Neji's POV
Neji buried his nose in Shikamaru's neck, and breathed in that familiar scent of forest and tobacco that he had missed so much. As soon as his feet touched the ground again, he pulled back a little to look at the boy's face. Dark black eyes sparkled blindingly upon seeing his. The smile on the Nara's face was so tender and affectionate that Neji felt his heart was about to burst. He was smiling widely himself, not even trying to hide it. Not knowing why, he giggled a little.
Shikamaru answered with a soft laugh, and raised a hand to caress Neji's cheek. The Hyuuga leaned into the contact and rubbed his face against the gentle fingers.
Shikamaru's smile got bigger at that, and he slowly moved his hand to Neji's nape. Kami, how he had longed for that touch. Not wanting to wait another second to feel the Nara's lips on his, Neji took both hands to Shikamaru's face and pulled him closer. Their lips met, shaking them both to the core.
Fuck… I have missed you…, he thought.
Anxious to feel the other, he pressed his tongue into Shikamaru's mouth, who accepted him gladly with a deep moan.
The kiss quickly grew more intense. Shikamaru grabbed Neji by the hips, pulling him closer, and they simply held each other, relishing in the feel of the others body held tightly against their own. It felt as though fireworks were exploding in his chest, and he gently caressed the Nara's face. There was so much emotion in his touch. He wondered if Shikamaru could feel it.
Suddenly, something cold started creeping up his legs. He broke the kiss to look down. Two thin black tentacles were climbing up his pants. Alarmed, he was about to jump back when Shikamaru's soft laugh made him look up.
"It's okay," he said softly. "They won't hurt you."
Indeed, the tentacles kept moving up slowly surrounding Neji's body and wrapping around his wrists, continuing up to caress his cheek. "What are they doing?" He asked, lifting a hand and watching the tentacles softly curling through his fingers.
Shikamaru shrugged with a side smile. "They're just happy to see you too," he answered.
Neji met his eyes and smiled again. Shikamaru looked a bit embarrassed. "All right, that's enough," he said, waving a hand in the air, and the black tentacles slowly withdrew until they disappeared under the Nara's feet. It almost felt as though they were caressing him the entire way down.
Neji laughed softly as he reached for Shikamaru again. The other moved willingly to him. The Hyuuga put his hands on the Nara's shoulders, and noticed something strange. He ran his hands down to touch the boy's arms.
Through the thin shirt that Shikamaru wore he could feel that there was something different. His body seemed bigger. His muscles felt much more developed and defined.
He looked down to study Shikamaru's torso, which strangely seemed stronger. "You have been working out?"
Shikamaru laughed softly. "Not exactly," he answered. "But I now understand why construction workers are always so muscular."
Neji didn't understand at first, but then he made the connection. He turned his head to look at the big house that was now in the middle of the clearing.
"You mean…?" He started, but stopped at seeing how complicated that task was. "Wow! You build that?"
Shikamaru chuckled again, probably amused by Neji's unusual speaking. "I did. From the first beam to the last one."
The Hyuuga turned to face him again, not hiding his shocked expression. "I am impressed."
Shikamaru repeated his side smile. "And you haven't seen anything yet," He responded.
They climbed the new steps that lead to the cabin which were wider and more sturdy than the previous ones and went through the door. The first thing Shikamaru did was turn on the light. Before there had been only one candle lamp. Had he also ran electrical throughout the entire house? Instead of the small room full of boxes, books and notes scattered everywhere there was a new room, a little larger than the previous one, well-arranged and tidy. There were many shelves with Shikamaru's strange objects, as well as several bookshelves. In one corner, there was a small table bolted to the wall, behind which he saw a kitchen and cupboards. All the furniture looked worn and old, but the place seemed cozy.
"This is…" Neji mumbled. "Unbelievable. I would never have imagined you doing something like this."
The Nara shrugged. "Rajah is a good sensei," he said. "He made me do things I never imagined I could do. But there's more. Come on."
The Nara held his hand out to him. Without hesitation, Neji took it and let the boy guide him. They went through another door, and Shikamaru turned on another light. Inside there was a large bed that seemed to be very cushioned and comfortable. Aside from that, there was only one large piece of furniture and a wardrobe attached to the wall. On the other side of the room there was a large window that could be opened to a small porch where you could sit and see the other side of the clearing. Neji smiled. It was a beautiful room.
"You won't have to sleep on the floor anymore." Shikamaru whispered behind him.
The Hyuuga turned to look at him, still holding his hand. "I did not think about sleeping when I saw that bed," he said smiling with a suggestive tone.
Shikamaru smiled as well and bit his lip. Then, he pulled Neji's closer. The two boys held each other tightly and kissed again.
Their tongues met with desire. They separated only when they ran out of air. Neji felt his body vibrating at the contact. He lifted his gaze and found the bright, piercing eyes of the Nara, laden with all the emotions Shikamaru had had during the last seven months.
A short silence came after, when they simply stared at each other without saying a word. He was really back, after those long months, and they were really face to face at last. Neji felt the weight of all the time he had been waiting for this moment, and it seemed that Shikamaru was going through the same thing. With an expression Neji couldn't explain, the Nara lifted a hand to caress his cheek, like he had done a short time ago.
Again, the older boy accepted the touch rubbing himself against it, not breaking the intimate stare.
Shikamaru took a deep breath and spoke. "I have so much to tell you," he said.
Neji smiled, thinking about the enormous house the Nara had built and all his hard work.
"I can see a lot has happened during this time," he commented, as he covered Shikamaru's hand with his over his cheek. "Also, Tenten told me about your second IQ test. Congratulations. I imagine you have a lot to tell about that too."
The Nara lowered his head a little, but didn't look away. "Yes," he affirmed. "But that's not it…"
He grabbed Neji's hand and took it down, holding it softly. "I have something to show you," he said. And then, he hesitated for a minute. "I hope you don't take it as overstepping or take offense... The intention is good, ok? Remember that."
Neji frowned a little, suspicious. "What did you do?" He asked, looking at the Nara concerned.
Shikamaru smiled a little, and he put a hand on Neji's shoulder. "Sit," he instructed gently.
The Hyuuga sat on the edge of the bed and waited. He saw Shikamaru walking to the wardrobe attached to the wall, slide the door and take something from it. Then, he stood in front of Neji again.
He had an instrument on his hands, a Biwa, Neji thought it was called. Shikamaru reclined against the furniture that was in front of the bed, and locked the instrument on his hip, holding it firmly.
"Are you going to serenade me?" The Hyuuga asked, not hiding his surprise.
Shikamaru laughed softly. "Something like that…" he said. He put his fingers on the strings and looked at Neji with an awkward smile. "It's a bit rough, but I hope you like it."
He began to play a slow melody. It was beautiful and emotional. For some reason, Neji found it made him think of happy times in his life. Which was weird, because he had not had many. The memory of his mother came to his mind, and he felt his heart shake.
In that moment, Shikamaru started singing. His voice was a little raspy, but clear and in tune. The boy sang the first verses of the song.
"Inochi wa toki no naka wo, nagare nagarete, tokoshie no kiroku wo, futae no rasen ni tsumugi yuku."
