I pushed myself to my feet, wobbling as I did and then stretching as I grabbed the new set of clothes that'd been left out for me.
"I'm bored so I'm going on a walk," I muttered, "nah. How about, 'morning, just going out for a ru-' nope that's basically asking for more tests."
I sighed and stretched, not liking how weak I felt compared to my usual self.
"Shikarei?" Ryuzo appeared in the doorway with a tray of food, "What're you doing?"
"Perfect timing, go on a walk with me," I begged, "I'm bored, Ryuzo, and I feel like I've been cooped up in this room for months."
"I mean... Technically you have?" he replied awkwardly but offered me his arm nonetheless, "come on, I'll take you up to the roof so you can get some fresh air. Lucky for you, the sandstorm season finished last week so you don't have to worry about sand getting everywhere."
"I'm in the hidden sand. Sand getting everywhere comes with the territory," I rolled my eyes as he led me out the room and up to the roof. Once up there I let out a deep sigh as I took in the fresh, non-hospital air.
"Uhm-- Shikarei... Can I ask you something?" Ryuzo asked, I looked over my shoulder to him and gestured for him to ask, "during the war... You said you'd go on a date with me. Were... Were you serious about that?"
"Of course, Ryuzo," I smiled at him, "I never lie about things like that, you know."
He stared at me wide eyed before a smile crept up on his face and he took my hand, planting a kiss on the back of it.
"Then I look forward to it," he smiled up at me before noticing a hawk flying overhead, "Looks like I'm needed. Come on, I'll take you back to your room now."
I nodded, although, I didn't want to go, and allowed him to lead me back to my room.
°🥢°
"How are you feeling?" someone spoke up, distracting me from my sad attempts to build up my chakra again and I looked up to see Gaara.
"Oh. Lord Gaara," I greeted him, "sorry about all of this. You've been dealing with me for months."
"It's not your fault," he sat down on the stool beside my bed, "it's good that you're recovering. After what you did during the war, this is the least we can do. Plus, Temari would have my head if I didn't help. She has always admired you."
"I feel like she's admiring the wrong person," I laughed awkwardly, "I'm nothing special. Anyway, can you tell me where Ren, Inoiché and Choro are?"
"Ren is in the hidden cloud, Inoiché, the hidden stone and Choro, the hidden mist," he told me, "They're all recovering at the same speed you are by the sounds of it."
"That's good," I nodded, "so they're alive and safe."
"Yes," he nodded, "you needn't worry too much about it."
I relaxed and smiled.
"When will I be able to go home?" I asked.
"When you're sturdy enough," Gaara replied, "though, I have a feeling it'll be soon enough."
"Thank god," I sighed, "no offense, but I'm kind of sick of all the sand and... lack of any colour that isn't sandy brown and yellow."
It's actually nice to see a colour that isn't blue now that the eyes of time are gone but it got boring really quick...
"None taken, you grew up where there are more colours in the environment than there are in paintings," he told me with the smallest smile I've ever seen on a person before, "I'm sure it's rather boring around here compared to the leaf."
"No..." I looked at him with a small frown, "everywhere is interesting in its own way. Like your sandstorms or that you guys eat those weird snake tongue things."
"Do you not like them?" he asked, seemingly amused by my comment.
"No," I shook my head, "I can't stomach it."
He chuckled.
"Not many from outside Suna can," he nodded, "though, I quite like it."
"You think I can get some ramen around here?" I asked, "I miss it."
"I don't know but I'll get Ryuzo to try and find some for you," he said, "or make some with the help of Shikamaru. Anyway, I've got to go and finish off some paperwork before Temari or Kankuro come and get me."
"Have fun," I grinned, he nodded and turned, leaving the room.
Not long after Shikamaru came in, yawning, he laid down on the bottom half of my bed as soon as he reached me.
"Morning," he greeted me.
"It's the afternoon," I told him.
"Oh. Right," he nodded, "afternoon. How're you feeling?"
"Fine," I smiled down at him, "what about you? Why'd you sleep so long?"
"Couldn't be bothered to get up when I woke up and I ended up falling asleep again," he replied, yawning again. I kicked him lightly.
"Don't you be falling asleep again, lazy," I told him, "talk to me. What's going on in the leaf?"
