I do not own the following songs:
Love on top by Beyonce
Harley's in Hawaii by Katy Perry
Perfect Duet by Ed Sheeran
And just like any wedding, things started out chaotic. Tenten's heel broke (which required Neji and Hanabi to make an emergency trip to the mall), Hinata woke up with a stomach ache, Temari's hair wouldn't stop being frizzy, Ino's dress ripped a little from the inside (thank God her mother knew how to sew that thing back together), and Sakura had become so emotional over the fact that soon she would be Mrs Sakura Uchiha that she started crying as the makeup artist started applying the eyeliner.
Yup, everything was going well…
"Dammit Forehead, stop crying in there!" Ino yelled while knocking on the door. Her makeup was halfway done, yet her long blonde hair was still a mess, "We need to be ready in one hour! Open up, woman!"
The doorknob rattled a bit before Sakura unlocked it. Ino walked inside and grabbed her friend by her elbow, helping the emotional woman up.
"Hormones acting up?"
Sakura nodded as Hinata brought some tissues over to her.
"I-I always thought about this moment for years...and now that it's happening...I just...c-can't…"
"Oh, here she goes again," Ino rolled her eyes, "Do you want something to eat? There's some donuts over there."
Sakura nodded and Ino went over towards the small table, grabbing a whole donut and feeding her friend. Despite her friend acting dramatic at the moment, Ino couldn't really blame her. Even she was feeling ecstatic.
"Feeling better?"
Sakura nodded, her mouth full.
"Good, now go get your makeup finished. Photographer will be here soon!"
With a nod, Sakura went back to her chair as the makeup artist redid her makeup. Tiredly, Ino sat on her chair as the hair stylist finished Hinata's hair and moved on to hers.
"We got another pair of heels for Tenten!" exclaimed Hanabi as she walked inside the room.
With everything being in control now, the ladies resumed getting ready. The photographer arrived with three of his assistants; and immediately, they took pictures. The first couple of pictures consisted of the ladies dressed in white silky robes holding their flowers. The photographer ensured to get different angles, having them pose around various areas of the house.
Thirty minutes later, they changed to their dresses and posed for more pictures. Izumi, Itachi's fiancee, entered.
"You all look so beautiful! The priest will be arriving in another hour,"
"Is Sasuke still in the hotel? We don't want him seeing Sakura just yet," Sakura's mother asked the younger woman.
Izumi nodded. "Yes. Itachi is with him,"
The ladies exited the room and walked towards the living room, meeting the groomsmen as they all sat down and, unsurprisingly, were playing video games. But who could blame them? It wasn't as if they had to get their makeup and hair done.
"Itachi needs better games," mumbled Naruto.
"Get up, picture time," Shikamaru said, taking the controller away from him.
The photographer moved several objects around before gathering the men.
"Alright, the first couple of pictures I will take are with the groomsmen only. Young man, your tie is crooked. Can someone help him with his tie?"
"I got it," Lee said.
Seconds later and Naruto's tie adjusted, the photographer took several pictures of the men.
"Alright, now let's take several with the bride in the middle,"
Sakura stood in front of the men as the photographer took several pictures.
"OK, next picture. Groomsmen on the right, and bridesmaids on the left. Bride stays in the center. Ladies, don't forget your flowers."
They positioned themselves on either side of Sakura; Temari, Hinata, Ino, and Tenten on the left and Neji, Lee, Naruto, and Shikamaru on the right. More photos were taken before the photographer instructed them to change again.
"OK, now the bride and her bridesmaids only!"
They pivoted again as the photographer and his assistants continued taking pictures, Sakura still in the center.
"OK, now the bride and her family,"
After another hour of picture taking, the priest arrived and was led towards the beautifully decorated backyard. Multiple chairs were situated on either side as the majority of the guests were already present. The center aisle was draped with a white-colored fabric, matching the white chairs and other decoration pieces.
"Sasuke will be here in ten minutes," Izumi said, "Let's get you upstairs so he doesn't see you,"
Sakura nodded and climbed up the stairs with the older woman and her mother by her sides. Minutes later, Sasuke entered, prompting the photographer to take more pictures.
One picture with his groomsmen, another one with the bridesmaids, and the last one with Naruto making bunny ears behind his head (Naruto's idea, of course).
"Priest is ready!" Hanabi called, and everyone got into position.
A soft melody began to play as Sasuke, with his mother next to him, walked down the aisle.
