Work Text:
Temari was getting tired of sitting around and doing nothing. The novelty had worn off rather swiftly.
She had about five weeks left of her pregnancy, and Shikamaru, the worrywart that he was, had thrown a hissy fit several weeks earlier and told Temari to work less. Which she had, because honestly she was tired, but cutting work back from every day to just a few days a week had been a challenge. She wasn’t used to being idle, especially when she wasn’t sick.
So she had blasted through the reports Gaara had sent, written a scathing letter to the Suna elders about the shinobi that had replaced her for the alliance meeting, and moved the couch just so Shikamaru would freak out about it when he returned home.
And then she had nothing to do but sit around being fat and grumpy.
Her brothers were coming to visit, and she was expecting Kankuro first, since Gaara was going straight to a short meeting. She had been antsy ever since Shikamaru had banned her from leaving Konoha, and was desperately missing Suna, and looking forward to seeing her brothers.
Mostly. Her moods had been swinging merrily all day, and she had already cursed Kankuro for not being present, then been relieved she was all alone because she had had a good cry over the fact that Shikamaru had done the dishes after only being told four times, and then she had become irrationally angry at not being able to see her toes.
It had been a wild ride.
She had calmed herself back down by the time there was a knock at the door, and it only took her five minutes to get off the couch and waddle her way to the front door. She answered with a big smile, happy to finally see Kankuro’s face after so many months apart, feeling bubbly and excited.
The mood didn’t last long.
“Oh my god, look how fat you’ve gotten!”
Temari stared at Kankuro, her grip on the doorframe tightening. There was a long silence, wherein Kankuro blinked at her, and Temari stared at him. She said nothing, and slammed the door in his face.
Shikamaru came home to find Kankuro sitting outside the front door, apparently chatting up a nearby deer.
“What are you doing out here?” Shikamaru asked.
“Temari locked me out,” Kankuro explained casually.
Shikamaru didn’t even pretend to understand the relationship between Temari and Kankuro. It was less of a headache to just roll with whatever happened. So he shrugged it off, opened the door, and went inside with Kankuro following close behind.
“Tem,” he called. “Gaara’s gonna be a bit longer; he and Kakashi are still discussing a few things.”
“Okay.” He could hear her voice from the lounge, and went in to find her relaxed on the couch, watching the deer through the window.
Kankuro bounced in behind Shikamaru. “Yo, Temari!”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh. He let you in.”
“Try to be nice,” Shikamaru sighed, sitting on the couch next to her. He paused, mind ticking along, then exclaimed, “Did you move the couch?”
“Yeah, there wasn’t enough sun where it was,” Temari replied nonchalantly.
“It’s too heavy. You’re not allowed to move the couch. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” He stared at her belly, as though he could see inside and check on the baby.
“Baby’s fine, you big baby,” Temari muttered.
“What about you? Did you hurt yourself?”
She sent him a look. “Shut up, Shikamaru. Go do something useful, and make me tea.”
“Okay,” he stood up immediately, and Temari had to admit she was going to miss him being so compliant. Since she had become pregnant he had been doing everything she asked, with few protests, and it was nice to have him so obedient.
Kankuro flopped into one of the armchairs and eyed his sister. “So . . . About a month left before you spawn.”
“Yes?”
“How have you been?” he asked.
“Horny, mostly,” Temari answered.
Kankuro grimaced. “You couldn’t just say ‘fine’, like a normal person?”
She snorted. “Thought this family liked being honest.”
“Please tell Gaara you’re fine when he asks. No reason for us both to be mentally scarred.”
“Oh, you’re fine,” Temari dismissed. “A bit more mental scarring isn’t going to make much of a difference.”
“It’s just creepy to imagine you having sex. Ever.”
“How do you think I got pregnant?”
“I don’t know. I try not to think about it.”
Temari shrugged. “Fair enough.”
“But a kid will be fun,” Kankuro said eagerly. “I can teach him puppetry.”
“Could be a girl,” Temari pointed out.
“Then I’ll teach her puppetry.” He lounged back in the chair, looking very satisfied with his statement.
“Whatever,” Temari muttered. “But no poisons until the kid is, like, ten.”
“Don’t be stupid; I started working with poisons when I was five,” Kankuro exclaimed. “The kid needs to learn.”
“My kid, my rules,” Temari said firmly. She was saved from further argument by a firm knock on the door. She started to get up, only for Shikamaru to yell, “Don’t get up; I’ll get it!”
