Summary:
Shikamaru starts to move his invisible game pieces and tries to gather some information about the weird situation.
Gaara spends some time around his sister's bed.
Neji and Hinata have a late-night conversation after the gathering at Kiba's place, while Kankuro finds himself in a weird situation...

Credit for the title - mfw_no_gf :)

Chapter 13:Connecting The Dots

Shikamaru's head buzzed like a beehive. He knew something wasn't quite right; something was off... And that something threatened to turn into a problem. For him. But he was good at finding solutions to problems. He just needed the right parameters — in this case, to get them, he needed to locate the right people and ask the right questions. Then everything would fall into place. Eventually…

Well, he knew he should start somewhere and see where the little threads of information lead him.

Shikamaru sat on the roof's gutter and waited patiently for Zahn's shift. The guy was weird, but Shikamaru had found an easy way to have smooth and fruitful conversations with him. Well, it took him some time of trial and error to establish what worked - a package of raisins, a shogi game, and a borrowed book - but it was worth it in the end.

When the blond head of Zahn appeared on the stairs, Shikamaru jumped between the bird cages and headed towards the only desk. Without a word, he set the shogi board up. It was a ritual for a communication starter. It was also part of the ritual not to look into the other man's eyes until he had spoken. This was the hardest thing to discover, but when Shikamaru suspected it and tried it out, it fitted perfectly.

"Evening," Shikamaru greeted and sat down on a barrel across the only chair; eyes bored on the shogi board.

"Good evenin', Nara-sama," Zahn replied with a small smile. He pulled out a book from the depths of his vest and placed it on the desk. "Here so soon? Glad ya came in tonight. I finished it in the mornin'."

Shikamaru smiled as he placed the new book he brought in front of himself. He already knew Zahn's reading habits and his speed so it wasn't hard to make an assessment of when he would be done. It was fortunate that the moment was indeed now.

"Liked Kumo's architecture?" Shikamaru inquired nonchalantly.

"It was most charming," Zahn confirmed.

"Good." Shikamaru paused and peeked up at the other man's face. "I'll let you start tonight."

The man's eyes flashed happily, though his face remained impassive. His thin fingers hovered over the board until he picked a figure and moved it forward.

Shikamaru didn't rush to make a move. Instead, he scratched his chin. "Will you aim for my queen, Zahn?' he asked, chuckling.

The man snickered. "I'm not tellin'. It's a secret."

"Oh?" Shikamaru raised his eyebrows, feigning curiosity. "I like secrets."

"Like the secret little letters from the Suna princess?" teased Zahn, showing his yellowish teeth.

Shikamaru shot him a crooked smile. "Like them, except they aren't a secret but more of an informal exchange of official information," Shikamaru explained. He knew asking directly would make the man suspicious and obnoxious, and no useful information would be obtained. Patience was the best approach. Plus, Shikamaru had mastered pretending to play by his rules while delicately directing the information flow.

"Yeah, right." Zahn snickered again.

"Have you been reading my mail, Zahn?" he asked as he moved one figure on the board.

"Of course not!" He scuffed, offended. "I'd neva do that." His thin, pale lips were set in a firm line.

Shikamaru awarded him an approving glance and said, "I never doubted you."

"It's against the rules, ya know…" Zahn frantically looked around as if he were afraid someone could hear. "If the Lady gets ya, you'll suffer… bad," he whispered in addition.

"Tell me about it," Shikamaru mumbled. "She'd been breathing down my neck about the exams."

"Oh, that's nasty," Zahn agreed with empathy. "I thought there was somethin' odd," he mumbled and scratched his left ear — sure sign he knew something he was dying to share but was too afraid of the consequences. "Letters've been flyin' around…" he whispered.

"Is that so?" Shikamaru managed to sound genuinely surprised. "But I know you wouldn't share just like that, especially such important information," he said, waving his hand to emphasise his words.

Zahn nodded quickly and looked around again, licking his lips in anxiety.

"Let me win the right to know, eh?" Shikamaru suggested leaning forward. "Then you won't have a choice, right? It won't be your fault at all if you spared information you lost a bet about."

