Notes: I know I said it would take some time to get some chapters out but I couldn't help it, I was having too much fun. I did have a lot of difficulty writing parts of this as I wanted to explore Shikamaru's mindset. I hope it turned out all right. Please review!
Chapter 4: Emotions and Doubt
"This is just too troublesome..." murmured Shikamaru. He and Temari had minded their own business, but it seemed some people didn't mind making it their own. As Shikamaru approached Ino's door with Temari in tow, a group of four Chuunin no older than he was began to verbally abuse Temari. They sat at a small white table at a nearby beverage shop clearly intolerant of her Sand origins. Temari was furious of course, but she remained level headed, which Shikamaru was tremendously grateful for. However, as the insults grew greater in frequency, something snapped in his mind. It was time he dealt with this.
"What do you want?" Shikamaru was not in his normal mood and he could feel his patience shrivel rapidly.
"What are you doing with that Sand bitch Shikamaru?" bluntly asked one of the Chuunin. Temari's face had risen to new levels of scarlet and Shikamaru knew if she lost it, there would be no stopping her.
"You will address her as Temari, an ally of Konoha" Shikamaru reminded the offending Chuunin. His own blood was boiling and he berated himself for it. "What are you doing Shikamaru? What are you doing?" he thought.
"Ally? Don't make me laugh. Have you forgotten already you dumb ass? They attacked us!" exclaimed the tallest Chuunin in the group. "How can you side with her you traitorous shit?"
"Their Kazekage was Orochimaru in disguise... you can't really be serious."
"I don't care. We pay blood for blood. Or are you a cowardly fuck?"
"Fine, insult me. I couldn't care less. Insult her? I will make you regret it." Shikamaru was normally lax with his fellow ninjas. He often resorted to diplomatic methods but this group was pushing all the wrong buttons. Then it suddenly hit him. Were his feelings for Temari that strong? Although this group wasn't particularly dangerous, the insults aimed at her cut him deep.
Temari looked at Shikamaru in a new light. "Is this the same ninja I fought?" she contemplated. It was true that she had seen him training which was also odd, but certainly he couldn't have changed this much. She hid a smile as she confirmed that the attraction was mutual.
"Oh, look at this hot shot. What are you going to do outnumbered two to one Shikamaru?" The tall Chuunin had spoken again, his voice dripping with malice. Hatred clearly emanated from his eyes.
"I'm giving you a chance to go." Shikamaru didn't need this, but he knew he couldn't start an all out fight in the middle of the street, especially not in front of the Yamanaka household. People had already begun to gather around them and he needed to end this now. His laid back attitude had long gone. "I'm giving you to the count of three to move off."
"Fuck you. We're going to punish you and that bitch beside you for treason." The tall Chuunin was already moving forward, kunai in hand. Shikamaru sighed, knowing he had already won. Suddenly, the advancing Chuunin was unable to move, his legs no longer responding. "What the fuck...?"
"As stupid as is he is lacking manners. You might outnumber me, but because of it, you've underestimated me," stated Shikamaru simply. "Now, who wants to be cut down to size?" Shikamaru opened his right hand, palm facing down and he closed his eyes in concentration. The shadow his right arm cast suddenly leapt into his hand, and slowly began to mould into a shape.
Temari suddenly realized what he was summoning with his shadow. It was the black katana she witnessed earlier on the rooftop of his home. "What is he doing?" She hoped he wouldn't do something he'd regret.
"What are yo-" stammered the tall Chuunin.
Shikamaru pointed the shadow katana at the Chuunin's face, only an inch away from his nose. "Don't be fooled by this shadow. Due to the concrete and abstract nature of shadows, this sword can cut through almost any material. When I release my hold on you four, I expect you to leave immediately. If you fail to comply... well, we can leave that to the imagination right?" The crowd was deathly silent.
The tall Chuunin's face glistened with sweat as his eyes twitched in fear. "Yeah, we'll go, we'll go, just let us go now..."
"Good." Shikamaru released his shadow imitation technique and faster than he could blink, the Chuunin were gone, their beverages left forgotten on the white table. The crowd remained still, the uncanny silence filling the void but as fast as they had gathered, they scattered, muttering about ill-behaved youth.
