Of plans and its debris

Shikamaru was offended, wounded, personally attacked. There was no mystery in the cravings of his nature and the one of his father before him, his grandfather, and so on. His muscles ached, fell apart, and built seconds after their destruction, it was pure agony and no prospect of a pause any time soon. He wished he could complain, but it was the same nature that screamed at him to lay down what kept him from talking.

The route to return to their hometown was one full of rocks on their backs, gasps, and awkward silences. Chöji looked at him with such curiosity that he didn't need to be a Yamanaka in order to read the question across his features, he shook his head in response, because no, he didn't understand what Howard had meant either. He could, however, figure it out if he desired, he could repeat the man's words in his head until he could come up with the meaning behind them, something he could theorize, a hypothesis, but everything he was going to end up with would mean more work to do, and Shikamaru had enough with his work at his present and at his future. Consequently, he decided to drop the subject in its entirety, Howard will remain as a hollow offer that he will soon, hopefully, not remember.

Ino stepped on the same branch as him and both ended up on the floor, limbs awkwardly entangled, their fall echoed through the treetops that moved with the wind as if to get a better look at their shameful figures, she glanced at him and furrowed her eyebrows like it was his fault the branch didn't hold, grass on her blond locks. "Ufh," she complained, "I can't get up."

"Sure you can," Asuma said, landing beside them.

"No. Seriously," she looked at him, her eyes squinting at the sun, "I'm physically unable to."

Asuma had been filling their backpacks with an extra rock every time they complained, the three of them were smart enough to keep their mouth shut after the second time, but Ino had to endure her penalty from what happened in Suna all the way back. She was exhausted, Shikamaru could see her fatigue coming out of her in waves, she was shaking from the force of simply holding her arm up to block the sun off her eyes.

Asuma had the kindness of not pressure them much further beyond their breaking point and helped them up, "there, there." He said and Ino took a mouthful of air, looked around miserably for any sign of Konoha in the distance, and took off before Asuma could say anything else.

"I think she's upset with you," he said, looking at their teacher.

"I know. I expected it." He replied simply, "and you aren't?" He asked, scratching his beard.

"Oh I am," Shikamaru replied in total calmness while his insides twisted.

"You don't seem that mad," Asuma retorted.

"I'm impossibly so, I just lack the energy to demonstrate," Shikamaru shrugged, "I also know that I can do little to retaliate."

Asuma smirked, "keep going." He said and forced him to move.

Their arrival lacked the pomposity they experienced during the first C-rank, granted, it was from the new family of the girl they escorted and it wasn't particularly directed at them, but Shikamaru couldn't help but notice the calmness that followed their appearance after ten days of absence. Shikamaru snorted, it was a thought worthy of Ino, not him, and he resented her influence on him. What this arrival did have, that the other hadn't -besides their endless pain and exhaustion, was the presence of a black-dressed figure with a mask. Black patterns flowed through the white designing barely accomplishing a boar, the ANBU stood with both his hands on his back in waiting, when he talked, he did so to their superior, Ino cast him a look for his rudeness. She was still a child with no understanding of the chain of command.

"Sarutobi Asuma, the Hokage would like to see you and your team." The man said, his hands still on his back and, without waiting for a response or acknowledgment, he turned and left. His mission had been complete.

The Hokage's office wasn't what he had imagined, it was far more illuminated and white than he had thought it would be and it barely smelled of tobacco despite Shikamaru's lack of memory of the most powerful man in Konoha without a pipe on his lips, his fingers were forever stained with a yellowish color as Asuma's were. Hiruzen had probably smoked cigarettes in his youth, it was a surprising fact that both shared, Shikamaru looked at them both in look for physical resemblances but found none. He was tired, he decided, and that's why he wasn't able to spot their similarities.

In the back of the old man shone light and glass, it drew patterns on the floor and the tips of his toes were it reached. The place seemed so bright that there was almost no room for shadows and he felt unwelcomed, it was a strange feeling. He glanced up and saw darkness, finally, something that suited him. He raised an eyebrow and the roof seemed to move, he gasped and looked down again, the Hokage smiled kindly, his wrinkles stretched.

