"Shika's here honey."
Was the greeting that met him when he knocked on his parent's door later that night. His mother simply opened the door, looked him over and turned to go back inside, mumbling about going to clean up the kitchen with Ayaka.
He rolled his eyes, mumbling "Nice to see you too mom."
And ignoring his dad who laughed while listening to them.
"Don't mind her boy, you know how she gets." He said, leading Shikamaru into the living room where his son was laying fast asleep on the couch.
He took a moment to ruffle the boy's hair, marvelling at how he still managed to look so innocent while asleep. Not failing to see how much, in these moments, he looked so much like his mother.
"Hard to think he's still such an innocent kid when he's awake aint it." His dad said, as if reading his mind.
Before he could respond tho Ayaka came running out the kitchen shouting "DDDAAAAADDDDDDYYYYYY!!!" Her arms wide open for a hug while she was covered from head to toe in flour, jelly and lord knows what else.
It didn't stop her from clinging to his legs though, effectively transferring the remnants from their obvious baking session.
His mother came out shortly after, looking sheepish as she smiled at them.
"We went a little overboard with the baking." She said simply, moving to perch on her husband's lap, relaxing against his chest when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple.
Shikamaru smiled softly at his parents before turning his attention to his daughter.
"Well then I think its about time we get cleaned up don't you munchkin?" He asked her playfully, pinching her nose to make her giggle.
He scooped her into his arms, not minding the flour that dusted his jacket at the action, then set off in the direction of the upstairs bathroom.
"You rest mother, I'll clean up this little one and we'll be on our way in just a few" he said before disappearing up the stairs.
XxxxxxX
When Shikamaru returned downstairs it was with a sleeping Ayaka on one shoulder and her and Akio's bags slung over his other shoulder.
By now his mom had woken Aki, who was struggling to stay awake as he sat up on the couch.
He rubbed his eye sleepy, mumbling a quiet "...Daddy..." before getting up to hold on to his father's free hand.
Shikamaru smirked, knowing that it was only in this state of sleepiness he got to see this sweet side of his baby boy. But he was also very aware that if he were to mention it when said son was fully awake the outcome would not be pretty.
He lead his children out the door, kissing his mother's cheek as he passed through the door.
"Thank you again for watching them."
"It was not a problem hunny."
"Mom you don't understand how -"
"I know baby. I know. But you know we are always here for you and the kids."
She said, hugging him after he managed to get both sleeping children settled on the backseat, curled into one another.
"We know it's hard, but dont think about it. The anniversary will come and go just like always, and we all will be together to go through it"
She whispered gently against his cheek.
He sighed.
Well that would explain why he's been thinking so much lately. The anniversary of the day he and the kids left Tenten in the hospital was coming up in 2 weeks, and at this time of year the memories haunted him more than usual.
He could control it better than he was presently, he'd been handling it fine in the last few years, but hes not sure why this year was so different.
He couldn't shake that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he would shortly find out though.
With a final goodbye to his parents he drove to his own house, not too far from where his parents lived.
It was an almost exact replica of the style house they left behind with new furnishings, paint etc.
Though it greatly resembled it, he found it hard to truly consider this place as home. Probably because home is where the heart is, and a part of his heart is lost with his late wife.
XxxxxxX
After tucking his kids into bed and showering he found himself detouring from his bedroom to the basement, venturing into the rarely used studio he had set up down there.
For Shika, the studio itself was somewhat of a guilty pleasure. He never was one for art, thinking it was too much of a drag to take seriously but in the years after Tenten's "death" it became the only thing that helped him cope yet still feel connected to her.
He could remember nights on end, especially when she was pregnant with Aka-chan, he would find her in their studio dancing to music that was softly playing or getting lost in a masterpiece as she painted.
And although he was never as good as her he would join in and create or be content to just watch her until she was ready for him to take her back to bed.
As he sat there on the stool in the open space he couldn't help but chuckle.
