A/N - Soooooo, hehe, this chapter was actually almost finished like three days after I posted the last chapter - it probably needed some decent editing at most, but it was nearly done. Then, I had a vivid dream that I had to include in this chapter because we all need some good Shikamaru in our lives, right? Not gonna say anything because, obviously, this is the beginning author's note hehe.
Granted, it shouldn't have taken as long as it did for me to post by simply just adding a little bit here and there. However, I did say I was gonna take a small little vacation for my birthday, which didn't actually happen because my entire family got COVID. Then I had an extremely terrible week both at home and at work, literally just wanted to curl into a ball and cry myself to sleep. But that, was the previous week, and this is a new week, so I'll just write and try not to think about my feelings for a while.
Okay, that's enough out of me for now! Hoping to get paid in a couple days to spoil myself but, you know. Until next time, everyone, hope you enjoy the chapter!
It was late into the next morning, nearly almost eleven by the time Shikamaru groggily woke up. His dark eyes peeled open, blinking sleepily with no real energy - for some reason, he felt completely worn out. The black-haired boy lifted his head slightly off his pillow before almost immediately finding himself groaning in annoyance when the sun flittering through his window somehow made its way directly into his eyes. The Nara heir tried to turn over to escape the sun's rays but found himself unable to twist his legs and upper body. Shikamaru blinked deeply, nose scrunched up and forehead wrinkled, as if blinking harder would make himself wake up; he blamed the logic on being sleepy. It wasn't until after a rather unceremonious yawn that he finally noticed why he couldn't move.
Or rather who.
Naruto, who was still sound asleep, had one of his arms thrown around his best friend's waist, hand tightly wound in Shikamaru's dark-colored shirt. Both of their knees and ankles tangled tightly underneath the covers, the Nara heir trying to shift away but finding himself stuck. His best friend's other arm had wound up between their bodies, one of the blond's bandaged hands holding onto Shikamaru's tightly, the taller of the two staring at it with a slowing reddening face. They were so close, their noses nearly touching, both just breathing in each other's exhale.
It was surreal, the difference between last night when they were so close versus waking up still wound up in this closeness. Shikamaru had been almost completely sure of himself, confident when he'd climbed into his bed with his best friend - he'd even asked the blond to shift so he could make room for his own body in the small bed. But in the morning? The Nara heir couldn't stop himself from the shy embarrassment taking over him. Why is he like this? His mother would call him bipolar. The longer he stayed in this position though, the more his eyes were starting to widen, Shikamaru taking their position in once more before his gaze trailed up towards the jinchuuriki's face.
Naruto's face was smashed up against one of the black-haired teen's three pillows, dried drool trailing down his chin and soaking through the pillowcase. In the back of his mind, Shikamaru felt that he needed to feel grossed out over it, but couldn't muster up the disgust. His eyes searched the blond's face, finding faded lines flowing down his face and over the scars on his cheeks. The black-haired teen sighed, remembering the tear-tracks from the previous night. Had Naruto cried during his sleep? Shikamaru hoped not. The previous day had already been a nightmare for the other teen, he didn't want his dreams to be one as well. Despite that though, his face seemed to be filling with color again, which was a good sign considering how pale and shaken Naruto was at the hospital.
Shikamaru reached a hand out before any sensible thing in his head could stop him, brushing a strand of hair out of his best friend's face, his dark calculating eyes still taking in the other boy's features. He hadn't ever realized how dark the scars on Naruto's face were until they were only a few inches from each other, a thumb trailing across them in thought. The blond-haired teen sighed deeply, snuggling into his hand. It was that single motion that had the Nara heir realizing that his fingers had lingered on Naruto's face for too long, hand jumping away as if it'd been lit on fire.
His face certainly felt like it was on fire.
Shikamaru placed a cooling hand to the side of his face, hoping it would calm him down a bit. He coughed discreetly, carefully detangling himself away from the blond-haired teen before sitting on the edge of his bed. The teen ran a hand through his hair, finally realizing that his hair had been down the whole time. When had he taken it out? For some reason, Shikamaru couldn't remember the last time he'd had his hair in a ponytail. Had it been the night Mizuki had tried to take Naruto from him? Being called out of bed by his father, the man ushered him to the hospital's emergency room, waiting to hear back on whether his best friend had survived or not. Or was it during the four days in between Naruto's surgery and the other boy finally waking up?
Shikamaru didn't know; the days were bleeding together.
"I had just seen him too..." His mind ushered out, still running his hands through his hair, fingers brushing along his scalp and detangling it as he allowed himself this quiet moment to remember.
It seemed like years since that day they'd taken their graduation exam, Shikamaru remembering Naruto bursting out of the gates with one of the biggest smiles he'd seen on the other boy's face. He'd been one of the last ones to take his test due to the letter of his last name. But, the Nara heir could remember it clearly, the blond hollering and cheering, "Shika! Choji! I passed!" The two clan heirs had waited for him outside, watching Naruto streak through the crowds of children and parents who'd congratulated those that passed. He had run as fast as he could until he'd collected both of them into a tight hug.
Shikamaru scratched his nose, trying to will away the blush at the memory; just seeing his friend's smile and happiness always created this... bubbly feeling in his chest. He allowed himself a small smile, though, remembering the sun on his face and the warmth in Naruto's hug. It wasn't until the conversation from nearly a week ago started replaying in his head that he realized something, the thought chilling him to the bone.
