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One Hour Post Destruction

Shikamaru watches as Naruto gets lifted into the air by elated and newly resurrected villagers. People who had been dead and lifeless. People who, not even an hour ago, Shikamaru had been mourning for at the realization that his city had been massacred by a single man.

They had been saved by a single man too.

One with golden hair and an ever present smile, who loved his village even when the people living in it hated him for the beast he held inside him. Only now, they cheer for him as their savior. The man who had saved their lives, not by fighting, but by talking.

Standing faceless in the crowd, biting his tongue as to not grimace from the pain of his shattered leg, Shikamaru fights back a wave of tears. Not from the relief of Konoha's survival, or from the agony in his body, but from the crippling realization that he is no match for the man he loves.

He's known it in a vague sense thanks to the countless times he's witnessed Naruto do the impossible time and time again, but here and now, it feels crushing. Naruto Uzumaki had caught his attention, fully and completely during their chunin exams. Back when Shikamaru had looked up and could only stand by and watch as the little, sad, troublesome boy he had befriended transformed into someone barely recognizable. He'd grown into young man who was brave, and impossible, and shined so bright that the people around him had no choice but to change for the better. Ever since then, a part of Shikamaru's attention has been solely devoted to the other boy.

Now, he feels insignificant standing in his shadow. He'd been helpless and useless while Naruto had gone off and stood against an adversary capable of the total destruction of their home and accomplished something miraculous. He had won.

The crowd that now hefts him had been dead.

They had been dead, and the man he loves had been the one to save them all.

Except, he had done it standing alone— and Shikamaru hates himself a little bit for it.

Six Hours Post Destruction

With his leg freshly set, but still aching since Sakura and Ino don't have a drop of chakra to spare for anything past the most urgent and basic healing, Shikamaru lays in the grass at the edge of the Nara woods and finds himself despising being idle for the first time in his entire life.

In the heart of the crater there are already people clearing rubble, setting up triage, and gathering any useful resources that have remained intact after Pain's destruction. Frankly, Shikamaru would rather be down there helping, but even hobbling out to the edge of the city by the Nara compound had left him a shivering, achy mess and nearly caused him to vomit from the pain twice.

Of course, the only time he has a excuse to laze about would, naturally, be when he discovers his motivation. It feels a bit like he's the butt of some cosmic joke— like some far off spirit is pointing at him and laughing.

'Look, just when the lazy mortal finds a reason to want to put in work, he can't because he's too injured! And get this, it's all because he's in love too!'

Shikamaru groans at the clouds and wonders just exactly how he's wound up here— wishing that Naruto would appear at his side and smile that smile of his that makes Shikamaru feel like he's the only person in the world.

Apparently, his broken leg has also made him delusional. Or maybe he suffered some brain trauma in the chaos that would explain his new inane thoughts. Especially since Naruto is currently passed out in a makeshift tent, having slipped into unconsciousness the second Sakura convinced him to lay down so she could assess him. Which means he is most decidedly not going to come looking for Shikamaru anytime soon.

That doesn't stop Shikamaru from irrationally wanting it, even if by now Naruto is functioning on a whole other level to Shikamaru. The gap in their skill so wide Shikamaru wonders if he's ever going to be able to close it and get a chance to stand by his friend as an equal again.

He thinks that if can ever convince Naruto to stay in one place for long enough he just might be able to chip away at the distance between them. But considering that involves Naruto not unlocking a previously unseen mastery in an obscure skill or jutsu, Shikamaru isn't liking his chances. Not unless he feels like digging up some ancient Nara techniques that no one's been able to perform in decades to even the playing field.

Shikamaru cracks his eyes open from where they've slipped shut and squints up at the dusk sky.

Shit.

He is so going to have to do just that if he ever wants to be the one at Naruto side, isn't he.

"Troublesome," he mumbles at the clouds before letting himself slip into sleep.

One Day Post Destruction

The small shanty town that's functioning as their medical camp is full of bodies and grime. It's actually less full then Shikamaru would expect given the total genocide of their city, but it's still packed with people too injured to help with the relief efforts.

Shikamaru's come looking for Sakura to see if she can do anything about the ache his leg still holds, but she's must be in one of the many makeshift tents because Shikamaru can't spot her among the cots or wandering the busy aisles.

Naruto is the one who finds him, still grinning despite the ruin their city is in.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" He greets, bounding into Shikamaru's space, seeming to have recovered from his stint of unconsciousness.

"Hey, idiot. What are you doing here?"

"I was checking in on Hinata," Naruto replies, and then uncharacteristically, he blushes.

Katsuyu had annotated a lot of Naruto's battle with Pain to the gathered shinobi who had survived the initial attack. Hinata entering the fight to try and protect Naruto had been totally unsurprising to anyone aware of her feelings about Naruto. It had perhaps been even less surprising to Shikamaru, who had desperately wanted to do the same thing at the time, his broken leg be damned.

Hinata had done exactly what Shikamaru failed to. Stay by Naruto's side.

"So she finally confessed?" Shikamaru questions because his curiosity has always been his worst vice.

Naruto lifts and arm to scratch the back of his neck and blows out a breath, "So everyone really did know about her crush but me, yeah?"

Shikamaru lifts his brows, "Pretty much."

"Damn, Sakura's right, I really am a complete dunce."

"Not really. There are other places you excel, and even then, you're pretty good at noticing a person's feelings, just not the romantic ones," Shikamaru shrugs. He really wants to get out of this conversation that's a little bit too close to home for his liking. It's way too troublesome.

Narutos eyes crinkle, "Thanks, Shikamaru. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was looking for Sakura," he admits.

"Oh, she's in with Tsunade. She's been trying everything she can think of to wake Grams up," Naruto says, "Want me to take you there?"

"Nah," Shikamaru waves him off, "I just wanted to confirm that Tsunade hasn't woken up yet."

It's a lie, but Shikamaru isn't going to waste her time getting her to fix an ache when she's busy trying to heal their Hokage.

Naruto nods in agreement, "Yeah, the old woman's still out cold, leaving all the hard work for the rest of us, ya know."

Shikamaru huffs a small laugh, "Seems like it, but if that's the case I better go help out somewhere I'll be useful."

"Alright! See you later, Shikamaru! Let me know if I can help," Naruto grins and slips away through the crowded pathways with a flicker.

Shikamaru sighs and turns away to see what he can do for the city.

Finding the collection of urban planners, architects and engineers spearheading the beginnings of the reconstruction efforts takes little time— mostly because they're complaining. Loudly.

The group is in the epicentre of the area that's been cleared of it's rubble, standing on up-churned earth and using what was formerly someone's door, propped up on some salvaged fence posts, as a meeting table.

"I can't believe the audacity— asking us to focus on the tower and academy while people don't have homes?"

"Without the Hokage the council is scrambling—"

"Covering their asses more like."

"Yeah, they tend to do that," Shikamaru slips in, causing the dozen tradespeople to all turn to gape at him, "Tell me what the problem is, so I can fix it."

The eldest of the group stands opposite from him, at the head of their slapdash table. He studies Shikamaru and his hitai-ate with a deep consideration.

"It's been commanded that the first thing we rebuild be either the administration offices at the academy or the hokage tower," he says, breaking the silence Shikamaru has cast them in.

"—not that our Hokage is even conscious to be living in it," a younger man mumbles under his breath.

He has a point, but as a shinobi Shikamaru isn't going to bring it up.

"We're in a weak spot, basically sitting ducks with the wolves circling to see if they can get away with an easy meal. If the shinobi are going to protect Konoha, they need a place to do it from," Shikamaru explains.

Shikamaru sees some of them understand his point. The man standing on his right seems familiar.

"You're Akihito Moto, aren't you? The one who pitched widening the streets around the academy to improve pedestrian traffic during peak hours, right?"

"You read that?" Akihito asks, eyes wide with bafflement.

Shikamaru shrugs, "It was a good proposal. Did you study the Academy blueprints while you were drafting it?"

Akihito sputters his confirmation.

"Then you're the one whose probably seen them the most recently. How much help would you need if you were to redraft them?"

"Ah— not much. Another set of eyes perhaps?"

Shikamaru looks to the young woman, not yet in her mid-twenties, crowded in on the opposite corner. "Masako Shirai, right? You studied under Old Ito?"

"That's correct," she doesn't startle like Akihito, in fact, she doesn't even seem surprised to be addressed.

"I assume he taught you his knowledge on shinobi architecture?"

Old Ito had drafted practically every building in the shinobi sector for the better part of five decades before he passed two years ago.

"He did."

"Then you and Akihito can take lead on the Academy reconstruction. Between the two of you, your knowledge should cover everything you need. Oh, and include the wider roads, would you?" Shikamaru instructs to a stunned Akihito.

"I mean— I— yeah, sure," the other man stutters.

Shikamaru shrugs, "If we're going to rebuild the city may as well improve it while we're at it. Oh, and when you're ready to actually build it, request for it to be a shinobi led workforce. Any of the ninja around would be thrilled to be given something visibly impactful to do, and it'll keep them from breathing down the rest of your necks when you start your work."

"Who the hell is this kid?" a grizzled, older woman rasps to the man at the table head. She asks it, not with anger but with a heavy mixture of bafflement and pissed-off disbelief.

"He's the Nara boy," the eldest replies, still watching Shikamaru intently.

As much as Shikamaru tries to avoid thinking about it, the name Nara holds weight, even in civilian circles, and the table is now reassessing Shikamaru with new respect and deference.

"What's your name?" Shikamaru asks the man opposite him.

"Kō Morimoto," the man replies.

"Can you tell me what infrastructure remains?"

Kō inclines his head and speaks, "The damage only impacted anything above ground. Our sewer systems and waterways are still intact, but the people have turned to using well water since the pipes and corresponding pumps aren't currently functional."

"Electricity?" Shikamaru prompts.

"The power plants down at the falls and the dam are untouched and still storing power according to reports, but the relay station is gone so there's currently no safe way to access any of it."

Shikamaru digests this, "Aid from the closest villages is still probably two days out, so construction really can't begin until then, when stable supply lines can be established. Focus on figuring out what to prioritize and nail down a plain of action before then, so you can hit the ground running when materials become available.

"Your first instinct is going to be to focus on temporary shelters, but the nights are only going to get colder. Think about treating the sick and getting electricity to the people sooner rather than later. Also think about food—cold rations will only go so far. Establishing restaurants and communal kitchens will do a lot for the people's morale."

"All wise things to take into consideration," Kō agrees. "We'll put up temporary long houses out south by the current gathering points, but starting on permanent infrastructure, if we begin with the academy we should focus on the nearest neighboring residential areas to centralize construction.

"Kashiwa Avenue would be the best candidate then," a man seemingly redrawing a Konaha road map from memory speaks up, "It's mainly residential, but was host to many small business and community buildings that we would benefit from reopening early."

"The Heritage Sector is another early necessity," Shikamaru continues, "we're going to need the administrative offices and municipal buildings if we're going to make sense of the chaos."

"We're going to have to rename it now," comes a mumbled remark.

"Probably just wind up calling it the New Heritage Sector anyway, won't we," is the whispered reply.

"In that case, we have two days to draft two whole neighborhoods, and prepare the building sites," Kō announces, looking to the gathered assembly, "Get to work, and I'll inform the Council that we're starting on the Academy and surrounding area as soon as possible."

With the collected tradespeople immediately scrambling for salvaged paper and pens, Shikamaru departs before anyone can think to ask him any follow up questions, and heads to search for Might Guy, who he's heard has taken enthusiastic charge of the rubble removal. He may as well pitch in since he's able, even if he has a feeling his leg is going to make him regret it.

Hours later, covered in grime and dust, and sore all over, he trudges back to the Nara compound, leg cramping tighter with every stride. Being on the outskirts of the city, and positioned so close to the Nara forest, has protected some of their buildings. Barely protected, really— but having foundations intact and in some cases, beams and walls still standing means the Nara's are in a better position than most everyone else in Konoha.

His dad is standing in the central square of their compound, making notes in a ratty notebook, while all of the physically fit Nara's are hauling rubble, gathering belongings and taking measurements. It is exactly what's going on in the center of Konoha, and yet it feels so far removed from the destruction behind him that it makes Shikamaru blink as if the twisted illusion of a seemingly normal construction site is going to fade away as he watches.

There is no sorrow or grief here, no families digging through splintered wood in the vain hope of finding a memento or toy to soothe their children. Here, it is just the rational actions of the Nara clan moving forward.

It's odd to be confronted with the clear fact that his family is more privileged than the rest of the city. It leaves a bitter coating in his mouth.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," Shikamaru mutters as he stops next to his dad.

Shikaku glances briefly at him as he continues making note of measurements shouted over to him by his uncle.

"Surprised by what?"

Shikamaru's great uncle lowers the makeshift yard stick he's improvised to move off to where cousin Shinro's home once stood.

"That you're already rebuilding the compound," he shrugs.

"Actually Shichiro, best call it here, we're losing too much light," his dad calls. His great uncle flashes a thumbs up, swings the measuring stick up onto his shoulder and pads off towards the fire pit they've set up back towards the forest, fresh wood just sparking up under Auntie Shion's hands.

"Why would it be surprising that I'm rebuilding my clan's home?"

"It's just that—" Shikamaru huffs at his dad doing calculations in the margins of his book, seeming unconcerned and unburdened despite the state their city is in.

"What about the rest of them?" Shikamaru asks his father, head tilting down the hill, towards the heart of Konoha.

"I'm sure people down there can look after themselves, son. You know I am the head of the Nara clan, it's my job to look after these people up here."

Shikamaru hums at his father's reply and it makes Shikaku look up from his notebook to study his son. He puts his makeshift pencil inside as a placeholder and shuts the cover. Shikamaru doesn't like that sign one bit, it means he's piqued his father's interest.

"You disagree?"

Shikamaru squints at his dad. He can try and dodge the question but that would just make him dig in harder. Having a Jōnin Commander for a father sucks sometimes. Still, Shikamaru isn't going to outright admit there's a difference in opinion if he doesn't have to.

"You wanna remind me of our oath as shinobi?" Shikamaru asks.

Shikaku raises a brow, "Protect the city of Konoha? It's been protected, son, and I will protect it the next time it needs me to."

Any expression on Shikamaru's face smooths out into chilling apathy, and it only seems to intrigue his father more.

"And the second part of our oath?"

Shikaku seems to stall before having to recite the oath they all take upon their graduation from the academy, "I, Shikaku Nara, as a Leaf Shinobi of Konohagakure, do swear to protect the city for as long as I live and— and to—"

"and to serve all the people there within," Shikamaru finishes dully, his cool mask of indifference firmly in place as to not betray his growing frustration with his father.

Shikaku nods, "and I am serving my people," he says gesturing to the rest of their clan.

Shikamaru pinches the bridge of his nose, "Your people, dad. You're not serving Konoha's people— just yours."

"Just ours, Shikamaru, you are this clans heir even if you rarely act like it."

He hates when dad throws that in his face. It's not like he ever forgets it.

"And the shinobi oath is just a formality," Shikaku continues. "Sometimes there are things that take priority over our duty as shinobi. Like the duty of a Clan Head"

Shikamaru really doesn't think Naruto sees it that way. That their oaths are nothing but formality. He doesn't even think Hinata— standing alone between Naruto and Pain— would see it that way, despite the pressures of the Hyūga clan doing their best to drown her.

They are shinobi above all else.

For maybe the first time in Shikamaru's life, he protests— and he admits it out loud.

"I disagree," Shikamaru states and watches as his father seem to grapple with the fact that his son, who usually prefers to keep his mouth shut because it always costs less energy than arguing, stands his ground.

"Okay," Shikaku drawls, planting his hands on his hips, "Why?"

Shikamaru's lips twitch into a frown, "I don't know, old man, maybe you should take a walk through the ruins of our home and open your eyes. Then you can try to tell me that we should leave them to 'look after themselves'."

Shikaku's eyes flick down the hill to the rubble and ruin laying there.

"You're people may be up here, but my people includes every single person down there; grieving, hungry and homeless, with no clan leader to serve and protect them."

Shikaku considers this, analyzing his words with careful intent, "What would you do, in my place?" His father eventually asks, seeming curious to hear his response.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not Clan Head, it's not my decision," Shikamaru instinctively attempts to dodge his fathers probing.

"But you are my Heir. Let me hear what you would do," Shikaku pushes.

Shikamaru grits his teeth, he can't say he's thrilled to be exposing his self so clearly to his father, especially when he usually avoids being too familiar with his ever shrewd and prying family. Like a dog with a bone, his clan is, and they have no sense of privacy. Shikamaru prefers a little distance, even if it causes some of them to doubt his ability as heir.

Still, in this case, it may be worth it, even if his father might get a clearer glimpse into Shikamaru's heart than he's comfortable with.

Shikamaru licks his parched lips, "Sixty-five percent of our clan are shinobi, people who are ready to serve Konoha at a moments notice. Then, aside from the children and the retired ninja, the other thirty-five percent are mostly civil servants and academics. Our clan is uniquely gifted to help in a crisis, simply because we have so few civilian family members. And you, what? Would rather keep them all up here, away from the ruin and the wreckage where they could make a positive impact to the people in need down there?"

"I am not stopping any of them from lending aid," Shikaku points out.

Shikamaru runs a hand over his head, slicking back the strands teased loose from his ponytail. "Geez, how dense can you be, old man. You're their leader. If you focus on the compound, they will follow in your footsteps because they expect you to show them the way."

Shikaku gazes out on their family, assessing them and watching the way they tend to tasks within the clan walls.

"I suppose…" his father trails off, eyes stopping on Shikawu, the eldest of Shikamaru's first cousins— just five years older than him and also his father's first nephew. Shikawu's inspecting their perimeter posts, ensuring their stability and marking any that will need to be replaced when they rebuild the wall. He's also periodically gazing down the hill at Konoha, as if he's checking to make sure there are still people moving throughout the rubble.

"I suppose you have a point," Shikaku finishes his thought, studying his son in a way Shikamaru distinctly does not like, before clapping Shikamaru on the shoulder. "Go find your mother, would you? Your younger cousins spent the day trapping rabbits and squirrels. She'll need help preparing them."

"How many they catch?" Shikamaru asks, tilting his head.

"More than we need."

Shikamaru really needs to get away from his father if he's going to keep looking at him like his son is a new form of puzzle. He turns away and heads for the growing fire pit.

"I'll send the rest out to the emergency camps. I'm sure they'll appreciate the fresh meat," Shikamaru replies, speeding up before Shikaku can say anything to dispute him.

He has a feeling it's going to be a pain to dodge his father's shrewd analysis going forward, now that Shikamaru's shift in behaviour has captured his attention. So troublesome.

Three Days Post Destruction

Sure, Shikamaru is distantly aware of their elder Danzō Shimura revolting in an attempt to seize power. Which directly results the rest of the elder council temporarily announcing Kakashi as acting Hokage while Tsunade remains unconscious in an attempt to try and prevent another Great War from breaking out. But in all actuality, Shikamaru is too busy organizing the incoming aid to bother giving it too much of his attention beyond listening to his dad mention it in the few minutes before Shikamaru had rushed out of their camp after waking up.

He does get the subsequent news that Danzō's been killed by Sasuke, and that in the face of the destruction of his home and learning about the truth of his brother's actions, Sasuke has elected to finally return to Konoha to see if he can help the Leaf Village stabilize, which makes Shikamaru snap the pencil stub he's been marking blueprints with.

With his Team Leader displaying a large act of favouritism as acting Hokage, paired with the state of emergency, and because Sasuke has enough dirt on the council to manipulate them into looking past his treason lest he kill them all for their complicity in Danzō's power plays, Sasuke's been pardoned of his past crimes against Konoha. Thus, he is somewhere back inside the village's remaining walls.

He tries not to think about how pleased Naruto must be at his old teammate's choice to return, and then tries to not consider whether Sasuke's choice had been influenced by Naruto himself.

He starts allocating building materials to the eagerly awaiting construction crews instead, because apparently no one knows where to start with that and Shikamaru really doesn't want to think about anything to do with Sasuke for as long as he lives.

After signing off on deliveries from a dozen of nearby villages, he starts helping with the manual labour. The towns near Konoha have brought supplies, but they still need to be transported throughout the ruins, so Shikamaru, like many of the members of the shinobi corps, winds up being ping ponged around the supply depots and evacuation camps hauling goods. He isn't the fastest by any means, especially not when his formerly broken leg occasionally still flares with pain in protest of his continued use of it, but despite that, Shikamaru is often the most efficient.

Shikamaru is a big believer in working smarter, not harder.

He coordinates with the removal teams to clear more direct paths and roadways through the destruction, allowing carts easier access to the upcoming job sites, resulting in less need for foot traffic.

He teaches many of the lower ranked chunin and genin ways to improve their storage seals so they're able contain larger volumes of materials as well as upgrading them so they can hold wide variety of nonstandard materials.

He even starts adapting his Shadow Stitch techniques to lift and manipulate items in his surroundings so the jutsu is no longer limited to just holding and binding things in place.

So, while he's working smarter, he is arguably still working much, much harder than he ever has before. Especially when he winds up depleting his usual chakra reserves and has to start working past his standard limits. He's pushing himself in completely new ways— changing the function of a justsu on the fly is no easy task, but he's getting the hang of it simply because he has no other choice if he wants to continue to be useful.

He wonders what Asuma would think if he could see him now. His lazy student nowhere to be found amidst the ruin. Shikamaru likes to think he would be proud.

The first of the temporary shelters is going up thanks to Kō's efficient planning and the people seem lighter knowing the beginnings of rebuilding are on the horizon.

As night encroaches and and dusk seeps in, Shikamaru meets Tazuna, the man who had brought a sizable work force with him from the Land of Waves bright and early that morning. With fires starting for the night and with the sudden influx of food arriving by cart, people in the emergency camps are roasting fresh vegetables and meats alongside their new, visiting acquaintances.

Shikamaru has stopped simply to inhale a delightfully fresh piece of bread— that normally wouldn't even be all that special, but after three days of salvaged meals, is reinvigorating— when he meets the old builder and his grandson.

At some of the local denizen's encouragement, Tazuna tells the gathered citizens about why he's travelled so far to lend them aid. Tazuna spins a tale of a genin boy who had saved their village against insurmountable odds and how he's here to return the favour. That the boy had changed the hearts of a few missing-nin simply by talking and had thus allowed the Land of Waves to complete the construction of their bridge and free themselves from the clutches of a corrupt man. They had even named the bridge after him in the end.

The Great Naruto Bridge seems a fitting title given it's story.

Shikamaru wonders if there will ever come a day where Naruto stops surprising him.

He hopes not.

Still, he's deeply curious about why what became such a high level mission was carried out by a bunch of genin, even with Kakashi being an Anbu level shinobi. So Shikamaru sticks around under the glow of the fire to talk with Tazuna, even after the civilians surrounding them leave and the night grows ever darker, to get the gritty details the old man had opted to leave out in favour of entertainment.

Even after the less favourable parts of the story that Tazuna hadn't been inclined to disclose to the civilians have been concluded, Shikamaru stays to discusses some of the more technical elements of reconstruction with the bridge builder. His grandson even has a few good ideas about rotating teams and shift work that Shikamaru adds to his list of considerations.

And then Inari asks if he has any good stories about Naruto, and Shikamaru just can't help himself.

He tells him tales of the Chunin Exams, but also of their time together in the academy. Tells him how the brat prankster had grown into the hero of their village. Inari slouches and grumbles and pretends he isn't enraptured by the stories but the gleam in his eyes gives him away. It's clear Inari worships Naruto in a similar way Konohamaru does, and Shikamaru gets a horrible idea about pairing the two of them together. He swiftly locks that idea away, because that combination is sure to be disastrous.

"You're good friends with Naruto then?" Inari asks as Shikamaru runs out of words and his throat grows dry.

"You could say that. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who isn't friends with the knucklehead," Shikamaru yawns as he rises.

"I don't know— I'm not sure Sasuke considers them friends," Inari mentions.

"Yeah, you've got a point. I couldn't tell you what goes on in Sasuke's head."

Just that he is a self-righteous prick who had been so desperate to escape the shadow is his brother that he ran away from the only city he'd ever know in a quest for enough power to kill Itatchi, only to crawl back when he discovered the brother he had successfully killed had been trying to protect the city and him in a deeply misguided and flawed way.

Yeah, Shikamaru doesn't really get Sasuke. Too riddled with angst for his taste.

"I suppose we'll be seeing you around, Shikamaru-san," Inari sends him off before settling in to his own bedroll.

"See ya, kid," Shikamaru says, trying to ignore the pain reappearing in his leg again now that he's standing.

"I'm barely younger than you!"

He sends a lazy wave over his shoulder and dreads his trek back up the hill to the Nara home. On the way, in the quiet night, he stews on the fact he seriously has his work cut out for him if he wants to be a match for Konoha's hero.

Seven Days Post Destruction

The sun is high in the sky when news breaks that Tsunade has woken from her coma. The lingering summer humidity has made everyone sticky and irritable, with the dust kicked up from reconstruction glueing itself to any available inch of dampened skin.

He's coordinating a series of concrete foundation pours across all the active worksites today, and the crew he's working with currently keep suppressing smiles whenever they make eye contact with him. He has to assume he's managed to smear dirt comically somewhere on his face, but he's really beyond the point about caring about appearances. The logistics of pulling off consecutive large scale concrete pours is too big a pain in his ass, but Kō had been at as loss arguing over logistics with multiple masons before Shikamaru had come in, looked at the numbers and crafted a schedule without even batting an eye.

He couldn't turn the elder man down when he had demanded Shikamaru oversee and manage the endeavor. So here he is— on his sixteenth birthday if he's managed to track the days right— probably burning under the sun, and instructing the site's builders on the most effective route for getting their foundations filled in the time-frame Shikamaru's set. A schedule carefully calculated based on the volume of material each foreman had requested and the manpower available on site.

In all actuality, it's not that different from crafting attack routes and setting up scouting patrols while on missions. Still all about knowing what resources you have available and finding the best way to make use of them.

Any doubts he may have about Tsunade's recovery are immediately gone when hours later (and two job sites down Shikamaru's list) she's doubled the assigned man power to the Academy build down the street and has called in every capable and intact shinobi team for roll call and assessment.

Shikamaru skips it. Sends the runner away with a frown and a twitch of his hand. They need to get all this concrete poured today so it can set long before the incoming rain storm makes it to the city, and he's currently the only person who knows his handcrafted schedule. He's not bailing on this just to wait around in a sweaty tent with every other shinobi still capable of standing only to tell someone he's fit to go on active duty. The crew he's with eye him with speculation and only hesitate a moment before continuing with their orders. They seem silently thankful he hasn't abandoned his role and left them to fend for themselves.

What a drag.

They manage to finish all seven sites without even a minor snag. The lead mason he's been working with seems a little bewildered by their impressive achievement. He makes an awed and grateful thanks to Shikamaru that leaves him with the impression that most jobs the other man does normally hit some sort of hiccup during their course. Shikamaru takes the win as a good omen for Konoha's future.

He makes a point to visit and thank the mixing team who had just spent the day combining an astronomical amount of concrete before sending it off without ever seeing a drop of it actually be poured into the beginnings of Konoha's first buildings. The men and woman covered in gravel powder and splattered with water and silt are thrilled to hear the news that not a drop of their hard work had been wasted, and seem especially appreciative that he's taken the time to inform and meet them in person.

Shikamaru scrounges up a cold birthday dinner to eat— arguably it's not even the worst birthday he's had all things considered— and then sets out to track down Sakura. The head nurse at the medical camp who also happens to be in the middle of handing over the reins to the evening shift points him towards the remains of the south gate where she had gone in search of fresh herbs and flowers.

Shikamaru inspects Konoha's damaged border walls as he runs to the edge of town. He's definitely assigning that task to the shinobi sector as soon as possible. If ninja are in charge of guarding the borders, then ninja can at least rebuild the walls they patrol.

He finds Sakura in the stretch of large meadow leading down to the river. She too has dirt smeared on her cheeks and embedded under her nails. She's digging up the last remaining yarrow of the season as the days heat starts abating and the sun sinks lower towards the horizon. The late summer cicadas still drone on, their buzz nearly drowning out Sakura's own gentle humming as she works.

"What do you need, Shikamaru?" She asks with a weary tone and a guarded look as he stops next to her.

Shikamaru feels a spike of guilt for wanting to put even more on her plate. So he doesn’t ask her for help immediately, instead he seeks out the nearest bundle of tiny, white flowers and kneels to start dutifully collecting the tall wildflower stalks.

Sakura sighs at him, "You weren't at the summons."

"No."

"Ino's going to chew you out for it later."

"Most likely," Shikamaru agrees, "but there were more important things that needed doing."

Sakura turns to stare at her basket of medicinal plants. "Maybe there were," she murmurs to herself.

"I would argue looking after your two explosive teammates is also equally important," Shikamaru says, tucking his yarrow bundles into her collection.

"I suppose that's true, but that would mean being able to control either of them in the first place," Sakura replies, lifting her head to scan the field and squinting at the glaring light.

"You might want to give yourself some more credit," Shikamaru scoffs, "I'm pretty sure you're the only one they even listen to."

Sakura frowns at him, "That didn't used to be the case."

"I can't speak for Sasuke, but we've all grown a lot," Shikamaru points out.

Sakura clicks her tongue, "I suppose even Sasuke is more mature, he doesn't go looking for fights to prove himself to everyone, anymore."

"Still starts them, I'm sure," Shikamaru remarks.

"Oh, definitely," Sakura huffs, "even more blunt and rude than ever. Lost any genuine manners he might have had and instead replaced them with pure emotional manipulation whenever he feels like it suits him. Me and Naruto never take his shit though, and happily set him straight— let's collect that mint and sage over there."

Shikamaru follows after her without complaint and they set to work in the new patch of plains. He supposes he can take comfort in knowing that Sasuke's always going to be a piece of work no matter how many years pass.

"But he is fonder than before too," Sakura continues, "he has more appreciation for the things I think he was missing when he was a fugitive."

Shikamaru supposes living as a criminal will do that to a person. He hums in acknowledgement and greedily inhales the soothing and refreshing scents of mint and sage as they intermix upon being picked.

"And for what it's worth, Naruto doesn't only listen to me— he listens to you too," Sakura adds on.

Shikamaru just hums again as to not betray the way her comment makes his heart jump in excitement.

"You're a real pain to talk to sometimes, you know that?"

Shikamaru almost hums a third time, but her pointed glare stops him so he smiles ruefully instead. She rolls her green eyes and practically uproots a mint plant on her next yank. She frowns and carefully stamps the soil back down around the stem.

"Thank you for the help, Shikamaru— and for talking with me," she says, "but why did you really come out here?"

"I need to improve my chakra control if I'm going to be doing this kind of work long term," Shikamaru says, tilting his head back towards town. "I was hoping you would help me."

"You're coordinating most of the civil reconstruction aren't you?" Sakura asks.

He nods, "For right now, seems that way."

"Probably doing a lot of manual labour," Sakura mumbles to herself and stands, hefting the basket.

Shikamaru follows.

"You must be using chakra for extended periods of time and repeatedly through out the day," Sakura says, studying him clinically.

"Pretty much."

Sakura nods, "We're going to be away on mission as of tomorrow morning. It's putting too much attention on the village to have both Naruto and Sasuke in the city limits while we're so vulnerable."

Shikamaru figured as much.

"For now, I'll walk you through the meditation exercises that are best for chakra control and understanding your own chakra flow. For a guy as smart as you, it'll help you identify where you're losing excess chakra and means you can refine the system down so there won't be any wasted energy. That'll improve your long term output and keep your chakra more consistent throughout an extended period."

Sakura cracks her knuckles, "Then, when I'm back, I'll teach you chakra reinforcement techniques. It'll make you sturdier for all the manual labour you're going to be doing."

"What makes you so sure I'm staying here to do manual labour and not going back out on active duty?" Shikamaru wonders.

Sakura fixes him with a skeptical look.

"Because there are more important things that need doing," she parrots.

Shikamaru can't even refute her.

"And you must really believe it to sacrifice your birthday for it."

Shikamaru hadn't thought anyone was going to remember it in the chaos.

"Celebrations are a luxury as a shinobi, not a guarantee," Shikamaru shrugs. He really hadn't expected anything at all from today.

"You see, it might be because I'm not from a clan family, but I never understood that one," Sakura tells him, setting off through the grassland back towards the road now that her basket overflows. "Even in the toughest of times, people deserve to have a moment to celebrate. Otherwise you're just losing part of yourself to your job."

Of all their graduating year, Sakura has the most unique perspectives, most likely due to her having enrolled at the academy after showing a startling aptitude in chakra control for a child born to a civilian family. Shikamaru often feels she has some good ideas the shinobi corps would benefit from taking to heart— if any of the elders ever cared enough to listen.

Shikamaru wonders if she's got all their birthdays locked up in that head of hers. So that even in a crisis, there would always be someone around to make a wish for them. It's a comforting thought to know that even if he were to be away on a mission for his next birthday, that Sakura would be around to remember it anyway.

"You deserve a moment to celebrate yourself, Shikamaru. After all, you've survived another year," she glances over shoulder to eye him up and down. "I'm heading back to town, but I'll swing by before we leave tomorrow morning to teach you the exercises. In the meantime, maybe you should head down to the river and gift yourself a bath."

Shikamaru scoffs a laugh, "Yeah, okay, I hear you. I stink."

Sakura smirks, "You said it not me."

She steps out onto the road and sets off, "Happy birthday, Shikamaru," she wishes without looking back.

"Thanks, Sakura. Try and keep the idiots alive, would ya?"

She barks a laugh, "I'll do my best."

Eleven Days Post Destruction

He hardly has any time to spare, so he makes do by squeezing Sakura's suggested meditation exercises into any moment where he's moderately still and in one fixed place. When he's falling asleep and just after waking up are the most obvious times, but he also practices slipping into meditative states while eating meals and when drafting reports.

She had been right about the new sense of awareness Shikamaru now has about his own chakra. It often still slips out of his fingers if he focuses or thinks about it too hard, but he's familiarizing himself with the pattern of his chakra flow and in what moments he's using up excess chakra when he doesn't need to be.

Even though he might know where his chakra control lacks, it doesn't means he's quite figured out to apply it in practise. He's continually hitting a block when trying to maintain an awareness of his chakra points outside of meditation, so he's yet to refine down his chakra use to improve it's consumption during active jutsus.

It's a problem that's nagging him when he gets home that evening. His father has made progress on the compound, but it's much slower now that his dad is often sending the most fit of the Nara off on tasks to aid the village in some way— whether that be on official missions, or just informally lending his cousins out to the main emergency camps to hunt for provisions. His family seems content with the slower progress, and even seem excited to be raising the roof of the main wing in the next few days.

His father spots his preoccupation when Shikamaru stops listening to him recount the days news multiple times throughout dinner. When his mom gathers up their dishes and bustles over to help one of Shikamaru's aunts with the cleaning his father rises and gestures to him.

He follows Shikaku over to a nearby stump and finds a salvaged shōgi board laid out on top with mismatched pieces scattered and precariously perched across it. There's even a few scavenged, flat stones in place of the usual polished tiles from where the pieces hadn't been recovered.

His father lowers himself to sit at one side with an overly exaggerated groan despite Shikamaru knowing his joints all function just fine, and pointedly looks to Shikamaru to take his place across from him.

He follows suit without complaint. He always does his best problem solving over a shōgi game.

Or he usually does, except on the occasions his father decides to treat the time Shikamaru is stuck in place and halfway through a match he's completely immersed in as the prefect time to interrogate his son.

Apparently, this is one of those times.

After the rapid early game has settled into a slow and precise mid-game, Shikaku waits for Shikamaru to make his next move before speaking up.

"So, tell me, what exactly made you decide to commit yourself to reconstruction duties?"

Shikamaru waits for a moment, planning out his father's next sequence of moves and vainly hoping the man takes his turn so he can dodge his probing. Shikamaru is not that lucky.

"The destruction of my home was a good motivator," Shikamaru shrugs, "Plus my skill set is more useful to the civilians right now."

He silently curses his father for purposely not making a move so Shikamaru has nothing to do but answer him.

"Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that my lazy son has suddenly become highly motivated simply because of some property damage," Shikaku says, cocking an eyebrow and finally moving the exact title Shikamaru expected him to.

"I think this kind of devastation goes beyond a little property damage, old man."

"Maybe, but you don't single-handedly take on the responsibility you are if you don't have some motivation beyond feeling bad about it, son."

Shikamaru makes his counter move with a gentle clink and evens out his breathing instead of answering. Shikamaru should have expected his dad to pick up on the change in his breaths.

"Like that," his dad remarks, "you didn't even care to train your control when I was first teaching you Shadow Manipulation despite me telling you it would make learning the family techniques easier."

"I'm practising it now."

"And I am trying to figure out what has so recently caught your attention to make you care so much now," Shikaku dryly drawls, looking down at the beat up board and moving his tile.

Technically, Naruto caught his attention years ago, but he had pretty swiftly left for three whole years before Shikamaru could decide what to do about it.

He isn't telling his dad anything about his huge crush on their Jinchūriki short of it being tortured out of him, but if he's already probing Shikamaru for information out of his own curiosity, Shikamaru might as well do the same since he's got nothing left to lose. At the very least, he might get something useful out of his dad while he has his interest.

Shikamaru makes a decisive move across the board, "Tell me about the Shadow Step technique."

Shikaku's eyes flick between his son and the move he's just made. His father counters defensively.

"And you're after long-lost Nara techniques too?" His father questions, "What in the world has gotten into you exactly?"

"Stop making it sound like it's some ancient technique, old man, it only skipped your generation," Shikamaru replies.

"Yeah," Shikaku drawls, "because I failed to master it, thanks for the kind reminder."

Shikamaru puts more pressure on his dad's pieces and bites back, "I didn't realize you were still bitter about that."

Shikaku sighs, "I'm not really, I made my peace with why I couldn't master Shadow Step a long time ago.

"To do a Shadow Step, you must completely surrender your learned control over the darkness. You have to be totally enveloped by the shadows— the very thing instilled in us during training as Nara's to never allow. I could never perform it because I could never bring myself to completely rescind control like that. Performing a Shadow Step is less of stepping into the shadows and walking through them to a destination you choose, than it is letting the shadows transport you from where you are to the mere idea of where you want to go.

"You must understand, control is vital to me. As a shinobi, chaos is the real killer. If you cannot completely control your surroundings, you— at the very least— can control yourself and your actions. I could not give that up to the shadows, no matter how much my father assured me it would come to be as if they were one with me instead of a disparate part."

Put like that, Shikamaru can understand why his father gave up mastering Shadow Step, and there might have been a time Shikamaru would have had a similar problem to his father. But these days, after so long admiring Naruto— and being exposed to his affinity for pranks— Shikamaru has learned to embrace the unpredictability that comes in life. A little chaos spinning you out of control can often serve as a reminder to cherish the good parts more when they do happen.

"But aside from rescinding control, there is a second vital part to doing Shadow Step. You need a very, very strong reason to leave the shadows. The darkness will do everything in their power to tempt you to stay in their confines and you must have an impossibly strong anchor to call you back to the physical world after becoming pure shadow yourself. Something that reminds you of who you are and something that reminds you of why you want to keep living," Shikaku explains with grave importance.

Shikamaru blinks and briefly recalls a certain mischievous smile, "I think I've got that bit covered."

Shikamaru immediately regrets saying it because his father looks deeply intrigued.

"Most anchors are people greatly significant to the ninja," his father smirks.

"Are things like goals or purposes not strong enough?" Shikamaru asks, if only for the chance of casting doubt on his father's immediate (albeit correct) assumption.

"They could be," Shikaku allows, "Apparently your great-great-grandfather's anchor was getting the chance to drink his favourite brand of sake, but from what I recall he was the outlier."

Shikamaru tips his chin back to stare up at the darkening sky and the slowly encroaching, grey storm clouds.

"It's a technique that's impossible to teach beyond providing the information," Shikaku explains, "if you really want to do it, son, you can only succeed by following your own instincts."

Shikamaru glances back at the board to see that his father's silently moved his piece while his son was processing. Shikamaru captures one of his father's knights as retaliation.

"So, are you going to tell me who's captured your attention so thoroughly?" Shikaku probes while considering the shōgi board.

"Absolutely not," Shikamaru refuses, "you're going to figure it out one of these days anyway."

Shikaku tisks his tongue and makes a tactical push towards Shikamaru's king, "What? You're going to make your old man have to work for it?"

Shikamaru gives his father a deadpan stare in a silent 'duh'.

Shikaku laughs, "I suppose it will be more fun for me that way."

Shikamaru captures another of his pieces without mercy.

Sixteen Days Post Destruction

His mental block shatters one day as he's doing the hand signs for his improved version of Shadow Stitches. He is tired, and weary, and is long past the point in the day to be able to perform the jutsu sign-less (and it's not even noon yet) when suddenly he can see the way the hand signs pull and shape his chakra as if it's something he's been doing for his whole life.

