A/N: Today was a very rough day (family dog sickness issues), but I was determined to get this chapter out because that was my plan last night, and I need something to distract me, so! It might not be perfect, but I did my best!
This is the Tsunade and Naruto's decision chapter! There is a Naruto-Sasuke relationship analysis in the middle (after the first line break), and while it's not bashing Sasuke, it doesn't exactly read favorably on their relationship either, so if you like Sasuke, read at your own risk! That said, hope it's all right!
"Sasuke went to Orochimaru of his own free will. No matter what you do, he will not change…"
"B-but I…" Naruto murmurs in his sleep.
"Don't delude yourself into thinking that you can bring him back. Youcan't. It's hopeless. It's a fool's errand…"
His fingers curl in the sheets. "I'm not a…"
"Idiot! Take a good look at the condition you're in, and he's the one who did it to you! Was that the work of a friend?!"
His grip loosens and fingers twitch in response to the pain pulsing through him. "Y-you're right…b-but…"
"What happened was destined to happen…"
"I…" there's great difficulty in getting this out, something he hasn't wanted to admit even to himself, "…I know, but…"
"To be a shinobi, you need more than strength and jutsu. You must acquire the judgment to make the right decisions. You must become smarter..."
"But…what is right…?" A tear leaves his eye. "P-please, I don't…"
"You can't help him, so you should forget about him. Dismiss him from your mind, and move on…"
Naruto's eyes flutter open as another tear falls and Jiraiya's last words echo in his mind. It takes him a good few seconds to even register that he's awake. But there's warmth at his elbow again, closer this time than when he woke up yesterday, it moves closer still, and then Shikamaru leans into his line of sight. He looks concerned. "Hey…you all right?"
Blue eyes drift to him, and Naruto slowly reaches up to wipe at his eyes and face. It takes him a moment to remember his dream, why it made him cry in his sleep, but once he does…he can't decide if he's happy or sad. Maybe it's something in between. He's sure it shows on his face, too, because he can feel Shikamaru's patient, yet worried and discerning gaze gaining intensity.
"Just a dream…" he finally answers, voice slightly raspy from sleep and his frankly confusing mood. Opening his eyes again, he looks up at Shikamaru. He knows he'll understand this, too, and he takes a moment to thank everything for him, offering a minuscule, reopened-wound smile. "It was just…something Pervy Sage told me…a long time ago…"
Shikamaru's eyes don't leave him right away, waiting for him to elaborate if he wants or needs to talk, but when Naruto seems intent on sticking to his 'figure this out myself' guns from last night, he doesn't push him. Leaning back so as not to crowd him, he gives an acknowledging, future-encouraging hum. "Well, in any case, good morning."
Stretching a bit, he yawns, and Naruto, returning the greeting, worries that and Shikamaru being awake before him means he woke him up again. He hopes not. He tunes back in when Shikamaru grabs a small bed-tray of hospital food from the nightstand and positions it for him on his lap. Shikamaru smiles gently, but it's firm, too, almost like a mom's would be. Not that Naruto would know what that's like, of course, but it's just what he's always imagined a morning-mom's to look like. "You haven't eaten since you woke up yesterday evening. You should try to get something down, at least, even if it's not much."
Naruto peers down at the small plate of fruit, vegetables, and bread, and he feels his stomach go to war with itself, too. He wants to eat it, but…with everything weighing on his mind… "I'm…not really hungry…"
There's a moment of silence, and then, "You know, when I'm upset, I can't eat either. I get it." Asuma's death was his most extreme example of that. Naruto's gaze snaps back to him, surprise, relief, and empathy (because of course he read between the lines) in equal parts playing on his face. "I certainly won't force you. I'm not your—" he winces, catching himself too late; damn it, Shikamaru, bad choice of words – but luckily, when he looks over, Naruto doesn't seem to have taken any offense, thank goodness, "—w-well, you know. But I'm just saying," he offers a kind smile, "no matter how upset I am, once I do eventually eat something? I always feel better, and I can think more clearly." He taps his temple. "Your brain can't figure out its half of this on an empty stomach, you know?"
