It All Started With A Smell

In A Pinch

He spotted Naruto not too far from the Akamichi compound. She was no longer running but instead walking at a brisk pace, talking to herself. Shikamaru could hear snippets as he ran closer.

"...Did that on purpose... Jerk...he'll never trust me...Butt head...hate you."

Shikamaru was startled when he realised she was talking to the Nine-Tails. He wondered if it was possible for Naruto to communicate with the creature and if she truly was berating something so powerful and dark.

She stopped her muttering and walking when she spotted Choza. At this point Shikamaru was only a few meters behind her. He knew that when she finally had the sense to detect him she would run so he started planning.

"Hey, Teddy Bear, do you know where Captain Yamato is?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the name Naruto gave Choza as the bigger man shook his head. Before Naruto could start walking again, Shikamaru wrapped his shadow around her legs, moving up, over her waist and stopping at her stomach. The Nara's didn't make it known but they could feel the things they grabbed with their shadows, though to a lesser extent. He already felt perverted for grabbing Naruto with his shadow hands, having them on her chest would be crossing a line.

Naruto froze, even though she was capable of moving. Choza looked over at Shikamaru in surprise.

"Sorry, Uncle Choza, but Naruto and I have to talk." He walked closer to the two, stopping beside the blonde.

"Alright, I'll leave you two to it." He walked off, only looking back once.

Shikamaru waited until Choza was gone before looking at Naruto.

"You know I could get out of this, right?"

"I do," He admitted, "I also know you won't."

When Naruto just sighed Shikamaru reached over and pinched her arm, hard. She yelped, grabbing her arm.

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes!" Naruto screeched, glaring at Shikamaru.

"Good. Now I've hurt you on purpose, which is worse than by accident. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"That's not how it works!" She yelled, throwing her hands up. "You don't understand. Now let me go!"

"You're scared cause you lost control and hurt me. You're afraid that it will happen again. It won't because I know you're strong enough, and determined enough to stop it." Shikamaru looked her hard in the eye, refusing to back down.

"What if you're wrong?"

"Then it's my own fault if I get hurt. I'm the one who gets to decide if the pain is worth your company, not you!"

"It DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!" Naruto yelled. She yelped when he pinched her again, harder this time. "Ouch. Stop doing that!"

"Is it going to stop you from being my friend?"

"No."

"Then why the hell would I care about the pain you caused me?" The dark haired boy yelled. His throat was unaccustomed to the volume. "I'm hurting you on purpose and you still see me as a friend. You need to get it into your head that I care about you. There is nothing that will change that. So you need to accept it and forgive yourself."

Naruto sighed and deflated like a balloon. She nodded before Shikamaru let his shadow retract, freeing her. When Shikamaru reached out to grasp her hand she flinched once before letting him take it.

"Come on, I'm hungry." He gave her hand a tug, making her walk with him.

He led Naruto to the barbeque place. Once they were seated in front of the grill Naruto started to fidget. Figuring she wanted him to let go of her hand he did so, only for her to keep fidgeting. After raising an eyebrow at her she blushed.