She had waited so long for this moment, thinking about her first time, about who she would lose her virginity to without it ending up in the newspaper, and now... Now she realised that she had never thought about it that way. She wanted to lose her virginity to Shikamaru because she was in love with him, not because it was something she had to lose. No. Not even that. She had asked Shikamaru to make love to her because she wanted to be with him. That was her only reason.
Shikamaru's lips were making it difficult for her to continue thinking, but she managed to cast a silencing spell before her lips were kissed insistently. Almost reluctantly, Shikamaru pulled away to ask her something important. Something she had almost forgotten.
"Do you have a protection charm?"
"Protection... Oh, yes," she said, blushing as she realised she had forgotten.
The spell was one she had never used before, but one she knew perfectly well thanks to Madame Pomfrey's seminars. Shikamaru's raised eyebrow and mischievous smile made her blush even more, but she did not look away as he watched her cast it on them both. Suddenly emboldened, she kicked off her shoes and then raised her hands to grab the hem of her shirt and pull it over her head. When she went to do the same with her trousers, Shikamaru's hands stopped her abruptly.
Before she could ask aloud, Shikamaru kissed her. Their tongues joined, intertwining wetly, rubbing against each other in such a way that it made her hair stand on end. The spark of excitement ran through her entire body, from head to toe. Her thighs trembled, causing her to lose strength. She grabbed him, removing his vest and throwing it on the floor, but once again Shikamaru stopped her.
"Let me," he whispered against her lips.
Shikamaru's hands caressed her face, as if they had all the time in the world. Harika closed her eyes in pleasure as she felt his mouth first on her cheek and then on her ear, taking her earlobe between his teeth before moving down her neck. Shikamaru's trail of kisses seemed to set her skin on fire. All she could do was hold on to him, to his shoulders, as Shikamaru went down and down and down, removing her bra, kissing her breasts delicately, until he rested his lips on her navel.
She opened her eyelids as best she could. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw her boyfriend's sharp, gleaming eyes fixed on her face, as if he had been staring at her the whole time. She felt his tongue trace the small patch of skin from her navel to the waistband of her trousers. As they looked at each other, Shikamaru's hands grabbed her trousers and before she could do more than inhale, she found herself completely naked. She felt her chest rise, her nipples erect, and her skin bristle in waves under his watchful gaze.
"Sit on the foot of the bed," he ordered in a dark voice, without blinking.
She obeyed, wetter than she had ever been before. Still dressed, Shikamaru took her legs and placed them on either side of his head. Harika stifled a small cry when she felt his tongue run over her most private parts. The blush returned to her face, but she had no time to be embarrassed as pleasure overwhelmed her.
"Shik- Shikamaru!" she cried, writhing on the bed as he licked her pussy.
Her hand dug into his hair, not knowing if she wanted to pull him closer or push him away. The room seemed to spin behind her eyes, closed in pleasure. Her thoughts lost coherence as she felt Shikamaru use his tongue and then his fingers, playing with her clitoris like an expert rather than a virgin. Before she knew it, her orgasm overwhelmed her, making her scream.
She opened her eyes again when she felt Shikamaru kissing her thighs before biting them, as if he wanted to leave his mark on them. She looked down and what she saw made her even more excited: him, with his hair loose, his face tinged with excitement, dark eyes and dilated pupils, his mouth shiny with her fluids... and that stare that seemed to devour her. Shikamaru stood up in front of her and undressed before her eyes. His slender but muscular body appeared before her piece by piece, slowly, as if he were teasing her impatience.
When he pulled down his trousers... Her gaze fixed on his erection, large and pink, with one vein more prominent than the others. She had to swallow hard as she watched him move forward, lying down on top of her. Strangely, what she had thought might cause her claustrophobia... with Shikamaru was quite the opposite. Under his body, she felt strangely protected, even though she knew she didn't need protection.
"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked one last time, face to face.
"Yes."
She buried her hand in his hair, pulling him towards her, and he let himself be drawn in. They kissed as if they had all the time in the world, unhurriedly, deeply, as if they were making love with their mouths. She was so absorbed, dancing with Shikamaru's lips, that she almost jumped when she felt a hand move up her leg to her hips. Harika wrapped both legs around him, leaving herself completely exposed to him, and then watched as his hand moved down to take hold of his erection. She had thought she would have to relax, but she was so confident in him that she hardly had to do anything. She stifled a moan when he penetrated her for the first time and felt him fill her more than anything ever had before. Still, even though it was a little strange and she felt strangely... hot, she gradually got used to it.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes," she finally said, when she felt him enter her completely.
She opened her eyes after finally getting used to the feeling of being so full, and the first thing she saw were Shikamaru's muscles supporting his weight on top of her. It excited her too much to see that he was barely making an effort; there was something provocative about knowing that a man, herman, had such strength. Her hips moved without her permission, pulling him deeper inside her if possible. Shikamaru gave her a short kiss and then moved down her neck as his own hips began to move.
As soon as he did... everything changed. She moaned, arching her back, pushing her chest towards her boyfriend's mouth as she felt his hips pick up speed. First slowly, then faster, deeper, more, more, more.
