A/N: I own nothing but the Shadow Manipulation Jutsu. As far as I checked the Nara don't actually have a jutsu with that…unique ability.
Unstartled by the sudden appearance of a masked figure, the Fifth Hokage continued to sip her precious sake, much to the displeasure of her assistant. The figure waited as patiently as it could for the woman to finish her cup; all knew of the woman's dedication to sake, and her wrath at anyone who dare prevent her from enjoying it. Amber eyes glared into the black eyes on the porcelain mask before setting her cup down and picking up one of the many scrolls situated on her desk. She tossed the scroll to the figure and allowed them to read it.
"I trust you know why you're here?" Tsunade's voice seemed to boom in the previously quiet office. The figure made no sound, simply nodded before resuming reading the scroll. Once the information was digested, the figure set the scroll on fire, forever erasing the existence of the classified information.
"Good," Tsunade continued, "there have been more applicants for ANBU this year than I thought there would be. My seasoned operatives need to…weed out those who are not fit to take the examination. Your mission is to test your target; see if they are mentally capable of handling the—unfortunate odds."
"Using the typical standard?" The figure's voice filled the space. Tsunade stiffened slightly, as did her assistant and the Hokage-in-training that stood on opposite sides of her desk.
"No. A harsher standard for this one." The figure nodded. It was cruel but it was necessary. ANBU was not a place for those who could not handle the darkness, better for applicants to learn that now before they were irrevocably scarred during the ANBU examinations. The figure wondered how many shinobi would have withdrawn their applications, if they knew they were going to experience a pre-exam from an experienced ANBU member. The figure nodded before disappearing off into the twilight.
"Do you think she'll be able to handle it?" Shizune questioned. The three remaining people tried hard to be objective about the mission. The Hokage could not favor one shinobi over the other.
"I honestly don't know. It's different for her; she must be held to a higher standard." Tsunade hoped she could handle it, but understood if she could not.
"This is necessary for her. Sakura needs to learn how far she can be pushed, before it's too much for her to handle." Part of Kakashi hated himself for his words; Sakura was his former student. He should still be protecting her from the ugly horrors of the world. But another part of him knew that she was his colleague and he could no longer baby her. She needed to see the darkness, especially if she wanted to be a serious part of ANBU. Sakura had one of the most unfortunate predicaments in terms of her pre-exam and her examination. Not only was she a kunoichi, and therefore subjected to harsher treatment, but she was a medic and arguably the best medic in Konoha. If she made ANBU, her missions would be the toughest and consequently the most damaging.
"I know you don't like these methods Kakashi, but as the future Hokage you must make these decisions. The newest generation of Konoha's kunoichi are weak in this area. They have been sheltered. Other villages' shinobi will take no pity, show no mercy, and our kunoichi need to be properly prepared for such a disgusting reality. Kakashi remained silent. She was right, regardless of his personal feelings; he knew the young kunoichi had had none of the training the kunoichi of his generation had in the midst of war. Peace time had spoiled them, lulling them in a false sense of security. He wondered if the elder shinobi had done them a favor by keeping them children just a little longer, or if they had knowingly put them at a dangerous disadvantage.
Drinking another round of sake, the three parted ways trying desperately to ignore the treatment they begrudgingly condoned.
Fighting exhaustion, Sakura trudged toward her bedroom. All she wanted was to take a long hot bath and sleep until next month. She almost felt too tired to sleep from her tedious 12 hour shift at the hospital. After working there for so long she assumed she should be used to the chaos, if one ever got used to the chaos of injured shinobi cringing on surgery tables, hunting down shinobi for their biannual physicals, telling family members that they had done all they could, but could not save their loved ones. As Assistant Director of the hospital, Sakura's attention was always needed but she had to admit she was filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment that she was able to contribute to her village in such a crucial way.
She made a rookie mistake. Believing she was safe inside her own apartment in her own village and not feeling a foreign chakra signature, she let her guard down. The figure's hands signaled the jutsu and Sakura did not have the chakra or strength to adequately fight off the paralysis jutsu.
