There's trouble in the air, I can smell it

_________

Now:

They say there is no telling when fortune will knock on your door.

A domino effect started by something insignificant you did could pay up to be the best decision you've ever made.

In the metropolitan city of Konoha, it was usually the opposite.

When misfortune knocked on your door, it didn't just rain- it poured.

Konoha wasn't simply a place- one of the most unsafe cities in the world due to the high criminal activity and illegal trades going on, according to international statistics.

It was a pulsing body with each part of it connected; from the rich, upper area of the city, housing politicians and bureaucrats and mafia bosses alike; the sections of the city where normal people lived, trying to make do between the upper and the criminal class of the city, always somewhere in between; right to the downtown area where the homeless or the drunk resided in the grimy alleys, the shabby apartment buildings with the bleak hungry faces of the residents looking out from dark windows and the criminal class in the soothing cover that the darkness and oftentimes rain provided.

There was also the area around Konoha, part of the territory but not under the government's control. It held warehouses and storage for the many industries in the city. Or so it was said. But everyone knew to keep away from places like that. In fact, it was better to keep your head down and mind your own business in Konoha, lest you catch unwanted eyes.

It was another night in a warehouse like the ones mentioned above, when the sleek black car pulled up outside the iron gates. The guard posted on the gates didn't seem surprised by the appearance of the vehicle or by the horrifying sounds coming from inside.

Shikamaru stepped outside the car, motioning for the driver to wait for him. He regarded the warehouse, slowly taking a drag from the lit cigarette in his hand as he thought about something. He eyed the paper-fan on the side of the warehouse, indicating it belonged to Uchiha Weapons and Co.

"What a drag," he muttered, taking one last drag of the cigarette before crushing it underneath his boot. As he exhaled, he brought up his hand to fix his tie before he walked towards the entrance. The guard seemed almost bored as he nodded at him and let him go through.

The warehouse was dimly lit, crates of weapons arranged meticulously. Shikamaru had overseen the unloading of the shipment just two days ago. He also knew what was going on in the warehouse right now.

He made his way to the innermost area of the warehouse, almost like the heart of the place. The room was lit up- so bright it was almost white. Shikamaru squinted as his eyes got used to the light.

There was a man, strapped to the chair directly in the center of the room. He looked worse for wear, bleeding from his mouth and nose. He seemed to be whimpering softly, shaking his head.

In front of him, with his back to Shikamaru, Sasuke was standing tall, hands in his pocket, examining the man strapped. There were two other men standing on either side of the chair, their hands bruised and red.

Sasuke turned partially at the sound of his footsteps, although his features didn't shift from boredom. His dark hair was slightly disheveled on his forehead. "Ah, Shikamaru," he greeted while turning his head back towards the man. "Have you come to see our special guest?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he went to stand next to his boss. Sasuke was so dramatic sometimes. "Do you really have to do the whole villain routine every time?"

"How else am I supposed to have fun?" the other man countered with a smirk. Upon closer inspection, Shikamaru could identify that the man's hands were definitely broken, his nails torn out savagely.

"He spilled the details?" he asked.

"Fucking idiot," Sasuke smirked, his hands emerging from his pocket with a cigarette and a lighter. He placed the cigarette in his mouth and bent his head to light it. He took a drag before speaking again. "He wasn't even working with someone else,"

Ah. "Just ambitious?" Shikamaru guessed.

Sasuke bobbed his head once. "And look where it's gotten him,"

The man seemed to become conscious. "Please," he whispered his voice hoarse- probably from screaming. "Please forgive me, please,"

Sasuke tsked.

"I hate it when they don't die with dignity," he muttered.

He simply turned and started walking away. "Make it quick," he said while looking back to the men standing next to the chair. Shikamaru watched the strapped man, Kaede. He had been stealing from the shipments, in hopes of no one noticing.

But if there was anything Sasuke hated more than his enemies, it was traitors.

He had no interest in watching this man beg before dying, so he followed Sasuke out of the room, into the warehouse.

"You're trying out mercy now?" he asked Sasuke, referring to his orders of making Kaede's death quick.

"I was done playing with my food," Sasuke replied, puffing out smoke. "What the hell brought you here?"

