Author's note: Ok, that hasn't been checked by my beta, and I apologise in advance. There will be more non-sense and grammar mistakes, but I feel that it's time for an update. Once she looks the chapter up (I really hope she will), I will correct it.
Summary:
Tenten's friends are the first thing she meets in the morning. Ino has decided to make her presentable for the important event later in the day. Kankuro isn't very sure how to react.
Shikamaru visits his parents and bravely asks his mother for assistance.
Chapter 17: Heritage
Tenten woke up to a subtle cracking noise coming from the bathroom. She was up before her eyes were properly open.
"What the..." she started while hauling the door open.
Only to be met by Kankuro's clean face and wide smile.
He clapped his hands on a piece of cloth as he brushed off the dirt. "Good Morning! Your wish has been fulfilled, my lady," he teased with a deliberately clumsy bow.
She peered at the machine, which was already in its place. "It works?" she asked doubtfully.
"Let's find out?" He winked at her, then lowered himself to choose a programme and switch it on.
Tenten felt her cheeks heated; her body unwillingly reacted to his cheekiness. The way his eyes sparkled for just a fraction of a second made her stomach pull up. A shiver ran down her spine, but she hid it in a movement, lifting her arms up and stretching her back with a loud yawn.
The washing machine clicked and locked itself. A few seconds later, the pump started to fill up the drum with water, and none of it was spilling out.
"It looks like it's working," he noted. "But we should wait for the programme to run till the end."
"Ok." Tenten yawned again, this time for real. "Would you mind letting me take a shower in the meantime?"
"Am I holding you down or something?" he mocked.
She eyed him. "Ha-ha. Hilarious."
Kankuro rolled his eyes. "You're not fun at all in the mornings." He stepped towards the door, but Tenten stopped him.
"How's your head?" she asked with a hint of concern.
He looked over his shoulder, his smile gone. "My head still feels heavy, but at least it doesn't hurt. I rarely have headaches at all. It was… Let's say unpleasant."
She barely stifled a laugh. "Well, you must have grown something in your head recently to get it hurt, you know," she confided in him, feigning seriousness.
Kankuro huffed, fully turning to her and fixing her with narrowed eyes. "Did you just say I don't have a brain?" He inquired, crossing his arms; he carefully kept his expression blank.
Tenten realised she had started to get used to his big body, and it didn't feel as scary and intimidating as the first time he stood full-high in front of her.
"On the contrary," she replied, giggling. "I said that there's something in your skull if your head hurts."
"You really need to stop insulting me. You'll be married to me soon enough, after all."
"So?"
"So we become one. And insulting me means you insult yourself," he explained. "At least in the eyes of all people who don't know the facts."
Tenten shook her head with a smile. He didn't sound offended in the least.
"Alright, I'll try to keep the insults at a minimum."
"Thank you." Kankuro turned to leave but stopped once again. "Shall we go shopping for food later?" he asked as if he were wondering aloud.
"You mean for the trip?" she specified.
The man hissed, unwillingly rubbing his palm. A pained expression quickly passed over his face. "Yes."
"Ok, let's do that," she agreed, choosing to ignore his weird behaviour.
He nodded and left Tenten in private.
Shikamaru opened his eyes in the same body position he was when he fell asleep — half-slumped into the small couch in the middle of his flat. His back was killing him, but he still didn't make any attempt to move or change his twisted stand.
Shikamaru spent most of the night thinking and spiralling a lot over his conversation with Tsunade. Some of his earlier conclusions had drastically changed after he acquired some new information. The possibility of Temari being gone... for good... had been choking; his throat was so constricted that he hadn't been able to light a cigarette at all and calm his nerves. His fingers had played with the paper-covered cylinder during the whole awake time, but the air in his lungs was never enough to proceed with the smoking part.
His eyes screwed shut at the lame attempt to get up. Baring his teeth to hold in the groan, Shikamaru pushed his weary body into a more... sitting position.
"Troublesome woman," he growled through clenched teeth.
