Thanks for reviewing - means a lot to me
Chapter 8: Old Memories
It had been a while since he had seen the gates of Sunagakure.
The last time Shikamaru had made the trip was some months ago to meet a certain troublesome woman's siblings in order to deliver a...message. Aside from some family bickering (which Temari had assured him was quite common) and the occasional intimidation tactic, it had generally gone better than Shikamaru had expected. Although he'd likely never get used to the strange domed buildings of the sand nor its arid weather, the pony-tailed shinobi had slowly come to appreciate the beauty of the village in its own regard.
But the following weeks saw Shikamaru swept up by his seemingly endless responsibilities as the Hokage's right hand man. Even though Kakashi was far more easy-going than the former Godaime, the rapid modernization of the great villages meant that there was still a lot of paperwork to be done and the majority of it often fell under Shikamaru's duties as the primary advisor. That was, until he caught a lucky break with this diplomatic assignment to Suna. As lazy as he was, getting out from under the thumb from grueling hours of office work was a welcome change in routine for him, even if it meant the long three-day journey as part of the change.
Well, besides the gritty sand that seemed to keep getting in his clothes. And the blazing heat of the desert sun. And the giant dune scorpions. And the very real possibility of dying of dehydration in the endless sand. And the potential of a bandit ambush.
Eh. Maybe it wasn't as great as he might have thought after all.
The Nara clan's genius shifted his body wearily at the intruding thoughts, a grey tunic creasing across his shoulders as Shikamaru neared the great sand gate that marked the main entrance to the village. Everything still looked the same from what he remembered - the massive limestone structure still loomed far above in the late afternoon sun, making him feel almost microscopic in its shadow. In between its crevices stood a dozen Sunagakure Jounin posted on perimeter patrol. Greeting the frontal guards with a quick wave, he handed them his paperwork before the two stone-faced Suna nin motioned for him to move through the checkpoint after just several moments of inspection.
Finally making his way past the monolith and into the village itself, the shadow nin stretched his arms lazily as he strolled along the main road. Despite its uncouth and hard-shelled exterior, Shikamaru had come to realize that the Sand was quite pleasant when you were able to see its unique charm. He watched musingly as children ran along the streets playing tag with giggles of joy while shop vendors called out for passerbyers to entice them with a sample of their special delicacy. A handful of masked shinobi with tanned flak-jackets, adorned with the hour-glass headband of their village, also roamed the streets and rooftops on their way to complete a mission or to village posts in their respective districts. Shikamaru thought he even caught a quick peek of a shadow that appeared ANBU like - undoubtedly another Sand protocol to watch all outsiders, even those from nations they had long since formed an alliance with.
He chuckled quietly to himself at the thought - it seemed she hadn't forgotten any of her details at all.
With his cloak flapping in the wind, he slowly but surely made his way past the scurrying children and ignored the cat-calls from a particular female vendor as Shikamaru ambled towards his destination: the infamous Kazekage tower. He squinted at the sun-kissed dome, his nose crinkling in the sunlight as he drew closer to its entrance.
During his first diplomatic mission to Sunagakure, Shikamaru had accidentally remarked aloud that the building looked like a giant beehive due to its structure. That had earned him some choice words from Kankuro and then a lengthy lecture from Temari later on about the long history and intricacies of the village's construction. He had been lucky enough to drown most of their words out, but made a mental note going forward not to comment nor poke any fun at their capital. Shikamaru's thoughts had since softened on its architectural integrity, but every time he saw the thing, he couldn't help but smirk at the thought that it still very much looked like a bee hive to him.
He finally walked through the front door and breathed a sigh of relief, the tower's inner design giving the air a much lower temperature than the scorching heat outside. The black-haired shinobi wiped the sweat from his brow as he began to climb the stairs to the Kazekage's central office and quietly cursed the soreness of his legs that throbbed throughout his brain. There was nothing he wouldn't have given right then and there for the natural healing ability of Naruto or the endurance of Rock Lee.
Shikamaru miraculously found himself at the top albeit at the cost of his aching bones. Straightening himself and taking a moment to refocus, he drew in a deep breath before his knuckles rapped across the acai door, the hollow sound rattling throughout the empty hallways.
"Yes, come in."
The young man stepped through the door and into the well-furnished suite that he had found himself in many times over the past half-decade. It's cozy yet seemingly imposing atmosphere gives visitors no doubt about the power of the one who sat behind the desk. But despite its decadence, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel his eyes immediately drawn almost directly to the Kazekage's face more than anything else in the whole room. It was almost as if a magnet had been placed from behind his irises and made him quite powerless to prevent himself from looking. Luckily, from the monetary clash of their pupils, it seemed quite apparent to him that the feeling was more than mutual.
"Ahem."
