Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Flowers in the Sand ❯ Chapter 28

Chapter 28

 

Sakura made her way through the crowd to her husband's side. Naruto grinned when he saw her and promptly took his son out of her arms.

 

“Nice ceremony, Hokage,” she observed. “I though for sure you'd botch it.”

 

“Oi,” he sniffed distainfully, “I can handle a simple wedding ceremony.”

 

Sakura leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder and smiled as Tenten, dressed in one of Temari's best gowns, danced gracefully with her new husband. Neji's gaze was locked on hers and it was obvious to those watching that, to them, there was no one else in the room.

 

“I cannot believe Tenten came up with this plot on her own,” Lee spoke up as he walked over to Sakura and Naruto. “She has been in love with Neji for years but refused to admit it. To come up with this devious of a plan…”

 

“She was desperate,” Temari grinned, coming up on Naruto's other side, Shikamaru right behind her, holding Akina in his arms. “As I would be if I were in her shoes.”

 

“You didn't give me a choice,” Shikamaru commented wryly. “You basically told me that if I didn't marry you I'd meet the business end of your fan.”

 

“Of course. Why take the risk you'd be too lazy to get around to asking me?”

 

Ino arrived with Chouichi in her arms and Chouji right behind her. “Probably a smart move. Otherwise he still wouldn't have gotten around to it.”

 

Sakura chuckled. She looked at Temari. “Where did your brother get to?”

 

Temari laughed out loud. “Gaara? I don't think you'd believe me even if I told you.”

 

Of course, that had everyone's attention. They all leaned in close. “Now you have to tell us,” Naruto begged her.

 

The blonde Jounin smirked, knowing she had her audience captured. “Well, you know how during his `performance' with Tenten they were discussing how he `couldn't wait until tonight'?”

 

Saucer-round wide eyes of shock met this statement. “You're kidding,” Sakura breathed.

 

“He…?” Lee squeaked out, unable to utter more than that in his surprise.

 

“And… Safaia…?” Ino added, looking equally stunned. “Now?”

 

Naruto grinned like a fool. “Hell, I can't blame him. I couldn't wait when I married Sakura.”

 

That got him a lump on the head from his wife, right after she took Kohaku out of his grasp. “You don't need to announce it to everyone!” she hollered, her face bright red.

 

Chouji nudged Ino and she, too, blushed. “W-well, maybe we shouldn't be too surprised at Gaara's behavior…”

 

Walking back inside the building unnoticed and overhearing Ino's last statement, Gaara glanced at Safaia, who looked back at him, equally perplexed. “What behavior?” he asked her.

 

She blinked. “I have no idea. Did you do something you were not supposed to?”

 

Gaara tapped Naruto on the shoulder and the man nearly hit the ceiling in surprise. When he noticed it was Gaara, he stared in confusion. “Wha… what are you doing here?”

 

Safaia regarded him curiously. “Why shouldn't we be here? Is this not a celebration?”

 

“Well, yeah,” Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. “But we thought, you know… since you're married now…”

 

Gaara and Safaia exchanged a glance. “Well, I suppose we should be heading back to Suna as soon as possible,” Gaara said slowly.

 

“Probably in the morning,” Safaia nodded. “It is much too late in the day to start out.”

 

Ino exchanged a meaningful look with Sakura. The pink-haired woman nodded frantically. “Um, Safaia,” Ino said cheerfully- too cheerfully, “would you come with us for a minute? We need to talk to you.”

 

Gaara looked like he might protest but simply nodded when Safaia gave him a questioning expression. She allowed herself to be pulled away by the two women, appearing most hesitant to do so.

 

Naruto, Chouji, and Shikamaru managed a three-way Look, similar to the one Sakura and Ino traded. They turned to Gaara. He stared back. “What?”

 

“You do know what they're going off to talk about, right?” Naruto whispered, his eyes narrowed as he glanced around suspiciously.

 

Gaara gave him a completely blank look. “Should I?”

 

Chouji and Shikamaru tried to smother their chortles of masculine glee. Naruto shook his head. “You two shouldn't be laughing. This is the whole reason your wives are pregnant again in the first place.”

 

Gaara blinked once. “What are you talking about?”

 

Shikamaru immediately straightened up, his face bright red. “You tell him, Chouji.”

 

“Me? I only know what Ino's taught me.”

 

“I did not need to hear that.”

 

“Guys, guys,” Naruto interrupted. “I'm pretty sure someone's told him what to do.”

 

Gaara started to look worried. “What to do?”

 

Naruto gave him a lecherous grin- most disturbing on one's best friend's face. “Sex, sand-boy. Surely someone told you how it's done?”

 

Aquamarine eyes flew wide in alarm. “S-s-s…”

 

“Jeez,” Shikamaru muttered. “He can't even say the word.”

 

Chouji fought the urges to fall over laughing or run away in embarrassment. Instead, he scanned the room. “Where's the buffet…?” he wondered, changing the subject.

 

“Oh, no.” Shikamaru grabbed his friend and pulled him back into the conversation. “If I have to deal with this embarrassing subject, so do you.”

 

“We could always ask Kiba.”

 

“Ask Kiba what?”

 

The four men turned to see, ironically enough, the very man Chouji had suggested. Naruto chuckled. “Sure- I bet he won't chicken out like you two bakas are gonna.”

