For those wanting to see a picture of my tattoo I put pics of all of my tattoos on my deviantart of the same username. I have four, one on each wrist, one on my ankle, and one on my foot. The ages that I got them are on the pics.
Those asking about the pain: according to my tattooist I have a ridiculously high pain tolerance. He couldn't believe I didn't flinch and just kept reading as he tattooed over the knucklebone of my big toe.
Sorry it took so long to update. I had a family event to attend involving travel, then I got sick. Better now and here is the latest chapter.
They ended up going to the café that he and Temari frequented whenever the blonde Sand Ninja was in the village. Unfortunately for him, even though he tried to prevent it, Shikamaru ended up between the two blondes. One who wouldn't stop shooting him smirks, nudges, and a couple of wiggly eyebrows, and the other who seem determined to not meet his eye. Truthfully, it appeared that Naruto had gone back to viewing the world with her eyes nearly shut, something she hadn't done since shortly after graduating.
Kankuro had put the whole breast issue to the side for the moment and had decided to instead see how much he could annoy Naruto. In many ways the man reminded Shikamaru of a mix of Kiba and Naruto. He was rash, and arrogant, and had an undeniable force to him. Every time he moved he expelled energy and seemed to shake the world around him. Kiba was much the same, though he didn't think things through like Kankuro. The Sand Ninja was also loud, calculating though he hid it, and liked to push people's buttons to learn what kind of person they really were. It had taken Shikamaru a long time to realise Naruto had mapped out the villagers' behaviours so well. It wasn't until the other night when she had commented on how she had changed the perspectives of those who disliked her that he truly understood how well she could read others. She had been playing the long game with them. However, the fact that she and Kankuro were so similar in that manner made Shikamaru decide to keep an eye on the brunet, encase he started to manipulate the people around him too.
The waiter delivered their orders seconds before Naruto punched Kankuro in the arm, making him yelp. Kankuro tried to give Naruto a dead leg in return, laughing as the woman deflected the hit easily. They probably would have escalated until the group was kicked out of the café if a man hadn't came and grabbed Naruto's shoulders, making her look up at his tall form. The man looked incredibly familiar to Shikamaru. He had bright blue hair, which was not common, and dark, olive skin, so he should have stood out in Shikamaru's mind, and yet, for some reason he only felt annoyed when he looked at the man.
"Eiji!" Naruto practically squealed, jumping to her feet and pouncing on the man. The man caught Naruto easily, as though he expected her reaction. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Naruto. Why haven't you been coming to see me? Please tell me you didn't go to Maki for your arm, she'll never let me hear the end of it." Eiji pouted, shooting puppy dog eyes at the blonde.
"No," Naruto rolled her eyes, "Sakura has been demanding I see her only. I tried to come see you once and she hit me so hard I had to spend an extra day in bed."
"Do you like seeing her?" Eiji asked. When Naruto scrunched her face up he winked, "I'll deal with it." The man seemed to remember something because he pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. "I've been carrying this around for about a month, trying to find you."
"Is this my medical bill, cause honestly, with Sakura on my team I was expecting it to be thicker." Naruto opened it only to have her jaw drop. "YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
Eiji put a finger in his ear, grimacing. "Naruto, we've been over the whole don't send people deaf thing before." When he recovered he nodded to Kankuro. "You can bring your boyfriend, too."
"Why the hell do you think I'm his boyfriend?" Kankuro asked, sitting up straight.
Eiji shrugged. "You and Naruto were touching when I got here."
"If that makes people my boyfriend then you are too Eiji, which makes your wedding really awkward." Naruto put the invitation on the table, allowing Shikamaru to see the name of the bride.
"That's why you annoy me!" Shikamaru exclaimed, drawing everyone at the table's eyes, "You're marrying my cousin."
Naruto, Eiji, and the two Sand Siblings frowned at him in confusion. It was the unpredictable Genin who spoke first, slowly. "Okay, we'll get to that later. But congratulations, and I'll ask my friend, Hinata if she wants to come with me."
"Well it's in two weeks." At Naruto's surprised look Eiji shrugged. "I told you I've been trying to find you for a while now. I hope you can make it."
"Lucky for you I'm off missions until my arm heals, so I know I'll be able to make it."
Eiji smiled, leaning down to look Naruto into the eye. "I also found some scrolls from the Uzumaki Clan. I've been saving them for you. And I can probably give you something to help with the arm. Come see me tomorrow and I'll give it all to you." With one last hug, Eiji kissed Naruto on the forehead. "I'll let you get to your meal before it goes cold. See ya, you little terror."
When Naruto sat back down to eat her breakfast she had a large smile on her face. She didn't seem to feel like offering an explanation but whatever awkwardness she had been suffering had left her. It didn't matter that Naruto wasn't talking about the interaction. It was clear that Eiji was one of the Healers who looked after her and treated her like a human.
Temari, much to Shikamaru's dismay, didn't care so much with who Eiji was but the topic he had brought up. She used Eiji as an excuse to open a discussion about marriage rituals and traditions from her village and how they may differ from those in the Leaf. The whole time she kept nudging Shikamaru under the table and smirking at him. When Temari asked Naruto how the traditions varied, the blonde looked up, her mouthful and syrup running down her chin. Naruto shrugged, swallowing thickly.
"I don't know anything about weddings or marriage traditions. I guess I'll learn some of it at Eiji's wedding."
"Then why don't we leave this topic until another day, or never," Shikamaru suggested, trying to not sound too eager.
