Chapter 78
"Here." Shikamaru extends both his hands, offering a potted lavender plant. Most of the green stalks are bent, the purple blossoms pointing down rather than up, a sign that it was roughly handled before.
"Why are you giving me flowers?" the masculine voice sounds affronted. "I'm not dead yet."
Shikamaru looks sharply at Temari's sensei, not liking his joke. "Yoshino couldn't just throw it away."
The older shinobi's face becomes questioning.
Shikamaru sighs. "Look, Asuma—"
"Just give me it. I don't wanna know," the older man interrupts, changing his mind. "If I start hearing 'bout this, you'll always come to me 'bout your in-laws. No. Stop. I have my own set of that kind of garbage. My old man we don't get on that well."
Shikamaru grunts under his breath, putting his pinkie into his left ear then setting down the abused plant on the front porch. "I just came to give you this."
"Why don't you come in?" Asuma points towards the main door. "The wife wants to meet the man who stole Temari's good sense—heart—I mean heart." The man covers a chuckle with a cough, making it obvious that the slip was intentional.
"Tch."
—o0o—
"Thank you." Shikamaru nods his head towards the kunoichi after she pours sake to his cup. The tray she has carried into the room now lies on the floor; several white ceramic bottles containing the same fermented drink sitting on it.
Her unique red eyes sparkle knowingly as she tips down her head to show to the young shinobi that he's welcome; resolutely hiding a smile, certain that the liquor is much stronger than to what he's used to.
Asuma winks at the woman as she turns to replenish his own drink.
The woman's red lips twitch. Slowly, she unfolds her legs from beneath her, getting ready to stand up from having knelt on the mat to give the men their drinks. Her dress is a bit short; a flash of skin is intentionally directed at her husband. Then on her way towards the door, she sways blatantly her hips, knowing that the swathe of ribbon- like material that she wore hugs and follows her every curves and every movement.
Asuma watches the show as if mesmerized and is only abruptly brought to the present by a soft snort coming from across the low table.
Asuma grins sheepishly, aware that he's caught ogling his own wife. "Let's continue," he mumbles, gesturing at the board of shougi between him and Kamaru. "This time I'll definitely win."
Shikamaru reaches for the cup of sake then sniffs. Putting it back down without taking a sip, he shrugs his shoulders before looking at his own tiles, contemplating his next move.
Asuma watches Kamaru from the corner of his eyes, pretending to be immersed in his own shougi pieces. "You know on Temari's team, she's the only who can play…decently."
Shikamaru simply moves his lance forward on the board, not bothering to comment.
Asuma continues, "Chouji is more interested in food and Ino on girl stuffs."
"While Temari on tactics and strategies," Shikamaru mumbles, eyes still on the board.
"Yes," the older shinobi answers. "In that regard, you're almost like her when playing shougi. Or should I say she's almost like you."
"Tch. Is that why you thought getting me inebriated will be a good strategy." Shikamaru lifts his head to meet the man's eyes head on, a wry twist to his mouth.
"Ah so you noticed."
"Even going as far as using your wife."
Asuma loosens the collar of his shirt, giving in to uncomfortable laughter. "It proves that my wife is on my side and wants me to win."
Shikamaru expels an exasperated breath.
"Watch and learn, son." Asuma smiles and it reaches his eyes. "Take it from me who has been married for a long time. Kurenai and I make a good team. I know that she's on my side always."
Shikamaru just prods Asuma to make a move on the board, ignoring the train of their conversation.
"If you and your wife are out of tune with each other, it makes a rocky marriage," Asuma adds.
Shikamaru remains quiet; moving a knight to take Asuma's pawn.
Peering at Kamaru, seeing his almost tense stance, Asuma is sure the boy is listening to his words but still he's trying to deny doing so.
Asuma takes a drag from the cigarette perennially hanging between his lips. He remembers when he was younger, after people already caught them, he would still deny his relationship with Kurenai.
Those are the days. Now he's a married man with a kid.
Asuma moves his piece and then Kamaru his. The game continues as the room is engulfed in silence. It isn't an uneasy one but it's not totally relaxed either. One is waiting for the other to speak again.
There is a question that is foremost in Asuma's mind ever since he learned that Temari married a foreign nin. And the more he gets to know Temari's husband, the more he's convinced that his former student married a genius.
Genius people are more dangerous than some. They can think on their own, strategize and move on their own.
The answer to his question has become more essential. The question needs to be asked.
"Who is your king?" Asuma enquires, lifting the tile that he's been protecting in shougi—the king—the one piece whose defeat means losing in the game. Returning the tile to its position on the board, Asuma raises serious eyes to meet that of Kamaru's.
How many times has his king been dethroned? But then this is just a game. In life, nobody can afford to lose his king. The younger shinobi should understand his question.
After a brief hesitation, the boy finally answers, his voice calm and steady, "It's neither Suna nor Konoha. My king is not bounded to a place but to a person. And I will protect her—them—with my life."
Asuma nods, acknowledging Kamaru's answer before moving another of his officers across the board.
Konoha and Suna enjoy a peace treaty—for now. If a war should break lose in future, Asuma wonders how Kamaru can protect his king.
