Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
It was only Shikamaru's second time in Sunagakure.
He had come once before to help proctor the Chūnin Exams years ago. The weather then was a mix of sweltering heat, wind, and dust that ruthlessly stuck to his skin. As he and Temari trekked through the sand, these elements remained. But now it completely suffocated his nose, blurred his vision, and clung to his body persistently. After three days of travel, he wanted nothing more than to pass out on the sandy floor and wake up in another three days. Man, he hated the desert.
"We're almost there," Temari said, pointing at Suna's massive desert walls. "Don't start crying now."
"Wasn't planning on it."
"Really? You haven't complained about the heat, fatigue, or anything really since we left. You sure you don't want to start now?" She was perfectly smug.
"Nope."
"Oh c'mon, I give you permission. Just say how troublesome this trip was!" She pulled her face into the same exasperated expression he'd often default to whenever he had to expend any effort. "If you say it once, I'll leave you alone."
"Huh! I won't give you the satisfaction. I said I'd make this trip so I won't complain about it, alright?"
This declaration amused Temari. She continued to lead the way, all the while considering the events of the last week. Was it the proposal? Was that the cause of this attitude change in the usually nonchalant Leaf shinobi? Could the prospect of marriage really alter someone's entire personality? Unbeknownst to her, it wasn't that Shikamaru didn't have complaints. He just wasn't saying them.
As the pair approached Suna's entrance, spotting two terrifying and familiar faces awaiting them, Shikamaru could have retreated to his usual ways. But he wanted to present a new image of himself to Temari, as well as her brothers. This image was him as a responsible, accountable young shinobi who could take care of his future wife. Though Temari was hardly the type of person who needed coddling—in fact, Yoshino often thanked Temari for taking care of her son, much to Shikamaru's embarrassment. Still, he wanted now more than ever to demonstrate how capable he was.
So despite Gaara and Kankuro staring inauspiciously at them as they approached, he would not say what he wanted to say. But he sure would think it.
"Temari," Gaara greeted.
"Nara," Kankuro stated.
We're not even on a first-name basis? After all this time? Troublesome...
"Kankuro. Lord Kazekage." Shikamaru bowed. He was lazy, but he wasn't stupid.
Temari stood baffled, watching this greeting from hell. But once it was done, she did something quite odd. At the foot of Suna's entrance, she pulled the Kazekage and his second-in-command into a tight, inescapable hug.
"I've missed you both!" The brothers looked at each other over her shoulders in disbelief. Just as quickly, she released the hug and adjusted them to her height for inspection.
"Gaara, I can tell you haven't been sleeping. You know what we've talked about." She turned to Kankuro. "And you. Didn't I tell you to wash your face before bed?" She furiously wiped the purple gook away from his eye, much to Kankuro's embarrassment and Shikamaru's concealed enjoyment. It didn't matter who the brothers were to the village: Temari was still their fiercely protective big sister.
Hibiki, a low-rank advisor to the Suna Council, soon rushed up. "Lady Temari, it is a pleasure to have you back in the village." The young advisor was an excitable kunoichi who at times could be too stuffy and eager to please.
The blonde waved, adjusting her fan casually on her back. "Thanks, but please, no titles. Just call me Temari."
"Uhm, yes...Temari? Of course!"
The party of five made their way into Suna towards the Kazekage's main house. Temari and Kankuro made small talk over recent events in the village: the expansion of the academy and its curriculum, new industry on the village's east end. The yearly festival was on the horizon which, from their tone, elicited a mix of strained emotions. Hibiki trailed behind, ushering away clusters of villagers eager to see Suna's royalty out and about. Gaara and Shikamaru ended up walking side-by-side in long, measured silence. The Kazekage robe and hat obscured most of Gaara's face. Shikamaru couldn't get a read on him. No one mentioned the engagement.
"So, Nara," Kankuro said, his back turned but clearly addressing the Leaf shinobi behind him. "Hope you like the weather here."
Shikamaru nodded. "It's great, actually. It never gets this warm in Konoha. It feels nice." Keep your answers short and simple. Don't give them a reason to attack.
"Glad you feel that way. Wasn't sure how you felt about the desert. It's hard to see the clouds from here. I know you and Temari love watching clouds. It's your favorite pastime, right?"
Shikamaru tensed. Temari scowled at the middle child: You don't have to be petty about this. It was a long walk back to the main house.
When they arrived, Hibiki led Temari and Shikamaru to their chambers before everyone would convene for dinner. That was another detail Shikamaru didn't particularly like about the desert: early meals. It was only 4 PM but the setting sun threw the whole village into premature dusk. The sand was always lifting, obscuring the sky. The Suna landscape looked like a dark, grainy, ceaseless canvas. Nothing like the cool bright lights of Konoha.
Shikamaru wasn't particularly hungry either. He would much rather spend the rest of the night laying beside Temari. It had become his favorite pastime, he was not too ashamed to admit. Even on nights where they resigned to do nothing, he loved picking her brain for thoughts on any topic really. What did she think of the peace between the Five Great Nations? Would it last? Yakiniku Q or Ramen Ichiraku? He favored the former but she was Naruto's ally when it came to defending the latter. Once he asked if she remembered her mother, Karura. However, she fell unusually silent on this matter, so he dropped it.
