A breeze drifted along Konoha's green fields. Deer stomped around in the dirt watching the Nara Clan leader play with his two kids.
A girl with dark black hair tied up in a ponytail was sitting on her father's shoulders. She wore a purple shirt over white pants. "Mom! Daddy called me troublesome!"
"Shikamaru, leave her alone." Temari scolded her husband.
Shikamaru looked at his beautiful wife. She wore a black shirt over black capri-pants. The Suna emblem was stitched on the front of her shirt. Her blonde hair was handing down to her shoulders. She only wore it down around her family. She was still a beautiful woman and didn't look her age. She looked like she was still in her twenties. "Yes, your highness."
Temari punched his shoulder. "Shut it, Nara."
"You're a Nara too." He replied placing Sumiko on the ground. "Sumi, go play with Shikazu."
"Okay! C'mon Shikazu!" Sumiko demanded pulling her seven year old brother by the collar of his tan shirt.
"Okay, okay! What a pain…." He muttered under his breath.
Shikamaru grinned. Even if those kids were a pain….they were his pain and he loved them more than the clouds that floated ahead. Same for Temari. She was a MAJOR pain but such a fate for the Nara men.
"What're you grinning about?" asked the blonde woman walking next to him.
He took her hand. "This is just how I pictured it."
"Oh?"
"Yep."
Temari smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Lazy."
"Yeah." He didn't have to say it. He knew she knew. He smiled at her. "Love you too."
Temari smiled. A sudden burst of laughter caught her attention. Her teal eyes shifted to where her two children were playing. "Sumiko, don't pull the deer's tail!" Temari shouted.
Sumiko blinked her brown eyes towards her mother.
A black haired boy laughed at his sister's misfortune.
"What're you laughing about?" Sumiko asked holding a fist to his face. She'd never hit him before but her anger was still frightening.
"Nothing." Shikazu replied looking down.
"Aw, she inherited your evilness." Shikamaru said sarcastically.
The topaz kunoichi glared at her husband.
"Sorry….." he whispered stuffing his hands into the black pants pockets.
"You better be."
"I am."
"Good."
"Dad, can I sit on the deer?" Sumiko asked.
"Sure." Shikamaru replied picking up the ten year old. He sat her on a female deer. Sumiko smiled and hugged the doe's neck. The deer snuggled her head against Sumiko's gently.
"You want to?" Temari asked looking at Shikazu who was standing next to his dad with his hands in his pants pockets.
The boy wore his hair up in a ponytail just like Shikamaru's. He had black hair with a few blonde streaks. He wore a tan shirt with black pants and sandals. His eyes were teal like his mother's and he had that what a drag expression just like his father. She slightly frowned and smiled at the resemblance.
Shikazu shook his head. "No way, Mom. I like it here."
Shikamaru chuckled slightly, ruffling Shikazu's hair. Shikazu smiled up at his father.
"Did your father teach well?" Temari asked Shikazu. Shikamaru was a teacher for younger kids.
"I was sleeping…" Shikazu replied. "And he scolded me. Choichi, Kohaku, Hige, and I are the ones who are always in trouble."
"It's like watching a video of my childhood." Shikamaru replied. "I wouldn't get angry at you guys if you just paid attention."
"Teach something interesting like cloud formations." Shikazu plopped on his back, folding his hands behind his head, gazing up at the white fluffy clouds.
"That's not a ninja skill, baka." Sumiko said climbing off the deer.
"It is for me." Shikazu raised his fist calmly pointing to the clouds. "You can tell direction with these things."
"He has a point." Shikamaru stated.
"He has no point!" Temari and Sumiko yelled.
"Hmmmmm…" the two men sighed. "What a drag."
Sumiko's eye twitched. "I can't wait till I see Haru and Uncle Gaara. I think them and Mom are the only sensible ones in this family!"
"Sensible?" Shikazu asked. "Me and Dad are probably the most sensible people here. You and Mom have the shortest tempers I know and everyone else is just plain strange."
"Whatever."
"Yeah whatever. Troublesome girl."
"What?!"
"Troublesome girl…."
"Why you little…."
Shikazu stood up quickly when Sumiko was about to slam her fist into his face. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" His shadow hit her feet.
Sumiko twitched as she looked down at her feet. "Darn it, Shika! Let me go!"
"Make me!"
"Oh I'll make you!"
"You can't!"
"My chakra's stronger!"
"Mom, Dad!" Shikazu whined. "Your wonderful Sumiko is going to kill me!"
"Sumiko, behave. Shikazu, stop making her grumpy." Shikamaru said.
"That's all?" Temari asked.
"Yep." Shikamaru replied kissing her softly. "I got to go meet up with Gaara and his family. See you guys soon."
Temari smiled.
"Eeeew!" the kids said sticking out their tongues in disgust seeing that their parents just kissed.
Temari and Shikamaru blushed.
That blushed remained as Shikamaru walked away. Yes. That was his troublesome but worth it family.
