Ringing in the new year....whoopy fucking do...
So I managed to sleep through the new year. The shrew has been cleaning the house like a madwoman. Complaning that I wrecked it by staying alone, don't know if she trusts me to stay alone again. Well shit woman, get over it and stop nagging. I'm not a housemaid, that's what your job is. Last night Chouji stopped by. I've honestly been distancing myself from everyone. Being that I've managed to put myself on everyone's shit list...figured it would be better to give space...
The old man is drunk off his ass somewhere. He brings more alcohol into this house the shrew is going to kill him. More or less me as well if I ever do it again. She found the cans and bottles piled up in my closet and under the bed while she was cleaning. Threw the covers over my head and tried to drown out her ranting. Damn woman, so fucking loud.
Shikamaru laid in bed as his mother cleaned up around the house making as much racket as she possibly could. He groaned pulling the covers up over his head. So it was a new year already? Funny he didn't remember it being the end, he must have slept through it.
Chouji stood outside of the Nara house, debating his own resolve. He picked up a handful of pebbles, rolling them around his palm before chucking them at Shikamaru's window.
The shrew started up the vaccum cleaner right as he could have sworn he heard a tap on the window. He pulled into the covers more ignoring both.
Chouji bit back on his irritation, glowering at the window. He gathered another handful of pebbles, aiming again at Shikamaru's window. It used to be a universal sign of 'we need to talk' when they were kids, and it grated on him that he wasn't responding.
She finally turned off the blasted machine and he thought all was silent for the moment. He was wrong. He suddenly head many taps hitting his window. He threw the comforter off his head with a growl. He got up and padded to the window, looking out. His usually upkept hair falling on his shoulders, and in his face. He put a strand out of his face and behind his ear as he opened the window. What the hell? "Chouji?" he said squinting his eyes in the dark to see if he could see.
"No, it's spider man!" Chouji yelled up at him, rubbing his cold hands together. "Of course it's me, you moron."
He put a palm to his head. "What do you want?" he yelled down.
"I want to talk. You sober?"
Shikamaru grumbled at that statement. "Yes" he seethed out.
"Can I come in?" Chouji asked, frowning. "It's freezing out here."
He nodded in agreement before shutting the window. It was cold, he thought. Being clad in only his pants made that apparently obvious. He wrapped back up in the comforter.
Chouji walked inside, cheerfully greeting Yoshino before making his way up to Shikamaru's room. Despite being 'the shrew', she'd always liked Chouji, and treated him well. He knocked on his friend's door. He never entered without permission.
"Come in" he muffled under the covers.
He came in, shrugging off his coat and kicking off his shoes. He sat on the floor next to the bed, unsure if he wanted to be the one to start the conversation. Their last ones hadn't ended nicely.
"What's up?" he said still muffled. Coming in with Chouji came the cold, he didn't want to peer outside the comforter yet...it was warm
"Just wanted t see if things are any...better with you. Haven't heard from you for a while," Chouji said quietly.
"I felt like being a hermit..."
"Better than a drunkard."
He grumbled again at the comment. It was obviously the thing that put him on everyone's shit list as of late. Hence he distanced himself. He pulled the covers off his head and looked down to Chouji. "Any other derogetory comments you would like to make, go ahead and throw them at me."
"No, no, won't stoop that far," Chouji said, rolling his eyes. "Just stating the obvious."
"Well thank you for stating...but I'm pretty sure I'm well aware of the fact I'm on everyone's shit list."
"You got yourself there," Chouji said, still rubbing feeling back into his hands. "If I didn't like you so much...I'd be angry with you, too."
He rolled his eyes and just sat up on the bed.
"Cause damn. I'm getting sick of the way you've treated Ino and me, lately," he said, a rough edge to his voice. "Just sick."
He hung his head. "I know..." he said roughly.
"We're..." Chouji shook his head. "I don't know why you'd lash out at us. More than anyone else, we're on your side...the fact that she and I...that doesn't change anything..."
"I know that Chouji...." he said lowley again, turning his head
"Do you know how much it hurts," Chouji said softly. "To hear your best friend say that he doesn't want you to be with someone you care for?"
"I never said that Chouji....I just said it was hard for me to grasp. There is a difference...." he sighed, head still turned away.
"It still feels like...since you're miserable, you don't want me to be happy," he said in a small voice. "And I'm not. But that's like---you're cursing me."
"I'm not cursing you. Be happy....my miserable behavior should not effect everyone else, I know that. And I said I was sorry."