Hiruzen stood from his seat, moving around his desk to be in front of them, he was wearing white robes. "I'm glad you came, I want to apologize for not talking to you in your previous mission, I was swamped with paperwork," the old man spoke incredibly softly, Shikamaru remembered that his last interaction with him had been a scolding. Shikaku's response at the embarrassment had been a sigh. Asuma made a sound with the back of his throat and Hiruzen glanced at him, smiling. "Yes?" The Hokage asked.

"The C-rank went as planned. Although we carried out our work for four days more than planned I notified both the administrative staff and the relatives of the gënin, so nothing was done outside the rules." Asuma's response seemed planned, automatic, he had reacted harshly at them when a mention of his father made its way through their lips, but the behavior still seemed out of place coming from an adult under his command.

Hiruzen's face did not waver, he replied to the report with a widening of his smile, his eyes roamed them three, and not another glance was dedicated to their teacher. Both of them seemed to be dancing around each other without knowing how to interact. "Is that so?" He said, "I've heard about your new training system. How it was for you, team 10?" Hiruzen didn't call them kids Shikamaru noticed.

"It was… alright," Chöji answered, the weight of their backpacks still lingered in their bones as a silent reminder of what they will have to endure in the future.

Hiruzen laughed shortly, unlike Asuma, he did have a hoarse voice. "I thought you would say something like that." He turned and walked towards his seat again, the light coming from the window bathed him, the robe became full of the glass' pattern until he seated and the chair protected it from the drawing. "I'm glad you had a good experience, a second C-rank without any confrontations is something you should celebrate. Few people have such luck." He cleaned some crumbs or dust off his desk, Shikamaru could not see anything to be cleaned, it was probably to occupy his hands. "Now, if you would excuse us, your sensei and I have something to talk about. Keep up your good work!" He added and dismissed them, the three of them glanced at Asuma before retreating, after all, they couldn't overrule an order from their leader, could they?

Not long after his graduation from the Academy, Asuma started to smoke. At first glance, it was just a way to irk his father or grab a little bit of his attention, but Hiruzen's reprimanding look barely covered what his expectations were. In truth, young Asuma was an impressionable child who admired his father as any kid admired theirs, and smoking seemed a good way of sharing something with the man responsible for half his DNA. Despite that, the more he grew -teenagers were still teenagers regardless of their ninja status, so antagonizing their parents was a rule they followed to their core, their chakra system made their tantrums more dangerous than average, but a ninja village was more than capable of subduing their outbursts,- the more he sought to differentiate himself from his father and his status.

His last name supposed a threat to every enemy he encountered despite the fact that they hadn't crossed paths until then. More than once a fight ended before it started because 'that's the Hokage's son, we can't fight him.' He could have excused their unwillingness to fight him had it been because of his clan's reputation, but it wasn't the case. They feared retribution in the form of a grieving Hokage capable of wiping them off with a flick of his wrist, it irked him to the point of frustration because he wasn't able to prove his worth but ultimately because Hiruzen wouldn't grief his son's demise. Their sole base of their presumptions was false.

He left the village the morning after he informed the Hokage about the Daimyo's offer for him to join his personal guard and Hiruzen hadn't flinched, it didn't suppose a deflection but it wasn't considered a temporary license, either, but still, Hiruzen's face had shown no emotion regarding his son's departure, and that settled the type of relationship they will still carry to this day.

It wasn't until the day Töu returned from the city and yelled "you are in the Bingo Book, brat!" And kissed him softly earning his smile and a slight lick on her lips, that he heard from his father again. This time, however, the Hokage overcame the parent louder than any other time and he screamed to Asuma, threatening to drag him back to the village to fulfill his duties as a leaf ninja. My son in the Bingo Book, he had said when meeting, a scowl on his face for such undignified reward, like Asuma was tarnishing his name by association. The Daimyo, however, subdued Hiruzen, telling him that Asuma's presence in the Bingo Book was caused by actions performed during his duties as the protector of the Fire Lord, and the Hokage had no power to dispute the resolution.

