shikamaru; puzzle
It was a warm, bright morning, Shikamaru lay on the roof of his house, watching the cotton-like clouds as they floated in the blue sky. He was a generally easy-going and unmotivated person. He did not go out of his way to accomplish things, nor did he like excess of attention. He was happy the way his life was rolling out. Keyword being 'was'.
There was nothing that motivated him more than a mystery. And the most recent mystery that had wormed its way in his mind was the relationship between Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. They had always been friends, he supposed. Somewhere along their first year in the academy, they had started sitting together, having lunch together, walking back home together. One might think it was simply because the Uchiha had lost everyone and related to the blonde boy, cue the friendship. But Shikamaru knew this was not it.
The first few days after the massacre Sasuke had been withdrawn, cold, angry. Then it seemed that all those emotions were squashed down and what remained was tiredness. Then he made friends with Naruto, the usually happy and energetic child who was for some reason hated by parents and teachers alike. How he remained sane amongst all that contempt was something Shikamaru couldn't fathom. And Sasuke reaching out to him? Being protective? Shikamaru knew that if it was him who had lost his entire family, his entire clan , (Shikamaru got shivers just thinking about it), he would be wary of getting close to anyone for a long while. Especially with the killer still on the loose. But those two were practically joined to the hip.
Then things changed again, approximately a year back. Starting with them officially moving together into the Senju compound.
-----
[one year back, kohonagakure]
Sasuke and Naruto had beside Itachi, waiting for the older Uchiha to wake up. Last night had been tiring, both emotionally and physically. Naruto loved his brother, his best friend, but he couldn't help but feel this was some cruel dream and he would wake up only to see his brother's sword aimed at him. He forcefully shook those thoughts out of his head, Sasuke was here, for good. He needs to get used to that. He focused on the pale young boy in front of him. He was so thin. Naruto was sure the Uchiha was sick.
He could feel Sasuke's hesitance, fear, confusion, anger, hope, from across him. It must be hard for him, seeing his brother after all these years only to have everything he had thought about the older man coming crashing down. It was another half an hour before Itachi woke up. He woke up but kept his eyes shut and breathing completely even for some time. Both Naruto and Sasuke knew off course, but mere genin or low chunin wouldn't be able to catch that the man was awake.
"Drop it, Itachi, we know you're awake," Sasuke said after a few minutes, seemingly reaching the end of his patience. The older opened his eyes, to his credit he didn't show any shock or desperation, nor did he made any move to escape or let any expression show on his face.
"Sasuke."
Sasuke took a long breath, mentally counting to three before exhaling. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'SASUKE' HUH? IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?!" Itachi's face betrayed a bit of surprise at that, what was he expecting?
"You should tell us what happened to your clan. We know that you didn't kill everyone to test your skills. Don't bother lying, I'll know," Naruto said before the two brothers could continue. Itachi's eyes snapped to him for the first time since he opened them. He still didn't speak, looking at him intensely.
"Itachi. You better start talking before we start poking through your memories," when Sasuke said this there was a brief flash of panic on his face, but it was gone and replaced with a perfect mask a moment later.
"So you have a Yamanaka in on this little investigation of your's Ototo? Impressive, for your age." This was the first sentence he had spoken since waking up. Sasuke seemed to be struggling with controlling his emotions.
"Itachi-niisan, please, tell me, what happened that night? Did someone make you take the blame? Why was I spared?" Sasuke's voice sounded similar to how Asura used to beg him and tell him to come back home that Naruto flinched back. This did not go unnoticed by either of the Uchiha brothers. Sasuke looked at him with concern while Itachi was blank.
"I should leave, you guys talk. Sasuke, flair your chakra if you want to call me," he said and left the room before anyone could say anything.
.
"Sasuke...." Itachi sighed as he looked up at his brother.
"Niisan please, you can't do everything by yourself, I learnt that the hard way, don't repeat my mistakes," his brother said.
"Sasuke... you're so young. You don't know about all the-"
"Then tell me, I'm not as young as you think. And I deserve to know."
Itachi sighed heavily, there was a lot of hesitation in his tone, but he started. "Twelve years ago, the attack of the Kyuubi on Konoha....."
------
[11 months ago, konohagakure]
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked in shock at the two young boys in his office. "Excuse me?" he said, trying to make a sense of what he was hearing. The Uchiha rolled his eyes but Naruto simply repeated himself.
"I said that I want you to open the Senju compounds. It is my right to live there," the blonde boy said.
