For once the clear blue skies began to dim in Konoha. It's been nearly a month of blazing heat and scarce clouds that held no promise of rain. One could say the Leaf began to resemble their allies in the Hidden Sand. Even nights remained hot although they did provide the village with cool shadows and softer touches from the summer rays. A small cool breeze blew in the busy streets allowing some relief to the shop owners and customers as many began to harvest the sudden aid with their paper fans.
On the hottest day in Konoha the packed shopping district were as usual, full. The crowd in the middle split and filled as the residents of the Leaf went from shop to shop. The distant chatter of women negotiating with the fresh produce owners over prices, elders speaking words of wisdom over games of Shogi, and children running through the crowds playing ninja. The streets came alive with the noise and yet it was zoned out of Shikamaru mind. He had a mission in mind, one of great importance. His walk was slow some say lazy, even with a directive in mind he was in no rush although he did somehow manage to wake up early and make it to the streets before most. His hands casually rested in his pockets as he made his way down the road weaving past the occupants avoiding the children that ran past him screaming and shouting that they had their enemy cornered.
He acknowledged his sudden flashback of him and Choji when they were just four years old.
Wooden staffs in hand two boys gave chase to each other in the busy streets. One pleasantly plump and huffing as he ran from a skinny boy with a determined look.
"I've got you now Choji!" Shikamaru raised his staff and proclaimed victory as he reached his target. They had been playing ninja and had been running for a while now. Sweaty and out of breath Choji raised his staff in time to defend the blow from Shikamaru.
"Oh yeah?" Choji used his might to push the staff from his dark-haired friend and right out of his hand. The staff went flying to the side into a barrel of apples and knocked a few out spilling the brilliant red fruit to the ground. "What are you gonna do now that your weaponless?" Shikamaru gasped and watched the staff fall to the ground. Then slowly looked at Choji who was raising his staff towards him in victory. The Nara boy lifted his hands sluggishly and sighed.
"I guess you win then" he shrugged and folded his hands knowing strength beat him in this case. As the two shared a smile it broke when a growl called out to them.
"You little ruffians!" a plump woman in her late thirties exited the stand looking down at the spilt produce. "My Apples!" Choji looked at Shikamaru for help, but the boy was frozen to his spot not from the look of the woman but from the shout behind him.
"Shikamaru Choji!" Yoshino, Shikamaru's mothers, voice was laced with displeasure and a hint of venom. "You boys stop that right now" The shop owner looked at Yoshino and shook her head.
"Yoshino these boys bruised my precious apples again" She raised a fist at them. Shikamaru looked back at his mother with an apologetic smile and Choji chuckled nervously.
"Sorry Auntie Yoshino we were only playing"
"Sorry mom" Shikamaru grumbled. Yoshino crossed her arms and looked at the two sternly.
"To rough it seems, now go help Ms. Akari put them back" with a grumble from the boys they went and helped put away the apples. Once done Shikamaru grabbed his staff and smirked at Choji. The plump boy nodded his head and raised his staff now in pursuit of his fleeing friend.
Shikamaru felt a faint twitch on his lips as the memory of his dearest friend. He had to stop and see him soon if he had the time. Considering it was his day off in over a month of back-to-back paperwork at the Hokages desk he rarely spent time with any of his friends. Between sleepless nights and a heavy workload, he saw no way to relax like he used to. The fourth great ninja war brought peace, prosperity, and paperwork. Kakashi although able was a bit on the slacking side when it came to work. Leaving the more detailed work to his right hand Shikamaru.
The war has brought into view a new Shinobi one who never slacked or called work a drag. The Nara Clan leader, now nineteen, had grown up fast and although he's always been seen as an old soul he now felt like an old man. He remembered every name of the men and women they had lost in the war as he'd read every page written. Funerals became a norm and many still cried for the ones lost even a year since winning the war. With a sigh he cleared his mind and came back to reality.
