What A Drag... || Shikamaru x reader

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Edited: 02/06/24

Reuploaded: 06/06/24

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I was just walking through the darkness of my own dreamless sleep.

I could probably force myself to dream but somehow I feel like that dream would warp into an out-of-control nightmare so just wandering the lonely darkness of my sleep seemed like a much better option in my opinion.

One bad thing was I'd stumble across a memory of someone every so often.

"We're dating," both myself and Shikamaru said in unison. Asuma sat in silence, blinking a few times before jerking forward, across the table in surprise.

"No way!" he exclaimed, "really?"

"Yes," I laughed at his reaction.

"Wow..." he fell back in his seat, "good for you, Shikamaru. You got yourself a great girl."

We shared a smile before returning our attention to the jounin who was getting up.

"Come on," he grabbed my arm, pulling both me and Shikamaru out of the booth and then out the restaurant, down the street and to a shop, "wait here."

We did as we were told and watched as Asuma disappeared into the shop before reappearing with a small wooden box about the same size as both of his palms next to each other.

"I had these made for my first student to get a girlfriend, boyfriend or a fiancé(e) that I did actually like," Asuma started before opening the box to reveal two leather bracelets wrapped around a piece of foam. He pulled one out and passed it to me and then pulled the other out and passed it to Shikamaru. He tucked the box into his bag and then grabbed both our hands with the bracelets in and pulled them close together.

On Shikamaru's was 'lo' and on mine was 've'. When they were together it said 'velo' which annoyed Asuma and made us cross our arms, so it made 'love'.

"It's cheesy as hell but it's a little gift from me, to you," he told us with a shy smile. We looked at him surprised before smiling, I gave Asuma a small hug before stepping away.

"Thanks," we both said, Shikamaru was looking away with a hint of pink dusting his cheeks which started Asuma's relentless teasing.

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Ah, when we told Asuma about us dating. I wish I could see his reaction over and over again.

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"Please, Shikamaru, it doesn't matter now, does it? Even though I quit... I want one last smoke," Asuma said. I managed to force myself to my feet and walked over to the other chuunin, deciding to distract myself and started to heal Izumo and Kotetsu as Shikamaru lit a cigarette for Asuma.

When I finished healing them I just stood next to Izumo and watched Asuma's final moments.

The cigarette fell out of his mouth, and we all knew he was gone. The rain started pouring and Ino fell forward and hugged him as they cried. Shikamaru stood up though.

He started muttering something about hating cigarettes and that the smoke always burned his eyes and made them water. He was crying.

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And then his death.

Seeing the memory just angered me again.

I failed to protect my comrades.