The week crawled by but finally Saturday came.
Around noon that Saturday Shikamaru left his house following the directions on the back of Tohru’s invitation she had given him awhile back.
He was scratching his head and thinking out loud "why would she tell people to bring beach supplies, swimsuits and leave a key in the envelope it...it just doesn’t make sense."
He finally gave up on figuring out what Tohru was planning. He was sure it was Tohru’s idea because Sasuke wasn’t that creative. " I wonder if she’ll like her gift …" he sighed as he started envisioning Tohru opening the gift that was in his backpack along with chips, sodas, and a beach towel. He imagined her smiling as she unwrapped it maybe even kissing him. ..
"Hey dude!" a voice called smashing his daydream. He spun around to see it was none other than Kiba waving from a distance with Gaara by his side. He smiled weakly as they ran to catch up.
"Hey," Shikamaru sighed still looking at his map " you guys notice we’re all getting ready for a beach party…but the map is going to eventually take up through the woods?"
"Yeah we were just talking about that," Gaara sighed uninterested "maybe we’re looking at it wrong," he shrugged as and started flipping the map upside-down.
"Maybe," Shikamaru shrugged "but let’s just keep going to see if any others are going the same direction as us before we give up… I mean Tohru and Sasuke are pretty smart I’m sure they can draw a map… at least I think they can"
Kiba and Gaara just shrugged seeing no reason to argue.
Kiba yawned stretching after they walked a few feet in silence. Then he glanced at Shikamaru "so… what’s the deal with your crush on Tohru these days?" He asked calmly hoping not to show he sort of had a thing for her too. At least an insane desire to see her naked kind of thing but that’s a still a thing.
"I don’t like her that way," Shikamaru said plainly blushing slightly
"If you don’t like her then …why are you blushing," Gaara laughed with a smirk
"I’m not blushing!" Shikamaru snapped making him only blush harder
Kiba looked at Gaara smiling "wow he blushes when lies. Weird huh."
"Nah I think he blushes at the mention of Tohru," Gaara said rubbing his head trying to figure out which one it was.
"Will you guys shut up," Shikamaru yelled trying hard not to blush. "Hey I think I see Sakura and Ino up ahead," He said changing the subject.
"I thought they hated each other," Kiba said confused tilting his head as he watched the girls together.
"From what I gather it’s a love hate relationship," Shikamaru laughed before calling to them "AY girls hold up would you!"
"Hi," Ino and Sakura said in unison with beach bags in there hands once the 3 boys caught up.
"You guys notice the map is sort of …" Sakura started
"Yah we know retarded," Shikamaru cut them off with a sigh "we’re just going to follow it to the end to see where it goes."
"I bet it will all make sense eventually," Sakura smiled "Sasuke is definitely smart enough to make a correct map."
All the guys rolled their eyes but Ino just smile in agreement. Despite her weird episode of liking Shikamaru she still found Sasuke amazing.
"So Shikamaru I’m sorry that you and Tohru haven’t been seen together lately," Sakura said in an understanding voice as he walked next to her.
"Why are you sorry about that?" Shika asked confused
"Well duh because you like her," Sakura laughed
"OK LOOK!" Shikamaru snapped "I don’t like her got it guys?"
They all ignored him and Gaara sighed "turn right over there."
" where?’ Sakura asked confused
"the fork in the road see," Kiba answer pointing
"Why aren’t you guys listening to me," Shika whined
"Because your denial is annoying," Ino laughed
They eventually reached the forest even if Shika pouted the whole way calling them troublesome and a few names that weren’t so nice. They had ran into everyone on the way, Naruto, Ten Ten, Neji, Hinata, lee, Kankuro, Shino, Temari, Shino, Choji, and even Iruka.
When Sakura only saw Iruka she got worried "is…is sensei ok? He cancelled training for the week, he hasn’t spoken to anyone, and now he’s bailing out on chaperoning." She looked at him pleading for answers.
Iruka sighed "Kakashi just has some personal issues this week but I’m sure he’ll be back next week."
"What could have possibly happened that’s personal?" Naruto snapped crossing his arms before asking "what, did his girlfriend dump him?’
Iruka froze not knowing if he should answer.
"Come on" Naruto continued, "I’ve noticed him smiling more and whistling even letting us go early recently so the only explanation is he had a girl. And since he’s so bummed she must have dumped him."
Iruka stared baffled not believing how observant Naruto was. "Why aren’t you this observant in my class?"
"That’s not the point," Naruto sighed, "The point is we need to know if Kakashi is dealing with a broken heart or something because we could fix that."