"...I've just had this bad feeling all morning about something. I thought that something was going to be because I was going to fail my exam." Shikamaru's eyes were unseeing, shifting across the wooden floor as he recalled with almost perfect clarity.
"A bad feeling? You don't get bad feelings..." And he didn't, never had in the years he'd known Naruto. The blond-haired teen had always been so sure of himself and his abilities, with a keen eye for small details, so much so it almost rivaled Shikaku's perceptive stare.
"Well, for some reason, something just feels... wrong? I don't know how else to describe it, but it's been bothering me all morning, to be honest. Something like-" He saw those sky blue eyes shift across the crowd, searching for something to place his uneasiness on. Shikamaru had tried to follow the gaze but found nothing. But with hindsight comes regret.
Mizuki... was the bad feeling.
Shikamaru covered his face with his hands, feeling like he might have a panic attack if his heart thundering in his chest was anything to go by. There's a part of him that feels like this was his fault. His father would say that it's normal for shinobis when something bad happens to someone you care about. In reality, the Nara heir just thinks it was his fault. Naruto had wanted to come over for dinner after the graduation exams, but Shikamaru's aunt had asked if she could come by and his mom had already agreed to it. They were supposed to see each other the day after, though.
A day too late, it seemed.
He should have just asked his parents if Naruto could just hang out with him while his aunt was over. He should have begged to have his best friend spend the night, huddling him in his bed, protecting him from Mizuki. Instead, Shikamaru let him go. He left him vulnerable and Mizuki took that as his chance to get his revenge. And because of that, Naruto got hurt.
And it's his fault.
Shikamaru took a deep breath, trying to gather his bearings, running a hand through his hair one last time before tying it neatly into a ponytail. He paused when his hair had finally cooperated enough to be put up, remembering the soft kiss to his head from the previous night. He tried to push the thought aside, after all, he'd just been absorbed in guilt and it felt strange for his emotions to shift so suddenly. The Nara heir looked over his shoulder just as Naruto shifted farther into the twin-sized bed, body expanding to take up the unoccupied space. There was a smile crawling onto his lips, Shikamaru watching his best friend sleep peacefully.
He reached out a hand, curling it around Naruto's face, careful not to wake him up. "Sleep as much as you need... troublemaker." The nickname didn't feel the same, maybe it was because the blond-haired teen wasn't awake to hear him say it. Shikamaru scoffed, shaking his head in amusement, "Yeah... rest as much as you need." He brushed the boy's hair behind his ear, thumbing over his closed eyelids. "I'll be there for you when you wake up..." The Nara heir whispered out softly, biting his bottom lip in worry.
There's something in his chest that's running hot, igniting with passion and anger. It fueled him like a fire, and it burned. Something about the peacefulness of Naruto's sleep, the innocence in the way he curled up closer to Shikamaru's blankets and pillows made something click inside his head.
Shikamaru wouldn't let anyone touch him, not ever again.
If Naruto was going to be a magnet for trouble, then he would be the first obstacle in defeating that evil before it ever laid a hand on those blond locks. He wouldn't let anyone hurt his best friend like Mizuki had done before. But, to do that, Shikamaru needed to want to be stronger for Naruto's sake. The only person he knew who had the means of getting him to that goal was...
His father.
Shikamaru stood up from his bed, hastily making his way out of his bedroom and heading towards the kitchen where he was almost positive his father would still be there. He knew he was marching, possibly stomping his feet, but he had the momentum and the drive so he kept moving forward. The Nara heir made his way into the kitchen, Shikaku eyeing him from behind a newspaper. He smiled softly, setting the paper down and folding his arms over the table, "Good morning, or should I say afternoon?"
The black-haired teen shook his head, eyes hard and eyebrows furrowed. His mouth formed a thin frown, "Dad."
Shikaku tilted his head, "Yes?"
"When I was really little, I came to you asking to be stronger." His father stood a little straighter in his chair at the mention, "When those kids had made fun of me about my hair, I told you that I wanted to be stronger so that they'd stop making fun of me. You told me I didn't have a good enough drive, that I would remain lazy even if I had all the strength in the world. You said I needed a resolve bigger than I am. I... didn't understand you then, but I do now."
The older man stood up from his chair, making quick work of crossing the distance of the kitchen, standing tall in front of his son, "Shikamaru, those jutsus will kill you if you don't have a strong resolve, you know that, right?"
He nodded, taking a deep breath, "Yes. I have one."
"What is it?" Shikaku's voice was stern, almost monotone but there was a seriousness in his eyes.
"Naruto."
He tilted his head to the side, "What about him?"
"My resolve is him." Shikamaru said with his head lifted high, a fierce gaze in his eyes, "My resolve is to be strong enough so that I can protect him when he can't protect himself. I don't want anyone to hurt him as Mizuki did and... only I can do that for him. He'd let me."
Shikaku reached out, gripping both of his arms in his head, "Why is he your resolve?"
"He means everything to me." He whispered out, "I want to see him become the greatest medic in the world. I want to be standing there at the top with him, but he needs me, right now. I have to be stronger, for him. Please, Dad, show me how to be stronger."
