The following has major spoilers in it, so if you are still watching Naruto on Cartoon Network and don't know what is going to happen in the future, I am willing to say you might be a bit lost, since some of the characters in here are introduced later on in the show. But if you want to read it anyway, have in mind that I am starting my story after an episode where Chouji apparently died on a mission with Shikamaru. SPOILER I'm warning you.
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"It all happened so fast... I swear I couldn't remember it all if I tried... and honestly, I am completely surprised that I'm even alive. I ate the red pill, I should have died, in fact, I think I did. I have to try and think back, see if I can pull some memories together... I remember leaving the village, Sakura had to stay behind because we couldn't have anyone else in our group. It was just the five of us. Me, Neji, Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru. For what seemed like forever we made our way through the forest in order to find Sasuke. He ran away from the village, that's why we were out there in the first place."
"I still don't understand Sasuke's reason's for leaving, but what I did know was if we didn't get him back, we'd have a huge problem on our hands. Then, we came across him... this huge guy that had Sasuke. Anyway, I ended up staying behind and fighting him alone, I had to help out Shikamaru. This guy, he made fun of Shikamaru, taunted him, hurt him... I wanted to kill him for saying that Shikamaru was a bad leader. They left to catch these other guys that now had Sasuke, but I had to kill the huge guy so he wouldn't catch up and ruin the rescue mission."
"We fought for a long time, and I had gone through both the green and yellow food pills. The last was red, and I had no other choice. I'd die either way, so I thought, might as well go out trying to save Shikamaru. I killed the guy easily after eating the red pill, but soon after I felt the pain. The green pill had hurt enough, and the yellow was even rougher, but the red, it was hell. Somehow, I found a tree with the guys' writing on it. Naruto, Kiba... Shikamaru carved an arrow pointing to where they went. I couldn't move anymore, so following them was out of the question. I knew it was time as soon as I felt the last clutch at my heart arise. Butterflies... I remember butterflies, too... and then, nothing."
"Now I'm here, at the hospital in Kohona village. Was this a dream, or wait, was I a ghost? Was I watching as Tsunade, the Fifth-Hokage, stood over me and looked down at me with her golden eyes that showed intense focus? I ate the red pill, I died, and now I'm back. It wasn't a dream, Tsunade-sama actually brought me back."
"I've been in this hospital for days now, I've already seen both my father and Ino several times, he would sneak me bags of chips in and she'd always bring me a flower from her shop. I noticed her eyes for me changed a bit. She doesn't just think I'm some fatass partner since somehow I lost weight after eating those pills. I appreciate the attention she gives me and the way she doesn't make fun of me anymore, but I wish she would have been this way towards me when I was normal. But, at least she visits, that's more than I can say for Shikamaru... he hasn't come in once when I was awake. Ino said he came in twice when I was still asleep, but that doesn't count if I can't talk to him. I wish he'd come to see me, even if it's for a second. I miss hanging out with him, on our special bench that we've had since we were much younger, the bench where we'd lay back and watch the clouds go by, and when we'd sneak out at night, we'd watch the stars twinkle. I miss it so much. I miss Him so much."
"Chouji?" Tsunade said as she entered the room, snapping Chouji from his daydreaming. "How are you feeling?"
"O, Tsunade-sama. I feel great." Chouji said back with a big grin. "I'm kinda hungry though..."
"Well, lunch should be coming soon." She said as she turned to leave. "I've just come to check on you and Neji."
"Neji? How is he doing, by the way?" Chouji asked.
"He's recovering well. You two were very lucky, especially you, Chouji. I don't think anyone has survived after eating the red pill, if I'm not mistaken." Tsunade said, before opening the door.
"I really didn't think I'd live. It's scary when I think about it." Chouji shivered at the thought of how close he got.
"Don't think. You lived, that just proves you are something special." Tsunade encouraged the boy sitting up on his hospital bed. "Do you need anything while I'm here?"
"...well..." Chouji started, his voice trailing off as Tsunade looked at him, waiting for a response. "Where's Shikamaru? I'd kind of like to talk to him."
"O, Shikamaru? You mean you haven't seen him yet?" Tsunade said, her hand coming up to tap at her chin. "You must have been sleeping during all his visits, I know her came here several times. He spent the night the first night visitors were allowed in."
"..." Chouji looked at the floor as he head Tsunade talk. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."
"Sure." Tsunade left the room in route for Neji.