Iruka wasn’t sure how to answer Naruto’s question. He couldn’t say Naruto was wrong but he couldn’t say he was right because that would lead to the next question, which would be who broke his heart. But luckily Shikamaru spoke reading the map.
"Ok so now we turn this way…" Shikamaru started walking to his right through the thick jungle like forest "and AH!" Shikamaru almost plummeted through a trap door triggered by any type of pressure. But Ino grabbed his arms just n the nic of time. "Wow thanks," he said smiling lazily at her.
Ino just blushed and let go walking away form him to the back of the cluster.
Shikamaru sighed and turned to Choji "you notice she has been avoiding me lately?" he turned away to look at Ino talking with Ten Ten. "I mean since that day in the market…. and … are you even listening!?" He looked back at Choji and had an anime sweat drop moment once he was met by the view of Choji munching on potato chips.
Choji just shrugged noticing Shika staring at him "why do you care?"
"Where did you even get those?" Shikamaru asked annoyed everyone was ignoring him throwing his hands in the air.
Choji was about to explain how they appeared out of nowhere but Naruto piped up.
"Dude look the holes like a tunnel and paved with like… metal I think it’s a slide!" He yelled excited squatting on the ground
"What, no way," Temari said in disbelief squatting by Naruto.
"Clever indeed," Iruka smirked interested in what lied ahead
"Who says indeed anymore?" Naruto laughed. Iruka pushed him gently with a smiled
"To cool," Kiba yelled getting anxious. Then his backpack barked making everyone jump since they hadn’t noticed his dog rustling around inside, " can I go down first please, please, please?" he asked bouncing from excitement.
"Knock your self out," Iruka laughed
With that he jumped in "WAHAHAOOooooo!" his voice trailed off.
"Me next," Naruto smiled diving in headfirst "WeeeeeeAHH" he screamed as he shot down faster than he imagined.
Everyone started diving in until Shika and Ino were the only ones left. "Hurry guys," Naruto called from the bottom.
"This is troublesome and a drag but…I think it’s best we go down together," Shikamaru yawned before grabbing Ino’s wrist.
Ino tried to break free "I don’t want to go down on you," she snapped quickly blushing when she realized her mistake
Shikamaru froze, then smiled "you can go down on me later babe, but for now just go down the slide with me." With that he jumped in pulling her on his lap. They flew down the twisting slide and crashed onto a mattress at the bottom.
"Wicked sweet," Shikamaru sighed looking around while lying on his back since Ino landed on top of him. He looked at her rubbing her head and smirked "you strike me as a girl who likes the bottom for some reason."
She rolled her eyes "how did I ever like that moron for like a day or two?" She asked her self as she jumped off him and walked down the dark tunnel with everyone else. Iruka found torch and lit it walking down the tunnel a head of everyone.
Shikamaru ended up behind Ino again and whispered stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers "look sorry the comments were uncalled for can you forgive me?"
Ino just shivered from the warmth of Shika’s fingers on her cheek, "I guess so." Thankful the darkness concealed her blush she thought to herself "oh yeah that’s why, because that Uchiha girl changed him and made him tolerable."
"What the hell?" he Iruka whispered stopping dead in his tracks causing everyone to smash together. Ino to almost died feeling Shikamaru’s abs on her back and Naruto got a nosebleed from having his hips pressed against Sakura’s behind.
"Naruto I swear to god you better have something in your pocket," Sakura growled
Naruto gulped while everyone else started a chorus of "What is it, what is it, let me see".
"A door…" Iruka trailed off. He jiggled the handle "a locked door…"
Shikamaru snapped his fingers "the key in the invitation. Anyone got one handy mines buried in my backpack."
Naruto dove in his pocket and threw a key to Iruka. Iruka took a breath sticking the key in and turning it hesitantly before slowly pulling it open.
The sight of brown wooden stairs met them all
.
"Stairs? Well I guess were going up…" Neji chimed in and they started climbing. It wasn’t so bad since it was only maybe 20 steps.
Eventually they were met by was a wooden ceiling. Iruka being in the front pushed it and a door flopped open.
Kiba was getting antsy "come on move faster I just want to get to the party already!" he growled.
Everyone crawled out and looked around they were behind a counter in a candy store
"What the hell!" Kiba screamed frustrated while everyone else groaned at the unsolved mystery of where this party was.
Suddenly there was a laugh from outside and it was obviously Tohru giggling away at something. Naruto ran to the door and pushed it open and froze "guys check this out!!" he yelled.