"Still..." he sighed. "Can't you let go?"
"Let go of what? Temari? I've obviously done that...." he sighed again. "I know it's over now...there's nothing left to hang on to."
"What about hanging onto me? Onto Ino?" Chouji asked, lifting his gaze to look up at his friend. "If InoShikaCho is a cookie, we've been missing our filling."
"Of course Chouji..." he said with a questioning brow, his voice breaking a little. "I've....I've just been distancing myself from everyone as of late. Figured they needed a break from me."
"From this too-skinny, drunken clone that's taken your place, yeah," Chouji said, nodding. "But from you? Never."
"I'm not drinking anymore Chouji...." he said sternly
"Good," Chouji said, nodding. "I believe you."
"I should hope so..." he said shivering lightly. Damn this room was cold. He turned his head and looked back down to the floor. "You and Ino mean a lot to me Chouji...."
"Then show us, from time to time," Chouji said, a touch of irritability to his voice. "We've been doubting, man.'
"It's just....it's hard Chouji to tell yourself you've been rejected. To try and move on and see everything you planned out move into one big mess...."
"Not everyone's rejected you," Chouji said, getting to his feet. He spied an official-looking letter on the desk, and his eyes widened. "...For example, it looks like they accepted you."
"What?" Shikamaru said turning around.
"What's this?" Chouji asked, waving the sleek papers.
"It's just something from the University..." he said as if it didn't matter.
He peeled apart the papers, his eyes widening as he scanned them. "...Shika, did you even read these? Sh-Shika, they're---they're giving you a full ride!"
"I know....I figured a packet meant more than a little note saying hello."
Chouji stalked over to the bed, thwapped the back of his head with the folded-up papers, and glowered at him. "You're taking this. You're GOING."
He sighed, thought etched on his face. "I don't know...."
Chouji thwapped him again, harder. "You know what, I'm stupid. I don't have the grades for college, no matter how hard I try. You're GOING."
"I thought that was the big issue a few months ago. That I would be leaving you guys. I'm not going....I'll just finish out my senior year...." he trailed off.
"You have an opportunity to use that head of yours," Chouji growled, pushing him over and hitting him with the packet. "You're GOING to college, and you're GOING to get good grades, and---just---ARGH."
"Stop hitting me....damn it Chouji" he said.
"Listen," Chouji said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and rolling up the pamphlets. "You've got a great opportunity, here. As your best friend---yes, I did say best friend, still---I'm going to make you do this."
"Give me a reason why?" Shikamaru asked.
Chouji leaned over and poked his arm. "Because I say so, and I'm always right. Remember?"
He rubbed his arm. "It was a stupid idea Chouji. Even my old man said it was....because I was going after it for the wrong reasons...."
"You can change your reason," Chouji said. "Do it for yourself. Do it---do it for me, because you know this fat kid isn't getting that far."
"It's just a scholarship....it's not like they're making me the next professor of the physics department or something...."
"You never know," he said diplomatically. "So do something, then."
He grumbled slightly. "Don't tell anyone about it, the shrew already flipped a lid over it. She's the one that gave me the mail...."
"Scout's honor," Chouji said, raising two fingers. "So long as you go."
He rolled his eyes. "Your all about blackmailing aren't you?....Fine. I'll go. But it's not for you. Not for the old man. Not for Temari....it's for me..."
"It's either I blackmail you, or I sit on you. It's really your choice."
Chouji chuckled. "Good. I don't think you deserve all this crushing you."
"I don't think I have the energy to try and lift you off me..."
"Shika, nobody has that energy," Chouji said, smirking. "So yeah. The pain of Cho Crushing won't be levied against you---this time."
"This time....I hope there never is a time period." he said crossing his arms.
"Yeah. Well....I hope so, too," He leaned over and poked his ribs. "Because I'd snap you in two, skinny boy."
He rubbed his rib. "I'm not skinny!" he declared. I'm just thin...."
"Same thing," Chouji said, smirking. "I've got about three times the padding as you've got."
"Feh...." Shikamaru responded.
"You must be feeling better, if you're 'feh'ing me."
He looked down, his hair falling in his face again as it always did when he didn't have it up. "I'm okay Chouji.....I'll be okay...."
Chouji reached over and gently patted his shoulder. "I know. Why do you think I'm here? I came...because...seriously, man, I'm tired of crying. I just want us to be okay again."
"To throw rocks at my head and tell me papers actually can have some importance?" he said jokingly.
"No, those were just the perks of coming," Chouji said, ruffling his hair. "Get it right, genius."
