Cloudless Sky
Chapter 14: Instincts
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Love is a choice you make from moment to moment.
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Shikamaru had never felt the weight of where he was, who he had become, until then.
He had never thought that it was true, that in extreme danger, you can hear your heartbeat like a steady metronome, keeping time.
Time.
Time was not on their side. He needed time to think. He needed to think, but there was no time.
Thus, instincts are born.
In a split second, amongst the battles beginning, Shikmaru spun Temari to his side, grabbing a flying kunai out of the air as it came racing towards them.
He glanced quickly in front of him, to see it coming from Hidan's hands. He was snickering, an 'I knew it' look plastered upon his face.
"So, Shikamaru no Danna, who's side are you on?" Hidan said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Suddenly, some of the fighting ceased. Oddly, the Leader, Itachi, and Kisame were no where to be found.
People stared at him, waiting.
There was Ino. She looked absolutely surprised, as did many of the other Konoha nin. They didn't recognize him. Had he changed that much? Asuma's cigarette was thrown to the ground. Shikamaru read that as an anxious, frustrated sign. Right. They didn't know the full story. The whole, troublesome story.
"Temari-san?" Came a voice. Sakura. Temari blinked, then hardened, showing a fierce smile, more like a smirk, that determined face she had when he saw her in the Chuunin Exams.
"I'm on his side." Her voice rang out firmly, then she gave him a sidelong smirk, raising her fan. Deidara took this time to throw a kunai at an unsuspecting Chuunin, which started the uproar again. Suddenly Shikamaru stopped.
He took his hand to his shoulder, and pulled the robe to the ground. He had on his normal netted top and pants, and turned to his sensei. Asume looked surprised, then smirked, noticing his actions.
"You're taller." Was all he said, and then got back to fighting Zetsu, who was charging him. Asuma made a quick move to the left, then turned, lodging his trench knives in Zetsu's back. Zetsu cursed, then turned.
Shikamaru turned to Deidara, who was standing, assessing the situation. He could see Deidara's body stiffen, as if he was staring danger in the face. Then Deidara smirked, letting out a small chuckle, looking down. He raised his hands slowly, revealing the teethed mouths, who were grinning dangerously. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.
"A good partner, un. But a bad Akatsuki." Was all Deidara said, and molded clay chakra. Shikamaru sighed.
"You really think that troublesome trick can get me?" Shikamaru drawled, raising his right hand in front of him. Suddenly Deidara's eyes bulged, and the mouths on his hands stopped molding chakra. He blinked in shock. Fear passed his eyes. Shikamaru closed his eyes and smirked.
"You—how, un!" Deidara spat out, fighting the jutsu. The shadows started to roll back, but Shikamaru focused hard. They were both capable, and both were concentrating hard.
"It's sunset. The shadows increase as it gets later. You couldn't see it here because the shadows of the trees are linking shadows, so I can use less chakra." Shikamaru said, still concentrating on holding the shadow. Suddenly something hit him. He lost his hold, and the shadow slinked away. Deidara smirked, eyes wild.
"Katsu!" He cried, exploding clay at him. Shikamaru was hit in the shoulder, fraying the netting on his shirt. He clenched his teeth against the burning pain. Something fell hard in front of him.
Zetsu lay on the ground, unconscious. Shikamaru looked behind him, while Deidara went on to take out more Konoha Chuunin and Jounin, forgetting him.
There stood Temari, leaning on her fan, smirking.
"And how many have you taken out?" She asked, hand on her hip, an easygoing smile on her face. Shikamaru sighed, as much as he wanted to thank her for the easy distraction from Deidara's explosions.
"Too troublesome to count." He answered, to which she rolled her eyes, and again readied her fan.
One by one, Akatsuki fell, until only Hidan, Deidara, and Kakuzu remained.
Chuunin lay, bodies cold, on the ground. Shikamaru's eyes burned. People were fighting an unnecessary battle on his part. Other Akatsuki had fallen unconscious, and Sasori had saved some and fled. The ones left were too headstrong to run from a battle.
Asuma, Temari, Shikamaru, and a few other Chuunin Shikamaru didn't know were the only ones not dead, injured, or unconscious.
Asuma was fighting Hidan, who's pike had fallen in the midst of the fight. Hidan was cursing profusely as he scrambled to try to begin his curse ritual. He didn't have enough time, and Asuma plunged his knife into him, to which he laughed, causing Asuma to gape.
Hidan pulled the knives out as if they were leaves on a shirt. The blood splattered to the ground, and he continued to laugh bitterly. Asuma narrowed his eyes.
"You're the immortal one." He said, throwing one of his cigarettes to the ground, causing it to smoke through the pool of blood it fell in.
"Damn right!" Hidan snarled, and took out a few shuriken, his last resort since he didn't have time for his rituals.
Beside Shikamaru, a few Chuunin had just knocked Kakuzu down.
