Dealing with Troublesome Women
A/N: I do not own Naruto, but I do own my story. This story will follow Shikamaru from the end of the war, through his struggles as the 6th and 7th Hokage's advisor and his marriage to a certain Sand ninja. Thanks for reading and please review. I like to know what I can improve on.
Chapter 1: The Morning After
Shikamaru slowly began wake up, wincing at the sunlight. The Infinite Tsukuyomi had been dispelled and everything seemed to be over. He looked around the battlefield as ninja awoke from their slumber. Standing up he noticed the destruction from a different aspect. The blood. The death. The injuries. The pain. Shikamaru saw it all. Then a realization hit him. They had won the war, but took heavy losses.
"Shikamaru."
Shikamaru turned to see Choji and Ino standing behind him. Ino gave him the best smile she could, which was fairly weak. Choji leaned against Ino, which made Shikamaru wonder how she held up his weight and herself as well.
"So it's over, huh?" Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets.
Medics began to tend to everyone on the battlefield. Shikamaru watched as the Kages took lead of their respective ninja, ordering them to search and heal the wounded. He noticed Kakashi holding his eye, with Sakura behind him healing his injuries. He watched as Shino sent out a small swarm of bugs to search for survivors under rubble. Shikamaru noticed Tsunade limping over to him, leaning on Shizune for support.
"Good to see you're awake." Tsunade flashed him a smile.
"You as well, Hokage-sama." Shikamaru nodded in respect.
"I need the Ino-Shika formation to get information to the entire alliance. We need everyone on full alert as they search for bodies. Every medic must watch their remaining chakra to stabilize patients for transport back to the village. Are you two up to it?" Tsunade stared at the two ninja.
"I'm not as skilled as my father," Ino frowned allowing tears to finally fall again. "But I will do my best with what chakra I have left."
"Dad would call me a lazy ass if I didn't." Shikamaru smirked at Tsunade.
Tsunade sent Choji off to collect Sasuke and Naruto from their battleground. Shikamaru sat down Indian style and closed his eyes. Ino placed a hand on the back of his head, connecting him with every ninja in the alliance. Shikamaru and Ino relayed the Hokage's orders with almost the same speed as Shikaku and Inoichi. Ino sighed and collapsed to the ground next to Shikamaru, her remaining chakra depleted. Shikamaru and Ino sat in silence until she heard a light sob from the Nara boy. Shikamaru began to cry, a mixture of snot and other unrecognizable substances profusely streamed down his face. She watched him with a surprised look on her face, having never seen the boy cry in public before. Ino smiled and wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her face into his back.
"They are really gone…" Ino began to sob into his flak jacket.
"Yeah look at me. Crying like a baby. He'd probably laugh and tell mom..." Shikamaru took his sleeve and wiped eyes dry.
Shikamaru noticed a certain sandy-blond haired kunoichi staring at him. The look on her face was stern as she stood next to her two brothers. She looked as if she didn't know whether to come over to him or stay where she was. She eventually sent Shikamaru a small a comforting smile, and returned to her brothers. Shikamru shook his head and mumbled 'how troublesome everything these next few months will bring' but was glad that he was alive to witness it.
A rather large Choji and Choza returned with Sasuke and Naruto, carrying them carefully in their jutsu expanded hands. Shikamaru watched as medics, Sakura, and Hinata rush toward the two ninja tending to their injuries. Sakura began to sob as she started to heal the ninja, happy they were alive. Hinata kneelt by Naruto, stroking the male's hair gently. Shikamaru looked at Tsunade and nodded.
"Let's go home" Tsunade smiled upon her ninja, proud to have lead such an amazing village.
It took the remaining Konoha ninja a few days to return to the village. The massive group of ninja walked through the gates to notice all of the civilians outside to greet them. Some had signs and balloons, while others had flowers. A huge cheer erupted from the crowd as families where united once again. Shikamaru couldn't help but notice the familes who weren't greeted by their loved one returning. The sad looks, some even bursting into tears. He felt a warm sensation on his palm, fingers linking with his own. Ino smiled at him, tightly gripping his hand. Choji patted his back, as they both went their separate ways to their families. Shikamaru frowned when Ino's mother collapsed into her arms, both women crying into each other.
"It is hard to watch, yes?" Lee appeared at his side.
"Yeah, it really is." Shikamaru stared at the direction of his house, wondering if he should make that journey home.
"I don't have family so I don't really know how it feels. But, I did almost lose a father, and I did lose a brother." Lee looked down at the ground. "So I can make out how they feel right now."
It didn't take a genius to know who Lee spoke of. He was talking about Gai-sensei and Neji. The closest people Lee had to family in the world besides the Rookie 9. Shikamaru patted him gently on his back and nodded. It was time for him to go home.