The man mused on the thought for a few moments and eventually nodded once again. Shikamaru granted him a calm smile. He already had the game's turns charted clearly in his mind. So he started quietly, moving his first figure. He let Zahn take advantage of a few seemingly accidental bad moves and almost gave the win away. He sometimes would let Zahn win, and if the bet was reversed, he wouldn't hesitate to feign a loss. Except he really wanted that information; that wasn't a time for boosting his old buddy's ego.

"I thought I gotcha there," admitted Zahn with a deep sigh when Shikamaru snatched his king.

The black-haired shinobi shrugged. "Sorry," he said, though sorry he didn't feel at all.

"A deal is a deal, eh?" The man snickered in his typical manner. "Many letters come from Suna. With the Kazekage's stamp."

Gotcha! Shikamaru grinned inwardly, but his face maintained an innocent surprise like a mask.

So something was really going on if Gaara and Tsunade had been exchanging correspondence more often than usual. And especially suspicious was the fact that he hadn't heard a peep about anything. Something must have happened with Temari. Kankuro was here and looked quite unwilling to share any useful pieces of information. On the other hand, Tenten seemed aware and equally unwilling to tell.

"Godaime probably just discussing something with the kazekage," he reasoned aloud. "Maybe they're just trying to negotiate a price or something."

"Probably. But it isn't the Lady gettin' most of them."

"You don't say!" He exclaimed but still kept his voice down. He wouldn't want to make Zahn panic. There was one occasion when he let the situation get out of control, and the guy hid for half a year.

"It's the Suna boy with the painted face. And Tenten-san." The man leaned back, crossing his arms.

"Painted face, you say?" Shikamaru hummed and tapped a finger on his chin. "Don't you mean the Kazekage's brother?"

"Aye. He's the princess' brother as well, ye?"

"Correct." He nodded and did his best to hide his excitement.

Zahn scrunched his nose in a disguising frown. "Some kind of a prince, they say."

"You look suspicious of him," noted Shikamaru matter-of-factly.

"Ya didn't hear?" Zahn's eyebrows shot up in amusement.

"Obviously not."

"Tenten-san and the Suna boy are dating." He leaned forward, whispering, "There must be somethin' fishy."

"Oh?" The cogs inside Shikamaru's brain turned swiftly. "You think?"

Zahn nodded. He leaned even further in to add conspiratorially, "There're lot good men here. Leaf shinobi." He snorted. "Why would she look for anything worse outside the walls?"

Good question indeed, buddy, Shikamaru admitted remained quiet.

"They live in the same place, ya see."

"Do they?" He tilted his head. "He doesn't have a dedicated place here. Maybe it's just a question of convenience."

Zahn shook his head, denying "Things lookin' serious. He may snatch one of ours." His face frowned. "I hope he didn't screw up. If Tenten-san is expecting from him, they will just trade her away like a common good."

Shikamaru didn't respond, as his mind was busy connecting the little facts together. A plan grew quickly from scratch. There was no point in seeking bits of information here and there and relying on gossip anymore. He could safely bet his life on the fact that Kankuro and Tenten were involved in a mission together, so this "dating" could also be part of a massive deceit. But what was the purpose? What were they hiding? He didn't know yet, but he was certain Temari had a central role in all of it.

"I hope he wouldn't take her away, Zahn," he said, knowing that was what the man wanted to hear.

"She's a good one. I'd mourn for her if she leaves."

Shikamaru shook his head and started to slowly collect the shogi figures.

He needed to drink from the source. In this case, the source was bossy, annoying, scary, and… easy to bribe. A smile found its way onto his lips but disappeared right away, keeping his calm face for the sake of Zahn's kicking anxieties.

Shortly after, Shikamaru parted ways with his unintentional informant, letting him happily start over with the new borrowed book. The young Nara strongly believed that every single person could be bribed. One just needed to know what temptations to put in their way.

Gaara sat down on the edge of her bed. He contemplated taking her hand but couldn't bring himself to do so. His light green eyes slid over her sickly pale face. It was still covered with healing bruises. There was a deep scratch under the right side of her jaw. The man caressed it over the length with a heavy sigh.

"This will turn into a scar," he informed his sister. "You won't like it when you wake up."

