"Reika-san."
"I thought I told everyone not to disturb us," Chiyo says in irritation. Reika smiles wryly at her master.
"Pardon me, Chiyo-baa-sama, but Kazekage-sama has requested Reika-san to deliver a message to Konohagakure."
Reika frowns at the messenger, "Isn't Gaara-kun in Konoha now?"
"Yes, but he sent a hawk containing a message for the elders. He has specifically requested you to deliver the elders' verdict to Konoha, since the Hokage needs answers immediately."
Reika peeks at Chiyo. She's been learning medical ninjutsu and poisons from the temperamental Sunagakure elder. Reika had a hard time convincing Chiyo to take her on as an apprentice ever since coming to Sunagakure because number one, Chiyo hates Tsunade with a burning passion, and number two, she hates people who are not from Sunagakure, so much that she made Reika take her Chuunin vest off because it blatantly shows that she's from Konoha – thankfully, she didn't make her lose her hitai-ate. Well, mainly it's because of number one and the fact that Reika used to be Tsunade's apprentice, but, details.
But it was simpler than Reika thought. Making Chiyo her master actually only took one sentence.
"Tsunade-sama was a better master, anyway."
And Chiyo practically forces Reika to be her apprentice just to prove her wrong and defeat the "slug princess" through her apprentice. Not only does she teach Reika medical ninjutsu and poisons, she also taught her some of her puppeteer tricks.
Chiyo also made Reika battle her army of puppets without her gloves and her shoes after she found out how bad Reika's taijutsu skills are. Not long after she started training, Reika's palms and soles become so hard, she can hardly feel anything from them. At least her taijutsu and strength have improved, so it's worth the loss. But it does hinder her slightly when she's about to take a patient's pulse through their wrists, but Chiyo said that she'll get used to it eventually.
Chiyo sighs exasperatedly, "Go. If the Kazekage requests of it, what can an old lady like me do?"
Reika smiles apologetically, "I'll be back before you know it, Chiyo-baa-sama."
"Whatever."
Reika sighs with a wry smile and leaves the greenhouse before Chiyo changes her mind.
xXx
It's been two years since Reika has left Konohagakure for Sunagakure. Ever since coming to Sunagakure, she grows closer to the Sand Siblings. She can't really avoid them, since Tsunade practically entrusted her to them. She lives with them, and spends most of her time with them, running errands for Gaara, the new Kazekage, or sparring with the three of them.
Temari, being the only girl out of the siblings, naturally grows close to her as Temari has always been in dire need of a female friend. She grows closer to Kankurou ever since she was taught the art of puppetry, learning how to control puppets with him when Chiyo is busy. She grows closer to Gaara, who understands her pain of loneliness more than anyone, and accompanies her cloud-watching in silence, which Reika appreciates.
Hanging out with them changes Reika. Having friends she can really rely on pushes her to become more social and more emotive. Unexpectedly, it was Gaara who pulled her out of her misery. He was the one who told reminded that she was not alone, as long as she has friends who can pull her out of her loneliness. If her friends in Konoha can't do that, Gaara reassured her that he and his siblings will always be her friends. Reika is grateful for that.
Reika takes her weights off and uses her raw speed for the first half of her journey, and she flickers for the rest of it. She arrives in Konohagakure in less than 50 hours in a very tired state. No welcoming committee welcomes her, because according to Kotetsu and Izumo (who are still on guard duty), she wasn't expected until the afternoon.
"When's the next meeting?" Reika asks.
"Around 11 later," Kotetsu says. Reika peeks at the clock in the guard house. It's only 6 AM, "Go and get some rest, Reika. You kinda look like death."
Reika scoffs out a laugh, "I will. Thanks guys," Reika says with a wave. She walks towards the direction of the apartment she used to share with Sasuke and smiles when nothing has changed. She turns on her alarm clock and sets it to 10.45 AM before going to sleep.
