Aiya~~~ It's been a while ^^" Blame my crazy, but beautiful, life...and laziness in general. And before you read this, know that it is SHORT. I wasn't too full on the inspiration tank for this chapter. The next one will be longer. Promise!
O and I don't own Naruto or any of the Canon characters. I do own Mika and this story :D
"Shokuji o arigatō!" Mika called out as she finished her meal, placing her hands together in front of her chest. Shikaku, Yoshino, and Shikamaru all stared at her in wonder and then they looked at their half-finished meals.
Yoshino chuckled nervously. "My, my, you sure eat quickly, Mika-chan."
Mika nodded, not even the least bit bashful, and began swinging her legs back and forth. "Yup, but Kakashi-niisan's even faster than me. We always eat fast so that we can spend time together."
Yoshino smiled kindly at her before continuing to eat. "That's good, Mika-chan."
Mika looked around the dining room, making slight observations. Her and Kakashi's apartment only had a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom so this dining room was a relatively new experience for her. It was easily as big as their kitchen and even had room for people to move around the table without having to touch the walls, which were decorated with nature photography and a clock. Wait a minute…
Mika shouted in surprise, startling the three Nara's before asking, her cerulean eyes pleading, "Can I go watch TV? My favorite movie is about to come on!"
Yoshino nodded as she clutched her chest; this girl knew how to keep people on their toes. "Sure thing. The remote's on the table out there." The young girl was gone before they could blink twice and Yoshino looked over towards Shikamaru and sighed. He hadn't made any move to finish the food on his plate for several minutes. "You can go as well, Shikamaru."
"Thanks, Kaa-san," Shikamaru replied, leaning over and kissing her cheek before following Mika to the living room.
Shikaku watched as Shikamaru left the room and sighed. "I don't what I got us into, agreeing to watch Mika."
Yoshino leveled a glare at him. "Oh, and you would have left her to fend for herself until the most important day in her young life instead?"
Shikaku shied away from that glare, hastily explaining, "Th-that's not what I meant, Yoshino! I just meant that I didn't think she would be so…energetic."
Yoshino relaxed and sighed as well. "Now, that I agree with."
The doorbell rang then, and before Yoshino could even twitch a finger, Mika called out, "I got it!"
"And she's certainly made herself at home…"
()()()()()()()()()()()
Mika curled into a tighter ball on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV. To her left, she could vaguely hear the sound of Chouji, who had had to go home for dinner and to get his stuff before he could sleep over, munching on chips; and to her right, she could hear Shikamaru stifling a yawn. The movie was just about over and Yoshino had come in at about the half-way point to give them snacks and drinks.
She felt her eyes growing heavy when suddenly Shikaku came in from the hall and commented, "Do you usually watch the credits, Mika-chan?"
Mika turned her head to regard him before looking at the screen again and saw the credits rolling. "Oh…no…I don't…" She turned the TV off and let loose a yawn that left her eyes teary.
Shikaku sighed and smiled hopelessly at the young girl before he walked around the couch and picked her up, her head resting on his shoulder. He carried her down to the guest room and pulled the covers back, careful not to disturb Pakkun who was sleeping on the foot of the bed, before laying her down on the soft mattress. He tucked the comforter and sheet up to her chin and was about to walk away when he noticed that she was holding onto his sleeve.
With a tired voice, she asked him, "C-can Shikamaru-kun and *yawn* Chouji-kun sleep in here with me?"
He smiled gently and nodded and she released her grip on his sleeve, smiling back at him. It didn't take him long to go and get Shikamaru, who had fallen asleep on the couch, but by the time he got back, Mika was asleep. He smiled helplessly as he tucked Shikamaru in next to her and then went back, grabbed Chouji, and tucked him in on her other side. Once he was sure that they were all asleep, he walked back out to the living room, cleaned up the mess from their snacks and drinks from during the movie, and shut off all the lights except for a light in the kitchen, just in case any of the three kids wanted to get up and get a drink before morning came.
He passed by the guest room on the way back towards his room and noticed that he had left the door open. As he reached in for the doorknob, by the moonlight streaming in from the window, he noticed that the three children's positions had shifted slightly so that they were closer together. And that despite the fact that her face had looked peaceful when he had first seen her asleep, he thought that Mika's slumbering face looked even more serene with Shikamaru and Chouji sleeping next to her.
Shaking it off as just a trick of the moon, he shut the door quietly and went to go get some sleep before they woke up and were ready to create more chaos.
...told you it was short...DON'T KILL ME! *runs*
Translation:
1) Shokuji o arigatō - Thank you for the meal
Mika: And while Rosey's runnin' away, why don't you push that button down there and review? :3