33
A Bribe
Tenten was sitting in Sakura's flat. She showed the ring to the girls before they asked about it. It was, what she thought, a good play. Sakura's expression turned worried - she had no idea Temari's condition had worsened and she probably didn't understand why this was happening faster than it was planned.
"I can't believe it!" Hinata leaned on the wall, then sat down on the little sofa beside Tenten. "You are engaged…?"
Tenten nodded.
"With Kankuro-san?" The black-haired girl gasped with surprise.
Tenten nodded.
"And you are getting married… tomorrow?"
Tenten nodded. And Hinata fainted. But it was often happening to her, so it was not a surprise. When her emotions were too much to handle, she was fainting. It was her coping mechanism. When she recovered and came in full consciousness, Hinata hugged Tenten, truly happy because of her and for her.
"This is so exciting!" Ino said, grinning. "Wondering why you are in such a rush though…" She said quietly, but all of the three others just ignored her intentionally.
"Yes, Kankuro-san is a really good person." Hinata smiled shyly.
"How do you know that?" Ino asked, raising her eyebrows. "He is here for about 10 days. Can you determine someone in 10 days?"
"But they have seen each other for more than that, right?" The pale-eyed girl gullible looked at Tenten.
"Yes, we went on dates a few times over the last year. He really is a nice person." Tenten confirmed.
"Oh, you should tell us some more details!" Ino grinned slyly.
Sakura and Tenten looked up and crossed their gazes. Sakura whispered only with lips "Use your imagination." The brown-haired girl blushed and that was enough to make Ino giggle and Hinata was going to faint yet again.
Tenten told an imaginary story of a few dates, of his proposal as well. And when Ino insisted on more intimate details, she didn't have to imagine the soft touch of his lips. She just decorated it and multiplicated it.
Sakura looked pleased with the way the story went. Then Ino went out for just a bit.
"It still feels weird." Hinata said. "But I am so happy someone promised you love and protection till the end of your life."
As if something stabbed Tenten's chest. He didn't promise me anything… But a slight smile blossomed on her lips the next moment - Well, he promised to fix my washing machine…
"Hinata, you will also find someone that will promise you all of that pretty soon, you will see." Tenten hugged the other girl, genuinely wishing that for her.
"You think so?" She asked and a light red shade crossed her cheeks.
She resembles Neji so painfully much…
...
Tenten went back home when Kankuro was already asleep. She was sure he heard her, but she was really grateful he didn't react and pretend he didn't.
Then she went to bed and everything came back to normal. It was the first night she didn't cry for the last few days.
On the next morning Tenten woke up to the sound of running water. It was the shower. She looked up the clock - it was 8. In an hour they had to be at the Hokage's office to get married. She insisted on preparing alone… If she didn't, she would have all the girls here right now.
She got up and headed to the bathroom door - the water had stopped running for some time. The girl knocked loudly.
"Yes, yes, I will be out soon!" Kankuro's voice came from inside the bathroom.
And as he said, he soon opened the door - water was dripping from his hair, his chest was bare, he had only a towel wrapped around his hips.
"Sorry I didn't wake you, but you were looking so peaceful there…" He smiled. "It is all yours…" Kankuro said and gestured, inviting her to go to the bathroom.
Tenten blushed slightly but tried to smile. Then she noticed his paints in one of his arms.
"Please… don't put any of that on your face…" She asked pleadingly.
"Why not?"
"I…" She just wanted to tell him the truth that she liked him better when his face was visible, but somehow she was ashamed to say it. "Just, please…" Was all she could say.
The young man looked at her wondering but at the end he nodded and handed her the paints.
"You can put them back, then." He stepped out of the bedroom and headed to the living room. Then he stopped and turned to her. "I also want to make a "just" request."
"What is it?"
"Put on a dress and leave your hair down." His smile was warm and a bit warning.
"Erm… why?" She flinched slightly, trying to cover herself, even if she wasn't naked at all.
"As you said.. just, please…"
She nodded and hid in the bathroom.
What was going on there? She was feeling… strange. He was looking at her differently. And remembering his remark from yesterday, she trembled by… excitement? She wasn't sure what it was, but she was not really scared, just feeling very uncomfortable by the heat.
…
They were all in time in the Hokage's tower. Godaime played her role more than perfectly. She declared their rights and obligations without giving out a sign it wasn't something real.
"Ok, now.. you sign here." Tsunade pointed to one empty field on the paper and Kankuro signed it with no hesitation. "Now, you Tenten should sign here… Wonderful! Now I pronounce you husband and wife!"
They both nodded and each of them put on the golden ring on the other one's hand. Then they thanked Godaime for the time she spared and headed down to the door.
"You may also kiss your bride." Shizune intervened, looking at the two Huuga and Ino.
Tenten stopped. She turned to the young man she just got married to. He had respected her wish for not putting on any makeup and she was grateful because of it. But she also went along with his "just" request and came up dressed in a long light blue dress, without sleeves. Her soft hair was cascading her bare back and was making her look like a picture.
She nodded, giving him permission to kiss her.
