Hello everyone. Early 2021 turned out to be even worse than late 2020 for me and my family, health-wise, but we're better now (knock on wood), and I'm back! To compensate for such a long wait, have a long chapter!

Taking care of a baby wasn't Shikaku's cup of tea, as it turned out. However, being a father didn't change much to Shikaku's daily life. His son, as a good Nara, slept through the whole night very early. His wife, as a good housewife, dealt with the baby efficiently throughout the whole day. Still, he couldn't wait for Shikamaru to be old enough to express what he needed with words instead of the mixed signals he had to interpret. The Jounin Commander was fluent in body language, hand signals, and all kinds of ciphers, but he was only passable in baby wailing.

"Kimiko. I might not be an expert, but I'm pretty sure all this fussing indicates he does not want to eat and was much happier sleeping," Shikaku pointed out with a hand to his ear, "and so was I," he added in a whisper.

"But he isn't eating enough," Kimiko said, frowning. She was holding Shikamaru against her breast, but the boy was just complaining loudly that she had woken him up. "The books say he should eat at least eight times a day!"

Shikaku rose from the kotatsu with a sigh. "He's gaining weight, isn't he?"

"Yes. I check every day."

Of course, she did. Kimiko was a mother hen, the like of which was never seen in a kunoichi.

"Then I'm pretty sure the number of times he's fed doesn't matter. He's a Nara. We like to be efficient. Eating more to sleep longer is the smart thing to do, so that's what he's doing." Shikaku grabbed the baby book which Kimiko probably knew by heart now. He threw it on a bookshelf, where it stayed obediently. "Forget the damn books. They aren't written with clan kids in mind."

Kimiko gave up her attempt at feeding. She soothed Shikamaru back to sleep with a sigh. "Why would being from a clan change anything?"

"Genetics," Shikaku replied with a shrug as he went back to slouch with the newspaper he was reading.

Kimiko grumbled under her breath and muttered to her son: "You should come out with a manual. Yes, you should, lazy baby boy." She stared into space as she rocked him back to sleep. "Actually, I should have been given one at the wedding. 'How to deal with the Nara in three volumes: husband, children, and inlaws.'"

Shikaku snorted and threw his wife a fond look. "There should also be one about noblewomen then. Is your father done with all the gifts, you think?"

She glanced over her shoulder at the packages taking too much space in their living room. Shikaku should carry them to the bedrooms, but… it could wait.

"Oh, yes. He's rather flighty. He ordered a ton of presents at the news and then forgot about his grandson the next day, no doubt. If someone mentions us, he'll probably remember and send something from time to time, though. Definitely not for Shikamaru's birthday. Just when it crosses his mind. The presents won't be age-appropriate either."

"That sounds like you're speaking from experience," Shikaku observed with a shake of his head. The more he learned about his family in law, and the less he wanted to spend time with them. "Good to know. Are we expected to keep them all?"

"Oh, unless it looks really expensive, he won't remember them."

"Good. Some people could benefit from donations."

Kimiko straightened at the reminder. She had wanted to go to the orphanage, didn't she? And, indeed, they had way too much for Shikamaru. Everyone in the clan — and she literally meant everyone, even children had participated — had given them something, either bought or given for the occasion. Every major clan had sent presents, as well as many important citizens of Konoha. And now her father. Needless to say that they wouldn't use everything…

oOo

Theoretically, the trip was easier six weeks after her labor than two weeks before, but Kimiko was weighed down. With Shikamaru on the baby carrier at her back and three bags of donations, this was worse than all the exercises her mother-in-law put her through.

She had to stop mid-way to the orphanage and put the bags down.

"Why is it so far away?" she complained to herself. It was a strange idea to put an orphanage so far, especially from the schools.

"Nara-san!"

Kimiko paused and looked over her shoulder to see the young Shin running up to her, getting ahead of two other children who must be his friends.

"Hello, Shin-kun."

"Why are you here with so many bags? Do you need help?" he asked, taking one bag before she could answer.

"I'm bringing some things to the orphanage. I'd welcome the help, but only if it's not too heavy for you."

"It's not!" Shin said firmly, although he needed both arms to carry it. He called his friends: "Hey! Come and help!" Shin introduced them as they took the other bags.

Kimiko greeted them with a soft smile. She asked about their life at the orphanage as they walked to the building. They seemed to have a lot of freedom for young children (Shin, the oldest, couldn't be older than six). However, she had learned from watching the Nara children that shinobi were much more permissive than what she was used to. She had been told that even civilians were lenient due to the high protection offered by the constant military presence and police patrols in the village.

"And how does school work? Where will you study?"

"I'll join the Academy!" Shin told her proudly. "I already passed the test!"

