Shikamaru groaned as he pulled off his vest and dropped it on the floor knowing damn well he would hear an earful from Neji if the brunette saw the dirty garment anywhere other than a hamper. It would have to wait. His muscles ached from the strain of carrying his fallen comrades home, and his thighs burned because he had practically sprinted back to the apartment. Shikamaru vaguely registered he might want to consider brushing up on his endurance training later on. He tugged off the remainder of his clothes then ducked into the bathroom to at the very least rinse off; he couldn't get in bed with this much dirt on his skin.

Fortunately, he'd left a change of clothes in the bathroom by accident the last time he was home, so he didn't need to trouble himself by going to his bedroom first. He figured Neji must have been away on a mission, the man was a light sleeper and surely would've met Shikamaru in the living room if he was home. They hadn't seen one another since the hospital a week ago. Once he was good and clean, Shikamaru ventured to his room and stopped in the doorway. The Hyūga was already curled up in Shikamaru's bed.

It was stupid considering that they had already had sex, already admitted to being in love with each other and already established themselves as being in a relationship, but when Shikamaru saw Neji lying there, he could feel his pulse quicken and a broad smile spread his lips. It was good to be home. Carefully he climbed into bed, surprised to hear faint snores sounding from Neji— the man never slept through disturbances. As if right on cue, Neji started and blinked himself awake as Shikamaru laid behind him and encircled an arm around the shinobi's waist. Neji hummed and pressed his weight into Shikamaru, a silent greeting for the man he'd been missing so much.

"Damn Hyūga." Shikamaru teased before pressing a kiss to the shell of Neji's ear. "We sleep together one time, and you're already taking over my bedroom."

Neji snorted and lightly pinched Shikamaru's arm. "Consider yourself lucky, bedding a Hyūga even once gives you bragging rights."

Shikamaru rested his chin on Neji's shoulder and squeezed the elder's body closer to his own. "Believe me I fully intend to brag about you every chance I get."

"Not right away, Shikamaru," Neji mumbled, clearly still fighting sleep.

"Of course not, sneaking around is going to be plenty of fun. Even if we never do it again, I'll brag about it until my very last breath." Shikamaru vowed.

"We'll be doing it again," Neji reassured. "Just not tonight. I'm exhausted."

"I know, I'm sorry for waking you up." Shikamaru apologized.

"Don't be." Neji turned around in Shikamaru's arms to lay on his back, his opal eyes finding the brown pair easily. "How did the mission go?"

Shikamaru combed stray strands of hair from Neji's face. "We found the rest of your teammates. Only one survivor."

"That makes three out of eight, not very good odds." Neji shifted his eyes and frowned.

"Neji, I'm going to be completely selfish and you may hate me for it, but you know I don't like to beat around the bush. It's too troublesome. I don't give a damn about the odds; you're the only person I need to keep coming back." Shikamaru waited patiently for Neji to return his stare. "I don't wish anyone dead. But if it's you or a hundred others…"

Neji hooked an arm around Shikamaru's neck and brought him down for a chaste kiss.

"Don't say it," Neji whispered against Shikamaru's lips.

"You know it's the truth, Neji," Shikamaru quietly spoke as he stroked up and down Neji's side.

"And you know I feel the same way. We aren't supposed to." Hyūga sighed.

"Maybe this is why many of our ANBU comrades are single." Shikamaru mused aloud.

"That, and they don't have the time." Neji pointed out.

"You're right. We're going to be just as busy… that won't be a problem, will it?" Shikamaru asked.

"We fell for one another despite how involved we are in our careers. We don't have expectations to spend every waking minute together." Neji shook his head as he traced a digit down the bridge of Shikamaru's nose. "I don't care where you spend your time, so long as you always bring your heart home to me."

Shikamaru drew in a stuttered breath and silently cursed himself when he felt his face growing hot. "When did you become so smooth?"

"You've always appreciated my verbal intelligence, Nara." Neji reminded.

"Yeah," Shikamaru kissed Neji's throat. "You got me there."

"Shikamaru," Neji warned as another kiss was placed on his neck.

"Hn?" Shikamaru hummed, trailing open mouth kisses along the creamy column exposed for him so nicely.

"Shikamaru." He repeated firmer this time, although his fingers were already massaging Shikamaru's scalp.

"You make it difficult to stop, you know." Shikamaru teased, chuckling as he nipped Neji's collarbone. "And you certainly don't sound like you really want me to. What am I supposed to believe, Hyūga?"

Neji gripped the dark strands between his fingers and pulled, steering Shikamaru away from his throat to crush their lips in a slow, sweet, tantalizing kiss. Shikamaru ghosted his hands down either of Neji's sides, brushing over the man's hips to the backs of his legs where he began massaging. Neji jerked back suddenly and seized both of Shikamaru's wrists. They stared at one another, Shikamaru confused and Neji slightly embarrassed. If he were the kind of man who blushed easily, Shikamaru imagined Hyūga's cheeks would've probably been glowing.

"Not there," Neji said simply.

Shikamaru raised a brow. "The back of your thighs? That's a sensitive spot for you?"

"Maybe," Hyūga grumbled.

"Good to know, I'll store that information away for later." Shikamaru chuckled then pressed a light kiss on Neji's forehead.

"Nara, I'm warning you that if you tease me about this, I will make your life a living hell." Neji threatened.

