AN: I'm sorry for the long wait but I've been swamped by exams. But here it is anyway.
"I'm hungry," she complained and waited for her husband's deep voice to reply as she opened her eyes.
"You should be," it was a feminine voice that answered, one that she recognized and knew well.
"Ino-chan?"
"Yes it's me Naru-chan," the lilting voice of her fellow blonde broke through her sleep fogged brain.
"What are you doing here?"
"Sasuke-kun and I came to see you and Itachi-kun just before lunch but he told us that you'd just gotten to sleep so we didn't wake you up."
"What time is it?"
"It's half past six."
"Where's your fiance?"
"Downstairs with your brother."
"Where's my son?"
"He's with your mother." Ino said just as Naru finally rose from the bed. "He's been crying but I couldn't get him to stop so your mother came. It seems only the Uzumaki charm can get him back to sleep."
"That's not true, he sleeps quickly when he's with 'Tachi."
"Speaking of 'Tachi," Ino smiled teasingly at her. "I hear he just passed your father's test."
"Tou-chan did the twenty questions with him."
"How do you know? From what Itachi said you've been sleeping the whole afternoon, are you sure you're not hiding something from me?" she had an all knowing smile on her face as she asked.
"We haven't even gone there," Naru said with a slight blush.
"But you want to, don't you?" Ino nudged her shoulder and Naru laid her head on the other's lap and faced away to hide the pink tinge on her cheeks. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll take good care of you." her words were full of meaning.
"Actually, I have taken care of him."
"But you promised Minato-touchan that you'll save it for marriage."
"Oh please, we didn't do it."
"So what did you do?"
"I'm betting what we did wasn't even half of what you've done with Sasuke."
"..."
"Ha, I knew it!" Naru pointed an accusing finger after rolling over.
"Shut up Naru!" she tossed her friend from her lap and let the girl roll around laughing. "I said shut up!" Ino shrieked at the still giggling girl. "If you don't stop I swear I'll tell Minato-touchan that you already did it with Itachi." Naru finally stopped laughing only to stare incredulously at her as if daring her to say a word. She rose a blonde eyebrow at Ino.
"And who do you think he'll believe?" she asked. "I'm still her baby girl you know."
"Damn. You're right. I'll find a way to embarrass you though."
"Good luck with that Ino-chan," her hungry stomach finally made itself known through its loud grumbling.
"Why don't we go feed your complaining belly?" Ino rose from the bed and held a hand out to Naru. "I'm sure the brothers are done cooking."
"Really, they're both cooking?" she reached for the outstretched hand and let the slim girl pull her up.
"You have no idea how great the Uchiha's food taste."
"How do you know?"
"I've seen Sasuke and Itachi cook with their mother and Fugaku, the greatest Uchiha ever smiles after he eats."
"Alright, alright I believe you." Ino pulled her out of the room and down the stairs where they proceeded directly to the kitchen to find the whole Namikaze family sitting around the table watching the exhibition cook off that was happening.
"Itachi-nii is so cool!" Deidara gushed as Itachi plated his food with a fluorish.
"Sasu-nii is way cooler." Kyuu took a casual sip from her glass as she said. "He beats Itachi-nii any time."
"No he doesn't!"
"Yes he does!"
"And there goes the show!" both blondes announced together as they finally made their presence known to the rest. Naru approached her mother and took Kaze from her after a quick kiss.
"Was he good?" she asked her redheaded parent.
"As good as you were when you were just a baby." the comment had a round of snickers going around the table as well as deep chuckles from the chefs of the evening.
"I love you too mom," she smiled although she knew they were making fun of her. "So what's for dinner?" she asked the two brothers, or rather, Itachi as Sasuke was busy with Ino at the moment. "I'm famished."
"I think that's what happens when you miss out on lunch."
"It's not my fault I'm sleepy." she approached him by the kitchen counter. "It's your boy's fault." she turned pouty lips up at him and relished at the glimmer of desire barely noticeable within those dark depths.
"Not in front of the children!" Minato protested.
"We weren't doing anything tou-chan." she turned her eyes away from Itachi to glare at her male counterpart.