The other two had failed the entrance exam and would join the civilian school. They looked dejected at the reminder. Kimiko hurried to cheer them up, pointing out all the other things they could learn other than being shinobi. As an adult, fighting didn't appeal to her at all, but she knew that those children had grown with a lot of propaganda stories and viewed shinobi as heroes. Hopefully, they would grow out of it, at least a little.

They reached the orphanage as she told them about the importance of civilians in the village.

The place and its surroundings were a hive of activity. The youngest children were playing while the oldest were hanging out laundry or doing some chore or another. Most of the oldest had to be at school at this hour, however. The building must be packed at night.

The caretakers seemed endlessly busy. Shin managed to fetch one who looked so harried that she only thanked Kimiko for her donation, asked the children to bring the bags to the stewardship, and then asked Kimiko if she could do anything for her with a tone of voice indicating that she didn't have time to do so.

Kimiko could take a hint. A bit discomfited, she took her leave politely.

On the way back, she chided herself. She should have insisted and asked if she could help in any way. She was too shy with strangers. She had to learn to hold her ground and be firmer. A clan head's wife needed to have more guts.

Sighing at her Failing of the Day, Kimiko tried to take comfort in her good deed. It didn't help much. She was too good at being hard on herself.

Tired and defeated, Kimiko walked at the pace of a snail through the East Shopping District extending between the orphanage and her clan compound.

She didn't often come to this neighborhood. It wasn't the closest to her home nor was it the most prestigious. Several stores were closed, their displays empty except for a "For Rent" sign.

Several shops ahead of her, a group of three shinobi dropped from the roofs. The nearby civilians fell silent and shifted away.

Kimiko watched, curious. Interactions between civilians and shinobi always captured her attention as she tried to better understand the implicit rules they all followed instinctively. She took her cue from those people. She had learned not to stare, even when shinobi did weird things nearby. She knew that some shinobi could bypass waiting lines if they looked to be in a hurry and were well-known (she found this very subjective and annoying). If you had issues with a shinobi, you were supposed to call for the local police led by the Uchiha, but most civilians didn't trust them, for some reason, and thus most often kept quiet.

The civilians' reactions to shinobi seemed to vary a lot depending on several factors, including their clan. This sudden silence wasn't common. Kimiko tried to catch sight of their clan emblem. As the men walked into a store, she recognized the Shimura symbol.

"They're here for Kurosawa-san," someone murmured nearby. Kimiko pricked up her ears discreetly.

"I heard he's three months late on his rent. They'll ask for his son, for sure."

"Arima-san says there's no shame in that, that his son will become strong, but he hasn't seen him in a year. Can you imagine?"

"Kurosawa-san will never agree. He loves his boy more than anything, and he's his only child, not like Arima-san, who had five."

There was a loud noise from the shop. Kimiko started and frowned in concern. What she heard wasn't encouraging. She hesitated on her course of action as her steps brought her closer and closer to the door. However, by the time she reached it, the three Shimura were already leaving. They glanced at her dismissively before jumping on the nearest rooftop. Some of the neighbors immediately reached inside the shop. She heard them ask:

"Kurosawa-san, are you alright?"

She didn't hear an answer, but a woman led a small boy out of the shop, telling him: "We're just going to play a bit together while your dad tidy things up, alright, Takumi?

Around two years old, the boy had very pale skin and dark hair, a contrast that gave him a very refined look.

"Color?" he asked.

"Of course. You can draw and color all you want, darling. I have some pretty colors for you."

Kimiko watched him disappear into the next shop. It was good to see that the neighbors support each other. It was worrying to hear they had to.

Shikamaru chose this moment to start waking up. Kimiko hurried toward her house. She didn't want to breastfeed on the road.

This evening, Shikaku came home in time for dinner. He was in a good mood. He took the time to play a bit with his son as she set the table, and he didn't look ready to fall asleep in his bowl. Thus, Kimiko was confident enough to talk:

"I saw something strange, today."

He hummed questioningly to indicate he was listening. When she described the scene, he looked up from his bowl of udon but didn't interrupt. When he failed to comment even when she stopped talking, Kimiko leaned forward impatiently.

"Are the Shimura truly allowed to do such things?!"

"They own a lot of properties. Since the war, many tenants have difficulties paying their rents. The Hokage asked every owner to be lenient, but how they settle debts is their prerogative."

"Even when it involves children?!"

Shikaku sighed and put down his bowl on the table so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. "You're sure that's what they said? That they'll ask for the son?"

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"Remind me the names."

Kimiko repeated them. Shikaku glanced toward the cradle in which Shikamaru was resting. He sighed again and nodded.

"I'll look into it tomorrow," he said before finishing his meal.

Kimiko respected his silence for a while, but once they were done with their dinner, she couldn't help but insist: "Is there anything I can do?"

