight months now, and Kankuro wondered when the lazy ass would bite the bullet and pop the question.
Then there was his good friend, Inuzuka Kiba. He and Haruno Sakura were still getting to know eachother, and only really got to see eachother between missions. In both instances, Kankuro noted, there was no overprotective father to contend with. Though Shikamaru could argue the point that two nosy brothers, one being an ex-psycho killer, were plenty enough to deal with. The early days of his sister's relationship were still the cause of much laughter, for Kankuro and Gaara at least.
He had a feeling that if the decision was up to Ayame, she might agree to a date. But her father hated him. Kankuro sighed, this wasn't the first time in his life he'd seriously jeopardized something that could be good by having done something really stupid. The worst part, was that this time, the father in question didn't seem like the type to forgive youthful indiscretions. He wished he had someone that Teuchi could respect in his corner. Having a Kazekage for a brother might be enough for some people, but Teuchi didn't seem to care who he was related to. Kami, that Nara must really be rubbing off on him if he's sitting here trying to strategize his love life.
The only older adults he knew in Konoha were a few of the teachers at the academy, and he wasn't quite in their good graces yet, having threatened his students and all. Then there were the Naras. He'd gone over to their house with Shikamaru a few times, and Yoshino had always been happy to see him. She'd even made a point of telling him that since he was practically family, that he was welcome to come over whenever he wanted, with or without her lazy son. Remembering that made him think of his own mother. Would she have been like Yoshino? He and Temari had been so young when she died, Kankuro really had no memory of her other than the photographs he'd seen. Her smile, her laugh, her personality, all were unknown to him.
Kankuro shook himself, he really had no time for thoughts like that. She was dead, there was nothing he could do about it. However, when it came to Ayame, and fixing things with Teuchi, the Nara clan was one of the oldest in Konoha, perhaps one of them had some advice on how to proceed with the situation...
He looked at the clock. He had about half an hour before the Naras sat down to dinner. If he hurried, he might get more to chew on than just ideas.
o-o-o
"Kankuro-chan!" Nara Yoshino threw the front door open and hugged the Sand Nin. "Have you heard from Temari-chan? You're just in time for dinner! Good thing too," she gave him the once over. "You look thin!" She grabbed his arm and led him in the house.
"We're having nikiujaga, go wash your face and hands," she pointed to the bathroom as she went back into the kitchen.
When Kankuro was finished washing up, he found Shikaku setting the table.
"So, what brings you here Kankuro-san?" The older shinobi asked. "Tired of bachelor food?"
The two men laughed. Now that he was here, he wasn't quite sure how to bring up the situation with Ayame and her father. He shifted from one foot to the other.
"Kankuro-chan, come sit down," Yoshino set a large pot on the table before turning to him. "What's wrong with you?" She placed a hand on his forehead. "You don't feel warm," she mumbled taking his pulse.
He could feel Shikaku's eyes on him, and knew they were waiting for an answer.
"I'm fine Obasan," he smiled. "Ojisan is right, I just needed something other than my own cooking."
She looked at him skeptically before chucking his chin.
"Well then, come eat. We can't have you wasting away on us."
Kankuro shouldn't have worried about how to talk to the Naras. After inquiring about his sister, Kiba, and Sakura, Yoshino reminded him of what a "vital" role she'd played in their relationships. Then she asked him if he or Gaara needed her help with any young ladies.
Shikaku rolled his eyes. After meddling around a few times, his wife suddenly saw herself as a matchmaker. He said a quick prayer that the young shinobi was still enjoying bachelorhood. His hopes were dashed by the look on the Puppet Nin's face.
"Actually, there is a girl I've grown fond of, but I don't think her father will ever allow it."
Yoshino beamed. Shikaku slumped in his chair. He could see the gears in his wife's brain moving at top speed. He didn't think she'd be satisfied until everyone in Konoha and Suna were paired up.
"And who is the lucky girl to have caught the eye of Sabaku no Kankuro?" Yoshino cooed. "If it's Hinata-chan I can talk to her mother. Her father may be a boar, but her mother is sensible."
Kankuro blushed.
"No Obasan, It's not Hyuuga Hinata. It's actually Ichiraku Ayame."
"Nan de sute?" Shikaku had been leaning back in his chair. There was a clatter as he lost balance and fell over.
"Ichiraku Ayame? No wonder you're having trouble with her father. What does he say about this?" Shikaku asked getting back in his chair.
"Nothing much. Not to me at least, the most I can get out of him is a grunt or a growl." The young shinobi's shoulders slumped.
The announcement had startled Yoshino for a minute. She would have never pictured Kankuro and the ramen waitress. But then she smiled, and reached across the table and patted Kankuro's hand.
"Don't you worry Kankuro-chan, leave this to me. Teuchi-san just loves his daughter, and he worries about her. But you are a good boy, we'll make him see that. His wife and I were good friends, I'm still friends with his sister-in-law. Don't you worry, Obasan will fix this."