A few minutes later her eyes opened slowly. Emerald orbs searched around trying to remember and asses her situation. Wandering eyes locked on the dark figure lurking in her bedroom corner; fear ran up her spine. How had she not sensed someone watching her let alone entering her home? She really needed to stop using up so much of her chakra on menial hospital shifts. Sakura tried to sit up but noticed her arms were bound to the posts on her bed. Forcing the minutest amount of chakra necessary, she tried again to free herself but the bonds wouldn't budge.
"It's useless kunoichi. Those bonds are special: a mixture of my signature jutsu, hair, and chakra." The figure's dark voice sent chills running the length of her spine. The deep baritone ensnared her, eliciting something other than fear. His voice whispered a dark promise but Sakura was not going to dig any deeper.
"What do you want? Why are you here?" She scowled, hoping she sounded more menacing than she felt.
"You." The man moved closer, removing his black cape as he went. Sakura recognized the figure as ANBU from the porcelain mask and the standard issue black jounin pants and top. Confusion swept through her. Why was a member of ANBU tying her up in her room?
"I don't know what you think you're doing but I will-"
"It's not what I think, kunoichi. It's what I am going to do." He walked closer until his legs touched the edge of her bed. He reached his hand out to touch her face; Sakura snapped her teeth at him. "Konoha's kunoichi are weak. It's my job to strengthen you."
"By what tying me up and having you're way with me?"
"Yes." Sakura clenched her jaw. She didn't have the strength to fight him off but she wouldn't willingly give him what he wanted. She would die before that happened.
"You must know who I am. Lay one hand on me, and I will make sure you're punishment is unbearable. The Hokage won't take to well to you violating her shinobi, much less her apprentice." The shinobi said nothing, simply removed his top without touching his mask.
"You'll enjoy this, kunoichi." He pressed her down into the futon, crawling beside her.
"You're out of your mind! I will die before I succumb to your sick sense of pleasure."
"Go ahead, Sakura. I like it when they struggle." She fought the urge to throw up. What kind of sickos did they allow in ANBU that enjoyed forcing themselves on women? Sakura was torn out of her inner musing at the tearing sound. The shinobi sliced her top open and removed it before using the kunai to cut the bandages that kept her breast bound. The cooling temperature mixed with the adrenaline coursing through her body caused her nipples to harden before the eyes of the shinobi. Next came her spandex shorts, but he left her thong intact.
"Get off of me!" She tried to buck him off but he pushed her down further. His long fingers trailed up the slit of her womanhood, finding a contradiction to her words.
"You're wet Sa-ku-ra. Now how can that be, if you don't like this." His dark chuckle sent another wave of excitement through her. What the hell was wrong with her body? Sakura hid her excitment behind a glare, hoping the deprived shinobi wouldn't call her on it.
"Just go ahead and rape me already you disgusting excuse for a human being." His fingers pressed a little harder into the lacy fabric of her panties.
"It's not rape if you want it," He leaned closer to her ear, pressing his body against her naked upper half. "And I'll make sure you want it. It'll add to your humiliation to realize that you enjoy what I'm doing to you." The ANBU removed his mask and kissed her before she got a good opportunity to look at his face. Her chapped lips met his firm ones in shock. Passion overwhelmed her as his hands began to dance over her exposed skin. Taking advantage of her momentary lapse, the man slipped his tongue in her mouth and coaxed her tongue to dance with his. He tasted like hot cinnamon and his musky sandalwood scent invaded her senses. He reminded her of the woods and fire. He pulled back and replaced his mask.
Sakura inwardly cursed herself; here she was making out with a demented stranger intent on using her body, whether she consented or not. The shinobi's hands skimmed over her skin, leaving goose bumps as they went. She bit back a moan when they glanced over her nipple. She would have herself committed to a mental hospital when this was over; she was obviously psychotic for enjoying how he touched her.