"No," Shikaku replied. He went to get his son so they could rest under the kotatsu together with Shikamaru lying on his chest.

Usually, this sight would have moved her, but Kimiko felt a bit disheartened by the dismissal. She dealt with her chores without a word.

The next evening, Shikaku came home late. Kimiko had already eaten, but she lingered near her husband until he was done with his dinner, which was a clear sign she was waiting for him to speak. It made him sigh once his bowl was finished, but he explained:

"The tenants' children become protégés of the Shimura."

She frowned. "What does that mean?"

"A clan can sponsor any child of the village and pay for his education or tutor them personally so they become shinobi of Konoha. It's a common practice, especially for war orphans."

"But those children aren't orphans."

He shrugged. "Their parents agreed to the sponsorship, it amounts to the same thing."

"But they made it sound like the parents don't see their children anymore!"

"The Shimura tutor their protégés personally in their compound. It means they're in charge of their schedule."

"So they can stop them from seeing their families?"

"Yes."

"That's cruel!"

"It's legal. There's nothing we can do about it, Kimiko. Let it go," Shikaku demanded curtly.

Vexed, Kimiko cleared the table without another word.

oOo

The next morning, Kimiko left the house as soon as Shikamaru had eaten. She patted her obi to check that she had all the papers necessary, and then she left for the East Shopping District.

The Kurosawa shop was an artist workshop. Its display window showed beautiful traditional drawings. She had never seen such delicate ukiyo-e outside of the capital.

She knocked and walked inside without any more hesitation. A man in his thirties came out of the backroom tentatively. He stepped forward more hastily when he saw her and then bowed.

"Nara-san. What can I do for you?"

She smiled at him politely and explained what she had come for. He took notes for her requests, but he sounded hesitant when he gave her a price. It was quite substantial, but she didn't bat an eye. This was why she had come.

"Certainly. Shall I pay half in advance?"

"It… would… I mean, yes, absolutely," the painter stammered, clearly unused to such amenable clients.

She wrote him a cheque and left with a lighter heart.

Ten days later, Shikaku came home to find four very large paintings spread out on the kotatsu and the ground. They all depicted similar nature scenes of a deer, a butterfly, a boar, and a frog, but each painting put the focus on one animal in particular, making them unique. Shikaku looked for his wife and found her setting the table.

"What are those?" he asked, pointing at the open scrolls.

"Ah, yes. Can you hang the deer one in Shikamaru's bedroom?" she asked over her shoulder. "You can take the others to your friends whenever you think it will be best."

"Friends?"

"Yes, they're gifts," she explained as if it was obvious. "For the birth of Chouza-san, Inoichi-san, and Minato-san's children."

Shikaku glanced at the paintings with renewed understanding and closed his eyes as his wife's plan dawned on him. "How much did you spend on those?"

"Oh, at least three months of rent, I hope," she replied casually. She hadn't dared to ask directly about the rent, but she had asked the Nara treasurer about the average cost on Konoha. Three paintings wouldn't have been enough, even with such a large size, so she had added one more. It seemed fitting to give one to the Hokage, after all. "Don't worry, they come from my allowance."

"Your allowance is meant to provide for your clothing or toiletries."

"Which I don't need," she pointed out. She had bought nothing more than necessities since she had settled in Konoha, thus she had quite a lot of money set aside. It had seemed frivolous to buy clothes when the village was recovering from a war. However, this instance had reminded her that if those who had money didn't use it then the trade couldn't recover. She would have to plan her future purchases more wisely and less timidly.

Shikaku tilted his head to the side with his hands in his pocket before sighing and walking up to the deer painting. He watched it critically before grunting. It was pretty good. It would fit well in their son's bedroom.

He went to hang it.

Once he came back, they sat down for dinner. Shikaku reached for his bowl of miso soup and said:

"Renew your allowance from our account."

Kimiko looked up at him in surprise. "I don't—"

"You bought gifts for my friends. It's not going to come from my wife's pockets."

"But I didn't… clear it with you," she pointed out tentatively.

He shrugged. "You're in charge of the household accounts." He drank most of the soup before adding: "And I guess I walked into that one. I know when I'm bested. I just hope you realize you can't patronize all the shopkeepers of Konoha."

Kimiko stared at her rice, feeling chastised by the reminder although she should be triumphant that Shikaku didn't protest her expenditure.

"Before you get the idea, the Nara only sponsor war orphans. The smartest ones, at that."

"How did you…"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I like to think I know you a bit, even if you still manage to surprise me."

She blushed and focused on her meal. Once she had recovered, she asked tentatively: "Do you like the paintings?"

"They're good."