Hinata and Naruto were lined up first, followed by Shikamaru and Temari, Tenten and Neji, and finally Lee and Ino.
At the queue, the partners began to walk down one at a time.
Hands in the pockets of his slacks, Gaara stood with the rest of the wedding guests as Sasuke walked down, arms locked with his mother's. The groom stood by the platform, next to the priest, as the first pair then walked down. Hinata had a gracious smile while Naruto smirked, and Gaara couldn't help but shake his head. He was familiar with Naruto's expressions, and knew that the blonde man had something up his sleeve.
After them were Shikamaru and Temari. His sister looked gracious in her dress, and he felt proud seeing her, a happy smile displaying on her face. Ever since their talk two months ago, he began confiding her in everything. And as always, she listened.
After them were Neji and Tenten. And finally, Lee and Ino.
And Gaara felt the beat of his heart quicken upon seeing the blonde beauty. She had woken up way earlier than him for hair and makeup, and part of him was disappointed for not getting the chance to kiss her in the morning. Nonetheless, he understood her obligations. Hair, makeup, and dress made her look like a goddess, his goddess. Her light red lips were curved in a smile as she looked straight ahead, and he wished he could get a glance from her.
Upon reaching the front, Ino stood next to Tenten as the song changed, readying for the bride to appear. As guests turned and watched as the doors opened and Sakura began walking down with her father, Gaara's focus remained on the beautiful young woman he was proud to call his girlfriend. And finally, her sea blue eyes focused on him, and her beautiful red smile widened. Gaara smiled at her in return, as he couldn't wait to wrap his arms around her and kiss her.
"Your brother looks like he wants to devour her," Yukata whispered to Kankuro, who had noticed his brother's facial expression upon seeing Ino.
"Yeah, at least he's not drooling,"
"...I can hear you two…" said the red-haired man with a sigh.
The song finished as Sakura now stood next to Sasuke, and guests sat back down.
"Friends, we have been invited here today to share with Sasuke and Sakura a very important moment in their lives. In the years they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. Now, it is time for the vows,"
"Sasuke, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do,"
"Sakura, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do,"
"Repeat after me," the priest said to Sasuke, telling him the phrase to repeat.
"I, Sasuke, take you Sakura, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part,"
"Now repeat after me," the priest instructed Sakura.
"I, Sakura, take you Sasuke, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
"May the ring bearer step forward," the priest said.
A young boy, no more than five years old, stepped forward. His small hands carried a white pillow, in the center a ring. His dark eyes looked curiously towards the crowd as his parents, Obito and Rin, nodded at him with a smile.
The priest instructed Sasuke to grab the ring and repeat his words. The dark-haired man nodded before turning his attention to the pink-haired beauty in front of him.
"I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love,"
Gently, Sasuke placed the ring on her finger, giving her a smile upon noticing the blush on her cheeks.
The priest turned to Sakura and instructed the same.
"I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love," she said, placing the wedding band on his finger.
"Please join hands," the priest said, and the couple did as told, "By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,"
Stepping closer, Sasuke kissed her lips gently as the crowd around them clapped. Music began to play as rose petals were thrown around. Holding her hand, Sasuke led an almost teary-eyed Sakura down the aisle. The bridesmaids and groomsmen walked behind them, and Gaara's eyes remained on Ino as she ensured that her best friend wouldn't trip over her own dress.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Sakura's father said, "Please join us at the City Lights venue in three hours for the reception,"
Gaara knew that Ino would be busy with getting ready for the reception, but part of him wanted to enter the house and see her again. Not just see her, but touch her and tell her how beautiful she looked. How seeing her like this made him think about how she would look in a wedding dress, wearing the same wedding ring as his mother's.
"Gaara, let's go," Kankuro called as the crowd scattered around.
With a sigh, the red-head nodded before following his brother and Yukata to the car, thinking about how he couldn't wait for the next three hours to pass by so he could see her again.
"Ugh, my feet are killing me," groaned Tenten as she took off her heels.
"I'm just happy to finally be getting something to eat," Temari said, "I'm so hungry,"
The bridesmaids and groomsmen took ten minutes to enjoy a small lunch as the photographer showed Sakura and Sasuke's mothers the pictures taken so far.
Sitting down with her sandwich in hand, Ino checked her phone for the first time in hours. She eagerly opened the text message from Gaara that had been sent nearly forty minutes ago, creating a smile on her face.
"You look beautiful. I want to see you again,"
Sandwich aside, Ino texted back.