He gathered his hands on his lap. It still felt awkward, even though he was coming here often.

"I read that someone in a coma can hear well when they are spoken to," he shared with her. "That's why, like it or not, I'm talking to you every single day."

The young woman's chest rose and fell peacefully, as if she were just sleeping.

"It is strange," continued Gaara quietly, "how a person can evaluate something only after they stop receiving it, right?" He kept silent for a bit. "I must admit I found your command of Kankuro and myself really annoying when we were still living under the same roof. I simply hated it when you yelled at us." Silence again. "But it's so quiet now with both of you gone that I don't want to go home. There is just one nasty, choking silence."

Gaara looked through the window for a few minutes, his eyes following the rapidly sinking sun behind the hills.

"Temari, you've no idea what I'm ready to part with if I could just hear you talk to me again," he whispered, rubbing and massaging his forehead. "I miss you, sister."

Neji sat in one of the gazebos in the compound's garden. The night wrapped its calming, cool fingers around his unmoving frame. It was peaceful during this time, and he needed to think in a peaceful place since his mind had been restless. Tonight had brought surprising and new sensations that he wasn't familiar with. Frankly, he didn't know he was capable of such sensations before tonight.

The quiet approaching steps startled him; he moved in his seat, turning to the source of the sound.

"Neji?" asked Hinata softly. "I thought you were already asleep."

He shook his head. "I couldn't fall asleep."

"I see…" She stood in place, still as a pale statue under the moonlight. A minute later, she had made a decision about what she wanted to do next. "May I join you?"

After he nodded, she entered the gazebo and sat beside him. "What's troubling you?"

"Why do you think something's troubling me?" After a moment of contemplation, he added, "In fact, why are you outside?"

Hinata flinched at his sharp tone. "I also couldn't fall asleep," she admitted. "I came out here for a walk. The night air usually helps me relax."

"Is this a routine for you?" Neji sounded slightly surprised.

"Kind of." Her tone was evasive.

She squared her shoulders and looked up at the night sky. The stars were sparkling brightly against the dark background, easily visible through the timbers of the gazebo's roof.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before she dared to speak again.

"Do you want to tell me? Why are you here?"

Neji didn't answer right away, though he didn't dismiss her. The problem was that he didn't know what to tell her. On the other hand, Hinata was very sensitive and perceptive, so she might be able to help label those unsettling feelings. But… she shouldn't suspect anything about Tenten's mission.

"Is it because of Tenten?" she suggested thoughtfully.

Neji tensed and frowned briefly before adopting his usual expression. "Why do you think it's because of her?" He kept his voice down.

Hinata chuckled. "Well, I'm here because of her. Kind of…"

The man relaxed and decided to jump at the opportunity. "Why so?"

"It's just too new... She's engaged? For a long time nonetheless. And all that secrecy... All too weird." She adjusted her nightgown before continuing, "Kankuro-san seems like a fine man, though. I can see why she likes him so much."

"You mean Tenten?"

Hinata nodded. "He's a capable shinobi and a good person."

"Is he?" Neji's voice hinted that he thought otherwise.

She looked at him. "You disagree?"

"I didn't say that," he declined, leaning back with a sigh.

The woman returned her gaze to the stars. "I think he cares for Tenten and will make her happy," she said, tapping a slender finger on her chin. "At least he looks willing to try."

"Why? How can you say he cares for her just by looking at them for one evening?"

"I spoke to Tenten a few days ago. And I train with him every single day. I've heard how they talk about each other." She smiled dreamily. "The way he looked at her tonight…" Hinata blushed, but it was too dark to be seen by her cousin. "His eyes soften when he looks at her. And his smile is warm. Also, when he took her hand when they left… He was really gentle, and I don't think he was pretending."

Neji's jaw clenched at that memory. Kankuro had taken Tenten's hand in front of everyone, and she'd blushed so beautifully. He felt… betrayed.

"Or he's just very good at acting..." The man muttered.

"Why would you say that?" Hinata snapped, upset at his demeanour.

"I was just thinking." He hurried to calm her. "I'm just worried for her, that's all."

