"How do I look?" Shikamaru asked.
"Like a million bucks!" Naruto argued for the fifteenth time, "What about me, huh? How do I look? I can't believe you made me do this!"
"You told me you'd do anything to be in the wedding party," Shikamaru's brows creased, "Even if the best man position was taken by Gaara, you agreed you'd be my maid of honor."
Naruto's lips stuck out in a pout as he looked at his - very sexy - girlish figure in the mirror. His long blond hair had been curled and pinned up for the occasion. How the hell Shikamaru talked him into this, he wasn't sure. He hadn't even used this jutsu since he was a kid, yet here he was… actually dressed, done up, and looking like a girl. He groaned and flushed pink when Kiba smacked his ass playfully,
"Lookin' good Naruto," He teased, "Hey, you could really pick up a nice dude here if you wanted to-"
Naruto hit him. Kiba smirked. Shikamaru sighed and turned to Kakashi, who stood by the door, looking sharp in his tuxedo, casually reading one of his favorite novels. Shikamaru walked over to him, "Honestly, do I look okay?"
Kakashi put away his book and smiled, "You look fine Shikamaru. And, might I say, Temari looks flawless."
Shikamaru smiled, "I'm sure she does; She always looks like that to me."
"I never thought she would wear a dress," Kankuro mused, "But Kakashi's right, she looks darn good for resenting every moment in it."
Shikamaru frowned, "Does she hate it? She didn't have tow ear one, if it made her more comfortable-"
"She loves it," Gaara spoke up, "She says it's too form fitting and girly for her," He laughed softly, "But she's laughing in her eyes. She's thrown all our Shinobi training out the window, acting like an excited school girl."
"If I play even a small role in that happiness, then I'm satisfied," Shikamaru smiled, "I suppose we should get ready to go out there, huh?"
"If the girls are ready," Kakashi cracked open the door, "I guess I can go check."
Shikamaru nodded in thanks. Kakashi had become like a close friend to Shikamaru in the last several months, their fates intertwined when they fought Madara together. Everyone who was there had become tightly knitted together - with the addition of Sai, Kurenai, Hinata, Gaara and Kankuro - sharing something no one else understood. The boys made up his wedding party; Gaara, his commander, trusted friend, and Temari's brother being the best man. Shikamaru's closest friend - beyond Choji and Ino - had been Naruto, and to settle a dispute that could come up - and the fact that Temari had few female friends - they had agreed to make Naruto the maid of honor.
The wedding had attracted both Suna's and Konoha's attention. Tsunade had seemed tentative and surprised by the idea, something like this so unheard of, since the nations had such little interaction usually. But with the news that the right and left hand commanders to Gaara - from Konoha and Suna, respectively - had gotten engaged, the change was enormous. Couples came out, engaged, married, had children, from different villages. I think all the Kage were worried about this, but it had only strengthened the tie between the nations. War seemed distant if not eliminated between the nations. This last war had brought more love than anyone would have guessed.
As they filed out and Shikamaru planned his walk down the isle ahead of everyone else, he found himself gently grabbed by Kurenai, who looked beautiful in her bride's maid gown. She smiled and held out a pocket watch to him, "Asuma was never one to hold onto the past, but this was his great grandfather's watch. He mentioned giving it to you if he didn't have children any time soon."
"But he had a son," Shikamaru argued, "You're giving this to the wrong Shikamaru."
"You were his son, Shikamaru," Kurenai smiled, "He didn't flinch over the watch when I told him I was pregnant - he had plans to give it to you for your eighteenth birthday, but I doubt he could foresee you marrying so young."
It had taken Shikamaru a moment to remember he was only seventeen. He hardly felt it; Not in a bad way, but in the sense that at seventeen, boys of prior generations still chased skirts so long and still felt the need to be rebellious and crass. Most of them would think he was nuts for marrying so young. Hell, he probably would have been one of those kids - the same for his friends - if it hadn't been for war. But this war, for all it's hate, brought him love.
He placed the watch in his pocket and smiled at Kurenai, kissing her cheek gently, "I'm glad to have you there for me, Kurenai."
"I always will be," She smiled, hugging him, "Now, I've got to get in line and you better get up at the alter before they start without you!"
Shikamaru agreed that this was wise advice, and hurried for the doors. He was interrupted one more time, by a firm hand and a gentle pat.
"You look good, son," Shikaku patted his shoulder, "Real good."
Shikamaru smiled, "Thanks, dad."
He no longer worried if he looked okay.
Standing at the alter, it was as if time slowed, watching all the party make their way down the isle. Shino and Sakura walked together, followed by Kiba and Hinata, Kakashi and Kurenai, and finally - probably the most important yet awkward pair - Gaara and Naruto made their way down. A few giggles escaped friends and family. Iruka can be heard muttering, "So that jutsu came in handy after all…" in the crowd.
And then there was only two left. Kankuro, who would walk the ninja bride herself, Temari, down the isle.
When the doors opened, Shikamaru had to suck up all his feelings to prevent him from crying. She really did look stunning. Her hair wasn't in it's usual qua-pony figuration, but pulled back into a half up, half down do. She shined in her dress, radiating the happiness she felt as she walked toward the man she intended to spend the rest of her life with.
Kankuro handed her off to Shikamaru, and the crowd awed when Shikamaru used his thumb to wipe a stray tear from Temari's cheek. She blushed and smiled.
When they slipped the ring on one another's hands it took them longer than expected because neither could stop shaking. When they finally kissed, it was like time froze. Shikamaru wanted it to, because in that moment, nothing was wrong. There was no pain. No death. No past, no future. Just happiness, love, and her lips on his.
They said that it was their marriage which spurred the villages to co intervene under one large body to therefore prevent war from ever breaking out amongst them again. It never did; A full scale fifth Shinobi war hadn't broken out for generations after it.
But on a more introspective level, Shikamaru and Temari's relationship had an even greater impact on their own lives and the lives of those around them. They had three children. Asuma, Gaaruto, Kiboro, all boys, to both of their pleasure. Shikamaru's life planned out pretty much as he had planned; They lived in a nice house a good distance away from his parents but not too far, with his friends - who married over the next several years besides Naruto and Kurenai - living in the homes close to them. Naruto went on to be Hokage, to no one's surprise. Shikamaru retired after his three boys became a squad together… with Shikamaru Jr. - a natural genius - their youthful squad captain. Those four boys were closer than siblings, and Shikamaru couldn't help but see so many of Asuma's qualities in the Jr. boy. When Shikamaru died, he was seventy three, and had seen his sons all at least had one grand child. Temari died shortly after at the age of 76, a smile on her lips before she went.
The reason she died so jubilant was pondered on by her children for a long time. She was seeing her husband again, one suggested. Another suggested that she was happy being freed from her old body. The third wasn't sure he could understand.
The answer came from an aged Naruto, on the day he finally stepped down from Hokage- and the day before he died - when he appointed Shikamaru's youngest son, Kiboro, hokage. With a smile the elderly Naruto said, "Because through the trials of love and war, she learned that death is just like birth, only a passage into another time. She died to be born again with Shikamaru, for their bond is eternally unbreakable."
And so the generations continued. The cycle repeated. And each time, Shinobi and Kunoichi alike learned their lessons from
Love and War.
