Heartwarming / Dreaming of Sunshine

• Chapter 2:
  • When some kids once again say that they don't want to play with Chouji, both Shikamaru and Shikako decide to play with him instead of them.
  • Shikako, unlike a lot of other kids at the time, reaches out to Naruto and treats him like a person. So she decides to have him join her, her brother, and Chouji in playing a game.
    "So," Shika said, slouching to a stop. "Did you want to play ninja with us?"
    The look of joy on his face was kind of heartbreaking.
    • The next day, Naruto is worried that their parents told them to stay away from him. Shikako quickly disabuses him of that notion.
      That was really all it took to befriend Naruto, a game and a goodbye. In the morning, as Iruka-sensei tried to bring the class to order, he approached us hesitantly with wary hope in his eyes. I had no idea how many times people had become distant from him after their parents had had a word with him, but as far as I could see, he was canon Naruto. He wasn't dangerous. I kicked out the chair next to me and his face lit up with such joy that it almost hurt to look at.
  • Instead of telling his children to stay away from Naruto, Shikaku tells them to do what they think is right.
• Chapter 3:
  • Shikako notes that Ino could easily become one of the "popular girls" in class, but sticks with her friends instead.
  • After the Uchiha Massacre, Shikako does what she can to make sure that Sasuke doesn't isolate himself.
• Chapter 4: Strangely, Naruto's reaction to the Team 7 line-up is both this and a CMOF. After wanting to be put on a team with Sakura and not with Sasuke, he gets Sasuke, but Shikako instead of Sakura... and after booing about Sasuke, he sends Shikako a look that implies he wants to give her The Glomp. Which shows just how much her kindness has impacted him:
  "… seven is Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Shikako Nara," Iruka continued, and my attention snapped back to him. Naruto booed at Sasuke, then cheered, looking like he wanted to jump over the test and tackle-hug me. I gave him a weak smile.
• Chapter 5: After Team 7 gets the bells, Naruto gives them to Shikako and Sasuke when he thinks that only two of them can go on to become ninja.
  He gave one of the bells to Sasuke like I wanted, then the other one to me. His face was determined but so heartbroken. I was sure that the team would pass as a team, yet they didn't know that. Naruto was serious about giving up his dream so I could pass.
• Chapter 6: Shikako and Ino comfort Sakura after the latter is failed by her Jounin sensei. To help her out, Shikako suggests that Sakura study to become a medical nin.
• Chapter 14:
  • Shikako hugs Sasuke after he gets up from his injuries.
    "Sasuke," I said quietly but seriously. "I know you don't like people touching you, but I'm going to hug you now." Fair warning given, I practically wrapped myself around him, tilting my chin down so they couldn't see my watery eyes. "You aren't allowed to die. You hear me? Rule Number One of Team 7: No dying."
  • Team 7 has a bonding moment via an innocent water fight game that reminds you that these ninja are still just children.
  • Naruto is stunned when he finds out that Tazuna named their new bridge after him due to both Naruto and the bridge bringing the people of the Land of Waves hope.
• The scene where Shikako, Shikamaru, and Choji reassure Naruto that they don't care about the Kyuubi and that they are still his friends.
  • The part where Choji offers him some of his food, particularly with Shikako taking note that to do so is a sacred thing to him. Naruto - and the audience - are likely tearing up at this point.
  • Then in Chapter 63, he tells the remainder of the Konoha 12 during a mission debriefing, Lee and Neji respond in a way that is pure Friendship Moment:
    Lee: If Gaara became so angry because of his treatment, then you have overcome much hardship to have such a positive outlook, Naruto! You inspire me!
    Naruto: Ahh, thanks, bushy-brows.
    Neji: 'To carry a seal that can never be removed'. I see. I apologise.
    Naruto: It's nothing. Don't worry about it.
• At the end of the Land of Snow Arc, not just Naruto (as in canon) but all members of Team 7 get a signed autograph from Yukie.
• Chapter 54: Naruto's response to Fu when he learns she is a jinchuuriki - complete with Freakiness Shame and You Are Not Alone. Also a CMOF due to her taken-aback response.
  Fu: It's not you. They're afraid of me.
  Naruto: That's silly, nee-chan. Why would they be scared of you?
  Fu: Because I'm a demon.
  Naruto: No you aren't.
  Fu: Yes, I am?
  Naruto: No, you aren't. Demons have, like, teeth and claws and they growl a lot and are really mean. You're people-shaped and really nice, so you're not a demon.
  Fu: People shaped, huh?
  <There was a surge of chakra - strange chakra, inhuman but nothing like Kyuubi or Shukaku - and wispy tendrils of chakra burst from her sides, beating up and down with enough force to lift her off the branch.>
  Fu: There. I took this burden on when I became a Genin. And now, because of it, people from my own village - people I grew up with - treat me like a stranger. No, like a mad dog about to bite!
  Naruto: You have wings! That is so cool!
  Fu: O_O
• Chapter 57 has some of this in retrospect - Sasuke does not defect to Orochimaru. What makes this heartwarming is not only the fact that Shikako has cemented the bonds of friendship in Team 7 more firmly, but that Sasuke is genuinely conflicted, and telling her is the first thing he does before her even decides to defect or not. Like Brother and Sister/Ship Tease, much? Whichever it is, though, it reeks of True Companions.
• Chapter 71 has one:
  Gelel: You would fight a god?
  Shikamaru: Yes. Give me back my sister.
• Chapter 91 has a big one. The genin members of Team 7, Team 8, Team 10, and Team Gai head off to another Chunin Exam where they run into the Sand Siblings and a Mist Team featuring Haku and Chojuro. With the help of Shikako, they become friends. The moment is solidified with a sixteen-person fist bump.
• At the very end of chapter 94. Whether you're a Gaara/Shikako shipper or not, it's still a very heartwarming moment.
  "Oh," I repeated softly, looking up at Gaara. Something, something hard and twisted in my chest eased a fraction. He'd heard me. He'd understood. He was warned and prepared and. And. He had handed it back to me.
  Someone else was doing something.
  I wasn't alone.
• In chapter 99 Sasuke follows a team tradition and gives Shikako a gift for her recent promotion: silver earrings. He is clearly embarrassed about what might be a sign of Ship Tease and it isn't helped when Shikako repays him by passing along her uncle's heirloom hoop earrings, but it is very sweet.
  • Additionally, perpetually-late Kakashi now takes his students' training so seriously that he is meeting them on time for 5 am training in sword use.
• Shikako has had a hellish day, but when she finds a girl with a twisted ankle crying in the bushes, Shikako stills fixes her up a little, consoles her about the girl's injured pet (a spider that she has to make herself not flinch away from), and takes her home (to the Aburame compound). Shikako then sets up invitations to the Kunoichi study group for Chiyako Aburame and two others and exchanges friendship bracelets with Chiyako.
• Shikamaru tells Shikako that he needs her help, and like iron fillings to a magnet she immediately drop what she's doing to help (she describes it as "I couldn't not help"). Then she discovers that a Logistics and Supply worker called Shikamaru an idiot (for asking why they didn't use sealing scrolls for transport) and is so offended that she recruits Tenten and spends the weekend coming up with new storage seals that will both solve the problem, and cause L&S huge problems having to adapt to the new seals that are too useful to ignore. All because they insulted her brother.
• In chapter 109, one of Shikako's parents took the liberty of inviting Sasuke to their family's New Year celebration - Shikako didn't suggest it, but her parents care enough about him to take that step on their own. And because Sasuke is Conveniently an Orphan, Shikaku steps in as a father-figure to give all three kids traditional spending money. Sasuke is visibly stunned, and later says that "They didn't need to do that." Shikako points out that "It's not about need."
  • The parents' affectionate behavior together is also the first sign of Shikako's impending younger sibling - a new life created because of her influence.
• The entire Hospital Arc is Shikako and Sasuke trying to save their sensei, from a medical condition from his Sharingan, despite the fact he has given up on life.
• In chapter 146, Shikako and Sasuke enter the Uchiha Police Station together because they both have a lot of baggage regarding the place (Sasuke because it reminds him of what he's lost and Shikako due to Itachi's Mind Rape genjutsu). They're definitely not okay, but can pretend to be so around each other, and cope by pulling an unnecessary all-nighter working on it together and then meet up for some training first thing in the morning without the need to even plan it. Heavy True Companions moments.