"Shikamaru!" she cried, almost sobbing, grabbing him by the back as she lifted her hips.
She heard Shikamaru's gasps on her chest, then on her neck, as well as the occasional male moan mixed with her own. She wanted to see him, she wanted to look into his eyes, she wanted more. With a push, she turned them around, leaving him on the bed and her on top. She felt strangely powerful, having him beneath her hips, inside her, seeing those now completely black eyes devour her body as his hips thrust against her without pausing for a single second.
She leaned over him, moving on top of him, feeling Shikamaru bend his legs to give himself more momentum, how he grabbed her hips... They kissed frantically, reaching orgasm first she and then he, biting back a moan that sounded almost like a growl as he came unexpectedly inside her. She fell on top of his chest, panting from the effort, and felt Shikamaru caressing her head and back.
"I love you."
"I love you," she said, as best she could, against his chest.
She felt his penis slip out of her, moaning at how sensitive she was. Her heart returned to normal as she relaxed in her boyfriend's arms. At least she tried... until she lifted her head and saw Shikamaru still looking at her with desire in his eyes. And even though they were inexperienced, Harika bit her lip as she contemplated asking him to do it again.
"Shikamaru..."
"I know," he cut her off, pulling her until their heads were side by side on the pillow. "Believe me, I know."
He kissed her again, his hand travelling all over her body, caressing her seductively until his fingers reached where she wanted them most. She lifted one leg, resting it on his hips, while Shikamaru penetrated her with his fingers.
"Shika!"
"Too much?" he whispered playfully against her lips, his eyes roaming her face with the same intensity. "Or too little?"
"More!"
"More what? Do you want to come with my fingers or do you prefer my cock?"
Harika opened her eyes, desperate, feeling Shikamaru bite her lips at her silence. Her boyfriend's cheekiness was so much that it made her even wetter, if that was possible. Even though she could feel his firm erection against her thigh, he was doing nothing more than playing with her. Suddenly, all her modesty vanished. She kissed him, capturing his tongue in a wet embrace, and then pulled away with a loud smack. She leaned into the small space between them, whispering against his lips.
"I want you to fuck me with your cock while you look me in the eyes, I want you to come inside me. I want you to mark me with your lips so that everyone can see that I am yours... And when I wake up tomorrow, I want to take you in my mouth before you have to leave my side, I want you to come in my mouth and on my breasts."
Shikamaru froze for a second, swallowing hard, and felt his erection throbbing against her thigh. He recovered with enviable speed, grabbing her thigh firmly and thrusting into her violently.
"Shikamaru!"
…
The next morning, as promised, she woke up before Shikamaru thanks to a spell. She watched him for a few seconds, seeing his naked body half-covered by the sheet. She knew it wouldn't take long for him to wake up because of her movement, so she didn't think twice and slid over his body until his flaccid penis was in front of her. She took it in one hand, positioning herself between his legs, and licked the tip.
It took Shikamaru less than 20 seconds to wake up, judging by his momentarily tense legs, but he said nothing as she gave him the first blow job of her life. The first for both of them, to be exact. She had an idea of what she had to do, so she tried everything Lavender and Parvati had explained to her one of those drunken nights. Her boyfriend's penis swelled in her mouth in less than a minute, which surprised her, and soon he began to moan and tremble beneath her body.
The sheet was suddenly pulled away, and Harika had to blink to get used to the light as she watched Shikamaru, with one arm behind his head and another hand stretched out over her body, fist clenched on his hip, breathing faster and faster. Harika tried to relax so she could fit his considerable size into her throat, but without much success. Even so, she raised her remaining hand and took his hand, bringing it to her head.
Shikamaru swallowed, arching his back, as he grabbed her hair firmly, although one of his fingers caressed her ear so affectionately that it took her breath away.
"Harika!" he moaned, almost unable to resist lifting his hips.
She almost choked. She used her hand to give him pleasure at the same time as she used her mouth, licking that vein that had caught her attention so much, and then the tip of his erection, as if it were a lollipop. She put his cock back in her mouth, but within a few minutes Shikamaru pulled her hair as a warning. She pulled back a little, leaving his head on top of her tongue, and almost surprisingly, Shikamaru came in her mouth with a gasp. He came once, making her swallow almost unconsciously, and then pulled her away from his penis to come on her breasts a couple more times.
He fell back against the pillow, panting, while she decided if the taste of his semen was the strangest thing she had ever tasted before. She decided it wasn't. The potions definitely took the cake.
"Hey!" she laughed, startled, when Shikamaru's hands lifted her up.
She used a spell to freshen her breath a second time before their lips could make contact. She felt her breasts rub lasciviously against her boyfriend's bare, firm chest. As soon as she opened her eyes a crack, she saw that the cum was no longer just on her chest but on him too. She laughed uncontrollably.
"We're a mess," she whispered.
"You can say that again," Shikamaru whispered against her lips, rubbing against her and making her laugh again.
They showered together, unable to help themselves. Harika let him wash her hair with gentle, devoted hands, closing her eyes in pleasure, aware that Shikamaru was watching her intently with love in his eyes. She sighed against his bare chest, holding him close while the sponge slowly traced her body.