"You weren't in your office,"

"I was bored. I decided to overlook this one's interrogation myself,"

"I need to talk to you,"

"Obviously," Sasuke turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "You would never deign to ruin your shoes in this part of town otherwise,"

Shikamaru sighed. "It's really important,"

"I'm not in the mood," Sasuke said finally.

"I don't give a fuck about your mood," Shikamaru grit out. "You need to see this,"

Sasuke must have sensed the desperation in his voice as he stopped and stared at his face. He threw down the cigarette and sighed. "This better be good or it's going to be you in the chair later,"

"Oh trust me," he said instead.

____________

They drove to Sasuke's house in silence almost. Apart from the occasional sounds coming from outside, the car was silent. But still, it wasn't uncomfortable. It never was.

Shikamaru was used to the young mafia boss's silence and dark moods. It'd been particularly worse since some years and it would only get worse from today, he thought. He involuntarily clenched his fist. His head was still reeling and it'd been 2 weeks since he'd come to know what he was about to tell Sasuke.

Sasuke replied to emails while they drove and for a second, it was so easy to believe that he was just another spoiled CEO who got the weapons company in his inheritance like all the other rich people in Konoha. But then he looked up from the screen, no doubt feeling Shikamaru's stare, and the sharpness of his stare could have cut steel.

Shikamaru knew the things he'd done and the things that had made him who he was today. He saw Sasuke bloody his hands and do the dirty work it took to keep everything- his legal and illegal enterprises- afloat.

But then again, he'd known him for most of his life and he still missed the boy who was more curious than stoic and the young man who smiled with his eyes instead of smirking blankly with his mouth.

"We're here,"

Shikamaru blinked at the announcement from Sasuke and realized that the car had stopped a while ago. Sasuke opened the door and climbed out. Shikamaru followed.

"You're acting like you've been hit in the head Nara," Sasuke remarked as they walked to the house, his tone doing well to conceal his puzzlement. "Are you coming onto me?"

He forced himself to scoff, even if his heart was beating fast and he did not want to break the news to his friend. "As if," he played along, "You're not my type,"

They opened the mahogany doors and he followed Sasuke into the open kitchen, squeaking clean and looking straight out of a magazine catalogue. Sasuke went to the back and brought out a bottle of whiskey with two glasses.

"I can tell this conversation is going to need alcohol," the mafia boss japed.

You have no idea, Shikamaru thought as he watched the other man pour a generous helping in both glasses and hand one to him.

He took a sip as soon as the glass was in his hand and Sasuke did the same, waiting for him to talk. Sasuke's posture suggested relaxed, even if Shikamaru knew he was close to reaching his limit with him.

"Okay, spit it out. What-," Sasuke started when Shikamaru couldn't take it anymore and reached his hand in his jacket pocket and threw out an envelope on the table. It was an unremarkable yellow envelope, used for standard mail.

Sasuke reached towards it and carefully opened the front. Shikamaru averted the gaze to his glass on the table as he sat very still. There was pin-drop silence in the kitchen, aside from the sound of paper shuffling in Sasuke's hand.

The other man stayed quiet for longer than Shikamaru had anticipated. "What is this" Sasuke's tone was deadly.

Shikamaru looked up. Sasuke looked furious. More than that, he looked like he was barely restraining himself from flinging himself onto Shikamaru and ending his life.

"Listen..."

"Is this a joke?"

"Sasuke- It's real,"

No one talked for a moment. Shikamaru continued. "I got these from one of the men I'd stationed to discreetly shadow after I found out,"

"It's simply not possible," Sasuke declared, throwing the photos down.

"I've seen it with my own eyes Sasuke," Shikamaru said with sadness.

Shikamaru watched him pick up the photos again and see them one by one. Sasuke became paler and paler as he continued. "When did you find out?"

"Two weeks ago, when I went to Suna to visit Temari,"

Sasuke nodded once. He calmly put down the photos. "Get out," he said.

"What-?"

Sasuke smashed his whiskey tumbler against the wall opposite to him. "Get out," he screamed.

Shikamaru had the sense to let his feet carry him out of the house. He stopped for a minute at the patio and looked back at the door.

He just had one thought.

God help us all.

_____________

Author note: We're starting in the thick of it. This story is my baby and I hope everyone loves the concept and aesthetics of this as much as I do. Leave me a comment with your thoughts and do share the story. If people want to read this and respond to it, I will continue but otherwise I really don't have enough energy to be starting new stories uselessly.

Until next time!