Pairing: ShikaSakuNeji

Prompt: Angst

Rating: T


Neji's death hits them hard. So much so that Sakura actually stumbles back in shock when she learns of it and Shikamaru clinches his fists so hard he draws blood. Hinata is off to the side, sobbing her dainty little heart out for her fallen cousin and Naruto is staring at the ground as if he can't comprehend what happened. Team Gai huddles in the back, not having the will to approach.

It did not help that, just three hours previously, Shikamaru lost his father and honorary uncle. Sakura doesn't turn towards him despite desperately wanting too. She wants to take his hand and hold it tightly. She wants to hug him and never let go. She wants Neji to open his eyes and tell them he'll be okay. Seconds turn into minutes and minutes turn into hours and Neji never once opens his eyes.

The war carries on until Madara is defeated. The fight between Sasuke and Naruto carry on until they lose an arm each. Sakura is half-tempted, not that she'll ever openly say, to let them bleed out. Cruel, but they nearly killed each other anyway. Sasuke apologizes and Naruto smiles and she cries. Kakashi meets them and hugs them and tells them he loves them all.

Camps are a mix of injured and dying, healers and steady hands. Shinobi are patched up left and right, speeches are given, and they pack up to go home. During all this time, not once did Sakura or Shikamaru seek each other out. They see each other in passing but never approach. Their eyes connect but that's all that takes place during the aftermath.

They don't even travel together on their way home.

It's until after the mass funeral that Shikamaru finally approaches her. Behind him is a sobbing Ino held in the arms of Choji and a silent Hinata standing next to her younger sister; her father not far behind her. There's an unlit cigarette dangling from his pale lips and the bags under his eyes match her own. They stand before each other for a moment before he holds out one arm.

Sakura stares at him and then the arm and then steps forward into the warm embrace. She melts against his chest, one arm wrapped around him and the other clutching at his black shirt. Shikamaru rests his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I didn't know what to say and Ino was inconsolable for days." And, just like that, Sakura feels terrible for not considering her best friend's pain.

"I..." What does she say? "I'm sorry about your father, Shikamaru. I hope you and your mother are going to be okay."

Shikamaru's hold on her tightens. "We'll be okay, but that's what I was talking about and you know it."

She bites her lip. "I almost ruined our picture," she tells him. "The one I made us take during the winter festival last year." She laughs and it sounds horrible even to her own ears. "I didn't realize that was the only picture we took together." Sakura's laugh turns into a choked sob. "That's the only picture we took together, Shikamaru. The only one."

Neither Neji nor Shikamaru put up much of a fuss when she thrust the Polaroid camera into some unsuspecting by-passer and, very sweetly, if they could take a picture real quick. In that picture, her head is rested against Neji's chest and Shikamaru is pressed against her with his arm around Neji's neck. They smiled even if their smiles were small.

"I'm going to get this enlarged and put it in my kitchen," she tells them with a grin. "That way, I see it every morning."

She never got it enlarged because it was mission after mission following the festival and then the war happened.

Sakura feels lips pressed to her forehead. "Let's leave, okay? There's something else we...need to talk about."

"Okay." She pulls away, ignores the looks sent their way, and takes his hand. "Okay."


What does Shikamaru want to talk about? I'll leave that up to speculation~ Anyway, I'm back on track. Make sure to read Chapters 45 - 48 for the days I missed due to my family thing. If you have the time, please review.

~i-just-really-love-sakura