AUTHORS NOTE: So… what happened after Tsunade left Shikaku's office? You can read it here 😊

Beta by the wonderful Marina, thank you ^,^

I will take request for side notes throughout the main story, if there's a moment you feel like you've missed, let me know in either the reviews or by dropping me a note. I make no promises, but I'll consider every prompt ^.^

XOXOX

Side notes to
Hidden Feelings, Hidden Lives

Addition to chapter 103: Losing Hold You Try To Find The Way
Drabble title: A Father's Guidance

XOXOX

As he came up to the door to his office, Shikaku Nara raised his eyebrows in surprise as suddenly the door was opened from the inside, his blonde friend sighing quietly as she greeted him, "Shikaku, hello. Your son apparently wants to talk to you…" She left the room then, leaving the man to pick up the pieces of whatever had happened this time. He couldn't help but sigh too.

"Shikamaru," Closing the door behind himself once again, he walked over to his son standing by the window, "Care to tell me what's going on here?"

"Not really," His voice was thick with tears, his forehead leaning against the window with a manner of defeat that Shikaku hadn't seen his son display before. Pushing off from the window, the young man walked across the room, putting some distance between himself and his father, "Dad, when you and mom disagree about something, do you like talk it out or does one of you decide what's best?"

So it really is Kakashi again. Well, I was the one that said I wanted to be more involved in my son's life. I was the one who said I wanted to guide him in his first relationship… I just never really thought about how I was supposed to do that…
"Usually we talk it out. When we find that we really can't come to a middle way we usually go with the opinion of the one that'll be most affected by it. So for example when we bought a new couch, your mom won because she's home more than I am."

"And if it affects you both equally?" Still not turning to face the man standing by the window, Shikamaru aimlessly ran his fingers over an old crack in the wall, "What do you do then?"

Wishing he knew what his son was talking about, Shikaku frowned, his tone a little clipped, "We talk, Shikamaru. We talk it out like any couple should."

"Yeah but… What if you can't? What if that would upset him too much?"

"Especially then!" Annoyed with the entire situation, Shikaku crossed his office in a few large steps. Laying a hand on his son's shoulder he almost roughly turned the boy around so he could look him in the eyes, "If you think he's gonna fall apart if you talk about it, then I know you're already breaking. Why was Tsunade in here? Can't you discuss it with her? She can mediate between you two, right? Oh wait, you don't like women," Rolling his eyes to the ceiling for a second, Shikaku caught his second wind, "Then I'll do it. Or Gai, that's fine too. Iruka's too inexperienced, he wouldn't be of help and Choji is going to have a meltdown once he realizes that there's even fights between partners. So I'll do it. You just tell me what's going on and –"

"Dad, no!" Roughly pulling away, Shikamaru pushed himself tightly against the wall, "First of all, neither Gai-sensei nor Choji even know about us yet, and secondly I'm not about to betray my boyfriend the second things get a little difficult. All I wanted was to ask you if there was another way to resolve a disagreement when you really don't feel like talking is going to help. And he's not the issue anyway. I am. I don't know how to talk about this stuff yet, and Kakashi's been so fucking patient with me. But if I don't start talking soon I'll get myself in a mess I might not be able to get out of, so that's why I asked your advice. Not because I can't handle it, not because we need a goddamn referee!"

"Alright, alright," Soothingly raising his hands, Shikaku took a few steps back. Settling himself in his own chair, he curiously eyed the book Shikamaru had obviously placed there.
The Konoha lawbook, I should have known. And of course he's rechecking what the rules say about relationships with large age gaps. Was he trying to see if he could find a way to silence Yoshino if she disagrees with their relationship? She won't son, the only thing your mother disapproves of is the fact that you've moved out and never show your face anymore. She's going to want to change that – and you better let her. I can't deal with her crying herself to sleep every night anymore. Besides, it hurts me too. Of course I get to see you at work now and then, and apparently we now have father-son talks like this, but I want to see you when you're doing well, when you're the Shikamaru that I know and love so much. I want to get to know the Kakashi that you love – the man, not the shinobi. But most of all… I want to see when you need my help rather than you coming to me when you're already with your back against the wall and all out of options.

