A/N: Hey fellas. Since we're all stuck indoors for the time being, I'll try to update this a bit more frequently. We don't have long to go before this one wraps up, so let's get to that finish line

Time for chapter 42

Enjoy!


Shikamaru rubbed his eyes as he trudged through the hallway he had now become quite familiar with. It had been three days since his first awakening in the Wind Country, and while it had not been an enjoyable seventy-two hours, the genin had quit fretting about his situation. It was what it was, and there was no way to change it. Much of the reason for Shikamaru's relative tranquility was attributable to the routine and domain he had created for himself. He snapped awake at six every morning, left the room for breakfast at seven, returned to his room by eight, and waited for noon. Once the aforementioned hour arrived, he would eat lunch.

After his meal, the shadow user would take a walk around the estate, which was even larger than he had imagined was possible for a single building. Once the walk concluded, he would return to his sleeping quarters once again and turn in for the night. The benefits to this process were numerous, but the greatest boon provided by his minimalist approach to navigation was that he no longer ran the risk of interacting with Gaara or Temari for long. Kankuro had proven to be merely apathetic to his presence, making him approachable in a way.

Shikamaru's current destination was the dining hall, where he had been served an awful lunch by Temari on his first full day in Suna. It was nearly two in the morning, which, as the Nara had discovered, meant nothing when it came to the availability of food. The most attractive perk of eating at such an hour was the lack of service workers in the hallways. No odd looks, no whispers, and moving masses of people. Silent, uninterrupted, and as close to tranquil as a hostage like himself could hope for. Unfortunately for him, his relative calm was greatly disrupted when he stepped into the dining room.

"I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're feeling hungry rather than foolishly brave" Gaara, who was sitting at the dining table said with a slight chuckle. The shadow user froze in place, weighing his options momentarily. After a brief internal debate, he opted to continue as he would have.

"Bravery and Shikamaru Nara are in no way synonymous" he replied tiredly as he made his way into the kitchen. Well aware that he was being closely watched, the genin quickly threw together a sandwich and sat down across from the Jinchuuriki at the table.

"What're you out here for? I get that you don't sleep, but you walked in and ate lunch right after I left at noon" he asked skeptically. The redhead reached down to the base of his chair and grabbed something, setting it on the table. It was a bottle of alcohol. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you a bit young to be drinking?" he asked. Gaara shrugged and poured himself a glass of the strong liquid.

"Legally, yes, but who's going to stop me? My parents are rotting in the grave and I'm the most powerful thing in this village. Besides, I hardly ever become intoxicated. My body filters and handles alcohol quite nicely. Would you like to test your tolerance as well?" he replied. The shadow user shook his head and took a bite of his sandwich.

"I'll probably take you up on that at some point, considering I might be dead in less than two weeks, but not tonight. I'd rather not be hungover in the morning" he said through a yawn. Gaara nodded and down his shot glass.

"Logical, I suppose. Although, I'd be fairly surprised if you died here if I don't kill you. That option is still on the table, though" he said. Shikamaru intently chewed his food and frowned at the statement.

"Your sister might end me too. She already sliced me open once. Wouldn't shock me if she just slit my throat in the dark one of these nights" he said tiredly. The sand shinobi leaned back in his chair and stretched.

"No, Temari wouldn't and won't take your life. Anything is possible, I suppose, but such a thing would surprise even me" he said, further draining the bottle into his glass as he spoke.

"She respects you far too much to kill you in such a manner" he continued. Shikamaru snorted and tossed his paper plate into a nearby garbage.

"Bullshit. That demoness doesn't have a scrap of respect for me" he retorted. Gaara stifled a laugh and took a sip of his drink.

"That girl hates to lose, but she never hates those she's lost to. Not even you. Especially so in your case, actually. You outwilled her. You broke her with pace and pressure. You abandoned your smarts when you realized they would not and could not win you the fight. That takes grit, and above all else, Temari regards grit highly. Her reasoning is likely a tad similar to why I toyed with Naruto while he built up the nerve to unleash the fox" he said. The Shadow user glanced at his jailor.

"Oh really? Are you sure you didn't just feel like torturing him?" he asked bluntly. Gaara laughed mirthlessly, causing Shikamaru to shudder.

"That was certainly part of it. I did enjoy the process of working him up. So many insecurities and internalized pains to poke and prod at. It was a buffet of attractive options" he said, seeming to revel in the past conflict. The konoha genin scowled.

"You're a sociopath" he muttered. Despite his fairly hushed tone of voice, the jinchuuriki heard him and downed another glass of alcohol.

