Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.


Actually, Temari just barely remembered her mother. The picture she kept in the drawer of her nightstand was rather old, taken before the oldest sibling was even born. Whatever she did recall of her from memory were pieces as small as fragments of sand.

For instance, her eyes were deep blue. Once, Karura caught Temari staring her down from the end of the hallway. Karura revealed a warm smile and scooped the toddler up in her arms so that they were eye-level.

"What's the matter, Temari?"

The child gazed at the woman before plopping two chubby hands over Karura's eyelids.

"Blu, blue..." she cooed. "Like sea!"

Karura laughed. "Yes, like the sea; I see you've been reading the storybooks I gave you. There's no sea around here. But there are in places far, far away." Temari didn't know what all of this meant, but she indeed read many colorful storybooks with her designated attendant every night. Her hands continued to grasp curiously at the woman's face.

It was moments like this before Rasa would spot Karura and call her away from the child that Temari just vaguely remembered. Barely enough to make someone miss a person.

She thought about this as she woke up in her room the next morning, preparing for the day. He looked surprised when I said I didn't miss her. Maybe because he misses his own dad. But he's known Shikaku practically his whole life. And he was actually a decent father, so he has reason to miss him. That person from her memory may not have even been Karura. She was reminded how similar Karura and her brother, Yashamaru, looked according to the pictures she compared. Yashamaru was rather soft-spoken himself and always kind to Temari whenever he wasn't tending to Gaara. It was possible he was the one who had given her all those storybooks. Just then a cleaning lady knocked to deliver fresh towels and soap as she did every day. Temari answered and thanked her for the supply.

Just before she closed the door, the lady added, "And congratulations on the engagement, Lady Temari! I always knew you'd find someone." The princess balked at the warm, unassuming wishes. Nonetheless, she managed to utter her thanks and closed the door.

News is already spreading? She could only assume this was Tojuro's doing: the snake worked fast. But it just meant she had to work faster.


The Sand Siblings, plus Shikamaru, found themselves walking the village marketplace after breakfast. Their civilian robes and hoods helped them maintain some modesty, enough to blend in with the busy fervor of the street. None of them felt comfortable speaking in the Kazekage's office.

After the events of last night, the brothers came to a mutual agreement to support Temari in whatever she decided. This, for better or worse, included Shikamaru. Though Gaara appreciated how cooly Shikamaru had handled Tojuro's accusations against him and Kankuro noted how his first priority was to follow Temari rather than argue his case. The brothers didn't share any of this with their sister. Secretly, they couldn't wait until Ebizo, the Senior Head, recovered from the sickness that had kept him bedridden the last few days. Then they wouldn't have to deal so much with the second Councilman.

"So, have you two picked a day yet?" Kankuro asked bluntly. Gaara trailed closely behind, listening.

"Not yet," Temari replied. "We're deciding when would work best for both sides."

"Then you need to decide quick. Or else, you-know-who will try to pick for you."

"He has no right. And you heard him last night, he's completely against this. Well, fine by me. We don't need his contribution." She put her hands on her hips. Shikamaru walked close beside her, flicking his lighter underneath his robe. It was a subconscious tick now. A passing merchant, not recognizing them as village royalty in their streetwear, tried to sell them a deal on produce to which they declined. Kankuro turned back to them.

"At least tell us the location of the wedding."

The pair glanced at each other before Temari answered, "Konoha."

"Konoha?"

"Yup. It wouldn't make sense having it here. Shikamaru is expecting quite a few guests. I wouldn't ask them to travel here and back through the desert."

"The council…" Kankuro clucked.

"Who cares!"

Shikamaru placed a hand on her shoulder. "Actually, I don't mind having it here in Suna. Most of my friends are shinobi anyways, so they won't mind the trek."

Temari crossed her arms. "What about Yoshino? You would make your mother walk across the desert? Kurenai and Mirai, your clan elders?"

"I'll arrange some type of transport for them."

"Yeah, but there are storms and giant scorpions to watch out for. It's still a serious trek!"

"Temari, it'll be okay!" Shikamaru's lighter-clicking had sped up, keeping pace with his current heartbeat. It was confounding: they could get annoyed with each other even when looking out for the other person's interests.

The middle child sighed. "So location is to be determined. Got it. Well, who's paying for the damn thing?" The couple paused their bickering. They hadn't exactly discussed that together.

But one of them had consulted in secret with Kakashi, understanding that the delicacy of such a union between two villages would need backing from the Hokage. After laboriously reviewing the village's budget, Kakashi agreed to support his Chief Aide's cause.

Consequently, Shikamaru replied, "I'll take care of it. Don't worry." The flow of merchant-goers sped up around them.

