If I Never

Pairing: Shikamaru x Naruto

Warning: M/M

Disclaimer: There's no smut in this one shot. It's rated M for the heavy language and suggestive undertones. The lyrics, mostly in italics, are not my own. I claim no rights to making them up. The characters are obviously not mine. This is a ShikaNaru. Past SaiNaru but that was only mentioned.

A/N: A songfic for lazyfox21 that I didn't have the time for until recently. The prompt was "The troops mainly ruto, kiba, neji, sasuke,/no/ sakura/no/, hinata, shino, tenten, lee, shikamaru, ino, choji, goes in to a karaoke bar, then naruto and shikamaru are force to sing, but didn't known what kind of song it is ( if i never see your face: maroon 5)(femnarutoXshikamaru)" but I don't do Saku cunt or gender bends so I asked to change/remove some things and this was the result.

Now come to think of it, two things will be happening in this lil one shot. 1, I have never written in first person before… which is weird I think but I prefer to write from the char's pov. Easier IMO. 2, I've never written a songfic before but I think that since the song was given it's supposed to be in the story right? Right?

Clubs weren't really my thing. All that bumping and grinding was meh for me. Now Karaoke. That. I could do. Just gimme anything to use for a mic and I'm there. It's what I live for. Well... one of the things I live. Singing and ramen. Hmm~ Ramen.

As it so happens I just broke up with my boyfriend, Sai, and I didn't feel like doing anything except stay home and eat like 15 bowls of ramen. Don't tempt me, I can do it. When I got a call from an old high school buddy of mine and current best friend, Sasuke. We sorta had a thing but not really. You know like one of those friends you could have dated if there weren't a series of unfortunate things that kept you apart.

"So you coming?" Sasuke asked as bored as ever, as if he had something better to do than hang out with his friends. I slurped my broth.

"No…" I mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. Come to think of it… people going through break ups didn't eat noodles. They ate ice-cream… but I didn't feel like leaving my couch to go down to the store for a tub of cream. I was watching a badass movie where the actor, Keanu Reeves, was playing a hitman and jeez. So many bodies. Let the bodies hit the floor! I started bobbing my head to the old song before I realized that Sasuke was still talking to me. "Huh?" I said, some noodle slipping out which I sucked up noisily.

Sasuke huffed in my ear, "You can't mope around your apartment all day. It's been almost a two months. So you're coming out with me and the gang tonight." That wasn't a question. Sasuke was such a pushy asshole when he wanted to be. It was sweet. I appreciated it. But I'd rather just stay home.

I heard the lock to my door click open and in stepped Sasuke in a dark blue pinstripe shirt and sleekly pressed black slacks and polished black shoes. He probably wore those pants to work and just changed into the shirt when he got home. I scowled at him. These people don't know how to knock anymore? "Yo mama didn't teach you how to knock asshole?"

He stopped, door still open as he held onto it and very slowly he stepped back and I thought he was gonna go back outside and lock the door so then I would go put the chain lock on the door. Fuck that guy, I didn't want to go out.

But listen here, instead of stepping outside like I thought! This ho just knocks on the door and stares me dead in the face. I wanted to hit him. I stared back at him completely unamused, "get the fuck outta my house."

He snorts and saunters in like he owns the place, smirking at me like I told the funniest joke. He waltzes past me and goes into my bedroom and I, reluctantly, follow his pasty ass. I sit on the bed as he ruffles through my closest, sniffing armpits and tossing a majority of my closet's possessions into a corner. "When last have you washed dobe?" He looked over his shoulder to scowl at me.

It took me a second to think about it but me and Sai have been arguing so much over the last couple of weeks that I haven't really felt like doing anything. Wow. It has a been a long time since I washed anything. My hamper must smell rancid. Now I was too afraid to go into the bathroom 'cause of what monstrosities I might find in there. I was too scared. Too damn scared. "I could go wash now!" I suggested. Sasuke tsked and tossed one of my favorite shirts at my face and then a jeans pants with cuts on the thighs and shin parts then went rifling through my drawers. Probably for underwear and socks.

Guess I was going out tonight.

"Wanna help me wash my back? Hard to get those hard to reach places y'know." I smacked Sasuke's ass as I passed and winked at him.

He didn't even flinch. I may as well be a ghost.

"You're boring you know that?"

He didn't even look when he replied, "says the one cooped up in his house crying."

"Hey! I was not crying!"

Sasuke nodded absently, "sure, sure."

