Strengthening The Bond
folder
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
3
Views:
1,565
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
3
Views:
1,565
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, owner of the Naruto manga. I make no money from this.
Shogi
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The silence between them was comfortable and easy as their fingers moved shogi pieces around the intricate board, the two of them at Asuma's house to play thanks to Shikamaru's mother hosting a tea morning. Far too troublesome for his liking...
He sighed softly, yawning behind a hand. They weren't playing for real, just chasing each other's pawns across the cool tiles and neither side taking any real casualties. It was almost like a dance, fluid and graceful and requiring almost no serious thought from Shikamaru; which left his mind happily free to watch Asuma through lowered, shuttered eyelashes. He was as subtle as any good ninja, and if Asuma noticed Shikamaru looking at him he didn't say anything about it. Shikamaru reached down, plucking up his cup and sipping the hot tea, pushing another piece forwards. Asuma's fingers twitched against his thigh, the outline of his lighter clear.
Shikamaru decided to take the opportunity, putting his cup back down. “Not smoking...?”
“Mn? Oh, no... Not today.” Asuma gently pushed forwards a piece.
“You haven't for a while,” he said carefully, sharp eyes catching every fluttering change in Asuma's expression as he put forwards another piece, countering Asuma's.
“... Ah... Well... You know, it's a bad habit anyway,” Asuma smiled.
“It's not like would stop you in the past. Something on your mind, perhaps...?” He said, watching Asuma's fingers falter on a shogi piece before pushing forwards another, eyes narrowing a little. Attacking. He frowned mentally, sensing the minefield he'd just stepped into.
“No, not really.”
Shikamaru moved a piece before speaking, a jokey sort of move to try to take away some of the tension brewing.
“Well, if you want an ear, then...” he left it hanging. Asuma seemed to sag a little internally as he pushed another piece. An apology, almost.
“Thanks, Shikamaru. But it's fine, really.”
… Shikamaru nodded, deciding to leave it as he continued to play in a carefree manner.
A few hours later the game was finished and Asuma stood, brushing down his trousers. Shikamaru yawned, smiling as he stood too. “Good game.”
“Thanks,” Asuma said, taking an oddly deep breath before his face hardened a little. Shikamaru slowly rose an eyebrow. “... You OK?”
“Mmn. See you around, Shikamaru.”
… That was... Odd. Shikamaru blinked, perfectly masking his surprise.
“Sure. Up for a game same time in three days?”
Asuma crossed his arms slowly, giving him a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
“Maybe. I'll get in contact if it's possible.”
… This... What...?! What was going on...?
“Ur... Alright then...”
“Goodbye.”
“... Bye.” Shikamaru blinked again, unsettled by the cold, unfriendly stance and tone his sensei had so suddenly taken before he turned, ambling off as if he didn't have a care in the world.
… What the hell had that all been about...? Asuma had never acted so weirdly before... Shikamaru wracked his brains to try and think of any instance where he'd upset him or angered him or... Anything.
But nothing came to mind. He finally sighed, tipping his head back and dropping his shoulders. It was probably just a mood... Or something...
Anyway, he assured himself, whatever it was isn't going to happen often. With a much more confident step he put it out of mind, walking forwards.
TBC
The silence between them was comfortable and easy as their fingers moved shogi pieces around the intricate board, the two of them at Asuma's house to play thanks to Shikamaru's mother hosting a tea morning. Far too troublesome for his liking...
He sighed softly, yawning behind a hand. They weren't playing for real, just chasing each other's pawns across the cool tiles and neither side taking any real casualties. It was almost like a dance, fluid and graceful and requiring almost no serious thought from Shikamaru; which left his mind happily free to watch Asuma through lowered, shuttered eyelashes. He was as subtle as any good ninja, and if Asuma noticed Shikamaru looking at him he didn't say anything about it. Shikamaru reached down, plucking up his cup and sipping the hot tea, pushing another piece forwards. Asuma's fingers twitched against his thigh, the outline of his lighter clear.
Shikamaru decided to take the opportunity, putting his cup back down. “Not smoking...?”
“Mn? Oh, no... Not today.” Asuma gently pushed forwards a piece.
“You haven't for a while,” he said carefully, sharp eyes catching every fluttering change in Asuma's expression as he put forwards another piece, countering Asuma's.
“... Ah... Well... You know, it's a bad habit anyway,” Asuma smiled.
“It's not like would stop you in the past. Something on your mind, perhaps...?” He said, watching Asuma's fingers falter on a shogi piece before pushing forwards another, eyes narrowing a little. Attacking. He frowned mentally, sensing the minefield he'd just stepped into.
“No, not really.”
Shikamaru moved a piece before speaking, a jokey sort of move to try to take away some of the tension brewing.
“Well, if you want an ear, then...” he left it hanging. Asuma seemed to sag a little internally as he pushed another piece. An apology, almost.
“Thanks, Shikamaru. But it's fine, really.”
… Shikamaru nodded, deciding to leave it as he continued to play in a carefree manner.
A few hours later the game was finished and Asuma stood, brushing down his trousers. Shikamaru yawned, smiling as he stood too. “Good game.”
“Thanks,” Asuma said, taking an oddly deep breath before his face hardened a little. Shikamaru slowly rose an eyebrow. “... You OK?”
“Mmn. See you around, Shikamaru.”
… That was... Odd. Shikamaru blinked, perfectly masking his surprise.
“Sure. Up for a game same time in three days?”
Asuma crossed his arms slowly, giving him a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
“Maybe. I'll get in contact if it's possible.”
… This... What...?! What was going on...?
“Ur... Alright then...”
“Goodbye.”
“... Bye.” Shikamaru blinked again, unsettled by the cold, unfriendly stance and tone his sensei had so suddenly taken before he turned, ambling off as if he didn't have a care in the world.
… What the hell had that all been about...? Asuma had never acted so weirdly before... Shikamaru wracked his brains to try and think of any instance where he'd upset him or angered him or... Anything.
But nothing came to mind. He finally sighed, tipping his head back and dropping his shoulders. It was probably just a mood... Or something...
Anyway, he assured himself, whatever it was isn't going to happen often. With a much more confident step he put it out of mind, walking forwards.
TBC