After all, it was her fault, wasn't it? If she hadn't disappeared... If she was alright, walking and scolding people around like she usually did, he wouldn't have started questioning himself and, especially, his feelings. He wouldn't have gotten those weird, dangerous ideas about his family heritage either. Those items that he received from his father... He hadn't remembered their existence at all since the day he became their official owner, at least for the time being. It was a Nara tradition, after all — they had been passed from father to son for generations. And there he was, Shikamaru, who had just turned eighteen, when Shikaku passed on the little cloth bag. It was accompanied by a shoulder pat, a knowing look, and an annoying "one day you will know." It seemed like his dad had been right, and that day really came — Shikamaru needed that damn bag and knew exactly what he wanted to do with the content.
There was just a tiny problem: he had left the bag in his old room, which, sadly, was located in his parents home. And said home was thoroughly guarded by his most terrible nightmare after "a world with no Temari in it" — his mother.
This time, Shikamaru couldn't hold back his groan.
Of course, he had a semi-factitious reason to visit his old home. Even though it was plausible and something he could benefit from, his back was still covered with goosebumps at the mere thought that his mother may suspect something. And try to pry information out of him.
His hands grasped his head for dear life. He hadn't been drinking, but he was feeling like having a full-fledged hangover. The room was swaying in front of his eyes, and his senses were blunt.
"No!" He ordered himself, and, wierdly enough, his body obliged, gathering up.
Shikamaru stood up and dragged his feet towards the bathroom. If he was going into the lioness's lair, he needed to be presentable…
A loud knock on the front door made Tenten jolt. She was still wrapped only in her towel, so there wasn't much to do about it. She dashed to the bedroom door and cracked it open. Just enough to peer in.
"Would you mind?" she said, drawing the man's attention to her.
Kankuro lifted his head from his reading — he had two books open and his blueprints spread on the small table. "You want me to open?"
"Please," she urged before hiding back in.
The next thing she heard made her freeze. It was the distinctively pissed-off, high-pitched voice of her blond friend, whom she sometimes feared — Ino was asking where she was. In response, she heard Kankuro's low tones, but she couldn't distinguish his words. She could guess, though. A few moments later, her door shook with a few slams.
"No need to break anything," Kankuro reasoned, still low and calm. "She'll be ready soon enough."
"Tenten, get your ass right out!" Ino's voice commanded, bringing nothing but dread into Tenten's mind.
She suppressed the waves of shivers and swallowed. "Coming!" Then she frantically looked around for clothes — any clothes. Ino sounded overly irritated, and in such a state, she could be unyielding, mean, and simply terrifying. The most scary trait was that Ino rarely got so negatively emotional for no good reason. So, whatever the occasion was, it was probably justified.
Tenten looked around for clothes. Any clothes would do right about now, so she just grabbed the first thing she laid eyes on. She simply forgot to cover her breasts in bandages or something else. Usually, she would be too conscious that Kankuro might see her forms through the thin fabric, but with Ino and her pending presence, Tenten had pushed the man's existence at the back of her head. When she was dressed, she went for the door without a thought to deal with her hair, still tightly wrapped in a towel.
Finally, with a hand on the doorknob, Tenten finally dared to take a deep breath and calm her mind a bit, so she could think relatively clearly. She pressed out in the living room, allowing her face to take on a worried expression. It was natural at the moment anyway.
"What's going on?" Tenten asked right away, even succeeding in mustering a slight surprise.
Ino had crossed her hands over her chest, and her blue eyes were narrowed. Sakura and Hinata were sitting on the couch and waved their greetings weakly with strained faces.
"You're getting married this afternoon," Ino stated coolly.
Kankuro and Tenten exchanged gazes: hers was puzzled, his was helpless. He shrugged and leaned on the door frame to the kitchen, refusing to willingly take part in whatever was about to happen.
"No, I'm not getting married this afternoon," Tenten declined. "We're signing a prenup. Actually, only a part of it."
"But then you're not going to have a wedding here!" Ino protested.
"There'll be one in Suna," Tenten countered.
"But it won't be here!" Ino insisted, raising her voice, her eyes watering in hurt and desperation. "You're the first one. And you'll be taken away from us and stuck in the middle of the desert nowhere." She quickly turned to Kankuro, adding, "No offence."
He waved a hand dismissively. "None taken."
