AN; Just a pointless digression. A oneshot ShikaSasu ficcie. Why? Because I think that Shikamaru is a very unappreciated character and he's one of my favourites.

Disclaiemr: Don't own it. Don't sue me. So there.

Your Clouds
by: Death.by.Shuriken

He lay in his field and stared up at the clouds above him. He imagined that he was flying with big snowy wings that caught the thermals with ease, lifting him higher and higher to his ultimate destination; the sun. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and began to build himself a place in the sky, a place where he would truly belong. Where nothing could go wrong, where there wasn't any death or decay. Where people loved unconditionally–

"Shikamaru." Sasuke's voice yanked him rudely from his thoughts.

Shikamaru opened one eye and gazed at the young man's impassive face. His happy feelings were suddenly pricked with annoyance at this interruption. "What?"

"Why do you lay around? What is so great about the sky?"

The boy in question shrugged, "I lay down because I get a better view of the sky that way and why do I look at it? That's too troublesome for me to explain to the likes of you." He grunted and closed his eyes, tuning his mind to the half-built cloud city that he had been building.

Sasuke stood with his hands in his pockets, staring up at the clouds and wondering why this was such a favourite pasttime of the Ninja genius.

"If you are going to stay there then get out of my view." Shikamaru grunted.

"But your eyes are closed."

"I can still feel you." He opened one eye and looked up at the silent, sullen Uchiha heir. "You people always dashing to and fro, always worrying. Always doing and never thinking. What a troublesome existence." He ranted in his own, lazy way.

Sasuke settled in the long grass, plucking a long stalk and twiddling it in his fingers. "You people? Aren't you one of those, Shikamaru?"

"I'm... different."

"How so?"

Shikamaru propped himself up on his elbow and stared at Sasuke, "Why do you care, Sasuke? A glimpse of someone's life to reassure yourself that things are better than you thought? That you are, in fact, normal? Please. Spare me the bullshit." He sat up, his mood thoroughly ruined.

"I never denied that I wasn't selfish." He shrugged, idly wrapping the stalk around his finger. "We all have our own battles and I am fighting mine."

"Good for you." Shikamaru wrapped his arms loosely around his knees, still not looking at the other sitting solemnly beside him. "Now, ask me if I care?"

A hand reached out and grabbed his throat, pinning him back down onto the field. Sasuke straddled his hips and leaned in until his face just inches from Shikamaru's. "Don't flatter yourself if you assume that I will ask you if you care." He murmured. "Because quite frankly, I don't give a damn about your opinions. So high and mighty, Shikamaru. The attitude is most unbecoming."

Shikamaru found himself staring past Sasuke, up at the clouds that were still scudding across the summer skies indifferent to the strife below. He sighed sadly and tuned back to the face looming over him. At least it was a pretty face that was obstructing his much appreciated view of the clouds. He stared at that face and suddenly felt compelled to kiss it. Being a male was so troublesome. Being human was troublesome. Being a male in lust with another male? That was just a pain in the ass.

He propped himself up on his elbow, erasing the distance between that face. Brushing his lips against Sasuke's stunned ones, he gave an exploratory brush of his tongue before laying back down on the grass. "Why did you do that?" Sasuke asked, his fingertips brushing against his kiss-slicked mouth.

"Because I wanted to." Shikamaru muttered before deftly swiping the boy off of him. He suddenly felt appeased with the clouds above him. Did it matter that he knew these clouds were heavy with rain? That soon, they would betray the beautiful weather and spill out their burdens, drenching everything and wrapping it in a grey gloom?

"It's going to rain soon." Sasuke said softly, settling on his back to stare up at the clouds that had captured the other's attention so raptly.

He didn't bother to answer, instead he wondered why Sasuke had to be so noisy. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"No." Still not taking the hint that he wasn't wanted, Sasuke resumed staring up at the sky.

They drifted off to sleep with the sound of cicadas and birds chirping in the summer heat. Contentment wrapped them in a cloak, making them feel safe and warm in each other's company.

Shikamaru woke to the sound of the sky growling threateningly. He eyed the clouds and figured he wouldn't make it home before the storm would hit. He knew just by looking at the sky that the storm was going to be a bad one too. He glanced at Sasuke, who was still sleeping. He contemplated just leaving him there but somewhere inside of him, he had a tender spot for Sasuke. Especially sleeping Sasuke that looked like he was four by the way he slept, curled up on his side with his hands folded neatly under his face to keep the grass from tickling his nose.

He leaned over and brushed his lips across Sasuke's cheek. He pulled back and watched as those jet eyes opened slowly, blurry with sleep. He peered past Shikamaru's face at the duplicitous sky that gave another threatening rumble. "It's going to rain."

"I know."

Sasuke stared at Shikamaru, unsure of what to do. He knew what he wanted to do but didn't know if that was the right idea. With an internal shrug, he placed a hand against the delicate column of his neck and pulled him down. Shikamaru lay flush against his chest, blocking out the depressingly dark clouds. He tasted like warm rainy summer days. Sasuke's tongue brushed passed lips and teased at his mouth.

He found himself wrapping his arms around Sasuke and dragging him closer, if that was possible. He was hungry, there was something empty inside of him that he knew Sasuke could probably fill. Something that would make him happy, at least in the meantime. Until he figured out what exactly he wanted.

When finally their kissing had left them breathless, Shikamaru moved away and sat up, hugging his legs as he tried to will his body to its lucid state. "The storm's coming." He said just as lightening shattered the skies, followed by a loud clap of thuner.

Sasuke stood, brushing away the grass that clung to his shorts. "It's going to be a bad one."

"Just shut up, already." Shikamaru grumbled, glaring up at the young man.

"Hn." He threw a simple wave over his shoulder as he began walking down the field, towards the paved streets.

When Sasuke had reached the pavement, he stopped and turned, staring at Shikamaru who was picking his way down the hill in lagging steps. "What are you waiting for?" He asked as he walked passed, stuffing his hands in his vest.

The wind picked up, carrying the first of the rain and driving it into exposed skin. He didn't bother answering Shikamaru's question. He just stood as the rain began to pour over them. A small smirk curled his lips as he shrugged and began wandering down the street in almost the same attitude as Shikamaru, who stood shivering in the cold wind and rain. "How do you like your clouds now?" He asked over the rain's din.

Fini