Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Pieces Of Me ❯ Lines ( Chapter 42 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Drabble Forty-two

Title: Lines

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Summary: Are they willing to cross the lines of their friendship? [ShikaCho]

A/N: Well, this is forty-two, folks. Almost to the end. Well, I guess that’s really it. As soon as I finish this, I will be working on a tri-shot or more for Digimon. Look out for it! Ja! ^_^


“Whole world can change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop it spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to if you don't want to”

“Want To” – Sugarland



They’d been best friends for years. There were adventures they shared as kids; battles they fought together as teenagers. Everything just brought them closer together, like an inexplicable force of gravity that they couldn’t fight. But some would say that gravity couldn’t make two people fall in love. Shikamaru had a very high I.Q.; he’d already known that.

So what was it? What was it that drew him and Chouji together? It couldn’t have been friend ship, because this feeling far surpassed that of just a friendship. There was a line drawn somewhere, and he felt like he had both feet on either side. Which side should he have been on?

Of all the people to tell him the truth, it was the stuck-up Uchiha bastard that had shed light on where he should stand.

“This isn’t some stupid childhood friendship anymore. You love Chouji, and there’s no one alive that can change how you feel.” Sure, it was harsh, but it was like the dark haired ninja was speaking from actual experience. Of course, after hearing Sasuke be so emotional, Shikamaru didn’t doubt that. The Uchiha had always been a tad over zealous about their mutual blond friend.

Shikamaru took Sasuke’s words as truth, although he didn’t know what the hell to do next. Love and war were two very different things, especially when your best friend was involved. Strategizing didn’t help in love, so he did the only thing he could think of. He went to see Sasuke.

“You want advice?” Sasuke deadpanned, glaring at the pony tailed boy standing on his doorstep. He was only dressed from the waist down, and Shikamaru could see a blond head peeking at him from behind a large, cushy couch. “Aren’t you really smart? You should be able to figure something out.”

“Sasuke, you prick! Love and war are two totally different things!” Naruto jumped out from his hiding spot and marched over to the two men at the door. He pinched Sasuke for being so insensitive and huffed at Shikamaru for being so confused. “Just do what Sasuke did, okay? Try and tell him in a vague way that you like him. And please, don’t immediately jump him if he likes you, too.”

Sasuke’s smirk was evil, “You weren’t complaining, dobe.” Shikamaru left the Uchiha Compound before anything else could be said. Those two were kind’ve weird.

****

Shikamaru met up with Chouji at their favorite barbecue joint, nervous about what he was going to say to the chubby boy. He had everything planed out, and hoped to high Heaven it all worked out to the greatest extent.

They took a seat in the booth furthest from the door, so they couldn’t be seen, and waited for their food. Chouji talked animatedly about something that happened at home, Shikamaru nodding and smirking in all the right places. When their food came, Shikamaru put his plan into action.

“Can I ask you something?” Chouji cut in, before Shikamaru could even open his mouth. The chubby boy picked up his chopsticks, broke them, and then put them in one straight line. He was blushing. “Okay, say this is the line separating love and friendship.” Chouji pointed to the chopsticks. “What should I do if I’m standing on love, and whoever else is still in friendship? Should I give up?”

“Hypothetically speaking, if this person is still standing on friendship, then yes. But if they’re stuck on both,” Shikamaru demonstrated with two of his fingers, “then this person could be persuaded to go to either side.” The pony tailed boy lifted his eyes to Chouji’s and moved both of his fingers to the right side of the chopsticks; the love side. “Let’s say the person doesn’t want to stay. What would you do then, Chouji?”

The chubby boy swallowed audibly, “I’d most likely jump them. You know, if they wanted to be on the love side.” Chouji put his hands flat on the table and leaned forward, Shikamaru doing the same until the tips of their noses were touching. “So, where do you stand on the line, Shikamaru?”

“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” Shikamaru seized Chouji’s shirt collar in his fist, and smashed their lips together. The chubby boy’s hands slipped on the table, knocking his chopsticks onto the floor like they were insignificant twigs. He could feel the heat of the grill singing through his shirt. “So, you still want to jump me?” Shikamaru smirked, letting his best friend’s collar go.

Chouji blinked dazedly, “Uh, oh, yeah. Just…let me pick up my line.” As the chubby boy bent to pick up his chopsticks, a single thought drifted through Shikamaru’s head.

Sasuke’s method would’ve worked, too.



~Owari~