Chapter Text
They were packed and ready. Naruto had given Kakashi a few prepared meals, telling the boy he was worried he wasn't eating enough, Shikamaru had been ambushed by Rin the last time they'd seen her (when Naruto was forcing his good will and home cooked meals on Kakashi) and asked for advice with healing, and Obito had been acting shy which seemed strange given Shikamaru's knowledge of him from the future and his initial impression of the kid when they rescued him, but he wished them luck and to come home safely. Promises to get ramen with Kushina when they returned were exchanged, and Minato hugged them both before they left.
They'd handed over Madara's journals to the Uchiha clan, cipher included, and Naruto had almost finished his method for ‘destroying’ the ten tails statue. He would place it in the open space between summoning lands, empty space, and then destroy the opening to its pocket. It would power its own containment once sealed, and thus become unable to be removed until it had no energy left- something that may never happen.
The journey to the border actually feels sedate, he and Naruto are quiet, listening to the others on their squad joke around- Shikamaru has the requisite ability to heal so he'll be working as the medic.
At campfires at night, Naruto takes over the task of cooking, the two fall into patterns they had held even before they came back to the past.
Naruto sings poorly as he cooks, and after a few verses, Shikamaru joins in softly, bumping into his side as he comes to help- not that he has much skill to offer.
It's odd not having to split the watch between just the two of them, and he finds it so much more comfortable to tuck up beside Naruto as they sleep, even if only for a few hours, together.
The border is battle torn. They switched with the patrol that had been there, who looked rough, there was a casualty, a body that was in a scroll to be brought home. At least they had that much.
Their first conflict is three days in, Naruto takes down over half the enemy party with his spear, and Shikamaru prevents a loss from one of their own, a young man who's nicked with kunai on the neck. They survive that, and the next six attacks without losing anyone. The two weeks pass by surprisingly quickly.
In the last few days, Shikamaru makes a choice. He can't avoid his father. And he refuses to become a Nara. But that doesn't mean he doesn't care, that he should be making it seem like he hates Shikaku.
“What was he like?” He finally asks beside the small fire, Shikaku is sharpening his kunai and looks up, surprised- he almost cuts his fingers.
“What was who like?” Shikamaru sighed, looking back at the fire. He probably could have started this differently. But interpersonal relationships have never been a strong suit of his.
“Your father. What was he like.” An admission, or at least a desire to get to know him. Shikaku is taken aback but he quickly recovers.
“He was a bastard.” Shikamaru had never heard his father talk about his grandfather, save a few times when he was drunk and Shikamaru was dragging him home, the man bitched about the man. “A drunk. An adulterer. But he was a war hero, so people try not to talk about the rest.” Shikamaru nodded, “We weren't close. Spent more time with my mom. He never approved of most of my choices. He didn't like Yoshino, my girl, she's a civilian. He told me on his deathbed I should marry a kunoichi.”
“Fucker.” Shikaku laughed at that, a low chuckle, surprised by that too apparently.
“What was your mom like?” It only seemed right.
“She was tough. Nagged me over everything. I can still hear her voice in the back or my head sometimes, reminding me to do things. I knew she loved me though.” He shrugged, staring more intently at the embers, trying not to get overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of loss. He could feel tears at the edge of his vision for a moment but blinked them back. He sent a reassuring brush of his own chakra against Naruto’s, who was observing them.
“She sounds like she would have gotten along with my Yoshino.” He chuckled at that.
“Maybe. She used to get so... mad? Whenever I'd drag Haruki home with me. She was worried I'd get a reputation I think. He used to be quite the troublemaker.”
“Yeah?”
“There were these statues, anyway, he'd get in trouble once or twice a month for painting all over them. The way the adults talked about it, it made it sound like he was defiling graves, rather than painting them to make them look like they had tacky makeup on.” He snorted, “Once he asked me to come with him. I snuck out in the middle of the night and met him by the statues. He spent almost an hour making one look like a toad.” It had actually been Minato's face on the monument, and Shikamaru had watched him from a safe distance, the boy had had no fear. “We got caught and I got dragged home. My mom flipped out, telling me I couldn't hang out with him anymore, that he was a bad influence and no one would respect me if I associated with him.”
