It was a warm day in the Hidden Leaf village people were busily walking around do one thing or the other all just tending to what they needed to do…for some it was just a normal day, but for one person it seemed like a unending day of feelings to be quite honest it was a drag. Why did his team have to get this assignment? Shikamaru sighed as he walked to the gates leading into the village, his team had been assigned to guard and in his words "entertain" a group of shinobi from the Hidden Sand village and he was not looking forward to it at all….why should he have to entertain people? There were plenty of other things he could be doing, but no instead he was standing at the gates now being joined by Ino and Choji to wait on these three shinobi.
"Shikamaru why didn't you wait for us?" Ino asked as she made her way up to him
"I spaced out while walking my mistake" Shikamaru said as he shifted his weight to one side
"Spaced out? You never space out what's going on?" Choji asked as he opened a bag of chips
"Choji it's nine in the morning why are you eating chips?" Ino asked as she watched her teammate shove a handful of chips into his mouth
"I was running late and missed breakfast" Choji said with a mouthful of chips
"Guys it's too early to be arguing…Ino do you know when the group is suppose to get here?" Shikamaru asked
"Uh they should be here any minute now…I wonder who they sent" Ino asked
"I don't know, but I hope this doesn't take long I'm really not in the babysitting mood" Shikamaru said
"Well last time I checked we didn't need to be babysat" Temari said as she and her two brothers walked up to the other three man squad. Shikamaru turned around with wide eyes and mentally face palmed himself.
"I didn't mean babysit" Shikamaru said as he moved aside so the three could walk by
"Yeah sure you didn't...anyways we need to get going who is pairing off with who?" Temari asked as she eyed Shikamaru up and down
"Well Temari I figured you could pair off with me and the boys could figure out who went with who" Ino said
"I'll go with Choji" Kankuro said as he walked over to him…which left Gaara with Shikamaru, who was none too pleased….Shikamaru knew that Gaara had changed since the chunin exams, but so had he…he had actually started to like Gaara in a romantic way not that he would tell anyone…he was scared to come out to his friends and family about him being gay.
"Well with that said let's get going then….father won't be pleased if he hears that we were late" Gaara said in a deep voice that caught Shikamaru off guard. They all nodded and began into the village once they were in the middle of town they all stopped, for safety the meetings were to be held at three different locations which meant splitting up…after confirming where they would meet up at after the meetings were over they set off separately. Shikamaru and Gaara's meeting was set in the deep in the woods in a cabin that only the Nara clan could access, after a few minutes of walking Shikamaru felt the need to say something about the comment he made earlier at the gates.
"Um Gaara I wanted to say sorry for what I said back at the gates I didn't mean to offend you or your siblings" said Shikamaru as he put both hands in his pockets and side glanced at Gaara.
"It's fine I don't understand why father felt the need for us to have protection either...I kind of thought it was funny" Gaara said in the same deep voice that he had spoke in earlier it sent chills down Shikamaru's spine it was starting to turn him on
"I'm just glad Ino decided she would pair herself with your sister….she looked pretty pissed" Shikamaru said as he chuckled lowly
"Yeah she's just mad that she didn't get paired with you" Gaara said as they kept walking
"Why would she be mad about not being paired with me?" asked Shikamaru he would have thought that Temari would be glad not to been paired with him she looked pissed at the gate
"Because she likes you and made it her personal mission to make sure that father sent us on this mission" Gaara said while hiding the giggle that wanted to escape from his lips as he looked at Shikamaru trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about
"She likes me? Like as more than a friend?" Shikamaru asked
"Yes as more than a friend" Gaara said
"I mean I'm flattered but I don't see her in that way" Shikamaru said as he tried to hide a blush that was making its way to his face
"Why don't you like her in that way?" Gaara asked
"It's complicated….I have feelings for someone else and that is even more complicated…..it's a real drag to be honest about it" Shikamaru said as his face was as bright as a cherry
"Not that it's any of my business, but who is it?" Gaara asked he was getting really curious now
"I can't tell you" Shikamaru said, he looked up and noticed that they had arrived at the Nara clan forest….he and Gaara walked into the forest the conversation about who Shikamaru liked being dropped until they were standing infront of the cabin. Shikamaru walked up to the door and bit this thumb and drug it down a straight line leaving a thin trail of blood, he stepped back and the door opened he walked in and held the door open for Gaara to enter once inside they were met by Shikaku Nara and Obito Uchiha.
"Hello Mr. Nara Mr. Uchiha I'm Gaara of the Hidden Sand I will be one of the representatives along with my brother and sister" Gaara said as he extended his hand out to shake hands, after introductions Gaara sat down as well as Obito who looked to Shikaku and nodded
"Come Shikamaru we are to wait outside" said the older Nara, Shikamaru nodded and turned around and walked out of the cabin his father following behind him…they stood infront of the door for a few minutes until Shikamaru asked his father a question.
"Dad can I ask you something?" Shikamaru asked
"What is it?" Shikaku answered
"Gaara was telling me that Temari likes me, but when they arrived this morning she looked like she was ready to kill me….are women suppose to act like that when they like a guy?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at his father
"She may just have been having a bad day" Shikaku said as he smiled down at his son, he knew his son was smart but he did have dense moments at times and the subject of women was going to cause him to have a lot of dense moments.
