The blind Uchiha Shikamaru FF

Chapter 88

A little tired, Shikamaru walked to the Hokage tower. He didn't feel like working at all. However, he had chosen this office and would have to go through with it for better or worse.

When he arrived, he ran straight into the Hokagen's office, who was already under the pile of papers. "How annoying..." "Oh, Shikamaru, you're finally here." grinned the man in front of him, who was his usual self. "By now I'm wondering what I'm even doing here." , muttered the Nara. "Nah, because you said you'd support me." His counterpart laughed and tried to do the paperwork. Oh yes, there was something. He had promised, but why?

Shikamaru had been busy with his work all day. Missions were distributed, information exchanged and reports written. This work was actually far too tedious, but his father had also taken on this task. Somehow, Shikamaru wanted to be like his father and support the Hokage. But every day was exhausting, which is why he walked home completely exhausted. He ignored the comments from Ino and Choji.

Arriving at the house, he hoped that he would simply have some peace and quiet, but this was not the case when he looked into red eyes that made him freeze. "What took you so long, my dear?!" "I...um well..." the Nara stuttered and was interrupted by a laugh. "Now let him exhale. He already has enough work with Naruto."

He knew that laugh and as soon as he looked at the person, his eyes widened. "A..Asuma?" "Huh? Of course I'm here. Your wife invited us." replied the Sarutobi. "You..." Completely confused, Shikamaru looked into the dining room. Asuma was joined by Kurenai and her child. His parents were sitting here at the same time. "I told you that you had to come early today." his wife grumbled, causing Shikamaru to scratch the back of his neck. "I must have forgotten."

But deep down, Shikamaru knew that something couldn't be right. Asuma and his father were dead after all. He was in a war, so why was he here? "Are you all right?" asked a warm voice, which made him freeze again. This woman, who had red eyes, now had dark black eyes that looked at him lovingly. Shikamaru realized that he was fighting back tears. "Hinari..." he breathed. She was here, with him? Was this reality after all and the war an illusion?

"Shikamaru?" Hinari asked softly, placing her hand on his cheek. The sweet smell of cherries caught his nose and he couldn't help but pull Hinari close to him. "You're alive..." "Of course I'm alive, what else?" the Uchiha laughed. "You're...at war..." "Huh? What war?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened. She didn't know it was war? Once again, the thought occurred to him that something couldn't be right. Hinari had also died in the war. So why was she still alive? "Nah, the Fourth Shinobi World War." the Nara said in response and received a confused look. "Is everything really all right? You seem confused and tired to me. You should work less."

Several slaps could be felt on his back as Asuma smacked his hand on it, laughing. "You really should listen to your wife before you keel over." "I have to agree with Asuma." Shikaku intervened. His son really was working too hard.

"Wife..." Shikamaru mumbled softly and looked at Hinari, who smiled softly at him. She could never be his wife. Hinari was dead and would never return to him. But his body did not want to leave. He wanted to stay here, with her. "Now sit down and eat something." Hinari grinned, pulled her husband to his chair and gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. "And tomorrow you'll stay at home. I'm sure Naruto can manage a day without you."

"I doubt that..." Shikamaru muttered, raising the corners of his mouth slightly. As if Naruto could manage anything on his own. Even during the war, the Nara had not wanted to die and had sworn to support this idiot when he became Hokage. And once again, he was striving against his will to stay here. His friends needed him. And no matter how much he wanted to stay here with Hinari, Asuma and his father, who had died, he couldn't.

After the meal, which Shikamaru joined in, his parents and the Sarutobi family had left, leaving only him and Hinari in the house. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Hinari beat him to it. "Why didn't you stop me?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened. What was she suddenly talking about? "What...what do you mean?" "Why didn't you stop me from using this jutsu?" The Nara quickly shook his head and placed his hand next to his temple. He was only imagining this. It was just his imagination. "You let me die."

"That's not true!" the Nara shouted and looked into the dull, empty eyes of his friend. It looked exactly the same as the moment before it went dark around him. "Why are you giving yourself the shield for this if you didn't do it?" It couldn't be that Hinari could read his mind. Yes, he blamed himself for not being able to stop her.

But Hinari had chosen it herself. She had fought for her friends and for peace. Why did he keep blaming himself? "Shikamaru."

His gaze lifted before he clenched his hands into fists. "Because I couldn't stop you from fighting Madara!" Her black eyes met his, shimmering slightly through the tears. "No matter what I would have said or done, you would never have let me stop you! You..." Shikamaru broke off. He could speak no further and slowly sank to his knees.

"Shikamaru." came softly from the Uchiha, who had knelt in front of him. "It's not your fault. The way you say it, it sounds just like me." His body trembled as tears flowed down his cheek. "I...I let you down and just watched..."

Gently, Hinari placed her hands on his cheeks to lift his head slightly. Her thumbs brushed away the tears that had just come from his eyes. "Do you remember what Asuma asked us?" Shikamaru thought for a moment before nodding. "The children are the kings, Shikamaru. I did it for all the villages, just like all the shinobi who also fell."

"I know, but you..." "I made that decision because I thought it was right. Besides, I'm a little disappointed in you for thinking that I would just die." With widened eyes, Shikamaru looked at his girlfriend, who laughed softly. "Don't forget. I'm an Uchiha and I can take a lot more than you think."

"Does that mean..." the Nara began and swallowed. Could it really be that her Susanoo could also protect her and that she had simply run out of breath for a moment? "I don't know, everything here takes place in your head and inside."

And again Shikamaru remembered that he was trapped in a shell that had brought him here. Was he really imagining that Hinari could still be alive? "But no matter what it looks like out there, Shikamaru. Whether we've lost or won, there's one thing I'm very sure of."

"What is it?" the Nara asked as her head came closer and closer. "That I love you." Hinari spoke before he felt her lips on his and the lightness he had in this dream disappeared and it became dark around him again.