Chapter 54

Naruto grins from ear to ear as he watches Tsunade-bachan, her assistant whom she called Shizune, and her pet pig Tonton get ready for their return trip to Konoha. There isn't that much to pack for the group and obviously they are always ready to move, considering that Lady Tsunade has a penchant for losing in high stake gambles.

"Quit smirking, Naruto," Tsunade demands, glowering at the blond shinobi who appears to be gloating to her. "I only agreed because I can't go back against my word even though you clearly deceived me," she growls.

"Anou-sa, Ero-senin said it would be difficult to find and finally persuade you to come back to our village as the Hokage. So the old man predicted that the chance of us getting back to Konoha before the wedding is nil." Naruto smiles widely, obviously doing a chicken dance in his mind. "But Ero-senin is wrong! We will definitely arrive in time. That makes me sooooo happy dattebayo!"

Shikamaru, leaning his back on the beige painted wall watching Tonton as the small animal prances around Shizune's legs and causing her to almost stumble twice already, suddenly stiffens. He turns his head to face Naruto, who is standing on the centre of Tsunade's inn room, as he queries casually, "Who's getting married?"

Naruto swivels his own head to look at Shikamaru. With the expression of instant depression written all over his face, the blond shinobi then admits, "Sasuke and well—the scariest, strongest, most beautiful kunoichi I know." Naruto's lower lip juts out, his sullen face becomes more apparent as he continues, "I really didn't want to attend their wedding at first so I jumped at the chance for this mission but then as the date approaches and the uncertainty that we could finish this mission in time for the wedding made me realize I want to be there too. They are my closest friends and I have to be there."

'...the scariest, strongest, most beautiful kunoichi…' Naruto's words reverberate in Shikamaru's head. Naruto even claims the woman to be one of his 'closest friends'. Shikamaru's sure Naruto means Temari. It was already five weeks and five days since the last time he saw her. Two days less for it to be exactly six weeks since that night. Sure, a lot of things could have happened since then but still less than six weeks is such a short time to contemplate getting married to somebody else after their night together. How could she? Anger swells in Shikamaru's chest. Temari is his. Not Sasuke's. "When?" Shikamaru asks tonelessly, successfully hiding his racing thoughts.

Naruto sighs dramatically before he answers, "Two days from now." And just as abruptly he grins, giving Shikamaru the V sign with his fingers happily emphasizing the number two.

Shikamaru understands Naruto's unexpected humour. They have only two days before the wedding but then that is exactly how long it would take for them to return to Konoha. So yeah, they will be just in time for the ill-conceived nuptial.

Shikamaru believes in logic but the coincidence isn't lost to him. Maybe fate is trying to tell him something. It has already taken him this long to locate Lady Tsunade, it could have taken two days more but it didn't. Maybe it is meant for him to stop the wedding.

Being aware that his reasoning is utterly flawed, Shikamaru battles with the voice inside his head that tells him to stop it and just go back home to Suna; to simply accept whatever punishment his father metes out even if it means his death and thus, in the end, allowing Temari to meet Lady Tsunade without his encumbering presence in Konoha.

Shikamaru closes his eyes and when he opens them again his attention is inadvertently grabbed by Tonton. The pig gives out a gleeful oink oink as it loops around Shizune's feet, not seeming to realize that its presence is actually hindering Shizune as she hurries preparing some things that look like dried medicinal leaves and twigs and packing them separately with different sets of paper.

Swooping down to pick up the walking pork meat, Shikamaru mumbles, "I'll wait outside...Better hurry. We don't want to miss the wedding."

Shizune, the young assistant of Lady Tsunade who wears a bluish-black kimono, raises her eyes from her chore and watches the young Suna shinobi as he left the room with Tonton squeaking all the way. He used the word 'we'. He's coming with them. Shizune turns her head towards the new Hokage, trying to catch the older kunoichi's eyes. It immediately becomes apparent that Lady Tsunade doesn't seem to think that there's anything wrong with what the Suna shinobi just said.

Shizune's black brows knit together into a frown. Through the years of her self inflicted exile, Lady Tsunade has always adamantly refused to set foot on or anywhere near Suna. Shizune has thought that is because Lady Tsunade distrusts and hate all Suna shinobis but that doesn't appear to be true with Kamaru. Lady Tsunade doesn't even blink when the young man just picks up her pig.

Shizune hastens up, a bit worried about Tonton even if Lady Tsunade seems to be not.

—o0o—

"Oi!" Naruto calls as he runs faster to keep up with Kamaru. "You don't have to come with us you know, so if you are rushing to Konoha so you could return back to Suna faster, you don't have to. I could protect Tsunade-bachan from any surprise attack."

"Tch."

Naruto swerves to Kamaru's other side still keeping with the Suna shinobi's rapid pace. "I pictured myself rushing to Konoha just like this to stop their wedding," Naruto reveals, his voice sounding a bit hurt. "But I know I can't stop it. She's pregnant."

After hearing Naruto's disclosure, Shikamaru suddenly loses a footing and drops down to the forest ground, recovering in time to land on one of his knees. Breathing hard, he jumps immediately back up on the higher tree branches, gaining more speed. He has more reason now to prevent the wedding from taking place. Temari is carrying his child and that troublesome woman has the gall to pass it off as that prick's child. It's the only explanation that makes sense with the hasty marriage. Shikamaru then allows his anger to rule him.

Logic be damned.

But even then Shikamaru doesn't miss the fact that Naruto also appears to love Temari.

TBC

~7 19 11AF~

~U 8 4 12~

A/N: Hmn…review.