6

When Shikamaru woke up, he found himself in his own bed.

At first, he thought everything that had happened the day before had been just a horrible nightmare. That was, until he looked next to him and found Naruto laying there beside him, fresh bandages wrapped around both his wrists and his abdomen. The sheets had been changed sometime while he was asleep as well.

Shikamaru slowly climbed out of the bed, not wanting to disturb his crush who needed as much sleep as he could possibly get. As Pineapple left the room, he heard voices coming from downstairs. He couldn't hear what all was being said however.

He slowly made his way down the stairs, avoiding the creaking steps as he went. Shikamaru reached the main floor, and could hear the voices a little more clearly. He still couldn't tell what they were saying, but he could definitely recognize the voices of his parents, as well as Asuma-Sensei, and... was that the Hokage's voice?

Pineapple made his way toward the kitchen, the source of the voices, trying to hear what they were saying. Outside the room, he heard little snippets of the conversation.

"I'm sorry that your son had to bear witness to such a horrible scene, Shikaku, Yoshino," the Hokage was saying, clearly having been informed of what Asuma-Sensei had found at Naruto's house.

"He fainted when he heard the Medic Nin mention the injury that was missed prior as well," his mother replied, sounding concerned.

"I can understand why. Nobody should have to see their friend in such a state, nor have to hear what caused it," the Hokage replied.

"I told Shikamaru that training and missions were on hold for the next few days, while he took care of Naruto," Asuma-Sensei mentioned. "Hearing this news, I might extend that time a bit. They both need some time to get over the shock. Shikamaru, the shock of learning that such a close friend was violated in such a horrible manor, and Naruto of course, being that friend. I feel that Shikamaru may be the only person who could possibly help him cope with it, having seen firsthand just how serious it really was. I will attempt to get in touch with Kakashi also, to inform him of his student's current state."

"I agree," Hiruzen said. "I will remove Team 10 from rotation, until further notice, and await Kakashi's verdict on how to proceed with his own as well. Now, I think we have a young man who is awake and may be able to give us a new perspective on what exactly was found. We heard how Asuma came upon the scene, but hearing exactly how Shikamaru came upon it, and his feelings toward it might make it a little clearer still."

Realizing he had been found out, Shikamaru joined the adults in the kitchen, sitting next to his mother, across from Asuma-Sensei and Hiruzen.

"Ohayō, Shikamaru-Kun," Yoshino greeted.

Shikamaru tried to maintain his lazy demeanor, but everyone could tell he was concerned for the blond.

"Ohayōgozaimasu."

"Shikamaru-Kun, as I'm sure you heard, I was hoping you could give us some insight into what happened yesterday, when you found Naruto-Kun," the Hokage said.

Shikamaru nodded. "Naru and I had agreed to meet up and go cloud watching yesterday morning. When he didn't show up by noon, two hours after we were supposed to meet, I knew something was wrong. He does show up late on occasion, but most of the time it's only a few minutes, at most it was an hour, when we'd set the time earlier in the morning, so we moved it to ten.

"I hurried to his apartment, and something didn't feel right. Of course, seeing the door wide open, and not hanging quite right, my concern seemed justified. I ran into the apartment, sandals be damned, (sorry Kaa-San) and called out for him. I ran room to room, not getting any response whatsoever.

"I was nearing his bedroom when I was hit with the metallic scent of blood, and instantly, my worst fears were most certainly confirmed, he had been hurt bad enough that he couldn't come. So I ran into his bedroom, calling out for him, but still didn't receive any response. He wasn't in his room, and there wasn't any blood in there, so I checked the bathroom and... there..." Shikamaru choked on his words, a lump forming in his throat as he relived finding his crush all over again. He cleared his throat and tried to keep going. "There he was, curled up on his side in the middle of the bathroom floor, wearing nothing but a pair of underwear, laying... in a pool of... his own blood..." Shikamaru devolved into racking sobs again, simply talking about it. He had to keep going though, despite his tears.

"I cried his name, and crashed down to his side, getting my clothes, sandals, and feet covered in his... blood. I rolled him over, and seeing the severity of his injuries, I created a clone to get Asuma-Sensei and some Medic Nin to help heal him. Then I grabbed a towel from somewhere, a shelf or something, and pressed it to his stomach, trying to stop the heavy bleeding, not even thinking about the possibility that the blood could've been coming from somewhere else. I had also noticed a few self-inflicted injuries on his wrists, but they weren't bleeding as badly, nor were they nearly as deep as the one in his abdomen.