Shikamaru turned to Temari, a rueful look on his face. "Sorry." He couldn't believe himself. Was that all he could say? He also refused to blush, not here.
"No, don't apologize. Those bastards deserved nothing less. Actually, I had half a mind to join you," replied Temari. She smiled, still shocked at Shikamaru's drastic but brief change in personality. She wanted to comfort him but she didn't know what to say. She decided it would be prudent to simply let things be.
"Thanks." He smiled back and then headed to the Yamanaka's front door. Before he could knock, the door flung open. Ino stood in the doorway, a look of worry and exasperation on her face.
"What were you thinking Shikamaru?" screeched Ino. "In the middle of the street too!"
"Sorry," mumbled Shikamaru. "I felt there wasn't another way to get rid of them."
"Couldn't you have been more subtle? Couldn't you have just talked them out of it?" Ino was sounding awfully like Shikamaru's mother.
"I did try and it failed. I resorted to my second option." Shikamaru had already thought this through and he was becoming tired of Ino's verbal barrage. It was only encouraging the chaos in his head.
"What ever happened to the lazy Shikamaru? You went way out of your way to defuse such a dumb situation." Ino pursed her lips as she placed her hands on her hips.
Shikamaru shrugged. "Lazy, but duty bound."
"Duty bound?! You put more fuel on the fire! Tensions between Leaf and Sand are bad enough!" Ino jabbed her finger into his chest as if to stress each word.
"Nothing happened."
"You... damn it" Ino was still irked and Shikamaru could see it plain as day. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"We've got to meet with someone at lunch today. Mission stuff. I thought it'd be best if I grabbed you and Choji."
"And her?" Ino pointed at Temari, as she glanced at Shikamaru quizzically.
"It's Temari from Sunagakure, remember? We were getting help from the Sand for this mission."
Ino glared at the two of them, and then sighed. "Wait here, let me get some stuff." With that, she closed the door harder than she intended.
"Is she always like this?" questioned Temari. She wasn't sure if she was annoyed or amused.
"Yeah... she is. You'll learn to live with it... eventually." Shikamaru exhaled noiselessly. "Not a great start to a day," he thought. He was surprised he was capable of speaking so fluidly after the lurching feeling he had.
"Er, are you going to keep holding that?" Temari gestured at the shadow katana Shikamaru still held.
Shikamaru stared at the sword in surprise. "Right." Shikamaru dispelled the katana and it returned as his right arm's shadow.
"When did you learn to use that?"
"The shadow katana? My dad taught me. Ever since I became a Chuunin, my sensei pushed me to ask my dad about my family's shadow techniques. I caved in quickly," admitted Shikamaru. His mind was calmed now, but he was unable to look at Temari.
Temari leaned on a black railing as she smirked, her curiosity sated. "Don't tell me you've embraced responsibility!" Her voice was mocking but Shikamaru knew she was just teasing.
"More like it embraced me," he replied quietly.
She shook her head in amusement but eyed Shikamaru with worry. As their banter settled into silence, she recalled her conversation with Shikamaru's mom earlier that day after they had finished breakfast.
"Oh, he likes to think he's lazy, but he's very much like my husband," mused Yoshino.
"Huh? He gave up at the Chuunin exam so he wouldn't get promoted. That's not lazy?" Kankuro gave Shikamaru's mom a sceptical look.
"He can be lazy, but the same thing happened with my husband." Yoshino couldn't help but grin. "He also gave up during the Chuunin exam fighting me."
"No way! How'd he get promoted?" Temari gave Yoshino a flabbergasted look.
"For the same reason Shikamaru got promoted: his genius and calm demeanour in battle."
"What happened after?"
"He matured rapidly. Oh, he was still the lazy Shikaku I knew, but he seemed to be okay with the responsibility. Shikamaru is going through the exact same thing."
"Like father like son, huh?" remarked Kankuro.
Yoshino smiled at Kankuro. "There's just one little difference. Shikamaru's growth is incredible. My husband likes to point that out."
"What do you mean?
