Jiraiya's Daughter (Shikamaru Love Story)

He's Gone.

It didn't take a genius to figure out Naruto was avoiding Rei. It's been two days since Rei have been out the hospital and she hasn't seen Naruto. She saw him at Ichiraku's with Hinata and Kiba yesterday, she had said hey to all three of them. Naruto didn't even turn around or say Hey back. She knew he felt bad about what happened but ignoring her was ridiculous and she was becoming upset about it.

Shikamaru told her to force him to talk to her so that's what she was doing now as she turned the key and let herself in his apartment. He wasn't there even though it was nighttime, but she'll wait for him.
Rei shook her head at the mess his apartment was in. She started cleaning up for him, he might be ignoring her but she won't let her best friend live in filth.

As she walked in the kitchen, she noticed a new picture, next to the one she put on his fridge a long time ago, was next to it. It was the picture of her, Jiraiya, and Naruto from the night he left to go on his two week mission. Rei smiled and started cleaning up with a lot more energy as she remembered that Jiraiya will be back tomorrow.

Rei was sitting on Naruto's balcony when she felt him walk up behind her.
"Thanks for tidying up for me and cooking me dinner." He said sheepishly.

Rei nodded her head as she turned around hopping off the balcony rail. She walked up to him as she poked him in the chest, angrily.

She jabbed him in the chest after every word as she said, "why have you been ignoring me?"

Naruto sighed as he grabbed her hand, pulling her into the apartment and onto the couch. Rei watched him as he covered his face with his hands. She noticed his shoulders shaking and realized he was crying. She could feel her own tears coming up. She wrapped her arms Naruto, hugging him to her side.

"I couldn't do anything to help you, Kiba and Shino wouldn't let me leave from under the wall you had created. I watched you fall, while I was the one being protected. I couldn't protect you. I couldn't do anything. If I would have lost you, I would have lost myself Rei." He said as he wiped his face. "I couldn't bear being near you the past few days because I could only picture your lifeless body in my hands and the fact that I couldn't do anything about it. I'm sorry for avoiding you."

Rei was happy that he thought that highly of her but sad at the thought of him feeling hopeless.
She sighed as she hugged him tighter.
"It's okay Naruto. You really shouldn't feel guilty about not being able to protect me, remember my dad said life is bittersweet. I'm alive, I'm breathing and I'm happy now. We should be celebrating that fact and not moping over something we can't go back and change." She told him.

Naruto jumped up, remembering something as he took Rei's hand, pulling her up too.
"I just remembered, there was something I was suppose to give to you!" He said as he ran, tripping over his shoes that he threw on the floor when he came in. He fell over, with Rei falling too. She fell on top of him, their lips meeting. It took Rei less than 2 seconds to jump off of him, shrieking and wiping off her lips.

"I need soap and water!" She shouted, panicking.
Naruto was rolling around on the ground, yelling he felt so dirty.

"Hey! What are you trying to say?" Rei yelled at him, realizing what he said.
Naruto stood up, narrowing his eyes at her. "What am I trying to say? What are you trying to say, soap and water?" He shouted back at her.
"The nerve of you." Rei said, crossing her arms. "Hmph."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her. He had forgotten what he was going to give her. They both eyed each other and broke out laughing.
"Let's never speak of this again." Rei said as she hopped back over the couch, forgetting why she was up in the first place.
Naruto nodded his eagerly agreeing.