Naruto, seeing the sense in his logic – because of course he does, of course it makes perfect sense and is brilliant, this is Shikamaru – looks back down at the plate and slowly picks up the small piece of bread. Once he does, he notices that it's already been buttered just the way he likes it. He blinks. How did Shikamaru know that? Taking a half-bite, he glances up when Shikamaru stands to walk over to the open window. Scribbling a note, he whistles, high and clear, and a messenger hawk flies over a second later to land on the sill. Naruto figures it must have been waiting for him to get here so quickly, but he can't imagine why. Slipping his message into its container, Shikamaru releases the bird with a "Go!" and watches it fly toward the Hokage's office.
Satisfied, he turns back around to find Naruto halfway through his bread and staring at him with a half-raised eyebrow. Calmly walking back to his seat, Shikamaru says, "Explanation one, for the bread: we may not have gone on too many missions together, but the ones we have, I noticed that whenever you ran out of ramen, you always ate your bread like this." He shrugs like it's no big deal, but…to Naruto, it is. He's not surprised that Shikamaru paid attention, obviously. He's always been crazy observant. He's just surprised Shikamaru chose to pay attention to him.
"Explanation two, for the message: I promised Lady Tsunade I'd alert her the second you woke up." He winks. "Technically, I probably should have told her last night," he puts a secretive finger in front of his lips, "but I didn't want to overwhelm you when you first woke up. I wanted to make sure you had some breathing space first." Warm affection spreads through Naruto's chest. Shikamaru really is the best… "Hopefully, she won't find out. Otherwise…" he grimaces just thinking about it, Naruto doing the same, "…she'll totally kick my ass and maybe even deny me my request, never mind that it was already put through… That really would be a drag…"
Naruto swallows his bite of food. "D-don't worry, I won't tell her, promise. My lips are sealed." Remembering the tail end of what Shikamaru said, though, he tilts his head and asks curiously, "Oh, but wait, what request? Like, for time off or something?" Eyes widening, he sits up straighter and a small gasp leaves him. "H-hold on, you're not sick or anything, are you? Is that why you're so tired and pale and have those dark bags under your eyes?"
Shikamaru blinks wide eyes a few times, bewildered, but then he remembers who he's talking to. Softening, he waves calming hands in front of himself sheepishly. He probably should have worded that differently… "No, no, nothing like that. It's nothing for you to worry about, really." Naruto's worried stare only strengthens, however, and he melts a little more. "I'm serious, Naruto. I'm just tired. If it makes you feel better, I can ask Lady Tsunade to check me over so you can see for yourself."
A few seconds more, and Naruto shakes his head, a small, relieved smile on his face. "You don't have to do that, but thanks. I trust you, I swear. I was just worried, that's all." He moves to link his hands behind his head like he usually does, but he forgot his other hand isn't working yet. He probably looks silly like this. Oh, well. He grins brightly. "Well, whatever you asked the time off for, even if it's just a whole week of cloud-watching, I hope you have fun! You work hard, and you deserve a break!" He gives him a thumbs up. "So enjoy it, okay?"
Shikamaru can't help falling tender. This knucklehead has no idea about the reason behind his request, does he? He supposes it's just as well. "I will, thanks. Don't worry. I have a feeling this particular reprieve will be just what I need to get my energy back." (Or deplete it a few more times, but who's keeping score, really?)
Naruto grins, and he pops the last of his bread in his mouth. Silence settles as he takes advantage of this time to really think through his dilemma, eating what he can of the rest of the food on autopilot. Shikamaru lets him be, reading over mission reports he brought to keep himself occupied until Naruto decides he's ready to talk.
Naruto wants and needs to figure this out on his own, sure, but that doesn't mean he has to be or feel alone while he does it.
There's a big difference.
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha…
Naruto never thought this day would come, when he'd have to really think about what they are to each other, but…then again, when he was younger, he never thought he'd have friends or anyone who cared about him at all, so…
When they were kids, he was jealous of Sasuke, but he wanted to be like him, too. He also felt a camaraderie with him because they were the orphans without anyone to care for them. They both knew what that gaping, aching loneliness was like. At least…that's how he felt.
But Sasuke…
Now that he really, honestly, truly thinks about it…all Sasuke ever did was belittle him, push him away, always treat him like…well, like he was more than a bother, more than the worst Academy student, like…
Dirt is the only word that comes to mind. Maybe less and worse than that.
