"This…" Shikamaru's voice was shaking in a way that it was impossible to tell whether he was about to cry or explode in rage – or both for that matter, "This is what's been going on this whole time..?! No wonder…"
"Excuse me, but you cannot just enter as you please into my office." Gaara scoffed, completely ignoring Shikamaru's stammering, which made him visibly boil. His fists shook as if he was going to hit Gaara, but his gaze slipped towards Ino instead, softening a bit but with more hurt washing over. He tried walking towards her but Gaara stepped over to block him. "What did I just say?"
"Gaara!" Ino hollered, having enough of the heavy tension she decided to cut it by jogging towards him and hauling his shoulder back so she could stand in front of Shikamaru, "I'll talk to him."
Flustered, Gaara closed his eyes and took a breath, crossing his arms and turning to Ino, "Fine. But you can say it here in front of me, can you not?" Ino blinked a couple times at him and then looked at Shikamaru whose face was getting redder and angrier.
"I…" Ino gulped, not sure of how to answer, because she didn't know what she was going to say to Shikamaru either way. She just…wanted to be out of this situation. Fed up also, Shikamaru seized Ino's wrist and tugged her to his side, but not before Gaara caught her other arm and tried to pull her to himself. "AII LET GO!" Ino struggled, trying to shake them both off, but neither would budge.
"What are you idiots doing? Playing tug of war?!" A familiar voice demanded their attention, making both guys stop yanking Ino (while still keeping their grips on her). Temari appeared, carrying a scroll with a foreign symbol written on it. She had returned from her mission.
"Now's not a good time." Gaara said flatly. Temari raised and eyebrow and sternly put her hands on her round hips.
"What? I thought these documents were urgent? You know how much chakra I wasted trying to get here within a week? How the hell are you going to tell me now is a-"
"It's not a good time. I'll call for you." Gaara showed his palm to her, indicating it was absolute, which took her aback. She glanced down at his tight grip on Ino's wrist. Temari shook her head and turned on her heel and stomped off.
"Shikamaru, follow my sister and go over her reports." Gaara ordered blandly.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, "What? You think I'm gonna take a fucking order from you?"
"Shikamaru!" Ino tippytoed to his ear, "He's still the Kazekage!"
"Is that why you're fucking him?!" Shikamaru howled, abruptly letting go of Ino.
"I didn't-"
"I should have expected this from you." Shikamaru exhaled, keeping the eye contact stoic. There was a silent moment that filled the air with awkwardness before Shikamaru shook his head and turned to leave.
"Shikamaru! Get back here!" Ino cried, but he kept walking, she was going to chase him but Gaara squeezed her wrist tighter.
"Forget him." He whispered, pulling her into an embrace. Ino couldn't help hot tears from falling down her face and onto Gaara's bare chest – it gave him goosebumps.
But why was she crying?
"Listen, Cassanova, I know you love your Konoha hos but please-"
What?! Ino grumbled to herself, twitching a bit from inside the closet. Did she just call me a ho?
"Where is Sakura anyways? At least she gets her job done before getting frisky."
Sakura..?
"Temari." Gaara rubbed his temples impatiently, "I didn't call you in for this. I just need to sign your report and take the scroll."
"No little brother!" Temari refused stubbornly, holding the scroll up high above her head. Gaara stood up, feeling ticked off, and easily snatched it away. Temari frowned, "Well, it's no fun now that you're taller than me," Gaara ignored her and put his hand up, indicating she was dismissed, but she stood her ground. "I talked to Kankuro. The first thing he did was tell me how gaga you are over blondie." Gaara felt a blush creep over his cheeks, which Temari noticed and responded to by bursting into laughter, "Oh My God! It's really true!" She howled.
"Temari, please. I'm very busy right now." Gaara pleaded, praying she would just leave.
"Oh, you mean with the girl who's been hiding in the closet since I got here?" Temari hissed, walking over to the coat closet and swinging it open for Ino to fall out, "Oh yeah, you must be real busy, Gaara." Temari snorted, and then started making her way to the door. "By the way, Matsuri's been out here the whole time." Just as she said that, panicked footsteps could be heard shuffling away and then a pound against the ground, indicating Matsuri had tripped. "It's funny he must really like you," Temari said to Ino without looking back at her, "He's really let his guard down."