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XOXOX

Hidden Feelings, Hidden Lives

Chapter 14: Friends And Laughter Make For The Best Medicine

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Shikamaru Nara awoke to the scent of Kakashi Hatake once again, he was really starting to like this.
This time around, though, he was laying on a futon wedged in between Kakashi´s bed and his desk. And Kakashi wasn´t here.

This was, however, pushed to the back of his mind as his bladder told him it needed emptying. So he got up and made his way to the only door the room held.
On his second step, Shikamaru all but tripped because the pajama bottoms he was wearing belonged to Kakashi, and the man´s legs were a lot longer than his own. But Shikamaru didn't really have time to waste on that fact right now, so he grabbed hold of the fabric somewhere around his knees and pulled up.

Kakashi was busying himself making breakfast when he heard sounds coming from the bedroom.
Ah, he´s up. Good, that means I won´t have to wake him.
He continued his work on the stove, turning as he heard Shikamaru enter the small kitchen.

"Sorry, I was looking for the bathroom…"

Kakashi only barely managed to contain his laughter at the sight of his young friend hunched over, pulling the legs of his borrowed pajama bottoms off the floor. He pointed behind him with his thumb, "Through there," Before doubling over in a fit of laughter.

Once Shikamaru had finished in the bathroom he returned to Kakashi's kitchen. It was sort of surprising to him how small this place was, being raised in the privileged confines of his own clan compound.
But the jounin's apartment really had only three rooms , if you didn't count the hallway – which he didn't. Shikamaru walked through the apartment in his mind, entering trough the front door.

The door opened to a narrow hallway, spanning across the length of the apartment. There were only two doors coming up on the landing, both on the right. The first door opened to the kitchen.
It was a tiny space, bit it seemed sufficient for Kakashi's needs. After moving into the kitchen, the fridge was directly on your right, with the stove next to it. The rest of the wall was taken up entirely by a narrow counter, the sink being against the far wall.
There was a window above the counter, looking out onto the street below. A table with two chairs was set against the inner wall, Kakashi's bedroom being on the other side.
Directly across from the door to the hall, there was another door on the far wall of the kitchen, leading to the bathroom. On the right, there were a shower and a bath; the toilet and sink were on the left.

Back in the hallway, the second door led to Kakashi's bedroom. The room itself was narrow, but actually quite long. The back wall was taken up entirely by a window, the windowsill somewhat deepened by a long plank running across the length of it. There were some books and two picture frames placed on top.
Kakashi's bed was set against the left wall as you entered. The headboard sitting against the plank underneath the window. Kakashi's desk stood against the right, the inner wall, also by the window. A small bookcase stood next to it.

He didn't know it yet, but Shikamaru would come to know this apartment well…

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Kakashi plated the breakfast consisting of steamed rice, miso soup, tamagoyaki and broiled salted salmon before inviting his guest to sit down and eat. As they both did so, Kakashi noticed the fact that Shikamaru considerately kept his eyes on either his food, or out the window.

It was a situation many people in Konaha would dream of – his own Team Seven had even bought him ramen once, in an attempt to gaze upon the jounin's face. But Shikamaru made no such attempt.
After he'd finished his meal and pulled the mask back up, Kakashi couldn't restrain himself any longer.

"Thank you, Shikamaru."

"Eh?" The boy shot him a quizzical look.

"For… Not sneaking a peek. Both here and that night we were drinking…."

"You mean the night you were drinking, I only had a couple sips," The Nara pulled a face, "I don't think I like the taste much though, so I shouldn't complain."

"What was that? Shikamaru Nara has found something he doesn't want to complain about? That must me a first!" The copy ninja joked, raising one eyebrow.

It was the first time he'd seen a real smile on the boys face since long before their mission together.
Kakashi thought it looked beautiful.

"Yeah, it's a drag, but there you have it," the Nara grinned at him, negating his own words, "I'll help you clean up, but after that I should really go home. My dad'll be wondering where I was last night."

"Yeah… Dads can be such a drag…"

They both kept laughing as they cleared the table and put away the dishes.
Shikamaru started to feel whole again…