Waking up had always been a real drag. I was never someone who woke up early, I didn't even go to work until 10 after they realized I would never get there before then. I still didn't wake up earlier but recently the mornings had been better and I didn't mind waking up anymore.

"Oh no!" The sudden burst dragged me out of sleep and then my ears were attacked by the annoying sound from the smoke alarm. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes I groaned and got up to get to the kitchen where my recent roommate was jumping up and down trying to blow the smoke away from the alarm. I opened the window and let the cool air come in to let some of the smoke coming from the pan on the stove top escape and stop the blasted alarm from continuing to hurt my ear drums.

"You're really starting to make this a habit aren't you?" I questioned the blond as the alarm finally stopped beeping, he gave me his trademark sheepish grin.

"Sorry Shikamaru. Good morning." I walked over to look at the mess in the pan smirking, "I think you are improving, it's a little less burnt. Maybe edible today." He flushed and was mumbling as he started to set up the table for breakfast almost making me laugh. I liked the effort he kept putting into it day after day, it was odd that even though he could manage cooking but when it came to making eggs he just couldn't get it right.

"I'll get it right! I wont let some stupid eggs beat me dattebayo!" He said to himself as he put the almost burnt mess into a box and wrapped it up. We sat mostly in silence as we ate the breakfast he made. It's been a month since I found Naruto on my doorstep and let him live with me, even though the thought would have made me think the situation was troublesome it wasn't bad. I came home everyday with dinner ready, after a bit he started packing me lunches and even though I told him he didn't have to he even got a part-time job at the small market in town. And even though I didn't tell him, I liked having someone here instead of being all alone, he's never asked about why exactly I let him stay and I'm glad he hasn't. After breakfast Naruto cleaned up while I went to get ready for work.

"Are you going to be home late again Shikamaru?" Adjusting my tie I felt my fingers twitch a bit before I packed up all the papers into my briefcase and headed out to the main room.

"I'll try not to be."

"Works really gotten busy huh?"

"Hn." I couldn't answer him honestly so instead I always just gave some sound. He gave a small smile and handed me my lunch and waved me off as I headed off to work. It took 30 minutes on train for me to get to work, although the trip to and from the train stations from home and work was another 20 minutes I didn't mind the time I could take to stroll down the streets to get away from the crowds in the subways. I sighed when I approached the large corporate building, the elevator was packed as always and I groaned as I had to wait till the thick metal doors opened with a ding at the 34th floor.

"Oh Shikamaru! Come over here will ya?!" I walked over to Ino, she had matured from high school but not that much, she had traded in her long hair for a more sensible shoulder length that she mostly kept in a bun at work, her blues eyes were still bright that showed the life in them and although she was more covered her womenly body was always apparent and even I always had to admit she was very beautiful.

"What is it Ino?'

"Don't give that look now."

"It's just how my face is."

"But a smile won't kill you."

"Too troublesome."

"Same old Shikamaru. But never mind. Sunday I'm going to get my final fitting for my dress so come with me!"

"Uh what a drag. Why do I have to come, why don't you get Sakura to go with you? She is your maid of honor."

"You know that she has a lot to deal with right now. Besides you're the best man so you have some responsibility too."

"Yeah for Choji's bachelor party. And all he likes to do is eat so that's easy."

"Oh stop being so lazy and just come with."

"Uh how troublesome."

"Alright see you Sunday, and don't you dare be late!" I waved her off and continued down the large room full of cubicles toward my office. I got straight to work seeing the large pile of work that had already been stacked on my desk, it was troublesome having to do so much but since it was more of a hassle than troublesome I dealt with it, and although I felt guilty it gave me a prize I wasn't gonna give up easy.

"Yo Shikamaru! Lunch time!" I had to wrench my eyes away from the papers in front of me to look up at Kiba grinning. Although here was still a lot of work I needed a break so I brought my lunch and followed him to the grounds outside the office building. We sat on a bench under a large sakura tree that was still full of buds not ready to blossom yet. We ate with mostly Kiba complaining about how much busier it got in a while with me just eating occasionally nodding. "Hey Shikamaru. You got a girlfriend now or something?" I choked on the burnt piece of egg in my mouth and had to drink some of my green tea to stop.

"What? Why would you say that?"

"Cause you got lunch all the time now, usually you just buy something. Although she gotta be really pretty or something since she can't cook." He said pointing at the food in the box.

"How do you know I didn't cook it myself."

"That's too 'troublesome' for you. Besides you can always buy lunch that's way better than that Mr. VP."

"Hn." Kiba tried to pull it out of me but I kept my mouth shut, I knew I couldn't tell him anything about Naruto. Even though it was selfish of me since he had been his friend too, I knew what would happen if word got out. After we finished our lunch I had to dive back into work to try to finish or at least finish enough to get home in a timely hour without too much work to bring back with me. It was a phone call that brought me out of the work trance, I picked it up to be called to the president's office by a deep obviously tired voice, looking at the clock and seeing that it was almost 8 told me that I would head home after whatever it was I was being called down for. I made my way out my office into the much larger one down the hall knocking before entering. "You wanted to see me Itachi-san?" The tired eyes of the older Uchiha son found it's way up to me almost showing an understanding at my appearance that he would usually scold me for if it wasn't for the circumstances.

"I wanted to apologize for all the work that I put on you this past month, I know it's hard to take up two demanding jobs. I wish I could tell you that it's fine now but I'm going to have to ask you to continue with your work. You're the only one I can trust with so much."

"That's alright I can understand. How is he?" He sighed heavily running a hand through his hair that had started to fall out of his usually perfectly kept ponytail.

"He's still a mess. I wish the boy would just show himself or something. It's driving us all crazy." I looked down at the floor.

"I'm going to head home, I'll take the rest of today's work with me." He nodded, before I left he joked if I had a woman waiting for me, I didn't respond as I closed the door behind me.

When I got home I was welcomed by Naruto's grin and almost less of a mess kitchen. "Okaeri!" The smile Naruto gave pulled at my heart, I knew how selfish I was being and how I barely had a right trying to keep him to myself, but that idiot had been the one that made him feel so awful. And if I could make Naruto smile like that while he just made him cry than I had more of right to keep him away from him. Didn't I? "I timed you really well huh? Just finished too!" I saw he was shocked when a smile passed my lips. I would deal with all the extra work and the guilty feeling in my stomach if I could wake up and come home everyday to his smile. And as long as Naruto was happy I would continue to be selfish and keep him all to myself, because against myself I wanted him with me. And I deserved to be happy, even for a little while, and even if I was hurting Sasuke in the mean time. Because I love Naruto too.