"You know, we didn't talk about our limits yesterday, but I'd like to." he finally said in a low voice.
"Limits? In what sense?"
"Do you remember when you asked me what I could do with chakra? I could use it while… you know."
Harika lifted her head a little, looking at him seductively, almost unable to resist. She knew he hadn't used his chakra last night, but a large part of her wanted to experience the difference.
"And what do you think about clones?"
"C-clones? You don't mean… while we…?" she said, suppressing an excited laugh as she saw his mischievous smile.
"Uh-huh," he murmured, his grin growing wider. "Exactly what you're thinking."
"We have to try it!"
Shikamaru laughed, a deep, genuine laugh from within. They talked while showering, as she returned the gesture, massaging his hair and body as lovingly as possible. She was so in love with this man that she wondered how it was possible. How could Shikamaru have charmed her so completely in just a few weeks when people she'd known for years had never managed to make her smile?
They sat down for breakfast after preparing it together, laughing, talking, and kissing whenever they felt like it. For a second, she could imagine Shikamaru beside her years from now, doing exactly the same, as if nothing had changed. She wanted that. She wanted to be with him in this dimension. She wanted to find a way to stay in touch with her loved ones and she wanted to introduce Shikamaru to them.
"You know, I'll have to teach you English," she said while eating her yogurt with fruit, watching Shikamaru bite into a piece of toast. "Sooner or later, I'll introduce you to my family and they don't speak Japanese."
"Is it difficult?"
"Not at all. Japanese is way harder, and I learned it with a spell that almost melted my brain."
Shikamaru let out a small laugh, but his eyes held deep, almost childlike curiosity, the same she always saw when they talked about her powers.
"By the way…" Shikamaru began, looking out the glass door that opened to her strange terrace. "I'd like to talk about a couple of things before I have to leave."
"About Temari, I imagine."
"Yeah."
"You already told me everything you had to say. I should've waited, let you tell me whatever it was in that moment."
"No. Because I didn't want her interfering and she would've, right then." he cut in, completely serious. He took her hand resting on her thigh and squeezed it gently. "Besides, you needed a little space. I could see that."
"Luckily, Naruto managed to pull me out of that loop," she laughed, making Shikamaru smile. His tender gaze made her pulse tremble without her wanting it to. "I still have a lot to learn about being in a serious relationship, but I want to. With you."
"And I do too. As long as you know my goal is to be together… nothing else matters. You have no idea how much you've changed me, Harika. Naruto was right: the only thing I'm absolutely certain of… is you."
Harika looked at their joined hands resting on her bare thigh. She saw Shikamaru's thumb brushing the back of her hand, as if he couldn't help it, and felt the need to be closer. She got up from her chair and sat on his lap, feeling euphoric when she saw how easy it was, and how much he wanted her near. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him, and for a moment they just looked into each other's eyes without saying a word. Harika wrapped her arms around his neck, caressing his nape. She saw his skin shiver with pleasure under her fingers, and it filled her with wonder.
"You know I live alone now? In a clan house, obviously, for protection but still alone… The first thing I thought when I saw it was how much I wanted you there with me. I swear I could almost see us there in the garden, just you and me, alone." Shikamaru whispered, lifting a hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. His eyes looked like melted honey in the sunlight, overflowing with affection. "When I think about my future, I only see you. And it's funny, because a few weeks ago I didn't even think about the future. Now I can't wait for it, as long as it's with you. That's why thinking about anyone else, whoever it may be, is ridiculous."
"I love you and I want all that and more with you," she said, unable to say anything else.
The ghost of his ex-girlfriend finally faded away forever when she saw the truth in her boyfriend's eyes. Harika felt a deep calm, as if she were finally at peace, and she knew Temari wouldn't be able to come between them, no matter how hard she tried. She kissed Shikamaru's lips, pouring all her love into the kiss, caressing his sharp, masculine face and running her fingers through his hair.
"And the second thing you wanted to talk about?" she whispered against his lips, feeling Shikamaru kiss her cheeks and eyelids, then her neck. "Shikamaru!"
"I want to set some traps around your apartment. I know you can protect yourself, but this way I'll know if someone attacks or spies on you."
"Fine by me."
"I'd like to introduce you to my team this afternoon," he said suddenly.
Harika froze. His team? Her heart started racing, essentially, they were his Ron and Hermione. She nodded without hesitation. Shikamaru seemed to be suppressing a laugh at how stiff she'd gone.
"You'll charm them, don't worry." he said, then sighed tiredly, glancing outside again. "I have to go."
"I know."
She let him stand, hiding a pout. She would've loved to spend more time with him, but her move had been a surprise, so she knew he hadn't been able to plan for more time with her. Still, the fact that he lived in the same city made her vibrate with happiness. They could see each other anytime, it was just a matter of arranging it or visiting one another.
She watched Shikamaru put on his clothes and gear again, her heart pounding. She opened the door for him to leave. Shikamaru leaned down to give her a kiss, then another, and another, on her smiling lips.
"How do you say 'I love you' in English?" he asked against her lips, staring into her eyes.
"I love you."
"I love you, Harika."