"I think so too. Kurosawa-san is very talented. Please make sure to credit him when you give the paintings. His shop is called 'Ink'ling' in the East Shopping District. They might like to buy something from him."

Shikaku looked at her over the edge of his bowl. He finished it and put it down before taking his chopsticks to grab the tempuras. "You're giving me more work."

"I hardly think this qualifies as work." She reached for her glass and sipped some water. She had finished her meal. As always, her appetite couldn't compare to Shikaku's.

"You want me to advertise."

"No, I request that you give proper credit to the artist."

Shikaku hummed around his mouthful.

"It's just proper!"

"Of course. We wouldn't want to be improper, would we?" Shikaku drawled lazily.

Kimiko straightened and opened her mouth. She deflated as she noticed his small smirk. "Are you… teasing me?"

"Now, why would I do that?" he replied calmly, emptying the last plate. As he put down his chopsticks, he threw her a look that made her blush.

"I don't know," she said softly, "you, tell me."

He smirked, amused. "Because you make cute faces when I do." When she wrinkled her nose, he gestured at her. "Exactly like that."

She blushed and looked down as she gathered the dishes.

Shikaku pressed a hand to hers, stopping her.

She looked up, hesitant, but he was focused on holding hands.

Surprised at the simple yet intimate touch, she complied and gently curled her fingers around his.

Their relationship was respectful and healthy for a married couple, she liked to think. They talked, had sex regularly, and complied with their duties without complaints. Their quarrels were rare. It was a much better relationship than her parents had had, or even her brother and her sister-in-law, or nearly any other noble couple she knew of.

However, it wasn't the passionate love the Akimichi had, or the tender intimacy she had witnessed between the Yamanaka. Their marriage was born of convenience, and it showed. They had made it work, and there was tenderness between them, sometimes. It was just not as spontaneous as the kisses shared between Inoichi and Nadeshiko or the hugs between Chouza and Akane. They weren't very spontaneous people, the two of them, anyway, with Shikaku and his rational intellect, and she and her noble upbringing.

So, Shikaku's gesture surprised her a bit, but she indulged him happily. Such moments reminded her that she was appreciated and safe. They were always welcome.

Shikaku rose from the low table without releasing her hand. He helped her to do so as well when she followed his example unquestioningly. He pulled her into his arms, cupped her cheek, and kissed her.

Holding on to his shoulders, Kimiko leaned into the embrace, tilting her head so their lips brushed even when they parted.

Shikaku kissed her cheek and nuzzled her temple. "Join me in the bath?" he whispered in her ear.

She shivered and nodded.

oOo

A few weeks later, Kimiko ended up in the East Shopping District once again. She passed by Ink'ling. Unfortunately, she didn't think Shikaku would be interested in anything they could provide. She was looking for his birthday gift.

She glanced inside, just to check on the Kurosawa. She smiled when she noticed the young Takumi playing on the floor while his father focused on his work.

Turning her attention to the matter at hand, Kimiko glanced at the window displays around her. Last year, she had asked Shikata's help to find a gift for her husband. Her sister-in-law had whined about how difficult it was to find gifts, but she had been extremely helpful in selecting a book Shikaku would like. He had seemed interested enough, and she had seen him read it once, but she hadn't dared to ask about it when it had disappeared.

She was hoping to find something more original than a book this year. A lot of people offered him books from what she had seen.

When asked, he had shrugged and replied unhelpfully he didn't need anything. He didn't want a party or even a special meal. He was used to having dinner with his friends and that was it. Last year, Kimiko had offered him his gift at breakfast, and she hadn't seen him until the next morning.

He didn't make it easy for her, but that's why she was taking care of this ahead of time. She just wanted to find an idea to show her husband she cared for him, but Shikaku had very few indulgences (mainly naps and drinking with his friends, two things he didn't need any help in).

She froze as her eye caught a spot of red in a window, and then the red spread to her cheeks as a daring, foolish idea came to her mind.

She was standing in front of a clothing shop. Feminine clothing… of the lingerie kind.

It was truly a daring idea. But not foolish… Not really. There was something else her husband seemed willing to indulge in. She remembered the time she had cleaned his office and found a well-loved magazine… She had been bright red. Not because of the cover, which had been rather tasteful for such… publications (from the little she knew about them), but because she had found something so private about Shikaku.

It had been very early on in their wedding. Afterward, she had been more cautious of pulling on things she didn't want to know about. She suspected that he had been more careful about it as well (she hoped that he didn't know she had seen it, but at least he didn't mention it). Nothing had jumped to her eye ever again.

She still remembered it, though. She had put the magazine down quickly, but it had haunted her while she finished cleaning up his office. She had given up the fight and opened it. She wanted to know what Shikaku was interested in. He had made it easy: several pages had creased corners. Most of them contained lingerie, surprisingly (or not? what did she know about this kind of things, anyway?) tasteful ones.

