partner project / you're nothing to me (shikamaru x reader)

chapter eleven

For the whole night, I didn't sleep.

My mind thought about Shikamaru, what I did and what he wrote in the notes to me.

He was interested in Temari, Lord Gaara's elder sister. It angered me to know that she could take him away from me. He was my best friend, after all.

Well, that was until I told him the four words that broke our tie.

But it's every shinobi for themselves in this day in age. Every thing that seems real... is just some cruel lie to make you believe that 'friendship is magical!' or 'love is most powerful!'

I know the truth.

Bonds weaken you, and love only hurts a persons feelings. It's just like my Mom and Dad.

"Mommy, where are you going?" The girl with shoulder length hair and a bright smile asked. Her Mother and Father were wearing their every day clothes, accompanied by bare, dead smiles. The girl's older sister held her shoulder sturdily, and a scowl entered her angry face.

"We're going on a mission, dear." The girl's mother said. The girl frowned. Her father stared into her older sister's eyes.

"Take care of Y/n, Hana." He said sternly. She came close, and he whispered words into her ear.

Hana nodded sadly.

They left, "on a mission." They never once came back. That's when things were different. I lived at the borders of the land of Fire for the longest of time, until I was five years old. Then, one day my sister got on her knees, she came close, and with a smile she asked me,

"Y/n, do you want to become a shinobi?" Her voice was peaceful and soothing. She was a very good older sister for the longest of time. When she asked, I had no idea what I got into. I know now it wasn't a choice, she would've forced me to be one anyways. She trained me for years and years, until I was 12 years old. Then, she decided to move to the Hidden Leaf. I think she wanted to start to settle down, get married and have children. That's obviously not what happened.

I was at the academy for not even a month when Iruka-sensei gave us a partner project. I was partnered with no other than Shikamaru Nara. I had no idea who he was at first, then I got to know him. He was kind, he was smart, and he was gentle around me. He took care of me, like an older brother. He helped me, even when my sister tried to kill him, don't forget I tried to kidnap him.

But I could never forget what Shikamaru did for me. He would take care of me like a brother, but he evidently said he used to love me. In that way. What did I feel for him? Did I love him too?

That was one of my first bonds that I could see that didn't weaken me. They made me stronger.

But what is right and what is wrong anymore? Truth is hard to see, and lies are easy to believe.

I decide to close my eyes and leave it alone for now.

---

"The chūnin exams are coming up soon, Y/n. You should find a team to go with." Yamato said. "That's correct, I haven't had time for that yet." I said, nodding. He gave a small smile. "I heard Shikamaru's hosting the Chūnin exams along Lady Temari this year once again. Have you met up with him yet?" He asked. I froze in place.

"No." I said. He looked at me. "Well, you have today off. The exams are next week, by the way. I think you should go say hello to friends and see who needs to take the exams." I put my black jacket on and fastened my kunai pouch around my waist. Then I opened the door and left without a word.

I wanted to go to Shikamaru's house. I wanted to say hello to Yoshino. I wanted so badly for things to be how they were, but I knew this was the shinobi world and that people die easily here. What would happen if I got close to him, and then suddenly he died? Or I died? People only end up getting hurt.