The Weight On His Shoulders

• My Sunshine• ---------------

{Shikamaru}

Three Days After the Team Assignment:
(22:30 or 10:30pm)
Okay, I've been dealing with something very troublesome. The troublesome blonde had somehow avoided me.
He hasn't been to his favorite ramen shop in two days, and now it makes it three. I can't seem to catch him around the village either.
This is starting to bother me. I want to speak to him. I really don't know how to tell him this... but somehow I'm back in my twelve year old body.
And what's even worse is I think he is too, I think somehow both of our nineteen year old consciousness were sent back in time.
With how he's acting I have a feeling he was sent back too. I really do believe so. But if he wasn't then how would I fix the future alone? I mean I could do it, but it would be hard without my smart and strong best friend.
I mean, I'm smart, I know I am. It's just he kept me thinking and even if it was troublesome... I did it anyway.
Because I... love him.
I realized that as I was laying in a pool of my own blood go figure.  I could finally decipher the emotions I had been feeling since he'd entered the academy. At that moment I felt like an utter idiot for not realizing until it was too late, or so I thought.
"He's not here Nara-sama," the old man as Naruto referred to the old man spoke.
"As I realized," I sigh once more.
"Why do you wanna see him anyway?" Ayame asked.
"I have something to ask him, but I'm not all too sure how," I shrug, "I thought if I saw him I'd figure it out."
"Oh, maybe just go to his house?" Ayame suggested.
"Yeah, I guess..." I just realized this is back in time when he was still getting sporadically beaten by the villagers. And his apartment was almost as unsafe as a war zone.
That got me going. It got my motivation sky high.
I stood up abruptly, "thank you for the advice Ayame-san!"
I headed out towards the red-light district and down into the slums. I could never understand why the Hokage couldn't just buy Naruto a better apartment? A safer apartment.
With a heavy sigh and mild hesitation I knocked on the door.
There was shuffling from the inside and once the door opened I blushed a little.
"H-hey Naruto," I eyed his messy blonde hair, and his tired eyes.
He smiled a small smile, "neh Shika-kun."
"Um, I need to talk to you," I tried to only look at his face, anywhere that wasn't his bare legs.
Naruto was wearing an oversized pale orange shirt with a little fox on the front. He wasn't wearing any bottoms that I could see. I honestly hope he's wearing shorts... I don't want anyone to see him like this.
He really doesn't realize how utterly adorable and attractive he is.
"Oh, okay, come I-i-in," he stuttered a little holding the door open wider as he gestured for me to enter.
He closed the door and ushered me in and to his stained and ripped couch.
"I'll be right back after I go grab some pants," he announced before walking off to the door a few feet from the couch.
His apartment was small. The entrance was through the kitchen, and the only thing separating the kitchen from the living room was a worn out ledge making it a higher level. On his small table near the couch a mess of ripped blankets and a bunch of scrolls were messily placed on the table. He must be reworking his Fuinjutsu.
"So, what you wanna talk about?" Naruto returned holding his fox friend that I'm pretty sure is Kurama. He looks just like the tailed beast minus the eight other tails.
"Naruto, do you... are you... are you my Naruto?" I met his bright blue eyes almost pleading that I was right.
He tilted his head confused then his eyes widened, "no it can't... you can't... right Kurama!"
The voice I had gotten so used to during the war sounded, "It is possible, the Jutsu could have been powerful enough to send you both back... that is..."
"I was right, which means you were acting weird because you are my Naruto," I smirked up at him from my spot on the couch.
"Oh my Kami!" Naruto started to tear up, he set Kurama down on the couch beside me before launching his tiny twelve year old form at me.
"It's you really you! It's you... it's you... thank Kami!" He whispered over and over his tears soaking the front of my shirt.
"Yes, it's me Naru," I stroke his hair in a calming way.
"I... I'm glad it's not just me. I didn't know how I was going to do it all on my own, well with the help of Jiji of course." Naruto finally settled enough to form proper sentences.
"Well, how would you survive without your advisor and best friend? Hmm?" I smirked down at his now slightly flushed face as he realized where he had been sitting.
I blew on his ear, and he jumped back letting go of my neck and falling onto the floor with a loud *plop*.
"Pft~ well it would seem not as troublesome as usual!" He smiled, a Nara smile but still.
"Jerk!" Naruto whined.
"Yes, my troublesome blonde?" I hummed.
I'm happy he's my Naru...

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!Author Note!
{I'm surprised at how many people have read this story... I honestly didn't think people would. I am very appreciative to you all.}
{I'm sorry if you find this chapter short. I was having trouble coming up with how to progress. But I should be able to continue on in the next chapter!}
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Thank you for reading!