SEVEN
Konoha: Part I
"Hokage-sama! The Nara's have figured something out about Naruto!" Shizune yelled as she entered into Tsunade's bedroom.
"What! Where are they?" Tsunade yelled as she sat up in her bed. She threw the covers over her self, grabbed her robe and ran out the door with Shizune following.
"I want to you to summon Inoichi, Ibiki, Kakashi, and Jiraiya now!" Tsunade yelled at her friend who was following her to her office, "Are they in my office, Shizune?"
"Yes, they are. I am going to fetch the people you requested!" Shizune yelled back as she ran the other direction.
"Nara!" Tsunade yelled as she slammed open the door to her office, "This had better be good for waking me up at three in the morning!"
Tsunade marched over to her desk and sat down. She put her elbows on the desk and then put her hands together in front of face, "what did you figure out Nara?"
"It wasn't me, Tsunade-sama. It was Shikamaru," Shikaku said as he gestured towards his son standing to the left of it.
"You? Shikamaru?" Tsunade questioned.
"Yes, its troublesome, but I believe Naruto has been trying to help us since we released him from the puppet," Shikamaru said putting one hand behind his head while the other remains in his pocket.
"Wha-," Tsunade started but was cut off by people entering her office.
Jiraiya walked in with Kakashi, Inoichi, and Ibiki following him.
"What's the meaning of this, Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked.
"Shikamaru figured something out about Naruto," Tsunade responded ignore Jiraiya's tone.
"You figured something out, kid?" Ibiki asked as he turned toward Shikamaru.
"Yes, as I was saying, its troublesome, but Naruto has been trying to help us since we released him from the puppet," Shikamaru repeated.
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked narrowing his eyes.
"Well, when Naruto was released from the puppet he starred at my father and mentioned how much my father looked like me, I believe when he did this, he was trying to confirm that he was my father. He also mention to Tsunade-sama that father would not be able to hold him for very long, almost pushing Tsunade-sama to bring another Nara in to help. Luckily Naruto got what he wanted and he got me. Through out the whole time, he kept referring to how we needed to ask the right questions. The last time he said this, his gaze never left mine, which pushed me to assume that Naruto was trying to relay a message to me. When he was asked what he meant by asking the right questions, he said he couldn't tell us. He even apologized the last time. I believe we don't need to ask the right questions but get Naruto to say the right words. These words may unlock the seals on Naruto's mind that is blocking the information we want." Shikamaru explain to his audience.
"Hmm, who knew Naruto was that smart," Tsunade smirked.
"Well, you know who is father was, Tsunade," Jiraiya replied.
"Its worth a shot, Tsunade-sama," Kakashi stated turning his attention back to the Hokage.
"Lets give it a shot then, Kakashi," Tsunade replied.
000
As the seven of them walked through the prison, they discussed how they would get Naruto to say the correct words. They also debated whether it was a sentence or a series of words or a series of hand seals. Of course they knew they could asked Naruto flat out or their plan would be ruined. Tsunade thought it would be a good idea for Shikamaru to most of the talking since Naruto left it to Shikamaru to figure this all out. Most of them agreed with Tsunade, except for Shikamaru who thought it was too troublesome.
"Naruto?" Tsunade yelled into holding X where they had placed Naruto only hours earlier.
"What the hell, Tsunade-baa-chan?" Naruto yelled back, "Its like what 3 am?"
Tsunade flipped on more lights and Naruto winced then noticed it wasn't just Tsunade standing there. Naruto was in the back of plain grey cell, leaning up against the back wall. He looked like he had just woken up.
"Shikamaru?" Naruto blinked then he smiled when he realized why they were there, he looked up into Shikamaru's eyes and held his gaze, "You figured it out didn't you?"
"Yeah, Naruto. I did," Shikamaru replied.
"So? What are you planning on doing?" Naruto smirked.
"Well, I have been thinking-" Shikamaru started.
"When aren't you thinking?" Naruto interrupted him.
Shikamaru glared at Naruto, and then continued, "As I was saying, I have been thinking. Tsunade? Would you let me speak with Naruto alone?
"Huh? Alone?" Tsunade looked a Shikamaru with a puzzling look.
"Yea, its troublesome but I want try something alone," Shikamaru said.
Tsunade looked at the others in the room, who had the same look as she. They didn't know what Shikamaru was thinking about either. What would be the harm? Shikamaru was perfectly able to defend himself if something happened, plus if Naruto has been trying to help them this whole time, why would he try to hurt Shikamaru now? Tsunade grabbed the keys that she had grabbed from her office and opened the door, allowing Shikamaru to step inside. Once Shikamaru was inside she shut the door behind him.
"You have 10 minutes, Shikamaru," Tsunade said as she finished locking the door.
"Yes ma'am," Shikamaru nodded.
Tsunade walked away with the others, but not before Shikaku gave Shikamaru a weird look.
As soon as the others were out of earshot, Shikamaru turned his attention to Naruto, who as now standing. Naruto gave Shikamaru a smile that he hadn't seen in years and that made him weak in his knees.
Shikamaru sighed, "Naruto, Are you gay?"
The question actually surprised Naruto, but then he started to laugh, "Why do you think I was paired with Deidara at first?"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Naruto unsure about what he was talking about. Naruto then rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I'm gay," Naruto finally replied.
"Good," Shikamaru said then took his hands out of his pocket and lunged at Naruto. Shikamaru slammed his body up against Naruto's into the wall. Shikamaru cupped Naruto's face with his hands, while Naruto's hands were on Shikamaru's waist. Shikamaru's face was only inches from Naruto's.
The blonde gave Shikamaru a look and then their lips met, softly at first, then harder and more passionate. After a few minutes, Shikamaru pulled back.
