'Shika!' She put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. A warm, smooth smooch full of joyful love.
'Hello lovely.' He looked at her smiling and put aside his cigarette. 'How was your day?'
'Full of adventures.' She pulled her tongue out.' Just as yours.' She looked at the piles of paperwork in front of Shikamaru.
'I could have finished that but it's just too boring.' He laughed.
'It's fine, you need some rest! Come on I'll make you supper!' She pulled him toward the Nara kitchen.
'I could have never wished for a better girlfriend than you are.' He scratched his back and smiled lazily.
'I know.' She started preparing the food and he sat down next to her. 'I've greeted that guest you know..'
'What guest?' He yawned and looked at her tiny hands cutting vegetables fast.
'The one from Suna you were supposed to bring to the hotel tonight.'
'A guest from Suna?' He pointed his eyes at her face.
'Have you forgotten dumbass? That's one of the things I've done for you today.'
'I think I wasn't listening.' He frowned his forehead. 'And? How was it?'
'Strange. That woman is quite a somebody. She wanted to know why you weren't here and asked a lot of questions. You know her well?'
'Not really.' He went to the living room.
'Hey Nara!'
'I'm listening.' He lied down on the couch.
'She's your age isn't she?'
'Older…I think.'
'I didn't see any ring on her finger. Looks like no man could stand her ego.' She laughed but waited for his reaction.
'Women as shinobi often have to decide if they want to be wifes or warriors. Looks like she's fine doing her job.'
'I can't imagine any woman wanting to be alone for the rest of her life.'
'Yeah, you must be right. No man could probably stand her.'
'Could you imagine being all alone forever ? '
'Well that wouldn't be that much of a problem for me but knowing myself I'm pretty sure I would fall for some woman in the end.' He lit another cigarette .
'Some woman? Any woman?' She leaned out of the kitchen and gave him a suspicious look.
'A wonderful, big-eyed, kind-hearted smiley face like yours.' He smiled widely and she ran towards him, jump on top of him and gave away a joyful squeak.
'Hey hey relax. ' He laughed and grabbed her tights. 'Are you happy with my sweetheart?'
'The happiest alive. 'Her eyes were shining and that's why he adored her. With Kikio live seemed a bit easier. She always took care of him and never complained about his lazy lifestyle. The perfect girl.
'That's good.' He pulled her shirt up slightly and kissed her on the side.
'Shika!' She pulled her shirt down. 'Stop that.'
'Hey, sorry, that was just a smooch, relax. ' He sighed.
The perfect girl if she wasn't going that crazy when it came to THAT. She was very traditional and he wouldn't even mind if she would suspect him of naught thoughts as soon as he would want to kiss her below her face or he touched her a bit different than usual. Of course he sometimes had the urge to do something nasty to her. Why would he be with her if he didn't desire her? In the end all he wanted was to be close to her but she had to complicate that from time to time.
'Troublesome. ' He sighed and wanted to get up. 'Calm down Kikio, I didn't mean anything.'
'Sure. ' She got off him and went back to the kitchen with a scared face.
Later that night, when Kikio went back home he was sitting on the doorstep smoking and his father sat down next to him.
'How's it hanging boy?'
'Fine Dad, why are you asking ?'
'Just like that. I've heard some news in the city ...'
'What was that?'
'The rumor says you want to get engaged.'
'ME?!' He looked shocked and the cigarette nearly fell from his hands. 'I never considered that. Who told you this?'
'I see. I'm not persuading you youngster but you seem to have a quite adorable girl there, so why not? ' He smiled lazily at his son.
'I don't feel ready for marriage. ' he looked into the sky. 'Not anymore.'
'I can understand that. Enjoy your freedom as long as you can, just keep in mind girls want to know what they're standing at. Better make something with those rumors otherwise Kikio might get some false ideas.'
''What should I do with that kind of rumor?' 'And who tells such crazy lies about us?'
'Talk to her. Honestly. She should be able to understand and give you some more time.'
'Yeah you're right. Troublesome. Why live has to be that hard?' He smoked his cigarette.
'If it's too easy it ain't fun. Haven't you realized as a nin that if something goes too easy and smoothly it has to be wrong or some shit is waiting for you at the end of the story? '
'Is it like that always?'
' Well I don't know but probably most of the time. So don't worry too much, you're doing it right . ' He smiled and stood up. 'Come in soon, it's getting cold outside.'
'Sure dad.'
Just as he finished his cigarette and wanted to go inside a strange white animal dashed through the Nara wood.
'What the hell is that supposed to be...' The small soft animal jumped in front of him and looked at him with his one eye.
'I know you weasel. ' He spoke unpleased. ' What do you want here? '
The animal took a few steps closet and put a small letter in front of him.
'Oh no...' He opened the note and it said. "Are you willing to meet? Give answer to correspondent "
'Correspondent' He murmured . 'What will you do now Nara? There is no reason for you to meet her... On the other side it would be good to have at least friendly looking relationships with the ambassador of Suna. You can't avoid her for the rest of your life. ' 'Fine. ' He spoke to the weasel who immediately dashed off. ' I need to tell Kiko though . No way in doing this behind her back. ' He spoke to himself into the dark.
