Chapter 1


Shikamaru scowled as he stormed through the halls of the Hokage's residence.

The few shinobi who were milling about in the hallways stood back to let him pass, as it was common knowledge that if one of the Nara men, especially Shikamaru, was moving at a pace faster than a crawl, it either meant that there was imminent danger – or that he was pissed.

In this case, it was the latter.

Shikamaru approached the door to the Hokage's circular office, not bothering to knock as he threw the door open and stormed inside. Neither of the men in the room reacted to his furious entrance, their heads bent towards a stack of paperwork on the desk.

His sharp ponytail slicing through the air as he advanced, Shikamaru growled, "Naruto, you troublesome bastard!"

The man standing beside the desk, dressed in the dark colours that signified he was a member of the Black Ops, straightened up stiffly. He wasn't wearing his mask, so Shikamaru didn't miss the flash of anger that flared underneath the onyx of Sasuke's eyes. Shikamaru's gaze flicked involuntarily to the twin swords sheathed over Sasuke's shoulders, both so long that the tips were visible on either side of Sasuke's hips, before he glanced back to the Uchiha's face.

Choosing to ignore the unspoken warning in Sasuke's eyes, Shikamaru yanked a crumpled paper from one of his pockets and waved it through the air like a parade flag. "What the hell is up with making me organize the Chunin Exams?" Shikamaru hissed, ignoring the aggressive step that Sasuke took in his direction. "You knew that I had plans that week. You know, the plans where I would be as far away as possible during the exams?"

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously. "Questioning direct orders, Nara? You're crossing the line."

There were a few seconds of silence, during which Naruto kept his head bent towards the document he was scanning. Finally, he nodded to himself, and with a flourish of his wrist he signed it. And then, the Rukodaime Hokage looked up; eying Shikamaru thoughtfully as he said, "Stand down, Sasuke."

Sasuke's posture relaxed immediately. But his disapproving eyes never left Shikamaru's face as he stalked behind Naruto's desk.

Ignoring the overly protective Uchiha with a sigh of irritation, Shikamaru waved the paper again. "Seriously. Why?"

Naruto leaned back in his chair, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "I was planning on having Sakura-chan do it, but she's busy with a new batch of medical trainees. She said she wants them to be field-ready in time for the exams."

"What about Sasuke, then?" Shikamaru muttered, glaring angrily at the hovering Uchiha.

"I have other obligations as Captain of the Hokage's personal guard." Sasuke said, his silky voice a gentle hum compared to Naruto's rich tenor.

"What, babysitting Naruto?" Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, that's a real tough job you got there, Sasuke."

"Harder than you might think." Sasuke whispered venomously.

Shikamaru blinked at the aggression in his tone. It prompted him to look around the room, blinking the frustration from his mind as he took stock of his surroundings. The window behind Naruto was missing, and the wooden frame was charred completely black.

"An attack?" Shikamaru wondered, eyebrows shooting towards his hairline.

"The Rukodaime is always under threat." Sasuke said, still in that low tone. He laid a hand protectively on Naruto's shoulder.

The blond, in complete contradiction to Sasuke's serious expression, flashed a wide grin. "Sometimes I let them get close. Keeps things interesting."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "The Rukodaime is always under threat?" He huffed inwardly. "Yeah, right."

"Anyways." Shikamaru grumbled. "About these orders. I don't want them, Naruto. It's too troublesome. Find someone else. Shino, Kakashi, Hinata - anyone."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "I did consider giving the job to Neji."

"Yeah, fantastic, make Neji do it." Shikamaru muttered. "And when he hears that I'm the one who got him stuck with the job, he'll crack my head in two."

Naruto smiled slightly as he stood: the sunlight streaming in through the broken window haloed around his golden head, crowning him with light. His energy seemed to pulse around him like a shimmering aura, filling the room with warmth. Shikamaru was suddenly reminded of the images he had seen of western kings, adorned with golden circlets and draped in red robes. He quickly pushed the thought aside, wary as Naruto stepped around the desk.

Naruto was studying him closely; his blue eyes seeming to cut right into Shikamaru, making him feel exposed.

"Damn Sagey-intuition-mind-reading crap." He grumbled to himself while schooling his expression into one that was smooth and untroubled.

The Hokage came to stand before him, close enough that Shikamaru had to bend his neck to meet his gaze. Naruto's eyebrows lifted fractionally and his eyes suddenly glazed, his attention seeming to be pulled elsewhere. For a moment, they all stood in silence, and then Naruto shook his head with a slight frown.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows meeting in concern.

"Nothing urgent." Naruto replied gently, keeping his eyes fixed on Shikamaru. "Now, Shikamaru, are you going to organize the exams for me, or should I ask Neji to do it, you know?"

Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his head. "He'll be really pissed." He muttered.

"You're really pissed." Naruto pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but," Shikamaru sighed. "When I'm pissed, I complain. When Neji's pissed…like I said, I might be in danger of getting my head cracked open."

Naruto tilted his head to the side like a curious animal, his bright eyes reflecting the sunlight. "So what do you want me to do?"