 

“Ooo,” Kiba grinned toothily. “What's up?”

 

“We're trying to figure out if Gaara knows what he's supposed to do with Safaia tonight.”

 

Kiba gave a very wolfish smile. “And you three couldn't handle that?” He shook his head sadly. “Hard to believe any of you sired any kids.”

 

“Hey,” Shikamaru protested, “my dad told me years ago.”

 

Chouji nodded. “Same here.” They looked at Naruto.

 

Naruto crossed his arms and looked embarrassed. “Sasuke,” he mumbled.

 

After the three Konoha shinobi finished hooting in laughter (much to Gaara's confusion), they focused on the matter at hand. “I think Ino and Sakura will tell Safaia to do all the work,” Naruto said thoughtfully.

 

“That's no good,” Chouji replied. “Girls want us to be romantic and all that crap.”

 

Kiba rubbed his chin, thinking. “Hinata likes it when I take the initiative… maybe Gaara should do that.”

 

Gaara had finally had enough of this bizarre conversation. “Do what?” he demanded, wishing he had never walked back into the building.

 

Kiba blinked at him. “So you don't know what sex is?”

 

The Kazekage kept an emotionless expression, but his cheeks pinkened, much to their collective shock. “I have… heard of it,” he said neutrally. “The result was your children, yes?”

 

Shikamaru grinned slyly. “But you don't know how Akina was made, do you?”

 

“I prefer not to, thank you.”

 

Naruto sighed. “Well, if you know the basics, then you'll be okay.”

 

Gaara looked at his best friend. “Basics?” I am doomed…

 

“Kiba?”

 

The brown-haired man saluted his Hokage. “Yes!”

 

“I think you better fill him in.”

 

“Delighted to be of assistance.”

 

----------------------------

 

Safaia's jaw nearly hit the floor. “Gaara… is going to what?”

 

“Calm down,” Ino soothed. “It's not so bad.” She winked at Sakura. “I'm pretty sure you'll end up looking forward to it after a few times.”

 

Help help help help help help help…

 

Relax, pup, Gobi murmured inside her mind. Mating is supposed to be quite enjoyable for humans. She seemed to wince. Among canines, however…

 

I don't want to hear it! Gaara would never, EVER do something like…

 

He will. Does it really sound so horrible, to have the man you love touch you like that? Remember- if you had married Neji, HE would be the one doing that.

 

Safaia visibly shuddered. Okay, that woke her up. She would much prefer Gaara making love to her than Neji. She only hoped she didn't disappoint him… she didn't even know how to kiss.

 

Well, you'll learn quickly, if the example given to you when he kissed Tenten is any indication.

 

She kissed him! He even admitted it! He probably knows even less than me!

 

Unlikely. He has friends and family that are mated- surely he has seen them kiss. You, on the other paw, have been blind all your life and alone for most of it. You have no examples to really go by.

 

Safaia looked at Sakura and Ino warily. “When?” she asked, sounding rather defeated.

 

The girls laughed. “Don't worry so much! He'll let you know when the time is right, okay?”

 

She nodded grimly. “If you say so.”

 

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Neji blinked in confusion at the mischievously chortling men surrounding Gaara. He moved closer and became even more perplexed when he saw the mortified look on the Kazekage's face. That's got to be one expression I'm sure he's never had…

 

“What did I miss?” Neji said innocently.

 

Kiba grinned at him. “Just explaining the details of married life, Neji, old boy,” he informed his cousin-in-law. “Poor Gaara can't seem to handle it, though.”

 

“Details?”

 

Gaara looked at Neji, his eyes full of panic. “S-s-s-s-s…”

 

“Sex,” Kiba finished for him. He snorted in amused irritation. “See? He can't even say the word.”

 

“Good God,” Neji nearly hollered. “Are you guys insane? You, of all people, shouldn't be telling Gaara about sex! Leave that to his brother or something!”

 

“Kankuro isn't here,” Shikamaru pointed out. “And since tonight is Gaara's wedding night…”

 

“You guys are all bakas,” Neji declared. “You've probably scarred him for life.”

 

Naruto grinned. “Then my mission is complete,” he snickered.

 

Finally, he put an arm around Gaara's slender shoulders in an effort at easing the teasing. “Don't worry about it,” he muttered in Gaara's ear. “Just do what comes naturally. You do have instincts, right?”

 

That seemed to reach the poor man. He looked at Naruto. “Instincts…” he murmured, looking thoughtful. It was true- when he was with Safaia, he wanted to kiss her like how Tenten had been kissing Neji. Or, what about that time he accidentally walked into Temari's room back when she and Shikamaru were still dating? Okay, don't remember that one…

 

Gaara took a deep breath, looking much more confident. “Thank you, Naruto,” he said quietly to his friend. “I think… Safaia and I will be just fine.”

 

-oOo-oOo-oOo-

 

Since I have been forbidden by my boyfriend to write any more lemons in my stories, I'm afraid that neither wedding night will be included in this story. -cries- Which really sucks, because I had a pretty good idea of how I wanted it to go for each couple. Anyways, if I feel inspired, I might finish this story tonight, so that y'all don't have to go a week without knowing how it ends.

 

-nearly dies at the thought of Gaara walking in on his sister and Shikamaru making out in her bedroom-