A week's time

Welcome

"W-What did you say?"  Naru stuttered in disbelief, her eyes widened as she pinched herself making sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Let's go." Shikamaru ignored her question and pulled her to who knows where.

They walked up a staircase which involved Shikamaru catching her every time she tripped on the stairs with a "Troublesome woman." Before they turned to the left as she heard a door open. She stood there not knowing what to do as she couldn't see, she slowly reached out and slowly walked closer, hoping to find a wall of somesorts to lean on.

When Shikamaru exited his room with a pile of clothes in his hand, his eyes nearly popped out of it's sockets. She was trying to find a wall he knew, but she was one step away from stepping on empty space and tumbling down the stairs!

"Shunshin no jutsu!" He flickered near Naru and managed to pull her backwards before she could start rolling down his family's stairs. Shikamaru landed on his back while Naru landed on him, causing him to groan in pain.

Seriously, he didn't even left for a minute and she was already causing him trouble. "Troublesome woman." He grunted out and Naru's cheeks flamed from embarrassment. She didn't know there was a stair there...

It was Kurama's fault since he decided to sleep and she was left alone helpless as she tried to find a wall.

'Kurama...' she called out only to receive snores as reply.

'Kurama!' she shouted for help only to receive silence. Her face blushed in anger as she felt stuck, why did he have to choose this moment in time to sleep?

He sighed as he sit up and picked up the clothes that flew from his hands when he shunshined towards her.

"Go take a bath." He said as he directed her to a toilet and left her there in silence. She stood still with the soft fabric in her hands, but she doesn't know what to do now.

"S-Shikamaru!" she called out and waited, Shikamaru knocked on the door before entering.

Naru reached out her hands in attempt to grab anything and took shaky steps forward. Her hand tightened its hold on the edge of his shirt as she held on to dear life. He allowed her to do so as he sighed, "What do you need now Naruto?"

"I can't see." she stated the obvious as her grip on his shirt tightened, forming creases on the ironed shirt.

"Right..." He muttered and she could hear him slapping his own face. Groaning he clasped his hand with hers and walked out of the bathroom, slowing down when they reached the steps. "Walk slowly, don't trip again."

Just as he said that, her foot tripped on one of the steps as she felt her body fall forward, squeezing her eyes shut she waited for both of them to tumble down together, only to feel a strong tug on her hand as she was pulled against gravity and into a embrace.

"Did you really have to trip when I said that?" Shikamaru groaned at his own crow's beak. Her face flushed again ashamed, it wasn't as if she wanted to trip! Her expression was full of being wronged.

Although Shikamaru called her troublesome and kept berating her, she could nonetheless feel the concern he had for her.

It was a first for Naru, to receive care and concern from someone other than Jii Jii hokage or Teuchi and Ayame san. Shikamaru was the only one from the academy that bothered with her and showed her concern.

He was also her first friend.

Seeing her so quiet and deep in thought, Shikamaru panicked a little. Was he too overboard? Just as he was about to apologize, she said, "Thank you for being my friend." Sending a blinding smile in his way.