at a resolve

Chapter Four

The Nara prodigy watched as the son of the Fourth Hokage effortlessly aimed dozens of shuriken at a log, forming a perfect vertical line. Judging by the expression on his face, it would seem he was merely rather pissed that the result was flawless. But Shikamaru knew it was something entirely different. He continued to look on.

How Naruto managed to remain oblivious to his presence was beyond him. Shikamaru cleared his throat.

Naruto turned to his direction in an instant but his features were relaxed. As his eyes locked with Shikamaru's, he sighed.

"Enemies normally don't clear their throats when sneaking in for an attack," Shikamaru stated, jumping from the tree branch.

"But you are not an enemy," Naruto casually replied, his eyes staring at the ground and one hand playing with a kunai. "So I am lucky."

Shikamaru just shrugged. He reached for his own shuriken as he walked toward Naruto. "Do you want me to tell you what area you should train on?"

The blonde considered it for a moment. "Hmm, you and Kakashi have been talking about me, haven't you?" he asked quite playfully, smiling softly.

"Sort of," Shikamau replied as he hurled his own shuriken below the line Naruto had made earlier. It also aligned wih the rest of Naruto's shuriken perfectly. "He's too eager to pass the hat to you. Said he was never cut for that kind of work."

"He never wanted it," Naruto chuckled. "But no, I don't want to start with the training yet, Shikamaru. Like I told him three months earlier, there's still some things I feel like I need to sort out."

Naruto took a deep breath and lowered himself down to sit cross-legged on the grass. Shikamaru proceeded to do the same.

"Okay, I respect that. But I would like to give you a clue. Your skill in the battlefield is Hokage-level, and that's the humblest way we can state it," Shikamaru said. "All you need is to know how the system works, political and economical."

"I know," Naruto whispered. "But I don't think I am ready yet. I promise to give everything I have in the training once I've started, and you know I keep my word."

"Yeah, I believe you. Then what brings you out here then, training when it's almost midnight?" Shikamaru asked.

"Hm. Can't sleep, that's all," Naruto said casually, though a look of defeat at convincing his friend quickly spread across his face. "I don't know really."

"I'm not indifferent, Naruto. I know why you're here," Shikamaru smirked, shaking his head.

Naruto eyed him. "Yeah. I'm not stupid either, Shikamaru. I know why you're here too."

"Okay, but no one sent me. I just happened to pass by," said Shikamaru.

"Pass by? This training ground in the middle of the forest? Hm." Naruto faced Shikamaru, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Fine." Shikamaru waved his hand, as if to swat Naruto off his face. "I looked for you. I heard what happened."

Naruto pulled back and heaved a sigh. His hand gripped the grass around him tightly.

Shikamaru observed him and let silence linger for a while before speaking. "Remember when we were still genins? When we were sent as a team to go after Sasuke?"

Naruto gaped at him. Shikamaru knew the blonde clearly remembered.

"I failed all of you," Shikamaru blatantly stated.

Naruto stared at him; a surprised look was on his face. "No, you didn't - "

"Choji and Neji almost died," Shikamaru said, cutting him off. "If the sand ninja did not arrive, I'd have led Kiba and Rock Lee straight to their deaths as well."