Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Thanks go out to all who have been keeping up with this. I had a hard time narrowing down the theme for this one. There really are a few things that could apply here, but I had to go with the one that just seemed to keep popping up. I originally didn't see this going in this direction, but I do like the way it turned out. I even gave it a title. Thank you all, again.

Every Little Thing

#127: Weather

Under the gray skies

It was in the tilt of his head and sad slant of his closed eyes. The pain behind the heavy water laden lashes so obvious even in the shower of rain. No one's shoulders drooped like that with indifference or peacefulness. Even though he was more of stranger to her than most others in their group, Hinata just couldn't walk away from him.

Too many times she'd seen him come to this very place, his pain visibly crushing his body. She'd long suspected this was where he came when his grief was too much to handle. Only in these past few weeks had she been able to confirm it.

Kurenai-sensei approached her around then with a simple request. "Please, could you look after him. Shikamaru isn't the type of person to share such things with others, but I can't help but think if it was you…then-just maybe…" She hadn't continued after that, but her meaning wasn't lost. Maybe, with someone who could understand, but wasn't too close. After all, it is always easier to speak freely with a stranger than some one you knew.

Today was the fifth time she'd found him here. The single slate stone standing as memorial to every Shinobi fallen in the name of the village: The Stone of Heroes. Its surface littered with a vast array of engraved names, glistened with the gray light reflecting off its water soaked planes.

It was starting to become a ritual, not only for him, but for her as well. She couldn't see it going on forever though, she wasn't good enough to carry on like this for a prolonged period of time. Luck was with her to make it this long, but not for much longer.

It was almost too cold to be out here. The biting chill of fall already creeping into the air, adding to the chill already creeping across her rain soaked skin. It took all her will not divulge in the shivers continuously creeping up her spine. She'd pay for this later, as she was quite sure Shikamaru would be as well.

She sniffed softly, a tickle wiggling its way up her nose. She tried every thing to keep it from happening, but in the end the most she could do was cup her hands over mouth and nose and try to muffle the sound with the tree she hide behind. Still the sound seemed to travel and echo in the water suppressed silence.

"A-CHOO!"

She grimaced into her hands, wishing she'd brought a handkerchief. "Blast it all!" Her voice sharp as she grumbled under her breath.

"Having a problem?"

She jumped, pivoting on her feet and shoving her back against the tree in surprise. "Shikamaru-san! I-I didn't know you were here." She mentally crossed her fingers, praying he'd believe her.

"Really?" His dark eyes narrowed on her. Of course he wasn't going to fall for an excuse as lame as that. He's a freaking genius, how could he not see right through that? "So you always hide behind trees when you come here?"

Her head lowered in shame, her thumbs rolling together and fingers twitching with nervousness. "I-I…Uh-"

"Yeah, ok." He said, dismissing her efforts to come up with a believable lie. One hand touched the back of his head, mussing the dark hair matted to his skull until it fluffed up into the familiar spiky bush, the other dug deep into his pants pocket. Despite his previous stance, he looked entirely unaffected by steady fall of rain. "Don't worry about it. You look like you're one cold shower away from getting Hypothermia. You need to get inside and dry off. We can go to my place and dry off and you can tell me why you were spying on me."

She tried to take a step forward, but the minute her foot touched the ground her knees buckled and she began to fall. In quick fashion, he'd looped an arm around her and hoisted her up, her feet barely touching the ground. Her whole right side leaned into him for support, her arms dangling limp like a rag doll fresh out the water.

"Jeez…" He sighed. "Why are girls always so troublesome?"

"Gomen, Shikamaru-san." Her own voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to trouble you."

In the gray light she saw a smile, even if it was a bit small, as he shook his head. "From you, I don't mind so much." He grunted, trying to maneuver her to a firm standing position. "Can you stand or should I just carry you?"

She shook her head. "I-I c-can't s-stand." She stammered, her face hot and red from their proximity, despite the obvious chill penetrating the rest of her body.

In a single motion he'd maneuvered her to his back, allowing her arms to slip and hold around his shoulders, her face resting in the curve where shoulder and neck met. "Hold on as tight as you can." He said, his own hands holding her legs firm to his sides.

Shikamaru shivered, all too aware of the heat on his back and the warm breath feathering against his ear. This was not how he'd seen his day going, but he wasn't complaining. And maybe that's what disturbed him most.