As a strategist, he knew that sometimes, plan do not work; while it was not a common occurrence to him, it happens.
He never planned to become one of the most important figures in the shinobi world – all he ever wanted was to be a normal, ordinary shinobi. The option flung out of the window when he was born with an IQ 200 mind.
All he ever wanted was to marry an average woman, never had he imagined that he would end up marrying the most troublesome, beautiful woman that he had ever know.
And now, he hangs in the balance, at least part of his plan will work, right?
Nara Shikamaru, the master strategist, smartest man in Konoha, waited to see the next step of his plan unfold.
He waited, impatiently pacing at the corridor of the hospital.
His friends had came over – Ino came to comfort him, partly because she was equally scared about giving birth herself; Naruto and Chouji came to gave him pats on the shoulder.
It will be fine they say, it will soon be over.
But this was not something that you can just sit back and nap over – he paced again impatiently.
They wanted him to wait outside for some check ups, he was not even sure whether Temari want him inside when she gave birth.
How could the months pass so fast?
The colour of his face drained as she pressed onto her stomach painfully, dropping the freshly baked birthday cake she made him onto the ground, he rushed over and cradled her gently in his arms, noticing that there was a seepage in between her legs.
Her water had broke.
Almost without a thought he rushed her over to the hospital, and here he was.
The clock ticked – it was rather late, at around eleven at night, he had once again been late from work, and she had waited for him all night to celebrate his birthday.
His twenty-second birthday to be exact.
He promised himself after that mission to the Land of Silence that he will try not to take everything so seriously, but it was not his choice to make.
The village needed him, the Union needed him.
And on the other hand, she needed him as well.
"Lord Sixth has given you the whole week off," Chouji said as he came by. "He said he will manage for the time being, all you have to do now is stay with Temari."
He sat down, decided that pacing around was not going to help with his blown, poor nerves.
It all seemed like a second ago.
When she first told him that she was pregnant, the uncontainable joy on her face.
When they went to the checkups together, how her eyes moistened as she first heard the humming heartbeat of the child growing inside of her.
When he first felt his child moving inside of her, kicking him in the ear as it did, making him smile like he had not did so in a very long time.
And her.
How she managed to be the awesome wife she is, despite carrying the load of a child inside of her.
How she enthusiastically decorated the baby room with him, deciding that they will go with yellow, because no matter boy or girl, they will be ready.
How vulnerable she was, from sudden fatigue, morning sickness, to the soft, sobbing Temari that sat at the front door, waiting for him to come back.
While hormones affected her mood, he knew Temari to be more than that – she was vulnerable, only when she was with him.
There were moments when he thought he was too young, too immature to be a father; there were moments when he felt that she felt the same – as a successful, brilliant kunoichi, having a child was almost like tying your life down, shoving your career in the deepest, darkest corner of your closet.
He knew that it secretly saddened her – he never planned for her to give up her kunoichi career, it was entirely her choice to make.
And she was affirmative.
"I might take a mission or two," she said, one night as she leaned against his shoulder, both of them sitting in the garden and staring at the moon. "But this," she moved her hand on her largely swollen abdomen. "Our child is the most important."
He knew that she was somehow scared by the idea of motherhood – after all, her mother died when she was three. Raising your two brothers is nothing like raising your own child – but he knew better, everyone, his mother, their friends, and most importantly, he will be there for her.
A swung of the door shocked him, as he shot up from the chair.
"Shikamaru! Hurry in, she is devliering, and she wants you to be there."
It took him nearly no time to rush inside, medical ninjas fluttered around.
He knew that childbirth was a dangerous affair, no matter how strong you are, and Temari was in pain.
He had never saw her in this much pain, and the sight made him weak in the knees.
"What are you doing! Get to her side!" He forgot everything he was thinking, all the ideas flashing in and out of his brilliant mind burned to a wisp as he rushed to her side.
He held her hand in his, staring in her beautiful face, twitched together in pain.
Large drops of sweat rolled down her face, he could feel her grip tightened around his hand, crushing it almost.
He voiced no complaints, he knew that this was the only way he could share her pain.
"Arghhh!" She shouted loudly in pain, as she breathed in a lungful of air.
"Temari-san, you are doing great, now push!"
She uttered sounds of illegible words as if her pain was indescribable by words.
"Temari, just one more push," he said, gently as he could feel her grip tightened around his hand again when she pushed with all her might.
It was almost like a trance - as if there was no one left in the world, but her, fighting to push their child out of her, and him, sitting there, helplessly staring as she suffered the immense agony of childbirth.
The trance was broken when a loud cry pierced through the bubble.
From inside of her, they pulled it out – a tiny human being, who had since turned quiet after the loud cry, it did not even squirm much as the medical ninja held it up and proceeded to clean it.
He crouched beside her bed quietly, staring at her now calm and peaceful face, she opened her eyes and looked at him.
"I did it," she said. "Hurts so fucking much though."
"I know, I am sorry," he smiled at her, only to have her smirk at him.
He laughed a little, as the medical ninja returned.
"Congratulations, Shikamaru-kun, Temari-san, it is a healthy baby boy!"
The medical ninja handed over the infant to Temari, who held him in her arms.
"Seems like your dream has failed once again, huh," she chuckled, as she turned her face towards the baby.
There was a warm aura surrounding her, as the world fell into another trance.
He stared, as if it was a perfect painting, his wife, holding their newborn child in her arms.
"Come on, take a look at your son," she grinned widely as he moved closer.
The newborn baby was wrinkly, like a small monkey even, there was little dark sprouts of hair atop of his head. His eyes were closed, as he snuggled close to its mother.
It was almost the most beautiful thing he thought he ever saw, not aesthetically, but it was beautiful to him.
He could not hold it in any longer, with his arm strung across her shoulder, he pulled her close.
Temari could feel her shoulder moistening, as his tears dripped and fell from the edge of his cheek.
"Look at your daddy," she said to the child. "Such a crybaby, let's hope you're not."
Shikamaru broke into a tearful grin, his embrace around her shoulder tightened.
"Thank you Temari," he said.
This is the beginning of his family.
This child she brought into this world, this is his very own King.
They are the Kings that he has to protect.
"Happy Birthday, Shikamaru," she said, with a tired smile on her face, the baby quietly sleeping. She looked up at the clock, it was well past midnight.
"Well, the little guy is late as per Nara tradition," he chuckled, wiping tears off from his face.
"If it had been a daughter, then you would at least achieve part of your dream right?" Temari joked a little, as Shikamaru shook his head and pressed a chaste kiss atop of her forehead.
"No," he said. "My dream has changed long ago."
"Oh?"
"My dream has been you, and now, it is you and him."
And so a new page begins.
Author's note:
My goal is to make you smile at the end or cry (out of being touched, hopefully) hahah just joking :p
Anyways, Shikadai is born! We will know more about the little King in the next chapter :D
Enjoy as always and thanks for the love xoxo
V.S.V