The Nara clan leader shut his eyes for a few seconds, taking a second to breathe before realizing his grip on his son. He stood back, opening his eyes before smiling, patting Shikamaru on his head, "I'm not sure if you'd believe me when I say you nearly said word-for-word what I had said when I'd begged my father to teach me our clan jutsus."
"What?"
"Your mother's injury, that scar on her back... It had kicked me into gear, realizing that I wanted to protect her, to protect those who couldn't do that same." Shikaku smiled, motioning with his head towards the backdoor, "Follow me."
Shikamaru, rather confused, obliged, following the older man outside where it was raining slightly, "What are we doing out here?"
"There's something I want to teach you." The Nara clan leader explained loosely, moving until they were standing in the middle of their backyard, the raining beating down on them, "Do you know why I told you you couldn't learn some of the Nara's strongest jutsus when you'd come to me the first time?"
"Because of my age?" He questioned.
"No." He raised his head, staring up at the dark gloomy sky, "Our clan has always been known to be some of the most intelligent in the village, most Nara members make up twenty percent of those with the highest IQ in the entire village. However, this intelligence is stunted by our strange affinity to laziness."
"Dad, that... sounds kind of..." He didn't want to say it.
"Stupid? Unrealistic?" Shikaku snorted, "I know, I thought the same when I was your age. But it's true."
Shikamaru paused to think about it, but couldn't make sense of it at all, "So, why did I need to wait so long?"
"Because, the only way for a Nara to be stronger is with a resolve stronger than the will of fire - or so my father told me. This drive to do something is the only way you will ever become stronger than you are." He stated, staring down at his son as the rain continued to come down, "You need a resolve to do any of the jutsus I am going to teach you. These jutsus that I will teach you are going to wear you down and are going to try and break you. If you didn't have a strong enough will, a drive-"
"A resolve bigger than myself..."
"Yes." Shikaku smiled widely, a genuine smile, "If you didn't have one, you would quit before you even began. And you'd be stuck the way you are for the rest of your life."
"I think I understand now," Shikamaru stated, eyeing the house where he knew Naruto was still sleeping the day away.
The older man nodded, "Good, then let's begin."
"What? Like right now?" His eyes widened, head swiveling back to look at his father.
"Of course, you're three years behind Naruto, you've got to catch up somehow or he's just going to leave you behind." Shikaku raised an eyebrow, shifting into a taijutsu form.
"Don't leave me..." His own words had him shifting into a taijutsu stance as well.
"I won't." And Naruto's words had him charging first.
"You have to promise me."
"I promise."
:::^^^^^:::
The next few days had flown by. It had been Wednesday when Naruto had been discharged, both the day and night dragging along painfully slow. To Naruto, though, Thursday hadn't existed, time merging - it was almost as if he'd blink and minutes would turn into hours. He'd slept through most of the day, not having much energy to do anything other than sleep, use the bathroom, eat whatever Yoshino had handed to him, and then slept again.
For Shikamaru, though, Thursday had seen him black and blue, bruised to the point he didn't feel like walking anymore. He knew his father was strong, but he didn't think he could be a ruthless teacher. Maybe it was a good idea his mother had never been able to persuade Shikaku into becoming a jonin teacher - those poor gennins, his mind had called.
When the Nara heir had managed to beg his father for a break, he'd gone and joined Naruto for a nap sometime midday. Naruto hadn't remembered much other than the tired Nara climbing into bed and the two sleeping the day away until Yoshino had come into the room, waking them up for a late lunch. After they'd been fed, Shikaku had come to personally collect his son for round twelve and thirteen and fourteen...
By the time night came around, Shikamaru had looked forward to Naruto's warm hugs and his bed.
Friday was much of the same, but Naruto had managed to walk around on his own for a while. As he hadn't bathed in days, it took some time to convince Yoshino that he was well enough to shower without any help. She had reluctantly agreed but put her son outside the bathroom door in case Naruto needed anything or if something happened. Shikamaru hadn't complained once, just standing quietly while the blond-haired teen showered.
And then he slipped, falling onto his shaking knees.
Shikamaru had practically flown into the bathroom, eyes covered by both his hands to spare his best friend of any embarrassment, shouting out if he was okay or not. Yoshino was the next in the bathroom, towel in her hands as she held it around the shower curtain for the blond-haired teen to grab, covering himself up enough for the two Nara members to help him up all the while Shikamaru's eyes were still covered. They'd helped him sit on the side of the toilet and poured bowls of water over his head to rinse away any soap left.
It'd been decided after that incident that if Naruto wanted to bathe again, he was only allowed baths, that way Naruto could sit down and not risk falling again while he was still recovering.
He went and laid down for a couple of hours, but was up well before dinner, playing a couple of card games with his best friend before dinner. The blond-haired teen had been able to sit at the dinner table with the rest of the Nara family, having more of an appetite this evening than the previous days. It seemed he was also getting feeling back into his hands, the bandaged appendages hurting less and less as the days passed. It still didn't stop the Nara heir from feeding him. After dinner, he was ushered back to bed, Yoshino threatening him if he didn't go to bed at a decent time and rest as Kaiya suggested.
To be honest, though, Naruto was quite tired of lying down, but his exhaustion outweighed his need to do something.
