A/N: This story can be viewed as taking place after Most troublesome, or on its own.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto franchise, I only own the idea for this fluffy little one-shot.
"Daddy! Tell me a story! Please?" Miyoko bounced on Shikamaru's knees, looking up at him with irresistible puppy eyes.
"Well, what story do you want?"
"One about unicorns! And puppies!"
Shikamaru sighed. "You take after your mother." He informed his daughter, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"I know. I'm a troublesome woman!" puffed out her chest proudly, obvious that she thought that being troublesome was a compliment.
"One about puppies and unicorns, huh?"
"No, one about unicorns and puppies!"
"It doesn't matter which order you put the animals in."
"Yes it does! Puppies and unicorns means it will be more about puppies than unicorns. Put the unicorns first 'cause I like them better!"
"Smart alec." Shikamaru ruffled her hair proudly. "Okay, so once upon a time there was a unicorn named that was looking for a friend…" His shadow stretched up the wall, forming a unicorn. Miyoko watched in amazement as the shadow unicorn walked across the wall, encountering a stream to jump across, and a tunnel to go through before finding a lonely little shadow puppy. Together they traveled back across the same wall before finding a little girl who was looking for a pet. "And they all lived happily ever after." Shikamaru told his daughter, now asleep in his lap.
Temari watched from the doorway as her husband carefully shifted the little girl's head to her pillow and tiptoed out of the room. Temari kissed him on the cheek, whispering "You were so cute telling her that story."
Shikamaru grumbled, but his wife knew he didn't really mean it. "To think I've been reduced to using my Ninjutsu to tell stories about puppies and unicorns with 'happily ever after' endings."
"Remember, it has to be unicorns first, then puppies." Temari smirked.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes.
"C'mon. I know you don't mind telling stories with your shadows. I could see your smile."
"I couldn't help it. She looks so sweet when she's asleep."
Temari smiled. "That she does."