I’m on my way to Naruto,” Sasuke said. He was a strange figure. Shikamaru stood up and sighed. “Things are tough for the both of us,” he said. Sasuke stood at an angle, watching Shikamaru. Shikamaru’s mouth bent into a wonky shape. “Because we’re in a situation where we can’t call you,” Shikamaru added. The reports of the current climate in the Land of Earth and the matter of the Land of Flowers invasion had made it to him by now. “I went through Kumogakure on my way here, quite a large amount of shinobi were gathered. Darui seems ready to move at a moments notice,” Sasuke said. “Is that so?” Shikamaru said. War was threatening to break out all over the world. Konoha should have been preparing. Sasuke had power comparable to Naruto’s, so when Konoha went to war, they’d both be on the front lines. “I pray that time won’t come,” Shikamaru said. “We’re all working hard to make sure it doesn’t happen,” Sasuke said. If he thought about it, Shikamaru had never talked to Sasuke one on one. At the academy, he’d always had the top scores, and despite being bored, Shikamaru had avoided him, unlike the cocky Naruto. Since they had become shinobi, they’d become busy with duties. They’d had even fewer chances to talk when Sasuke had left the village. Naruto had stayed and yearned to fight together again. Shikamaru and Sasuke had drawn a line between them. If he reasoned, Sasuke would have never have thought about Shikamaru once. “I’ve been watching you for a while,” Sasuke said. He stared from the shadows of the trees, Shikamaru remained silent. “The Five Kage Talks, the Five Daimyo Talks and now the Continental Talks, they all show the true you,” Sasuke said. “I’m not a god, I can’t be like that,” Shikamaru said. He turned away at the right moment. On Shikamaru’s mental Shogi board, he could move past him. Every piece had a feeling to it, and it wasn’t easy to move beyond how Shikamaru predicted things to be. It wasn’t all bad on the other hand. At the Five Daimyo Talks, the conditions offered by Ikkyu had saved the skin on Shikamaru’s neck. With all the pieces on the board, Shikamaru’s whole self was the cost of the match. “Because of you, we made it this far,” Sasuke’s words had a hidden meaning. Shikamaru tilted his head down and snorted. “Well for that idiot, you have to be you, cause you’re the one by his side. Because of that, he can be Hokage,” Sasuke said. That idiot… (T/N Sasuke is saying Usuratonkachi here) Sasuke had always called Naruto that, it seemed to be words of affection. At least to Shikamaru, Sasuke would never admit to it. “Heh…” Shikamaru laughed. “What?” Sasuke glared. Shikamaru rubbed his nose. “I think you and I are very much alike,” Shikamaru said. “I’m not like you,” Sasuke said. “Okay then, you shit,” “I’m no better than Naruto,” Sasuke said. “That’s not true,” Neither of them laughed, Sasuke’s face tightened. “Will, your plan work?” Sasuke asked. “I don’t know,” Shikamaru answered. “We only have to do the Continental Talks. Each country has their own suspicions, the Earth Daimyo might change his mind, if he does, we all go to war and down that slippery slope,” Shikamaru said. “I see, will you be OK? To me, you are better than Naruto when it comes to wanting peace for this world, you really want it,” Sasuke said. He didn’t believe that. But he couldn’t unwind the spiraling sorrows of their world, but they could both believe in a peaceful world from the bottom of their hearts. Shikamaru took out a cigarette from his pocket and put it on his lips. Lightning suddenly ran up to the tip of it. Sasuke’s doing. “It’s a luxury lighter,” Shikamaru said. “Only for tonight,” Sasuke said. The cigarette let out its purple smoke. Shikamaru inhaled it deeply, speaking as he poured smoke from his mouth. “Naruto is the villages sun, he’s the one who desires peace more than anyone else,” Shikamaru said. “His feelings are more than that. You’re the one taking on all this dirty work, so you have done much behind his back. You can always dream of peace,” Sasuke said. “If he is going to shine, then I’ll dye myself in darkness for him,” Shikamaru said. Sasuke looked down and smirked, Shikamaru opened his mouth, embarrassed. “You’re already there for Naruto, but so am I,” Sasuke said. “He’s the Hokage, he can’t leave Konoha. Because you’re on the outside, he can do his best and shine as Hokage,” Shikamaru said. “And with you beside him, he can truly shine. He’s the light, you’re the shadows,” Sasuke said. They were similar people, weren’t they? The cigarette burnt down to the filter and Shikamaru stuffed it into his portable ashtray. Closing the lid, it sparked. “When you say things like that, it really helps me. Just thinking that there are friends out there, it makes my fight a little easier,” Shikamaru said. “Me too,” replied Sasuke.

Shikamaru felt like he understood Sasuke for the first time.