Really, Sasuke was…the worst to him out of everyone. At the time, Naruto had thought it was just Sasuke being too proud to admit he actually gave a damn about anyone or anything except himself and his revenge…but thinking back on it now…
Did Sasuke ever talk to him civilly? Did he ever say good morning or goodnight? Did he ever say hi or see you later? Those are small things, he knows, tiny, insignificant things that almost no one else would give a single damn about, but to Naruto…to Naruto, they're everything. And Sasuke should have known that – hell, did, he had to have, he'd seen Naruto light up every single time any of the others would say them to him – and yet…and yet…
Did he ever even say happy birthday to him? He never expected a present, of course, he wasn't that delusional, but he didn't think a happy birthday from his own teammate was too much to ask (especially when all the others had said it, something that had put Naruto over the moon – no one had ever said it to him before!). Naruto had wished him a happy birthday, had secretly slipped a present in his room (without Sasuke even noticing, which Naruto had counted as a personal win at the time). He'd never even gotten a 'thank you,' not that that was the point. It was just…the principle of the thing. And again, Sasuke had to have known how important that was to him…
And more than that, than all of that…when Sasuke left the village, made it abundantly clear that he didn't want him around, to follow him, to save him, Naruto just thought it was the Curse Mark's influence. But still, even with that excuse…Sasuke tried to kill him. You can dress it up any way you want – call it a friendly spat, an argument gone wrong, a battle of wills, whatever – but…at the end of the day, Sasuke's intent was to murder him in cold blood, just for the sake of furthering his revenge. Naruto was on the brink of death when Kakashi-sensei found him. He completely wrecked his entire body. Even with his advanced healing, it took him half a week to recover.
Pervy Sage had warned him. What he'd said in his dream… It was the same speech he'd given him the day after everything. He told Naruto that Sasuke left of his own free will, that he was beyond saving, that a friend would never do this to him…but Naruto thought he knew better. Up until this point, he still did.
He just…he really thought, if he just trained hard and got strong enough, Sasuke would finally treat him like an equal, like someone worth his time and attention, and maybe…if he was really, insanely lucky, he could even persuade him to try coming back to the village. When he did, he'd see that Naruto was right all along – that revenge wasn't worth trading every good thing in his life, that hatred would only taint and twist his soul until there was nothing left for him in the world at all.
That…that they could be friends…
Because, he's just now realizing…they never really were.
A few tears fall, staining the sheets and the bandages on his hand, a shaking, white-knuckled fist curled in the cloth. He has to purse his lips as more rush to join them.
Maybe…he should have taken their entire lives growing up together as a hint. Maybe he shouldn't have assumed they were one and the same and hid their pain behind the masks they showed the world. Maybe he should have known when they were teammates in life or death situations and he still didn't care (that one time with Haku doesn't count; Sasuke even said his body moved on its own). Maybe he shouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt so many times and actually started taking his words and actions at face value.
Maybe, if he did, then…he wouldn't be in this situation right now.
Maybe he wouldn't be in so much pain, physical and emotional.
Maybe he would have realized sooner that…to Sasuke, he's just a means to an end. That's all he's ever been, really. A goal to reach and then grind into dust in his climb to the top.
And now that he knows all this, now that he knows where they stand…
He remembers hearing something once: love yourself enough to let them go. He didn't understand it then, never thought he would because he could never imagine letting one of his friends go anywhere he couldn't (wouldn't) follow.
But now…he thinks he gets it. So much more intimately than he ever, ever wanted to.
Pervy Sage's words echo in his mind again. "To be a shinobi, you need more than strength and jutsu. You must acquire the judgment to make the right decisions..."
So, this is how it feels, then…? To make the 'right decisions'…?
His shoulders quake with suppressed sobs as tears rain down, and he swears he'll always be grateful for the way Shikamaru just reaches over and holds him through it.
This has been a long time coming.
Hours later, Shikamaru takes back the soaked washcloth he'd had Naruto hold under his eyes, silently noting that Naruto already looks like he's feeling better. He's glad. "Where'd you learn a trick like that, Shikamaru?" Naruto asks curiously, raising an eyebrow.
The genius shrugs, laying that cloth out to dry while he hands Naruto a dry one. "Just something Ino taught me when we were kids." He snickers. "Something about 'don't let the boys who reject you know you've been crying' or some crap like that? Hell if I know, really." He lays that cloth out to dry, too. "But what do you know? Turns out, it came in handy for somethin'. Guess I'll have to thank her when I see her next."
Naruto chuckles, and he opens his mouth to say something when muffled yelling in the hallway catches their ears. There's a rush of footsteps getting closer in the next second. Both boys glance at each other, not sure what to expect. From the sound of it, it's most likely either Sakura or Lady Tsunade.
