Everyone's Eyes

Chapter 8: Shikaku and Yoshino


Shikaku

(---)Shikaku never lived long enough to see his son marry or to see his grandchildren, but he lived long enough to see his son plagued by the bothersome 'Nara curse'. It made him chuckle every time he thought of the irritated young boy Shikamaru was, irked by each and every frustrating woman, who had grown up into a man falling for the worst one of them all.

(---)Shikaku thought his son was in over his head when he saw that blonde arguing with Shikamaru. Shikamaru proved him wrong promptly upon silencing her with a simple touch and word.

(---)If he could say anything about his son it was that he learned quickly and at a young age. Shikamaru was much smarter than Shikaku had ever been at his age.

(---)He remembered the day Shikamaru had learned the kagemane. He should've been proud that his son had learned the jutsu without any training, but he was wary that his son had been scarred.

Women were forever troublesome and should be avoided in Shikamaru's mind.

The worst part was that, while Shikaku knew something was wrong with his son, he had no idea what had occurred.

(---)His son advanced the kagenui upon some senseless prodding by the sand kunoichi. He wasn't sure what he was planning to do, but Shikamaru wanted to be able to pick up, handle, and throw objects with his shadow.

Despite Shikaku's skepticism, his son accomplished it.

Shikaku had never been prouder.

(---)He asked Shikamaru about Temari once.

His son had shrugged. "She's not so troublesome."

(---)He met Temari.

Despite Yoshino's…dislike toward the blonde creature, he found her rather amusing.

The responses she would give Yoshino, were very…blunt. It made his wife turn red and his son laugh.

(---)"I don't like her. I don't like her. Shikaku, I do NOT like her."

He shrugged. "I like her."

"No you don't."

"…I'm pretty sure I do."

"YOU DON'T" Yoshino clarified for him.

"Okay, I don't."

Yoshino nodded.

"By the way, why don't I like her?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"Because."

Shikaku yawned. "You're right, that's an excellent reason."

(---)"She has this uncanny belief that every human can fly if they were so inclined."

"You mean figuratively right?" Shikaku asked his son.

"Yeah."

"Hmm."

"I happen to think she might be right."

Shikaku grinned, "And what has brought about that conclusion?"

"I've made Jounin."

Shikaku almost fell. "Really? You tried?"

"For her."

"Hunh."

Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome woman makes my life difficult."

Shikaku just kept grinning. Said troublesome woman was making his life worth every breath the boy took. And he could see from his son's face, that he really didn't mind it at all.

Yoshino

(---)Like her? The blonde, violent, sand kunoichi?

Of course not.

How could Yoshino possibly like her? She liked the fact that the woman motivated her son. She liked the fact that the woman loved her son. She liked the fact that the woman once (practically) tried to give up her life for her son.

But like her?

No, Yoshino did not like her one bit.

(---)It was probably the way she said things that made Yoshino wince. She was too honest. Too blunt. The girl had not tact. Not the way a woman should be.

But she was the first – ANYTHING – that Shikamaru truly worked hard for. And for that Yoshino would put up with her.

Even if she was too angry to be a decent woman.

(---)Yoshino was surprised to learn the sand kunoichi could cook. Not very many kunoichi knew how to cook anything that wasn't 'instant'. Yoshino was even more surprised when that sand kunoichi asked Yoshino (respectfully, mind you, she had no IDEA the girl knew the meaning of the word 'respect') to teach her to make Shikamaru's favorite dish.

(---)No matter how rude Yoshino was to Temari, the girl never stopped trying.

Yoshino didn't understand this at first. She didn't realize Temari yelling and insulting was a Temari who hadn't given up. She didn't realize that a quiet and passive Temari who agreed with everything that was said to her was a Temari who'd given up.

She had believed Temari did give up and was just shouting angrily at Yoshino every chance she got.

Yoshino realized much later that Temari had NEVER given up.

(---)She caught her son and Temari doing…eh…very…private things one afternoon.

Really, it wasn't her fault. Who did those things in the afternoon, in broad daylight, with the door unlocked!?

Okay, so…she had Shikaku had done similar actions but she had the decency to remember to LOCK THE DOOR. Besides they were ninjas, couldn't they hear some lady approaching or some hopeless rot like that?

They should be able to.

If they had been more careful, then Yoshino wouldn't have been beet red for three whole weeks every time she just glanced at either Shikamaru or Temari.

(---)Yoshino found that Temari was her conspirator later in life. She would tell her what Shikamaru was up to and what the twins were doing.

And together there were times they concocted plant to get something done the right way.

It was much like having the daughter she would have loved to have.

(---)The twins were adorable.

Though she had trouble figuring out how her son – her lazy son was able to control them so well. They were a handful. For generations any Nara man was LAZY and any Nara woman was spunky but OBEDIENT. Their kids…

Pfft.

They broke ALL the rules.

She decided it HAD to be Temari's influence that had those kids more or less well behaved.

Even Yoshino herself had trouble handling those twins.

(---)Yoshino did NOT like Temari the first time she met her. Or the second. Or third. Or even fourth. But in time she grew to like her.

In time she saw what her son had seen with just one glance. In time she saw just how intelligent Shikamaru really was.


A/N: I'm not sure if I like Shikaku's bit...

Next chapter: Chouji