He only came back to the village after the group divided and their members fought each other to death, carrying Töu's corpse back to bury her somewhere pretty enough to deserve her, because she had been his first love and he had been her last.

"Talk me through it," Hiruzen said, unbuttoning his robe.

"He knew about the Ino-Shika-Chö alignment," he replied.

"Not surprised there, many do, civilians with power do tend to get information about shinobi' formations."

"Yes," Asuma complied, "but he knew the number assigned to my team because he asked specifically for it. He shouldn't have."

Hiruzen grabbed his pipe and lightened it, Asuma's fingers itched to reach for his own cigarette but he contained his need, the Hokage smoked and scratched his chin, "that supposes a problem, yes."

"There's a breach somewhere," Asuma said eagerly, "someone is selling our information, if that man knows, what's stopping someone else from buying his way out of our intel?"

Hiruzen smiled, "numbers assigned to our teams is hardly our best-kept secret, Asuma dear." He waved his hand dismissively, "I'll have people look into this regardless, just to make sure no one is bold enough to go for Naruto's team, seeking for his bijuu or Sasuke's Sharingan."

"Right," Asuma almost spat venomously, "that. But he went for my team, not Kakashi's."

Hiruzen blinked, watching him with his old, wrinkled eyes, Asuma never felt more repulsion for his father as he felt now, "yes, he did. But he was also harmless."

"For now."

"Don't make of this something that it isn't," Hiruzen said calmly, smoke leaving his mouth, "besides, those who are actually interested in finding our teams' arrangements don't have to dig deeper, for instance, Kakashi is quite a noticeable man, people will undoubtedly know his team members without the need to search through Konoha's intel. And considering their feat in Wave, well, I doubt there's people not knowing their names by now."

"We are talking about team ten," Asuma pinched the side of his leg as to keep his temper in control, "I understand the importance of two of the members of team seven, but we are talking about my team and the three clan heirs that compose it."

"Well, it isn't as if you don't have a reputation of your own," Hiruzen replied with a slight furrow of his eyebrows, his fingers tapping the wood of his desk, Asuma clenched his jaw. "Your kids are safe, I order you to worry no more about the subject, I promise you I will look into it personally if necessary, but now we have more pressing matters to discuss..."

Few things woke Ino's past self as the declaration of their enlistment in the Chünin Exams. Her voice rose high enough for the lights on Yakiniku Q to flicker, Shikamaru watched perplexed how the light bounced off the wall. She threw her hands in the air and smiled widely, proclaiming herself as the future queen of the exams, Asuma tried to explain to her that they didn't work like that, but Ino wasn't listening. After Asuma's words of encouragement and belief that they could pass it with flying colors, it seemed like she closed her brain to new interactions. Regardless, she looked pristine, clean, happier, he wondered if it was because Konoha was a better place to live than Suna.

"I can't wait to tell-" she paused, her smile disappeared and then quickly returned, it didn't reach her eyes anymore, "dad will be so happy!" She claimed, resting her hands on her cheeks and her elbows on the table, sighing contentedly.

"Do we have to?" He decided to ask slumping his shoulders, dragging the words out. Ino did give him a look of disgust by his lack of eagerness to participate in an exam she didn't quite seem to understand, and it made him happy, he liked to push her buttons. "Can we say no?"

"Of course not," she replied, her hand slapping gently the table. It was fantastic how entitled she was.

Asuma sighed and dragged a hand through his face, "you technically can refuse, yes," he replied, Ino went slightly pink. "But if you say no, then none of you can participate, only complete teams can take the exams."

At this, Ino's raised both her eyebrows in surprise, her mouth open, "well that settles it then," she deadpanned, "we are all in."

