A/N: Alright, so I've had this on my computer for awhile and so I decided to post it. It might turn into a multi-chapter story but for right now it's just a cute one shot I felt like writing. Hope you like it. Enjoy and Review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

She was running.

The sounds of the people following her started to quite down, as she put more and more distance between herself and the crowd. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep up the speed she was running at for long. So she ran to one of the only places she knew she would be safe… at least for a little while.

She turned a sharp corner and ran straight into the woods. She carefully followed the path she had taken many times before. She could have reached her destination a different way. But she knew in the darkness, the crowd could not follow her if she went through the woods.

A couple minutes later, a big house came into view and Naruto quickly and quietly snuck over to the back of the house. Once she was in the view of a small window on the second floor, she scampered up the tree next to it and lightly knocked on the window. Almost immediately it opened, and a sleepy looking boy greeted her.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" The boy asked brushing dark hair that was usually in a ponytail out of his face.

Naruto chuckled sheepishly.

"Ah, I was wondering if I could stay here tonight. You see, the heater broke in my place and I don't have any extra blankets…" She trailed off, hoping he would believe her.

Grey eyes stared at her shrewdly for a moment, before softening. He sighed and waved her in, mumbling his trademark "Troublesome."

Naruto grinned in relief and clambered into his room. It was small but comfortable. Soft browns and dark greens surrounded her, giving her the feeling she was still in the woods.

Shikamaru watched her silently as she walked around his room ooing and ahhing at everything. He knew his friend was lying, but he wasn't sure why. She was a mystery to him. A puzzle. One he was determined to figure out. He knew the villagers didn't like her for some reason. He also knew that up until this year, all of the academy teachers had hated her too.

They had refused to actually teach her anything, usually sending her out of the room for some reason or another. That's how their friendship had started. One day, she had swallowed her pride and asked him to tutor her. He asked why she wanted him to do it, since he was failing also. And she told him it was because his eyes showed far too much intelligence for him not to be smarter then he seemed.

After that, they became best friends almost as close as he and Choji… No, strike that. They were just as close. But somehow she still kept her secrets from him. It was troublesome.

Shikamaru just shook his head and lay back down on his bed. When he noticed Naruto still standing around, he patted the other side of the bed.

"Go to sleep, Naru. I'm tired." He mumbled, closing his eyes. He heard her chuckle then felt a weight lay down next to him.

He may not know all her secrets, but for now that was okay. For now, she was just a friend that needed a place to crash.