Naruto's Mask (Shikanaru Fanfiction)

4.

"Naruto?"

"Shikamaru! Didn't hear you come up! I guess I'd be a really bad ninja right now eh" Naruto replies sheepishly , hand rubbing the back of his neck with his infamous (fake) smile. The two sat in silence after that, neither knowing what to say to not sound really awkward. The sun was starting to set now, the clouds were in a perfect place to slightly cover the brightly painted sky and fireball sun in the sky, allowing for a halo of sorts to appear around them giving the illusion of a painting. This was the nicest sunset in a while, both thought internally.

"I haven't seen you at school in a while, did you drop out? You do know that you need to actually get through the academy to be Hokage, right?" Shikamaru started the conversation with the biggest burning question. The tension after this was said could be cut with a knife. Naruto, didn't know how to answer. He didn't want to tell anyone about the unfortunate events that occurred weeks ago, that wasn't Inoichi of course. "I don't quit Shikamaru! I just had some more important business to take care of with Jiji." He crossed his arms and pouted, looking away as if offended, but also hiding the tears that threatened to fall in the path of the tears that were falling before his friend joined him, that he had yet to wipe off. "Are you coming back soon?" "I don't know, Jiji needs to give me clearance." "for what?"

For what? How does Naruto reply to this? Oh yes! He was mentally scared and now has a bad case of PTSD and some super cool anxiety before he even got to be a ninja, let alone the front lines of a war.

"Training to be Hokage of course!" Really Naruto? couldn't have thought of anything else? Quickly trying to leave the awkward position he got himself into, he continues, "I'm sorry Shikamaru, I've gotta get home. Gotta start early tomorrow to help Jiji with paperwork! See you!" Naruto got up and ran away as fast as he could. Answering a Nara's questions without being caught in a lie was hard. Really hard. If he hadn't gotten away, he might not have been able to get out of that conversation unscathed. Too bad though, he was enjoying his time sitting on his fathers head watching the sunset. Shikamaru looked in the direction of where Naruto ran off. Turning back towards the sunset, he spoke his thoughts out loud. "Naruto is getting weirder. what was that all about?" Sighing, he continued, "That was a lie, I wonder what he's actually doing, to need the Hokage's permission to continue his education over all. He's an enigma. Troublesome." He finished his main thoughts before leaning back and closing his eyes, feeling the wind blow his hair out of his face.

Getting away from view, Naruto stops running. Phew! Close one, I don't think Shikamaru would like me anymore if I told him what happened. I totally fooled him too! He thinks while continuing his walk back to the hospital, cause apparently he isn't trusted to live without supervision right now. It wasn't his fault he had no parents! Sorry, kit. (very sheepishly spoken) pshh. While lost in thought, Naruto accidentally walked towards the forest outskirts of Konoha, looked at it, internalized and understood where he was, and in horror, ran as fast as he could in the direction of the hospital. No way was he going near a forest yet, unfortunately, due to the sheer beauty of the trees and serenity of the way the breeze moves them around. He may never be able to sit in a forest again, and that thought alone scared Naruto.

Back in the hospital, Naruto made his way up to his room without being caught by one of the nurses who hate his guts, or the people who decided to spread the rumour that he was the reason for the death of the red hot habanero and the yellow flash of the leaf. Successfully so, Naruto gets ready and hops into bed, cuddling up and getting comfortable with a spare pillow. This is the time of day he spends thinking. This is something Inoichi taught him, as it made it easier for him to fall asleep if he gets all of his thoughts clean out of his head. It helps him clear out his brain so he can sleep a little more sound with a few less nightmares. "Goodnight, kit." he hears as he's dosing off. "Goodnight, Kurama". 

Shikamaru starts walking home before his mother hits him over the head with a frying pan for being late, thinking about his recent encounters with Naruto. So, he acts really weird around anyone not in school or at Ichiraku. He is hated for everything he does, literally breathing in public makes hi get in trouble, the senseis don't like him enough to give him the time of day other than being yelled at to go outside, and the Hokage needs to give Naruto permission to go back to the academy after not going for weeks with no warning? what is up with him? Shikamaru gets home, kicks his shoes off, somewhere, he'll get in trouble for that tomorrow, says a meek goodnight to his parents, and flops on. his bed. I know it's weird since I've never even thought about him before, but I need to know what's up with him, and I'll find out if it's the last thing I do. What a drag. He thinks with his last bit of brain power before dosing off before school in the morning.