Again the shinobi removed his mask but this time he allowed her to see his face in the darkness. She didn't recognize him, not that she regularly hung out with ANBU, but working at the only hospital in Konoha meant she had seen almost everyone in the village; being one of three medics who could handle ANBU files meant she should have seen him at least once. He was average. Brown hair and brown eyes, not ugly but not drop dead attractive either. She bet many women would actually consent to have him; and here she was the lucky one who he decided to bestow his "gifts" upon. His lips descended on her throat, sucking at the artery and pulse point. His hands wandered over her, gripping tight muscle and soft skin. He cupped one breast and began to weigh it in his hand before rhythmically squeezing the soft mound. After leaving what she knew was going to be a mark of his conquest, he made his way down to her other breast and took the rosy nipple into his mouth. It took all of her composure not to moan and press herself into him.
This was absolutely ridiculous!
"Don't be afraid to moan, Sakura. Let me know that you like it." His lips formed a smirk over her breast. Oh what she wouldn't give to wipe that smirk off his face. She tried to wrap her legs around his torso in order to send chakra to her thighs to crush his organs but he lifted off the bed and grabbed a leg. Sakura lashed her foot at him and landed a kick solidly on his jaw.
"I can make this so much worse for you, Sakura."
"Do your worst!" She spat. He was acting like she should be thanking him, not a chance in hell.
"Fine then, we'll see how much you enjoy this." He formed a hand sign she had remember seeing before, but she couldn't place it. "Shadow manipulation jutsu!" Two shadowed figures appeared from what seemed out of nowhere, looming over her prone figure. Sakura's eyes brightened. A shadow jutsu meant he was a Nara; she had a lead for when she reported him to the Hokage.
The shadows crept toward her, fear returning to her body like an old friend. The formed what looked to be two men but what scarred her most was that they were aroused. Sakura began hyperventilating but her mind screamed at her to calm down. Freaking out wouldn't help her. She needed to remember as many details as she could while figuring out a way to break free of the bonds on her arms. The shinobi smirked and removed his pants, tossing them wherever he'd thrown his shirt. Sakura's eyes trailed over his toned body. His muscles rippled, belaying hours of training and abuse. A long scar ran down the left side of his abdominal muscles. Sakura committed that scar to memory; the more she could remember the easy it would be to identify him.
He stalked toward her like a jungle cat and Sakura couldn't help but feel like prey. He ran his hands up her inner thigh, sending a delicious thrill straight to her core. His lips followed the path of his hands until he placed a kiss at the dewy center of her thong. Sakura immediately wished she had worn boy shorts that would have offered her more protection. The Nara looked up and nodded to his shadows. One grabbed its aroused length and held it to her lips, the other tapped its against her breasts. There was no way in hell she was going to deep throat a shadow! How in the world could the shadows even be aroused?! Sakura raked her memory for any information about the Nara clan shadows but all she remembered was their ability to paralyze and strangle; neither of those realizations helped her. The shadow with its length on her breasts pinched her side causing her to scream slightly. The other shadow wasted no time shoving his length into her mouth. She was about to take a huge bite when the shinobi's voice stopped her.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. My shadows take pride in their…manhood. Any damage and they're likely to strangle you." That stupid smirk rested on his face. Sakura's rage increased as the shadow began pumping back and forth, coating its length with her saliva. The other shadow bent down to lick her nipple. How could these shadows feel so real? They were more like shadow clones than actual shadows come to life. Having Sakura distracted, the shinobi went back to his previous activity. Easily he broke the thin strip of lace hiding her pussy from him. Her smell was intoxicating and despite his disgust with his mission, the Nara felt his cock harden. Did that make him deprived for enjoying the smell of a female he was forcing? He was going to need therapy after this mission. The shinobi took one slow tentative lick.
Sakura moaned at the feeling. Her toes clenched and her nipples twitched. She felt the tell-tale prickling of tears behind her eyes. She had only been with one man and her drunken state wiped most of her memory of the night. Her first real encounter with pleasure that she would remember, and it was with a creep who refused to realize no meant no. The shinobi watched her as his shadow continued to use her mouth. He wanted badly to stop this before it could go any farther. But he had a mission to complete, and in the end it would be better for her if she knew one of the possibilities in ANBU, wouldn't it? That was what many of the ANBU men who had been selected for the pretest missions told each other, but lying to oneself didn't make it true.
