Work Text:
Shikamaru Nara’s world had only come crashing down once before, but even then he was as calm as ever, his analytical brain kicking into full gear at the hint of chaos. That day, nothing could have stopped him from coming up with a plan. He was a genius after all; and besides, he didn’t have much of a choice considering the fate of the world was resting on his shoulders. But today, when everything around him began to crumble once again, Shikamaru was completely frozen in place and the level-headed ego he maintained shattered right before his eyes.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” his voice came out so small and weak that he barely recognized it as his own.
The eyes of the nurse he was speaking to were downturned with sympathy and her voice grave, “Dr. Haruno is doing everything she can but it’s best to prepare for anything.”
His heart pounded so loudly in his ears that he didn’t even hear the nurse slip away, leaving him frozen in shock and alone right outside the door of the hospital’s surgery room. His breath was heavy and ragged and no matter how quickly his mind reeled for answers, his brain struggled to produce any logical lines of thought.
Temari, blood loss, critical condition, the words he heard Sakura bark towards her team of medics haunted him. Just this morning, he and Temari were dancing in their living room to his father’s old music records. He could recall the way she felt in his arms, energetic and cheerful, as she playfully teased him for his name suggestions for their unborn child who they had just learned the existence of two weeks prior. How was it possible that the scene could shatter and slip from his grasp in a matter of minutes? Was the future he saw for his family so delicate?
Suddenly, the image of himself sitting alone in their empty home swiped away the picture of his wife’s bright smile. Abandoned baby books scattered on the floor, a crib that was yet to be built lying in pieces, and worst of all, the deafening silence that wasn’t filled with Temari’s quiet humming. His mouth ran dry and the thought of it all caused his legs to buckle beneath him, sending his body crashing towards the hospital floor.
Hands grasped at the fabric of his clothes to hold him up and he turned to meet the gaze of familiar blue eyes and blond hair. Without a word, Naruto led Shikamaru’s exhausted body towards a row of chairs and gently lowered him into one. When their eyes met again, Naruto could see the physical and mental fatigue that plagued his normally cool and collected friend. Not knowing what else to do, he reached over and gave the Nara man a light squeeze on the shoulder.
“She’ll be okay,” the blond-haired man whispered reassuringly, “she’s with the best medic in the world.”
Shikamaru could only nod in acknowledgement, not trusting the sounds that may come out of his mouth if he attempted to speak. Minutes felt like hours as the two men sat in silence and the incessant beeping of nearby medical equipment was threatening to drive Shikamaru insane. If it weren’t for Naruto’s comforting hand on his shoulder, he may have already smashed the machines to pieces.
The sound of doors sliding open made him shoot to his feet so quickly that his vision blurred and his body swayed in protest. But he didn’t care. Stumbling slightly, he appeared before Sakura in an instant and held her by the shoulders, a frantic look in his eyes.
“Sakura, please tell me they’re okay,” his voice broke. Sakura’s steady hands reached out to cover his trembling ones as he released his iron grip on her, a wave of guilt washing over him when he realized his fingers had left red marks on her bare skin.
With a small smile, she replied, “They’re okay.” Shikamaru released the breath he didn’t realize he was holding when her words reached his ears. “But—” his heart dropped. “—we still need to monitor Temari and the baby very carefully. We’ll have to keep them at least overnight.”
Shikamaru swallowed and nodded as Sakura let go of where she held him hands in an effort to comfort him. Once she did so, he allowed his arms to drop limply to his sides and his head hung low. There was a sense of relief that washed over him but a creeping dread threatened to take over and he had to fight with everything he had to keep it at bay.
As if sensing his conflicting emotions, Sakura reached to squeeze his upper arm before adding, “I will personally look after their care. I’m not leaving the hospital until they can be discharged, I promise.”
His eyes lifted to meet hers and he hoped that the gratitude he felt towards his former classmate was communicated clearly in his gaze. As he reached to squeeze her hand where she held his arm, he whispered “Thank you, Sakura.”
Another hand clapped him on the back.“No more worrying, go see your wife,” Naruto said as he ushered him towards a hospital room. Sakura only smiled and waved them on. Once they reached the door, Naruto gently urged Shikamaru into the room before exiting and closing the door with a soft click.
His breath caught when he took in the sight before him. Temari’s blonde hair was in wild disarray as it splayed on the pillow under her head and her skin was deathly pale. As he approached her, his chest lurched at the way she suddenly looked so frail and delicate, words that he never thought he would use to describe his fiery wife.
He pulled a chair to the side of her hospital bed and sat, his movements alarmingly robotic due to shock. It wasn’t until he saw the rise and fall of her chest and the beeping of the machine that let him know her heart was beating that he let the turmoil in his brain release in waves of emotion.
Pressing the back of her limp hand to his forehead, Shikamaru allowed the dam he built to crumble and a flood of tears fell from his eyes before splattering on the bed sheets below. For several minutes, his body racked with sobs as he choked out desperate apologies. The nagging voice in his head taunted him with all his shortcomings. Maybe if he wasn’t so caught up with work as the Hokage’s advisor, he would have noticed something was wrong with her sooner. Maybe if he took the time to read the baby books she brought home, he would have been able to do something rather than wait helplessly as she fought for her and their child’s life.
It wasn’t until he felt her hand move from where he clutched it to cup his cheek that the criticizing voice began to dissipate. Temari’s tired eyes watched him with a love that he was sure he didn’t deserve even an ounce of. Her hand was so gentle and light where she caressed his skin. Seeing her awake made him feel as if he was a man seeing sunlight for the very first time.
“Hey there, crybaby,” came her voice, heavy with exhaustion.
“Temari,” he breathed, pressing her hand closer to his cheek. He never wanted to let go ever again.
“The baby’s okay,” he added quickly when he watched her other hand shoot to her belly, her tired expression twisting to a bewildered look. At his words, she relaxed but kept a protective hand hovering over her womb.
“Thank god, he’s okay,” she finally said. The tension in her shoulders visibly released as she closed her eyes.
At that, Shikamaru chuckled lightly. “He?”
“Call it mother’s intuition,” their eyes met and a snarky gleam appeared in her forest green eyes. It filled him with joy to see her usual demeanor return.
They sat in silence for a while until the events of the day caught up to Temari and she drifted to sleep. Shikamaru watched her face, peaceful and beautiful, as she rested. He realized then that he had taken her for granted. In the era of peace, he led himself to falsely believe that no harm could come to his little family as long as there were no more wars. But in his haste to keep human enemies at bay, he had forgotten about the most formidable foe of all: death.
He was no stranger to how quickly such a fate could overcome a person but never in his life could he imagine that Temari, a force of strength and determination, could fall victim to it. But what he learned today was that life is more delicate than he could possibly perceive. And he would never take a moment for granted ever again.