Snapshots: Firsts with Shikadai

Tap, tap, floop.

As he moved his small chubby legs, his tiny hands held onto the furniture beside him for support.

Tap, tap, tap, floop.

Temari grinned as her son stumbled and attempted to walk again. "Here here," she encouraged him as he stumbled and fell again.

As he slowly approached, Temari welcomed him with open arms.

Shikadai paused as he reached the edge of the sofa he was clinging on - there was a short distance between him and his mother, an open ground without anything to hold on.

"Come on, Shikadai," said Temari. "Mommy's here, come!"

Shikadai looked puzzled as he let one of his hands go, his tiny short arm wavered in the air as he attempted to balance himself.

Before Temari could notice, Shikadai took another deep breath and let go with his other hand, gently, he began to wobble towards her without holding onto anything.

One, two, three… Temari lost count as her son came towards her, she thought he saw him smiling as he finally reached her and fell into her arms.

"Great job!" She held her in his arms and kissed him on his chubby cheek. "You're mommy's smart boy!"

Shikadai giggled as his mother cuddled him, his soft laugh soon turned into a loud yawn.

"Alright, alright," Temari smiled as she took him to the bedroom and put him in the cradle.

She smiled to herself as she put him to bed.

Shikamaru's going to be so mad if he knew he missed his son's first steps.

"Mama," she said, as her son paid little attention to him. "Say mama, Shikadai."

"Meh." He uttered a sound, Shikamaru chuckled as his wife frowned, their son distracted by a nearby toy in his green nursery. As his little feet supported his small frame and tumbled away, Shikamaru wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"He knows talking is troublesome," said Shikamaru, Temari nudged him gently with an elbow.

"He has to learn to talk," said Temari. "He's almost there, he can almost pronounce mama now."

"Maybe he is trying to say Papa," said Shikamaru, shrugging as his wife shot him a playful glare.

"I don't think so, since Papa is always at the Hokage's office." Shikamaru frowned as his wife turned to their infant son, smiling at him.
"Say mama, Shikadai," she said, Shikadai seemed more interested in playing with his toys. His head turned towards the toys cabinet rather than facing his mother.

"Say mama."

"Meh!" The baby pronounced a clear sound with a dissatisfied gruntle.

"Mama," said Temari again as she held him in her arms.

"Me-meh!" Shikadai attempted to free himself from her embrace, pushing with his small hands.

"Say mama!" Temari frowned and wondered why her son was having such a temper today - normally, Shikadai is the calmest baby you would ever see.

"Meh-du!" He pronounced a second syllable this time, Shikamaru arched an eyebrow as he gulped - he thinks he know where this is going…

Temari was stunned for a brief second, she gently let the baby go, as he freed himself, slowly wobbling his way to his toys once again.

"Nara Shikamaru."

"Yes 'mam."

"Did our son just said mendo for his first word?"

"I'm afraid so," Shikamaru felt a drop of sweat rolling down his face. His mind thinking of hundreds of ways to escape from the room in case Temari loses it.

He turned to look at his wife, Temari held the bridge of her nose with two fingers and shook her head gently. She released her nose with a soft sigh and an exasperated smile on her face.

"He's definitely a Nara." She laughed dryly and looked up to the ceiling. "Must've heard you saying that all the time."
Shikamaru scratched the back of his head as Temari's laugh continued. "What a drag," said Temari. Shikamaru arched an eyebrow and chuckled as he squeezed her shoulder gently.

The couple laughed as their son continued to play with his toys.

Shikamaru looked at himself in the mirror, dressed in his ceremonial haori, he touched his chin.

"Thinking about growing a beard?" His wife's voice caused him to turn around, she was dressed in the same colour, a light cream shade kimono fastened with a dark green sash across her waist. Her hair was tied neatly into a bun with a hairpin piercing through it, a golden fan dangled at the end of the pin.

"You should wear your hair like this more often," he smiled at her. "It's a good look on you."

"Shut up," Temari turned away with a shy smile. "We're going to be late."

He looked into the mirror again - for a brief second he thought he saw his father, shaking his head, he saw himself again.

"If you were still here, old man," he smiled, remembering the rare occasions his father wore the same ceremonial haori. "If only you could be here to see Shikadai."