Sensing the way his chakra is molded during a jutsu immediately allows him to dial down the amount of energy he's letting through the gateways until it's exactly the amount needed to do the jutsu flawlessly without a drop in excess.

Suddenly, his depleted chakra reserves seem so much larger.

He doesn't have the chance to attempt Shadow Step even if he wants to. He's been settling disputes over property claims and making executive decisions over building priorities all week and Kō seems more than happy to let him take charge of the headache inducing issues that keep cropping up. It means Kō has more time to actually approve drafts, coordinate with his teams and tend to permits so Shikamaru keeps his mouth shut about how troublesome it is.

"Nara?" Senior Builder Kazuo Ogawa, the man in charge of the civilian public school project catches him as he's rising from the communal desk in one of the emergency shelters that's been set aside for multipurpose needs. "I need a word."

"What's up? Did the school board finally approve the blueprints?"

Kazuo's eyebrow twitches. "That's the thing, according to them, they approved it the day they received it."

"Then, what was the hold up?" Shikamaru asks, feeling suspiciously like he's about to have a whole new problem to solve.

"Apparently the courier they sent to deliver the approval to me just… couldn't locate me," Kazuo says throwing his hands in the air. "But the courier didn't report the failed delivery so we both just assumed we were waiting on the other."

Yeah, alright, that sure is an issue. He clicks his tongue.

"I'll talk to the postal team. They still don't have an office, but I'll come up with a solution to make sure it doesn't happen again," Shikamaru assures him and Kazuo's shoulder relax as his pent up stress abates a bit.

"Thanks, boss," Kazuo says, grinning at the way Shikamaru's expression flattens at being called 'boss'. "I'll leave it to you and get started on the public school so the Yanagi Ward gets back on schedule."

Shikamaru waves him off and slips away to go find Konoha's postmaster. Their mail office is currently functioning out of one canopy tent with a row of dented metal lockers acting as their sorting system. Manned by their postmaster, a stern woman in her fifties named Rina Imai who, these days, seems to perpetually have a cigarette between her fingers. Shikamaru knows the feeling.

She eyes him over her reading glasses and frowns, "You the Nara? If you're here to complain I can't help you."

Shikamaru takes in her two mail sorters attempting to find a way to organize a whole cities worth of mail without the room or capacity to do it effectively. He's going to have to ask Kō to try and get a post office worked into the schedule sooner.

"Short of building you a whole office, how can I help you?"

Rina hadn't been expecting that if the way her brows skyrocket says anything.

"I need ways to effectively deliver my fucking mail," Rina snaps.

Shikamaru stares at her blankly until her shoulders slump and she takes a drag of her cigarette.

"Sorry, not helpful, I know," she sighs, "The way we're working right now is that we have approximate lists of who's staying in what temporary camp, but since nothing is permanent or guaranteed we can barely ensure the proper people receive the proper mail. The shinobi do a better job, being able to track down specific people faster and more effectively and all, but they've got better things to be doing than running around as glorified postal workers right now, so they're mostly handling their own correspondence at the moment."

Shikamaru considers this. "You need a better way to find recipients accurately without sending your workers on goose-chases."

"Exactly," she agrees, "my team's learning roughly who is where, but without any mailboxes, nothing short of hand delivering it to the right person is effective."

"Could you make a functional mail room in each camp?" Shikamaru wonders, "Then people would be able to ask, and check to see if they have mail themselves."

Rina makes a so-so motion and shrugs, "I've considered it, but people are still moving between housing as beds become available or situations change. It would be a temporary improvement as long as we have the needed resources and are granted the space, but it still wouldn't be effective for urgent messages."

Shikamaru nods, "Do you know much about the Retired Shinobi Union?"

Rina blinks, "Can't say I do beyond knowing it exists."

"If I ensure you have the resources and we establish the mail rooms throughout Konoha's emergency shelters, I can enlist the RSU to help with postal deliveries. Then, we can assign a retired member of the shinobi corps to work alongside your mail workers to cover things such as delivering urgent memos and tracking down people who've moved shelters," Shikamaru explains.

"Well, that sounds great," Rina says, seeming a little surprised he's developed a solution so fast. "Do you think you can get the union to help us?"

"I'm sure that half the retired shinobi are desperate to help in some way," Shikamaru tells her, "The union bridges the gap between active duty ninja and civilians, they'll jump at the chance to help their communities."

"Damn Nara, I'm impressed," Rina praises, "I'll make a list of what I would need to set up mail rooms, and start planning where to put them."

"Send them lists to me, and I'll make sure you get what you need," he says, already turning away to head for his next stop.

Next stop is, oddly enough, home.

His mom is under their newly raised roof, avoiding the faint drizzle that is stubbornly haunting the skies, folding rice balls in seaweed paper with an effectiveness and efficiency that Shikamaru is never going to understand. Grand-aunt Asahi is sat with her on some recently hand-stitched cushions, somehow surpassing even his mom's level of perfectionism in onigiri making, which is impressive.

There are very few elder clan members left in the Nara family due to the losses during the last Great Shinobi War. The ones that remain are like Asahi, who married into the family as a civilian member, or his grand-uncle Shichiro who had survived active warfare by sheer luck, and with great cost. Shikamaru used to listen to story after story about his grandfather and his siblings from Asahi and Shichiro back when he was little and learning his clan's history with a childish enthusiasm he sometimes secretly wishes he'd retained. He hasn't listened to one of those stories in a long time.

"Uh oh," his great-aunt smiles, wrinkles around her eyes deepening as she forms a ball flawlessly, seeming for all the world like the rice still isn't scalding to the touch, "If you've come home at this hour, it's because you're looking to rope someone into work."

His mom chuckles, looking up at him, "How can I help you, my dear?"

Shikamaru takes a seat on their patchwork floor, new wood unstained and unblemished next to the pieces that remain of the original. Asahi immediately puts an onigiri into his hands and motions for him to eat it. It's like the universal rule of aunts or something, feeding their family whenever they're given the chance to.

"I was hoping I could get the help of the RSU actually," Shikamaru says, taking a bite of the fresh rice ball when he's decided the one she's given him has cooled enough that it's safe to eat.

Yoshino pauses from where she's reaching into their large rice pot and stares at him. "You know, I wasn't expecting you to need the entire union but I really shouldn't be surprised."

"Curse of marrying a Nara, Yoshino, you'd think we'd get used to their audacity," Asahi muses.

"What do you want to enlist the union for?" His mom asks, lips quirking at his grand-aunt's comment.

"Mail," he admits with a sigh.

His mom is really smiling now. "You want me to talk to the director of my union about using the retired shinobi to help deliver mail?"

Shikamaru eats his rice ball and nods.

"Yeah, okay," his mom laughs, "I could be convinced to help deliver mail. I'll go find the union leaders after I'm done shaping all this rice."

"Keep up, Yoshi, dearest," Asahi smiles, "You're falling behind."

His mom heaves a sigh worthy of her Nara name and shapes another ball.

Seemingly sensing his plan to leave, Asahi shoves another onigiri at him and gestures for him to take it with a look that clearly warns him against refusing it.

Shikamaru goes back to work, one perfectly shaped rice ball heavier.

Hours later, he gets a hand delivered letter carried to him by his dad's cousin Shigeko who's grinning by the time she finds him lending a little extra manpower to the courthouse restoration. They'd been in need of some help moving the large scale wooden beams required for the atrium and Shikamaru's shadows are perfect for the job since they're faster and more efficient than having four men heft just one post.

"What's with you and finding the oddest jobs to force your family to do?" She asks him when she stops at his side, "First turning your cousins into an amateur hunting party while we re-establish our livestock farms—reports say they're getting really good hauls by the way, and rotating their hunting grounds like you've recommended as to not ruin the animal populations— and now making us deliver mail."

Shigeko likes to talk. Shikamaru often lets her ramble until she runs out of words, it's easier than trying to interrupt her high-speed trains of thought.

"And this is from the postmaster. She figured you may as well be the first recipient of a letter delivered by a member of the RSU. I'd take it, if I were you, she seemed kinda mad when she handed it to me."

She holds out the sealed notice expectantly. Shikamaru has a feeling Rina always looks a little mad, but he's glad his mom's gotten the union on board so fast.

"Technically, I asked the union for help, not my family," Shikamaru sighs, waving at the men on the scaffolding above him to signal for them take a break while he's occupied.

"Half of the adult, female members of your clan are retired shinobi, Shikamaru. You might have been formally making a request of the union, but you were still kind of asking your family."

She has a point.

"Thanks for your input, Shigeko," Shikamaru sighs.

She grins, "Always happy to give you a hard time, little man. Good work, by the way."

She glances to the stack of two story tall posts he's halfway through moving with an assessing eye. No one in his clan has adapted Shadow Stitch into Total Shadow Manipulation like he has before, and Shigeko likes studying new and uncommon things.

She is also fond of him. As the youngest born in his dad's generation she often feels closer to Shikamaru and Shikawu than to her siblings. That paired with her sudden retirement as a ninja due to a head injury detaching one of her retinas has made her a bit of a black sheep among her crop of Nara's.

Shikamaru blandly says. "Please leave now."

"What," she comically pouts, "am I embarrassing our future clan heir at his very important job."

Shikamaru keeps his expression carefully blank.

She gives up first.

"Alright, fine," she relents. "I'll see you, little man."

She's gone in a flash, her speed not having lessened in the slightest, despite her time retired and without half her vision. Shikamaru's always thought she'd been skilled enough to remain on active duty, but she had taken another path after her injury. One that she seemed happy to traverse on her own.

Shikamaru whistles to catch the attention of his men and he gets back to his job of being a one-man-crane. He's starting to feel the impacts of the days shortening as the equinox fast approaches and he'd like to get out of this site before he loses much more daylight.

He's never been more thankful for Asahi shoving that extra rice ball at him than when Sakura finds him as he's leaving the shell of what's rapidly becoming their new courthouse. He has a feeling he's not having dinner for a while yet.

Sakura fixes him with a steady look, "Well, Shikamaru? Ready to learn some chakra reinforcement?"

"No," Shikamaru honestly says, "But we may as well start now."

He's already restructuring his evening to adjust for Sakura's arrival.

"Good, because I'm only in town for the next twelve hours."

Shikamaru blinks, "No kidding."

Sakura nods and waves at him to follow her, "Yeah, we only stopped in because we got some sensitive intel and needed to share it and decide whether or not it meant we needed to update our mission parameters."

"So you figured that you wanted to give me a crash course in chakra reinforcements instead of, I don't know, sleeping?" Shikamaru drawls as he strides after her.

"Don't say I've never done anything for you, Shikamaru," Sakura says with a unnecessarily scary smile.

Shikamaru sighs. He can't fathom what reason she has to do this for him instead of resting.

"What do you know about chakra reinforcement?" She asks, leading them toward the south gate again.

"I know that it takes a similar technique as what we do to flicker," Shikamaru shrugs, "And that doing it right makes someone stronger, sturdier, and more resistant to damage and impacts."

"Good," Sakura agrees, "Usually chakra reinforcements are used in short bursts during tactical deployment due to how tricky they are to maintain long term and how much control it takes to use the right amount of power."

"Usually?" Shikamaru asks because he's curious and knows Sakura's an expert on the topic.

Sakura grins and flexes one of her arms, "I maintain my chakra reinforcements all the time."

Shikamaru nearly stumbles in his surprise, "You, what?"

Sakura laughs at his shock, and shrugs as if it's nothing special, "I can't maintain the chakra when I'm asleep obviously, but Tsunade always pushed me to maintain the technique for longer and longer times, so one day I decided I would just never stop so she couldn't nag me about it anymore."

He knows Sakura has always been a little crazy, but hearing exactly how she's managed to get even more insane is eye opening.

He can't help but think that being on a team with Naruto and Sasuke likely doesn't help Sakura's perception of what's considered a normal amount of power for a shinobi, but he is glad to see she doesn't force herself to be a meek damsel in distress anymore. Needing to stand beside and match her teammates abilities has done a lot for her. Shikamaru gets it, trying to match Naruto is doing a lot for him too.

"Please tell me you aren't going to make me do that," Shikamaru pleads.

"Aw, come on Shikamaru, how else are you going to survive all the physical labour you're doing?" Sakura snarks.

"I'm doing just fine right now," Shikamaru points out.

Sakura nods in agreement, "You are. I saw some of your work just now. You've definitely improved your chakra control if you can maintain a jutsu for an extended time like that. It makes me think about how there used to be a time when you could only maintain your shadow possession for mere minutes."

Shikamaru scoffs. What he wouldn't give to go back to being that unmotivated.

"Learning chakra reinforcement techniques will mean you can jump around your job sites without taking impacts and exert less force when moving heavy loads, which will save you energy in the long run," Sakura explains.

"Alright," Shikamaru concedes, seeing her point, "You better explain how it works then."

"You're right in that it uses similar techniques to flickering. As you know, shinobi speed comes from building up and storing chakra in you feet and releasing that stored energy to propel yourself forwards, increasing your speed relative to how much chakra you're releasing, causing the so called 'flicker' as you suddenly move.

"Chakra reinforcement takes the concept of storing your chakra in specific parts of your body and builds on it. Essentially, your infusing parts of you body— or if you me, all of your body— with chakra to strengthen it."

"Isn't chakra already infused in our bodies?" He asks as they leave the city walls.

"Technically yes," Sakura continues, "but it's stored and flows through specific pathways in your body completely passively. Reinforcement means suffusing the parts that don't usually receive chakra flow, which is mainly your muscles and bones, and actively using that chakra to shield and support those areas."

"This is going to take a lot of conscious effort isn't it," Shikamaru sighs.

"Yup," Sakura agrees, popping the 'p'. She scoops up a hefty stone off the path and tests it's weight in her hand. "But if you get really good, you can do this."

She lobs the rock in the air and then as it falls, she roundhouse kicks out. Her foot splinters the stone with a resounding crack as it connects and she sends the fractured remains of what was once solid granite into the forest next to them. The force of it is startling and shreds the low lying foliage.

She throws another sharp grin at him, "Well? Ready to get started?"

As if Shikamaru has any choice.

Twenty Four Days Post Destruction

Team Seven is never in town for long as the weeks pass, and it makes catching Naruto today especially important for Shikamaru. He had triple checked the roster of active and upcoming deployments in the newly finished academy offices to make sure Naruto would still be in town today.

He gets up earlier than usual which feels impossible since he's been waking in the predawn everyday since Pain's attack, but he leaves his sleeping bag behind while the city is still silent to track down Naruto anyway. He needs to catch him before he leaves for his mission in an hour.

Except he really doesn't know where to find him. Shikamaru figures he must be staying in the temporary shinobi barracks, but it's unlikely he'd be able to track him down there with the current turnover rates that happen in the ninja housing.

So he prays to any listening spirits and hopes his second guess is right.

There is one surviving tree in Konoha's walls. A beech tree that had been the main landmark of the playground not far from the academy. It's canopy is widespread, and had been one of Shikamaru's favourite spots to laze about after the academy let out for the day. And on a few of those days, when Naruto was looking for a quieter place, away from sharp tongues and pointed glares, he would join Shikamaru in it's shade and point out the most creative shapes in the clouds that Shikamaru always missed.

Right now, it's leaves are blinding yellow due to the start of the falling temperatures, but even the golden leaves don't hide the splash of orange sitting at it's roots. Shikamaru is grateful that his hunch had been right.

"Hiya, Shikamaru," Naruto yawns in greeting when Shikamaru is close enough to hear, "What's got you up at this hour?"

"I'm looking for you," Shikamaru admits.

"Me?" Naruto asks, jumping up to his feet to meet Shikamaru. "What for?"

Shikamaru studies his friend. Hair still golden, eyes still endlessly blue, smile still flashing as easy as ever. His heart twists.

"I've got something for you," Shikamaru manages to admit, speaking past his heavy tongue.

Naruto cocks his head to one side in confusion.

"It's your birthday tomorrow," Shikamaru starts with, hoping his words don't fail him now.

"Oh— yeah, I guess so," Naruto agrees, "But what's—"

Shikamaru grabs one of Naruto's warm, rough hands and lifts it, pressing the gift he pulls out of his pocket into Naruto's palm. Shikamaru forces himself to withdraw his fingers away from the other's skin, as much as he doesn't want to.

"Happy birthday, Naruto."

Naruto stares down at the little figurine Shikamaru's just tucked into his grasp. He had whittled the wooden charm himself in the late nights under a starry sky when his cramped muscles wouldn't let him sleep and he got too frustrated to try and keep meditating. He had salvaged the wood from a split hickory tree by the Nara compound and had embarrassed even himself at how diligent and tender he had been in it's crafting.

Not that his feelings are apparent in the handiwork, but it feels a little like he's baring his heart anyways.

"It's a deer…" Naruto remarks, twisting the gift in his hands, "and a— a deer and a fox."

It may be a little on the nose, but Shikamaru hadn't been able to help himself. The deer's modelled after the herd his clan protects. It's a young stag, short antlers sprouting from its head and legs tucked underneath him as a fox playfully sits at his side. The two's noses nearly touch.

"I don't get many gifts," Naruto admits softly, looking at the amateur woodcarving with awe and wonder. "And I've never gotten a handmade one before."

Naruto catches him in a bone-crushing hug before Shikamaru can react.

"Thank you, Shika, I'll cherish it."

Shikamaru's suddenly very glad Naruto is too busy bruising his ribs to see Shikamaru's rapidly flushing face.

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru manages, brushing his hand across Narutos back soothingly. "Just keep it close to you, would ya. That way you can look at it whenever you need a reminder that I've always got your back."

Naruto bounces back and grins at him, tears at the corner of his glittering eyes, but not one escaping.

"I will! I'll keep you close," Naruto says to the figurine, tucking the small trinket into the hidden breast pocket of his jacket, the one shinobi often use to store the most important, mission critical items in. It would be right by his heart. Shikamaru's throat closes. He's not sure he remembers how to breath.

Naruto is going to be the end of him.

"I gotta get to the gate before Sakura decides I'm going to be late," Naruto smiles at him starting to turn away, "but thanks, Shikamaru. It really means a lot to me, ya know. "

"Congrats on making it to seventeen, stupid," Shikamaru returns with a nonchalant wave.

"Who're you calling stupid, stupid!" Naruto calls back, the familiar phrase making him laugh.

Shikamaru watches him go with a fond smile.

It takes him a long time to unstick his feet from under that beech tree.

He only manages it because he's helping supervise the bulk of the construction on Konoha's first set of apartment towers today and he really can't miss the occasion because he's feeling lovelorn.

After a detour to scarf down breakfast, he finds the site in good shape and checks in with the foreman to come up with a game plan for the day. The apartment complex is in the heritage sector and previously had been one of the oldest towers in Konoha. It had housed many civil servants while it had stood and Shikamaru is excited to give them homes again, especially as the city gets back on it's feet and demands more need from it's public officials.

Right now the complex is just foundations and heavy, towering beams stretching overhead that are crisscrossed with grids of sturdy rebar, but it will soon be home to thriving people once again.

They're keeping the four-story tower as close to the original layout and materials possible, so Shikamaru is surrounded by pallets and pallets of newly delivered red bricks as well as the oversized concrete slabs that needed to be placed and anchored in for the floors.

"Put this on before I kick you out of my site," Manami Nishiyama says in her usual gruff tone, holding a hardhat out at him with a determined squint to her eyes.

She had been the one in that first meeting to ask Kō who he was. Shikamaru has since learned she nearly always sounds at least a little pissed off. She's the senior builder for this project.

He wisely takes the hardhat without complaint.

Shikamaru spends the morning organizing and marking the needed pallets so they get hauled by the crane in the most efficient order. The lunch hour is creeping closer and the crew is getting a little antsy about taking a break so Shikamaru tells the crane team to send up one more pallet before he slips through the site to find Manami.

She finds him— mostly because she's screaming at him to move.

It's odd how he can't think about anything beyond just how loud the screech of metal is as something in the crane gives out— be it the wire or the clamps. Shikamaru's by no means an expert.

He could have called his shadows to catch the falling cascade of slabs. Hell, he could have probably flickered quick enough to dodge it if he had reacted immediately. He doesn't do any of that.

Instead he slips into total darkness, one second standing beneath impending devastation, the next in a sea of muted black, silent and oppressive, yet oddly comforting and warm.

He's pulled out of the danger and is left with faint impressions of his surroundings as the shadows shift around him. There's muffled sound, voices shouting and footsteps running, but the sound filters in as if he's underwater.

It's soothing in the dark. Less trouble to seek him out. He gets the sense he'd be welcome here. That the shadows would be very pleased if he stayed so they could enjoy his company forever.

It's tempting, he almost can't think of any reason to leave.

But then, he recalls that laugh. It echos through his chest. He'd heard it just that morning. He wants to hear it again.

The shadows lament, but they allow him to step out of their grasp ten feet to the right of where he'd started. There is a sea of rubble from the broken concrete slabs around his ankles. Thoughts of Naruto swim through his head.

"Gods above," Manami breathes, "Thank goodness you're alright. For a moment I thought you were under all that mess."

Shikamaru's left trembling from the amount of chakra the shadows have sapped away from him. He stares up at the empty and still crane as his heart races.

"Is someone looking into what just happened?" He asks.

Manami approaches him swiftly, the rest of the crew a hive of movement around her as they shutdown the site and clear out of danger zone.

"I've got it covered, work will be suspended until the cause of the failure can be properly assessed," she gruffly replies, "but kid, you were just nearly mincemeat, it's not your problem right now. You need to go home."

"I'm fine," Shikamaru automatically responds.

Manami doesn't seem impressed with him, "Look, I don't know what you just did, but you might want to tell that to your left eye."

Shikamaru blinks at her.

"What's wrong with my eye?"

"Your sclera is black," she informs him.

"Ah."

Manami looks faintly amused, "I'll give you an incident report to file, but seriously Shikamaru, go home because I can't have you scaring away my crew with your freaky eye."

"If your crew gets freaked out over my eye being black instead of white, I think you need a tougher crew," Shikamaru snips back.

"Eh— they're a bunch of babies, but unfortunately I like them."

He sighs and stares down at the mess the floor is now in.

"Think it damaged the foundation?"

"Not your problem anymore," Manami repeats, crossing her arms, "come back tomorrow when you haven't just nearly been crushed like a bug."

To think, Shikamaru's finally reached a day where he doesn't want to take the opportunity to go home and skip out on work.

He stands in stalemate with her until the sites deserted and the crews voices fade. He thinks about the silence that found him in the darkness. He feels them call to him.

"I will push this, Shikamaru. I can't have you here after you nearly suffered a serious injury, if not a fatal one," her raspy voice gentles until she only barely sounds ticked off and Shikamaru relents.

"Alright, give me the accident report and I'll leave it to you."

He can't say Manami looks pleased exactly, but her shoulders relax as she goes to fetch a scroll for him from the tent that functions as her office.

He bites down one the inside of his cheek while he waits to distract himself from the whispering allure of shadows he's aware of now that his adrenaline has begun to crash

He breaths. Slips up on the rhythm a few times because he keeps thinking about how he'd just nearly rescinded his control over to the darkness like he dad had warned him about.

It would be far, far easier to step back into them again, since he knows what it takes now. Which means he's able to Shadow Step, and thus means he is first in his generation to rediscover the jutsu.

Turns out it's a total drag.

He gets seen off by a stern Manami and heads for the Nara compound frowning at the overcast sky. He still remembers the old tricks he learned as a child, back when he needed extra help while learning to control himself and the shadows. The most important lesson had been that there is no greater cure for when your being overwhelmed by the darkness than direct sunlight. Shikamaru's not surprised he's not that lucky.

He's even less lucky than he'd hoped because the rainy drizzle starts before he makes it home.

Now he's damp, exhausted and fighting the siren's call of the shadows all at once. Truly the worst direction his day could have gone after it's pleasant start.

At least his house has a roof now.

His mom is salvaging some old, recovered clothing when he steps onto their porch and ducks under the overhang. She's patching up holes, re-hemming seams, and tearing up the rest for scraps. He watches her for a moment through the shell of their walls, soaking in the sight of her methodical focus after nearly risking not coming back home to her. His stomach twists as he stands frozen on the threshold and he drops his eyes to watch the water drip off of him and get greedily soaked up by the fresh wood of their veranda. He stares at it and can't help but think the moisture can't be great on the yet unstained wood.

His mom notices him and calls his name. She's quick to hustle over to him when he makes no attempt to acknowledge her.

He could slip away— back into that quiet and peaceful place. He wouldn't be wet and cold in the shadows.

He snaps back to reality when his mom's hands connect to his arms. Her eyes go wide in recognition when he lifts his head to finally look at her.

"Shikamaru," he says urgently. "I have to go fetch your father so I need you to light some of our emergency candles and try to breathe through it while I'm gone."

Yoshino may not be a Nara by blood, but she is as shrewd and discerning as the best of them. His father was wise to fall for her— or maybe a fool.

"Shikamaru," she repeats, sounding slightly more desperate when he doesn't actually respond to her. "Ah, curse it all. My dear, I need you to focus on your anchor."

Her gaze searches out over the compound, her eyes finding the swirl of activity going on at a few of the half built houses as his family anchors down tarps to cover anything too delicate to last the rain. It's like she's hoping she'll be able make her husband appear just by looking.

Her words remind him of Naruto and the memories help him ground himself a little firmer to reality.

"I got it, Mom," he says, though she still seems uncertain. "I mean it, I'll be okay for the short time it'll take for you to find Dad."

Yoshino seems to gather her resolve and gives him a firm nod. "Light those candles," she urges and sets off at a quick pace towards the rest of the clan.

Shikamaru slips back into his breathing exercises and does everything in his power to think of only Naruto as he tracks down the emergency stash of candles. It's an odd thing, that the cure for his disassociation is being consumed by thoughts of the boy he loves, but it lets him light four candles as he sits cross-legged in their empty skeleton of a house.

He doesn't know if he's ever let himself think about Naruto this much.

After years of repressing his feelings while Naruto had been away training due to the extra emotions being troublesome, recalling the way Naruto's nose wrinkles when he laughs makes his chest ache.

He almost misses his dad's footsteps because he's so lost in his memories. He opens his eyes, dispelling the image of Naruto relaxed against the beech tree that morning from his mind just as his dad kneels down in front of him.

"You did it then," he sighs, studying his left eye.

Shikamaru can't help frown at not knowing what his eye looks like. His mom notices and rustles around in their boxes of recovered possessions to pull out a small compact. She pops it open as she hands it to him so he can look in the tiny, dusty mirror.

Manami hadn't been joking about his sclera being black. No white is left in his eye, leaving his golden, amber iris a stark ring in the inky darkness. It's striking and he does concede to Manami's point— a little unnerving.

Shikamaru nods once while staring at his reflection and snaps the compact shut.

"I'll be fine," Shikamaru tells his father.

"I'm sure you will be, but I'm sticking around just in case. The first twenty-four hours are crucial in deciding your control and we don't want anything to happen."

His mom fetches one of their repaired futons and lays it out before bustling off to gather a blanket and pillow.

Shikamaru could complain, or he could brush off their concern, but he decides to not do either of those things and instead relents to their worried whims.

"Thanks, old man," Shikamaru sighs and his dad lights a few more candles to surround him in flickering light.

"Just keep meditating on you anchor," he replies, "If you have enough control to get your eye back to normal we'll be in the clear."

Shikamaru does as he says and it's only after he beats back the whispers of the shadows until he can't hear them over the echo of Naruto's laughter an hour later that he lets his mom bundle him into the futon.

He lays there, in their half built home for the whole afternoon, his dad sitting vigil at his side, alternating making sure his son doesn't succumb any deeper to the shadows and reading various mission reports and shinobi intelligence letters.

Eventually it sinks into Shikamaru's brain just what he's done and in the hours that tick by, he silently spirals until his hands are trembling and he's staring at their new roof without comprehending it.

His dad settles a hand on his head and strokes his thumb across Shikamaru's crown to soothe and ground his son.

Shikamaru thinks about Naruto's smile and the little carving cupped in his hands that morning and trembles harder.

"I was waiting for you to hit your breaking point," Shikaku murmurs, "You've been running yourself ragged, working nonstop since Pain's attack."

"I couldn't—" Shikamaru tries to defend but his voice fails him when the memory of Naruto's unconscious form immediately after his victory those mere weeks ago slips into his mind. "I need to—"

"Hush, my fawn," Shikaku soothes, "right now you don't need to do anything but rest."

Shikamaru tucks his arms around himself, twisting his hands into his flak jacket, a poor imitation to the strong arms that had captured him that morning. It's completely irrational— and Shikamaru hates being irrational. He presses his fingers into the leaf symbol engraved on his hitai-ate and tries to pull himself back together.

Knowing he loves Naruto had been one thing, but being lost in the dark, any concept of his sense of self disintegrating, and having Naruto's laughter be the only thing to guide him back home is another thing entirely.

And here he is, confronting how all encompassing Naruto truly is to the core of his being now, while simultaneously doubting if he even has the right to hold Naruto so dear to himself, all while his father dutifully watches over him as he unravels at the seams.

"Did you give Naruto his gift?" Shikaku asks, and it has the exact effect his dad is after in that it snaps Shikamaru to attention and lets him focus on something other than his downward spiral.

"How'd you know that?"

Shikaku's eyes crinkle in amusement. "I caught you whittling a few times out on the hill at night," his father admits. "A fox and a deer is a little obvious son."

Shikamaru frowns and tries very hard not to blush, but clearly fails if his father's amusement is anything to go by. "Well, that took you even less time than I was expecting it too," Shikamaru states.

"It was obvious in hindsight," Shikaku muses, "You praise so few people, but are always so quick to applaud his strengths. It was why I chose to trust him, and let him go seeking out Pain's true location alone."

"I suppose that was worth it in the end," Shikamaru sighs.

"It was," his father agrees. "Though, I can't say you picked an easy person to have feelings for, by any means."

"I'm aware," Shikamaru frowns with a sigh.

Shikaku smiles ruefully, "I am proud of you, son."

Shikamaru stares up at his dad sitting next to him and furrows his brow. "Yeah? Care to enlighten me as to why?"

"Because you're growing into a fine young man."

"I nearly got myself lost in the shadows today and was just spiralling over being in love with maybe the strongest shinobi the Hidden Leaf has ever seen," Shikamaru deadpans.

His father smirks. "We all have our moments."

They fall into silence as Shikaku breaks a seal on another scroll. Shikamaru lets him read it before voicing a small nagging concern he's had for some time. He knows it too is irrational, but it plagues his mind anyway. He wants to lay it to rest now.

"Dad?" Shikaku freezes at hearing his son call him by a term he's not heard in a number of years. He turns to Shikamaru with a tender emotion heavy in his gaze.

"Yes, my fawn?"

Shikamaru had made both of his parents swear to never use that pet name on him when he was eight, but sometimes it still slips out of their mouths when they're feeling particularly fond of him. Now, he never brings it up or tells them to stop for fear of never hearing it again.

"You're alright with me loving another man, then?"

Shikaku adopts a more serious expression and returns his hand to the top of Shikamaru's head.

"That will never, ever be a problem, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru probably doesn't look that convinced because his father sighs.

"If you're concerned about clan heirs, son, please try and remember that I have a sister."

Aunt Shikachou is a lot like his father except she likes to tell corny jokes and smiles way more than her younger brother. She is also the mother to Shikamaru's closest cousins, Shikawu and Shikamichi.

"While neither of your cousins have your aptitude as a shinobi, if something— heaven forbid— were to ever happen to you or you never have children of your own, either of them would make for fine Clan Heads," his father says.

"Yeah, alright, you have a point," Shikamaru admits.

Shikaku looks pleased, "It's been a long time since you've last said that."

"What's can I say," Shikamaru drawls, "I'm— what did you say?— 'growing into a fine young man'?"

His dad laughs, "Okay, wise guy, go back to resting and give your old man a break would you?"

Shikamaru's tempted to snark back, but his body still aches from expending so much chakra so suddenly, so he gives his dad a pass and shuts his eyes again. Naruto's smile is waiting for him when he slips into sleep.

Forty Days Post Destruction

Shikamaru regrets learning Shadow Step because suddenly he's ricocheting around Konoha at double the pace. The faster method of transport allows him to accomplish more than ever in the same twelve hours of his day which means he's suddenly back to maxing out his chakra reserves.

It's scary how fast he's adjusted to the creeping allure of the shadows, how they now whisper to him in a way they hadn't since he was a child, and how by the end of the day his sclera returns to it's endless black if he's not careful.

It's also scary how he cannot afford to go a day without thinking of Naruto. Before, he could deny his feelings, push them aside when they got too intrusive, but as the days wear on he can't avoid them. He needs Naruto to stay sane when the shadows slip too deep into his mind.

He hasn't disclosed his new technique with anyone beyond Tsunade, Shizune, his clan, and—even if he's not on active duty with them— his teammates. To everyone else it sometimes feels as if he appears and disappears in a blink of an eye, but most civilians pass that off as his shinobi speed, and to the occasional times he runs into his yearmates, they're not paying close enough attention to notice when he steps in or out of the shadows.

The leaves on Konoha's surrounding forests are deep into their autumnal tones and Shikamaru has to keep flexing his fingers to beat back the cooler temperatures. He lifts a hand to shade his eyes from the late morning sun and misses the sound of footsteps approaching his site.

"You've been avoiding my summons," Tsunade shouts up to him from where he's double checking the scaffolding for the newest project.

The site is currently empty besides him and the intruding hokage, but work would begin in earnest in a few hours and Shikamaru wants to be sure the area is up to safety standards before the crew arrives. It's the second multi-story apartment complex being rebuilt and after last month, Shikamaru needs it to happen without a hitch.

"I've been sending you reports," Shikamaru points out, prodding a few joints with his shadow manipulation to make sure their pins hold in place.

"Yeah, reports and project applications," Tsunade snipes back.

"Project applications that you're approving."

Tsunade sighs a heavy and weary breath as she glares up at him. She looks overworked. Shikamaru understands the feeling.

"Shikamaru," she says, voice clipped. It's her official Hokage voice so he actually turns and jumps off the scaffolding tower and drops the two stories with a distinct thud and an air of unruffled grace. Tsunade eyes the large fall and his still intact legs with a shrew assessment. Sakura's teachings are doing a lot for him.

She meets his eyes and crosses her arms, "I owe you an apology."

Shikamaru squints at her, "Not that I'm aware of."

"I've left you to single-handedly manage all the civilian sector reconstruction efforts for over a month without any official support. I'd like to end that today."

"What are you proposing?" he questions, keeping his face neutral.

"I'm officially declaring you Head of Civil Restoration and will be paying you an average salary of what you would be making if you were on active duty. I am also willing to give you any support you might need from the shinobi sector to continue doing this long term," Tsunade explains.

Shikamaru hides his pleased smile.

"To start, I want the hospital to be a joint venture between both sectors, and I want Kakashi to stress test the new power station and relay lines before we start hooking up the grid."

The salary is nice enough on it's own, but Shikamaru has been waiting for Tsunade to pitch something to him. He's going to be taking advantage while he can, and even gets to enjoy watching her eye twitch at him requesting an overqualified former Anbu agent to do voltage tests on their electric grid.

"I need to be sure there's not any unseen damage in what infrastructure we salvaged after Pain's attack," he explains, "and Kakashi can handle high level voltages without killing himself."

"Hopefully," Tsunade mutters under her breath. "Alright, if there's anything—"

"If you can spare any ninja with earth techniques, I could use them to flatten the west-side terrain. They can clear the upturned stone and dirt faster than a civilian team and it would mean I could move up the start date for the commercial district," Shikamaru happily cuts her off.

Tsunade glares at him, "You've been waiting for this haven't you."

He shrugs, "It took you long enough."

She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Alright, I'll submit a mission for any available ninja with earth affinities, but if you have any more requests for shinobi manpower you'll have to send a formal written demand to either me or Shizune."

"Deal."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do my damnedest to fill them," Tsunade warns him.

"Better than what I've got right now, which, you know, is no shinobi support at all," Shikamaru points out.

She looks pained at the reminder.

"Stop by the office to sign your official contract sometime today, would you?"

"Sure," Shikamaru readily agrees, checking the length of the shadow being cast by the waiting crane and doing some quick calculations. He winces, "You'll have to excuse me, Lady Tsunade, but I'm supposed be at a tedious meeting to discuss whether or not we're going to rezone any sectors before we get any further with rebuilding."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving this in your hands, Shikamaru. I'd say come find me if you have any problems but I have a feeling you'll have them dealt with long before you ever need me to intercede," she waves him off. "And thank you for doing this. With you leading civil reconstruction efforts, I know my city is in good hands, and it means I can focus on protecting it from the mess of politics we're currently in. "

Shikamaru nods at her, "I'll make sure Konoha is whole again," he assures her, and the steps into the shadows to disappear across town before she can even blink.

He wonders if his job is going to be easier or harder now that he has a official title for people to throw their problems at.

Harder, he decides. Definitely harder.

This so better be worth it in the end.

Three Months Post Destruction

Shikamaru finally feels like Konoha's starting to resemble a functioning city again as he strolls down a freshly laid cobblestone street to make his way to the newly built restaurant that's due to make it's grand opening tomorrow.

Ino had spent the week nagging him about finding time to share a dinner with their academy friends. They've all managed to land their off-duty week at the same time— either by a miracle or some nefarious negotiations— so when the project had finally been marked complete Shikamaru had requested the owner to allow them a night alone in the establishment before they officially open their doors. The owner had been more than thrilled to agree.

It is a small place, with the unit above the business being home to the owner's family, but it is a warm glow at the edge of the expanding neighbourhood, and faces out on eerie, half-finished commercial and residential construction sites that will soon be housing and employing families just like the Egawa's.

Shikamaru is late, and as much as he would have liked to Shadow Step across town to be on time, he's at his limit and really doesn't want to show up to dinner with one black sclera. He's hoping he still has enough control remaining after the sun sets that he's not going to become a total zombie in the dark. The short winter days are swiftly becoming a pain in his ass.

He exhales a cloud of vapor as the falling temperature ushers in the end of the daylight and listens to the clatter of his friends debating what to order as he approaches the doorway and the curtain that flutters in the winter breeze.

Ino sticks her head out of the building, having undoubtedly sensed his chakra, to glare at him.

"You don't get to have a say in what food we order since you're so late," Ino informs him, turning around and waving him inside.

"I'm literally the only reason we're even allowed in here in the first place," Shikamaru groans as he follows her into the warmth of the small restaurant. Daiki, the owner, is trying to not seem deeply amused when he catches his eyes from behind the bar. Shikamaru spots a glimpse of his eldest son shuffling around in the kitchen through the window behind Daiki, clearly making preparations as the pair wait for his friends to order.

"Too bad, if you had an opinion you should have showed up at five like we agreed to," Ino shrugs, shoving Kiba back into his seat so she can squeeze past him. Naruto appears at his side with a smile as Shikamaru sighs at her back.

"Hiya, Shika, don't worry if you want anything specific I'll pitch it to them," Naruto whispers with a wink.

Shikamaru gently bumps their shoulders together in greeting and the murmuring shadows in the back of his head get blissfully silent. "Don't worry about me, Chōji and Ino already know what I like. She's just giving me a hard time since she doesn't get to see me as much these days."

Naruto bobs his head and starts to ask. "I was wondering about that—"

"Alright, that's enough," Sakura announces with a snap, diffusing the debate, "if we discuss it anymore we're never going to order anything."

"Ah— maybe instead of ordering as a table for everyone, we should order as teams?"

Sakura claps enthusiastically, "Fantastic idea, Hinata, let's do that."

Daiki rounds the bar to approach their pushed together tables and maze of chairs. He takes a flurry of slapdash orders with clear experience and even marks down the last minute additions shouted at him by a forgetful Kiba without batting an eye.

"Take a seat, Shikamaru," Chōji greets, waving him over to the empty chair at his side.

Naruto's question is long forgotten now that he's arguing with Sasuke over the food they ordered. It's the first time Shikamaru's shared a room with the Uchiha since his pardon and it's odd, to see the twelve year old still living in his head all grown up and slouched in the restaurant chair, totally comfortable and confident of his body and power in a way he wasn't as a child.

Sasuke catches the assessment, and assesses him in turn. Whatever he finds in Shikamaru as he rounds the table makes his lip twitch out of his frozen on expression of carefully neutral disinterest and into a faint frown. Shikamaru has to wonder at what he's seen.

There is already saké and water doled out across the table and Chōji knowingly pours him some alcohol. Shikamaru gratefully down the shot as he sits, but doesn't touch the refill his friend is quick to issue. He doesn't actually know how alcohol affects his control yet, and he's not desperate to find out tonight.

Keeping up with the conversation between nine people is nearly impossible, Shikamaru mostly lets it wash over him, listening and picking up snippets of his friends topics and only joining in when he's addressed directly. Sometimes it's a group discussion, sometimes they wind up splintering off into adjacent side conversations amongst themselves when something catches their fancy. As tiring as Shikamaru finds it, the buzz of his friends soothes a part of him that has been missing them in his months of leading the reconstruction efforts.