"'Don't leave me, Naru, I need you,' I said to him, trying to get him to wake up. I was crying so hard at this point, so worried for him.

"'Nobody needs me,' I suddenly heard him stutter out. I looked over to his face as he spoke. 'Nobody needs a monster like me.' He was gasping for breath.

"I asked him what happened to him, and he said he was nervous about hanging out together, worried that I wouldn't want to spend time with a 'monster' like him, and was trying to make himself feel better, when someone came up from behind him. He hesitated before saying that was the last thing he remembered.

"Shortly after that, that's when Asuma-Sensei arrived with the Medic Nin, but they were stuck in the doorway, presumably stunned by the scene they came upon, so I told them to hurry up because he was dying. I could feel it, his skin was deathly pale, not its normal pink, he was beginning to shiver, and he felt cold to the touch.

"Asuma-Sensei pulled me away from him, and sat with me while the Medic Nin did their work, and he watched. The Medic Nin said that they couldn't do more for him, that he needed rest either in the hospital or with a friend, just not on his own. I saw Naruto flinch at the word hospital, so I said I'd watch him. The rest you pretty much know. I carried him home and laid him on my bed. It was when I was attempting to give him a sponge bath and get all the blood off him that I found the last injury." Shikamaru stopped talking, he couldn't take it much more. He was already so drained, and he had barely woken up.

Suddenly, there was a cry of pain from upstairs, followed by a loud thud, like a body hitting the floor after falling out of bed. Shikamaru shot up out of his seat, and bolted up the stairs, everyone else at the table hot on his heels.

Pineapple burst through the door of his bedroom, to find Naruto on the floor in a crumpled heap, whimpering in pain. When the blond looked up and saw everyone standing there in the doorway, he threw on his widest grin, ignoring the tear tracks on his cheeks.

"Ohayōgozaimasu!" Naruto said, with noticeably fake cheer.

Shikamaru rushed into the room ahead of the others, and grabbed Naruto, careful of his injuries.

"Baka, why didn't you stay in bed?" He helped the blond off the floor slowly, and held him steady on his feet.

"I had to use the bathroom. What was I supposed to do? Yell in hopes someone would hear me, without knowing if there was even anyone here in the first place?"

Shikamaru let out a long-suffering sigh, and helped the blond to the bathroom. Despite the blond's protests, Shikamaru didn't feel safe leaving him alone, so he simply helped the boy sit down, and turned around, plugging his ears and humming. When Naruto was done, he pulled on Shikamaru's shirt and the Pineapple helped him back up, and aided him to the sink to wash his hands.

Leaving the bathroom, they saw that nobody was at the door anymore, meaning they had all gone downstairs again. Shikamaru supported Naruto to the stairs, and then carried him, despite many protests, down, setting him back on his own feet at the bottom.

Naruto limped into the kitchen, suppressing any and all noises from each painful step. Upon reaching the kitchen, he found the others sitting there, seemingly waiting for them. Shikamaru pulled a chair out, and placed an extremely soft cushion down, before helping Naruto sit down on it slowly. The blond let out a hiss, and then realized suddenly that Shikamaru seemed to be helping him, even with things that don't go along with stab wounds to the stomach.

'Does he know??' Naruto thought with concern. 'Does he know about what happened before I was stabbed?'

Shikamaru looked at Naruto worriedly. The blond had an expression similar to one of horror on his face. "Naruto, you ok? You look like you just heard someone say they can't stand even hearing the word ramen."

"Do you know?" It was whispered so quietly, Pineapple almost wasn't sure he'd heard it. He looked at Naruto confused. "Do you know?" The blond repeated his question a little louder.

"I figured it out, troublesome blond. Someone hurt you, much more than just those wounds I saw first," Shikamaru whispered.

Naruto bowed his head in shame. Shikamaru placed his hand on Naruto's back in support.

"Naruto-Kun?" Yoshino called. Naruto looked up. "Do you think you could tell us what happened to you before Shikamaru-Kun found you?"