The door slides open, and a bright, toothy beam leaps onto Naruto's face. "Granny Tsunade! It's you!" He laughs, rubbing the back of his head. "You sure made a commotion out there!"
When she doesn't reply, just takes in every inch of him without a word, face crumpling more and more until she has to bite her trembling lower lip, his smile falls. Tears start in her eyes, and her hands ball into fists. "H-hey, Granny…are you okay?" he asks carefully.
A heartbeat, he blinks, and the next thing he knows, she's throwing her arms around him in one fell swoop. She hugs him as tightly as she dares, one hand curling in his hospital gown and the other cradling the back of his head. His shoulder's already wet with her tears, but he doesn't mind. "You idiot…"
Naruto relaxes in her warm, protective hold, wrapping his good arm around her and burying his face in her shoulder with a smile. "I'm okay, Granny… I'll…" he swallows, remembering his dream and the decision he came to, "…I'll be okay…"
She holds him closer, so much that it kind of hurts, actually, but he's guessing that's on purpose because in the next moment, she's pulling back and wiping at her eyes and face and poking him in the forehead hard. "I'll be the judge of that!" He lets her check him over with her medical ninjutsu, used to it by now, and when she's done, she sighs in relief and smiles. "Well, while your recovery is still going to take a while, I'm happy to report that you are healing nicely."
"All right!" Naruto cheers, beaming and throwing his good arm in the air. Pain flashes through him, and he hisses and curses himself for forgetting that would hurt, instinctively pressing a hand to his chest where the pain is. When he doesn't feel the cool edges of his crystal, be blinks and looks down. His eyes widen. He's…not wearing his necklace… Thinking back, he doesn't remember hearing the familiar clink! of his and Tsunade's crystals colliding during their hug either. He pales drastically, a look of dawning horror on his face. "Oh, no! It's gone!" He starts looking around frantically, lifting his pillow and the sheets, feeling around everywhere. "W-where'd it go?! I-It's gotta be here somewhere!"
Tsunade and Shikamaru are thrown. "Whoa, what? What's missing?" Shikamaru asks, looking around on the floor in case whatever it is just fell.
"Naruto, what's gotten into you?" Tsunade demands.
"My necklace! The one you gave me, Granny! I gotta find it!" All of a sudden, he freezes as a terrible thought occurs to him. He pales even more. "W-what if I lost it in the fight?" Burying his fingers in his hair, he tugs at it in panicked frustration. "Oh, no! If it fell in the river or in the forest somewhere, I might never find it!" He turns to Shikamaru quickly. "S-Shikamaru, you said an ANBU team was dispatched there, right? Do you know if they found it?" He holds his fingers about two inches apart. "It's a black cord with a sea-green crystal on it that's about this long, two little metal ball things on either side! It's my most prized possession!"
Shikamaru's still bewildered, but now that he thinks about it, he remembers that necklace. He's seen Naruto wearing it. Hell, the guy never takes it off. It's practically a part of him. Frowning, he shakes his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I haven't heard anything. I can go over the reports again, though, if you want."
Naruto deflates and sniffs, looking so much like a kicked puppy that Shikamaru feels his heart squeeze. "No, that's okay. With your crazy memory, you'd remember something like that, I'm sure. Thanks, though."
A throat clears, and Naruto's gaze snaps to Tsunade. Around her neck, he finds both necklaces, hers and his, and he brightens, pointing with a gasp. "There it is! Why didn't you tell me you were wearing it, Granny?"
Tsunade smiles gently and reaches up to close her hand around the crystal, shaking her head. "Sorry, but…you can't have this back. For the moment, it's no longer yours."
His smile immediately falls like a stone, his heart with it. Confusion and anxiety immediately crowd his chest, he pales even more than before, and his heartbeat accelerates as a few terrible explanations come to mind. He thinks he might be sick.
"Wait, Granny, you're…" he hates the way his voice trembles and cracks, lowered finger shaking, "…you're not…I mean…you wouldn't…—?"
His vision blurs, but he isn't sure if it's because of tears or he's about to pass out until a few droplets fall and burn down his cheeks. There's a painful lump in his throat that's too big to swallow, and his heart feels like it's constricting in his chest.