Tenten couldn't ignore the amusement that appeared on his painted face as he crossed his arms.
"So, prenup or not, I'm going to be one of your best friends. I'll dress you up, put makeup on, and make you look like a doll," Ino informed her, taking a step forward to emphasise her statement.
Tenten looked genuinely scared for a moment. "I-I can't! We need to go and get food for the trip," she exclaimed.
"No, you don't have to. Kiba is downstairs and will accompany Kankuro to the store. He's reliable for those kinds of stuff, unlike my dear teammates." She huffed. "I don't want Kankuro here while we prepare you for this not-exactly-wedding event. The future groom is unneeded while the preparations are taking place." She turned to the man once more. "Again, no offence."
He just shrugged, avoiding a verbal answer. He was already dressed; his face was painted, so he could just go out without causing any commotion, which was what Ino obviously wanted. She said it herself, and she said it straight. Of course, he could say no, but Tenten's terrified face told him it was best not to interfere.
Kankuro pulled away from the door frame and went to the middle of the living room. There, he rolled up the scrolls and put them back in their holders, freeing the small table. He snatched his bag and keys and headed to the exit. With a hand almost on the doorknob, he abruptly stopped, just like he remembered something.
"Tenten?" he called, half-turning his face.
"Yes?" A hopeful note surfaced in her tone.
The man nodded towards the kitchen. "A word, please?"
Under her friends' curious gazes, Tenten and Kankuro entered the small kitchen, and she tried to get as much privacy as she could by closing the door.
"You found a way to save me?" she asked, whispering, desperation transparent in her voice.
He shook his head with a half-smile. "Sadly no. Also, I don't want to get myself involved in the weird relationship between your friends and you."
Tenten huffed. "Too bad."
"Sorry," he said, though he didn't sound like apologising at all.
"Ok, what's the matter?"
"We spoke about how we met," he whispered, and he stepped closer to her.
"We did," she confirmed, her eyes narrowing. "What about it?"
"I was supposed to prepare you a pile of cards and letters." He shook his head. "I still haven't done that."
Tenten nodded. They should have had more time…
"I'll go with the version that the box has been destroyed."
"Very well." He exhaled and glanced at the clock. "It's half past nine. We don't have an exact time for the signing yet, but I believe a notification will be sent our way." Kankuro looked out the window. "I think I won't need more than an hour before I come back."
She shook her head, sighing. "Make it two. I don't think Ino will let you in earlier…"
"Alright. Then I'll start my day with a second breakfast somewhere out. How do you feel about peppers, by the way?" He asked, opening the door to the living room.
"I think they sound fine." She shrugged and critically observed the women sitting on the couch and Ino, who had opened a bag on the small table.
"See you all." Kankuro waved goodbye and hurried to leave.
The door clicked behind him.
"Now," Ino started, "you're gonna sit here." She pointed to a spot in the middle of the room.
Tenten sighed in resignation. "Should I at least get myself a chair?"
"I'll bring one." Sakura volunteered and rustled into the kitchen.
Hinata was pressing a folded cloth to her chest when she stood up and pushed it into Tenten's hands. "That's for you," she said. "I know you don't wear these kinds of clothes, and you don't have any. But the occasion... it requires you to put one on."
"You already gifted me a dress, Hinata." Tenten's first reaction was to try to refuse. "Plus, the one I have from you is wonderful, and I can just-"
"No," Ino cut her off. "You can't. The one you have is unsuitable. And, let me remind you, this is not a simple party with your childhood friends. You represent not only yourself but Konoha as well."
Tenten blinked. Looking at it from this point of view, Ino was... well, she was right.
"We picked it very carefully for you, Tenten." Hinata smiled softly, her white cheeks flushing a pleasant pink. "Please, give it a try?"
"Don't ask her so nicely. She's trying to keep us all away from her personal life as if we are just nobody." Ino frowned. "I'm still furious about that."
Tenten blushed. "The circumstances required it. I didn't do it just like that!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Ino didn't sound convinced at all.
Hinata pushed the fabric again into her friend's hands, more insistently this time. "I'll bring my wedding gift to you later on. To Suna. My father has received an invitation, so I'm coming there with my family."