He glanced at the street sign and walked left to a less crowded part of the district. A plump woman sat on a stool and was peeling a shiny red apple. She cut it into fourths and handed a slice to a woman with dark black hair. In her arms a small red-eyed child resembling her reached greedily for the slice and giggled when she got it.
"Say thank you Mirai" with a warm smile she chuckled with the plump woman when Mirai ignored them and began to chew on the apple. "Thank you, Ms. Akari"
"Oh anything for that precious little baby Kurenai" the plump woman admired the little girl as she ate. Shikamaru smile rose as he saw the scene. He made his way over and a warm feeling ran over him, she reminded him of Asuma. Little Mirai was halfway done with the apple when she spotted Shikamaru. Without a second to spare she flung the slice into the streets and began squirming from her mother's grasp. Kurenai used both hands to restrain her from falling as she leaned over. Shikamaru chuckled and raised his hands over just in time to grab Mirai as she jumped from her mother's grasp.
"Oh Shikamaru" Kurenai smiled in relief "I should have known it was you the moment Mirai started squirming"
"Well, what can I say I'm her favorite big brother" his rough low voice was smoother than usual something he only reserved for those close to him. Mirai went to work trying to grab his ponytail and giggled when she was held back from it. "I know you missed me little Mirai"
"Shika!" She squealed and went to grab him again.
"We haven't seen you in a while, I bet Lord Kakashi is keeping you busy" Kurenai smirked and Shikamaru sighed. Busy was an understatement, he'd been buried in work for so long he'd forgotten his weekly dinner with Ino and Choji more than once.
"The people of the Leaf are our top priority, so sacrifices must be made" Mirai snuggled under his chin and wrapped her small arms around his neck having missed her favorite person.
"Where are you headed?" Kurenai slowly grabbed Mirai as to not startle the little toddler.
"To see my mother, haven't been by in a week" He helped untangle the now whining child and smiled apologetically to her "I was actually stopping by Ms. Akari to grab some fresh fruit" Akari grinned cheerfully her plump cheeks swelling red.
"How nice of you to take care of your mother, here how about her favorite strawberries on the house" She rose from her chair and grabbed her wooden cane. Her right leg shaking slightly as she used her stand for extra support. Shikamaru could see her struggle and quickly came over to seat her again.
"It's alright I can get them myself, you should be resting on your leg" She waved him hand away.
"Nonsense I'm as fit as an ox" this time she rose using his arm for support and walked to the strawberry crate "I'm not that old yet dear" Nara shook his head with a sigh and grabbed the paper bag when she handed it to him "Now you tell your mother to stop by every now and then, poor thing rarely goes out these days"
"I'll try" again. He finished in his head and turned to wave to Kurenai and Mirai "See you around"
"Bye Shikamaru"
"Shika!" Mirai waved her arms and quickly lost interest when she was handed another apple slice.
Shikamaru turned and let his smile fall. Since his fathers sacrifice in the war, he watched his mother slowly decline. The moment he came back to the village after the war his mother knew, no one told her, but she knew that Shikaku had died in the line of duty. He'd changed that day too, he took on every challenge with every wit and ounce of strength he had. Nothing was a drag anymore it was just work that needed to be done.
"He's dead" She whispered her back turned towards him when he entered the kitchen that morning. Shikamaru looked down controlling his breathing knowing he couldn't cry for his mother's sake. He'd refused to cry to let it all out in front of her. He was now the Nara Clean leader and had to act accordingly. "He would have sacrificed himself a thousand times if it meant peace" She hadn't turned towards him, and her voice seemed distant like she was talking to someone else. "That man" she looked down and sighed. "I found his collection in the closet" Shikamaru winced slightly remembering he was supposed to get rid of it before she found out. "oh don't worry I've known about it for years" She finally turned and forced a smile. Yoshino's face was still and red from crying. She slowly rose and Shikamaru met her halfway. He embraced his mother and shut his eyes tight as he felt her stiffen then shake letting tears fall on her already damp cheeks.