"Thank you, and you looked rather handsome. Your dress shirt made your arm muscles look yummy ;) and I can't wait to see you again,"
Sending the text, Ino stared at her phone impatiently as his response came in seconds later.
"My arm muscles will be here waiting for you. What are you doing right now?"
"Eating. We are going to a garden to take more pictures before the reception. What are you doing?"
"I'm with Kankuro and Yukata at a bar,"
"Bar?"
"...Their idea"
"Ino, we're leaving," called Temari, and the blonde sent her last text.
"Gotta go. But I'll see you in a couple of hours :). Love you!"
"I love you too,"
His response had her grinning from ear to ear as she followed everyone out the door and towards the limo outside.
The garden was almost an hour drive. Aside from the beautiful diverse range of flowers, there was a large fountain in the center. The first set of pictures were just Sakura and Sasuke, the latter gently touching his wife's growing belly. Afterwards, the pictures included the groomsmen and bridesmaids. One hour (and hundreds of pictures) later, the group went back to the limo, ready for the reception and the dancing that would soon take place.
The venue was on the second floor of a high-end restaurant. Walking alongside his brother, Gaara headed towards the table reserved for him. As Yukata and Kankuro went towards the open-bar area, Gaara sat back on his chair and watched as the crowd began to sit down. Although his expression remained neutral, as usual, he would take quick glances towards his watch while wondering when the reception would start. But he knew that receptions didn't always start on time.
Boredly, he re-opened the last text message Ino had sent him and smiled. She had sent him a selfie, one eye closed and her lips pouting as the sun made her look more radiant. And as soon as he had seen the picture, he saved it to his phone.
"Ladies and gentleman!"
A bowl-haircut shaped man, who Gaara recognized as Lee's father, stood by the stage area as the music suddenly changed.
"You all look so elegant tonight, such a blossoming sight! For those who don't know, my name is Gai and I will be your host on this beautiful night! How are you all doing tonight!?"
The crowd clapped as a good number of attendees screamed.
"Now that's the spirit! Now without further ado, I think it's time we start. Are you all ready!?"
"Yeah!"
"Hm… I don't think that was loud enough. I said, are you guys ready!?"
"YEAH!"
Gaara sighed as Kankuro and Yukata yelled in unison.
"Oh, I like the energy from those two over there! Haha! Well, let's get this party started! DJ, turn it up!"
The DJ, who was none other than the host's friend Kakashi, changed the music to a fast-beat one as the lights centered on the aisle leading towards the front of the stage. The doors leading to the venue opened, revealing Hinata and Naruto. The pair walked down the aisle as Gai began his introduction.
"And starting off we have the beautiful Hinata walking down with the charismatic Naruto. And what a beautiful duo they make!"
Upon reaching the stage, the blonde man picked Hinata up and swung her a few times before tripping over his own feet and bringing them both down to the floor as the crowd gasped.
"We're OK!" yelled Naruto, helping Hinata stand as she fixed her dress.
"Haha, well, quite an entrance there… Next up are Shikamaru and Temari!"
The duo walked down, arms locked. Temari waved as Shikamaru had a small smile, knowing that he didn't want the cameras to catch him frowning. After them were Neji and Tenten, the latter who looked more nervous than Hinata as she spotted Hiashi's approving look. She knew that in the next couple of years, it will be her walking down the aisle as Mrs. Hyuuga.
Gaara knew that up next were Lee and Ino, and he watched as the two walked down. Upon reaching the stage with everyone else, Lee grabbed Ino's hand and twirled her around a couple of times before giving her a hug. And while the crowd clapped, Gaara's frown deepened.
"Last but not least… the moment we've been waiting for… Ladies and gentleman, please stand up and give a big round of applause for Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha!"
The newly weds walked down as everyone around them clapped. As they reached the stage, the lights changed from white to pink.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for some entertainment! The first piece we have is a beautiful feature by Sakura and her bridesmaids!"
Gai placed a chair on the front of the stage before directing Sasuke to sit. The groomsmen sat by the side of the stage as Sakura and her friends stood in line. Kakashi changed the song and the girls began to move.
