Waiting for a Hand

By: WhisperedSilvers

Prompt: "Not to step on anyone's toes, but I was sent to fix things and you were the ones that messed up."

Summary: War games are still games. —Sakura/Shikamaru

Shikamaru stares at his war games with irritation. The stone on the east side of the board stared at him mockingly, with the south fleet contained on the north border, his western ranks are diminishing by the second, he could only move so many men without an inadvertent slaughter on his hands or in this case, his conscience. Moving people on the people playing field left vulnerabilities, he would have to trust the people—that they are fast enough and smart enough to get to checkpoint without staining their hands.

It's not an easy job, that much he knows, which is why it's so troublesome.

Being head of the Tactical Department certainly had its drawbacks since his father's retirement, but Konoha needs someone that knows what they're doing and with Naruto being Naruto, there is only so many people suited for this job, but then again, politics would put him back here if he even thought about running away, the old crones on the council would box him into corner and he would be more than miserable if he has to deal with those fossils on a daily basis, especially if they claim that their visit is mandatory. They just want to keep him on a leash, he knows that for a fact.

Kumo just had to pick a war with the samurai—in the middle of the Chunin Exams.

As if he doesn't have enough to deal with.

He knows it's not a full-out war, at least not now, after all, it's being contained, using the exams as a buffer and it's not like the Kages are bickering. At least he doesn't think they have met yet. He makes a mental note to ask Kakashi-sensei later, he stares at his board with thinly veiled annoyance.

Naruto is proctoring the exams, when Shikamaru first heard of this, he wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but Kakashi is keen on making Naruto his successor, and forcing Naruto to proctor would teach him protocol. Which seems to be the last on his to-do list, he thought dryly, because Naruto rather talk with his fists than use his mouth. A hot-headed Hokage is the last thing we need right now, not after Pein's invasion, and just thinking about it makes his head hurt.

His mind wanders at times, pondering, in this case, imagining scenarios seems to be the only way he can procrastinate – that's an entire lie in its own right, there are a number of things he could do to procrastinate – from the reality that is his own life. The south border is being patrolled by a handful of ANBU, which isn't good for the simple fact that despite the ANBU is ANBU, they are still human, which means they need to be relieved regularly and he can't do that without moving people from the eastern border. Not to mention, he needs to move some people from the eastern border to protect the west. Kumo is getting careless with their blatant distrust towards any shinobi on the field, his lips thin, if he doesn't find a way to straighten out those blasted Kumo nin – even the samurai was honorable! – from creating an international incident, he could be looking at very, very bad repercussions.

"Shikamaru," Sakura's voice is light and chastising, "What did that board do to you that you must stare at it so hatefully."

"Sakura," He sighs her name like it's his last hope for everything good in this world, "What are you doing here?"

"Sensei wanted me to check on you," She says amusedly, green eyes twinkle in the sunlight, "You know, since you were avoiding him."

Shikamaru rolls his eyes, "I am not avoiding him."

"Really?" Sakura raises a thin, pink eyebrow, "Then I suppose he was just joking when he said please clean up his mess Sakura-chan," she has to bite back a laugh at his scowl, "Seriously, what happened?"

Shikamaru can't believe the Hokage is gossiping about him, he hopes he hasn't spoken to the council, as if he's not graying by the second, but at least she's better than Naruto, hell, Sakura's better than anyone he knows. He prays that Ino doesn't find out, she'd yell at him until his ears fall off.

"Kumo and the samurai," He states bluntly.

She wrinkled her nose, "Yeah, I heard about that. The western faction is not doing so well. You should really fix that."

He stares at her with disbelief.

Sakura blinks, "What? It's not hard Shikamaru, and a war game board? Are you serious? Wouldn't it better to use an atlas?"

Shikamaru almost wants to glare at her, his war game board is more than appropriate thank you very much – it was childish of him to admit that it makes him feel more official, but she really didn't need to know that – moreover, the stones remind him of shogi pieces, and if he's going to plan out an entire battlefield he needs it to be as realistic as possible. He crosses his arms, "My war game board is fine, and what do you mean it's not hard? The south border is only covered by ANBU and because of the exams, the rest of ANBU are on the field. The east border is the only border that is not falling apart and I can't move them without fractioning their numbers."

Sakura sighs almost as if she is disappointed and Shikamaru has the nerve to look offended.

"You know as someone who deals with politics and diplomacy, you're pretty stupid," She comments frankly, she shoves him to the side, the chair rolling a few feet away – if he didn't plant his feet on the ground he would've flown out the window – she looks at his battle plan with a certain scrutiny that makes the shadow-user's bones shake.

Sakura is silent as she looks over at the stones and flags.

Shikamaru rolls over with hesitation, his hand rests on the table, chin underneath his hand and he looks up at her with weariness, "Do you see my problem?"

If there is anyone, that could come up with a solution, it's Sakura, and Shikamaru knows this with a certainty that would make Chouji choke.

"First off," Sakura starts, she switches the western and southern border troops, "If the western troops are having that much trouble, have ANBU switch with them. I'm sure that they are more than qualified to handle that area," she then switches the flag of the northern and southern border, "Move half of the troops – who are originally from the south – from the northern border back to the south. I'm sure they can use the reinforcement since the west has taken heavy losses."

"The north is still vulnerable," Shikamaru points out in surprise, switching the groups—he didn't even think of that.

Sakura nods, she places the white cross from the off-section of the board, and she responds, "Move the medical division to the north. We have enough combat and sensor medics if we need to fight. Plus, we are closer to the western checkpoint, ANBU will have to be cleared by us travel back to the border, moreover, we have ANBU sensors within the medical division, but," She pauses to put a couple more stones on the board, "We can spare them. Rotating medics and ANBU will help relieve them and recover."

Shikamaru looks at the board with disbelief.

"You know," Sakura snorts, "As someone who's a diplomat and the Hokage's assistant since their teenage years, I would expect some simplicity within the situation."

Shikamaru can't help but feel a weight tumble off of him, still, he tries to act like he has the upper hand – but really he doesn't because this is Sakura he's speaking with – he frowns, "That's not fair Sakura—I didn't even want to be the assistant."

Sakura stares at him, a smile curling at her lips, "I wasn't talking about you."

He blinks.

"I require three dango sticks as payment," She announces, she walks towards the door, green eyes jade, and she turns back, "Sensei will want those plans as soon as possible."

"Are you going to be with him later today?"

Sakura thinks about it, "Naruto and I will be there as guests for the Kage summit later this evening."

Shikamaru nods and then he gives her a crooked smile, "Alright, then."

She's not sure why the back of her neck is warm.

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Naruto's mouth is burning to ask why Shikamaru decides to enter the summit twenty minutes late with a bag of steaming pork buns and three dango sticks, but he rethinks this when he hands the treats to Sakura. He kind of doesn't want to know now, not with the way Shikamaru looks at her, but Kakashi-sensei does.

So when Kakashi-sensei tries to steal a dango stick, she breaks a finger.

Shikamaru grins and takes a seat next to her.

He changes his mind, now he really wants to know.

But Sakura turns to look at the heir to the Nara clan with a certain glint of mischief and it makes him queasy.

Naruto shakes his head, no—no, he doesn't want to know.

Really.

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