The woman stilled, assessing him. A cold, sticky-fingered fear creeped up his back at the thought that she might suspect something. So he tried to look relaxed and unaffected and turned his eyes to the stars.

"If I have to be honest, Neji," the woman said hesitantly, "when we were younger, I pictured Tenten with you."

His eyes widened, but he kept his gaze upward. "Oh?"

"I thought she liked you very much, but she couldn't attract your attention... for some reason."

"You thought that?" He was indeed intrigued. "What reason?"

"I did. I believed she showed every sign that she was into you." Hinata quietly huffed. She avoided answering his second question, Neji noted. "I also thought that you would notice her eventually. But then Tenten stopped looking like she liked you, and I assumed that I'd been deluding myself. It must have been teammate love and affection that I mistook for something else," she concluded.

"Most likely," Neji confirmed, barely suppressing the clenching sensation in his chest.

So she had liked him for real in the past. It hadn't been only in his head.

His stomach knotted into a tight ball, causing him discomfort bordering on pain.

"But I'm happy for her, Neji. I'm sure you're also happy because you love her too." Hinata smiled at him and laid a tender hand on his shoulder.

"What do you mean 'love her', Hinata?" He snapped, startling her.

"I... I mean, like a teammate, of course! I love both Kiba and Shino, as well as Kurenai."

He relaxed. But he didn't like where the conversation was headed. He needed something to snag her attention and the perfect thing came to mind. "But you like Naruto, don't you?"

"Erm…" She stammered, her face coloured an intense red. "I…"

"The only one who still hasn't realised it is him, Hinata. It's not really a secret."

She let out a nervous chuckle. "Maybe you're right."

"I am right," Neji stated.

Her face fell, and she let out a quiet huff.

"But it doesn't matter... My father has made plans for my future husband. And I'm not sure what has to happen to consider Naruto a suitable party for me," she admitted. "He has plans for you too, Neji."

The man kept quiet. She took that as encouragement to continue.

"And it's good that Tenten and yourself are not involved in any relationship, because he may have forced you to separate."

The man considered her words, and, as much as he didn't like them, they were the simple truth. The Hyuuga clan's head approved all legitimate relationships involving clan members. He hadn't thought of that because there wasn't anyone he wanted to be in a relationship with. Still, his uncle arranged dates for him, and Neji was obligated to attend, no matter the outcome.

No girl had caught his eye.

Despite logic and facts, his heart sank. The realisation hit him like a whole bag of well-directed bricks: had he shared Tenten's affection when she still liked him, Hiashi Hyuuga would have separated them by force.

Kankuro shifted in his sheets. He had kept his eyes closed for the last half hour, but sleep wouldn't come to him. It was that damn gathering's — or party's, as they called it — fault. He was finally able to see the whole picture. He hated it, mostly.

The girls, all friends of Tenten, looked at him with some kind of expectation and suspicion. They talked to each other and shared secrets and inmost desires since they were children. So Tenten, not to even hint at the existence of a boyfriend, had set them in distrust. Especially Ino, who was frowning at him. Hinata had started to accept the possibility of him having a real relationship with one of her best friends. Only Sakura acted as if everything was normal.

The boys had divided into two camps: part of them congratulated him for the crafty act of snatching Tenten away; the other part looked at him with even stronger distrust than Ino. They asked questions — quite logical, if he had to be honest — and narrowed their eyes when he answered.

Tenten seemed uncomfortable the whole time, as if she were apologising for whatever she was involved in. Her anxiety had kicked in, expressing itself in flinches whenever Kankuro tried to approach her. It had been getting even worse until she jolted, dropping her glass on the floor. Kankuro had excused both of them and pulled her out of the house into the yard.

They talked there. He reminded her why they were here and that she shouldn't let her comrades influence the mission or decide if his sister was going to live or die. He asked her to give him a heads-up and let him affirm their situation. She obviously couldn't. And warned her that he was going to physically touch her; he was going to take her hand. Kankuro contemplated using a kiss to make all of this a bit more believable but tossed it aside the moment he mentioned it to Tenten; her eyes had filled up with tears.