…
Ino and Chouji were waiting for them exactly where Shikamaru had said they would, according to the coin. Shikamaru had picked her up at the door of her building hours later, after returning from his training and his ninja duties, which, according to him, had consisted of reports and a meeting. Harika saw them from afar with her magical vision, a result of her Animagus eyes. The woman was blonde and slender, though still muscular, while the man was taller and bulkier than Shikamaru. Ino reminded her of Ginny, while in Chouji she almost saw Neville before the war.
As soon as they sensed Shikamaru's presence, who had told her he hadn't explained anything to them about why he'd called them there, they turned to look. Harika noticed Ino's mouth drop slightly when she saw Shikamaru's hand holding hers, walking beside him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. By the time they reached them, Ino had recovered her composure, and Chouji had only blinked a couple of times, looking mildly stunned.
"Ino, Chouji… this is Harika, my girlfriend," he said bluntly, making Harika stifle a laugh. Then, turning to her with a much less indifferent expression, he gestured with his thumb toward the others. "This is Team 10, and my best friends, Ino and Chouji."
"…" There was a short silence as the three of them exchanged somewhat nervous looks until Ino finally bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Harika-san."
"Please, just call me Harika."
"Same here," Chouji nodded. "Nice to meet you, Harika. I knew Shikamaru was hiding something, but I never thought it would be a woman."
"But how did you two meet? I don't think I've ever seen you in the village and I'd definitely remember eyes like yours!"
"Harika saved my life during a mission," Shikamaru admitted. Ino and Chouji looked surprised, worried, to hear that. "I was stabbed and hit with a poisoned senbon. I collapsed instantly. If it hadn't been for this nosy woman spying on us, I'd be dead now."
"Hey!" she laughed, seeing Shikamaru smile, suppressing a laugh at the corner of his mouth at her indignation. "We'll see who saves you next time."
She looked back at Shikamaru's friends and noticed the astonishment on Ino and Chouji's faces, as if they had never seen Shikamaru behave that way before. A sparkle appeared in Ino's eyes as she stepped forward, looping her arm through Harika's and pulling her slightly aside, leaving the men a few steps behind.
"So, tell me… do you really like Shikamaru enough to be with him? He's lazy, exasperating, and sometimes too smart for his own good."
"Honestly, I don't know why you all think he's lazy," she smiled, feeling instant camaraderie with the blonde girl linked to her arm. "With me, he's not lazy at all."
Ino raised an incredulous eyebrow, glancing over her shoulder at Shikamaru suspiciously before turning back to her.
"You must be an angel or Shikamaru must be totally smitten with you."
"Uh… the second one," Harika said, making Ino burst into laughter when she saw her scratch her head at the word "angel."
"I think Shikamaru's going to need help handling you."
Harika looked over her shoulder, watching her boyfriend talk calmly with his best friend. He seemed relaxed, but also full of energy, as if finally, being able to talk about everything that had happened, had lifted a weight off his shoulders. As soon as he sensed her gaze on him, Shikamaru glanced at her sideways and gave her that smile—the one he reserved only for her.
"Don't be so sure… I'm pretty smitten with him too."
She turned and saw that Ino had clearly noticed the interaction between them, judging by her slightly stunned expression. But then Ino seemed to think something to herself and ended up smiling sincerely. They didn't speak again until they reached a restaurant that turned out to belong to Chouji's family. Before Ino could seat Harika beside her to keep chatting, Shikamaru subtly stepped in, so smoothly it almost seemed unintentional. His hand on her back guided her to a seat next to him, so she found herself sitting in a corner booth for four, with Shikamaru beside her and Chouji and Ino across the table.
They talked about a bit of everything: the mission where they'd met, Naruto's help in bringing them together again, the next times they saw each other, her move to Konoha, Shikamaru's move… They even talked about her family.
"They live far away. Very far, actually."
"Wow. It must be hard to be so far from your family," Chouji said kindly.
"Yes, but as long as I can see them now and then… My plan is to stay with Shikamaru since he's the one who can't leave Konoha."
Ino looked closely at her friend, calculating something, but said nothing. Shikamaru, whose hand had been resting on her thigh for a while, also said nothing at her statement. They both knew things were much more complicated than that, but there was no reason to go into the messy details of their situation right now. Harika listened and watched Shikamaru interact with his team but she also noticed how surprised they looked when Shikamaru suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as if he couldn't wait another second.
It was clear from what she saw that Shikamaru was behaving very differently from what they were used to. Part of her was pleasantly surprised to realize how much she was influencing Shikamaru for the better and another part… another part was just happy, because according to Naruto's own words, Shikamaru finally seemed to be truly living his life. And he was living it with her.
Chapter 19: Part III - IV
Ino and Chouji quickly became her new friends, just like Naruto had. It was interesting to realize how different they were from Shikamaru, and yet how well they worked together as a team. Every now and then she caught herself thinking nostalgically of Ron and Hermione, smiling as she watched Shikamaru and Ino bicker playfully.
"With reason you've been acting so strange lately," said Ino, smiling dangerously at her friend and then at her. "You wouldn't believe how different he's been. He came to meetings without us having to pressure him, he started looking for Naruto all the time, he even told me to spread the rumor that he's no longer with Temari!"