To be honest, she's nervous about being back in Konoha. She's excited about seeing Shikamaru again, but she doesn't want to see her friends and find out that they're not her friends anymore.
xXx
"My messenger will be here soon."
She's here, Reika thinks as she stands before the door to the meeting room. She knocks on the door and waits for anyone to let her in.
"Come in."
Reika's heart skips a beat at that voice. She doesn't know it, but a small smile creeps to her face. She pushes open the door and closes it behind her before she bows to the Sand Siblings, Tsunade, Shizune, two Konoha elders, and… Shikamaru. Everyone, save for the Sand Siblings, who smile at her, look shocked.
"Sorry for interrupting," Reika says.
"Reika?!" Shikamaru says. Reika nods at him.
"You have the message?" Gaara asks. Reika raises an eyebrow playfully.
"Straight to the point, aren't you, Kazekage-sama?" Reika says jokingly as she pulls the scroll out of her waist pouch and hands it over to Gaara. She swears he's smirking at her.
"What are you doing here?" Tsunade asks.
Reika smirks, "Apparently I was faster than Sunagakure's fastest hawk," she says shortly as she walks back to the door and turns around and bows to everyone, "Then, please excuse me."
"You are to return with us, Reika. So take it easy," Gaara says.
"Of course. Thank you, Kazekage-sama."
She's out as fast as she enters.
xXx
"Reika?!"
Reika turns at the sound of her name being called, only to be attacked by an onslaught of blonde hair.
"Oof! Ino?!"
"Why didn't you tell anyone that you're back?! I had to hear from Shikamaru!" Ino squeals in her ear. She pulls away and looks at Reika up and down, scrutinizing her new wardrobe, "Look at you, hot stuff! You're like a female Sasuke-kun!"
Reika is wearing a sleeveless white tight t-shirt, short-sleeved waist-length unzipped dark blue hoodie with the Uchiha crest at the back, hitai-ate wrapped around her neck, black mid-arm-length fingerless gloves, mid-thigh length black tights, grey apron skirt with opened zippers at the sides, bandages wrapped around her left thigh for a kunai pouch, a grey pouch situated on the right side of her back, and shin-length open toed black shinobi sandals.
Her black hair, which she previously kept short, has grown until it reaches a couple of centimeters below her shoulders which she keeps in a low ponytail, with chin-length bangs framing her face. With those bangs, she actually looks like her twin and her oldest brother all at the same time.
Reika is shocked. She doesn't expect Ino, of all people, to hug her and welcome her like so after what she did. They did grow close after she started training under Asuma back in the Chuunin Exams, but she expected her to be one of the people who would be angry to see her again.
Ino grins, "We have so much to catch up on! Are you staying?"
Reika smiles apologetically, "Unfortunately no. I'm only here for the Kazekage."
"We are so having a reunion barbeque. Tonight! I'll see you at Yakiniku Q at around 7, okay?"
"…yeah, sure," Reika says with a small smile. Ino says her goodbye and Reika continues her way towards her apartment.
Her eyes widen when she sees the familiar pineapple hair leaning against the wall next to the door of her apartment, "Shikamaru," said guy turns to look at her when she calls. Reika smiles wryly when Shikamaru doesn't react, "…come in."
"…Tch. Sure. I need to talk to you anyway."
Reika feels like she knows what the topic of their conversation would be. Ever since their kiss back when Reika left for Sunagakure, there was hardly any contact between Reika and Shikamaru. They never really established what their relationship is. Their relationship has turned weird ever since Reika saved Shikamaru's life. Having been friends for years, Reika figures they would never be awkward with each other. She guesses she was wrong. Because for the first time in their years of friendship, Reika wishes she's not with Shikamaru.
Reika walks towards the kitchen and makes tea for both of them while Shikamaru sits in the living room. They are silent, and Reika, for once in her life, doesn't like it. Ultimately, she decides to break the awkward silence, "I saw Ino earlier. She wants to have some sort of reunion before I go back to Suna in Yakiniku Q at 7. You're coming, right?"