"I'll say the same thing to you that I said to Naruto. Tell me something I don't already know" he said, locking eyes with his hostage for the first time since his arrival at the table. To his surprise, Shikamaru did not falter or avert his gaze.

"You're a lot of things, Gaara. You're a sadist, a complete and utter sociopath, and I'm pretty sure you're a murderer, but I don't really buy that you're just a naturally evil person. Not that you aren't terrible, you are, but you're loving this a little too much for it to be believable" he said calmly. Gaara, for the briefest of moments, seemed to show signs of discomfort. His eyes narrowed, his body tensed just enough to be detectable, and his face twitched. The weakness disappeared as quickly as it had manifested, being immediately replaced by a humorous smirk.

"About time you showed some backbone. Poking a bear isn't something I'd advise, but suit yourself" he replied, turning back to the bottle of alcohol on the table. For several minutes, neither of them spoke. The company was not enjoyed by either, but it was tolerated. Eventually, and surprisingly, the quiet game of chicken was won by Shikamaru.

"You know, it really is fascinating that you clearly fear me, but still choose to retaliate. Naruto was too stupid to know what to be afraid of, but you, you understand what you're looking at. Yet here you are, pushing my buttons" Gaara said, ending the silent stretch. The Nara shrugged.

"Naruto's actually a hell of a lot smarter than he's given credit for, as a fighter, anyways. The reason he wasn't shaken by you until you started attacking him personally is because he was and still is under the impression that he can kill you" he said in response. The Jinchuuriki rested his face on his fist.

"That still doesn't explain your lack of caring for your own safety" he pointed out, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. Shikamaru wiped away the remnants of his sandwich from the corner of his mouth.

"Naruto has a few reasons to care about his own skin. If he kicks the bucket, Hinata probably follows him to the grave within the same week, and he knows it. He also has a goal or two. I don't have a person that I need to preserve myself for, or any long-term dreams. Dying here wouldn't be ideal, but I also know that I have no way to stop it, unlike somebody as powerful as Naruto. Fearing the potentially inevitable is pointless" he said flatly, as he stood up and plodded into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. Upon his return to the table, he decided to push his luck further.

"You told me a few days ago that I don't like uncertainty, and you're right. Now, let me make an educated guess about you. You dislike people who don't fear you. It shakes your ego" he said, making eye contact with the redhead for effect. Gaara stared at him silently for a few moments before sighing uncharacteristically.

"Yes, but not for the reason you stated. I hate several things, one of which being stupidity. There aren't many beings currently living that hold an advantage over me, and unless you're one of them, respect those superior to you" he said. Shikamaru chuckled.

"I must be a puzzle for you then. You said it yourself, I'm not stupid, and I really don't fear you any more than I fear my own mother" he replied, well aware of the ridiculously fine line he was walking. The redhead broke out into a low chuckle, covering the left side of his face with his palm and allowing a finger to stray over his uncovered eye. The laugh soon devolved into a menacing growl.

"You know, you remind me a great deal of somebody I used to know. Intelligent like you, but even more of an instigator" Gaara said as he removed his hand from his face, revealing that one of his eyes was now golden in color. Shikamaru shuddered.

'Either the alcohol is getting to him or I just pissed him off a little too much. Probably both' he thought to himself tensely. Against his better judgement, and if direct defiance to the shaking in his knees, he pressed further.

"Sounds like a story to me. Mind telling it? We literally have all night" he asked. Gaara's mouth twitched, briefly revealing a fang.

"Since you've been so irritatingly talkative, I'll return the favor. There will be no censorship" he said. Shikamaru nodded and motioned for the Jinchuuriki to begin his tale. The redhead then straightened his posture.

"Something that might surprise you is the fact that I actually did attend this village's Ninja Academy. I graduated quite some time ago, but I spent four years in it from age four to eight. As you could imagine, much of my time was spent grossly outperforming my classmates. I was widely revered and avoided by my fellow students. Mostly because they knew what would happen if they angered me. I had something of a temper back then" he began, seeming to reminisce a bit as he spoke. The shadow user studied the Jinchuuriki as he listened and chewed his lip absently.

'You've still got a temper. You just hide it better than most' he thought to himself. Before he could think any further, Gaara began to speak once again.

"There was one person, however, that challenged that norm and continually interacted with me. Routine greetings, a lack of respect for my personal space, and a sharp tongue. Things I despise, and yet, over time, I grew accustomed to them. She even found a way to tame my sand, which is semi-sentient" he continued, earning a chuckle from Shikamaru.

"Let me guess, you fell madly in love with this chick and then she rolled over and died?" he asked jokingly. Gaara took a swig directly from his bottle of alcohol and shook his head.