He moved away, straightening out his hair slightly. "I hate when you do that...."
"Which is why I do it," he beamed. "It gets your attention, doesn't it?"
"No it just makes me look like the cat got tangled in my hair."
"Speaking of which, how is she doing? Did you name her?" Chouji asked curiously. "And you have been taking care of her, right?"
"Yes I have....you act like it's going to die on me...."
"If you don't feed her enough, yeah!" Chouji groused. "And seeing how much you feed yourself..."
"Very funny...." he said leaning over the side of the bed and pulling up the covers from the floor. He pulled out the still small kitten and put her in his lap. "She likes to hide..."
"She's a snuggler," he said, brushing her head with a few fingertips. "She liked hiding in my hair and falling asleep when I was laying down."
"I don't like when she hides and I have no clue where she is. Afraid I'm going wake up and realize I've rolled over on top of her...."
"She'll yelp if you do. Don't worry---they squirm away fast."
"Yeah she's a loud one. Just what I need....another screaming woman...." he rolled his eyes as he spoke
"No worries, man," Chouji chuckled. "The screamers usually make up for it, right?"
"Hmph....." he said lightly, his mind trailing for a short moment. The kitten curled up between where his leg and hip met, her cold nose resting on his belly. He grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Such a troublesome little thing...."
"You take care of him, kid," Chouji told the kitten seriously, running a thumb over her tiny head. "Learn to sit on him when he's being dumb. It's a smart trick."
She meowed softly at Chouji's touch and snuggled closer to Shikamaru. "Why the hell has this thing latched on to me like some kind of tumor?" he said grumbling.
"It's a benign tumor, Shika," Chouji said, grinning. "She's my kid, so she'll look after you. She's an Akimichi, after all."
"You have her bugged or something? She going to have a camera inside her ear where you spy on me?"
"Paranoid, Shika?"
"No....just taking proper percausions."
"Yes, yes, the kitten is bionic and she watches you in the shower," Chouji said, rolling his eyes. "Think, oh bright one."
"She does watch me in the shower...it's kind of disturbing man...." Shikamaru said seriously.
Chouji started laughing. "Y-you really are paranoid! The cat isn't going to---" He rolled over onto his stomach and continued to laugh. "Geeze, man...glad to have you back."
"It's not funny...." he said with a blank face. "I swear she'd get in the damn shower with me if I didn't shut the door..."
"It's love," Chouji said, smirking. "True love."
"Feh...it's just another troublesome woman...." he groaned.
The old man is drunk off his ass somewhere. He brings more alcohol into this house the shrew is going to kill him. More or less me as well if I ever do it again. She found the cans and bottles piled up in my closet and under the bed while she was cleaning. Threw the covers over my head and tried to drown out her ranting. Damn woman, so fucking loud.
Shikamaru laid in bed as his mother cleaned up around the house making as much racket as she possibly could. He groaned pulling the covers up over his head. So it was a new year already? Funny he didn't remember it being the end, he must have slept through it.
Chouji stood outside of the Nara house, debating his own resolve. He picked up a handful of pebbles, rolling them around his palm before chucking them at Shikamaru's window.
The shrew started up the vaccum cleaner right as he could have sworn he heard a tap on the window. He pulled into the covers more ignoring both.
Chouji bit back on his irritation, glowering at the window. He gathered another handful of pebbles, aiming again at Shikamaru's window. It used to be a universal sign of 'we need to talk' when they were kids, and it grated on him that he wasn't responding.
She finally turned off the blasted machine and he thought all was silent for the moment. He was wrong. He suddenly head many taps hitting his window. He threw the comforter off his head with a growl. He got up and padded to the window, looking out. His usually upkept hair falling on his shoulders, and in his face. He put a strand out of his face and behind his ear as he opened the window. What the hell? "Chouji?" he said squinting his eyes in the dark to see if he could see.
"No, it's spider man!" Chouji yelled up at him, rubbing his cold hands together. "Of course it's me, you moron."
He put a palm to his head. "What do you want?" he yelled down.
"I want to talk. You sober?"
Shikamaru grumbled at that statement. "Yes" he seethed out.
"Can I come in?" Chouji asked, frowning. "It's freezing out here."
He nodded in agreement before shutting the window. It was cold, he thought. Being clad in only his pants made that apparently obvious. He wrapped back up in the comforter.
Chouji walked inside, cheerfully greeting Yoshino before making his way up to Shikamaru's room. Despite being 'the shrew', she'd always liked Chouji, and treated him well. He knocked on his friend's door. He never entered without permission.