Chouji looked across the room and out the window. It was sunny and he felt like the rays were dancing over his face, warming him up inside. He came more than Ino had said. He even spent the night. Shikamaru was his best friend, Chouji was sure of that. As Chouji continued to look out the window he noticed the faithful symbol of his friendship with Shikamaru float across the view. A blue butterfly. It was almost like a spirit, not a butterfly, since it had such impeccable timing. It hovered around the window for a few seconds, beckoning Chouji to come to it. Slowly, Chouji got out of bed and winced as he walked across the room. Luckily the room wasn't too big, and as he reached the window he looked down and there he was, Shikamaru. Of course he wasn't alone, he had Ino and Asuma with him. They were coming as a group, most likely to see him. Chouji was sure of it, the butterfly never lied. Chouji made his way back to the bed and got under the covers. He waited anxiously, his fingers and toes twiddling as he could sense them getting closer.
What would Shikamaru think of him being skinny now? Would he laugh at him? No, he wouldn't laugh. He could trust Shikamaru to accept him no matter what. Like he expected, he could hear them walking down the hall. Ino was blasting her voice as usual, and Asuma was telling her to be quite. Shikamaru was silent as always, that's just the kind of person he was. Chouji liked it, his silence. Words always caused him pain, and Shikamaru never used words, and if he did, they were different then the words he was used to hearing. They were nice.
Chouji laid back and placed his hands behind his head as he waited for them to come in. He heard the doorknob turn and watched as they entered. One by one, and Shikamaru was last. He wasn't looking directly at Chouji yet, but he might just be shy, he was sometimes shy at first entering a room. Ino ran up to the bed and hugged Chouji as Asuma walked to the other side of the bed and rubbed the top of Chouji's head, his crinkled cigarette stuck between his lips like normal.
"Guys, hey!" Chouji happily shouted. "What are you all doing here?"
"Duh, seeing you, Chouji!" Ino answered back, laughing at his question.
"O, I was afraid of that." Chouji kidded with her. He noticed a smirk slide across Shikamaru's face. "Shikamaru, hey..." Chouji said softly.
"Hey, Chouji." Shikamaru said back, his eyes reaching Chouji's.
For at least and hour, Chouji talked to Ino and Asuma. Shikamaru simply sat back and enjoyed the conversations the group had. This was typical for the four of them. Shikamaru would always listen as they talked. Ion would tease Chouji about his weight and how he is always eating, but now, the topics had changed. Chouji had lost weight, dramatically. That was one of the reasons he was in such serious condition. He had almost literally been eaten of everything other than his skin and bones. While he was at the hospital, they had to feed him often to get his weight back to a stable amount, something none of them ever thought they have to see Chouji go through.
Shikamaru always liked Chouji chubby. He would always poke his stomach when he was in a playful mode. Chouji only let Shikamaru poke his stomach. If anyone else tried, he'd get angry. This was just another sign of there friendship. He'd get his weight back soon enough, and then he'd get to poke him again. The sound of Ino laughing broke Shikamaru out of his trance. Then, Asuma sat up from the bed, which he had been sitting on since they got there.
"Soon Chouji, we'll go get some more Korean Barbeque, my treat of course." Asuma said, seeing his mouth water as he finished his sentence.
"Sensai! Don't tease me. I'd kill for some right now, this hospital food is getting old." Chouji pouted, but quickly got over it as Asuma and Ino made their way towards the door to leave. "You guys leaving?"
"Yeah, Chouji. I have a mission I need to go on, I just came by to check on my student." Asuma told him.
"And I have to go get dinner for home, mom wants to teach me a secret recipe of her's." Ino sounded annoyed as she spoke. "I like cooking, but mom always makes the most complicated things!" She sighed as she left the room.
"Don't worry, Chouji. We'll be back sometime." Asuma said cooly.
"Yeah, ok. Shikamaru? Are you leaving, too?" Chouji asked the still sitting Shikamaru.
"Does it look like I'm going anywhere?" Shikamaru returned with a smirk, giving Chouji an equally large grin on his face. "You've been asleep every other time I came, so I'm gonna stay longer and hang out with you, is that alright?"
"Yeah!" Chouji assured him with a nod.
Asuma and Ino left the room, Ino giving one last wave before the door shut. After a minute of being alone with him, Shikamaru got up and laid across the foot of Chouji's bed. His eyes stared at the ceiling, he had so much to say he didn't know where to begin. Chouji just looked down at him and lightly scratched his swirly cheek. He didn't know what to say, either. They never really talked when they were alone, but just sat next to each other and enjoyed the comfort they gave each other. Now was different, though, the air was thick with tension. Chouji could sense Shikamaru trying to think of what to say, his face was lost in thought. Chouji himself also tried to say something, but he felt like Shikamaru was going to say something soon so he held back. Eventually Chouji decided to maybe try and spark up a conversation that would lead to what Shikamaru wanted to say.
