Being carried on someone's back wasn't exactly near the top of Shikamaru's to-do list, particularly since it was Neji carrying him and Nara felt as though he was racking up Hyūga debt faster than he could say troublesome. So far so good, the only issues they'd encountered was running into a rogue group of scouters from a neighboring village. Nothing the team couldn't handle.
Shikamaru had been stowed away by a tree for safe keeping and fully intended to lend his shadow possession jutsu abilities to Neji, but the older male had cleared four ninjas on his own with barely enough effort to break a sweat. Shikamaru pondered how powerful the Hyūga had become over the recent years. They traveled in familiar silence interrupted every now and again by Neji murmuring commands to the team through his intercom.
"Would you like backup?"
Shikamaru almost didn't hear the quiet, yet stern voice addressing him as they descended from the trees, heading straight along the ground path leading near the village.
"Backup?" Shikamaru repeated.
"With your mother." Neji let the words digest. "Shikaku was part of my unit, I could deliver the news or at the very least stand by you as you give it."
The shadow ninja frowned. "Why?"
"Perhaps it would help her to see you as a ninja returning from war instead of her son she has to protect," Neji explained.
Shikamaru had to wonder if this was shinobi instincts talking or personal experience.
Sensing his question, Neji said, "When my father took my uncle's place to die, it was my uncle who later told me about it. Had he come with official clan members or even outside ninjas, I might have believed him when he said it was my father's decision. Family ties are what sparked my outrage."
That was understandable to Shikamaru, especially given what he knew about Neji's uncle. Neji had witnessed Hiashi torturing his father so many times that of course, he'd believe the decision was coerced at best.
"My ma is a stubborn woman, so I'm not sure she won't react just the same with you there." Shikamaru sighed, already worn out without having to face her yet. "But I could use the support."
Neji nodded in silent agreement before he came to a slow stop a few feet short of the village. Shikamaru could see Konoha's entryway and eight of their comrades up ahead already waiting. They had broken off into three eighteen-man squads. Neji and Shikamaru stayed in the center of theirs to best use Hyūga's Byakugan abilities. Those very eyes were skimming the area, brows knitted tight as he lowered the shadow ninja to the ground.
He wasn't thrilled about leaving Shikamaru unprotected, but he didn't have any other choice. Besides, he got the distinct impression the figure bounding out of the forest was intended solely for him. A flash of shuriken stars zipped after Neji, easily blocked by a mere palm raise and a burst of chakra, but it served as a distraction.
"Hyūga!" Kiba bellowed, hurling himself at Neji.
They hit the ground in a puff of smoke, both throwing hits intent on destroying one another. Shikamaru blinked stupidly slow, briefly questioning what might have happened to make Kiba snap, especially when they were so close to home. The pair went blow for blow, growling viciously as they rolled around stirring up a cloud of dust big enough to draw their teammates' attention.
"What the fuck gives you the right to force me to the back end of the group?!" Kiba demanded as he clutched both of Neji's fists in a deadlock.
"You mean besides the fact that I am your captain?!" Neji shook him away easily and forced Kiba backward, then gut-checked him. "We are most likely to be attacked from behind. You serve best for our defensive lines. What don't you understand?"
"Tch, bastard." Kiba spit a wad of blood. "Pulling rank at a time like this. You can't keep giving me the short end of the stick on a whim!"
"Do you even bother listening to anyone but yourself? Your position was assigned with basic strategic planning based upon your abilities."
They were circling one another, keeping their eyes locked just waiting for a movement, any indication that the other would attack. Neji was not itching for a fight; they had been engaged in battle for nearly a month, he still required proper medical attention and for the past day and a half he had been carrying another ninja on his back. But he couldn't afford to let his guard down when it came to Kiba; the man was out for blood.
"Why can't you just admit you're abusing your power to punish me?" Kiba asked.
"And why can't your canine sized brain comprehend common sense?" Neji retorted.
Kiba lunged first, but Neji countered without fault making sure to direct their fight further away from Shikamaru so he wouldn't get hit. How it happened, Shikamaru didn't know, he had been watching the whole time and yet somehow he missed it anyway. Kiba grabbed Neji by the end of his hair, stilling the Hyūga and wrapped it tightly around his fist yanking the other man close. He bared his fangs when he sneered, pleased with the irritation filling Neji's eyes.
"Nothing slick to say now, eh, Princess?" Kiba taunted.
Neji's voice quivered nearly as much as the fists balled at his sides. "I strongly suggest you release me."
"Don't tell me what to do!" Kiba shouted, free hand pressing a kunai to Neji's throat.
Neji stayed calm, didn't so much as flinch at the blade.
"No one would miss you." Kiba seethed. "If I killed you right now, no one would even shed a tear. Pathetic."
"So, do it." Neji challenged.
Kiba bit back a growl, tugged hard on Neji's hair to reveal more of his throat and skimmed the blade over sensitive flesh. His eyes twinkled as an idea struck him.
"Or maybe you should get to live in humiliation." He trailed the kunai around Neji's head to the lump of hair he had gathered in his other hand. "How about a haircut, Hyūga?"
Neji cracked his fist in Kiba's face, snapping the man's head to the side. Kiba never got the chance to recover. Neji knocked him down with his weight and snatched up the kunai. Shikamaru moved at lightning speed with his hand signals, shadows darting out to grab both men and halt their movements. Neji's eyes flicked in Shikamaru's direction, but he said nothing. He focused on his arm still in the air ready to stab Kiba in the shoulder.
Shikamaru realized that Neji was fighting the possession, fighting hard. The shadow wielder cringed. Neji was starting to move, slow and very strained, his muscles trembled but damn it he was moving. It should've been impossible. Shikamaru wanted to chalk it up to his chakra reserves still being low. He had a feeling that wasn't the problem. Neji released the kunai letting it clank beside Kiba's head then met Shikamaru's eyes again, silently swearing not to pick the weapon back up. Shikamaru released them.
