Greetings! Hey, this is the product of the exchange I offered – a custom-made oneshot for an illustration of one of my stories. Here's the story I gave to HarvestMoonRacoon, in payment for this picture: Okay, originally I put the link here, but it didn't work. And apparently, nothing I will do will work. So…just…try looking at my profile. I'll put the link there.
Disclaimer: Now, I don't usually bother with this, because I find it to be self-evident that I own neither Samurai Deeper Kyo nor Naruto, the only two fandoms I write for. But this time I'm doing one: I did NOT ( repeat, NOT) come up with the plot for this story. I just wrote it from someone else's request. I disassociate completely from the mind that thought this up.
Gai made the announcement one day after training.
"Team, your sensei has fallen in love!"
Rock Lee surged to his feet. "Sensei, that is incredible! To enter into the youthful flower of love is the most noble of things!"
They promptly embraced against a backdrop of a magnificent sunset while Neji and Tenten shared horrified looks.
"Wonder who the poor woman is?" muttered Tenten. Gai apparently heard her, for he turned around with a puzzled look on his face.
"Well, I don't know her name. I saw her in the street, and immediately my heart was stolen, though I did not know her!"
"Love at first sight! Gai-sensei, how wonderful!"
They embraced some more while Neji faceslapped.
"Well, do you at least know something about her so you can find her again?"
"Well, she had a small pig walking behind her."
-...-
"Ah! Finally I have found you, my love! I have been unable to think of anything but your beautiful face since first I saw you on the street, a diamond shining magnificently! The sun has seemed brighter, colors sharper, life more wonderful, and I myself have felt more youthful since I saw you! Please, you must acknowledge my love! But first, I must know your name, o charming rose of Konoha!"
Tsunade's jaw had dropped and not shut. Shizune was blinking rapidly, but the green apparition had not disappeared. She was too startled to do anything but answer.
"Uh, my name's Shizune."
Tsunade faceslapped. You shouldn't encourage him, Shizune!
Gai clenched his fist. "Shizune! Ah, my beloved Shizune! Never shall I rest until I possess your heart just as you have stolen mine! You must tell me: how may I woo you, my love?"
She was blinking a little faster now.
"Uh, flowers are nice. And I like chocolate."
"Flowers and chocolates! You shall be dazzled, I promise! And if you are not, I, Maito Gai, shall do 1500 laps around Konoha as punishment for failing you!"
And with that he disappeared. Tsunade slowly swung her head until Shizune was in view.
"Flowers? Chocolates! Shizune, what were you thinking!"
Shizune shrugged. She seemed dazed.
"I don't know, I just...well, goodness, I just didn't have the heart to tell him no."
Tsunade just shook her head.
-...-
Shizune stopped to relax in front of a shop for a moment. She pushed her hair out of her face as she sighed, and then smiled as she looked up at the bright blue sky. It was such a nice day...
Her view was suddenly obstructed by roses.
Thousands of them.
"Shizune, my love! I have chosen to gift you with roses, the flower of love! And here is my other gift to you!"
She craned her neck in astonishment. Finally, the roses cleared and she spotted it.
It was a giant chocolate statue of--herself, with a milk chocolate pig following behind her.
She could feel herself starting to blink rapidly again.
"Are you dazzled?"
She blinked some more, but couldn't speak.
...chocolate statue? Where had he gotten that?
"You say nothing. My gift is inadequate! How could I ever have believed that you would accept such a pitiful offering? I will go to do laps around Konoha, as I promised--for I am a man of my word--and then I shall find a more suitable gift for you! I will not fail next time! And if I do, I shall--"
Shizune found her voice and interrupted him.
"Oh no, Gai! This is a wonderful gift! It just...surprised me, that's all. I really...er, love it!" She gave him the biggest smile she could manage, and was rewarded with two waterfalls of tears streaming down his face.
-...-
She came home one afternoon to discover her house filled with balloons, each one a different pearly shade.
She ate so much chocolate she requested, and received, an exercise machine. It took her a while to get all the ribbon off it, but once she did, she discovered it was top of the line.
She took to wearing roses behind her ear every day, she had so many.
Other ninja occasionally had their houses tp'ed by mischievous genin. Gai's genin team festooned her house with ribbons and bows sometimes.
She had strawberries in the middle of winter, as well as peaches, pomegranates, persimmons, and every other fruit she could think of, and some she couldn't name, but which were delicious all the same.
Gai and his team serenaded her to sleep at night and awoke her again in the morning. Shizune wasn't sure how Gai had talked them into singing for her, but Tenten and Neji had beautiful voices that harmonized perfectly with each other. And if Rock Lee and Gai weren't quite as..."tuneful", they were very enthusiastic.
She received a diamond ring.
-...-
Tsunade was still wondering how Gai had roped Kakashi into being his best man. She was also still wondering why Shizune had said yes.
Tsunade was presiding over the ceremony as Hokage. Hinata, Ino, Tenten and Sakura were bridesmaids, and Kurenai had been drafted to act as maid of honor. All the ninja of the village had turned out to see this, and all their faces showed various degrees of shock.
Neji appeared annoyed, but that was probably because he was sitting next to Rock Lee, who was soaking his shirt with tears. Said shirt being Neji's, not Rock Lee's, perhaps his rather disgusted expression could be understood.
Gai and Shizune made a brilliant couple. Shizune's brilliant white dress was gorgeous, and Gai's green tuxedo was...interesting. Iruka slapped his hand over Naruto's mouth to prevent him from saying anything.
They exchanged rings. Tsunade made the final pronouncement, and it was done.
"You may kiss the bride."
Gai did so, thoughtfully wiping away the waterfalls on his face before doing so, and a somewhat confused cheer went up from the crowd.
-...-
Rock Lee turned the pages of the photo album Tenten had put together. There were Gai and Shizune feeding each other the cake (Shizune, it turns out, had better aim.) There was Gai swearing to do laps around Konoha as punishment for dropping the cake down her dress. There was Kakashi suggesting fish the cake out first. Rock Lee rarely saw that shade of red on Gai's face.
There was the garter flying through the air, landing neatly in Rock Lee's hand. There were Ino and Sakura fighting to see who caught the bouquet. There was Sakura with it triumphantly in her hand, and for once allowing Rock Lee to express his love without slapping or dodging him. She still refused to be his girlfriend, but Rock Lee considered it to be a large step taken.
There were Iruka and Kurenai dancing together on top of the table after a sufficient amount of sake, and there was Rock Lee looking forlorn because he wasn't allowed to have any.
There was Kakashi gaily swinging a red-faced Gai across the dance floor, and there were the pictures of the subsequent dance contest that all the guests participated in.
There was Shino looking triumphant after winning the contest.
There was Sakura and Sasuke and Naruto sleeping in a heap after overindulging in cherries jubilee that hadn't had all the alcohol cooked off.
There was Iruka curled up under the table, and Kurenai on top of it.
There was the final picture of Gai and Shizune sneaking out the door.
Rock Lee shut the album.