"I'm glad you got away with only a broken finger, Shikamaru. You are the best." Chouji said, blushing as he praised his friend.
"Yeah well, I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for Temari." Shikamaru added, closing his eyes as he thought about the fan-wielding blonde from the Village of Sand. "You remember her, right? From the Chunnin Exam?"
"Yeah, isn't she the one you had to fight?" Chouji remembered her, but not as a particular kind of person who would help out someone from the Leaf Village. "She helped you?"
"Yeah, pffft... I was in a pickle and she helped me get out. Troublesome girl." Shikamaru said, opening his eyes again. "She even came to see you after they brought you here, but they didn't let us in since you were still in critical condition."
"Really? That's surprising. Since when was she a good guy?" Chouji asked, confused about Temari.
"It's not just her, but Gaara and that puppet guy, too. They aren't really against us, they just said they were following orders before." Shikamaru informed the lost Chouji.
"I see. Well good thing." Chouji smiled. "I'm glad Gaara isn't against us anymore, that guy was scary." Chouji trembled at the thought of the redhead with the sand powers.
"I'm sorry, Chouji." Shikamaru finally begun his confession that he had been forming in his mind until now. "I'm sorry I left you behind. I shouldn't have been made leader yet."
"Shikamaru, what are you talking about? If I didn't stay, you guys would have never caught up to the others and Sasuke." Chouji tried to relax his friend, but knew there was still more from Shikamaru that was going to be said. "It was my duty to help you guys with my life."
"Chouji... when we were running towards the others, I saw it." Shikamaru closed his eyes again, his face wrinkling as if he were holding back tears. "I saw the butterfly. I knew then... I knew then I had failed you."
"No, no..." Chouji tried easing Shikamaru's guilt, but to no avail. He could even feel himself get teary-eyed just by seeing Shikamaru in pain.
"I acted like nothing was wrong, but you were dead, I couldn't lie to myself. The rest of the mission didn't mean anything to me after that." Shikamaru sat up but still didn't look at Chouji. "I wanted to get my hands on Sasuke just so that I could kill him myself. Chouji, you're..."
"..." Chouji felt a lump grow in his throat. He didn't know what he was expecting to come next, but he knew he had to control himself or else he might actually cry.
"You're more than just a friend or a comrade to me, Chouji..." Shikamaru now turned his head so he was looking Chouji in the eyes. "I felt myself die when I saw the butterfly, I've never felt like that for anyone." Shikamaru scooted closer to Chouji, making Chouji let out a tear and blush at the same time. "And then, when Lady Tsunade said you survived... I felt myself melt into a puddle. You were taken away and then given back. I was given a second chance to have you with me forever, Chouji."
"Shikamaru..." Chouji spoke softly, not actually having anything to say. Shikamaru was now dead in Chouji's face, his eyes flowing with tears, making Chouji cry as well. And then, out of nowhere, Shikamaru wrapped his arms around Chouji, releasing a shocked gasp from the swirly-cheeked boy.
"I promise I wont let you go again, Chouji. Will you give me a second chance?" The strong-minded Shikamaru asked as he cried into Chouji's shoulder.
"...Shik...Shikamaru..." Chouji didn't know what to say. His best friend in the world was actually crying on his shoulder and hugging him like a scared child. Chouji felt honored to see this side of him. As Chouji wrapped his arms around Shikamaru he smiled. "Shikamaru. I did it for you. And, even though I know you did everything you could, I'll let you know, I'd give you all the chances in the world. Like you've given me."
Chouji remembered all the games of hide-and-seek or the rounds of soccer that he tried to play with the other kids when he was younger. They'd never want him on their team, the said he was too slow and he always made his team lose. Shikamaru, though, never let Chouji sit it out alone. He'd always quit playing and sit next to him and they'd make fun of the other kids and laugh. Shikamaru had always been there for Chouji, and Chouji was always going to be there for Shikamaru, for better or worse.
Shikamaru was still crying on Chouji. His grip on his friend was weak, he was drained from letting go of his confession. Chouji held his tighter against him, closing his eyes as he let his friend cry. Shikamaru felt the embrace tighten so he too wrapped his arms tighter. He wasn't sure what was in store for them, but all he knew was he had Chouji with his to see it through with him. He'd fight till the end for Chouji now, and he was even willing to admit that he loved him. Loved him as a friend and also more. It didn't matter that they were still young, they both planned to grow together and let there relationship mature with age.
I know it sounds like a one shot, but I might continue this. I just had to do something involving these two, I just love them so much. :3
After I saw Chouji was still alive, I had to write this!
Sorry for spoiling if I did.