Harika raised an eyebrow at Shikamaru, who sighed, somewhat exasperated, but curiously didn't contradict his friend. She couldn't suppress a smile as she realized that everything Shikamaru had done was, essentially, a consequence of being with her: he had started socializing more because they'd talked about his friendships, he plotted with Naruto because he had more influence over the Hokage and could help him get out of Konoha, and the rumor about his breakup… it was because he wanted to cut ties with his ex as soon as possible. She couldn't help but give him a kiss on the cheek, to the astonishment of Ino and Chouji, which Shikamaru accepted with a smile.
"Huh…"
The day ended abruptly when they were called on a mission. Shikamaru said goodbye to her, giving her a kiss under the shade of a tree, ignoring his team's piercing looks, and then left. Harika was left alone in Konoha, since even Naruto seemed busy, so she decided to focus on her own matters. She reviewed the documents she had stol—she meant, copied—hoping to find nothing… until she did.
It was one of the scrolls she had copied from the temple. The paper was yellowed and dusty, like a relic from another time. She opened it very carefully, using a pair of tweezers.
"The Twelve Guardians of the Nexus."
Harika hadn't expected to discover anything special in the tiny scroll that had gone unnoticed in that library, and which she only possessed because she had copied everything without stopping to discern what was or wasn't interesting. She usually skimmed the contents of everything she copied, but she didn't stop to read in detail because she knew it would take too much time, more time than she wanted to spend. The scroll in question, however, had caught her attention since she'd read the title carved into a small wooden tag tied around the dark-coloured roll.
"Little is known about the origin of the Nexus, but it is speculated that its beginnings lie in the Other World. From the creation of the Nexus arose our Order and, with it, the formation of the Guardians whose only purpose is to protect this world from the dangers of the Beyond and to maintain the—"
With her heart in her throat, she unrolled a bit more of the scroll, but saw in horror that it had been half-destroyed by humidity and what looked like rat bites. She didn't even try to repair it since it was a copy. She needed the original. Something told her that the Nexus it spoke of was that portal she had fallen through. She looked around her flat, realizing she didn't know when Shikamaru would return, and decided to contact him through the coin.
"I fnd smthng. Rtrnng soon."
The letters vanished as if by magic. She waited a few seconds, but as she suspected, Shikamaru was too busy to reply. She summoned her backpack, ready to check her supplies before departing, and noticed she was running low on resources. With a sigh, she took her purse and went out to buy what she needed to refill her magical pantry.
She was so lost in thought, thrilled to have found a tangible clue, that she almost ignored that feeling. Almost… She slowed down while looking at the shop windows and food stalls, trying to spot whoever was watching her. Goosebumps rose on her arms when something deep inside told her that whatever it was, it meant her no good. She put on sunglasses, pretending to shield herself from the bright sun, and then used every reflection she could.
Her eyes found Temari's among the crowd. For an instant, even though she was wearing sunglasses and using a glass surface as a mirror, she almost felt as if they were staring straight at each other. She entered a shop, losing sight of her, and pretended to browse the goods while her mind raced, wondering what the hell had happened and why it seemed she'd seen hatred in those green eyes.
She hurried back to her apartment, locking every entrance and drawing the curtains tight. When everything was ready, a while later, she vanished.
…
The temple was just as imposing in the darkness as it was under the sunlight. She could see the sunset in the distance and knew it would be night soon, just what she needed. In her other form, she waited patiently atop a tree, hidden among the branches. No one noticed her as she watched the comings and goings of the monks and ninja guardians. Soon, the torches began lighting one after another, and moths fluttered near them, hypnotized by the flames.
Her eyes let her see everything from the shadows. The hallways gradually emptied, save for a few men doing their rounds now and then. The temple, silent as a tomb, seemed to warn her away from entering. Even so, she knew what she needed was inside, so she didn't give up. She flew silently, gliding with the help of her magic, until she reached the library. From the open window she could see rows of books and scrolls, waiting to be devoured by an eager mind.
She transformed back in the middle of the room without making a sound. She knew exactly what the scroll looked like, so it took her less than a minute to find it with a bit of magic. She took it with gloved hands, careful not to damage or stain it, and with tweezers and a slightly trembling hand, began to open it. The original was identical to the copy, just as she'd expected, but it contained more information that perhaps could be saved.
"Who's there!?" shouted a voice, approaching the library fast.
Harika jumped, horrified, and slipped the scroll into her bag before transforming again as quickly as possible. She escaped through the window before being seen, though they came dangerously close to discovering her. Beneath the tree branches she watched as a group of monks awoke and began patrolling the area in search of her. When they were distracted, she took flight again, using the cover of the trees to flee, and once she was far enough away, she vanished once more.
She arrived back at her apartment in the dead of night, her heart pounding and her veins full of adrenaline. Her hands trembled, even though they hadn't even seen her animal form, she was terrified they might catch her. Fortunately, she had what she needed, so she carefully placed the scroll on the wooden dining table and then searched through her collection of books.