Kimiko had never worn such things or thought about wearing them before, but if it was something her husband enjoyed… Could she? She might self-combust…

Some fussing pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked down at Shikamaru as he woke up from his nap. At six months, her baby slept more than the average time given by books, but he was also more reactive when he was awake, so she wasn't too worried. That was the Nara norm.

She bent over the pram and murmured soothing words to Shikamaru as he looked around before focusing on her. He didn't care much about going outside, but he needed to get used to it. At least, she had found out after a few tries that he preferred being in a stroller to being carried. She had commented about it to Shikaku, wondering if it was because she didn't carry him well, but he had snorted and replied: "He can sleep more easily in the pram, that's all." Typical Nara, as always.

Shikamaru babbled a few sounds and lifted a hand. Kimiko handed him a toy.

The lingerie shop opened brusquely and voices carried out:

"Deal with it or leave!"

"It's a twenty percent increase!"

Kimiko looked up to see who was making such a fuss.

A Shimura shinobi was walking out of the shop, ignoring the owner shouting at his back. He met her eyes, clearly noticing her, but he didn't move from his path, jostling her as he walked up to the next shop.

"Nara-san, are you alright?!"

The shop owner reached toward her, but Kimiko had been balanced enough that she had recovered easily.

"I'm alright, thank you," Kimiko told her after throwing an outraged look at the man's back. "What was this about?"

The middle-aged woman scowled deeply. "The Hokage has canceled the edict forbidding rent increase. The prices were frozen for the last five years, it's true, but, all the same…!" She huffed, puffed, and then visibly sucked it up to offer her a smile. "But, never mind, you're not here for this, I'm sure. Can I help you? I sell the most tasteful lingerie of all Konoha. None of that modern, cheap produce, I assure you. Everything is handmade by the best artisans of the Land of Fire. A woman of your stature would appreciate their work."

"I…" would never set foot in this shop without being sure it was worth it. Fortunately, Shikamaru, who didn't appreciate being jostled, started to whine and shake his rattle loudly. "I'm a bit in a hurry now that Shikamaru-kun has woken up, but do you have a catalog?"

oOo

The next weekend, Shikaku was enjoying his day off by playing go on the patio. Their son was in the playpen next to him. From time to time, Shikamaru demanded his attention by babbling loudly, shaking, or losing something in his direction. In which case, Shikaku would look up, say a few words, give the toy back or ruffle his short hair. The interaction would somehow be enough for both, and they would turn back to their own game for another ten minutes until the next time Shikamaru demanded attention.

Kimiko checked on them from time to time. Once Shikaku pulled away from his board and gave more attention to Shikamaru, she concluded he had finished his game and could be interrupted. Thus, she finally summoned the courage to walk up to him and asked:

"Shikaku, I was wondering…"

He hummed questioningly while letting Shikamaru hit his palm with his little fist.

"For your birthday, I had an idea, but I'm not sure… I mean, it might be a bit self-centered, but I wanted to do something special for the two of us, and I saw this shop—"

"In the East District, right?"

Stopped in her tracks, Kimiko blinked at the non sequitur. "Yes?"

"You need to let it go, Kimi-chan. You can't save all the businesses in town."

"That's not the subject at all!" she protested, vexed by his patronizing tone.

He glanced at her sideways before looking back at Shikamaru playing with his hand. "Alright. What is it then?"

She huffed but focused on her delicate question. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in me… wearing different… attire?"

He shrugged and pulled on Shikamaru's grip as some kind of playfight. "You can wear whatever you want. No one's forcing you to keep the traditional look and kimono habit, you know that."

She raised her hands in annoyance. Had her husband decided to be particularly obtuse today? She told him it was for him, but he made it sound like this was some fancy of hers!

"No. I'm talking about that," she said as she walked up to him and dropped the catalog in his lap.

He glanced at it, disinterested, and then did a double-take and startled. Pulling back from Shikamaru, he grabbed the lingerie magazine and looked up at her, wide-eyed.

She had never surprised him so much, she noticed with satisfaction. She was a bit embarrassed by such a reaction, though. It might mean she had miscalculated and he didn't want her in such things? She was his wife and the mother of his son, not some model, after all. Certainly, she didn't have the same figure.

She cleared her throat and spoke through her awkwardness. "I wondered if you'd like to see me in such things for your birthday. It was just an idea I had when I passed by the shop, but if you aren't interested, I—"

He raised a hand to stop her, took a moment to think, and then rubbed his brow. "You found the magazine in my office, didn't you?"