"What a drag…"
"I'll take that as a yes, then," Reika says as she puts a cup of tea in front of Shikamaru and sips her own after she sits down.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow, I guess. It depends on when Gaara-kun wants to go back."
"…'Gaara-kun', huh…?" Shikamaru says under his breath.
"What was that?"
"You're not staying?" Shikamaru asks, subtly changing the topic.
"Three years in Suna, no more, no less, according to Tsunade-sama."
"Tch. Troublesome."
Reika scoffs out a laugh at that. They go silent again.
"So… what is it that you want to talk to me about?"
"That kiss."
Reika chokes on her tea. What is it with the boys I'm around and their straightforwardness?
"We never talked about it before, but I'll say this now. I won't repeat it because it'll be troublesome, so listen up," Shikamaru puts his cup of tea down and stares straight into Reika's eyes, "I love you, Reika. I don't know when it started, but I do. When you kissed my cheek before you left, I took it as an opportunity to show you how I really feel. I won't apologize for that."
Reika's heart beats a million miles per hour. Her heart is in turmoil. On one hand, she thinks about Shikamaru, and the other, she thinks about… Shisui. Reika looks down at her hands. Shisui was her world… and then Itachi destroyed said world. There was no one after Shisui. Or so she thought, until she met Shikamaru.
She vaguely remembers the first time they met. It was shortly after the massacre. An ANBU took her to T&I where she first met Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi. They questioned her about the massacre, Inoichi went inside her head, and Reika told them what she knew, which was not a lot. She only told them that from what she heard from Sasuke; their eldest brother took everyone's lives and left her and her twin alive. She wasn't even conscious when the actual massacre happened. Before she closed her eyes, everyone was alive, but when she opened them again, only Sasuke remained.
"It will be okay, Reika-chan," Inoichi told her as they exited the interrogation room. Reika didn't say anything. Will it, though? She had lost everyone but her twin brother… can they really survive with only each other to lean on?
"Reika-chan?" Reika looked up to meet the eyes of the pineapple-headed man. Nara Shikaku, if her memory served her right, "I want you to meet my son, Shikamaru. He's the same age as you. We're going to talk with your brother for a while, why don't you play with Shikamaru until we're done?"
Reika looked at Shikaku's side. A boy with similar pineapple head as his dad was looking back at her with the most bored expression Reika had ever seen. Reika looks around her, trying to find Sasuke. When she couldn't find him, she sighed and nodded reluctantly, and Shikaku left. Reika and Shikamaru looked at each other in silence, until Shikamaru said with a small, lazy smile.
"Wanna go cloud-watching?"
It was strange, but somehow Reika knew they would be great friends.
Reika smiles at the memory. Had Shikamaru asked some other kid to cloud-watch for their very first activity together, he may have made the worst first impression on them. But not to Reika. Cloud-watching was – still is – the perfect thing to do with Shikamaru, because they both love silence, and don't mind each other's company. To her, Shikamaru had made the best first impression.
"I…"
xXx
"Reika!" Ino waves from one of the bigger booths in Yakiniku Q. Reika smiles warily as she sees her friends: Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, Lee, and Sakura. She heard that Naruto had left the village with Jiraiya to train not long after she does. At Ino's exclamation, everyone except Shikamaru turns to look at Reika, their eyes widening together comically.
"Hi guys…" Reika says carefully. She knows why they look so shocked. As Ino mentioned earlier in the day, she actually looks like Sasuke for once.
"Reika-san! You look so much like your brother!" Lee says to which Tenten hits his head, "I-I mean, you look very youthful!" Reika rolls her eyes with a small smile at Lee's attempt to save himself.
"Thanks," Reika says honestly as she takes her seat beside Sakura, in front of Shikamaru. She hasn't given him her answer yet, she only told him to meet her in front of Ichiraku Ramen at 7 AM tomorrow. It's a little bit awkward with them now. Reika looks down at her lap, feeling awkward about being around the people she left without saying goodbye.