“Did you?”
“Hell no. I'd just lie and tell her I was meeting different friends. I liked spending time with Haruki, even if no one else liked that I was doing it.” Naruto was helping show a younger shinobi how he'd prepared the fish they'd gotten from a nearby stream, but he knew he was being watched for any signs of distress. “You know the exact moment I realized I had a crush on him?”
“Hmm?”
“He had this kid in our class, Sasuke, hated the guys guts, he was an elitist prick. He had some family issues actually, but anyway, he was the best student-!”
“Because you weren't trying?”
“... whatever. Anyway, we were maybe twelve? Haruki gets in his face, talking shit about each other, they did it every day so it wasn’t weird, when this kid behind him accidentally falls back against him. Those idiots end up kissing.”
“What?!” He looks amused, and from the corner of his eye he sees Naruto flush a bit, listening in then...
“I know. I think the guy wanted to kiss him, he would have been fast enough to at least knock foreheads instead, you know? The problem was that the minute those two kissed I was seething . I was mad that that guy was Haruki's first kiss. I didn't say anything, tried to play it off, but it really upset me.” He began to pick at the edge of his mesh armor where it showed under his newly issued Jonin uniform blues, “It took way too long to realize the reason I got upset in the first place was because I wanted to be the one to kiss him.”
“So what, you two are childhood sweethearts?”
“No. I mean, I wish. But... we didn't actually get together until recently. We've spent over ten years dancing around it, you know? It never felt like the right time. There was either too much grief, or we were too busy.” Shikaku nodded, encouraging, “I don't really want to get into any of the details but... two, almost three months ago? I um... I was drugged. I was at a really low point and I was drinking a lot, Haruki had to put up with me and my shit almost every night. Anyway we were in this civilian town, and we got into this... massive argument. My best friend, my real best friend growing up, her birthday was the day after mine. I watched her die. I just... when I don't have something to do, when it's too quiet all I can think about is how I should have been able to save her. So it was my birthday and I was getting sloshed because all I could think about was how she wasn't there to spend our’s together and I missed it. The bartender slipped something into my drink. Haruki dragged me out not long after and dumped me in the room he rented, I know he was worried I'd do something stupid, then he left to go catch a bounty he'd seen on our way into the village. Some of the guys from the bar, who were in on it, they jimmied the lock to our room. By then I knew I'd been drugged, but Haruki had left, and they... well anyway Haruki came back faster than they thought he would, before they could do anything too bad. I was a fucking mess. I know he... y'know.” Here he ran his thumb across his neck, “But all I remember really was him putting me in the bath, telling me he wasn't going to leave again.”
“Fucking hell.” Shikaku breathed out, staring with newfound worry at the man.
“Now I get really itchy when I don't see him. I know, aside from someone nearly over dousing me with a date rape drug I'd be able to take care of myself no problem, but... I get really scared. Like the walls are getting closer.”
“Maybe you should talk to someone. My buddy Inoichi's cousin is a therapist. Maybe it'd help?”
“Yeah... maybe.” He had felt safe telling his dad the broad strokes of what happened. It felt good to know he didn't carry that entirely alone anymore, because although he loved Naruto, he had a very different memory of that night.
They sat in silence for quite a while, Naruto had the fish roasting over the fire, and drinking water was being boiled, Shikaku had gone back to sharpening his knives. The silence, though charged, wasn’t uncomfortable. It had been a show of trust, and acceptance in its own twisted way. After too long in silence Shikaku cleared his throat, starting a new conversation.
“Yoshino and I are gonna get married soon. It'd be... nice if you and Haruki came.”
He smiled tiredly. Being present at his own parents wedding.
“I'd love to.”