She became bright red and stammered: "I didn't mean to pry. It just fell when I dusted, once, and—"

Shikaku shook his head and chuckled. "I wondered." He gestured for her to sit down instead of staying standing over him. She complied as he looked at the catalog and skimmed it. "And now, of all the ways you could react, you're asking me if I want to see you in this?"

"I— Well, I mean… yes? I mean—"

"For my birthday?" he repeated, as if to check, while he was shifting closer to her.

"Y-yes?"

He put an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest to whisper in her ear, his goatee tickling her jaw: "Can I negotiate for the evening before?"

She nodded, too flustered to speak.

He kissed her temple. "The answer is 'damn yes', Kimi-chan."

"G-good," she mumbled and gave him a pen. "Circle the outfits you like."

oOo

So, she ended up back at this shop, "UnderCovers", a few days later. Rocking a fussy Shikamaru in one arm, she pointed at the catalog with the other.

"I would like to see those, those and those, if possible."

"Certainly!" the owner, Ahane-san, agreed eagerly. "It's an excellent choice. This silk kimono is extremely flattering!" She prattled about the products as she led Kimiko to them.

Kimiko was vividly reminded why she didn't miss shopping. Sellers' speeches and eager service were so uncomfortable.

"But we have to check your size first, of course."

Blinking, Kimiko stared at the bra she was shown and then smiled uncomfortably. Ah, yes… that. And she had a baby in her arms, of course… Not for the first time, she wished Shikamaru would sleep on command.

"Let me just—"

The doorbell rang as the door was pushed open roughly, and the two women turned to see three shinobi walk in. Kimiko couldn't see their emblem, but she guessed that they were Shimura.

Ahane paled and then straightened in anger. "Gentlemen, if you could come back later, I have a client."

Kimiko adjusted her grasp on Shikamaru as he fussed at the loud ring and looked around.

"She'll wait outside," the lead shinobi ordered.

To her credit, Kimiko was focused on her son, but she still needed an embarrassingly long time to realize that the man was talking about her. That he was ordering her out.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, flummoxed by such rudeness and audacity.

"You heard me," he insisted while his two friends walked around him to box the two women in.

Kimiko glanced at the three men, realizing they were intimidating them, bullying them into submission. It was embarrassing, but as a Minamoto, she had been accustomed to instant recognition and subservience. Of course, since she had moved to Konoha, the recognition didn't always come, and she didn't miss the subservience. However, she still expected basic politeness. She just wasn't used to this kind of behavior, and it left her speechless for a moment.

"Shimura-san, you may not recognize her, but this is Na—" Ahane tried to say.

"No," Kimiko interrupted. They might not recognize her, but she wasn't going to hide behind her clan name. If this was how they treated civilians, she wouldn't turn a blind eye. "You leave, shinobi-san. I have business with Ahane-san, and your presence is not welcomed."

Shimura sneered at her and took a step forward.

Kimiko shifted to get her son farther from this threat, but she didn't back down. Staring Shimura in the eye, she dared him to lay even a finger on her. "Are you trying to threaten me? What are you, a bully?"

She stared him down from head to toes disdainfully. It was a look that she rarely practiced, but that she had learned from childhood. Most importantly, she wanted to remember this man and be able to describe him.

He was in his late thirty. He had the same dark hair and dark eyes as Shimura Danzo. Whatever was their relationship, she could see they were related. He had large shoulders and a good height helping him with his bullying behavior.

"I'm Shimura Daiki, nephew of Shimaru Danzou."

Ah, that answered that, then.

"And who are you?" he asked, condescending.

"Daiki-san," one of his men called. He had walked up to the pram she had left to the side of the shop. He was showing the blanket, and particularly the Nara emblem embroidered into it.

Daiki looked from the blanket to her. He glanced down to her expensive kimono and then to Shikamaru, who was staring at him with a fist to his mouth.

She raised an eyebrow. "Take a guess."

He took a step back. "We'll be outside… Nara-san."

"You might want to go for a walk, Shimura-san," she advised him. "This will take some time." She didn't plan to hurry for him, on the contrary.

He clenched his jaw as he tilted his head in acknowledgment. They left without another word.

"I'm so sorry, Nara-san," Ahane told her immediately, bowing in apology.

"This is not on you, Ahane-san," Kimiko told her, staring through the window to check that they were truly leaving. "Their manners only reflect on their clan. Are they always like this?"

"Ah, well…" Ahane hesitated. "As you know, the war has been difficult on us all… There are a lot of tensions, that's all," she minimized with a nervous chuckle. She changed the subject hurriedly. "So, you wanted to see this ensemble? As I was saying, this short kimono, stockings, and underwear combination is really elegant!"

Kimiko left the shop nearly an hour later with a large paper bag.

Only one man was waiting outside, leaning against the wall casually. He straightened when she came out.

"Suzaku-san," she greeted him politely.