I rolled my eyes at him. Sasuke talked too much. I was going to take my time and shower the slowest I possibly could but Sasuke wordlessly came into the bathroom and flushed the toilet. Now I don't know how other people's toilet worked but once you flushed the toilet while someone is in the shower the water gets scalding and Sasuke knew that. He fucking knew! I jumped out of the shower cussing all up and down the bathroom and cursing Sasuke's very soul to the pits of hell.

He probably also knew that I was stalling.

Touche. I wasn't even mad.

When I came out of the bathroom like 15 seconds later cause Sasuke wasn't usually a kidder and he threatened to drag me out kicking and screaming if he had to, so I was quick this time around, my clothes were neatly laid out on the bed for me and Sasuke was sitting at the edge of the bed scowling at his phone in a way that was uniquely Sasuke. Man this guy was one of a kind. I smirked at him as I got dressed, nothing to hide from this dude. "Having trouble with the ladies?" I waggled my eyebrows at him and he wasn't even looking at me but he grabbed my lotion off the bedside drawer and hurled it at me. I honestly cracked up as I ducked out of the way.

Sasuke was luckier with the girls than I was but it always annoyed him. Like always. I got dressed in record breaking time so Sasuke's patience didn't wear thin and then we were cruising down the highway in his sleek black Lexus. Sasuke was so stupid rich. I scowled at his pretty passive face and poked him in the cheek just cause I could.

He reminded me of Sai sometimes too. Or maybe Sai reminded me of him and that's why I was so attracted to him. "Dobe," Sasuke said softly as if was some kind of affectionate nickname and not a Japanese insult.

"Bitch," I replied 'cause 'teme' didn't quite get it right. Ever so slightly I saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips and I thought, 'maybe this night won't suck'.

Eeeckk! Wrong!

Sasuke had said that a few of his friends and their friends would be coming along and I thought it would be like some people that we both knew but no! It was all Sasuke's buddies!

See Sasuke was some sort of CFO for a music business, record thing, and so he had his suit wearing buddies come along. First he introduced Neji and Shino, who I kinda knew from him ranting about work sometimes, and then Kiba who was this rebel of an emo dude in all dark colors and spiky hair with fucking red triangle tattoos on his face. He was an old friend I knew from high school but now apparently he was some sort of representative for a dog brand for famous people's dogs and he brought two of his friends, the most beautiful girls I'd ever seen in my whole life. Like, not even on TV! They introduced themselves as TenTen and Hinata. And holy fuck the curves on these girls, and their smile and their legs and honestly I wasn't even sure if I was gay anymore!

And then I almost bust a nut when I saw the last three people, Sasuke had been bitching about them relentlessly. They were this up and coming band that Sasuke discovered a couple months ago and they were just blowing up all over the internet. They called themselves InoShikaCho. Ino, the lead singer, was like, my doppelganger but she was my better half. She had long silky platinum blonde hair that just curled and twisted down her back and past the shortest skirt in existence and half of her face was hidden by some really long side bangs that smoothed down the side of her face and hid one of her pale turquoise eyes. I couldn't even tell if these girls were wearing make-up. They were just that gorgeous. I nervously shook her hand. Then Chouji bumped her away to shake my hand. He was the drummer of their little group and he was the chubbiest one out of all of us with little swirling tattoos on each cheek. Were face tattoos a sign of success or something?

"Sorry I'm late." A voice said behind me and I turned around to see the leader of the band. A supposed child prodigy who ditched the books to take up every instrument ever invented. I once watched a 3 hour video of him playing every instrument he'd imported. Shikamaru was taller than I expected and apparently he didn't know his fucking shirt size cause those buttons were struggling to keep the shirt from busting off of his thick chest. Jesus H. Christ.

Yes.

I was gay.

I had forgotten in the presence of so many gorgeous women but then God sent me Shikamaru and reminded me of who I was.

Fuck! He was gorgeous. Tall, dark haired, dazzling smile. He was build like a tree and I didn't want to toot my own horn but I was a pretty good tree climber… Just saying.

"What're we standing around for? Let's find a table!" Ino sorta yelled. As if she was at one of her concerts and was trying to pump us up. I didn't know about anyone else but I was pretty pumped. Shikamaru's smile was doing things to me. He always seemed stoic and unapproachable in the music videos and fan meet ups but I guess that in familiar company he was actually really easy to talk to and was pretty friendly.

"Lee isn't here yet. Is he still on the field?" I remembered Lee. He was a workout nut who was loud and was always trying to get people to workout with him or run 15 laps around the town. The whole town. Back to back.

"He said he couldn't make it. He failed something and now he's punishing himself with bunny hops." Neji answered, I didn't question it. Lee was always a weird fellow.

