Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Catching Butterflies
three
When Shikamaru woke up, he had known that the day at the academy would be troublesome. With his new friendship with Naru, there was definitely going to be more excitement at the academy for him—especially considering the track record that Naru had since she was admitted to the school.
So it was to his great surprise that the blonde had not been there to hound him when he walked through the gate of the academy.
At first he thought it was because she didn't see him. But that idea was completely blown out the window when, even though the blonde didn't have any eye contact with him at all, seemed to walk away when he got near.
It was puzzling.
Her actions completely went against the conclusions he had drawn up during the weekend. He had figured that Naru would not leave him alone at the academy, seeing he was her first friend. But seeing her move further away from him, and sitting far from him, he figured that their friendship was just temporary. Probably just a girl bored and having nothing better to do during the weekend, and just chose to bother him.
He was lying through his teeth.
Playing blind to the signs around him.
He wanted an out.
So he played along.
The first day at the academy, he didn't bother with Naru and chose to stick with his own set of friends. Going through the same routine of eating lunch with them, napping with Chouji after he finished with his snacks, and pretending to listen to Ino as she spoke about the Uchiha.
He ignored the blonde girl who had her back turned to him.
The second day, he slept through the class, ate lunch at the cafeteria with Chouji, and sat beside the window to watch the clouds during the last period of the academy.
He ignored the blue eyes that kept glancing at him.
The third day, he used his friends as a shield, pretending they called for him during lunch, so he could walk away from her approach. He instigated a conversation with Ino about the Uchiha to occupy all his attention, so she would hesitate to approach him. He invited himself over to Chouji's house so she wouldn't follow him after class.
He pretended to not see her watching him walk away.
The fourth day, he ran away. Before the academy bells rang, and once the parents left the academy grounds, Shikamaru joined Kiba in ditching class.
He pretended to not see Naru follow them out the academy walls.
He pretended to not hear her call out for him, and the tremble in her voice.
She was such a crybaby.
He was relieved when she didn't follow them any further.
The fifth day, Naru sat far away from him. Shikamaru briefly glanced at her, and figured she may have finally caught on. So he continued with his routine. When taijutsu practice came along, he noted that Naruto favored her right side. During lunch, he enjoyed some time watching the clouds pass lazily through the sky, absently noting that Naru had trouble eating her lunch, with the sleeves being in the way.
During teacher Umino's class, Shikamaru's curiosity was peaked when the young teacher took Naru out of the classroom and told everyone to read chapters until he came back. The day would have ended well for him, but the rumor started.
"Did you see all those bandages on Naru?" one of the girls the row in front of him asked her seat-mate. "What do you think happened?"
The other girl just snorted. "Well from what I know from my mom, that girl is a troublemaker, she must have just got punished for being a pest."
"She must have done something pretty horrible then, from the looks of her."
"Well they do say she's nothing but a little demon."
Shikamaru couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his gut. A cold blanket seeping through his body as guilt overtook him as he thought of the day before.
He needed to see her.
He needed to talk to her and ask what happened.
He needed to know that he wasn't the cause of this.
But the teacher came back alone.
And he didn't tell anyone where Naru was.
Shikamaru arrived home late after a fruitless search of Naru. He didn't sleep well that night.
On the sixth day, Shikamaru took a chance and walked the familiar path towards the waterfall. It was her sanctuary. He didn't think he had any right to head over there after what he put her through. If she was there and he showed up, he knew she would take it the wrong way. That she wouldn't see the fact that his presence was all based on selfishness—that he was there for himself, and his need to be reassured that her injuries were not caused by him.
And there she was, her back turned to him as she washed her clothes in the water.
They were bloody.
"When did you get hurt?" it as a whisper, but she heard him—her body stiff.
Shikamaru stood there with bated breath, waiting for her answer. He thought that she would just ignore him, or just tell him to fuck off.
He deserved both.
But she had turned to him, the stare of those blue eyes apprehensive—but that quickly disappeared and she was back to smiling. "I'm fine Shikamaru. This is just paint I'm washing off."
He was sick of the lies.
"The teacher took you to the nurse's office and some girls in class we're talking about you getting attacked as punishment."
He was sick of her lying to herself, and to him.
He wanted her to tell him the truth.
That he was an asshole.
That he was a horrible friend.
Because he made her cry, made her feel alone, and had ignored her cry for help.
"I heard you call for me...back when we were ditching school...was it then?" he knew it was his fault. He wanted her to admit it and cut ties.
She deserved better.
"It's not your fault."
Shikamaru wanted to yell at her, and shove some sense into that brain of hers.
"What happened that day is nothing new. I should have known not to follow you out of the academy." Naru whispered, her eyes downcast.
He didn't understand.
"People just don't seem to like me...I don't know what it's about, but I knew I had to keep you out of it."
So she ignored him.
"But... You were my first friend, it was difficult and I almost put you in danger by trying to get close."
She was worried about him. Did everything for his safety and he had used it as a way out.
"I'm sorry." Naru whispered, fat tears were running down her cheeks. Face all flushed with such anguish...
He was a schmuck.
He was lower than scum.
But all he could do was get angry. So he yelled at the stupid girl that couldn't see it. "You shouldn't be saying sorry, you idiot!"
He marched towards her so they were face to face. She looked more pathetic up close. "I was the one who didn't do anything. I'm the one who failed you. You should never have to say sorry to me. I would hate you if you ever say sorry to me again."
Shikamaru saw a fading bruise on the side of her neck. "You stick close to me. I wont have you be attacked again."
He gripped her shoulders to shake her when all he got was a befuddled stare. She was so small and so stupid—she needed all the help she can get. "Do you understand?"
All she did was cry and hug him tight.