He walked aimlessly through the streets, his body knowing which paths to take. He wondered what he would say to his mother. How he would say dad wasn't going to come home. He eventually found himself at his front door. Shikamaru stood there at the door, his hands unable to grab the door knob. He turned around and cursed himself. He had just finished fighting in a war, yet he was too afraid to enter his own home. Before he got a chance to walk away, the door swung open. He turned around to see his mother standing before him.
"Why are you standing there with that stupid look on your face?" Yoshino placed a hand on her hip, the other on the frame of the doorway.
"Hey mom." Shikamaru weakly smiled.
"Don't you hey mom me. I haven't seen you for weeks and all you have to say to me is 'Hey mom'?" Yoshino crossed her arms across her chest.
Much to Shikamaru's surprise she pulled him in close, tightly embracing him. Shikamaru buried his face into her shoulder, taking in her scent. She smelled like a mixture of flowers and cleaning products. His body felt limp and weak, but Yoshino held on to him tight enough to keep him stable.
"Mom…I don't know how to say this. Dad's not—"
"Shhh." Yoshino smiled down at her son. "I know it all. He was smart enough to send a link to me and Ino's mother. Saving you two from having to share the news."
She kissed the top of his head and gently began running a hand through his hair. Shikamaru fell to his knees, still holding on to his mother. He began sobbing into her pants leg, unable to control himself. Yoshino placed a hand on his head and smiled, tears flowing out of her eyes.
"He's proud of you, ya' know." Yoshino blinked away a few tears, smiling as her sobbing son nodded against her leg.
When Shikamaru finally stopped crying, Yoshino helped him up and patting his cheeks. Shikamaru blushed, having never broken down in front of her like that since he was small. He admired how tough his mother was. Yeah she was a pain to deal with, but I guess that's what his father saw in her. The strength of a thousand shinobi.
"My two lazy asses. Look at you now." She smiled and retied her apron, heading toward the kitchen. "Go get unpacked, and come down for breakfast." She watched as Shikamaru head to the stairs.
"Oh, and Shika?"
He turned around to face her.
"Welcome home my lazy ass"
"Thanks mom."
He opened the door to his room and dropped his bag onto the floor. His room was simple by his standards. The room was fairly decent in size, according to Naruto his room was the size of two of his apartments. His desk sat against the east wall, next to the window. His twin sized bed rested against the south wall that lead to the bathroom, which meant a shorter walk for him. His dresser was placed on the right side of his bed, for easy access. The rest of the room was open space except for a lone shogi board that sat in the middle of the rug on his floor. He walked over to the board and sat down on his knees. He stroked the wooden tile of the board and smiled. Guess he'd have to play himself from now on. No one else could match his intelligence or even beat him except for his father.
"Guess I'll never know who the better player is, huh?" Shikamaru said to the wooden board game, as if he was expecting an answer.
He stood up and walked to the dresser, taking a pair training sweats as well as an 'I heart Konoha' shirt from it. He grimaced at the shirt, which Ino bought for him during the summer festival a few years ago. It was a god awful yellowish color, Ino's way of him saying he needed to add some color to his life. He quickly took a shower and returned to the kitchen and sat down at the table. His mother placed a plate down in front of him, the delicious smell of pancakes practically raped his nose. He smirked and dug into the meal, quickly devouring one pancake at a time. Yoshino sat in the chair across from him, placing her head on her hands. She loved to watch her men eat her cooking. Well, just her one man now. Yoshino glanced at the open chair at the table. Shikamaru noticed the change in her mood.
"Well we are going to need something to take up the space in this house while you are away on missions." She smiled at the boy. "Maybe I'll get a dog?"
"Too troublesome." Shikamaru bluntly stated
"Or maybe you'll bring home a girl one day?" Yoshino smirked, obviously teasing the boy.
Shikamaru practically choked on his food, beating his chest with his fist. Yoshino let out a roaring laugh, the sound echoed throughout the house. Shikamaru gave his mother a rather unpleasant look. He was happy she was smiling, but not at his expense.
"Yeah don't get your hopes up" Shikamaru drained his cup of tea.
"What about Yamanaka?" his mother inquired.
"Ino? She's troublesome, bossy, loud….much like yo—" He quickly cut himself off, noticing the massive vein emerging from his mother's forehead.
"What was that Shikamaru?" Yoshino glared at her son.
"Uhhhh what's that Ino?" Shikamaru touched his temple like he was receiving a telepathic message. "Hokage Tsunade needs to see me?" He pecked his mom on the cheek and jumped out the window.
"Shikamaru!"
He told himself that he would have to buy her flowers when he returned later. Why did his father have to leave him to deal with her by himself?
"What a drag…" he stuck his hands into his pockets as he soared across the rooftops of Konoha.