Immediately, his mother's voice appeared in Neji's mind. He remembered her singing in his ear, when he was still little more than a baby. He closed his eyes, while the sound carried him to those faint memories.
Everything came back to him. The smell of his mother, the softness of her hands caressing his hair, the sound of her heart when he held him firmly against her chest every night, while she waited patiently for him to fall asleep.
"Watashi wa kono uta wo, utai katarite, setsuna no kioku wo, hito no kokoro ni kizami yuku…"
When Shikamaru finished, Neji still couldn't open his eyes. They were aching from containing his tears. He was gripping the bed sheets at the sides of his body trying hard not to shake, though he didn't achieve it completely. He missed his mother so much in that moment, even if he barely remembered her. He was sure that if she had been by his side, his life would have been different, even despite having the Curse Seal. A love like that one would make everything bearable.
After a few moments, he finally opened his eyes, the tears finally falling down his pale cheeks. Shikamaru had let the biwa rest against the furniture, and was watching him silently. He looked as though he felt bad for causing him to cry. But Neji didn't feel sad. That melody had awoken one of his most precious memories, and he was grateful for that. He smiled softly, wiping his eyes.
"How did you learn it?", he asked.
"I asked my mother, and she knew it," the boy answered. "Then I asked Rajah to teach me how to play it." He paused, looking a bit nervous. "Was it a good thing?"
Neji looked at him, understanding why the Nara had told him not to take it as an overstep. This boy was so caring. He had gone out of his way to learn his mother's song for him. And it had been like a caress to the soul. Shikamaru's warm and affectionate acts demonstrated his feelings towards him.
Slowly, the Hyuuga stood up and approached the Nara. The boy sayed quiet, and leaned his face into Neji's hand when he put it on his cheek.
"It was." the older boy answered. "Thank you."
After that, he stood on the tip of his feet and pressed his lips against Shikamaru's. He breathed the Nara's scent deeply, allowing his emotions take control of him. As always, the way Shikamaru cared about him made his heart soften. He pressed forward.
Neji felt the burning need to merge with the body in front of him. His heart was beating so strongly that he could almost hear it. The intense emotion quickly became desire, and the kiss turned into a hot mess of tongues and teeth.
The Nara's hands wandering his body made Neji's blood run faster. He moaned into Shikamaru´s mouth and that made the younger boy's eyes sparkle. He walked forward, pushing Neji back a few steps, until his legs hit the bed.
Gods… Neji thought, at the intoxicating taste of Shikamaru's lips.
The Nara put his hands at Neji's lower back, and then slid them up slowly, pressing with his fingers. The feeling of those wild nails, even though his clothes, caused him to shiver. Shikamaru's hands reached his neck and sank under his hair to grabbing it strongly. Holding him tightly, he pushed his tongue deeper into Neji's mouth, who couldn't help but moan again.
His hands flew to Shikamaru's hips and he grabbed the edge of his pants firmly. With a strong push he pressed their bodies together, making their hard erections meet. The hot sensation made the Nara break the kiss.
"Ah!" He exclaimed against Neji's mouth. His cheeks were red with arousal and he was breathing agitatedly. Loving what he was seeing, the Hyuuga started moving his hips against Shikamaru's, slowly rubbing their groins together, while holding the waist of his pants firmly.
Shikamaru's grip on his hair grew stronger, and Neji enjoyed the subtle pain. The Nara joined their foreheads together, and held still to let Neji continue his motion, looking down to see how their lengths pressed through their pants. He obviously liked it, and that made the Hyuuga want to give him more. He crashed his mouth against Shikamaru's again and bit his lip hungrily.
The Nara moaned hoarsely, releasing Neji's hair and lowering his hands to grab his hips. The heat was increasing quickly. His whole body shivered when Shikamaru's fingers lifted his robe and started caressing his sides. The feeling of that touch on his skin sent vibrations to his groin, and he pressed harder against the Nara's. Kami, so good…
With ardent desire, they began to undress each other. Without breaking the kiss, they took off their shirts. The sensation of their naked torsos touching made a chill run through Neji's spine. Shikamaru's skin was so hot it almost burned.
Without any warning, the Nara took him by the waist, lifted him a few inches, and laid him down on the bed with amazing ability, never parting their lips.
Again, Neji grabbed Shikamaru by the waist of his pants and brought their bodies closer. He repeated the motion of his hips, and trapped the Nara's tongue with his causing a deep cry to escape his mouth. It was so exciting to arouse him like that. He felt the weight of Shikamaru's body on top of his pressing him against the bed, their groins and mouths merged.
Their underclothes were beginning to get uncomfortably damp from their excitement, so they both reached to take them off. The Hyuuga took the opportunity to remove his Hitai-ate, keeping only the black ribbon that covered his forehead. Shikamaru came back to place himself on top of him again, but he took a moment to simply admire Neji.
The Hyuuga was lying on the bed breathing fast, his cheeks red as fire and his hot length dripping on his stomach. He let Shikamaru watch him, and took the time to do the same.
His physique had definitely changed. His shoulders were bigger and well sculpted, as were his arms and chest. His abdomen was defined and his skin tanned. On top of all of that, just like every time they met after a while, he seemed slightly older, which made him look like a handsome young man that he was.
Neji's eyes searched for Shikamaru's, who met them immediately. Placing a hand on the Nara's chin, he gently pulled the other boy towards him. He followed his lead, lying down on top of him. Neji pulled him to his mouth, and they kissed again.
This time, when their lengths touched there was nothing between them. Their fluids mixed, as both began to move their hips to make the hot organs rub frantically. Neji broke the kiss to bite Shikamaru's jaw moving up his face, leaving a trail of burning saliva. He reached the Nara's ear and ran his tongue along the outer rim making the younger boy moan against his neck. The sound vibrated against his skin, making his whole body beg for more.
This time that it wasn't enough. None of it was enough. He wanted to feel Shikamaru deep under his skin. Hungrily, he put his lips over the Nara's ear.
"I want to feel you inside me…" he whispered lustfully.
Shikamaru's body jumped. He stopped moving. He grabbed the Hyuuga's hip and dug his fingers on it. He was trembling and seemed to be trying to control himself. Neji was taken aback at how much just the idea of sex seemed to affect the other boy.
Shikamaru moved his head back to look at Neji. His expression was strange. He was highly aroused, sure, but also looked concerned. "Are you sure?", he asked in a murmur, and then hesitated a little. "We don't have to do it…"
Neji tilted his head to the side, trying to understand his reaction. "You do not want to?", he asked softly.
Shikamaru shook his head several times, his eyes wide. "Of course I want to," he affirmed. And he did, Neji could tell by the way his body kept shivering. "But… I don't want to hurt you… I mean, I've never done it before. I don't know…"
Neji smiled, and at seeing it, Shikamaru stopped talking. He was definitely not the person Neji had pictured a long time ago. A selfish slacker who cared about nothing but his egoistic desires. He was nothing like that. He was willing to lose the chance to make love to Neji, because he didn't want to hurt him. Because he was aware of what Neji had been through. That only made the Hyuuga want him even more.