Saturday saw Naruto actually awaken with Shikamaru, the early morning rays having woken him up until the previous days when nothing could wake him up. When his eyes had peeled open, he was tucked into the Nara heir's shoulder, breathing in his scent - like pine needles and the smell of garden mid-spring, like the way green stem of a tomato plant smells earthy and fresh when you touch it. There was a hint of floral in the teen's scent, likely from a nice smelling shampoo, he'd gathered. Naruto had found himself snuggling up closer, his best friend's scent pleasing and calming to him.
It wasn't until Shikaku barged in, demanding his son to get up and eat. "Training starts in an hour." He'd called once he was sure Shikamaru had been startled enough by his entrance to awaken. Naruto wasn't sure what had transpired while he was asleep, but the Nara heir had designated himself to let his father 'torture' him, if the bruises and exhausted black eyes were anything to go by. Instead of asking about it, he merely patted his friend on the back, wishing Shikamaru a good recovery.
He'd gotten a groan of anguish back.
Naruto managed to get up for breakfast, feeling some more energy in his body, and was able to stay awake long enough to watch Shikamaru and his father train outside before he went back to his best friend's room for a midday nap. He awoke for lunch if the delicious smells were anything to go by, drifting into the kitchen where Yoshino was still hovering over a stove. The blond-haired teen had enough energy to help her finish up lunch before bringing it outside where Shikaku and Shikamaru were still training outside. How long did they even train for?
He took one step out of the back door before having to pause. The entire world was dark, like someone had pulled a curtain over the sun. Naruto looked back inside, reading the clock on the wall - it was only a little after noon... so why is it so dark outside, as if it were past midnight? "S-Shika?" The blond called out, a little nervous by the all-encompassing darkness. It reminded him a little bit of the way the never-ending ceiling in his mindscape looked. However, where there was lightning streaking across that sky, there was nothing here.
"Release!" Shikaku's voice filled the area.
It was like a switch had been flicked on, Naruto blinking once and the void was gone. "W-What?" His voice was that of a whisper as he searched the area. The blackness had been replaced by his best friend and his friend's father, both staring at him in worry.
Shikamaru rushed over, apologies already spewing out of his mouth, "I didn't mean to make my genjutsu that thick! It was just supposed to make things look out of place! I'm sorry!"
"Oh, a genjutsu..." Naruto mumbled, blinking deeply, a strange feeling in his spine, "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb your training."
Shikaku had made his way over to the two boys, running a hand along the blond's forehead, peering into his eyes carefully, "You're alright, kid, the feeling will dissipate in a few minutes."
"Okay." He took a deep breath, handing over two plates to them both, "Um, Yoshino-san and I made lunch." Once they'd taken their plates, Naruto took a seat, knees feeling a little weak.
Shikamaru took a seat beside him, guilty eating his lunch. His father had gone back inside, mentioning that he wanted a little more soy sauce for his rice. The Nara heir gave the blond beside him a look, "Are you okay?"
He hummed quietly, eating his own lunch, "Just tired... and a little bored."
"Do you want to play a game or something?" The teen asked, mouth full of stirfry.
Naruto shook his head, letting it rest on the other boy's shoulder, "No, I just want to hang out with you for a little while. We could go cloud watching or something... I know you like to do that."
Shikamaru stared up, not really seeing too many clouds in the sky, "Okay, we can do that. Will you be okay to be outside for a while?"
"I think so." He smiled softly, staring up as well, "Don't you think that one looks like a raccoon's face?"
"I think you're delusional." The Nara heir chuckled, resting his head against his friend's as they ate and watched clouds together, his parents watching from the kitchen window.
Sunday brought reality back to their small world. With Iruka's and Naruto's condition far better than it had been, the genin placement ceremony was to be in affect the next day. An ANBU agent had personally delivered the news to the Nara family and Naruto, congratulating the two new genin on their advancement into the ranks before disappearing. Yoshino had raved that the two injured in Mizuki's attack were still recovering and needed more time, taking to the kitchen appliances and banging pots while she cooked to calm her anger slightly. Her husband had left her to it, knowing it would merely make her angrier if Shikaku tried to pull her away from the dough she was making, not willing to take a fist to the face.
Shikaku, for his part, had declared that his son deserved one day to relax before he was put onto a team. Shikamaru had practically melted into the floor, thanking Kami for releasing him from his hellish training. Naruto, for his part, decided that he should probably rest and much as he can for this last day before he goes back to being surrounded by loud students and crowds of people. He still had three days left until he was allowed to use any chakra or attempt any training, something he'd likely have to bring up with his jonin teacher whenever the teams were 0assigned.
When he'd told Shikamaru of this, the Nara heir had merely climbed into their shared bed, deciding he could go for a nap as well. Naruto snuggled up close to him as he done for the past several days, like it was an unconscious thing he did now.
And maybe it was.
Shikamaru radiated calming energy, something that seemed to settle his aching heart and anxious breathing. It was this very reason Naruto had slept so peacefully for the past couple of nights since he'd been discharged Wednesday.
And then, just like that, it was Monday - team assignment day.
:::^^^^^:::
"Naruto, are you sure you're well enough to walk to school?" Yoshino worried her lip, unsure about his recovery.
He raised a hand, a small smile on his face, "I'm sure. I feel a lot better since I was discharged, though... I am still a little tired, but I'm sure I can catch a cat nap or two."
She sighed heavily, her eyebrow falling in irritation, "Ugh, why couldn't they have pushed it back to, I don't know, Friday?"