Shikamaru turned to look behind him cautiously, when his heart almost froze. There was Temari, on the ground, a look of terror on her face, her fan centimeters from Deidara's feet. Deidara was grinning manevolently.
His heart was beating again, that loud pulsing. Everything flashed by like a moving picture. It was like he was caught in a horrible genjutsu.
Deidara steps, Temari cringes, trying not to look up, not to stare certain death in the eye.
Deidara kicks her fan feet away, Temari tries to back up, a fierce look in her face. She'd go down fighting, no matter what. It was just her way.
And that was when Deidara picked up the sword off the ground, obviously one of the fallen Konoha shinobi's. It was lifted, she closed her eyes, tears fell, and he plunged.
His heart became silent.
Because there he was, falling to the ground, the sword through his shoulder. Blood spurted back onto her, and Deidara looked like he had just seen a ghost. Asuma turned, eyes wide.
Temari moved forward to catch him, blood staining her. The Akatsuki robe she had used for a disguise had been lost in the fighting.
Deidara turned to Hidan, who was picking up one of his detached arms. "We're leaving. The Leader's orders, un. Gather the others. He, Itachi, and Kisame have a new mission for us. Now, un." He said in a dry voice. The few Konoha nin looked on in shock. Asuma charged towards the Akatsuki who were fleeing, but in a puff of smoke, the Akatsuki's unconscious bodies and Deidara, Kakuzu, and Hidan were gone.
Four Chuunin, Asuma, and Temari were left standing, let for a few wounds. Asuma kneeled down, as some of the Chuunin began picking up the unconscious, checking for the living.
Shikamaru lay limply in Temari's lap, where she looked down in pure terror. His eyes rolled open lazily. He lifted his arm slowly, and pulled out the sword that had been thrust entirely through his shoulder. It clattered into the leaves, painting the ground red. He sighed, and looked up at her.
She was crying again, and soon began sobbing, clutching his shirt where the red was traveling through it.
"It'll be troublesome if you get your dress bloody." Shikamaru pointed out quietly, closing his eyes. She shook her head.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" She cried, clutching him harder. "I could've—"
"No, you couldn't have. Just let me know I saved you before I die." Shikamaru said, exasperated. His face was pale, his heartbeat slow and silent.
"You're not going to die!" Temari said forcefully, cradling his head in her hands. Tears were raining down her scratched face. She looked away, up into the sky, blinking tears away.
"The clouds are nice today." Shikamaru's quiet voice came with a shuddering sigh. Blood kept pouring fast. Temari's tears came even faster. Sure enough, clouds danced across a bright blue sky.
"It's supposed to be raining." Temari said softly. Shikamaru closed his eyes again, then rolled his head to his side.
"You shouldn't worry about me. It'd be too troublesome." He sighed, then tried at a shrug, then realized he was too weak. "I knew the risks of being a ninja. And I took them. Besides, it's not like I anticipated living through this whole thing anyway." Shikamaru said softly. Temari shook her head.
"Damn right I should worry about you, you—crybaby." She sniffed, wiping away her own tears. "You're—the only one that's made me cry since...my mother died." She sobbed harder. "You ruined everything!" She choked, looking down at him. "I was the hardest kunoichi! I was unbreakable, emotionless—and you had to make me cry! My mother—the pain, the sorrow, the bitterness—I channeled it. I became strong, emotionless, cruel, unmerciful. And you—you gave me that damn fragility! When you were in the hospital, you felt it for your friends...and I know what it is, but I've got it worse—it's love, and damn it, you had to have it for me!" She sobbed, holding him harder. She looked down cautiously, to see him smiling slowly.
"You beat me. You figured it out. It's a puzzle that I didn't bother to solve. Some things are too troublesome." Shikamaru said in scattered breathes. Suddenly a fearful look crossed his dulling eyes. "I'm by you again...but...I know it's troublesome, but...I'm scared." He said hoarsely. "Tell my mom and dad that I loved them too, although I didn't bother to tell them. Tell Ino that she's not a pain in the ass and tell Chouji I'm sorry I can't eat with him. And you..." He said quietly, blinking slowly.
"This is way too troublesome, but you were worth the trouble saving." He said, then closed his eyes. His breath became shallow, and slower by the second. She blinked.
He wasn't dead yet.
There wasn't time, but hell, she would make it.
She got up, thrusting her fan at a nearby Chuunin's throat.
"We have to get to the hospital. Now." She said curtly. He looked at Shikamaru indifferently.
"He's a traitor." He said, then seeing Temari's face, added, "Temari-san." Asuma came over, and after watching the ordeal, shook his head.
"I'll get him. Gather the remaining ones and get to the hospital." He said. He gave a sad look to the hurt Temari, and they soon took off, bodies in their hands.
Temari looked over at Shikamaru, tears continuing to fall.
'You won't die on me.'
A/N: -is shot- Will Shikamaru survive? WILL UPDATE SOON!