He put a hand on Shikamaru's cheek and caressed it with his thumb. "You will not," he assured him, staring straight into his dark eyes. And then he added: "I trust you."
Shikamaru held still as iron for a few seconds. Apparently that phrase didn't make him feel better. Maybe because he really thought he was going to hurt Neji and that made the load heavier. Wanting to make that insecurity and that strange look disappear, the Hyuuga lifted his head to rub their noses together.
"It is okay. I know you will be gentle," he whispered. "Because you would never hurt me, right?"
Shikamaru's fingers dug deeper into his hip bone. He was shivering more evidently now, and Neji noticed he had closed his eyes and was frowning.
Why was he so affected? Had Neji said something wrong? After a short silence, Shikamaru let out a deep controlled breath and opened his eyes.
"Of course not," he said. "I never want to hurt you."
Something strange had happened, and Neji needed to fix it. So he took Shikamaru's face in his hands and tenderly caressed his cheeks. The Nara met his eyes, which were more unreadable than ever. What was going on inside that incredible mind?
"So…" Neji asked softly, without breaking their stare and still stroking Shikamaru's cheeks. He felt himself blushing before saying the next words. "Do you want all of me?"
Shikamaru's eyes finally softened, and he gave him a cute side smile. "More than anything," the boy answered breathlessly.
Neji smiled as well, changing to a more suggestive tone. "Then have me…" he whispered.
Shikamaru leaned forward and their mouths joined. Their hips began to dance again, and Neji felt himself being pressed over and over again against the mattress in an erotic tango of hips. The Nara's hand traveled down his body, caressing his sides, his chest, his legs, and every inch of Neji's skin they could reach. The touch was passionate and wild, but at the same time, calm and tender, almost reverent. He shivered at the intoxicating sensation of their lengths rubbing together, and he thought he didn't want their bodies to ever separate. That was why he felt a little empty when Shikamaru broke the kiss and started moving down his body slowly.
He planted wet and hot kisses along Neji's neck, moving down over his chest and stomach, causing him to close his eyes. The Hyuuga was so lost in the sensation that he didn't realize the boy was carefully approaching to his groin. He opened his eyes again when he felt a soft kiss at the junction of his pelvis and thigh. Neji looked down, and found Shikamaru's black eyes staring at his face. The Nara exhaled a deep breath, sending hot air over his erection. Neji groaned looking into Shikamaru's eyes sparkling.
Holding the stare, the Nara slid the tip of his tongue along Neji's hard shaft. The wet muscle traced the throbbing member, making the Hyuuga gasp. His erection continued to weep reacting to the delicious feeling of Shikamaru's tongue.
The Nara trapped the dripping tip with his mouth, stroking the head with his tongue. Neji gripped the sheets and leaned his head back. He was so aroused that he could come right then and now, but he wanted more. He braced himself strongly to the sheets to control his body. But then, Shikamaru pulled his whole erection in his hot mouth, and Neji couldn't help but shout in pleasure.
"Ah, fuck!" He exclaimed, as his hands flew from the sheets to Shikamaru's shoulders. The Nara moved his tongue inside his mouth, savoring Neji's flesh and making his legs shake.
The Hyuuga raised his head to look at him, and Shikamaru met his eyes in the act. He kept sucking him slowly while admiring Neji's face. After a few minutes, he finally pulled off the Hyuuga's erection. "Gods, I love the way you taste" Shikamaru whispered, then slid his tongue from the base to the tip of Neji's length one more time.
"Ah…" Neji cried, closing his eyes again. If he didn't tell Shikamaru to stop, he wouldn't be able to contain himself. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was too agitated to say anything.
"Easy…" he heard Shikamaru whisper. He felt movement, and opened his eyes to watch. The Nara moved to the edge of the bed and slid his hand under it, as if he were searching for something. A few seconds later he came back to place himself between Neji's legs, and the Hyuuga could see he had a bottle of lubricant in his hand. It was half empty.
Neji immediately understood what it meant and what was about to happen. He had asked for it, so he was okay with it. But a sudden thought crossed his mind, and even though he tried to ignore it, he couldn't. He supported his weight on his elbows leaning up and frowned, not realizing it, but Shikamaru must have noticed, because he stopped, and stared at Neji quietly.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
Neji hesitated. He felt a little stupid at having that thought, but finally he decided to voice the question that was ringing in his head.
"Why do you have lubricant?", he asked, knowing that his words sounded insecure.
At first, Shikamaru arched an eyebrow. He obviously wasn't expecting that question. But then, he blushed violently, and lowered the bottle, looking extremely embarrassed. He shrugged his shoulders slightly.
"Well…" he began, diverting his eyes. "I'm a 19 year old guy, and you're only here two weeks out of every seven months. It helps the hand glide smoother." It took him a long while, but he finally met Neji's eyes again. "A guy has needs, you know."
Neji watched him in silence for a moment, analyzing the answer, and then it hit him: Shikamaru hadn't been with anyone but him in all that time. Neji had wondered after the conversation he had witnessed between the boy and Temari, but he had no way of knowing for sure.
He had assumed that the boy slept with other people since Neji was always gone for so long. There was no reason why he shouldn't. Neji himself had told him that none of what happened between them meant they were some sort of exclusive couple. But despite that, Shikamaru hadn't. Everytime Neji left he had waited for him to return, even if that meant he had to take some things into his own hands in order to meet his needs.
He must have kept silent for a long time, because Shikamaru spoke again to make him wake up.
"What...?" He asked.
Neji stared at him and saw that the awkwardness had left his face a little. He seemed to be trying to understand what Neji might be thinking. Apparently, bedding someone else had never crossed Shikamaru's mind, despite Neji's absence, and he didn't understand his astonishment. The Hyuuga watched him, sitting calmly between his legs, with the bottle of lubricant in one hand and a slightly lost expression on his face. He felt an avalanche of emotions wash over him. All centering around the boy sitting between his thighs. Finally coming back to reality, Neji smiled.
"Nothing," he answered, and his relaxed and happy expression made the Nara smile as well. Wanting to be closer to him again, Neji lifted himself from the mattress to sit, leaning on one arm. He moved the other one up and took a hand to Shikamaru's cheek to kiss him again.
The Nara received his mouth as if it were a gift from heaven. He parted his lips and their tongues met, entangling once more. Neji moved his hand to Shikamaru's nape and fisted his hair. He closed his eyes to focus on the wonderful flavor of his breath. He could feel the heat their bodies emanated.
At some point, he heard the sound of the bottle being opened and shortly after, he felt a slippery hand grabbing his erection. Neji broke the kiss to gasp, and pressed his forehead to Shikamaru's. The friction of the Nara's hand covered in lube sliding over his length put Neji's body on the edge. He was starting to think Shikamaru wanted to make him come, when he felt another hand sliding down between his cheeks. It was also liberally coated in lube. Gentle fingers caressed the area around Neji's anus, making him shiver. Shikamaru slowly got closer to the sensitive zone, taking all the time in the world to make sure Neji was highly aroused. And he was. He had never been touched so gently in his life. Actually, it had been quite the opposite. He had no idea it could feel so good.