She had no idea how to properly repair an ancient scroll, so she'd need to read quite a bit before raising her wand toward her only lead. The last thing she wanted was to destroy it by mistake. She spent the entire night reading, book after book, taking notes on the most useful spells or charms that might let her transfer the contents onto another blank scroll. In the end, the only thing she could do was try, so she prepared to do just that when someone knocked on her door.
She lifted her head, seeing through the curtains that it was already night, and wondered who it could be. To her horror, her mind conjured Temari's image. Could it be her? She peeked through the peephole and felt immense relief when she saw Naruto.
"Naruto? Is something wrong?"
"I just got back from a night training session. I saw your light on, so I brought you this," her new friend said with a grin. "I know it's not the best time, but I told you that you had to try it! And I always crave it at midnight!"
Stupefied, she accepted the bag of food—it was ramen. Naruto left, as if handing someone a bowl of noodles at three in the morning was perfectly normal, and she locked herself back inside. Ninjas… training and eating ramen past midnight. They were absolutely insane. She went back inside, yawning, and saw the scroll where she'd left it. She looked at the bowl in her hands and decided to eat.
"I know you've got what I need," she told the scroll in front of her while eating the best ramen of her life, "so don't you dare fuck with me, got it?"
Suddenly, she remembered the coin. She read Shikamaru's brief message, telling her to take care, and smiled.
"In Knh. Lv u."
She was so tired that she went to bed right after dinner. The scroll wasn't going anywhere, but she was exhausted.
The next morning, someone woke her again by knocking at the door. It was Naruto. Again.
"How do you do it?" she asked, still sleepy, seeing how radiant he looked.
"Do what?"
"Look like you've slept ten hours!"
"Oh, that. Habit," he shrugged. "I'm going to get breakfast. Want to come?"
"…I guess so," she sighed, glancing over her shoulder. "Actually, I need to talk to you about something. You might recognize it. Come in. I'll change while I tell you what I've found."
Harika got dressed, leaving the bedroom door half-open so she could talk to Naruto.
"What's it about?"
"I found an interesting scroll yesterday in my pile of copied scrolls from the Temple of Fire," she said. "It mentioned something about a Nexus—no, about the Twelve Guardians of the Nexus."
"Twelve Guardians of the Nexus? Huh…"
"What? Does it sound familiar?" she asked excitedly, poking her head through the bedroom doorframe while putting on her socks.
"No. Well, yes, but not really. Did you know that same temple has an order called the Twelve Guardian Ninja? It's been around for years. Their goal is to protect the Feudal Lord of Fire or at least, that's what the pervert told me."
"The pervert?" Harika repeated under her breath, shaking her head. "So, it's possible the Temple of Fire has two different orders?"
"Hmm… What's curious is that I don't remember ever hearing anything about a Nexus. But there's a lot I don't know. Maybe I could ask ero-sennin."
"Better let me try to figure out what's written on the original scroll before we tell anyone," she said. "A secret's only a secret if as few people know it as possible."
"Alright," Naruto shrugged. "Let me know if you find anything."
They walked out into the street, chatting about all sorts of things but avoiding any mention of the Guardian Order. Naruto talked about his training and the new member of his team, Sai. To say that Naruto was irritated by this new teammate was an understatement. Unfortunately for him, they ran right into the man around the next corner.
"You!" Naruto growled, gritting his teeth. "I can't even walk down the street without seeing your stupid face!"
"Hello, Dickless. Didn't expect to see you around," Sai said, making her burst out laughing before she could stop herself.
Naruto turned red as a tomato, glaring at his new teammate while she coughed to hide her laughter. Sai, who couldn't have been more different from Naruto, looked at her with a deliberately neutral expression. Too neutral. He was tall, like Naruto, but slimmer and more graceful. His black hair and pale skin reminded her of Sanguini, a vampire. Unlike Naruto, though, his eyes held a deep emptiness, as if he felt almost nothing at all. She didn't know what had made him that way, but a part of her pitied him when she sensed that… sadness.
"Is she your girlfriend, Dickless? I didn't think anyone would ever be interested in you."
"I'm not his girlfriend," she replied before Naruto could start shouting. Then she smiled mischievously. "Don't worry."
"Worry?" Sai asked.
"Yes, of course. I mean, Naruto seems to interest you, doesn't he?" she said innocently. The shared look of horror between both men made her grin, barely stifling a laugh. "If not, then why are you so interested in Naruto's penis? Don't you like small ones? Or do you prefer them… big?"
Sai somehow managed to go even paler, while Naruto pulled a series of involuntary faces—halfway between laughing and gagging. A snort of laughter to her right made her turn her head. There stood a man, slightly older, wearing the same uniform as Shikamaru. He was tall and lean, with messy brown hair, matching eyes, faint dark circles, and a kind of silver headgear.
"Naruto, Sai. Already fighting this early in the morning?" he said, then turned to her. "A friend of Naruto's?"
"That's right. I'm Harika. Nice to meet you."
"Yamato," he said with a sigh. "The new captain of this… team." He looked tired already.
"Let's go get breakfast. I'm sick of looking at Sai's face," Naruto cut in irritably, walking down the street. "See you later, Yamato-taichō."
"See you."