The shinobi mentally shook his head, right or wrong he had to complete his mission; the least he could do was make sure she enjoyed some of it. His mind made up, the Nara took another long lick at her lips. He liked how she tasted, almost like he had tasted her before but he wasn't sure. Ignoring that inkling, the shinobi began to devour her. His tongue curled and lapped at her hidden crevices, her muscles clenched trying to hold his slippery muscle. Sakura moaned at the sensation that drove her crazy. This Nara was a master at pleasing a woman with his mouth. The shadow pulled itself out of her mouth than began teasing the breast ignored by the other shadow. She pulled at the binds, throwing her head back. Each lick and suck from the man and shadows brought her closer and closer to ecstasy. Shocks of pleasure ran down her legs to her core and ended at the tips of her toes. She fought the moans, not wanting to admit to herself that this twisted bastard could make her body thrum at his ministrations. Sakura hated herself for enjoying it as he said; she hated herself even more for wanting more of his debased attention.
The binds around her hands suddenly disappeared but before she could throw a punch the shadows restrained her. Night was making these shadows stronger; Nara's could create shadows within shadows and the more darkness and shadows there were, the strong their shadows become. That coupled with the close distance between the caster and the shadows, Sakura had no clue how long the jutsu would last. The shadow flipped her on her stomach and one became a bind, securing her hands behind her back. The remaining shadow pulled her lips back to his length and forced her to please it. The shinobi, barely stopping to take a breath, continued to eat her. A delicious coil of nerves bundled in her stomach and her muscles clenched ever tighter. The bundle released when he stuck a finger deep into her, sending her muscles into a spasm. Blinking lights flickered behind her head and tears spilled over. Her traitorous body had released because of this shinobi's ministrations. She had given this stranger something she had only shared with herself in the solitude and comfort of her own bed; willingly or unwillingly, she no longer knew.
Hearing her tears, the shinobi no longer knew if he should continue his mission. He'd broken her; he completed his mission. He should go report to the Hokage then tell Ino to come comfort her best friend. But he couldn't leave her, not like that. He nodded to his shadow and they both dispersed. Sensing her moment Sakura lunged off the side of her bed, grabbing the kunai hidden on the inside of her lamp shade. Exhaustion was no longer a factor. Her adrenaline levels spiked as she pushed a slight amount of chakra to her feet and launched onto her attacker. The Nara barely had time to stop her before she plunged her kunai into his heart.
"Sakura stop!" The man had the nerve to tell her to stop! She would make sure she left a noticeable mark, one too deep for anyone but Tsunade, Shizune, or herself to heal without a scar; that would give her another mark to identify her attacker.
"I will make you pay!" She forced the kunai lower, beginning to draw blood from the broken skin. The shinobi pushed against her, preventing her from sinking the kunai any farther.
"Sakura, stop!" He asked again. His voice changed, almost pleading with her. Sakura bit down the response that told her to listen. She would end him, here and now.
"Why should I?!" The naked kunoichi bellowed. Surely her neighbors should have heard something?! What kind of neighborhood did she live in where no one was home in the middle of the night to hear a woman being attacked?
"Sakura, it's me!" The shinobi dispelled the henge without a hand sign. The high level henge was shocking, but she inwardly reasoned that this was an ANBU operative and that if a jounin like her, even one sensitive to genjutsu, could sense the henge then it wasn't doing its job properly. The henge dispersed, leaving Sakura to decipher the person underneath her. All fight left her. She sat back on his lap, shocked.
"Shikamaru?" She was so confused. How could he-? Why would he-? Nothing made sense to her. Tears threatened her vision, but she would not cry. She pushed harder on the kunai.
"Sakura please hear me out." He pleaded with her, begging her to give him the chance to explain.
"Why should I?" Her voice was menacing. For the first time in his life, Shikamaru actually feared her; not annoyed with her loudness or scared of her tendency to hit others, truly feared that she would kill him, if not maim him.