"You're half right, but let me finish. We'll get to that part, don't you worry. As I said, she found a variety of ways to irritate me. From the taming of my sand to her dauntless approach to speaking with me. She was an insect compared to me, but still refused to act subordinated to me in any way. This went on for around six months, with this girl treating me as though we were equal, seeking me out day in and day out" he said, stopping abruptly.

The shadow user frowned as Gaara seemed to struggle with something. His face remained unchanged, but his silence told a story of turmoil. After another ten seconds of uncharacteristic and foreign silence, the Jinchuuriki continued.

"Once those six months had passed, she disappeared. Gone with the wind, it seemed. For the next three weeks, the instructor would skip her name when taking attendance. On the final day of the third week, I attended a public execution with my father. The man was never one for parenting, but he did seem to enjoy taking me to political events and such, executions obviously included" he said, his voice taking on a new tone. Shikamaru felt his blood run cold as he easily deciphered the remainder of the story.

'Is that...grief I hear?' he thought to himself in disbelief as he finished the last of his water. His theory was soon given more weight as Gaara lowered his eyes to his shot glass, which he soon began to fiddle with.

"Much to my shock, the very first person up to the gallows was the very same girl that had disappeared. For the first and only time, I found myself struggling to keep my eyes on the convicted as a rope was tied around her neck. Just before the hangman could kick her off the edge of the platform, she caught sight of me. Instead of looking distressed or disheartened, she gave me the same friendly smile she always gave me" he said, inadvertently shattering his shot glass as his body tensed. The Nara looked on in shock as Gaara concluded the horrific tale.

"She was then kicked down from the platform. Unfortunately for her, her neck didn't break immediately, leaving her to suffocate to death as the rope strangled her. She hung there for nearly a full minute, struggling and twitching all the while. Just as it looked like the oxygen deprivation was about to kill her, she turned to me again and mouthed a few words. To this day, I haven't been able to decipher them. Once her mouth stopped moving, so did the rest of her body. She was dead" the Jinchuuriki said as he picked shards of broken glass out of his palm. Shikamaru swallowed and shook his head.

"Dear god" he muttered. Gaara gazed down at his bloody palm and chuckled bitterly to himself, the laughter born less of humor than it was of long-suppressed pain.

"As it turns out, her execution and arrest had been ordered by my father once he had caught wind of her involvement with me. He claimed that she was a burden to me and nothing more. I despise him for making such a call on my behalf. If anybody was going to kill that girl for her indiscretions, it should have been me. More than that, though, I found myself pained by her passing for reasons I still don't fully understand. That night, deep in the desert, I made a pact with myself and the demon inside of me" he said, pushing up the left side of his bangs with his injured hand as he spoke to clear a visual path for the kanji for love.

"For risk of emotional turmoil, love only myself, live only for myself, and above all else, care for myself only. To give myself a permanent reminder of this oath, I carved the symbol for love into my forehead. Every time I look in the mirror, my mindset is made fresh and new" he explained, his forehead now stained with the blood from his hand. Shikamaru pursed his lips and gathered his thoughts for a moment or two.

"What was her name?" he asked. Gaara glanced at him out of the corner of his eye suspiciously, but eventually relented.

"Matsuri" he replied, his tone making it clear that he had said all he was willing to say on the topic. The shadow user nodded and looked at his empty water glass. He then reached across the table and took Gaara's bottle of alcohol, pouring himself a small glass of it and setting the container down. The Jinchuuriki raised an eyebrow.

"Finally feeling down enough to drink?" he asked only half-jokingly. The konoha genin replied by downing the liquid and wiping his mouth of the excess.

"Yeah, but don't be too proud of yourself. It has more to do with me being here at all than your story. While we're on the topic of drinking, though, why do you do it? The saying goes, 'some drink to remember, but most drink to forget'. Which are you?" he asked. Gaara glanced down at his wounded hand once more.

"Neither. I drink to understand"


Hinata tapped her foot impatiently as she awaited the return of Naruto. She and her teammate had finally been given a date for their departure to Suna, roughly two weeks, and the blonde had been training at an absolutely hellacious pace since the revelation. The heiress had been preparing diligently as well, but her rate of conditioning utterly paled to her partner's. The announcement of the departure date had come three days ago, and by HInata's estimation, Naruto had spent eighteen hours per day training since.

As a result of this, the Hyuga girl had seen very little of the Jinchuuriki recently. The remaining six hours of his days tended to be spent sleeping, leaving little time for interaction between the two. To remedy this issue, at least on that day, Hinata had opted to wait for him outside his front door.