"How come we don't have invitations yet?" Ino's hands settled on her waist.
"I'll make sure you and Sakura get them." Tenten lifted her hands in a calming gesture.
"Sit!" The blonde commanded, turning her head back at Tenten.
Tenten sighed and took a seat on the chair that Sakura had brought for her. There was no point in protesting, and she knew it. So, she obeyed, taking her place on the chair and inwardly preparing for what was about to come — a thorough interrogation about her non-existing intimate life. If there was any occasion for her to put to good use all of the romances she had read, that was it…
Ino started to fish out pieces of her makeup bag and arrange them on the table.
"Did you pack?" Sakura asked, sitting down on the floor beside Tenten's chair.
"I did," Tenten answered with a scowl.
"What are you going to do with the furniture?" Hinata looked around. "Or are you taking them to Suna with you?"
"Oh, they aren't mine to take." Tenten also looked around. "As far as I'm aware, Shizune will take care of whatever is left, and then this flat will go to someone else." She shrugged and added, barely suppressing the hitch in her voice. "It's just furniture and a flat, after all."
It was a lie. It wasn't "just furniture and a flat", but her place, where she lived, laughed, cried, and was allowed to be herself. Leaving it meant leaving her own true core aside in favour of entering a life of pretending. She felt tears stinging but blinked them away.
Sakura bit her lip and got up. "I'm gonna make some tea," she said, already on her way to the kitchen.
Tenten was sure her friend was attempting to conceal her own tears while hiding in the next room.
Ino opened a face cream and started to apply it on Tenten's forehead. "So, how's he doing?" She sounded nonchalant, but they knew each other for far too long, and no one was going to be deluded by her soft tone.
"What do you mean?" Tenten asked.
Ino pursed her lips for a brief moment. "Has he been good to you?"
Tenten grabbed her friend's wrist, stilling her arm in place. Her brown eyes sank into her blue ones, and she said, deadly serious, "He has been nothing but respectful and nice to me since the day we met."
Ino's eyes widened at the intensity and honesty she saw. Half-convinced, she nodded, and only then did Tenten release her so she could continue with her task of applying face cream in silence. Soon she was done and proceeded to the next step: choosing a foundation colour. This seemed to be hard, even for her abilities in the art of makeup. Ino tried colour after colour on the top of Tenten's hand, obviously not happy with any of them. Then she started to try different combinations until she found something acceptable enough.
Ino hummed. "Have you planned a honeymoon yet?" She inquired while her eyes were still assessing the shades compared to her friend's skin tones.
Tenten hesitated briefly before saying, "No, we haven't. I don't think it's customary in Suna."
Truth be told, they hadn't discussed such a thing, and she wasn't particularly sure about her statement. But that was the best thing she could offer before asking Kankuro himself about the custom of the honeymoon in Suna.
"In Suna, they just go straight for the main thing, then?"
Tenten frowned, suspecting where all of this would head. "What do you want to ask, exactly?"
"Well…" Ino paused. "I mean… The honeymoon is for... getting to know a new aspect of the relationship... officially."
Tenten eyed her while Hinata bit her bottom lip.
Ino continued, "But you two have been meeting in secret for some time now. I wouldn't think that you've been restraining yourselves from a particular aspect of your relationship. Also, you've been living together since he came here, too. So, I guess, spending time in private, even though it would be official, won't be something so... new?"
"Ino!" Hinata scolded in a loud whisper; her cheeks were deeply red.
"What? It shouldn't be a problem for her to say, right?"
Tenten swallowed and pulled herself together. "Nothing new," she confirmed through her teeth.
"But as we speak about customs..." Ino rustled the contents of her bag and continued annoyingly calm, "Is it customary in Suna for the fiance to sleep on the couch of his future wife?"
Tenten snapped her head up at her. "What?!"
Ino nodded to the betrayal edge of sheets hanging from the rum of a closed drawer. "Why are you lying? He isn't sleeping in your bed, but in here, isn't he? What's wrong with your relationship?"
Tenten had the feeling that her heart was going to pound its way out right through her ribs. She panicked; cold sweat appeared on her back and her palms. It was a critical moment, and her response would either convince Ino that everything was alright or she would plant the seeds of doubt deeply in her friends minds.