"He died saving us" The Nara boy, no, man now spoke. He was the head of the clan now and had to act it.
"That man" she softly wailed into his forest green vest. Shikamaru finally opened his eyes he refused to cry, he refused to look weak in front of his mother. He was now a man. A man who came from war changed and ready to take his place.
Soon after his mother retired from the Nara's head home into a smaller apartment of the Nara complex living near his other relatives. Although smaller than the home it was spacious for a widow. He knocked on the dark green door of a small four room apartment complex and waited. A sudden shuffle was heard then the door swung open, and he just caught a glimpse of his mother as she rushed back into the kitchen.
"Come in" she called back and grabbed a rag to snatch a pot off the stove before it boiled over. Shikamaru took his shoes off smelling something burning.
"Mom?" he called and after a moment of silence entered the room setting the paper bag with strawberries on the kitchen table.
"Oh, Shikamaru dear it's been a while" she smiled back at him a bit nervously as she held out the dark caramel colored sauce. "I was so busy stitching up the vest for your cousin I forgot about my sauce" she set the pot down in the sink and sighed "just means ill have to start over again" She turned towards her pantry and began assembling her ingredients.
"I brought some strawberries from Ms. Akari" setting the paper bag down he slipped his hands in his pockets and watched her eyes brighten.
"My favorite, you know your father used to get them for me every Friday" Her joy waivered slightly and she took a deep breath before coming over and patting his cheek gently "and I ate a lot when I was pregnant with you" He snorted
"And now I hate strawberries I know you've told me," He smiled down at her when she let out a chuckle and turned to the bag to sneak one of the red berries to try. "How have you been?"
"a bit tired lately but still able to help our clan out" She savored the berry as she walked back and grabbed a new pot "How's working as the Hokages right hand?"
"Boring" he signed and slid down into the kitchen chair
"Well, you can't get anywhere if you just sit around all day staring at clouds" She scolded him and Shikamaru couldn't help but smirk, this sounded like his mom, demanding and scary. "You have a very important position, and you must keep it for the sake of our village and the Nara Clan" She began rambling about what a great honor it was, but Shikamaru zoned out letting his mind daydream as he looked out her sliding door into a small garden where she occupied most of the time. It was her choice to leave the home and although he fought to have her stay, she simply stated it was no longer her home but his. That was a year ago and she has found some joy in life as a simple member of the clan.
He kept his focus on the light breeze that flew over the potted flower she had outside and how its yellow bud swayed lightly with the sudden push. The Wind. A force of nature that was almost uncontrollable. Almost. He knew of one kunoichi who had tamed the wind and lived to tell the tale. One who's eyes shined bright with a vicious malice when she swung her enormous fan. One who took over the element and called it hers. He could see a faint toothy grin and four pig tails bouncing as she smiled wide at him. He remembered how she smiled at him when the Shinobi forces merged to celebrate their victory over the ten tails. He remembered the embrace when she heard his father died and how she slightly shook when he held her. It was the first time he had ever touched her, and the smell of sand and earth still grasped to his memories. He was dazed for a moment unaware that Temari has entered his thoughts until he felt a pang of pain on the back of his head.
"Shikamaru you better not be daydreaming" His mothers angry voice growled beside him. He came back into reality and held his head
"Sorry, I was thinking of work" He smiled slightly when she sighed and shook her head
"I asked if you'd like to stay for lunch, but if work is more important- "
"No that sounds great" He quickly fixed his posture and forced himself to face his mother's glaring eyes "I have the day off anyways so I can help around here"
"Well, you could help me dust off the shelves while I make lunch" She looked away in thought thinking of what chores to have him do.
"Only if you promise to go out every now and then" he stood and embraced the duster and broom she gave him. She looked a little standoffish at the request, but nodded then began to give him list of chores. With a sigh he thought to himself, what a drag.