Kami's Angel

4

Third POV - Team 10
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As they hopped through the forest back to konoha all of team 10 were lost in deep thought, thinking about what their usually calm teammate could've possibly saw that made him stay behind. Asuma was the worst off out of all of them. Shikamaru was like a son to him and whatever made him act like that was obviously something that means a lot to him. And, not gonna lie, it hurt him a bit to know there is something Shikamaru cares so deeply for that he doesn't know about. He thought they told each other everything. It just wasn't adding up in his brain so he decided to try to stop dwelling on it so he could focus on his other students.

As they entered the main gates of Konoha they barley registered Izumo and Kotetsu sleeping at they registration booth and just went to the hokages office still in a daze. When the entered the office Tsunade looked up and immediately asked "where's Shikamaru?" Directing a concerned look in Asumas direction. Seeing the look Asuma said "he requested to stay back, but also said not to worry and that he would be back soon" Tsunade did not look convinced and started ranting about how the animals and how they could easily kill him. Team 10 just sat there and watched her rant until she said something about Shikamaru being an idiot for staying and choji said "don't say that about Shikamaru! I may not know why he stayed but I trust him and I know he'll come back alive!" Everyone turned to him taken back by his outburst since he was normally the peacemaker of the three genins. Tsunade stared at him for 5 minutes before sending them away and pulling out her sake.

Shikamaru POV
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We've been sitting in this clearing for nearly half an hour and Naruto still hasn't woken up. As I was playing with his hair I heard a twig snap in the nearby woods. I looked over and saw a fox walking out from the tree line. We made eye contact and he froze for a second before walking over and snatching Naruto away from me. "Hey what's the big idea?" I asked slightly irritated. It just looked at me then leaned down and licked Naruto's forehead. I was about to take Naruto back when he groaned and sat up. When he opened his eyes I saw the most striking blue I've ever seen, they were shiny like crystals but looking closer I saw sadness and a dullness in them. He looked at the fox and immediately lit up and said "Kurama what are you doing here? I thought you were busy in hell"

(Ok so I know earlier in the story I said kurama was staying with Naruto in heaven or whatever, but I've changed my mind. Now he and Naruto share a mind link and kurama stays in hell to watch over it as the king so yeah)

The fox chuckled and pointed to me. I froze.

Naruto POV
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I woke up to something licking my face so I sat up and groaned at the light. Letting my eyes adjust I opened them slowly and when I did I saw Kurama sitting there looking at me warmly. "Kurama what are you doing here? I thought you were busy in hell" I said excitedly. I'm so happy, Kura doesn't have much time to visit anymore since he has to rule over hell now. He chuckled then pointed behind me. Confused I turned around and froze. Sitting behind me staring back at me was my best friend from 9 years ago. Shikamaru. I quickly scramble up and away thinking this was another illusion. "N-Naruto?" I heard him ask, but I refuse to believe it, it's not Shika because he wouldn't be in the forest of death. He always said it was to much of a drag when I asked him to come with me. There's no way he's here. "Stop messing with me Shika I'm tired of seeing these illusions" I said trembling because seeing him hurts. It hurts me knowing I never said goodbye and just left him to wonder if I was dead or alive. I know I hurt him and I feel horrible, but I can't face him yet, I'm not ready. "Illusion? What do you mean Naru I'm right here." I hate these illusions they always show up at the worst times. I can feel a panic attack coming on, and I think Kura can feel it to because I feel him run up and start patting my back. I think I'm gonna black out.

Kurama POV
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"Kit!" I yell as I lung towards him. I don't want him to black out or fall down and get a concussion. I see the Nara boy hesitating to help from the corner of my eye so I yell at him to get his sorry ass over here. He does and once he gets here I tell him to rub Narutos back in circles while I try to talk to him. When the Nara kid is ok doing that I sit in-front of my kit and pull him into our shared mindscape.

