Been writing way too many sad Shikanaru fics (not uploaded here, they aren't polished enough yet) and my friend kicked me in the butt to write something happy.So here is something slightly bitter-sweet with happiness and hope mixed in. Enjoy.
In front of a small apartment complex a group of teens lingered in front of a door.
"Ugh, he's taking forever."
"I-I'm sure he j-just didn't hear the knocks..."
"Psh, idiot probably fell into his cereal bowl."
"Nah, I saw Shikamaru headed this way before us. Maybe he got Naruto and they went somewhere?"
"Ichiraku's maybe?"
"We already checked there...UGH! FORGET THIS! NARUTO!"
The door to the apartment abruptly ruptured inwards as a pink-haired girl stalked into the place. Several other people trailing after her.
"S-Sakura! D-did you h-have to do that!?" Hinata exclaimed in a slightly scandalized tone.
Ino said something along the lines of barbarian girl's while Shino hung in the back with Kiba.
As the group proceeded through the apartment to the bedroom, as it was really the only place Naruto could be since he wasn't in the kitchen, Kiba suddenly stopped short as he took a long whiff of the air. His eyes bulged slightly and a slight blush lit his cheeks.
"Uh, guys... I think we should just leave and go wait for Naruto at Ichiraku's or something... hehe..." He said already starting to back up. Sakura rolled her eyes and grabbed onto the door handle to the bedroom.
"N-no really guys... I think we should just lea-"
"WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"Shi... SHIKAMARU?!"
A thud was heard as Hinata abruptly passed out, Kiba just barely catching her. Sakura and Ino were too busy staring into Naruto's bedroom in shock and Shino just stood calmly near Kiba, stoic as ever.
There, on the bed, was one Uzumaki Naruto straddling one Nara Shikamaru's thighs, well... one of his thighs. Tan hands were slipped under a mesh shirt and one of Naruto's knees was currently in between the Nara's legs pressed up against his crotch.
"Uhhhhh... h-hey... guys..." Naruto said in a slightly higher-than-average pitched voice. "W-what'cha doin in my apartment?" He questioned nervously, face turning bright red.
"NARUTO! WHY ARE YOU ON TOP OF SHIKAMARU!?" Sakura practically screamed, her eyes wide and disbelieving.
"SHIKAMARU! YOU'RE SLEEPING WITH NARUTO!?" Ino also screamed, she appeared to be in a similar state as Sakura.
"SHUT IT INO-PIG! Naruto is NOT sleeping with Shikamaru! There's no way!" Sakura stated loudly and glared at Ino. Said blonde girl pointed at the bed and exclaimed "ARE YOU SERIOUS FOREHEAD?! Look. at. them!" She hissed, gesturing wildly at the two boys.
Shikamaru sighed, his head falling backwards. "Can you all leave... I thought it'd be obvious Naruto and I are busy..." He grumbled, loud enough for the two bickering girls to hear. As one, the two turned towards Naruto and him.
"Naruto g-get off of him!" Sakura said as Ino chimed in with an angry "Shikamaru why didn't you tell me!?".
"Troublesome women..." Shikamaru mumbled, throwing an arm up and over his eyes. Naruto glanced between Ino, Sakura and Shikamaru before leaning back some and removing his hands from under Shikamaru's mesh shirt.
Sakura stared at him, a desperate look in her eyes as she glanced between the two boys. "N-Naruto... are you... are you and..." She couldn't get it out and instead just stared even harder at Naruto.
"Uhh... yeah..." Naruto sent a quick look to Shikamaru, begging for help but Shikamaru was pointedly ignoring the entire situation. Sakura took a step back "Y-you're... but I thought..." Her voice trailed off before her shoulders tensed. "WHAT THE HELL NARUTO?!" She yelled and began to walk forward. "You're always flirting with me but you have a boyfriend!?" She exclaimed, her hand already making it's way to smack Naruto upside the head when someone else's hand suddenly shot out and gripped her wrist.
Sakura's eyes met Shikamaru's. Who had, in the time between when she began to walk over and get ready to smack Naruto, sat up and intercepted her. His eyes were like steel as they glared at her. "Don't." He said calmly but the tone made her shiver. She quickly retracted her hand and took a step back.
Naruto leaned into Shikamaru slightly and gently took his hand, avoiding Sakura's eyes. "Look... uhm... let's talk later, okay Sakura?" He asked softly and Sakura nodded before turning on her heel, brushing past Ino and the others as she left the apartment.
It was quiet for a few moments before Kiba suddenly spoke up "Man... I knew you were gay but I thought you wanted to bang Sasuke...".
Naruto's head whipped towards Kiba as he shouted "WHAT?! I DO NOT LIKE THE TEME! WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK THAT!?". Ino also shouted something along the lines of Sasuke-kun not being gay and even if he were it'd never be Naruto.
Shikamaru just collapsed backwards, mumbling about people and how troublesome they all were. His hand never left Naruto's.
Later that evening, after the gang had all hung out (minus Sakura) and Naruto had officially confessed that, yes, he and Shikamaru were dating. Had been since four months after Naruto returned from his three-year training trip. Naruto had approached Sakura afterwards when she showed up near the end and the two had sat down in the park.
Sakura avoided looking at him and Naruto nervously fidgeted. Several times he tried to open his mouth to say something but came up blank every time.