The puppeteer coughed uncomfortably as Shikamaru and the Kazekage quickly ended their game that went just a second too long. There was an awkward pause as all parties involved quickly recollected themselves.
"Fucking kids I tell you," Kankuro muttered as the shadow nin sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, "Can't even keep this shit in the bedroom. I'm practically babysitting here."
"Kankuro," the Kazekage barked sharply, "Play nice. There's no room for remarks like that in a formal setting."
"Tch, are you kidding me right now? I'm the only one that's professional here - besides, it's not me that's making lover eyes at-"
"You're a dickhead, you know that?"
"Erhm," the two Sand siblings dropped their respective snarls at each other and turned to look at Shikamaru who held his hands up in a placating manner - the last thing he wanted to do was be in the middle of their family squabbles again. "Please. Why don't we get a move on with the business at hand?"
Kankuro scoffed. "Yeah, of course. It's for the best: I'm not sure if I want to live another minute in the same room as you two."
"Well then Mr. Nara, what do you have for us?"
The young clan head grumbled before slowly digging around in his bag and subsequently producing a missive which he rolled out and began to quickly decipher.
"Lord Sixth would like to share casualty and resource information in regards to the latest meteor strike that was foiled by Naruto and his teammates last week. Konohagakure suffered no deaths and sustained twenty mild to moderate injuries due to the impact of meteor fragmentation. Several plots of land and urban housing have been destroyed by these fragments but craftsmen should have them repaired within the month. Lord Sixth would also like to offer craftsman building support for urban infrastructure if that would be acceptable."
The Kazekage was silent for a moment. "Very well, glad to hear that everything is fine on your end. We'd like to take you up on the offer but for the railway project instead - the development phase on our end is nearly complete and we'll need more resources to get it jump-started. On the other hand, Suna suffered minimal casualties and destruction as well due to the efforts of Naruto's moon assault. However, Sabaku no Gaara expended most of his chakra defending against the initial barrage and will remain in the infirmary - but he's expected to return within the week as his injuries were all non-life threatening."
Shikamaru nodded as he quickly jotted down the information in his missive for a few moments before shooting another curious glance at the Kazekage.
"I'll have Lord Sixth deploy messenger eagles to coordinate the balance of man-power as soon as possible," his lips turned upwards for a moment before continuing, "And you Lady Kazekage? Have you received an end date to your position?"
Temari smirked at her brother before promptly turning to Shikamaru again and gave him an amused look as her brilliant sea-green eyes sparkled through the Kazekage hat flaps that displayed her position of power. "That information is classified - the elders are still….conferring with one another, but tell Konoha that I do plan on handing the reins back to my brother when he feels strong enough."
"Understood - one last thing: here is the package that Lord Sixth has requested to be hand-delivered to you." He stepped forward and produced a small square shaped box before sliding it across the table to Temari who stopped it with a finger of her own as she sized up the tiny object before looking up and shooting him a quizzical smile that he couldn't quite interpet.
"Thank you," she said curtly, "I'll be sure that the council gets around to reviewing these documents. After all, we wouldn't want to waste your effort traveling across all of that desert sand. It can be difficult for some less-battle seasoned shinobi from any village."
The pony-tailed nin rolled his eyes at the remark before finally slinging his pack over his tunic once more. "That's all the business I have from the Hokage. Is there anything else that you might need from me?"
A dismissive wave from the blonde signaled all that he needed to know. Shikamaru tossed a quick peace sign behind him as he turned to leave the room, his bones aching as he reached for the door knob.
"Will you be staying at the newly built embassy housing near the Garagarahebi district?" her brisk voice suddenly cut in, "They say that it's quite a view when the sun falls behind the mountains. Some say that the shadows which are cast there often resemble a...pineapple."
The duo locked eyes for the briefest of seconds as something our beloved puppeteer could not decipher was exchanged between them before the Konoha shinobi returned a small grin. "Well, when you put it that way, I surely can't give up that opportunity now can I? Guess I better go and check it out."
With that, Shikamaru finally disappeared behind the door. The siblings listened for several minutes to the fading sound of the shadow nin's footsteps as he made his way down the stairs of the tower before Kankuro finally turned to Temari to shoot her an accusatory glance.
"He's not really going to diplomatic housing now is he?"
The blonde only snickered in response before returning her attention to the paperwork and chucked another scroll at the purple faced commander.
"Stop flapping those lips and get back to work Kankuro."
The moon hung silently behind the night's clouds when Temari finally exited the Kazekage tower before bidding goodbye to her brother who, to her ever growing annoyance, flashed her a knowing smirk before jogging back towards the direction of the hospital. With an indignant snort, she waited until the puppeteer was out of sight before the blonde turned and began the slow trek towards her apartment that she had purchased some months ago.
