It All Started With A Smell

Chapter 10 - Big Dumby and An Idiot

Asuma's POV:

His heart must have been beating. He was still alive after all. But he couldn't feel it. He felt hollow, empty. The only thing he did manage to feel was sick and guilty. He had seen the barrier but had thought... he had been arrogant enough to think that his father wouldn't need any help. Why would he? He was the strongest man Asuma had ever known, how could he be defeated by a coward like Orochimaru? He should have stayed and helped, there was nothing more important than his father's, the Hokage's safety.

Slowly he rose to his feet. There was no point in staying in his room, staring at the wall. It was so dark too. He hadn't thought to open the curtains but it didn't matter now. He stumbled from the room, avoiding the sight of the pictures on the walls. His brother, and now his father. There was no point wallowing. He needed to do something. Kurenai was in the hospital. Her arm had been injured during the invasion. He could bring her flowers. His father would have encouraged him too. He always said that a beautiful woman deserved flowers, so that she could see how they paled in comparison to her.

Ino took the time to help him select a bouquet even though the shop was extremely busy. Once he left the shop he walked straight to the hospital, ignoring those in the streets who tried to show him pity. He didn't want to deal with it, didn't want to see their faces. Every time he met the gaze of another he saw their heartache, and their scrutiny. They were waiting to see if he would break. With every look he felt a stab of pain and a fresh wash of despair, as though he was seeing him all over again. He was beginning to regret leaving his house when he spotted Shikamaru, pacing outside the hospital.

A small smile appeared on Asuma's face as he noticed that the boy was muttering to himself. This was the ninja... the child that Asuma had gone to rescue, leaving his father to his own battle. Looking at him though, clearly debating on whether to enter the hospital or not, Asuma decided that he didn't blame Shimamaru. He couldn't blame him. Shikamaru hadn't asked to be saved. With a shake of his head Asuma walked up to his student, halting his pacing.

"Shikamaru, just go in and see the boy!"

"What?" Shikamaru yelped, only to scoff at himself. "I don't know what you mean."

He chuckled. It was weak, but it felt good. He put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, guiding him into the hospital. Naruto was still in the same room they had put him in yesterday. When they opened the door Naruto didn't move. He sat on the bed, his legs out in front of him, staring at his hands in his lap. It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had stopped the Sand-Demon. The light that always seemed to radiate from the boy was dimmed, near non-existent. Looking at Shikamaru, he could tell the dark-haired boy didn't know what to do. Asuma pulled a sun flower out of the bundle of flowers in his arms, considering his actions. The flower had looked out of place to him but he didn't know if Naruto would appreciate the item. Perhaps he would find it odd and feel uncomfortable, receiving it from a boy. Figuring he could always talk his way out of the situation he held the flower out to Shikamaru, receiving a confused look in return.

Asuma nodded towards Naruto, only to have Shikamaru shake his head furiously, pushing the flower away. Giving him a hard look, Asuma forced the sun flower into his student's hand. With a sigh the lazy boy took it, walking up to Naruto slowly, as though trying to draw out the walk to the noose.

"Naruto?" Shikamaru asked in a soft voice.

The blonde looked up slowly, his eyes empty. When he focused on Shikamaru a look of surprise flashed through his features before he lunged himself off the bed, wrapping his arms around Shikamaru's neck. The dark-haired boy had barely saved himself from crashing to the ground, instead sitting involuntarily on the arm rest of the chair behind him. The hand not holding the flower clumsily came up to Naruto's back as the other boy's shoulders shook.