They lost sight of the others as they turned the corner. Naruto slowed down, muttering under his breath about Sai, Yamato, and someone named Sasuke. Harika didn't ask, seeing how exasperated he looked, but when he caught her puzzled expression, he sighed.
"Sasuke is—was my old teammate. Before he was replaced by Sai."
"Oh. I-"
"He's not dead," Naruto interrupted, then paused and added, "Though I guess you already knew that."
"Yes. Shikamaru mentioned something."
Naruto sighed again. They ended up at a small bakery with an outdoor terrace. They sat at a table, watching people walk past without paying them the slightest attention. Naruto seemed to be debating something in his mind, he was quiet, which was unusual. His eyes were unfocused as if he were somewhere else, and then he looked back at her.
"Sasuke was an arrogant bastard," he said finally. "He was always the best in our class, and everyone adored him for being so 'cool.' The girls, at least," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "When we got assigned to the same team… let's just say I wasn't thrilled."
"And what changed?"
"What makes you think something did?"
"Because now you wish Sai were Sasuke," she said softly but truthfully, following her intuition. "If you still hated him, you wouldn't want him back."
"…That's true," Naruto admitted quietly. "We went through a lot together, the three of us, Team 7. And yet, after everything, he left. He went with Orochimaru, who offered him power in exchange for leaving the village. And he just… went."
"Why did he need that power?"
"Sasuke wants to kill his brother, Itachi," Naruto confessed, taking a sip of his coffee. "Itachi murdered their entire clan, everyone except Sasuke. So Sasuke wants revenge. We faced Itachi once before Sasuke left, and… let's just say Itachi is on a whole other level. Sasuke couldn't do a thing against him. I think he realized that. Orochimaru offered him a faster path to power, and he took it."
Harika and Naruto fell silent as they ate, each lost in thought. Harika couldn't understand what would drive Itachi to kill his entire clan, except for his brother. Had they abused him? Hurt him? Was he insane? She didn't know. The strangest part was that he'd spared Sasuke. If he'd been completely mad, he likely wouldn't have made distinctions. So, what had driven him to do such a thing? And Sasuke… she couldn't imagine living with the knowledge that your whole family was dead by your brother's hand. Not only that, but knowing that, despite your desire for revenge, you were too weak to kill him.
Though, in truth, she could imagine it…
"I think I understand Sasuke perfectly, Naruto," she confessed, studying the dregs of her tea with a critical eye. "I also killed the man who murdered my parents. He was older, more experienced, more powerful than me. If someone had offered me power or training to be able to kill him… I would've accepted. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, no one ever made me that offer."
Naruto stared down at the ground, expression serious and sad, saying nothing. Harika knew he was an orphan too, but unlike Sasuke or herself, he didn't know who his parents were, or who had killed them. All he knew was that his master had told him they had loved him and hadn't abandoned him by choice.
"Naruto?" called a female voice.
Harika looked up and saw a girl with pink hair and green eyes, dressed in black shorts and a red shirt. She looked between Naruto and Harika with a confused, strange expression. Was she… jealous?
"Sakura-chan! What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," she said a bit sharply, then turned to Harika. "My name's Sakura."
"I'm Harika."
"And are you two…"
"On a date?" Harika finished, laughing at the ninja's curiosity. "No. We're just friends."
Naruto flushed again but relaxed when he saw that Sakura seemed to believe her. Harika glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, amused, Naruto was clearly smitten with Sakura, judging by how nervous he was.
"Would you like something to drink, Sakura?" Harika offered, ready to return one of the many favours Naruto had done for her. "We're having breakfast."
"If you don't mind…"
"Of course not, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura joined them, but Harika made no mention of Sasuke. She let Naruto talk about his training and how he'd just run into Sai. Sakura, slightly exasperated, scolded him in front of her, though Harika could tell she wasn't being entirely serious. She smiled, watching the easy banter between the two members of Team 7, and wondered what it would've been like if Sasuke were there with them.
"I've got a few errands to run," Harika said, standing up. She pushed Naruto gently back into his seat when he tried to stand. "You're not going to leave Sakura to eat alone, are you?"
"It's fine."
"No. Food tastes better with company. Besides, Naruto hasn't finished his yet."
She said goodbye to them after assuring them she had to leave. Harika rolled her eyes as she walked back home. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face thinking about how she'd left Naruto with his crush, blushing like they were on a romantic dinner date instead of having morning tea in the middle of the village. She was about to turn the corner, nearing her building, when she appeared. Harika almost stopped in the middle of the street, surprised to find herself face-to-face with her boyfriend's ex, but she simply sighed and kept walking.
Temari's gaze locked onto hers from the other end of the street. As they drew closer to each other, Harika realized she wasn't trying to hide her sharp stare and those cold eyes. When they passed at the same height, Harika felt a shiver run down her spine at the almost invisible curl of Temari's lips and that piercing look that felt like knives digging into her skin.
When Temari was finally out of sight, Harika let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, feeling foolish for letting Temari intimidate her so much. Still… there was something about her that didn't sit right. She'd seen enough hateful looks in her life to know that one wasn't normal. Would she actually want to fight her over Shikamaru? She almost laughed out loud at the thought, it was absurd, ridiculous, but Temari was a ninja. What if she was right? What if she did want to fight?
