Spiraling

Chapter 17

Team 10 was oddly quiet while they went about doing their mission. They used the new devices yes but they never chatted over them for fun it was only for mission purposes. Ino was getting ticked off by the lack of banter they usually had and Choji was feeling stifled by the pressure that was coming off in waves by his bestfriend.

Shikamaru knew he wasn't making it easy on his teammates as he went about his side of the mission robotically. But it's not like he could help it. The guilt was eating him alive and he just desperately wanted to to mend things between him and the blond. He knew he had no right to get angry for how casually Naruto dismissed the whole situation.

It simply showed how unaffected Naruto was at being called such slurs. Sure it was true to some extent but the blond had told him he had some bad habits when he first confessed. He accepted Naruto's bad habits but here he was judging him for one of those bad habits that the blond was trying to cut.

'I'm an awful person.' Shikamaru thought as he sighed.

'Depends did you and Naruto fight.' Ino asked and Shikamaru nearly jumped out of his skin. He settled down with a sigh.

'Yeah,' Shikamaru said giving in. He told them what happened.

'Your an idiot.' Choji said bluntly. 'Naruto's only with you, so what if he has a body count. Ino had one too before she settled down with Sai. I've had girlfriends or one nighters in the past too but now I'm just single. Sometimes people need a change of pace and your Naruto's pace. I don't think you should be jealous because guess what he's all yours.'

Shikamaru smiled a bit at Choji's analogy. It made him feel better about the whole situation but that didn't mean all was well. Naruto was still upset with him. 'I'll apologize first thing when I get back.'

He was so preoccupied with his inner conversation he didn't notice the two ninjas lurking around him. By the time Shikamaru noticed they gas bombed him. 'Guys I have a situation.' Shikamaru said urgently as he activated his shadows.

'We're coming!' They yelled.

Shikamaru could feel himself getting faint but that shouldn't be so. He's trained himself to stand strong even if knockout gas was thrown his way. His shadows then caught something. When the dark fog dispersed he saw that he caught two ninjas who were wearing gas masks.

'They poisoned me." Shikamaru said as he felt a bubbling sensation starting from the pit of his stomach. His shadows tightened on instinct as he doubled over coughing up blood.

"The longer you stay awake the quicker the poison spreads." One chuckled. "Don't worry we can wait for you to kick the bucket." They cackled as they looked at Shikamaru whose vision was going blurry. He covered his mouth to stop the incessant coughing but it was coming up wet. He looked in horror as the blood seeped between his fingers.

"Shikamaru!" He could hear Ino in the distance. He looked behind him and could make out their blurred physiques but it was too late he was blacking in and out as his throat burned with corrosive blood wanting to come out.

He gave in and cough out the blood before blacking out permanently.
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A lot of things didn't make Naruto angry, if you were late just apologize and Naruto would be fine. Touched or broke something personal would make him annoyed with you but not angry. Got up in his personal space would earn you a disgruntled sigh but nothing more.

To get Naruto angry you would have to hurt someone in his inner circle. It could be the simplest thing, as long it made them anything but happy you had Naruto's rath to deal with. A knee scrap, Naruto would smash your knee in return. A push that went too far and he would push you off a cliff and it wasn't an exaggeration. He had done it to a bartender who thought it was wise to tell his mother when she had hit her limit.

One whine from Tsunade and the bartender ended up being flung off a ditch into jagged rocks. He lived....but he was paralyzed. So imagine his rage when Choji came back to the village with Shikamaru on his back. Blood was staining his lips and it drove Naruto up a wall he hasn't climbed in a long while.

Luckily for him Ino was dragging back the ones who were responsible. Anbu under Naruto's command came forth awaiting orders from their in raged captain.

"Pump them full of adrenaline and strap them to the tables and flip it up right." Naruto's voice was the dead meaning of calm but his eyes were those red beast-like ones from back in Suna.

Anbu took the burdens from Ino and Naruto held his arms out for Shikamaru who Choji gladly gave our since Naruto's eyes were telling what would happen otherwise. The three ran to the hospital and admitted Shikamaru who was rushed to intensive care unit. Naruto stared for a long while at the doors that his lover disappeared behind and turned to his friends.

"Start talking and leave no stone unturned." Naruto said as he started the walk to his office. They followed behind him rushing out the story and with each word Naruto's eyes grew darker until they were dark blood red.

When they made it to the TI building Naruto nearly took the door to his office off the hinges. It was the first Ino and Choji saw where Naruto works since they've known him. Naruto didn't waste time in grabbing his sword off the wall. He turned to the two who were still looking around.

"Look you can stay here or watch me skewer the bitches." Naruto smirked as he pulled a small jar of clear liquid from underneath his desk.

"W-We want to see you make them pay." Ino said confidently even though she wavered a bit at the start.

"Then sound more excited Ino, it a bloodshed day." Naruto sang as he headed out and into his personal torture chamber. They were stripped down to their boxers minus the gas masks.

"Let's see whose the lucky winners." Naruto cheered as he pulled off the masks. He smirked in victory. "The Demon Brothers of the Mist. How lucky I get to sever your heads and get a pretty penny after this."

The brothers started to scream when it registered just who held them captive. After all Naruto was known for his trade in the under belly of the shinobi world.