Gaara sighed. He'd really hoped that he wouldn't have to kill Nara.

He'd been backed into a wall, both politically and emotionally. Politically, because assassinating Nara would undoubtedly start an all-out war between their villages, which had been at peace ever since Shikamaru and Temari's wedding. Emotionally, because not killing the no-good, slimy bastard would mean that he was saying that what he'd done was okay and practically handing him a free pass to do it again. And that would not happen.

What was it that had Gaara so upset? A picture. A picture that had been taken by a shinobi that was highly regarded in the ANBU ranks, whom Gaara had hired to follow Nara after Temari had complained that her husband had seemed... distant, lately.

It's been said that a picture is worth one-thousand words. Gaara only needed one: death.

In the picture, Shikamaru was getting a little too friendly with a blonde recruit, who was perhaps half Temari's age - possibly even younger. The girl bore quite a resemblance to a younger Temari, which only served to piss Gaara off more. Was he trying to trade her in for a newer model?

Once again, he weighed his options. Either way, he was stuck. Assassinating him was favorable, but there were too many troublesome consequences. Not only would there be the threat of war looming over his head, but the more he tossed the idea around, the more he realized how horribly upset his sister would be by the fool's death. He might be a womanizing idiot, but she loved him. And Gaara loved his sister.

But he couldn't just sit idly by and let Nara's behavior continue. Sooner or later, his sister would undoubtedly discover the truth herself, and she'd be crushed. And her temper... well, that just made a delicate situation all the more unpredictable. And if his sister was the one to off the foolish bastard... Gaara sighed again. Maybe it would be easier for him to kill Shikamaru and be done with it.

He placed the photo down on the desk, running a hand over his face in agitation. How the hell was he supposed to report his findings back to Temari? What would he tell her? I know why your husband's been distant lately, it's because he's cheating on you? Unlikely.

But it wasn't like he could just remain silent, either. Sooner or later, Temari would want to know the truth. She deserved to know the truth.

And if she found out on her own, it would destroy her.

This had to be the worst possible position a brother could be in. He wanted, more than anything else, for his sister to be happy. Somehow, being with the buffoon made her happy. Knowing what he'd been doing behind her back would kill her, but wasn't it just as wrong to let her continue on as if nothing was wrong? She'd come to him for a reason - she trusted him. She wanted him to help her.

With that thought in mind, Gaara picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. They picked up on the third ring. "Hey, it's Gaara. We need to talk."

He had to give Nara credit. He didn't think he'd actually show up.

"So, umm..." he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. He and Gaara had never been particularly close, so to be summoned to his office on such short notice was more than a little... weird. "You wanted to talk with me?"

"Yes, I did." Gaara nodded, before motioning to the seat opposite him. "Have a seat."

Shikamaru hesitated for a moment, before finally sitting down, more than a little uneasy. He'd been nervous about their inevitable meeting ever since Gaara had called, knowing that Temari had been visiting with her brothers two weeks earlier. Since she'd returned, she'd been oddly distant and uncertain around him. Knowing that Gaara had never been too fond of him, he worried that maybe he'd finally managed to convince Temari that she deserved better.

"I'm doing you a courtesy with this meeting. A courtesy that, given the circumstances, is incredibly benevolent and entirely undeserved." Gaara said stiffly. "Two weeks ago, Temari confided in me that you seemed distant, and she worried that you were losing interest in her."

Shikamaru frowned. "What? I mean... she said that?" He'd been busy lately, helping Naruto adjust to his new role as the Seventh Hokage. The last few months had been hectic, and it was only natural he wouldn't be around as often. But he always made it home to read to Shikadai before he fell asleep...

It was then that Gaara produced the picture. "Would you care to explain your relationship with this woman?"

As soon as he saw the picture, his eyes widened. "How the hell did you get your hands on that?" Shikamaru snapped, snatching the picture up off the desk.

"I don't betray my sources." Gaara explained calmly. "And you didn't answer my question."

Shikamaru remembered that afternoon very well. Despite what the picture implied, what had actually transpired was relatively harmless. At least, for him anyhow.