Once inside the mindscape I see him curled up in a ball so I rush over to him and start whispering sweet nothings in his ear to calm him down. Around 10 minutes later he is calm enough to talk, so I sit him in my lap, look him in the eyes and say "kit, I know your scared but the Nara kid is here, It's not an illusion this time" he looks at me, his eyes more focused, and says "he's really here?" In a quivering voice. I pull him close so he doesn't see the tears form in my eyes. He hasn't been this scared in a long time so I'm not as used to it anymore. I just nod in response to his question not trusting my voice and he stays there for a few more seconds before leaving the mindscape.

Third POV
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Shikamaru was worried about Naruto. Ever since he was told to rub his back Naruto and kurama both dropped as if they passed out and he has no idea what to do. 'So much for being a genius' he though drearily. So he just sat there and continued to rub Narutos back.

After 10 minutes had passed Naruto woke up and looked at Shikamaru who stared back. He was about to say something when Naruto hesitantly lifted his hand. Shikamaru understood and nodded, so Naruto lifted his hand to touch Shikamaru's face. He started to trace it with his fingers as tears pooled in his eyes but refused to spill over. Neither one of them said a word as Naruto mapped out Shikamaru's face, never once looking away from one another. When the first tear dropped from Naruto's eye he smiled, a genuine smile, and tackled Shikamaru. Shikamaru hugged him back and Naruto buried his face in the Nara's neck trying to memorize his scent. Meanwhile Shikamaru had started to cry as well and was holding onto Naruto tightly, as if he thought if he were to hold him any less tight he would disappear again.

When they finally released each other they were smiling and Shikamaru decided to start the conversation by asking "where have you been all this time?" Naruto sat back and said "well it's kinda hard to explain, but basically I've been staying with kami" Shikamaru snapped his head up at that and looked at Naruto as if he had grown another head. Naruto just chuckled and continued, "it's weird because we're not staying in heaven or anything like that but it's not on earth either, it's kinda like somewhere in between where only we can go" he finished trailing off a bit. Shikamaru was dumbstruck. His best friend? Living with kami? Somewhere in between? It was all so confusing to him, and of course his brain was trying to think of a logical explanation.

When he snapped out of his thoughts he saw Naruto petting the fox, who was still passed out, and humming softly to himself. 'How long was I thinking for?' Shikamaru thought sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck. Naruto seemed to notice his friend had snapped out of it and looked up to meet his eyes. When their eyes met Shikamaru felt an overwhelming sense of calm wash over him. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Gazing into the soft icy blue pools that were Naruto's eyes, he felt so at peace with everything, like nothing could go wrong in this moment.

(Ok hear me out I know that probably sounded a bit like Shika likes Naruto, but trust me they are just close friends, Shikamaru is gonna get with Temari later and Naruto with Sasuke. They are just very close friends....I also don't know what else to add so...)

Time skip
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Shikamaru and Naruto talked well into the night, catching up on the past 9 years they had been apart. Naruto revealed that he sometimes went into the village at night to visit his old friends and calm them if they were having nightmares.

"So do you have a crush?" Naruto asked curiously. Shikamaru just sighed with a slight blush and replied "so you know how we're in the middle of the chuunin exams right?" Naruto nodded "well there's this girl named Temari and she's cool I guess" Shikamaru added the last part on quickly and Naruto chuckled. "What about you? Is there anyone you like" Shikamaru asked. Narutos face flushed and he started fidgeting with the end of his dress. Shikamaru raised a brow while a scary aura floated around him "so there is someone I have to threaten" he said sinisterly "who's the lucky guy" he asked. "Y-you know him, it's Sasuke" Naruto said nervously and Shikamaru stopped and stared at him trying to process this new information.
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"THE UCHIHA?!"

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1673 words

So I started the were story I'm gonna try to finish a few chapters before I publish it so you might have to wait a bit. Sorry I took so long to update this chapter, school has been trying me lately but that you for waiting and I hoped you enjoyed it