Take Refuge

–

Sasuke shows up at the Nara residence, kicks his shoes off and drops his bag aggressively on Shikamaru where he lays draped on the couch.

“Oof.” Shikamaru protests, half-heartedly. “Dick”.

He shoves the bag off his gut and onto the floor but doesn’t otherwise move, tiktoks playing on his phone.

“I’m taking your bed.”

“Like hell you are.” Shikamaru sends him a sleep-mussed glare. His holiday plans are centered around that bed. Most college students might be trying to get laid, but Shikamaru has a nap schedule all drawn up to get maximum sleep, optimized to prefer very specific times where his mom won’t nag him.

“You owe me.” Sasuke says. He’s wearing an oversized black tee shirt and matching sweat pants. He looks even more unruly than Shikamaru, which is saying something considering Shikamaru has spent 31 of the last 48 hours asleep.

He smirks.

“Trouble in paradise?”

Sasuke shoves his legs off the end of the couch and plants his ass there. Shikamaru’s ankles ride the momentum in a tight circle and land right back on Sasuke’s thighs. Ha, fucker.

“Shut up.” He scowls, reflexively. Then lays the back of his head on the couch and sighs.

“They keep trying to set me up with Naruto.”

“Oh, the horror.” Shikamaru grabs a handful of mixed nuts from the oversized can that’s representing 80% of his daily protein intake today, drops them one by one over his mouth.

Sasuke flicks his ankle.

“You want your mom matchmaking for you?”

Shiakmaru glares at him.

“Shut your whore mouth.” He hisses before she can somehow overhear and get ideas .

Sasuke smirks. It’s unfairly attractive. The prettiest genes wasted on the least deserving.

“At least Naruto’s a good lay.” Shikamaru says pragmatically, his own lips curving. Sasuke grips his ankle tight and makes a strangled sound.

Shikamaru triumphantly catches a cashew into his mouth.

“I’m hiding out here for Christmas.” Sasuke declares, cheeks lightly flushed. It looks great on him, of course. Unbelievable.

“Like I don’t see enough of you?” Shikamaru grumbles but doesn’t say ‘no’.

“You can have Kiba for a roommate next semester and I’ll take Choji.”

“Ha. Hard pass.” Shikamaru denies. “But if you don’t want to room with me anymore, I’ll take Sai.”

“And leave me with Naruto !?” Sasuke’s voice rises in incredulous pitch, fingers digging again. Shikamaru kicks him to get him to cut it out. He releases Shikamaru’s ankle and absently pets the skin in apology.

“It would be the filial choice.” Shikamaru grins, like an asshole.

Sasuke hisses at him.

“Why do they want to set you up, anyway?” He asks, resettling his shoulder blades and getting comfy. Sasuke’s hand moves obligingly to his calf as he puts his feet more propped up.

“Same old.” Sasuke grumbles. “They’ve been trying to set us up forever. Our moms wanted us to get married when we were born.”

“Oof. Lucky you escaped an arranged marriage.”

Sasuke makes a strangled sound of pure horror.

“Don’t joke.” He says, leaning back again with his eyes closed. Weary.

Shikamaru frowns. He doesn’t want a new roommate. Sasuke is the only one who matches his energy levels– low– and his shenanigans levels– also low. Kiba and Naruto got into five different prank wars last semester. Sai does weird ass art projects. Choji is great but a childhood full of sharing rooms and beds means they’re well aware of their personality conflicts and maintain a relationship better when they aren’t under each other’s noses all the time– more like siblings than friends.

“Are you staying here because Itachi is…” Shikamaru pauses tactically. It’s one thing to bring this up at the dorm, but there’s a nonzero chance his mother can overhear him.

Sasuke opens one eye to glare balefully at him.

“Obviously.”

“Hey, it could have been because you missed my pretty face.” Shikamaru yawns.

Sasuke snorts.

“This is technically spending Christmas with family.” He says. “Since Itachi is here.”

He waves a hand to indicate Itachi’s longterm position as Shikaku and Yoshino’s– well, Shikamaru usually throws around the term “sugar baby” to rile Sasuke up, but he’s more than a kept man. They’re in a committed relationship.

It’s just weird as fuck to see it, now that he doesn’t live here and Itachi does.

Whatever, as long as they’re happy.

“Sure.” Shikamaru says. And: “Yeah, fuck it, you can bum with me. God knows what you’d see sleeping out here.” He gestures to the couch they’re on.

His parents probably wouldn’t do anything in the living room, but it’s their house and they were used to having it to themselves.

They used to have a guest room but Shikamaru has the horrible suspicion it’s been turned into a play room and no desire to test that theory.

“Cool.” Sasuke relaxes, sliding his hand slowly along Shikamaru’s calf. “Yeah.”

Hmm.

“For the low, low price of one blowjob, I won’t even make you sleep on the floor.”

“Fuck. Deal.” Sasuke pushes to his feet and holds out a hand. Shikamaru watches with amusement.

“Don’t look at me like that, I need the distraction.” Sasuke huffs. “Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, not stressful.”

“Fair enough.” Shikamaru takes his hand, allows himself to be hauled to his feet. Sasuke doesn’t let go and suddenly they’re chest to chest.

It’s not the first time they’ve exchanged a lazy hand or blowjob, but they usually have their own beds. Shikamaru let’s one hand curl into the oversized shirt Sasuke’s wearing, cups the side of his neck with the other.

“You need a fucking shower.” He grumbles, and Sasuke leans in to nip meanly at his collarbone.

“Let’s get out of here before your mom comes home and gets something new to harass you about.”

“Shit– yes. Good plan.” Shikamaru jerks away and tugs him by the arm to his bedroom, with a sense of urgency. Sasuke laughs at him, the asshole, breathless little huffs of sound as he follows.

His visit is an unplanned one, but not unwelcome. As long as he doesn’t ruin Shikamaru’s nap schedule, anyway.

Shikamaru will find it in his heart to forgive him. If anything, he might have an excuse to spend even more time in bed.