What A Drag... || Shikamaru x reader

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"Everyone!" I silenced the many, many people who were in the l/n meeting place that was underground somewhere behind my house.

"You're all probably wondering why I've called you here," I called, Aunt Mina, Zethran, Zak, Zyra, Xander and Kye were stood behind me. Their faces were puffy and red from crying. Even Zak. He was too young to understand, but still, it seemed that he did.

"Yeah, we are, what's going on?" Aaron's voice bellowed. Shikamaru wasn't here because he wasn't allowed, unless he married into our clan, then he was only allowed to wait outside because it's forbidden to have a non l/n in here apparently.

"If you shut your mouth, I'll tell you," I snapped, instantly sighing and running my fingers through my h/l h/c hair that had random strands just falling into my face. Everyone silenced and looked at me expectantly.

"Un-- Sora l/n. He died earlier today from a poison. I see no point in lying to any of you because we're all going to see this, or it's likely a lot of you have seen the affects of the poison," I started, just saying that, everyone's faces fell and tears were flowing again, "it was the shadow guardians. Sora was poisoned by a shadow guardian during a fight with one of them a few weeks ago. We had been trying to figure out the antidote, but it seems it was just not possible. The only way we get the antidote is to get it from the shadow guardians. But that was out of the picture."

Everyone looked at me horrified.

"I am so sorry to have to say any of this. I am as angry as many of you may be feeling, and as sad as a lot of you are showing. But like with any other ninja or family members death, we need to get past this or this will just be the beginning to our end. Soon we will be able to get our revenge, I know that already. But until then, we need to work hard, refine our skills and out of everything, we need to keep working on that damn antidote so anyone with knowledge or past experiences with the poison please see Sakura Haruno and her team," I continued, "other than that, Sora's funeral will take place in a few days and to fill in the sudden loss of a snowflake guardian, I'm stepping someone up now."

I summoned the snowflake guardians scrolls and walked to the table.

"Zethran will, from today until his death, be a snowflake guardian," I announced, Ze looked at me wide eyes and everyone gasped but clapped and nodded. I gestured for my older cousin to approach the scrolls, cautiously he did and I explained what he had to do and he did.

The first scroll opened and he signed his name, in his blood beside my own. Sora's name, along with many others had gone dark compared to the living snowflake guardians' names who were bright and noticeable.

His blue marking seemed to glow brighter as we moved onto the next scroll.

"Repeat after me 'revelare in sanguine'," I told him. He nodded.

"Revelare in sanguine," he repeated, a familiar block of metal appeared in front of us and the snowflake guardians material along with a small key.

"Protect that key, the material must always be seen and the metal will turn into a weapon that best suits your personality," I told him, taking a few steps back away from the table with an innocent smile that greeted his questioning one as he grabbed the metal.

The key was one of the components needed to unlock the scroll that I have to protect.

Just as it did with me, dozens of bolts of lightening started sparking and exploding from it as it changed shape into the weapon. A scythe.

"It shrinks down to pocket size, you got to figure that one out alone," I told him. He nodded and I approached the table again. Opening the final scroll for him to sign. I grabbed his hand before he signed his name next to mine.

"This is our summoning Zethran, it's imperative that you don't use it unless it's completely necessary. I had to use it. I'm the only one here who has used it so I say again, you mustn't summon them until you need to," I told him seriously. He looked at me nervously before nodding and I released his hand, allowing him to sign his name. with that, I rolled all the scrolls back up and made them poof back to where I was keeping them.

"Not only that but we need to work harder to try and find the younger members' triggers and soon because I need a lot more trained ninja who can fight well with the ice. We need more snowflake guardians because only 8 of us will now suffice," I announced, everyone nodded and looked at me with determined expressions, "Alright you're dismissed."

With that we left the hall and I met Shikamaru.

"So no fighting broke out, guessing it went OK?" he asked as he stole my hand into his and kissed my cheek as we walked.

"It went fine," I nodded, looking down sadly. He squeezed my hand and as soon as we were in our house, he swept me off my feet and walked us to the bedroom.

"Uh-- Shika what're you doing?" I asked him, extremely wary of what he could be planning.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he laid us both onto the bed, he hugged me from behind and rested his forehead against my shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

"Why?" I asked.

"I promised that he wouldn't die... Not again... Not in front of you... But he did," it seemed like he was struggling to make his voice go higher than a whisper.

"It's not your fault," I replied, stopping myself from chuckling at his naïvety, "unless you're the angel of death."

"I'm not," he mumbled into my back before I turned around and faced him. His face held a hurting expression. I bit the inside of my mouth and frowned at the sight sadly before placing my free hand on his cheek, he placed his own on mine.

"Stop looking like that, I don't like it," I begged, he smiled sadly at me and moved my hand so he could kiss it before he pulled me closer and kissed my forehead.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again. This time I growled in annoyance and sat up, dragging him up with me. I grabbed both his hands and glared at him.

"Stop apologising to me, if anything it's making me realise even more that my uncle is dead!" I shouted, my voice gradually going into a whisper as I worked through what I was saying before sighing and leaning forward, resting my head on his shoulder, not letting his hands go and just listening to his breathing as he sat there stunned, "stop apologising for something you couldn't control."

He stayed silent but I felt his grip on my hands tighten.

"Stop apologising because Shikamaru, you're amazing but you're not amazing enough to stop death from taking someone on its list," I said. His grip loosened and I sat straight again, looked at him sadly.

I sighed and turned around, my legs hanging off the bed, getting ready to get up. I need to get Camryn to hurry up with those files of the shadow guardians.

"Please don't leave," Shikamaru spoke as he hugged me tightly from behind, "not tonight."

I closed my eyes and let out a breath before turning around and lifting his face to mine. His eyes looked over my face like he was searching for something.

"I won't," I told him. I can't say no to him.

So much death is happening around me, I need to protect him, I don't know how I'd survive without Shikamaru here.

He smiled a little and pulled me down kissing me as he did, turning us around so he was on top of me.

"I love you, y/n," he said through one of the kisses.

"I love you too, Shika," I said back.