It's a shame I know, I still own nothing!


"Well, it seems that you quite enjoy destroying defenseless beings. How about I step in for the tree this round." The leaf ninja spat as he landed beside the pile of bark at the base of the tree in questioned. Bending his knees, he took a defensive stance, glaring at the shadow nin in front of him. The leaf ninja lunged forward, landing a blow in the center of the shadow ninja's chest, knocking him over.

"This is so troublesome." Shikamaru stated, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. Glancing up at the sky, the sun was sinking fast, it would be dark any minute. Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes. Picking himself off the ground and stead himself for the next blow. Two fingers made contact with Shikamaru's right arm, cutting off charka flow. Neji spun around, snapping his left foot into Shikamaru's left rib cage. knocking the air out of Shikamaru's lungs. Gasping for air, Shikamaru straighten himself up and just stood there. He knew this was not some simple sparring, there was a reason behind it. He just wished Neji would get to the point before he would need a medical nin.

"You've accomplished what I, at one point, would have given anything to complete. But that time has passed. And now," a look of complete disgust fell on the normal stoic face. "Your actions have consequents." With that being said, Neji landed another blow to his chest.

"May I ask what my accomplishment was, Neji-kun?" Shikamaru couldn't help the anger that seeped out with each word. Rage flashed through Neji's eyes. This was not a sight Shikamaru was used to seeing. Neji was known for his normal emotionless appearance. A part of Shikamaru wandered if Neji had actually snapped.

"Hinata." Neji spat the word like it was poisoned.

That threw Shikamaru for a loop. He has to be interpreting this all wrong. 'Neji didn't mean that he wanted to.... no he couldn't. Their cousins! That's disgusting!' "I'm afraid I have no idea what your trying to get out." Blushing, Shikamaru stated in a calm voice.

Neji lunged and cut off Shikamaru's left arm's chakra and calmly took a few steps back, as if to admire his work. A sneer on Neji's face told Shikamaru that this would be more than just a drag. Neji's shoulder had a slight shake to them, his eyes slid in and out of focus as he remember the sight earlier. Neji repositioned himself, readying for another blow. "You have accomplished what I couldn't do even during the chuunin exams. You've broken Hinata."

Shikamaru's mind went blank. Before he could even catch himself, his body had betrayed him, his lips started to form words. "She was the one who used me." He stated in a deadly calm voice. With a wrathful glint in his eye, he chuckled darkly before continuing. "You know I guess it's the quite ones who you have to look out for, I wouldn't have pegged her for a slu-" Shikamaru, pinned to a tree with a kunai pressed against his throat, promising to draw his blood, unable to finished his statement.

"The village idiot is a role that does not suit you well Shikamaru-kun. I'm shocked. Who would have thought that Naruto would have rubbed off on the all amazing strategeous; the great Shikamaru. For somebody who's strengths in battle is the ability to plan, how where you able to miss such an important clue? Do you wish for me to spell it out for you or are a able to complete the puzzle on your own?" Neji whispered almost too softly for Shikamaru to hear, through gritting teeth. Applying just enough presser, a single drop of blood ran down Shikamaru's throat. Before Neji withdrew his weapon he blocked the chakra flow in Shikamaru's left leg and slammed the heal of his left hand into Shikamaru's gut. Neji leapt back, landing in a defensive stance. Neji watched with a blank face as Shikamaru fell to the base of the tree coughing up blood.

Shikamaru finally gathered himself and stood up. Slowly, Shikamaru glanced up at the calm nin in front of him. Shikamaru silently ponder which one he preferred; the slightly hinged Neji or the deathly calm Neji. A small shiver ran down his spine, Shikamaru liked neither one.

"I'm not a patient man, so listen closely and heed my warning. You have taken my cousins innocence, then tossed her broken shell aside. For such acts you are lucky that this is just a warning. If another tear stains her cheeks because of what you have done, I will return. And when I do, you will need more then just a good nights rest to heal your wounds." With that Neji slowly left team eight's training ground.

XXXX

"Hinata, your cousin is on his way back. Should we depart before he finds another comfortable spot in the bushes, again?" The Aburame stated in his normal monotone.

Hinata inhaled, trying to steady her thoughts on the matter that had plagued her thoughts, lately they seem to have no end. Finally deciding that it was best to avoid her nii-san, she better be on her way. "Yes Shino-kun. H-h-how much do y-y-you think he over herd?"

"Enough."

Hinata paled at her fears being confirmed. 'Oh! Well um... I guess it could be worst. Perhaps nii-san will cool down before he decides to seek answers. I really hope so.'

"I was afraid of that." She mumbled quietly to herself. Shifting her gaze from her feet, to eye her quiet teammate. Shino stood in front of her, peering down upon her with an out stretched hand. She reached for his hand and sighed. They were still in the clearing next to the lake, their lake. Make a pack with herself that this was the last time that she would sulk over him. She must embrace this defeat just like any other. She would profit from this pain. She would become stronger.

Pulling herself up to stand next to Shino, she eyed him a little more openly. 'I'm lucky to have a teammate like Shino. He really didn't have to stay the whole time........ I had shed way too many tears. I thought I was getting stronger.' She diverted her gaze back to her feet and bowed head, in an effort to hide her blush stained cheeks. 'Its been so long since the last time I cry in front of anybody. I hope he doesn't find me too weak. I really have changed. Really I have. He doesn't seem to be to irritated with the fact that he had to comfort his weaker teammate.' "Thank you Shino-kun." With that being said Shino began to lead her in the direction of her home. Hinata on his heals. "Um, Sh-shino-kun, I-I-I hope I wasn't too much of a problem." She mumbled in a quiet, defeated voice.