When Daiki returns expertly doling out dishes and plates full of wonderfully smelling food to share, Shikamaru's never been more thankful to have something to do to occupy his hands. He's starting to get overwhelmed by his extroverted friends and the food is a good distraction.

Hinata seems to have a similar reaction if the way her shoulders slump in relief is any indication and they briefly share a commiserating look across the table before filling their plates. Shikamaru had been right, Ino and Chōji have ordered only things he also enjoyed.

The food is wonderful, and good enough that eventually dishes start getting traded across teams so everyone gets a chance to try foods they hadn't ordered themselves. He's passing Chōji a bowl of soup when Naruto snaps his fingers.

"Oh, right! Hey, Shikamaru, how come you haven't been sent out on a mission since we started rebuilding?" Naruto asks, seemingly suddenly remembering his earlier thought.

Shikamaru looks down the table to him and finds blue eyes genuinely curious to his response. Shikamaru has to force himself to swallow past his dry throat and remind himself that Naruto's just attentive to every person he ever crosses paths with.

"Hey, yeah," Kiba barks, "It feels like we all get sent out with barely even a full days rest sometimes. What gives?"

"Bureaucracy," he states.

Sasuke scoffs. Shikamaru doesn't so much as twitch to give away the fact it pisses him off.

"Don't you know," Ino drawls, "Shika here's a civil servant now. He's the only reason anything gets done here when were out there, doing the dirty work."

She's joking, but Shikamaru seriously wonders sometimes what would happen if he wasn't around putting out fires before they caused serious problems down the line.

"I'm in charge of every worksite that isn't deemed a Shinobi matter," he dryly bites back at Ino. "If anything you have the easier jobs."

"You're kidding, right?" Sasuke growls.

"What? You want to deal with the logistics of making sure the city's properly functional in this mess?"

Sasuke's expression sours with distaste. Shikamaru almost finds it amusing.

"Ah— it must be a lot of work, tending to so many projects at once," Hinata speaks up.

"Indeed," Shino agrees, "A serious balancing act remembering the details to so many things simultaneously."

"How many actives sites can there be?" Kiba wonders.

"Right now? Forty-seven," Shikamaru replies. Kiba sputters into his cup.

"Whoa! And you lead them all?" Naruto exclaims.

Shikamaru hums. Technically, he has Kō to help as Head of Civic Development, but usually the older man is swamped with urban planning details and civil project applications so Shikamaru manages the city's many sites alone and (mostly) without complaint— all to ensure Kō's plans get completed as designed and without any serious hitches.

"I think my brain would explode keeping track of all that stuff," Sakura remarks, nose scrunched up at the thought.

"You can list every bone in the human body," Sasuke deadpans.

"Yeah, but that's just from rote memorization," Sakura waves off, "What Shikamaru is doing is active detail recall for multiple on going operations."

"Still can't be that impressive," Sasuke snips.

"What? Because he's not a bloodthirsty and combat-obsessed like you, it's not impressive?" Ino jabs. "On active duty he can track and predict both ally and enemy movements unlike anyone else— something I know even you can see the value in. He's just doing that but in a civilian capacity now."

"Yeah," Chōji agrees, "Plus he can do this: Shikamaru how many people are working on your largest job site?"

"Sixty-four," he instinctively replies, and then frowns at Chōji's responding grin.

"What about your smallest?"

"Five."

Chōji seems surprised by the small number.

Shikamaru shrugs a shoulder, "Family-run contractors."

Chōji hums, "Of all your sites, what percentage are residential?"

"Fifty-one," Shikamaru says. He's working to increasing that percentage too, now that the main municipal buildings are constructed. He's hoping it lets him focus on building homes and also increasing commercial spaces.

"Also, what am I? Free entertainment?" Shikamaru snaps, patience wearing thin. Chōji smiles apologetically at him.

"Sorry, I just think your brain is cool."

Shikamaru sighs. Ino reaches across their table to slap him on his shoulder. "He's got a point, your brain is a freak of nature, you know."

"Gee, thanks teammate. You're dead to me."

"Awe, Shikamaru, don't be like that. It is serious impressive," Sakura says.

"Plus, that brain of yours has saved all our asses, more than once," Naruto soothes.

And of course, hearing it from Naruto somehow makes it grate less on Shikamaru's nerves. Still, he feels a bit too much like a bug under a microscope for his liking. Shino catches his eye in a silent nod understanding. He can always count on Shino to understand why he hates being the centre of attention for too long, after all, Shino has plenty of knowledge on what it's like to be gaped at for something you can't help.

"Ah, but why don't you tell us about what you've been up to. You just got back from a mission, did you not?" Shino deflects, addressing Naruto and Sakura and immediately pulling their attention away from Shikamaru. Even Sasuke's assessing gaze slips away from him as Naruto launches into a rambling and enthusiastic retelling of their intelligence mission.

Damn, he owes Shino big time. He'll have too see if any of the visiting builders know about good places to find rare bug species. And then, he'll have to hope it isn't a spot Shino already knows about.

At first he lets Naruto's voice wash over him as he spins his story, but then Ino and Kiba strike up a snarky battle of wits, adding their voices to the mix. Then, Chōji is pouring more drinks, porcelain bottle tinging off of the glasses, and Sakura starts cutting over Naruto's story, tales overlapping as they try and correct each other's retelling. To top it off, there are the shadows whispering behind his eyes.

Shikamaru can't handle it.

He rises silently, skin crawling at the crash of noise against his senses. Hinata is the only one who pays him any mind, pausing her sip of water to watching him with faint concern.

He lazily crosses the building in long strides, trying to breathe evenly to stop the way he's twitchy again and slips outside the restaurant, into the chill of the damp night.

He has to bite his cheek to ignore the whispers that spike in volume as he passes through the dark and quiet lane until he can stand in the safety of the nearest street light. He makes a note to find an electrical contractor to work on illuminating the roads. If they stay so sparsely lit for much longer there would doubtlessly be a spike in crime and assaults in the cover of the darkness.

For now, the one buzzing bulb keeps the creeping call of the shadows away from the forefront of his mind and lets him light his cigarette with relative ease. The voices of his friends float out of the open doorway behind him, and he can hear the clinking of dishes and the chatter that exists between drinks. He keeps breathing in the pattern that's become so habitual to him and lets his shoulders relax. The bitter, early-winter chill grounds him back to reality.

The cigarette both warms his lungs, and cuts the overwhelmed ache in his heart with a different kind of pain as Naruto's laughter reaches Shikamaru's ears. With the ghost of Asuma living in the ember at the end of his fingertips he allows himself to consider what it would be like if Naruto loved him back. To be able to claim the other as all his own.

It's an idiotic thought.

And still, for a moment he lets himself live in a world where it's Naruto's footsteps that come looking for him, even though he knows the occasionally timid, and light as air steps belong to Hinata. Every Shinobi can name the sound of their comrades footfalls. It's an instinctual part of their survival.

She stops at the edge of the light and Shikamaru glances over at her to see her watching the smoke rise off his cigarette. Hinata and him are by no means the closest friends, hell, he would probably argue he was closer to the overly energetic Rock Lee of all people than her, but he isn't going to make her put up with the tobacco if she doesn't want to.

The butt is snuffed out under his boot before she can find her courage to ask him to herself. It has already done enough to steady his hands.

She flashes a small but genuine smile at him, and steps into the light to stand at his side. They stare out into the sections of the city still in the throws of heavy rebuilding. Shadows belonging to the hulking skeletons of unfinished buildings lay out before them. Shikamaru can catalogue them all in his head.

Hinata fiddles with her fingers. A nervous habit that not even shinobi training successfully rid her of.

"You understand," Hinata says, barely a whisper in the silent night. "You understand what it's like."

Shikamaru sneaks a peek at her from the corner of his eye. She lifts her head to look at him properly, bangs parting to reveal more of her pale eyes.

"You understand what it's like to love him."

Shikamaru has to shut his eyes at her words. If anyone was going to see it, it was bound to be Hinata. The girl who has loved Naruto for longer than even he himself has. He kinda wishes he hadn't put out that cigarette now.

"Yeah," Shikamaru croaks, "maybe I do."

Hinata nods, unsurprised as they go back to watching the horizon. There is a particularly loud, if not friendly, argument reaching it's peak from inside the restaurant.

"I heard he never gave you a clear answer," he says into their silence, perhaps against his better judgement.

A blush blooms across her pale cheeks, and she tilts her head in consideration.

"N-no, he gave me an answer," she says, her voice as gentle and melodic as ever, fingers twisting together anxiously, "It just wasn't a yes or a no. It was a maybe one day."

If Shikamaru's own heart aches at just hearing her parrot the words, he can only image what she felt listening to Naruto say them. He can't help but think that a more definitive reply would have been kinder, but he supposes Naruto has left her with the hope of 'maybe one day' and perhaps that is preferable in its own way.

Naruto always is an optimist.

"Yeah," Shikamaru scoffs looking away from Hinata's understanding silver eyes, back out toward the silhouette of a rising shell of a city. "Maybe one day"

"Shikamaru," Hinata says, the gentle steel in her words making him stand to attention. "I'm not giving up. You shouldn't either."

Her eyes are awash with determination. Not blazing like Naruto's do when he's feeling particularly stubborn, but flinty and startling just the same.

"Who says I'm giving up?"

He has been considering it. Has been considering it for months, in all the time since Pain. Has thought about giving up since he's never going to be existing in the same unfathomable power bracket Naruto functions in. He has thought long and hard about whether he is even worthy enough to try and stand at his side. Even though his cigarette has been snubbed out, he finds himself thinking about that impossible universe where Naruto loves him back.

The fact is, if he gives up, all his work— getting stronger for Naruto, rebuilding the city Naruto loves— will have been for nothing, and Shikamaru's finds that he doesn't want to bet against himself just yet.

Hinata grins, possibly the first time Shikamaru has seen such an uninhibited smile on her face.

"Good," she says, sticking out her hand, "I wish you luck."

Shikamaru huffs a laugh and shakes her extended hand, "To the victor goes Naruto's heart, I suppose."

Her laugh is just as sweet as her smiles. Naruto would be lucky to have her.

"Hey! Shikamaru! I need you to settle this debate!" Naruto calls, leaning out from the doorway.

"Ah, no way man," Kiba cuts in, leaning around the blond making the curtain in the doorway drape over his head like a hood, "Hinata's totally going to side with me on this one."

"You guys better get back in here before these fools wake up the whole goddamn block," Sakura's voice floats out to them, as if she too isn’t shouting out of the building to yell at them.

Shikamaru sighs. Hinata giggles at him, and it makes Shikamaru narrow his eyes at her.

"Come on then, it'll be less trouble if we resign ourselves to their whims," she whispers with a little smile, eyes crinkling as she tilts her head towards their friends.

"You're going to agree with Naruto aren't you," Shikamaru mumbles back as he sets off with her.

It gets him a subtle elbow in the side, but it's worth the way Hinata has to suppress a grin.

"And you'll probably disagree with him just to see him pout about it," Hinata hisses back, blushing.

Shikamaru can't help his laugh.

Apparently, Hinata knows him better than he'd thought.

Five Months Post Destruction

If Shikamaru has one regret in life it's ever agreeing to regularly spar with Lee. He goes to work in the mornings sore now— all because Lee had taken to running the ever changing edge of Konoha's expansion and Shikamaru had stopped him once to talk to him. He's a total sucker. Too caught up in the opportunity of testing the limits of his chakra reinforcements in mock combat to think about the long term effects. Like arriving at his current site with jelly legs.

Hinata's already there, having taken to aiding Shikamaru whenever she isn't assigned a mission. She does the site pre-checks for him now when she's available, recording down anything in need of repair and ensuring his sites are up to safety standards.

Shikamaru pretty sure that sometime in the past few months she's managed to read every union handbook for every industry that has one, plus all of Konoha's building codes because she can recite regulations at him that he doesn't even know off the top of his head. The construction staff and tradesmen have all taken to asking her for opinions on scheduling conflicts and labour shortages instead of him and Shikamaru finds himself grateful.

He thinks he'll stick her in charge of site administration if she continues to volunteer to help him out.

The look on her face when he tells her would be worth it.

"Lee caught you again?" Hinata asks, wincing at his stiff posture.

"Yeah, I feel like a giant bruise."

Hinata nods in understanding, "Neji gets like that too."

"Look at us," Shikamaru jokes, "A couple of fools."

Her lips quirk into a wry smile.

"I'm going to try and catch up on reports before the tile delivery gets here," Shikamaru tells her, "but keep an eye on the weather and let me know if we need to double time this one if it really does wind up snowing."

Hinata bobs her head, "You got it, boss."

She's taken to the title most of the tradesmen call him with sharp pleasure at the chance to hassle him about it. She still smirks at him every time she says it.

Turns out Hinata can banter like any other person behind her gentle exterior, though being on a team with Kiba probably makes it more necessary for her to keep a sharp tongue.

Shikamaru eyes the dark grey clouds on the horizon and hopes it doesn't bring another cold snap. Konoha rarely sees much snow, at least not any that buries the city in much more than a few centimeters. Shikamaru hopes it stays that way, but the start of the new year has already been tough weather-wise. He doesn't want any more building delays if they can help it.

He settles into the site's administrative tent and perches on a short stool to unseal the various reports he's been working his way through.

With the reconstruction progressing well and building becoming less urgent as time wears on, Shikamaru has turned his attention to shinobi reports. He'd asked his father for his backlog of mission reports and political assessments and he's been making headway through the information.

His dad has occasionally left notes in the margins in his cramped handwriting. They're usually reminders to recommend courses of action to the council or questions he has about details the scrolls may lack.

Shikamaru's currently up to last month's news and frowns down at the 'lack of sufficient intel: recall all units immediately and reassess' marking the end of one of the Anbu infiltration missions. Sure, they had only gleaned incomplete and lacking information during the mission's course, but it was insufficient in a way that Shikamaru feels is carefully staged. How no one in high command had picked up on the very intentional details being fed to the spies he can only guess at, but it's clear the Akatsuki loyalist sect they had been scoping out had known they were under watch and set up a false mole.

His dad hasn't left a single note on the scroll. Likely, he deemed it a loss and moved on too quick to draw the same conclusions Shikamaru has.

He sighs inside the stuffy and cramped tent and drafts his own report and assessment of the situation on the edge of the cluttered desk space to send to the Hokage. Twisting his arm around the various ink pots and blueprints, he details his own recommendations on the best course of action to salvage the job, even if he doesn't have much faith anyone cares enough about the failed mission to try again.

He steps back out into the courtyard, squinting against the cutting sunlight— blinding in a way it only manages to be in the winter season— to find more activity buzzing through the site. They're building medical office space right now in an attempt to improve the availability of medical specialists and hopefully ease the load off the still overworked hospital. The scheduled tile delivery is still nowhere to be found.

Hinata shakes her head at him when he confirms. "A runner was sent to give word about a delay. Something about a damaged axle and trying to requisition a new cart."

"Perfect," Shikamaru sighs.

"The men are finishing the window frames in the meantime," she shares.

"Alright, if we have time to spare I'm going to run a message to the Hokage. I'll leave the site in your hands."

Hinata nods firmly, "I'll keep it on track while you're gone."

Shikamaru knows she will. He slips away into the shadows with merely a thought, Hinata not batting an eye since she's grown used to his disappearing act thanks to his new jutsu. The shadows ferry him through the city streets towards the academy administration offices with out any hesitation. They let him step out right at the main gate and he joins in the mild foot traffic of shinobi arriving and departing from the offices. He catches a little chatter floating on the wind from the young students, probably on their morning break over in the school yard.

He slips past the assignment hall where teams are picking up new missions and delivering reports on completed ones and heads for the intel and correspondence office.

He nearly groans when he sees his cousin behind the desk. Shikawu flashes him a sharp grin when he looks up from his notebook.

"Aren't you overqualified for desk duty?" Shikamaru asks him as he approaches the counter.

His cousin lazily shrugs, "I owed a favour to a friend and it's quiet in here."

Of course. You can always count on a Nara to seek out the easiest tasks that are below their pay grade. Chronic underachievers.

…Usually. Shikamaru's lapse of sanity due to being lovesick not withstanding.

Shikawu eyes him with interest, "What brings you here?"

"I've got intel on a possible way to salvage a failed mission from a few weeks ago," he sighs and hands his cousin his stamped scroll. "If you can get it to Shizune, she can decide if it's worth bringing up to Lady Tsunade."

He silently curses when it's clear he's piques his cousin's interest. There's a reason he likes to avoid socializing with his extended family, they're all so nosy and he hates having to explain himself.

"You're not on active duty," Shikawu remarks, "How in the world did you get intel about anything?"

Shikamaru rolls his eye, "Just paid attention to the mission reports when no one else did."

"So, it is true. You're catching up on the backlog of reports you've been missing out on while leading the reconstruction. You have no good reason to. What is up with you lately? First willingly taking on a high effort job and now getting up to date on the shinobi activity without being asked to?"

Shikamaru keeps his indifference firmly in place lest his cousin find answers Shikamaru really prefer he didn't.

"Maybe I've found a good reason to stop lazing about," Shikamaru shrugs.

Shikawu narrows his eyes at him as he tucks Shikamaru's scroll in a basket. "There's only one reason a Nara ever gets motivated."

And that's Shikamaru's cue to get the hell out of this office.

"Just who the hell are you in love with, cousin?" Shikawu calls after his turned back.

Shikamaru doesn't answer. He's not above fleeing when it suits him.

"I'm so telling my mom about this!" Shikawu's voice floats through the closing door and Shikamaru groans.

Shikawu might get off his back about it with time, but Aunt Shikachou would be gleefully relentless. He is hopelessly doomed.

He makes it back to the entrance, but doesn't get through the door because he has to dodge a barrelling Udon who quickly pinwheels his arms to stop his full speed sprint.

"Nara-san!" Udon gasps, "There's an attacking ninja team at the west gate! Konohamaru and Moegi are still engaged."

Shikamaru acts without hesitation, his training kicking in despite it's lack of recent use.

"Continue on and report to whoever is managing the assignments for gate duty today. Tell them I'm deploying myself as their emergency backup and have them send a relief squad."

Shikamaru's already taking off into the shadows before Udon even finishes his salute. He's moving across the city in seconds.

He only gets impressions in the shadows, but he still feels two unknown presences lurking in the tree line, one caging in Moegi while Konohamaru squares off at them in the centre of the path. They're just beyond the city limits.

The shadows slip him out in the cover of the gate frame and Shikamaru eyes the lay of the land. The foreign ninja are cloaked in shadow, but the high sun works against him in this case and he doesn't have a way to bridge the gap without them noticing.

It's clear the large hulking man holding Moegi in a headlock is in charge. The young man beside him who is inspecting Konohamaru is presumably his student. It's clear Moegi's kunoichi training is paying off because she's holding herself precisely to keep as much weight off her neck as possible and isn't wasting energy struggling in his grasp. When you have a slight frame and have to face off with opponents much larger than you, it's those little things that can matter most.

"You should have let me stop the runner," the ghostly pale, younger one says. "This is a fool's errand now."

"We still have a few moments," comes the rasp of the other man's voice, "No one can get across the city that fast."

Yeah, these two might just be super unlucky. The fact the one person who can traverse the city that fast had been the one to encounter Udon is a statistical marvel.

Shikamaru scoops up a sizable stone by the wall and tests it's weight as Konohamaru opens his mouth.

"I won't say it again, let my teammate go!"

The younger one scoffs and takes a few steps forward, towards Konohamaru. His teacher and his hostage are now firmly out of his line of sight. A tactical blunder by Shikamaru standards.

He does some calculations on how much force it takes to launch a rock without shattering it while still carrying enough non-lethal force as he inches just far enough away from the gate to get a clear line of sight.

"What's a punk—"

The pale one doesn't finish his pointed jab because the stone is whizzing past his ear to solidly connect with the big one's forehead. The huge man goes lax as his eyes roll backward and Moegi readily takes the opportunity as his grip slackens to twist herself free and send him tumbling backwards to the ground.

It's a good kick on Shikamaru's part. He wonders if Sakura would be proud.

Konohamaru presses the sudden advantage and hurls a kunai at the remaining attacker. It sinks perfectly into the weakest part of his shoulder, rendering his left arm useless, and before the interloper can react Moegi is unleashing a battle cry and knocking his legs out from under him.

"This is what you get for deciding I was the easiest target!" She shouts before stomping him into unconsciousness.

Geez, what is it about Konoha's kunoichi training that makes them all such terrifying women.

Konohamaru turns to search for their savior and find him standing slouched and unbothered in the gateway.

"Shikamaru?" He gapes.

"What's the next steps after subduing an invading attacker?" Shikamaru chooses to respond with, drawing his eyes away from Moegi's rage.

The girl in question snaps to attention, seeming exactly like the world's perfect student despite her brief tantrum. "Seals and bindings, Shikamaru-san!"

Technically, it should be perimeter checks but Shikamaru's not inclined to think there are any other ninja stupid enough to be waiting in the wings.

"Get to it," he urges, "and wait for Udon to bring your relief before transporting them to the cells in the Intelligence Division."

She nods and starts pulling sealing tags and sturdy rope from her pouches. Konohamaru still appears stunned.

"But— how— you're like the laziest—"

"Get it together, kid. You're going to need all your brain power for when you have to give a full capture report to the Hokage later," Shikamaru drawls, disinclined to explain a damn thing about his actions to the kid.

Konohamaru frowns, "Right— sorry. Then let me do the perimeter check."

Shikamaru is secretly impressed that he remembers, and lets him slip into the surrounding trees trusting him to shout if he finds any trouble. Konohamaru returns before Udon does and reports that he'd found their footpath in, and didn't see any signs of further interlopers. Shikamaru has to give him a few points for how skilled he is, even if he does still think Konohamaru is a brat and a bit of an idiot sometimes.

Shikamaru waits until he can see Udon and the three backup shinobi before he steps back into the shadows. He's not going to be needed for the report and he really needs to get back to his worksite to see whether he has to make a fuss about their delayed tile delivery or not.

Konohamaru and Moegi don't even see him go.

Seven Months Post Destruction

He thinks part of his heart breaks when he sees the pillar of black, scorching smoke rising into Konoha's skies.

It's well and truly shattered by the time Iruka pulls him to a halt hours later to tell him the structure isn't stable enough for him to go back in.

"We've saved everyone possible," Iruka had murmured to him, staring into Shikamaru's eyes, with unflinching understanding. Even when functioning in a civilian position, you can't escape the fact that sometimes you just can't save everyone.

Shikamaru hadn't known it at the time, but both of his scleras had gone deep black due to forcing himself and his shadows through blinding, flickering flame and choking smoke to save families trapped in the top most floors.

Iruka sends him home for at least a few hours of sleep, and so he doesn't have to see the remaining structure collapse. He spends the night thinking about the people who couldn't get out, and how the sprinklers had remained glaringly dormant in the face of the inferno.

He scrapes up few fitful hours of slumber by imagining the ways he could kill the safety and home inspectors that had been contracted for the building.

When he crawls out of bed at daybreak he ignores his father's offer of tea, and the way the birds sing in the budding, spring trees to make his trip back to the rubble. He's faced with the familiar feeling of marching into battle. He never expected to feel it within Konoha's walls, especially while he's not on active duty.

This time it's not Iruka on site behind the emergency tape, but Kakashi and his squadron of summons. During the blaze, Iruka had been declared commanding officer since Shikamaru had been too busy throwing himself into the blaze to bark orders to the emergency responders. Shikamaru's glad that he too has gotten a chance to rest.

"We're working on recovering the dead," Kakashi informs him solemnly, his single eye inspecting him closely.

"How many so far?"

Kakashi hesitates. "You sure you should be here?"

Shikamaru hasn't managed to get his left eye back to normal. He faced the mirror this morning with a black sclera he could barely stand to look at and a sharp pain in his throat from the smoke he'd inhaled during the rescue.

Shikamaru ties a bandana over his lower face. "I'll be fine, it's under control," he says. Focusing on his anchor feels nearly impossible at the moment, but the shadows are currently a footnote in his mind. He has more important things to tend to and he's pretty sure focusing on something meditative and repetitive will quiet the remaining darkness lingering in his head.

"Tell me where you need the rubble moved."

Kakashi nods with a familiar look of heavy grief in his gaze. "Alright, but were still avoiding the remaining hot spots."

A weary and haggard looking Kō arrives a few hours later with two sombre men that get introduced as the fire marshal and the arson investigator.

"They're here to try and find out if the fire suppression system was tampered with or if it was neglect," Kō tells him as the men set upon the wreckage to collect samples and mark on reports.

Shikamaru nods with half an ear. "Do we know who installed the system here?"

"I pulled the records the second I heard, and I've got men inspecting any other sites that team may have so much as looked at," Kō growls sternly.

"Alright," Shikamaru says. "It's going to be slow while we shift through the rubble, but if you've got the men and clearance for it we can start on the damage to the other buildings."

Smoke damage, water damage, heat damage— you name it the the surrounding complexes were scarred from it. They had to evacuate the nearest condos after the wind had shifted and the fire had spread. Luckily— if you could even call it lucky— after it was apparent the main building was not going to be salvageable, they had the manpower to spare to prevent any serious damage to the surroundings.

Kō nods slowly and assesses the nearby buildings. "We'll probably have to do a little bit of demolition, but nothing too extensive from what I can see from here. Where have the people been evacuated too?"

"Anyone who was injured have all been moved to the hospital by now, but the displaced have been welcomed by the Mēpuru Ward— their recreation centre and the martial arts school have become emergency shelters," Shikamaru briefs from what Kakashi had provided him.

"Good. I'll get men out here asap."

Shikamaru lets the Head of Civil Development depart and readjusts his mask to approach the ashy ruins. Pakkun eyes him wearily.

"If you pass out because you haven't taken a break, I'm not pulling you out."

He knows the dog's lying to him, so he ignores the remark to pick up where he'd left off.

He lost in contemplating how he doesn't ever think he's getting the smell of burning flesh and ash out of his nose when Hinata's voice reaches his ears hours later.

The rest of his friends have been out on an urgent group mission for weeks now. They've picked a tragic time to return home.

Shikamaru carefully treads his way through the destruction to get a sight line before he jumps off the hill of rubble to be level with her. She's sprinting under the caution tape with a devastated expression on her face. He can't imagine it's a pleasant sight to be greeted with when arriving home after so long away.

Shikamaru's covered in black soot so he stabilizes her with his shadows when she stumbles. She's staring at what was once a ten story building with horror.

"Lady Tsunade told us after our debrief. Shikamaru, I'm so sorry," Hinata gasps, eyes watery.

Shikamaru doesn't try and tell her that it's okay so he presses his lips into a thin line instead. There are more rapid footsteps approaching. Their friends seem to have followed after Hinata.

"Hey, is my eye back to normal yet?"

Hinata blinks at the sudden question, but nods in confirmation.

Small mercies.

His friends make it to them with various expressions of sadness and anger (and a few masks of indifference) on their faces. Naruto is quick to approach where Shikamaru's standing at the edge of the mess with a determined set to his brow and a serious look in his eye.

"How can we help?" Naruto asks him.

Shikamaru gazes at the twelve people who've stormed his secure site. Even Sasuke's among them, surveying the area with a frown.

"You're all staying to help?" He clarifies.

Everyone nods. Shikamaru turns to seek out Kakashi kneeling by the row of body bags, attaching identification tags onto the few dead they've recovered still intact despite the high heat they succumbed to.

"Kakashi, I'm taking you off duty," Shikamaru shouts at him. The man jumps to attention seeming like he's going to disagree, but relaxes when he sees the group of young ninja that have gathered around him.

Kakashi salutes lazily and nods, "I'll leave the rest to you, but Iruka will be back after the academy let's out and you better let him take over and get some rest when he does. He'll be bringing more manpower with him."

Shikamaru waves him off, already too focused on planning their next moves to give a proper response.

"Sakura, do you want to want to help here, or head over to the hospital?" He asks, eyes jumping between their faces as he starts making mental adjustments.

Sakura frowns, inspecting the damage, "What would be more helpful?"

"I could use your strength," he admits.

"Then, I can take the hospital," Ino suggests. "Sakura can do more here than me."

"Copy," he agrees, nodding at his teammate which she returns before taking off away from the gathering. "Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru, I'll need you in the quadrants without any markers searching for any signs of deceased. If Kiba and Akamaru can get a scent, Shino your beetles are better for narrowing down a specific location. Red flags indicate specific bodies, yellow are for possible locations."

The duo nod readily and step back to assess the lay of the land. Shikamaru fixes his focus back on Hinata.

"I need you to touch base with the survivors in Mēpuru Ward. Find out if they have a head count of whose all there and then you have my permission to get them any supplies they might need going forward."

Hinata nods resolutely, "You got it. I'll track down the insurance company while I'm there too."

Shikamaru tisks at the reminder about that coming headache, "The cause is still being investigated so they might get fussy about the fire suppression system failing."

"Of course they will. I'll remind them they're still liable for the building whether it was arson or not, and get them to give me an estimate anyway," she assures him.

Shikamaru can't help the way his lips twitch at her quiet ferocity. People bowed before Hinata's skill at navigating boring administrative minutia.

"Alright, I leave it to you."

Hinata smiles despite the serious situation and takes off away from the scorched area. He looks to the rest of his friends (and Sasuke).

"I'll assign a quadrant to each of you so you can start removing the rubble. Do it however you want; seals, raw strength, clones. It doesn't matter as long as you do it cautiously to avoid any chance of further collapses or shifting structures.

"If you're in a quadrant with a marker, take extra care. The bodies are heavily damaged and disfigured from the extensive exposure to heat. If you need some help with extraction the coroner's lent us a few of his medical examiners, so please make use of them."

Shikamaru points out the small team positioned away from the rubble zone that are cataloguing remains and making notes of features and traits regarding certain bodies.

"Also, everyone put on a mask," Shikamaru suddenly tacks on, "please, no one inhale a bunch of ash and other respiratory irritants. I'd have to do a bunch of reports if any of you are dumb enough for that."

"Good to know it's really about whether or not you have to do extra reports that makes you care," Naruto ribs with a grin. His nose crinkling as he heads for the table with the building's blueprints that Shikamaru's drawn over to divide the rubble into neat, manageable sections.

Shikamaru assigns everyone a quadrant while making it clear they're very likely going to have to rotate through multiple areas to safely untangle the mess of rubble. It's extraordinarily slow work taking down the tower of ruin, piece by piece.

There are no complaints though, so Shikamaru lets them loose on the remains and takes his place in the centre of the pile and restarts what he was previously doing before they'd all barged in.

Hearing their voices bouncing off the stone and metal is oddly comforting. It keeps him out of his downwards grief spiral. The hour drifts by faster than the previous ones.

"When'd you learn to control your shadows like this?" Naruto wonders, stopping at his side for a moment of rest. Shikamaru knows it's a clone from the way it's still relatively untouched by the soot and ash. Or maybe it's actually the original, and Naruto's letting his clones get dirty, but that seems out of character for his usual sensibilities.

"Not long after Pain's attack," Shikamaru admits, "though it was way weaker back then."

Shikamaru can do feats he'd previously never even considered possible with his shadows now. He controls them like they're extensions of himself— and maybe they are, in a way.

"It's super impressive," Naruto says, watching the way his Total Shadow Manipulation lifts and ferries rubble and scrap across the site, stretching far beyond Shikamaru's former limits to deposit and sort the material with a simple direction from him.

"Sometimes you learn the best skills outside of battle," Shikamaru says, slowing his shadows down to take greater care around a precarious looking beam.

Naruto hums in agreement, "I learned how to make a Rasengan with toy balls first. Not that I even knew I was learning Rasengan at the time."

Shikamaru ponders that while running mental calculations about the leverage he's going to need to safely extract the stuck debris without compromising any of his surroundings.

"Jiraiya was an unconventional teacher," Shikamaru settles on.

Naruto cracks a wry smile, "It's why he was the best, despite being a total pervert."

"You've done him proud. Mastering his Sage Mode to save Konoha's people."

Naruto blinks at him and flicks his eyes to where his shadows are delicately sliding out the large warped metal beam.

"Asuma would be proud of you too," Naruto replies wholeheartedly.

Shikamaru's heart clenches painfully. He suddenly itches for a cigarette despite his current aversion to ash.

"Yeah, I hope so."

Naruto sends him a gentle smile.

"I think Neji's losing his patience since this isn't quite his strong suit, so the other's might call it soon," Naruto admits. He hasn't turned to scope out their friends at all during their conversation, so Shikamaru has to assume he's recalled a different clone to pick up the data.

"That's alright," Shikamaru replies, glancing up to the sinking sun. For being freshly off mission they have all done more then he ever expected them to. "Iruka and any other ninja who picked up the volunteer mission will be here soon."

"Good," Naruto nods before he pauses from where he'd been turning away. Naruto takes a moment to study him. Shikamaru raises a brow in question.

"You know, if I couldn't see your shadows doing all the work, I'd almost think you were slacking off," Naruto remarks, tilting his head askew and gazing intently at Shikamaru's eyes. "I'm going to have to train harder."

"Don't you dare," Shikamaru instinctively groans.

His words make Naruto break out into an unseen, delighted grin. The crinkling of his eyes give it away, even if his mask hides his mouth.

"But I have to keep up with you!" He enthusiastically declares.

Isn't that something. Naruto wanting to keep up with him, when Shikamaru's desperately trying to do the same, just the other way around. It's like he thinks Shikamaru is someone to look up to, and Naruto hasn't even seen his Shadow Step in action or his new skill at chakra reinforcements.

He shakes his head ruefully, "I already have a hard enough time trying to match you, stupid."

"But if I don't push you, no one will," Naruto laughs.

"When'd you figure that out?" Shikamaru can't help but ask him. He hadn't known Naruto was aware of his influence over the Nara.

Naruto shrugs bashfully, "You've always let me bully you into things you usually avoid."

Shikamaru tries to hide the way his lips quirk into a fond smile. It's an odd thing to learn of someone seeing, and unspeakably understanding you.

"Get back to work, would you?"

"Sure thing, Shika," Naruto winks with an easy chuckle. He happily bounds back to his section, towards the rest of his clones.

Turns out Shikamaru is right in that Iruka arrives fifteen minutes later with a group of relief shinobi and is swift to bully Shikamaru into stopping his work.

"You were here nearly all night and have been here all day," Iruka frowns at him. "I can't let you stay."

"You heard the man, Shikamaru," Kiba says, approaching them with a very grey and dusty Akamaru. "We all need showers and baths anyway."

Kiba has a point. Shikamaru is pretty sure he smeared soot over his nose ages ago and he should probably get the irritant off his skin.

"Hi, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto chirps before swinging his arm over Shikamaru's shoulders, "Don't worry, I'll make sure Shikamaru listens to you."

Iruka eyes them with amusement. Shikamaru sighs.

"Fine, but I need to stop and talk to Hinata at least."

"Sure thing, I can come with you," Naruto agrees.

"Kiba, tell Iruka what quadrants are left for search teams," Shikamaru requests before whistling at the others to catch their attention, "Wrap it up and go home!"

A chorus of agreements is their response as they start to finish removing the last pieces of rubble left in their grasps. Tenten unleashes her final batch of seals with an extraordinary clatter into the back of their current dump-truck. Lee cheers at the display.

"I'd tell you to take tomorrow off, but I have a feeling I'll be seeing you regardless," Iruka addresses him.

Shikamaru shrugs. "I was supposed to oversee the last of the theater construction tomorrow, but I don't exactly want to debate the most ideal stage measurements at the moment.

"I suppose that's understandable," Iruka allows.

"I leave it to you, for now."

Iruka nods and turns to Kiba and the approaching Shino. Naruto squeezes his shoulders before tugging him off.

"Hey, Chōji," he says as Naruto guides him past, "go find Ino would you?"

Chōji sends him a thumbs up, "I'll make sure she gets some rest. Take care, Shikamaru."

Naruto releases him when they have to duck under the caution tape and he pauses to tug off his face covering.

"Where too?" Naruto asks, looking to him with the beautiful curve of his smile now fully visible.

Shikamaru makes himself ignore the intoxicating allure of his grin and leads Naruto down quiet streets to the Mēpuru Ward square. It's a compact little community full of young families and single adults. Their recreation center and martial art school both face the ward's central plaza. The cobblestone area is full of gathered people, some still soot stained and in shock, and others simply lending a hand and offering comfort. Even the ward's library has it's doors open and the staff offering hot drinks and something to read to any who wander across the plaza in search of a distraction. Daylight is fading and the streetlights are slowly flickering on when he locates Hinata.

She's standing at a folding table in front of the rec-centre seemingly cross-referencing names between apartment records, and the list of unhoused staying at Konoha's newest temporary shelters.

"Accounting for everyone is going to take quite some time," she says when he and Naruto join her side. "Even with the names registered here in the ward, there are adjusting for those who have gone to stay with family or friends and then verifying those who are dead."

"Identifying the remains is going to be slow going," Shikamaru admits, "most we can compare with medical records, but there will be a number that will need full DNA tests to properly verify their identities."

Hinata frowns, "I'll start talking with the coroner and provide a list of those who are still missing."

"It can wait for tomorrow," he tells her, "Let them finish transporting the remains first. You should get some rest after your mission."

"Alright," Hinata relents and fixes him with a stern look, "but you need to rest too. I know you spent all night pulling people out of a burning building."

"I've got it covered, Hinata. I'll make sure he's taken care of," Naruto chimes in making Hinata smile softly.

"I don't need babysitting," he feels the need to point out, if only to hide the way Naruto's words make his chest ache.

"I know," Naruto crosses his arms, "but you'd do it for me."

Hinata's eyes flicker between them, her smile slowly growing as she does. Her silver gaze settles on him.

"Do you know that people are calling you their guardian angel?" She asks, growing amused.

He frowns, "That's worse than them calling me boss."

"Yeah, they can be weird about that," Naruto agrees. "People still call me their hero and their savior, sometimes."

Hinata reaches out to squeeze his forearm quickly, "It suits you."

"I don't know about that."

Hinata shakes her head as she gathers her papers.

"Go get some rest," she tells him before turning to Naruto, "I leave him in you hands."

"Aye-aye," Naruto salutes her with a grin.

She has the audacity to sneakily wink at him as she swiftly departs.

So troublesome.

"Come on," Naruto urges, "my apartment was finished last month and I barely got to enjoy it before we were deployed."

"A tragedy," Shikamaru drawls.

"Right?" Naruto grins, and leads him off in the direction of the mountain. "I think we could both use a minute or two under my showers new water pressure. I didn't realize my places water fixtures were so beat up until it was rebuilt— it's still as tiny as ever, though. I guess not even Konoha's hero gets a little extra square feet."

Naruto's rambling soothes the jagged pit of grief that's been growing in Shikamaru's chest. He doesn't mention the fact he vetoed the offer to upgrade Naruto's apartment when the planning team realized they were redrafting their saviors building. He might love the guy, but he also isn't about to treat him like he's suddenly special for doing something Shikamaru knows he was always going to do. He saved the town because his heart is too big for his body, and he did it without expecting anything in return, so Shikamaru doesn't let the team give him a free renovation, lest Naruto feel bad about the expansion when other villagers don't get the same option.

His eyes unconsciously drift back towards the north, staring at where the black cloud of smoke had been rising less than a day ago. He snaps out of his sudden daze thanks to Naruto gently squeezing his wrist.

"It'll be easier when you stop smelling like smoke."

Shikamaru doesn't have the heart to tell him he doesn't think even his new water pressure is going to get the smell off of him. Part of him thinks he's always going to spell like burnt plaster and scorched flesh.

"Alright, show me this new shower of yours," Shikamaru says when he starts remembering the screams.

Being at work means Shikamaru can compartmentalize in favour of efficiency. It's the downtime that always catches a person off guard. Shikamaru hasn't dealt with it in months now.

Naruto smiles like he understands, and Shikamaru reminds himself that his friends does. Every ninja knows what it's like to have the trauma catch up with you.

"I hope you're fine with ramen because I'm so ordering some from Ichiraku's after," Naruto says, stretching his arms above his head and picking up their pace. It's probably a smart idea since the soot coating them is making villagers frown in worry and concern now that they're passing through the re-established parts of the city.

"Sounds good with me," Shikamaru sighs, and hopes he'll even have an appetite by then.

The look in Naruto's eyes tell him he understands completely.

"You've been helping so many people," Naruto says, "now it's my turn to look after you."

Shikamaru almost feels guilty at how warm the words make him feel. People are dead and here he is, taking joy in having his crush comfort him. He tells himself he's allowed to be happy right now, and almost believes it.

"Suppose I can't exactly talk you out of it."

Naruto's smile as he shakes his head somehow magically releases some of the tension in Shikamaru's shoulders.

"Leave it to me!"

Shikamaru actually manages a genuine smile in response, and Naruto looks pleased as he retakes his wrist to tugs him up his apartment's stairs.

Shikamaru decides to let himself have this moment. Let himself treasure a little time with the blond.

If he has to face the ruin again tomorrow, he may as well let himself relax while he has the chance to. Naruto's happiness as he babbles a one sided debate about what ramen to order somehow soothes Shikamaru's lingering aches. Spiralling into his grief will not bring the dead back to life, so he lets it go for the moment and smiles as Naruto has to stop and hastily dig through all his many pockets to try and find his apartment key.

