I don't own Naruto.
Warnings: YAOI: one-sided ShikaNaru/NaruShika, hints of SasuNaru/NaruSasu.
Fix You
The first time he said it was around one in the morning, while trying to get home from the bar. He hated these kinds of reunions with his friends, the former Rookie Nine. He had been very drunk, and the way he had said it was in no way romantic, or like the way he had thought it out.
"I love you."
It had been a slurr, and at first the person he had said it to had grimaced at his horrible breath and then tried to understand.
"I love you, Uzumaki Naruto."
It was still a slurr. A drunken man's rambles, nothing to be taken seriously, right?
"You're drunk," Naruto had smiled, "you won't even remember this in the morning. And if you do, I'm going to be really surprised."
Nara Shikamaru did remember what he had said, and it ached in his chest when he also remembered how Naruto had responded.
UAUAUA
"I love you."
The second time was while they were watching clouds together. It was a thing they did together very often now, since Akimichi Chouji was busy with running his father's restaurant.
Even though Uchiha Sasuke was back, Naruto still watched clouds with him as soon as there was a little space in his schedule.
"Very funny, Shikamaru. I'm beginning to think you have even worse sense of humour than Sasuke. Which says a lot."
UAUAUA
The third time went better, Shikamaru thought. They were eating lunch in Shikamaru's new apartment, and Naruto looked just as adorable as ever. It had to be the perfect moment, it had to be.
With Naruto's ocean blue eyes focused on something far away outside, his golden hair moving in a soft dance with the wind that sneaked inside from the open window.
"I love you."
"Mhm."
UAUAUA
"I love you."
It was said with passion, feeling, emotion. He was nearly crying, having been afraid to lose Naruto forever. He was still shaking from having used too much chakra, and Naruto looked ready to faint any minute too.
They glanced at each other, then at the missing nins that laid in a pool of blood.
They were a perfect team. Naruto acted and Shikamaru thought, they were the perfect team. No matter what people said about Sasuke and Naruto being soul mates, Shikamaru just hoped they were wrong. Sasuke and Naruto were not soul mates.
Naruto didn't respond this time, as his knees gave out and he fainted from lack of chakra.
UAUAUA
A normal person would probably give up after having admitted their love to somebody four times already. But Shikamaru wanted Naruto so badly, and even if it was troublesome - hell, it was troublesome - he would keep going. He would keep going until Naruto answered right.
"I love you."
"... Okay."
UAUAUA
Shikamaru leaned closer to Naruto, his lips almost touching Naruto's ear shell. He could see the awful glare he got from Sasuke from doing this. Sasuke hated the fact that Naruto spent a lot of time with Shikamaru these days. The Uchiha had yet to accept that Naruto and Shikamaru had formed some kind of a bond while he was in Otogakure no Sato.
"I love you."
It was a whisper, a soft and smooth whisper. It could only be heard by Naruto, not Sasuke or Ino that were trying to keep up with them all the time.
"I know."
Shikamaru almost smiled because of that. The message had sunk in, now he only had to make Naruto love him back, too.
UAUAUA
"I love you!"
They were alone, all alone in Naruto's apartment. Shikamaru was sitting on the couch, listening as Naruto turned the water on in the bathroom, preparing to shower. Shikamaru wished he could join Naruto in the shower, but if he did as it was now, he would probably be killed.
"You've said that already, now shut it, Nara!" Naruto yelled back from the bathroom.
Shikamaru smiled sadly, knowing that he would stop it.
UAUAUA
They were sitting on the field where they always watched clouds. There was no Sasuke to distract Naruto, there was no Ino to try to gain Shikamaru's attention. They were alone, the only living creatures around them some bugs and birds.
"I love you."
Naruto sighed at this; they had been through this enough now. "What do you want from me, Shikamaru?"
"I want you to love me."
Naruto stared at him, his blue eyes narrowing. He didn't move to stand, but he sat up and looked over towards the training grounds where a certain Uchiha would be training at this hour every day. Shikamaru could feel Sasuke's chakra, even though he was pretty far away, and he knew Naruto could feel it too.
"No."
UAUAUA
"I love you."
It was pathetic, really. If anyone else besides Naruto would know about Shikamaru's weak confessions of love they would think that the brown-haired Nara had gone mental. Now, Shikamaru may be lazy - but he was not pathetic.
His love confessions told otherwise, thought.
"I don't love you, so stop saying that, please."
UAUAUA
Shikamaru had lost count of how many times he had said it by now. Naruto came up with new answers every time, and they got more and more annoyed - as if Shikamaru was a small child whining about the time not going fast enough.
"I love you," he said for what felt like the hundredth time as they finished their game of shogi. Shikamaru had won.
Naruto looked up, staring at Shikamaru for a while. He put the board away, the pieces in their red bag on it, and he leaned forward. He placed a hand on Shikamaru's cheek, pressing his soft lips against the Nara's.
Shikamaru found himself quickly, and tried to stick his tongue in Naruto's mouth.
They were disturbed however, as someone knocked on the door. Naruto pushed away, leaving a confused Shikamaru on the floor, as he walked to open the door for Sasuke.
The door was always open for Sasuke...
UAUAUA
"I love you."
After that kiss, Shikamaru had gained hope again. He felt the butterflies come to life whenever Naruto looked at him, flying around in chaos, telling him that there was still a slight chance.
"I don't love you."
UAUAUA
It was obvious that Naruto was a dominant person. Of course he would be dominant in the bed too, Shikamaru thought as he watched through the closed window.
The room was lit up by the lamp on the nightstand, and Shikamaru could see them perfectly.
How Naruto's body moved above Sasuke's.
How Naruto filled Sasuke.
How Naruto kissed Sasuke.
How Sasuke clawed on Naruto's back. Screaming for more, needing more.
How Sasuke clung pathetically to Naruto, his legs wrapped around the blonde's waist. His screaming for more turned into cries, cries of promises. Promises not to leave again, promises not to ever think of something like that.
Shikamaru sighed and jumped down from the tree, landing gracefully on the earth floor.
He had never thought of comparing himself to Uchiha Sasuke before.
But they sure were equally pathetic.
Owari