Between Ch. 8 and 9 of YMBiS
You Must Believe in Spring
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Seasons In-Between
May 15th, 11:15 AM KST
Konoha, ANBU Base/Shikamaru's office
Naruto's morning had started with another dojo session with Lee and Konohamaru, which qualified him for a massive breakfast, and maybe extra ramen at lunch. He checked his phone for the time, and smiled. He should have plenty of time to finish up here and then get to Ichiraiku for lunch. Pleased with his plans, put his hands behind his head, and stretched out on the couch in Shikamaru's office.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, was alternating between listening to someone on the other end of the phone and looking at Naruto with lazy exasperation. He made minimal responses, his eyes flicking intelligently over his computer screen as he navigated between multiple windows, occasionally typing something, but mostly just reading.
Finally, he gave a nod of his head and said "Thanks."
He'd barely put the phone down when Naruto asked, "So is it ready?"
"You know," Shikamaru drawled, standing to stretch, "If I had realized what a pain in the ass this was going to be, I never would have agreed to help you out."
"What's the big deal," Naruto scoffed. "It's just email, isn't it?"
"It's a classified account structured to remain dormant indefinitely that I never would have created if I'd realized you'd actually use the damned thing."
"I told you I wanted to keep writing to Sakura," Naruto defended. "You told me you had to set it up like an ANBU account, and that later, that if she ever became ANBU, she could read whatever I wrote."
Shikamaru grimaced. "And that's the problem," he muttered. "First of all, I set it up when we were what, fifteen? Sixteen? I don't think I realized you even knew how to type, much less believed that you'd email Sakura every day."
"Harsh," Naruto's eyes danced with mischief.
"Luckily, I was smart enough to structure the account with filters, so all of the mail is already categorized by date and filed." Shikamaru continued, "That made it easier for the program I wrote and another technician to go through and make sure you hadn't included sensitive information in your emails, or information that Sakura does not now have the clearance to read."
"Her clearance is as high as mine by now," Naruto waved the concern away, "and definitely higher than what I had when I wrote the emails. I can't see it being a problem."
"Of course you can't," Shikamaru said flatly. "You also didn't have to spend almost two months going through, what, nine? Ten years of email?"
"I don't usually write long emails," Naruto said defensively.
Shikamaru's expression was withering. "That didn't make it much easier," he retorted. "There were still almost four-thousand of them to go through."
"But it's done now?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"Yes," Shikamaru sighed again. "Thankfully."
"So, I can finally give her the rest of her birthday present?"
Shikamaru typed something quickly, and Naruto felt his phone buzz.
"I just sent you the instructions," he said folding his hands.
"Thanks, Shikamaru!" Naruto stood with a broad grin. "I owe you one."
"Then do me a favor, Naruto," Shikamaru drawled.
"Sure!"
"Stop asking me for favors."
Naruto smirked impishly. "You're crankier when Temari isn't around, you know that?"
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at Naruto, but the blonde was already half way out of the door.
"Do us all a favor and schedule a visit to Suna," Naruto called over his shoulder before allowing the door to close behind him.
Shikamaru sighed heavily and closed out of all of the screens before getting back to what he had been doing before Naruto arrived. Scheduling his mission to Suna.
