Chapter Text
Shikato and Shikamaru were siblings, the physical embodiment of the proverbial “joined at the hip”. One was never without the other - they shared a room, they often ate from the same plate, they had a common wardrobe, they refused to be separated on missions. In short, they were a bit of a nightmare. The running joke in the clan was that Shikamaru couldn’t have been born two years before his sister, because he wouldn’t have survived that long without her.
When Shikaku and Yoshino had tried to - ‘normalise’ their behaviour when they got older, it was impossible and the concession of separate beds proved pointless too, as they would always be joined into one. It was the most puzzling case of sibling codependency the Nara clan had ever seen.
“Get up already! You’ll! Be! Late! Move it!” That - was the thundering morning voice of Yoshino Nara, Shikamaru and Shikato’s mother. They loved her a lot, after 12 pm.
“Maru?” Shikato groaned from the bed closest to the window.
“Hmm.” Shikamaru grunted from the bed closest to the door. “If we don’t get up now, she’ll come in”, which was to be avoided at al costs. If Yoshino went past the ‘third warning’ and had to physically drag them out of bed, their ears would still be ringing well after lunch.
Shikato knew he was right but felt entitled to one last groan in despair once more before succumbing to the burdens of wakeful existence. Her hair was a jumble of hair ties and gravity defying matted poufs. Her eyes blinked and blinked, in vain trying to shake the call of sweet, sweet darkness. Shikamaru was no better, the picture of disheveled with one of his dad’s huge T-shirts hanging off his right shoulder. He too, groaned, because he remembered it was his turn to change in the bathroom and considered it to be ‘not fair’. The bathroom was always cold in the morning.
It was another rule - they could share a room as long as they changed separately.
“Why can’t I just change here? So troublesome.”
Shikato could empathise. “Mom and dad are paranoid. It’s a problem cause people talk.”
Shikamaru pouted. “People are stupid.”
Which, despite being very true, did not absolve him from his duty. Picking up a half-coordinated outfit, he crawled into the bathroom, before Yoshino dragged him out by the collar. Oh she’d know. They tried to trick her a few times, pretending they had respected the rule only to lazily change with their eyes closed. Who even thought eyes needed opening before breakfast? Yoshino would always figure it out and then they’d have to sleep with their parents and that was just annoying, with Shikaku’s snoring and Yoshino’s unnatural ‘wake up at first light’ business.
“Where’s Shikamaru?” Shikaku asked, peering at one half of his brood from behind the newspaper.
“Changing.” Shikato relied lazily, propping her head on one hand. Breakfast wasn’t even served yet, she could have been sleeping now, she thought through a yawn.
“Could you at least cover your mouth?!” Yoshino snapped, plates in hand.
Having just arrived, Shikamaru took their two plates and dropped bodily next to his sister. “Thank you for the meal!” The twins exclaimed in unison, before slowly picking up tamagoyaki pieces from whichever plate was closest. They’d stopped doing that, disregarding plate boundaries, for most other meals, but breakfast time was still an ongoing battle. Yoshino was about to tell them off for it, again, when Shikaku shushed her, mouthing “they’re adorable”.
She rolled her eyes at her sappy husband. Honestly.
When they stopped making progress on their food - which was about the time when they would almost drop their heads face down into it - Yoshino all but shoved them out the door so that they wouldn’t be late to the Academy.
“And don’t drag your feet! If you’re late again, you’ll be doing extra chores all of next week!” Their mother shouted at their backs.
Hand in hand, the twins nodded to each other and did their best to walk at a more normal pace to their midday nap area - Iruka’s classroom.
——-
“Oi! Are they really asleep?” Naruto shout-whispered, squinting his eyes in suspicion.
“Nah, I think they’re faking it.” Kiba dismissed.
“No one can sleep so much in one day. Why? Because at one point the body does not need sleep anymore.” Shino added.
“Wanna draw on their faces?” Naruto said. Of course he did.
Shikamaru and Shikato were sleeping in the back row, with their hands on the desk and their heads on their hands. Shikamaru opened one eye at looked straight at Naruto, who was focusing very hard, tongue peeking out, marker in hand. He was about to draw something on the Nara’s forehead. Shikamaru drawled a “Boo”, which caused Naruto to yelp and fall on his ass. “You’re supposed to be asleep!” He shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Shikamaru.
“You’re not supposed to draw on people’s faces. It’s a drag to get the marker off.” Shikamaru pointed out, but took his bento out anyway, thinking it was about lunch time.
“So loud...” Shikato complained, peeking at the lively world around her with much disapproval. She didn’t even have to see where Shikamaru was pointing to know it was Naruto. “Narutooooo, why can’t you nap with us? You’re so nice when you sleep.”
“Hey!” Naruto pouted, but then he looked confused. It was hard to tell when Shikato - or Kato as everyone called her - was being mean or not. She was smarter than him and he didn’t always get her jokes. But he still liked the twins, cause they didn’t make fun of him and liked to share their lunch. They always complained they had too much food.
“What did your mom cook today?” Naruto asked, bouncing with excitement as he tried to peek at the not-transparent bento box.
Shikato didn’t trust his excitement. It looked too - effortful. “If I give you my box, will you let me sleep?” That was their trade - silence for food.
Naruto nodded in agreement, already reaching for Shikato’s box with one hand, and for her hand with the other, knowing he’d have to drag her outside to their tree. Shikamaru was already there, watching the clouds.
He should’ve entered the Academy a year ago - but since 1. their parents and the Hokage had yet to determine how to deal with two Nara’s in the same generation, 2. Ino and Chouji, the two other necessary ingredients for another Ino-Shika-Cho combo had been born a year after him, and, lastly, 3. Shikamaru had flat out refused to go to the Academy without Shikato and had promised to an ungodly amount of work to compensate for it, he started a year later, and Shikato, a year earlier. As such, the problem only developed and grew, along with the kids, and none of the adults had a clue how to deal with it.