"Ah— shoot," Naruto groans, "The lock is new, so I probably can't even pick it anymore."

It's so absurd Shikamaru can't suppress his scoffing laugh.

"I knew I should have hidden the spare," the blond whines.

"Check your sandal first, doofus," Shikamaru chuckles.

Naruto blinks momentarily before stooping over to check the hidden lining in his shoe and stands up with a victorious cheer.

"Gee Shika, and here I thought Ino was the mind reader," he laughs, shiny new key twinkling in his grasp.

"Nah," Shikamaru sighs, "I just know you."

"Apparently better than I know myself!"

The tumblers clicking into place and the shink of the key turning sounds a bit too much like music to his ears.

"Welcome home, Shikamaru," Naruto laughs and the proclamation makes his chest flood with warmth and fondness.

"Thanks for having me," Shikamaru genuinely replies.

"Anytime."

Nine Months Post Destruction

"You're late," Tsunade points out in the room full of his friends (expect Sasuke whose glaringly and pointedly absent in Shikamaru's eyes), plus Iruka, Kurenai, Guy and Kakashi. She had sent word last night to summon them all to her office for a meeting at eight this morning.

He checks the shadows and knows he is barely even late.

"Sorry, I was across town prepping a warehouse complex in the industry sector," Shikamaru yawns.

"And to think, I only woke up twenty minutes ago," Sakura wryly mumbles to herself.

"Hinata made it here on time," Tsunade points out.

"Ah— I wasn't at that site. I was helping Kō work out this months schedules," Hinata explains.

"You have plaster in your hair," Ino points out to him before Tsunade can reply causing him to sigh.

"Forget it, let's get on with it," Tsunade laments before gesturing to Shizune to dole out a pile of scrolls. "I have an announcement to make.

"We are planning to hold a festival to mark the one year anniversary of Konoha's destruction. We've scheduled three days of of events, but the main reason I'm sharing this with you now is because I would like you all to participate in some exhibition matches during the opening of the first day's festivities."

Shikamaru opens the scroll Shizune hands him and immediately takes in the list of proposed matches.

"Iruka has done me the favour of assigning the battles should you all agree to participate."

"You can count me in," Kiba agrees despite having not opened a scroll.

Similarly, Naruto is nodding enthusiastically, before taking a peek at Sakura's scroll to actually look at the assignments.

"Don't I have an unfair advantage since I'm an Anbu agent?" Sai dully pipes up, making more than one person in the room look at him flatly.

Sai shrugs at the eye rolls and pointed glares. The boy is aware most people in the room can match his skill level, but that doesn't mean he's not above flaunting his title as Anbu. Sai has pride, and he's always happy to bluntly point out his achievements, if only to get a reaction and rile Naruto or Kiba's inferiority complexes up.

"Frankly, more than one person in this room would already be Jōnin if they bothered taking the tests," Tsunade growls.

Shikamaru avoids her pointed glare. He's got enough going on right now, he can succumb to her determination to up his rank after he finishes reconstruction.

Naruto and Sakura, on the other hand seem completely oblivious to her second pointed glare because they're too busy muttering about their competitors to each other.

It makes Shikamaru turn his own focus back to the notice.

There's a couple rules outlined for the matches that he skims over. Six, one v. one matches with one hour time limits. Battles being declared a tie should the generous cap be reached. No use of the Kyuubi's chakra permitted for Naruto. Clones cannot be beyond the bounds set for the match or it's an automatic forfeit. No killing blows or jutsus— and suddenly he understands why Sasuke's been omitted from this exhibition. Bloodthirsty, killing intent is bad for morale. The end of the paragraph states that a small monetary bonus will be granted to the victors.

He finally reaches the list of proposed matches.

Kiba and Ino are assigned as the first battle. He thinks that Ino's mind jutsus are definitely a challenge for Kiba's strong physical prowess as long as she can withstand his and Akamaru's startling power.

Tenten and Shino are next— another good match. Both of them are range specialists, one a startlingly direct weapons master and one a subtle infiltration ninja.

Third is Neji and Chōji, undoubtedly their battle is going to wind up a hand to hand fight to see which one takes the upper-hand, technique or raw strength.

He finds the fourth proposed match interesting. It would be Sai and Hinata. The Hyūga's meticulous combat control pitted against Sai's well-rounded abilities and his numerous living drawings.

Shikamaru's not sure what Iruka is thinking in the fifth match up. Having Sakura and Lee battle it out is sure to cause some devastation to their surroundings, if not total destruction.

Shikamaru and Naruto are the finale. He thinks his heart skips a beat. Iruka's just given him a chance to do what he's been desperate to for months. Prove that he is strong enough to stand at Naruto's side as his equal.

"Are we sure you want this lazy bum to be the one fighting Konaha's hero?" Kiba snarks to Iruka, "He's practically a civilian these days."

Iruka looks deeply unimpressed, "I assure you, even if he's not currently on active duty besides in emergencies, Shikamaru is more than a match for Naruto."

Shikamaru is startled by the compliment his old teacher gives him. Iruka may help out on civil job sites when he's not busy teaching the academy kids, but he's never remarked on Shikamaru's new jutsu or his improved chakra control on the few occasions they've worked together. It leaves Shikamaru wondering what exactly Iruka had seen in him during the fire to decide that he's the best match for Naruto.

The boy in question is watching Shikamaru with a wide, excited grin, "This is going to be exciting!"

Shikamaru huffs quietly but can't help the way his lips twitch into a small smile of their own volition, "If you says so. Sounds like trouble to me."

Naruto rolls his eyes and pokes him in the arm, "Everything is trouble to you, Shika."

Shikamaru's smile grows a little wider.

"If this festival is happening so far from now, why are you already announcing all of this?" Sakura asks, eyes scanning through the long scroll.

The document also includes details of vendors, time slots for cultural displays, a scheduled firework show to end the second night, and multiple rites and ceremonies to celebrate the dead during the final day. Shikamaru skims through it all and studies the scheduled dates.

"We're hoping the announcement will have a positive effect on the people," Tsunade explains, "Given the recent setbacks in the city, providing the people something to look forward to and work towards will benefit everyone."

Shikamaru finds the estimated tournament venue requirements and groans. Naruto leans into his shoulder to read what he's looking at. Shikamaru valiantly ignores the way his heart leaps at Naruto's warmth and instead stares down Tsunade. She raises her brows in an unimpressed, silent question.

"Ah," Shino says, finding the section Shikamaru's just read. His interjection sounds suitably commiserating.

"I'm going to be building the stadium, aren't I?" He asks. Ino whistles quietly under her breath and Tenten winces as Chōji points out the specs to them.

"I'm making it a joint venture for both sectors," Tsunade explains, crossing her arms.

Shikamaru considers this and narrows his eyes at her. "Three months to build a venue capable of holding nearly everyone in the city?"

"It's not impossible," Tsunade says.

"No, just a pain to do on top of the neighbourhoods we're still actively developing," Shikamaru complains even though his minds is already ten steps deep in the planning.

He thinks about his chunin exams, and the stadium that had been sundered once upon a time.

"I'll talk to Masako today and get her and her team to start drafting it," he sighs.

Tsunade blinks. Shizune opens her mouth, "Why do you want the Shinobi architects to design it?"

"If you think I'm building a stadium capable of holding Konoha's population without fortifying it to hell and back, you're crazy. Plus, most of my architects are already drafting projects to maximize the urban footprint for the pocket neighborhoods Kō's requested to fill the gaps that remain in Konoha's new layout."

"It's truly impressive how much you manage these days, Shikamaru," Lee remarks.

"Well, if it's a joint venture, you all can see it first hand because all of you are helping me build the thing."

"I suppose that's understandable," Neji dryly says.

"Do you already have the location decided?" Hinata pipes up, frowning at her own copy of the scroll, not finding a property described.

"The empty space that the shinobi sector's been sitting on in the east quadrant," Shikamaru tells her.

Tsunade sighs, "He's exactly, right."

"Oh, I'd forgotten about that patch of land," Hinata says, turning to him. "If you tell me what Masako's estimation is for her final draft, I can start blocking out the schedules for the needed work force."

"Do you need the lists for the shinobi contractors?"

Hinata shakes her head, "No, I keep the shinobi records too, just in case we need them."

"I take it I'll mark down Hinata as Assistant Site Manager?" Shizune asks, amused.

"Ah—" Hinata babbles, "I just help do some administrative duties— it's not necessary—"

"Hinata," Shikamaru says. She freezes at his warning tone, clamping her mouth shut. "You've been scheduling my crews for months now, not to mention filing all the material requisitions. You may as well let Shizune make it official."

She blushes and Shino pats her shoulder. "Ah, okay," she hesitantly agrees.

"Yeah, I swear the two of you talk mostly in tongues these days," Kiba snarks.

"It is a lot of boring, technical jargon," Chōji nods in agreement. Shikamaru tries not to feel betrayed by his best friend.

"It's not boring!" Hinata defends. "It's important!"

"It can be boring and important at the same time," Sakura points out.

"I think Hinata's and Shikamaru's dedication to such a dull task is admirable," Sai adds.

"Gee, thanks, Sai," Shikamaru drawls.

"I know you're being sarcastic, but you're still welcome."

"Alright, that's enough yapping out of you all. If you have no objections to participating and don't have any further questions, get out of my office," Tsunade snaps, growing tired of their antics.

Kakashi and Iruka both look vaguely amused at their banter and are doing a poor job of hiding it.

"Sai has a point," Naruto whispers to him as they all shuffle out of the office, "I think it's cool, all the work you're doing for Konoha."

Shikamaru glances at his smiling eyes.

"Even if it is super boring," Naruto tacks on with a snicker.

Shikamaru tisks his tongue, and flicks Naruto's ear, "Don't be so troublesome."

Naruto ducks out of his reach, defending his abused ear, and laughs.

Ten and a Half Months Post Destruction

The stadium is a third of the way completed by the time his friends actually show up to help out. In the end it's not even his pressuring that makes them volunteer their time, it's Tsunade assigning them all to his worksite for a week.

There's been a revolving door of ninja teams, each generally assigned to the job for a short period and all with various abilities and motivations when it comes to manual labour. The span of personalities has given Shikamaru more than one headache over the weeks, but Hinata is always swift to find tasks best suited to the shinobi that are granted to them.

Still, they're both grateful to be working with people they know and can deal with effectively this time.

Naruto is actually the first to arrive, nearly a full hour before the expected start time, bouncing with anticipation and with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes.

Hinata and Shikamaru share a glance, both temporarily at a loss for what to do when faced with the sudden appearance of their mutual crush.

"I'm ready to be put to work," Naruto greets, "It's been so boring lately. Surely you guys have something exciting for me to do."

"Well, your clones could be helpful for labour," Hinata hesitantly points out, but seems dissatisfied with her offer.

"Sure," Naruto easily shrugs, "I'm plenty strong enough for that."

But, it wouldn't hold his attention for very long, Shikamaru knows. He'd be fighting his own drifting focus the entire day if they doomed him to simple labour for an extended period. It was more of Kiba's strength.

"We could use your clones as runners and messengers instead," Shikamaru offers as an alternative and Hinata immediately perks up.

"Of course, if you don't have to do all that yourself, Shikamaru, you can get more of the technical work done here with the crews," she agrees while nodding happily.

"So you want me to spend the day running around the city?" Naruto clarifies with a tilt of his head, "That's like already my favourite past-time."

Hinata sends him her sweetest smile as she explains, "You'll be doing all sorts of tasks Shikamaru usually handles. Like making sure the warehouses are sending out the right orders, delivering reports to other project builders and sometimes putting in a rush request with a supplier."

Naruto nods resolutely, "I can do all that. As long as I always keep one of me here so Shikamaru can make sure I'm not doing anything to mess up your work, I think that sounds kinda fun."

"You're not going to mess anything up," Shikamaru assures him, "I'll lay out all the information you need before I send you off."

"I know you will," Naruto says with a grin, "but I want to be extra sure. I know your work is important."

"And with you, it'll be extra efficient this week," Hinata giggles.

"You better believe it!" Naruto laughs, looking to Shikamaru, "So, where to, boss?"

He groans and Hinata's giggle turns into a delighted full body laugh. She holds up a hand and Naruto is glowing as he giddily high-fives her.

"Did you plan that?" Shikamaru asks her.

She shakes her head, blinking back her suddenly watery eyes from her rush of euphoria at hearing Naruto use the playful title. "No— no, that was all him."

Naruto eyes glitter with mischief and they crinkle from his smile, "Your brows always furrow when someone calls you that in earshot. I was wondering what face you'd make if I called you it directly."

"He winces like he's in pain, doesn't he?" Hinata says trying to beat back her splitting smile.

Naruto chuckles, "Like you've gifted him something he hates, but he's being too polite to point it out."

Shikamaru groans again and turns his back to them, "That's enough. I'm putting you both to work now."

Apparently mixing Hinata and Naruto together results in them mutually picking on him. Shikamaru should probably be annoyed by the team up, but instead he's only got a fond warmth in his chest. He's glad Hinata is comfortable enough with him to be this unfiltered and genuine now. Plus, he's always been glad whenever Naruto gives him any form of attention, so he supposes enjoying their pestering is only natural now.

The pair follow after him still grinning at his back.

As their various teammates arrive, Hinata happily assigns them to their own tasks. Sasuke seems ready to complain on first arrival, but then Shikamaru asks him if he thinks he can adapt his Chidori for welding and any gripes he may have been ready to vocalize get knocked aside as he ponders the question.

The shrug he receives in answer appears uninterested, but Shikamaru sees the way the idea burns behind his eyes so Shikamaru sets the Uchiha loose on the welding team once he's sure Tachibana can handle his standoffish nature.

Kiba, Chōji, Lee and Sakura seem to be turning their job of hauling materials into a game, while Ino, Neji, Shino and Tenten are handling the precise measurements, cutting and retrofitting. Hinata's conducting the whole show with a comprehension and capability Shikamaru is proud to see her flex. She's learned a lot in the past six months, and the stadium is feeling more and more like her great work than it does Shikamaru's.

Naruto never strays far from Shikamaru's reach as the day wears on and it's driving him wild in an intoxicating way. Having Naruto so close and totally at his beck and call feels unreal after he's gotten so used to the blonde being away from town— be it for training or for missions.

Shikamaru has to bite his tongue more than once lest he say something too revealing due to his chest wanting to explode from the flood of emotion eating at him.

He's going to have to survive a week of Naruto orbiting him without blurting out a sudden confession and making a complete fool of himself.

Such a drag.

Despite all this, the work day flies by. Shikamaru's able to use the shadows to help out on site more than usual since Naruto's off bouncing around town completing the various odds and ends Shikamaru normally tends to.

"You know, this was less horrible than I was expecting," Sakura muses as they wind down the last of the days tasks. "I can almost see why you decided to do this all year."

"Ah— technically, this is actually only a fraction of what Shikamaru usually manages," Hinata points out.

"Well, I suppose," Sakura replies and turns to him, "so are you just a glutton for punishment, or what?"

He sighs, but given that he let her train him in chakra reinforcement techniques in the middle of the destruction, she probably has a point.

"Not like I was expecting to wind up here with this job," he admits.

"So why'd you stay?" Sakura wonders.

He shrugs and glancing out to the city between the bones of the stadium balconies, and considers how it now looks very close to what it once did thanks to his contributions. "I guess I had a good enough reason to put up with all the trouble."

She hums, and studies him closely. He shares a momentary glance with Hinata to avoid her verdant scrutiny.

"Then, I hope your motivation isn't going anywhere. Being an actual person with ambitions suits you," she finally comments.

Shikamaru huffs under his breath, "I don't think it's going anywhere, anytime soon."

Sakura seems pleased at his remark and her gaze flicks over to Naruto. Shikamaru really hopes it's a coincidence that she seeks out her teammate. Hinata's gaze silently flicks between the two of them and the blonde who is conversing with Kiba.

This is really too much trouble for Shikamaru to want to deal with.

"Me and Ino are going to the training grounds," Chōji says to him, approaching him from behind while he wipes his hands of the last stubborn remnants of metal shavings. "Want to join us?"

Shikamaru takes the exit without hesitation. He needs to start focusing on some actual combat training or else he's going to be hopeless in their exhibition match.

"Did he seriously also agree to train willingly?" He catches Sakura whisper to Hinata as he quickly joins Chōji's side. "Screw motivated, I think he's actually been replaced by a totally different person."

"Hinata—" he starts to say over his shoulder only for her to wave a hand.

"Leave it to me. I can do the end of day checks for once."

He sends her a wave in thanks and turns his focus to his best friend. Chōji's got the look in his eye that means he knows something that Shikamaru is going to find troublesome.

"What," he sighs to prompt his friend into speaking, but Chōji just shakes his head easily as they catch up with Ino.

"I think this one's all you, buddy."

Yeah, it kind of is.

He kind of hates that his friends can see his feelings so easily. It's one thing if it's his best friend picking up on it, but it's another if Sakura has enough awareness to get a sense for it. He decides he'll just be in denial for the time being, so he doesn't actually have to do anything about it.

"Don't be an dumbass about this, Shikamaru," is all Ino has to contribute as she falls into step with them.

She groans at his shrug and mutters, "Impassioned enough to rebuild a city, but still too lazy to do anything about it."

Shikamaru picks up the pace.

Ino groans again and Chōji huffs a laugh. "You can't avoid it forever, people are starting to piece it together."

He ignores her.

"Fine," she relents, "If you're training with us it means you have an idea you want to test out. Tell me what it is at least."

"I want to see what Shadow Step is like if I travel directly into another person's shadow," Shikamaru tells her readily since it means she'll drop the topic of his inaction regarding his feelings.

She hums in interest. "Do you think it'll be helpful?"

"That's what I intend to find out," he replies with as they cross the fence line of Training Ground Twelve, a small grassy area no bigger than a baseball diamond situated near one of Konoha's walls.

"It shouldn't take long to test," Chōji muses, "you can try it out on me before Ino and I start working on our stamina."

"Thanks, bud. Just hold still for me."

"Sure thing," his friend agrees easily.

Shikamaru calls to the surrounding shadows and there is a beat where they waver and consider his intentions, like they have to check before they let him slip into Chōji's shadow.

These days, he is familiar with the way the darkness moves when he's engulfed by it. He knows the way the shadows ripple and sway when he passes through the shade of a tree, he knows the sturdy pillars of darkness cast by buildings, even knows the curve of shadows cast by clotheslines and power lines. But in all his travel through the city's shade, the shadows have never passed him through another person's outline.

Now he knows why.

It's mind-splitting and nearly totally incomprehensible. He can't even reckon what movement and patterns are contained within Chōji's shadow. The sensations burn themselves into his mind and he steps away from Chōji as fast as he can.

He has to remind himself how to breathe.He sucks air through his teeth and his teammates stare at him in faint concern. He almost tells them he's never doing that again but— there had been a rhythm to it. A pattern.

Shikamaru is very good at solving puzzles.

"Give me a minute," Shikamaru says, taking a seat right there in the striking green grass and scattering dandelion seeds as he does so. "I need to figure something out."

"Sure, why not," Ino sighs. "Wasn't this supposed to be quick?" she tacks on to Chōji.

He meditates, trying to unravel what he's just experienced.

He ponders it, slipping into a deep and steady meditative state. He tries unravelling the image and separating the layers of motion and feeling he'd been hit with, but he doesn't know what parts go together. Puzzles stacked on puzzles.

He is sure there is a system to it. Maybe more than one, all conflicting and competing with his senses.

He pulls in a deep breath, stretching his lungs to their max and has the familiar pattern of his chakra network flickers into his awareness. He goes to brush it out of his thoughts, but freezes in realization as he exhales.

Shikamaru suddenly opens his eyes. If he's right, he might just be able to put up a proper fight. He might be able to shut down Naruto's unstoppable force.

He'll have to pick Hinata brain later if this works out.

"Okay, let me try again."

Eleven Months Post Destruction.

"I'll help you properly test your reinforcements if you give up everything you know about Lee's weaknesses," Sakura interrupts him one morning as the date of the festival closes in.

With reconstruction projects dying back into just regular old construction jobs, Shikamaru's started focusing completely on training outside of the few errant tasks he still handles for Kō. Sakura's tracked him down, probably because he's been making a ruckus by splitting trees for the better part of an hour. He had bribed Hashirama to grow a bunch of excess trees in one of the more remote training grounds outside of city limits so he could put himself through some serious paces.

Unlike Sakura, he's been maintaining his chakra reinforcements only when actively on a job site, or in his short, sporadic sparring sessions with Lee. It means he's now he's testing his endurance and ability to maintain them for more extended lengths. His fight with Naruto isn't going to be over quickly, and it's certainly going to be more involved and high stakes than keeping up his chakra control during work. He's got to make sure he's ready to give Naruto a battle that's actually challenging.

Sakura's offer is tempting. Since Ino and Chōji are busy focusing on their own solo training, she would push his boundaries more than his day of turning trees into mulch would.

"What makes you think Lee's got any weaknesses to exploit," he shoots back, splintering an hour old oak tree that's as thick around as two of him.

Sakura scoffs, "You dissect people's weaknesses like it's a fun game, Shikamaru. And you've been sparring him regularly for months, if anyone has dirt on him it's you."

"You make me sound crazy," Shikamaru sighs.

"You've been willingly fighting Lee— you are crazy."

Yeah, Shikamaru lost his common sense the second he fell in love with Naruto.

"If I give you tips to beat Lee, you have to both train me today and give me your own details about Naruto," he counter proposes.

"Done. Naruto never raises his guard fast enough. Going low and then high is nearly always guaranteed to get you a free hit past his defense," Sakura readily informs him.

"Geez, giving up intel on your own teammate that easy? That's cold, Sakura."

She shrugs and flashes a sharp grin. "I keep telling him to break the habit or someone's going to do it for him."

Shikamaru sighs, "Way to use me for your dirty work."

"Aw, come on. Let's get started already. Show me how solid your reinforcements are, my student."

Damn. He might regret this later, but he's desperate enough for a sparring partner who can use chakra reinforcements like him that he can't be bothered to care right now.

"Don't call me that."

"What? Would you prefer I call you boss? Or maybe my guardian angel?"

He groans and squares off with her in the training ground that he's turned into makeshift lumberyard. "I have a meeting with the Hokage at noon, just don't make me late, please."

She shrugs, "Prove to me your chakra reinforcements are up to my standard and you'll be fine."

He thinks Sakura might just kill him today.

Thankfully he's wrong, if a bit tenderized when the shadows shuttle him back to the city.

Sakura's strength enhancements had definitely been what he needed to properly test his capabilities, and he had been surprised at how his reinforcements withstood her hits. After an intense hour, she had told him she was confident they would hold up against Naruto before promptly lecturing him on how he needed to work on maintaining them long term if he wanted to make use of them effectively.

He had started tuning her out when she began ranting as if she was unconsciously reciting Tsunade's words. He's already going to be meeting their Hokage in person today, he didn't also need to hear her lectures second-hand from her student.

He hopes his pitch is over fast enough he'll still have enough motivation to focus on his idea for a possible new jutsu. That is, if Sakura has left him with enough chakra for him to even make any progress on that front.

The lower levels of the shinobi offices are a hive of activity like always. He slips through the bustling ninja with ease and avoids eye contact with anyone lest they pull him into their problems. The shinobi posted put side Tsunade's office wave him in without any fuss and Shikamaru catches his Hokage and her aide pausing a seemingly intense rally of discussion at his arrival.

"Shikamaru," Tsunade greets and he approaches her desk, "Tell me, what exactly made you call this meeting?"

"I have a proposal," Shikamaru starts to explain.

"These days I receive most of your proposals via hastily scrawled reports," she points out. "Colour me intrigued."

"Since my contract is almost up, I wanted to offer my skills up for another role."

Tsunade actually straightens up in her chair because his words catch her attention so completely.

"I was prepared to put you back on active shinobi duty, but I'm listening if you have another idea."

"I want to he trained under you and Shizune as an aide."

Tsunade blinks in shock before his words get properly comprehended and Shizune jerks in surprise.

"But— being the Hokage's aide takes—" Shizune cuts her rebuttal off as she suddenly realizes something.

"What?" Shikamaru smirks, "Takes being an administrative assistant, a manager, a strategist, a negotiator, an operative and a diplomat all in one?"

Tsunade barks a laugh with a large grin, "Essentially, everything you've been doing for the past year."

She looks pleased, a little like a cat that's caught the canary. He supposes she would be, he's basically proposing signing himself over to her, and he's too skilled for her to pass this opportunity up.

Shizune sighs, "We'd barely have to train you," she jokes, seeming rueful.

"We can announce it to the people when your contract ends during the festival. It'll be good for morale," Tsunade's already greedily planning.

"If you say so," Shikamaru sighs. "I'll let you handle it, I need to get back to work."

"I can't imagine your still that swamped," Shizune muses.

Shikamaru shakes his head, "Not that kind of work."

Tsunade looks intrigued, but lets him leave without pressing him for more details. She's already pulling out a fresh scroll to likely draft his new contract.

He really hopes it's not going to wind up being a huge drag since he doesn't want to regret his decision.

Actually— even if it is a huge drag, he knows he still won't regret it. For some reason, Naruto always makes it worth it.

One Year Post Destruction:

Anniversary Festival: Day One

Shikamaru is grateful for the day's clear skies and scorching sun when he departs for the stadium. He has a feeling he's going to need all the help had can get with his control today, so the blinding intensity is appreciated even if grey and dreary skies would have boosted his shadows.

The city is alive and thriving in a way that warms Shikamaru chest as he walks the twisting streets. He has to pause and wait for traffic to clear on multiple occasions during his brief commute as vendors unload goods into stalls and workers build pop-up stages throughout the city's streets. He wonders if he hadn't been around to help whether the city would be this resplendent just a year after it had been flattened to nothing. He tries not to think about it too long.

Greetings and well wishes get called to him from all sides as he walks the roads, both from people he recognizes and has worked with and from total strangers. It still feels surreal to him sometimes, that he's known so extensively among the people.

His eyes drift to the stadium as he turns up the main road. They had named it Kokoro Stadium after they had finished it, and it stands sturdy and shining in the summer sun. The final piece of Konoha's reconstruction. It had been a bittersweet moment for him and Hinata. It's still hard to believe this chapter of their lives is coming to a close.

Shikamaru takes a deep inhale and steps forward— towards the fight ahead— resolute. He will not waver. Not today.

The newly hired stadium staff point him up to their balcony after he reaches the entrance and they hand him the expected schedule. He watches the civilians that have started trickling in early and smiles when they gape at the architecture and the seemingly endless tiers of benches. Shikamaru follows the signage pointing him towards their assigned box, because even though he helped build the place, he still finds the back halls a maze.

Naruto's already in their assigned box, practically bouncing in place due to his excited anticipation. They're the first arrivals and Shikamaru joins him leaning against the railing, looking out over the yet untouched, compact earth of the arena floor.

"Hey, Shika," Naruto greets. "You ready for our match?"

Shikamaru hums noncommittally and meets the other's eyes. "You should know I'm planning on winning," Shikamaru says, basking in the way his words cause Naruto's smile to blossom.

Shikamaru doesn't really think he's going to win, but he's got a small, fighting chance. And a small chance is better than no chance at all, so Shikamaru's willing to gamble a bit on his odds.

"Good," Naruto says, "I know you'll give me one hell of a challenge. It's why I've been so excited to fight you."

"Really?"

Naruto bobs his head, "Yup! Even more so after Konohamaru told me he was thinking about betting against me. Something about you knocking out a missing-nin with nothing but a pebble."

His eyes are sparkling with amusement and Shikamaru sighs, "What's he even doing betting on this."

Naruto laughs and shrugs, "Probably raking in winnings."

"Does that mean you're expecting me to win?" Shikamaru asks startled.

"You're always full of surprises, Shikamaru. It's why I like you so much! You constantly keep me on my toes!"

Shikamaru reminds himself he doesn't mean it in the way Shikamaru wants him too.

"Well then," Shikamaru says past his suddenly parched throat, "I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

Naruto's eyes crinkle and they go back to companionably watching people fill up the stadium.

"When do you think we'll actually start," Naruto whispers to him, eyeing Tsunade in the box directly across from theirs.

"Who even knows," Shikamaru sighs.

They wait. Naruto impatiently— if his drumming fingers are anything to go by— and Shikamaru with great indifference.

"You know we're going last right?" Shikamaru asks him when his friend starts chewing on his nails from his boredom.

Naruto groans, "Don't remind me. But if we start already, at least I could watch the other matches while we wait."

More of their friends appear on their balcony, everyone looking either excited or deadly serious when they join the party.

Sakura whacks the back of Naruto's head when she walks over to him. It makes Sasuke snort from where he's accompanying her. Shikamaru eyes him curiously and tries and gauge if he's mad about being excluded from the exhibition. Then, he wonders who was bribed for him to be let up here with them.

"I keep telling you to stop that," Sakura says, batting Naruto's reddened cuticles away from his teeth.

Naruto squawks in dispute and swats back at her intruding fingers. Shikamaru raises an eyebrow at her as she glares.

"He always winds up making his fingers bleed," she tells him, seeking out some solidarity to back her up.

"I heal!" Naruto bites back.

"That's not a good excuse, idiot!" Sakura snaps back.

"There are worse habits to have than an oral fixation," Shikamaru remarks with a shrug, watching Naruto pout.

"What, like smoking?" Sasuke snarks as he approaches his teammates.

"Why are you even here?" Shikamaru asks.

Sasuke flashes him a pointed, but painfully practiced smile. He's worse than Sai.

"To watch the show."

Shikamaru rolls his eyes and Naruto finally relents to Sakura's determined fussing and shoves his hands into his pockets. Shikamaru would have to get him some gum or something later.

"I swear I'm going to have to invest in a chew toy for you," Sakura mumbles, mirroring Shikamaru's silent sentiment.

"Hey," Naruto defends. "I'm not a dog."

"You sure act like one," Sakura refutes.

"Practically our little pet we have to clean up after," Sasuke drawls.

He watches Naruto eyebrows pinch, and he turns away to go back to scanning the stadium. Shikamaru casually leans over to rest his forearms on the railing and slides a little closer to him as he does so to offer him a little comfort. Being called a dog is probably a bitter reminder to the days Naruto would get the word beast hurled at him like a curse. Shikamaru can't imagine it's a pleasant feeling, even if it's coming from his friends.

The blond sends him a small, grateful smile as their arms brush.

"Thanks, Shika," Naruto hums quietly after Sakura gets goaded away by Ino being petty and Sasuke floats aimlessly after her.

"I've got you," Shikamaru tells him softly, assessing with a glance the way the foot traffic has slowed down to a trickle below them. He misses the fond look Naruto sends him, but feels the way Naruto subtly hooks a finger in his belt loop as a small act of physical contact.

His mind spins trying to figure out what the casual touch means, but Naruto's withdrawing his hand just as quick as he initiated it, in favour of leaning over the railing to stare down at the entrance.

Now it's Shikamaru's turn to straighten up from his slouch to pinch the back of his competition's jacket.

"If you let him fall, you win by default, Nara," Neji calls.

"I'm not going to fall," Naruto refutes, leaning a little farther. "I think the stadium's pretty much full now."

"You can tell just by looking at the full seats. No need to throw yourself over the wall to try and see the admission line," Shikamaru grumbles.

Naruto flashes him a mischievous smile. "But you've got me, don't you?"

Shikamaru can't help but roll his eyes, "Doesn't mean you have an open invitation to be an idiot."

Naruto straightens up, allowing Shikamaru to release his grip on his jacket and the other boy bumps their shoulders in an act that functions as both an unspoken apology and a thank you.

For a brief moment Shikamaru feels like he's drowning in his feelings before Tsunade's voice finally rings out over the stadium, allowing him to fill his lungs properly.

Iruka appears to call down Ino and Kiba as Tsunade welcomes the crowd and Shikamaru takes a second to wish his teammate luck. She gives him a nod with a flinty, resilient look in her icy blue eyes and it makes Shikamaru spare a moment to wonder if she's actually going to beat Kiba and Akamaru.

With all of them focusing so hard on solo training the last month, he can't say for sure what Ino's been working on, but it seems like she's determined to prove something to herself.

"Ino seems confident," Naruto whispers to him when the duo take their places in the arena and wait for the signal to begin.

Shikamaru hums in agreement as Kiba clearly says something to try and distract Ino's focus.

"I wouldn't want to fight her," he continues, "she'd trap me in my head in seconds."

Kakashi blows a whistle with the half-assed enthusiasm Shikamaru's come to expect from him and he wonders how exactly Tsunade's convinced him to take up the role of referee.

"It's not as easy as that with Kiba," Shikamaru replies as Akamaru immediately takes the form of his master and the identical duo launch themselves at Ino with the ferocity and speed expected of the Inuzukas.

"Because there's two of them?" Naruto asks.

"Yeah, even if she traps one of them with her mind, the other can still attack her vulnerable body."

"Right, but it seems like her chakra sensing is at least letting her keep up with their speed," he points out.

He's right, Ino's mainly on the defensive, but she's yet to take a hit despite her competitors unmatched speed. She must have spent fair amount of effort improving her reaction time, but that's not what's currently got his attention. It's the way she's running her mouth down there that piques his interest most.

"She's up to something for sure," he sighs.

"Of course she is," Naruto laughs, "she's sneaky like that. Think Kiba will fall for whatever it is?"

Oh, he's bound to take the bait, especially if Ino's pulling out her patented 'dog-breath' and 'stupid mutt' insults.

Kiba's always been easy to rile up. On a mission he can keep his focus thanks to his clan training, but when it comes to his friends, Kiba tends to jump to emotional over-reactions which takes the edge off his discipline. And Ino knows a hotheaded Kiba makes more mistakes than a focused one.

One of her verbal jabs must hit deep because one second Kiba and Akamaru are working in perfect tandem, and the next they're jumping back to take up their two headed transformation which results in Ino effectively taking control over the tempo of their battle.

"Ah," Shikamaru murmurs, suddenly understanding why she's pushed the duo into their arguably stronger form. Ino subtly drops a tag at her feet while her opponents are distracted combining their chakras into one being.

Naruto leans into his space, "Come'on Shika, let me in on what she's planning."

"You tell me," Shikamaru shoots back, knowing he'll be able to figure it out of he takes a moment to think on it.

Naruto watches Ino form her familiar hand sign for Mind Body Switch and says in realization, "She's going to try and hold both at once."

Shikamaru hums in agreement and watches his teammate attempt something that they've only ever theorized about. Ino's never tried switching into two people at once despite studying the possibility with her father, and Shikamaru hopes the fact Kiba and Akamaru are currently fused will make this easier for her mind.

Ino body goes slack in a way Shikamaru is deeply familiar with and he pivots his focus over to the two-headed wolf now frozen in place and twitching from the sudden exertion of fighting off Ino's consciousness.

Now, attempting a dual Mind Body swap might be easier when Kiba and Akamaru are fused in their wolf form, but there is the downside of Kiba not being able to talk to surrender the fight. Despite that one little inconvenience, controlling two minds in one body does seem wiser when Ino doesn't know if she can even hold more than one mind at all.

They're locked in a silent battle over their bodily autonomy in a way that is very reminiscent of Ino and Sakura's fight during their first chunin exams. Shikamaru knows Ino can't hold Kiba's one track determination under her control for long, and pair it alongside fighting off Akamaru's endless loyalty then the possibility she can hold them for a useful length gets even slimmer. But he knows Ino aware of all this too, and she's clever enough to work with what she's got despite her limits.

The tag at her feet makes sense when Ino's ejected back to her body and she stumbles away from the swiftly charging two-headed wolf. Much like a hunting animal, the pair race towards the perceived moment of weakness without reservation, and too overwhelmed from the Mind Body Swap, Kiba and Akamaru don't notice the trap until they're being launched backwards across the arena with a tremendous explosion.

Ino, used to the disorientation that comes with a Mind Body Swap, presses her advantage with every ounce of cunning expected from a kunoichi.

Split apart from the blast, it's not long before Akamaru is bound in place with a seal and Kiba, knocked off balance by the loss of his Ninken, fails to counter Ino's attack and swiftly winds up in a similar predicament as his partner.

"Told you. Sneaky and scary," Naruto remarks, grinning as Kakashi calls the fight and the crowd cheers at the victory.

Iruka reappears to call away Tenten and Shino and as the next match up faces off in the arena, Ino and Kiba return, snarling and trading scathing barbs at one another.

Considering Kiba had shaken her hand once he had been released from his seal, Shikamaru's not too worried about them.

"So, who'd'ya thinks winning this one?" Naruto asks him, leaning over the railing again to squint at Shino.

Tenten begins to spin her kusari fundo, the chain swishing as the weight pull it taught.

"Shino."

Naruto's eyes flick to him, "That was surprisingly fast even for you," he remarks.

"Tenten's the best weapons user in all of Konoha," Shikamaru shrugs, "but she's facing an Aburame today. No matter how much a fight she puts up, Shino will win."

Naruto hums and focuses back on Tenten's incredible speed being put to use defending against of the attacking swarm of Shino's kikaichū. He's trying to cage her into the swarm to immobilize her, but the speed of her spinning kusari fundo is astounding and forces the swarms of beetles to scatter when they creep in too close.

"I still think she'll surprise you, Shika," Naruto says.

Shikamaru perks up when the heavy weight she's wielding gets flung out to zip at Shino's calculated approach. For all accounts, she appears focused on keeping the beetles swarm in her eye sight, leaving Shino barely in her periphery. Still, the weapon snaps at the encroaching boy, only missing the centre of his forehead because Shino bends himself backwards to avoid it.

The heavy iron weight is then cast back up at the swarm, not allowing them to fly any closer and keeping them at a safe distance.

"You might have a point," Shikamaru mumbles, reassessing Tenten's capability. He still thinks Shino's got the upper-hand, but Tenten's not going to make it easy for him.

A fact she makes clear by hurling her kusari fundo out of her hands, sending it spinning at Shino in exactly the right way for it to wind itself around his chest, locking his arms to his body. The momentum of the heavy weights causes him to stumble a few steps backwards.

Her scrolls are unravelled in seconds and the full force of her Twin Rising Dragon armories are unleashed at the partially immobilized boy.

Without the use of his arms, and with weapons raining down on him from all directions leaving him no escape, Shino is forced to shield himself with a cocoon of beetles. Shikamaru watches the lifeless bugs hit the floor in the stillness following her bombardment.

The beetle armour falls away to reveal a now unbound, and very serious looking Shino. It's only then that Tenten reveals the chakra threads tying the scattered weapons to her hands. Thus begins the dance, a field of puppeteer'd blades spinning into a whirlwind as Shino works up a sweat dodging the sharpened metal.

Then, the tags start exploding and Shino really has to focus completely on evasion, but Shikamaru knows that just because Shino needs to completely focus on something, doesn't mean his beetles have to do the same.

The advantage of Tenten focusing on learning chakra thread techniques means her connection to her weapons can no longer be severed in the same way it can be when she uses wire. Except, that's only true when she isn't battling a shinobi whose beetles consume chakra for sustenance.

One by one, the threads anchoring her to her blades start to snap as Shino's kikachū start feeding on the tethers. Shikamaru catches a flash of panic in Tenten's eyes before she bites her cheeks and gathers her resolve. She keeps the pressure on Shino even as her arsenal shrinks in the hope she can keep the momentum in her favour.

The panic in her eyes makes another appearance when the beetles start crawling up her ankles. She's been keeping her eyes on the skies as she prepares herself for Shino's counter. She hadn't expected the slow assault of the bugs crawling across the stadium to her on foot.

Naruto winds up being very correct in that Tenten definitely surprises him with her final, last-stand move. She opens one of her storage seals, specially crafted by her hand so it lacks the standard safety measures usually inked into the tag.

She unseals a vacuum of empty space, pulling a cloud of Shino's beetles into the vortex and then holds it open, causing the gravitational pull to only grow. Shino buckles down as some of the lightest weapons gets swept up in the pull and get sucked into the open seal.

Tenten shakes from the strain of holding the raw, unrestrained seal as more stray bugs, weapons and a whole lot of dirt gets pulled into the void she's maintaining. Shikamaru can only imagine they way their ears must be popping due to the pressure change caused by all the air surrounding them disappearing into the void. He knows what she's pulling is an incredibly dangerous move for anyone who isn't precisely aware of the forces at play in a fūninjutsu storage seal. As such, it's a shining, radiant sign of Tenten's hard-earned expertise.

Eventually her strength wanes as the seal drains away her chakra to fuel itself, and she's forced to close the tag for her own safety. The shutting of the void makes it incredibly clear that the force behind the vacuum had been monumental because it's disappearance causes both Tenten and Shino sag once they're no longer fighting against it's gravity.

Tenten, presumably much more prepared for the effects of an unrestrained storage seal since it was part of her plan, is quick to scoop up the bō that's come to a rolling stop at her feet and make a run at Shino.

