AUTHORS NOTE: In chapter 53, Shikamaru mentions hanging with Iruka for a little while, this is what actually happened between the two. Iruka's POV.

I will take request for side notes throughout the main story, if there's a moment you feel like you've missed, let me know in either the reviews of by dropping me a note. I make no promises, but I'll consider every prompt ^.^

XOXOX

Side notes to
Hidden Feelings, Hidden Lives

XOXOX

Addition to Chapter 53; Home At Last
Drabble title: This Is What Friends Do

XOXOX

"Shikamaru?" When Iruka opened the door, he'd half-expected Sakura to come bother him again, but what he found was a miserable looking young Nara. Something was wrong.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei… Mind if I come in?"

"Sure," He stepped aside, "Wait here, though. You're dripping on my floor…"

"Yeah…" A shaky smile drifted his way, "It's pouring outside…"

"I noticed…" Iruka retrieved a soft towel, handing it to the boy standing just inside his door, "Shikamaru, what's wrong?"

For a few minutes, the Nara didn't reply, toweling his hair dry and attempting to do the same with his clothes, "Not wrong. Just… I dunno…" He sighed.

"Well, whatever it is, nothing's gonna improve with you standing in my hall trying to towel your clothes dry. I'll get you something to wear. It'll probably be too big for you, but…"

"Thanks…"

Iruka studied the young face for a few seconds, but the smirk he'd been expecting didn't show up.
Really bad, then…

He walked into his apartment, choosing an old pair of uniform pants that fit him a little too snugly nowadays and the shirt that went with them. It would probably still be too loose for the teen's lean frame, but it was the best he could do.

"Here, I'll go get some tea ready, alright?"

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei…"

He seems so dejected… This is more than a little worrying…

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They'd sat down at Iruka's low table. The uniform was indeed too big for the Nara, but somehow the pants seemed to be hanging off his hipbones so they pretty much stayed in place. Shikamaru clutched the tea almost desperately, looking down at the swirling liquid as if it held the answers to whatever it was that was troubling the boy so.

"Do you want to talk about it, Shikamaru?"

"Not much to talk about… My mom was nagging, and my dad had this dirty grin on his face and I just couldn't take it anymore…" He looked up, unshed tears in his eyes as he suddenly yelled, "It's just not fair, Iruka-sensei! They never cared this much when they were still hoping I'd end up with Ino! Why the hell do they care so much now that it's about guys…?" A tear escaped the confines of the dark lashes, running down his cheek. He wiped at it furiously.

"I don't know, Shikamaru… I honestly don't know. Did they ask about Asuma?" He worried the inside of his lip for a few seconds, this probably wasn't the best question to ask the boy right now. Asuma seemed to be a touchy subject. Not that he could blame him; He was crushing on the guy, wasn't he?

"No…" Shikamaru spoke softly, "I guess he's keeping his word… But I don't care about him anymore, anyway… That kind of stopped after I told him. And it was completely gone after we talked again… Mom was just… Hassling me. Trying to ask what kind of guys I like, and if there was one that I liked right now. So I guess dad didn't tell her after all… But… I don't want to think about it, you know?" He looked up into the sensei's eyes, "It's not like that's always the only thing on my mind, right? And I don't get why my mom keeps asking about it…"

"It's a whole new concept for her, Shikamaru. Suddenly everything about the future seems different for her. I'm sure you understand that, you're just a little too upset to think about it right now."

"Yeah… Iruka-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore… Is it okay if I just… Stay here for a while?"

He sighed, "Fine by me, Shikamaru. But… To be honest, I still have about twenty papers to grade, so… If you don't really want to talk, I kinda need to work on those."

The Nara nodded, "I just don't want to be home, right now. You feel safer… It's okay if I stay? I won't bother your work, I promise," Hope lit up his face, and Iruka smiled at him, nodding.

He got up to retrieve the stack he'd placed on top of the bookcase when he'd brought the tea over to the table. Sitting back down, Iruka got to work.
I feel safer? I guess he's really upset, Shikamaru isn't the kind of person to just let that slip out… But he won't say anymore, I know that much. So I'll just let him hang out here, it's not like I've never graded papers with a frustrated genius in the room before…
Kakashi used to pull stunts like this all the time, and he would never talk about it either… At least Shikamaru isn't going through every little thing in my apartment. He at least seems content to just sit there, sip his tea and study the table. Kakashi even went as far as pulling out a flashlight to peek under my bed. God, that was embarrassing…

Out of nowhere, intense dark eyes shot up, "I'm bothering you, aren't I?"