"Honey," Shikaku started, resting a hand on her shoulder, "Leave them be. If Naruto says he's well enough, then we should trust him."
"He said that when he wanted a shower, Shikaku, and we both know how that went." Both of the adults gave the blond-haired genin a pointed look.
Naruto chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry."
Shikamaru shook his head, clapping his friend on his back, "Mom, Dad, stop. You're going to make us late." Yoshino rolled her eyes, taking a few steps forward to press a kiss to her son's forehead, getting an annoyed, "Mom!"
The older woman chuckled before turning towards Naruto, kissing him on top of his head, "Do great things, you two. And tell us all about it when you get home! I'm making dumplings to celebrate so make you're home at a decent time, okay?!"
"Yes, ma'am!" They called, both making their way towards the front door and out into the streets of the Nara compound. The two walked in silence for a while until they'd made it out of the compound, taking the short walk into town where vendors were already selling all kinds of street foods or wares.
Shikamaru suddenly let out a relieved sigh, his best friend giving him a look. "Sorry, I'm just happy that we're finally getting out of the academy."
Naruto chuckled, running a hand through his hair, "You know, there's a part of me that almost misses it. So much has changed..."
"It has."
"Since I was out-of-commission for a little while, I kept thinking back on the earlier years of our academy days." It was the Nara heir's turn to give him a look, "I just wonder who I would have become had I not taken a liking to medical ninjutsu."
"You sound like an old person." Shikamaru rolled his eyes, the two turning down the street where the academy was.
The blond-haired genin chuckled, "I don't mean to be. I just can't help but think back to who I used to be. I was the dead last, a naive fool, a prankster, an obnoxious idiot, a loudmouthed brat." He trailed off after those words, looking up to stare at his best friend. The Nara heir stared back with curious eyes, waiting for him to continue. "Who do you think I would have become had I not decided to get into medical ninjutsu?" Naruto asked quietly.
Shikamaru thought for a second as they slowly approached the academy, the two stopping against the wall to continue their conversation a little while longer, "Well, I guess based on your history, I think you'd probably still be dead last. I doubt you'd know the meaning of quiet-"
"Hey!" He genuinely laughed.
"You'd probably gain a temper, I've seen the inklings of it over the past couple of years - Mom just calls you passionate." He snorted at the thought, a smile on his face as well, "You may not be as logical as you are now since you had to learn how to be because of your medical ninjutsu path."
"I guess I can see the sense in that." Naruto hummed.
"Oh, and one more thing." Shikamaru started.
"Hm?"
"You'd one hundred percent still be a prankster." The two laughed at that, the blond-haired teen agreeing that that would most likely be the case.
"Would you still be friends with me had I become that person?" Naruto questioned with a smile, already having an inkling of an idea of what the answer would be.
Shikamaru's smile widened, "Always."
The blond-haired genin felt his heart flutter a little, like a warm blanket had taken residence over his heart. He watched for a second as the Nara heir turned away as they walked through the academy gates. He could feel his cheeks start to heat up. "What was that?" Naruto thought to himself, following after Shikamaru, catching up to walk beside him.
All thoughts plaguing him ceased the exist the minute he took a step forward. Parents and children alike all turned to him, whispering and pointing at him without any kind of reservations. Naruto stared across the sea of people, feeling like the entire world was suddenly closing around him. It was almost reminiscent of his early years growing up as the village outcast, the people spiteful towards him. He hadn't felt this kind of stare nor heard the horrid whispers that he couldn't hear since he was eight. People had stopped that shortly after the Third Hokage had lifted the ban.
Shikamaru reached for his hand, eyes narrowed and face hardened, "Let's get inside." His words were a whisper, but the tone was dangerous. He sent the crowd a look Naruto couldn't see, but he didn't have long to think about that as the Nara heir started pulling him towards the academy building.
It was during this moment that Naruto finally noticed the different look the academy had taken. The gates that used to be there were gone - how had he not noticed that when they'd walked in? There were cracks all along the walls and there were several boarded-up windows. The front door to the academy building was gone, an ANBU agent standing guard in front of it. The inside didn't look better, the wooden floors bunching up in odd directions, some parts even taped off so no one could walk over it.
Naruto looked around the hallways, all the years of academic awards that used to hang on the walls were nowhere to be seen. Classrooms he'd remembered being in were blocked off, sealed shut, likely completely destroyed. Even Iruka's classroom was in a similar state, the two genins found when they'd gotten there. There was a piece of paper taped on the door, directing his class to a different room in another section of the academy. At different intervals, ANBU agents would shift them down a different corridor to avoid devastated areas.
It was sad seeing a place he'd practically grown up is completely gone. Naruto tried not to let his face show his disdain, passing by the principal's office on their way to the other side of the building, seeing absolutely nothing in the glass windows. There were no more comfy chairs or couches; Naruto remembered vividly sitting in those chairs while the principal chewed him out for playing a prank on a teacher during his younger years. Now there was nothing.
This is what they meant when they'd said that the academy was practically destroyed.
Naruto and Shikamaru made it to their temporary classroom, making sure that the numbers matched what was on the note before sliding the doors open and making their way inside. Much like that outside, the students in their class gave them similar looks. However, many of the students merely looked distraught, like they were at a loss for words, no one knowing what to say to Naruto who'd fought one of their teachers and nearly died.