The blond's head bowed once again. "You can probably guess what happened, if you've seen my injuries."

"We want to hear from you exactly what happened," Hiruzen countered.

Naruto let out a sigh before he decided to tell them what happened.

TW: contains depictions of self-harm and rape, with graphic descriptions of violence. If any of these may trigger you, skip the flashback. Otherwise, read on. You have been warned.

Flashback no Jutsu— Naruto's POV

I had woken up late, due to terrible nightmares plaguing my sleep once again. I almost wanted to cancel my plans with Shikamaru, but I knew that the Pineapple wouldn't accept my cancelling without an explanation. However, due to my nightmare the night before, I was worried that Shikamaru would find out my secret and hate me for it.

All these negative thoughts were weighing on my mind, so much that I had to find some relief, some way to release myself from the emotional pain I was feeling.

I went into my bathroom, clad in my favorite boxers, a gift from a friend, and grabbed the one kunai I kept in there. I lifted my arm with my hand palm up, and slid the blade of the kunai over one of the faint scars already there from my previous cuts.

I watched the skin split where I had slid the sharp blade, and the beads of red liquid begin to surface.

It wasn't enough though.

One cut was never enough anymore. I cut another line, slowly dragging my kunai across my arm over a faint scar, watching as the skin split and the blood slowly bubbled up.

I made three cuts on that arm, it was the most I felt comfortable with doing when I wasn't in one of my "moods". I switched the kunai to the other hand, allowing the droplets of blood that had been pooling on my forearm and wrist to begin to drip onto the floor. I turned my previously occupied hand palm up, and began cutting along the faint scars there as well. After three more cuts, six in total, I was finally starting to feel like I could actually do it, I could face my friend that day.

Then I heard the door burst open, loud voices carrying to the bathroom from the main sitting area.

"This time we're going to teach that monster a lesson!" I heard one voice say.

"Yes, a lesson for brainwashing and tricking the young Nara heir into being 'friends' and spending time with him," a second voice chimed in.

"We're simply doing them a favor by teaching him this lesson, because even the Nara clan seems unable to go against the monster," a third added.

"Right!" The other two agreed.

I didn't have a lot of time. The three chūnin came waltzing into my bathroom, wicked smiles, and vicious smirks on their faces. I was backed against the vanity, kunai raised as my only protection.

"D-don't come n-near me, I'm w-warning you," I stammered, terrified.

"Oh, don't worry," said the one in the middle. "You won't even feel a thing."

The men pushed against me, their hands rubbing my sides and back, one traveling to my stomach as well. I whimpered, knowing from past experiences that any complaints or actual noises would only make things worse for me in the long run.

The first of the trio, pushed his two companions to the side, and grabbed my waist in one hand, yanking down my undergarments with the other. The man licked his lips at the flesh he uncovered.

"You look good enough to eat, like a ripe peach, just ready to be picked." The man rubbed his hand along my ass, making me whimper. I hated how these people were touching me. I couldn't do it much longer.

'Please make this torture end soon,' I thought miserably.

That's when I felt the intrusion, a burning feeling, a painful feeling of fullness. I hated how it felt. I could just feel that I'd torn something, feeling the blood beginning to drip down my thighs, as the man behind me began moving. It wasn't slow either, it was a brutal pace.

Finally, the man was finished, and I simply wanted to lay on the bathroom floor and cry. Sadly, I couldn't do that, because there were still two more unsatisfied Chūnin.

It was half an hour later that the three had finally had their fill. I was allowed to collapse to the floor in a heap, but before I could curl up into a ball completely, I was grabbed by the first Chūnin. The man was well built, muscular, stronger than I.

He pulled a kunai, as well as a Wakizashi, out, and made me lay on my back, on the cold bathroom floor. He sat on my legs so I couldn't move, and his friends grabbed my arms so I couldn't fight back.

"I hope this teaches you not to mess with the Nara clan, monster! That boy doesn't need your influence over him!" With that said, the man stabbed me with the Wakizashi in the stomach, quickly removing it. Them he dropped it in favor of the smaller kunai, using that to make more wounds on my body, completely ignoring my pleas for mercy.

Finally satisfied, and hearing a voice calling from outside, the Chūnin fled through a window, taking their weapons with them, and leaving my broken body behind.