"Here you go, Little Miss Sunshine!" Kiba says as he hands out a plate of cooked beef towards Reika.
Reika's head snaps up at the nickname. It's been years since she heard it; she feels nostalgic. Reika gives Kiba a small, grateful smile, "Thanks, Kiba," Reika puts the plate in front of her and eyes her friends one by one. She doesn't know what to say.
"You better eat them fast before Chouji snags yours, Reika!" Ino warns her. Reika looks down at her lap again.
"…don't worry," Sakura says. Reika turns to look at her, "We're not mad at you. We understand why you left, and it was partially our fault. Sorry."
Her friends start apologizing to her at the same time, and Reika is bewildered. She lifts her hands up, indicating them to stop, "No, no, please… don't apologize. It's okay. I should be apologizing. I avoided you for months and left with nothing but a letter…"
"It's okay, Reika…" Hinata says.
"Yeah. Shikamaru explained everything to us," Tenten says.
Reika turns to look at Shikamaru, and smirks when he smirks at her.
"Geez, get a room, you two."
Reika and Shikamaru look away from each other with a blush at Kiba's words. Kiba smirks at their reaction.
"We're both in the wrong here. We've apologized to each other. Now let's just put it past us," Shino says. Reika looks at him in gratitude.
"It really is nice to see you again, guys," Reika says. Everyone smiles at her.
"Are you staying?" Chouji asks. Reika smiles apologetically as she shakes her head.
"My training isn't formally done yet, so I'm going back to Suna with Kankurou, Temari, and Gaara-kun."
"That's a shame," Hinata says.
"'Gaara-kun'? Is there anything you wanna tell us, Reika?" Ino asks her playfully.
Reika rolls her eyes, "Don't read too much into it. We're close, but not that close. He just… understands me; that's all."
"Are you sure he thinks the same way?" Sakura asks.
"I'm sure. We made it clear between us," Reika says. She can't say that they made it clear that they each have people they love in their lives, because she knows they would make a big deal out of it.
Reika doesn't see it, but Shikamaru lets out a sigh of relief. Kiba does, though, and he nudges his relieved friend with a playful look on his face.
"You're in the middle of training, aren't you?" Neji asks. Reika is grateful of the change in topic, and nods at him, both in confirmation and gratitude, "Good luck on your training," Neji says. Shino nods at her. Akamaru barks. Reika smiles.
"Thanks, guys," Reika says, "So what have you guys been up to?"
xXx
A few hours before she has to leave for Sunagakure, Reika stands in front of Ichiraku Ramen, a bouquet of flowers she bought from Yamanaka Florist in her hands. She hears a somehow familiar lazy footsteps and looks to her left with a smirk. Shikamaru yawns as he approaches her.
"You're troublesome, woman. It's too early to do anything."
"And that's where you're wrong," Reika says, "Come on."
Reika walks along the path she always walks on almost every year. But this time, she's not alone. She needs to do this with Shikamaru. He deserves to know the truth. Before long, they reach the Memorial Stone. She squats down, puts the bouquet down on top of the stone and puts her hands together in prayer. A couple of minutes later, she looks up at the sky.
"It's a beautiful day, Shisui-nii-sama," Reika starts with a small smile. She can tell that Shikamaru is looking at her strangely, and she can almost feel his discomfort. Maybe he feels like he's interrupting on something personal.
"I always look forward to visiting you, but at the same time, I don't. Even when I was a child, I always look forward to seeing you. But every time I visit you, I'm always reminded that you're not here anymore, and whatever I say, you'll never reply. But even so, I always seem to have so many things to tell you… but I came here today for one purpose and one purpose only.
"Shisui-nii-sama, you meant the world to me. I heard and read about the Mangekyou Sharingan and how they are developed… and I never thought I had the chance of developing it. We develop Mangekyou Sharingan out of trauma of losing our loved ones… I've already lost you, the only person I've ever sincerely loved, so I honestly didn't think I'd get them… but somehow I did."