"This was a mission." He saw the shock return to her face. He could see the wheels turning, see the disbelief sink in that her sensei would order such a thing.
"I don't believe you. Don't try to hide your sick nature behind the guise of a mission."
"I'm not lying to you, Sakura. This was a pre-examination, to see if you are fit to take the ANBU exams." Shikamaru tried to calm his heart beat but the sharpened kunai aimed at him made it near impossible for him to relax. "Many other female applicants have been subjected to this."
"—to see if they have what it takes to even take the exam. It's a way of weeding out those too weak to be ANBU without wasting time during the actual exam." Her brain connected the validity of her own explanation. It made sense; why scar shinobi for life during the exam only to find out that they weren't good enough. Eliminating weaker candidates saved time, energy, and resources that the village could not afford to waste, not to mention the therapy needed that would cost the village even more.
"Yes." He replied quietly, not surprised she came to the purpose of his mission so quickly. When not focused on men troubles, Sakura was one of the brightest minds. She even beat him at go and shogi a few times. Sakura sat back on his lap, finally pulling the kunai to a safe distance. Still wary of the kunai still in her hand, Shikamaru shifted until his back was against the wall, his hand timidly resting on her hip; other hand ready for her to try to gut him again. Once she set the kunai down on her bedside table he raised his hand to her cheek, searching her eyes, for what he didn't know, but some sign. She flinched slightly, her heartbeat speeding up and her pupils dilating. Shikamaru never wanted to see her afraid of him; that was the last thing he wanted from her.
"Did you choose this mission?"
"No!" He replied quickly. "You have to know I would never willingly do something so degrading to you, or any woman." His eyes pleaded with her to believe him. The silence between them began to strangle him like one of his shadows; he needed her to say something, to give him a sign that she believed he would never want to hurt her. But he knew after what she had been through, after what he put her through, she would have every right to want him dead. After what felt like forever, the tension left her body and silent tears slipped down her cheeks. Sighing, he pulled her closer to him. He had given her fear and uncertainty; perhaps he could give her comfort.
Shikamaru pulled her ever closer, until her body fit perfectly into his. All that separated them were his black boxer shorts. Wrapping one hand through her long rosette hair, he tipped her chin with his other hand slowly and deeply kissed her. Her rose and vanilla scent filled him once again; ever since that night Sasuke had returned, when they had gotten drunk, him bitterly remembering how much they had sacrificed for Sasuke, she reminding herself that she was not the doormat she used to be for Sasuke, he never forgot her scent, or the feel of her against his body. She had given him her virginity that night; he regretted that they could barely remember it. She haunted him ever since, and he had seen the way she could never keep her eyes off him.
Sakura moaned slightly but did not stop him nor did she deepen the kiss. She was at a crossroads; Shikamaru had shattered the sanctity of her home, but he admitted it was a mission. He ripped to shreds her dignity and peace of mind but he had been ordered to do so. She wanted to be ANBU but did she want to be ANBU that badly? That had been more of an emotional and mental assessment, and she wasn't done with it yet. What would the physical assessment be like? Shikamaru's hand abandoned its foothold in her hair and began to trace down her back until it rested in the middle of her back. The hand at her waist went around to the small of her back. He pulled her nearer still, his kiss offering comfort, begging for forgiveness. For better or for worse, Sakura let him in.
Feeling her relax, Shikamaru kissed her with all the passion he could muster from his soul. She had to know how deeply he regretted what being a ninja meant between them. She had to know he truly wanted her pardon. His hands drifted between them to stroke her sweet bundle of nerves. He wanted to taste her again, but knew it was too soon to try it. He stroked her softly listening and looking for any sign that this wasn't what she wanted. He added more pressure, relishing in the moan she released as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He wanted her badly, but this was not about his desires. Her body began the delicious clenching of earlier; she was close to orgasm. He sped up his rhythmic circles and latch onto her sensitive nipples, pulling them deep into his mouth. Her moans were music to his ears. Her body tensed up then quickly her muscles relaxed. Through his boxers he could feel her clench and release and fought a moan as her juice began to seep onto him. Giving her a few minutes to recover, he lifted her up enough so that he could slip the satin fabric down his legs, baring himself to her. There was nothing hidden between them. He positioned her above him and held her there for what seemed like hours. This was her chance to choose, to give him consent or to turn him away. He looked into her eyes; chocolate met emerald searching for hesitancy. She nodded and he slowly lowered her onto him. She moaned at the feeling of his thick length stretching her. He groaned at the tightness of her recent release.
