Kolors

11

Beep

Beep

Beep

The sound of Shikaku's heart monitor rings through the stale hospital air. His breathing is ragged with each gasp of oxygen he greedily steals. He hadn't heard the clank of the heavy hospital room door nor the screech of the chair dragging towards his bedside.

"Dad?" A hushed whisper calls to him.

"Shikamaru," Shikaku drawls.

"Dad," Shikamaru's voice trembles as he struggles to maintain his composure. He'd only ever felt safe in spaces that would allow for him to hide behind the greatness of others. Working in the shadows while someone much brighter than him could take the credit. Feelings always involved some sort of exertion on his part that he simply didn't give. "who did this?"

"Hhhh," Shikaku heaves through the tube connected to his mouth.

"I'm talkin' to you old man," Shikamaru's eyes water as his bottom lip trembles horribly. "answer me!" He breaks as his father remains unable to answer.

"He can't," Kakashi ties balloons to Shikaku's bedside. "the medication won't let him. Although I'm certain he could hear us."

"Sensei? Why're you here?" Shikamaru asks sternly. Kakashi had mentored Shikamaru since freshman year and had to pull away recently as things had become too difficult at corporate. Asuma had replaced his role as mentor for the young Nara.

"I am partnered to your father on an ongoing case. It appears he ran into the assailant last night. Luckily, he had caught the criminal's face before police arrived."

Kakashi's words fall flat over Shikamaru who rubs his hand over his mouth annoyedly.

"If you are his partner where were you?"

"I was at corp analyzing the case for any possible holes. Your father had to deliver a briefcase to one of our affiliates. Then I got the call from emergency dispatch."

"How awfully calculated of you, sensei."

"How so?" Kakashi grins through his mask knowingly.

"You used my father for your greater purpose didn't you?" Shikamaru expects no real answer from Kakashi as he shifts his deadpan glare towards the silent man. "you truly believe people so easily expendable as long as you get your way in the end do you? When will it be enough?" Shikamaru laughs dryly. "one day someone you hold dear to you will befall some sort of tragedy and you'll find yourself, if lucky enough, in my position. Sitting at their bedside hoping you won't have to stick your hands into their chest and beat their unwilling heart back to life. And the day that happens is the day I'll be standing where you are with a jackassed smile on my disgusting face. You'll be forced to swallow me whole then."

"Your father knows his duty and the weight of it. I've taught you for years and it appears you still have yet to learn one of the hardest lessons life will one day force through you," Kakashi rests a hand atop Shikamaru's shoulder. "We don't get to choose who we loose. No matter how dear that person may be to you. I learnt my lesson years ago."

"I refuse to accept this knowledge."

"When your father wakes up tell him to call me," Kakashi gives one final squeeze to Shikamaru's shoulder before heading for the door. Except he had been stopped by a woman.

She stares directly into his eye before crashing her open palm into the side of his face. Usually a slap wouldn't have fazed him, barely moved him, but he let it. Accepting the sting and force of a grieving wife as if to compensate for willingly putting Shikaku's life in danger.