"Shikamaru already knows every technique the Nara clan has; it took my husband two years to learn them all. Shikamaru only took three months to do it." Yoshino grinned again. She knew she was over caring when it came to her son, but she was also immensely proud of him.
"Wow..." Temari thought about the fight with Shikamaru during the Chuunin exam again. "To think you've come this far Shikamaru..." Her mind wandered back to his smile.
"But, like my husband before him, he doesn't want anyone to know. He's happy with being known as the lazy ninja for now," stated Yoshino with a hint of displeasure. "I worry about him, but I know he'll surpass his father one day."
"What does his dad do?" asked Kankuro.
"He's Konoha's top strategist and assassin. I never ask him about his work. It's not something I want to bring to the table."
"I understand," said Temari. Yoshino gave her a quiet smile as she turned to the dishes. "Where's Shikamaru by the way?"
"He's probably on the roof." Yoshino gave her a look this time, and it was one filled with knowing but also of anxiety.
"Kankuro, I'll see you later." Temari casually walked toward the stairs. "Thanks for breakfast."
"Wait. Please." Yoshino followed her and leaned inward. "Please be careful with him," she whispered.
"Huh?"
Although she appeared reluctant to continue, she did anyway. "Shikamaru has never enjoyed the company of any woman except yours. Just make sure he doesn't do... something stupid." Temari responded with a soft smile. She lunged up the stairs as Yoshino's eyes followed her.
Shikamaru studied Temari. After their conversation had died, she had become unusually quiet. She was not her usual loud self and it baffled him. Her misted eyes were looking downward lost in thought. It was as if she was trying to recall a memory. He didn't want to disturb her and so he left her to her own devices, comfortable with just being close to her, even if he was in front of the Yamanaka home.
He hoped planning the mission would not consume the remaining days they had left in Konoha. It was a childish thought, but it pained him. He wanted to know her better and he was still insecure about his feelings. He was undeniably attracted to her and again doubt unsettled him. Their personalities could never hope to look beyond the abrasive nature of such opposite beings. He would need more time to think, and maybe even continue to hope. Hope that things could just fall in to place. He knew things were never that easy. Life wasn't easy.
Then there was the mess with the four Chuunin. Even he didn't know what came over him. Shikamaru was convinced he handled the situation as best as he could, but Ino's words forced him to second guess. He knew that hindsight was always easier and ultimately, also useless but it bugged him. It bugged the hell out of him actually. Had he acted rashly then? Was he failing his own test of maturity? Or did he do it to defend Temari? She knew how to defend herself but he couldn't help but wonder if he maybe he was deceiving himself. Bah, he was thinking too much. He let it go just as Ino appeared, a small bag now slung over her shoulder.
"Shikamaru? I'm ready now."
Shikamaru grunted in acknowledgement. "Time to get Choji." His words shook Temari from her daydream. He glanced at her. The clarity of her turquoise eyes had a strange effect on him then, he wasn't sure what. She sensed his eyes staring at her own, and in the briefest of moments, she appreciated them. They were dark, and like Gaara's, appeared to view right into your soul. It was a silly thought but she wasn't thinking then. She looked away abruptly realizing this wasn't the time or place.
The trip to Choji's home was uneventful especially compared to the earlier encounter in front of the Yamanaka home. Shikamaru was grateful for it. During the silence of the walk, he was able to reminisce. He wanted to let everything go, just let his mind wander, but he kept returning to his own life and her face. He had grown up to a quiet and easy life. He was lazy, he didn't participate in class, he played Shogi and he was content. This morning, he was content with the same life. Now, he wasn't able to continue without knowing what Temari thought.
He knew he had a crush on Temari and it had been like that since the Chuunin exam. But back then, he viewed her as a crush, nothing more. It was a silly boy hood thing and he would soon be over it. The trouble this morning only seemed to emphasize the very opposite. He was deeply in love with her and it scared him. He wanted simple, he wanted easy and love like this was neither of those. Maybe that was why doubt pressed down on him heavily. Maybe that was why he played it so cool when he first met her. He didn't know for sure, but he knew he would have to speak with her soon.
So ends Chapter 4 of The Fallen Leaf!