"Yeah maybe….anyways what are these meetings about?" asked the younger Nara
"The Hidden Sand and the Hidden Leaf are coming together to plan the chunin exams the other villages are coming next month….these meetings are going to happen for about six months to make sure everything runs smoothly" Shikaku said
"So how often are the meetings going to happen?" asked Shikamaru
"Twice a month" said Shikaku as he looked at Shikamaru
"Oh so I'll be paired with Gaara twice a month ok then" Shikamaru said as he screamed with joy in his mind. After a few hours Gaara and Obito emerged from the cabin
"Sorry to take so long hope we didn't keep you waiting too long" Obito said as he shut the door behind him
"Not at all are you ready to go?" Shikaku asked
"Yeah I'm ready….uh Gaara if you don't mind me asking what are you doing once you leave here?" Shikaku asked
"I was going to go back to the hotel and order some food" Gaara said
"Well if you're up for it why don't you and Shikamaru go out to eat on me?" Shikaku said missing the look that came on his sons' face
"Well if Shikamaru is up for it, then sure I don't mind" Gaara said as he looked at Shikamaru
"Sounds like a plan to me…once we get back into town we can find somewhere to go" Shikamaru said as he tried to get the blush off his face. The four set off for the village making small talk but making a point to avoid relationship topics Gaara was going to get the information on that at dinner, after about 45 minutes of walking they finally reached the town Shikaku pulled Shikamaru to the side and handed him some money.
"Dad why did you suggest this?" Shikamaru asked
"Because he's a guest in our town so he should be treated as one it's not going to hurt you to take him out to dinner" Shikaku said
"What a drag" Shikamaru said as he put the money in his pocket
"You ready to Gaara?" Shikamaru asked
"Yeah where would you like to go?" Gaara asked
"You're the guest it's up to you what are you in the mood for?" Shikamaru asked
"Um maybe some BBQ?" Gaara asked more than told
"BBQ it is then" Shikamaru said as he and Gaara started towards his favorite BBQ spot he just hoped he didn't run into Choji or Ino along the way, he rather liked spending alone time with Gaara even though he was a babbling blushing mess around him. Once they reached the restaurant and was guided to a table at the back of the restaurant, he and Gaara ordered their food and chatted until the food came.
"So getting back to the conversation we were having before we got to the cabin why don't you like my sister?" Gaara asked and he let a little smile show when he seen Shikamaru's face turning red
"If I'm honest promise you won't tell….no one knows this and I mean no one" Shikamaru said as he twisted his fingers at the fact that he was getting ready to tell someone his deepest secret.
"I promise I won't tell anyone….tell you what I'll tell you something that no one knows about me…not even Temari or Kankuro" Gaara said
"What is it?" Shikamaru asked as he took in the flushed look Gaara had on his face, almost like he was embarrassed to tell him what it was, but the bad thing was the look that Gaara was giving him was turning him and that was the last thing he needed at this point.
"If I tell you promise me you won't tell anyone….please promise that" Gaara said as he looked up at Shikamaru with vulnerable eyes
"I swear I won't tell anyone Gaara" Shikamaru said
"I'm gay and I have a crush on this guy from another village and I don't know how he feels about me since the last time we saw each other I was still the crazy out of control brat so even if he was gay I doubt that he would find me attractive" Gaara finished with a beet red face
"Why would you think that? Anyone would be lucky to be with you Gaara" Shikamaru said as he scooted closer to Gaara
"You're just saying that, but I told you my secret now it's time for yours" Gaara said as he looked up at Shikamaru who was blushing and sweating uncontrollably now, he took in a deep breath and looked Gaara straight in the eye
"I'm gay too and no one knows, I'm too scared to tell anyone because I know that my family will reject me and I'm pretty sure my friends will…well Ino wont she always complains that she needs a gay guy friend to hang out with so she would probably be fine with it, but everyone else I'm not so sure of" Shikamaru finished on the verge of tears
"Shikamaru you have to give people a little more credit than that maybe your wrong and they'll accept you" Gaara said
"Well what about you? Don't you think maybe you should give your family a little more credit?" Shikamaru shot back
"I know my family wouldn't…my father pretty much hates me Kankuro tolerates me and Temari…well if she knew who I liked she'd be trying to kill me" Gaara said
"Why would she kill you?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at Gaara who started to get fidgety he took in a deep breath
"She'd kill me because I like you Shikamaru" Gaara said while not making eye contact
"Well I mean we both like each other so there's really nothing she can do about it" Shikamaru said
"Yeah you say that but…..wait….did you say that we both like each other? As in you like me too?" Gaara asked. Shikamaru let a small smile grace his lips but he nodded his head and just as he went to speak he was interrupted by Kankuro
"Gaara you're a faggot? And you like the faggot that Temari likes?" Kankuro asked angrily as Gaara started to turn pale and shake a little
"Kankuro you can't tell Temari please don't tell her" Gaara begged
"Get your stuff Gaara were going back to the hotel and Shikamaru you better stay away from my little brother or were going to have issues" Kankuro said angrily as he yanked Gaara up from the booth that he was sitting at. Gaara looked at Shikamaru with sad eyes but looked down at his phone and made the motion telling him he would text him later right before Kankuro dragged him out of the restaurant. Shikamaru sighed he knew that today was going to be a drag.
Alright this was my first attempt at ShikaGaa so please go easy on me. I ask that you please review but nothing mean this will be a chapter story so look for updated.