Into the New World
Notes: Because I couldn't resist writing about them, like you know Kishimoto could've just ended it with Chapter 699 but noooo he had to make little babies for everyone and now it's just harder to move on from the series. I need help /screams/. This was so fun to write. I hope you enjoy reading it too. Don't forget to leave comments!
Disclaimer: This story is the very reason why I don't own and shouldn't be allowed to own the Naruto franchise. Like ever.
The one where Shikadai gets a crush
Family dinners were something a certain Nara Shikadai looked forward to for three reasons: one, that meant the Yamanakas and Akimichis would be eating with them; two, his dad would be home from work earlier than usual and drink with his old teammates; and three, Inojin (and sometimes Chocho) would be staying the night in the Nara compound.
After a lengthy day at the academy, the trio, the 17th Ino-Shika-Cho generation, rushed through the front door of the building, causing such an uproar that the Yamanaka head emerged into the hallway, gritting her teeth at their presence.
"For Kami's sake," she said, unable to finish her sentence.
"Hey mom," Inojin started, his blue eyes reflecting his mother's. "I get to stay overnight, right? We're on a mission to beat the Red Dragon King." He shook his plaything device, the newest toy in stores this season – Sai bought it for him a while back despite Ino's dissenting verdict. His focus would be diverted into playing instead of training or learning the basics at the Academy, she said. And of course, Ino was always right.
Temari was suddenly at her side, eyeing them. "Shikadai, you're having friends over but your room is a total mess. Expecting someone else to clean up after you?"
He shrugged. "It's not that messy."
"Listen to your mother, Shikadai," grunted Shikamaru from the other room, approaching them. "I don't want any noise for tonight's dinner. We have guests."
"Inojin and Chocho aren't guests, they're family," he responded, rolling his eyes.
"Your father wasn't talking about them," Chouji, that funny uncle, Chocho's dad, added, dawdling next to Shikamaru and almost winking at the three of them as if there was a secret passed around that they didn't know of.
Chocho's eyes glistened. "Is the Hokage coming over?" Because honestly, there wasn't a single girl in Konoha who didn't find the Hokage the most attractive person on the planet, Chocho would reason out.
Inojin grinned at this. "If he's coming, that means Boruto is too. And if he'll be joining us –" he gazed at Shikadai who was also thinking of the same thing, "–we're going to drop Chocho out of the game, and have Boruto for the three-man ambush instead. We'll beat the Red Dragon King faster and earn extra points for the time –"
"Hey!"
Already knowing this will end with the two boys at the mercy of Chocho's enlarged fists, Shikamaru sighed. "Unfortunately I wasn't referring to the Lord Seventh. In fact, you'll see in a few minutes. Right now, I want everyone to be on their best behavior." He glanced at his son, completely uninterested at all this dull gatherings when he had zero knowledge socializing with other people outside the extended family tree. "You're at least gonna try, right, Shikadai?"
When Kurenai appeared with Mirai suddenly in front of the Nara compound, greeted by the head of the clan and escorted into the dining area, gathered by everyone, Shikadai began to retreat out, displeasing his mother almost instantly.
"Shikadai, come here and greet our guests," she called tonelessly, giving even Shikamaru the shivers that trouble was brewing. He was still at the doorway when everyone found their seats, animatedly exchanging dialogue about how they've been or how was the last mission. Inojin and Chocho argued a little about who was going to sit in the middle and just decided it to be Shikadai.
Shikadai, on the other hand, couldn't look back. "I'm kinda not that hungry anyway, Mom."
Before another retort from his mother, standing up, Ino laid a hand on her arm, a smile almost telling that she's going to handle this herself while Temari could make sure to be a welcoming host to the visitors. She seemed to understand almost instantly from Temari's nervous twitch (she's hardly ever nervous around people, Ino noted) that it was the first time she was meeting Kurenai and her daughter, anyway.
Though slightly opened, she knocked on the boy's door, receiving a go away from the child. She cleared her throat, slipping inside the room easily. "It's aunt Ino."
Shikadai didn't bother acknowledging her in, but she kneeled to be on his level. "Now what's this about, huh?"
