Part I

The wind howled through the deserted streets as the snow continued falling, now seeming to be even heavier than before. The trains were nearly paralyzed in the relentless snowstorm, and Naruto had been lucky to get on one of the last one before the Line was shut down. As it was, he was worried he wouldn't make it to his final destination. Fortunately there were only three more stops to go, but the snail's pace of the train was driving him crazy.

I could get off now and probably walk faster he thought. But of course, I'd probably freeze trying.

He sighed and looked out the window as the train slowly went through and S-curve and changed over onto a different track. It was 11:02 pm on New Year's Eve and it had started snowing five hours earlier, lightly at first, but then increasing in intensity as the wind picked up and the temperature plunged.

Naruto thought back to earlier in the day, when Sasuke had become so angry with him….

"Naruto, are you seriously telling me that you aren't going to my family's estate for New Year's?" Sasuke had asked in disbelief.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry," Naruto had said. "You know how your family always treats me, basically ignoring me unless they find an opportunity to ridicule me."

"I know they are unkind to you, but they'll never change unless you show them how wonderful you are."

"I really don't feel well either," Naruto lied. "I started to feel ill yesterday and it seems to be persisting. I'm just going to rest in bed all night."

"I wish you weren't ill, but try to understand…" Sasuke was becoming less patient with his boyfriend now. "There are certain obligations that I can't get out of and I expect you to be available at those times…I need you, Naruto."

"I'm sorry," Naruto weakly murmured.

"Just forget it," Sasuke said as he finished dressing. He paused at the door as he was about to leave.

"Happy New Year," he said, walking out of the room.

Naruto's tears slid softly down his cheek into the soft satin of the pillow he was laying against in bed.

The shrill whistle of the train brought Naruto back to the present hour. He wiped a tear from his cheek as the train pulled up to the platform.

Naruto descended the train's stairs and walked out onto the platform. The frigid wind tore at Naruto's wool coat as he briskly walked across the platform and out onto the street. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and looked at the clock on the platform. It read 11:33 pm.

Naruto quickly waked the few blocks he still knew by heart and found the familiar building to look like an oasis in the desert. He climbed the few flights of stairs and stopped outside of the door he had come to so many times before, a sudden apprehension going through his mind. He knocked on the door and a moment later heard someone inside walking toward it.

"Naruto…," Shikamaru said in near disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Naruto stood in the hallway dumbly, staring up at the face he hadn't seen in months, the beautiful face he had missed so much. Tears welled up in his eyes and began spilling down across his face as his backpack slid down, falling onto the floor.

"Naruto, why are you crying?" Shikamaru asked softly, holding out his hand.

Naruto launched himself into Shikamaru's arms, wrapping his own around Shikamaru and tightly holding onto him. The two boys held each other for a long moment…Naruto pressing his face against the warm softness of the cotton tshirt that Shikamaru was wearing and Shikamaru inhaling the intoxicating scent of Naruto through the blonde hair.

"I missed you so much Shika-kun," Naruto cried out. "I had to see you tonight, for New Year's…"

"Shhhh, it's ok, little one," Shikamaru said, running his hand through the blonde hair and hugging Naruto to him. "I've missed you too, but I didn't expect to see you today. And the weather is terrible."

"I know," Naruto said, laughing a little as his tears subsided. "I was so worried I wouldn't make it. All the trains are now shut down, probably all day tomorrow too if this storm lasts as long as predicted."

"Come inside then," Shikamaru said as he picked up Naruto's backpack from the hallway floor and closed the door. Naruto finally released him and looked up at Shikamaru's smiling face. He put his arms around Shikamaru's neck and pulled him down and the two kissed for a long moment.

"Come on, let's go inside," Shikamaru said as Naruto kicked off his shoes.

Naruto hugged Shikamaru again, all the emotions he had been holding inside for the past few months seemed to be easing themselves. Naruto stood on top of Shikamaru's bare feet so make himself a couple inches taller and kissed him again.

Shikamaru began slowly walking down the hallway, holding Naruto against him, and balancing the blonde boy's feet on his while he moved forward. The two laughed together at how silly they were being, both happy to see the other after so long and only communicating by letters.

"Hey Shino," Shikamaru called out. "Guess what blew in from the snowstorm."

Shino was lying on the sofa, half asleep. He glanced up and stared at the sight oddly for a moment before realizing there were two boys then he recognized Naruto.

"Naruto!" Shino exclaimed, smiling and laughing. "Yeah I guess that's probably about the last thing I would have expected to blow in tonight."

He got up and gave Naruto a hug.

"How've you been?"

"All right," Naruto said. "You know me."

"Hmmmm, I think I might head to bed….I'm kind of tired," Shino said, thinking that the two would want to be alone.

"No, wait, Shino," Shikamaru spoke up. "You don't have to yet, and you bought that cake earlier that you said you would share for New Year's. Why don't we have some now?"

"Oh, I'd love a piece of cake," Naruto said, a broad smile spreading across his face.

"Cakku, cakku, cakku," Shino said, walking out into the kitchen. "I'll make some tea for us."

Shikamaru and Naruto sat down on the floor by the coffee table that was in front of the sofa, and looked at each other.

"Naruto," Shikmaru began, "Do you know how much this means to me to have you come see me tonight?"

"It means as much to me too, Shika-kun," Naruto said. "Things may not be exactly like they were before, but I love you, and you're a part of me now."

"Naruto, I love you too, and that will never change."