As much as she loved her brothers, sharing a space with two younger siblings was too stressful for anyone, much less her, to handle. Temari loved her private space very much. Besides, she practically worked every day with them so there was certainly no shortage of seeing them.
Drumming her fingers along the obsidian fan strapped to her side, Temari walked silently, accompanied only by her thoughts as the white robes of the Kazekage flapped quietly in the midnight wind. The day had been quite grueling, as it always is being the leader of a nation, but generally fulfilled her sense of purpose. Despite the boring meetings with the elders and the constant stream of tedious administrative paperwork, it gave her quite a sense of happiness that her brothers chose to rely greatly on her in some of the most dire times: they really had come a long way since their young and rebellious teenage years when they could hardly stand being around each other. Now, Temari could hardly imagine a life without them being involved somehow or some way.
She let out an amused chuckle at the thought of what their father and mother would have said if they could have seen them now.
Temari neared her apartment, winding down the corner onto her private street before ascending up a flight of stairs. With a jingle of keys and a swing of the door, Temari stepped from the chilly desert night and into her little enclave.
Her background of royalty had always been tied to great wealth and prestige which meant that most of her homes and belongings were some of the finest that money could buy in Sunagakure. Yet despite the considerable riches of her family, the Sand kunoichi always preferred to appreciate the modest things in life - after all, this same wealth had never brought her nor her family happiness.
Among her belongings were mostly practical things: chairs, tables, and even a sleek teapot that sat steaming on the grey marble countertop. Yet she did have a few items that expressed her sentimentality beyond the prying eyes of strangers. She allowed herself a small smile as her eyes swept over a sturdy oak picture frame of her and her brothers as young adults - a stark contrast of their once broken and cracked home now slowly mending itself against all odds.
But of all the things that adorned her home, her eyes were drawn to one that infrequently graced her kitchen with its presence. Sitting at the dining table was the pony-tailed man she had known for what seemed like almost a lifetime now. The Konoha nin sat quietly, the room illuminated by a small corner lamp as he lounged against the chair, seemingly lost in thought while mumbling something to himself before rearranging the pieces of the shogi board set out in front of him. Temari smirked to herself as she took a few moments to drink in the sight of him - his faded olive Jounin jacket and scruffed hair betrayed the fact that he hadn't showered yet. In fact, his sandy tunic accompanied him on the chair and wrapped itself around his shoulders as if it were an old friend: it was likely that he had come straight here and sat down immediately to set up Shogi. For a self-proclaimed lazy, Shikamaru sure put quite the effort into this game.
"You gonna stand there all night?"
His voice snapped her from the reverie. Shikamaru was looking at her now, his dark orbs playful and teasing as they always were, but unmistakably tender as they brushed over her figure. She felt a flare of heat in her chest but hardened her composure before making an effort to saunter over as casually as possible.
"Just enjoying the view," she quipped, tossing her Kazekage helm to the side before taking the seat opposite from him across the shogi board. "Things are probably different in Konoha, but it's not very often you see shinobi with their hair tied into a pineapple around here."
"Tch, I can't believe you actually made that into our secret codeword: it was so damn obvious. And besides, it's better than wearing those rags around your head. I'd rather look like a fruit than a mummy."
Temari glared at him as her hands began to set her own Shogi board pieces to their starting positions. "Those are robes to keep the sand out of your hair and you know it. The last thing they're for is decoration Nara."
"And yours?" he tilted his head towards the Kazekage's white and emerald dress that she was still wearing, "I didn't know the Kage's robes offered some sort of hidden protection - even if they do look good on you."
"Flattery won't get you out of this one," she muttered though she couldn't help her lips from turning ever so slightly upwards as Shikamaru held his hands up in mock surrender. "We're most definitely having another conversation about shinobi attire later."
They sat in a brief silence as Temari tapped the bottom of her chin, quietly contemplating her plan of attack against his pawns which had already neared the center of the board. Bumbling idiot or not, Temari had to hand it to him: Shikamaru really knew how to challenge her in Shogi. He was surely too lazy to keep track of their games but she knew damn well for a fact that she had only ever won 8 times against him in their near decade together. Though, if asked, the sand princess would certainly never admit that her partner was the better player.
She enjoyed being difficult that way.
"Is it tough?"
She looked up at him with a puzzled look. The shadows seem to dance playfully around his pale skin, dark tendrils stretching across his face, partially obscuring his expression as it dripped down his chest before pooling at his feet. As he scrunched a brow, they shifted with him like an obedient cape that clings to its master.
"Your job. You've been the ambassador and diplomat for so long - now, you finally get to be the brass atop all of it. Is it a lot better?"