Shikamaru paused slightly. Images of their first time together trickled through his hazy memory. Them on the blue sheets of his bed. Her hands gliding through his hair. Her laugh as he rolled her on top of him. Her beautiful pink hair fanned out over his pillows. All memories he didn't know he had with her. One look in her eyes confirmed that a few memories had returned to her as well. His body screamed at him to get back inside her while he slowly pulled her up. He guided her back down and raised his hips to meet her. She threw her head back and her blunt nails clenched at his shoulders. He moved her slowly at first, allowing her to set their pace all the while his body told him to claim her. Sakura rocked her hips back and forth, getting accustomed to him while edging them slowly towards the misty cliff. She tightened around him earning a choked groan from her lover. She could see the strain on his face. Sweat began to coat their bodies and ran down the smooth curves of her body and the chiseled divots of his. A hand cupped one breast, massaging it, while his lips clasped around her nipple. He squeezed and sucked in time with their rocking hips, bringing her heightened sensation. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed more. She needed all he could give.
Shikamaru nestled one hand on her back and turned them over, being careful to move her hair out of the way. He allowed barely enough room for a senbon between them. He kissed her and pulled her strong leg around his hip. His hand gripped her thigh, finding purchase in the hardened muscle. He pulled back and slammed into her, swallowing her scream. Lights seemed to dance behind his head as he gave them a steady pace. Each thrust felt as if it stroked her core. Shikamaru's name became the only word she could coherently pronounce. He loved the way she gasped out his name, loved the way her husky moans sounded. He whispered into her ear, telling her he was so sorry, he never meant to hurt her, never again would he hurt her. The sincerity in his voice nearly killed her.
He leaned up to look at her, to commit her face to memory when she moaned his name. He would never again forget the feel of her body against him; how could he when being inside of her felt like he was home? He felt her body tightening again, her moans became louder, her nails dug into the chorded muscles in his back. She loved the way he grunted above her, loved the way his eyes saw nothing but her. She loved how his muscles rolled with each thrust. She loved the sweet weight with which he pressed her down into the red sheets. He began to pump faster. Everything inside him told him to give her his seed, to hold nothing from her. Her body told him she would accept it. He pounded into her, racing towards the edge. He couldn't take it anymore. He kissed her as he released himself inside of her. Feeling his hot life-breathing essence inside of her caused her body to reach the pinnacle of pleasure. Her body milked him, causing him to release another wave inside her. Her arms wrapped him tight.
He didn't know how long he stayed like that: inside her. He knew he needed to report to the Hokage, but Sakura mattered more than duty at the moment. She shifted and he almost groaned as he muscles clenched him deeper in to her. Kissing her neck he pulled back slightly to look at her. He could almost clearly see his reflection in her crystal clear beryl orbs. A voice in the back of his head told him he wouldn't mind waking up like this more often. Early rays of sunlight began to lighten her room. The pinkish red of dawn washed over them. He looked back down and could see her lips tremble. He leaned down to kiss her before forcing himself to pull out of her sacred body.
Shikamaru picked up boxers and slipped them on then his shirt then pants. He grabbed his mask and his cloak. When he could no longer stall he looked back at her. She sat up, watching him with her sheets pulled across her chest. He strode back to the bed and kissed her. He grabbed her ruin clothes so she wouldn't have to deal with the memories of the beginning of their night together. He kissed her lips then her temple. He whispered for her to go see Ino before disappearing in a light flurry of leaves.
For a while Sakura sat still soaking in his scent and waited for the tears that did not come.