Except her hit passes through the buckled over Shino as a cloud of beetles part to avoid the hit. The hidden swarm of bugs acting as Shino's copy have her locked in place before she can withdraw more than a step away. Her capture causes the real Shino makes a reappearance from where he had been disguised as a large glaive across the arena.

"When'd he do that?" Naruto wonders scanning the other scattered weapons.

"There's always a lot of chaos caused by Tenten's Twin Dragon scrolls. It makes for good cover for subtle tactics like that," Shikamaru points out.

Naruto pouts, "I was hoping Tenten would beat him."

Shikamaru suppresses a smile. "You just say that because she's flashier than Shino."

"Well, yeah," Naruto snarks back, "Is that a problem, wise-guy?"

Shikamaru's lips betray him and a small, fond smile breaks across his lips. Still, he keeps his voice as unaffected and bored as ever. "Nah, no problem at all, dumbass."

Naruto snickers a laugh as Iruka call for the next duo.

"What do you think being covered in Shino's bugs is like?" Naruto asks as the pairs change places.

Shikamaru groans and doesn't even bother giving him an answer. Naruto's smirk grows.

"Don't even push it," Shikamaru says when he goes to open his mouth again.

Naruto dramatically pouts at him, but turns to watch Neji and Chōji take their places with the crowds applause. Kakashi seems even more resigned to his job as the matches wear on.

"How about you tell me what you think this time," Shikamaru asks as the whistle sounds, making Naruto blink in surprise.

He rubs the back of his neck, "Er— I don't really know. I'm not good at this kinda thing like you are."

"That's not true," Shikamaru refutes, "You pick up more instinctively than you think."

"Well," Naruto drags out, eyes turning to watch Neji launch forward to begin the fight with immediate quick pressure. "I think Neji's going to have a harder time than usual fighting Chōji."

A small smile quirks Shikamaru's lips. "Why's that?"

"Uh— Chōji's expansion jutsu, I think. Blocking the chakra flow when he gets big must be harder?"

"Got it in one, Naru."

Naruto turns to grin at him. "Wait, really?"

He hums and watches Chōji expand his form as swiftly as he's capable to avoid Neji blocking any of his chakra points too soon.

"When Chōji expands his body, he does it proportionally," he explains, "meaning everything about him grows, including his chakra network."

"Oh— so his pathways are larger which is more difficult for the Gentle Fist techniques," Naruto extrapolates while watching the pair fight below them.

"Yeah, I doubt it makes it impossible, but it probably takes more power, precision and chakra to manage. So basically it's going to be a bigger challenge for a Hyūga."

Naruto hums as Chōji's large size seems to get momentum in the hand to hand battle. Neji's hits are being batted aside with an ease and force he is not used to.

"You know if everything about Chōji is bigger that means—"

"Don't."

"But—"

"Shut it, doofus. I really don't want to think about it."

"So you are—"

"Naru," he growls at the blond whose got a pointed, shit-eating grin on his face when Shikamaru turns to glare at him.

"Sorry, Shika," he laughs, "I couldn't help myself."

Shikamaru sighs and slouches further on the railing.

"Plus, I like making you blush," Naruto murmurs to himself as an after thought. He ignores the way his heart stutters.

"I heard that."

Naruto's expression becomes a mask of coy innocence, "Heard what?"

"Ugh, you're so troublesome," he mutters back before turning his attention to focus on Neji whose adapted swiftly and is now directing all his attention on Chōji's right arm.

Shikamaru cannot even begin to calculate what is back and forth with Naruto means. It feels like their toeing the line into flirtation and Shikamaru is trying to gauge if he's just imagining that.

"And yet you still keep me around," Naruto chirps with a chuckle.

"Sasuke would probably say it's because you're like a stray puppy," Shikamaru points out.

Naruto's nose winkles at the thought.

"He's always been an idiot though," Shikamaru tacks on to himself.

Naruto glances over at him from the edge of his eyes, "Oh yeah? Then why do you put up with me then?"

Shikamaru meets his gaze, his amber brown meeting the other's shining cerulean. He refuses to believe Naruto is flirting with him right now. He needs to keep his focus for his fight and if he decides to start thinking about whether or not his feeling are reciprocated he's guaranteed to lose.

"I'm not telling," he declares.

Naruto croaks in disbelief, "Hey, wait, that's so not fair—"

Shikamaru smirks at him, "It's what you get for making me think about Chōji's dick."

His crass language jerks Naruto out of his indignant fury with a sudden bark of laughter.

"I still don't think that's fair," he whines with a grin.

Shikamaru shrugs, "Maybe I'll tell you later."

"Promise?"

"Sure, if I remember."

Their fight is going to changes things between them, whether Naruto knows it or not. Shikamaru thinks his feeling will he made clear, one way or another, and who knows, maybe he will admit later why exactly Shikamaru likes to keep Naruto so close to him.

Naruto goes to fire back, but the crowd cheering makes them both turn to the battle unfolding in front of them.

Neji's managed to block the pathways in Chōji's right side which is very apparent with the way his best friend's right arm has shrunk back to it's normal size. Chōji's off balance now, but his strength is still going strong.

"Huh, I suppose that makes sense, but I didn't expect him to shrink like that to be honest," Naruto remarks, tilting his head.

"Yeah, his chakra is what allows for the expansion," he shrugs in response.

"Neji's got the upper-hand now then."

That catches Shikamaru's attention. "Really?"

"Yeah, Neji's just proven to himself he can defeat the Akamichi's techniques. I'd be surprised if Chōji can stop him now," Naruto explains watching their friends closely. "Neji's scary like that, with his one track determination."

Shikamaru wonders if he remembers that he had been the one to halt that single minded focus dead in it's tracks not that long ago.

He's exactly right in the end. Chōji fights hard and long, dragging the match out into the longest yet. He comes very close to totally restraining Neji more than once thanks to his overpowering size, but in the end Neji blocks enough chakra pathways to let him hit a pressure point effectively, thus shutting Chōji down and winning their fight.

The crowd seems thrilled by their performance, cheering longer than the previous battles, commending Chōji's determination which had not gone unnoticed among the spectators.

Neji and Chōji take longer to return to their seats, presumably so Neji can unblock the other's pathways, but in the meantime Sai and Hinata take their places at Iruka's summons. Shikamaru thinks by their turn Kakashi might just give up on displaying any enthusiasm at all with how brief his appearance is to start their match.

"So it's time for the wild card," Shikamaru sighs watching Sai's permanently neutral expression never waver as he stares down Hinata.

To her credit she doesn't let Sai's slightly off-putting mask faze her as she slips into her stance. Shikamaru feels a spike of pride at her total focus.

"Do you think Sai's going to overwhelm her?" Naruto asks with great timing as Sai uses his scroll to bring his inky lions to life to begin his assault on Hinata.

"Maybe she would have a few months ago," Shikamaru replies tilting his head towards the sky. Still stubbornly cloudless. "But Hinata's had to juggle a lot of tasks lately. She's gotten more experience in splitting her focus. I have to imagine it'll be helpful when fighting with the Byakugan too."

Naruto perks up and Shikamaru stares a bit longer at the blue sky, hopelessly longing for a cloud like he's a kid again.

"Sai might still out evade her," Naruto points out and Shikamaru turns his attention back to the fight, unsurprised that Hinata's already destroyed a few ink summons by using her Gentle Fists to disrupt their chakra sources.

Sai, seeing that his beasts alone won't be enough to defeat Hinata, joins the fight alongside his drawings. While Hinata evades every strike thanks to the Byakugan, Sai evades her strikes from years of hard earned instincts borne of pure survival. Hinata will be hard pressed to get a clean hit on him, and the same goes for Sai.

Shikamaru prepares himself for a long drawn out fight.

At least he is until Hinata, uncharacteristically, stops closing distance as fast as she normally would. The Hyūga's are strongest in close quarters, their taijutsu always unparalleled when paired with the unrelenting Byakugan. Yet, Hinata lets Sai put distance between them more than once.

Hinata even lets him draw back to create a volley of explosive birds, all of which Hinata twists through without even a scratch, but it's not until Shikamaru catches the hidden flash of a senbon that he understands her new pace.

During their time managing worksites, Hinata never grew fully comfortable raising her voice to deliver orders over the buzzing activity of a construction yard. Shikamaru could whistle and catch the attention of the people he needed to, but Hinata had to develop her own ways to be heard, especially if she didn't want to rely on him. Shikamaru knew at the time she had been trying to ease his load, and she had been determined to not need him to do anything on her behalf while helping out.

She had started to take up post in the centre of their sites, table before her with schedules and blueprints— a spot of sanctuary in the chaos— and she would throw bolts. Or stones from the gravel piles. Sometimes scrapped rivets. But anything small and unobtrusive she could get her hands on to aim at whoever she needed the attention of and launch nearby to get the sound of ringing metal to echo in their vicinity to function as her summons.

She had missed a lot at first, her nerves and doubts making her feel foolish, but much like how the civilian crews adapted to Shikamaru's odd shinobi techniques and presence, they swiftly adapted to Hinata's quirks. Especially when she had been so quick to prove her usefulness, kindness and extensive knowledge. The crews got used to keeping a ear out for a pinging projectile, because it meant Hinata needed a word, and no one ever wanted to cause her trouble or discomfort, especially when she had been so skittish surrounded by tradespeople at first.

And eventually her aim had been honed by days of hurling little projectiles across a variety of distances and targets. Shikamaru had once watched her throw a bolt up three stories and in the gaps between two layers of rebar grids to get the attention of the plumbing team that had been trying to makes sense of a poorly planned system. (She had fixed their problem too, by pulling up an earlier draft of the plans and finding them better considered than the revised and finalized versions. She had sent him off with a stern message to Kō about the matter shortly after.)

Shikamaru hadn't considered that she would break the Hyūga standard to adapt the skill for battle. Projectiles didn't incorporate the skill of the clans tried and true techniques. A senbon couldn't block and person's chakra network, and the Hyūga's are far to prideful to ever consider ranged attacks worthwhile over their well honed craft. But then, Hinata has always been the black sheep among her clan.

Loving Naruto seems to have that affect on a person. Making them defy expectations in their pursuit of being worthy.

And while a projectile isn't as dominating as the Gentle Fist techniques, it could still end a fight in one move all the same.

Hinata only has the advantage of surprise once. It's why she's being cautious and letting Sai create distance before closing the gap again if she doesn't find her opportunity.

He catches Neji's incredulous muttering signalling his and Chōji's return.

"What is my foolish cousin even trying?"

Shikamaru smirks to himself, "She's winning."

Neji makes a choked sound of disbelief as he takes his seat. Despite his odd place in the Hyūga hierarchy, Neji is full of his clan's pridefulness. He would probably never consider forgoing clan techniques to win a battle.

Sai, seeming to edge into frustration at his inability to land a hit on Hinata, puts a lot of space between them so he has the opportunity to pull open a larger scroll. Hinata shifts her feet like she's standing in one of his job sites, grounded, sturdy and unshakable in the chaos, and steps out of her usual Gentle Fist stance to do so.

Neji sucks in a gasp through his teeth behind him at the betrayal, but Shikamaru never takes his eyes off of her. Naruto seems similarly captivated beside him and the crowd must feel it too because they murmur in anticipation.

The second Sai's eyes slip off Hinata to focus on his paper her hand snaps out, fast enough it's just a smear through the air. The senbon sinks into Sai's forehead protector and causes the boy to jerk in surprise. The field is frozen until blood wells up behind Sai's headband and a trickle drips down his nose.

Kakashi swiftly calls the fight and it makes Sai unfreeze to take off his headband. The needle has just made it through the metal plate and Shikamaru knows Hinata could have made it go straight through his head if she had put her full force into it.

Sai, in all his shinobi experience, seems to intrinsically know it too. He bows deeply to Hinata as the crowd cheers and it makes her blush fiercely. Shikamaru can't help himself, he whistles down to her and she spins to meet his gaze, before breaking out into a large smile and laughing at his salute.

The crowd roars louder at seeing Shikamaru acknowledge her. They cheer for her even as they depart the arena and Iruka appears to signal for Sakura and Lee. When he turns away from the ring, Naruto is watching him.

"What?" He asks.

"Nothin'" Naruto says, tilting his head as he studies the Nara, "you're just pretty fascinating, Shika."

Funnily enough, he finds Naruto pretty fascinating too.

"Don't say weird things like that out loud, would you?" Shikamaru grumbles. It's really not good for his heart.

"Aw, man, how am I supposed to know what people think is weird or not?" Naruto whines with a pout. "I was just being honest."

That is the problem, but Shikamaru doesn't mention it.

Hinata returns to their seats, head held high and patiently ignoring Neji's incredulous investigation into her choice of long range tactics. She grins at him when she catches him looking and she briefly glances heavenward as a momentary glimpse of her weariness and silent protest to her cousin's lecturing. If the rest of her family is going to react in similar ways, Shikamaru feels for her when she gets home tonight.

Shikamaru doesn't even see Kakashi this time, because he's already disappeared by the time Shikamaru's turned back to the arena after the whistle blows.

Lee starts off by bowing deeply to Sakura and yelling something about honour and apologizing to her in advance. Everyone on their balcony winces at his words. Shikamaru thinks if Sakura gets any more furious there will be steam billowing out of her ears.

He briefly wonders if she's chosen not to take his advice, but it's immediately laid to rest when she schools her expression into one of sugary geniality when Lee straightens.

"Sprits above, what is she doing," Ino shudders in her seat. Sasuke makes a pained noise next to her at Sakura's syrupy lilt when she replies to Lee.

Naruto folds over into laughter when she flutters her lashes at her opponent.

"What gave her this idea?" Tenten says, seeming undecided on being amused or worried for her friend.

Shikamaru hides his smirk.

"Surely Lee isn't going to fall for this ploy?" Shino asks.

Neji sighs and that answer enough.

"Dirty move, using Lee's raging crush on her against him," Kiba muses.

He feels Ino's stare fixed to the back of his head, "This was your dumb idea wasn't it?"

He shrugs as he watches Sakura tilt her head just so, appearing demure and nonthreatening from Lee's point of view.

"I offered it as an option if she wanted to guarantee a win," he admits. "She's the one who actually decided to put it into practise."

"Lee is the only person in this entire city who's gullible enough for this too," Ino sighs.

"Yeah, everyone knows Sakura can't flirt," Naruto laughs, "She's hopeless with Sasuke."

Sasuke makes another pained noise from behind them. Shikamaru almost wants to turn around to see his face, but watching Lee climb aboard a train-wreck is too entertaining to turn away from.

"Don't take notes on this, dipshit," Ino snaps, followed by a surprised grunt from Sai as she slaps his notebook out of his hands. From Ino's responding groan he picks it back up.

"You think she'll actually manage to talk him into giving up?" Tenten wonders.

"Well, Lee is—"

Whatever Neji had been about to proclaim about his teammate is abandoned when Sakura decks Lee now that she's close enough, seemingly fed up with maintaining her sweetheart façade.

Lee drops like a stone, out cold with just one of Sakura's chakra enhanced punches, and the crowd roars with laughter and congratulations. Kakashi actually lingers when he announces Sakura the winner, looking both amused and bashful at his students display.

Naruto's snorting with laughter beside him, "I should'a seen that one coming," he giggles.

"That was terrifying," Kiba declares with a shudder. "If Sakura ever flirts with me, I'm running for it."

Naruto laughs harder at his words. He's still giggling when Iruka appears and looks to them, still leaning on the rail, having never taken their seats.

"Come on, you two. You're up."

Naruto's grinning when he replies, "I think I'll take the faster way, I'll see you down at the bottom, Shika."

Iruka's brow furrows in confusion before startled understanding makes an appearance as Naruto vaults himself over the rail.

Iruka heaves a sigh as their friends roll their eyes in fond annoyance at Naruto's predictable antics. Their old sensei looks to Shikamaru. He shrugs in response.

"Well, at least you can—"

Shikamaru doesn't let him finish before he turns away to step up onto the banister.

There's a few shouts of surprise from his friends as he follows Naruto to leap off the rail, but he catches a muttered, "Of course," from an exasperated Iruka.

He lands with a bored slouch next to a exuberant Naruto.

"So much faster," Naruto laughs with a wink before bounding over to his side of the arena to take his starting position.

Shikamaru looks to Tsunade and finds her staring intently at his feet. Or more accurately, staring at the cracks beneath him from where his impact has broken up the packed earth.

Naruto manages a fall like that because of his impossible healing factor absorbing the impact for him, Shikamaru manages it by reinforcing his legs hard enough the force blows back through the ground instead of shattering his bones. Tsunade's eyes drift to his and she subtly gestures him to move to his starting position.

Shikamaru doesn't really know if he's prepared for this, but he makes his legs move anyways. He's probably about to make his feelings pretty apparent to anyone who watching this fight and knows him well enough. The crowd is already cheering at their appearances and murmuring excitedly about their match.

Their Hero and their Angel facing off with each other.

Kakashi, in an act not surprising to Shikamaru in the least given his track record today, makes about a five second appearance to blow the starting whistle before he disappears back to the wings.

Their fight starts off slow. Shikamaru lets Naruto make the first move, and Naruto doesn't hesitate to launch into battle. Shikamaru's prepared to make sure Naruto doesn't immediately control the pace of their fight, but the other boy keeps up a slower tempo than Shikamaru is expecting from him. Naruto is testing the waters, seeing where they stand, just like Shikamaru.

Naruto likely expects him to try and avoid a direct fight for as long as possible, so for the first time it's Shikamaru who picks up the pace and engages readily.

Before Pain's attack he had been a mid-range fighter, functioning best when controlling the battle field to not get himself into any combat beyond his specific scope. Of course he could survive in a pinch at any range, close or long, but no one would have called him an expert at hand-to-hand fighting.

Between Sakura and Lee, that has changed.

He hasn't seen active duty in a year, and yet he is nowhere close to the shinobi he had been when he had stopped taking missions.

He's far, far better.

He sees when Naruto notices it. It's a brief pause in the exchange where Naruto cocks his head slightly and his eyes reassess.

"Stop holding back," Shikamaru murmurs to him, guard tucked close and lips quirked, waiting for his opponents next move. "Come on, Naru, you can't hurt me."

Naruto looks thrilled as comprehension hits his eyes. When he makes his next move, he actually gets to pack enough punch in it for Shikamaru to feel it. Shikamaru's guard doesn't budge. His chakra reinforcements don't even waver.

Naruto has a moment of breathless laughter before their fight intensifies. Shikamaru's not sure the last time Naruto's had someone new to spar with that he can fight without pulling back on his chakra enhanced hits.

Naruto's hits are harder than Shikamaru usually has to contend with thanks to the extra chakra the jinchūriki uses that Lee naturally lacks, but as fast as Naruto is, Shikamaru is used to speed on a whole other level thanks to Konoha's own Rock Lee. It means he can still predict Naruto's patterns and movements despite the pace of their exchange swiftly ratcheting upwards.

Only when they've settled into a rhythm, and Naruto's mind is totally focused on the fight in front of him, does Shikamaru remind him about his other tricks. He knows he can't hold Naruto in a Shadow Possession for any meaningful stretch of time due to his overwhelming levels of chakra, but it is still useful for knocking him off balance.

Even a waver in his step or a change of his course lets Shikamaru slip a hit past his guard. Shikamaru refuses to acknowledge the part of his brain that writhes at hurting him. Naruto is impossibly tenacious even without chakra reinforcements thanks to the Kyuubi's power. Shikamaru can't afford to hold himself back in a battle— even a mock one.

The crowd is hushed at the fight unfolding before them. Shikamaru wonders if any of the ninja watching can even recognize him now. They're only just now discovering that the lazy ninja they had come to know had died in Pain's attack, and that Naruto had resurrected an impossibly ambitious Nara in his place.

So far Shikamaru is matching Naruto in every aspect; power, endurance and speed. And Shikamaru still has the edge over Naruto when it comes to his tactical mind.

Shikamaru feels the scales start to shift. Suddenly, his odds skyrocket and the crowd starts murmuring.

He still holds himself back, because when it comes down to it, Naruto is always a wild card and Shikamaru's not about to make a foolish mistake now, even if his chances have improved.

It's good he's still on high alert because Naruto signlessly summons a clone and it's only his shift in stance to brace that alerts Shikamaru to the second attacker behind him. He ducks the kick just in time.

He pivots so he isn't sandwiched between the two of them and the opening Shikamaru makes lets the pair start forming a spinning ball of chakra.

Shikamaru had been hoping he would hold off on the Rasengan for at least a little longer. The overpowered destructive force of the jutsu is going to be such a drag to deal with.

Time to see if he can stop the ball before Naruto can aim it at him. In theory he's pretty confident he can, but there no better time to test out the possibility than right now. If he fails, he's probably losing the match in less than thirty seconds.

He sidesteps quickly, circling the duo until he's overlapping the real Naruto's shadow. He calls for the darkness and it answers, slipping him into Naruto's shadow and letting him into the labyrinth of puzzles spiraling inside.

Among the noise of it all, he also finds a suffocating presence locked in the shadow. He gets no understanding beyond a deep and foreign hatred burning inside Naruto's gut.

Apparently, Shikamaru can sense the Kyuubi— and apparently, it can sense him if the heat suddenly directed at Shikamaru means anything.

He can't afford to waste a second to stop and consider the fact he's pretty sure only the Uchina clan is supposed to have the ability to see a tailed beast inside it's host because the overwhelming pressure the Nine Tails is putting on him means he's not going to last in this shadow for long.

Despite the scorching blaze rattling Shikamaru's head, he looks past the slew of sensations, peering past the whooshing of Naruto's blood pumping in his veins and the echo of oxygen flooding in his lungs to seek out the steady flow of his chakra network. He finds it where he's expecting to, a blindingly brilliant weave, twisting and flowing through the gaps of all the other networks and Shikamaru seeks out where Naruto is pooling and spinning the energy to build his signature Rasengan.

Shikamaru, focusing past the blinding presence of the fox reaching for his heart, prods Naruto's chakra with a tendril of his own, disrupting the careful balance. He hopes it's enough because he can't afford to stick around to see the outcome and instead begs the shadows to let him loose from the unbearable cacophony that he's inserted himself in.

The darkness spits him out of Naruto's shadow, the maze of the other man's blinding glow burned into his memory and the pressure of the chakra beast releasing itself from his chest. He watches as the chakra collecting in Naruto's hand wobbles and unravels, and much like popping a bubble, it falls away scattering the growing and spinning wind chakra inside it harmlessly. It ruffles his hair and whistles past his ears.

"You just stopped my Rasengan," Naruto nearly laughs in surprised excitement.

Shikamaru tisks his tongue. Only Naruto could be so exuberant after being thwarted like that. He takes up his usual slouched posture and tucks his hands into his pockets to hide the way they're trembling. Damn, the Nine Tails' chakra sure fucking sucks.

Naruto stares at his empty palm as the crowd jeers from all sides. Shikamaru can't tell if they're excited about him foiling the jutsu or if their pissed at him for standing against Konoha's hero. The shinobi above them all stare out at what Shikamaru's just accomplished like beast hungry for a meal. Needless to say Shikamaru is providing them with a show filled with feats they had previously thought impossible. No ninja here has ever seen one of Naruto's Rasengans stopped without utter destruction before.

He takes Naruto's shock as time to catch his breath. He certainly isn't going to complain if the blond feels like giving him a break. Blue eyes eventually refocus on him and Shikamaru doesn't like the considering and calculating look he's on the receiving end of. He swallows past his suddenly dry throat at being the sole focus of his glittering eyes and wild, untamed grin.

"I think this is going to be even more fun than I thought!" Naruto chirps, retaking his combat stance with redoubled enthusiasm.

What a drag.

Shikamaru peeks at the clock under Tsunade's box and grimaces, not even twenty minutes yet. At this rate he's not loving his chances of surviving until the hour time limit and their match being called a draw. Shikamaru doesn't have long to lament it because there suddenly dozens of clones popping into existence and surrounding him.

He grits his teeth and drops back into his combat stance. This next part is going to be the real test of Shikamaru's new skills, and it is also exactly what he's been waiting for.

Their fight becomes a dance. Where their first bout had been a viscerally physical fistfight to test each other's capability, now it's a game of Shikamaru evading with speed and grace. He twists through clones, knocking aside attacks with an open palm and dodging between bodies faster than he can think. It's all instinct— of knowing when and how Naruto throws his punches and launches his kicks. Every move Shikamaru makes feels flawless, like his whole body is working in perfect harmony.

He spares himself a second to calculate the number of clones on the field and then braces himself mentally and physically for the next part.

He slips into a clone's shadow and unlike the real thing, this copy only stores a piece of chakra, not the endless torrent contained within Naruto himself. Shikamaru greedily reaches out towards the glimmer of energy and when he steps out of the darkness, he pulls the chakra out with him.

The clone bursts scattering with the wind.

The piece of stolen chakra thrums in Shikamaru's right arm where it's tucked away in his own pathways for safekeeping. He twists his torso to skirt another clone and once their shadows cross, Shikamaru does it again. Another sliver of chakra pilfered from another clone. It's fire joining the last.

The dance continues.

Naruto's clones wisely grow a little more hesitant. They keep a little more distance to try and avoid crossing their shadows, but Shikamaru's still an expert at mid-range and they are not. They make mistakes he doesn't and Shikamaru captures more chakra for his growing hoard.

He knows which is the real thing by the thoughtful frown on Naruto's face.

When Naruto gets cornered and doesn't know the best move to make, he tends to go big.

And go big he does.

Fifty clones is Shikamaru's best estimate for the amount of copies that appear on the field. With that many Shikamaru is going to be hard pressed to keep up this dance and not wind up subdued.

He's got less stolen chakra stored than he would like which means he can't make his final move yet, so he prays that his month of jutsu creation pays off and can hold up when used in a fight with actual stakes.

He shapes the surrounding shadows as quick as he can while Naruto's clones organize themselves to launch their attack. He grits his teeth as he binds himself to the human-shaped silhouette of shadow. It copies him when he shifts his stance and the Shade Shikamaru's just crafted stands at his side in perfect replica. Shikamaru pulls out a kunai and the twin mimics the movement.

Two against impossible numbers. Naruto cocks his head to study the duo. The crowd has excited smiles crossing their lips.

Their fight continues. Naruto launches an overwhelming attack. Shikamaru can't do anything but react and make sure he doesn't wind up getting stabbed. Naruto's attacks pass through his shadow imitation harmlessly, but the reverse isn't true. While the Shade is incorporeal to anyone trying to engage with it, it still lances out as Shikamaru does, popping clone after clone since it can't be smothered.

He had forgotten. He had forgotten what fighting like this is like. The way it strips you down to just your simplest instincts. Survival above all else.

The number of clones is inconceivable, and keeping track of himself, his Shade and the best moves to make for both of them leaves no room for anything else.

Shikamaru feels the incoming kunai splitting the air before he gets a chance to see it. He makes a split second decision, dropping low and left, using his Shade to thin a few more from the crowd as he does so, and attempts something he's never had cause to attempt before. He steps into a moving shadow.

The shadow of the flying blade welcomes him greedily, and between maintaining his Shade, performing Shadow Step and storing pilfered chakra his head is splitting, but he doesn't have much choice. The kunai zips over a few shadows from the clones and Shikamaru saps their chakra stores as he passes through them.

He comes out on solid ground with his head spinning and his Shade still somehow at his side. The pressure behind his eyes throbs and he feels moisture drip down from his nose.

Shikamaru doesn't even have time to staunch the flow of blood. His nosebleed is going to have to wait because the clones— Just. Keep. Coming. He goes back to fighting for survival.

While sheer force isn't the most elegant technique, he can't refute that it's often damn effective. But there are times when sheer numbers can be a hindrance too.

In this specific case, overlapping shadows is one.

Shikamaru watches the flow of clones. He tracks their movements. When they start avoiding the Shade since they can't damage it, Shikamaru starts positioning himself and his duplicate to do a little corralling.

The back ranks stand a little tighter, holding file, especially as Shikamaru whittles down their numbers, and their shadows are growing long thanks to the sinking sun.

If he did it once, he may as well see if he can do it again.

He hurls his own kunai, no particular target in mind, just aims to get it generally somewhere over the bulk of Naruto's copies. It probably looks like the worst throw to ever exist in the crowds eyes, but the second before it leaves his fingertips, Shikamaru is in it's shadow. This time, when he hits the first clone to nab it's power-source, instead of jumping back in to travel along with the dagger, he slips into the shadow of the next clone that's overlapped with the first. And after he takes that one's reserve, he does the next. And then another. He jumps through as many as he can before the chain breaks and he loses his shadowy route.

He steps back into he light, field much clearer of bodies, and with the pain ratcheting upwards in his arm at the sudden influx of chakra that's now packed into his pathways.

Yeah… that's probably enough.

His Shade hasn't stuck around this time. The extensive and continuous use of Shadow Step hasn't left him with enough focus to maintain his twin. He can't tell if his nose is still bleeding, but the remaining clones are holding back as Naruto reassesses his strategy, so Shikamaru takes a second to wipe the blood from his face and spit the iron taste from his tongue. He then tries to wrangle his rapidly fraying focus. The only small mercy is that the new pain is keeping the whispering of the darkness at bay.

His chest is heaving, trying to catch his breath as Naruto and the last dozen clones back out of his range and eye him carefully. Shikamaru's arm is covered in a glowing, blue spiderweb of stolen chakra, his pathways burning themselves into his skin from the humming hoard of energy he's containing within himself.

The crowd is still, the anticipation keeping them quiet and on edge. They can tell the next part of this battle will decide this match.

Shikamaru clenches his jaw to beat back the agony in his arm and tries not to tremble. He's coated in sweat from the exertion— both the physical and the mental. The amount of control it takes to keep foreign chakra stored in himself is maybe more taxing than maintaining the Shade had been, which Shikamaru hadn't been prepared for.

Two of the remaining clones make their move, giving away Naruto's actual position as they jump to his side and start forming another Rasengan. Shikamaru doesn't let them get very far. He makes his final move.

He closes the distance between them fast. Naruto has to drop the building Rasengan and both his clones to block Shikamaru's left leg. Shikamaru pivots, crouching as he does so to dodge Naruto's counter jab.

Shikamaru goes low. He throws a jab down towards Naruto's gut which gets blocked by a drop in Naruto's guard. Shikamaru doesn't let him counter and instead rises up into a powerful jump, launching himself into the air with a release of his remaining chakra and twisting himself until he has an angle to slip past Naruto's guard. Sakura had been right, he lags behind raising his defense after the low block.

He sneaks his right hand close, putting zero force or killing intent behind the move as to not trigger Naruto's instinctive reactions. He pokes Naruto's chest with his first two fingers, right above the glowing ball at the heart of Naruto's chakra network that Shikamaru can still see imprinted behind his eyelids.

He releases the stolen chakra and lets it pour back into Naruto's system. He pushes every ounce of foreign energy out of his arm and watches Naruto's eyes widen in sudden understanding as he stumbles a step back. Shikamaru uses the extra momentum from his jump to flip over the other's head.

…Boy, does his arm ever sting.

He manages to sick his landing— or he would have if his knees don't promptly buckle on him, sending him tumbling into the dirt and skidding a short distance before he burns off the last of his momentum. The crowd murmurs at the development.

He rolls over onto his back with a groan and glimpses Naruto going through the hand signs for his shadow clone technique. Nothing happens. He is so going to owe Hinata after this.

His eyes slip to the clock. Fourty minutes and counting. Apparently, he was never making it to that hour. Still, their fight has been the longest, not by much with Neji and Chōji's war of attrition, but still longer than the rest.

"Sorry," Shikamaru rasps from his sprawl in the dirt. It's nice to be laying still. Naruto turns his startled eyes to him. "I know it's against your nindō to give up but I've kind of given you no other option."

And there really isn't another choice. With the Kyuubi's chakra being forbidden from their fight, Naruto doesn't have a way to burn through his overloaded chakra points to access any of his own. Shikamaru waits to see what his next move is.

Eventually, Naruto approaches him and licks his lips before he speaks. Shikamaru is glad he hasn't decided to continue with a taijutsu fight because Shikamaru isn't convinced he can get up again, and even without chakra enhanced hits, he's sure Naruto can still pack a punch. Plus, Shikamaru's arm seriously burns if he so much as twitches it.

"Why?"

"Idiot, I told you I was going to try and win," Shikamaru tells him.

Naruto shakes his head, "No— no, I mean, why did go through all this trouble? Learn all of whatever it is you just did?"

That's the million dollar question, isn't it, and the thing is, he looks genuinely interested in Shikamaru's motivations.

Shikamaru recalls the wonder clear in his gaze when Shikamaru scattered his Rasengan. Recalls Naruto's anticipatory grin when he had braced to face down Shikamaru and his Shade. Recalls the clarity in his eyes when Shikamaru had tapped his sternum and burnt out his system. Naruto's perceptive enough that he probably has an intuitive guess as to why, and yet, he still wants to hear Shikamaru say it anyways.

With shadows wisping across the edge of his consciousness, staring up at Naruto's brilliant glow, and with the city murmuring from all sides, Shikamaru finally says it out loud.

"Because from now on, as long as I live, you will never have to face a fight alone again. Not like you did with Pain. I will always be by you side— if you let me be."

Naruto looks like Shikamaru's knocked the breath from him. He opens his mouth as if to respond, but he doesn't find any words to reply, so instead he lifts his chin to gaze up at Tsunade's viewing box. He looks every bit as determined and confident that Shikamaru's grown to expect. He's bathed in glowing, orange light and it takes what little breath Shikamaru has left in his lungs away.

"I, Naruto Uzumaki, forfeit this match to Shikamaru Nara, due to total chakra blockage."

The bastards voice doesn't even waver.

For a beat the stadium is still and blessedly silent before it's shattered by a resounding cheer. Shikamaru hauls himself into sitting and the shadows call to him so strongly he almost decides to slip away from the cacophony of noise. He's surprised the crowd is so happy he's defeated their savior, but he supposes there isn't a person in the crowd he hasn't sheltered and given home to, so maybe it makes sense they're celebrating his victory.

Kakashi doesn't make an appearance to formally call the match. Not when Naruto has done it for him.

Naruto crouches in front of him, a little bit blurry due to his swimming vision. Shikamaru should be meditating to try and beat back the shadows sinking into his mind, but the fact he's managed to do it— to win this match— is too surreal for him to focus on it.

"How can I help?" Naruto asks, hand settling on Shikamaru's shoulder. A warm weight grounding his attention.

"Away from here. I need some quiet to focus."

Naruto nods, "I'll help you into the wings."

"Better go east gate," Shikamaru groans as he gathers his strength back into his sore legs and stands, "I need to stay out of the shadows."

Naruto looks across to where the sun still illuminates the eastern side of the stadium and is quick to duck under Shikamaru's arm to support some of his unsteady weight. The shadows slink away from the warmth Naruto's body radiates. Shikamaru may lean into him more than strictly necessary.

As they cross the field, someone whistles in the audience, mimicking the rising pitch Shikamaru always does when he's on a job site and he needs someone's attention. Shikamaru lifts his head and stops as it happens again, and the crowd settles at the sound, the whistle warbling unsteadily and not quite matching the tone Shikamaru manages. He finds Kazuo grinning at him from the main level, waving enthusiastically down at them.

There's another whistle to the left, and Shikamaru finds Mei sitting on her father shoulders, perfectly matching the tone she's heard on job sites all those times her father had to bring her along to look after her, but not having the lung capacity at ten to nail the rising note.

Shikamaru shakes his head in disbelief and huffs a stunned laugh. Naruto turns to watch him as the crowd whispers with encouragement and anticipation. The shinobi in the higher boxes seem curious about whatever is occurring within the crowd.

"C- come on, Shikamaru," Hinata shouts down to him. He and Naruto both turn to look at the girl leaning out of their section, hair dancing in the breeze. She's rimmed in golden sunlight from the setting sun and is smiling as sweet as honey. Where once Hinata would never have dreamed of raising her voice in a crowd, now her gentle tone never wavers, "Let them hear it!"

Shikamaru can't help but grin at her. At how far she's come— how far they've all come— since their graduation. Shikamaru fills his lungs to the brim, and whistles. Loud, ringing, and a call to anyone who hears it to stand and pay attention to the one making it.

The crowd erupts and if Shikamaru thought they were loud before, now they're deafening. Hinata looks overjoyed. She has always thought that he never takes enough credit for his work.

"Whoa," Naruto seems unsure of what to make of what he's just witnessed, "They really love you don't they?"

"I guess so," Shikamaru shrugs, "I couldn't tell you why though."

They set off again and Naruto smirks at him, "I can think of a few reasons, maybe."

Shikamaru's throat feels sandpaper dry suddenly. "Oh, yeah?"

"You're pretty awesome, Shika," Naruto offhandedly remarks as they reach the hall the leads back into the east waiting area. They slink out of the setting sun and under the brilliance of the new fluorescent lights, yet the shadows still whisper to him.

"Whoa, stay with me," Naruto calls, catching him as he sways forward.

"Shit, sorry," he apologizes as he recollects his wavering focus.

"Your shadow kind of— uh— has a mind of it's own right now," Naruto points out.

"Working on it," Shikamaru mumbles, landing hard on the waiting bench and watching his shadow flicker and swirl like it's trying to break itself free from his confines. Which, Shikamaru supposes, it kind of is. His nose itches from the slowly drying blood.

Despite the distractions, Shikamaru slips into the breathing pattern that Sakura had taught him all that time ago and has long since become muscle memory due all his long nights holding off the lure of the darkness. Even with his shut eyes, he can feel Naruto shift nervously on his feet.

"Do your eyes always change like this?" Naruto questions, staring at the black that's taken over Shikamaru's eyes when he cracks them open to look at the blond.

"Only when I spend too long in the shadows. My tolerance is pretty high these days, but that was a lot even for me," Shikamaru admits.

Naruto manages a nods, looking concerned. The crowd's volume finally dies off, presumably as Tsunade makes some closing remarks and rewards the winners. Shikamaru goes back to his meditation.

"Stop worrying, knucklehead," Shikamaru murmurs when Naruto keeps fidgeting at his side. "I'm going to be just fine."

"I know that," Naruto admits, "I'm just— I can't help it."

Shikamaru cracks his eyes open again and extends one of his trembling hands. Naruto stares at it blankly.

"Come'on," Shikamaru urges, "Your touch will help ground me."

Naruto brightens at being given something concrete to do that will directly benefit him and readily entwines their fingers together.

The shadows settle into a less, all-consuming pitch.

Naruto squeezes his fingers slightly and whispers, "did you mean it?"

Shikamaru doesn't have to ask what he means, even if he kinda wants to play dumb. He'd decided that morning that today's the time he finally stops running from his feelings.

"Every words," Shikamaru admits, voice cracking, "but please let me focus."

He squeezes his hand back in a silent apology and they stay like that— with Shikamaru meditating to keep his focus— right up until a whirlwind of people storm into the multipurpose waiting room they're in. It's their friends and all their sensei's, along with Tsunade, Shizune and his father.

Shikamaru lets go of Naruto when his mind catches up to the sudden activity and he sees Sakura marching towards him. He doesn't get a chance to warn her before Ino and Hinata catch her themselves. It takes both of them to halt her stampede.

"You can't ju—" Ino shouts.

"Sakura, watch out, he's—" Hinata tries to say.

Shikamaru's control is hanging on by a thread and his shadow reaches toward Sakura, jagged and threatening.

"You saw the state of his arm—" Sakura shouts, glaring at Shikamaru.

"There are more pressing concerns first," his dad says, approaching from behind her.

"Yeah, dummy," Ino chides, "maybe assess the situation first before storming towards a cornered Nara."

Sakura's clinical brain catches up to her impulsive side and she finally makes note of his free acting shadow.

"Well, that's a first for me," she apologetically says.

"He hasn't frayed his control like this since we were little," Chōji tells her. "Plus, the eyes are a new thing."

"The eyes are kind of cool," Tenten murmurs under her breath. Neji elbows her. "What— I'm right."

Sakura frowns, ignoring Tenten's whispers, "Either way, we need to solve it so I can fix his arm. I need to make sure he didn't permanently damage his chakra network."

"Did you?" Naruto yelps, turning to him.

"No," Shikamaru sighs, "I reinforced my pathways with my own chakra so they didn't get scorched by yours."

Tsunade approaches the huddle, "Of course the side effect being that protecting your pathways meant burning the hell out of your skin instead," she assesses, looking intrigued by his blistering skin.

Shikamaru winces and eyes their eerily hungry looking Hokage with trepidation.

"Shikaku-san," Hinata says, turning to his father, "Is your clan's relation to the shadows linked via your chakra network?"

Shikaku takes a second to assess the Hyūga asking about a normally, very private aspect of Nara techniques. It makes Hinata balk.

"I only ask because I'm wondering if I block Shikamaru's chakra points whether that would silence the shadow's control over him!" She exclaims, twitching under his father's gaze.

"Ah," Shikaku says, "yes, that should stop the trouble he's having."

Hinata nods and looks to him, "Would you like me to try that?"

"Worth a shot," Shikamaru agrees, forcing some energy back into his legs so he can stand in front of her as she approaches.

