Naruto had cried for an hour until she had fallen asleep in Shikamaru's arms. She had run out of tears and her voice was gone by the time she succumbed to lady sleep but this did not stop her voice whispering out Shikamaru's name as it finally took her over. They fell asleep together, his arms around her while over the covers, though Sakura had gone back to her room after she was sure Naruto would be okay. It worked out plenty even as day eventually came to breathe light through the open window. This cast warmth against Naruto's face and Shikamaru's back though it only woke the male who was a rather light sleeper compared to the other who shared his bed.

Finding a way to free his arm, he came from the bed only to hiss at the cold wood floor against his feet. He needed a rug for sure. Stepping out of the room, he went down the hall to the bathroom to take his morning piss before following it up with a smoke while he showered; somehow he managed to keep his cigarette dry and lit while doing so which was a feat in itself. Once he was out of the water he wrapped a towel around his waist and made his way back to his bedroom, though he passed a half awake Sakura who merely smiled a bit at his physique with approval before she took his place in the bathroom and he was safe back in his room.

However upon entering Naruto was half naked, only in her sweats while she was placing ointment on her wounds. He gave a small coughing sound as it was a bit cliche but he did take the ointment tube from her hands and began applying it himself since the back injuries were the harder to reach areas. Naruto said nothing as she was too busy blushing; her stomach dropped when he initially began applying the ointment to her back. She must have made it obvious because he quit and spoke gently to her.

"It's okay. We can wait till you're ready for this. I'm sorry Naruto. I should have asked before just doing it."

She shook her head and replied to assure him he had done nothing wrong.

"No don't be sorry Shika. You are here to help and it wasn't that bad, just some uneasiness. Please finish if you would."

Naruto was a lot more mature than he once thought though given she traveled with an infamous albeit perverted sannin, it was to be expected. Placing more of the ointment on his palm, he rubbed his hands together and began spreading it as carefully as he could, though whenever he got near her spine he felt her shiver and he stopped. Though she waved him off to continue which he did until a quarter of the tube had been used up. He was finished and handed her the orange tank top she had tossed on the end of the bed while he was gone.

"Thank you Shika."

"No problems Naru."

He didn't know when they had started using the nicknames but he didn't mind; his mom also called him Shika too so it was rather pleasant. Though he didn't admit it was because it was Naruto.

He rubbed the back of his neck before sitting the tube down and stepped to the small closest space to dress. Exiting it as he didn't have much to change into at the moment besides a set of civilian clothes he had for off days. It felt good to finally have a shower since he hadn't one since before he began looking after Naruto in the hospital. Shikamaru had opted to wear a pair of black and grey pants, three white rings near the ankles and a sleeveless turtleneck not unlike the ones ANBU agents wear though far less durable given it was a civilian fit for ninjas.

Coming out, Sakura had been standing in the doorway talking with Naruto, who was sitting on his bed criss cross applesauce style. Neither had realized that he had come out though when he coughed to gain their attention, they turned and both smiled. Sakura greeted him with a casual, "Morning" whereas Naruto had her usual shiteating grin like she knew something he hadn't. Raising an eyebrow, he offered her a chance to explain what was so funny.

"Do you want to tell me why you look like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar?"

Naruto smiled even wider if that was even possible.

"Your hair is longer than Sakura's when it is down. You look older when it is down."

Looking over to the vanity mirror on his dresser, he noticed he hadn't bothered to put his hair up. He was quick to remedy this, the long hair that had touched just at his shoulders was now in it's signature pineapple ponytail.

"Better? It's too troublesome to leave it down."

Naruto of course nodded though Sakura had an odd look to her features, as if she had realized something he hadn't which was true though he hadn't caught onto what it was exactly. He shrugged it off and went about his business of getting his things together whereas Sakura continued talking with Naruto. He tried not to overhear it but it was difficult to when it came to it being in his room.

"Have any issues arisen since leaving the hospital? Soreness and the like?"

"Not outside of the tenderness of my wounds. And some itchiness. Trouble sleeping and I jump at shadows at the corner of my eyes sometimes. That's why I slept in Shika's bed last night. He is surprisingly warm and makes weird sounds like his purring when you poke him."

His face flared up with a blush as he turned and gawked at her for such blatant exclamations of messing with him while he slept. His voice was a little louder than intended as he shouted.

"Naruto! Don't tell her things like that, she'll get the wrong idea!"

He was right because Sakura was glaring daggers at him as if he was taking advantage of her vulnerability. Although they were staring at one another, they were quickly taken by surprise when Naruto began sniffling some and rubbing at her cheeks with the palm of her hands.

"Sorry Shika. I didn't mean to-"

He was quick to hug her, his arms around her much like last night and the evening before when they first entered their new home. The feelings of regret and guilt washed over him as he had yelled at her albeit unintentionally.

"No Naruto, it is my fault. I should have taken better care to watch my tone. I wasn't actually angry. The way you had said things was just...It makes people think that I'm taking advantage of you. You have to be a bit more descriptive.

Though I never knew I purred in my sleep. I probably snored more than likely. "

Shikamaru couldn't help but find it rather adorable that she looked up at him like a kitten when he said he wasn't mad. Though guess it was part of her charm even if they were seventeen, well he was eighteen.

Let's go eat and unpack a bit before we go and check on everyone else."

Naruto's stomach answered for her, giving a loud growl out as if she hadn't eaten in a day. This was mostly true given she had eaten the ramen the day before but she threw it up in the sink at the restaurant so she had been running on empty. They chuckled as she blushed a bit and jumped up, though Sakura was quick to rush to Naruto as the spaghetti strap top she wore had barely allowed her unbound chest to stay put where it was. Shikamaru blushed but averted his eyes while Naruto nervously chuckled.

"Sorry. Forgot they got a bit bigger."

A look of jealousy passed over Sakura's face, clearly given that on account of her smaller chest compared to her teammate and housemate's bosom. Anyways, ignoring their little morning of oddities and accidents on an emotional rollercoaster in his bedroom, once they were all adequately dressed, they found themselves exiting their home to come and look upon the others all speaking amongst each other in the more central area of the grounds as well as to the genin teams meant to assist the restoration of the clan homes and yard.

Shikamaru was waved at by Ino and Chouji who were talking with a genin about their parents providing fresh produce to the kitchen. Everyone was busy with various genin and each other, taking notes on pads about prices and the like. It was a busy day ahead of them. Turning to look at Naruto, he smiled as did she before her smile turned to a frown and she was soon leaning over the railing, placing vomit into an overgrown bush. Sakura was quick to come to her side, rubbing at her back as she did. Shikamaru joined her and was speaking into her ear before he saw there was blood in her vomit, and more than he figured would be normal for someone injured as she was. This was not good, he needed to get her to see Tsunade right then and now.

"Sakura, let's go. We need to take her to Lady Tsunade immediately."

Naruto waved them off or attempted to before a smile she tried to flash them fell and she was unconscious in their arms. This raised concern for those in the courtyard who stood idle given two of them were already at her side but it still had them all worried about the blonde ninja. No one had seen her like this since they knew her, minus Sakura when she was Naruto after Sasuke defected from the village some years ago.

Sakura lifted her up with the strength she had received as part of her training, and nodded to Shikamaru.

"Let's go."