But she gained his admiration. She succeeded in gathering herself and suppressing the upcoming emotional storm, appearing calm and content. Tenten went inside the house with a shy smile on her lips while brushing their shoulders together a few times. She had even leaned on his chest while chatting with Naruto and Hinata. She did well.

However, there was something that really worried him: the causeless, irritated gazes he received from Neji. They were well hidden, and he was certain no one else noticed, but that didn't make it less troubling. It was as if the man felt some kind of anger towards the sand shinobi. There were a few possibilities regarding such intolerance. Of course, Kankuro thought of the worst one first. And just wished hard to be wrong about it.

A suffocating feeling jolted Kankuro to sit up, and his eyes snapped open. Chills creeped up his chest and wrapped around his throat, preventing him from taking a proper breath. He coughed while trying to rationalise whatever was happening.

It seemed that he had fallen asleep after all. His hand unwillingly found its way to his chest. A cold shiver shook his whole body before he could force his lungs to accept a full load of air. Right after that, the chills were gone.

Kankuro rubbed his eyes. This sensation was troublingly familiar, though his mind was dizzy and failed to categorise it.

Maybe a glass of water would help him relax. He was just getting up on his feet when a choked cry made him freeze in place. His eyes darted to the source of the sound — Tenten's bedroom. He balled his hands into fists. It was happening again. She had nightmares that she couldn't wake up from.

He strode to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and downed it. He filled it up again and stilled for a moment, listening. A quiet sob told him that whatever nightmare she had fallen into, she wouldn't be able to get out of it on her own.

Tenten needed help, and he was the only one who could provide it. It was time he did something, sanctuary or not.

The man headed straight to her door and carefully pushed in. What was revealed in front of his eyes made his breath hitch in his throat — he couldn't possibly be prepared for something like that. His heart sank into his stomach, and he swallowed hard.

The curtains inflated inside the room as delicate sails when the door opened. The breeze caressed the figure in the middle of the bed, and she let out a quiet sigh.

His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could see that Tenten was sitting with her back and shoulders stiff; the thin blanket pooled around her waist. Her long and dark hair was half covering her face, and some locks moved with the gentle blow. He hadn't seen her hair down until now, and he admitted that she looked like a mystic vision that had come out of one's inmost fantasies. It was both enticing and scary.

She didn't react to his appearance. Her eyes stared at the wall. Her whole body was unmoving, except for the light shaking of her shoulders caused by the sobs.

Kankuro took a deep breath and stepped forward into the room, still grasping the glass.

"Tenten?" he said, his voice between normal and whispering.

She didn't answer or show in any way that she was aware of his presence. He left the glass on the nightstand and placed his knee on the bed, leaning forward, closer to her.

"Tenten, can you hear me?"

He didn't get an answer or reaction.

Kankuro removed the hair from her face; she flinched as he did but didn't try to stop him. She looked tired and distressed, and the sight of her made his heart clench. He couldn't help but ask himself: What was causing her to fall into such despair that it seemed as if her soul was cracking?

"Please wake up," he whispered, shifting so he could sit in front of her.

Her eyes stared blankly right through him; she was still sleeping. In the next moment, he gasped. Tears ran down her pale face. Her hands, lying on her lap, trembled slightly, and her shoulders shook with the upcoming sob. She looked so small and lonely and so miserable.

Kankuro realised what he was doing long after his arms had already wrapped around her. His breath hitched once again as he carefully pulled her in and pressed her to his body. It was just like when he held one of the upset kids at home when they sought their big brother's comfort. It was especially frequent during exams.

Her head fell on his shoulder, and her face burrowed into the crook of his neck. He distinctly felt the wetness of her tears.

She kept sobbing while he gently held her smaller form. His hand wound up on her back and started ghosting over it in random patterns. He didn't know why he did it; it was like something deeply embodied that just emerged on the surface of his subconsciousness. But it resulted in her relaxing gradually. Eventually, she sighed and uttered something against his skin.

"What was that?" He asked, tenderly laying a hand on her head.

"Don't leave," she breathed out.

A warmth creeped inside his chest at her request. Logically, he knew she probably didn't know it was him holding her. Still, as he was looking at her, trusting and cuddling, it made his heart swell.