Shikamaru sighed again but didn't answer. He crossed his arms over his chest, mind racing. He almost yelped in surprise when Sasuke suddenly spoke directly behind him. Shikamaru hadn't noticed him move.

"Might I suggest," Sasuke said, "That they team up? Organize it together, to distribute the work load?"

Naruto grinned. "That's a great idea, Sasuke!"

Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest, but Naruto was already whirling away, a flurry of fiery colour as he darted over to the door and yanked it open. "You can come in now." He said to someone in the hall.

Shikamaru's eyebrows shot up as Neji stalked silently into the room. An excited looking woman followed him, her eyes flashing quickly between Naruto and Sasuke, her cheeks and alarming shade of crimson. Shikamaru had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Neji noticed his expression, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in the faintest smile.

By then, Naruto had returned to his desk, surveying them all as he leaned against the polished wooden surface. Sasuke circled around to stand next to him, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.

"Hold on," Shikamaru hissed. "You two had already decided that Neji and I would team up on this? Why didn't you just tell me that from the beginning?"

"It was more amusing that way." Sasuke said, smirking.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to retort, but Naruto cleared his throat, smiling apologetically.

"I know this is a really annoying assignment," Naruto began, his deep voice making the air hum. "I hate making you guys do it, I really do. But this is the first time the exams have been held here since the war, and I want everything to go as smoothly as possible. I'd organize it myself, but…well, you guys are better at organizing stuff."

Naruto glanced between Neji and Shikamaru. When neither of them spoke, he inclined his head to the woman who stood behind them. Shikamaru saw her jolt in surprise when Naruto's unsettlingly potent gaze rested on her.

"This lady is a representative from the…uh…exam council?"

The woman shook herself, stepping forward to address them. "Pleased to meet you. My name is Rei Moon-Lee, and I am here as a representative of the Shinobi Examiners Committee. I will be in charge of the actual testing procedures, so you two don't need to worry about that. I just need you to organize the venues and what-not!"

Shikamaru clenched his teeth in irritation, fighting the urge to let out a loud groan.

"So that's what this is about?" Neji intoned, his voice carrying the slightest hint of irritation. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, when I received your summons I had been expecting something a little more…"

"You mean I didn't tell you the specifics of the mission?" Naruto replied, sounding surprised.

"Not at all, sir." Neji said, pulling a piece of paper out from a hidden fold in his sleeve. With one finger, he delicately unfolded it, pale eyes darting across the page as he continued. "All it says is that I am to team up with Nara on an important assignment."

Naruto grinned. "See, I did tell you! Shikamaru, assignment, that's all you need to know!"

Neji's gaze shifted warily to Shikamaru, who sighed. Shoving his hands, and the crumpled piece of paper he still held, into his pockets. "Even if I have a partner, I still don't want to do this. It's a drag."

Sasuke scowled. "Who cares whether you want to do it or not, Nara? Hyuga doesn't seem to mind. And besides, it is an order from your Hokage."

Shikamaru quickly glanced away. He may have been mad, but he definitely wasn't stupid. And it would be incredibly stupid to try and go toe-to-toe with Sasuke. He turned to Neji instead, ignoring the woman who stood between them as he asked, "Are you okay with this?"

Neji tilted his head slightly, long strands of hair sliding over his shoulder fluidly. "They're just orders, Nara."

"Argh!" Shikamaru rolled his shoulders, tilting his head back to glare angrily at the ceiling. "Fine then. I'll do it. But when it's over, I'm taking a vacation for real Naruto. I mean it. At least a week. Maybe two!"

Naruto's deep chuckle drew Shikamaru's eyes to the blonde's smiling face. "Two whole weeks, just you and that giant brain of yours? You wouldn't last a day, Shikamaru. But, I'm glad you've accepted the assignment. I know you two will do a good job. And please make sure to consult with Ms. Lee as often as possible, especially if I'm not around."

"Please!" The woman gushed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Call me Rei."

"Of course, Rei." Naruto replied, bowing his head. His golden hair fell around his eyes, framing them as he observed the woman.

Rei blushed crimson again before bowing deeply, attempting to hide her flustered expression.

Shikamaru smirked.

"The exams are set to take place in two months," Naruto continued, his gaze sliding between Neji and Shikamaru. "I think that will give you two plenty of time."

"Of course, Naruto-sama." Neji immediately replied, bowing.

"Sure, whatever." Shikamaru muttered. "Are we done? I have a lot of work to do."

Naruto's smile widened. "Yep, you can go. Thanks Shikamaru, Neji! And uh, Rei."

"Not at all, it's truly a pleasure to meet you, Hokage-sama! And you, Uchiha-sama!"

The woman continued to bow as she followed Shikamaru out of the room, finally bumping into Neji as he reached over her to shut the door behind them. As soon as the sound of her flustered apology had faded along with their footsteps, Naruto let out a slow breath.

"You don't think they noticed, do you?"

"No, even Neji had no idea that you're a clone." Sasuke answered softly. "Where is the original now?"

"Down by the river where I used to train." The clone Naruto said. "I'll stay here, but you can go."