"That's not it," she hurried to deny; her brain was frantically trying to come up with not only a plausible but a good excuse. "He had a lot to finish on his blueprints last night. He didn't want to mess with my sleep, so he insisted on just napping on the couch, as far as I was told."
When sensing something fishy, Ino was turning into something resembling a bloodhound. Nothing could stave her off. That was what made her such a good interrogator. "So everything with you two is fine? And he does sleep in your bed?"
"He does," Tenten said aloud, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking that he slept in her bed just once. It wasn't a usual thing, as she tried to imply, hopefully successfully.
"Then you wouldn't mind if we came to witness the prenup signing and applaud your kiss?" Ino asked nonchalantly, taking out a few lipsticks.
Tenten bit her tongue before surrendering. "Of course not." She couldn't possibly disagree; she had foolishly fallen into Ino's trap.
The blonde nodded. "Close your eyes, please," Ino asked, opening the eyeliner. "Don't move."
Hinata timidly sat on the couch, her arms resting on her lap; her legs were pressed together, crossed at the ankles close to the front of the couch. "Are you afraid?" she asked quietly. "Of going to Suna?"
Tenten contemplated her answer, trying hard not to move or open her eyes. She was dying to scream that she was not only afraid but terrified; she couldn't. The kunoichi on a mission, as she was, didn't have the right to say such things. They were confidential... So, if she wanted to unload a part of her burden by sharing some of it, Tenten had to find a balance between the real situation and what was expected of her friends about the situation. The same went for her feelings.
"I'm… excited. It's just… Suna is… quite different," she said in a few breaths.
"Tenten's right," Hinata said in support. "Suna and Konoha are different culturally. You will probably experience a cultural shock at first." Her friend's frown made Hinata add, "I mean... Even if she's used to Kankuro and his behaviour, she hasn't gotten used to him in his own surroundings." She paused, her face in deep red, indicating her rising discomfort. "He will be different, most probably... But you'll get used to it... and to the village and its habits."
"Elaborate," Tenten mumbled.
"I've been told that they're a bit more... harsh, rough, and tough. They usually talk less than what we consider normal. Although, maybe, Kankuro and his siblings are educated in the ways of diplomacy, so they talk more." Hinata coughed and sipped on her water before continuing, "One of the greatest differences between Konoha and Suna is that their bloodline's heirs are that — heirs. They don't get elected and step up to the post, then become a normal part of the shinobi population when their mandate runs out. They… don't step out. They don't have a mandate. Marrying into the Kazekage's kin will make you an inseparable part of that family forever. You'll rise to be royalty, and you'll be looked at like one," she explained.
Ino's movement stilled under the upcoming, unsuccessfully stifled sobs of Tenten. Grabbing a napkin from the table, she carefully wiped the tears and whispered, "Oh, honey, don't… Please don't cry…"
Her thin fingers, with beautifully painted nails, skittered over the wet trails on Tenten's cheeks. Then she wrapped her in a gentle hug. "I can't even imagine how hard this is on you. No matter if you go with someone you love and who loves you back, you still leave the place and people you know best." She stroked her friend's back. "I could say that everything will be alright. But it won't be the truth, and you don't need lies right now." Ino placed a heartwarming kiss on the top of Tenten's head. "You need support. That's why we are here."
Tenten wound her arms around Ino's body and buried her face in the fabric of her dress, sobbing.
"I'll need to do the makeup again," Ino whispered, but she didn't sound unhappy at all. Instead of trying to salvage some of her work, she chose to indulge and let Tenten wipe her face on her clothes.
Hinata approached, barely keeping her own tears from falling. She laid a hand on both of the other women's shoulders.
"You may leave Konoha," she said. "But Konoha won't leave you. We'll always be one letter away; one call for help, and we'll be by your side. We're here for you."
Tenten burst into an unrestrained cry.
Sakura entered the living room carrying a tray with cups and a teapot. She stopped in her tracks when her sight — eyes with distinctive red rims — fell on the three women hugging in the middle of the living room. Stepping forward carefully, she placed the tray on the floor.