Since our whole party was here we rented a private room for about a couple of hours and piled inside as a waiter came to collect our orders before she told us she'd be back with some refreshments and then she was gone and closing the door behind her while we got seated.

The room was a wide open space with a long table in the middle and sofas on both sides. Of course, I sat beside Sasuke because as friendly as everyone seemed I didn't really know anyone. I remembered Kiba, Hinata and Neji from high school but we weren't exactly friends so… I didn't feel good sitting with them.

I plopped down next to Sasuke and then another body plopped down next to me and sandwiched me in the middle and when I looked over I saw that it was God's gift to mankind. Shikamaru Nara. I could've started hyperventilating right there if Sasuke didn't shuffle over and yank me with him. Shikamaru smelt so nice and that little smirk was doing things to me.

I mean, yea, I was just out of a long term relationship and I loved Sai. Like lots. But all I could think right now was 'Sai who?' Shikamaru's smirk and cologne was enough to do that to me. And it's also been more than a month.

Honestly this was the fanciest karaoke place I'd ever been to but I guess that when you're rich and famous you get to go to pristine places like this. Infront of the table was a huge screen and behind that was the raised stage, just a step up not like a grand stage and off to the side where four mics.

It was actually nice hanging out with Sasuke's friends. Even though they probably had at least 60x more money than he does they were pretty down to earth from just this first impression. Since the place didn't actually serve full sized meals everyone just ordered their own drinks and then a bunch of side dishes. I could already feel my wallet weeping if they divided the bill.

Ino was by far the best singer of them all. She was in a band after all. And Hinata came a close second with her soft voice and voluptuous body I was hypnotized. I won't even lie. Sasuke, to everyone else's surprise, wasn't that bad with a mike himself even though he glared so hard at the teleprompter because he couldn't see the lyrics. Naturally, as his best friend, I personally mocked him the most and everyone else joined in. He scowled at everyone but I could tell he was enjoying himself.

In that strange Uchiha way he does.

Shikamaru, to my surprise and disappointment, refused to sing and Chouji was neck deep in fries so his mouth was too full to even consider singing. I sang a song or two, I'm not the best singer but this wasn't America's Idol so I was pretty laid back.

Overall the night was pretty good until it got to around a little past midnight and Ino declared that nobody was leaving until Shikamaru sung. So there was a mini back and forth going something like:

Ino: It's not fair! We all sang! Even Shino! So you should sing too!

Shikamaru: Yea but I don't feel like it. (looks at me) I'm just enjoying pleasant company. (I'm pretty sure I start blushing like a fool. I ignore Sasuke looking at me)

Ino: Bullshit! You come to karaoke to sing! So sing! (She starts chanting now) Sing! Sing! Sing!

Then everyone jumps in and Shika, the smooth guy that he was in his silk black shirt and too tight jeans grins, stretches his arms over the back of the couch and wraps his arm around me. I swear. My heart almost climbed out of my throat.

And cue Sasuke smirking at me. Like he could tell that I was crushing on this guy. I ignore him of course. "Alright, alright. I'll sing. But only if Naruto sings with me."

"Wa-" I start to say.

"Deal!" Hinata slams her hand down on the table and the rest of the group bursts out laughing. I crack a smile but mostly I'm just trying to keep down the chicken wings I ate earlier.

See the thing is… Karaoke is fun and good if everyone sounds like shit. It's not so fun if you have to pair up with someone who has the pipes of an angel. Shikamaru was the angel so that made me…

I politely decline.

"Well there you have it. Guess I won't be singing after all."

"Aww c'mon. It'd be much more entertaining if you go up there and strut your stuff!" I slap my hand down on his thigh and holy hell. The muscles. The heat. The firmness.

Be still my beating heart.

"Naruto!" Ino whined setting those pale eyes on me.

"Naah I don't think-"

"Please!" Hinata joined in and her eyes were the same milky lavender as her older cousin's. Then I noticed that all eyes were on me, including Shikamaru who was quirking a brow and waiting, and I sighed, thinking fuck it.

"Alright!"

Cheers all around and I sorta felt like a mini celebrity myself. These people knew how to boost an ego. "This is the last performance of the night." Sasuke announced as Shika dragged me behind him and up to the stage. "If it's worth my while I'll consider giving you guys a week long vacation." Ino was up on her feet so fast she might've gotten vertigo. Shikamaru suddenly looked serious and Chouji stopped eating. That's how I knew it was serious.

"Seriously?" He muttered around a mouthful of stuff. "A whole week? No sound checks, no do overs, no late night calls, no emergency costume changes?"

Sasuke tapped away on his phone. Naruto knew he was a slave driver but to even get Chouji's attention? That was big.

