Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters used in this work of fan fiction.

Note: Drabble for Scarlet Letters in the Snow as a thank-you for being the 100th reviewer for The Scarecrow's Redemption.

Smoke curled up lazily from the tip of the cigarette, and Shikamaru watched as it hovered in the air like the clouds that were missing on this too-perfect, too-clear day. He sighed and touched the filter to his lips, drawing in the burn of the tobacco, tasting it on his tongue and feeling it in his body.

It'd been too long, too many years, for it to still hurt this much, but it did. He let the smoke go in a long exhalation, then placed the burning cigarette on the gravestone. He sat down beside it in companionable silence, looking up at the clear sky, then took the small shogi board out of his pack.

"I thought we could play," he told the grave, and there was no response, but he didn't expect one. He arranged the pieces precisely, neatly, fingers lingering over the king. The game was more ritual than anything, and he played his teacher's part perfectly, carefully. After hundreds of games he knew exactly how the bearded man would've moved, how he would have smiled, and the scent of his cigarettes was thick on the air. It was almost as if he were there.

The game was nearly finished. Shikamaru sighed and leaned back against the gravestone, taking out another cigarette. He pressed the tip against the one that was already lit and drew in short, sharp puffs until the tobacco was cherry red and the scent and the taste of the smoke overwhelemed him. He blew clouds into the sky and waited until long after the cigarette was just a filter, unwilling to end the game.

So it came as a surprise when the last move was made, and Shikamaru heard the click of the tile against the flimsy, portable board. He glanced up at Ino's face, covered mostly by blonde hair, a soft, sad smile on her lips. She understood.

He nodded at his team-mate, and she sat down on the other side of the board. With quick, efficient movements he put the pieces back onto the board, and they started the game again. This time, though, he wasn't alone.