"What?" Confused, Iruka looked up, "No, not really. Why would you think that?"

A small half-smirk tugged at the Nara's lips, "I've see you grade papers before, Iruka-sensei. You usually work a lot quicker…"

"Ah… Well… It's fine, Shikamaru. Really."

"No it's not," He bit his lip, "You have work to do and I'm slowing you down… That's not fine, Iruka-sensei…"

Wow, Kakashi never cared. Shikamaru really is a lot more mature in some regards, isn't he?
"I don't really care, Shikamaru, I really don't. I've had Kakashi go over every inch of my apartment while I was trying to work, if we're talking distracting…"

"Kakashi?" Eyes widened but a little.

"Yes," Iruka couldn't help a chuckle, "He's my friend, Shikamaru. Of course he's been here before. And when he gets upset, he gets curious. Well, Kakashi's always curious of course, but… Anyway, you're not bothering me, trust me. I'm just a little distracted myself, has nothing to do with you."
Okay, that wasn't even a blatant lie. Still a lie, because right now he is first and foremost on my mind, but still…

"But… I really don't want to bother you, Iruka-sensei…" He almost whispered, causing Iruka to strain his ears just to be able to hear his old student's words, "I should probably go, right?"

"You don't have to, Shikamaru. Like I said, you're not bothering me."
And I'd much rather know where you are and that you're safe…

"It's still raining…"

"Yes. So no cloud watching today, huh? You can stay here, I really don't mind."

"Maybe…"

He stayed quiet after that, and after a little while, Iruka returned to his papers. He'd graded about three of them before Shikamaru spoke up again, softly, tears straining the young voice.

"I just… Don't know what to do anymore…"

He laid the papers down, taking a sip of his cold tea, "I'll listen," He said simply.

"No… I don't want to talk about it. I just need to think…"

"Okay…"
He's starting to sound more and more like Kakashi by the day, isn't he? Next thing you know he's gonna declare he needs a distraction and start pulling all the books out of my bookcase…

"I think I need to be alone…"

"I don't know where, though, Shikamaru. If you don't want to go home, your room seems to be out. And like you said, it's raining outside. Pouring, actually…"

"Yeah…" The Nara worried the inside of his lip, quietly sitting for a few more minutes, "Is Kakashi back yet?"

"Not that I know. But I don't always know until I see him on the street somewhere."
Or if he comes knocking here, all bloody and upset… But that doesn't happen as often anymore, thank god.

"Think he'd be okay with me being in his apartment?"

Probably…. He seems to trust you even more than he trusts me.
"Do you have a key, then?"

"No… You do, though…"

Oh hell no. D'you know what he'll do to me?
"What are you trying to say, Shikamaru?"

"Can I borrow it?"

"Eh… Kakashi is a private person, Shikamaru. You know that. I only got that key after – … Eh… I promised him I wouldn't talk about it…"
About him falling apart and not eating for days until he got so weak he couldn't even sit up anymore. About how I broke into his apartment because I was so worried… I promised him. And besides, it won't do Shikamaru any good to hear that story, not now at least.

"That's fine… He's been through a lot, huh?"

"He has."
Now please forget about that key…

"Still… I've been practically living there when he was recuperating… I don't think he'd mind too much…"

"With Kakashi, you never know, Shikamaru. And he's one of my best friends… I can't betray that trust so easily…"
I think it would probably be okay, though. But I need to hear him say something, before he gets that key from me.

"I know… If he gets mad, it's my fault, so I'll take the blame, Iruka-sensei, please…"

Not what I wanted to hear, Shikamaru. Try again.

"He's my best friend… I just need a safe place to be, now. And that would be either here or there, and here I'm bothering you. I can't bother Kakashi yet, 'cause he's not home yet. So… I thought he could just kick me out if he doesn't want me there, after all."

There it is. Best friend, safe place. Not that you're bothering me, but I need to know you're safe. And you will be.
"Fine, I'll go get the keys. But you have to promise me one thing, Shikamaru," His voice was strict, schoolteacher in full glory, "Whatever you do, don't open his closet. Okay? He's really adamant about that, and there's a good chance he's rigged the damn thing."
Probably not, but I did open that door once, and what I found inside… No, you need to know that Kakashi is safe now. He might not be safe when he's alone, but he'll keep himself in check when you're there. You just don't need to see his… Private affects.

A weary smile appeared on the young face, "I won't. I might make some tea, but for the most part… I just want to sit in my own spot there. Work through all this at my own pace."

Iruka sighed, handing him over the key, "Take good care of yourself, Shikamaru."