Suddenly, one of Shikamaru's fingers passed over that ring of muscle. It had barely touched it, but Neji felt his erection jump. He opened his eyes and found Shikamaru's looking back at him, his eyes like black pools of fire. He was just as aroused as Neji, but somehow he managed to keep his control. The Nara sunk his tongue inside his mouth, at the same time he put a finger right over Neji's entrance.
The Hyuuga moaned into Shikamaru's mouth. He could feel the nerves of his sensitive opening being stimulated. For what seemed like forever, the Nara simply rubbed his finger around his anus, while he continued stroking his erection with his other hand. Neji broke the kiss again to gasp heavily. Unconsciously, he started moving his hips, letting himself be carried by the hot sensation of Shikamaru's finger at his entrance, and the tortuous motion if his hand on his shaft. The Nara must have liked it, because he pressed his face against Neji and started kissing his neck once again. The Hyuuga could feel more liquid leaking from his erection and mixing with the slick on Shikamaru's hand.
In that moment, the boy's finger pressed softly against his tight entrance. Neji felt the ring of muscles contracting, but he was so aroused that it didn't hurt in the slightest. He fisted the Nara's hair harder. "Ah," Neji moaned against Shikamaru's face.
The younger boy moved his finger a bit deeper, making Neji arch his back and clench at the sheets beneath him. Shikamaru was so gentle, so patient, giving him time to adjust to the sensation before pressing his finger further in. The Hyuuga could feel his tight entrance dilating. The slight pain was appeased by the non stop movement of Shikamaru's hand on his erection, and the sweet kisses he kept planting on his neck. Before he realized it the Nara's whole finger was deep inside him. Neji thought he was getting close to that most sensitive spot, when the tip of Shikamaru's finger reached it. A wave of heat jolted across his whole body, and he arched his back even more, losing his hold on the sheets and on Shikamaru's hair, falling back onto the mattress.
The pleasure was so intense that he shut his eyes. He thought it couldn't get any better than that, when Shikamaru slowly introduced another finger into his entrance. He felt himself being gently opened and gasped at the sensation. Panting, he opened his eyes and gazed at Shikamaru, who was watching him with lustful eyes, while he kept stroking his wet erection and sliding his fingers inside him.
This time two fingers reached his prostate, and Neji cried in pleasure. Shikamaru slowly retracted his fingers, and then pushed them inside again, over and over and over again he repeated the motion so slowly that Neji wanted to beg him for more. He could feel the lube dripping down to fall on the sheets.
Shikamaru finally thought he was ready, because he slowly took his fingers out completely, making sure to not hurt him. He reached for the bottle again and spread a good amount over his hand, to then ran said hand over his own erection letting out a small whimper at the touch to the neglected member. Locking his eyes with Neji's he leaned over him, situating himself carefully between the Hyuuga's legs.
This was it. Thank Kami, because Neji could wait no longer. He wrapped a hand around Shikamaru's nape and pulled him closer joining their mouths and kissing him fiercely.
Neji wrapped his legs around Shikamaru's waist and moved his hips up a little, causing the younger boy's erection to move within inches of his entrance. The Nara broke the kiss, panting. His body started shaking slightly with anticipation.
Neji wrapped his arms around his ribs and began to gently caress his back with his fingers and nails. The Nara arched his shoulders at the sensation and moved his hips forward unconsciously. As he did so, the wet tip of his member touched Neji's hot ring.
They both moaned. The Hyuuga put both hands on Shikamaru's back and started directing him, making him slowly rub his entrance with his erection. He had already felt that with the others fingers and it was one of the most arousing things he had experienced. Shikamaru's hot flesh stroking him while it got more and more wet made his muscle dilate in anticipation.
His only experiences with penetrative sex had been terrifying. Carried out through threat and torture. The only feelings they had elicited had been fear, humiliation, and helplessness. After those dark years, he had refused to let anyone close to him. He had buried those memories as deep as possible. He did not want to risk having them brought back to the forefront of his mind again.
But Shikamaru had taught him that he could feel desire and excitement, not fear. That HE could be on control. That intimacy with someone that cared about you is something to be treasured. If he felt safe. And here, in the Nara forest, with this kind and caring boy, he felt safe.
He tightened his legs tighter around Shikamaru's waist and pulled him closer, making the tip of his erection press slightly against his entrance. The Nara shook with restraint, and concentrated all his strength on controlling his body. He lowered his head and supported his forehead against Neji's neck, letting out a deep breath. His skin was so hot, and the scent of their sex in the air was intoxicating. The Hyuuga tightened the grip of his legs and drew Shikamaru a little closer. A little deeper.
The sturdy tip of the Nara's shaft went an inch deeper into him. He was so dilated and aroused that it didn't hurt at all. Neji moaned and felt Shikamaru breathing hard against his skin. Yes… More…
He pressed up against the intrusion. Never in his life he had had the control like that. He was allowed to take his time, to set the pace himself. Shikamaru was letting him lead to avoid hurting him. The Nara started kissing Neji's neck hungrily, but always keeping calm despite his erection throbbed inside him.
Shikamaru's flesh opening him slowly felt so good. It was so wet that it slid easily into him, causing Neji's legs to shiver. But suddenly, there was pain. It was too big, and he was still too tight. He closed his eyes and winced. He tried to not let it show on his face and just endure, but Shikamaru must have noticed something was wrong, because he carefully slid a hand down Neji's chest, caressing his stomach, until he got to his groin. There, he took the Hyuuga's dripping shaft in hand and squeezed it softly.
Neji moaned at the sensation and arched his back again. At seeing his reaction, the Nara started stroking his wet member once more, sliding it up and down in a tortuous tandem. More hot liquid leaked from the hot tip. Shikamaru put his thumb on the fat drop, and spread it over the throbbing head, pressing gently.
"Ah!" Neji exclaimed at the novel sensation.
Shikamaru's erection pressed deeper inside him, but the pain no longer mattered, the pleasure was better. The Nara kept stroking him with his hand, repeating now and then the movement of his thumb, and that set Neji on the edge of losing his sanity. He grabbed fistfuls of the sheets at his side and clung to them until his knuckles turned white while Shikamaru's hard shaft continued along its journey into his body.
Neji opened his eyes to look at him. The Nara's cheeks were more red than ever, this time not only from arousal, but also from controlling himself. His face reflected that he was doing all he could to not just rip Neji into pieces right there. The Hyuuga's chanel was definitely tight, and he surely was feeling every bit of that pressure gripping his cock. Neji grew even more aroused at the realization that it was he that had driven the Nara to that state.
Neji licked his lips in lust. He wanted to see the Nara lose control and transform into the fierce animal he had always been with him. Digging his heels into Shikamaru's ass he squeezed tightly burying the others erection completely inside him, and held him firmly with his legs.
"Fuck!" Shikamaru shouted supporting his weight on his elbows and fisting the sheets at the sides of Neji's head.
Kami! Deeper… He pressed a bit more, and his body shook at the feeling of the hard flesh pulsating inside him. He adjusted quickly to the sudden intrusion. Shikamaru clenched his teeth and let out a sharp breath against Neji's mouth.