Honey honey
I can see the stars all the way from here
Can't you see the glow on the window pane
I can feel the sun whenever you're near
Every time you touch me I just melt away
Now everybody ask me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear
(They say love hurts)
But I know (it's gonna take the real work)
Nothing's perfect but it's worth it
After fighting through my tears and finally you put me first
Baby it's you
You're the one I love
You're the one I need
You're the only one I see
Come on baby it's you
You're the one that gives your all
You're the one I can always call
When I need to make everything stop
Finally you put my love on top
Taking their heels off, their moves became faster and the crowd cheered. Although the spotlight was mostly on the bride, Gaara couldn't keep his eyes off Ino. The way she moved and twirled reminded him of a ballerina dancing on ice. He wasn't sure if Ino had ever taken dance classes, that subject had never come up before. But watching her graciously twirl and move her hips to the beat made him feel uneasy. Not because he was uncomfortable with such dance, but because it made him realise that she was a beauty that he needed to claim before anyone else tried to take her away from him. Tried, of course…
"Your brother is making that look again," Yukata whispered to her boyfriend, and Kankuro nodded with a smirk before taking a picture of him. He could make a meme out of it in the future.
The song ended with Sasuke, who was now standing, hugging Sakura as the remaining ladies circled around them. The audience clapped loudly as a teary eyed Gai appeared in the center.
"W-Wow! What a beautiful performance! Big round of applause! All of you ladies looked beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! Ladies and gentleman, hold on to your dance shoes and heels because the night of dancing isn't over. Kakashi, I know we have another song lined up!"
At the queue, Naruto and Lee walked towards the dance floor and stood alongside Ino and Hinata. The lights turned a light green as the music started.
Boy, tell me, can you take my breath away?
Cruisin' down a heart-shaped highway
Got you swervin' lane-to-lane, don't hit the brakes
'Cause I'm feelin' so safe
I'll be your baby, on a Sunday
Oh, why don't we get out of town?
Call me your baby, on the same wave
Oh, no, no, there's no slowin' down
You and I, I
Ridin' Harleys in Hawaii, I
I'm on the back, I'm holdin' tight, I
Want you to take me for a ride, ride
When I hula-hula, hula
So good, you'll take me to the jeweler-jeweler, jeweler
There's pink and purple in the sky, I
We're ridin' Harleys in Hawaii, I
Gaara's teal eyes watched intensely as Lee moved along the beat with Ino in his arms. Even though he had seen them practice to this song, watching them dance with a crowd made him feel more uncomfortable. He knew that many, if not, all of the guests thought that she was single, and with Lee being her partner, it would raise some perceptions. Those perceptions drove the red-head's uncomfortness, to the point that he stood from his chair and went to the open bar area.
Kankuro watched his brother with wide eyes, surprised as a minute later he came back with whiskey in his hand. He was about to say something but stopped when he saw Gaara down the drink in one shot. He had to remember though that Gaara had started drinking as a teenager before stopping in college. After downing his drink, Gaara crossed his arms and looked elsewhere.
Two long, excruciating minutes later, the song finished and the crowd clapped loudly as the dance floor was cleared.
"Such a beautiful and, I must dare say, sexy dance by Lee, Ino, Hinata, and Naruto! Ladies and gentleman, how are you feeling?"
"Good!"
The crowd cheered, and Gai chuckled. "Excellent, because we have one more dance left! And this last piece is a beautiful song which will be danced not only by our bride and groom, but the bridesmaids and groomsmen as well. It is a song so lovely, that it will make you just fall in love… Ladies and gentlemen, are we prepared?"
"Wait!" Lee said before disappearing into the crowd.
Kankuro watched as he jogged towards his table, stopping right in front of Gaara.
"Gaara!"
The red-haired man raised an eyebrow at him as Lee grabbed his arm.
"You must be part of this one, as it is a song meant for true love!"
Gaara was about to ask but was pulled off his chair and dragged towards the dancefloor. A grinning Ino then grabbed his hands and pulled him towards the center.
"What is going on?" he asked her as she placed one hand on his shoulder.
"We're dancing, of course!"
Gaara opened his mouth but the song started and all of the sudden, Ino took a step closer to him and started moving.
I found a love for me
Darling, just dive right in
And follow my lead
Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me
Following along, Gaara placed a hand on her waist and grabbed her hand, making small steps as he tried to look elsewhere but the crowd.
"I thought Lee was your partner," he whispered into her ear, watching as Temari gave him a wink as she danced with Shikamaru.
Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
Not knowing what it was
I will not give you up this time
Darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
And in your eyes, you're holding mine
"He is, but for this song… He and I agreed that it would be better if you and I danced to it. I hope...you're not mad," Ino whispered back, placing her head on his shoulder as they continued to slowly move towards the melody.
Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, we're listenin' to our favorite song
When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight
Listening to the lyrics carefully, Gaara was glad that she decided to share the dance with him instead. It truly was beautiful, and it made him love and protect her even more. Uncaring that people were watching, Gaara pulled her even closer and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"You smell like whiskey,"
"...I...drank some whiskey not too long ago…"
"Why?"
Because I couldn't stand watching you dance with another man…
"...I felt like it,"
He knew that she didn't believe him, but she said nothing else. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck as his around her waist. They continued their slow dance, her head tucked underneath his chin, as he thought about the next steps they would take in the relationship.
Two minutes later, the song finished and the guests clapped. The lights went back to its normal brightness and Gaara stared as unfamiliar faces cheered on. Despite his introvertness, he didn't feel too uncomfortable. However, he knew that he probably had to thank the whiskey for that.
"Wow, such a spiritual song and performance!" Gai said, DJ Kakashi simply nodding in agreement. "Now, we have some key speeches from the families of our bride and groom! Give it up, everyone, for Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha!"
Sasuke's parents walked towards the stage and looked at their son and wife, giving a beautiful speech at the fact that he found someone who would make him happy. In addition, the fact that they would soon be grandparents made them even happier and they couldn't wait for that bundle of joy to be born.
After their speech was Sakura's parents, who were happy to see their only daughter married to a caring and loving man. The fact that they would also be grandparents made them happy, and they couldn't wait to spoil their grandchild.
Gai reappeared at the center with his bright smile. "Well ladies and gentleman, what a beautiful night it has been! It is now time for some food! Tables one through seven can go and get their meals! In the meantime, if you would like to take pictures with our bride and groom please start forming a line here!"
Being one of the first tables to get food, Ino happily walked towards the buffet area. Grabbing one of the bigger plates, she filled it with numerous items as Gaara watched her curiously from behind.
"Are you going to eat all of that?"
"Gaara, I can eat a cow right now."
Considering she had been busy the whole day with pictures and dancing, he couldn't blame her. Grabbing a smaller plate, he filled some food for himself.
Sitting back down at their tables, Ino moaned as she filled her mouth with freshly cooked chicken and rice. Ah, she could feel her stomach thanking her.
Placing an arm on the back of her chair, Gaara ate quietly as he watched her focus on the food and not on the conversation everyone else sitting on their table was having. Even though her mouth became slightly dirty, he found the sight amusing.
"Ino,"
"Hm?" she asked, her eyes still on her plate though.
"Look at me,"
Doing so, Ino swallowed her food and used the napkin to clear away any crumbs.
"Come closer," he said, and she leaned towards him.
Taking the opportunity, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her even forward, capturing her lips in a quick yet deep kiss. Shocked, Ino stared at him with wide eyes as he gave her a slight smirk, his hand rubbing her thigh from underneath the table. But after blinking several times, her own smirk appeared as she leaned forward again.
"I know a place where we can go…"
The restaurant underneath had a small changing room. She remembered this detail when visiting it about a week ago. It was situated at the very end of the building, and Ino knew that it would be the perfect spot for them to have some privacy.
The restaurant staff were mostly busy in the kitchen, giving them the opportunity to sneak around and head towards the door. Swiftly, Ino turned the knob and opened the door, her hand quickly reaching to turn on the lights. With the door now closed and locked, Ino turned around. She couldn't wait to feel his lips on hers again, and clearly Gaara felt the same way too. Instantly his hands were on the back of her thighs, lifting her effortlessly as his mouth was on hers. With a giggle, Ino wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling her back pressed against the wall. His thumbs rubbed the top of her thighs, and Ino groaned frustrantly.
"Stop teasing me," she said against his lips.
"I'm teasing you?" his eyes narrowed dangerously, "Do you know how hard it's been watching you with Lee? Dressed like this, holding his arm, dancing…"
"Lee was just my partner," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and toying with the back of his hair, "And the wedding will be over in a couple of hours,"
"To say you took my breath away today, is an understatement. Ino, I...I think I may have fallen more in love with you,"
The blonde smiled before giving him a long kiss, cupping his face as their tongues danced in each other's mouths. With her legs still around his waist, she began to unbutton his dress shirt.
"...Today," he said between kisses, "I want you…"
"I want you right now," she whispered back, her face flushed as he nibbled on her neck.