Shikamaru debated on whether to shower first or submit his assessment. He decided to submit his assessment first and begin to forget about the way he had had to betray Sakura's trust. He appeared in the Hokage's office just as another ANBU member submitted his assessment. By the cat mask and the hair he knew it was Sasuke Uchiha. A flare of relief shot through him as he realized Sasuke could have easily been given Sakura's name; that would have been a death sentence for Sakura. She may not be the same girl she was when Sasuke left, but Sasuke taking advantage of Sakura would have surely sent the kunoichi in a tailspin. He wondered who Sasuke had been assigned to and prayed it wasn't Ino either; Konoha was not ready for such a massive clash between the kunoichi if one could factually claimed to have slept with the Uchiha, the marker of their rivalry.
Shikamaru snapped out of his thoughts in time to hear the final verdict of his assessment; the ninja, Shikamaru had no way of knowing it they were male or female, had failed Sasuke's pre-exam, no doubt he had used the Tsukuyomi. The Fifth nodded and dismissed the Uchiha for the rest of the day. Shikamaru was next.
"Well how did she do?" The tension threatened to suffocate him. He could see the conflicting emotion in all of their eyes.
"She was not perfect. Her chakra level when she entered her room was too low for her to use any jutsu and she did not sense me before I knocked her out. However she did not stop fighting and managed to threaten my life with a kunai when she saw the opportunity. She assessed the situation and was able to determine my motives with a few clues. I also noticed she was memorizing every trait about me, probably trying to remember any feature that could be used to find me after the attack such as a scar or jutsu. In all, with more training and a strict warning about her chakra levels, she would be a good addition to ANBU." Shikamaru finished his assessment and waited to be dismissed. The blonde nodded and he turned to leave.
"Shikamaru." He stopped. "I know that was difficult for you."
"With all due respect Hokage-sama, you don't have a clue." Tsunade knew her apprentice and the Nara heir had gotten close. Spending hours together scowling medical scrolls to put together a complete history of medical remedies, poisons, and ninjutsu did that. She had seen the way they watched each other when they believed no one was watching; she had also seen a barrier go up between the two once the Uchiha came back. Whether Sakura or Shikamaru placed the barrier, she didn't know. There was more to the story, and she wanted to be nosy.
"Enlighten me then Shikamaru. Help me to understand." Shikamaru sighed. Did it really matter now? Tsunade could see the indecision in his eyes; he was debating whether to tell her something that could only mean what he had to tell her was serious. After a few minutes Shikamaru's shoulders sagged in defeat.
"Before I received this mission…I was going to ask for your permission to court Haruno Sakura, as the potential matriarch of the Nara clan." Tsunade's eyes widened with shock and her mouth hung open; her stomach took a sickening drop and she felt as if she was going to be sick. Had she known he was considering marriage…shame weighed on her heart. Shizune gasped and turned her head, wishing that she could fight the sinking feeling in her gut. Kakashi stiffened. He respected Shikamaru and knew he would have nothing to fear if Sakura became his wife. For Shikamaru to consider marriage meant he had spent hours comparing the strengths and weaknesses of marrying Sakura. Nothing he did was half-assed, even if it may look that way from the outside looking in. Shikamaru not only weighed his choice for Sakura as his wife, but as the matriarch to his clan, making sure that she would also be a good candidate to bear his heirs. Had she unknowingly just crushed the fate of the Nara clan? Even worse, had she crushed their chance at happiness?
"Shikamaru, I am deeply sorry. Had I known—"
"It can't be helped. This was something I just hadn't factored in." That statement from Shikamaru told everyone exactly what they needed to know. Shikamaru was heartbroken and angry; he hated to miscalculate and he would not choose just anyone as his wife.
"Am I dismissed Hokage-sama?" Tsunade searched for something else she could say, but all the words in her vocabulary felt empty.
"Yes Shikamaru, go home and rest." Before he stepped out of the door she added one last thing. "You have my consent to court her; she would be a good addition to the Nara clan." Shikamaru nodded and walked out the door without looking up. He didn't want anyone to see the tears streaming down his face.