ShikaTema : Waiting For You

Chapter 14 : Routine

Shikamaru's life molded back into its drag of a routine with the absence of the bright, troublesome woman.

His body ached from the harsh coldness, when it was forced out of the warmth of his bed for his routine of hitting the retched morning noise maker. Silencing the alarm repeatedly, commanding it to snooze. Allowing him to sleep until the very last second that would still make him on time to work.

His body trembled from the unruly hour of the morning, that commanded the air to be cold in its company.

His legs never felt as sore, as worn out, and as heavy than they did in the mornings. He tried his hardest to let his willpower take over in these hours, yelling at his legs to tug him down the paths of Konoha towards his work place.

Every morning he would stop in front of the building that led to his office. His drooping eyes filled with sorrow for the torture his legs had to endure, slowly pulling his body weight up each dreadful step of the complex. He knew it would pay off, and soon enough he would be in his cozy desk chair that would allow for their rest.

He started and ended his days in his office. Staying late nights in attempts to rid of his workload. Even with his effort, it seemed like every time a pile was finished, a new one would replace place. It was a never-ending cycle.

He couldn't remember the last time he ate dinner.

His daily schedule was scattered.

Sometimes he would eat breakfast, but most of the times he would rather sleep in then use the time for a meal.

His lunch breaks consisted of him getting take out and heading to is favorite hill. While he never had much time on his breaks, if a 5-minute nap was all he could get, then it was welcomed.

He couldn't remember the last time he trained. Sure he was still in shape, but the only moments he spent outside and felt the fresh, un-suffocating air, was during his lunch breaks. That was the only time he put extra effort into walking across town, to spend it on his favorite cloud watching hill; even if he didn't cloud watch.

"Here's another stack.", Shikamaru moaned through his tired state. He placed a stack to add to the towering piles of papers, owned by the also over worked man who shared the same dark circles under his eyes.

Without looking up to great his assistant from the paper he was examining, he pointed to another stack across the room, "Ugh hey, over there in one of those stacks, there's a change in rules for the Chunin exams. Could you examine it and send the details to the sand?"

Shikamaru had already made his way to the stack, sifting through its contents during his request, "To the sand only?", Shikamaru monotonously asked without real wonder held to his tone, as he pulled out a paper a ways down from the top of the pile.

Naruto put his paper down from his face, and stared blankly towards the door in thought, "Uhhhh... let me see it again.", he tried recalling its contents, scanning it over then recollecting the files matters, "Yeah, this one only goes to the sand.", He stabbed the paper with his index finger in certainty, "Well Temari specifically. She will be working on this with you, and has the other half, I belie.... Unless...", Naruto cut himself off. He stood up from his chair and walked to a far pile in one of the room's corners, that was about to fall over. He slid a paper out that was 5 papers down from the stack, "This is the other half actually, I need you to send it with that one to Temari.", The Hokage rubbed his eyes, then stretched with a yawn, "It feels good to stretch. I don't remember the last time I was out of that chair.", he chuckled, then sunk back into the chair that glued him to his work.

Shikamaru would have scoffed or rebutted with a 'Go outside for once', or a, 'Take care of yourself', but it would have been hypocritical. He was too exhausted to give the higher-ranking man a lecture. He only nodded to the man's words with baggy eyes, and left to his own office.

He grunted when plopping his back side harshly into his office chair. He kicked his feet up on his desk, turned his view to admire the window to his left. Kids outside played, parents walked their children through town, friends socialized, he could hear the rumble of muffled voices below. He smiled at the relaxed aurora it gave off. Everyone living their own unique lives in peace with what Naruto has accomplished. Except, they weren't finished just yet. They had more work to do to maintain it.

He turned his view back to his dreaded work, and the two files he was given.

He giggled dumbly at the papers, "Temari specifically, huh?"

He smiled foolishly to himself like a kid in love. He eagerly repositioned his body straight up at his desk, grabbing a fresh piece of paper. He wrote intently, stopping once he got the business side of the letter finished. He looked at the paper like it was missing something. He yearned to write more, but this was business. Plus, knowing that hectic woman, she would probably blow off his attempts to talk to her.

He chuckled in defeat, knowing that thought was true. He jotted down a simple sentence, sending the files and letter off with a messaging bird.

He hoped she would reply, call him a lazy ass, or even just an idiot. He needed something to remind him there was something between them, even just friendship wise. He needed to hear one of her mean nicknames to give his life some sort of spark again. A break from the drag of reality his life was controlled by.

It had only been a couple weeks since her leave, but with all the trouble in his life, he sure missed her being one of them.

He threw his hands over his head, leaning back into his chair, looking out the window once more before getting back to work. He hadn't talked to her since she left. He wondered if she ever even made it back to Suna, or how she was doing. He bet her office probably looked like his. She would probably be pissed now that he was adding to her work load with the two papers he sent her way.