35
No Joke
The two shinobis were walking slowly on the streets of Konoha. Tenten was looking around and as if she was soaking every image to store in a virtual library she would need later on. From time to time she was waving at someone familiar, smiling.
"Do you miss Suna?" She asked suddenly, turning her head to Kankuro.
He only nodded.
"I still can't comprehend the fact I am not going to see my friends for so long." She whispered. "How do you handle this?"
He didn't rush his answer. The man wondered what and how much he could share with her. In the end, he decided to be honest:
"My very close friends are Temari and Gaara." He looked at her. "I do have a lot of other not so close friends I occasionally see. Also I do have some girlfriends, which…" He stopped, thinking it wouldn't be very wise to share that kind of detail with her. It was about his sex female friends. But since he didn't share this kind of activity with Tenten, she didn't really have to know anything about his habits and preferences. Maybe in case their relationship goes to another level, eventually, doubtfully…
"Which…?"
"It doesn't really matter." He smiled and waved with a hand. "Back to your initial question - yes, I do miss them both."
She tried to read his facial expression with no success. She was about to insist for him to explain, but her attempt was rudely interrupted…
"Heeey! Tenten! Kankuro!" Someone shouted from the other end of the street, forcing them to stop and face them. Kiba, Akamaru and Naruto were running to them.
Without realising what she was doing, Tenten sought the man's hand. Right now, in front of those idiots, she felt the sharp need of support. And yes, right now, Neji would do a perfect job with the two and their bullshit. But Neji was nowhere to be found at the moment…
Kankuro on other hand, was really surprised by her gesture, but he was smart enough to sense her rapidly increasing fear, judging on her cold and sweaty palm. He squeezed her hand. He could be counted on. And he would definitely defend her if needed. Actually, defending her, he was defending himself according to the legal side of it.
"Wow! Tenten, if you just know what a joke!" - Naruto started to shout before he even approached enough for a normal conversation.
"Yeah! Hinata made an incredible joke!" Laughed Kiba.
"She told us you got married this morning!" The blonde stopped in front of them. "I just fell on the ground laughing."
"Just imagine it!" Kiba grabbed his belly in an attempt to stop the laugh. "I don't even know where she got the idea from."
Then his gaze fell on their hands - their entangled fingers. One couldn't see where one hand finished and where the other started. And Kiba's eyes widened when he saw their rings.
"Hey, baaka…" He hit Naruto's ribs with his elbow, almost whispering now. "Look there…" He pointed to the rings.
The blonde made a really ridiculous facial expression:
"Oi, Hinata wasn't joking…"
The two young men looked really funny. They were looking at the rings, then to each other, opened their mouths like a fish and couldn't really say anything. And they didn't notice Hinata coming their way, waving greetings to Kankuro and Tenten.
"I just believed she made a joke…" Mumble Naruto.
"I wouldn't joke with such a thing, Naruto-kun." Her voice made the two young men, and Akamaru, turn towards her.
"All right, but… Do Lee, Neji and Gai-sensei know about this?" Kiba asked seriously.
"Neji was in Godaime's office for the ceremony this morning," smiled Hinata. "Sakura and Ino were also there."
"Sakura was with you?! She knew?!" The blond frowned. "Why did she know about it and I didn't?"
"Because you are a prattler," grinned Kiba.
There was a few minutes of silence, then there was protesting shouting from Naruto's side. The rest of the shinobis were laughing, the tension dropped off somehow. But the passing people were looking at the group with annoyance since they were standing in the middle of the street. Hinata slowly pushed the rest towards one of the sides - she was feeling quite uncomfortable when people were looking at her accusingly.
"No, no… I still can't believe this." Naruto shook his head.
"Is it so surprising?" Kankuro asked with a slightly weird smile.
"Well, yeah… Honestly it is."
"Why would that be, then?" The sand shinobi looked determined to get the information.
"Because this is just Tenten." He shrugged. "She is just… she. None of us has ever thought of her like she would get married…"
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata was the first one to react, almost shouting. That was so untypical, it made the blond shut up immediately.
"What's wrong with you?!" Kiba slapped his neck.
Kankuro couldn't believe his ears. What a brat! He thought, getting angry. He just couldn't think of a one thing that wasn't worth it in the girl, whose hand he was holding. She had the look, she was really sexy according to his senses, she had the temper, she could beat his ass off and to look like the most fragile female… She was more than capable of taking care of a family from what he saw up until now. What could be not enough according to her?
That comment coming from Naruto's mouth was the last drop in Tenten's cup of patience. She tore out of Kankuro's hand and stepped in:
"You, with your bullshit…! Why do you have to stick your nose into something that doesn't concern you at all!?" She yelled, taking one more step. "What, the fuck, means "none of us has ever thought of her like she would get married"?! You want to tell me I do not look like a woman? Or you want to tell me I am ugly? Or that No One would ever Want to marry me?"