"Wait, so we're just doing to Shikamaru what he did to Naruto?" Kiba asks.

"Pretty much," Shikamaru admits, "Just by manually shutting the switches down instead of shorting out the whole system."

"I will say, having my chakra points blocked by Neji was marginally more pleasant than having you flood them until they couldn't work anymore," Naruto says.

"It does sound rather barbaric," Neji pipes in, looking displeased by the thought.

"Hey, give me a break, I was working with what I had," Shikamaru sighs.

"Alright," Hinata says carefully stepping close and being sure to edge out of his shadow's reach, "If you're sure."

Shikamaru nods to her and she takes her stance.

He can't say being on the receiving end of the Gentle Palm technique is pleasant, but it kinda pales in comparison to the way his arm still burns.

When Hinata stops blocking his chakra points he nearly collapses at the sudden relief. It's only Naruto's quick reaction that prevents him from dropping like stone. Naruto's back to holding him steady again.

Hinata's worriedly hovering now. He waves her off and stabilizes himself. He feels a little giddy at his suddenly silent and empty head. He suspects his scleras are back to normal.

"Sorry, sorry—" He apologizes to her, "I promise I'm fine. The sudden lack of pressure in my head caught me off guard is all."

His father seem displeased at the mention, "How often do you have to function with the shadows encroaching in your head."

Shikamaru blinks blankly at his dad and retakes a seat as Sakura resumes her determined march towards him. "Practically everyday since I learned Shadow Step."

His fathers eye twitches, "We're so discussing your coping techniques later."

"I rebuilt a city in a year," Shikamaru points out, "Maybe you can skip the lecture?"

"No promises," Shikaku mutters. Iruka huffs in amusement.

Sakura's hands start their gentle green glow as she begins her assessment of him.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto pipes up, "Is there a way to unblock my chakra network? Preferably without trying to jump-start my blocked system with the Nine Tail's chakra like the last time, because I remember that hurting."

Hinata considers it, "Well, since they're not blocked by another person's chakra, I can't remove your blocks like I'd be able to if I placed them myself. Of course, most blockages have a limit before they fail so you can always wait it out. Although, since Shikamaru specifically overloaded your system, I think regular healing chakra might be able to fix your damaged network and get your chakra moving like normal again."

"Great," Sakura says from where she's intently focused on Shikamaru's arm, "Ino can try."

Ino clicks her tongue in disagreement. "Why the hell should I? Maybe you should heal your own teammate so I can heal mine."

"Come on, Ino. Don't be a pain. You're better at sensing another person's chakra than me."

"That's barely even true. You're just excited because you've never seen damage like Shikamaru's before and want to study him," Ino scoffs.

"I don't know what you mea— Did you cut off part of your network to limit the damage Naruto's chakra could do?" Sakura sounds way too excited at the idea when she addresses him.

"I was storing foreign chakra, it's not like I was going to let it loose in my system," Shikamaru explains.

Sakura shakes her head in disbelief as Shikamaru's pain starts to abate, "Your chakra control has really evolved since I first taught you those meditation techniques. And to think it's mostly self-taught due to pure necessity..."

Ino sighs in resignation, "Alright, get over here Naruto, I'll see if I can fix your chakra network."

"You don't have too," Naruto says, "If it's just a matter of healing, the Kyuubi should passively heal me enough on it's own."

"Ugh, come here anyways, I've already offered and I can do it faster."

Naruto wisely listens to Ino and there's a few moments of quiet as Tsunade watches over Sakura's work and Ino invisibly pokes at Naruto, making him twitch occasionally. Shikamaru revels in the silence.

"I'm surprised you're not exhausted of chakra," Sakura says as she withdraws her hands and studies his now unblemished skin.

"Me too," he shrugs. As it is, he feels wiped of all his energy, but evidently he still has a sliver in him or else he'd be unconscious by now.

She hums and backs out of his space.

"Oh!" Naruto exclaims, stretching his hands way above his head, "That's way better, thanks, Ino."

"Now that's all settled," Tsunade says watching Naruto bounce back to Shikamaru's side with faint amusement, "Shikamaru, I need you to tell me about what you did out there."

"Well, you already know about the Total Shadow Manipulation I can do, and you know about Shadow Step," Shikamaru starts with.

"Okay, but we don't know about Shadow Step," Sakura cuts in with a pointed look.

"Speak for yourself," Ino mutters.

Sakura throws up he hands, "Seriously Ino?!"

Ino shrugs, "What?"

"Not the point," Shikamaru groans and explains if only for Sakura's benefit, "Shadow Step is when I transport myself through the shadows."

"It's how he's managed so many active job sites," Hinata explains, "He can move across the village near instantaneously as long as there is a continuous and direct line of shadows to traverse."

Naruto squawks, "Then why did you make me your messenger when you can just do that sort of thing yourself."

"Convenience," Shikamaru shrugs, "with the sheer number of shadow clones you can maintain you're more efficient than me spending the energy to travel myself. Also you can be multiple places at once."

Naruto considers that and nods, "yeah, alright that makes sense."

"Can we move on to the other totally undocumented techniques, please," Tsunade urges, rubbing one of her temples.

"Well, messing with Naruto's chakra, like when I stopped his Rasengan, is just an extension of the Shadow Step technique. Travelling into a persons shadow gives me a window into their… Shit, I don't know how to explain this."

Shikamaru pinches the bridge of his nose.

"It wouldn't be unlike Ino's Mind Transfer jutsu," Shikaku shares.

"What it's like seeing into a person's mind?" Chōji wonders, because despite Shikamaru having done it to both him and Ino more than once, he had never bothered to properly explain it to either of them.

"Sort of," Shikamaru replies, "Except where Ino can see the mind, I can see everything else. The physical function of a person's body."

"The chakra points," Hinata surmises, "That's why you asked me so many questions about that."

Neji narrows his eyes at his cousin, "please tell me you didn't give him Hyūga clan secrets."

"Ah! N- no! I only explained what it takes to overwhelm a persons chakra points," Hinata babbles. "And that's not secret information!"

"Still, you helped him with the stupidly brutal idea," Neji frowns. "You should have advised him otherwise."

"I could already see a person's chakra points Neji, I just needed to know how to short the system without killing someone, and Hinata made sure I could do it safely."

"You could have killed him?" Iruka jumps in, startled.

"Not with Hinata's help," Shikamaru assures him, "but the chakra points aren't the only information the shadows transfer to me when I'm totally immersed in someone's shadow instead of just possessing it."

"The Shadow Step may have skipped my generation, but I remember my father stopping people's hearts and ripping the air from their lungs without ever leaving the darkness," his father says.

"I do recall tales of that," Tsunade muses, "So this technique also let's you see someone's circulatory systems?"

Shikamaru winces, "It's a pain in the ass to decipher the anatomy without being completely overwhelmed. Even just separating the chakra points that are entwined within all the other systems is hard enough and I know where to look for that. So yes, but with more anatomical knowledge I could probably see and understand way more than I do right now."

"It took him ages to even puzzle out what was going on when he stepped into mine or Ino's shadows, so I image it's a bit more complicated than just seeing the bodily functions all laid out in front of him," Chōji pipes up.

"That's probably an understatement," Shikamaru mutters.

"I'm so picking your brain about this later," Sakura tells him with a scarily eager look in her eye.

Shikamaru suppresses a shiver.

"So you're capable of totally killing someone, just by stepping into their shadow," Sasuke reiterates, corners of his mouth twitching as if he doesn't know whether to be excited or displeased at the notion.

"Hypothetically," Shikamaru sighs.

"That is rather terrifying," Sai says.

"Can you even defend against such a thing?" Shino muses.

"It would require great vigilance, yosh!"

Guy nods in agreement with his pupil's words.

"Can you even tell if he's in your shadow?" Tenten wonders turning to the others.

Ino, Chōji and Naruto all make a mixed bag of agreement and so-so noises.

"There's definitely something happening to you," Chōji admits.

"Yeah, you get a sort of weird creeping awareness that you're being studied, but no actual sense as to where," Naruto agrees.

Ino shakes her head, "I don't even want to try and explain the head-fuck it is to sense a person's chakra from within your own shadow."

His dad halfheartedly chastises her for swearing but Ino doesn't bat an eye, and his father doesn't care beyond the principle of Ino practically being his own daughter so he doesn't pursue a battle that he knows he cannot win.

"So, stopping Naruto's Rasengan was just me using Shadow Step to manipulate his chakra flow, and stealing his chakra from the pools stored in his clones was just me ripping it out of their shadows," Shikamaru reports to Tsunade.

"I'm most interested in the clone," Kakashi remarks while Tsunade considers Shikamaru closely.

"That one's truly, completely unique, isn't it Shikaku?" Kurenai comments.

"I'll do some digging, but as far as I'm aware, that is the case."

Tsunade looks to him expectantly.

"I don't know if you can classify it as a clone, but it is— in a literal sense— a shadow clone," Shikamaru explains.

"An actual clone made of shadows," Naruto snorts finding the irony funny.

"It's a huge pain in the ass, if I'm honest," Shikamaru sighs. "It starts with the same basic principle of a clone, shaping chakra into another human form, but then it combines that with Total Shadow Manipulation and Shadow Possession in the most headache inducing way."

"So you're manipulating the shadows into a human shaped clone of yourself, and then—" Iruka trails off looking a little boggled.

"Possessing the shadow of your makeshift clone to control it?" Kurenai finishes the thought.

"Pretty much," Shikamaru agrees.

Kakashi whistles, impressed.

His dad looks pained, "I can't even imagine… How long did that even take you?"

"I only managed it effectively three days ago. So pretty much all month."

Sasuke twitches, "You performed a jutsu you just created three days ago in a fight at such an insanely high level, successfully?"

Shikamaru's a little worried he's broken Sasuke's brain, because he once again looks simultaneously pissed off and impressed by him, something Shikamaru is sure he would never normally express, even on his death bed.

Shikamaru hums and shrugs, "I've been calling it my Shade, but I'm open to suggestions."

"I suppose Shadow Shade is a bit redundant," Chōji muses.

"We should call it your Evil Doppelgänger," Sai pitches.

"Absolutely not," Shikamaru refutes making Sai smile in satisfaction. Apparently, he had just made the suggestion to annoy him.

"Alright, you can discuss it later please, preferably when I don't have to listen to your nonsense," Tsunade interjects. "All of you put on a wonderful show today, and have proven yourself as more than capable shinobi. Now, go and enjoy the rest of the festival, and I don't want to see any of your faces until the public commendation on day three."

There's various agreement from among his friends as Tsunade strides out of the room, Shizune dutifully following after her.

"I have to say, there is one aspect of your match I really hadn't considered," Kakashi muses, studying where Shikamaru sits with Naruto standing guard at his side.

"What's that?" Naruto asks, tilting his head askew.

"You forfeiting."

Shikamaru huffs a laugh, "You and me both."

Naruto seems to come up short on words to explain himself and rubs the back of his neck.

"It kind of seemed like your plan hinged on him surrendering," Shino quietly points out.

"Sure," Shikamaru shrugs, "but that didn't mean I think he'd actually do it. There was every chance he'd decide to make it a taijutsu battle instead."

"Oh," Naruto says, "That didn't even cross my mind. To me it was clear you won that fair and square."

"You and your stupid noble heart," Shikamaru mutters under his breath while staring down at his boots to avoid the blond's radiant smile.

"I would've kept fighting," Sasuke points out.

"Which is why Tsunade didn't include you, idiot," Sakura tells him before slapping him over the head. "Probably would have killed someone on accident."

"That, and because you're a freak," Sai points out blandly, making Sasuke glare at him.

Sai has a tendency to poke at the sleeping bear. Shikamaru thinks he likes testing Sasuke to see how much the former traitor is willing to take before his patience runs out. That, or he still just really hates Sasuke. Sai largely remains an enigma, even to Shikamaru's shrewd assessments. He thinks it's why Ino is so fond of him, he's a puzzle she actually has to work to figure out.

Iruka sighs at them, "Sometimes you still act like a bunch of children."

Guy laughs, "It's good for them, friend. It means they've retained their youthful vitality!"

"Also, we are still technically a bunch of teenagers," Ino points out.

Iruka agrees, "Which is why you should all be out enjoying the night."

"You've got a good point, Iruka-sensei," Kiba grins, rubbing his hands together, "Who wants to get something to eat?"

Shikamaru lets everyone file out without moving from his spot. Only his dad waits for him and Naruto pauses before he makes it to the door.

Shikamaru waves him off, "Go on, have dinner with our friends. I need to go home and rest— and clean up."

Naruto considers him closely, eyes flicking to the blood smeared on his collar. "Okay," he relents with a nod, "but I'll stop by later, okay? So we can talk properly."

Shikamaru's heart swells, "Yeah, alright, I look forward to it."

Naruto smiles, genuine and sweet, "Okay, I'll see you soon then."

Shikamaru can't wait, even if he's too exhausted to want to walk home right now. His eyes stay glued to Naruto as he disappears into the depths of the stadium.

"Come on, my fawn," his dad prompts after a moment, "I'm sure your mother is worried."

Shikamaru groans at the fuss his mom is doubtlessly going to kick up when she sees the state he's in. It makes his dad chuckle at him.

"The sooner we get out of here, the sooner it'll be over."

"If you say so, old man."

"And then, the sooner you can see Naruto."

Shikamaru glares ineffectively at his dad's ribbing and makes himself stand.

Even as his mom both congratulates and lectures him in one single conversation, Naruto and the weight of his hand in his own is never far from his mind.

Still, it's hours later— bordering on the edge of the next day— when Naruto reappears.

His parents are long since asleep, his mom having bundled him under the kotatsu despite it still being the end of summer. She also leaves on the bright lights in their living room and sets up an emergency lantern to make sure that no shadows can find him despite his promises that Hinata's blocks would still be in place for hours.

Naruto sneaks into the glowing room on silent feet, Shikamaru's location obvious with the rest of the Nara compound cast in the usual deep darkness expected at this hour.

Naruto frowns at him as Shikamaru sits up and gestures for the other to join him in the warmth of the kotatsu. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"

Shikamaru shrugs. He's been sleeping on and off for hours, rising whenever his body decided it was hungry or his mind recalled Naruto's promise to visit him later.

Naruto huffs and drops down to sit next to him, flopping forward over the table, propping his head up on his crossed arms. Azure eyes study Shikamaru.

"So…" Naruto drags out, making Shikamaru heave a sigh.

"Don't sigh at me! You're the one who brought this on when you secretly got all powerful," Naruto points out.

"I'm aware," Shikamaru gently smiles, "did you have a good night?"

Shikamaru's distraction works as Naruto seems to light up at the question. "Yeah, there are so many food vendors, and people kept offering me snacks for free. I don't know of they felt bad for me or what, but I wasn't complaining about it. Kiba made me try fried squid but I don't think he realized that I've had it before when I was away— Oh, and I helped Sakura pick out a new yukata for tomorrow which she was excited about. Not that I know much about it, but she seemed to want to hear my opinions anyway. Not that her wanting my thoughts stopped her from making fun of me when I couldn't tell the patterns apart. How am I supposed to know the difference between cherry blossoms and apple blossoms."

Shikamaru smiles fondly at Naruto's familiar rambling.

"And then Sasuke gifted her an obidome charm and I thought she was going to pass out from how red her face got. But I have to say he chose a charm that matched the pattern on the yukata perfectly while complimenting the colour of the obi which was really insufferable if I'm honest. He was so smug about it too—"

Naruto sits up abruptly, realizing Shikamaru's sent him off track, "but I'm not here to talk about Sasuke."

Shikamaru raises a brow, "I hope not."

The blond huffs a small laugh before continuing, "I spoke with Hinata tonight."

Shikamaru's not entirely sure what his heart is doing in his chest. "Yeah?"

Naruto's gaze is unwavering as he focuses solely on Shikamaru, "Yeah. I apologized and told her I could never love her the way she loves me."

Shikamaru hums in a vague acknowledgement because he's not sure he can form words to reply with the way his heartbeat spikes.

"She told me to ask you a question."

Now that piques Shikamaru's interest even if he's weary at Hinata's possible meddling. Naruto drops his chin and watches him through his golden lashes. Shikamaru has to remind himself to listen to his next words.

"She said, 'ask him why he dedicated himself to rebuilding Konoha' and I figured she must know somethin' I don't so— why have you been so focused on rebuilding all this time?"

Shikamaru curses Hinata a little for forcing him to admit it out loud. Or maybe he should be thanking her. He hasn't decided yet. And all things considered, she probably deserves to meddle with them a little, considering Naruto just shot her down.

"Well, Shika?"

Admitting it out loud is easier than Shikamaru had ever expected it to be, "I've been rebuilding the city for you, in a way."

Naruto snaps to attention, eyes wide with surprise.

"What? You're kidding, right?"

Shikamaru shakes his head, "No, Naruto, I've seen first hand how much you love this city. I know seeing it destroyed hurt you, and I couldn't live with that. So, I made it whole again."

He forces himself to continue, "And I wanted to get stronger for you too, and rebuilding the city let me do both."

Naruto's eyes grow wet with a swelling of emotion, he blinks hard, squeezing his eyes shut like he's trying to will away the threatening tears.

"I didn't ask for that," Naruto weakly croaks, face scrunched in stunned confusion, like he's never had someone be so selfless on his behalf before.

"You didn't have to," Shikamaru murmurs.

Naruto studies him for a long moment before seemingly collecting his words. He does that sometimes, as if he needs to straighten out his stampeding thoughts until they're coherent enough for him to speak.

"The only thing I have ever wanted was for someone to look at me and not see a monster or a useless boy," Naruto admits, a tender look contained in his eyes.

Shikamaru runs his tongue over his dry, cracked lips, "You have never been a either of those things— an idiot maybe— but never useless, and never, ever, a monster."

Naruto nods once, "I know, and you were the first person who ever saw me as just a person. The only one, when we were kids, who took the time to understand me— stupidity and all," his voice drops into a shy hush as he fidgets with his fingers, "and I loved you a little bit for it."

Shikamaru thinks he stops breathing.

"What."

Even with Shikamaru's calculating nature, he had never actually let himself account for the possibility of Naruto reciprocating his feelings. The signs had been there today, before and after their fight, and that fact alone has been eating at him in all his downtime since then. He has hoped, sure— fantasized about it in his weakest moments— but even then, he'd always assumed it was just that. A fantasy.

Being faced with the possibility his feelings are in fact mutual makes him dizzy with desperation.

Naruto scratches the back of his neck. "Since I've spent so long away from Konoha, and since I've got a monster trapped inside me, I never let myself— er— or— I didn't think anyone could ever actually love me back."

And doesn't that change Shikamaru's entire perspective on Naruto's habitual and relentless flirting with Sakura.

"Hinata confessed to you," Shikamaru points out.

"Yeah, and it was the first time I ever realized that it was possible for another person to care for me like that."

"Idiot," Shikamaru huffs.

Naruto blushes and pouts, "Hey, it's not like either of you ever advertised your feelings for me. Cut me some slack."

Hinata had been exceedingly obvious in her feelings, with all her blushing, stuttering and wide-eyed staring, but Shikamaru doesn't mention it.

"So you never thought I was going to love you back," Shikamaru reiterates.

"Yeah," Naruto admits, softly and a little self-consciously, "it's why I didn't turn down Hinata, because it was nice to know that even if you never saw me like that, there was someone who I could learn to love if I wanted to."

Shikamaru is smart enough he sees where this is going and somehow can barely believe it anyways. "And now?"

"Now?" Naruto parrots, brightening up to flash his prettiest grin, the one that crinkles his eyes and flashes his dimples, "After you promised I would never fight alone and told me you've rebuilt Konoha for me? I love you even more than I already did, which I didn't actually think was possible."

Shikamaru can't help the way his fingers reach for his cheek at the confession. His touch is gentle, skin gliding over the slightly raised scars of Naruto's whiskers to settle on his cheekbone.

"I love you too," he admits aloud, because he needs to, because Naruto deserves to hear him say it back.

His words make Naruto's eyes well with tears again as they widen.

"Can you say it again?" He tentatively pleads with a waver in his voice.

Shikamaru is loath to refuse him anything. "I love you," he promises, unfaltering in his conviction.

Then, without much further thought, Shikamaru kisses him.

Naruto makes a sweetly surprised noise against Shikamaru's lips and all he can think is about how long he's been hoping for this. It's gentle and nothing more than a press of their lips, but it makes Shikamaru's heart tumble and Naruto's fingers curl into Shikamaru's shirt.

Naruto's never looked more joyful than when they part, and Shikamaru can't help but smile gently at him. He cards his fingers through Naruto's hair before laying back on the collection of pillows his mom had gathered for him.

"Are you staying?"

Naruto blushes as he studies Shikamaru and his makeshift sleeping quarters before nodding resolutely.

"I'd like that," he agrees quietly and Shikamaru pats the space next to him in a silent invitation.

Naruto wiggles into his side, laying his head on Shikamaru's shoulder and tucking his face close to his neck. He hums in a pleased, content tone and Shikamaru can't help but curl his arms around the other until their isn't an inch of separation between them.

"I kinda can't believe this is really happening," Naruto mumbles into Shikamaru's skin.

"Believe it," Shikamaru sighs back, lips twitching at the borrowed words usually so quick to come from Naruto's tongue instead of his.

Naruto snorts in amusement and giggles, breath tickling Shikamaru in a way Shikamaru wouldn't trade in for the world.

"You looked beautiful today, ya know. When we were fighting, I mean," Naruto mumbles sleepily against his skin. "I just wanted you to know. You were so determined I didn't want to take my eyes off you."

Shikamaru can't think of a single thing to say to that, not that he could even speak with the swelling of emotion in his throat, so he traces patterns over Naruto's exposed skin and tries to remember to breathe.

Naruto sighs contentedly and relaxes, "Goodnight, Shika."

"Goodnight, Naruto," Shikamaru rasps in return and then counts the seconds until Naruto's breaths even out with sleep.

He presses a heel of his hand to his tired eyes and chokes on a desperate, muffled groan. He's somehow gotten exactly what he's wanted and he thinks it might kill him before he can enjoy it.

"You're unbelievable," he says to the ceiling and isn't totally sure if he's talking about himself or Naruto. He thinks about how far he's come since that first day, when he had gone to sleep alone out by the Nara forest and reluctantly decided he was going to get stronger. He really had never imagined he'd wind up here, with the man he loves asleep in his arms.

He falls asleep listening to Naruto's breaths and finds that he's never been more grateful for anything in his life.

Anniversary Festival- Day Two

He wakes up with the sun streaming in from the veranda and with Naruto laying on his chest, warm and heavy and snoring quietly into Shikamaru's neck. He doesn't think he's ever been happier.

His head is quiet, he's got the person he loves asleep in his arms, and he has nowhere to be and no one who urgently needs him.

Somehow, seeming to despite all odds, it's worked out.

He hears his mom's footsteps padding down the hall. He shuts his eyes, just to try and save a bit of peace for a moment longer. His mom knows him too well to be fooled by him feigning sleep anymore, so when she pauses in the doorway she huffs a small, amused laugh and whispers.

"Is he staying for breakfast?"

Shikamaru cracks and eye open to see his mom's warm smile and relaxes.

"Yeah," he breaths.

A very amused expression crosses Yoshino's face. "Like you're ever going to let him leave now that you've got him," she mutters, turning towards the kitchen. "Your father was the same way."

She has a point.

He lays there, listening to the tinkling of his mom in the kitchen and his father's barely audible footsteps upstairs and relishes in the comfort of it.

Naruto grumbles in his sleep, twitching as he gets closer to consciousness. He slumbers for a few minutes more, before the whistling of the kettle finally wakes him.

Naruto hums against him and curls his fingers into Shikamaru's shirt.

"This is real right? Like, I'm not dreaming?"

"Yeah, Naru, you're awake," Shikamaru huffs with amusement.

Naruto is immediately sitting up with a grin. The sound of his mom whisking something in a bowl catches his attention.

"You're staying for breakfast," Shikamaru informs him.

"Okay," Naruto readily agrees, "but I'm going shopping with Iruka-sensei before lunch so I can't stay long."

"That's fine," Shikamaru says sitting up himself and sticking a hand out to brush some of Naruto's bedhead flat. Naruto blinks at him for a moment before his eyes are searching the floor.

"Ah—" Naruto blurts when he finds what he's looking for. He holds Shikamaru's hair tie up from where it had gotten pulled lose in the night. "Here! I know you don't like having hair in your face."

It's true. Shikamaru hates the inconvenience of it. Most people get confused about why he keeps his hair long if he dislikes it so much, but it's part of his clans traditions, and as troublesome as it can be, he likes fitting in among his family. He is their heir after all, and he does take pride in that even if his dad sometimes thinks he doesn't. And Naruto's never batted an eye to question his choices.

Shikamaru takes the leather band, grateful to have the other boy by his side. He rises as he ties his hair back.

"Come on, we can help mom set the table."

Naruto is more than happy to pad after him. And his mom is more then happy to put them to work. His collection of their dishware is interrupted by a firm rap on their front door and his mom shoots him a look telling him to go see who it is before chattering away with Naruto, happily answering his curious questions regarding her cooking.

Shikamaru sighs and pads down the hall to see who has a cause to bother them this bright and early.

He finds Shikamichi behind the door.

"Ugh, what do you want?"

Shikamichi's blank expression doesn't so much as twitch. For being Shikawu's younger brother at thirteen, Shikamichi is a stone-faced mystery compared to Shikawu's easygoing charisma and openness. He's a sneaky, conniving little bastard, and growing up, Shikamaru went out of his way to avoid the evil little troublemaker who he's sure used to cause problems just to watch a doomed Shikamaru and Shikawu bend over backwards to pull him out of scrapes. Shikawu cared because he was looking out for his brother, Shikamaru only got involved when it would doubtlessly land him in trouble as well if he didn't clean up his cousin's messes before someone discovered them.

As usual, he cannot glean even a smidge of expression in his cousin's face.

"Lady Hinata is at the gate," he announces with a sigh, "I tried to escort her here but she seemed determined to not come into the compound without a formal invitation from you or your family."

"Yeah, the Hyūga's can get like that," Shikamaru groans in response, "So hung up on the formalities."

"I can lock her out if she's too much trouble," Shikamichi shrugs.

Shikamaru squints at him but he cannot make heads of tails of whether or not he's joking.

"I swear you're a sociopath," he says, "I think the only reason you've not become another face in Konoha's revolving door of villains is because of your completely normal and sane teammates."

His cousin had been lucky and had two functional humans allocated as his team last year. Shikamaru pretends he isn't jealous. Not that he would trade Ino or Chōji for anything, but in principle it sounds much nicer.

He gets a twitch from Shikamichi's lips for his efforts this time. "That, and because it's way too much effort to concoct a convincing villain scheme."

He laughs a scoff in agreement, "Come'on, you know they don't even have to be well thought out evil plans anymore."

He thinks back to Pain's attack. Ending all war by exterminating all life— like come on.

"They do really let any old shmuck throw their hat into the ring these days," Shikamichi agrees, deadpan as ever. "You going to keep the lady waiting any longer?"

"Tell her she's formally invited in so long as she lets my mother feed her, I won't hear the end of it otherwise."

His cousin nods sagely, "Aunt Yoshino would rather die that be considered a bad host. I'll let her in."

His cousin pauses before turning to go. Uncharacteristically, he opens and closes his mouth a few times while he tries to decide what he wants to say.

"Good job yesterday," he finally speaks, "you're a pretty cool cousin."

Shikamaru stares at him. "Is that a genuine emotion on your face right now?"

Shikamichi rolls his eyes hard before walking away. "I hope you die."

"Sorry, you're out of luck," he calls back before shutting their door.

His dad is sitting at the table pouring tea when he returns to setting the table. He informs them of their guest as he lays out another spot. His mom seems excited to be hosting Hinata. She took a strong liking to her when she started helping Shikamaru with reconstruction duties.

Naruto is the one to bound back to the door to enthusiastically let her in when her tentative knock comes a minute later. Shikamaru doesn't bother wasting energy pointing out that he's also a guest this morning. Naruto letting her in is also a glaring, silent announcement that he stayed over last night and their probably now involved, and Hinata's twinkling eyes tells Shikamaru she knows it.

Hinata formally greets his parents like she always does, causing his mom to sigh in false resignation as she pretends to lament Hinata's continued refusal to drop formal titles.

"Have your blocks faded like expected?" Hinata asks him with a gentle smile, revealing her true intentions for her visit.

"Yeah, far as I can tell," Shikamaru tells her. "I'll meditate later and let you know if I'm worried."

Hinata agrees and Naruto is diverted away by his curiosity as Yoshino starts to plate breakfast to serve. He studies his friend and finds her seemingly happy and content in the face of their relationship.

"You're okay?" He asks, just to be sure.

She nods and sighs at him playfully, "We agreed right? To the victor goes his heart?"

The start of their little friendship feels like eons ago to him now. He smiles at her with the reminder, "I suppose you're right."

They take their seats and he pointedly ignores his dad who's politely pretending to ignore their conversation. His father serves Hinata a tea as his mom lays out their food.

It's a surprisingly comforting meal. No awkwardness between his family and Naruto, and no friction between Hinata and anyone else. It's easy and soothing as they enjoy their time together. Hinata always quick to laugh at his mom's corny jokes and Naruto quick to compliment her food.

His dad compliments Hinata's sudden skill at ranged combat and causes Hinata to tremble. Shikaku seems to get worried he's made a miscalculation before Hinata admits he's the first person to commend her new ability. His dad grows grim and tries to maintain his composure by taking a long drink of his tea.

Shikamaru steps in to let him get over his dissatisfaction and anger with the Hyūga's and turns to Hinata. He settles a hand and her shoulder.

"I'm proud of you."

Hinata stares at him with her piercing eyes and smiles at him. "I'm proud of me too," she admits, like it's a secret.

Naruto snickers, "Hinata's first rebellion, eh?"

Hinata jumps and blushes, "Ah— it does feel that way doesn't it?"

"Good for you," Naruto says, "You don't owe them anything."

Shikamaru agrees. It was a mistake for the Hyūga's to ever disinherit Hinata. They probably didn't see it that way, with her defying clan tradition and learning ranged techniques, but she grows stronger every day despite them.

They turn to other, easier topics after that and soon enough it's time for him to escort a laughing Hinata and satisfied Naruto out.

"I'll see you at Ino's, Shikamaru," Hinata says as they step out onto the veranda.

Naruto tilts his head and looks at Shikamaru, "You're going to Ino's? Like during her so called 'girl time'?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru shrugs, "I always get ready at Ino's. She's just invited Hinata, Sakura and Tenten to join us this time."

"Oh," Naruto says, eyes flickering between Hinata and him. He doesn't question why Ino lumps Shikamaru in with the rest of the girls, which Shikamaru appreciates. He's been allocated so firmly into the space of a brother in her head, Ino just always assumes he'll be there whenever she throws together a gathering with the girls because he always has standing invitation to her home. The idea seems to have intrigued Naruto.

"That sounds like fun actually," the blond admits.

"In that case you can join us," Shikamaru decides.

"Wait— really?"

"Sure, it'll save me from being so outnumbered this time."

Hinata's nodding, "I can send a message to the others on my way back through town. You're always welcome to join us. Technically all the boys are, but they usually all flee when we ask. Except Shikamaru— mostly because he doesn't want to anger Ino, I think. Ah— and the only reason you've never been invited before is there hasn't been a reason for Ino to host since you returned."

Shikamaru half-heartedly glares at her for her slight jab at his character as Naruto rubs the back of his neck, "I appreciate that a lot, actually. I'd like to come, thanks guys. I can join you on the way, if you want Hinata, I have time before I have to find Iruka-sensei."

"Alright," Hinata agrees easily.

"I'll see you both later then," Shikamaru says and Naruto turns his blue eyes on him once more.

"Okay, I'll see you soon, Shika," he agrees, brushing the back of their hands together and he leaves Shikamaru's side. Hinata shoots him a knowing look and follows after their friend.

Shikamaru's eyes stay on the blond right up until he's gone from his sight.

"So…" His father drawls from behind him, lingering in the still open doorway.

Shikamaru groans and speed-walks past him and into the depths of the house.

"I was just going to ask what time you're leaving," his dad calls after him with a chuckle.

He doesn't believe his old man for a second.

He does wind up meditating like he promised Hinata before he leaves, finding nothing in his chakra pathways to be concerning. Then, for the first time in a long time, he enjoys being idle. He lays out on the veranda listening to the cicada's. He helps him mom bake bread for lunch. He even reads part of a kitschy fiction novel one of his cousin's must have left behind (the plot is terribly contrived, but it makes him laugh so he puts up with it until he has to leave).

Then his mom sends him on an errand to his grand-aunt's on his way out the door that ends his lazy morning, but Shikamaru isn't actually all the fussed since he's gotten so used to running around town on errands. After escaping his aunt's clutches before she can threaten to feed him he finally sets out for Ino's.

He wanders through some of the scattered markets on the way to the Yamanaka home. The streets are bustling, but Shikamaru expects it's not yet hit it's peak. He's sure it'll be packed this evening as people flock to the roads for the various shows and exhibits on display tonight.

He finds a vendor selling handmade candies and they must be local family because the woman greets him by name as her husband sits at a table behinds her hand wrapping lollipops for display.

The amount of flavour options and varieties they offer is frankly impressive considering he has a feeling it's just the two of them making it all, and the list of possibilities seems endless. He spends a while discussing her sweets before he settles on purchasing a mixed package of her hard candies and hopes Naruto will enjoy the surprise of discovering the flavours instead of chewing on his nail beds.

It doesn't take him long to reach the Yamanaka home after his stop. The Yamanaka's unlike most established clans, had chosen to not build a dedicated compound for their whole family— branches and all. Instead the Yamanaka flower shop functions as their family's central hub, with Ino's direct family living in the large apartment above the store, while the extended clan all maintain their own homes in the surrounding blocks.

There are a few civilian families living within the neighborhood, but they've all been allowed to live in the Yamanaka's territory with permission and approval from Inoichi, whether they know it or not. And while the Yamanaka's might not have walls to protect them like the other clan's do, their eyes are always surveying their streets, and protecting their own nonetheless.

Like how Ino's aunt greets him from her second floor window as he passes by despite her eyes never leaving her book.

There might not be a formal boundary declaring this the Yamanaka's home, but it's still their territory regardless. Despite this, Shikamaru walks into the Yamanaka flower shop and right behind the counter like he owns the place. There's a few customers picking up arrangements for the festival celebrations inside, but Inoichi doesn't even look up from his newspaper to acknowledge him.

"I take it you finally caught the boy?" Inoichi asks, unperturbed, and in the same tone Shikamaru expects he asks about the weather in.

Shikamaru just groans at his probing and marches towards the backroom to get out of his line of sight as quick as possible. There's a chance his tactics for evading his dad might also work on his godfather.

"I'll take your blush as a yes," Inoichi chuckles, "and it only took a year of rebuilding the city."

"I'm not discussing this with you," Shikamaru calls back as he passes through the curtain, "I don't even want to know when you figured it out."

"For a Yamanaka it was written as clear as day on your face, kid. I didn't even need your old man mentioning it to see it."

Shikamaru seriously does not want to think about his dad gossiping about him with Ino and Chōji's parents. Inaho shoots him an amused but sympathetic look from where she's trimming the stems of freshly gathered flowers from the Yamanaka greenhouses in the back storeroom. He waves lazily at Ino's older cousin, familiar with her from how often she's working in the shop, and beelines for the stairs up to Ino's house.

"Anyone else here yet?" He asks Inaho as he passes her.

"Lady Hinata was here right on the dot, and Sakura stormed in not long after," she replies, shears snipping as he makes another cut. "I thought Inoichi was going to question Hinata regarding your love life too, but he seemed to take pity on the nervous girl."

"Small mercies," Shikamaru mutters as he leaves Inaho and the flower shop behind.

Ino's mom sticks her head out of the kitchen when she hears him open their front door and waves him in with a smile.

"I see you survived my husband's probing," Mio greets him.

"Can't you control him?" Shikamaru grumbles as he kicks off his sandals.

Mio laughs and disappears back into the kitchen, "Where's the fun in that, dear?"

Shikamaru heads for Ino's room with a sigh.

"I don't know how you survive living with them," Shikamaru says when he lets himself into Ino's room.

She furrows her brows at him, "Knock next time or I'll skin you alive," she growls from where she's holding her yukata aloft to show it off to Hinata. "And if you had a better poker face, you wouldn't have a problem."

"Actually I'd say Shikamaru has a pretty good poker face, it's just his actions make his feelings blatantly obvious," Sakura says, waving around a nail file while sitting at Ino's vanity.

"I did not ask for your opinions, thanks," he sighs, collapsing onto one of the pillows Ino's left out on the floor surrounding the coffee table she's moved into the room for the occasion. He promptly slumps over the tabletop and shuts his eyes. Hinata giggles quietly at him.

He cracks an eye open to watch her as they go back to discussing obi options to match Ino's robe. Hinata's already dressed in a crisp silk yukata patterned with purple violets that saturate and consume the bottom hem of the fabric and disperse as they rise upwards, fading into the brilliant, unmarred, stark white fabric at her neck. The pink of her obi brings out the warmth of her skin, and her hair has yet to be styled, the black curtain of it standing out against the contrasting white of her clothes. Hyūga elegance and purity at it's finest.

Standing besides Ino, she makes the other's deep indigo yukata all the more alluring as Ino twists it to show off the intricate, barely visible pattern hidden in the cloth. The stalks of bamboo appear and disappear as the silk catches the light, the outlines are barely lighter than deep, rich purple they're woven into. Or maybe her yukata is considered blue. Shikamaru doesn't care enough to ask for risk of sending Ino on a pointless tangent.

Mio calls from the kitchen for Ino to collect the tea and causes her daughter to toss the yukata she's holding onto the bed with a flutter. Hinata asks if she can come help her gather the tea set and Ino seems to nearly refuse out of principle before she softens and agrees with a nod.

Shikamaru rises and digs out his cigarette box out of his vest pocket as they make for the kitchen. Ino side eyes him but doesn't verbally lecture him about it. He heads for her bedroom window, lifting the glass up so he can step out onto the tiny balcony connected to the front of the house that's surrounded in blooming flower boxes and rickety cast iron bars. How the fences have remained so rickey after just being rebuilt, Shikamaru doesn't care to know— it's not his problem.

He leans on one as he lights the tobacco, the rail wobbling under his elbows as he inhales the smoke and smell of fresh, fragrant petals.

Sakura curses from inside and Shikamaru pretends he hasn't heard it as he drags on his cigarette.

Naruto appears with a flicker, breaking the stillness Shikamaru's enjoying. He's balanced on the small rail, unbeknownst to the possible danger in the loose metal. Naruto flashes a grin, "Sorry if I'm late."

Shikamaru carefully exhales his smoke away from the newly arrived boy and replies, "Nah, you're good, you still beat Tenten."

Naruto laughs, "That's not hard, aside from missions she's never on time for anything."

Tenten always finds another thing that catches her attention on days off and always winds up making late appearances for scheduled gatherings unless there's someone around to keep her on track.

"Maybe we should have sent someone to bring her over," Shikamaru muses, studying Naruto and the package that must contain his newly purchased yukata. He also has a pack slung over his shoulder.

"Then she'd probably just rope them into whatever weird adventure she's stumbled into," Naruto snorts, stepping down off the railing to stand next to Shikamaru. He's in Shikamaru's space, but it's mainly due to the tiny nature of the balcony more than Naruto purposely leaning into his body heat.

"You may have a point," he concedes as he turns to snub out his cigarette in the ashtray Ino keeps out on her balcony for him before turning to the still open window.

"The tea's probably ready if—"

"Before we go in…" Naruto says, suddenly shifty as he catches Shikamaru's wrist, "There's something I want to give you."

Shikamaru raises a brow and turns back to face him. Naruto sets his package down on the little, beat-up, metal table, probably salvaged after the destruction and only outside to house the ashtray, and pulls out a small hand-carved box to offer it to Shikamaru.

"I wanted to get you a gift, and Iruka tried to talk me out of this one because he said it's not normally something gifted to a man, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to mind. And it reminded me of you so I just had to get it—"

He cuts his rambling off when Shikamaru overlaps their hands to take the box.

"I'm sure I'll love it no matter what it is," Shikamaru admits, "since it's coming from you."

Naruto's cheeks flush at his words and he quickly ducks his head, shoving the box more firmly into Shikamaru's hands, "Just open it already!"

Shikamaru makes himself drag his eyes away from Naruto's delightfully red ears to unlatch the gift box to reveal a plush, velvet interior carefully containing a beautiful hair stick.

Shikamaru picks up the piece of jewelry to get a better look and finds the shining silver rod fitted with a flawlessly round and polished black agate stone at the end. It's colour, deep and marbled, is warm and shifts in the afternoon sunlight. Anchored beneath the stone are two delicate chains, one gold and one silver, and from them hang two simple charms. A crescent moon and a spiralling sun burst.

He looks to Naruto to find him studying his expression closely. Shikamaru coughs lightly to clear the emotion clogging his throat.