"I love you, Shikamaru," Naruto whispered.
"I love you too, Naruto," Shikamaru replied, then went down to kiss the blonde one more time since he only had a few minutes left.
When they heard a door slam down the hall, they pulled away from each other. Shikamaru put his hands back in his pockets.
Before the others reached Naruto's cell, he whispered, "You did it Shikamaru. You release my seal."
Shikamaru just smirked.
"Shikamaru?" a voice called.
Shikamaru turned around the group had returned.
"Are you finished?" Kakashi asked.
"Yea, I'm finished," Shikamaru said as Tsunade unlocked the cell and let him out. Shikamaru walked down the hallway then said, "The seals are unlocked. You should be able to get the information you want now."
Ibiki, and Inoichi were surprised while Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shikaku were just impressed. Shikamaru just kept walking away very pleased with himself. He left and wandered the streets of Konoha. He didn't want to go home because he knew he would have to explain why he was so damn happy to his mother and he didn't want to get into that conversation. So he wandered the streets until the adrenaline of kissing Naruto wore off and he finally went back home.
Ibiki and Inoichi were able to get plenty of information from Naruto, except those that were sealed so deep that not even those 4 little words were able to unseal them.
000
The next morning, Shikamaru found himself wandering around the village still hyped up from the night before. He found himself smiling uncontrollably, which scared some of the villagers, since Shikamaru never had any expression on his face aside from boredom.
Why did Naruto try to help us?
Why did he give me the key to unlock the information about the Akatsuki?
If he is working with the Akatsuki, why would he give out the information?
Naruto's actions have always confused me…
"Shikamaru!" A voice called out from behind him.
The brunette snapped out of his daydream and stopped in his tracks. He turned around to see the other rookies standing there with Ino waving to him.
"Hey Ino," Shikamaru said as he walked up to Ino and the other rookies.
"Did you hear? Last night our parents were able to get a lot of information out of Naruto. Tsunade may let us visit him soon," Ino rambled on.
"Yea, I heard, Ino. Why would you want to visit Naruto?" Shikamaru questioned.
Ino and the others looked down and it was silent for a while. Shikamaru thought about it and Ino was right. Even after everything Naruto was still their friend and they would do anything to pull him back form the darkness. Shikamaru would do anything as well.
"We'll visit him soon, Ino," Shikamaru said breaking the silence.
Everyone looked at Shikamaru and smiled.
"Thanks, Shikamaru. Lets go see the Hokage and see if she will let us see him!" Ino said as she and the other started to walk towards the Hokage's mansion.
Naruto, can't you see we're waiting for you? We're still here for when you come to your senses. Shikamaru thought to himself.
000
"You want to what?" Tsunade ask the 10 rookies that stood before her.
"We want to visit Naruto, Tsunade-sama," Ino replied.
"Why?" Tsunade asked curiously, "Naruto is a missing-nin. He attacks the sand village, kidnaped and killed one of your friends and you still want to visit him?"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama. Naruto is our friend no matter how far he goes into the darkness. We already lost one of our friend there, we don't want to loose another," Shikamaru explained eyeing Tsunade intently.
Tsunade sighed, "Alright. Follow me."
Tsunade got up from her desk and made her way through the crowd of people in her office, but she stopped at Shikamaru and whisper, "He's not the same as he was last night, Ibiki and Inoichi caused a bit of damage. He hasn't spoken since."
Shikamaru understood what Tsunade meant and just nodded his head.
Tsunade with the rookies made their way across the village to the Intel center, where Naruto was being held. None of the villagers or any other ninja knew that they had an Akatsuki prisoner, let alone Naruto and Tsunade wanted to keep it that way. Although Naruto was a member of the Akatsuki, Tsunade and the others had agreed to leave Naruto's reputation as the village hero intact until they knew more information about him.
Once they reached the Intel center, Tsunade lead the rookies to the basement were the most dangerous criminals are kept, then down the long hallway until they came up to the grey cell. It was very poorly lit so the rookies were barely able to see Naruto, who was sitting on the floor leaning up against the back wall with his left arm resting on his knee he had propped up.
"Naruto?" Tsunade called into the cell. There was no response; "He hasn't spoken a word since last night. He hasn't moved either."
"Is he alright? Mentally? After receiving Inoichi and Ibiki's mind tactics." Shikamaru asked who was standing next to Tsunade in front of everyone else with his hands in his pockets.
"Yes, he is in perfect health," Tsunade replied looking down and shaking her head, "He is choosing this."
"I see," Shikamaru said, "Naruto?"
No response.
"Look, Naruto. We aren't here to yell at you or bombard you with questions. We are here to let you know that we are here for you. It doesn't matter about the things you have done. We aren't going to loose another friend to the darkness," Shikamaru explained.
Silence.
"Naruto, we lost Sasuke. We aren't going to loose you too," Sakura said.
After each other rookies had spoken to the silent Naruto about how they weren't going to loose him to the darkness, they all turned to leave with Shikamaru the last to turn around.
"Shikamaru…" a voice called out from the dark.
Everyone turned back around. When they looked into the cell, they saw that Naruto had looked up. The little light there was shined off the blonde's blue eyes.
"You are better off still thinking I am dead," the voice finished.
The shock of those words spread across the rookies face, even Tsunade's face. They weren't expecting Naruto to speak let alone tell them to consider him dead. Shikamaru shook his head.
"You know we aren't going to do that," Shikamaru said.
It was silent again. So they turned around and left.
No one realized it, but now that Naruto had seen and understood how the rookies, his closest friends felt about him, he was now ready to leave Konoha, although he didn't get to see his beloved Iruka.