"I'm shuffling your schedules as we speak." Two pairs of eyes turned to us.

"Shikamaru," Ino muttered, her bubbly smile gone.

"Shika," Chouji joined in.

And I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Some silent understanding seemed to pass between the trio and then Shika was dragging me up the little platform. I felt like people's lives had just been placed on my shoulders and Sasuke knows I sing even worse under pressure.

I glared down at the bastard as he smirked up at me then did a mock salute. I stuck my tongue out at him for good measure.

"Do you have a preference?" Shikamaru asked as he scrolled through the list of songs. "I know most of the songs from the 2000s and up."

"Whoa that's impressive. I've been listening to lots of Maroon 5 lately. If you know them…?" Shikamaru smirked at me in a wicked way that sent chills down my spine. But in a good kind of arousing way. I was a little worried by that.

Shikamaru picked 'If I never see your face again' then snatched up a mic. His smile was so easy and playful and his chocolate brown eyes had a sparkle to them that drew me in. I didn't even look at the crowd as the music started. I just stared at him. "I'll lead," he whispered in my ears and I got an intoxicating whiff of that damn cologne.

Now as the summer fades

I let you slip away

You say I'm not your type

But I can make you sway

Shikamaru swayed as he sang and at the moment I couldn't decide who sung it best. Shika or Adam Levine.

It makes you burn to learn

You're not the only one

I'd let you be if you

Put down your blazing gun

Oh I guess I was Rihanna.

I almost missed my damn cue cause Shikamaru was staring into my eyes and his hand was on my waist.

Now you've gone somewhere else

Far away

I don't know if I will find you

Shikamaru jumped in on the 'find you' and he was just so easy to sing and talk with that my nerves just sorta started to melt away.

But you feel my breath

On your neck

Can't believe I'm right behind you

Shika made a surprised face and whirled around as he harmonized on the 'behind you' then he winked at me and I started to laugh and I think the guys were laughing too but all I could focus on was Shika's face.

He jumped into the next section, eyes still locked with mine. I wasn't sure but it felt like he rocked even closer to me.

'Cause you keep me coming back for more

And I feel a little better than I did before

I jumped in when I remembered the line but Shikamaru was so good on his own his own I didn't need to. We sang together on the next lines and I was more and more sure that we were rocking closer together. Like magnets.

And if I never see your face again

I don't mind

'Cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight

I don't think I could smile anymore than how much I was smiling right now. Shikamaru was such a dream. I closed the distance between us as the music played between the interval and spun around, my back to his front as my part came on.

Sometimes you move so well

It's hard not to give in

Shikamaru wasn't shy about wrapping his arm around me and pressing it against my stomach, right over my belly button. I could feel the heat of his body right up my back.

I'm lost, I can't tell

Where you end and I begin

I swear to God Shikamaru started grinding against me. I didn't even mind. Instead I swayed my hips in tune to his until we had a rhythm going as I snaked my hand up and tangled it in his hair.

It makes you burn to learn I'm with another man

He stepped back and I turned around. His smile even more dangerous now with the next lines.

I wonder if he's half

The lover that I am

I broke character cause I just had to laugh. He stepped up to me again and thread his fingers through mine.

Now you've gone somewhere else

Far away

I don't know if I will find you

But you feel my breath

On your neck

Can't believe I'm right behind you

'Cause you keep me coming back for more

And I feel a little better than I did before

And if I never see your face again

I don't mind

'Cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight

We echoed what we did in the first half, just swaying with the beat with little breathing room between us. I felt like I was on cloud 9.

Baby, baby

Please believe me

Find it in your heart to reach me

Promise not to leave me behind

For extra effect Shika bends down, almost on his knee as he held on to my free hand. Like he was half proposing half sticking his ass out and wiggling it. I giggled like a fool.

Take me down, but take it easy

Make me think but don't deceive me

Torture me by taking your time

I pulled on my collar at the world 'torture' eliciting a sweet chuckle from Shikamaru that I would remember tonight when I was alone in my room.

The chorus rolled around one more time and by now we were so in tune that I didn't even care if I sounded like a beached whale compared to him. It was nice, it was easy and it was fun. These past weeks I've spent cooped up so I deserved some fun.

At the moment the only thing on my mind was crooning the rest of this jam with probably the best karaoke partner in the history of karaoke duets.

Shikamaru was just, spectacular, and so easy going it was hard to believe that I was actually standing in front of him, with his undivided attention, and basically on the verge of jumping the dude. Naruto had half a mind to ask him for his number when this was all done.