Delightful. He looked incredible with his skin slightly sweaty, his hair disheveled, and trembling with arousal. Neji caught his mouth with his, and their tongues collided wildly. They moaned heavily against each others lips, their bodies shaking. Neji began to tilt his hips slowly, letting Shikamaru know he could move. The Nara caught the rhythm immediately, and in a slow tandem he started to slide his erection inside Neji again and again, never removing it completely. The friction created more heat, and the sensation caused the Nara to add more and more of his own slick to the lubricant already inside. But he was still holding back, and Neji wanted more. He broke the kiss, keeping his lips a breath away from the Nara's.
"Please, Shikamaru…" he whispered pleading, panting with a lustful tone against Shikamaru's mouth. "Fuck me…"
The Nara's eyes widened. He had probably dreamed of hearing Neji speak those words to him. He wrapped one of this arms around the Hyuuga's and pressed his erection further inside Neji. The sensation was amazing. Slowly, he started to increase the pace and depth as he thrust his hips. He slid in and out of Neji with passionate violence, pounding him into the mattress. The older boy grabbed Shikamaru's shoulder blades and dug his nails into the hot skin causing the Nara to moan deeply.
That delicious sound created an idea in Neji's mind: the thought of Shikamaru coming inside him with a loud cry of pleasure. The image was so incredibly erotic that he felt himself nearing the precipice of his release.
Clenching his fingers in desire and digging his nails into the others shoulder, he slid his hands from Shikamaru's shoulder blades to the back of his neck, clutching it tightly. The exciting sensation caused the Nara to increase the speed of his hips even more, hitting Neji's sensitive spot over and over.
It was just too much. The Hyuuga arched his back and closed his eyes, pressing his head back into the bed.
"Ah!" He screamed in pleasure, as his release exploded between them.
As the last vestiges of his orgasm started to fade, he felt the Nara's hold on his waist shaking.
"Shit, Neji… Ah!" He exclaimed, pushing forward as far inside the Hyuuga as was possible while he filled him up with his seed.
His senses clouded momentarily. Slowly, it really dawned on Neji what had just happened. A little over a year ago, he would never have imagined it.
Shikamaru's body shivered, and he relaxed his muscles, leaning his weight over Neji. Gasping heavily, he searched for the Hyuuga's mouth who tilted his head to meet him. They kissed softly, feeling the ache of the last months finally fading away.
Shikamaru's POV
He was woken up quite abruptly by a scream and the bed shaking violently. His eyes shot open as he tried to remember where he was.
He had slept all night tangled together with Neji under the blankets of the huge bed he had made with his own hands.
They had actually had sex in that bed. Like, the whole thing, for the first time. That memory sent a shock of electricity to his groin, but he ignored it and concentrated on what was going on.
The scream sounded scared at first, but now was laughing. He looked to the side and saw Neji being attacked by a very excited Suimin. The deer had come through the door at the back of the cabin, and he didn't care that his horns were so big that they hit the ceiling. He was making happy sounds and prancing with excitement.
"I am happy to see you too," Neji told the animal between giggles while he caressed his furry head.
"C'mon, man!" Shikamaru said, annoyed. "You can't be in here, you're too big!"
Suimin stared at him for a second, but then turned to rub his snout down Neji's face.
"Ahh…" Shikamaru exhaled with resignation, and let his body fall in the mattress again. "He's your problem."
The Hyuuga laughed softly. "If you come with me outside you can have a blueberry," he whispered with a smile.
The deer straightened his ears and went still for a second, then start tapping his hoof on the floor. Neji laughed, and sat up in the bed.
Shikamaru watched his pale sculpted body under the morning sun. His hair fall down his back like tangled threads of messy chocolate silk. Just as beautiful as always.
"Do you always carry those now or what? " He asked.
Neji shrugged slightly. "Only when I know I am coming here," he answered, earning more licks from Suimin.
"Well, have fun you two," Shikamaru mumbled. "Unlike both of you, I have to work."
He sat up in the bed and put his legs down, taking a moment to yawn and stretch before standing up.
"So responsable…" he heard Neji saying at his back. "That is suspicious."
He tried not to react at the comment, but the truth was that his blood turned into ice. He turned around and met the Hyuuga's stare, giving him a side, cute smile.
"Maybe I'm just eager to make you breakfast," he answered.
Neji widened his eyes at this, and couldn't help the smile that grew across his face. "You are going to make breakfast?" He asked, bemused. "Really?"
Shikamaru shrugged. "Just watch me," he said, and leaned to take his clothes from the floor.
He put on his boxers and pants, feeling Neji's eyes on him. Then, he just turned and walked out of the room, leaving the Hyuuga to stare after him.
A few minutes later, he had already put the water on the fire, and was standing silently next to the kitchen. He could hear Neji outside, talking to Suimin.
He had to tell him what he knew. He should have done it yesterday, but after seeing the boy cry, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Now he had the chance again. There was no point in delaying it.
He was making himself coffee when he heard Neji's steps. He turned around, and saw the graceful body of the Hyuuga getting closer. He was wearing nothing but his pants, and the black ribbon in his forehead. Shikamaru didn't remember in which moment he lost his Hitai-ate. The older boy had tied is hair in a high ponytail, so his hair was swinging behind him as he walked.
"Tea, right?" The Nara asked as he watched him approach.
Neji smiled, standing in front of him. "Yes, please," he answered.
Then he put his hands on Shikamaru's hips, barely touching the skin with his fingers. It was a reflex gesture of confidence. Of trust.
Fuck.
They stared at each other for a few seconds. Neji's smile was so calm and warm that it hurt.
Tell him. Tell him!
Shikamaru felt a knot on his throat. No, he couldn't. "Which one do you like?" He finally said. "I have some…"
And just like that, he evaded the situation again.
Coward…
But even so, he kept a light mood. They had breakfast together, talking about how their days would be. Shikamaru would work till late afternoon, and Neji would spend time with his team. They would meet again at night, like in the old sweet routine they had shared the last time.
It was a bit hard to leave the house, because everytime he was ready to go, Neji came near to kiss him goodbye, and in seconds they were undressing each other again. Eventually, he was able to cross the threshold and leave.
Four days passed just like this. He had countless opportunities to tell Neji what he knew. But every time, he cowed. It was so hard to find the words to describe all that horror. And he couldn't deny that he was absolutely terrified the Hyuuga would hate him for disregarding his request to leave his family alone. But that changed nothing.
He had to tell him.
He was returning to the Nara forest after a long day of reading boring reports, repeating in his head that he had to talk with Neji tonight. He turned around a corner and took the main street, which was crowded with people. Walking slowly with his hands in his pockets, he rehearsed several speeches in his head. But suddenly, one face popped out from the crowd drawing his attention.
Big misty eyes, long dark hair, and a proud bare forehead. It was a Main House member. He didn't know the guy, but that had never mattered before. He simply chased them down to see how they acted, and what they did.
But this time there was something else. Walking next to the Hyuuga was a short, chubby, bald man. He immediately noticed the long lobes in the stranger's ears, which swayed slowly. Same as the guy he had seen talking to Hisao.