Nara Suzaku was a quiet and stern man. He bowed his head in greeting.

On the other side of the road, she noticed the three Shimura looking at her. She knew without a doubt that Suzaku's presence had kept them away. She ignored them and walked home.

oOo

Shikaku looked up from his work at a knock against his office's door.

"Come in."

His secretary, Etsuko, was preceded by the Hokage.

"Do you have a minute, Shikaku?" Minato asked, already going for the spare chair.

Shikaku gestured invitingly at the furniture while taking the file Etsuko was handing him.

"The HR report on sponsored children you asked for, Nara-san."

"Thanks." Shikaku opened it but looked up when Etsuko didn't leave. "What is it?"

She hesitated, glancing toward Minato before admitting: "There is a rumor, Sir."

"About?" Shikaku asked with little interest. While he kept up with the rumor mill and demanded that his subalterns kept him in the loop, it wasn't a priority. It offered him insight sometimes, but it was a mixed bag. He leafed through the first pages of the HR report to find the data he was looking for.

"Your wife, Sir." Etsuko was holding herself very straight, but she met his eyes to show she was serious.

"Go ahead."

"Rumor has it that your wife had words with Shimura Daiki this morning... in a lingerie shop."

Pinching his nose, Shikaku sighed and nodded in acknowledgment. Once Etsuko had left, he said: "I guess I'll hear all about that when I get home."

"Oh, will you?" Minato teased.

"You have never seen Kimiko angry. If it's not because of me, she rants."

"And when it's because of you?"

"The silent treatment gets creepy. What do you need, Minato?"

"I wanted to catch up on that, actually," Minato admitted while gesturing at the report. He leaned forward with his forearms on his knees. "What do you take of it?"

Skimming through the numbers he had asked for, Shikaku grunted. "The Shimura protégés account for 15% of all sponsorships. They have twice more than the Akimichi who have the second-largest number."

"The Shimura clan is much smaller than the Akimichi."

Shikaku hummed in agreement. "Which would be why their ratio of shinobi to protégé is one to three when most clans refuse to go beyond a two to one ratio due to the strain on clan budget."

Minato stood up, scratching his scalp distractedly. "That's far worse than I thought. Do you think…"

"Do you have any doubt? It was common practice during the Warring States Period, and Danzou is nostalgic," Shikamaru drawled with sarcasm.

Clans used to take orphan children to bolster their numbers, using them as fodder and lackeys. While it was still one of the reasons clans sponsored orphans (the Hyuuga only chose obedient children so they could become servants in the branch house for example), the practice was dwindling.

"And the children, are they…"

"A three to one ratio, Minato. How can you raise a child decently on less than a third of a chuunin salary?"

"The Shimura clan has more resources than their salaries," Minato pointed out, thinking it through as he paced.

"Which is the only reason they can maintain this."

"It could explain their recent greed."

"Danzou is many things, but he isn't an idiot. He can't have accepted so many sponsorships without means to make it sustainable."

"There are always unexpected circumstances," Minato muttered. "What can we do about it?"

Shikaku turned around in his seat to glance out of the window. He smoothed his goatee thoughtfully. "You can't intervene in the current sponsorships without proof of abuse, but you can make it harder for them to get new ones."

"I'm listening."

Shikaku sighed and rubbed his brow. He couldn't believe he was going to suggest this. As a clan head, he was just giving himself more work in the years to come. It was for the good of the village, though. "Force the other clans to take more orphans."

Minato spun around. "Force them? That will never—"

"I know, I know. We'd never hear the end of it. So make it a 'do it or pay the fine'. Either they take a protégé or they pay a fee to the orphanage. Give them benefits. And more importantly, cap it."

"Oh, I see. Give a lower and upper limit at the same time so as not to point at the Shimura."

"Yeah. Give the excuse of sharing the cost among all clans and all that..."

"It could work. You realize that—"

"Yeah, I know," Shikaku sighed, resting his chin on his raised fist. The Nara were lazy, so they were among the clans with a low ratio of protégés. They would have to sponsor several more if the rule changed. "Kimiko is going to be overjoyed."

Minato grinned at his drawl. He leaned on the desk. "So… a lingerie shop, uh?"

Shikaku pressed a hand to Minato's face and pushed him away.

Minato laughed as he went to sit down. "I'm just happy for you, your marriage seems to work out."

"You think?"

"Well, you're content, and you speak happily of your wife and son. You listen to your wife when she asks you to check on kids, you let her buy gifts for your friends, and now there is lingerie… Yes, that seems a pretty good relationship."

"Coming from someone under his wife's thumb, now I'm worried," Shikaku drawled.

Minato laughed at the jibe. "We found a good place for the drawing by the way. Kushina loves it. She wants to go check out that shop."