Gaara spoke up for the first time that morning. "Are you sure about taking on such a big responsibility?"

"The Sixth gave his approval," Shikamaru said. "And my clan will be helping out. I don't want Suna to have to pay for anything."

"Hmph. It's not like we're broke," Kankuro grumbled.

"Uh ah, no! I mean—that's not what I meant by that." Between the wind, traffic, and discussion, the Leaf shinobi was struggling.

Temari rolled her eyes as her fiancé and brother's egos clashed. As the oldest, with no parents around for the last seven years, she had grown unafraid of speaking up. Yet, there were times it felt like her voice would fade like background noise. For instance, when had Shikamaru talked to Kakashi about wedding finances? She knew he didn't intend to leave her out, but felt slightly irritated that he had yet to share this information with her.

They reached the end of the market where merchants and buyers began thinning out into the traffic of regular patrons. Just up ahead was Suna's Academy. The four could spot several young future shinobi practicing their taijutsu while the instructor watched and evaluated. On the outskirts, a young boy heaved a fan that was entirely too big for him. He struggled to create gusts that could splice the target post a few yards away.

"Poor kid," Temari said. "His form is all off. You'd think someone would've said something by now." On one swing, he missed completely and toppled over, the iron fan pinning him to the ground. The Suna princess rushed towards him.

"Careful!" she warned, lifting the weapon with ease. "You lost your balance because you're holding it wrong."

"Lady Temari, it's you!" the boy exclaimed. Gaara, Kankuro, and Shikamaru stood some distance behind her. Upon closer look, the Academy children now lost focus, recognizing the Kazekage family under their civilian clothes.

She positioned the fan before her, showing him the correct stance. "It's like this, you see? Firm feet, centered torso. Channel your chakra steadily from your core and through your arms. And when you swing, your body shouldn't move with the fan." The boy nodded fervently, mimicking her movements. He was absolutely entranced by her presence.

"Look at her causing a scene," Kankuro observed.

"She can't stand to see a disciple toil in vain," Gaara replied. Shikamaru watched on.

She sure means a lot to this village, huh?

"You try." She handed the fan back to the boy. As he swung, he found Temari's lesson quite helpful. This time he made two or three medium splices in the target post, more than he had accomplished that entire week. The class was in awe; the boy had never been this successful with the Wind Style before today.

The students continued to crowd around the Sand Siblings in wonder and admiration. The instructor bowed and smiled bashfully; he would never regain their attention after this. One child tugged on Gaara's robe and asked him to make her a sandcastle—"With a moat!" her friend added—to which he kindly obliged. Even Kankuro, not one for kids, gave them a mini puppet show with some figurines he kept in his pocket. The students clapped as the figurines danced intricately with his chakra threads. Somehow, Shikamaru didn't think his jutsu would entertain the Sand children by comparison.

As they departed the Academy, the students waved cheerfully behind them.

"Their futures look bright," Temari said. "Just a little more practice and they'll be great shinobi." Her brothers agreed.

Shikamaru clicked his lighter at a much slower, pensive pace. He felt weirdly guilty for having proposed to Temari after seeing her impress at the Academy. The children obviously looked up to her. Why wouldn't they? She was an important figure in their eyes. Was it right that he should pull her away from people who deeply admired her just to be with him? The question churned his stomach. Just then she fell back to walk beside him.

"What are you thinking about? And don't say "nothing". I can see it in your face that something is on your mind." She waited expectantly.

"Huh, no fooling you. I was just thinking about that boy with the fan. You're like his hero."

She waved off the compliment. "He just needed some guidance so I gave it to him."

"How kind of you."

"Shut up."

They fell into a steady rhythm as they walked back toward the Kazekage's house. The desert sun showered the two in rays of warm light. It was almost like they were on one of many dates where they strolled through the Leaf after work had concluded. Those moments where he held her hand tenderly at dusk made her skin buzz.

In fact, they had developed a hand-holding code. When she'd latch on with one finger, that meant she wanted to explore her surroundings: play a street-side game, wander through a trinket shop and try on the different masks, sample food under the guise of several Transformations (her idea). Once a dumpling vendor caught on that they were using a jutsu and chased them down. Their laughter was so boisterous they almost choked as they fled the scene. Shikamaru usually refrained from such tricks; they took up too much energy and the minor consequences still weren't worth it. But that sliver of deviancy in Temari's straight-laced persona—appearing only in her most carefree moments—was so exhilarating he couldn't help but join her.