Sunshine Sidestories

• In Chapter 1, after a confrontation with some of Team 7 and and a very irate Jiraiya, Kisame muses to Itachi that his little brother has gotten really ruthless and might just succeed in killing him some day, since he's already to the point where he'll body-switch with a teammate to get out of being hit with a particularly nasty genjutsu, which is something he'd only known Bloody Mist veterans and the worse kinds of missing-nin to do. Itachi then corrects him: Sasuke wasn't in any position to do a replacement jutsu; Shikako had willingly took the hit for him. Even more shocking when you realize that she knew exactly how horrible the genjutsu was, but also knew that it would be even worse on Sasuke.
  • Jiraiya has shades of Papa Wolf when he showed up to see his godson (Naruto) in danger and that too-smart brat he'd been giving sealing pointers to (Shikako) screaming her head off like she was being burned alive. The two S-Class missing-nin wisely decide to immediately retreat.
• Chapter 21: Shingon Risshou trying to go through the difficult legal process of making sure his partner, Nara Saidai, has legal custody of their child Ritsu so that Ritsu wouldn't be sent back to her mother. Shikako, temporarily acting Clan Head, asks why don't they do the simpler thing and just get married? Once Risshou marries Saidai, it makes it a clan issue and Konoha wouldn't be able to overturn it. So Risshou finally gets to marry the love of his life and ensure his daughter's safety while Shikako, Ino and Chouji throw an impromptu wedding.

---