Hi everyone! Let's just say my mom banned me from the computer for a while 'cause my room was decidedly not to her liking. After laboring away she finally lifted the ban and so here I am! Okay, so enough with the excuses and let's get to the story!
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"So I don't get to be a grandfather?" Jiraya asked weakly in the silence that followed.
Tsunade gave him a pat on the back- which was more of a punch to him (let's not forget Tsunade's super strength!)
"Oh you'll get over it." She said dismissively.
Naruto gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry 'bout that Gramps, Shika's a real private person ya know."
Shikamaru smiled weakly. Temari had come to stand by him in the moments that had followed his outburst and she too grinned.
Ino sighed inwardly. Finally!
Jiraya sat down sadly. "I always wanted grandchildren and Naruto is like a son to me."
"Heh!" Naruto rubbed the back of his head- a habit, Shikamaru noticed he'd always had. "Well, you know, it's not too late! If Sakura and I have kids, you can be a grandpa, pervy sage!"
"Really?" he sniffed. Sakura nodded. That is, if Naruto ever got around to proposing to her. He seemed content with how they were now.
"Oh! That reminds me!" He searched his pockets and pulled out a ramen cup from his jacket from which he withdrew a ring. He got to his knees and held it toward Sakura. "Sakura, will you marry me?" The room grew quiet again as everyone waited for her answer. "Sorry, I forgot. Hee."
Sakura turned a brilliant red. "YOU BAKA! YOU FORGOT? HOW COULD YOU FORGET SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THAT?" Temari quickly covered Emi's eyes and looked away as did everyone else except for Tsunade, who happily noted that she had taught her pupil well.
When they deemed it safe to look again, they found Naruto with a huge red mark on his face and Sakura with a steaming fist. She took a deep breath, "But yes, I will marry you." And Naruto couldn't have been happier, despite the fact that Sakura had just beaten the crap out of him. He slipped the engagement ring on her finger and they kissed. Temari felt a pang of jealousy run through her; when was the last time Shikamaru had kissed her like that?
Once again, congratulations filled the small ramen shop and Shikamaru found himself smashed up next to Temari. "Where's Emi?" he muttered as the crowd of excited shinobi surged forward.
"Hopefully with Hinata-chan. She's the one I saw her with last and that is probably the safest place for her anyway."
"Goo-" his words were cut off as an excited Ino pushed him forward and sent him tumbling. His flailing arms caught Temari in the chin and sent her stumbling too. It sent off a chain reaction of falling shinobi until half of the ninja in the room were sprawled all over the floor of the small shop. Luckily, Shikamaru had landed on something soft and he pushed himself up only to find that that 'soft thing' was Temari's boob. He was, or had been, lying on top of Temari in a very questionable position, positioned exactly where his head would have fallen into her-
The shinobi gulped and scrambled to his feet. He extended a hand to Temari and she took it, pulling herself up with almost no help from Shikamaru at all. Her face was a deep red and she glared at Shikamaru before turning her full attention to the blond that was giggling away at the damage she had caused.
"INO!!!!!!!" Shikamaru would have betted all of his money that Garra- who was on the other side of Konoha, could hear his sister as well as Shikamaru could hear her now. But at least, for once, he wasn't the one being yelled at.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry guys." Ino apologized, seeing the ferocious look on Temari's face. "Didn't mean to." Temari took a deep breath. Emi started crying. "Look what you did now!" Ino cried out. "You made poor Emi cry. What a bad mommy you are." The kunoichi skipped over to where Hinata was and began cooing to the baby who just cried harder.
"Oh, so it's my fault now." Temari grumbled.
"Sorry 'bout that." Shikamaru scratched his head sheepishly.
"It wasn't your fault, it was Ino's." she replied.
"Still…"
"Shika, just forget it." She told him gently- the gentlest Shikamaru had seen her since… well forever. He could never understand women.
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After hurried good-byes and promises to attend the wedding, Shikamaru, Temari and Emi made it home, Emi sleeping comfortably in her daddy's arms. She had made a big fuss about not being with Shikamaru, so Shikamaru had carried her all the way home (which really wasn't very far.) He was surprised to find that in fact, he didn't mind it at all, in fact he kind of liked it, and Temari sensing this, held a smug smile all the way back.
"I still don't get what that smirk is for." He muttered as they put Emi to sleep in her crib.
"Oh it's nothing." She said with a smile.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh no, you were perfect in fact."
"So why the smirk?" Temari shrugged. "Never mind, I'm not sure I want to know."
"You don't." she couldn't help adding.
"Shut it Temari." He warned.
"Yes Shika." After making sure the baby was sound asleep and safe, Shikamaru and Temari made their way to Shikamaru's small, one person living room. They squeezed onto the small couch and Temari was all too aware of Shikamaru's leg leaning slightly against hers. An uncomfortable silence filled the small space.
"So…" they both began to break the silence.
"You first." Temari muttered with a blush.
"Nah, it's no big deal." Shikamaru could feel a blush burn the back of his neck.
"I hate this."
Shikamaru was mildly surprised. "Hate what?" he asked.
"The fact that we let Emi's birth come between us." She said. "I mean, things have been so awkward since I came and I almost wish that we didn't have her so things wouldn't be…" She paused, searching for a word.
"…like this." She said finally, sweeping her arm around to indicate the small living room and kitchen, while nearly hitting Shikamaru in the face. She slumped over and Shikamaru could not help but agree with her.
The genius never said much, nor displayed any sign of affection and romance for the sand girl next to him, but they both knew that he indeed cared about her. Shikamaru too, wished- very subtly, that things were still the same. But that didn't mean he didn't wish Emi wasn't born. It was more of a wish for the awkwardness between Temari and himself to go away.
"So you wish she wasn't here with us now?" he asked.
"No, that's not really what I meant. I meant…" she stopped.
"…that the awkwardness would go away." He finished. She nodded.
"No matter what, I love her." She whispered.
"And?" Shikamaru hinted. He flipped himself sideways so that his head lay in Temari's lap.
"And I love you too." Temari let her fingers dance along his hair and he closed his eyes. "You better not fall asleep on me again, you know." She warned.
"I'm not." He muttered, although Temari could clearly see that the lazy ninja already was. She sighed. She'd just roll him off her later. Or wake him up. She grinned and thought of all the ways she cold wake him up. God did she love doing this. It made life with Shikamaru so much less boring.
