𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

11/29

The Namikaze house, although it looked deserted from the outside, was actually very well kept in the inside. Shikamaru took note of this as he followed Menma into his living room, where he passed photos of his family. The pineapple haired genius felt a stab in his heart as he realised that Menma was the only one left.

 Speaking of Menma, Shikamaru almost didn't recognise him when he opened the door. The Menma he remembered had been just like Naruto; bright, energetic and enthusiastic, not to mention the fact that his hair had been bright blond. Now, his face was sunken, and it looked like he'd dyed his hair black so many times that there was no blond in sight.

"What did you want?" grumbled the Namikaze, beckoning Shikamaru to take a seat once they reached the living room. Shikamaru was still looking around. He saw photos of a woman with red hair and a man who looked similar to Naruto and Menma everywhere, either with each other or apart. Not a single frame had the four posing together, and this saddened Shikamaru deeper. It was either the parents or the twins together in the photos; there was never a family portrait.

"I wanted to ask you about Naruto and [Name], if that's fine with you," started off Shikamaru. Menma sighed, and sat in the armchair across from Shikamaru.

"Go ahead," he mumbled darkly, curling up into a ball. Shikamaru frowned.

"Actually, I was hoping maybe you could just explain it to me..." he said. "Like... everything?"

Menma chewed his tongue thoughtfully before coming up with a good answer.

"It was that bastard's fault," he managed to spit out. "Sasuke set them up. He's a liar and a murderer. It's his fault."

Shikamaru blinked. That was calmer than he expected.

"He hated Naruto. Absolutely loathed him," he continued, wrenching his eyes shut in frustration. "He knew [Name] and Naruto were going away together after they finished high school, and he was just- he was crazy. Insane. He was obsessed with [Name], Shikamaru. Absolutely infatuated. It was creepy, and I felt scared for her sometimes. I think she noticed it too, because she told Naruto that Sasuke freaked her out."

Menma sighed.

"That idiot," he murmured softly, sinking into the back of the armchair. "I warned him to be careful. I warned him."

Shikamaru was intrigued now; why hadn't Menma brought this up earlier? As in, two years earlier would've been helpful. 

Shaking his head, the Nara waited for Menma to continue.

"That whole 'car crash' thing was bullshit," snapped Menma, opening his eyes. Shikamaru saw that they were burning red with unshed tears.

"Sasuke was involved. I just know it!" exclaimed the Namikaze, clenching his hands into fists. Shikamaru felt apologetic now.

"What makes you think that?" he asked softly, hoping not to trigger anymore emotional reactions from the recluse.

"HE WANTED HIM DEAD! I HEARD SO MYSELF!" roared Menma, getting to his feet. He glared at Shikamaru with such passion that said Nara began to feel uneasy. And trust me, making Shikamaru uneasy is not an easy thing to do.

"You should've heard him! He said it straight to [Name] as well!" Now, the Namikaze twin was pacing furiously around the living room, pulling at his hair.

"He said, 'break up with Naruto and be with me'! Can you believe the nerve?! He threatened to kill them if [Name] didn't break up with him! Can you believe it?! I was there, Shikamaru, I heard the whole thing! He cornered [Name] at Naruto's eighteenth and threatened her! He said 'if you don't leave Naruto for me, then I'll have no choice but to force you.' CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, SHIKAMARU?! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!"

By now Menma had his face buried in his hands as the sting of salty tears began to run down his cheeks.

"Knowing [Name], she rejected him, didn't she?" 

"Rejected him?! She didn't even take him seriously!" yelled Menma. "Sure, she told Naruto, but neither of them thought about it much! They both thought Sasuke was just drunk! I warned them, right from the beginning, that the Uchiha was crazy. Neither of them listened. And now what? We have no bodies, just an empty car. Just- empty. No bodies, no closure. Just- gone. Gone, Shikamaru, gone. They're both gone. And no one bothered trying to see where they went. Do you see how fucked up the world is? A couple goes on a trip after some crazy ass stalker threatens them, then they both vanish into thin air after supposedly dying in an accident. Where's the logic in any of that, Shikamaru? Just where?!"

"Why didn't you say any of this before, then?!"

Menma rounded on Shikamaru, nostrils flaring.

"Menma Namikaze, a known ex-delinquent who always got into fights, testifying against Sasuke Uchiha, the heir to Japan's wealthiest company, as well as a genius in his own right. Who would've listened, Shikamaru? Who would've cared?! Compared to Sasuke, I'm nothing. It wouldn't have made a difference- do you know how long I've had to live with this feeling of uselessness? Do you?!"

Shikamaru looked up at Menma.

"We can still make a difference, Menma," he said softly. "Have you forgotten who I am? We can get to the bottom of this; I just need you to trust me."

The Namikaze, who had up until then been huffing with rage, slowly began to calm down and look at Shikamaru.

"I think we should start with his home. Don't you?"