It gave the blond-haired genin a similar feeling to when Sasuke's clan had been massacred, the way their classmates tried to avert their eyes and keep quiet while around him.
Shikamaru shrugged, pulling his best friend behind him to climb the steps to sit at the back of the classroom. He made Naruto sit on the inside away from prying eyes, sitting beside him to block any attempts of nosy classmates. The blond-haired boy shied away from them slightly, leaning in close to Shikamaru, whispering low enough for only him to hear, "They're talking about me, aren't they."
He leaned in as well, keeping his voice quiet, "Well, yeah. You, a newly graduated genin, defeated a chunin and saved our teacher, so... yeah. I would talk about you, too, if we weren't friends."
Naruto pursed his lips, rolling his eyes at that last comment, "What do you think I should do?"
"Well, it's not like its some hidden secret what happened that night, maybe some details being spared, so I would just say ignore them for now." Shikamaru tried, leaning back against the bench, "If they ask, say what you feel is the right thing to say."
"And that would be?" He raised an eyebrow in question.
"I don't know." The Nara heir gave the other teen an exasperated look, sighing loudly, "Troublemaker."
Naruto smiled fondly at the nickname, Shikamaru turning his head away quickly. "Maybe I'll just make something up, tell them that I fought a dragon instead." He snorted at the thought.
"You're not very good at that." His friend commented, a smirk on his face.
"At least I'm better at it than you." The medic-in-training huffed out a laugh, elbowing the other boy before a yawn caught him off guard.
Shikamaru eyed him quietly, "Are you... going to be okay?"
"I think so." He murmured back, looking around the room as students continued to fill the empty seats. The weird looks had stopped, but the whispered had continued, as it usually does. He pouted at that, having wished for the gossip to stop. Naruto lifted his head, making eye contact with Sasuke from across the room, the Uchiha had been staring at him. The raven-haired teen was giving him a strange look; it was almost a glare. "What?" Naruto mouthed out, thinking it best not to shout out anything and garner even more attention on him.
Sasuke furrowed his brows, pointing to his forehead where his Konoha headband was before making a slash through it, pointing at the other boy after. He mouthed back, "How?"
He thought for a moment about what the Uchiha meant by his charades before it clicked. The slash in the headband, a traitor - Mizuki. Naruto looked around the room before settling on a different word, "Later." The dark-haired boy looked like he was going to throw a fit over not getting an answer immediately before shaking the feeling off, merely nodding in acceptance instead before turning back to brooding or whatever he does.
Shikamaru opened one of his eyes, peeking at his best friend, "You're such a troublemaker sometimes."
Naruto gave an exasperated sigh, "I think you need a new catchphrase."
"I have more than one already. I don't need anymore." He chuckled quietly.
"Oh, yeah? Like what?"
"Everyone else is troublesome and you're my troublemaker." The Nara heir grinned, "See? That's more than one."
Naruto rolled his eyes, a surprised laugh jumping out, "Oh, Kami."
There was a loud sound by the door to their classroom, drawing the attention of all the students. It almost sounded like exasperated arguing, but without any words exchanged. The students inside the classroom glanced at each other, silent questions passing between them. The door slid open, an ANBU agent walking in backward and in his hands, he was pulling a wheelchair with him. Inside it was...
Naruto sighed, eyes averting to look at Shikamaru, maybe for strength or just to keep his eyes off Iruka's condition. So, he was wheelchair-bound for the moment. Maybe Yoshino was right about him and his teacher needing more time to recover. Still, though, it was nice to see Iruka up and out of the hospital. It almost brought tears to his eyes.
Iruka, for his part, had a hand covering his eyes, an angry frown on his lips. "Boar-san, I said I could get into the room by myself. I don't need an escort."
The ANBU agent bowed his head in apology, "Hokage-sama instructed me-"
"I know, I know." He huffed in frustration, allowing Boar to wheel him into the room to sit in front of his students. Although it was a little embarrassing to have his students - or rather, former students see him in his current condition, it was nice to see them with his own eyes after being stuck in the hospital for a week almost. Boar bowed once more, excusing himself out of the room, all the students and Iruka watching him leave. The brown-haired academy teacher sighed in relief, head lifting, making eye contact with Naruto all the way at the back of the classroom. He smiled softly, tipping his head in recognition.
"Good morning, everyone." Iruka's voice filled the silent classroom, eyes watching him as he shifted his wheelchair into a more comfortable position, "I don't think it would be appropriate to assign you your teams without addressing the elephant in the room." He eyed Naruto once more, finding strength in his son is up and walking, unlike himself. "I am... retiring-"
"WHAT?!" The classroom erupted into noise, some exclaiming questions, and other complaints.
"From being a shinobi." Iruka finished with a sigh, "You all are most likely aware of what happened a couple of weekends ago with Mizuki." The students looked to each other for comfort. "I've spoken with some of your parents already about the incident and I'm sorry that I worried you all about the condition he left me in." The brown-haired academy teacher took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions carefully. "I am retiring because... I am paralyzed from the waist down."
Naruto's eyes widened, "W-What...?" His voice shook, words barely above a whisper. Shikamaru turned towards him, his presence calming the tide of tears threatening to spill over.