"I don't know," he shrugged, "though I doubt it's anything crazy. Oh! I forgot to tell you, after the war, Lady Tsunade stepped down and Kakashi sensei was appointed Hokage."
"Whoa-- seriously?" I laughed, "what a disaster... I can't wait to see how that'll end up."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I remember when we were kids, I'd be under that tree in our back garden, you'd be lounging around on me, just napping and Kakashi would be up in the tree, reading the book I was reading at the time from up there," I recalled my childhood, "and he'd just laze around doing whatever he wanted whenever he pleased. Actually, that's how I met the guy. He was just up in our tree, staring at me from above. It was weird..."
He seemed to be actually interested in what I was saying so I gave him a confused look.
"What?" I asked.
"You never... talk about what it was like when you were growing up," he said, "it's nice."
"Well, it wasn't all fun and games," I chuckled, "a five-year-old on the front lines of a war... wasn't easy. Though I understand. We were low on shinobi, the leaf wasn't the greatest situation strength wise at the time, so they took almost all the Nara onto the battlefield, manipulating that strategic force that we bring to the table. I started with Pa on the backs but then I got called to the front while he was moved to a different attack force."
He looked at me in silence but nodded and listened.
"I was never close to dying, well, other than my fight with Hanzo. That was tense, stressful and I was close to dying that day, but he let me live, telling me to come and battle him again in the future," I told him, "never happened, but he let me live and for that I'll be forever grateful, or I'd never have been able to meet you, or Itachi the next year and then have Himari five years ago."
He smiled.
"I don't remember clearly, but I do remember always wanting to be with you," Shikamaru said, "you know... when I was younger."
"Yeah well you were a pain in the ass," I chuckled, "I'd sit down, you'd be there in a second. I'd take a nap, and you'd be there. I couldn't do anything without you being there. It was like I was a Shikamaru magnet. Wasn't only you though, Kiba was as well, I remember once we went out for a picnic with Tsume sensei and the others and you and Kiba fought over me. It was awkward."
I let out a small laugh and he chuckled along with me.
"Oh! And Choji, he'd copy anything you'd do when you were around me," I told him, "like... you'd be on my shoulders, the Choji would want to be on Choro's shoulders. It was so cute."
He smiled and laughed lightly.
"Did you know that when I was younger, I didn't grow up with Choro and Inoiché from the beginning?" I asked, he shook his head, "our dads wanted to see if Ino Shika Cho would just naturally form. It did. We grew close along with Ren when we started the academy. Although, the way I met them was awkward. Ren sent me flying the first time I met him. Inoiché didn't take to him so kindly at first and mocked him during a class activity to get to know each other. But Ren got his revenge, thus started our friendship."
"What do you mean he sent you flying?" Shikamaru asked.
"He barrelled into me as I entered the classroom," I replied, "it was amusing. Now, you, Choji and Ino all grew up together because ours dads knew that Ino Shika Cho was going form either way, so they just put you three together. Lord Third was also really lazy with the team match ups because he wanted another strong team of Ino Shika Cho, and he got it."
I poked his forehead and smiled.
"You... are now the strongest team of Ino Shika Cho," I told him.
"What about you guys?" he asked.
"I... my chakra is barely even half of what it used to be and I don't think I... want to continue being a ninja anymore," I told him, "I... died... then I was brought back to life by my friends who gave the last of their lives to me, Inoiché, Ren and Choro. Not only that... but my eyes once gave me a flash to a future that I'd never want for Himari. She was ten or eleven years old and visiting my... grave... I don't want her to grow up without her dad or mum. It's... I saw what it was like for Naruto. He grew up alone and I tried to be there for him the most I could, but I had my duties, I had you, Ma, and Pa. I watched Lord Minato and Lady Kushina die and I couldn't do anything about it."
He looked down sadly.
"Naruto turned out great because he kept himself positive, aiming for the top and not letting himself ever be swayed. Sure, he was a little troublemaker at times, but look at him now," I smiled, "he's become amazing, and I know that Lord Minato and Lady Kushina would be proud of him just like Ma and Pa would be about you."
"And you," he smiled, "but if that's what you want. If you don't want to continue being a ninja anymore, I'll support you. I know mum will too."
"Thanks, Shika," I smiled at him, "I really lucked out with a brother like you."
"No. I'm lucky to have you Shikarei," he smiled, "my life would probably be a lot different if you weren't here."
"Maybe..."