What A Drag... || Shikamaru x reader

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We returned to the village and told Tsunade.

"I'll tell Kurenai," she sighed.

"No, let me," Shikamaru objects, Tsunade looked at him surprised for a moment.

"Ok," she agrees. We leave her office and I was about to walk home when Shikamaru grabs my wrist and pulls me into a hug.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him, "I wasn't strong enough to help him."

He steps away and looks at me sadly.

"It wasn't your fault. You fought as hard as you could. Don't blame yourself," he tells me, I laugh a little.

"You're not the one who is suppose to be consoling me. I'm supposed to be consoling you," I sighed, he looks at me sadly.

"Come with me to Kurenai sensei's apartment?" he asked me, I nodded.

"Ok, let's go then," I suggested. He holds my hand and we walk to Kurenai's apartment. The closer we got the more Shikamaru slowed and we ended up walking with me walking ahead and keeping hold of his hand and pulling him along behind me. We reached the doors and he stopped.

"I'll tell her alone if you want," I told him, looking at him sadly. He shook his head but didn't move.

"I'll be right by your side. I'm here. Just like you were for me. I'm here for you now," I told him, he squeezed my hand and then let it go. Following him into the building we walked up the stairs to the top floor and then walked to the end of the hallway until we reached the door.

Shikamaru took a deep breath before raising his hand and knocking. Kurenai opened the door almost instantly but when she saw us she seemed to get disappointed before forcing herself to cheer up.

"Hello Kurenai," I greeted her.

"Shikamaru, y/n," she greeted us, Shikamaru looked at her sadly, "what's the matter Shikamaru?"

"Kurenai. I'm sorry I have to tell you this but..." he trailed off before regaining himself, "Asuma... he was killed. He died during our mission today."

We were all silent and I watched as her face saddened and then a tear escaped from her eye before the words registered. He fell to her knees and started crying. Shikamaru didn't move so I knelt down in front of her and pulled her into a hug.

"He's.... he's...." she grabbed onto me tightly and sobbed uncontrollably into my shoulder. Shikamaru fell down next to us and hugged us both. He told her what Asuma wanted her to know which just caused her to cry more.

When she calmed down she looked at us sadly before saying goodbye and going back into her home. Shikamaru and I stood there for a bit before we both left. Not talking just in silence until we reached the split to my home.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked him, he avoided all eye contact with me, "or whenever..."

He stayed quiet and I just sighed before walking away. He's sad and not letting it out.

I didn't reach my house before I decided to turn around, I started walking towards the D.I.A stone, Shikamaru wasn't where I left him anymore. He's probably gone to his parents' house.

"Hey dad," I knelt down in front of the stone, "do you remember Asuma? You know, the guy with the weird black hair who always smoked? Yeah, well, he's up with you now so... look after him, will you?"

I've found myself in front of this stone a lot recently.

"How are you and mum? Getting along well I hope... Things over here are pretty rocky, Asuma's death has affected a lot of people. He was a great man, I only really became good friends with him recently because he was always visiting me, bugging me about Shikamaru and telling me random things about him and how I can take him down and such. Speaking of.. uh-- Shikamaru... he's grieving but he's not letting anything out. He needs to but he is just stubborn that way, like I was when mum died," I continued, chuckling lightly at the memory, "I remember I used to say that I would not cry, I would stay strong an smile forever because mother died but she didn't die in vain. She left a mark on me that I would forever keep, that was her love as a mother, as short as the time was."

"She was a great lady," someone's voice piped up, I turned to see Uncle Sora, "sorry, I was just leaving the Hokage's office and saw you walking this way and decided to take a look."

"Welcome to Konohagakure, uncle," I welcomed him sadly.

"I heard everything," he admitted, kneeling down next to me, "Asuma would be proud that you're watching over his beloved."

"How would you know?" I asked him.

"I just know you will. There must've been a special someone in this village," he replied, tapping the side of his nose before sighing and tracing the names of my mother and father.

"Hello brother, sister in law," he greeted them, "it's been a long time. I'm sorry, f/n, I was the wrong one when we last spoke, you were completely correct, I see that now. M/n, I'm looking after your daughter as much as I can, I swear. But I need to break my promise to you, I need to tell her who you really are because it's affecting her now. She knows. She needs to know. Please don't hate me for this."

"She wont. My mother was kind that way," I told him before bowing at the stone, "goodbye, mother and father. Until next we meet."

I stood and my uncle followed.

"Let's talk," I told him, he nodded and I lead him back to the l/n clan's land once again.