Marriage has always been a sensitive topic when it came up. No matter if you were positive or negative when it came to the event it will always and forever be a sensitive topic. A joyous event, an arranged event or a negative event. It comes in so many forms with so many meanings.

Society views marriage as the joining of two lovers who will eventually procreate and further society. People view marriage in several different ways all over the shinobi lands. It's used to intermingle clans. Bring power to two nations or even used to climb social ladders. It's used to set new laws or norms into motion. Marriage is a powerful weapon in some lands and in others a loving affair to be celebrated.

Shikamaru's marriage to Temari was slotted under several categories. It was used to bring two nations together, it was used to procreate a heir to a famous clan and it promoted marriage of people from different nations which wasn't practiced before. On the other hand Naruto's marriage to Hinata was done out of love, the Uzumaki clan was scattered and practically null, they produced an heir to the Hyuga clan but Hanabi is the Head which makes Himawari forfeit. Boruto would be apart of the Uzumaki clan despite his Namikaze features seeing as Naruto never took on his father's name after everything settled.  Naruto is the head of the Uzumaki clan so Boruto and Haruto are heirs to the clan within the Hidden Leaf. 

The outside Uzumakis aren't included. 

The bottom line there was no motive for the marriage just two people with love who wanted to join together. But that love withered within the wife which led her to deceit her husband and children. Shikamaru's marriage fell when his son found out his wife's affair. Now divorce was sought on both sides.

Divorce in society is viewed as the separation of lovers who were no longer in love. Some divorces are dealt with peacefully others are dealt with small scale war. When separating they spilt things peacefully or in rare times one spouse would give the other everything. Other times they claw at each other for everything. 

 The divorce between Shikamaru and Temari ended before it could start. Temari wanted nothing from her ex-husband. She just wanted to go home, she even abandoned her only son. She fell under the category of giving the spouse everything. Naruto and Hinata's divorce was dealt with messily, the Hyuga wanted everything. Money, land and children. She fell under the category of wanting everything.

She got nothing in the end but it showed her horrible true nature otherwise from the innocent sweet girl she fooled everyone with. These two women and men with two different versions of marriage and divorce happening to them now had other thoughts when it came to marriage and divorce.

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"I don't know!" Shikamaru yelled in frustration as his two bestfriends pestered him. Somehow the conversation went from childhood memories to asking Naruto for his hand. "I'm scared okay, I never expected to be considering a second marriage." 

They sympathized with him Ino gave a small smile after a moment of silence. "What do you feel for Naruto."

Shikamaru blushed at the thought and backtracked to how he met the blond all the way to the morning. They met in the academy, Naruto was the first person to not question why he does what he does. And that made him immediately like the Uzumaki. Afterwards was a spiral of adventures with the blond along with Kiba and Choji. It was honestly the best times of his life, Naruto would curse and berate him when his internal clock came screaming for sleep and he had to carry Shikamaru away from the crime scene. 

As they turned Genin they didn't get to see each other often but when they did. Naruto was rearing to go, he had become more sensitive to the Nara's needs and often cloud gazed with him in the Nara forest or on the blond's roof top. Those were peaceful times and return Shikamaru always fed the blond when they went out after training together or studied together. Many might not know this about Naruto but back then he had a serious streak when it came to studying but he didn't show it. Shikamaru figured it out after observing the cheeky trickster and offered to teach him how clans worked in the Hidden Leaf. 

Fuck he managed to teach Naruto shogi and the blond was a damn great player. Thinking back on it now he realized how much he admired the blond but was too stupid to chalk it up to his budding feelings. He laughed at the thought, maybe it was for the best they noticed now. Afterall if they had gotten together then Boruto, Shikadai and Himawari wouldn't have been conceived and Shikamaru love the little shits.

He loved Naruto and he didn't need to revisit every encounter with the blond to prove the echoing beat of his heart in his chest was the love he had accumulated for Naruto. He wanted the blond to be his in everyway possible but was Naruto even thinking about this? It's been 2 years since the faithful 'affair' they had when the blond came crying. It was awful but as time went on they fell into an deep love for each other. He wanted to marry the blond no doubt about it now but how would Naruto react?

"I wanna marry him." Shikamaru told his friends with a blush on his face. "I love him and our kids and I want to see our little daughter be a flower girl, our sons standing by our sides and our babies awake and quiet while the ceremony is going on." He smiled brightly and Ino and Choji were taken aback by it but crushed him in a hug.

"You go for it Shikamaru!" Ino cheered him on as he hugged her by the waist. Choji hoisted them both in his arms.

"Careful big guy!" They said in unison at the Akimichi who grinned like a proud father.

"Go get him Shikamaru he'll definitely say yes to your proposal he loves you so dearly." Choji said letting them down.

"I'll go for it but I need your help and the others." Shikamaru said feeling excitement run through his veins.

"Ouuu Surprises." Ino squealed. "I'll get the girls, you two the guys and we'll start planning."

"What the proposal?" Shikamaru asked.

"No silly, the wedding itself." Ino chuckled. "You are going to propose with your own idea."

Shikamaru grumbled a bit and decided Ino was right, it should be something he would do and not something influenced by others. He nodded with a thoughtful look as he started arranging a date for them to go on. Dates between him and Naruto were sometimes maybe two to four times a month and they were sweet walks through the village or trails in the Nara forest, they didn't like sitting down to eat, they were active and anxious for an adventure even if it was a small one. And the most important thing their relationship was built on was communication. They talked everything out, all the annoyances and the sweet things they both did and in the end they laughed over it. 

That was their dynamic, they learnt from past mistakes and take measures to lessen the problem or avoid making the same mistake all together. That's why they rarely had disagreements, they talked. Their dates were an outlet for everything that happened prior to the date. Shikamaru enjoyed it and with that in mind the perfect way to propose formed in his mind.

"Guys I have to go but Ino have flowers on stand by." Shikamaru told her before leaving his chubby friend's home and running back to his family with a big grin.

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Later that night after all was done for the day Naruto laid curled up with his lazy Nara who was stroking his naked back. Naruto had noticed his behavior had gotten chipper when he came home, he asked Shikamaru but the raven wouldn't budge. Only saying when their next date came he would show him. 

News flash for Mr. Nara their next date wasn't until next week! Naruto couldn't wait that long, maybe their friends would know something. He was going to ask, Shikamaru should've known not to mate with a Naruto Uzumaki. When something caught his attention he made it his personal mission to find out.