Now, as Hibiki led them through the long halls of the Kazekage's house, Shikamaru was quite curious. What type of room had Temari grown up in? Did it reflect her personality? Had it changed since she was younger? Maybe he would see a picture of Karura…
"Your chambers, sir." The advisor paused at a door in the middle of the hall and gestured to Shikamaru. He blinked. She didn't address Temari, he thought.
"Oh, are we not…"
"Lady Temari—I mean, Temari!—will be residing in her own room. You will be staying in a guest chamber." Once again, Hibiki motioned to the door in front of them.
Temari bore a small sheepish smile. "It's Suna's custom. Only married patrons can stay in the same room when visiting the Kazekage's house."
Shikamaru nodded. That's right, they were only engaged. And from what he deduced the young advisor didn't even know that much. Temari had sent a letter telling Gaara and Kankuro the news in advance, but neither of them mentioned the topic on the walkover.
So, they're giving us time before they interrogate us. Shikamaru internally winced. Not sure if that's the better option…
Hibiki handed him a key.
"We'll be leaving you to get settled. Dinner with Lord Kazekage, Lord Kankuro, and the Suna Council is at 4:30 PM sharp. They look forward to making further acquaintance." The advisor turned sharply on her heel to continue down the hall.
Temari followed but quickly turned back towards Shikamaru to point at the advisor. Sorry, she doesn't get out much, her look said. He could tell.
He settled into his room uncharacteristically quick, not wanting to be late for dinner. First impressions were important. True, he had met Temari's brothers several years ago at their first Chūnin Exams. But did they really notice him back then? At the time, he didn't think Gaara even registered anyone he didn't want to kill in bloodlust. Shikamaru shuddered thinking about the incident in Rock Lee's hospital room.
Since then, however, he had grown an almost friendly bond with the three Sand shinobi. Even after they conspired to destroy the village, they redeemed themselves more than once. Hell, Shikamaru let them teach at the Leaf's Academy for a brief time after. In the present, he recognized this was a subconscious tactic to learn more about Temari and her siblings, a side effect of his hyper-calculative teenage brain. Still, never did he think he would become this close to the Sand's former Jinchūriki and callous puppeteer. From enemies to allies to in-laws. This is turning out to be very troublesome…
Shikamaru fell back onto the bed. The image he was trying hard to maintain since arriving in Suna was collapsing the more he thought about it. There was no fooling Gaara or Kankuro, no matter how much they matured since their first meeting. They had come to trust him as an ally, but he wondered if that was enough.
At 4:16 PM, Shikamaru heard a knock. Uhh, they both came to end me before dinner, he thought as he moped towards his demise.
He was met with a pleasant surprise as Temari burst through the door, tackling Shikamaru onto the bed behind them. She had redone her two high ponytails and changed into her long purple kimono with a dark green sash. She works fast, Shikamaru thought.
"I've come to take you to dinner," she said, a little tease in her tone.
"That's cool, I was just getting ready."
Temari laughed. "I can't tell."
He glanced down at his attire. He was still wearing his jōnin vest and had barely made a dent in unpacking. Even when he tried to move quickly, he always fell back into his old habits.
"Well, I was getting ready," he muttered. "Before you showed up and tackled me."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." Shikamaru assessed the situation. With her hands on his chest, wielding superior upper body strength to him, Temari had the advantage. He didn't particularly mind.
"Anyways," he continued. "Aren't you not supposed to be here? What happened to 'Suna custom'?"
"Technically, I can't sleep here," Temari clarified. "They never said I can't come by and personally escort you."
"Oh….?"
"Yeah, oh…"
It was 4:18 PM. With Temari inches away from his face, Shikamaru could tell the direction of this encounter would inevitably make him late to dinner and he could not have that. He gently pulled his fiancée off him and rose from the bed.
"Sorry, gotta get ready."
"You're the worst, Nara." No doubt, she was using Kankuro's cold greeting against him.
"Whatever, woman." He could play petty, too.
Still, the encounter had put him at ease. Temari had a knack for keeping the overthinker from getting ahead of himself. And even when he wanted to retreat into rest so he wouldn't have to think, she wouldn't let him. Her presence always grounded him in reality, no matter if he liked it or not. He continued to get ready while Temari teased him endlessly.
"Ya know, when we are married, you can't just get rid of me so easily." Her feet swung like a pendulum off the side of the bed. "You'll have to see me every day."
"I already see you every day," Shikamaru retorted.
"Yeah, but legally, you'll have to see me every day."
"Not exactly...the law doesn't say that specifically."
"My law does." She rested her chin peacefully on a throw pillow.
It was only Shikamaru's second time in Suna, but he felt like this trip wouldn't be so bad after all. He still hated the desert and its early dinners. But if this was where his future wife hailed from then it couldn't be so bad.
Neither of them heard Hibiki listening just outside the cracked door.
At 4:21 PM, the advisor scurried down the corridor and towards the Suna Council's meeting chamber. She hoped they didn't leave for dinner yet. She had to inform at least one person of the intel she had acquired.
