Anime one-shots/ requests/ drabbles (Requests are closed.)

Neji x Shikamaru- Illusion of peace

Requested by Anime_Rocks_5 for their friend

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Shikamaru sighed, eyes closed as the wind blew, ruffling the grass around him as his breathing slowed. He was tired and wanted to sleep, to get away from the planning for the war. To get away from the responsibilty placed on his shoulders as he was in charge of hundreds of lives and the very thought of it made him exhausted.

He didn't want to see anyone die.

Not again.

He didn't want to lose anyone like he lost Asuma.

He didn't want to go through that again. He didn't want the pain, the sorrow, the feeling that there is an empty place inside you where something important used to be and your whole body feels heavy. Where you close your eyes and all you can see is their lifeless eyes staring up at you from cold, blood stained face with previously warm skin is now palid. Where even sleep can't help you.

He never wanted to feel like that again. But it was going to be unavoidable for this is war and in war people die. No matter how much you hate it, no matter how much it hurts, people die and noting can change that but still he hates it.

So he lies here attempting to sleep in order to escape everything for a while, to grab a few moments of peace and quiet before he has to return to the reality of it all.

He tensed as the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears, coming closer and closer towards him as his mind worked in preperation for an attack and as to what to do, only to relax when a smell met his nostrils that he knew so well. And he didn't need to open his eye to ascertain the presence of the male as he settled on the grass beside him, pale eyes focused on something in the distance but still he did, for it was a comfort that he would relish in whilst it was still available.

After all, neither knew if the other wold survive. Moments passed in silence, the world moving around them but to them, everything was frozen.

Everything was still.

Everything was perfect.

And if only it could last.

Finally, Shikamaru spoke, his voice nonchalant and lazy yet containing emotion hidden beneath that the other picked up on with ease as neither could hide anything from eachother:

"Do you think everything will return to how it was after the war is done...?"

The silence dragged, contemplation hanging on the air before the Hyuuga voiced a reply, the indifference patenting his voice thawed slightly by underlying warmth and emotion that is rarely displayed:

"Whether it returns to how it is now or not, we can simply try our hardest to fight and hold the memories of times and people lost dear. We cannot change what is happening, but we can make the most of the peace we have for now."

Shikamaru smirked at the words, a slight snort escaping with a muttered "troublesome" as he allowed his eyes to close again. Their hands intertwined with eachother, connecting the two of them as they sat in silence, enjoying the quiet comfort of the others warmth beside them.

For with eachother, everything was fine. Everything was peaceful.

And as long as they could feel the warmth of the others hand in theirs, they could cling to the illusion that it would last for ever.

They could cling to their love until there was no-one else to cling to.

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This turned out a little more angsty than I had intended, but it's not too bad so, oh well~. I hope you liked it.

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