"All right, Ten, I'll stay," he said, swaying her.

Her hands slid between their bodies and rested on his chest. In less than a minute, she fell asleep.

Kankuro laid her down on the bed and settled beside her, letting her have almost the whole bed to herself. She rolled to the other side, away from him.

He closed his eyes, yet sleep still escaped him. The man waited for her movements to still and for her breathing to become even. Then he carefully left her sanctuary, closing the door behind him.

Tenten woke up early, with the first rays of sunshine. Her head was heavy and dizzy, as if she had been drinking a lot the previous evening. But she hadn't. Floating images made her feel confused and even... sick. She had some vague memory of someone walking into her room and holding her gently while she cried.

She flinched. A tingling sensation in her fingers forced her hands to ball into fists.

She blinked a few times, her eyelids heavy; her eyelashes were a bit sticky, so... she really had cried. But why? Why did she cry? Could it have been a bad dream or...?

All of this morning's sensations were familiar; it was just like that day when Lee said she looked tired and like she didn't sleep at all. Did she suffer from some kind of sleep issue that she wasn't aware of? Maybe she really hadn't slept at all? Hanging in some weird state between being asleep and awake?

Tenten shook her head. She really should visit Sakura at the hospital and talk about this. If her body couldn't rest properly, she would become a useless kunoichi and even put her team in danger.

She couldn't remember a nightmare, but there should've been one.

What she could remember, ever so vaguely, was that she had felt peaceful and content in another person's arms. She wasn't sure if that person was real or if she imagined them to be. It was the weirdest "dream". The person didn't have a face; they were just a calming presence with tender hands.

She turned to the centre of the bed and reached for her pillow. Her still-sleepy eyes fell on the nightstand. And the glass of water that she'd never brought herself.

The woman jolted and sat up. She frantically looked around for any other traces of someone who might have been there. She registered nothing, only the glass of water.

She reached for it and lifted it up to her eyes, giving it an assessment. There were matted marks, like from a hand, and some more around the edges. From lips most likely…

Kankuro…

So he had been there after all. And saw her cry...

Redness creeped over her cheeks at the thought. She felt so ashamed that she wanted to burrow her face into the pillow and scream it all out.

Did he see her differently? Did he change his opinion of her? For worse? Saw her as weaker? Worthless? To be required to come into her room in the middle of the night, to soothe her like a child... He didn't sign up for this. She didn't sign up for this.

Her stomach mercilessly started to fold in a tight ball, and she shook her head in an attempt to remove those self-destructive thoughts. At the end of the day, it didn't really matter what he thought of her as long as he behaved well during their mission. So, If there was a shift in his demeanour for the worse, only then was she going to bother herself with this.

Then her eyes fell on the glass in her head once again. If she had drunk from it last night, it would have been something like an... indirect kiss? Her lips pulled with indignation.

He had suggested kissing her last night at the party. But she couldn't budge. She couldn't take in the thought of lips claiming her so intimately in front of the eyes of... Neji. And her inner conflict filled her eyes with tears; she blinked them off, and Kankuro didn't press on it further.

So she had been thinking about kissing him. Eventually, that was going to happen. At least once during the formal celebration in Suna. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea if she let him kiss her before that. Having in mind that she wasn't familiar with it, this was only logical. Otherwise, some people might notice her being inexperienced.

But not today.

Tenten carefully placed the glass back on the nightstand.

She saw him in the kitchen. He said nothing about the matter; instead, he smiled and greeted her as he did every morning. Then headed to the bathroom. When he brushed past her, something clutched tightly at her chest and choked her. She reflectively grabbed his arm.

They were side by side; their faces weren't visible to the other one.

She could feel his body tense under her hand. He didn't know what was happening; he didn't know that she didn't know what she was doing.

Then the right words floated through her lips as she whispered: "Thank you."

He stilled. The man had already given some thought to what was the most suitable way to approach the matter from last night. And concluded it would be best to just not talk about it.

"You're welcome," he replied quietly.

She released him and continued her way to the table.

He entered the bathroom and started to wash his face and teeth. Afterwards, he'd paint his face and get ready for the day's training session.

Thank you, mfw_no_gf!