"I'm at point B," Sasuke's voice crackles over the radio.

"I'm at point C," Shikaoi confirms.

"I'm at point A! Believe it!" Naruto's voice blares through the earpiece. Causing Shikaoi and Sasuke wince and Kakashi to reprimand him.

"If you are all in position team seven it is time to move in on the target" Kakashi drawls from his perch.

Naruto and Sasuke pounce on Torah eliciting a hiss from the cat who proceeds to scratch Naruto.

Shikaoi falls back slightly and tries to calm the pesky feline to no avail as Sasuke confirms their target.

The cat bats a paw in Shikaoi's direction and the Nara hisses back at the cat angrily, which causes the animal to "mrow," confusedly at the human and cease struggling.

Shikaoi takes the opportunity that the confusion caused to scoop the suddenly complacent creature from the laughing Naruto.

"Haha, serves that cat right! Believe it!" Naruto chortled. Sasuke smirks and Kakashi sweat drops at his genin's antics.

Team seven makes their way to Hokage tower and Torah seems to suddenly remember that she was supposed to be evading capture and continues her struggle. Shikaoi tightens his grip and glares at the feline and the cat once again goes limp. Shikaoi sighs and begins to mindlessly pet the creature until she relaxes and begins to purr contentedly.

In the hokage's office the noble woman crushes poor Torah with her unwanted affections.

"I almost feel bad," Shikaoi deadpans, as Naruto laughs at the cat's misfortune and Sasuke smirks at his friends' amusement.

As the sandaime begins to list possible missions, Shikaoi grows bored tuning out.

Shikaoi is pulled out of his thoughts at Naruto's refusal to go on "dumb D rank missions." As Iruka chastised Naruto and the hokage began to describe the different mission ranks, Shikaoi let his mind wander once more.

Shikaoi wondered how he would approach the upcoming 'C rank mission' in wave. He couldn't warn his teammates, because he isn't sure how exactly it would play out. He decided to play it by ear.

He was drawn out of his musings as an old man by the name of Tazuna drunkenly insulted him and Naruto.

"This stupid looking blond and short spiky haired, little brat are supposed to protect me? The littlest one looks like he would be the first to get killed," the bridge builder said.

Shikaoi gritted his teeth as Naruto was held back by Kakashi. He wasn't that small damn it! It isn't his fault that Shikamaru was the larger twin! Shikaoi barely managed to quell his own rising temper at the reminder that he was supposed to be the lazy Nara and not be thinking of ways to have their client 'accidentally' killed by missing nin.

Shikaoi barely managed to grab the back of Sasuke's shirt before the older boy attacked the drunk for insulting his friends. Sasuke likes to think of himself as the protector and he didn't appreciate this old fart's comments.

Shikaoi understood and struggled to wrap his short arms around the older boy's bicep halting his attack. Kakashi raised his one visible eyebrow in interest and reached out with his free hand that wasn't being used to hold back Naruto to grab the Uchiha by the back of his shirt as well. Shikaoi let out a sigh of relief from where he hung off the other boy's arm, suspended in the air he let go and nimbly dropped to his feet and retreated. Half listening as their sensei reassured their client that they were more than capable.

Sasuke and Naruto walked Shikaoi to his home, despite his protests that he would be fine walking by himself.

"Why don't you two stay for dinner. I'm sure kaa-san would be ecstatic she has been wanting to meet you guys," Shikaoi said, remembering that his two friends had no one waiting at home and he wanted to save them from the loneliness that he knew awaited them. Shikaoi felt a pang of regret for not thinking to invite them over sooner.

"Nah, I need to start packing for our first C rank tomorrow bright and early. Believe it!" Naruto said looking regretful. It occurred to Shikaoi that Naruto might not be sure if his parents were okay with his...tenant and Shikaoi promised himself that he would rectify the situation when they returned to the village...if he survives the mission.

Sasuke agreed with Naruto and claimed that since the blond would be sleeping over at his place —like he has been for the past few years, since the two had visited Naruto's apartment and Sasuke had claimed that the "dobe" would be moving into his clan compound. Shikaoi helped move the blond's stuff, before the blond could protest—that Shikaoi was always welcome sleep over.

Shikaoi declined and explained that he needed to tell his family that he would be out of the village for a while and the older boy patted his head in understanding and ruffled the younger's short hair, before dragging the blond behind him as he left.

Shikaoi went inside stopping to greet his mother as he went. Finding that he had beat his brother and father home, he offered his help with cooking dinner to the surprise of his mother.

"Are you feeling alright?" Yoshino joked putting the back of her hand on her youngest son's forehead.

"Of course I am kaa-san. I just feel like helping out. By the way, do we still have spare mission pack scrolls?" Shikaoi said pouting at his mother as the duo set to work.

"Why? Did you get a survival mission already?" his father interrupted walking in, Shikamaru right behind. The two males stopped to greet the matriarch, before glancing questioningly at the youngest boy with twin looks of interest.

'Honestly, sometimes it feels like they are the twins,' Shikaoi thought. "No, my team is going on a C rank mission in Wave tomorrow and I need to be prepared," Shikaoi explained as he finished helping his mother prepare the meal.

"Already?" Shikamaru asked.

"Naruto," Shikaoi replied to his twin's unasked question.

"Aah," Shikamaru mused, " don't get killed," he told his brother.

"Shikamaru!" Yoshino exclaimed aghast, "don't talk to your brother like that. You'll do wonderfully sweetie," she says turning to her youngest.

"I'm just reminding him not to die," Shikamaru defended.

"Well, you didn't need to say it like that," their mother scolded.

Shikamaru thought back to when he had cornered his twin's teammates and ordered them to watch over his younger brother, because he knew that he no longer would be able to unless they had a joint mission. 'They better keep him safe,' Shikamaru thought.

—

AN: Sorry about the late update. With school and everything my update schedule is going to be a bit irregular. Thank you for understanding. Happy reading and stay safe everyone! ( ⸝⸝•ᴗ•⸝⸝ )