"Naruto, I assure you that your parents aren't Senju, the last known members of that clan are recorded. And even if they were, no one has been able to step in the Senju compounds since Mito-hime passed away. Her blood seals are very strong." And it was true, Mito-sama's seals were very strong, not even Jiraiya had been able to deconstruct him. Danzo had tried to have his ROOT enter the compound to get the Shodaime's and Nidaime's scrolls and journals but even he gave up after many failed attempts. Tsunade had refused to step into the compound ever since her brother had died and soon after the war she left, it had been years since anyone stepped inside. He wondered what the boy was thinking.
"So Mito's seals still work...." Naruto whispered to Sasuke when the Hokage was lost in thoughts. "That's good, we need the privacy," his friend replied and he nodded.
"I know I'm not a Senju, Hokage-sama," Sarutobi's eyebrows shot up 'Hokage-sama?' "But I am an Uzumaki, my mother, as well as Mito-sama, were from the mainline of the Uzumaki clan, the wards will allow me in," he said and Hiruzen made a gesture to ask all ANBU to leave me alone.
"How do you know that?" he asked urgently and Naruto almost snorted.
"I met my father, he had added his chakra imprints on my seal."
"So you know about the Kyuubi..." the Sandaime sighed heavily again, taking a long puff of his pipe.
"Yes."
"This is supposed to be an S-class secret Naruto, you can't tell anybody ." he tried putting all the emphasis he could on his words.
"It's not like everyone doesn't know already." This was the first time the Uchiha spoke up. He looked at him with such hate in his eyes that Hiruzen wondered what had he done to earn that look. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembered that Itachi never reported back to him, and Sasuke didn't bring up any meeting with his brother. He cast that thought away immediately, Itachi was nothing but loyal, even more to Sasuke than to the village. He wouldn't risk the boy's safety like this. Plus the boy didn't make any move to leave the village or speak out against the authorities, this was proof enough.
"Jiji?!" Naruto tapped his foot impatiently and Hiruzen was snapped out of his thoughts.
He gave them both a long look before conceding, "Very well. I'll take you there."
----
A few days later Naruto was buzzing with barely controlled excitement as he stood outside the gates of the Senju compound. Sasuke was standing beside him, a constant support. The Hokage was also present with them, along with a few ANBU. Naruto could remember this house through flashes of Hashirama's memories, everything here was made of chakra infused wood. The spiritual energy all around was highest he'd felt anywhere in the village. The compound itself was located deep into the woods, almost like in a village of its own. It was not as big as the Uchiha compound, almost half in size, but still too big for only too people.
"Can we go? JIJI!" Naruto yelled as he looked towards the Hokage.
"Yes Naruto, but first you should know you have to be careful, many people have tried entering the gates. If you have any ill-intent you'll get a minor electrocu-"
"WOAH! THIS IS SO PRETTY!" he was cut off by Naruto's excited shouting as the boy walked through the gates and observed the compound entrance.
Hiruzen's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. Sasuke had to suppress a laugh looking at the Hokage's expression. The old man probably thought the boy won't be able to enter the compound.
"SASUKE COME INSIDE I MODIFIED THE SEALS TO ALLOW YOU IN," he heard Naruto's voice come from somewhere inside and walked through the gates without hesitation, if anyone knew their seals, it was Naruto. Hiruzen stood there for several long moments. Imagine, an Uchiha getting access to the Senju compound. He could already imagine the headache he'd get when this event was discussed in the council meeting. And Danzo did not disappoint.
"Sarutobi, you're being a fool. Giving the Jinchuriki access to Mito-hime's and Tobirama-sensei's sealing notes, you should have the boy take everything of importance and give it to us. Or even better, have him remove the seals so that we can go inside." the old Warhawk said when he informed the council of what happened. Hiruzen could hardly believe he would suggest such a thing. It was also impossible to force Naruto to do what they want. And considering his parentage, the boy would only grow and prosper to become a sealmaster, Konoha had Jiraiya, but Minato was in a whole different league.
"Do you mean to say you have the right to take their clan secrets?" Hiashi Hyuuga asked Danzo with a frown.
"The Senju is no more a clan- and everything they have is for the village-"
"Do not forget the clan laws, the village has no right to clan secrets. This was signed in the charter when the clans joined the village." Shikaku interrupted him, Danzo had truly gone too far, insulting the clan rights would cause havoc.
"The Senju and Uzumaki are all but one compound anyway, let the pup have his home. You can't take him away from his packhouse," Tsume Inuzuka said and Hiruzen nodded.