Kankuro came closer. Slowly wrapped his arms around her. One hand went on the small of her back, the other one grabbed her hand and set it on his neck. while leaning down to her lips. Her eyes went wide open… But just before he pressed her lips, he whispered quietly: "Close your eyes…"
And she did it - she closed them. His image was replaced by an explosion of sensations - his warm lips, touching gently hers the same time his hand pressed her body with his. She felt his tongue brushing so slightly over her lips, but he didn't demand access. Her lower belly tightened and this time she didn't quite ignore it. A heat wave creepled through her body and made her started to shiver.
Neji's eyebrows trembled slightly. He never thought he would feel anything if he saw Tenten kissing a man. He actually never imagined Tenten would kiss at all… Maybe the thought she had been kind of reserved for him passed through his mind really fast. He realised he thought of her like his property, now he felt like he had been left with something less… And he felt bad because of it. What the… is that feeling? It is unpleasant and foreign and I don't like it! He was angry with himself, he lost the perfect control he had been having for many years, and he hated it.
Kankuro let Tenten out of his hug and grabbed her hand. Hinata was so red, he had the feeling she would explode.
"We shall go to pack up, then." Said Tenten with a wide smile and eye pleasing blush on her cheeks.
"Right! You take care to be at the east gates at 8 am, sharp." Godaime winked at Kankuro. "Make sure you don't oversleep, eh."
The young man laughed and the girl became redder.
"I still have some work to do for Kurenai-sensei." He said and Tsunade nodded. Then both of them left the office.
"Now," Godaime started when the door closed, "Neji, Lee and Gai would accompany the two newlyweds to Suna. Of course I am also going with them."
Hinata looked at her shocked:
"B-but… Godaime Tsunade-hime, you can't leave the village, can you?" She whispered.
"Within given circumstances - I can. I got invited by the Kazekage himself for his brother's wedding with one of our shinobis." The woman smiled.
Hinata nodded obdiandly and sighed.
"I am going to show you out…" Shizune said, slightly pushing the rest of the people out of the door.
When the door shut again, Tsunade finally took a deep breath. She had one strange cunning flame in the amber eyes. As she saw something she thought of funny and pleasant.
In a few minutes she reached under her desk longing for her hidden treasure.
"Whaaat?!" She growled angrily and started to check every single drawer and cabinet.
…
"Maybe you are looking for this… thing?" A bored voice came up from around the window.
Tsunade looked up to see Shikamaru, who was sniffing the opened bottle sake. HER bottle.
Shikamaru was a young man, with his black hair pulled up in a ponytail, really dark eyes and bored expression all over his face. He looked like a real lazy ass. More than anything he liked the peace without any "troublesome" people around, making a fuss. But according to his opinion, all people were troublesome, so he was trying his best to be alone when possible. He was often hiding on a roof, laying down, while he was staring at the white fluffy clouds. Only then he could relax for real and feel good… Among other things, he happened to be the smartest man here with an IQ of over 200… And by coincidence, he thought that it would be too big of a pain to point this out.
And Godaime knew all of that.
And he was well aware she knew that…
"I am sure Shizune is dying to get her hands on this. I have heard that she poured the bottle's contents into the toilet." He continued calmly.
"Don't you dare!" She growled. The truth was she used all of her creativity to sneak in this precious bottle. She had no idea when and if she would have such a chance again.
"Of course I wouldn't do such a thing." He waved a hand as he was chasing away a fly.
"And what are you doing?"
The man thoughtfully sniffed the bottle again and wrinkled his nose…
"Are you trying to BLACKMAIL me?! I am the HOKAGE, for fuck's sake, and I ORDER you to give me the bottle!" She said commandingly, placing her hands on her hips. This would definitely go along with every single shinobi, but this one. He was too smart and realised really well what kind of weapon he held in hands.
"And I am the person that will bring the bottle back to you and will give you one more." He said with a slight boredom in his voice. "If you tell me what's going on, you will get two bottles of sake." He explained calmly and sat on the window frame. "I believe this kind of proposition is called "a bribe".
Tsunade was going to lose this game. She always did… There was her nickname coming from - The Eternal loser. Innerly she admitted the young man has orientated pretty well. She smiled and sighed:
"Well, actually…"
...
When Godaime was done with the explanations, Shikamaru was silent for some time. He needed a few moments to arrange the whistling thoughts in his head.
"I want to travel to Suna with you and the others."
"I kind of sensed it would happen this way." Tsunade sighed, the man smiled and handled her 2 bottles of sake.
"I think it was worth it, wasn't it?" The tips of his lips curled slightly up, knowingly.
Her wide smile was saying more than any words would be able to. With a happy sigh, Tsunade poured some sake in a cup. Then she hid them, so Shizune wouldn't find them, or at least was hoping she wouldn't. Godaime swallowed one time with a happy face, then she looked up Shikamaru curiously:
"Why do you want to go, anyway? You don't like parties. To think of it, you don't even like casual gatherings…" It was like she was thinking out loud.
"Well, I…" He turned his face slightly away. " Temari is one of the most troublesome people I know, but I have to tell her something that I couldn't tell her until now. And I am afraid it may be too late if I don't do it now…" His explanation was really serious. "It will be a really big pain if I can't talk with her at least one more time."
"Mhm…" Tsunade smiled slyly.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes with annoyance and dashed out the window ...
