Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

The Things That Don't Match- Chapter 1

Naruto stormed into his apartment, slamming the door behind him and heading straight for his kitchen. His kitchen was his pride, it had everything a person who loved to cook would want and he did love to cook- he wouldn't be a chef if he didn't.

He went straight to the huge cupboards and started pulling things out.

"So what's got you upset?"

Naruto startled, whirling around to see Shikamaru lounging in a kitchen chair. He frowned in puzzlement, the man was not there when he first entered the kitchen.

"I was sitting on the couch when you stormed past me. So what happened?"

"Sasuke broke up with me."

Shikamaru's brow rose, "Again? I thought you two would last longer this time. You already know that none of us like him. I'm sorry that you're upset but not that you're broken up."

Naruto slumped back against the counter and it looked like the life was sucked out of him. Shikamaru examined his friend, his tall 6'4 form was slumped, his tan skin looked grayish and his vibrant blue eyes were dull. He looked hunched in on himself like he was waiting for someone else to let him down or deal a killing blow.

This was why Shikamaru and the rest of Naruto's friends but most especially Shikamaru did not like Sasuke, he sucked the life, the will or essence, out of Naruto. Naruto had been obsessed with him ever since he met him when they were teens but Sasuke drained him. Their relationship was very volatile so they were always breaking up but each time they did it hurt Naruto like it was the first.

"Shika," Naruto whispered, "It's over. For good, I told him when he was screaming at me that we couldn't do this again, that I couldn't do this again and that if he broke up with me it would be over. It's been 8 years and I'm no closer to him than when we started going out. I can't keep doing this, it's killing me. It's done."

Tears appeared in the corner of Naruto's eyes and he swiped at them in a harsh movement, angry that he was crying.

Shikamaru watched him silently, sympathetic. He would have hugged him but he didn't think Naruto would appreciate it at that moment, the last thing he wanted Naruto to think was that he pitied him. He might not think Naruto made the wisest decisions concerning Sasuke but he didn't pity him; hugging Naruto right now would make him think that.

He watched Naruto stalk to the fridge and pull out a lot of meat before Naruto turned and looked at him, smiling brightly, "How's chili sound for tonight?"

Shikamaru frowned at him, "I don't want to see your fake emotions, if you don't feel like smiling then you don't have to around me. There's no need to keep up a pretense for my sake."

He watched the smile on Naruto's face collapse, disappearing like it never was, and his blue eyes come close to an emotion of depression.

"Shika," Naruto whispered, eyes despairing, "I wasn't enough."

Shika swore mentally before deciding to hell with it. Naruto was his friend and he obviously needed a hug so he would give him one, he would make it clear to Naruto if it came down to it that he wasn't pitying him.

He stood up and walked to the where the blonde was slumped, dragging him into his arms and holding him even when Naruto stiffened.

Naruto held himself still for a couple of seconds before going limp and clutching Shikamaru, burying his head into the crook of Shika's neck and inhaling his friend's scent, letting the strands of Shika's hair caress his face. He liked it when his friend wore his hair out but he only did if he was at home relaxing.

Naruto mentally thanked God and his friends that he lived with Shikamaru now instead of with Sasuke like he had when they were in university. He didn't think he could have tolerated living with Sasuke right now even while being broken up. He sighed into Shikamaru's embrace before standing up and moving away but first he met Shika's eyes, letting him know silently that he was really grateful for and had needed that hug.

"So chili?" he asked casually.

Shikamaru sat back down and nodded, "Chili sounds good."