While the chorus was wrapping up I grinned at our company to see them completely entranced with us. Hinata was blushing like crazy and Neji looked like he had some new found appreciation for music. Sasuke was still smirking like he won some silent bet and I promised myself to take him out for a few rounds some time soon.

Keep me coming back for more

And I feel a little better than I did before

And if I never see your face again

I don't mind

'Cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight

We dance on each other a little bit as the music ends before we separate and laughe. I don't know what he was laughing about but I'm pretty sure I got high off his scent. I need to ask him what it is before we leave.

"Holy hell…" Kiba muttered and I almost forgot that he was there the whole time.

"Yea! Good job!" Ino whooped kneeling in her seat.

"Oh my," Hinata fanned her face, blush still blazing.

And now I was blushing too cause I had just been grinding on a man I just met!

"We're definitely getting that week off." Shikamaru smirked at his team and gave them high fives and I felt just a teensy bit bad that he was just doing it for the vacation.

I didn't let it bother me too much. We came for fun and I got fun.

We shuffled back to our seat while Ino called for another song but Shino started to complain that he was tired and he was ready to go home. Neji agreed with him and since Hinata and her cousin were a pair she too had to go home. And since Kiba came for Hinata he was gonna leave too.

I was pretty beat too, a long day of doing nothing starts to wear on you. I snorted to myself at that thought.

"So I guess we're wrapping up? No more food either," Chouji said and to be honest, I think he ate most of it.

"I'm ready to go. I think I'll just sleep for the rest of the week." Shikamaru's hand wasn't around me anymore, he was resting his elbows on his knees now and I was already missing his warmth.

"Same. Let's go dobe." Sasuke stood first and pulled me up with him.

"Oh okay… I guess I'm ready too." I fished my wallet out of my pocket as I stood up. "It was awesome hanging out with you guys! How much do I owe?" Hinata came around the table and hugged me and planted a quick kiss on my cheek.

"Chouji's paying. He ate everything so it's only fair."

"I did not!"

"I hope you don't plan to leave with giving me your number!" Ino socked me in the arm as she came close and holy cheese! She had a mean right hook.

"Yea sure," I rubbed my arm as I took her phone from her and put my number in and then another kiss on my cheek and then another phone replaced Ino's and then I put my number in that and then there was a slap on my shoulder and just a whole lot of touching and lots of expensive looking iPhones later and I had everyone's number.

Except Shikamaru, who was the first one out the door.

I wanted to hit him and then ask him on a date.

But I was too shy… I'd just ask him for his number.

The waitress who served us was grinning broadly as she waved to us and I guess that she got a hella tip. Shika was leaning against a sleek black jaguar, a midnight black that reflected everything perfectly and it took all of my willpower not to fawn over that beast of a ride.

Sasuke was ready to go home and wasn't waiting for anymore long good-byes so I reluctantly walked over to the car while Ino harassed him to know which days and times exactly they'd have on their week off.

I just pulled my car door open when Shikamaru poked me in the side. I would have screamed if I was less of a man. "That duet was bomb!" I was gonna keep it casual then just casually ask him for his number. Easy. Smooth. Casual.

"It was," and then he was just staring at me again and my mind was just short circuiting. I felt the car shift as Sasuke plopped down behind the driver's seat. He probably did it so hard so I'd hurry my butt up so we could leave.

Well it was now or never Naruto, "so I was thinking maybe you wanted to get a cup of coffee? Maybe some dinner?"

He smiled slow and lazy. "I'd like that."

"Naruto hurry up and get your ass in the car." The engine purred to life.

"Ahh I better go." I hurried and got my phone out of my pocket but my hands were so sweaty I could barely get my pass code in and Shikamaru was already backing up. "If you gimme your number I can call you with details you know, where to meet up and stuff."

"I already have your number," he winked at me as he turned back to his own car and hopped in. I just sort of stared at the car's headlights as Shikamaru sped away.

"Naruto I swear if you don't get in this car…"

"Yea… Yea…" I got in 'cause I don't put it past Sasuke to leave me standing there but the rest of the night was a blur. Like… I was moving on autopilot. I don't even remember changing my clothes or heading to bed.

In the morning there was a new text from an un saved number, "Hey."

A/N: And that's a wrap! So sorry it took so long lazyfox21 but first person writing is a challenge that I think I just overcame! Whoo! Leave a review to tell me what you think. I really hope you like it.

I just checked when I got the prompt and I got it back in June. The end of June but June nonetheless and wao. I really took a while with this. But when I finally did write, boom!, 12 pages! Go me!

Anyways! I hope you all like it and if you liked it or found any faults please remember to leave a review to let me know what you thought!