"Not yet you weren't but I'd rather not see anything." he replied. "And Ino, please stop that." Ino pulled away from Sasuke and looked sheepishly at her father figure. "You can wait until you two get back to your hotel."
"Gomen tou-chan." she smiled.
"Alright that's enough, let's eat." they settled into their seats around the dining table looking so much like a real family.
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
"Deidara we've seen that movie a thousand times!" Kyuu protested as her younger brother held up a copy of a famous children's movie.
"But, I wanna see it again!"
"No, let Ino-nee choose the movie."
"Ne, ne Ino-neechan, can we watch this please?"
"Why don't you go ask Sasu-nii?"
"Sasu-nii can I, please?" they had just finished dinner, Naru and Ino having been done with the dishes and the family decided to watch a movie together. Sasuke and Ino sat beside each other on the floor as they leant against the couch, Naru was sitting on the couch with Kaze in her arms and Itachi holding her close while Minato and Kushina sat on the loveseat opposite the other two couples. The parents looked on in amusement as Sasuke looked in exasperation toward his fiancee and then looking at his older brother for help when she merely smiled at him.
"Deidara you can put it on." Minato took pity on the man and finally gave his son the permission he had been asking for.
"Tou-chan!" Kyuu shrieked in protest all gaining a laugh from their audience when Deidara stuck his tongue out at her.
"'Tachi can you hold Kaze-chan for a moment, I'm going to get something to drink."
"Of course Naru-chan."
"Thank you," she passed the sleeping child to him and rose from the couch as she headed for the kitchen. There was a squealing of tires and then the thundering of footsteps up the porch that ended with someone banging on the door.
"Naru, Naru, Naru!" her name was still being chanted as she pulled open the door only to stumble as she caught an obviously drunk Shikamaru in her arms. She looked down at him in confusion then to the door to find Obito and Rin running up the steps.
"Obito, what's going on?"
"I'm sorry Naru, I tried to stop him but he threatened to drive himself if I didn't go with him."
"What happened?"
"He's been drunk for the past week and a half and we've been trying to stop him from drinking again. I don't know how he got to his father's stash but now he's drunk again."
"Why didn't anyone tell me what was going on with him?"
"If you haven't noticed you have a husband and child to take care of now."
"That doesn't mean you can make my decisions for me." she snapped at her best friend. "I am still capable of taking care of everyone I love so don't you dare take that away from me!" she pulled Shikamaru up effortlessly and strode up the stairs with her charge.
"Nee-chan you can take him to my room, I'll sleep with Deidei tonight."
"Thanks Kyuu."
"Naru~"
"Let her be Itachi," Minato stopped his soon-to-be son-in-law from following her.
"But~"
"You have to remember who they are to her and who you are now that you're together."
"I told you Ita-nii, you're not the only one and you're not the first." Kyuu butted in. "But from now on you will be her only man." she nodded as she held her hand out to Deidara who was still watching the movie quietly, apparently already used to the noise. "Let's go Dei-chan it's time for bed."
"But it's not yet done!"
"You can finish it tomorrow." her voice was stern and the younger boy knew there was no changing her mind. "Good night tou-chan, kaa-chan, Ita-nii, Ino-nee, Sasu-nii."
"Goodnight Deidara," they chorused as Kyuu pulled him up the stairs.
"Obito, close the door and get in here." Minato shouted as soon as the two children were up the stairs. "And bring whoever's with you."
"Gomen ne, Minato-san," the short haired Uchiha said as soon as he stepped into the foyer with Rin and Gaara right behind him. "I really did try to stop him."
"Sit down," the blonde man all but ordered and the three settled themselves on the floor.
"Minato-san~"
"Why didn't you tell Naru?"
"We thought she had enough on her hands taking care of Kaze-chan and dealing with Temari's death. We didn't want her to worry." it was Gaara who answered.
"What exactly did you think was going to happen when she found out?" the question was rhetorical. "Didn't you think that she would worry even more than if she could've stopped it earlier?"
"We did but~"
"You didn't think this through, you should've told her the moment things went downhill."
"But~"
"You know how she gets when it's about either you or Shikamaru, Gaara. Why didn't you tell her?"
