Before you read this chapter, I suggest you listen to the song linked in the description ^^ Thats what I was listening to while writing this and the other chapters. I think it matched them pretty well. :)

Well, heres another flashback! :dummy:

Shikamaru threw off his covers and sat up to glance out the window. Droplets of water decorated the glass, blocking a clear view of the outside world. Somehow it calmed him. For a moment he forgot about his troubles and just watched the rain, his usually hard gaze softening. Shikamaru looked away after a few minutes, staring down at his hands resting in his lap.

"What a drag..." he grumbled, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to stand up. There was something he had to do today. Laying around feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to get it done. With that thought in mind, he started to get ready for the day...

Chapter 3: Pouring Rain

Shikamaru stood just inside the doorway to his house, looking out at the rain. Now his plan didn't seem too great anymore. He didn't want to get wet. If only he had an umbrella. Specifically the umbrella that Naruto had borrowed a while ago and promised to give back the next day. The blonde-haired boy has still yet made the time to give it back, and its been a couple of weeks since then. How come he wasn't that surprised? Shikamaru sighed and glanced up at the grey clouds blocking the usually bright sun. Usually he would have complained about the sun hurting his eyes, but today he'd rather have sore eyes than dripping-wet clothes. Weather was just a troublesome bother at times in his life.

The young ninja grimaced as he took a few steps outside before shutting the door behind him. The rain had already succeeded in getting his hair soaked, and his clothes were already quite damp. The walk was definetly going to be a pleasant one. Shikamaru started walking down the street with his hands in his pockets, trying to keep them warm. Nobody else was on the rain-covered road. That wasn't very surprising. Whenever he took a step, his foot would splash into a puddle, making the bottom of his pants wet. The rain was even reaching him from down below as well as above his head. This was why he prefered to stay in on nasty days like this. Still, it would be worth it. Hopefully.

Shikamaru finally reached his destination, the house where Temari stayed during her visits. He had to at least try again before she left. By that time he was soaked from head to toe. He was also shivering slightly. Before he could think over what he was doing yet again, Shikamaru knocked on the door and waited, listening for any footsteps on the other side. Nothing could be heard during the minute afterwards. Shikamaru knocked again and waited another minute before sighing. The suspicions he tried to ignore were had already left for her village.

"What a drag..." he grumbled, glancing over his shoulder at the still-empty street. What should he do now? Just go home? The idea sounded tempting to him. At that moment his stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the other day. He could just stop off at the ramen stall before heading home. Shikamaru dug through his pockets to see if he had enough to pay for a bowl of ramen. To his surprise, he did. Shikamaru headed off down the road towards the ramen stall. Hopefully they would be open, even on a day like this. Soon, though, he was sitting down with a bowl of ramen in front of him. Just as Shikamaru was taking his first bite of it, he heard a rather familar voice call out behind him,

"Hey, Shikamaru!"

The young ninja looked over his shoulder to see Naruto standing there, fumbling to close an umbrella. Shikamaru's umbrella, to be exact.

"Enjoying being dry?" Shikamaru asked before taking a bite of the bowl's contents. It was starting to help him warm up.
"Yeah. I was just looking through my closet and found this! Lucky, huh?" the blonde-haired ninja said, grinning.
"Hmph." Shikamaru muttered through a mouth-full of food. He saw Naruto, out of the corner of his eye, sitting down in the seat next to him. A bowl of ramen was also soon placed in front of him. Shikamaru silently watched as he wolfed it down. He then turned back to his own bowl and continued to eat. There was a hushed silence between the two as they ate, too busy in their own thoughts to bother making conversation. As Shikamaru was about to finish eating, Naruto turned to him,

"So what has been on your mind lately?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ino mentioned yesterday that you were a little distant recently. Is it possibly about a girl?" Naruto suggested, a smirk now on his face. Shikamaru froze for a second, not knowing what to say. He was right about them becoming suspicious, after all. Some part of him had hoped that it was just Ino being.. well... Ino. Shikamaru took another bite of ramen before muttering,

"Of course not. I have too much on my mind to worry about things like that."
"Oh? Well... then what is it?" Naruto asked, refusing to let the conversation drop.
"Just thinking about a mission I have to go on soon." Shikamaru grumbled, hoping that the lie would satisfy him and stop the questions.
"Ahh ok." Naruto mumbled through a mouth-full of ramen, "Why are you all wet? Didn't you bring an umbrella?" he asked a few seconds later. Shikamaru sighed,

"No, I don't have an umbrella at the moment. A friend of mine had borrowed it but forgot to bring it back." he hinted, hoping that Naruto would remember.

"Really? Well that sucks." Naruto just said with a smile, "If you want, you could borrow mine."

Shikamaru just stared at the blonde-haired ninja for a moment, barely believing what he was hearing. He then just shook it off. Its not worth it trying to get Naruto to understand.

"Sure..." he ended up muttering, taking the umbrella from him. Shikamaru stuffed the last of the ramen in his mouth and quickly payed for the bowl. He had to get out of there before Naruto started asking any more questions.

"Well, I gotta go. See you later, Naruto." he called over his shoulder as he walked out, opening up the umbrella. At least the walk home will be dry.

Well, thats it for Chapter 3! Hope you all liked it! :D