Just as she was about to enter her building, something made her stomach twist. She slipped quietly into the entryway and shut the door behind her, peering through the small frosted glass as two monks she'd seen before walked past, heading toward what seemed to be the Hokage's tower. They were monks from the Temple of Fire. She was completely sure.
"Shit…" she whispered under her breath. "I have to hurry."
She ran up the stairs to her floor. The scroll was right where she'd left it. She gasped in relief seeing that she still had the only tangible clue she'd found. She locked the doors and windows again, drew the curtains, and peeked through a corner. As usual, there was nothing. Sitting at her table, she drew her wand for precision and picked up the scroll again.
"Please work, please…" she prayed aloud. Then, with a trembling hand, she pointed her wand at the parchment. "Incriptio rediviva."
The scroll seemed to pulse for a second before the damp stains slowly began to fade. She inhaled in delight as a few faint sentences emerged where the water had once blurred the ink. Still, there were spots too far gone to recover. She raised her wand again for a second try.
"Memoralis evoco."
The black words, written in ink who knows how many years ago, appeared as if by magic. The memory of the parchment was strong, and it restored itself completely. She had to stifle a squeal of joy when she saw that the text could now be read from beginning to end. She copied the scroll again, making sure the information was stored safely inside her bottomless bag, and then read the inscription.
"So that's what it was…"
…
Shikamaru didn't return the next day, but he did contact her through the coin. As much as he could, at least. She didn't tell him what she'd discovered, knowing it would distract him and the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt again while on a mission.
She was so nervous and thrilled to have the answer in her hands that she could barely sleep. Still, she didn't want to leave her protected apartment, not with those monks around. And not with Temari either, if she was being honest. Just when she most wanted to see Naruto, he didn't show up for days. She found herself pacing her apartment like a caged tiger, waiting for something, anything.
When she heard the sound of keys in the door, she ran toward it, flinging it open, too excited to hold back.
"Naruto! You won't believe it! I finally figured it out!" she exclaimed, not realizing what time it was. She stopped short when she saw how utterly exhausted he looked. "Are you okay?"
"Eh, hey, Harika. I've barely slept a couple of hours in the last three days. I've been working on a new jutsu."
Harika sighed, suppressing her excitement at the sight of Naruto swaying on his feet, dark circles under his eyes. She left him waiting in the hallway for a moment and went to fetch a tray of food she'd already prepared. She handed it to him, leaving the annotated copy of the scroll she'd been studying for days on the table.
"Take a look when you can, will you? I think this might be the key to going home. Out of all the documents I've read… this is the only one that has a solid lead."
"I'll… I'll do that," Naruto yawned, leaning against the doorframe. "Good night."
"Good night, Naruto. Get some rest."
She let him into his apartment, closing the door behind him as she shook her head in mild exasperation. Ninjas. She closed her own door, sighing at a sudden wave of fatigue, then sat down at the table. She felt strange without her copied scroll, the very scroll she'd repaired and that now held her path home. She took out the original, running her fingers over the fabric that kept it rolled up, and set it on the table.
"Tomorrow I'll take you back to where you belong. You'll be good as new," she whispered, turning off the light to go to bed. "That way those monks will finally leave me alone."
She woke up suddenly, realizing she'd only been asleep for what felt like five minutes, though the sun hadn't yet risen. There was another knock on the door, calm and unhurried, so she assumed it must be Naruto. She looked through the peephole. It was Naruto. He was holding the scroll and turning it in his hands with a thoughtful expression. She stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
"Already read it? I thought you'd need more time to analyse it. Or, you know, to sleep."
"A few hours are enough for me to recover," her friend shrugged, then lifted the scroll. "Is this what you were talking about?"
"Yes. I think one of the portals mentioned there must still be active. And there's one really close to Konoha!"
"I think this portal corresponds to one of the Uzumaki temples," said Naruto, musing aloud. "But… if you leave, how will you come back?"
"That's the thing. I still need to figure that out. For now, this scroll only shows the locations of nexuses to my dimension, but it doesn't have the coordinates for the ones leading back here," she sighed, scratching her head. "Shikamaru was right, though: I can only use a portal in one direction once, and then it takes a whole year to recharge. That's why that blasted painting showed an annual cycle."
"So, without this scroll, no one could follow you to your dimension, right?"
The question caught Harika off guard. There was something in his tone she didn't like. She didn't say anything as she tried to figure out why those seemingly innocent words had unsettled her so much. Before she could reach any conclusion, Naruto spoke again.
"And once you're there, if you can't locate the nexuses from your side… you'd never be able to come back, would you?"
"…I think we should leave this for later, Naruto. First thing I'll do is explain everything to Shikamaru. He'll know what to do, how to keep investigating. Besides, I have to return the scroll to the Temple of Fire to get rid of those monks."
"Too late. I'm not letting you do that," Naruto muttered coldly behind her.
Alarm bells went off in her head, but it was too late. A hand clamped over her mouth, and before she could scream or fight back, a needle sank into her neck. The world went black.