Oh look, another chapter. I knew you were all thinking there wouldn't be one, but yes, yes there is. Go figure. We'll see if I can keep this up.
It was sunny out, but there were thunderclouds in the distance, rumbling in forewarning over the forests of the hidden leaf.
Shikamaru didn't want it to rain. He didn't want to go inside. He wasn't exactly having fun, but it was nice, sitting outside and watching the cloud-shadows on the ground. They didn't come out to play that often, so he had to be here for them when they did.
A shadow drifted over his hand, but it wasn't a cloud. He forced his eyes to focus on the much closer person and... nin-dog?
"Kakashi-sensei," he acknowledged as the ninja sat down heavily beside him, feigning exhaustion.
"I have been assigned a mission for tomorrow, and certain people er... encouraged me to bring you along."
Shikamaru snorted, not for one second questioning why.
They just breathed in the tension for a while, Kakashi making a cheerful comment on the beauty of the mountainous clouds in the distance.
"So troublesome..." Shikamaru sighed, and Kakashi correctly interpreted it as acquiescence.
"We're to monitor a group of traders heading for the hidden mist. It sounds like a stupid B level job, buuut... there are thoughts that the marauders on that road are actually Mist-nin. And if they are, well, that's not very nice of them at all."
The dog was running around in circles, chasing butterflies in the grassy field. They watched it, two lazy bums on the top of a hill, until Shikamaru heard his mother's voice yelling in between the growing rumbles of thunder.
"Shikamaruifyoudon'tcomedownhererightnowI'mthrowingoutyoursupper!"
He wondered if they had a school especially for non-ninja mothers to teach them how to nag...
Despite his grumblings he stood up and brushed his pants off, noting a few grass stains that he'd be yelled at for soon enough.
He paused, considering, before starting down the path.
"Do you want to come over for supper or something? My mum probably won't mind..."
Kakashi smiled under his mask and hoisted himself up with a ninja's innate grace and whistled to his dog.
"As long as I'm not going to be an intrusion..."
He murmured the polite words, but still followed Shikamaru down the hill towards his house, energetic dog bounding along behind.
"I hope your mother likes dogs..."
Mrr. Hate the ending. Next chapter coming soon, if at all. ;)
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