'This really is selfish of me, but oh well. A girl has the right to self-indulgence once in a while' she thought to herself with a sigh. After a short five minute wait, her person of interest trudged his way up the stairs. Naruto, looking quite tired, made his way onto the floor of his apartment slowly, spotting Hinata after a moment.

"Oh, Hinata. How are ya?" he asked somewhat raggedly with a smile. The heiress returned the smile and waved.

"Quite well, a bit sore, but that's to be expected. I must say, you look quite labored, Naruto-kun" she replied jovially. Naruto sighed and nodded as he slowly made his way to the door. The heiress politely opened it for him and allowed him to enter before sliding in and shutting it behind her. The blonde meandered over to his kitchen table and sat down, prompting his teammate to follow him.

"Want me to make us some food? I've probably got just enough energy to do it" he joked tiredly. Hinata shook her head and stopped walking in front of the seated blonde. She then stepped into his personal space.

"No, you've worked hard enough already. Let me do the rest of the work, 'kay?" she said. Before the Jinchuuriki could respond, the heiress set herself down on his lap and ran a hand through his hair.

"What are you-" he began, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden development. Hinata silenced him with her mouth before he could finish the sentence, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Let me help you unwind a bit, Naruto-kun. You're very tense" she purred suggestively. Finding himself both too tired to resist and not entirely opposed to what his now-girlfriend was doing, Naruto shrugged.

"I'm really sweaty, though" he pointed out. The heiress gave him a bored look and licked her lips.

"In my current mood, I'd take you in any state as long as you're alive" she said before pressing her mouth to his a bit more forcefully. After nearly sixty seconds, Hinata pulled their lips apart, a trail of saliva keeping them connected still.

"That got a tad messy, didn't it? Bliss comes at a price I suppose" she said, tracing his jaw line with her index finger as she spoke. Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"This is your way of saying you missed me, isn't it?" he asked with a chuckle. The Hyuga girl smiled sweetly and nodded.

"Yes, yes it is. I know that I'm being self centered right now, but I need this. And...no worries. Things will escalate no further than they already have" she assured him, eliciting a sigh of relief from the Jinchuuriki. Hinata then cupped his face.

"Shall we continue?" she asked. Naruto nodded, cuing the heiress to lean down towards his mouth again.

"Should...I come back later?"

Both genin froze at the sound of the voice, turning their heads slowly in the direction of the door from which the question had come. Standing in the doorway, looking both amused and incredibly uncomfortable was Hiashi. The clan head was a bag of something, which he then set down to the left of the doormat.

"Father, you... could have at least knocked" Hinata squeaked, her hands still on either side of her teammates face. Hiashi stifled a laugh.

"You're right, it is common courtesy, but in my defense, I never could have known that...whatever this is would be going on inside. In the kitchen no less" he said, clearly finding great humor in his daughter's even greater discomfort. Naruto then raised his hand.

"Uh, Hyuuga-sama, just so you know, this was not my idea" he said nervously. The clan head shrugged.

"Fair enough, but you certainly don't seem opposed to my daughter using you as a chair" he replied. The blonde turned bright red.

"Well...I'm...not…?" he stuttered, mentally kicking himself the moment the statement left his mouth. To his shock and relief, Hiashi laughed out loud.

"Good answer. Now, I brought you some bath salts for your inevitable aches and pains. I'm leaving them at the front door" he said as he turned to leave the unbelievable awkward scene. Before exiting, he turned back around once more.

"Should I find evidence that anything beyond what you're doing now occurs before the two of you marry, I'll personally see to it that your manhood is removed" he said calmly before closing the door. The moment he was gone, both ninja released the oxygen they had been holding in their lungs. The Hyuga girl then blushed heavily.

"Would it be okay if I just cuddled you for a bit? I get the feeling that he's either right outside that door or that he'll send Neji to spy" she asked awkwardly. Naruto nodded and stood up as the heiress got off of him. The pair then made their way over to the couch and leaned against one another.

"Lets just nap. That way, they won't have anything to hold against us. I'd rather not have my dick ripped off" the Jinchuuriki said while closing his eyes. Hinata replied by tucking her head underneath his chin.

"Yes, that sounds sensible" she said through a yawn. Soon enough, she was snoring softly. The Jinchuuriki smiled at the sight of her sleeping face.

'You're such a weird spectrum. One minute, you're a force of nature, and the next you're asleep. Kinda like a kitten, actually' he thought to himself, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear at the thought.

'Then again, you did say you loved kittens, so maybe it's intentional'


A/N: Two very different scenes, and the second one was just for fun. The first one, though, that's one I actually put a ton of thought into. Hope you all enjoyed it :)

See you next chapter! Read and Review