Chapter (11)2

Sasuke and Neji are about to leave when Ino run into them in the hospital foyer.

"Leaving so soon?" Ino asks. "Didn't you two just arrived? Visiting hours just started."

Sasuke just stands there after being stopped by one of his wife's closest friends. It is Neji who answers back, "They're still asleep."

"So? Come on, let's wake them up," enthuses Ino as she grabs Sasuke's and Neji's arm, turning them to go back to the room where they came from. "And why are you two, together? Are you really here to visit the baby and Tem or you're just here to check on Kamaru? You even beat me being their first visitor."

Only silence meets Ino's question.

"I'll take that as a yes to the latter. You did not even bring congratulatory flowers. Yamanaka Flower shop will give you discount when you visit my godchild and Tem again."

"You didn't either," states Sasuke, looking pointedly sideways at Ino who came to the hospital, empty handed—making it easy for her to grab him and Neji.

"Tem would not want me to bring flowers. Maybe next time I'll bring a cake."

Upon opening the door to Temari's room, the scene that falls into their line of sight is Kamaru lying on the narrow hospital bed, with Temari lying halfway on top of him, her hand underneath his untucked shirt, with the blanket covering her.

"I'm pretty sure only the patient should sleep on that bed," Ino announces to no one in particular.

"Shut up, Ino," Temari says from the bed, without opening her eyes. "Go away."

"Sasuke and Neji are here too," Ino mentions.

"Why are they together?" asks Temari, raising her head which is lying sideways on her human pillow.

"Probably to meet your husband," replies Ino.

"We're here to easily slit his throat," Sasuke says coldly, watching the man on the bed with his chest rising and falling in a regular pattern. Obviously, still sound asleep.

Neji checks the Suna nin's chakra. "Your husband doesn't even stir," remarks Neji as he frowns towards Temari. "I'm not sure if I'm insulted or amazed."

"He's just tired otherwise he will return both your stares and you guys can have a staring match. Ino will get to judge who will win," grunts Temari as she raises herself from her bed to properly look at Neji and Sasuke. "Thank you for coming to visit. I'll tell Kamaru you dropped by when he wakes up."

"Hey, we're not leaving without a souvenir. Come on guys, let's take a picture." Ino pulls the baby basket closer to the bed and grabs Sasuke and Neji to flank it with her then snaps a picture together with the couple on the bed.

"Ino!" Temari scrambles to get up from the bed to stop Ino. "I'm—"

"You look fine," Ino reassures. "My godchild—oh his blanket is blue—my godson will love this picture of his parents."

"Ino!" scowls Temari. She must look a sight, with her blonde hair, unbound. She's wearing the hospital gown and atleast covered by the blanket. While Shikamaru, well, he looks decent enough. His shirt rode up where her hand was before the three arrived. His pants is atleast zipped. "Ino, give me that. My hair isn't tied yet."

"Shhh you'll wake up Kamaru."

"Give me that camera!" hollers Temari.

Ino laughs then dashes towards the door. "You can have it if you catch me. Bye, boys! Sorry, I gotta run."

"Ino get back here!" Temari shouts from the bed, trying to stand up but it hurts to move.

Ino sees Temari's cringe so she hesitates only to promise, "Tomorrow I'll visit again. Ja 'ne!" Then she opens the door and leaves. She hasn't even said hello to Temari's son, her godson yet. Tomorrow, she will. For now, the picture is too precious to be deleted.

"How can your husband still be asleep, Temari?" Neji asks, sounding perplexed. "Is he drugged?"

Temari glances at Shikamaru, her hand still atop his chest even though she's now sitting on the bed. His hair is in disarray, her other hand itches to tuck his hair so she can see more of his face. She really did miss him. "No, he's not drugged," she scowls but her attention still at Shikamaru. Damn it, why can't she tuck his damn hair just because the two are still here...so she does it, gently moving Shikamaru's hair away from his tanned face.

Meanwhile, Sasuke comes closer to the bed and hits Shikamaru's nearest leg, hard.

Shikamaru just grunts in his sleep. "Five minutes."

Neji can't help it. His lips move, the start of a laugh before he catches himself. "For someone who came from Suna—"

"But," Sasuke answers, "Shikamaru is not from Suna, isn't he, Temari?"

"So his name is Shikamaru." Neji's brow furrows then it clears. "I see. Both the jutsu and his name. That means, Temari, you are—"

Temari raises her hand from Shikamaru's chest.

"Come back to bed, Temari," Shikamaru mumbles.

"You better get up, ass," Temari says in a no nonsense voice. "Sasuke and Neji are here asking some questions."

Rubbing his eyes, Shikamaru then squints at their two visitors. "Tch, troublesome. What do you want?"

"The Icha Icha Jutsu is a cover up story," Sasuke states. "For you and Temari—"

"Yes," Shikamaru replies abruptly.