"Or until Naruto needs to know," Temari taunted. Luckily, she did move to another topic, instead talking to Naruto about how Gaara was doing both personally and professionally. Apparently Temari and Kankuro where taking bets on whether or not Gaara was developing feelings for the Head of the Information Department. She was two years Gaara's Junior, very talented, and apparently very pretty and sweet.
"I'm trying to convince Kankuro to give Gaara 'the talk'." Temari sighed.
"And I told you I'm not giving our Kazekage 'the talk'. Let Sensei do it," Kankuro grumbled, glaring at his sister. "Come to think of it, though, Gaara might not know about marriage customs and other traditions from our village. We should check on that. The Kazekage should know things like that."
"I'll make a note and we can discuss it with him when we get home."
"Better plan. We can get Hatsumi to do it, since she's the Head of the Information Department. She would know more about the topics than we do." The Sand siblings both laughed, making Shikamaru feel bad for Gaara. At least the topic change distracted Temari from him and Naruto was happy, digging into her breakfast.
When they finished their meal they all parted ways. The Sand siblings had their meeting with Lady Tsunade to attend, Naruto wanted to talk to Iruka-Sensei to see if he knew any techniques that could help her obtain more chakra, and Shikamaru had a meeting with his father. He had found a note on his bedside table the night before. His father was busy today but was free in half an hour to talk to him. Shikamaru knew it would have something to do with one day becoming Head of the Nara Clan. His father had been training him more and more over the last few months. It wasn't overly surprising given the fact that he was sixteen now. His own father had become Leader at nineteen, becoming the youngest Head of the Nara Clan had ever seen. Normally the heir became Head of the Clan around twenty-two, around the time they also became Head of the Strategy Department and their father retired. Shikamaru had no doubt that was what his father planned to do as well, perhaps sooner than most others though.
When he returned home he found that his father was still out. Figuring his father would not be long he grabbed a book and sat in his father's study. He sat in comfortable silence until he heard his father's shuffled footsteps heading his way. Closing his book, he sat up a little straighter and waited as his father walked in and made himself comfortable behind the desk.
"So, you have probably worked out what this is about, to some extent." Shikaku clasped his hands together, on the glossy surface of his desk, a small smile on his lips.
"It's about becoming Head of the Nara Clan one day." Shikamaru swallowed around the lump in his throat, something that had been occurring regularly during conversations like this.
"Yes. As you know, your cousin is getting married in two weeks-"
"Please tell me this isn't about me getting married!"
"If you didn't interrupt me you would know that it's about her fiancé, Eiji. He was a nomad until he came to the village to learn medical jutsus. He was banished from his family for his decision. He has no family, no last name, and no clan, just the village. He has filled out a petition to join the Nara Clan. I have decided that you will make the decision." Shikaku's smile widened a little.
"Fair enough. I've met him, it'll make Airi happy, so sure." He could see by the frown on his father's face that he had not given the right answer. "What? He seems like a good guy."
Shikaku sighed. "Shikamaru, I don't think you understand what it means to let someone into the Clan. If he and Airi divorce, he is still a Nara, if he does anything to dishonour himself the consequences will fall on your head as well, since you let him in. You must think this through. And do not simply decide to not let him in because it is easier. The first petition I received I declined, though I had my reasons. Dani was not suited for the Clan at the time."
"Dani, Uncle Satoru's best friend? But he is a Nara."
"He petitioned me again five years later, as is his right, and I let him in. I had told him why I declined him and he fixed the problem." At Shikamaru's curious look he elaborated. "He and your uncle would get into fights every time they were in the same room together. Dani decided to fix that in the five years and made them best friends. I was so impressed that I had to say yes."
"I feel like there is something you're not telling me." Shikamaru crossed his arms, staring expectantly at his father.
"Yes, there is. See, there is a rule for women. A woman who marries a Nara will be allowed into the Clan when she has her first child. She is important to the Clan because she carries the future of the Clan and raises them. However, your wife will not be the same."
Shikamaru frowned, trying to understand. "Why wouldn't she be accepted in? If the other women are accepted because they raise and nurture the next generation of Nara, why wouldn't my wife who would be raising and nurturing the next heir be let in as well?"
"Do you want me to keep pretending you're not picturing Naruto?"
"DAD!"
"Sorry, sorry, I'll keep pretending. Anyway, your situation is different because you need to get permission from the council to marry. If you decline enough partners from joining the Clan then the council might hold it against you. Dani's wife Miko tried to do that when I wanted to marry your mother. Luckily Dani talked her out of it since he saw sense in my reasoning. But if you are too lenient to might let someone into the Clan who does not belong. This is a test for you, practice. I might not tell the council who made the decision, just to protect you for a bit longer. I haven't decided yet."
"But you would already have an opinion on whether Eiji should join the Clan or not, wouldn't you?" Shikamaru asked with a cheeky smile.
"No, actually, I don't. I have not met the boy at all. I made sure of this so I wouldn't have an opinion. I will see him for the first time at the wedding, where you will announce if he has joined the Clan."
"So I'll put a damper on the wedding if I decide not to let him join. Great."
"No, you will only announce if he has been accepted. It could simply be that you haven't made up your mind yet if you do not say anything. It happens, so there is always still hope. Hence the wedding isn't ruined."
Shikamaru sighed. "Fine. I'll do it. I guess I should start with getting to know the guy. What a drag."
Hope you all like. R and R.