Mission Impossible: Housewife

By KawaiPanda

Chapter Eight

A GaaraIno love story

I was a bit surprised that Sakura knew, but then again she was the Hokage's right hand and she had access to things no one even dreamed about. So, I shouldn't have been unprepared for this, but I had been hoping she nor anyone else knew. Though, I was kidding myself if I thought it would be kept underwraps.

"About that..." I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Well?" She tapped her foot, awaiting my answer—only because she was Sakura, and she was quite mad at me, the tapping caused mini tremors in the earth.

I sighed. "I kind of didn't want anyone to know."

"Why not?" She demanded, uncrossing her arms with a look of hurt. "I thought I was your best friend."

As she turned on her heel and began to walk off, I followed after her. "You are!"

"Best friends tell each other when they're getting married," she replied over her shoulder.

"Well, yeah but-"

"But?" She rounded on me, looking expectant.

I bit my lip and supplied, "But I was just scared and confused... okay?"

She cocked her head and gave me a small, knowing smile. "Fine. I'll forgive you this time. But I had better be a bridesmaid damnit."

"Forehead." I shook my head with a smile.

"Pig." And just like that, all was forgiven. She wrapped her arm around mine and walked a ways with me. "Anywho, Tsunade-sama wants you in her office yesterday."

Of course she did. I nodded in confirmation. "Alright."

"We will talk more tomorrow. And with Hinata and Tenten. See you then." She slipped her arm from around mine and walked off.

"Bye, forehead! " She lifted a hand in acknowledgement as she trotted off.

Walking to the tower seemed to take forever. I was used to people staring. I was even used to the gossips. But it was never every single villager that I passed, talking behind their hands, glancing at me non too discreetly. I was thankful when I reached the tower, hidden from their prying eyes.

Shikamaru was already there, standing in the hallway. Seething. The others stood a little ways away from him and the dark aura around him.

Shizune nodded at me, "Go on in." So I did.

There she was, sitting behind her desk. A stack of papers a mile high loitered on her desk, scrolls everywhere. But all she paid attention to was a single sheet of paper. At least, until I walked in the room.

She turned her gaze upon me. Eyes unreadable. "Ino."

"Lady Tsunade."

"What the hell happened?" She demanded, as was her way when she chewed someone out.

"Excuse me?"

"Why did I get a letter from the Kazekage stating that due to unforeseen circumstances, that both you and Shikamaru are not to return to Suna for an undisclosed amount of time." She waved the letter around for good measure as she spoke before she slammed the paper down on her desk. "It doesn't even state why. So, I want you to tell me. Why?"

"W-Well..." I cleared my throat. "Well, as I'm sure you were probably not informed, Shikamaru and I were... briefly engaged by our parents a few years ago and he decided not to tell his girlfriend."

"And?" She tapped her fingers on the desk, showing a severe amount of restraint.

"And, it came out." In the silence, I couldn't help but fidget, feeling an overwhelming need to explain myself. "Ga-Kazekage-sama promptly decided it would be best for us to return to the village."

"Has he decided to end your mission?" she asked.

"What?"

"The Kazekage. Is he still going to go along with the mission? The marriage, Ino." "

"Oh." I cleared my throat. "Yes."

"Thank Kami." She seemed a bit relieved and sank back into her seat with the information. I turned to leave when I rememered last night.

Turning back to the older blonde, I informed her of the attack. "Oh! Um, Lady Tsunade... we were attacked on the way home."

"Attacked?" She was alert once more, eyes narrowing.

"Yes. Cloud Ninja."

"Hmm..." She stroked her chin, deep in thought. "Obviously someone leaked out the fact that you are Gaara-sama's fiancee."

I nodded. "That's the conclusion we came to as well."

"Alright." With a sigh, she changed the subject. "Do you know when he will send for you?"

"He said in a month or so."

"Alright. Dismissed."

"Yes, Milady." I bowed and exited in an orderly fashion. It wouldn't due to run away from the bosses office. I barely even spared the others a glance as I made my way through the building on my way to leave.

Just short of the exit, my freedom, was a familiar face. "Yamanaka." I drew up short.

"Ibiki-sensei." I nodded at the scarred man.

"You're getting married." Blunt and to the point, kind of like ripping a bandaid off.

"Y-Yes."

"... Congratulations, though it is a waste with all of your potential." He patted me on the shoulder, and walked off, leaving me to wonder how he managed to congratulate and insult me in the same sentence.

"Thanks... I think." Shaking my head, I exited the building without further delays and spent the duration of my walk home gathering my courage before entering my parents flower shop. Immediately all activites ceased upon recognition and my father started laying into me as my mother shooed the few customers out.

"Ino Yamanaka!" His voice was thunderous, loud and laced with an omen of danger lurking. He rounded the counter in a threatening manner that had me itching to reach into my pouch for a kunai or two to keep my skin intact.

I gulped. "D-Dad, I can explain-"

"Young lady, why didn't you tell your mother and me that your getting married?" His voice kept raising, and the aura he was letting off was beginning to trigger my fight or flight reflexes.

"I-I-"

"You just made it seem like it was just some mission!"

"D-dad-"

"But you're getting married!"

"D-daddy..."

"And to the Kazekage! How-"

"Inoichi." My mother held up her hand, stopping dad in mid-rant as she came to stand beside him.