"Look who the cat dragged in for breakfast," Yoshino said. "Come in; don't stay at the door." She gestured for her son to enter. "Do you want an omelette?"
"Yes, please," Shikamaru answered, pulling a slight smile for his mother.
She nodded and busied herself to prepare breakfast for her son. With more cheese, just the way he liked it.
Shikaku laid down the report he was reading and raised his eyebrows, curious at first. A shadow of worry passed over his scarred face in the very next moment. "Shikamaru? Is everything alright?"
Shikamaru huffed, averting his face briefly. He stepped towards the table in silence. The older man piled up the papers and left them to the side. Hidden behind his dark eyes, his sharp and insightful mind assessed his son's face. A light scowl appeared on his forehead.
"What's bringing you here?" he asked in a low and worried tone.
"What are you plotting there, you two?" Yoshino asked over her shoulder.
The men exchanged gazes. Their cohabitation for years had allowed them to develop a way for mute communication. One thorough look at his son's expression told Shikaku everything he needed to know for the moment — Shikamaru needed support, and his mother distracted away from his persona.
"Tsunade informed me about your new temporary position," Shikaku said matter-of-factly, making his wife turn. "Congratulations are in order, I presume."
"What position?" the woman asked.
"He's going to be a temporary ambassador of Konoha for the negotiations between Suna and Konoha."
"The wedding?" Yoshino specified while pouring the eggs into the pan. She definitely sounded excited, for her son's terror.
Shikamaru took a breath. "Yes, mom, the wedding."
"The groom is your colleague Temari's brother, right?" She didn't look at them, her eyes still fixed on the hissing eggs.
Yeah, my colleague Temari, he thought bitterly, but aloud only confirmed.
Yoshino made a sound of contentment.
"I was thinking of asking dad for some tips about dealing with Suna Council," Shikamaru admitted. And that was not even a lie.
Shikaku frowned, steepling his fingers over the table. "First, you have to know what kind of people you'll have standing on the opposite side of the negotiating table." He waited for a nod from his son, then continued, "They're a bunch of old men that strive to keep Suna in the dark ages. They don't think any change is good or that it can bring any benefit to Suna. No matter what you offer, or anyone actually, they will throw the argument about the traditions into your face. Don't take it personally."
"Got that," Shikamaru propped his elbows on the table, leaning slightly to his father.
"You always have to take their traditions seriously. And ask them about which one they are specifically talking about. Then any argumentation should start with dismissing their quasi-worries about traditions."
Shikamaru nodded once more. "What else?"
"They will use any seemingly lack of coordination or respect in the Konoha group. So whatever you need to argue about has to be done outside of the council hall."
The younger man smirked. "Sounds logical."
Shikaku frowned further. "Is there any particular matter you'd like to discuss?"
"Theoretically speaking, if they ask for something not beneficial for us, we can't really call it off?" Shikamaru looked at his hands, trying hard not to fidget with his fingers. He needed something in his hands to play with, but no cigarettes were allowed in the house. The rule had the credentials of a law.
"Hmmm." Shikaku's eyes pierced Shikamaru's face. "I see you have something in mind. In these kinds of situations, you usually have two options: impose a threat to decline something that they value more or offer something they can't really refuse." His mouth's edges tugged up into a smirk. "In general, if you play by their rules, they won't be able to snake out."
Shikamaru slowly nodded and jolted when Yoshino placed his breakfast in front of him.
She set her hands on her hips. "Here you go."
"Thanks, mom," he uttered, timidly taking the fork. He separated a small bite from the rest of the omelette, stabbed it a bit more forcefully than it deserved, and nibbled on it. "You know, mom," Shikamaru started with a sigh right after swallowing. "I'd be happy if you could help me with something."
Shikaku perked up, his lively eyes drifting to Shikamaru's face.
Yoshino gave her son an incredulous look. "You haven't asked for my help since you were five."
"True," Shikamaru admitted. "But you have something that I don't…" She raised her brows. "Taste," he simply added.
Shikaku smirked, stifling his laugh. He chose to deal with part of his own breakfast instead.
"As true as your statement is, you will need to explain." Yoshino frowned.