What exactly did he think coming down here would do?
Make him see her again? It wasn't even a fully set up studio, the supplies all there but not in a position to be functional.
To hear her again? The melodious laugh he kept hearing was playing in his head only. He couldn't stop the memories that started replaying as he sat in the quiet space.
XxxxxxX
Tenten sat in her "creative studio" at 3:17 in the morning rubbing her baby bump and cooing at her little bundle of joy still inside her.
She was about 7 months pregnant now, her bump becoming the most prominent part of her petite figure, and as much as it was getting really uncomfortable to do certain activities and she had her moments of "monster mood swings" she was absolutely and completely in love with the baby girl growing inside her. She was so excited!
Well that's what she wanted everyone to think.
Yes she loved her baby with her entire being and she was super dooper excited she was also super dooper nervous and fearful and that's the part that she tried to keep to herself.
I mean she was having a baby for crying out loud! A baby! B A B Y!!
She was going to give birth to another human being, and a girl at that!
Yes she was female, so it should b a piece a cake right. Just teach her everything you know about being yourself, duh! But it wasn't as simple as that.
Having never met her mother herself, Tenten knew all about being a girl, but next to nothing about being the mother of a girl.
With Akio it was easy.
Eat, sleep, poop, repeat. She understood his schedule.
As he got older he got more active, but thankfully he wasn't a tyrant. Boys will be boys, but her boy listened so there was no issue where discipline was concerned.
It helped that Aki had an amazing daddy to look up to and adore.
She smiled fondly as she pictured how Shika was with Akio.
She really did have the absolute best husband in the world.
As if on cue she felt familiar arms wrap around her from behind, a strong chest against her back.
She heard him whine as he got comfy, nuzzling his nose in her hair.
"You know if all you're going to come down here for is to play music and stare at the wall as if it were me, you and I might have a problem."
She rolled her eyes at him a smile on her lips.
"Jealous much??"
"Always." He said kissing her temple. "But really though, you don't have to think so hard monkey. She's gonna love you so much. And adore you even more than Aki adores me. They both will." He said as he spun her around to face him, brushing her hair behind her ear as she looked up to him.
"But what if I mess up? What if I say and do something wrong? What if I can't protect her? What if-"
He cut off her oncoming ramble with a sweet but chaste kiss to her lips.
"Stop worrying. Thats why it takes two to make a baby - you can't do everything on your own. I'm your partner Ten. Im here to love you and our beautiful soon to be children, protect you and care for you. I pick up wherever you fall short. You can count on me to be there for anything and everything you go through. I'm your husband, your life partner, your lover and your best friend. So if you won't give me the chance to do my job im afraid you won't need me anymore."
"I'll always need my Shikabear." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking up at him despite the tears in her eyes.
Damn these pregnancy hormones.
"Good. "
He said before lifting her into his arms, her legs automatically locking around him. She wasted no time in connecting their lips, moaning slightly when he gripped her ass firmly, lifting her to rest on the nearby counter.
Shikamaru leaned closer deepeening the kiss. His hand slipped under her shirt, rubbing gentle circles on her hips.
Tenten was getting into it, moving to feel the taunt muscles under her husband's clothes but was stilled when she felt a kick from her lovely child, as if telling her
"Mommy don't even start it"
She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, effectively breaking their session before it got too intense.
"Troublesome." He mumbled, kissing the side of her lips. "I think that's our cue to go to sleep."
Tenten nodded in agreement. Laughing as he lifted her bridal style.
"Onward oh mighty steed!" She said, laughing as he played along, shaking his head like a horse.
He carried her out the door and towards their bedroom, trying to get her to stop laughing loud enough to wake Akio.
XxxxxxX
When Shika came to he realised he'd been down there for atleast an hour sitting in the same position with tears silently flowing down his cheeks.
And try as he might he couldn't stop himself from crying. So just this once, after so long holding everything in, he finally allowed himself to just cry.