Tsukiko: Enjoy it!

Shizuka:Hey all, we had fun with this one. Hope you have asmuch fun reading:


They were finishing their ramen in relatively comfortable silence, each making a comment now and then. When they finished Shikamaru offered to pay.

Though surprised, Sasuke didn't want to offend him by refusing so he just let him.

They decided to just walk around and talk for a bit, and started walking in no particular direction.

"So Sasuke, I don't really know that much about you. You should tell me some things about you, seeing as the entire world views us as a couple."

"And what kind of stuff might that be?"

"Well...What is your favourite color? What is your favourite animal? When did you decide to become a ninja?"

"Are you going to answer your own questions if I do, seeing as i know just as much about you?"

"Oh, um, sure."

"Fine, I'll answer if you promise not to ask why. Midnight blue. Cat. The day Itachi became a ninja."

Trying not to laugh at how short and to the point Sasuke's answers were, Shikamaru replied, "My favourite colour is green. As for an animal, I envy the sloth since it has so much time for rest. Lastly, I'm not certain when I decided to become a ninja. It just sort of happened, you know?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Hn. Figures your favourite animal would be as lazy as you." Sasuke says, but not harshly.

"Yep. Can I ask you another question?" Shikamaru asks tentatively.

"You're going to ask it anyway."

"True. Hmmm. So what do you plan to do after you finish training?"

"Kill Itachi," Sasuke replied, a hard, determined look in his eyes. In that very second, Shikamaru understood that no one could stop Sasuke from that mission.

Shikamaru is slightly surprised at the abruptness of the answer but recovers quickly.

"I see."

They continued walking for a few minutes in an awkward silence.


They sat on the comfortable park bench quietly. To Shikamaru, it seemed like a comfortable silence.

"I loved and respected him," Sasuke suddenly told Shikamaru.

"Who?" Shikamaru asked, even though he had already guessed the answer.

"Itachi," came the reply. All of a sudden, Shikamaru understood the difference between knowing something and the confirmation that the guess is true. He winced internally and looked into the Uchiha's face for any sign of pain, finding none. He realised that the Uchiha hid everything behind the mask, an inside was an insecure teenager who desperately wanted things to stay the same forever. Hesitantly, he reached out for the Uchiha's hand.

When he met no resistance he gently took it and just held it in his for a few minutes.


After a few minutes Sasuke said "I think we should probably be heading home soon."

Shikamaru nodded and said, "Yeah, i suppose."

They got up and were heading back to the Uchiha complex when Shikamaru felt like they were getting some strange looks.

"Hey Sasuke. Does it feel like people are watching us?"

Sasuke looks around.

"Yeah, they are. What does it matter?"

"Well, its just wierd. And remember Sakura's comment."

"Just let it go. It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, but..."

"No. If it's something important they can say it to our faces." Sasuke says, abruptly.

"That's true," Shikamaru replied. He was not in the mood to entertain them.

"Let's go," Sasuke said, turning around to face another direction.

"Where to?" asked Shikamaru, surprised. "This is the way to the Uchiha complex, isn't it?" he continued, thinking that the villagers had finally gotten to the Uchiha.

"Your house. I'll escort you back first."

"If you say so," came the reply, Shikamaru being too lazy to argue with the Uchiha.

"Yes."

They hurried to Shikamaru's house.


They got to Shikamaru's house where Sasuke bid him goodnight with a gentle squeeze of their still clasped hands, and a small peck on the cheek before retreating to his own house.

Wandering back to his house Sasuke was pondering on his feelings for Shikamaru. He knew he was fond of him, but he wasn't sure just how fond.

Back at his house Sasuke decided to rest for a while and just put everything out of his mind. As he laid down he came to the conclusion that he just liked actually having another friend and that was why he felt the way he did. With that last thought to himself he drifted into a peaceful sleep.


Tsukiko: And so they are pretty close.

Shizuka:Well, let us know what you think