A/N: There's a reason for everything. There's a reason that Asuma is the leader of Team 10, and there's a reason that Shikamaru is on Team 10. What follows is one of the more "fateful" reasons. I hope everyone who celebrates it has a great Thanksgiving. I probably won't be able to update again until Friday. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anyone/thing in this story. Special thanks to ishipress dot com slash shogi dot htm, for my crash course in the game of Shogi, though I think I'll stick with chess for now.
Chapter 4: Asuma
The genius was clearly distracted. Sarutobi Asuma had already gotten in eight moves with no sign of defeat. The most he'd ever managed before was five. Today though, Shikamaru was on auto-pilot.
Asuma recognized the looks, the forced bravado, and of course-the flat out denial. He and Kurenai had been the same way, but he didn't have the excuse of "diplomatic relations" to fall back on. Based on that, he knew it would be difficult getting Shikamaru to come clean about his feelings. There was also the very great possibility that his favorite student hadn't yet acknowledged those feelings to himself, let alone to anyone else.
He considered moving one of his gold generals. He looked over at the Chunin. No reaction at all. He was somewhere else entirely. Asuma smiled to himself. Probably strolling the streets of Konoha with a certain blonde Ambassador.
"What's she wearing?" He asked breaking the silence.
"Huh?" was the reply.
"In your daydream, what's she wearing? I always pictured Kurenai in a light blue kimono with red flowers that matched her eyes." He paused and smiled again. "Well, that's what she was wearing initially anyways."
A slight blush showed on Shikamaru's face before he managed to school his features.
"I don't know what you're talking about Asuma-sensei. It's not like that. Temari and I, I'm just her escort for the Chunin Exam. It's just diplomacy."
"There you go again." Asuma smirked not only had his pupil's assumption immediately been Temari, but he'd also captured one of Shikamaru's lances. He raised his eyebrows. That had certainly never happened before.
"You see," he continued, gesturing to the board. "I actually stand a chance of winning for the second time."
"That last time didn't count, you knocked over the board before the game was over."
"Well, it should count. It's not my fault. You distracted me by babbling about 'diplomatic relations'. I'm sorry, but coming from you, that's hysterically funny. My sides hurt for an hour after."
"That's because you banged into the table when you fell out of your chair."
"My point exactly."
Shikamaru sighed and looked at his hands.
"This is too troublesome. Everyone is always harping at me to be more serious. When I finally am, everyone gives me a hard time about it. You know this is technically a mission. I take my missoins very seriously. If the Suna Ambassador was a man, I wouldn't be catching so much flak. I wonder why Kankuro-san isn't the Ambassador?"
"Kankuro is about as charming as those creepy puppets he carries around and the Kazekage knows that. Aside from having charm and wit, Temari adds something to the view, don't you think?"
"Che.." Shikamaru mutted. "She's loud, bossy, and an altogether troublesome woman."
"In other words, the perfect counter for a quiet, lazy and altogether unmotivated guy like you?" Asuma laughed, the vibrations causing his cigarette to be dangerously close to falling out of his mouth.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes.
"Why is it no one believes me?"
"Because everyone else can see what you can't. Take me for instance. I can see the way you walk together. I've never seen you walk that close to any other person, male or female. I see the way the two of you bicker over things that just aren't worth bickering over unless you were trying to find an excuse to talk just a little longer. The way you slouch just a little less when she's around, and your complete and utter lack of motivation when she's not. Which by the way is worse than normal."
He captured Shikamaru's silver general.
"You aren't even motivated enough to play this game. I think I might actually win. Mind you, there will be no honor in it, it'll be like tripping a one legged man. But I'll take it." He took a drag off his cigarette before continuing. "Listen well for a minute, you're just like I was with Kurenai for a long time. But one day you'll wake up."
Shikamaru muttered "troublesome," to his hands.
Asuma smiled again.
"It's not so troublesome when you finally admit it. At least to yourself." His smile widened.
"There look! I've won!"
Yeah, there may be no honor in this victory, but there were certainly bragging rights. Asuma leaned back in his chair and took a long drag on his cigarette. At least Kurenai would be impressed.
o-o-o