"I'll let Kimiko knows."

oOo

On his next day off, his wife convinced him to go to the orphanage, of all things. As he had thought, she had been thrilled by the news the clan would sponsor new children. She had spent hours each day meeting potential candidates. She had been talking non-stop about kids who might fit. Shikaku usually stopped listening after a minute. He'd meet them, and that would be enough. At least, she was doing all the groundwork for him.

The manager of the orphanage, a matron named Keiri, directed them toward a meeting room, thanking him for coming and considering the children. Shikaku noticed that his wife was waving to a younger caretaker, however, a blond woman with round glasses dressed like a nun.

Shikaku sat cross-legged on a pillow at a low table. His wife pushed another pillow closer to him, on his right, and sat gracefully in seiza. She offered him one of the many files the matron had handed over.

"The first one is Shin-kun. I told you about him. He's six and just started at the Academy. He's a bright child, in every sense of the word, and he's a very polite, very kind boy."

"So that's your favorite," Shikaku mumbled, staring at the picture of a blue-haired boy.

"I don't have a favorite," she denied immediately. He stared her down, unimpressed. She was terrible at lying. Blushing, she cleared her throat and admitted: "Alright, yes, he is."

"What are his flaws?"

"Well, you might find him a little loud, I suppose," she admitted. "He can also be a bit absent-minded, but that's hardly an issue in our clan. He might be a little impatient, but I'm sure he'll grow out of it with proper attention. He's very tenacious, after all, and—"

"Alright, alright. Bring him in."

She sprang on her feet and skittered to the door.

Shikaku sighed and rubbed his brow. He thumbed the seven other files waiting for him. This was going to be a long afternoon.

"Think of the lingerie," he thought to himself. His wife was making an effort for his benefit. He knew she was out of her depth with the lingerie, but she still had been willing to try it, as a gift. She had been open-minded about the magazine and willing to indulge his interests. Surely he could return the favor and do something to please her…

Breathing in, Shikaku straightened as Shin walked in. The kid bowed and greeted him, regurgitating the polite words he had been taught by his caretakers. Shikaku gestured for him to sit and then pointed at the boards of go and shogi between them.

"Do you know how to play?"

"Yes, Nara-san. Kimiko-san taught me."

"Choose the one you prefer and put on the pieces."

As Shin obeyed, pushing the shogi board to the side in favor of go, Shikaku leaned to the side and whispered in his wife's ear: "Did you tutor them all?"

"I just taught them the basics," she whispered back, demure. "I couldn't do wonders in a week."

"Am I so predictable?" Did she really guess he would make them play?

"Yes."

He snorted and nodded at Shin when he looked up after opening the bowls of stones.

"Why go and not shogi?"

Shin blushed but admitted readily: "I can't remember all the movements of the pieces yet."

"Alright. Fair enough. It's a lot to learn in a week. Go is just fine," Shikaku reassured him.

Of course, Shikaku didn't expect much of the games in itself. It was just to judge the character of the kids and to distract them from the fact they were interviewed. They were more candid when they had to focus on something else.

Shikaku managed to wrap the meetings in an hour and a half. He refused two kids outright: one was so scared and shy he couldn't play, and the other barely tried.

"Do you want to review them?" Kimiko asked, spreading the six files remaining.

Shikaku waved a hand. "No, it's fine. You can pick them all."

"Really?"

"If you can find them all a tutor," he reminded her. The two of them could hardly be responsible for six children on top of their son.

"I will," she said, resolute. "Can we take Shin? We should set the example."

He had seen that one coming, and she wasn't wrong. "Is he good with babies?"

She nodded eagerly. "Very good."

"Alright, fine," he sighed.

She grinned and leaned closer to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, you agreed to take care of the paperwork," he pointed out.

"I don't mind," she replied confidently. "I'll go and talk to Keiri-san, to make sure to find each child the best tutor possible."

He let her go, standing up slowly and leaving for the entrance where he would wait for his wife. As he walked out the door, he frowned and tilted his head.

This chakra he sensed briefly...

What was Orochimaru doing using jutsu near the orphanage?

About this fic: Can you guess who Kurosawa Takumi is, in the show? I hope so! Also, should I write the lingerie scene? It's not necessary for the plot, some people might not want to read it, and I'm not a smut writer (there would be no explicit stuff), but if some people are interested I could publish it as a special chapter.

To the Guest who reviewed that Kimiko would be the kind of mom to follow the books and freak out when her son doesn't follow the typical rules: you were so totally right, and I hope you liked this chapter!

About my fics in general: Please be advised that due to the slow death of this siteweb, I'm adding my works to AO3. You can already find some of my fics there (same username, same titles), and I'll add the others this summer when I have the time to edit them as I post them. This story included.