The bug wielder stopped abruptly and just stared at the timid nin next to him. Noticing this, Hinata paused in her attempt to elude her over protective nii-san. Waiting patiently for Shino to speak, she fiddled with her jacket in fear that she had over stepped her boundaries. 'What was I thinking? I shouldn't have bothered Shino-kun with my silly worries. Oh dear. He looks really upset.' Hinata glanced up to see Shino's gaze upon her. His glasses hid the look in his eyes, but she was sure that they would appear agitated.

Shino sighed softly to himself, he had to remind himself that this was Hinata. She would rather endure the pain herself then ever impose upon any one. No matter friend or not. "Hinata, I fail to see how this could be viewed as something that might strain our relationship. You are my teammate and my friend. I worry about you. Even Kiba has been worried. You can always come to either one of us."

Relief washed over her. ' Shino isn't mad!? Wait! Did he just call me a friend? He said he was worried? I really am lucky to have him as a friend. Oh I hope I didn't upset him by thinking otherwise.' "Y-you are r-r-right Shino-kun. I a-ap-apologize. I did not m-mean any dis-disrespect." Hinata quietly apologized and bowed her head. Blush slowly creeping across her cheeks. Lifting her head to check with Shino if he was ready to continue on their way, her eyes made contact with somebody other then her friend. Her nii-san.

XXXX

"Hey Lazy are you still out here!" The loud blond shouted into the silent forest air.

"Oh what a drag." Shikamaru complained to himself. Trying his best to remove any signs of blood before his new guest shows up, he wiped his mouth one last time. After quickly debating with himself, he decided that he was rather content with where he laid on the forest floor. There was no real need to try and sit up for the new comer. That took more effort then he was willing to use, plus he hurt too much. 'Not only do I get to enjoy Neji's friendly display of affection, I now get to-' His thoughts were interrupted by a huge white dog standing above him, glaring at him, well as close to a glare a dog could get. 'Oh great dog boy and his mutt are here too. What a pain.'

"Well this is a shocker, I would have guess that Lazy would have given up- Whoa! Hinata did this to you? I knew she was good, but damn! You got your ass handed to you by a girl. Hahaha! Thats rich!" The loud blond boasted.

The Dog nin sniffed the air. "Well it seems that you've already been warned. That saves me the trouble. It wasn't all to hard to put the pieces together, you know. You both smelled off at lunch today. But just incase you couldn't figure it out, I'll tell you any ways. He's not the only one that cares for her well being."

Shikamaru sighed. 'This is going to be so troublesome.'

"Dog Breathe what are you talking about? What message? And are you blind, have you not taken a look at Lazy Ass yet? There is no need to be worried about Hinata's 'well being'. One she's a Chuunin you baka, and the other, well just look at him."

"Did you here that Akamaru? Naruto thinks I'm blind but he's the one who hasn't seen Hinata yet." The said dog barked a reply to his master's question.

"Yes I agree. Very sad." Kiba dropped his head and gave it a small nod, a sad smile sketched on his face in a display of mock sympathy.

"Dog Breathe what the hell are you going on about? We just ate lunch with her, of course I've seen her." Naruto grunted through tightly pinched lips. His normal child-like demeanor had diminished, now shown pure anger etched in his sky blue eyes..

Kiba just chuckled at his friends confusion. Dismissing the sudden peek of aggression from the completely lost orange clad Shinobi and looked down at the shadow nin below him. "I don't know. What am I talking about Shikamaru?" Kiba whispered very sweetly but his eyes told a different story.

Shikamaru sighed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "I have no Idea what your talking about. She was the one who left."

"Well yeah, I would'a left your ass too. There's no fun it kick'n some ones ass when they can't even stand up. And really they say your a genius!" Naruto stated matter-of-factly anger and frustration completely forgotten.

Kiba glanced sideways at the orange clad nin next to him and just shook his head, his ability to be so clueless sometimes amazed Kiba.

"Shikamaru I didn't think it was possible to be on the same league as our knucklehead over there," Nodding his head in Naruto's direction. "but here I am, shocked. I thought you knew her better then that. Of course she left, she hates to be a burden." Kiba spat the last part as if it tainted his tongue just for repeating her own thoughts.

Naruto just beamed at the two in front of him.

"What a drag. That's twice that I've been compared to Naruto in the last thirty minuets."

"Someday I will be Hokage!" Naruto shouted giving a thumbs up. Leaning over Shikamaru and whispered in his most soothingly, as if afraid to offend. "Don't feel bad. Not everyone can be amazing as me. Just keep up the good work. K?"

Kiba was forced to bite the side of his cheek to reframe from laughing. "Well Naruto lets head to Ichiraku before it gets to late."

They left a very confused Shikamaru laying on a bed of leafs, all alone with his thoughts.

XXXX

"Shika what's the matter?" The platinum blond chirped. She amended her statement when Shikamaru raised an eye brow at her. "Your just sitting there."

"Nothing Ino. I 'just' sit here all the time." The shadow nin stated in a rather bored voice.

Ino just sat there studying her surroundings. They were both sitting at his favorite cloud watching spot. The soft gentle wind tickled her arms. She sighed, the mid afternoon weather was too relaxing. "Yeah but you haven't even glanced up at the clouds once since I showed up."

"Ino would you rather I ignore your company?" Shikamaru stated in a defeated tone. He knew that there was no point in trying, she wouldn't be fooled.

Ino chuckled and sighed, again. "Fine be that way. I'm just worried, you haven't been acting like yourself lately. Thats all." The last part she threw in to teased the genius that was next to her, but the playful tone had a faint tint of sorrow in it. "And thats never stopped you from watching clouds before." Placing her head on his shoulder. Together the pair just sat there, quietly.

From afar a pair of pale lavender eyes watched the sight.