"Alright. The problem is that I'll be obligated to attend the formal part of the wedding in Suna, so I need to prepare a proper gift. I hope you won't mind if I outsource that to you."
She kept her silence but crossed her arms. That gesture made Shikaku cringe.
"I mean, I'll represent the whole family, and I don't want to pick something unsuitable. You'd handle this much better than myself, mom."
Yoshino stubbornly kept her mouth shut, her eyes bored into her son's face, and slowly sat down beside her husband.
"Please, mom?" He tried.
"I'm not sure I've ever heard him beg you for something different than 'leave me alone', Yoshino," Shikaku interjected. "You may as well take advantage."
"Thanks, dad…"
"You're welcome, kiddo," he grinned while playful flames danced into his dark eyes.
"Alright, Shikamaru. I'll pick a present," his mother said, and he felt his stomach drop in dread. "But I want your word that you'll visit your mother once a week for dinner."
It wasn't as if he didn't expect her to impose a condition. And he didn't really have a choice, so he nodded.
Her face lit up. "I already have an idea for a gift!" She clapped her hands with a wide smile. "What are you wearing to the wedding?"
"Erm… I haven't really thought ab—"
"Nara Shikamaru! If you're representing the whole family, you aren't doing it half-heartedly. Come on! Eat up and come with me!"
Suddenly, the wonderful omelette his mother made tasted like sand, and he barely succeeded in swallowing his current bite.
"I'm sure you'll fit in one of your dad's old suits." She hopped on her feet and headed upstairs, humming merrily.
Shikamaru refused to meet his dad's overly merry gaze and rushed to finish the poor breakfast — no omelette had ever been stabbed so fiercely in the whole family history. After he was done, he patiently tried all the suits his mother had piled up for him. She picked a fitted dark blue one. Yoshino insisted on preparing it for him and getting it folded and sealed. He couldn't be happier about the arrangement.
While Yoshino was downstairs to soak the suit before washing it, Shikamaru finally had some time to close himself into his old room. He reached for the third row on the left and pulled out "100 Stupid Things to Say". The book was dust-free, but he was sure his mother wouldn't open this particular one. He pressed a hidden pin. A content smile graced his lips at the sound of a quiet click. An item dropped on his open palm from a small department on the back. He closed the lid and returned the book to its place.
The item — a bag — sank into his pants' pocket.
Kiba didn't appear as annoying as before. Kankuro kept his calm easier, talked with him on more neutral topics, and didn't have the urge to strangle him even once.
The two men finished the shopping task relatively quickly. They arrived in front of Tenten's flat at half past eleven, only to find Kakashi leaning on the wall next to the building entrance, his nose buried in his book.
He lifted his head. "One pm," was all he said before the familiar white cloud replaced him with a puff.
"Well…" Kankuro shrugged. "That narrows it down."
"Why so rushed?" Kiba asked seriously. "The engagement, prenup, wedding?"
Kankuro gave him a side glance. "Political matters," he said, intending to leave his answer as clipped as possible. At first. Then he considered a small explanation that would be plausible enough and wouldn't tell too much. "Both sides want to squeeze the maximum out of each other. So they want to have more time to negotiate due to expanding the time between the initial prenup and the actual wedding."
"So they want to feel the pressure of signs already on paper and a close deadline?"
Kankuro smiled at the simplification of the situation and its surprising accuracy. "Right in the bull's eye."
"Ah!" Kiba whistled. "I don't want to be in your shoes," he stated.
"Sometimes... neither do I," Kankuro agreed, opening the building door. "Coming up?"
"Nah, thanks. I get goosebumps when they're emotional… And they'll be, you know. I prefer to stay away if I can help it."
The sand shinobi huffed, inwardly feeling a spark of envy. "Suit yourself." He couldn't help but think that staying away would be great if he had any choice. But he didn't, so… He pulled himself together and climbed up the stairs.
Kankuro pressed his heel on the ground to numb it. While walking with Kiba, a pain appeared in his foot, around the heel. It was annoying and persistent, like if he had hurt himself recently. Except he hadn't. He didn't have much to do about it but shake the sensation off.
