Nara Shikamaru; 5 Years Later

Age 17

-Less Desirable-

I looked down at my current list of things to do left by the Hokage.

Working with the Hokage has its ups and its downs. It doesn't require much physical activity on my part and most of my time is spent making myself look busier than I actually am.

On the other hand, sometimes I have to do some things that I am less than enthusiastic about doing.

I looked at the list.

One of the less desirable ones I've gotten recently.

Brief meeting with Gai to discuss his future consolidation group. As long as I keep it short, it shouldn't be too excruciating. The group is supposed to show up a little afterwards.

I feel sorry for them.

Next, I had to hand out vests to new jounins and chuunins. I looked to the side of my desk to see a bag containing no more than two jounin vests and no chuunin vests.

That'll be brief.

The last thing was probably the most troublesome thing on the list. With a group of two other jounins, I was required to do gate duty.

Gate duty is by far the most troublesome thing in the entire world. It consists of standing guard at a gate. And because there are two other jounins at my post, there will be no sleeping, slacking or watching the clouds. I'm not even allowed to sit down.

I think the Hokage just likes to see me do these things. Maybe my reaction gives her some sort of pleasure. Maybe it's because I do them. But she's the Hokage, I suppose.

I didn't get much time to myself before my door was swung open enthusiastically by a certain green spandex wearing someone.

"I'm ready for my students!" sang Gai as he struck a pose in my doorway. Just for me.

"There are just a few things I have to go over with you before they arrive." I told him as I picked up a sheet of paper. "You will be getting three students…" I read. "All of which are males seventeen years of age."

"Awww!!" he yelled, probably ignoring me. "The passion of youth!"

"Yes…" I said, just wanting to finish. "As you know, you were assigned to the Yamakawa region so I assume you did your research."

"Any area would be no challenge for me!" Gai continued.

I handed him a packet of information that he was required to read as I sat back in my desk.

It would take him a while to read that whole thing considering he reads it all.

I glanced over at the bag of vests by my side. Maybe the new jounin were already here. I could get that over with.

I picked up the bag and walked out into the waiting room.

"Hey Shikamaru!" I heard a voice call before I had even entered the room. I looked up to see Ino and Sasuke standing there, holding hands.

I closed to door behind me to give Gai his privacy and I waved to the two in front of me.

I didn't have much time to stand around talking to them because Gai's students would be showing up soon. I also didn't want to hang around if they were going to be all over each other. Not that I'm exactly worried about Sasuke doing it but Ino's very affectionate.

Also…I don't know why but it just makes me feel uncomfortable seeing them together.

"I have to make this quick." I said as I pulled the vests out of the bag. "Congratulations. The both of you have been promoted to the chuunin rank."

"Chuunin?" I heard Sasuke correct me. Whatever. As long as HE knows he's a jounin, I don't think Ino or I are going to say anything about it.

"Jounin." I corrected. Hopefully, he was satisfied with that because I had to go and I wasn't about to stand around begging for his mercy. "Sorry I can't stay."

I went back into my office without receiving so much as a goodbye and sat back down at my desk. Gai was still reading so I didn't bother him.

I guess it bothered me more than it should have that Ino didn't say goodbye to me. I mean, we were on the same team. Very briefly, I admit but we still worked together a lot and went through a lot together.

I cursed myself for not trying to get to know Ino better while I still had the chance but it's not like I could date her or anything because she was dating Sasuke.

But it's not like I WANTED to date her either.

She was too hung up on Sasuke back then. She still is but I guess he reciprocates her feelings now.

Gai suddenly perked up, walked over the door and opened it up, bellowing loudly as he did so.

"Welcome students of mine!" he said standing in the doorway. "I am your new consolidation teacher. MAITO GAI!"

I walked over the door and closed it behind him. Ino was still out there as were Chouji, Naruto and Kiba. I guess they were his new students.

Poor Chouji.

I looked down at my list. The only thing left is gate duty.

Maybe I'll just wait in my office for a little while and not show up for a while. Pretend as though maybe my two extremely short tasks took longer than three seconds each.

I listened to Gai enthusiastically greeting his students and then I heard him lead them outside for introductions.

You know someone talks too loud when you can understand every word they say through a closed door.

I sat in my office doing nothing for a while.

I have a very high tolerance for boredom so it's not like someone could have told me that I might as well be doing my job because I was perfectly content sitting at my desk looking out my window.

I could see Ino, Sasuke and Sakura outside talking right outside my window.

I couldn't hear what they were saying but any idiot could figure out what it was about.

And I was no idiot so I not only could figure out what was going on but I could most likely predict the outcome.

I don't see how someone like Ino becomes friends with someone like Sakura.

Maybe Sakura was different when they were younger but last I checked, when someone sticks up for you when everyone else is making fun of you, you're not supposed to go out of your way to be obnoxious and mean to that person.

At least Chouji didn't act that way to me.

Girls are different. Girls are troublesome.

My door suddenly opened again and two ninjas walked in. I knew them from previous gate duties as Kotetsu and Izumo.

"Ready for gate duty, Shikamaru?" the one with hair in front of his eye asked me.

I groaned, but not loudly. They probably heard me but…who cares? I then stood up and the three of us made our way out my office and outside.

Much to my luck, our post was really far away so it gave me plenty of time to just have to myself.

The moment we got outside, Chouji called to me.

"Shikamaru, guess what!" he yelled while waving his arms around. "Shikamaru!! Hey! Shikamaru!"

I looked up at him to acknowledge that I was paying attention to him.

"Remember Gai?" he asked. I nodded painfully. "Well, he's my teacher now!"

I already knew this.

"Really Chouji?" I asked to humor him. "Good luck."

"Thanks Shikamaru!" he said as he ran off to rejoin his new team. Had I been in his situation, I would have quit being a ninja right then and there.

I continued trailing behind the other two as we made our way to our post.

They were talking about some pretty unimportant things that didn't concern or interest me and every now and then they would ask my opinion but it's not like they actually cared so if I just shrugged at them and gave them a perplexed look, they were satisfied enough.

Maybe now that Ino's a jounin, she'll have to do gate duty too. Maybe at some point, we'll be paired up. Then we could catch up on old times and get to know each other better.

But she's dating Sasuke.

But it's not like I actually want to date her anyway.

But it would be nice to do gate duty with her. Then again, we're usually in teams of three so Sasuke would probably be there too. Definitely be feeling third wheel syndrome there.

Maybe I wouldn't though.

We were on the same team a few years ago and maybe she had a crush on me.

Wait…no. She only had eyes for Sasuke back then. I shrugged to myself and sighed.

She only has eyes for Sasuke now.

I wonder if Chouji ever had a crush on Ino. I can imagine the poor guy's never had a girlfriend in his life before.

I haven't either but I can see myself potentially getting one. Chouji might have a harder time.

"Shikamaru!" I heard my name being called. I looked up to see Kotetsu and Izumo straying off the path. "Try to stay behind us on our way to our post."

"Are we going to a different one today?" I asked, unsure of why we weren't just following the path as usual.

"It's shorter to just cut through here." Izumo explained.

But I WANTED to take the long route there.

"Can I just take the regular way and meet you guys there?" I asked.

"There needs to be three people at each post at all times." Said Kotetsu. "We can't relieve the ones in front of us until we're all here."

I sighed and went off the path as well.

So troublesome…

I found myself randomly thinking of Ino doing gate duty with me. I don't know why.

Maybe it's because I just saw her so she's fresh in my memory.

However, Ino's dating Sasuke.

And I just want to get to know her better. I don't want to date her.

Or do I?

How troublesome…