Emotionless

XV. Determination

"He's holed himself in that room for days after the funeral." Asuma said worriedly, it was bad because Naruto didn't even want to let Shikamaru in. Shikamaru sighed and leaned against the door, Naruto's sixteenth birthday came and went and they didn't hear anything other then slight movements and the shower running occasionally.

"Well, Shikamaru fix him." Sakura said and Shikamaru sighed even more.

He missed Naruto, he was right there, but he didn't get to touch him, or kiss him, or even deal with his anger.

"Does it look like I can do anything if Naruto isn't letting any of us in?" Shikamaru's voice was angry, he hadn't been able to do anything for a month. No kissing, no hugging and no sex, and they just started getting more intimate.

"I'm sorry." Sakura responded, Shikamaru must be feeing so many emotions right now, and she wasn't helping the situation.

"I'm just as worried as you all are, but I've done this before. So I will sit against the door, until he's ready to let us back in." Shikamaru said sighing, even if he really did miss Naruto, he had to wait for Naruto to come to him.

So team seven and team ten along with Asuma did the same thing. They sat around the door and talked, Shikamaru tended to just nodded and mutter words of agreement. Naruto laid in his bed as he looked at the ceiling.

He felt so empty. Like he lost his soul. He was lost, like he lied in a river, floating further and further away from his destination. He wanted Shikamaru, but he had no motive to even stand up and open the door.

No motivation to release the seal.

Even it had been a month since the funeral.

"Your friends are worried, and your mate may spiral into depression."

"You don't think I know that? I should've killed the snake in the forest."

"But you didn't, so how are you going to fix it? How are you going to fix your mistake?"

"I'm not sure."

"You know what needs to be done, you are a genius, a Shinobi genius, you've been trained by the old bastard himself, you know what you need to do."

"I don't know, I'm unsure."

"You aren't, think Naruto."

Naruto laid there, he continued looking at the ceiling. Everything he did was to protect Sasuke, but everything Ji-San did was to protect the village. Similar ideals, but Ji-San died, and it wasn't because he was weak, but because in a fight with someone with a lot of chakra involved, Ji-San would have never stood a chance.

Naruto sat up quickly, his red hair was disheveled,he was an excellent opponent to Orochimaru, it was why he was able to slice an arm clean off, Naruto can beat anybody in a will of Chakra. He had to kill the snake, while making sure to protect his friends.

"I'll just have to end his life the next time I see him."

"You need to train with the sword more, there are many things that you haven't accomplished yet, be ready the next time you meet him."

"I'll save my friends, and avenge the old man. Believe it."

Naruto stood and went to shower, and everybody outside the door, exhaled when they heard the shower cut on. Shikamaru closed his eyes, thinking of the last thing Naruto said to him before he shut everybody out.

He called him possessive, and it made him chuckle. He was only possessive because it was Naruto's own damn fault for being so beautiful, it was his good genes that made him want to possessive anyways.

Who in their right mind was going to deny Naruto? That beautiful scarlet colored hair, and piercing blue eyes, those whisker marks on his cheeks, that tanned colored skin, and those smarts?

Nobody, anybody with a brain would deal with Naruto's attitude if it meant at night those soft hands would rub against their beard, or scalp, or any part of their body.

So yes, Shikamaru felt like he needed to be possessive. That he needed to protect what was his. The door opened, and Shikamaru felt those soft hands, as those arms got tossed around his neck, and his hands found its way to Shikamaru's beard.

"Sorry for worrying you all." Naruto said in what sounded like regret, that he allowed himself to wallow in his self pity, that he allowed his guilty conscience to eat him alive. That he missed out on the feeling of being full because of his mistake.

Naruto watched as relief, flooded his friends and Shikamaru, he saw his father lighting a cigarette, and he just sighed into Shikamaru's hair.

"You scared us dobe." Sasuke said and Ino nodded.

"Have you eaten? Would you like me and Sakura to cook?" Ino asked and Naruto gave his friends a kind smile.

"If you all don't mind, thank you for waiting for me like Shikamaru." Naruto said and his friend gave him a smile back.

"You can always count on us to be there when you having a rough time." Choji said and Sakura sighed.

"Just don't scare us like this again." Naruto nodded, and they all stood to go cook, Naruto continued running his hand through Shikamaru's now defined beard. It was definitely cute on him.

"You had me worried, I'm glad you are okay." Asuma said and Naruto nodded.

"You should check on Kakashi, you haven't seen him in a month." Asuma nodded and stood kissing the forehead of Naruto before leaving, only leaving Shikamaru and Naruto. Naruto closed his door, allowing Shikamaru to lean back on it, so he could sit in his lap.

Those hands continued to run across Shikamaru's face, it had been a month since they were intimate. Naruto didn't want to jump his bones, be he wanted contact, love and understanding.

"It took you a month, but I know you have a plan." Shikamaru whispered, Naruto nodded and sighed against Shikamaru's neck.

"I made the mistake of not killing him in the forest, thinking that if he couldn't wield a Jutsu, he couldn't possible take Sasuke, however." Naruto started as he tried to explain what him and Kurama talked about in the shower.

"He can use a forbidden Jutsu name Reanimation, where he cast a Genjutsu to kick the soul out of a person, and then take the body over. So me slicing his arms did nothing but give him the chance to use that Jutsu." Shikamaru nodded.

"Kurama said that Ji-San sealed his arms away, but he can reanimation and get new arms, so the only way I can kill him is by slicing all of his body parts or stabbing him in the heart, or..." Shikamaru eyes widened.

"You can't be thinking that? That's the same seal on your body." Shikamaru yelled lowly and Naruto nodded.

"That is the last resort, I'll be doing more training with the fox sword." Shikamaru tightened the hold on Naruto, Naruto for a second thought he was going to die.

"If I have to got through this life alone, I won't make it." Naruto eyes widened when he felt tears on his shoulders.

"I love you too much to allow you to die in battle." Shikamaru said as his tears came out more frequently.

"I will not walk this life alone, you can't leave me here alone Naruto." Naruto places his hand on the back of Shikamaru's head, speaking lowly.

"Shikamaru, I love you too. So much." Naruto whispered, continuing to calm his lover down.

"I wouldn't dare be killed before I can give Asu-sensei and Shikaku grandchildren, put some faith in me." Naruto whispered as he kissed Shikamaru's temple. Shikamaru calmed slightly. He lifted his head and watched as Naruto's face seemed to be at peace, he watched as Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes, with a fond smile.

"I'm sorry that I made you cry." Naruto said as he leaned in to Shikamaru, before his lips reached Shikamaru, he said one more thing.

"I'll train super hard, I'll make sure my moves are even more flawless, precise and pristine. I'll make my parents proud, Shikamaru." Naruto lips met Shikamaru's as they seemed to forget time, and that their friends were downstairs.

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