Iruka, sensing his distress, took a minute to wipe his own tears, "I am grateful that I am still here to see you all become the great genins I know you'll become. I wouldn't be here without Naruto and that is the truth. But I cannot continue to be a shinobi due to my condition. They've already done as much as they could, but I'm still here." By now, several students had tears in their eyes, the blond-haired teen included as well, Shikamaru doing his best to console the other boy.
"However, should any of you need me, I will be there for you as a guide, for wisdom, for comfort. You were the first class I ever got the pleasure to teach and I am forever grateful for you, all of you." The older man smiled, genuine and kind, "I am so very proud of every single one of you. As your teacher, I've watched you all grow into such capable ninjas. Whether your specialty lies within your knowledge, your brute strength, or your talents."
"It's okay..." The Nara heir whispered, rubbing Naruto's back as he continued to cry harder.
"You've all come so far and it... it saddens me to see you off after all these years we've spent together." Iruka laughed, eyes wet with tears, but pride bursting through him, "However, as the next generation in the world of ninja, you will rise to great heights. Never forget your origins and always keep growing. I believe in you." The academy teacher took the time then to look at each and every single one of his students in the eye, seeing a will of fire burning deep within them all, some more than others.
"Now, before I give out the team assignments, I must apologize if the assignments seem... off." Iruka started, hands folded in his lap, "Due to the destruction of the academy, many of the documentation on students' growth, abilities, and even class rank have almost all been destroyed or lost. The Third Hokage has personally picked out every team due to this loss of documentation. So, without further ado, on to the teams for this year. Team 1..." His voice trailed off, glancing down at the clipboard in his lap before starting to relay the information given to him by the Third Hokage.
By the time Team 3 had been announced, Naruto's tears had finally ceased, staring at the Nara heir for solace, taking a few deep breaths to quell himself even more. "Iruka-sensei's gotten better about giving motivational speeches." He tried a smile, desperate to lighten the mood or even change the subject.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes, smirking slightly, "Maybe." He paused to look at his best friend, really look at him. "I'm sorry about Iruka-sensei." He whispered.
"I feel like I didn't do enough..." He found himself mumbling back, eyes dark and stormy, "But, he's still alive and I know Dr. Yiruma would say that that is enough... It just doesn't feel like it, you know?"
"Yeah..." The Nara heir was quiet for a few moments, Team 6 being called out, students in an uproar; apparently, the twin sisters who hated each other were stuck on a team together, "Do you think there's a way for you to fix his paralysis?"
Naruto's eyes widened, mind already circling around theories and thoughts, "Maybe I-"
"Team 7 will consist of Sasuke Uchiha..." The two boys lifted their head up to look at Iruka, eyes following the rest of the class to stare at the lone Uchiha, "Sakura Haruno and-" The brown-haired academy teacher had to stop mid-sentence to let the squeal of delight coming from the pink-haired girl to cease. "And," He reiterated, eyes widening while looking down at the clipboard, "... Naruto Uzumaki." All heads turned to stare at the blond. "You three will be on a team under Kakashi Hatake, your jounin teacher.
"What?" Sakura's loud voice flooded the room. It wasn't a screech or a squeal that the rest of her classmates were used to while growing up in the same classroom. It was one of curiosity or disbelief, shock clear as day on her face. "Naruto? On a team with Sasuke?" The pink-haired kunoichi looked completely baffled, but not in an angry way that had surprised Ino who had been sitting beside her during the whole ordeal.
In hindsight, everyone else in the classroom felt the same. Sasuke, too, had this look on his face that was questioning the reason why Naruto was even on a team with him. The lone Uchiha and blond-haired genin shared a look before Sasuke turned away; he would get his answers later.
"Iruka-sensei." Sakura called out, "I'm not trying to, um, talk bad about the Hokage, but why is Naruto on our team? Hasn't it always been academy tradition that the dead last be put with the top shinobi and kunoichi? I mean, you could vouch for Naruto that he hasn't been the dead last in... years? I think..."
Iruka sighed deeply, "I did."
"What?" Her green eyes widened in shock, the rest of the newly formed Team 7 sharing the same sentiment.
"I told you all that the Hokage hand-picked the teams. I had no say in it this time around. No matter what I said about your grades or how roughly knew where you all stood in the class ranks, it didn't matter to Hokage-sama." He shifted in his wheelchair slightly, "So, for the time remaining, Naruto will remain on Team 7."
"But that's not fair." Shikamaru huffed, the words quiet and mainly only for his best friend to hear.
Iruka coughed, grabbing his former students' attention, "Team 8 will consist of Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Akamaru. You four will be a team under Kurenai Yuuhi."
Kiba smiled widely, looping an arm around the shy girl's shoulder, "Hell yeah! Guess we're on the same team, Hinata!"
Her face bloomed in a blush of surprise, turning away from him and his dog, "Y-Yeah, guess s-so..."
"Team 9 was created last year and, as the students are no longer here, I will be skipping over it." The brunette teacher's voice trailed off as he continued with the team assignments, "Team 10 will consist of Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Ino Yamanaka. You three will be a team under Asuma Sarutobi."
"Asuma?" Naruto held a curious look on his face.
His black-haired friend turned towards him, "What is it?"
"If I remember correctly, I think Asuma is Hiruzen's son." The medic-in-training hummed in thought, "He didn't mention him much while I was growing up and, I mean, it's not like we've talked much in the past couple years..."