"Oh, I believe you. The only thing I plan on doing is exploiting that information for my own personal use." Shikamaru said, grinning ear to ear.

"Tch, troublesome." Despite the words though Neji was smirking.

"Wait a minute." Shikamaru sat up a bit more to stare down at Neji's body. "Are you wearing my shirt?"

Neji blinked a few times in silence. "It's not what you think."

"Damn, Hyūga! You steal my clothes; you take over my bed!" Shikamaru snorted.

"There was a leak in my bedroom and everything flooded, that's the real reason I'm sleeping in here." Neji defended. "And my clothes, unfortunately, were soaked as well, so I didn't have a choice."

"You can admit it; you wanted to wear my clothes." Shikamaru taunted.

"…I am not opposed to wearing your things, but that's not the reason I took your clothes." Neji insisted.

"You're so… polite? Well mannered? Even in a time like this, you sound proper." Shikamaru observed.

"That is a bad thing?" Neji assumed.

"Gods no. It's one of the things I enjoy about you the most. Call it a quirk." Shikamaru said.

"Hn. Then you're not upset?" Neji asked just to be sure.

"You can have anything of mine you want, Nej. It's all stuff; I don't care." Shikamaru replied.

Neji grunted as he rolled himself over on his side again, scooting back enough to tuck into Shikamaru's chest, the shadow wielder immediately wrapped an arm around him once more. Hyūga glanced down at the hand resting on his stomach. Intimacy was not something he had training or experience in, apart from the moments prior he had shared with Shikamaru. His ninja instincts were sounding every alarm in his body, warning him how dangerous it could be lying next to someone. His Hyūga upbringing disagreed with the arm across his body; he could almost hear his uncle chastising him for being so weak. Neji rolled his eyes, laid his hand on top of Shikamaru's and laced their fingers together hoping to shut up his doubts. He muttered something under his breath then that Shikamaru didn't catch.

"What was that?" Shikamaru asked, his heart still fluttering because of their joined hands.

"I said," Neji took a breath. "It smells like you."

"My shirt?" Shikamaru was confused.

"Yes. And your blankets and your pillows. Everything in here smells just like you." Neji elaborated.

"Well, it is my room." Shikamaru jibed.

"It helped me sleep while you were gone," Neji admitted. "It felt like you were here with me."

Shikamaru's smile softened as he ducked his head to the back of Neji's neck and closed his eyes, clinging to the older shinobi with all his might. Why the hell had it taken them so long to figure out their mutual feelings for one another? There was nothing to be done about it now, and Shikamaru wasn't one to dwell on the past, but he felt like such a fool for missing time with Neji. Moments like this, private and tender and vulnerable. He realized there were so many layers still covering Hyūga he'd yet to uncover or see exposed. His heart pittered off beat at the thought; he could not wait to discover more of Neji.

"Don't even think about making a tasteless joke right now."

Shikamaru had to laugh, Neji knew him so well. "I won't, I promise."

"Troublesome Nara," Neji grumbled, plucking idly at Shikamaru's fingers.

He could get used to this, Shikamaru thought. Coming home after a grueling mission, which he scarcely recalled the details of now, to snuggle up in bed with the long-haired beauty made all the troubles in the world well worth his while. Neji had always been a different person around Shikamaru, that was a given from their very first meeting once the understanding between them was established. Now though, Hyūga had managed to shed another facade, drop a few more walls to let Shikamaru in somewhere no one else had ever been allowed before. Shikamaru's chest swelled with pride to know these depths of Neji.

"Neji," He called suddenly.

"Hmn?" Hyūga shifted a little.

Shikamaru withdrew from Neji's neck and once more leaned over the elder's shoulder. This time, however, he laid with their cheeks brushing, his lips touching the ninja's neck subtly.

"Tell me about your father." Shikamaru requested quietly.

Neji's whole body tensed instantly and if not for the robust and persistent arm holding him in place he may have bolted out of the room purely on instinct. He remained still however and took a few moments to collect himself, a small voice in the back of his head reminded him that it was Shikamaru asking the question, not an enemy or an extortionist. The question of what could he say about Hizashi Hyūga settled in Neji's mind. He'd been only a boy when he lost his father, but the impression was strong enough to last a lifetime.

"My father was kind." Neji finally answered.

"He sounds wonderful." Shikamaru breathed in his ear.

Neji didn't expect to feel a weight lifted off his chest and yet somehow, he was relieved. He didn't know if it was Shikamaru's reaction bringing ease to his soul or maybe just talking about Hizashi for the first time in his life with a person who wanted nothing from him in return, didn't plan to do anything malicious with the information.

Hyūga turned his head, their noses grazed, and their eyes met in a dangerously spirited stare. "What else do you want to know?"

Shikamaru guided a hand up Neji's neck to his cheek and dipped down to claim the lips waiting for him. He could taste the surrender on Hyūga's tongue as the older man gave himself to the exchange, lips parting in perfect sync. They kissed with open mouths eager but leisurely, tasting each other without devouring or demanding dominance. Shikamaru captured Neji's upper lip between his own and pressed forward, sucking until it was swollen and glistening with saliva. Only then did he release and swap a few soft pecks with Hyūga while he smoothed his thumb across Neji's cheek repeatedly.

"Everything."