But this wasn't Hisao. This was another Main House Hyuuga. So did that prove that the whole clan was involved? No. It only proved that this guy and Hisao were, but he suspected they weren't the only ones.
Automatically, he approached and started following the pair from a safe distance. He knew he shouldn't do that with Neji in town. Even if he made sure the boy wasn't around, he could still see him with his Byakugan. He calculated the odds that Neji was in that same area at the same time, and using his Byakugan. He had no reason to use it in the middle of the village. So he decided it was unlikely, and focused on the two men ahead.
Neji's POV
"Oh, a new dango place was about to open a few days ago!" Tenten exclaimed. "We should go there. I'm dying to try it."
Team ten was walking down Konoha's streets, just hanging out.
"I don't know…" Neji said. "If Lee has sweets now he will not eat dinner after."
Tenten waved a hand in the air. "Oh, just one won't ruin his appetite," she replied. "Can you check with your Byakugan to see if it's opened yet? It's next to the Antique store."
Neji shrugged, resigned, and activated his Byakugan. He directed his eyes to the old Antique shop, going through people and houses with his dōjutsu. Before he found the place he was looking for, a familiar figure caught his attention. He saw Shikamaru walking down the street just one block away, and he had to repress a smile. But focusing on his face a bit more, he noticed something odd.
Shikamaru's expressión didn't seem... natural. He was staring straight ahead as if he was watching something. He looked to be concentrating on something.
"So?" Tenten asked from beside him.
What is he doing?
"Wait," Neji answered shortly.
He studied Shikamaru more intently, and realized he was walking strangely. As if he was trying to be cautious. He seemed ready to hide at any moment. But, from who?
"What?" Tenten questioned, noticing his frown.
"Wait," he simply repeated.
That only made his friend even more impatient.
"Whaaat?!" She insisted.
But this time, Neji didn't answer, because he had followed Shikamaru's stare. And he found it nailed to the back of a Main House member who was walking ahead of him. There was no doubt. The Nara was following him.
Neji clenched his fist in sudden anger. What the hell was he thinking? If he crossed one of those guys, and they found out he and Neji were close, they could kill him in an instant. Or worse, do it slowly, after torturing him to their heart's content. Didn't Shikamaru realized he was risking Neji's life with his meddlesomeness?
Neji watched him walk carefully behind the man, and felt his body begin to shake with rage. After how wonderful he had been, he was meddling behind his back. Despite the fact that Neji had specifically asked him to stay away from the Main House. Without hesitation, he started walking in the boy's direction. His teammates watched him with surprise and ran after him, asking repeatedly what was going on, but Neji said nothing.
He stopped at a corner just when Shikamaru was crossing the street. The boy couldn't see him behind the crowd, but thanks to his Byakugan Neji had full view of him. He was about to go plant his fist in the Nara's face, when someone else got there first. Ino and Choji had run into him and started chatting. The boy looked irritated, because he couldn't keep on with his stupid hunt. Neji saw him staring in the direction at which his objective had gone with frustration.
Bastard…
At his side, Lee and Tenten kept questioning him, but he was so mad that he couldn't speak. Slowly, the crowd decreased and the street cleared. There was nothing between them now.
Apparently bored with his friends conversation, Shikamaru gazed around his surroundings. Shortly after, he ran into Neji's cold and fierce eyes, throbbing with the Byakugan.
He could see the Nara tighten his fist inside his pockets though he tried to hide it. His eyes widened and he pressed his lips as he froze. It was obvious. He realized he had just been caught.
Neji frowned deeply, and Shikamaru swallowed, tensing.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Ino yelled at him, waving a hand in front of his face, but the Nara's eyes stayed locked on Neji's. "What are you looking at?"
She and Choji turned around and saw team Ten not far from them with a very angry Hyuuga staring directly at Shikamaru. They watched the way they looked at each other and asked what was going on as well.
"Neji, what's wrong? "Tenten asked yet again, not understanding the cold attack of his eyes on the Nara.
But Neji didn't see or hear any of the happenings around him. His entire body was trembling with suppressed rage. He started walking with fierce strides, not breaking the stare. Watching him, the Nara moved his head back a little, anticipating what was coming. He stood in the same place though, with his hands sunk deeply inside his pockets.
Neji stopped right in front of him, and deactivated his Byakugan, clenching his teeth in anger.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" He asked roughly.
They all stared at him with wide eyes. It was not usual to hear him curse. Shikamaru tried to act normal, and cleared his throat before answering. "What do you mean?" He asked innocently.
Neji's blood boiled. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He replied, furious. "I saw what you were doing!"
The Nara opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He simply didn't know what to say. Neji took a step forward.
"Have you completely lost your mind? Do you want to get me killed?"
Shikamaru startled hearing that. "What? Of course not!" He answered awkwardly. "I was just…"
But Neji interrupted him. "I do not care about what you were doing," he said seriously. "Just stop doing it, and please, don't meddle in other people's lives."
"I wasn't…" Shikamaru tried to add, now clearly worried.
"I don't want to hear it, Nara." Neji cut him off again, shaking with anger. "Stay away from my clan, and stay away from me."
After those words, he spun around and stalked away.
"Neji, wait!" He heard Shikamaru screaming at his back.
But he didn't stop. He passed his teammates and walked into the crowd.
"Neji! Please!" The Nara repeated now father away.
"Idiot!" The voice of Ino sounded in the air. "What did you do to him?"
Neji kept walking fast as a bullet until he was sure he had lost them. He stood at a quiet corner and took a deep breath.
That sneaky asshole. Why couldn't he simply do what he had asked of him? Didn't he realize what the Main House members could do to him, besides killing him? Neji remembered the incident with those three men from seven months ago. Had that not been graphic enough? He closed his eyes at recalling the terrible fear of knowing that he was about to be raped. Immediately, the ghost of the Cursed Seal being activated came to him, and he felt sick.
"Kami, Neji!" He heard at his back, while a kind hand touched his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
It was Tenten. She and Lee had kept looking for him. Neji didn't open his eyes. He knew theirs would be full of worries. And questions. So he simply nodded slowly.
"Yes, I am sorry you had to witness that. Could I say at your house for tonight?" He asked her, the exhaustion evident in his voice.
A short silence came after. She knew he practically lived in the Nara forest when he was in Konoha, so she understood what that question meant.
"Of course," she told him gently, while squeezing his arm affectionately.
She asked many questions, but Neji remained silent, and seeing the pained expression on his face she finally stopped asking. Lee didn't ask for any explanation. He simply gave him a warm and supportive smile that Neji was sincerely thankful for.
Shikamaru's POV
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He looked in all directions, but there was no sign of Neji. The boy had disappeared completely. Shikamaru's heart raced in his chest with the unmistakable rhythm of terror. He had screwed everything up. Among all the innumerable outcomes he had considered, the worst had happened. Only because he had been reckless and trusted the probabilities.
Idiot. And now what?
He needed to talk to the Hyuuga and explain. Maybe he would still be mad, but his intention from the beginning was to tell him, and he would stick to it. Next to him, Ino kept asking him what the hell was going on, while Choji just stared at him with a slightly worried look.