"This is beautiful," he tells the nervous boy in front of him.

"You don't mind it then?"

"That hair sticks are normally worn by women?" Shikamaru clarifies, "Nah, Ino's been putting kanzashi in my hair for formal occasions since the moment she realized I didn't care enough to stop her."

Naruto immediately heaves a sigh of relief, "That's good, then."

He looks back at the gift, "I can see why you picked it." He gently flicks the golden sun, so it sways and knocks against the moon. "The sun definitely reminds me of you, though."

He gets rewarded for being so honest with Naruto blushing again. His stomach clenches at how cute he is.

This time the other is stubborn and refuses to hide his heated face, "Well, good," he says, crossing his arms, "that means you'll think of me when you wear it."

Shikamaru steps closer to Naruto as his heart jumps. He's smirking when he replies, "Would you like that? Me thinking about you?"

Naruto's never been one to back down and Shikamaru's thrilled he's not starting now. "Yes," Naruto admits, staring deep into Shikamaru's eyes.

Shikamaru hums and still doesn't think he's used to Naruto being taller than him, even if it is just by an inch. He suspects it'll be more by the time he finishes growing.

Shikamaru breaks their intense stalemate by tucking the kanzashi back into it's box and waving at Naruto to follow him inside. The blond gathers up his yukata and follows him in ducking through the window.

Ino looks up from where she and Hinata are pouring tea and her eyes droop in exasperation when she find Naruto at his heels.

"Do you not know how to use the front door or what?" She asks him, making Naruto chuckle nervously.

Sakura looks up from her seemingly bottomless bag and sighs, "How many times do I have to remind you it's rude."

Naruto shrugs with a bashful grin, "It's easier though."

Sakura groans and gives up on him to focus back on her black hole of a bag.

Ino goes to open her mouth but freezes and tilts her heads instead.

"Tenten is here," she informs them.

"Oh good, she's not even that late," Sakura laughs and Shikamaru realizes she's so focused on her bag because she's been collecting all of her jewelry that's seemingly escaped from the container she had stored them in during her way over to Ino's. She fishes out a simple pearl bracelet and tosses it into the growing pile of accessories.

There's a rush of footsteps down the hall that announces Tenten's arrival even before she throws open the bedroom door. She looks around the room as she catches her breath.

"Argh, I'm still last," she groans as she slumps over. "And I left early so I would have plenty of time in case the vendors distracted me too."

"Naruto only just walked in, Tenten," Hinata assures her, "you're not late at all."

"And I came in through the window so I think you've still done a better job than me," Naruto grins at her making Tenten huff a laugh.

"I suppose there's that," she agrees. "But I was only delayed because I brought gifts!"

Tenten hefts a shopping bag. "Everyone gets a face mask. You can fight over scents."

Sakura and Ino descend of the offering, excited by the chance to compare face mask benefits against one another.

Shikamaru sighs and pulls Naruto to sit next to him at the table. Hinata slides teacups over to them.

"At least Tenten's distracted them from the more pressing gossip," Shikamaru mutters to her.

Her eyes crinkle, "Don't worry, I'm sure that's still coming when they settle down."

"I'd prefer it didn't," he mumbles into his cup.

"What's the pressing gossip," Naruto whispers.

Hinata raises a brow at him and flicks her eyes between the two boys.

"Ohhh, yeah," Naruto drawls as he realizes what they're talking about, "I guess that would be kind of a big deal to them," Naruto chuckles.

"What's a big deal?" Tenten asks, enticed away from her masks by the smell of the tea.

"Me and Shika," Naruto says, like their names alone are a complete explanation by themselves.

Tenten blinks and points at them, "You're what….?" She stares for a beat and then gasps when it hits her, "Oh, you're together."

Technically they haven't discussed it to make it official, but Shikamaru doesn't feel like getting into that conversation here of all places. It's probably better to do it without an audience.

Sakura and Ino still at Tenten's remark and their chatter over skin benefits dies.

"I suppose that does make sense after—" Tenten's contemplation is ended prematurely by and explosive reaction from Sakura and Ino.

"That took you long enough!"

"Any longer and I would have gone crazy!"

Shikamaru groans and slumps over the table again.

"Oh, don't even start, Shikamaru. You two have been caught in each others orbits for months now, and it was driving me mad," Ino snips and joins the circle.

"We were?" Naruto wonders.

Sakura also takes a seat and thus Shikamaru's fate of being doomed to suffer through this gossip session is sealed. "Yes you were," Sakura declares, "I didn't put up with you pining after Shikamaru despite the fact he's blatantly devoted to you just for you to try and deny it."

Shikamaru grumbles into the wood. Hinata pats his arm.

"Hmm, well, I kinda picked up on it," Tenten muses, "but I guess I don't spend enough time with them to see it the way you guys do."

"Not to mention you two standing together and unintentionally flirting for the entire day yesterday," Ino tacks on.

"It felt so obvious," Sakura laments.

There's a rustling across from him and he looks up to find Hinata inspecting the little jars of face masks. Shikamaru picks up a stray out of curiosity and to distract himself from the duo's complaining.

"Hey, it's lavender," he says, offering it to Naruto.

The other boy perks up and takes the jar enthusiastically, "Whoa, really? How'd you know I like the smell of lavender?"

"You hang it in your apartment," Shikamaru distractedly replies in explanation, studying another jar.

"It's sweet that you remember that," Naruto murmurs.

He shrugs and sets aside a black tea mask causing Sakura to sigh and plants another in his hand.

"Here's the mint one," she says, causing him to sit up properly.

"Huh, thanks."

He's only showed a liking for mint in front of Sakura once, nearly a year ago. It feels odd she recalls the fact so well.

"So, how do face masks work?" Naruto asks, studying his jar.

Shikamaru could kiss him because the girls drop the topic of their relationship in favour of teaching Naruto how to apply a face mask.

"This feels odd," Naruto says, ten minutes later from his spot sprawled out on the floor. "Kinda tingly."

"It's supposed to do that," Shikamaru says from Ino's side where they're seemingly pulling every obi Ino owns out of the depths of her wardrobe. "Would you just pick one."

"I will, I will. I just need to see all my options first."

"How does clay help your skin?" Naruto ponders up at the ceiling.

"It reduces your oils," Hinata replies, delicately sipping on her tea without cracking her mask in the slightest.

"Well, I want your red one. Where'd that one go," Shikamaru says, studying the pile of fabric at their feet.

"You two are supposed to be relaxing," Tenten calls.

"This would be relaxing without Shikamaru," Ino says offhandedly, "Are you sure you want red? It doesn't match your yukata."

"I'm sure, I have a feeling."

Ino eyes him speculatively. "Check under the gold one."

Her guess is right and he pulls out the scarlet length of fabric from among the pile. He looks up to find Naruto poking at his face mask.

"We can go get ready and wash that off your face if it's bothering you," Shikamaru offers causing the boy to sit up.

"It's not that it's bad," Naruto muses, "Just unusual."

"Show us your new yukata before your tolerance runs out," Sakura urges him.

"Iruka picked out the pieces," Naruto admits, "I just got to say yes or no."

"Iruka's a smart man," Ino remarks as he unwraps his recent purchase, "I bet he made good choices."

He lifts up the fabric and the girls immediately coo at the rich ultramarine fabric Naruto unveils, and Shikamaru silently agrees. It's a beautiful yukata, white intricate lines flowing into a detailed pattern of cresting waves, standing out in the sea of blue. Ino is right in that Iruka clearly has an eye for fashion because even the sky blue obi Naruto pulls out next is perfectly balanced for it's paired fabric.

Then, his lingering hunch is right as Naruto also takes a moment to pull out Jiraiya's old red haori from is other bag, the one he had worn during Pain's attack. The tears in the fabric have been delicately mended with barely a scar. Ino glaces to the obi tucked in Shikamaru's grasp, the same brilliant red. She studies his face but he dutifully ignores her.

"Wait," Tenten lights up, "Yours kinda matches mine!"

She unzips her pack to reveal her own yukata, a vibrant teal with white and black koi swimming in the waves of fabric. Her obi flutters to the floor as the fabric unfolds, a baby pink to compliment the striking turquoise.

Naruto laughs delightedly and high fives Tenten enthusiastically. They both look extra silly due to the masks still smeared on their faces.

"Come on then," Shikamaru waves to him, "We're getting ready in the master bathroom."

Naruto pauses to make sure he still has all his things before bouncing after him.

"What's your yukata like?" He asks as they leave Ino's bedroom behind.

Shikamaru snorts, "Wait thirty more seconds and see for yourself, though it's not as pretty as any of your guy's."

He opens the door to Ino's parents room where Ino's left his yukata out. Thick bands of black and grey vertically spanning the robe that's carefully laid on the bed for Shikamaru to find.

"I don't know," Naruto hums, studying the striped yukata, "I think it suits you."

"Please go wash your face," Shikamaru can't help but say, "I can't take you seriously with that mask on."

"You look just the same as I do," Naruto laughs, but turns to pad into the bathroom without complaint. Shikamaru takes a fortifying breath before he follows him.

With the clay off their faces, Shikamaru has to face the second part of getting ready next to Naruto, the amount of skin being revealed as Naruto undresses. He can't seem to take his eyes off of the muscle stretched across Naruto's shoulders or the flush of his skin crawling down his back. His fingers jump at his side as he battles his self control.

Naruto glances over his shoulder and immediately adopts a mischievous look when he catches Shikamaru's brown eyes soaking in his bare skin.

"If you wanted me to be shirtless around yah, all you had to do was ask," Naruto says coyly, his words smooth with an edge of heat as his grin flashes his sharp canines.

Shikamaru's face heats and he forces himself to turn around and walk back into the bedroom lest he do something really, really dumb in Ino's home.

Naruto cackles delightedly at his reaction and calls after him, "I didn't mean to scare you away!"

"It's fine," he reassures, "just get dressed before Ino gets suspicious about us taking too long."

"Gah—" Naruto groans at the thought as Shikamaru starts undressing himself. "I wouldn't put it past any of them to barge in here if they decided to. Except maybe Hinata— she'd do it, but probably like, cover her eyes to be polite."

Shikamaru smiles fondly at his rambling.

"It's kinda backwards though, like they'd skin anyone alive who'd barge in on them while changing, but then they'd also go do the same thing if they thought it would be funny or if they'd get something out of it. I don't get girls."

You and me both, Naruto.

"By the way I'm definitely going to need you help tying this," Naruto continues, "I watched Iruka and the shopkeeper do it once. I'm not totally sure how they expected me to magically remember it just from that."

"That's fine," Shikamaru replies, padding back to the bathroom as he adjusts his yukata to make sure it hangs right. "I'll teach you how to, if you want."

Naruto goes to reply but his mouth freezes when his eyes turn to Shikamaru.

"Now who's enjoying taking a look," Shikamaru smirks at him and Naruto pulls his eyes away from the gap revealing Shikamaru's bare, tanned chest.

"It's only fair," Naruto playfully returns.

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru chuckles, setting his borrowed obi on the counter to gesture Naruto closer. "Come here and I'll show you how."

Shikamaru explains how to center and fold a yukata the right way, how to hold it in place with a waist cord, and then how to tie an obi.

"Your obi is thicker than mine," Naruto comments as Shikamaru spins the belt around, so the knot sits at his back.

"Yeah, that's because it's Ino's," Shikamaru explains, "Woman's obi's are wider than men's usually. I'll just have to fold it differently."

Shikamaru steps back from Naruto's warmth to take him in, now that he's properly dressed. Shikamaru fiddles with his collar to lay it right.

"Can I do you?" Naruto tentatively asks. "Just so I can try it myself?"

Shikamaru agrees, and resigns himself to suffering through a racing heart while Naruto's in such close proximity to him. He winds up focusing on the way Naruto's tongue peeks out between his lips in his concentration, but that really doesn't help him keep a level head.

"I think I'll leave the obi for you to handle," Naruto laughs after tying the cord in place.

Shikamaru glances in the mirror and studies himself. "You did great," he compliments, "everything's even and right where it's supposed to be."

"Oh, good!" Naruto grins, scooping up his haori. "By the way, did you purposely match us?"

"Maybe," Shikamaru evades and Naruto freezes while draping the fabric over his yukata. Naruto stares at him with narrow eyes, but seems to decide to not pursue his line of questioning and let's Shikamaru tie his obi without pushing him to admit to anything.

He realizes, once he's properly tied his own belt in place that Naruto's brought a new fan with him, carried in among the armload of fabrics. But the folding fan isn't what captures Shikamaru's attention, despite it being pristine and shiny. His eyes catch on the charm Naruto's carefully attaching to the base of it. It's the little wooden deer and fox Shikamaru had carved for him. Shikamaru reaches out to touch it, just to make sure he's not going crazy. It has a tiny metal loop sunk into the deer's shoulders now, and a fraying cord knotted to it.

Naruto freezes from securing the figurine and starts to nervously explain. "Sasuke got sick of me constantly worrying about losing it, so he stole it from me a few months back to turn it into a charm. I guess it meant he didn't have to hear me fuss about it during important missions anymore."

Shikamaru tries to wrap is head around that. That Sasuke could tell the carving is important enough to Naruto that he had taken the initiative to solve an unspoken problem so Naruto could keep his gift with him without stressing about it. He had disguised the kindness behind irritation, but Shikamaru sees his intent. It's an odd thing, to be grateful to the Uchiha of all people.

"If I had known you were going to keep it with you, I would have done the same," Shikamaru admits and Naruto relaxes.

"I like having it with me. It's like you said, it reminds me of you," he admits and then grins, "like how your hair stick will remind you of me!"

Maybe Sakura and Ino have a point. Maybe they've been revolving around each other for a lot longer than either of them ever realized. He watches Naruto finish his knot and open his new fan with a snap, revealing the red swirl on the white paper while he inspects it to make sure the new addition doesn't affect the binding. He takes a moment to let it sink in that Naruto really is, finally, all his own.

"Perfect," Naruto declares before shutting it and firmly tucking it into his obi. The charm dangles at his hip for everyone to see. "Now I'm ready."

Shikamaru pretends to fix the neckline of Naruto's yukata again just to have an excuse to touch him. The need is overwhelming. Naruto smiles softly at him like he understands and skims his hand down Shikamaru's wrist, the warmth and roughness of the touch sending a shiver down Shikamaru's spine.

"Let's get back," Naruto suggests in an uncharacteristic display of self-restraint, and Shikamaru agrees with a silent nod.

"One thing first," Shikamaru rasps, catching Naruto before he escapes too far. Naruto may be choosing to exercise his self-control right now, but Shikamaru has no such reservations currently.

"What's that?"

"I'm going to kiss you now," Shikamaru warns him, catching his chin and tilting it towards him so he can fit their lips together.

Despite his mild surprise at Shikamaru's sudden action, Naruto is still eager to return the favour and presses back against Shikamaru just as enthusiastic as he always is. Shikamaru has to force himself to part from him before they become to mussed and risk returning to the girls in blatant disarray.

Naruto's eyes sparkle. "Now that you're satisfied," he teases and leads Shikamaru out of the room.

"Like you weren't thinking it," Shikamaru mutters as he takes a moment to pause and make sure their discarded clothes are tidied away for whenever they get a change to return for them before following Naruto back to Ino's room. This might practically be Shikamaru's second home, but he still isn't going to make Mio clean up after them.

Naruto is still glowing when their short return trip is completed.

"Everyone decent?" Shikamaru pointedly asks as he knocks on Ino's door.

He hears some mumbling from within before Ino shouts an affirmation and he lets himself and Naruto back in.

Sakura, now dressed in a deep teal green yukata covered in blooming gentle pink lotus flowers that's balanced out by a deep magenta obi, is swift to pounce on her teammate and drag him towards the collection of nail polish that's appeared on the table, scattered among the tea set. Tenten, opposed to Sakura's excitement, is diligently focused on doing Hinata's hair at the vanity. Hinata is watching Tenten's face in the mirror and seems amused at the others very intent look as she precisely sections off pieces and debates optimal pin placements.

Ino's staring intently at him from where she's standing at her bedside.

"I need you to tie my obi," she declares.

Shikamaru blinks slowly at her, "and no one else here could do it for you?"

She frowns at him like he's being stupid. "You're the only one who ever does it right."

Shikamaru can't help but scoff at her audacity. "I swear woman," he grumbles as he approaches, "you could always just tie your own like I do."

She's settled on dusty lavender colour for her obi and shoves it into his hands. "Just hurry up, would you."

So he ties Ino's obi as Sakura relents to painting Naruto's nails bright orange and Tenten tries to not have a meltdown over the pressure of doing a Hyūga's hair.

"See," Ino says as he makes the last loop of the knot, "You always do it perfectly."

"Since I did something for you, you have to do something for me," he shoots back causing Ino to turn and watch him retrieve his gift box from where he'd left it sitting on the window ledge after he had climbed back into her room.

She eyes the container contemplatively as he pads back to her side, curious about the trinket he didn't have when he arrived. She opens it when he offers it to her and her eyes go wide. Her gaze flickers over to Naruto before fixing back on him.

"I am happy for you, you know," she whispers to him, voice wavering in a way Shikamaru barely ever hears. "For both of you. I am glad it's worked out this way."

"If you start crying I'm leaving," Shikamaru warns.

She scoffs, "As if I'd ever cry over you."

She has, and she probably will again, but Shikamaru lets her get away with the lie.

"Get on the bed," she urges, prodding him firmly, "Let me put it in properly."

Shikamaru resigns himself to her whims and takes his seat as he unties his hair without complaining over her demanding tone. He's secretly always found the way Ino brushes her fingers through his hair soothing, though he'll never admit it to her himself.

She twists his hair into a bun with confidence, no longer fumbling like she used to back when she first tried to do this with his hair. When she happy with it's placement, she precisely anchors it in place using his new hair stick. The tinkling of the charms rings through his ear as she fiddles with a few strands to make sure nothing is out of place. He's content enough to remain still while she's being so nit-picky.

Hinata and Tenten have moved on to makeup— each doing their own, lest they both succumb to their anxieties over being in charge of someone else's beauty— and Naruto is watching them with rapt fascination as Sakura blows on his nails.

"How do you guys put up with it?" He asks, watching Tenten lean away as Hinata suddenly kicks up a cloud of powder, all the while she continues to paint mascara on her lashes.

Tenten chuckles, "I know it seems like a hassle, but it can be fun too."

"It's the cost of beauty," Ino says to be excessively dramatic before vaulting off her bed, "Stay there, I have the perfect earrings to match you."

"You're ears are pierced?" Tenten turns to him, blinking with only one set of lengthened lashes.

"Yeah," he shrugs.

"I did them myself," Ino proclaims proudly causing Sakura to whirl around to gape at her.

"You what?"

Ino smirks, "Shikamaru's easy. He can be convinced to do anything if he likes you enough and it doesn't take any extreme effort on his part."

Hinata laughs, "you got your ears pierced because Ino asked?"

Shikamaru shrugs, "she was bored and all I had to do was sit still."

"And trust her with a needle next to your face," Sakura mumbles before addressing Naruto. "Don't fuss with your hands too much while this dries."

Naruto inspects his glossy new nails and nods at her while Ino holds up two earrings in front of Shikamaru's face and seems to compare them to his outfit. She nods and hands them both to him.

He dutifully puts the smooth silver stud in his right, and the dangling chain with the star on its end in his left. Ino hands him her hand mirror and he has to agree. They suit his look perfectly. His eyes linger on his new hair stick. Sun and moon swaying on the opposite side as the star in his ear. He feels almost pretty staring at himself like this.

Ino shoves an eyeliner pencil under his nose. He groans at her but he can't be bothered to start an argument over it, so he takes the mirror and the black pencil and climbs off her bed to sit across from Naruto at the table now that Sakura's risen to see to her own hair.

He takes in the way Naruto's pressing his hands flat against the table to keep them still and the way his knee bounces aggressively.

"You can move your hands, you know. You just can't touch your nails to anything directly," Shikamaru explains.

Naruto stares at his fingers before immediately starting to drum them against the wood, "Oh, thanks, Shika."

He huffs in amusement and focuses on the monumental task of applying eyeliner. It's made more difficult than usual due to him being aware of Naruto openly and greedily staring at him.

He fixes Naruto with a pointed look after he finishes one side. He just grins at him in response, unrepentant and deeply amused at his annoyance.

Shikamaru rolls his eyes and continues on his other eye.

"Your hair looks good," Naruto says after he's done and blinking at himself in the mirror. The black does make his eyes stand out. Ino's never wrong when it comes to fashion choices. He looks up to find Naruto staring at his new kanzashi.

"Thank you," Shikamaru says, and glances down at the cluttered tabletop, "Want to try and paint my nails?"

Ino snorts from where she's going through her jewelry collection.

"There's a terrible idea," Sakura says. Shikamaru glares at her.

Naruto picks up one of the small bottles and inspects it, "You think I can?"

"Sure, I've seen you draw seals, you've got steady enough hands to do it."

His comment actually causes Sakura to tilt her head in consideration, but she doesn't admit to being too swift to doubt her teammates skills.

"Okay," Naruto agrees, "pick a colour then."

"You pick one," Shikamaru yawns and slouches over the table, "I don't care."

"That's how you wind up with orange nails," Tenten whispers in warning.

Naruto eyes him closely before his eyes catch on his new charms again. He scans the table before he finds the colour he's searching for. Careful to not smudge his nails, Naruto presents him with the gold.

"Hmm," Ino remarks, eyeing his choice over Shikamaru's shoulder with consideration, "There's hope for you yet, Naruto."

Naruto grins at her and turns to Shikamaru.

"Tell me how to do this."

Shikamaru walks him through the task and gets to watch as Naruto's brow furrows in his concentration, though his tongue does not make an appearance this time.

"This is harder with you staring at me," Naruto murmurs.

Shikamaru smirks. "Now you know how I felt."

Naruto huffs and sits back to study his handiwork.

"I think this is going well," he decides.

"You're doing great," Shikamaru assures him.

Hinata rejoins them at the table, hair perfectly placed thanks to Tenten and makeup artfully composed by her own hand.

"You look pretty," Shikamaru remarks.

She lights up at him and replies, "So do you!"

"If you looking for nail polish, there's a purple one here somewhere."

"Behind the teapot," Naruto says, once again intently focused on Shikamaru's hands.

"Oh, that's perfect," Hinata says with a laugh, snatching up the bottle, "Thanks, Naruto."

She gets a vague hum in acknowledgement. They trade looks of amusement with each other.

"You could always cut your hair," Sakura suggests at Ino's frustrated groan.

"In your dreams," Ino snaps, pulling out the decorative hair comb and trying again.

Shikamaru smirks in amusement and let's his friends chatter wash over him.

Like always, an hour later, Ino is both the one running late while simultaneously rushing them out the door.

"Let's get a move on," Ino shouts, throwing open her bedroom door, "I can feel the rest of the boys coming down the street!"

"Hold up a second, Sakura," Naruto calls, eyes finding something under the table as he stands. "You forgot this," he says fetching her pearl bracelet out of it's hiding place.

Sakura slaps her forehead, "I can't believe I nearly left that behind."

"Here, let me."

Shikamaru watches as he dutifully clasps the bracelet onto Sakura's extended wrist, taking a second to double check it's secure before he grins at his teammate.

"Thanks, Naruto," she fondly says, eyes soft and warm while watching Naruto before she's bounding down the hall to catch up with a snippy Ino.

"Hurry up!" she call at him.

He sighs and herds Naruto out of the room so he can shut the door.

"Thanks for letting me come," Naruto says to him, "This was a lot of fun."

"Then you can come with me next time too," Shikamaru tells him leading their way back towards the girls.

"I'll hold you to that!" He grins, catching Shikamaru's hand in his own as he passes and tugging him down the hall faster.

Mio is lingering in the entryway, watching as the girls laugh and wiggle their feet back into their various zori and geta sandals. Her glittering eyes turn to Shikamaru and his guest.

"I did wonder when this one slipped by me," she comments with an amused smile.

"He has a habit of climbing in through windows," Shikamaru explains with a shrug.

Naruto looks bashful, "Ah— sorry, Yamanaka-san."

"Oh, don't worry about it dear. It means you successfully dodged my husband's probing."

Naruto chuckles with her and she sees them all off and down the stairs with a grin. The flower shop is closed now, shuttered early for the celebrations, but Inoichi is still lounging behind the counter, reading. He's smiling at Ino as she marches past him, towards the faintly heard complaining of Kiba.

"You've not even been standing here for more than a two minutes!" Ino shouts, stomping out of her home and onto the street. Hinata is quick to follow her to try and get her loudmouthed teammate to calm down.

"Don't even start," he grumbles to Inoichi when his eyes turn to Shikamaru, lagging behind the rest. He knows Inoichi has taken in his new hair stick, the colour of his borrowed obi— twin to Naruto's haori— and the charm dangling at Naruto's side and absorbed the information in seconds.

Inoichi smiles fondly at him, and instead of opening his mouth to embarrass him, he chooses to nod firmly at Shikamaru. He succeeds in saying a lot without uttering a single word because Shikamaru knows that he's proud of him and happy on his behalf with the simple motion. Shikamaru appreciates it.

"I suppose it's too much to think you'll not mention this to dad?" He sighs.

Inoichi pats his shoulder consolingly, "Not for all the money in the world, kid."

"Yeah, that sounds about right to me," he grumbles as he takes up the rear and follows the group out onto the street.

Neji is already complimenting his cousin, and much like her he is wearing a beautifully made formal yukata, his a striking silver-grey covered by a deep, rich violet haori. Kiba's managed to dodge his clan's formalities and is wearing a simple navy jinbei, appearing almost too casual next to Shino's flawless and precise pale green yukata. Lee's found a painfully green gi, and Shikamaru is less surprised by the colour than he is by the fact the boy has chosen to escape his leotard for the evening.

He greets Chōji in his familiar maroon yukata easily, while he eyes Sasuke's black fabric that seems almost hand-painted with a flowing, deep blue pattern of clouds. He's as infuriatingly unruffled as ever, even with the way the front of his robe gapes open to show way more of his skin then necessary, but when Shikamaru actually glances at his face he finds Sasuke's eyes locked onto Sakura. His gaze fixed to the little silver charm that's anchoring her obijime in place around her waist. The decorative brooch latched to the length of belted cord is a dragonfly, set with little shards of pink quartz along the wings. An obidome hand-picked by Sasuke himself if he's recalling Naruto's words right.

Shikamaru almost takes the initiative and recommends he compliment her before she decides he's taking too long, but then he remembers he's really not a fan of the guy so he leaves Sasuke to suffer her wrath when he inevitably falls short of Sakura's expectations.

"Why's it still have to be so hot," Ino groans, snapping open her fan and fluttering it enough it makes her dangling earrings swish in the draft.

Their group sets off at a meandering pace, seemingly no destination yet set, but instead just wandering in the direction of the most active sections of town.

"The suns only just setting, princess," Kiba snips, flashing his teeth with a sharp grin.

"He has a point, it may still yet cool off," Sai interrupts, appearing at Ino's side in a dark charcoal yukata and causing Kiba to yip in surprise.

"Dude, where did you even come from," Kiba nearly shouts.

"I've been with your group the whole time," Sai dully says. Shikamaru knows it's a lie because of the way Ino hides a pointed smirk when Kiba seems to buy Sai's words. Sai's probably just too proud to admit he had been running late to their meeting, and Ino had doubtlessly sensed his chakra signature as he'd approached them, but she's more than happy to let Kiba flounder and try and figure out if Sai had indeed joined them during their wait at Ino's front door.

Naruto is bouncing around the group, chattering and greeting everyone to his hearts content. Shikamaru watches him glow in the golden sunset.

"Shikamaru," Lee loudly addresses him, "I hear you are the one responsible for Sakura's brilliant ploy during our match."

Shikamaru fights back his smirk, "No, I may have pitched the idea, but that execution was all her."

Lee nods seriously, "I see. She is a very skilled kunoichi indeed. I am still wounded that my dear sparring partner betrayed me so easily."

Shikamaru shrugs, "She gave me good intel in return, I owed her."

Naruto squawks, indignant. "Is that how you landed that last hit? Because Sakura told you I drop my guard?"

"I keep telling you to fix that dumb habit!" Sakura shouts at him. "Take it as a valuable lesson!"

Naruto splutters but can't really defend himself when she has a valid point.

"More importantly, I hear congratulations are in order," Shino pipes up, smile still hidden by a face mask despite the formal attire, but eyes betray his joy.

"Gee, word travels fast," Shikamaru sighs.

"Only because our friends are a bunch of gossips," Naruto complains, but his grin makes it clear he doesn't mind it.

"Oh, for real? I kinda thought my sister was messing with me," Kiba says.

"How the fuck does your sister know?" Shikamaru groans.

"Oh, I imagine by the end of today, the whole city's going to know you two are dating," Ino remarks.

"Troublesome," he sighs to himself.

They're entering the more populated and active streets of the festival now, cutting back on their chatter as the roads grow noisier. Naruto slips closer to his side as they navigate the bustling paths. They stop on occasion when someone's attention is captured by a nearby vendor or booth, but their group never lingers long, and no one actually makes any purchases on their wandering route towards the center of town.

Eventually they stop in Momi Square, gathering in a empty corner across from the bubbling of the central fountain that's glittering in the setting sunlight to actually make a decision on what any of them are doing tonight. As usual, their group's conflicting opinions results in overlapping voices and petty arguments while various ideas are brought forth only to be immediately shot down.

"Oh, how about a snack?" Tenten offers, and receives genuine interest from the crowd. Suddenly everyone begins debating the best festival food.

"Who wants to eat noodles while walking?" Ino shoots down Kiba's pitch of yakisoba, "It should be takoyaki."

"Not everyone likes octopus," Neji points out. "Taiyaki is the best option."

"Ah— not if you don't like sweet things—" Hinata points out.

"Aw, but we passed such cute amezaiku," Sakura sighs, referring to the hand blown sugar sculptures a few booths back.

"And I guess strawberry daifuku is out," Sai mumbles to himself.

"You have a strange obsession with mochi," Naruto whispers back to the boy causing Sai to frown at his friend before he starts quietly defending his habit of eating anything he can that has mochi involved.

"I wonder if there's any ginkgo seeds around," Lee ponders over the murmured debate.

"It's too early for their season still," Chōji informs him solemnly making Lee slump, "And the clear answer is okonomiyaki."

"Chōji's right," Shikamaru can't help but agree. He can't say he cares about food as much as his best friend does, but the savory pancakes are definitely up there in Shikamaru's rankings.

"Okonomiyaki does sound good," Tenten muses, "Maybe that would be better for dinner."

That decision is a whole other can of worms that's going to be hotly debated soon, now that Tenten's brought it up.

"There was a yakitori stand like two blocks over," Sasuke says in the silence when no one immediately refutes Tenten's point.

"Oh— now that's a good idea," Sakura agrees.

"The variety of yakitori is a good solution," Shino muses.

Sasuke shrugs, unbothered, "I'll go get some then."

"Then, we can debate dinner in the meantime," Ino grins.

Shikamaru sighs, takes a second to seriously wonder if he's about to accompany Sasuke somewhere willingly, and then turns to follow after the brooding boy. Sasuke shoots him some serious side eye, but doesn't open his mouth to ask why he's following him despite his furrowed brow.

"I figured putting up with you is easier than dealing with the mess of them deciding what to eat for dinner."

Sasuke rolls his eyes at the explanation, but doesn't tell him to get lost, so Shikamaru continues following him back along their path. He doesn't actually remember seeing a yakitori vendor and it becomes clear why when Sasuke turns to lead them down a side path. The smaller alley is packed with stalls and bodies that Sasuke flows through with effortless grace and Shikamaru sticks to his heels, letting the dark haired boy be the one to part the crowds for him. How Sasuke had seen this vendor from the main road Shikamaru isn't sure, but he's not curious enough to bother asking. As far as he know the answer might just be the other boy's Sharingan.

There's many food stalls packed in the narrow alley and the smell of it is almost overwhelming. The yakitori seller they stop at is run by a round woman whose eyes are laden with wrinkles and a wide smile as she passes another woman a few skewers before she turns her attention over to them. Or more accurately, her gaze hones in on Sasuke. She zeroes in on the tall, dark and handsome young man in front of her booth and she is immediately giggling and greeting him.

To Shikamaru's great surprise, Sasuke smiles back. Hell, he doesn't only smile back, he leans into her counter, flashing more of his skin as his yukata gapes to reveal his muscular chest.

The woman is babbling in agreement with Sasuke and seems delighted to gather up her stock of skewers and offer them to him thanks to the free eye candy she's getting. Shikamaru thinks his brain actually stops processing anything that's happening as he scoops up as many paper dishes stacked with yakitori as he can hold when Sasuke glares at him expectantly.

Sasuke actually laughs with her as he thanks her and Shikamaru has to wonder what reality he's just stumbled into. He recalls Sakura mentioning Sasuke has a habit of open manipulation when it suits him, but seeing just how easy it comes to him now kinda makes Shikamaru's skin crawl.

They turn to leave and Shikamaru reckons with his sudden insight and understanding of this new Sasuke.

"You don't have to do that anymore you know," Shikamaru comments.

Sasuke looks at him blankly. The way he's carrying so many skewers piled on takeout cartons is nearly comical. It makes him seem almost human and Shikamaru's not totally sure it's not still part of the mask he'd just been wearing.

"Weaponize your sexuality like that," Shikamaru explains, tilting his chin back towards the stand owner who is still staring after Sasuke.

For once Shikamaru watches Sasuke actually consider something he says without a knee-jerk defensive and scathing remark.

"Hasn't that always been what I'm good for? A pretty face?" Sasuke dryly remarks, the warmth of his fake, plastered on smile gone as his usual standoffish demeanor returns. "May as well use it to my advantage."

Geez, talk about the impacts of shitty normalized behaviours. Shikamaru can't help but think that the creep that was formerly Orochimaru hasn't done Sasuke any favours on that front. Then again, those seeds were probably sewn all the way back in the academy when Sasuke's fan-club pawed at him like he was their toy.

"Do you ever think about how young twelve is?"

For some reason he thinks Sasuke's going to understand what he's asking. His former classmate frowns slightly.

"All the time."

Yeah, Shikamaru had a feeling. Being lured away from your home at twelve— even if your convinced the decision is all your own— is bound to make you aware of a few things. Mainly of how fucking young you are.

And being that young, while also being totally outmatched by Orochimaru and his crew, he had done what he had to do to survive. He had offered himself up and put his body on display for them in exchange for the chance at power. Objectification at it's purest. He wonders if Sasuke remembers what it's like to be just a normal human and not a weapon to be wielded.

Sasuke studies him with this new understanding from the corner of his eye. He might have more sympathy for the guy now, but he still continues to dodge every person on the crowded street without any difficulty. Like the total asshole he is.

"Why are you so concerned? Don't you hate me?" Sasuke asks, trying to sound unbothered, but Shikamaru catches the downward twitch of his eyebrows.

"It's a mixed bag," Shikamaru admits. "But I will say, this right here?" Shikamaru smirks and gestures to Sasuke practically juggling the overboard amount of roasted food on sticks he had willing gone in search of simply because his friends had asked. "This is doing a pretty good job of endearing you to me."

"You're an asshole, you know that right?"

"Takes one to know one, loser."

Shikamaru thinks he gets a little smile out of him for that one.

"You better not hurt him," Sasuke says after a beat of silence.

"Naruto? Like I could. I think our match did a pretty good job of proving I can barely scratch him," Shikamaru drawls, eyeing Sasuke to try and figure out what's made him bring this up so suddenly.

"You know what I mean," Sasuke sighs sharply, like he's pissed off to have to continue a conversation he himself just started.

"I think out of the two of us, I'm not the one likely to break his heart," Shikamaru says, not unkindly.

Sasuke winces slightly.

"Then, you'll hunt me down if I ever do it again?"

Shikamaru squints at Sasuke. The guy really is a strange enigma.

"Like he'd ever need my help for that. He'd just do it himself," Shikamaru scoffs.

That makes Sasuke looks a bit like he's bitten a lemon.

"Not that I understand why he even keeps bothering," Sasuke mutters.

"You don't give up on family," Shikamaru shoots back.

And if that doesn't crack something in Sasuke's expression. Something raw, and haunted, and so full of grief slipping through the crack that Shikamaru expects it's something that has long been repressed and buried deep within Sasuke's heart.

Healing often involves breaking open the things that have been left to fester and properly letting them out. Not that Shikamaru's an expert.

"You know, everyone always thought that I had this insane natural ability to be a shinobi," Sasuke murmurs, barely heard over the chattering of the crowd.

"Was it not?" Shikamaru wonders, he hadn't paid enough attention to anything going on during the academy besides the clouds.

"No," Sasuke growls, "my brother had all the talent. I had to work to the bone for every one of my successes, and still I couldn't match Naruto, let alone my brother."

Shikamaru is back to sneakily assessing Sasuke.

"So that's why Orochimaru was able to convince you to leave," he realizes, "He offered you the power you lacked naturally."

"Something like that," Sasuke frowns, "But yesterday you made me realize that there isn't shame in having to work hard to succeed."

"There was a time where I wouldn't have dreamed of ever working as hard as I did yesterday," Shikamaru admits.

"And there was a time where I thought never having to work hard was the real sign of power."

"And you don't anymore?" Shikamaru has to check.

"Yesterday, you did something a lot of people previously thought was impossible— including myself. You matched Naruto as his equal, and you did it because you worked your ass off for it, not because you received some great gift of power."

Shikamaru doesn't know how to respond to a genuine compliment from Sasuke of all people so he just remains silent. The other boy looks a little resigned, or perhaps even regretful. Either way, it is a big difference from the usual resentment Sasuke wears on his face as a shield.

It's nice to have someone recognize just how hard he's worked to accomplish what he has, someone who arguably understands why his relentless determination matters so much. It does still manage to feel a bit like Sasuke is saying he has no natural talent for being a shinobi, but still, maybe there is hope for the former missing-nin yet.

They don't say another word for the last turn back, but the quiet isn't an awkward one, it's a contemplative and comfortable one.

"Holy shit, what did you do, clear out some poor vendor?" Ino shouts when a break in the crowd lets her spot their return. Even with her surprise, she's quick to snatch one of the sticks out of the pile in Shikamaru's hands.

"Hey, he's the one who decided to flutter his lashes and convince the woman behind the counter to hand over most of her stock," Shikamaru deflects her ire.

"You paid for it though, right?" Sakura glares, hand hovering by a stick of fried tofu.

Sasuke shrugs, unaffected by her sharp look.

"Hell yeah! Nice one, man. Free food for the win," Kiba laughs.

Sasuke looks oddly pleased with himself as their friends start picking something to eat out of the truly impressive variety of things and happily chowing down. Naruto appears at his side, somehow having already managed to inhale half a pork skewer.

"We decided were going to watch the fireworks show from the top of the Hokage Mountain to avoid the crowds," Naruto informs him while eyeing the roasted red peppers Shikamaru still has in his grasp.

Shikamaru hands him one without a comment and trades Sasuke for a chicken one for himself.

"Did where we're eating dinner get decided while we were gone?" Shikamaru asks.

"We put it to a vote," Sakura sighs.

"It tied," Shino informs him solemnly.

"And since Sasuke's not gonna care either way—" Kiba says.

Shikamaru shoots a look to the boy and question and Sasuke just shrugs.

"That means you're our tie breaker, Shikamaru," Ino says, glaring at him like he's somehow already betrayed her.

Chōji pats his shoulder consolingly.

"Wait, there are thirteen of us. If Sasuke doesn't get a vote, how the hell am I the tie breaker?"

"Sai abstained," Tenten says jabbing at the pale boy with her skewer using the same precision she wields a senbon with.

Shikamaru shoots the boy a flat look, Sai shrugs in the exact same manner that Sasuke just did. He can't tell if Sai is purposely mimicking the movement or not.

"What's it going to be, Nara?" Neji prods, "Ramen or okonomiyaki?"

"An important decision, yosh!" Lee tacks on with a cheer.

"Ramen," Shikamaru decisively says.

Ino groans, "You're only saying that because you think Naruto voted for ramen."

"Actually, Naruto voted for okonomiyaki because I agreed with Chōji about it being the best festival food," Shikamaru counters.

Ino sighs at him and Hinata has to hide her silent laughter behind her fan. Shikamaru glares at her betrayal, but Hinata just shakes harder from her suppressed giggles.

"Aw, how'd you figure that out, I thought for sure you'd vote for it," Naruto pouts.

"Never try and predict a Nara," Chōji wisely says, grinning as he echos words they've both heard Chōji's father's say as a lament many times before.

"Fine," Sakura sighs, "We'll get ramen after the fireworks show then."

Kiba cheers and their gathering slowly splits off in small groups after they all lay claim the remaining skewers.

"If we're splitting up, be sure to meet at the mountain before ten!" Ino calls out before people drift too far away.

"Aye, aye," Lee calls back with a thumbs up, skewer of pork in hand as he pulls a resigned but interested looking Tenten along behind him as he shouts enthusiastically about kendo and sumo and other martial arts exhibitions happening that night.