Flashback no Jutsu kai! End of Naruto's POV

"And that's what truly happened," Naruto concluded, head hanging in shame. Everything was silent for several moments, save a few sobs from Yoshino.

"Oh, Naru," Shikamaru finally said, almost silently. He grabbed the blond up in his arms and just held the boy. That's what broke the dam for them both. The two boys began shaking, as sobs racked their bodies.

There wasn't a dry eye in that kitchen for several minutes, even old man Sarutobi and Shikaku were misty-eyed.

Finally, when everyone calmed down, Shikaku spoke once more.

"That's the last straw, Hokage-Sama. I can't sit by and hear behavior like this happening to my son's friend, and yet not do anything. I don't care what the council says, I'm taking this broken boy into my home, and they can't stop me."

"I agree with my husband," Yoshino added. "This poor boy has been put through too much abuse by the village. He shouldn't even have to put up with it in the first place."

Hiruzen nodded. He had to agree with them both. The boy definitely shouldn't have to put up with the abuse. But what was he supposed to do? Go against the council's orders and risk getting overthrown (by three very old people, two of which used to be his teammates)?

"Hokage-Sama, I know what you're thinking, and I just have to say one thing about it: the council, both civilian and shinobi, are only meant to counsel you. They don't make your choices for you. The position of Hokage is the highest authority in a shinobi village. That means, you make a decision, talk to them about it, and whether they agree or not, you're simply informing them and getting their opinions on the matter, not asking if they're alright with it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Once Shikaku was finished, Hiruzen was looking at the man with awe. He had completely forgotten that fact. He had become so complacent since Minato's death, that it didn't matter whether he agreed with their decisions or not, he still went along with them.

"You're right, Shikaku. I didn't make you my chief advisor for nothing, I see." Hiruzen laughed good humoredly, despite attempting to think of ways to kick those old coots off his council.

Yoshino glanced over at the two boys, and a questioning sound escaped her. While the men were talking, the two had somehow disappeared. She stood up and went on a search for them. It didn't take very long though. She went by the sliding door to the garden, and released a soft coo at the sight that greeted her. She simply went to get her camera and snapped a picture of the boys, knowing that if she didn't do it now, she'd never get the chance again.

The second the camera shutter went off, however, Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder at his mother, his face growing red with embarrassment.

"Mom!" Shikamaru hissed. "Why'd you take a picture?" He was trying to be quiet, so as to not wake up the sleeping blond on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, you two just looked so cute, I couldn't help myself!" Yoshino answered.

Shortly after that, Hiruzen and Shikaku joined them on the patio.

"I'm glad he looks like he's finally getting some decent sleep," Hiruzen remarked offhandedly. At the Pineapple's raised brow, the old man elaborated. "Despite what he portrays to others, Naruto-Kun doesn't get decent sleep very often. In fact, I don't think there has been a night recently where he's been able to sleep peacefully. Last night, according to Yoshino and Shikaku, was the first time in a long while that he slept through the night, without being woken by nightmares. I think our decision is the best choice for the boy, Shikaku."

"I agree with you, Hokage-Sama. We'll give the council the change of address notice at the next council meeting."

"Until then, I think we should let him get settled, and gather any belongings he would like to have from his old place. Were you planning on having him be in his own room, or share one?"

"The idea hadn't even been a question honestly, especially knowing that he hasn't slept decently until last night. He'll share of course, as long as they're both alright with the arrangement."

"Um, Tou-San, could you tell me what you're talking about, and why it feels like your talking about Naru and I?" Pineapple broke in.

"That's because they were, Shikamaru-Kun," his mother responded instead.

Suddenly, both Naruto and Shikamaru's lives were being turned upside down, one uprooted, and one losing privacy; however, they were both gaining something better in the end.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

A/N: Hello! I hope that flashback wasn't too graphic for anyone. It wasn't really meant to be really bad, it was more to show what Naruto went through to get the injuries he did. Please don't come after me! ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(;￣◇￣)┘

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not sure how long this book is going to be, but so far, we're only scratching the surface. We still need to know how the hell Naruto knew Medical Ninjutsu while still in the academy, right? don't worry, I haven't forgotten that little tidbit. （＾＿ー）

Alright, that's all for now. Until next time, じゃあね！･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+