The hard beats of his heart started to hurt. He had to get out of there. "I'm sorry guys. I'll explain some other time, okay?" He simply said. "You're the best. Bye."
He quickly darted around a corner. They tried to follow him, but he was able to hide inside a store. He waited until they left before he came out.
He walked fast to get away from the center of town, not really knowing where he was going. Suddenly, Neji's words sounded in his mind: I trust you…
Shikamaru clenched his fists inside his pockets.
Fuck. No…
If he had talked with Neji the first time he had the chance, maybe this would never have happened. But no, he was too afraid to do it, and now the Hyuuga had caught him doing exactly what he had asked him not to do the last time they saw each other.
Shit, I need to find him.
With anguish running through his entire body, he covered the whole city looking for the boy. But there was no sight of him. He expected as much of course. He knew there wasn't much chance when a person with the Byakugan didn't want to be found. So when it started to get dark, he headed to the Nara forest. He spent the whole night walking around the furniture of the cabin, wishing that Neji would show up, knowing that it wasn't going to happen.
Shikamaru knew there was no way he could sleep, so he didn't even try. The only thing he did was to wait for the morning when he would go to work at the Hokage mansion like everyday.
Hoping to find Neji.
After the third day he was practically climbing up the walls. The Hyuuga was clearly avoiding him, because Shikamaru checked every corner of the city. He started fearing the other had left Konoha already when one morning he saw him entering the Hokage mansion with his team.
Shikamaru sped into the building. He tried to control his chakra emissions as not to alert the Hyuuga of his presence and walked several halls looking for him. But there was no trace of him. Damn, maybe he had activated his Byakugan and saw him.
Frustrated, he stopped at the front of the Hokage's office and was about to turn around to leave when Shizune stopped him.
"Shikamaru," she stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Don't leave. The Hokage wants to speak with you."
He let out a lazy breath, but stood there and waited until the Hokage finished talking with someone else. After a few minutes, the door slid open and the face of the three members of team ten appeared just in front of him.
Shikamaru opened his eyes wide and met Neji's stare, who immediately pressed his lips together and frowned at him.
"Come in, Shikamaru," the Godaime spoke from behind her desk.
Shit. Talk now.
"Neji," he said, hoping his voice wasn't trembling. "Please. I need to talk to you."
The Hyuuga returned a cold look of contempt. "I do not care," he responded curtly. "Goodbye."
He started to walk away, but before his team could follow him, Tsunade's voice stopped him.
"Wait, Neji," she said. "Actually you could help with this. Come here, all of you."
Yes! Thank you, Godaime-sama.
Now he might get another chance to approach to Neji.
The four ninja entered the office followed by Shizune. When they were finally standing in front of her desk, the Hokage took a folder and handed it to Shikamaru. "I have a mission for you," she said.
The Nara took the folder and opened it. "A mission?" He asked. "I thought I wasn't ready to go out on missions yet."
The Godaime clicked her tongue at this. "I think you are fine at this point," she answered. "There have been reports of strange activities near Hanka town. Big carts have been seen around the woods that surround the zone. They are believed to be carrying weapons. Intel points to bandits providing people with arms, so that they can try to take power in Hanka. The new head of the city has been quite hard on crime, and as such has made himself a target for thugs. I want you to go and investigate who are receiving this weapons, and who is providing them."
Shikamaru relaxed his arm next to his body, still holding the report. "All right…" he said flatly.
"Neji," the Hokage added turning to the Hyuuga. "I know you are on your break, but I am asking you to collaborate on this mission. It needs at least one Byakugan user."
Shikamaru stared at the Hyuuga from the corner of his eye. The boy seemed to hesitate.
"Honestly, Godaime-sama, I would prefer to stay in Konoha," he answered politely. "I am sure Hinata can fill that need."
The Hokage shook her head slowly.
"She is helping Shizune and me with other needs. I could call another Hyuuga, but you are already here, so why waste time?" She asked, and then took a second to study Neji's attitude. "It's not usual for you to decline a mission. Can I ask for the reason?"
Shikamaru saw Neji opening his mouth to reply, but he took too long, and Tenten finally answered for him.
"He's mad at Shikamaru ma'am," she said.
"Tenten." Neji was not happy with his teammate, as her named was growled out
But the Hokage was now staring at Shikamaru with suspicious eyes. The boy held her stare, petrified.
"Why?" Tsunade asked.
What the hell was he supposed to say? He pressed his lips, praying something would appear in his mind.
"He doesn't want to tell us," Tenten said again.
Damn troublesome girl… She was probably mad because Neji wouldn't tell what was going on.
The Godaime frowned, and locked eyes with Shikamaru's. But the boy said nothing, so she finally blinked in annoyance.
"Well I am sorry, but you are ninja," she stated. "If you have personal problems, leave them at home. You have a mission.
Shikamaru relaxed. Well, at least he hadn't had to explain anything. And now he would have more opportunities to talk to Neji.
"Take all the others," she instructed him before he left. "I don't want them here lazing around, when they could be of use."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "I doubt that…" he answered, and walked out the office.
There, team ten was waiting for him. Neji kept his eyes averted and refused to look at him. Shikamaru scratched his head.
"Well…." he started. "Get ready and we'll meet in half an hour at the main gate. Leave your uniforms and Hitai-ates. I'll get everyone else."
After that, they left the Hokage mansion headed in different directions.
Walking quickly, Shikamaru returned to his place in the Nara forest to get his things. Before leaving the house, he grabbed the little paper with the list of names of the Branch House members couples from a drawer. He unfolded it and read Neji's mother's name. He had planned to use that paper to start his explanation. That way, he could talk about the different people, the similarities he had found in the symptoms, and go on to explain about his investigation.
During the mission, he would try to find some time alone with Neji and do it just like he had rehearsed it in his head many times. After a final look, he folded the paper again and put in his pocket.
It took him about twenty minutes to find the rest of the team, but finally he got them all together at the front gate dressed in civilian clothes as instructed. Neji didn't meet his eyes at any moment, and maintained a cold and serious expression. Shikamaru didn't miss Ino and Tenten noticing the tension between them and exchanging curious looks, asking each other silently if they knew something.
Damn gossipy women.
Following a map he had taken from his place and recalling the details of Tsunade's report, he directed the team towards Hanka. It was a few hours away on foot so they had to walk a bit. His friends talked companionably, laughing and making jokes. Neji was silent and didn't speak once the entire trip. Neither did Shikamaru.
When they were approaching Hanka, he started giving instructions. They where there to get information, so first, they would use Neji's eyes to see if they could identify the providers. After that, they would go into the town and investigate who were receiving the weapons.
Without saying a word, and always avoiding Shikamaru's eyes, the Hyuuga stood in front of the group and activated his Byakugan. They walked for almost another hour before he finally saw something. It was a cart moving away slowly.
They sped up to get closer and followed at a safe distance. Shortly after, Neji said the cart had reached a small hut. The door was guarded by two men. They moved a little closer so that the Hyuuga could observe in greater detail and stopped.
"They are unloading the cart," Neji said, as the veins under his eyes throbbed.
"Can you see the weapons?" Sakura asked.
Neji nodded. So those were the supply spots. All right, now they needed to identify the bandits, to get ready to deal with them.
