A/N: I didn't know how this story would be received, so it was comforting to find some positive reviews in my email today. Asuka is the name I gave Ino's mom back when I wrote my first fic, so it stuck. Orange Blossoms used to be almost mandatory in a bridal bouquet-especially around those who know the Language of Flowers. They stand for fidelity in a marriage. Kashike, (the girl Gaara tried to take medicine to as a child)has played a major role in my Gaara stories, so she's in here too, largely because I love her. Iiya-no,
Disclaimer: I'm so totally not Kishimoto.
Chapter 2
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
A week after confirming her condition, Temari sat in the Kazekage's office trying not to laugh out loud at the twin expressions of stunned terror that met her joyous news.
"Does Nara know?" Kankurou asked clenching and unclenching his fist around the newspaper clipping from the Konoha Times.
"Iiya," the blonde shook her head adamantly. "And I'm not telling him either. He made his decision, I've made mine. This is my child now, he's forfeited all claim to her."
Gaara nodded.
"Whatever you decide I'll stand behind you. Though to be perfectly honest, " the redhead grinned wickedly, "I'd love to sit down with Nara-san and explain Desert Sand Burial in vivid detail."
"Only if he's locked up in Kuroari at the time." Kankurou ran a hand across his brow, "damn inbred tree frogs, how did we not realize he was seeing that Yamanaka the whole time he was with Temari? It doesn't make sense…" He sighed meeting his sister's eyes for a moment. "Those leaf-jockeys are probably all related anyways. You're better off without him ne?"
Temari was glad she hadn't laughed at their initial reactions. Despite having a horrible childhood that had constantly pitted them against each other, the Sabaku siblings knew how to stick together when one of them was in need.
"Oi," Kankurou's eyes were wide. "How much time do we have anyways?"
"Until the baby comes?" Temari shrugged, "the doctor figures I'm right around five months, so four months left give or take a couple weeks. Nani?"
"Anou," Kankurou continued. "I certainly don't know anything about babies, do you? I mean, we've never been able to keep a pet alive, how're we going to manage a baby? Remember my fish?"
"Hai," Temari couldn't help but grin. "But Gaara's not possessed anymore, and even if he was, I highly doubt he'd eat my baby."
The Kazekage folded his arms and shot his older brother an exasperated look.
"Books," he stated matter-of-factly. "I'll send Kashike-san to the bookstore, I know I can trust her to not say anything."
His siblings nodded.
"In the meantime," he continued, "Matsuri-chan will take over as Ambassador to Konoha."
o-o-o
Yamanaka Ino thumbed through the racks and racks of white dresses. When she'd dreamed about her wedding as a child, this had all been fun, and she'd been surrounded by giggling girlfriends, not a hovering salesgirl. Of course when she'd thought about the groom…well, never once did her daydreams have her marrying Shikamaru. Silently, she cursed Chouji for his lack of self-esteem. She'd been kidding about his hair, well, sort of. He looked much better with a hair cut, less like his father. The only reason she'd said anything at all was because both Chouji and Shikamaru looked liked shadow clones of their fathers, and it terrified her that she might be her father's clone as well.
Ino sighed, there was nothing here that caught her interest in the slightest. The salsegirl, alerted by the sound, realized she was on the verge of losing a customer, and walked quickly to the counter to picked up a gold embossed binder.
"You know, Yamanaka-san, I really don't see you in an off-the-rack dress." She smiled conspiratorially, "this book is for our more, eh…'select' clientele. Every dress in here is custom made, and imported. Of course, we'd have to tack on a small fee," she simpered. "But then, how many times does a woman get married in her life?"
"Can you send the bill to my father at the Yamanaka Flower Shop?" Ino asked holding out her hand for the book, her curiosity piqued.
"Of course Yamanaka-san," the salesgirl bowed practically drooling over what her commission was going to look like this month.
o-o-o
"Mid-April?" Shikaku grumbled over his half finished sake. "But that's four months away! I thought we agreed on a February wedding!"
"You shouldn't complain," Inoichi sighed working his way through his second bottle. "I got the bill for Ino's dress today," he shuddered. "It'll take two months for it to be finished, then Askuka put her foot down, she absolutely refuses to allow Ino to carry a wedding bouquet that doesn't include orange blossoms."
"You're kidding," Shikaku rolled his eyes. "What's one flower more or less? Shimatta, I'll take your bill and give you my wife. Yoshino's done nothing but harp at me that I've dishonored the Kazekage, and that if Sunagakure decides to invade, the blame is entirely on my shoulders."
Chouza snorted, "couples break up all the time. What kind of Kage goes to war over his sister getting dumped?"
"That would be an ex-psycho killer," Hatake Kakashi drawled putting down his book and addressing the trio. "Are you gentlemen sure that this is the best thing for your kids? Have they honestly ever shown the slightest bit of non-platonic attraction?" He shook his head grinning under his mask. "Remember what they say about the best laid plans of drunken men," The jounin bowed. "Konnichiwa, gentlemen."
"A lot you know!" Inoichi called as Kakashi sauntered off. "It's the best laid plans of mice and men!"
o-o-o
Shikamaru lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, the rain outside pounding against his windows. He closed his eyes remembering the ways he and Temari had whiled away many such afternoons in the solitude of his apartment. When he tried to replace the image of Temari with that of Ino he winced. The very idea made his skin crawl, she was more sister to him than lover, and any attempt to change that might just make him vomit.