"Cough, cough" Shino said, laughing as he brought the tea and cake out from the kitchen. "I didn't want you to think I was sneaking in on your intimate moment."

"Shino, I've missed you so much too," Naruto said.

Shino smiled at his two friends as he cut slices of cake and passed them out. He glanced over at the clock on the wall and noticed it was a few minutes past midnight.

"Happy New Year!" he said.

"Happy New Year," Naruto replied, and turned to Shikamaru. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to both you," Shikamaru said, giving Naruto a quick kiss.

After they had finished their cake and tea, the three sat talking for over an hour.

"I was really kind of expecting you to have been out," Naruto said to Shikamaru. "It is New Year's afterall."

"Well, I was supposed to be until this storm came in," Shikamaru replied. "The band I was supposed to get to one of the clubs is stuck in another city because of the weather."

"I guess I am pretty lucky tonight."

"I would have been here Naruto-chan," Shino said. "I had the night off from work, because I'm clever like that."

"Whatever, Shino," Shikamaru said. "You were going to go out with me to the clubs."

"You didn't need to mention that," Shino said, pretending to be hurt. "I think it's bedtime for me though….I'll see you both in the morning."

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired too," Naruto said. "I'd like to go to bed too."

"I'm going to go take a quick shower," Shikamaru said. "Wait up for me, Naruto."

Naruto walked down the short passageway to Shikamaru's room and turned on the small lamp on the table next to the bed. The room was still the same disarrayed assortment of books, clothes, music, papers, and all other assorted things. Naruto dropped his backpack down onto the floor and pulled out the new, blue silk pajamas he had bought the week before but had not worn yet. He quickly changed and climbed into bed, waiting for Shikamaru to return. He breathed in the scent of his lover all around him…the smell of his cologne in the room that was unmistakable now. He snuggled down under the covers and pressed his face against the pillows.

It's almost like resting my head on Shika-kun's chest he thought.

A short while later, Shikamaru returned to his room. He was only wearing a pair of boxers and his long dark hair hung damply around his head. He climbed into the bed next to the blonde boy, turned out the lamp, and pulled Naruto against him.

"I'm so glad you came tonight, Naruto-chan," Shikmaru said kissing the blonde gently and rubbing his arm across Naruto's shoulders.

"I'm glad too, Shika," Naruto said as he put his arms around the other and snuggled up to him. "It's been almost a year since you first came to me when I sent you that letter, and I realized then I wanted you to be a part of my life always."

"We've been through a lot in a year, haven't we?" Shikamaru said. "Naruto, what does your coming here mean exactly? I don't want to presume anything, but you being in my bed kind of implies something."

"I know…" Naruto trailed off. "I owe it to you to be honest though, and I'll never lie to you about anything. I've missed you so much, but I was afraid to come see you for a long time, because maybe you wouldn't have felt the same, or because maybe you would have found someone else…I don't know…maybe I was just afraid."

"I understand…I was so worried you would never come back, but then you wrote to me, and we were writing to each other a lot, and I felt like I could trust you wouldn't ever be gone completely from me."

"Sasuke always has this huge family banquet he has to go to for New Year's, and I just couldn't go again this year. His family is so big and none of them treat me like an equal. I needed to be around someone real tonight, so I said I was sick and we argued. He gets so angry sometimes, and I feel bad because I lied to him."

"Oh, Naruto…"

"It's ok," Naruto said. "I am here with you, and I love you, and I need you, and I want to be needed by you, and I want us to be together still, as long as we don't hurt each other again.

Naruto pulled Shikamaru's head down and began kissing him hungrily. His hands moved up through the damp, dark hair. The two kissed each other, their hands moving eagerly across each other's bodies. Naruto moved his head down and kissed Shikamaru's throat, then across his collar bone and down his arm. Shikamaru shivered in the cold air and the blonde boy's hair lightly brushed across his chest and arm. Shikamaru pulled Naruto around so that his back was to Shikamaru's chest. He wrapped his arms around Naruto and slid his hands over the soft silk of the pyjamas. He began unbuttoning the silk shirt, slipping his hand inside and touching the skin of Naruto's chest. His fingers found one of the boy's nipples and gently squeezed it as he kissed the blonds neck.

Naruto moved his hips, pressing his backside against Shikamaru's hardness, which he could fully feel through the thin silk pajama pants. Shikamaru pushed Naruto onto his stomach, and climbed over top of him. He continued kissing the blonde's neck, and pulled the silk shirt back and off the boy's shoulders. Next, he pulled off his boxers and began to slide himself against Naruto's backside. Naruto moaned in response, pressing back against his lover. He reached behind down and pulled his pants down to his thighs.

"Take me Shika-kun," he whispered. "I need to feel you inside me."

Naruto cried out softly as Shikamaru penetrated him. The two lay locked together, Shikamaru's arms encircling Naruto, and Naruto grasping at the sheet with his hands as they moved together in their own rhythm. Shikamaru continued to kiss Naruto's shoulders, neck, and back and he possessed him, his pace continued for some time before he was ready for release.

He held Naruto even tighter and Naruto began making louder sounds of pleasure as Shikamaru's pace increased in speed and intensity. He was becoming so loud at the end the Shikamaru reached up and covered his mouth as he finished inside Naruto. The two lay together panting and sweating. After a while, Naruto turned around and snuggled against Shikamaru.

"I'm so happy when I'm with you…" he said as the two drifted off into peaceful sleep.