It All Started With A Smell

A Need For Hope

Stifling a yawn, he plopped down into the seat across from Choji. At least he thought it was Choji. He had only opened his eyes long enough to find the seat. With a grunt he asked someone to order him a coffee. The smell helped to wake him enough that he could open his eyes and find the cup.

"Why are you so tired?" Ino asked, sipping her tea.

"Long, long day, and night... and morning. I actually haven't slept. Dad and I have been working with Uncle Inoichi to try and create a plan of attack against Pain." He took a large gulp of his coffee only to singe his tongue. "Ar, hot."

He took the glass of water that Kurenai-Sensei handed him. "So you've had no luck?"

"Not really. The hostage and the body Lord Jiraiya provided us with have been helpful. Uncle Inoichi has looked through everything the hostage could provide about Pain, and Shizune and Lady Hokage have autopsied the Pain body. You would think we had a heap of information on the enemy now but unfortunately we don't. We spent all day coming up with strategies with little luck." With a sigh he ran his hand through his long hair.

"Shikamaru, is there any reason you've been leaving your hair down lately?" Ino asked after they had let the Nara man's words sink in.

"Naruto took my last elastic." He took a more tentative sip of his coffee.

"Why don't you just get it back off her?" Choji shrugged.

He frowned at his best friend. "Because she's not here. She went on a mission over a week ago. I don't even know when she'll be back."

"Serious?" Choji yelped. "How did we not notice?"

"Cause we don't see her almost every day like Shikamaru does," Ino laughed. "So where is she?"

"Can't say. Lady Hokage told me that Naruto was only given permission to tell one person where she was going. It's for safety so that the Akatsuki can't track her down."

"That's fair," Kurenai-Sensei agreed. "Just one question though. When did Naruto become a girl?"

Shikamaru took a deep breath, his eyes closed. "Well, that's another person whose been told. Naruto is female. Always has been, just has hidden it for safety reasons."

"Did Asuma know?"

"Um, yeah, he found out just before... the mission." Shikamaru cleared his throat.

"Oh." Kurenai-Sensei shook off her pain. "So you know that Asuma set you and Naruto up on a date once, right?"

"I knew it!"

"You and Naruto have been on a date?" Ino asked in surprise.

"I'm pretty sure they've been on multiple dates." Choji was easily ignored by Shikamaru.

"Technically no. Asuma-Sensei and I found Naruto suffering from chakra depletion and Asuma-Sensei invited her to have dinner with us, then he disappeared when I went to the bathroom. It wasn't really a date, more just two friends hanging out. I've tried to ask Naruto to go on dates with me but they always get misinterpreted."

"How?" Ino yelped.

"It's Naruto!" Shikamaru snorted. "That's why this time I made sure to actually use the word date when asking her out to dinner."

"And did she respond to that?" Kurenai-Sensei asked calmly.

"She went a little red but she seemed alright with the idea." Shikamaru paused. "This is weird to walk about."

"Get over it, I've been wanting to talk to you about this since I first started to think you two liked each other. Which I think was after one of your 'should have been a date'. Do you remember when Sakura and I saw you guys after you and Naruto had had lunch? The way you two were just so comfortable together, and she actually got you laughing and smiling in public." Ino smiled before it became strained. "But there is something Choji and I wanted to talk to you about?"