"I'm not angry you know..." Sakura said softly. Naruto looked over at her and blinked in confusion. "T-then... why did you react like that?" He asked, equally just as soft. Sakura sighed and looked at him from the corner of her eyes before casting her gaze up at the sky.
"It's just... it was always us three. Team seven... then Sasuke left and you... you were all I had. Our routine was set. You flirt with me... I get angry." Sakura drew her knees up to her chest. "I... I'm afraid of change Naruto. I'm afraid... that I'll be alone... I'm afraid we'll stop being team seven..." She finished with another sigh.
"S-Sakura... I..." Naruto began but she cut him off.
"I'm not mad or sad that you're with someone now... even if it's not at all who I expected... ever. I am kind of angry that you've been flirting with me even though you are with someone. That you didn't tell me you were in a relationship and that you apparently didn't like me anymore." She paused and shot him a glare.
"I'm just... scared and slightly jealous."
Naruto turned to her and tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I'm sorry I kept flirting with you even though my crush on you was gone. I just... I didn't know what to do when I came back. It had been three years and I didn't know how to interact with you anymore so I did... what I used too. It wasn't a good idea, I know and I'm sorry for that." Naruto squeezed her tight before putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her back far enough so he could look her in the eye.
"But we will always be Team Seven. Always. Nothing will ever change that. Not Sasuke leaving and not this either." He said with a tone of finality. Sakura smiled softly, her worries and fears smoothed over. Naruto was still Naruto, he'd always be apart of Team Seven and so would she.
"So... Shikamaru, huh?" She asked slyly, her smile tilting into more of a smirk.
Naruto's cheeks turned pink and he nodded shyly. "Yeah. I, uh... I've liked him for a long time..." He said and Sakura quirked a brow. "Oh? How long?" She asked curiously.
"Well, I liked him in the Academy cause he wasn't mean to me like the other kids... but I guess I started crushing on him shortly after the Chuunin Exams. You remember when he stayed behind to stop the sound-nin chasing us? Yeah, well after the excitement died down and I was thinking over everything that happened... that's when the crush started. I still had a crush on you at the time so I didn't really realize it until the mission we took to get Sasuke back right before I left with Ero-sennin. See, I still liked you but it was... starting to become more like you were family. Like if I had a sister... I didn't know how to feel about my changes in what I felt for you or for Shikamaru and I didn't get a chance to really think on it until I started to travel with Ero-sennin. Anyways, Shikamaru visited me in the hospital a lot when I was recovering from Sasuke's attack and I just... sort of... fell for him? I guess? I don't know but it was horrible cause he was there every. single .day and I had no idea what to do about the strange feelings I was getting around him. Stop laughing at me Sakura! Hmpf... as I was saying... I think he noticed but he never said anything about it. On my travels with Ero-sennin I met a lot of people, saw a lot of places and learned lots. But I never stopped thinking about him and Ero-sennin... kind of called me out on it after awhile. Saying I was acting like a lovesick girl and he wouldn't leave me alone about it. I ended up confessing to Ero-sennin about Shikamaru and he just laughed at me, can you believe it!? Afterwards he helped me out though, talked to me about what I felt and when I knew what I was feeling he talked to me about what I wanted to do about it. Ero-sennin really helped me figure out if I was going to tell Shikamaru or not... I mean I was gone for three years, Shikamaru could have changed in that amount of time! And well... he did... when I got back Shikamaru was colder, more distant from people, even Choji! When I learned his sensei was gone... well, I kind of made it my mission to be around him all the time. I didn't like seeing him like that... one thing led to another and I uh... ended up confessing to him while we played Shogi... Yes, I can play Shogi, Sakura! Shika taught me... Don't tease me about calling him Shika! ANYWAYS, He just... he kept licking his lips while we played or biting them and it was driving me insane! I ended up tackling him to the ground, shut up Sakura, and kissing him... then I confessed... and uh... here we are!" Naruto ended finally, Sakura snickering at him and how he confessed.
"I'm really happy for you Naruto..." She said softly, smiling at him. She was happy for him, she could tell how much Naruto liked Shikamaru from what he had told her. Just the look in his eyes said he loved the Nara. She wondered sadly for a moment how she never noticed, what kind of friend was she if she didn't notice her best friend's love for another person?
Sakura's eyes focused on someone coming up behind them but Naruto knew who it was instantly, a smile spreading across his face. Turning around Naruto exclaimed "Hey Shika!".
"Ready to go?" Shikamaru asked his eyes focusing on Naruto before moving to Sakura. The two stared at each other before giving a slight nod. An understanding passed through them as they looked each other in the eye. Sakura knew how important Shikamaru was to Naruto and just how much the blonde loved the boy. Shikamaru knew how important Sakura was to Naruto and that she was part of his makeshift family. There would be no problems between the two.
Naruto jumped up, stretching slightly before holding out a hand to help Sakura up. "Yeah, Shika! Sakura and I talked... were all good now. So let's go home! I'm tired..." He went on and Sakura suddenly smirked.
"Oh... you two live together? Gonna go home and slip into bed together... finish what everyone interrupted?" Sakura's smirk spread into a grin as Shikamaru groaned, palming his face and Naruto sputtered her name out in embarrassment.
Sakura laughed and began to follow the two. This... this was good. Her heart didn't hurt about it anymore and her fears were over. "Team Seven will always be together and maybe... maybe Team Seven has room for more..." She thought with a soft smile as she watched Naruto tug Shikamaru forward, rambling on about something, their hands clasped tight.