Though he'd been married for almost five years now, Naruto still had his fair share of admirers. Some had the tendency to be more forward than others. As the Hokage's adviser, it was Shikamaru's job to make sure that the girl's were gently, yet firmly rebuked. The girl in the photograph had become violent, and Shikamaru had been forced to physically remove her from Naruto's office. With all the squirming, kicking, and clawing that was going on, things got out of hand quickly.

The Hokage's administration did their best to keep all these incidents on the down-low, because they upset Hinata. While they'd been together for so long, she still had her moments of insecurity, and Naruto wanted to make sure that she knew she had nothing to worry about. Apparently, Shikamaru was the one that should've been worried. His brother-in-law was on the attack, and he had all the evidence he needed to support his claim that Shikamaru was a shitty husband.

"That's not what it looks like." Shikamaru began. He knew it sounded like a crappy, half-assed excuse, but it was the truth.

Gaara raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. His teal eyes were murderous. "Convince me why I shouldn't anonymously mail this to Temari, and see what she makes of it. I have no doubt that her interpretation would be... less than favorable."

'Less than favorable'? Was that a nice way of saying that she'd kill him? "It doesn't matter what I say. You'll just think I'm lying."

Gaara shrugged, his murderous gaze never wavering. "Try me."

Shikamaru sighed. "I didn't marry Temari because she's pretty... but she is gorgeous. I didn't marry her because she's intelligent... but she's the smartest person I've ever met. I married her because I love her - and everything that makes her the troublesome girl that kicked my ass in the Chunin exams."

This was difficult for him. Before now, he'd never really thought about what it was he loved about his wife - he'd just known that he did. She might've been a troublesome woman that talked too much and annoyed him to no end - but she was his, and he wouldn't betray her like that.

"I want to be a better man for her, and for Shikadai." He frowned. This was getting harder as he delved into more sensitive territory. "I want to... want to be the man that she deserves. I know I'm not that man yet, but... for some reason, she seems to think I already am. She loves me, too. And I would never betray her like that."

Gaara nodded, before pointing to the picture. "You still haven't explained what this is."

Shikamaru shook his head, "I was removing a girl from Naruto's office and she was trying to fight her way out of my grip. She kept squirming around and that's how my hand ended up there. It was only there for a fraction of a second, I swear."

Gaara seemed to take all of this in, before taking the picture back and slipping it into one of his many desk drawers. Shikamaru watched this with a cold feeling of dread forming in the pit of his stomach and settling there like lead. So, he was going to mail the picture to Temari anyhow. Even after he'd put his heart on the line, Gaara still thought that he'd break his wife's heart like that. Or, should he say, soon to be ex-wife?

"You are dismissed." Gaara said coldly. Shikamaru drew in a deep breath, before rising, bowing respectfully, and taking his leave.

He left so quickly that he didn't even notice Gaara reach under the desk to turn off the tape recorder, which had recorded their entire conversation...

One Week Later

He was still alive, and Shikamaru took that as a positive sign. Unless, of course, his wife was simply plotting out the best way to kill him without leaving any evidence behind. Knowing Temari, that was a very real possibility.

But then, his wife offered him a shy smile, "You really think that I'm gorgeous?"

Shikamaru looked up from his meal, eyes meeting his wife's. She was watching him earnestly, calmly awaiting his response. It was hard to believe that her thirtieth birthday was right around the corner, because, as far as Shikamaru was concerned, she still looked like the stubborn fifteen-year-old that had stolen his heart all those years ago. Even then, he'd been a fool for her.

"Yeah." He nodded, turning to avoid her gaze. But then, something occurred to him. "How'd you know that?"

"I received something in the mail from Gaara yesterday." She said slyly, holding up the cassette. All of the color drained out of Shikamaru's face. "This was the letter he included with the tape." She handed it to him.

Temari,

While originally uncertain, I can now wholeheartedly assure you that you have nothing to worry about concerning Nara's feelings for you. I've included a tape that you might find particularly interesting - it will surely help to stifle any remaining doubts you might have about your husband's affections.

Gaara

"Thank you... for everything that you said." Temari said, smiling softly. She took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true." Shikamaru responded. But silently, he made note to remember to thank Gaara the next time he saw him. Because, thanks to a little meddling from a worried little brother, things between him and Temari were finally back on track.