They walked to the door and froze mouths a gape. It was the most beautiful beach ever seen by mortal eyes. Or at least to that’s how they would describe it. It had white sand, perfect blue oceans that when you got up to it was clear and clean. They started walking out surveying the land. There were changing stalls, an ice cream parlor a surf shack to rent boards and other items and stage with musical instruments obviously incase they wanted to rock out or sing karaoke. Not to mention majorly huge speakers. A couple tables with snacks, and a place for a bonfire. There was even a dock with boats and water scooters parked. All the little things were spaced out nicely on the beach.
Kiba whistled, "Damn this is amazing."
Shikamaru was still looking around but his eyes locked on Tohru in a beautiful swimsuit that made him drool .
[[ everything here is Tohru except the tatoo on her arm duh.]]
Tohru not noticing her friends was surfing and yelling at Sasuke "I bet you’ll wipe out first dude."
"Not on your life," he laughed knowing he was obviously the better surfer .
Tohru cut in from of Sasuke and he crashed.
Soon he came out of the waterafter a minute of two yelled " YOU CHEATER!"
Tohru just rode a wave in to shore still laughing and smiling when she caught sight of the gang
Just when Shikamaru Started to tear his eyes away Tohru caught sight of all of them and started running up the beach waving. And well you do the math a skimpy swim suit a shapely figure nine teenage boys pretty much no support in the boob department a pretty face = 9 hard ons, and 9 million gallons of drool. Meanwhile all the girls were drooling over Sasuke’s swim trunks only wet body emerging form the water pulling a star fish off his head before smiling and waving at everyone from the water.
Toru finally reached them excited "hey guys, you found it! I’m glad you guys could come. So go get dressed so we can have some fun. Presents over there by the tables, and snacks if you brought any on the table next to the presents. Everyone ran to the changing stalls.
Once everyone was finished changing they said there happy birthdays and got comfortable in there own way on the beach.
Shikamaru who finished changing last ran to Tohru grabbing her in a hug and swinging her around. "Hey long time no talk i liek what you did with your hair "
"Yeah thank i seriosuly need a hair cut and i guess i felt blonde today don't worry it's temp. well I guess we have a lot to talk about…" Tohru said looking down realizing she never mentioned Kakashi to him and she really wanted to be close friends. But how is that possible when he had no idea the things she’s been through recently and there was no place to start.
"No actually not that much," Shika smiled "see I called Sasuke earlier this week to come over and play guitar hero I think you were moving out of Kakashi’s house but anyways I ended up asking if I actually had a chance with you and well he told me everything. " He smirked at Tohru’s shocked reaction.
"Every thing hmm…" she asked and Shika just nodded "Ok how’d you convince him to do that," she sighed sort of relived Sasuke did her dirty work for her but confused.
"Well I gave him some sake and well he told me everything form the closet experience to the horrible break up. Which I’m sorry to hear about by the way that asshole doesn’t deserve you anyways." He smirked at the fact that Tohru was actually speechless he knew what was running though her head could they be friends still so he decided to answer the question. "Look I get we probably aren’t going to be a couple anytime soon but hey how about good friends?"
"No," Tohru said stepping closer to him "best friends."
"Fine but only if you share more of your life with me I don’t want to have to have a drunk Sasuke at my house to hear about you he’s a little to friendly.," he sighed
"Deal" she smiled hugging him tightly. He trembled a little feeling her that close against his chest but he hugging her back. He could tell they truly were going to be very close friends.
"Yeah best friends," he sighed pulling away from her. Then he got the strangest urge, he wanted to kiss her. Not like make out or anything more he just needed one last kiss to make him feel the closure on their relationship. His lips were actually aching. He wasn’t sure why he needed it to end that way but it just had to. H leaned into her about to plunge for the kiss and to his amazement Tohru read his mind and started leaning in to meet him half way. His lips were so close that he couldn’t stand it. Then suddenly Kiba showed up….
"HEYYY stop flirting and get in the water birthday girl!" Kiba screamed and he scooped her up.
"AHH! Put me down," she started whining playfully.
Shikamaru groaned in disbelief "He chose to show up exactly then…."
Kiba ran down to the water and threw Tohru in she screamed but soon was laughing and trying to splash Kiba. Neji joined in and soon everyone was in the water but Shikamaru having a splashing fight.
Tohru raised an eyebrow she was getting him into the water somehow...then it came to her "Hey lazy boy bet I can beat you in a swimming race."
"You’re on sweetheart," he laughed diving in "all the way out to that rock out there,"he smiled.