Reika suddenly looks to her back, straight into Shikamaru's eyes. She smiles softly and turns her gaze back to the stone, "…his name's Nara Shikamaru. We've been friends ever since I and Sasuke-nii-san lost everyone. At first sight, he's just a lazy, good-for-nothing guy who thinks that everything is troublesome… but Shisui-nii-sama, he's the smartest person I've ever met; next to Itachi-nii-sama. He's just really lazy.
"He likes to cloud gaze. He's kinda like a geezer, because he doesn't like to move and he likes to play shogi and go. But let me tell you something, Shisui-nii-sama… I've only beaten him 7 times out of hundreds of games, and you know how good I am at shogi. He's that smart. He's a very capable shinobi with whom I can entrust my own life with."
Reika, again, turns to look at Shikamaru in the eye. She beckons him forward, and he complies. He walks until he's squatting down beside Reika. She takes a deep, shaky breath as her eyes fill with tears, and she continues.
"You see, Shisui-nii-sama… you were my first love. I never thought I'd love someone else after you… But I was wrong. I fell in love; harder than when I did with you. And… I think Shikamaru's smart enough to realize what I'm going for," Reika says with a tearful smirk at Shikamaru, "This will be the last time I visit you in a while, Shisui-nii-sama… rest in peace… and please watch over me, Itachi-nii-sama, and Sasuke-nii-san."
Reika looks down to the ground and feels her tears fall. Even in the previous years she visited the Memorial Stone for Shisui, she has never shed a tear. Somehow this feels like a real goodbye. She has been visiting the Memorial Stone for Shisui for years, but she has never reached a closure until now. She feels Shikamaru's hand on her head, pulling it to his shoulder as she lets the tears fall.
"…Good morning… Uchiha Shisui-san," Shikamaru suddenly says. Reika's eyes widen as she pulls away to look at Shikamaru, "I'm Nara Shikamaru. We've never met before, but I've heard about you from Reika. I wish I could've met you at least once; from what Reika told me, you seem like a great shinobi.
"I'm sure you know this, but Reika is a troublesome, strange girl… she's physically weak, but she's headstrong. She's really smart and collected. Not to mention she's crazy fast. Even though she can hold her own in combat, there's just something about her that makes me want to keep her by my side and not let her go because I don't want her to get hurt.
"I may not be the best shinobi in the village… heck, I may not be the best guy in the world. But I promise you, I will love her enough for both of us and I will protect her with my life. Please watch over us," Shikamaru says as he stands up and bows at the stone. Reika, still sitting on the ground, looks up at Shikamaru and blushes. She has never seen him so… manly before. Shikamaru offers her his hand and she takes it, pulling herself to stand beside him.
"I want to give you this before you leave," Shikamaru pulls out a box from his shuriken pouch and hands it over to Reika. She opens it and her eyes widen. It's a pendant of the Nara clan crest, "I know what you're thinking. Shinobis give their loved one the crest of their clan when they propose, but… I'm not proposing. Yet. This is just so that I know… you're mine… I love you, Reika. Always have. Will you accept that?"
Reika smiles as another tear falls down her cheek, "Are you sure you want me? Because I'm going to hurt you eventually."
"I think I'm smart enough to not let that happen."
"Hn."
"Troublesome woman."
Reika hugs the box close to her and says, "I love you too, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru smiles the lazy smile she remembers from their childhood. And just like magnets, their faces come together slowly and their lips meet in a chaste kiss.
A/N: shinigamigirl196, the writer of Akai Senkou (which is also a great Shikamaru x OC fic; you guys should check it out if you haven't!) owns the idea of shinobis giving their clan's crest to their loved one as a form of proposal.
This will be the last fic I'm posting in a while, but fear not. Reika's adventure will continue. At least until I'm certain that I'm graduating. Thanks so much for your interest in Reika~!