-Chapter Nine-

.

Can't fix the past. And couldn't even pick up any of the pieces he had left on Shikamaru's hands in the insipid feeling corrupted any words he could pronounce to Shikamaru in the present. The shadows and light from the room moved at the same rhythm when the door opened with a loud sound. The wind welcoming a loud echo in the room.

"Satisfied."

The Hyūga blinked at the no meaning behind at the moment.

"I'm already satisfied with all the troublesome crap we been through." He placed his hands in the small table, succumbing to his tired body and sitting down. "I just freaked out... isn't it normal? I just can't help acting like a moron after the dramatic moves you caused in the war. Not gonna give you credit as the only victim for the things you did."

Neji stood rigid and closed his eyes. He had been ungrateful for many things in his past. Reproached his curse and desperate for any salvation that could comfort his heart. Clinging to pain. Clinging to a future he had already established. But how life had twisted his faith, and he still had refused to accept it.

"Shikamaru..."

"What? Don't give me the usual crap, Neji." His tune danced with the bitterness of his hatred towards the excuses the Hyūga usually used to cage him in a ground where Shikamaru couldn't move any of the pieces. "You are caged in you clan? You couldn't help but using the war as a good opportunity to jump into death? Don't give that crap again, Hyūga!"

His fist against the table made the Hyūga flinch. Shikamaru took a booklet form the table and directly threw it against the cowards who had left him with broken pieces.

"You wanna walk out of this silently during all your life,Hyūga. I know you fucking do. Wouldn't grant me the opportunity to use what you did against you, because you know it will benefit you staying ignorant of what you did to yourself. But, it isn't like that? You did something to me too, Hyūga. Don't deny it."

Now that they were in this mission, Neji couldn't make more moves in his favor. Shikamaru had the upper hand. The temple and his Dojutsu relation to it gave the Nara more opportunities to finally fight back the things he had always wished to bring up. In the past Neji could have talked and take the advantage with the seal and his clan. But, after his last move in the war everything he had gained was burned in the flames of his own mistakes.

"You're much more of a coward that I am, Neji."

That hit the nail.

"Spare me your sarcasm. There is a fine line between you and me, you didn't have a collar around your neck. If you want me to hear that I regret the low move I made in the battlefield then you have better chances surviving a knife into your heart." Each word came with a crude honesty that made the Nara's eyes more and more consumed in anger. "I changed. And for that I'm not sorry."

Shikamaru's lips turned into a mocking smirk. The laugh that escaped his mouth was twisted with the sensations of deception and anger.

He rose from the floor. Shikamaru moved slowly, his body still hurt from the broken ribs and the sore feeling in his muscles. But, the deep cut of the words from Hyūga made it feel like nothing.

"Fucking congrats. You done it, Hyūga." He stood shoulder to shoulder with Neji. His eyes tracing him, searching from any regrets from his words. None whatsoever apparently, the Hyūga stood his ground with a defensive look. "You don't regret fucking me up, at all? Well, don't bother. You done it."

Shikamaru hit him harshly with his shoulder, walking towards the door to exit.

"I'm not finished,Nara."

Shikamaru laughed as he almost exited the door. But, his body was pulled, his arm trapped by the cold fingers of the Hyūga. He didn't have enough strength to fight back, but his mouth could deliver better punches. No need to hold back anymore.

"Sorry, I'm not into sadistic tendencies for suicide. Why don't you ask Sasuke to help you with that. I bet the two of you will enjoy it." He tried to free himself, "For fuck sake. I told you is over you damn bastard!"

"Face me."

"Fuck. Wanna break more of my things? Screw you!"

"Turn and face me. Tell me straight to my face...Coward."

"Coward?"

Oh how he hated that fucking word. Heard from his father, heard it from the Hokage. Yeah, he was a lazy bastard, arrogant with his intelligence. But, he wasn't as low as to done what the Hyūga had done. He gave credit Neji with his past. But, he had already experienced the Hyūga attempting the same thing more than once. And when he had succeeded in the war. He had hit lower than Shikamaru.

So, who deserved the title more?

"Fuck y-"

His words were interrupted. His eyes lost all anger. They were caught with something else. The thing that always covered the cursed seal was off, the noise that the object made when it fell to the floor made the Nara stone. The Hyūga smiled.

"I don't regret it."

And hearing those words would have made Shikamaru want to stab the Hyūga with his own hands. But, is he agreed with him.

And how couldn't he? There was no cursed seal in Neji's front.

"How?"

"The only way to remove it is if one dies. I thought you were a genius."

Shikamaru remained silent. His eyes caught in the clean front of the Hyūga.