"I see no problem with that,"
As he placed her back down, Ino's hands were on the buckle of his belt while his were on the zipper of her dress. Careful not to tear the soft fabric, he pulled the zipper down, his eyes scanning her bare back. Kissing her neck, he rubbed her back as she raised one of her legs, prompting Gaara to lift her again. The fact that the small room had no furniture was fine with him. He would make love to her against the wall.
Pulling back from her neck as she looked at him with a smile, the side of her dress began to slowly slide down from her shoulders. Intuitively, his eyes landed on her soon to-be bare chest. He had seen her breasts before and could remember correctly how they looked. But that time, they were nothing more but roommates. Now, they were more and he couldn't wait to give every piece of her body attention.
Nonetheless, something happened all of the sudden before her dress even came off completely. He heard Ino gasp before pulling her dress upward, her head bowed downward as she wiggled out of his arms; and he placed her on the floor. He gave her a confused look as she turned around, her back towards him.
"...I...I just realized that I'm not ready for this...not tonight, at least. Can you zip me up?"
Still confused at what just happened, Gaara zipped her dress back up.
"Thanks. We should get going-"
"Talk to me, Ino." he demanded, grabbing her arm and turning her around.
Ino felt guilty, his eyes scanning her face for a clue of what led to her changing her mind. Her eyes went to the undone buttons of his dress shirt, and she raised her arms to redo them.
"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked, and she could hear the hurtness in his voice.
"I love you, OK? I'm just...not ready and-"
"Sir, I finally got the door opened! And-WHOA!"
A young boy, probably fifteen or sixteen, gaped at the couple as he pointed his finger towards them.
"Uh..Um… you-you guys aren't supposed t-to be in th-there,"
"Relax kid," Ino said, walking out hand-in-hand with Gaara, "We were just praying,"
Temari, Shikamaru, Yukata, and Kankuro gave each other amused looks as they saw Gaara and Ino walk back inside the venue. Even though the couple acted as if nothing happened, their rumpled clothes clearly gave away the mischievous acts they had been trying to do.
"...So...that's what they were doing for the last half an hour…" Kankuro commented.
"His shirt isn't fully buttoned," Yukata pointed out, "Second button from the top is still opened,"
"And her dress isn't fully zipped up," Temari added afterwards.
The couple sat down in front of them, and upon noticing their stares, Ino glared back.
"What are you guys looking at?"
"Should we be expecting a little bundle of joy from you two in nine months?"
Ino glared at Shikamaru as Gaara simply blinked, unphased by the comment. Before she could give a snarky response, the music changed and Gai invited everyone to the dancefloor.
The rest of the night consisted of more dancing. The photographer's assistants took videos of the guests on the dance floor: from Naruto awkwardly showing Sasuke some dance moves, to Neji and Tenten dancing with their arms wrapped around each other, to Izumi dancing around a somewhat shy Itachi. Sakura danced with her father, as Sasuke eventually danced with his mother. Gai and Lee stood by the center for a dance battle, urging others to join. Rin danced with her husband Obito, their young son sleeping by his great-uncle Madara. Yukata and Temari danced together as Kankuro and Choji decided to eat a third plate of food while Shikamaru sat by a corner, counting down the minutes until he could go home and sleep.
Yawning, Ino placed the back of her head on Gaara's shoulder as she danced with him standing behind her. His arms were around her as they moved slowly.
"Sleepy?"
"Yup," she said with a nod.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen! Gather around for one last picture!"
The crowd moved closer as Sasuke and Sakura stood at the center.
"OK in three, we cheer! One...two...three!"
Three hours later…
Gaara washed his face as he felt today's event finally catching up to him. In short, he was very tired. It was nearly four in the morning, and he and Ino had arrived ten minutes ago from the wedding.
Wearing nothing but pajama pants, he exited the bathroom and headed towards his bedroom, finding Ino still sleeping on his bed.
She had fallen asleep on the car ride back home, and not wanting to wake her up, he carried her towards their apartment. He thought she would have woken up, but instead she had gone into a deeper slumber and he knew that he shouldn't wake her up. Not just because she had been awake for over fourteen hours, but because Ino was someone who didn't like to be woken up.
Sitting down on the bed, he removed her heels before looking at the dress. Although it wasn't tight, he knew that it was probably not comfortable to sleep with it on. In addition, she could rip it while asleep. But remembering how she reacted earlier today, he decided to leave her clothed. Instead, he turned off the lights and laid next to her, spooning her while placing the sheet over their bodies and going to sleep.
Author's Note: Thank you to those who left a review! it motivates me to keep writing! Let me know what you thought about this chapter in a review down below!