Shikamaru turned towards him as Iruka continued listing teams off, "Seriously?" He got a nod in response. "Does he play shogi?" He found himself asking.
Naruto shrugged, "I'm not sure. I mean, Hiruzen knew how to play, so maybe he taught Asuma?" They both nodded at that before a thought crossed the blond's mind. "Do you have a problem with smokers?"
"What?"
"Smokers. Hiruzen smokes a lot from that pipe of his - or maybe he quit, I wouldn't know - so there's a possibility his son smokes too." The blond-haired teen shrugged, "It's just a thought..."
"Well, I don't think I have a problem with it. I've never really been around it much." Shikamaru thought for a second or two, "Dad used to smoke on and off when I was really young, so I don't think I would mind being around it, I guess."
"Well, in that case, you better not become a smoker." He huffed out, "Smoking is bad for you and I don't want your teacher infecting you with the need to smoke."
Shikamaru snorted, "That is the stupidest thing that has come out of your mouth."
"Did you know that eighty-four percent of deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking? Did you also know that smoking can give people chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which has led to eighty-three percent of deaths?" Naruto suddenly spouted out.
"It kind of just sounds like you're making up numbers." He smirked, knowing that would get a rise out of his best friend.
And it did.
"I am not!" The blond-haired teen hissed out, "By smoking, your lungs can be affected extremely badly, Shikamaru! Smoking can make you cough, make you more prone to colds, wheezing is usually a common symptom or you could even develop asthma. You can get infections like pneumonia, emphysema, and even lung cancer."
"Yeah, cancer and diseases don't sound that appealing." Shikamaru nodded.
"So, that means, you're not allowed to become a smoker." Naruto huffed, "Okay?"
The Nara heir laughed, "Okay."
Now that that was over, Naruto turned towards his friends with a much more quizzical look in his eyes, "So, how do you think the second coming of the Ino-Shika-Cho team going to go?"
The black-haired teen paused to think on it for a second, "Well, I think breaking Ino's fascination with Sasuke will be tricky and both Choji and I are extremely lazy... or, maybe Choji is lazier than I am..." He thought back to his father's words about resolve and the desire to be stronger, to push aside his laziness. "So, um..." He tried to think of more words to say.
"Do you think you're going to suck?" The medic-in-training raised an eyebrow.
Shikamaru almost choked on his laugh, giving his friend a sideways glance, "Well, I guess if we're motivated enough, we might just get the job done. I mean, we're not going to be anything like our parents Ino-Shika-Cho, but I think we'll do okay."
"What kind of motivation?" Naruto asked.
"Well, it seems like Ino's only motivation - for now, I hope - is Sasuke, so our sensei will most likely use that to keep her going. Choji loves food, so I'm sure Asuma-sensei will probably use food as an incentive or a reward." The Nara heir shrugged.
He scooted closer, subconsciously hearing Iruka giving one last speech, "What about you? What motivates you?"
"Shogi..." Shikamaru tapped his chin in thought, "Mainly shogi. Hopefully, Asuma-sensei knows how to play."
"Really, just shogi?" Naruto had this deadpan look on his face, "Or are you just too lazy to think of anymore?"
"No, it's just that you're not on my team so I can't list anymore." He stated honestly, shrugging again.
"Oh." Naruto blinked in surprise, pouting slightly, "I... motivate you?"
The Nara heir sighed in exasperation, "Well, yeah! Your hobby turned into an aspiration - you have a dream. You're one of the hardest working people I know - a workaholic if you ask me. You went from dead last to... whatever your class rank is now in a few years. You battled a traitor, won, and saved our academy teacher. So, yeah... in a sense, you motivate me to be better. You're very inspiring..."
A blush started to crawl on the boy's face, a smile breaking out from the other boy's compliments, "Wow, Shika... that's really kind of you to say."
"Well, it's true..." He huffed in embarrassment, "You are a troublemaker after all." Naruto smiled widely.
"Alright everyone, settle down!" Iruka called from the front, "Your jounin teachers will come by to get you in a little while. For now, this is where we part. Good luck to each and every one of you." The ANBU agent came back into the room upon hearing the words, Iruka excusing himself from the room as Boar wheeled him out of the classroom. Bickering started to go about the room, people standing up to go sit by their teammates.
"We should probably be doing the same." Shikamaru mumbled out, "I know Ino a little bit and we're both familiar with Choji, but you're not that familiar with how Sasuke and Sakura work... it'll be a good 'team building' exercise." He made air quotes like he didn't really agree with the term.
Naruto nodded, "Yeah, I guess. You don't think they'll be mean to me, right?"
"I don't know. If they do, tell me." There was a look in his eye.
"Why?"
"Don't worry about it. Just tell me." Shikamaru stated.
"Right." Naruto sighed, the two standing up from where they were sitting, "I guess I'll see you at home... I mean, um..." His face burst into color.
Shikamaru smiled, "You can call it your home, too, troublemaker. I'm sure Mom and Dad have enjoyed you living with us for a little while."
He grinned, happy with the answer, "Well, until I see you..." He reached over and hugged the other teen tightly, letting go almost as fast. Naruto waved before making his way down the steps towards where Sakura had already set up post beside Sasuke.
"Until I see you," Shikamaru whispered, watching him go.