Words in italic are thoughts.

Words in bold and italic are Kyuubi's thoughts

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Shikamaru was watching the clouds. It was peaceful and oddly quiet in Konoha for once. Shikamaru contemplated this for a moment and decided he preferred the quiet, it was easier to sleep. He felt himself slowly drifting off, a state of complete relaxation coming over him. Suddenly he heard a loud popping noise, as though something had exploded coming from somewhere near the bottom of his hill. "HEY SHIKAMARU WHAT'S UP?!" Shikamaru groaned and rolled over onto his other side, the one facing away from the other ninja while he happily trudged up to the top of the hill. The idiot, why does he have to just pop up like that? Even better, why does he have to wear such bright orange?

"Come ON, you're not too lazy to answer, are you? SHIKAMARU! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!" Shikamaru politely nodded, barely moving his head but he was sure Naruto would have noticed it anyway. And if he hadn't, who was he to care? Go away can't you see I'm busy? It was troublesome to actually speak. Shikamaru sighed instead of voicing his thoughts.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO LAZY ON A DAY LIKE THIS?" By now the other ninja was standing over Shikamaru, his hands on his hips. Shikamaru sighed again and just closed his eyes, wishing the noise would go away. He thought dryly, being Naruto he would never go away if it wasn't for ramen. For some reason Naruto just wouldn't leave him alone, no matter how much Shikamaru ignored him. Or tried to Shikamaru's inner voice pointed out. Shut up, I try my best Shikamaru told the voice. He remembered the first time he had met Naruto, on a day so different from this. It was cold and rainy and Shikamaru had spent the entire day napping in one of his favorite trees. Shikamaru was only seven but he was a genius, even then. He had been contemplating how troublesome it was to actually bother to win at Shogi, regardless of the fact that he could win with barely a thought to what he was actually doing. He remembered hearing a noise and almost fell out of the tree when he saw a bright orange figure streak past him in the air, sobbing. The orange-clad boy landed on one of the branches of an adjacent tree. He appeared to have noticed Shikamaru after a while and Shikamaru, being at loss for what to do for once, stared back at the other boy. He remembered the other boy starting to sob even more and mumble something which may have been an apology. Shikamaru had jumped over to the other tree and just sat next to the boy until the other had left. Shikamaru remembered so well. Shikamaru's thoughts snapped back to the present when Naruto shifted and an odd look crossed his face.

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Shikamaru just looked so…good? A familiar voice suggested at the back of his head. Naruto wished that Kyuubi would shut up and let him finish his sentences himself for once. His thoughts slowly drifted back to Shikamaru lying on the ground in front of him and he felt the beginnings of a blush steal across his face. Look at him just lying there; he looks so … delicious … doesn't he? Naruto felt his blush deepen and his throat felt dry. Shikamaru looked so deep in thought or perhaps the lack of it that Naruto almost felt guilty for bothering him. Suddenly he noticed that Shikamaru was staring at him, quite openly, and he blushed even more.

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What is up with him? Shikamaru watched the blush deepen on Naruto's face. He decided that unless one of them broke the silence now it would probably become awkward to speak later. How troublesome. "Naruto, did you eat some bad ramen?"

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Naruto almost jumped at the sound of Shikamaru's voice. "N-n-o, I was j-j—ust …uh... thinking" he stuttered. He probably thinks I'm even more of an idiot now! Why do I always have to mess things up? Because you are an idiot. Naruto groaned. Shikamaru just kept on looking at him and Naruto felt even more awkward. He even forgot why he had wanted to find Shikamaru in the first place. Something about Tsunade baa-chan? "Shika-Shikamaru, can I look at the clouds with you?" The hag could wait he decided.

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Shikamaru felt surprised, why would Naruto want to look at the clouds? With him? Hopefully he wasn't going to pull a prank on Shikamaru or something troublesome like that. Regardless, he nodded and noted the look of relief that was now washing over Naruto's face mixed with some joy and something else. He felt, rather than heard, Naruto drop down onto the ground next to him causing a slight tremor go through the ground. He frowned, noticing that the other boy was lying close to him, very close indeed. So close, if I reach out I could touch him…WHY WOULD I EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT?! Shikamaru sighed again and tried to settle his thoughts by looking up at the clouds. That one there looked like a kunai, that one like a pig, that one like…Naruto? Shikamaru shifted his position a bit, uncomfortable yet again at the thought of Naruto. Why does being around him make me feel like this? His movements had actually moved him closer to the blond he noticed with some shock at the thought of being even closer. A snore brought him out of his musings and he realized that the other boy had fallen asleep, perhaps even a while ago. He noted the fact that the sun had moved considerably from where it was when Naruto first appeared. Soon it would grow dark and the ground would get cold. But until then, I can nap. Shikamaru closed his eyes, the quiet washing in waves over him and fell into a peaceful slumber.

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Naruto felt something warm brush against his leg and he moved closer, holding on to the warmth. It was so nice to sleep, he hadn't slept like this in a while…