This Time Around

Chapter 28; Yare Yare.

To anyone who understands the meme <3

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"Shikamaru," Naruto grinned, trying to play cool, failing miserably while he was at it. After all, nothing could be hidden from their genius friend. 

Damn Nara and their brainy genes.

Shikamaru first raised an eyebrow at him and turned to Sasuke before finally looking up at them. "What is wrong with you?"

Naruto knew that this was a plausible and a genuine question that he should ask his life, which, despite his protests, seemed hell-bent on ignoring him.

"Things," Naruto grinned forcefully; his hand that was on Sasuke's shoulder snaked back into its place like it was in fear of a mom who had found him with bad company.

Which, on second thought, could be true to some degree.

Sasuke stood there, seemingly too done with this conversation which meant that Naruto decided what had to be done.

Shikamaru waited for an answer, really expecting them to be able to give him that. 

Naruto himself wondered what was wrong with him; at night, in the confines of his mind, but... no one had to know that.

Shikamaru sighed finally realizing their predicament of everything being wrong and headed on a path that led somewhere away from the academy, Naruto never cared to know where.

It was an unspoken agreement as Naruto followed him and then Sasuke who, of course, had to announce his displeasure with a sassy huff, followed behind.

After five minutes or so, the Nara turned and looked at them again, seemingly satisfied with the distance they had traveled.

He scrutinized them yet again, before letting out "Yare yare," in a low sigh.

"Why are you behaving so strangely these days, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked him, completely ignoring Sasuke.

Truth be told, he wasn't deliberately behaving differently from his past self. It was just this one simple fact, he forgot how he used to behave during his childhood days. The only thing he did remember from those days was TRAUMA. 

So here he was, trying to wing the whole depressed child persona which hadn't been too bad if you asked him. And he also got to be sassy, so who is he to complain?

Naruto asked, "Why do you think?" He was sure that the Nara had some really crazy theories that he would love to listen to.

 "Did you two train under the third Hokage in secret who in turn asked you to keep your prowess secret for some reason I don't know maybe plot convenience?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto supposed that could be a plausible reason for his sudden boost in power, it could fit the situation quite nicely.

Still, he shook his head in denial.

Shikamaru let out a hmm sound, seemingly ready to put his second theory forward.

"Shoot," Said Naruto and Shikamaru began.

"Did you two leave the village leaving some kind of clones, maybe blood clones, and then train under one of the sanin or any powerful shinobi really and then come back to dispel your clones and take their place?"

Naruto's eyes crinkled in amusement and Shikamaru understood that this also wasn't the case.

"Are you time travelers? Regressors? Monsters? Aliens? Awaken your memories from your past lives? Whatever?" Shikamaru suddenly gave up, spilling all his crazy theories.