Akamaru yips from where he's loping off with his master who is successfully goading Neji, Chōji and Shino into a challenge at one of the nearby carnival games. Shikamaru bets all of them are already coming up with way to cheat at the rigged game.

"You know anything about koto playing?" Sakura asks Sasuke whose thoughtfully chewing on the last beef skewer. Sasuke shrugs noncommittally.

Hinata has to hide another amused grin brought about by Sasuke's vague confusion behind her fan. "I do, Sakura. I can come with you."

Sakura lights up, "Great, there's a group playing nearby."

Sasuke dutifully strides after them with a silent, curious interest.

Ino drags Sai away in a manner that has Shikamaru wincing in sympathy. He doesn't bother asking where she's going for fear of being roped into her schemes. Knowing her, she'll be using Sai to carry the insane about of things she's going to wind up buying. Sai seems content to go though, probably because Ino's put five yakitori into his hands of which he's eating without complaint.

It leaves him with a bashful looking Naruto, who's radiant under the lantern light.

"What's up?" Shikamaru asks, making the blond nervously rub the back of his neck.

"Nothin'," Naruto weakly smiles, "You didn't have to vote for ramen on my account."

Shikamaru studies him and turns to face him properly before taking both of his hands. He rubs his thumbs across his knuckles in an attempt to soothe the suddenly wound up boy. He had been giddy just minutes ago.

"Tell me what the problem is so I can fix it," Shikamaru says, squeezing Naruto's fingers gently and watching his glittering eyes.

"It's not a problem," Naruto shakes his head, "I guess— I just—" Naruto heaves a sigh and meets Shikamaru's gaze.

"I've never had a person whose cared about me like this before," he admits, twitching with his nervous energy, "It's all so new, and I don't know how I'm supposed to act, and I definitely don't want to mess it up."

"You can act however your comfortable acting," Shikamaru shrugs, "And, I'll let you in on a little secret, sunshine. When it comes to me, there's nothing you can do to mess this up, okay?"

Naruto squeezes their hands, "Are you sure? I know I can get on most people's nerves."

"I am not most people," Shikamaru smirks.

It makes Naruto huff a small laugh and he grins, "I suppose so. Then, we're really doing this? Dating? Being boyfriends?"

His voice is so hopeful and sweetly surprised Shikamaru's heart jumps up a degree.

"I'm all in of you are."

Naruto's smile is heart-stopping.

"You better believe it!"

Shikamaru can't help the laugh that bubbles up at his familiar words and he's still suppressing chuckles when Naruto pulls him in for a kiss. He loves this man down to his core.

"What do you want to do?" He asks when they part.

Naruto glances down one of the roads, glittering from the suspended lanterns and vibrant with countless booth and stalls.

"I don't know," Naruto chirps, looking excited now that his brief bout of self-doubt has already faded away. "Let's go exploring!"

Shikamaru laughs and happily follows after his boyfriend as they return into the flow of crowded streets and wander through Konoha's lively attractions.

Naruto finds many exciting sights during their journey, but Shikamaru's eyes never stray far from watching the other. He memorizes the way Naruto's eye crinkle when he searches through the wares of a vendor selling handmade children's toys. Naruto tests a kendama with a wide grin and an enthusiastic concentration. The elderly man running the small stall seems more than pleased to let Naruto try and catch the wooden ball in one of the cups to his heart content. Given Naruto's childhood, Shikamaru is extremely grateful to the man.

A street later, Shikamaru finds himself watching Naruto's furrowed brow as he tries to catch a goldfish with his paper scoop. His tongue is poking out of his mouth as he completely focuses on the task before him.

"Aw," He pouts after he narrowly fails to capture a speckled fish. "I was hoping I'd get it this time. Jiraiya always used to laugh at me for failing."

There is a brief flicker of grief in his blue eyes before he's standing with a grin and and pointed clap.

"Next time then," Naruto promises, heartfelt and determined.

They stop to watch the middle of a Kabuki play, staying long enough for Shikamaru to immediately figure out the play's ending. But despite him solving the plot in minutes, he gets to witness Naruto's awe at some of the Kabuki dances and the way his dimples flash as he cheers for the main heroine as the climax builds to the third act. Shikamaru doesn't have to sit through the spoiled end because Naruto's attention drifts away, and he tugs Shikamaru off in another direction all together, toward whatever has captured his liking now.

During their tour of the festivities, they're often stopped by townsfolk and pulled into warm conversation. Sometimes it's someone jumping at the chance to thank and praise Naruto, and other times it's someone enthusiastically greeting Shikamaru and telling him about their home or business or family with great fervor. Sometimes Shikamaru remembers the job they reference, but most of the time he can't place anything at all and he's left awkwardly receiving thanks for something he doesn't recall doing. It's strangely exhausting but Naruto is always quick to come to his rescue with a smile and an apology before tugging Shikamaru off.

On a regular day, they both draw eyes separately, so the two of them together— especially after their match— draws a whole lot of attention.

On a few occasions, Shikamaru manages to catch the townsfolk happily gossiping about them as they pass. The aunties always delight in pointing out their clasped hands to anyone in range to hear their gossip, and the retired men happily murmur congratulations and approval of the match amongst themselves. Naruto, of course, appears entirely oblivious, probably very used to being whispered about at this point in his life.

It is odd to hear the snippets, but the people of their city appear overjoyed to see them together. Their Hero and their Guardian Angel, side by side, and seemingly— totally in love.

Yeah, the people aren't ever going to be letting this one rest.

They find Kiba, Neji, Chōji and Shino all engaged in a heated conversation (well, Shino wasn't particularly heated so to speak, but he did seem passionate whenever he did manage to interject into the discussion). Their debate largely loses it's edge due to they way each of them is comically clutching veritable hoards of stuffed prizes.

"If you count mine again, I think you'll find—" Neji says only to be immediately cut off by Kiba.

"Yeah, right, ice prince, we all know the small ones are worth less than—"

"In that case, mine are worth more because I won the biggest—" Chōji cuts in.

"—I wouldn't say size is everything—" and boy did Shikamaru wish that more people would realize how funny Shino can be.

"Think we should intervene?" Naruto asks from where they have halted a few feet away to watch their friends. They're starting to draw a lot of eyes.

"Maybe," Shikamaru replies noncommittally, "but there's a more fun option."

Naruto eyes sparkle and his grin grows mischievous, "What's the more fun option?"

Shikamaru smirks and whistles, successfully drawing the attention of everyone up and down the street, including their friends, and all the nearby children who were crowded into the alley due to the games and prizes.

"Anyone who gets their hands on a toy can keep it," Shikamaru calls, hefting a thumb lazily at his betrayed friends.

It's an immediate free for all. Parents and vendors guffaw and laugh as any nearby children launch themselves at the group of overly competitive shinobi, elbowing and kicking in the way only untamed children can.

"You really threw them to the dogs, Nara!" A woman Shikamaru recognizes as Kazuo's wife shouts to him over the jeering and battle cries.

"They can handle it," he yells back with a shrug. "They've trained for worse."

Naruto's laughing brightly, "All right, let me in! I want a piece of the action!"

He jumps into the fray, scooping some of the littlest children into the air so they can have a shot of reaching a prize.

"Traitors! The both of you!" Kiba shouts, small boy stuck like an octopus to his back, Akamaru barking in agreement from where he's getting climbed on by a clan of enthusiastic toddlers. His wagging tail betraying just how much fun the pup is having.

Shikamaru watches his trained and battle hardened friends be defeated by a small army of children.

"Whoa, you have cool bugs, mister," a young girl says to Shino as she pauses in her escape, clutching a giant stuffed ladybug.

It causes Shino to lower his defenses and results in him losing two more toys from his clutches.

Shikamaru has to laugh when he sees Neji has is Byakugan activated and is still failing to dodge all the tiny hands reaching for his collection due to sheer numbers paired with him not wanting to actually stop any of them.

Chōji is just rough housing like the big teddy bear he is and is playfully letting the smallest children comically march off with the largest stuffed animals.

There's a couple cheers and hoots from the spectating crowd as the children scamper off with their spoils. Naruto chases off any stragglers by threatening to tickle any who dare linger, so even the ones who haven't managed to claim a toy get sent off laughing.

"You're right, Shika, that was more fun," Naruto grins, breathless and tousled from the brief scrap.

Shikamaru fondly straightens his haori.

"That was a dirty tactic," Shino remarks, straightening his glasses and letting Shikamaru spot of glimpse of his smiling eyes.

"Surprisingly effective," Neji muses.

One of the children inches back into their area and holds her stuffed bird out towards Akamaru, looking shiftily up at the rest of the boys like she isn't sure if any of them are going to stop her. The nin-dog eyes the toy before yipping in thanks and gently taking the toy from her hands. She skips off grinning.

"Probably for the best," Kiba admits watching his grinning dog.

"Yeah, that argument wasn't going anywhere," Chōji laughs amicably.

"And we have more pressing matters if we don't want to get chewed out by Ino," Neji remarks, glancing up at the rising moon.

"To the mountain?" Shino proposes.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheers, "I hear they've gone all in on the fireworks!"

"I hope so, what's the point otherwise?" Kiba grins, leading their march away from the tangled streets of festivity towards the quieter neighbourhoods by the monument.

Shikamaru lazily follows along, letting Naruto race ahead of him. Chōji takes his usual place by his side.

"I am glad you're so happy," he says before pausing to pay for a bag of candied nuts.

"Funny, Ino said something similar."

Chōji shoots him a look as he munches on his new snack, "Shame on us for caring about our teammate after he spent a year tying himself into knots to rebuild a city."

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru sighs, watching as Naruto jumps on Kiba's back catching the other boy by surprise. Naruto latches on like an octopus as Kiba starts shaking like a dog. It only makes him dig in harder and plead for Kiba to let him have a piggyback ride. "Sorry, I caused you so much trouble."

"I suppose it was worth it," Chōji grins, watching Shikamaru's face closely. "It's nice to see you finally let yourself be in love."

Shikamaru watches his friend and ponders. "When did you figure it out?"

Chōji looks at him knowingly, "Before even you realized it, I think. Your crush might have caught you by surprise during the chunin exams finals, but I had a front row seat to watching it develop during all the little moments you let him talk you into things during our time at the academy."

Chōji's words feel impossible, but even he can't deny the probable truth of it.

"Geez, maybe warn a guy next time, buddy."

Chōji guffaws and shakes his head, "It was something you had to handle on all on your own. I couldn't fight that battle for you."

"Still," Shikamaru sighs, "Thanks for putting up with me I suppose."

"Anytime, brother, anytime."

Shikamaru sneaks a nut from Chōji's hoard and his best friend doesn't even bother chiding him on his manners.

"I found them," Sai yells, emotionlessly, down one of the nearby alleys. He's ahead of them in an upcoming intersection.

"Only because I said they were in this direction," Sasuke growls as he and the group he's leading catch up to the white-haired ninja. Sakura, Ino and Hinata look amused, and if Shikamaru had to guess, even Sai looks like he's getting a kick out of purposely annoying the Uchiha.

Their groups merge into each other without any fuss beyond Sasuke's very expressive down-turned eyebrows and the rest of the trip towards the monument happens with easy chatter about their various experiences.

"I thought I heard trouble approaching," Iruka's voice says as they come upon the path up the hill and find their various sensei's gathered at the bottom.

"Whoa! Don't tell me you all had the same idea as us," Naruto exclaims.

"Seems that way," Kurenai replies, her daughter balanced on one hip. Her students are swift to gather around the small toddler to greet her.

Lee's uncharacteristically casual outfit makes sense when he's next to Might Guy. Like always they match, from the gi, right down to their zori sandals. Iruka and Kurenai have donned yukata, but Kakashi is still in his usual ninja uniform, just with a colourful, comically kitschy hand fan seemingly added in an attempt to join in on the festivities. Whether it's been procured at Iruka's behest or for Kakashi's own amusement remains to be seen.

Kakashi is quick to needle Sasuke about having fun, while Iruka compliments Naruto on his yukata causing the other to whine about how the man had literally been present when they purchased it. Might Guy somehow manages to lift all of his students into a hug at once with only Lee seeming to be the only one to particularly enjoy the crushing embrace. Mirai winds up in Hinata's arms and there's a brief look of grief that's passed between Ino, Chōji and him where the absence of Asuma feels heavier than usual.

The decision to watch the firework display together doesn't even have to be spoken out loud and the new group begins their hike up Hokage Mountain with little fanfare.

Mirai's giggles draw Naruto's curiosity as they walk, him and his team having interacted with the young girl the least of out any of them. He approaches her and Mirai goes momentarily silent and still to ponder at the golden haired arrival. Naruto makes a silly face at her and she remains frozen and wide-eyed.

"Hmm, tough girl to crack," Naruto mutters to himself.

Shikamaru has a bad feeling.

The second face Naruto pulls, is arguably much sillier, but also makes Mirai burst into tears. This causes Naruto to jump back in shock and Hinata to freeze in panic.

Shikamaru sighs, and picks up pace to catch up to his boyfriend. He scoops Naruto up and slings him over his shoulder suddenly, and with great ease. Naruto splutters and crows in surprise.

"This is your punishment for making my goddaughter cry," Shikamaru grumbles and marches up the path, putting some distance between them and Mirai to give Hinata and Kurenai a shot of getting her to calm down. Naruto wiggles in his grasp, but Shikamaru's arms don't budge,

"I never thought I'd see a day where Shikamaru actually willingly flexed his strength," Sakura muses with a snicker.

"You're the one who made me this way," Shikamaru points out with a frown, "What the hell were you expecting?"

"Not that your chakra reinforcements would ever get so strong," Sakura admits with a shrug. Shikamaru tries not to take her brutal honesty personally.

"I have to say, it is nice to see someone who can restrain Naruto without struggle," Kakashi grins making Iruka hide his own responding smile of agreement.

"Hey!" Naruto yells at his sensei before he seems to realize something, and twists in Shikamaru's hold to look at him. "Wait is this easy for you?"

"Yeah, this is nothing for me these days, if I'm honest."

"He can probably do ten times you before struggling," Hinata says with Mirai having been passed off onto Kiba's shoulders to distract her from her meltdown. "I've seen him carry concrete slabs by hand before without breaking a sweat."

Sai gets a too sharp grin and speeds up his pace to walk even with Shikamaru. "From the way his face is burning, I think we can conclude he likes the thought of being manhandled by you."

Sasuke looks pained by the declaration, and honestly Shikamaru can relate— even if it's an infuriatingly alluring thought. But the appeal of it is kinda lost since Sai is the one suggesting it.

"Sai! Shikamaru speed up so I can hit him—" Naruto growls. "Of all things— I can't believe I ever called you my teammate—"

Sai winks at Shikamaru, and he really can't decide if Sai thinks he's being helpful or not. "I'm setting him lose now. You may want a head start," Shikamaru informs him before tossing Naruto back onto his feet.

Sai has all of one moment of stubborn, cocky bravery before he seems to remember who he's pissed off and takes off in a dead sprint up the mountain. Naruto tears off after him cackling. Might Guy guffaws with delight at the spectacle of their sudden speed.

"Heartless as ever, Shikamaru," Sakura smirks. He shrugs at her and it's clear she approves of his playful actions from her sparkling eyes.

"I wonder if Sai'll ever stop putting his foot in his mouth," Kiba comments with Mirai's fists in his hair. She seems to be leaning sideways to carry a one-sided nonsense conversation with Akamaru below her.

Ino snorts, "If I have anything to say about it he will."

"Good luck getting through his thick skull," Sasuke mutters to his feet.

"If you just participated in this conversation willingly then it's safe to say anything is possible," Ino snarks, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes and speed up to avoid any further discussion. Sakura seemingly presses her lips into a thin line to avoid laughing at him.

They press on, now walking towards the shouts and calls of Naruto and the startled yelps of Sai. Naruto's is sitting on Sai's back when they catch up to them on the mountain top. Sai appears to be playing dead, but it's unnecessary since Naruto leaps off of him when he catches sight of Shikamaru's appearance. Thus begins the fight for the best seats. For a minute he thinks Lee is actually going to tackle Kiba causing Shino to quickly extract Mirai and plant her safely in Hinata's lap whose already politely taken a seat a few feet back from the edge. Naruto tugs him over to her and plants himself down at her side.

He stares down Mirai very seriously as Shikamaru takes a spot next to him. "I'm sorry for scaring you Mi-chan," he says solemnly resulting in Shikamaru trying to not melt through the floor at him using such an affectionate nickname for his goddaughter.

Mirai blinks her big red eyes at him from where she's peeking out from under Hinata's big, flowing sleeves. This time Naruto grins at her and her responding giggles are immediate. She babbles a mostly incoherent stream of syllables, still not all that skilled at enunciation since she's still barely over a year old, but her final exclaimed, "Hi!" is still decipherable.

Naruto giggles right along with her. Shikamaru takes his hand and thinks every mushy emotion he's ever felt must be written out plain as day on his face as he watches them interact.

When she inevitably gets distracted by Hinata's shiny hair pins, Naruto turns to him instead.

"I'm glad you have her," he says.

"Yeah." Shikamaru agrees, voice rough with a complexity of feelings. "Me too."

They settle to watch over the city and their rowdy friends eventually follow suit. Naruto slaps his shoulder while the clock metaphorically ticks down and points to a building off to their left. "Hey, you kept Old Man Hasegawa's roof purple."

Shikamaru can't help his smirk as Naruto looks at him. Hinata heaves a sigh from their right.

"He changed the colour on the requisition slip without me noticing," Hinata tells him while swaying side to side gently to keep Mirai calm. "Imagine mine and the roofer's surprise at getting the delivery and finding purple tiles inside."

"Hey, I worked hard to find a supplier who was willing to do custom-coloured clay tiles," Shikamaru says.

"I had to keep a straight face while I convinced Hasegawa that it was an accident and we didn't have any other replacements to offer him," Hinata giggles.

"Wait, you convinced him to let you put purple tiles on his roof?" Naruto laughs, "That's way better than when I allegedly painted them."

"Also, we totally had replacements," Shikamaru says, fixing a pointed look at Hinata.

She grins, "Naruto worked hard picking out the colour, it would have been a waste to see it go. Plus, I think the neighbours all still get a kick out of it. They were quite eager to help appease him into agreeing."

"So the two of you bullied a man into getting a purple roof because you found it funny?" Iruka asks.

Shikamaru glances over his shoulder to answer, "No, we did it because it's not Konoha without it's history."

"Also, because you're in love with Naruto," Sai adds on, not helpfully. Shikamaru sends him a flat look which just makes Sai smile and flashes him a thumbs up.

"I remember when Naruto painted that roof," Kakashi remarks sounding wistful.

"—allegedly—" Naruto fruitlessly slips in. They all know he had been the one to do it.

"You sent the Anbu team on a wild goose chase and Old Man Hasegawa was furious that the elite shinobi couldn't find an eleven year old punk."

"Iruka still gave me a weeks detention for it," Naruto pouts.

"I would have given you more, but I got to watch you make the Anbu team look like fools so I was feeling generous," Iruka says with a laugh.

Kakashi looks affronted. Iruka sends him a fond look.

"It is a nice colour," Kurenai muses. Might Guy nods in agreement.

"Thank you! I hand mixed it ya'know!"

Shikamaru gets to watch the smile Naruto's sending Kurenai get bathed in red light as the first firework shell pops in the air. Kiba and Lee cheer and holler. Mirai giggles and screams in excitement from Hinata's lap.

Shikamaru just watches Naruto grin, and settles back to enjoy the show. The fireworks are impressive, and it's clear Tsunade has spared no expense when it came to the display, but to Shikamaru it doesn't compare to watching Naruto's joy instead. It's not the joy he sometimes wears as armour either. It's awe, and delight and wonder all painted across his glowing face plain for Shikamaru to see.

He spends his time committing it to his memory. He hope he never forgets it.

But like everything, the moment does come to and end. The firework shells eventually fall silent and his friends cheer and clap for the vibrant display. Then Naruto's leaping to his feet with a cry of, "To Ichiraku's!"

Kiba is swift to follow suit. Shikamaru takes a moment to help out Hinata by scooping up a wriggling Mirai and setting off with a giggling bundle of flailing limbs as she shouts, "Shi-ah! Shi-ah," between her peals of laughter.

Kurenai watches them fondly before she follows their group— their sensei's having seemingly invited themselves along for dinner in an unspoken agreement. Their trip takes them through where the bulk of Konoha's food service resides and it's clear business is booming tonight with how many restaurants have packed interiors and rowdy conversation floating out of propped open doors even as they creep closer to midnight.

Ichiraku's had taken the destruction in stride and had decided to expand while they had the chance too. Now instead of just a row of stools at a counter, the ramen shop has a host of other tables and seating options which is especially fortunate tonight when their group tumbles into the shop with grins and bright greetings.

They squeeze into whatever available spaces remain in the shop and luckily their arrival seems to spur a few lounging residents to close tabs and depart, happy to offer spaces up to familiar faces after their exhibitions yesterday. He deposits a much sleepier Mirai back in her mother's arms after she takes a seat with the rest of the sensei's and he joins Naruto at the bar with his team, taking the empty stool at his side. His remaining friends pack themselves into booths with joyful chatter.

Behind the bar Teuchi greets them with a large smile.

"Hiya, old man," Naruto shoots back, "Hope you've got enough food back there."

"For you?" Teuchi responds, "Always, kid."

Behind her father, Ayame flips to a new page in her notebook, and pats her pockets for her pencil.

"Oh yeah, let me introduce my boyfriend, Shikamaru," Naruto adds on, causing Ayame to whip around to face him, her notepad fumbling out of her grasp as she does so.

"Please tell me you're not kidding," she begs.

Naruto blinks at her, "Nah, I'm serious."

"Oh spirits above, finally," she gasps and reaches over the bar to plant her hands on his shoulders, "I am so happy for you, but that took you long enough."

"Right!" Sakura laments with her.

"Ayame gets it," Ino mumbles from somewhere behind Shikamaru. He mentally glares at her since he can't be bothered to turn around and do it properly.

"Geez— I know, I know. I keep hearing it enough," Naruto groans. "Leave us alone."

Teuchi's got an amused smirk on his lips, but he takes pity on his best customer and tells his daughter to get on with taking orders. Then Ayame launches into a flurry of jotting down ramen orders and serving drinks. It's impressive just how fast the two of them can serve up food because it feels like it's only seconds later when he's faced with a steaming bowl of noodles.

They're delicious as always, but of course, Kiba has to shatter the pleasant moment with his huge mouth.

"So since these two got their act together, does that mean your over your crush finally, Hinata?"

Shikamaru looks up at the roof and fruitlessly hopes that he's just imagined Kiba's voice.

"I've known it wasn't going to be me for a while," Hinata admits.

Shikamaru blinks at the ceiling tiles and turns around in his stool to look at her. She's watching him with a tiny, gentle, smile.

"What?"

"Back during the aftermath of the fire—" Hinata starts explaining.

"That was months ago—" Shikamaru feels the need to point out.

"—you stood in the ruin of that tragedy without ever wavering, and I realized that I'm not capable of that kind of… steadfastness."

"That's not a bad thing," Neji points out in his cousin's defence.

Hinata nods, "I know. I guess- I-I'm like a reed. In the face of a storm, I bend—I adapt— instead of breaking. But, when confronted with an unstoppable force—" Hinata trails off, looking at Naruto whose also spun around— ramen bowl and chopsticks in hand— to listen to her.

"—you need an immovable object," Sakura finishes, leaning forward, over the bar in the space Naruto's left to jab a chopstick into Shikamaru's side. He doesn't even flinch. She grins at him for proving her point, making him sigh at her satisfaction.

"Right," Hinata agrees. "I was just waiting for them to realize it."

"I think that's a very mature outlook Hinata!" Guy remarks from their sensei's table. Their teachers are all watching with interest.

"You deserve to be happy too," he tells a blushing Hinata.

"I am!" She quickly refutes, "Maybe not in the way I had imagined I would be, but I am very happy that I still get to be both of yours friend."

Naruto tilts his head, "Hey, Hinata— you're kind of awesome."

She gets redder.

"Took you long enough to notice," Shikamaru sighs, spinning back around to his bowl of ramen.

"He got there in the end," Ino points out.

"Just took him like five years," Kiba gripes.

Hinata laughs at the pout Naruto's wearing. He can't find any words to defend himself.

"Look at them," Kakashi drawls with false sadness in his voice, "all grown up."

"It's quite touching," Guy sniffles, his threatening tears far realer than Kakashi's pretend ones.

Iruka opens his mouth to add something Shikamaru's sure is suitably embarrassing, but he's stalled by Mirai knocking into her mom's bowl in an attempt to peer at it's contents which results in broth splattering across their table. He silently thanks his goddaughter for unknowingly sparing them from more humbling remarks from their senseis. It lets him enjoy the rest of his meal without more trouble.

Hinata and Neji are the first to have to leave, the Hyūga's expecting their children home before the night's through. Kurenai joins them thanks to a now slumbering Mirai. Lee, Shino and Kiba all somehow invite themselves over to Chōji's family restaurant for more food which Shikamaru can't even begin to fathom, but he send his friends off with well wishes anyways. When Tenten gets up to depart, Might Guy is adamant in escorting her home and in the ensuing chaos of their polite yet feverish debate about necessary precautions, Ino slips away escorted by Sai. Shikamaru lets her go without bringing it up, but he silently swear to bug her for details about what going on there later.

Sasuke silently takes the initiative to walk Sakura home, the quiet devotion of the act making Sakura blush to her roots, but she still stubbornly reminds him that she's no damsel in need of saving regardless of her heated face. It leaves just him, Kakashi, Iruka and Naruto (whose still somehow packing away ramen) left among the rest of the dwindling though still lively patrons.

Shikamaru cracks a large yawn and digs out his pack of smokes. "I'll be outside when your ready," Shikamaru mumbles, fondly tousling Naruto's hair as he rises from his stool.

"Okay!" Naruto agrees from around a mouthful of noodles. Shikamaru can't understand why he finds that charming. He sends a wave to Ayame and her father and ducks out the curtain and into the street to be surrounded by the chirping of late summer crickets.

He tisks as Asuma's lighter momentarily sputters, but he relaxes when it the flame catches and he lights the cigarette without issue. He takes a drag of the tobacco and thinks of his teacher. Spirits above, Shikamaru really does desperately hope that where ever Asuma is now that he's proud of how far he's come. It's a stupidly selfish thought, but Shikamaru lets himself have it, if just for a second.

Between the smoke and Naruto laughter floating out of the shop as he giggles at a comment Teuchi makes, part of Shikamaru settles down and untenses. He hadn't noticed that the stuffy and noisy restaurant had wound him up so tight. He closes his eyes and enjoys the quiet moment.

Like most quiet moments, it doesn't last.

"What, are you leaving poor Naruto to foot the bill?" Kakashi snickers as he steps through the curtain to join him.

"Unlike you, I left money out for my meal before I left," Shikamaru grumbles, narrowing his eyes at Naruto's grinning sensei.

"You wound me, Shikamaru. Iruka offered to pay our tab himself," Kakashi drawls.

"And I'm sure your pouting had nothing to do with it," Shikamaru snarks back around the filter of his cigarette.

"Only a little," Naruto chirps with a laugh as he joins them. He eyes the cigarette, but before Shikamaru can decide if it's because he disapproves, he's snatching it out of his mouth and bringing it to his own lips.

He takes a drag of the tobacco without even a flinch, let alone a cough. Shikamaru doesn't take his eyes off him as he exhales.

"Gee Shikamaru, you might want to school your expression. It's practically indecent," Kakashi says, sounding delighted.

Naruto's eyes jump to Shikamaru's face. "What expression," Shikamaru asks, trying hard to remember how to speak.

"Like you want to eat him alive," Iruka chips in with an amused tilt of his mouth as he appears behind Naruto, pocketing his wallet. "And do I even want to know why you're so comfortable smoking?" He continues, fixing his pseudo-son with a disapproving look.

"I'd say to take it up with my pervy sensei, but it's a little late for that," Naruto says wryly, holding the cigarette back out to Shikamaru.

Iruka pinches the bridge of his nose. Shikamaru tries to ignore the heat in Naruto's eyes as he meets his gaze and takes the offered stub back. He pulls a long drag of it in an attempt to get his heart rate to chill back out, but it's not very effective when he can't pull his eyes away from Naruto's.

"Let's get going before you two do something stupid," Iruka sighs.

"Aw, where's the fun in that, hun," Kakashi grins, eyes crinkling from just how much he's enjoying watching Shikamaru's brain break.

Naruto snickers and loops his arm through Shikamaru's to tug him into the road. Iruka takes similar measures with his partner. Shikamaru sighs and drops the cigarette butt, taking a moment to stomp it out now that it isn't much use to him. He guides them into a turn and Naruto doesn't question the direction. Kakashi and Iruka just seen content to accompany them for now.

"Hey," Shikamaru pipes up when he gets his mind back on track, "why did you pair me with Naruto for our matches?" It's been eating at him for weeks now, and he's not going to get a better moment to satisfy his curiosity.

Naruto seems to also be interested in the answer because he perks up and turns eagerly towards Iruka.

Their old teacher's crowfeet deepen as he smiles softly, "You were working yourself ragged trying to prove to yourself you deserved to stand by Naruto's side. I figured I would give you the chance to face your problem head on and see for yourself."

Shikamaru stews on that. On the fact he'd been so needlessly desperate about something that, according to everyone else, was sure-fire thing. But Iruka makes a good point, he hadn't been desperate to prove his worth to Naruto, he had been desperate to prove it to himself.

"Thanks for that, I guess," Shikamaru says.

"Did you find the answer you were looking for?" Kakashi asks him softly, his question making Naruto's brow furrow.

Shikamaru considers it. His eyes trace the buildings he helped raise. Testament of his dedication. The whole city now a monument of what he had been searching for. Proof that he's good enough. Strong enough. Worthy enough.

"Yeah, I guess I did," Shikamaru admits.

"I'm not rebuilding a city for you," Kakashi whispers to Iruka.

"Hey, it's not like I asked him to!" Naruto defends.

Their words make the other man laugh.

"Then it's a good thing I am well aware that you are not the kind of man to spend his time rebuilding cities," Iruka says in response.

Kakashi cocks his head, "I would kill for you," he pitches. Iruka raises his brows unimpressed.

"I would die for you," he tries again, and even though his eyes crinkle in amusement, they all know he's unflinchingly serious. There's a flicker of pain in Iruka's eyes at his words.

Naruto pivots and fixes Shikamaru with a deadpan, solemn expression. "I would resign myself to a weeks worth of eating Kakashi's cooking for you, Shikamaru."

His words have their intended effect, and the knives edge their conversation had tumbled it's way into swiftly abates as Iruka laughs at Kakashi's newly offended look. The haunted expression that's never far from Kakashi's eyes still lingers there, despite it.

"I thinks it time to get you home," Iruka says softly, squeezing his partner's hand. "Goodnight, boys. Stay safe."

They both say their goodbyes as Iruka tugs Kakashi off around a corner and Shikamaru nudges Naruto gently as they continue on their way, "He's in good hands."

The worry in his brow dissipates, "I know he is— Iruka's the best— I just worry about him sometimes."

Shikamaru hums in understanding.

"Where are we actually going?" Naruto finally thinks to ask.

"Home," is Shikamaru's response.

Considering they're walking away from Naruto's place, it's obvious he means the Nara home.

"Oh," Naruto murmurs, a surprised but pleased smile appearing on his lips. "Okay."

Their trip is pleasant, and when they get in sight of the compound Shikamaru notices the gates of his home are thrown open, inviting all who may come looking for his family in with open arms. There's music drifting down the hill on the night's breeze and it makes Naruto perk up with interest. Shikamaru might regret this choice in a few seconds.

"I hope your ready for invasive questioning," Shikamaru mutters, mostly to himself.

Naruto giggles and tugs him along a little faster, pulled forward by the quick tempo singing in the cool air. His haori flutters around him, billowing and flowing behind him like a river. The moonlight kisses his hair.

Shikamaru's mouth is dry when they pass through the gates. His family and their guests are scattered through their streets, illuminated in the firelight, smiling and laughing freely under the stars. He takes the lead, showing Naruto into the heart of the compound, where various Nara's have picked up stray instruments and are playing a traditional tune which seems to have drawn a crowd of dancers.

He spies his parents in the slew of bodies, perfectly in step, and flowing through the moves with a breathtaking ease. Shikawu isn't far from them, laughing as he stumbles through the steps beside a girl unfamiliar to Shikamaru.

Apparently his cousin's been a total hypocrite for hassling Shikamaru about falling in love if he's gone and done it too.

Naruto's eyes sparkle as he watches the dancers, enraptured. A few of his family members' eyes have drifted to the jinchūriki now, and it's only a matter of time before they start pestering them. Shikamaru can't believe they've made him desperate enough to avoid the questioning that he's about to willingly dance instead.

"Want to try?"

Naruto glances to him, "I learned a few festival dances when I was away, but I don't know this one," Naruto admits.

"It'll be easy," Shikamaru smiles, tugging Naruto into the flow of the dance causing the other to stutter in surprise. "Just trust me, and follow my lead."

"I— Oh, okay."

They fall into step with an ease that makes Shikamaru's heart sing, and Naruto quickly relaxes as they complete their first sequence. He laughs when Shikamaru spins him and it draws his mom's eyes away from her husband. Yoshino takes them in, their twin scarlet motifs nearly glowing under the firelight. She whispers something in his dad's ear, drawing his eyes too. One of his cousins plays a bad note causing a wave of laughter and joking heckles to rise from the gathered crowd that's watching the impromptu band.

They're drawing eyes from more then just his parents, and it's causing Naruto to get a little antsy. His eyes keep bouncing towards the curious whispers with a subtle frown. Shikamaru tugs him a little tighter against his body and Naruto's gaze jumps back to his.

"Keep your eyes on me, sunshine," Shikamaru gently soothes him.

His lips curve back into the smile that's never far from his face for long. "You keep calling me that," he points out.

"It suits you," Shikamaru replies, tilting his head to send the charms in his hair swaying, the gold sun doubtlessly catching in the firelight. "Plus, you're kinda the one who helped me pick it out."

Naruto's lips twitch and he lifts a hand to poke at the dangling charm. "What should I call you then?"

"Anything you want."

Naruto hums and cocks his head, "But you've always just been Shika to me."

His heart burns and he squeezes Naruto tighter in his arms because of how fond he is of the other. As a kid he absolutely refused to let anyone shorten his name, including Ino and Chōji, because he was proud of his name and his clan. It was one of the few things he wasted energy being stubborn as all hell about.

He thinks of Chōji's earlier point, about how he'd been crushing on Naruto for a lot longer than he'd ever realized. When Naruto had started calling him Shika not long before their graduation from the academy, he'd never made even an attempt to stop him. It hadn't even crossed his mind. It had just felt natural for it to fall from the smaller boy's lips.

No wonder Chōji had noticed so long ago.

"That works just fine," Shikamaru decides, touching his forehead to Naruto's, whispering the words into the night. His heart races at Naruto's responding smile.

"Thanks, Shika," he giggles.

"Anytime, sunshine."

He throws caution to the wind, and kisses him right there, his nosy family be damned. The way Naruto giggles against his lips makes Shikamaru decide that whatever he has to suffer through next will be worth it. And isn't that the truth of him these days— that he'll do anything for Naruto Uzumaki.

He thinks he can live with that.

Anniversary Festival- Day Three

That morning is a more sombre one. The people of Konoha visit graves, light incense, say prayers, and leave gifts out for the dead. Still, despite the memorials and remembrance, the people seem lighter and more determined than ever as Shikamaru strolls through the streets to get to the square by the academy that Tsunade's making today's speech in. The might be honouring the dead today, but it also seems to be reminding people that they're still alive.

All thanks to one young man.

It's odd to see just how far they've all come in just one year.

He slips through the gathering crowds to approach Naruto and his other yearmates where they've started gathering by the stage. The shinobi have the closest sections reserved for their ranks. They're starting to form the neat rows and files expected of trained soldiers. Shikamaru slips up next to Naruto who greets him with a smile before returning to nibbling his nail beds. He's probably wound himself up while waiting for Tsunade's speech to start.

Shikamaru holds up a hard candy in front of his nose and Sakura's furrowed brow from where she'd been getting ready to intervene smooths out when she watches him pull his skin away from his teeth to take the sweet. She mouths a genuine thanks to him and Shikamaru nods to her in understanding. Naruto is swift to unravel the wrapper and pop the pale candy into his mouth. He rolls it across his tongue before his eyes light up.

"Whoa— I think this is lychee flavoured," he gasps.

Shikamaru shrugs at him in response. "I'll have to take your word for it. I don't know what most of them are."

"So you have more?" Naruto asks with a coy, little grin.

"Maybe," Shikamaru dully replies and turns to face the stage where Tsunade is gathering her papers.

Naruto seems intrigued, but for now he chooses to savour his treat instead of pushing his luck trying to convince him to hand over more candy. Shikamaru appreciates it because it gives him time to form a strategy to dodge his incoming persuading.

Tsunade's voice is unwavering as she greets the gathered population who've come to hear her words. She's as steadfast and unshakable as ever. She praises their tenacity, she thanks everyone— civilian, ninja or otherwise— for their hard work. He tunes out one of the other elders encouraging people to maintain and rekindle their old traditions. He also accidentally tunes out most of Kō's speech because he's so used to hearing the man's voice lecture people who aren't him that it's apparently a habit for him now to ignore his droning.

Then Tsunade is calling on him to say some words and Shikamaru actually has to pay attention again if he's going to remember any of of the word's he prepared after she told him that this was happening. He slips up the steps and takes up his place at the podium to address the crowd himself.

"There are still probably some among our ranks who don't understand why I chose to manage the civil reconstruction in favour of returning to active duty, so I'll take this moment to spell it out for you. As shinobi it's our job to serve Konoha, and while taking missions is one way to serve, there is another."

He stares out at the gathered crowd. His comrades lined up in front of the stage, hitai-ate flashing in the brilliant sun, and then out behind them all to glance at the gathered civilian families, come to hear words of comfort from their leaders.

"A year ago today, we all learned that Konoha is nothing without it's people."

Shikamaru can't tell if anyone is even breathing from how still everyone is being.

"And while we didn't lose our people thanks to the compassion of a single person, we did lose other things. The destruction took homes, and businesses and keepsakes. It took valuable things that couldn't be replaced, and while I couldn't fix those loses, I could help remake the city. I could help heal the damage left behind, and when faced with that opportunity, I wasn't about to turn away from the people who needed me here.

"I chose to focus on rebuilding out of love," he admits, eyes seeking out the blue of Naruto's eyes as he speaks. "Because I had something I had to prove to myself, and because as far as I was concerned, until every person in Konoha had a roof over their head, I couldn't call it home.

"So, today, I task every shinobi here with it's protection. I am entrusting you to ensure the city I helped build remains intact and the people residing in it are as happy and healthy as they can be. And know that, should you ever forget about your duty to Konoha, should you ever fail the people you're meant to serve… you'll have me to face for it.

"And to the citizens of Konoha, remember that should you ever need me, even if I am no longer in charge of building your homes, that I will always be here for you to call upon."

He slips off the stage in shadow, standing at the podium one second, and gone the next to hide the way that level of honesty is making his skin crawl. He reappears next to Naruto to find him smiling sweetly.

"I'm really proud of know you, ya know?" Naruto says, eyes fixed to Shikamaru as the crowd fills with applause.

Shikamaru presses a kiss to his temple as his face heats. "I feel the same, sunshine," he admits fondly.

Naruto leans into him so their arms are flush and Shikamaru turns his attention back to Tsunade whose retaking the podium looking amused by his disappearing act. She lifts a hand to silence the crowd, but even then the whistles, cheers and applause linger for longer than normal.

"You were supposed to stay up here while I announced the next bit," Tsunade continues with a soft glare in his direction, "but I suppose I'll let it slide, even if you've decided to be a coward today."

Shikamaru tisks his tongue at her and Chōji pats his back consolingly.

"It's my honor to announce that as Shikamaru's tenure as Head of Civil Reconstruction comes to a close, he will soon be joining me in my office to start training as a new Hokage's Aide."

His friends all twist to stare at him.

"What?" Ino hisses. "Since when?"

Shikamaru winces.

"At least a month by that face," Chōji decides.

"I was busy," Shikamaru defends.

Ino scoffs, "I am going to kill you one of these days."

Naruto fingers twitch as he sneaks his hand into Shikamaru's.

"Really?" He asks in a whisper.

Shikamaru nods to him in response and Naruto's eyes are blown wide.

"Then one day you'll be—" Naruto's words seem to fail him and he can't quite finish the question he's trying to ask.

"I'll be by your side for anything, even when— especially when— your our Hokage," Shikamaru answers him despite the other's loss of words.

Naruto grins, breathless and eyes glittering with dampness from his sudden overwhelming emotions.

"I love you," Naruto declares, honest and resolute just like he always is.

Shikamaru smirks, "I love you too, even if it is troublesome."

Naruto's answering laugh is music to his ears.