Wow, that last chapter had a lot of feedback

Wow, that last chapter had a lot of feedback. Thanks to everyone! And congratulations to Inu-bitch, I'm going to have a little girl soon myself. Well, can't keep you folks waiting!

What a drag. Why had he agreed to this again? He could be at home sleeping or something. Anything was better than another mission. Shikamaru glanced up at the blue sky and sighed. No clouds to be seen. "Keep up Shikamaru, you're getting left behind!" Choji called out for him. It was true, the other boys were all ahead of him. The gang's all here…with the exception of Naruto and the annoying addition of Neji. Man that guy could get on his nerves. "Man I'm hungry, let's stop to eat something." Choji whined, holding his growling stomach. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "We just ate breakfast man! How could you be hungry again?" Kiba dropped back to run beside them, Akimaru tucked inside his jacket. "Breakfast was so long ago though! C'mon, can't we stop?" "No!" For once everyone else in the group agreed on something. "Let's split up. We can cover more ground that way. Turn your headset frequencies to channel 6 and report back if you find something." Neji ordered. The guy had been put in the lead only because he was older and had more "experience". Man it was a drag. Shikamaru adjusted his headset and swerved off away from the group. Maybe he'd just find a spot somewhere and take a nap. Like their group could honestly find Sasuke. Maybe if it had been Naruto by himself they would have had a chance but Sasuke? The guy was out of their league. A small clearing opened up in front of him and for once Shikamaru smiled. Perfect place to crash. He pulled up short when he got close enough though, his eyes wide. He knew something had been going on between Naruto and Sasuke back at the village but this…. the two genin were crashed on the ground, completely naked and totally wrapped around each other. Shikamaru didn't know whether he should laugh or runaway and burn out his eyes. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. Man, he had a mission to do and the sooner it was done the sooner he could get some sleep. Picking up a rock, he threw it towards the sleeping boys without looking at them. "Huh? What the….Shikamaru? What are you doing here?" Naruto sat up and rubbed his eyes, blinking wearily up at him. "Get some clothes on will ya? And wake Sasuke up." It was creepy. That show off that was usually completely unaffected by emotions had a big grin on his face despite him being asleep. "Clothes? What do ya mean?" Naruto looked down and blushed bright red. "Ohmygod." Shikamaru held back a laugh as Naruto jumped up and searched around for his clothes, wincing at every step he took. Man this couldn't get creepier or funnier. "Naruto, lay back down." Sasuke grabbed a hold of the blonde's ankle and pulled him back down, grinning as he fell with his back on top of him. "Mmm, should we try some other things?" Sasuke leaned his head up and nibbled on Naruto's ear as he wrapped his arms around Naruto's bare chest. Naruto choked and got redder, glancing nervously at Shikamaru. "Sasuke stop! Let me go!" Naruto wiggled around and pulled at Sasuke's arms who only smiled. "That feels good." Sasuke said demurely. Oh man Shikamaru couldn't take this anymore. He took off into the woods and stopped when he thought he was far enough away from them before he started busted out laughing. Man he had not seen this coming and he was good at predicting outcomes of pretty much anything. He had to tell the others he found them though. Pressing the hidden button on the set, static filled his ears. "Man ya'll are never going to believe this." Shikamaru wiped a tear from his eye and sat down, leaning against a tree. "Have you located the targets?" That was Neji. "Yeah, sure. Man ya'll just have to…" His words were cut short as a kunai came under his chin. "Shikamaru? What are your coordinates?" Neji asked. "Say nothing if you want to live." Sasuke came from around the tree to stand in front of him, those black eyes cold in the early sun. You've got to be kidding me! "Shikamaru? Where are you? Answer Shikamaru!" Now there was a hint of unease in Neji's voice. "Hand it here." Sasuke held his free hand out and waited while Shikamaru unhook the headset from his clothes and ear. With a scowl Sasuke slammed the set against the tree, smashing it into little pieces. "You're going to stay here and not tell them what you saw. As for me and Naruto, we'll be leaving. Stop trying to follow us or I will be forced to kill you." Man that gave him the chills. The guy looked completely serious. Shikamaru nodded and took a giant breath as Sasuke suddenly disappeared. Man he was never going to hear the end of this. He knew he should try to follow them…but he didn't want to and for once it was because he was lazy. He had never seen either of them...look so peaceful before. The only thing he could do was sit and wait for the others to find him. Oh well, at least he could get a snooze in today.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Naruto asked as Sasuke returned to the clearing. "He'll be staying where he is. Come on Naruto, they have others looking for us." Sasuke slung his pack onto his shoulders and held his hand out to Naruto. The blonde frowned scratched his head. "Shouldn't we at least tell them what's going on?" He asked. Sasuke sighed and went to him, wrapping his arms around his thin body. "Do you really think they'd understand? If they know where we are then that just puts them in danger too. Remember why we left?" Well, why Naruto had left anyways. "Well yeah, but shouldn't we.." Sasuke kissed him and stroked a marked cheek. "Don't worry about them. They have each other to look after them. We have only us." Naruto sighed and nodded, leaning his head against Sasuke's. This really sucked, seeing Naruto depressed like this. He wasn't at all like he was last night, when it seemed he was more animal than man. His back still stung from Naruto's claws despite the medical salve they had put on it afterwards. "Come on Naruto, let's leave this place before the others come." Sasuke said softly. Naruto nodded and lifted his head, gently kissing Sasuke. Sasuke's heart somersaulted at the first sign of affection that came from Naruto without Sasuke having done the initial act. "Well, if we got to come on. You're going to hold us up." Naruto gave him a watery smile before leaping into the trees. Sasuke grinned and took off after him, keeping a little bit behind him to watch the sway of his rear end as they jumped from tree to tree.

"Neji reported in that Shikamaru found the boys however his transmission was cut off and at the moment he can't be located." Iruka stood beside him, looking over his shoulder at a map of the surrounding lands. Kakashi rolled his shoulders and nodded. Neji would find the boy soon enough using the Byakugan inherent in his bloodline. Right on time, their headsets roared with static before Neji could be heard. "We have located Shikamaru at the Eastern edge of the forest. He has confirmed sightings of Naruto and Sasuke however is unable to tell which way they headed off too. We…we can't get him to stop laughing." That last part confused both the jounin and the teacher. "We're on our way." Kakashi said as he stood up. Iruka nodded as Kakashi looked at him and they took up, going as fast as they could. The boys were headed towards Rock Country and that was one of the worst places for them. Kakashi knew from personal experience. A brief flash of his first mission as leader flew through his mind before he firmly shuit it out. Naruto wouldn't end up like Obito.