"No, no, no…" Naruto shook his head.
"Then what's your problem, bonehead?!"
He couldn't say a word. Tenten was furious, her fists were trembling with anger, threatening to land on someone's annoying face. She eventually turned away and paced down the street.
Kankuro couldn't hold his smile. He realised he actually felt proud of the woman, who was currently his, at least legally. The role model for a woman for him was mostly his sister, so subconsciously he was seeking for a woman, resembling her. Temari was strong, could hold her grounds, but she was also caring and tender to her brothers, and in general to people she considered as close. So a woman who fought back and defended herself turned out to be something he liked.
"She doesn't look like a woman now…" Mumbled Naruto.
"Crap!" Said Kankuro and looked at them both. "This is not just a woman, this is a hot and absolutely amazing woman. The fact, you stupids, don't see it, is only doing me a favour - I got her, for me."
Naruto and Kiba exchanged confused gazes when the sand shinobi turned his back to them. He then tucked his hands in his pockets and followed Tenten. But he wasn't really trying to catch up with her. He wanted to give her some time to cool off. He smirked - to tell a woman that she doesn't look like one and that you didn't think she would ever get married… What were those idiots thinking? Even Gaara wouldn't do such a stupid thing and he was total brat according to women. Kankuro looked over his shoulder - Hinata was saying something to Kiba and Naruto and they were looking down. Obviously she also had a way of handling idiots.
Kankuro sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. The fever was creeping stubbornly over his back. He started to feel a bit cold. He thought this was going to be one really long night for him…
...
"I can't tell what the mission is, mother." Shikamaru sighed.
"OK, then at least tell me how long you will be absent," the black-haired and black-eyed woman snapped.
"I don't know. Depends on Godaime. I should stay around 2 weeks, but she may send me back earlier or make me stay longer."
Something clattered and the woman headed to the kitchen to check it in, while mumbling unhappy. She left her son in her husband's company, who came back just a few minutes earlier.
"I know why Godaime is going to Suna, son." He said calmly. "And I am well aware you are not in the list for this mission."
"Your information is old." The young man squinted wearily and headed for the door to leave before his mother returned. He opened the door.
"Hey, Shikamaru," the man said.
"Yes?" He stopped at the door.
"I really hope Tsunade will be able to help her…" The young man's eyes widened. "If not, you going there would be meaningless…"
"How do you…?" Shikamaru frowned, his facial expression changing to an atypically lively one. It was briefly, just for a spare moment, then he put on the usual bored mask.
"I was also young once… even if that sounds impossible to you." Shikaku smiled. "Go now… And may you have good luck."
The young man nodded shortly and disappeared out of the door.
...
"Gaara-sama!" Shouted someone even before the door flew open.
In the office entered a girl, maybe just a few years younger than Gaara himself.
"Note… Konoha… your brother…" The girl could barely take a breath, so she wasn't really able to form a whole sentence right now.
Gaara calmly poured water into a glass, then went near the girl and handed her the glass.
"Drink some water, take a deep breath, calm down and tell me what is going on." He ordered monotonously.
Matsuri was the first and actually only student of Gaara. She was a cute girl with brown shoulder's length hair, black eyes and a really charming smile. She was 4 years younger than her sensei due to the current circumstances, which were Gaara becoming a chunin at the age of 12. And at the age of 13 he became a sensei in the newly created training school by him and his siblings. He was sensei for 2 years, then on 15 he was pronounced as Kazekage. Then Matsuri turned out to be one of his most trusted shinobis together with Kankuro, Temari and few others.
"Gaara-sama, there is a letter from your brother." She said slowly, still breathing difficulty.
"Let me see." He took out his hand, expectantly.
Matsuri handed him the letter - little white paper, folded multiple times. The Kazekage unfolded it. There was a little smile on his lips while he read it. The girl had seen him smile so rarely, it was like a mirage.
"Very well." He said and squashed the paper in his palm. "Could you please go and find Natsui for me, please?" Gaara asked.
"Yes, Gaara-sama." She bowed and got out of the office right away.
The Kazekage sat in his chair and turned to the window.
For some time Matsuri had realised she was thinking a lot about her sensei, more than she was comfortable with. And a bit differently than before as well... Maybe this was going on for years, but she became aware about what she felt since Gaara was kidnaped. But no matter how her feelings changed, she was going to stay one of his closest people. It was going to be enough… Right? And he would never show any kind of romantic interest in her, and she knew it. At all… So Matsuri was going to help out and do whatever she could, just to be close to him. What she could do now was to find Natsui and she was running to get this done…
