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

chapter one

"Welcome everyone to the second week of your last year of shinobi training!" Iruka Sensei said, saying the words nice and clearly for every kid to hear. I sighed and pressed my face against my desk. I'm no good at becoming a ninja... I don't even listen in class.

"To start off, we will be doing a partner project! I've assigned partners for you all based on your IQ levels we took last week. It will be an easy project, since it's almost the end of school."

Everyone around me seemed excited. Partner projects were pretty neat, except for the fact that you'll never know who you're getting as a partner. As an 11 year old child who never listened, I'm guessing based off the IQ test we took that I'm going to be paired with the smartest person in the class, which means an easy A. Pays off being dumb, right?

"I will list the partners now." He began to list off a bunch of names I barely recognized, the only ones I knew were Sakura and Ino, which I had met during our flower arrangement class. The other one being Naruto, the kid who was also pretty dull and the one who always stirred up trouble during class. Also known as The Nine Tails kid. I also easily recognized Sasuke's name, which was the top class kid with Uchiha clan. I finally heard my name.

"Y/n and Shikamaru." Shikamaru? Who even was that?

Apparently, whoever it was, didn't quite know me either, because nobody came to sit by me. Whoever it was, it was the smartest kid in the class, but even he couldn't figure out by process of elimination who I was. Or maybe he didn't want to be my partner.

"Get with your partner, and begin the research project on the paper I've handed out to you. The rules and instructions are listed." He said, and everyone scattered, sitting next to their partner.

I looked around, searching for a kid without a partner. Only one kid was lonesome, and it was that weird spiky ponytail kid who always slept during class. Oh god, how is he smart?

I went over and sat by him. "Hello?" I asked stupidly. He didn't move. I poked at his temple. "Hmm?" He groaned. He sat up and looked at me. "What are you here for?" He asked dumbfounded. This is the smartest kid? Did I score really high on the IQ test?

"A Partner Project. This is the rules and instructions." I said, pointing to the paper in front of him. He laid his chin on his folded arms on the table and read it quickly. "Okay." He simply said. He did nothing.

"Aren't you super smart or something?" I asked, looking over at his face. "You could say that." "Well, aren't you going to do something?" I said, a bit angrily. "Maybe later. It's such a drag." He buried his face into his arms again, and for the rest of class, our conversation was silent.

"All of you are excused!" Iruka Sensei said. All of us grabbed our things and headed out the hallway and outside. Many kids were already out and parents lined the fences, waiting for their young. I was beginning to head home when I heard Shikamaru.

"My partner? Oh, she's right there." He grumbled lowly. I turned around to see Shikamaru's Mom holding his shoulders, facing right at me with a smile. "Oh, come! Please introduce yourself!" She said happily. I scurried over to the two and she talked happily.

"My little Shikamaru is your partner for this project? Such a pretty girl you are! What's your name?" She asked kindly. "I'm Y/n Sato." I proudly said, pointing to my clan symbol on the back of my shirt. "Wow, a Sato! Well, it's very nice to meet you, Y/n. Perhaps you can come over for dinner, tomorrow? You can work on the project at our house for a while! Shikamaru slacks off quite a bit during class..." She said worriedly. She gave her son a disgraceful glare.

"Oh, I should be able, Miss..." I trailed off, not even knowing Shikamaru's last name. "Yoshino. Please, just Yoshino." She said. I smiled. "Yoshino. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow after school." I said.