"Of course, that hasn't even thought my mind, I'm glad we could come to an agreement," he said and blissfully ignored Danzo's expression. The various clan heads nodded and he called off the meeting. Now only if his old friend would drop it,
-----
[9 months ago, konohagakure]
"You need what?" Shikamaru gaped at his two classmates.
"There is a drug that can be made only from the antlers of the Rikumaru, a deer which your clan houses. So as the Uchiha Clan head, I ask the Nara clan for a favour." Sasuke spoke, Shikaku was standing quietly to the side, looking at him with a searching gaze. If Sasuke wasn't used to speaking under his father's harsh gaze, he probably would have faltered. He was a lot of experience as Indra too.
"You do know what owing a clan means, don't you?" he spoke finally.
His fists clenched at his sides as he met the Nara's eyes. "Yes, Nara-dono, but I'm afraid what I need is something only you can give me," he says, remembering the amount of importance Naruto had placed on getting the required drug or else . "And anything that is possible, I will do to uphold this favour."
"I see. Very well, the Nara clan will help the Uchiha," he spoke after a long moment of consideration.
"Thank you, Nara-dono," he said relieved. Sasuke still contemplated on ending his clan, but maybe he won't dissolve it. When he dies the clan will die out anyway. He wasn't having any kids, ever .
That day he went home very happy. He couldn't quite believe they had managed to keep Itachi hidden inside the clan compound for over three months. He was so glad to have his older brother back, but he couldn't quite forget that he was also the one to kill their kin, no, forced too. Because of the Sandaime, Danzo. His rage didn't subside even months after processing it. His brother was also sick, like seriously sick. It took Naruto three months to come up with a formula that would cure his illness. And it needed the Nara clans deer. Sasuke would do anything for family, that hadn't changed through the numerous lives he's lived. He doesn't even remember his time as Madara or much of Indra after he apparently went insane. His chakra was deeply corrupted back then, it didn't carry over from rebirth.
Naruto was waiting for him impatiently at the compound gates, and brightened immediately when he saw the beaker in his hand.
"Great Sasuke! I knew you weren't a total dunderhead," he said as he all but snatched it away and rushed inside. Sasuke would be a little offended at the insult if he wasn't so damned relieved.
"Welcome home, Sasuke." his brother said calmly even as he gave an amused smile at the blonde's antics. It had taken Itachi over a month to start looking Sasuke in the face again. He had a guilt complex that could rival his own. Sasuke, according to Naruto, 'was an idiot who'd probably get himself killed for not knowing how to communicate.' He was also the one who helped Itachi open up to them slowly while Sasuke stood there silently most of the time.
"I'm home," Sasuke replied as he took off his shoes.
Itachi had an autoimmune disease that he had developed soon after joining ANBU. According to Naruto the only known factor he could think of that contributed to it was chakra exhaustion in the early years. Sasuke was livid when he learnt that his father, Fugaku's harsh training regime for their son, his 'pride' was pushing him towards an early death. He was even angrier at how casually his brother had spoken of it. As if it was a hindrance more than anything else.
Sasuke refused to think that his brother had been so accepting of his death. He was better now, that's all that mattered. Naruto was working on the medicine, that was what was more important.
"Man, Itachi if I had to stay inside this place for three months I'd probably go insane. I don't know how you do it... I know the compound is large but still!....." he heard Naruto ramble as he walked passed the dining room to the kitchen. He hid a smile, no one could possibly stay sad when his best friend was nearby.
-----
[present]
"Yo! Shikamaru! Don't you have anything to do other than stare at the clouds all day?" Naruto's voice interrupted his nap and he grunted.
"So troublesome. What is your hellion of a bodyguard doing right now?"
Naruto gave a short laugh, "He's probably scolding crows right now, and he's my best friend, not bodyguard," Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, but knew better than to ask. Those two had so many hidden jokes and secrets that this didn't even scratch the surface.
"Lucky, my old woman would probably come over any time to shout at me to train," he said annoyed. Naruto laughed again, voice to bright Shikamaru absently thought he could rival the sun. Shikamaru liked spending time with Naruto, the boy was fun, surprisingly insightful and smart at times, and always genuine. The blonde never pretended to be someone he's not. He appreciated that.
They sat in silence as they watched the sky.
Naruto and Sasuke's story was a puzzle, and Nara's were known for their intellect, maybe he's missing some pieces right now, but in the end, when everything fits, he'll get a clear picture.