Catching Butterflies

ten

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Shikamaru didn't waste time walking away from his team the minute their jounin instructor had finished with their second test. He ignored Ino's angry shouts and the questions from both Chouji and his teacher Asuma. The meeting was done. They didn't need him to be here.

He was needed somewhere else.

He knew some dumb little girl was playing ninja and getting hurt.

It didn't matter if she had the skills.

She could grow to be the strongest woman in the world, but if she continued with being oblivious to the cruelty of the world, continued to be kind and continued to ignore the fact that no one was going to be nice to her, he needed to be there.

Why couldn't she be on his team?

It would have been so easy to watch over her if she was with him.

Shikamaru cut across the grass, stepping over the pathway to the river they usually would have usually spent their time on. Maybe he could take her there later. Talk about her team. Were they good enough for her?

The Uchiha wasn't the most talkative, he was condescending and a little hard to handle, but at least he was strong enough to protect her. Haruno girl was the top of her class if a little useless in everything else. If she could just stop focusing on the Uchiha for a little bit, or at least use that to drive her to be stronger, she might be enough to protect Naru from danger. With Hatake Kakashi as her teacher there really would be nothing to worry about.

She would be safe.

They will protect her.

He stopped at the edge of the field.

"Shikamaru!"

He was a fool.

"I passed!"

He was a stupid fucking fool.

He ignored her stupid grin, focusing instead on the rope that was digging a little to tightly to her skin.

"You should have seen it Shikamaru."

Stupid.

So stupid.

Grinning when her skin was practically raw from the rope. How long was she struggling?

"The teacher was so cool and super strong!"

How long had she been here?

"He fought us without even trying!"

Where was everyone?

"We passed though because we worked as a team."

Fucking idiot!

"If you were a team then where the fuck are they?" He didn't miss how she winced when the rope wrapped around her was pulled away. She needed to have a little reminder that these people weren't fucking nice. "If you were a team, why are you alone and fucking tied to this post?"

Her eyes lost a little of her excitement.

Why the hell was she even happy when she was alone, tied, vulnerable, in the middle of an isolated training field.

"What would have happened if I didn't come here?"

Why did she always make him into the bad guy?

"You could have been attacked by animals and people who wouldn't have hesitated to hurt a girl like you!"

He was always wiping that stupid smile on her face.

"If you don't smarten up, you won't know when people are trying to hurt you!" He gripped her tightly on the shoulders, forcing her to look up to him. "And I won't be there…"

"Shikamaru." He caused those tears in her big blue eyes.

He couldn't look at her anymore.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked towards the village center. She must be hungry. She said she wasn't eating breakfast because of that stupid torture test.

A small hand fished his hand out of his pocket.

He gripped her hand a little tightly, it was so small he thought it would slip out if he didn't.

"I'll grow strong, Shikamaru." A small whisper, cracking under the force of her tears.

"Stop crying."

She ignored him. "Even if I cry, I'm not broken."

"Stop crying." He brushed his hand on the torn orange bow in her hair.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad." He felt her hand squeeze his a little tighter. "I'm crying because I'm so happy that you are always with me."

He hit her on the head.

"People smile when they are happy."

"I want to cry…. Just this once."

"Liar." He tugged her along with him, her soft footsteps trying to keep instep with his longer stride.

"Stay close to me."

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