"And since the former Hokage wrote it and Kakashi-sensei is doing his damnedest to promote it—I take it, they also know," Sasuke continues.

Shikamaru stifles a yawn. "Yes."

"Jiraiya knows," Neji adds, "then so too Lady Tsunade."

"Yes," Temari answers this time.

"Any body else?" Sasuke asks. "Ino?"

Temari shakes her head sideways.

Neji asks, "Choji?"

Temari looks at Shikamaru. Shikamaru shakes his head in a negative.

"So just us?" Neji asks, pointing to himself and Sasuke.

"Naruto probably also knows..." Shikamaru answers, "He just might not realize it yet."

"Of course, you two already fought. Naruto told me you did not slit his throat when you had a chance. Hence, dobe, Kakashi-sensei and two hokages trust you, Kamaru," Sasuke utters then sneers, "But I don't."

"Tch."

Sasuke continues as if he doesn't hear Shikamaru's snort. "Temari, Sakura might come visit you often and share notes on motherhood. Make sure your husband stay away from her."

Temari glowers at Sasuke. "Where are you going again this time?"

"An intel about explosions that needs to be investigated. "

"You're always going away. Poor Sarada," Temari clucks her tongue. "Poor Sakura."

Sasuke raises a brow before tipping his chin to gesture at Shikamaru. "I'm not the only one always going away."

"Tch, you're the only one always going away," Shikamaru rebukes, "I'm taking Temari and Shikadai with me the next time I go to Suna."

That news make Neji frowns. Temari is still a Konoha nin. That did not change. "Is that safe?"

Shikamaru gives Neji...a genuine looking smile.

Neji is taken aback by that smile. "What?" he asks.

Shikamaru purses his lips to remove his smile from his face. Neji doesn't need to know that he trust him. These Konoha nins are here in behalf of Temari and her kid's interest. He could not begrudge their visit. "We're not going to Suna anytime soon. Temari needs to recuperate first and Shikadai to grow atleast sevaral centimeters. Satisfied?"

Neji frowns. A Konoha nin and a child living with those uncouth beings in Suna. "You are coming back?"

Shikamaru shrugs his shoulders. "Well, if shinobis here are always treating me suspiciously, I suppose—" Shikamaru's rubs his chin, appearing to be deep in thought. "—I might consider Suna as our home."

"Stop that, Kamaru." Temari elbows her husband in his stomach. "He's just pulling your leg, Neji. We'll be back here."

"Of course, they'll be back." Sasuke sneers, "He's too afraid of Yoshino." After uttering those words, it dawns on Sasuke that somehow, what he just said rings true and if it does...the Suna shinobi in front of him isn't—couldn't turn out to be the enemy. Not unless, Shikamaru plans on betraying them later on and he's playing a part. But is he playing a part? Sasuke looks closer at the Suna nin on the bed, watching his body language. The bastard is leaning towards Temari, his fingers grabbing the elbow that hit him before they move down her arm to catch her hand so he can intertwined his fingers with hers. He looks tired but his eyes are clear and...happy. The asshole is a picture of a man in love. Sasuke should know, he catches his own reflection sometimes in Sakura's eyes. And he appears fucking like that. Sasuke grunts in distaste. "I'm going."

Sasuke marches towards the door without waiting for Neji.

Neji glances at the departing Sasuke. But rather than follow him, he approaches the infant swathed in blue cloth. "He looks just like you," he says. Obvious who he means by 'you'. Shikamaru.

Shikamaru finally gets up from the bed to look at his baby. "I wanted a girl that looks like Temari but this one will do."

Temari snorts. "He was crying when he saw Shikadai for the first time."

"Shut up, woman." Shikamaru glares at Temari for sharing such a personal moment with the other nin.

"His face was really wet," adds Temari.

Shikamaru groans. "That's it. I'm buying coffee. You can come with me, Neji, and asks more questions."

Neji nods his head at Shikamaru in agreement before he turns towards Temari and says, "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Temari smiles. "I hear Tenten also wants one."

Neji's ears appear pink tipped as he moves towards the door. But Shikamaru doesn't notice as he makes sure the baby is fine and simply still sleeping before he follows Neji out.

Temari moves to the center of her narrow bed then tries to catch on sleep. After a while she moves on her side, leaving enough room for Shikamaru.

The hospital people are still in awe of the Suna shinobi, they didn't tell him not to sleep on the patient's bed. Temari grins. She wonders for how long before they start treating Shikamaru like one of them.

—oOo—

~7 7,19 2O~

A/N: I do wonder...what am I doing back here? And then I do squeeze a 1600 words chapter. Okay. That's nice. I wonder if I can squeeze my brain some more. We'll see...

Ahh, I'm doing this for the challenge. The goal is to reach a 1k reviews...nah, just kidding (but hey I'm 3 places closer to the goal thanks to aynaziz, latezz123 and jojohohoho).