He smiled as he lowered his head, staring into his empty hand as he did.

"Shikamaru!"

"Coming," he said, taking one last look in the mirror before walking out of the door.

As he walked out he saw Temari, holding Shikadai by his tiny hand. His son was dressed in small, creamed coloured robes, his hair, now almost at his shoulder, was neatly combed. Shikamaru walked towards the two, he crouched down and smiled at his son. Shikadai responded with a soundless yawn, uninterestedly staring at his father with a pouting face.

Shikamaru shook his head with a smile. "This kid," he said softly, before gently enveloping him into his arms and holding him at his chest.

Temari followed her husband as he carried their son, slowly, the family reached the small shrine in the centre of the forest. The herd stared quietly as the family crumpled the grass beneath their feet. Shikadai's eyes glanced around in wonder as they immersed themselves into the sea of grass.

As they finally reached the shrine, Shikamaru put Shikadai atop of a pillow. The small child sat there nonchalantly as he looked around.

As she was told, Temari went to the back of the altar and came out with a tray in her hands.

Shikamaru nodded at her as she placed the tray next to him. He knelt behind Shikadai, whose gaze was fixated at the deer statue, its large magnificent antlers shone in the candlelight, its full form covered in a hazy cloud of incense smoke.

Shikamaru smiled as he saw one of the numerous name tablets behind the statue.

Nara Shikaku.

There were numerous other names, some of the tablets were much more ancient he could not recall those honoured by them.

"Ancestors," he said, his voice echoing in the small space of the altar. "As the sixteenth head of the Clan, I present to you, the next generation of the clan - Nara Shikadai."

Shikadai looked at his father, who gently nudged his face towards the altar.

"In time of his first birthday, I shall tie his hair in the Nara fashion, hoping that the ancestors will guide him and look after him." Gently he took the comb and brush it through Shikadai's hair. It was as if Shikadai knew the importance of the event taking place, he stayed completely still as his father tied his hair into a small pigtail.

Temari stared in awe and admiration, as Shikamaru took hold of Shikadai's tiny hands and pulling him up.

"It's done," he smiled at his wife as he turned around with Shikadai. The baby was excited to break free from his father, racing towards his mother in an unsteady step.

"Now, he's truly a Nara boy." Shikamaru smiled as they walked out of the shrine, he reached over and took Shikadai in his arms. The boy turned and reached out for Temari.

"M-ma," Temari jerked towards him as Shikadai made that sound.

"Yes Shikadai?"
"M-ma,ma," the boy frowned. "Ma-ma."

Temari broke into a wide grin and took Shikadai back from her husband. "See, Shikadai finally said mama!"

"Alright, you win," said Shikamaru, who smiled as his wife pressed kisses on their son's cheek.

"Me-mendo," said Shikadai as he used his small hands to push Temari's face away from him.

Shikamaru smiled at the sight of his wife and son, as his thoughts flowed back to every morning of the past month, when he snuck out of bed an hour earlier than his wife - which was very early, to check on his son and more importantly, to practice with him.

It would be years later when Temari finally found out; at this moment, Shikamaru was only enjoying the pure joy of having his wife and son, by his side.

"Happy Birthday baby," he heard Temari said, only to found out that she was not talking to their son but to him.

"Baby, huh?" Shikamaru reached out and embraced her at the waist. "I thought you forgot."

"How could I? The Nara men are so lazy, their birthdays are two consecutive days." Temari grinned. "I was just busy preparing for Shikadai's so I didn't do much for you, yet," said Temari, smiling mischievously. "I'll make it up to you tonight."

"Sounds good," he leaned in and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you."

They walked around the woods until Shikadai was asleep, Shikamaru took over and held their son, Temari sneaked her arm underneath his and leaned onto him as they walked home.

Together, as a family.

Author's note:

Sorry for the very, very late update. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Recently, I have suffered some abuse in the review sections of my other stories. I just want to take this opportunity to say that it is okay for you to not like plots, how stories are written etc., constructive criticism is always welcomed but abuse and cyberbullying is not acceptable. I welcome readers to give their honest opinion and even to PM me if there are things in my stories that concern you; bear in mind that while I can easily dismiss these abusive remarks, some may be accidentally triggered.

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Lots of love,

V.S.V xoxo