Hyūga's forearm slammed across Kiba's throat pinning him in place. They were surrounded by all their teammates now, those bringing up the rear had caught up, and those at the village gates had wandered over to see all the commotion.
"This is the one and only time I am ever going to say this, so listen carefully. I am the captain of this squad; my decisions are to be followed without question. All directives are given based solely on what is best for the mission. If you ever challenge me again, I will have you stripped of all your shinobi duties faster than you can blink." Neji had never sounded more dangerous in his entire life. "Do I make myself clear?"
Kiba's icy eyes glared back, defiance still swirling in them. He wanted to argue, to restart their brawl, but with so many people watching he didn't have a leg to stand on.
"Yes." He growled.
"Move out. That's an order." Neji shoved off Kiba and didn't spare another glance as he hoisted Shikamaru on his back.
They walked home in complete silence, namely because Shikamaru didn't know what to say. Part of him was still reeling from Neji threatening to break free from his shadow possession. That had never happened before. He wondered if it was Neji's distaste for being restrained or his desire to beat Kiba to a mangled pulp that had given him the strength. It must've hurt to resist the shadows like that, to force his muscles unnaturally against Shikamaru's jutsu. Fortunately, though, Neji didn't seem upset with him for intervening, and if he was, it didn't show which was all the same to Shikamaru. But Kiba…
"You think I went too easy on him." Neji understood the reflective quiet between them, knew Shikamaru's mind well enough to anticipate his thoughts.
"Yes, I do." There was no point in denying the claim.
"Do you believe a stricter outcome would have helped?" Neji questioned.
"He assaulted you. Opposed you within an earshot of your team. That deserves punishment." Shikamaru spoke sternly.
"Humiliation can be an effective form of discipline," was Neji's smooth reply.
Shikamaru sighed. "No one should ever be allowed to speak to their commander in such a way and get no recourse."
"Kiba is hot-blooded, but he's an excellent shinobi. His qualms with me have not outright overthrown my authority. If nothing else, his outburst allowed me to tighten the reigns on everyone." Neji stated.
"You think he planned to have others back his claims of your bias?" He inquired.
"No doubt in my mind. I'm not well liked, Nara. My subordinates answer to me and respect me because I continue to prove my only goal is completing the mission. But a man like Kiba would surely inspire distrust among the ranks." Neji voiced.
"That's why you didn't break his jaw the second he grabbed your hair." Awareness hit Shikamaru like a ton of bricks. "You were trying to draw it out."
"Precisely."
"You needed the whole team present."
"So, they could see I harbor no personal malice towards Kiba." Neji continued. "He impugned my motives, attacked me and was given a second chance when at the very least he should have been demoted."
"Sends a clear message; follow orders or suffer the consequences."
"You catch on quick, Nara."
Upon entry of the Nara household, they found his mother in the kitchen cooking what appeared to be a feast for dozens but realistically was merely intended for three.
"Finally. It took you two long enough to get home. I've been seeing troops returning for the past five days! You'd better get cleaned up. I know you both need showers. I'll have dinner ready in a bit." Yoshino rambled.
She continued to gab on and on as Neji lowered Shikamaru, balancing the younger man against the dinner table on his good leg.
Neji cleared his throat politely. "Mrs. Nara."
She stood frozen in place, ladle still in hand. Long, slow minutes ticked away. Shikamaru sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets wondering if she knew just by Neji's presence that something wasn't right.
"Ma," he called.
She turned to take in the sight of her son for a long time. It was beyond impossible, but Shikamaru would swear he was watching his mother grow older as they looked at one another. Understanding passed through her eyes. Shikamaru was home, and Shikaku wasn't, it didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant. Her gaze settled on Neji.
"Thank you for bringing my son home."
Neji bowed his head, but Shikamaru frowned.
"Will they recover his body?" She inquired.
"No," Shikamaru spoke bluntly. "There isn't much left. His forehead protector was retrieved."
"I see."
"I'll be living on my own from now on," Shikamaru announced.
His sudden delivery stunned both Neji and his mother. Neither let it show.
Yoshino smiled sadly and repeated, "I see."
Shikamaru didn't wait for her to say anything else because the more time he spent standing in the kitchen, the more comfortable Yoshino would get, despite the ANBU operative next to him. Eventually, she would say what she was really thinking or make a vain attempt at trying to stop Shikamaru. He was far too tired to handle the woman's peculiar methods in dealing with grief. He used furniture and the walls to hobble away on one leg. Neji hesitated, but eventually gave a deep bow.
"I'm very sorry for your loss."
The house was small enough to navigate through, and he caught up to Shikamaru in the hallway in no time. He braced an arm around the younger's waist and assisted him the rest of the way to his bedroom where the jōnin began to pack. Neji stood patiently in the doorway knowing that Shikamaru probably wouldn't accept help, so there was no point in offering.
"You think I was too harsh."
It was Shikamaru's turn to get inside Neji's head. Neji didn't know if harsh was the right word. Shikamaru had been surprisingly cold, detached, which was a quirk Neji wasn't accustomed to seeing in people besides himself. It made him wonder if there were underlying issues he didn't know about steering Shikamaru's emotions. Whatever the case may be, his mother had responded strangely too, so perhaps that was the sort of relationship they had. Neji cocked his head lightly, brown strands of silken hair falling loosely over his shoulders.
"I don't presume to know or judge the way you interact with your family, Shikamaru." Their eyes met. "Heaven knows my family relations are not an example to lead by."
Shikamaru grinned. "You and I are going to get along very well, Neji."