"Come in" he muffled under the covers.
He came in, shrugging off his coat and kicking off his shoes. He sat on the floor next to the bed, unsure if he wanted to be the one to start the conversation. Their last ones hadn't ended nicely.
"What's up?" he said still muffled. Coming in with Chouji came the cold, he didn't want to peer outside the comforter yet...it was warm
"Just wanted t see if things are any...better with you. Haven't heard from you for a while," Chouji said quietly.
"I felt like being a hermit..."
"Better than a drunkard."
He grumbled again at the comment. It was obviously the thing that put him on everyone's shit list as of late. Hence he distanced himself. He pulled the covers off his head and looked down to Chouji. "Any other derogetory comments you would like to make, go ahead and throw them at me."
"No, no, won't stoop that far," Chouji said, rolling his eyes. "Just stating the obvious."
"Well thank you for stating...but I'm pretty sure I'm well aware of the fact I'm on everyone's shit list."
"You got yourself there," Chouji said, still rubbing feeling back into his hands. "If I didn't like you so much...I'd be angry with you, too."
He rolled his eyes and just sat up on the bed.
"Cause damn. I'm getting sick of the way you've treated Ino and me, lately," he said, a rough edge to his voice. "Just sick."
He hung his head. "I know..." he said roughly.
"We're..." Chouji shook his head. "I don't know why you'd lash out at us. More than anyone else, we're on your side...the fact that she and I...that doesn't change anything..."
"I know that Chouji...." he said lowley again, turning his head
"Do you know how much it hurts," Chouji said softly. "To hear your best friend say that he doesn't want you to be with someone you care for?"
"I never said that Chouji....I just said it was hard for me to grasp. There is a difference...." he sighed, head still turned away.
"It still feels like...since you're miserable, you don't want me to be happy," he said in a small voice. "And I'm not. But that's like---you're cursing me."
"I'm not cursing you. Be happy....my miserable behavior should not effect everyone else, I know that. And I said I was sorry."
"Still..." he sighed. "Can't you let go?"
"Let go of what? Temari? I've obviously done that...." he sighed again. "I know it's over now...there's nothing left to hang on to."
"What about hanging onto me? Onto Ino?" Chouji asked, lifting his gaze to look up at his friend. "If InoShikaCho is a cookie, we've been missing our filling."
"Of course Chouji..." he said with a questioning brow, his voice breaking a little. "I've....I've just been distancing myself from everyone as of late. Figured they needed a break from me."
"From this too-skinny, drunken clone that's taken your place, yeah," Chouji said, nodding. "But from you? Never."
"I'm not drinking anymore Chouji...." he said sternly
"Good," Chouji said, nodding. "I believe you."
"I should hope so..." he said shivering lightly. Damn this room was cold. He turned his head and looked back down to the floor. "You and Ino mean a lot to me Chouji...."
"Then show us, from time to time," Chouji said, a touch of irritability to his voice. "We've been doubting, man.'
"It's just....it's hard Chouji to tell yourself you've been rejected. To try and move on and see everything you planned out move into one big mess...."
"Not everyone's rejected you," Chouji said, getting to his feet. He spied an official-looking letter on the desk, and his eyes widened. "...For example, it looks like they accepted you."
"What?" Shikamaru said turning around.
"What's this?" Chouji asked, waving the sleek papers.
"It's just something from the University..." he said as if it didn't matter.
He peeled apart the papers, his eyes widening as he scanned them. "...Shika, did you even read these? Sh-Shika, they're---they're giving you a full ride!"
"I know....I figured a packet meant more than a little note saying hello."
Chouji stalked over to the bed, thwapped the back of his head with the folded-up papers, and glowered at him. "You're taking this. You're GOING."
He sighed, thought etched on his face. "I don't know...."
Chouji thwapped him again, harder. "You know what, I'm stupid. I don't have the grades for college, no matter how hard I try. You're GOING."
"I thought that was the big issue a few months ago. That I would be leaving you guys. I'm not going....I'll just finish out my senior year...." he trailed off.
"You have an opportunity to use that head of yours," Chouji growled, pushing him over and hitting him with the packet. "You're GOING to college, and you're GOING to get good grades, and---just---ARGH."
"Stop hitting me....damn it Chouji" he said.
"Listen," Chouji said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and rolling up the pamphlets. "You've got a great opportunity, here. As your best friend---yes, I did say best friend, still---I'm going to make you do this."
"Give me a reason why?" Shikamaru asked.