Her hand was warm, and in that instant, Kankuro couldn't understand why Shikamaru constantly referred to his mother as a pain.
o-o-o
Over the next few days, the Shadow Nin's reasons became perfectly clear.
First, she insisted that he leave the apartment and come stay in Shikamaru's old room. She and Shikaku would act as his hosts and be responsible for him while he was in Konoha. She told him it would reassure Teuchi that Kankuro was an honorable young man no matter what he'd heard. The Nara name still had it's own amount of clout afterall.
Since Shikamaru wasn't due back for another week, Kankuro had to bring the rosemary plant with him. When he set it in the kitchen window Yoshino raised an eyebrow until he explained that it was a gift to her son from his sister. Yoshino burst into tears stating that Temari had saved her son from a life of lazy indifference. Kankuro nervously patted her shoulder while she sobbed, not used to such displays of emotion. When Shikaku walked in the door and nodded questioningly at his wife Kankuro just shrugged.
o-o-o
"Even though you are from the royal family of Suna, that doesn't mean that Teuchi-san will think you're worthy of his daughter." Yoshino said one morning while packing him a bento. "What we need to do is find out where his head is, find out why he dislikes you so much. I will go today to see my friend, Kabayashi Iku, his sister-in-law, and see what she says. I don't want you going to the ramen bar until we have a plan." She handed him his lunch, "now hurry. You don't want to be late!"
As he walked through town, Kankuro couldn't help but mutter "troublesome..."
That afternoon, he made his way to the outside area where the teachers who brought their lunch ate. He found Gaara's old student, Matsuri in deep discussion with Sarutobi Kurenai as to the best way to instruct students in the Bunshin no Jutsu.
"Oi, Kankuro-san," The younger girl called noticing his arrival. "What are you doing here?"
Kankuro sat down and opened his bento.
"I'm staying with Shikamaru's parents for awhile, Nara Yoshino made lunch," he held up the rice ball in his hand. Kurenai nodded while Matsuri bit into an apple.
"Good idea getting used to the people who will undoubtedly become family," the Jonin smiled.
"You don't know the half of it," Kankuro grumbled as Matsuri laughed.
"Any word on when those two will make it official?" She asked, "I mean it took them long enough to get together." The trio spent the rest of their break discussing the odds on the Ambassador and her escort getting married within the next ten years. They all agreed that if it was left up to him it might never happen.
"Tactical Genius he may be, but Kami, is he lazy when it comes to anything else. Not to say his heart isn't in the right place. Asuma used to find it funny the things that would actually motivate him." She shook her head sighing.
o-o-o
On his way home that afternoon, Kankuro felt weird not stopping by Ichiraku Ramen. He wouldn't get to see Ayame. Hear her laugh, or feel her father's death glare. Taking a page out of Shikamaru's book, he sat down on a bench in the shopping district, wrote a quick note, placed it and some money in a pouch and walked over to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. He grinned as he left the shop unseen, Ino's father still hadn't repaired the bell.
o-o-o
That evening, while eating his way through his fourth helping of ramen, Uzumaki Naruto noticed the delicate bouquet of snowdrops in a pale blue vase.
"Hey old man, who sent you flowers?" He grinned.
Teuchi grunted and pointed at Ayame who blushed.
"A delivery person brought them from the flower shop. There was no card, it's a mystery." She said, though she did have a pretty good idea who sent them.
"Well, it better not have been Inuzuka Kiba, that's for sure!" There was a strange glint in Naruto's eyes. "If he thinks he going to send flowers to another girl while he's seeing Sakura-chan...well he's got another thing coming. Believe it!"
Naruto slammed his fist into his hand and stared off into space gritting his teeth. Ayame looked at her father with wide eyes, and even Teuchi looked alarmed. After a few moments Naruto came back to himself and asked for another bowl of ramen.
Across town, Nara Yoshino was doing something that would surely shock her son. She was giggling. Kankuro had just told her what he'd done while helping her prepare dinner. Shikaku kept glancing up from his reports to watch the co-conspirators.
"That was a very good idea, describing what you wanted the flowers to symbolize instead of trying to pick them out yourself. Yamanaka Asuka knows the language of flowers. Ayame-chan will love whatever she puts together."
Kankuro nodded. Ayame should have gotten them by now, he just hoped she realized who they were from.
"Now," Yoshino continued, "I spoke to my friend, Kabayashi Iku. She suggested that since Shikaku and I are acting as your hosts that one of us, preferably Shikaku should speak to Teuchi-san on your behalf." She paused to look over at Shikaku who was buried in a stack of reports.
"Do you hear me otto? Will you be able to speak to Teuchi-san for Kankuro-chan?"
"Hai woman," he replied standing up and stretching before nodding to Kankuro. "Are you sure getting to know this girl is worth the trouble?"
Kankuro smiled.
"It better be, I've given up everything including my freedom."
Shikaku laughed. Just wait, he thought.
"Alright then. I'll speak to him when I have some time tomorrow. Don't be surprised if he doesn't agree. It may take several tries, and you will have to behave in an exemplary fashion until that time. Are you sure about this?"
"Hai Ojisan."