Love for Sale( A various Naruto x reader story.)

Chapter 81

Note: I'll be adding chapters with more romance with the other characters.

---Hours of doing absolutely nothing made you realize just how... Lonely you were. And it also made you realize that since you had left the Sand Village, when you had ventured out into your very first mission.... You had no place to call home anymore. You've moved from place to place with a clear goal in mind. That was what kept you alive, and happy. You had had a motive to move on.

But now you've realized just how miserable life truly was. Life was that, miserable and cruel. It has given you a small taste of what it could offer only for it to take it away from your grasp.

If Naruto was here, he probably would say that fate was at your hands and had the power to change it. And perhaps he wasn't wrong. At one point you had the absolute power to change the direction of your life, you could have loved a good life. Unfortunately, you didn't have much guidance other than the Kazekage, and you made  what seemed to have been the best option.

You could say you were left filled with regrets, but in doing so, you would have been regretting saving all the kids you've saved. As lonely and pained you felt, you could never regret saving those lives.

Even so, that did not mean to you had come to a point that you were just exhausted. The rage you had felt had been just a wave that has now worn off. Much like when a wave of adrenaline hits you when you're in danger, it eventually wears off.

Slowly you pushed the rest of your thoughts to the back of your mind, you controlled time but it waited for no one. The future kept moving on, and it was now time to return. As per usual, you returned to the Hokage and waited for you to be allowed to enter.

Unlike before, you were alone and maybe the Hokage was seating on her chair, looking out the window. At least that was what you suspected until the chair turned around to reveal Shikamaru.

Without a word Shikamaru waited for you to sit down, and even if you died of guilt, you forced yourself to walk forward and take a seat. "I'm assuming the Hokage have you the details?"

But even if he heard your question not a part of his answer left his lips as he pushed himself to stand up. He continued to move and stopped until came to stand next to you, and he sat on the chair. "She did," finally he answered expecting you to turn your head and offer him you attention. But you didn't, you kept looking to where he had been seating moments ago. "You did not have to come here, what happens to us, it is none of your obligation."

" I know," and finally you offers him your attention. Your eyes locked with his and he could not deny how much he missed seeing your eyes. He has grown accustomed to seeing your gaze filled with a new brightness to them, because it meant that you are happy. Now, even if he was more. Than happy to see you, he hates to see the guilt on your eyes. " But as a friend the least I could have done was to be there for you and the others. When, when all of this happened. "

Shikamaru swallowed, looking away for a few moments. It hurt, it hurt to think of what it would be of Asuma and he was annoyed. He was annoyed but not with you but with himself. He had always minded his own business, but something has forced him to listen and now he regretted ever doing that. It was mentally painful having to live knowing that Asuma was going to die.

You had the answers to preventing that death, but... His eyes trailed back to you, and he just... He couldn't ask you to do any of those things. Everything you did was mentally destroying you, and he wasn't stupid. If he chose one of the options you gave them, it would add more weight to your shoulders. It looked as if you were just hanging on there with all of that weight on your shoulders.  Specially if something went wrong, you wouldn't rest and you would try to go back and fix it. "What matters is that you care," and then Tsunade's words echoed in his mind, specially the last option you had given her.

Without a word and without a warning, he moved closer and reached for your hand. He held on to it, "you're such a drag." He began, "you value your life so little. You think you have nothing to live for, but you're forgetting there are people who care for you. "

" I know, " your fingers tightened on his hold almost as if asking for help. But you had handled your problems on your own. No matter what you went through, you've depended on no one but yourself so you did not know how to ask for help.  "I've made bad choices, and we both know that I return back and turn myself in... I will end up in prison. " And already you did not say it, you were thinking it. There was a probability that the Time Keepers would ask the Hokage or Kazekage to hand you over to them. Which would, from what they've attempted, end up with you being killed.

Shikamaru had not been one to make decisions without planning, and that was applied to everything. It wasn't always a good thing though, years ago when you had no other option but to leave, he had so many regrets. He tugged you forward, making you stand up in surprise.

Beauty is a passing thing, that was why he never cared for such a thing. But as you stood in front of him, he couldn't help but be stunned by how pretty you looked. But perhaps it was the beauty inside you that made you look that radiant. You were an amazing woman, and you had absolutely no idea of it. "You came here for an answer to the suggestions you made but a I ask of you is to go back to the future. Allow things to happen as they as supposed to, but before you do..."

Even if you were [shorter or bigger] and than him, he didn't care as he pulled you against his chest. Maybe you wanted to have someone to lean on, emotionally, but you did not pull away instead your eyes widened as Shikamaru's lips traced yours in a gentle kiss.

You've never had the opportunity to swell into romantic matters, you didn't think of such a thing considering what you did. But it made you feel... Safe and comforted, and although you had absolutely no idea how to kiss properly, you found yourself returning the action.

Your other hand had raised to cup his face, but the way the scroll dug on your side made you snap and break the kiss. You took a step back, and released Shikamaru's hand. It hurt as you realized that you would be saying the same words you  had said to Kankuro. "I don't want to... I don't want to hurt you more just in case I..." In case things don't work out for you.

Despite it all, he smiled softly. "I do not expect you to return my feelings, I just wanted to have no more regrets." Because how he wished he had done this long ago. "Just know that you aren't alone, there are people who care for you. You've never been one to give up that easily, and I understand you're exhausted. But did not give up just yet, we can all help you go through whatever you need to go through."

Nodding, you smiled and this time you got closer to him. Though if wasn't a kiss you offered him, but a comforting hug. The embrace lasted for a few minutes, and none of you wanted to pull away, but you had to.

As you pulled away, you grabbed his hand. "Thank you so much Shikamaru."  And then before he caught on what you are going to do, you retrieved the scroll and placed it on the palm of his hand. Before he had the chance to reject it you began to disappear from his gaze.

" [Name]... " He didn't want you to leave just yet, and yet he smiled shaking his head. " You're so troublesome woman. "

Shikamaru wanted things to play out as it was supposed to, but there would be a time where he would regret not taking any of your options. You were filled with guilt and it was a horrible feeling, you did not want him to endure it. If plans did not go as planned, then it wouldn't be because he didn't try hard enough.

In that scroll you had left the locations of the deaths of Hidan and Kakuzu and a few more details. However, you also made sure to add details of Asuma's death.