Arron and Trexx

Chapter 46

Third person pov

"I'm recommending you for the chunin exams." Asuma looked each one of his students in the eyes. Shikamaru barely comprehended the man's words, thoughts of Arron's last therapy session flitting through his brain. The night after, she'd been so upset. He'd had to walk her to the bathroom and start her a bath himself. Yoshino had rushed off to get a towel. Shikamaru could still remember it.

"Here you are, dear." Yoshino said nervously, holding the towel out.

"Thank 'ou." Arron had sniffled quietly, too upset to even realize what she was doing, or that she was talking in front of Yoshino. And when she took the towel from the shell shocked woman, their hands had brushed together, and Arron hadn't even flinched. In fact, the girl hadn't noticed at all.

"Shikamaru, are you listening?" Asuma asked, raised his eyebrows. Faintly, the Nara nodded, blinking rapidly in an attempt to clear his thoughts. Arron sat somewhere behind them under a tree, Trexx with her. The beast was no doubt hating on the sun while trying to decide how to best devour it. Arron was probably solemnly silent, controlling the shadow's around her with relative ease.

"Take these." Asuma gave them the forms. "Fill them out. Taking the chunin exams is optional. You don't have to do it. I will tell you that only a team of three can enter, so if one of you doesn't enter, none of you do." 

"We hear you, Asuma-sensei." Choji nodded, shoving potato chips in his mouth. Shikamaru glanced back at Arron, contemplative. He knew the chunin exams were different each year, but he also knew they were always dangerous, and that there was a pretty good chance he'd have to be away from Arron for a few days... without communication. But maybe that was the kind of separation she needed to give her a push.

"Man, I can't believe I'm stuck with you two going into this! Arron'd make a better teammate than you, Shikamaru. You're way too lazy." Ino accused. Shikamaru didn't deny it. Ino hadn't even seen Arron angry, but she was actually quite intimidating despite her short stature. She could make herself seem a lot bigger and a hell of a lot scarier with little to no effort whatsoever.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru scoffed, glancing back at Arron again. Asuma talked to them more, telling them they were to meet at the academy the next morning should they wish to enter. Shikamaru immediately told Arron all about it, even if he didn't want to, really. He didn't want to worry her.

"Do you 'ave to?" She whispered, her tone of voice nearly making him crumble. He realized with dismay that he was completely whipped. Arron had him wrapped around her finger, just like his mom had his dad. The realization made him sigh, but it was a happy one, almost. At least he now understood how his dad could marry someone so troublesome. Not that Arron was troublesome in the least, of course.

"Choji and Ino really want to try, and I do too." Shikamaru said surely. "I'll be okay. I may be gone for a few days, but you're strong, and getting a lot better about being with my parents. You can stay in my room until I get back, if you want." The Nara offered.

Arron frowned, but nodded, not wanting to get in the Nara's way. She was putting enough weight on his life as it was. She felt as though she were interrupting it. Halting Shikamaru's life, and preventing him from moving forward with it. She was a block in the road, and she hated that. She didn't want to feel like that. She wanted to be normal, and be useful to him. She didn't want to be in the way.

"I wish you could come with me. This whole thing's a drag." Shikamaru sighed. "It'd be better if I could stay behind with you."

Arron glanced at him, glancing back at Trexx soon after. The beast had his eyes narrowed at the sun. "You should do et." Arron whispered. "For 'ourself, and 'our team." 

"Yeah, I guess so." Shikamaru sighed. A part of him wanted to grab Arron's hand and hold it. Not for any particular reason, really, but it felt like it would be natural. But he stopped himself, because they weren't a couple, and that was something couples did. Instead he refrained from touching her, instead giving a lazy grin down at the girl, who offered a small smile back. 

"Hello, Arron! Shikamaru!" Yoshino was overjoyed. Arron had said something to her for the first time! Touched her absentmindedly, without fear! "How was your day?"

"Good." Shikamaru answered, while Arron kept her eyes on the ground. She thought about her mother. Arron knew she herself was not one of the bad people. She knew Shikamaru wasn't a bad person. Arron's mother had been kind and caring. Was Shikamaru's the same way?

She thought about last night. She had been very aware that she was talking to Yoshino, and she'd been very aware that they'd touched. She'd thought about it ever since Yoshino ran off to get the girl a towel, deciding how she'd handle it. She took a chance, and nothing... nothing had happened, really. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but it hadn't been bad. She'd felt, for a moment... normal. Like she belonged.

That was a feeling she craved.