"Son," Gently closing the book and laying it aside, Shikaku didn't look up, "Whatever it is that you find hard to talk about, I'm sure he realizes it. So if you just try, I'm confident he'll do his best to help you get your point across. Kakashi's not stupid, you know that. And he loves you, we both know that. Just try."

Walking over to the chair Tsunade had occupied only a few minutes ago, Shikamaru slumped down, "That's not the point, dad. I can't really explain because it's really personal and I'm sure Kakashi wouldn't want me telling you about it – I don't really want you to know about it either. But it's like…" Looking away he bit his lip nervously, trying to come up with something to compare his situation to.

"Let's just ignore the subject itself," Shikaku smiled a hidden smile, "Treat it as a sensitive mission. You're here asking how to bring it to the best ending possible, but the scroll is sealed so I'm not allowed to know its contents. So," Cocking his head just a little, he studied his son who was nervously fiddling with one of the pens on his desk, "There is something you need to bring up, but can't talk about. How about writing? Can you write him a letter explaining the trouble you have?"

Shikamaru shook his head lightly, "I don't want him to feel like I'm against it. It's… Just his method that makes me a little queasy. Besides, he's easily hurt, dad. Kakashi is doing so much better but he's still pretty…" Risking a glance up, the boy apparently decided this much was okay. Though his voice was quiet as he added, "Insecure."

Shikaku almost smiled, "Kakashi's always been insecure, son. Cocky, but insecure."

"Yeah… How do you and mom do it when you have something to discuss that you don't really want to talk about…?" Carefully studying his father through his dark lashes, Shikamaru pretended to barely pay attention, picking apart the pen while he waited for his father to answer him.

"Usually in the morning, if possible. I'll go have my daily meeting with Tsunade and then I go straight home. She'll have had her breakfast by then, we grab some tea and just sit down to talk."

"How do you start? Like, how does she know what you wanna talk about?"

"I'm home. That's enough for her to know it's serious," He smiled briefly, "Usually we both know it's something we need to talk about. If not, I'll broach the subject carefully. If there's a letter or something from the elders of the family I'll give it to her as I make the tea –"

"But she's not allowed to read those, is she?" Confused, he finally looked up, "I remember you giving me fake ones to let me get used to the way they write things and learn how to deal with the contents accordingly."

"True, but she's my partner. She's my wife, the mother of my son, my companion, my support – my everything," Shikaku's smile widened a little, "They'll just have to deal with it. If I didn't have Yoshino, I wouldn't be doing half as good as the head of the family. She's the one that usually comes up with the best response to those old geezers. I just do what she tells me because she's way more up to date on current affairs within the Nara family."

"So you don't talk," Shikamaru sounded disappointed, "You do as she says."

"Only when I don't know what they're talking about. Your mother keeps track of certain things for me, it's a team effort. She does always explain her reasoning to me, and if I disagree, we talk it out."

"And if you can't reach an agreement?"

The man shook his head slightly, "When it comes to the elders, we always do. You know that, Shikamaru. When you have all the information, there's usually only one course of action that makes sense. We can't go up against them too much because then the entire clan would fall apart," Leaning his arms on the table, he brought his face a little closer to his son's, "Your situation is different. You have to go search for common ground. The only advice that I can really give you is this: Choose a time of day when you're both fully awake and have nothing nagging at you like hunger or chores. Pick a time when you'll be able to sit down, talk for an hour or two, and still get all the most important stuff done. Don't worry about work too much, you're ahead of schedule right now. You can take a day if you need to. Then, when you talk, do it in a familiar setting, with a cup of tea or something else to drink. And whatever you do, try to stay calm. You can tell him you want to talk about something that's hard for you to talk about. Kakashi will understand – he's that kind of guy. So just relax and be honest about it, okay?"

It was clear that the conversation was over, his dad was getting up to put the book back into the bookcase, not even looking at him anymore. This was just what he'd come to expect from the man. Shikamaru sighed quietly as he got up too, "Yeah dad… Thanks…"
For nothing…