"I saw what she was going through after my sister died," Gaara ran his hands through his already messy hair. "I didn't want to add to her problems so I tried to be strong for both her and Shika but now I realize it just wasn't enough. We both need her in our lives." his last statement was said as he stared at Itachi, the older man looking unflinchingly back at him.
"What exactly happened?"
"Shika just shut down," Gaara relayed. "The first three days after, he didn't eat, he barely slept and he wouldn't talk to anyone. I wanted to call Naru desperately but then I knew she was already going through so much. The days after that he took to drinking, said it numbed the pain somewhat and let him forget."
"After six days of constant drinking we finally took away the sake and hid everything but it seemed as if he's found his father's hidden stash and he just went right back to it." Obito continued. "Then this afternoon he accused us of hiding Naru. He said we were keeping them away from each other and he went straight to his car. He would've driven himself if I didn't offer to drive him here."
"Maybe you were keeping them away from each other." Minato commented. "Why would you do that?"
"..."
"..."
"Gaara, you have to tell her." this time it was Kushina who urged him to talk. "You don't need to tell us but you have to tell her. The three of you promised no secrets."
"I... Alright," he sighed in defeat. "But I think Itachi should be there. He has to hear what I have to say." the elder Uchiha nodded and Kushina reached out for his son. He gave Kaze to her willingly and then followed Gaara up the stairs.
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
"Shika, why are you doing this to yourself?"
"She's gone," he slurred as he lay on the bed with Naru leaning over him as she wiped a wet cloth on his forehead. "I don't have anything to live for anymore."
"What about Gaara and me?"
"You're married." he sobbed. "I'm not supposed to love you anymore."
"But you've always loved me," she lay next to him, her head on his chest and her arms around him.
"I know," he tried to nod but had to hold his head as a wave of dizziness passed through him. "But I can't anymore because you have a husband now."
"I don't like seeing you hurt. I feel like it's me who's hurting you."
"No, it's not you." he hugged her closer to him. "It's me, it's always been me. You told me and Gaara that you weren't interested and yet we hoped."
"You don't sound drunk." Gaara's husky baritone interrupted whatever Naru was going to say as he stepped inside the room.
"I wasn't really drunk," Naru turned her attention back to Shikamaru, not noticing that the redhead had kept the door ajar. The brown haired man holding her scooted over to one side so that Gaara could lay down beside Naru. "I'd detoxified enough to think clearly. It was just a show so you would have no choice but take me here."
"I'm sorry Shika, I didn't really think it would affect you this much."
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
Itachi's eyes widened as he peeked through the small gap. He felt jealousy rear its ugly head within him as possession crashed through him in waves.
"You weren't the first, you are not the only one but from now on you will be her only man." Kyuu's voice rang through his head, the only thing that kept him in place instead of storming into the room.
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
"My feelings for you never changed," Gaara finally said after a pregnant moment of silence. "I don't like Matsuri. I need her around because she's good with what she does and I need her help, I actually need her help to take care of Sasori because I couldn't think of anything but you... and Shika."
"Gaara?" Naru's voice was gentle and confused as he stared at the redhead who had one arm around her waist, all the while keeping some of his attention on Shikamaru who had stiffened behind her.
"At first it was just you Naru," he averted his eyes. "I would fantasize about you and I had dreams about the things we would do together if you would just choose me and then you left. I still thought of you, still had dreams about you but soon they shifted to someone else. You two were the first friends I'd ever had and I didn't want to ruin everything by saying something stupid or doing something that would scare you off so I tried to hide it, to control it but I couldn't. It was overwhelming, the only time I'd ever felt something like it and then we kissed."
"You kissed?" she turned to face Shikamaru who had a very noticeable blush on his face, accusing blue eyes trying to capture evasive chocolate brown. "Why don't I know about this?"
"It was a stupid dare." Gaara muttered behind her as he sidled closer so she could feel his chest on her back. "He was dared to kiss the cutest guy in the room. Kiba thought it would definitely be him and Shika took everyone by surprise by kissing me smack on the lips."