Once in front of the flat, he stopped and leaned on the door. Carefully… He could hear whispers and voices through each other, absolutely undistinguishable. Then someone laughed. Laughing was good, right? His ears pricked up even more. Right after that, cringing, he inwardly slapped himself — he wasn't the eavesdropping type. Kankuro clenched his jaw, kicking the chaotic images out of his head. On top of everything, an echo of yesterday's headache was trying to settle in. The man wouldn't let it take over if it was up to him. So he tried his best to ignore the sensation and knocked.
"Hold on!" Ino's voice came right away. "Hide!"
"No." That was definitely Tenten. "What's the point? He will see me anyway."
There were more words, and by the intonation, Kankuro could guess their not-very-intelligible meaning.
"Just open the door, Ino," said Sakura's voice. "This superstition is local, anyway. I'm sure Kankuro has never even heard about it."
The door really flew open. Kankuro was met by Ino's half-irritated expression. She smiled in a way that completely erased any trace of annoyance that was twisting her face just a moment ago. "Welcome back," she greeted cheerfully.
"Glad to see you're still here, Ino," he said nonchalantly and brushed past her.
"Kakashi was here," Tenten's voice informed him and he nodded without looking at her. "The signing is at one."
He nodded. "I know."
The man attempted to sneak right into the kitchen and sort the bags there, but his eyes were drawn to the middle of the living room. His body abruptly stopped, as if it had its own mind unshared with Kankuro's. But how wouldn't he stop? How would he not look?
"Ok, I'm not sure if he likes the sight of you or if he is just insulted by it," Ino said, crossing her arms.
Kankuro shot Ino a glance, but it was drawn right back into the middle of the room. And Tenten. Well, he knew she was a pleasant-looking young woman. He knew she had a fine body, being kunoichi and all. But right now, there were more superlatives in his mind than he thought he knew.
Tenten was dressed in a yellow sleeveless dress. It was nothing special. The length was modest — it didn't pass up the knee. The cleavage wasn't going down her clavicles. But it wrapped her curves so nicely, without being eyes-poking or too showy, that it was actually making him hold his breath. And her hair... Her chestnut hair was down, falling in big, soft waves on her back and shoulders, caressing her bare arms. Kankuro's fingers irked to replace her hair and skitter the silky-looking skin. He swallowed hard.
Then he met her eyes. They were wide open, emphasised by an expertly applied eyeliner. And unsure, he realised. He had been standing unmoving and silent for some time, giving all of the women an opportunity to think… whatever they usually think in such cases. He cleared his throat.
"You look… different," he said to Tenten.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she stepped back. Defensive.
Ino huffed, squinting her eyes, and took a step towards him. "Do yourself a favour and repeat after me: You look stunning. That's what you want to say to a woman who puts effort into her appearance for a special day for both you and her." Ino corrected him. There was something odd in her voice, but he wasn't sure if it was annoyance or amusement.
Kankuro pulled himself together and gave Tenten a soft smile. "That too."
She smiled back, with an obvious relief written all over her face.
"Alright, ladies!" Ino clapped with her hands. "It's time for us to go." Then she turned to Tenten. "We'll make sure to be at the signing, and I'll try to get a camera. I really want to capture this moment."
Tenten paled but nodded, smiling.
Sakura turned her head to look at Kankuro properly. "When was the signing again?"
"One o'clock," Kankuro answered, his eyes drifting briefly to Tenten.
"We need to leave very soon," she noted, casting a gaze at the clock on the wall.
"We do," Kankuro confirmed, curling his lips into a polite smile. "Alright, ladies. I'll have to ask you to leave. We still have some preparations to do before the signing."
Hinata was first at the door, as she felt extremely uncomfortable. Sakura gave both Kankuro and Tenten smiles and followed Hinata. Ino, on the other hand, smirked.
"If you're gonna do something... make it quick," she said with a wink, and just before she exited the flat, the woman turned with her pointer finger warningly lifted up in the air. "Try not to wrinkle the dress, will you?"
"Ino!" Tenten hissed outrageously; Kankuro just snorted, amused.
Ino laughed and closed the door behind her with a thud.
Jtoo! Thank you, hun :)