"Okay." Sasuke said, making for the broken window. But then he paused, turning back to Naruto, who returned his gaze curiously.

"What?"

Sasuke reached up, his gloved fingers gently combing the hair away from Naruto's eyes. "I think you should ask Sakura to trim you hair. Or are you planning on growing it as long as Neji's?"

Naruto blushed. "I thought about it once or twice."

"No." Sasuke said. "Absolutely not."

Sasuke turned and leapt out the window, the sound of Naruto's booming laughter following him as he raced over the rooftops. His mind was already focused on the real Naruto, feverishly wondering what was so bad that his clone had gotten distracted while speaking with Shikamaru. Anyone else would have interpreted Naruto's sudden silence as a moment of consultation with the Nine-tailed fox Kurama, but Sasuke knew better. Something had happened, and Naruto had decided not to tell him about it.

Brow creasing with worry, Sasuke quickened his pace, bracing for what he would discover at the riverside.


"Nara!"

Shikamaru flinched at the sound of Neji's voice.

He was halfway down the steps of the Hokage's mansion, having been intent on disappearing while Neji was distracted with Rei, who had apologized more than any normal human should. His hands in his pockets, Shikamaru appeared completely relaxed as he turned towards the Hyuga, eyebrows raised.

"What's up?"

"What's up?" Neji parroted. "What's up with you arguing with the Hokage over direct orders?"

Shikamaru sighed, glancing around for spectators. Not wanting to have this discussion in front of the busiest building in the village, Shikamaru ambled down the remaining steps, setting off down the path with lazy strides.

Incredulous at being ignored, Neji followed close behind him.

"Naruto may be our friend, Nara, but he is the Hokage now and you should treat him with the same respect you showed previous Hokage." Neji scolded, catching up to Shikamaru. "He is your superior, and as such you should follow his orders without complaint!"

"I do respect Naruto, Hyuga." Shikamaru replied, voice strained. "You should know that better than anyone."

"Then perhaps you should show it." Neji bristled.

Shikamaru hummed in response. By now, they were wandering down an empty side street. Turning fluidly, Shikamaru made his way down a shadowy alley between two large houses. Neji followed close behind him, not yet finished with his lecture.

"It's utter childishness!" Neji continued, "It's a simple assignment, Nara. A time consuming one, yes, but a simple one none-the-less! Are you really so busy that you cannot-"

Shikamaru turned suddenly, making Neji jolt in surprise.

They were standing extremely close, but fueled by their mutual irritation, neither of them wanted to take a step back.

The two were almost exactly the same height, so Neji found himself staring directly into Shikamaru's eyes as the Shadow-nin whispered, "Busy? You know how fucking busy I am, Hyuga."

Slightly thrown by the aggressiveness in Shikamaru's stance and voice, Neji lowered his gaze, glaring at Shikamaru's mouth as he retorted, "As we all are, Nara. None of the rest of us complain, do we?"

"No, of course not, the rest of you are perfect." Shikamaru hissed, leaning even closer to Neji. "Say whatever the hell you want about me, Hyuga. Tell me that I'm a lazy piece of shit; that I'm a terrible ninja. I couldn't care less. But don't you ever tell me that I don't respect Naruto. You have no fucking idea what you're talking about."

Alarmed by Shikamaru's ferocity, Neji finally stepped back. For the first time, he observed the strategist carefully. Shikamaru Nara had always been slender, but he seemed thinner than usual. The circles under his eyes had darkened from blue to a deep, blackish-purple. And his keen, angry eyes were bloodshot under the dark fan of his eyelashes.

Shikamaru seemed to stiffen under Neji's scrutiny. The shadows in the alley appeared to darken and gather around him like a cloak, his entire body rigid with tension and anger. He folded his arms, turning his face away as he muttered, "Stop looking at me like that, Hyuga."

Neji let out a controlled breath through his nose, struggling to stifle his frustration. "Fine," He said, "I will refrain from making comments about your loyalty to the Hokage. But I outrank you, Nara, so I can't stand by and let you speak to Naruto in such a way."

Shikamaru glanced at Neji from the corner of his eye. For a second, his mind seemed to be furiously working, and his gaze filled with such dark intensity that Neji's pulse began to race.

But then the lazy genius yawned, his hand dragging across his tired, intelligent eyes. When he returned his gaze to Neji, his eyes were once again perfectly unreadable.

"This is a drag." Shikamaru said. "Think you can finish lecturing me later? I want to go take a nap."

Blinking in confusion, Neji could only nod.

"Thanks, Hyuga-sensei." Shikamaru drawled mockingly, turning on his heel as he stalked off down the alley toward the Nara forest. For a moment, the shadows seemed to cling to his retreating frame. But then they released him, puffing dreamily like clouds before sinking back down and becoming dormant.

Neji stared after Shikamaru until he vanished in the darkness under the giant trees. And then, with the faintest smile, Neji turned to go back the way they had come. As he stepped back out into the light, Neji imagined that he could faintly hear a familiar, sleepy voice drifting behind him.

"Troublesome Hyuga."


A/N: HELLO everyone! It's sequel time! Finally!