The blonde let out a brisk snort. "Oh please. You and I both know the Kage position is just another step up in paperwork and troublesome responsibility that neither of us are eager to take. Besides, sitting in a small office day in and day out isn't exactly what I'd call better."
"Hrm." Shikamaru pulled at his goatee as he mused over his next move, eyes glued to the board. His slim digits traced over its thin groves before settling on moving the knight to capture another one of her pawns before finally looking back at the woman across from him. "Well you could have fooled me. You sat in that chair like you had been there since day one."
"Don't be so scathing. I am the oldest sibling after all. Normally, under Suna traditions, I would have been the one to inherit the seat from my father. Growing up under that type of pressure means you're constantly being prepped to be a leader - no, a figurehead of your village. Can you understand that?"
"...Yeah, I guess. Seems like a drag though."
The clacking of the shogi pieces rapping against the playing board continued as the two waged a wordless contest of wills and intelligence against one another. It was minutes before Shikamaru broke the peace once more.
"So why aren't you really the Kazekage then? It doesn't seem as if there was any compelling reason for the council to choose Gaara over you."
Temari didn't respond, taking her time as her eyes continued to scan for potential moves before finally capturing Shikamaru's bishop. She was at a disadvantage, but giving up was not an option - she would take as many pieces as possible in her attempt to deny him victory. It was only until she scooped up her prisoners of war did she meet his gaze once again.
"Gaara wanted the position and I didn't. Simple as that. And after all the events with Konoha when we were genin, the last thing on my mind was fighting with my siblings over a position neither Kankuro nor I found attractive." Temari gritted her teeth, eyes clouding slightly as the sand kunoichi skimmed across the surface of her memories. "Besides, it's not like the legacy left by my late father was one that we had dreams of cementing."
Shikamaru nodded appreciatively at her openness, quickly reaching over to pat his partner's hand in a reassuring gesture, though she shot him an annoyed look in response. He chuckled at her scowl. "Well, I'm definitely glad you're not the Kazekage."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Well for starters," he murmured, "Probably wouldn't have ever run into you. You might have been off doing whatever the hell it is Kazekage candidates do instead of taking the Chunin exams with everyone else."
"Tch, and you wouldn't even be alive right now if I hadn't saved your ass from that Sound ninja bitch."
The Konoha nin rolled his eyes at her remark. "Yeah, yeah, and you probably wouldn't have been able to save me, blah blah blah. Women really are troublesome: they never forget things especially when you owe them."
His blonde companion snickered and shrugged off his remark, her attacks clearly getting the best of him as she managed to take another one of his bishops and a gold general off the Shogi board in a single devastating attack.
"Is that all Shika? Your moves are a bit slower today."
Obsidian eyes narrowed as he focused on the board lit by the dim lamp and Temari could practically see the wheels churning in his head as he devised another strategy.
They had done this dance over and over many times throughout the years. Even as they learned each others' quirks, habits, hopes, and dreams, something tethered them to this board and the unlikely duo always found themselves facing off around these wooden pieces. Perhaps it was the battle of wits that they both treasure in each other. In an era of flashy moves and dramatized heroes, they found an unexpected sanctum in sparring their quiet intellects against one another. For she loves the challenge and he is amused by the relentlessness.
"Here," Shikamaru crowed as he moved his final general across the midway point of the board. She had fought well - but not enough to prevent him from his usual schemes. Mellow as the young man was, Shikamaru had never been one for mercy in this game that he shared so deeply with her.
He enjoyed being difficult that way.
"That's checkmate - looks like I still have the moves after all," he said as Temari threw a frustrated glare his way - although he quickly noted that it lacked its usual edge. The black haired Nara began cleaning the pieces and laughed quietly at his lover's expense who had wrinkled her nose before reluctantly coming over to help him clear the board. They stood together, shoulders brushing against one another as their hands mingled over the worn wood of the Shogi mat. His were warm against her clammy ones and she felt her teal eyes drawn to his for the second time today.
Temari tittered in slight amusement at his still lingering awkwardness before she finally lost her patience and swiftly cupped his face in her hands.
"Well, I'll admit you might have won this battle after all," she murmured against his skin, "But you better be ready to fight for this next one Nara."
His eyes twinkled so brightly Temari thought she could see her reflection, a gateway to his and her soul together pouring into one another and the kunoichi finally realized something that others had seen so clearly for years now. She realized that her eyes must have betrayed her sentiment as Shikamaru murmured in response contently before scoping her up in his arms, their bodies finally intertwining with one another and the warmth of familiarity began to rush over them once more.
Whatever their choices, whatever their battles, and whatever their losses, they would have to fight them tomorrow. For now, she was his and he was hers alone.
"Hmph. Less talking, more doing."
This one's more just drabbles - let me know if you want to see more "story/plot-line" chapters.