The boy simply can't. Temari will be branded by the others as traitor and their child will neither belong to Suna nor to Konoha.
The only way Kamaru can protect his king is to prevent such war.
Such gloomy thought, Asuma shakes his head to rid himself of it. The war his mind speaks of is hypothetical and speculating its possibility of happening is a waste.
This time, Shikamaru moves his general and takes Asuma's king. "Checkmate."
Asuma frowns at the board. "I would have won that one if I was paying attention."
"Brood all you like then, I'm leaving."
"Stay for a while. Chouji and Ino are supposed to drop by today. I would like you to train with them."
"Temari must be done resting. I need to go back."
Asuma shakes his head, disagreeing. "I need to see how good you are in a team,"
"You have already delayed me for an hour I should be going."
"Chouji and Ino are Temari's former teammates. She won't begrudge you spending time with them."
Shikamaru unfolds his legs, scrambling up from the mat. "Thank you for the game," he mutters as he nods his head respectfully at the older shinobi still sitting on the floor.
Asuma arranges the pieces on shougi tiles back into the starting position. "As your sensei, I'm ordering you to stay."
"If you want to put me on a team, get me into a team that is much stronger," Shikamaru grumbles. He likes Chouji and Ino is actually good with the healing jutsu but they are still Temari's teammates…and that woman already warned him off her team.
Asuma still remains seated, looking up at Kamaru, his voice carrying its authority as he speaks, "I could do that, get you a stronger team. However, I won't. Chouji and Ino are Temari's closest friends. They are the only ones I can trust who won't slit your throat before they ask for explanation, if say, you acted against your better judgement."
"Tch, I'm not a spy."
"That is yet to be seen."
"What makes you so sure that those two are even willing to have me replace Temari?"
"Who said something about replacing? For now you get to train and maybe do some missions with Chouji and Ino."
Shikamaru shakes his head. "I don't need to train with them."
"Thebest way to gauge how well your individual strengths can mesh together is through training. Then you guys can go on a mission without me."
Shikamaru continues to shake his head. The troublesome woman had already warned him that she doesn't want his shadow jutsu revealed. Convincing her further to change her mind is out of the question. That leaves convincing Asuma to change his. Shikamaru mutters, "Obviously, the possibility that Chouji and Ino may want to refuse to take me on as a team member has never crossed your mind."
Asuma simply roars in laughter. "Look I know you meet Chouji frequently and is already your pal. Ino might be a bit difficult but she's a good girl, she doesn't judge people just because they're from some other village."
"Listen—"
"It's decided."
"Why?" Shikamaru retorts.
"You wanna know why?" Asuma's brows knit into a perplexed frown. He has expected Kamaru to accept this development with his usual nonchalance but obviously the boy is fighting this almost tooth and nail. "Because even though Temari and Ino bicker and compete with each other, and it usually leads to a fight and Chouji gets squashed in the middle, too sane or too scared to pick a side, the three of them are still on the same team. In the end, Ino and Temari could never seriously harm the other and Chouji finds his courage because of those two."
"So I'm right. Beneath the surface there's a tight bond holding them close. I could never belong—"
"You get to belong in that group when you married Temari," utters Asuma. "It was actually…" he trails off. He is about to say that it was actually Temari who suggested to him that Chouji can accompany Kamaru on some missions. But Temari was adamant that Ino should not be a part of it. She said something about Ino messing with Kamaru's head. Oh well, Ino's jutsu would come in handy but it would only be as a last resort. Being able to tap into Kamaru's mind will be a trump card he'll have to keep to himself for the time being—not unless Temari reveals it to her husband of course but if she doesn't…Better leave Temari out of the discussion then. Asuma clears his throat. "…actually this is a great improvement. Someone else gets to babysit you."
Shikamaru looks at Asuma sharply, displeased that the older shinobi still wants him watched. But then if it is him in Asuma's place he will do the same. His expression then slowly turns nonchalant.
Removing again the cigarette between his lips, Asuma continues, "With Temari pregnant, Chouji and Ino are the only ones left I can rely on who would give you a chance and won't outright distrust you."
"Naruto," Shikamaru recommends.
Asuma chuckles. "That will be you babysitting him. No." He shakes his head for emphasis.
Shikamaru frowns in thought, thinking up of things to suggest and coming up with a blank.
Seeing Kamaru's expression, Asuma mutters disparagingly, "I don't understand why you're so against this. I thought you're getting feed up with the kind of missions I was giving you."
"Tch."
The boy is being obstinate is his own laidback way. Asuma can only asserts, "You don't have much choice on this. You can't work alone, not here in Konoha anyway, and I'm not going to be available 24/7 just to keep an eye on you."
Having said that dismissingly, Asuma unhurriedly stands up from the mat. The partially arranged shougi pieces are left on the table as he gestures at Kamaru to follow him to the door.
They walk in silence from the gaming room to the foyer. At the main entrance to his home, Asuma adds, "Kamaru, being able to feed your king is a kind of protection too."
With a defeated sigh, Shikamaru opens the door and answers, "Let me think about it."
TBC
—o0o—
~8 12,30 13 AF, P 8 31 13~
A/N: Review then check my profile ok.