"I thought it was just me," Shika muttered quietly. "I thought I must have been crazy because I'd felt something, something I didn't feel even with Temari. I told her the next day and she said she understood, that she'd seen the signs and was just waiting for me to tell her in person. We got even closer together after that, even when we weren't going out anymore but I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want anything to change between the three of us."
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
Itachi finally understood why the three had been so close. While it was true that Naru had brought them all together and what was keeping them together. He knew nothing was going to happen with Naru so he left, after pulling the door closed behind him as silently as he could, he shook his head and left them alone. He didn't want to intrude on their privacy any longer.
Inside the room, none of the three noticed the door close.
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
"I can't believe I didn't see it coming."
"You were always oblivious when it came to those people around you."
"That's not true, I got Hina and Kiba together as well as Neji and Tenten. Then there's also Tayuya and Kimimaro and~"
"We get it, you're a little matchmaker." Shikamaru interrupted. "But it seemed as if even you didn't see this one coming."
"So what happens now?"
"Nothing changes." the two chorused.
"What?" she rose, breaking away from both their embrace. "How can you say that? You both have feeling for each other. You can't just go on as if you don't know about it and nothing has happened!" she protested.
"Nothing has happened." Shikamaru pointed out, refusing to look Gaara in the eye as he did.
"Oh really?" she asked. "Then how come you're both hard?" she asked as she stared at them pointedly.
"Naru!" they screeched in protest as they both tried to scramble into hiding their reactions from the other.
"Why were you looking there?"
"I'll have you know I didn't look," she sniffed haughtily. "I was lying in between you and I could feel it the moment you two started reacting to one another's presence."
"What are you talking about?"
"When Gaara hugged me from behind, he reached for you arm and I could feel him poking me and when Shika turned to face me I could see that flush he gets when he's aroused. I didn't have to look or feel him to know what happened."
"And how would you know what he looks like when he's aroused?" Gaara asked, eyebrows raised.
"There was this~"
"Naru, you promised you wouldn't say anything about that!" Shikamaru interrupted.
"But now that I know about this, he should know."
"NO, he shouldn't."
"Yes, I think he should."
"What are you two talking about?"
"The first time I saw Shika's face when he was around was when he~" she was tackled to the floor and she found herself staring up into angry brown eyes with Shikamaru's hands on her mouth as he straddled her. She simply rose an eyebrow at him until her took his hands off her mouth.
"Seriously Shika, I already told you many times~"
"Get out," he got off of her, pulled her to her feet and directed her to the door.
"But Shika~"
"No, Naru get out." she was pushed out of the door and it was slammed shut in her face.
"I was just going to say that this was my house." she shook her head before remembering that they hadn't actually told her what they wanted to tell her, unless that was it, or maybe Shika didn't. Scratching her head in confusion she opened the door to ask them exactly what they needed of her only to find them busy getting lost in each other's arms. "Oblivious? Really?" she locked the door as she pulled it close before heading back to the living room to find her family.
XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX
"Where's everyone?" Naru asked her husband who was sitting on the couch with Kaze cradled gently in his arms.
"Sasuke and Ino went back to their hotel, they said they'll come back tomorrow." Itach said as she sat next to him. "Tou-chan and kaa-chan retired to bed as did Kyuu and Dei."
"So why is my husband still here?" she laid her on his shoulder.
"I have a question."
"Alright, ask."
"How long have you been planning on getting those two together?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." she feigned ignorance but refused to look him in the eyes.
"And I don't know that you told Ino what happened between us." her head whipped round to face him.
"No I didn't."
"You didn't tell her everything but you said something had happened." she sighed before replying.
"I found out about their orientation two years into our friendship. They didn't know, of course they wouldn't, but I saw the signs. I didn't want to force them into anything."
"And the kiss?"
"You were listening?"
"Gaara invited me to listen." she flushed angrily but then smiled. "So did you orchestrate that too?"
"Maybe." she smiled coyly up at him leading him to kiss her softly.
"They're right, you are a matchmaker."
"How ironic," she said. "I've been matched by my own best friend."
"No, I think we did that all by ourselves." he kissed her again.
"I agree."
AN: So how was it? Worth the wait?
Tell me ne?
Love lots,
Aly :)
