30 Day OTP Challenge for the Fluff Impaired Prompt #20: Teamwork
Neji sighed as two year old Yume ran screaming from the twins' still shared room and across the house. "BUG!"
Shikaku had apparently found the creature in there after Yume had purposely woke him up from his nap because she wanted to play and was now gleefully chasing his sister with it. Never let it be said that Naras could not be vengeful. Shikamaru was the living proof that they could be very vengeful and Shikaku took after his father so much it was honestly frightening. Though perhaps it was because of Nara Yoshino's genetics that they turned out that way. She was a truly terrifying woman when she put her mind to it.
Neji grabbed Yume up off the floor just as she tried to run past him to escape Shikaku. Shikamaru's voice rang out through the house at that exact moment, firm and unyielding, "Shikaku! Drop the bug right now, mister, or I'll put you in timeout!"
Needless to say, the bug was indeed dropped by the toddler. Shikamaru was quick to capture the little critter and he walked by Neji as he went to the door saying, "You can put Yume down now, Neji. I'm going to take this little guy outside so our son doesn't get it into his head to use it as a scare tactic against his sister again."
"Thank you, Shikamaru."
"It was no problem."
"Yume, get your dirty little butt back here right now!" Shikamaru's angry voice called from the guest bathroom.
"Shikamaru, is everything all right?" Neji questioned as he snagged a definitely dirty and naked Yume as she ran giggling from the same bathroom.
"Fine. Every thing's fine. I'm just trying to give the kids a bath since I let them play outside today. I didn't want them in their highchairs and eating while their covered in dirt. That's just gross and unsanitary."
"And Yume escaped as you were dealing with Shikaku."
"Yep. Getting Yume out of her clothes is one thing. Getting Shikaku out of his? Totally different story."
"As always. I'll give Yume bath in our bathroom while you finish with Shikaku."
"Thanks and good luck. Yume's been more of a troublemaker today despite getting to play all day, so you'll need it."
Neji laughed, "We'll see."
"Yume! Yume, no. Let go of that right now, young lady," Neji ordered as he tried to pull his daughter's hands away from the fruit stands hanging cloth.
Shikamaru was quick to notice Neji's plight and walked over to him - with Shikaku on his right hip - to help Neji untangle the little girl's hands from the cloth. "Sorry about that."
The merchant Shikamaru apologized to just shook his head and grinned. "It's no problem. I've got three of my own. I know all about what it's like dealing with toddlers. Terrible twos, huh?'
"More like horrific," Shikamaru deadpanned.
"Oh for the love of... Shikaku what are you doing?" Shikamaru asked the moment he stepped into the living room where he'd left Choji's and Karui's daughter, Chō, Ino's and Kiba's son, Inoishi, and his own toddlers. This was supposed to be a play date for the kids so they could get use to one another early on, but...
Shikaku was clinging tightly to his little sister and pouting. "Mine!"
Shikamaru stared for a long moment, then he yelled for Neji.
"What's wrong?! Are the kids okay?!" Neji came in, quickly looking over the children for any injuries.
"Oh their fine, except for the fact the Shikaku is being utterly weird. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't kids supposed to fight over toys and stuff?"
"Yes..." Neji said slowly. "Why are you asking this?"
"Because Shikaku won't let go of Yume and isn't letting her play with the other two."
"Ah. He's jealous. He is acting the same way Hinata's and Shino's daughter acts when any children she doesn't know tries to play with her little brother. Shiko-chan is very protective of Haruki-kun. I believe Shikaku just needs time to warm up to Chō and Inoishi. It has only been Shikaku and Yume alone together until now."
"Yeah, that's true. I'm an only child so I really don't know anything about young sibling interactions. Sorry about scaring you by accident."
"Think nothing of it. You were concerned and it is a partner's place to alleviate such things. We are a team, after all."
Shikamaru shook his head with a smile. "We must be one heck of a weird team then. People keep giving us the strangest looks when we go out with the children."
"They are just jealous," Neji said promptly with a faux superior look. "They wish they could have a partnership half as good as ours."
"Wow... Egotistical much?"
"Always."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Blarg. Some prompts just don't want to flow. I think this is one of them.