“He’s really overbearing, isn’t he?” Kankuro remarked in a low voice.
Temari rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how annoying he is. He’s acting like I’m going to collapse.”
“Didn’t you once?”
“That was completely different,” Temari sniffed, turning her nose up.
Shikamaru returned from his quest to the front door with Gaara at his side.
“Gaara!” Temari hopped up, wobbling a bit before her balance returned, grinning widely.
“Temari,” Gaara smiled warmly. “It’s so good to see you.”
She hugged him tightly, ignoring Shikamaru’s background squeak of, “Careful of the baby!”
“How have you been?” Gaara asked, pulling away, his face creasing with concern.
“I’ve been fine,” Temari shrugged, dismissing the question.
Gaara gave her a look. “Temari, you know you can be honest with me. I’m sure things have been difficult. How are you, really?”
Temari sent Kankuro a smug, pointed look, and he just shook his head, rolling his eyes. She turned back to Gaara, “Mostly fine. Shikamaru has been a bit annoying, though.”
The husband in question raised an eyebrow. “The word is helpful.”
“Annoying,” Temari insisted, as Shikamaru muttered under his breath and returned to the kitchen to finish with the tea. She plopped back down onto the couch, and Kankuro commandeered the other half of it, sitting obnoxiously close and prompting her to, “Let me know when it kicks; I wanna feel it!”
Gaara sat carefully opposite her, looking her over shrewdly. “And I’m not sending too much work to you? I can get someone else to do it.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” Temari waved a hand around flippantly. “It’s paperwork. It’s hardly even work. And I like going into the Hokage building; it’s nice to get out the house.”
“It must be hard for you,” Gaara said slowly. “To take so much time off work.”
“Oh, I haven’t taken time off work,” Temari shrugged. “I’ve still got most of my usual routine.”
Gaara froze in place for a few seconds. Once he had recovered, he asked carefully, “Why are you still working?”
“Tell her to stop!” Shikamaru shouted from the kitchen. “Maybe she’ll listen to you!”
“I’m not working hard,” Temari rolled her eyes. “It barely counts as work.”
“She was doing missions until two months ago,” Shikamaru’s grumbles continued. “Outside the village.”
“You’re doing what?” Gaara blinked.
“Not anymore; don’t get your panties in a twist. I stopped taking missions outside the village. Shikamaru’s over reacting.” Temari shot a poisonous glance over her shoulder towards the kitchen.
“You almost got hurt,” Shikamaru came into the room with a tea tray. “Do you know how much you scared me?”
“Almost isn’t the same as actually getting hurt,” Temari pointed out. “You’re being dramatic.”
“What happened?” Gaara demanded. “And why are you still doing missions?”
“I’m not.” She paused. “Not exactly, anyway. Just one or two. Easy ones.”
“She’s still teaching, as well,” Shikamaru put in, and Temari sent him a warning look.
“Wait, you’re teaching as well?” Kankuro gaped. “Temari, shouldn’t you be resting?”
“It’s just a few days at the Academy,” Temari said huffily.
“So, just theory, then?” Gaara asked. “You’re not taking any practical classes?”
“. . .” She shrugged casually. “I mean, I’ve been taking a couple classes on shuriken but the kids do most of the moving around.”
“Most of?”
“Oh my god, stop being so annoying, I can throw a tiny piece of metal without the world imploding.” She glared at them each in turn. “It’s nothing much, and I’m fine. My doctor says it’s fine.”
“Sakura is happy with the amount of work you’re doing?” Gaara asked, with a puzzled frown.
“Sakura isn’t in Konoha. Temari is seeing someone else,” Shikamaru replied swiftly. “Who she has bullied into doing whatever she wants.”
“And I’m fine,” Temari insisted, exasperated. “You guys are being over-protective.”
“Someone needs to be,” Gaara replied. “Temari, you can’t keep working so much.”
“Yes, I can.”
“I’ve been having this argument with her for months,” Shikamaru said wearily. He handed her some tea, looking reproachful.
She pointedly did not meet his eyes.
“Tem,” Kankuro added. “You look like you could pop at any moment. Are you sure you still have over a month left?”
“Yes,” she replied flatly. “Now talk about something else.”
Gaara opened his mouth to protest, but Temari cut him off, growling out words, “I mean it, Gaara.”
