painted future

chapter 1

"Hgn- its no good-"

The yamanaka sighted as the strength of his hand crushed the small pencil in half. He got up from his seat and closed the purple sketch book and put the pen in place.

"Drawing is a drag in the first place."

He sighted 'i-im starting to sound like shikadai..' he stumbled on his bed staring out of the window wondering what shikadai himself is doing. the possibility of shikadai playing shogi on the bench located close to his house wasn't small so inojin decided to head there for some company and vise words.

He makes it out from the small window brushing dust from his shoulder as he walks through the streets of konoha finally reaching his destination and finding what he wanted.

"Oh- inojin"

"Youre here again"

Inojin says sitting by the shogi board.

"Uncle gaara is visiting and he beated me twice and that was a drag so I decided to come here"

Shikadai sighted holding a pawn on his had trying to put it somewhere. Inojin nodded as a sign of understatement. He glanced up to the sky that was deeb ocean blue and the street lights shined back from the blueish cover they call night sky.

"Are you in a hurry?"

He soon blurted out turning his head back to shikadai who was fully focused on the game but could still hear him.

"I need to go home but you can come with me."

"But lord kazekage.."

Shikadai put the piece on its place and looked at inojin.

"Dont mind him, for me he's just an uncle, for mom he's a little brother and for dad he's a drag so you'll be fine"

Shikadai gave inojin a little smile before going back to focusing on his game deciding to put the pieces back in its bag and head home.

"Come... and yeah uncle has his little drag with him.."

'Little drag? Shinki?' Inojin slightly shook his head before following shikadai.

"I hope mom wont m- inojin? You look more confused than mitsuki did something happen?"

Inojin glanced besides him with the sad look that seemed to bother shikadai.

"What do you think about art?"

"Drag.."

Inojin shrugs making shikadai realize that saying a drag was really out of place. Shikadai couldn't help but feel bad since inojin was his friend. Maybe little over sarcastic at times but that is his personality and who is anybody to change it. They make it to shikadais place pretty quick since as mentioned he didn't live far from where he likes to play

"Im home"

Shikadai says loud for the household members to hear it. They walk further in seeing  gaara and temari sitting by the kitchen table talking about something.

"Oh yeah inojin came along"

temari and gaara stopped talking as they saw shikadai and inojin walk past the kitchen. shikadai  took few steps back wondering where his cousin had gone. he peeked in from the open door.

"wheres shinki?"

"he went outside looking for you, but he'll be here soon enough."

gaara answered with a gentle smile. shikadai nodded turning back to inojin giving him a sing to go in his room. they soon enough get in the room closing the door hearing shikadais dad come back from work.

"im home... today was a drag, naruto couldn't manage anything because boruto was on his pranks again.. those two are so simular.."

shikamaru said  shaking his head as he walked in the kitchen finding someone unexpected.

"g-gaara"

still seeing his brother-in-law made shikamaru feel rather uneasy. it wasnt because of gaara. he was a nice gentleman who knows what hes doing but shikamaru has hard time guessing whats going on the red heads mind and what he considers as a joke and what not. and that wasnt only thing, he is the kazekage he could never treat him like temari does. as a family member.

"hi shikamaru glad seeing you again"

shikamaru smiled nervously looking at his wife.

"youre back early"

temari asked knowing the answer will be same as always.

"i want to have dinner with my family now and then"

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shikadai had thougt inojin how to play shogi and they have been playing for few rounds now. 'i think now is a good time to ask'

"what has been bothering you?"

inojin looks at shikadai rather suprised by this question; can shikadai really see through him like that? what is he supposed to say.

"im getting bad at art.."

"you? inojin you were born with a paint brush on your hand what do you mean?"

"thats the thing... im losing my motivation and skills, and i really dont know what to do.."

inojin almost started sobbing. he really loved drawing and all he learned from his dad. he didnt want anything more than make his dad proud although he knew sai wouldnt mind if he didnt draw at all he still thought he would be atleast dissapointed.

"can i help you somehow?"

shikadai tried asking getting no answer from the blond boy. inojin laid back letting his back hit the soft blueish sheets and as soon as he sighted shinki opened the door.

"shikadai... father wants you there.."