Fixation

Circumstances

"What is wrong with you?!" Boruto shoved his brother who had entered his mindscape. 

Shikadai looked hurt. "I just wanted-" 

"No, you knew we couldn't be together like this but you had to forgo Papa's warning," Boruto was beyond angry. "Are you mad? You'll kill us both, have you ever considered how that would break our parents, our little brother? When did you get so reckless?" 

Shikadai bit his lip as tears ran down his face. "I'm sorry," He sobbed. "I just wanted you to be my fixation." 

Boruto dropped his angry expression in the face of his brother's emotional state. He pushed his hair back sighing as he narrowed his gaze at Shikadai. "I know, I wanted that too but you know it's forbidden. Look at our combined mental state," He gestured around the shaking mental cavern. "The fixation is rejecting this union and for good reason. We both know we could pass away in our sleep if we fight this and establish the chains." 

"I just wanted to at least try to do something." 

"Shikadai your my twin, my brother, I trust you with my entire being because we have been in this since day one," Boruto hugged him. "Even if we aren't each other's fixations we can work around it." 

"How?" Shikadai clutched him. 

"Fixate on each other's favorite thing?" 

"Our favorite thing is our brother and parents," Shikadai deadpanned. 

"Dad can help us sort something out," Boruto reassured. "For now can you stop this? We're quite literally tearing each other apart just to stay together." 

Shikadai frowned but he soon retreated to his own mindscape. On the outside, Shikamaru caressed his head while Boruto was tended to by his father who had been stabilizing his heart with his chakra. Boruto and Shikadai were drenched in their own sweat but they finally woke up, the fixation process haven't been completed. Shikamaru sighed in relief, his shoulders sagging as he hugged his son. Naruto watched this from the corner of his eyes, content that Shikamaru did at least love their children to some extent. Shikarui entered the room, his eyes red from crying and he quickly shuffled over to Naruto who motioned him over. He clung to his father's side crying as Boruto slowly woke up encased in his father's chest. 

"Don't you ever do something so reckless ever again," Shikamaru's voice was sharp and the threat hung in the air should he ever do something like that ever again. Shikadai nodded weakly, his eyes drifting over to Boruto who had fallen unconscious before he could say anything. 

"I'm sorry Papa, I just wanted-" 

"I understand," Shikamaru reassured. "I understand you completely but these are the conditions governing our clan. You don't fixate on your relatives and you never fixate on someone else's fixation. It can be anything or anyone else, just don't break those conditions. You've already broken one please don't break the other." 

Shikadai nodded weakly and decided that was enough for today. 

The next morning Naruto was already in the office getting ready for a new day. Shikamaru had been left at home in order for the Nara to bring their kids back to full power so Konohamaru was his assistant for the rest of the day. While he was stamping away at documents he couldn't help his mind wandering to what Boruto had asked of him on his and Shikadai's behalf. To find them a fixation. But he has no clue where to start seeing as he was a fixation and didn't know what drew Shikamaru into locking onto him. He knew it had something to do with his vibrant personality and his loyalty but other than that he was sure there was more Shikamaru wasn't telling him. 

"Hey, Kono?" Naruto sighed as he stopped his pace to look over at the young man he would no doubt pass over his hat to one day in the future. 

"What's up boss?" 

"Have you ever fixated on anything in your life?" 

Konohamaru seemed puzzled by the question and asked Naruto to give him more context. 

"Like an object that you absolutely have to have in your sight or on your person? Or a person who means the world to you and you don't want them to get hurt. Do you have a fixation?" 

"Gee, that's hard to decipher," He sat on Naruto's desk in deep thought. "Of course, I have my big family which includes you, boss. Then I have my best friends and my little Genin team. I have people who are no longer in the world. I can't say I have a single focus on a person enough to say I am fixated on them. As for objects," He trailed off as his face got a pink-red in embarrassment. Naruto tilted his head in confusion as Konohamaru took off his headband. 

"It'll have to be my headband." 

"Because of your love for the village?" Naruto asked. 

"Yes partly but for much more than that," Konohamaru looked back up at Naruto. "Even though the fabric has been changed many times over the years, the metal plate has been the same. I can't go a day without having this on my person and that's because it was a gift from my big brother Naruto for graduating from the academy. You came to my ceremony as family, how could I ever leave this laying around, you're the one who gave me it." 

A few tears slipped from Konohamaru's eyes and Naruto felt himself getting emotional as well. Naruto pulled him into a hug, he had forgotten that memory but he remembered it clearly now. "Thank you," Naruto stroked his back. "You're the best little brother." 

"I'm your only little brother," Konohamaru protested through the tears. Naruto couldn't help but agree. 

"I definitely have to get you to a ramen bar soon, maybe tonight after we're done working. How does that sound?" 

Konohamaru wiped his tears and nodded. "Sure boss, that sounds good." 

Naruto ruffled his hair and the two soon got back to work, Naruto now had an idea as to what to tell his kids when he got home. 

A/N- Finally home for Christmas, I hope you guys are doing well, the weather has been less than pleasant but it's a perfect excuse to stay in bed and not go anywhere. Fixation is coming to an end, one or two more chapters left and with that, the next book you should be expecting is "Follow Me", Kakegurui-inspired. 

Been a hectic year but we made it, I love you guys so much, and thank you for enjoying my writing so far. I did put out a ShinoNaru oneshot called "Coming Together" this morning, Wattpad was moving weirdly but I think it's up properly now. Just tag me if something is wrong. Trust me I'm reading the comments on each one of the other oneshot books and I've taken them into consideration. 

I hope for a smoother schedule next year but we'll have to see until then I'm not going anywhere, I just might be dropping chapters out of the blue.