Meekly, Gaara closed his mouth, and sent Kankuro a sideways look.
“Okay,” Kankuro shrugged. “What do you want to talk about?”
Temari gave a satisfied smile, relaxing into the couch and slightly leaning into Shikamaru when he wedged himself beside her. “Tell me about Suna. What’s been happening there?”
She curled her fingers around her mug of tea as Kankuro began to talk. Shikamaru combed his fingers through her hair, remaining silent as Temari and Kankuro quickly slipped back into their usual back and forth banter, trading stories and jokes.
Gaara added in anecdotes here and there, but it was customary for the older two to dominate conversations. Both Gaara and Shikamaru were used to that.
Shikamaru stepped in only when he noticed Temari beginning to tire. She did not have the stamina she used to, and he had frequently caught her taking naps during the day. (He tried his best to capture a photograph each it time it happened, because he loved seeing her so relaxed and innocent. He was never going to tell her that, and all the photos were going into his secret stash of things Temari didn’t need to know about.)
“Tem,” he put in. “You look tired.”
Gaara’s attention instantly shifted to his sister. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Temari grumbled, with an annoyed growl. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“Could be that you’re the most reckless pregnant woman to ever exist, but we’ll never know,” Shikamaru muttered. Temari punched his thigh for his snark, and he winced, rubbing a hand over what was sure to become a bruise.
“If you need to rest, we can continue this conversation tomorrow,” Gaara said, shifting forwards in his seat as though to rise.
“Ugh, fine,” Temari rolled her eyes. “Bunch of sappy idiots.”
Shikamaru, used to verbal abuse, did not react but Kankuro looked affronted. “Hey! We’re not sappy!”
“Yes, you are,” Temari shot back.
“Tem,” Shikamaru spoke up, before another sibling squabble could evolve. “Rest.”
She sent him a look, slightly sneering, and it prompted a fond smile in return.
Gaara stood, promising, “We have a lot of plans for tomorrow. Just for you.”
“And presents?” Temari perked up at the prospect of being spoiled.
“Yes,” Gaara assured. “Lots of presents.”
She preened a bit, keen to be the centre of attention. Shikamaru stood up as well, offering a hand to haul Temari to her feet. She stared at his outstretched fingers for a while, clearly deciding if she wanted the help or if she should stand alone. She chose to be pampered, and gripped his hand firmly.
Shikamaru pulled her up, then let her go so she could catch Gaara in a surprise hug. He made a slightly surprised yelping sound at the sudden affection, which made Kankuro snort into giggle.
He stood too, peeling Temari off her youngest brother and squeezing her hard.
“The baby,” Shikamaru reminded.
“Shut up,” Temari mumbled. She released Kankuro, and they walked to the front door together.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Gaara said, pausing just through the door with one of his rare, soft, sincere smiles.
“And hopefully you’ll be in a better mood by then,” Kankuro added.
Temari sent him a filthy look. “I’ll be in a better mood when you die.”
“Tem, play nice,” Shikamaru sighed, laying a hand on her shoulder. He mouthed to Kankuro, “She’ll feel better when the baby’s born.”
“You sure that thing isn’t going to explode out tonight?” Kankuro sent a quizzical look to Temari’s stomach. “You can’t possibly get any bigger.”
“Oh, shut up,” Temari rolled her eyes.
“Good night,” Gaara said firmly, before Temari and Kankuro could start another one of their vicious arguments. He looked pointedly at Kankuro, until the other brother repeated, “Good night.”
“Night,” Temari shrugged.
Shikamaru closed the front door, then turned to Temari. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Temari said. “Kankuro’s an idiot.”
“Hm,” Shikamaru agreed idly.
“I am not that big,” Temari huffed.
“You have your own gravitational pull,” Shikamaru remarked.
She sent him a venomous glare, but he merely opened his arms and pulled her in close. “I’m serious. Look - I’ve never been more attracted to you.”
“You’re a dork.”
“And you’re gorgeous.”
She made a vaguely disagreeing noise under her breath. “You pretty much just called me a planet.”
“More like the sun,” Shikamaru said. He winced when Temari punched his shoulder. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then how did you mean it?” She pulled out of his arms, arching an eyebrow.
“I meant that you’re the light in my life,” he said, gently curling his fingers into her hair. “And the very centre of my universe.”
She looked searchingly into his eyes. “Even if I’m the size of a mountain?”
He cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her gently. “I love mountains.”