Till Death Do Us Part

-Chapter 1-

Sunlight slowly began to creep through the curtains of the Shin family's cozy home, painting the walls in warm hues of gold. In one corner of the room, Nara Shin stirred, his eyelids fluttering as he reluctantly emerged from the realm of dreams. The soft rustling of bedcovers accompanied his awakening, and he yawned, stretching his arms above his head.

As he sat up, his gaze shifted to the bed across the room, where Shikamaru laid in a tangle of blankets. Shikamaru's unruly black hair poked out from beneath the covers, his face hidden in the pillow. 

"Shika," Shin called out, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and urgency. "Wake up, lazybones. It's academy day."

Shikamaru, his older twin brother, groaned softly from the neighboring bed. Shin couldn't help but smile at his brother's aversion to early mornings, a trait that had remained constant throughout the years., the pillow muffling his response. "Five more minutes, Shin."

Shin chuckled and swung his legs over the side of his own bed. He knew exactly how this routine played out. Shikamaru always needed a bit of extra motivation in the morning, especially when the academy was involved.

"Come on, Shika," Shin insisted, his tone growing more playful. "Chouji and Naruto will be waiting for us."

At the mention of their friends, Shikamaru's eyes cracked open, revealing a sleepy, half-lidded gaze. "Troublesome," he grumbled, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

With a final theatrical sigh, Shin walked over to his brother's bed, reaching out and tugging at the covers. "I can't believe I have to do this every morning," he teased, his fingers finding purchase on the blanket and giving it a firm yank.

Shikamaru let out a surprised yelp as he was abruptly exposed to the morning air. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Okay, okay, I'm up," he muttered, his voice still thick with sleep.

Shin grinned triumphantly. "That's what I thought."

Shikamaru shot his younger brother a mock glare before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stretched his arms above his head, his joints cracking in protest against the sudden movement. "You're way too energetic for this early in the morning, Shin."

Shin shrugged, the grin on his face undeterred. "Someone has to keep the Nara name alive and kicking."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes but couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, yeah. Just give me a few minutes to wake up properly."

Leaving the room, Shin ventured down the hallway and into the warm embrace of the kitchen. The soothing aroma of breakfast being prepared filled the air, and his gaze settled on his mother, Yoshino, who was bustling around the kitchen with practiced grace.

"Morning, Mom," Shin greeted, his voice a soft melody in the morning calm.

Yoshino turned, a warm smile on her lips as she ruffled her son's hair affectionately. "Morning, Shin. Sleep well?"

Shin nodded, the corners of his lips lifting. "Yeah, I did."

His eyes fell upon the neatly arranged bento boxes on the counter, and he couldn't help but ask, "Mom, did you buy that extra pair of bento boxes?"

Yoshino's brows lifted in curiosity. "Yes, I did. Why do you need an extra one?"

A determined glint entered Shin's eyes, and he met his mother's gaze with unwavering resolve. "It's for Naruto. He always eats ramen and nothing else. So, I've decided to make him breakfast and lunch from now on."

Yoshino's smile deepened, pride evident in her eyes as she regarded her son. "You're always so thoughtful, Shin. Naruto is lucky to have a friend like you."