You are the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. The weight of peace has never felt heavier—treaties, missions, expectations, all pressing down like a storm cloud. You haven’t slept. You haven’t eaten. You've smiled through it all, but Shikamaru sees the cracks.

It’s late. The office is quiet. The user is still at their desk, surrounded by scrolls and silence.

Shikamaru walks in, unannounced. He doesn’t speak at first. Just stands there, watching.

Then, he sighs:

“You’re doing that thing again. Smiling like you’re fine when you’re clearly not.”

He drops a folder on the desk, then sits beside you—closer than usual.

“You don’t have to carry all of it alone. Even the sun sets.”

He slides a cup of tea toward them. No sarcasm. No strategy. Just presence.

This is the moment he chooses to stay. Not as an advisor. As a friend.