Love and Ninja Tools

Shikamaru X Ume (OC)

I was set a challenge to create an OC for any Naruto Character and I just adore Shikamaru. I was also allowed to change one thing about the plot so I chose to have Minato and Kushina survive the Nine-Tails attack.

I do not own the "Naruto" franchise or the characters from it, all credit to Kishimoto-Sensei.

Chapter 1

In Hokage Tower Ume sat in the Fourth Hokage's office, her mother, Kushina was looking out of the window with her eyes trained on the main gate and her father was sat behind his desk looking at his paperwork but not really reading a word on the papers. The silence was heavy and almost deafening as all three had the exact same thought on their mind 'Naruto should be back by now'. After what seemed like hours of silence and mutual worry Genma ran into the office.

"Lord Hokage" the man managed to utter before the three were all on their feet looking at him expectantly.

"Kakashi has returned with Naruto and the others including the Sand Shinobi, Sasuke was not among them" Genma told them.

"I don't care about Sasuke, How is my brother?" Ume asked impatiently.

"Ume, let Genma speak" Minato said quickly despite his daughter just voicing the question on both his and his wife's mind. Genma raised an open palm to The Forth to show he hadn't been offended by Ume's interruption.

"The mission not only failed but all are injured, Neji Hyuuga and Choji Akimichi are critical, Naruto Uzumaki is stable but unconscious, Kiba Inuzuka and Rock Lee are required to stay in hospital and Shikamaru Nara escaped with cuts and bruises" Genma explained and fully understood what happened next. Ume had ran straight passed him and out of the office and Kushina had hopped out of window she was stood by, both no doubt heading straight for the hospital. In all honesty Minato would have been there by now if he didn't as Hokage have to listen to Genma's full report, He sighed as he turned to Genma.

"Please finish your report so I can see my son".

Ume ran directly from Hokage Tower to the Hospital, not relenting in speed once. Once in the reception she lent on the desk fighting for breath while getting Naruto's room number, she couldn't remember the last time she had run that fast not even on missions. She headed in the direction of twin brother's room despite having been told their mother had already arrived, she continued to sprint wanting to see how he was doing for herself.

Running down the corridor she saw Shikamaru but saw him too late and was moving too fast to stop. Before either of them had time to move she had crashed into him as they both collided to the ground. Ume was fine as Shikamaru had cushioned her landing but Shikamaru coughed a little as the collation had taken the breath right out of him. Neither of them made any attempt to move, she was tired from sprinting so fast and he had been winded as Temari, Ino, Choza and Shikaku just watched the scene unfold.

"Erghhh sorry Shikamaru, you okay?" She asked him quietly.

"It's alright, I'll be fine Ume" He said moving her mass of tail-bone length blonde hair out of his face.

"I was in my dad's office when the report came in, how is Choji doing?" she asked as she eventually got up off of the boy and helped him up.

"It's touch and go, Lady Tsunade is in with him, I'm just grateful she came back when The Forth asked for her help with the sick after that epidemic" He said trying his best not to let his worry and anxiety for his best friend affect his speech. Ume looked up at Shikamaru and saw his strained facial expression. Upon registering what he must be feeling Ume pulled him into a comforting hug. At first Shikamaru tried to stand strong but it was just too much the feeling that he had put not only the life of his best friend but his entire squad in danger with his poor leadership.

"As far as I'm concerned to hell with the 25th shinobi rule, your mission is over, your best friend isn't out of the woods and your surrounded by people who care about you, you can talk to any of us" She said sweetly so only the boy in her embrace could hear. On hearing her words his strong stance melted away his arms wrapped tightly around Ume's petite waist and he buried his face in her shoulder, completely forgetting about the fact they had an audience.

"It's all my fault I should have been prepared for Sasuke to have escorts, I should have never let the group separate" he whispered in her ear.

"Shikamaru there was no way you could have known, just please stop beating yourself up. I hate seeing you like this" she said to her old Academy friend.

"Thank you Ume, for having more faith in me than I do" he said holding her small frame that bit closer to his.

"Choji is going to be fine, you may all go in a visit him, but only for a short while he needs to rest" Lady Tsunade said to the group waiting for news on Choji the noticed Ume and Shikamaru, "Honourable Daughter isn't Naruto in 309?" They heard Lady Tsunade and instantly separated the two of them feeling a little awkward. Her eyebrow twitched a little with annoyance at the sound of the title she despised but since Lady Tsunade was one of the Legendary Sanin of the leaf she felt it best to hold her tongue.

"Yes Lady Tsunade, I was on my way there when I ran into Shikamaru. Literally" Ume said rubbing the back of her neck, a nervous tick of hers but turned as she heard Shikamaru chuckle in response she simply nudged him with her elbow.

"Anyway let me know how Choji is doing and send him my best"

"I will and Ume, thank you"

"Anytime for you Shikamaru" it was one of those all too usual occurrences for Ume, one of those moments where she hadn't realised what she'd said until the words had passed her lips so she just continued to walk casually up the corridor like she had said nothing out of the ordinary.