Chouji leaned over and poked his arm. "Because I say so, and I'm always right. Remember?"
He rubbed his arm. "It was a stupid idea Chouji. Even my old man said it was....because I was going after it for the wrong reasons...."
"You can change your reason," Chouji said. "Do it for yourself. Do it---do it for me, because you know this fat kid isn't getting that far."
"It's just a scholarship....it's not like they're making me the next professor of the physics department or something...."
"You never know," he said diplomatically. "So do something, then."
He grumbled slightly. "Don't tell anyone about it, the shrew already flipped a lid over it. She's the one that gave me the mail...."
"Scout's honor," Chouji said, raising two fingers. "So long as you go."
He rolled his eyes. "Your all about blackmailing aren't you?....Fine. I'll go. But it's not for you. Not for the old man. Not for Temari....it's for me..."
"It's either I blackmail you, or I sit on you. It's really your choice."
Chouji chuckled. "Good. I don't think you deserve all this crushing you."
"I don't think I have the energy to try and lift you off me..."
"Shika, nobody has that energy," Chouji said, smirking. "So yeah. The pain of Cho Crushing won't be levied against you---this time."
"This time....I hope there never is a time period." he said crossing his arms.
"Yeah. Well....I hope so, too," He leaned over and poked his ribs. "Because I'd snap you in two, skinny boy."
He rubbed his rib. "I'm not skinny!" he declared. I'm just thin...."
"Same thing," Chouji said, smirking. "I've got about three times the padding as you've got."
"Feh...." Shikamaru responded.
"You must be feeling better, if you're 'feh'ing me."
He looked down, his hair falling in his face again as it always did when he didn't have it up. "I'm okay Chouji.....I'll be okay...."
Chouji reached over and gently patted his shoulder. "I know. Why do you think I'm here? I came...because...seriously, man, I'm tired of crying. I just want us to be okay again."
"To throw rocks at my head and tell me papers actually can have some importance?" he said jokingly.
"No, those were just the perks of coming," Chouji said, ruffling his hair. "Get it right, genius."
He moved away, straightening out his hair slightly. "I hate when you do that...."
"Which is why I do it," he beamed. "It gets your attention, doesn't it?"
"No it just makes me look like the cat got tangled in my hair."
"Speaking of which, how is she doing? Did you name her?" Chouji asked curiously. "And you have been taking care of her, right?"
"Yes I have....you act like it's going to die on me...."
"If you don't feed her enough, yeah!" Chouji groused. "And seeing how much you feed yourself..."
"Very funny...." he said leaning over the side of the bed and pulling up the covers from the floor. He pulled out the still small kitten and put her in his lap. "She likes to hide..."
"She's a snuggler," he said, brushing her head with a few fingertips. "She liked hiding in my hair and falling asleep when I was laying down."
"I don't like when she hides and I have no clue where she is. Afraid I'm going wake up and realize I've rolled over on top of her...."
"She'll yelp if you do. Don't worry---they squirm away fast."
"Yeah she's a loud one. Just what I need....another screaming woman...." he rolled his eyes as he spoke
"No worries, man," Chouji chuckled. "The screamers usually make up for it, right?"
"Hmph....." he said lightly, his mind trailing for a short moment. The kitten curled up between where his leg and hip met, her cold nose resting on his belly. He grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Such a troublesome little thing...."
"You take care of him, kid," Chouji told the kitten seriously, running a thumb over her tiny head. "Learn to sit on him when he's being dumb. It's a smart trick."
She meowed softly at Chouji's touch and snuggled closer to Shikamaru. "Why the hell has this thing latched on to me like some kind of tumor?" he said grumbling.
"It's a benign tumor, Shika," Chouji said, grinning. "She's my kid, so she'll look after you. She's an Akimichi, after all."
"You have her bugged or something? She going to have a camera inside her ear where you spy on me?"
"Paranoid, Shika?"
"No....just taking proper percausions."
"Yes, yes, the kitten is bionic and she watches you in the shower," Chouji said, rolling his eyes. "Think, oh bright one."
"She does watch me in the shower...it's kind of disturbing man...." Shikamaru said seriously.
Chouji started laughing. "Y-you really are paranoid! The cat isn't going to---" He rolled over onto his stomach and continued to laugh. "Geeze, man...glad to have you back."
"It's not funny...." he said with a blank face. "I swear she'd get in the damn shower with me if I didn't shut the door..."
"It's love," Chouji said, smirking. "True love."
"Feh...it's just another troublesome woman...." he groaned.