When she'd link two fingers in his hand, that meant she wanted them to have more privacy. In these instances, he sometimes took her to the outskirts where the Nara Forest lied. The deer took quite a liking to the newcomer, often nuzzling her cheek with their noses, or nudging their nuts and berries for her to share. Temari always laughed at these interactions; she imagined her lazy boyfriend as a kid tending to the deer. Hopefully, the creatures never had to depend on him for food. On more than one occasion, the deer inserted themselves in between the couple, almost knocking Shikamaru to the ground. He decided they should probably cut back on their visits to the Forest.

And when she slid her entire hand into his, his thoughts dissolved completely into mush. Sometimes they spent the whole night kissing, holding each other, beneath a tree by the riverbed that was out of the way of others. Most people believed the couple's default mode was bickering. And it was true that they could bicker. But there were so many words and moments they kept hidden from others. The way she lightly pressed her thumb to his cheek, turning the rest of his face beet red. The way her pulse paused as his mellow voice tickled her ear.

They were so used to burying their emotions beneath work and missions. To finally express their feelings in the ways they did underneath that tree undid the many walls they'd put up, walls that were perhaps raised to shield themselves against the many losses that accompanied shinobi life. If not for their duties on the following days, they would stay up by the river every night watching night fold into early morn, just before the clouds emerged.

In the present, with her brothers' backs turned, Temari now slipped three fingers into his hand. Shikamaru stopped clicking his lighter. Three fingers: an intermediate code meaning she was ready to reach an agreement, usually following some tedious argument.

"Early June would be a good date," she said. "For the wedding, I mean. Maybe afterward, we could go towards the coast, near the sea. I heard it's nice that time of year."

Shikamaru turned the idea over in his head. "The coast...water..."

"You hate it?"

"Not at all." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I actually really like it." In a rare moment, she giggled. Gaara turned his head.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Shikamaru straightened up, their hands losing contact in the process. "Nothing."

"We have a date in mind," Temari announced. The brothers yielded their attention. June? June...It was nice enough they guessed; nothing major was happening that first week in either village. Finally, something they all could agree on. But still, the question remained: location.

"Well…" Shikamaru started.

"I still say Konoha," Temari interjected. "It'll be modest, not too big. And we'll split the costs between us, so it won't be too much on you or your village."

The middle child snorted. "Good luck convincing the Seniors to help foot your half."

"I have my own money saved up. Besides, I won't take away from the village funds for something like this."

Gaara didn't know how to respond to this. The proposal stunned Shikamaru: even if they followed Temari's wishes, it would still be a heavy burden on her. He was about to protest but Kankuro beat him to it.

"Sis, c'mon. That's not practical."

"I know what I'm doing."

"No way, we'll beg for help if that's what it comes to." Kankuro's aggravation from last night, particularly at Tojuro's warning to him and Gaara, resurfaced. "And I get Shikamaru has guests you really want to accommodate. But, we have guests and traditions here to think about, too."

"The only guests I need there are you and Gaara."

"You know there's more to it than that," Kankuro huffed. "Why are you in such a rush to leave, anyway?"

"I'm not." The oldest looked away desperately. She could feel flying dust particles gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Why was she always caught on defense? She was constantly justifying her decisions to somebody. It was beyond exhausting and unfair. The warmness Temari felt moments ago had dissipated.

As they made their way back to the Kazekage's house, she found herself wishing for guidance. If Yoshino was there, Temari knew she would be on her side. That woman tolerated little back-talk. Even after losing her husband, she was a strict authoritarian: no shoes or swearing in the house; wash your hands after training; and, the best one, if you're around to eat dinner then you're around to help make it. Shikamaru hated that one but Temari didn't mind. She actually liked those times with Yoshino where they kneaded dough and chatted about ambassador duties or missions from Yoshino's past days as a shinobi. Shikamaru would slice the vegetables on the opposite side of the kitchen and pretend to ignore them, though his ears were perked like a hawk. The last thing he needed was for his mother to start reminiscing to his girlfriend about the days he spent in diapers.

Temari imagined the woman with the deep blue eyes from her memories was nothing like Yoshino. From what she could recall, the former seemed as if she never told someone "no" without an explanation. Reentering the Kazekage's house, Karura's faint image kept popping back up at random in her mind.

What's that all about? Temari almost didn't catch the utter panic coming from the upper corridor.

Suddenly, Baki appeared at the top of the stairwell. "Lord Kazekage, come quick, it's urgent! Someone attacked Lord Ebizo!"

What?!

The four flew up the stairs towards the Seniors' living chambers, Gaara taking the lead. In the room of the Senior Head, surrounded by three medical-nin, lied Ebizo: unconscious with a trail of poison dripping down the side of his mouth.