"Excuse me?" Shikamaru grabbed his chopsticks and pointed at her, she found the gesture to be rude and her eyes narrowed, "I haven't reached a decision yet."

"What is there to decide?" She stretched as to reach his personal space but the table in between them forced her to return to her previous position, the wood had dug on her stomach, "you think our dads won't be watching us? Can't you think of the repercussions of us saying no?"

"I don't think there will be any repercussions," Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, "we aren't ready yet."

"Perhaps in your clan, Chöji and I might not run with the same luck." She opened her arms and pointed at Chöji who seemed surprised at her inclusion and then, just as quick, saddened.

For a moment, Shikamaru dreamed to grab her by the wrists and squeeze until she yelled in pain for her troubles, for her to speak so freely with the purpose of manipulating Chöji into picking her side was a new low and a disgusting tactic. How could she take such advantage over the fragile self-esteem of the adorable chubby boy? She couldn't not know of Chöza's judgment of his son's worth, it was likely that Inoichi had told her about it as the gossiper he was, why would he not? Shikamaru could not think worse of Ino. "Don't you dare use Chöji." He warned, his hand turned into a fist. Ino looked confused.

"She's not manipulating him, Shikamaru." Asuma's hand was warm against his and made his heart slow his pace, he hadn't noticed the way his heartbeat had accelerated, "she doesn't know."

At that, Ino glanced at both of them, "I don't know what?" She demanded, and Shikamaru dignified her by looking at her and ignoring her, he unclenched his jaw. Under deeper considerations, it was unlikely that, if Inoichi knew about Chöza and Chöji's relationship, he would have said something to the girl who looked for any excuse as to derogate them, he had -perhaps- judged her too quickly, but he was still under the belief that his appreciation was justified. "I don't know what?" She tried again, this time looking at Chöji for answers. The boy reddened and glanced to the floor, and with a roll of her eyes, Ino stood. "Since this meeting is clearly over," she spoke with disdain, "I will leave you to your own devices. I'll leave my inscription in the Hokage building tomorrow, Asuma-sensei."

"Ino..." Asuma sighed.

"I'm fine." She replied dismissively, "I'm going home now, enjoy the meal." And with a last nasty look thrown at him, she left.

"Alright, listen-" he tried to speak once she disappeared from view, but Asuma's hand tightened over his and the action was of comfort no more.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, his tone unforgiven, "I get that you don't get along, but you can't misjudge her character like that. It was so uncalled for-" he said, massaging his temples, Shikamaru quickly recovered the hand assaulted by the jönin, "I swear, I thought she was the major problem, but you're no better..."

"That's..."

"True-" Asuma silenced him with a pointed look. "This is the last time I will allow this type of behavior of yours, tomorrow, you will handle your inscription to the chünin exam in the Hokage building. If not, I will simply expel you from my team. We'll see if your family is such above repercussions as you stated."

There was no answer he could give to change Asuma's mood or reprimanding look. At least he hadn't said a word to his father, so he was spared from the scolding of the only man that could make Shikamaru's eyes wet enough to share a tear. He wanted desperately to explain his reasoning, but Asuma sent him home without allowing him his defense. Ino was to blame, but Ino was not in charge of the threads pulled on his brain that allowed him to reach such conclusion. He could ask for her forgiveness, but little will do when she had probably duel on the meaning behind his words all alone, adding fire to her resentment. Would she tell Inoichi? It was unlikely she had done so, for no tall, blonde man knocked on the door to make him pay for his misstep.

It became clear after the clock marked three hours past midnight that he will not be sleeping, so he sat on the chair in front of his desk and turned on the gas lantern by turning the knob. Its light was orange and unforgiven, he blinked at its intensity until his eyes were used to the brightness. Dwell on what had transpired the day before will do nothing for him, he will still have to endure the consequences of what he had implied, so he dipped his pen in the inkwell and wrote his name in the paper Asuma had given him, he signed it hastily, already upset for what was asked of him.

Ink stained his fingers and he watched it drip on his skin.