Tsunande catches on almost immediately, and she can't help the way her her heart breaks, horrified expression following. "Oh, Naruto…" Reaching out slowly, she freezes when Naruto flinches, half-raises his arm to shield his face like he's expecting to be hit as he's pushed away, cast out – an age-old, hard-learned defense mechanism if she's ever seen one – and that's it. Her heart shatters.
"No, Naruto," she says, almost hisses, practically snarls, but there's something so protective and fierce and maternal in it that, this time, Naruto isn't afraid of it for a second. He lets her take him into her arms and wrap them around him as far as they'll go. Propriety and favoritism and all that crap be damned. This child is hers, damn it! "Don't you dare think that, not for a second. That will never happen, you hear me?" There's a strangled something like a sob that slips from Naruto's throat, and it hurts, but it's relieved and happy and thank-God, too, and Shikamaru swears it's the only thing that makes this even remotely okay. Having also understood what Naruto meant, better than Tsunade ever could, he'd barely kept himself from diving in first, grip on his knees so tight his fingers went white. Naruto nods, burying his face farther in Tsunade's shoulder, and she curls her fingers in his hair, stroking rhythmically. "Your place in this village, your place with me, is not and never will be in question. You're one of us, you always will be, and you know how I feel about you."
The last bit is a statement, not a question, and Naruto lets out a shaky breath as he nods again, a small, happy smile painting his lips. Thank goodness…
Pulling away slowly, she dries his tears as she explains, "I only took the necklace off because I needed to get past it to save your life. I didn't want to risk it getting lost or damaged, so in the heat of the moment, I put it on. Force of habit, I guess." She shrugs and softens. "I can't give it back yet because it'll get in the way when your nurses change your bandages, but as soon as you're well enough, it'll go right back where it belongs. I promise."
Naruto hums in acknowledgement. "I get it now. Thanks, Granny. That means a lot to me."
They talk for a while about what's happened since Naruto's been out, and then, once that topic dwindles, Tsunade fixes Naruto with a knowing stare. Something's been off with him all day. "Naruto…how are you feeling?" Before he can answer incorrectly, she clarifies, "And I don't just mean physically."
He closes his mouth, and somehow, seeing his bright blue eyes go dark and dull and fall victim to the devastation he's feeling hurts more than just about anything. Shikamaru watches him closely, but it's never overbearing. Just concerned and protective, steady and warm. "Granny…" Naruto's voice is like it was last night, almost devoid of emotion, and yet it's different, too, so full and resigned at the same time, "…can I ask you something? It's really personal, and it might hurt…and I don't want that, but…" he glares downward, curling a fist in the sheets, "…I need to know..."
Her gaze never leaves him, and after a moment or two, she nods. "All right. What is it, Naruto?"
He hesitates for a moment before turning back to her, looking her right in the eyes. "How…how did you let go of Orochimaru? How did you deal with it?"
Tsunade's eyes blow open wide, her face loses all color, and she squeezes her hands white in an attempt to keep her temper in check. She looks like she's doing her damndest to glare a hole in the wall. "Why the hell are you asking about that all of a sudden?"
"Because…" He falters, gaze falling and expression with it. Maybe…maybe he shouldn't… He doesn't want to reopen this wound for her. It's…if it's this painful for him and he's just starting…
"I dismissed him from my mind and moved on." Naruto snaps up, eyes wide. Those are…! "Jiraiya's words, yes. When Orochimaru abandoned us and the village, I was angry and hurt, and I wanted to give up, but something in me held out the smallest bit of hope. Jiraiya was different. He was the 'you' of our team, let's say. He wanted to fully believe in the friend we'd grown up with, always had every hope that he could convince him to come back to us. He tried time and time again to bring Orochimaru back, gave years of his life to that cause, and he had to learn the hard way that that just wasn't going to happen. He was lucky to escape with his life." She sighs. This is hard to talk about. She hasn't in a long, long time for just that reason. "In the end…he was the one who finally got me to snuff out that last bit of hope before it dragged me under completely. That was the advice he gave me, and…it did the trick. It didn't make it magically easier to get up every day and face the world head-on, but…it helped. It's what's gotten me to where I am now."
A heartbeat, and then, "Now, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
His heart shudders at the idea of actually saying it out loud, but…it's only fair. He has to be strong, for himself and his friends' sakes. "I'm…" she looks back at him at the tremor in his voice, not missing the way his good hand trembles; Shikamaru listens like his life depends on it, "…it's…it's time that I…" his fist curls so tightly, his knuckles crack; he knew this would be hard to say, but he didn't think it would be this difficult, "…I give up on Sauske…"
The next several moments are so tense, they can be cut with a knife.