"Girls are troublesome."
Ino flicked a finger on his forehead. "Any more of that and you'll be sounding like your father when he was your age."
"Well, I mean they really are!" he cried, shamelessly revealing the circumstance. "First they act like you're friends and then give you hugs and kisses then the next time they're ultimately avoiding you like you did something wrong and to the best of my memory I haven't done anything stupid. We're not mind readers, save for you and Inojin sometimes, but geez would it kill them to say what they mean and mean what they say and do what they mean and say? That's not particularly hard?"
"Whoa, okay hold on, that's a lot to take in!" Ino chuckled despite this. "How is this connected with you not wanting dinner? Unless…" When it hit her, her eyes twinkled and Shikadai blushed as red as a tomato and she let out a hearty laugh, clasping him in a strong hug. "Alright, I get it."
Shikadai looked up. "You do?"
Ino just nodded, taking his hand. "Come on, leave it to Auntie Ino. It's also not fair if you can't at least have a taste of the best Akimichi Stew courtesy of Karui just because someone else is down there you've been so eager to avoid."
Shikadai entered the bustling dining area, called first by Chouji to sit next to him and he did, because Mirai happened to be seated on the other side. He didn't avoid Temari's glare however, ever so slightly pointing out that he would take in a long lecture after this meal.
"Where's Ino?" she asked.
"Aunt Ino said she needed something so she ran off for now," Shikadai replied, grinning at both his parents which surprised the two a little at the sudden change.
Mirai, her hair shorter than Shikadai had remembered it, finally smiled at him. "Hey Shikadai? How've you been?"
He gave off such a vibrant smile; his teal eyes betraying nothing but confidence and for some reason Shikamaru instantly caught on what was going on. "I've been fine. Congrats on passing the chuunin exams. I can't believe you're already a chuunin!"
"I can't either," she said. "What I can't believe is dad's entire old team would gather just to celebrate it. I mean, I could never understand why adults always bother to do it. They must miss drinking with each other."
"I honestly don't get it either, but I'm glad you're here. It's been awhile since we've seen each other," Shikadai agreed leaning in to whisper it, and Mirai's cheeks unmistakably went red afterwards.
She meekly threw a small smile. "Listen, you want to have ramen with me next week? They're already sending me off to a solo mission. You can bring Inojin or Chocho if you want. Honestly, it'll be my treat!"
"Like a date then?" Shikadai wondered, suddenly twitching and face expression getting distorted. "I mean, yeah, sure?"
"Great," Mirai said, still blushing. "You're acting pretty weird though. Everything alright?"
For a certain moment, he was silent, almost like he just lost himself. A second later, with his head down, Shikadai nodded, shrugging a lazy sigh. "Family dinners are such a total drag." She laughed at this.
"He's actually socializing," Temari whispered to her husband, still observing their son interacting with Kurenai's little chuunin. "I don't know how she does it, but Ino's a miracle worker."
Shikamaru didn't bother to say otherwise because as if on cue, the other blonde, his teammate for more than thirty years, entered once more, carrying herself like she had no idea someone else would actually catch on. She passed by Shikadai, where the boy turned and they secretly shared a fist bump, before Ino found her seat next to Inojin. "The store didn't have the aspirin I needed. I should've dropped by at the clinic first before coming over."
Shikamaru grimaced, requesting for Ino to come over. She did as asked, grinning and quite pleased with herself.
"Did you just use mind transfer on my kid?"
Her smiled confirmed it long before she even began explaining safely. "What are you talking about, Shikamaru? I just landed him a date with Asuma sensei's daughter."
Shikamaru tried scowling, he tried really, but for some reason even Temari found it amusing. "You do understand that she's five years older than Shikadai, right?"
"Never stopped you from marrying older women either," she winked at Temari, who was already shaking her head in sheer hilarity. "What can I say? Liking older girls must be a Nara thing, eh?"
Despite the struggle to hide his disapproval of her matchmaking drama and denial behind a fetish for older women, Shikamaru laughed and poured Ino a glass of sake.