"But-"

"No, Inoichi. Ino is a kunoichi. Yes, she is our daughter, but she also has a duty to this village. And our Hokage has called her to become a political bride." She narrowed her eyes at him."I never wanted her to become a ninja, but she followed in your footsteps. And you of all people need to understand that she chose to do her duty to this village."

"B-"

All she had to do was look at him and instantly the protests ceased. I've always admired that about her.

And then she was sending that same look my way. "Ino dear."

I swallowed. "Y-yes mom?"

"I'm disappointed in you. You should have told us immediately instead of keeping this from us." I flinched. "Did you honestly believe we wouldn't find out? How did you expect us to feel, knowing our child felt like she couldn't tell us this information. I found out through Mrs. Haruno."

I hung my head, ashamed. "I'm sorry mom."

"I'm just glad we found out before you actually went through with the wedding. Have you and the Kazekage decided on a date? Or a venue?" And in her fashion, she went from scolding mother, to socialite.

"Y-yes to the date, but not a venue." She nodded and just like that, she took over.

XxXxXxX

A month felt like forever when one wasn't allowed to have any missions. Tsunade wasn't willing to risk it.

So, I spent my entire "vacation" working in my parents flower shop. Sure, people came by to "chat." More like try to get details about my upcoming nuptuals with Gaara. We were busier in this past month than we have been in the past year.

The days seemed to drag by for me though, regardless of the blur of nosey civilians and ninja alike.

I hadn't seen neither hide nor hair of Shikamaru except for Choji's wedding. And Choji was scarce because he knew something was up between me and deer boy but he didn't want to get in the middle, or get alienated. So he didn't actively seek me out, but at least he didn't avoid me when we did happen to come across one another. And besides, he had a pregnant bride to worry about.

And then it finally came. While I had never really unpacked, I finally recieved word via a blessed letter from Gaara saying all was in the clear to head back. Head... dare I say it, home.

While I loved being home with my parents, and relaxing, I was getting kind of tired of all of the magazines and chatter about the wedding. At least with Gaara, I knew he wouldn't get pissed off at me because I didn't care what shade of off white napkins I wanted for the reception like my cray mother.

They say girls obsessively dream of their wedding day, but I can offically say I was about burned out on it. And I hadn't even talked to my groom about all of these plans my mother was making!

The three day journey was silent somewhat. Escorting me was Team Kakashi, so of course Naruto rambled on and on about seeing Gaara. And Sakura would occasionally punch the guys over their heads for saying or doing something stupid. But that was about it. No attacks. No nothing.

And when we came across the sand village, I could say I felt relief. We were greeted at the gates by Kankuro. And as Naruto, Sakura, Sai and Kakashi were led to the Kazekage's tower, Kankuro walked me to the mansion.

"Blondie."

I wasn't sure how well the Sand Siblings would take to me this time around, and I knew I needed to be careful with Temari, but Kankuro... was Kankuro. "Make-up face."

I was grateful to see his smirk. An offical 'welcome back home' in my eyes."Glad to see you back."

"Glad to be back."

"It hasn't been the same without you."

I fell into the easy routine he and I had established. "It was only my cooking you missed. Admit it."

"Well, that and Gaara has been kinda down since you left."

"Down?"

"Depressed... or something. He's almost never home anymore. Stuck up in that damned office." He sighed, rubbing his face, careful not to smear any of the war paint. "He hasn't slept in over two weeks, and barely eats enough to feed a damned bird."

He sounded so worried, I knew he wasn't exaggerating.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll get better."

"He will now that you're here." I flushed, but pushed my feeling away.

"... And Temari?"

"Why don't you ask her?" Apparently we had reached the mansion and I didn't notice because I was startled to hear her voice. She stood in the doorway, staring at me. Analyzing me. Kankuro took this as his que to leave us alone. "Ino."

"Temari... How are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm..." She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes momentarily, seeming to be searching for something. And when she found it, she opened her eyes and smiled at me. "I'm fine."

"I'm glad." I dared to ask the forbidden. Because I had to know if she could move past this and forgive him too. "Have you... you know."

"No. Not yet." She frowned. "But I will."

"Do you think you will get over this?"

"Him and I together, as in, as a couple? I'm not so sure. But I will."

I nodded. "That's good for you." I smiled and proceeded through the door she held open for me.

We made a little small talk after that, and after she left, leaving me all alone in the mansion, did I venture into my room. My room. It was as I had left it, aired out for my arrival, but virtually untouched.

I unpacked, and as I did so, I thought about what was going to happen in the next couple of months. Where was Gaara and I going to sleep? When would we move into the same room? When would our relationship make anymore progress?

Once I'd had everything set back up, I made a quick something for the red head, carefully packaged it up, and headed for the tower, I was a woman on a mission.

Ignoring Matsuri's protests, I marched into Gaara's office unannounced.

"Gaara."

He didn't look much thinner, but he didn't look healthier either. He glanced up from his paperwork, not at all surprised to see me. But I'm sure we were both, however, surprised when I dropped the bag of food and launched myself over the desk at him. Thankfully, his sand didn't take that as a threat, or he held it at bay, because I landed in his arms.

"Ino?" His confusion was clear, but his arms wrapped me slowly, and I curled up into him, breathing in his scent.