"Naruto…what are you talking about?" Tsunade asks carefully, eyes narrowing. "Where is this coming from?"
"I had a nightmare about Sasuke last night. A bad one. Shikamaru can tell you." He nods toward Shikamaru, and Shikamaru nods solemnly when Tsunade looks at him to confirm. "After that, this morning, I dreamed about...about Pervy Sage," she winces at the nickname, eyes falling and biting her lip, "about what he said to me after the first time Sasuke did this to me." He lifts his busted hand for emphasis, a bitter smile playing. "And I've been thinking on it a lot, hours and hours, and…I think I finally understand."
"Understand what?" Shikamaru asks softly, patient and calm despite his own surprise. With Naruto's nightmare, how he's acted about Sasuke since he woke up, and especially after his breakdown earlier, he figured his decision would be something like this. But anticipating something and hearing it in reality are two very different things.
"Sasuke's…never cared about me. All he's ever cared about is getting revenge on Itachi, and I've only ever been in the way of that. And even now that he's gotten it, he's still…" He's pretty sure this is the hardest thing he's ever had to say in his life. The words are lodging in his throat, threatening to choke him. He does his best to breathe through it. He doesn't want them to burst out in an ugly rush. "I can't…keep giving all of myself to someone who can't be saved." He breathes a laugh, but it's mirthless and sad and so damn hurt, and that and the way his eyes swim make his friends' hearts twist painfully. "He's a lost cause, a-and I—I know that now. Hell, look at me…" The smile on his face is as broken as his laugh, and he's not surprised when a few tears start down his cheeks. He sniffs. "Pervy Sage tried to tell me the first time, you know? He tried to save me from any future pain. But I…I didn't listen…" he barely bites back a sob, "…and I can't even tell him that hindsight's a bitch and I know he's right now because…" He has to close his eyes and purse his lips tightly as more tears sting and fall.
His shoulders quake. "I was alone for so long…but I'm not anymore. I have so many people in this village…and even in the Sand…I'm lucky enough to call my friends. They support and love me, no matter what…even when I screw up. They're precious to me. I…I want to protect them…and show them the same care and love they've shown me…more than anything else in the world…" A few sobs escape he can't hope to keep back. He's never told anyone this next part before. "They…they saved me..."
Shikamaru's heart beats like a drum in his chest. He always knew they were important to Naruto. He'd be the biggest idiot on the face of the planet if he didn't know that. But somehow, hearing how deep that gratitude and devotion go (and knowing why)…it hurts and heals at once. It's the same for all of us, Naruto, he swears. We love you, too.
Naruto swallows thickly, working to rein himself in. "I-I want…to focus on them, on the ones who love me for me and would never hurt me like he has…on—on loving myself enough to let him go and move on." Wiping his eyes and face, he looks at them again. They burn with blue fire, and the smile he gives them is strong and hopeful and never-say-die. "I know I deserve that much, at least. I deserve something, damn it."
No, Naruto… they can't help but think. You deserve everything.
"And if I can have you and all of them?" he closes softly. "Then I have everything I'll ever need," he pats his heart, "right here."
A heartbeat, two, three, and then Tsunade smiles, wiping her own eyes. "Like master, like student, I see." She reaches forward to ruffle his hair feather-lightly, not wanting to hurt him. He laughs and leans into her touch anyway, pain be damned. "I'm so proud of you, Naruto."
Naruto beams toothily. "Thanks, Granny!"
Shikamaru, for his part, takes a deep breath and sighs like it's something he's been keeping inside for years (and he has), his whole body sagging with the force of his relief. Looking back at Naruto, there's a gentle smile on his face. "You know the rest of us wanted to take out Sasuke ourselves a long time ago. Sakura aside, we hold no love for the guy," he clenches a fist lightly, fighting the urge to grit his teeth, "especially after everything he's done to you. That said," he sighs again, shorter and lighter this time, smile growing, "I'm really proud of you, too, and I'm happy for you." He softens. "You deserve to be happy, Naruto, and I think this is the best way to start."
Naruto's beam blinds. "Thanks, Shikamaru! You're the best!"
A/N: Jiraiya's lines/advice about Sasuke from Naruto's dream that Tsunade later repeats are from Naruto episode 135, "The Promise That Couldn't Be Kept!"
Thanks so much for reading!