Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own Suki.
Before moving in together, before sleeping together, before Neji, before sex for the first time, before Temari (his very first girlfriend), before his friends and even before Chouji there had been Suki.
Shika can't really remember when he first showed up but there had to be a beginning somewhere because Shikamaru can clearly remember a few times where he has no memory of Suki. Shikamaru doesn't like to think about those moments because he doesn't like the idea of not having Suki in his life. Suki is part of him and always will be, if he were to disappear one day Shikamaru doesn't know what he'd do.
Suki's helped him through a lot of hard times: his first kill and lots of killings after that, loosing comrades, failing, loosing himself.
Alot of people look up to him, he knows that the Hokage and many others have great respect for him even though he doesn't like much, and he knows that even Neji is at awe sometimes.
But not Suki, never Suki. He doesn't care if Shikamaru is a genius with over 200 IQ. He doesn't care that Shikamaru was once ANBU captain and most important of all he doesn't care about what Shikamaru has done. He simply cares about Shikamaru.
Shikamaru couldn't imagine losing him. Losing Suki would be like losing Neji, maybe worse, and that's almost happened a few times so Shikamaru knows he wouldn't be able to stand the pain.
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"SHIKAMARU, YOUR FUCKING CAT PEED IN MY SHOES AGAIN!!" Neji screamed and held the disgusting shoes for Shikamaru to see.
The relaxing Nara on the couch gave him an apologetic look and promised him he'd clean them.
"That beast pees in my shoes, throws up on my clothes and tries to claw out my eyes every chance it gets! He has to sleep next to you, gets fur all over the bed and the fucking monster won't even let me come near you when we're home!!" Neji ranted as he threw his shoes in the bathtub to see if he could save them, he glared out through the opened bathroom door at Suki laying in Shikamaru's lap purring.
'But Shika really loves that thing. I've caught him several times snuggled up to the thing at night when returning from missions, with tears on his cheeks. Shika used to be ANBU so he knows the kind of missions I go on. I guess if the furball is able to comfort Shika when I can't that it's okay.' Neji gave up trying to wash his shoes and just threw them out instead.
He walked over to the couch and kneeled infront of his sleeping, lover placing his hand on his knees and keeping an eye on the cat.
"Shika, love."
"Mmm?" Shikamaru sleepily asked as he looked down at him through half closed eyes.
Neji grinned and leaned his head up wanting a kiss. Shikamaru yawned before leaning down to kiss him with a smile on his lips.
The two of them drew back only so far that they could look at each other and the smiled was still present on Shika's lips while Neji was grinning like a fool.
"What was that for?" Shika asked.
"Nothing I justGAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" Neji was thrown back on the ground as a black and white cat jumped at his face and put its claws in Neji's face.
Neji tried to first pull it off by its neck and then went to grab the tail.
"Neji, no!! Don't grab his.." Shika shouted and jumped off the couch.
"RRRRRREEEEOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
"...his tail." *sigh*
Suki actually is my cat and he's not as evil as I make him seem in the story (anymore) but he's my baby and I'd die if I lost him. Besides, I'm the only one he won't hurt and loves to snuggle up with me. Like with Shika...