"Can you see their faces?" Shikamaru asked, approaching to Neji.
"Of course," the Hyuuga replied, without turning his head at all.
Shikamaru tried to stay calm. He could feel the tension in Neji's voice, and the fact that the boy refused to look at him hurt a lot. He swallowed and tried to control himself.
"Can you see if they have marks on their faces?" He asked, ignoring his feelings. "Like tattoos or anything.
Neji arched an eyebrow, and only then turned to face him. Shikamaru met his eyes and felt his heart jump.
"How do you know that?" The Hyuuga asked with a hard voice.
At the sight of those big, hostile eyes, Shikamaru went mute for a moment but then answered as fast as he could, hoping that the rest of the team wouldn't notice there was something going on between them.
"It is not unheard of in the west for bandits to have marks to identify them," he explained. "These are hostile territories where there's not much control and thievery is common. Bandits are powerful here, and they want to be known for their acts. That's why the Hanka leader's new way of doing things has caused so much revolt."
Neji listened in silence, his hard expression unchanging. He finally started walking forward again.
"Some of them have a snake on their necks," he said. "Others have their faces painted like skulls."
Shikamaru nodded and looked down. Yeah, he knew those guys. He had participated in at least four missions in that zone, and knew their abilities. The guys with the snakes used poisoned darts and kunais, and the other ones were simply assassins, but extraordinarily ruthless nonetheless. Not to mention, there were a lot of them, which made them more dangerous.
That was good information to return with a bigger team and a well thought out plan. But now Shikamaru was curious about the people who was receiving the weapons.
So now came the second part. First, they would go to town and find a hostel where they would rent rooms in separate groups to not draw attention to themselves. That way they would have somewhere to come back to and sleep. Everyone would wander the town, observing, trying to find out if there were people intending to overthrow the head of the town.
Each group would carry one of Shino's bugs, which they would use to notify the others to gather together if they had something to report. If they found nothing, they would try again tomorrow.
They found an inn where they could rent several adjoining rooms at the end of a long hallway on the ground floor. After they were settled they left one group at a time.
Shikamaru decided to go alone. After four hours of wandering the town he had already talked with at least thirty people. He bought a few products he didn't need just to make conversation with the merchants. Some of them were strong defenders of Hanka's new head for fighting against crime, which meant the man had really made himself a target for the bandits.
The best information he had gotten was from a drunken vagabond who told him that the head was an asshole for having stopped the sale of a number of alcoholic drinks, but that he was about to get his comeuppance. It could be just the raving of a bitter drunk, but still, Shikamaru was satisfied. He released Shino's bug and waited for the team in a dark alley.
Twenty minutes later, all the members of the team where there. They had been able to talk to people too, and found out that many had lost something because of the leaders new laws. Drugs, booze, arms and more. Apparently most of them were expecting something to happen. So yes, there was a part of the population that would support an attack on the power.
Shikamaru thought about what he knew. So bandits were providing people with weapons, but most of them had probably never handled one in their lives. Hanka would probably only need a little back up from Konoha to stop them and the bandits. They just needed to get this intel to the Hokage, and they would be able to stop the revolt before it happened.
"Well, I think we have enough," Shikamaru said after hearing what everyone had to report. "We'll spend the night in the inn and return tomorrow."
"If the work is done we should go out!" Ino exclaimed, and others cheered at her words.
Shikamaru shook his head at their antics. He put a hand in his pocket and took out his compass, turning around and walking a few steps away from the loud voices. He was already designing a strategy in his head to position Konoha's troops and ambush the bandits. He heard his friends talking at his back, but didn't pay attention to them. Until Neji's calm but cold voice spoke.
"What is this?" He asked.
Slowly coming back from his thoughts, Shikamaru turned around, still holding the compass. He stared at the Hyuuga, and suddenly his heart turned into ice. The boy had a little paper on his hands, and was looking down at it. Even though he couldn't see his face, Shikamaru could see the tension in his fingers. With horror, he recognized the little piece of paper. Panicking, he took his other hand to his pocket, realizing it was empty now. The paper must have fallen when he took the compass out.
Fuck.
A moment later, Neji lifted his eyes and leveled Shikamaru with a piercing look. He was frowning deeply. Unable to move, the Nara stood still as iron.
"Why does this have my mother's name on it?" Neji asked, furious.
Shikamaru was petrified. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He couldn't look away.
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
Everybody had stopped talking and were now staring at them and exchanging questioning looks. Neji was obviously furious, and Shikamaru thought he probably looked completely terrified. And he was, because the angry Hyuuga in front of him seem about to beat the hell out of him.
Knowing that he had to say something now, Shikamaru opened his mouth, but nothing came out. This irritated the Hyuuga even more, who fisted the little paper and took a step forward.
"You sneaky bastard…" he said between his teeth as he stalked towards him.
Shikamaru made a step back and lifted his hands, trying to calm him down.
"Wait, I can explain…"
But Neji didn't gave him the chance. Faster than a bullet, he crossed the space between them and threw a punch to Shikamaru's face, too fast for the boy to avoid it. It connected on his lip, and sent him staggering to the side.
It hurt. A lot. Neji had put chakra behind that punch, which meant he was really intending to cause damage. Some of his teammates screamed in alarm, and Shikamaru saw from the corner of his eye that Kiba was rushing towards Neji with clenched fists. With a fast movement, Shikamaru put himself between the Inuzuka and the Hyuuga, and grabbed Kiba by the shoulders, stopping him.
"Kiba, don't," he said to his friend, but the dog nin frowned at seeing his bleeding lip.
"He just punched you!" He yelled, staring at Neji with contempt.
Shikamaru spit a bit of blood on the ground. "Yeah, he did, and I deserved it." He answered, and then slowly turned back to the Hyuuga. "Neji, listen…"
But he wasn't able to go on, because Neji's fist hit him again, this time on the cheek. Right under his left eye. The painful punch pushed him back making him crash against Kiba's chest, who immediately tried to jump Neji again. Once more, Shikamaru grabbed his friend to stop him.
"Kiba!" He screamed to the boy.
"Are you insane?" The Inuzuka asked, staring at him in disbelief. "He just did it again"!
"I deserved that too!" Shikamaru exclaimed, and pushed him back, though not too strong.
Kiba and the rest of the team stared at him, not understanding what all that fight was about. Removing the blood from his chin with his wrist, Shikamaru turned around one more time and met Neji's angry eyes.
"Look," the Nara started, trying to sound calm. "I will tell you everything. Just not here, okay? There's too many people… Let's go back to the inn."
Neji held his stare, which was cold as ice. He scowled, clenching his fists at the sides of his body and breathing with rage. Then, he simply turned around and started walking back to the inn.
Shikamaru watched him go, not believing how much he had screwed things up.
"I don't know what you did," Tenten said, passing next to him. "But you're in trouble."
He was. Shikamaru exhaled an exhausted breathe and met Choji's eyes. The Akimichi looked at him with confusion. After a few seconds, they all followed Neji to the inn.
The Hyuuga was waiting for them at the door. He gave Shikamaru a piercing look and then walked inside. The boy followed him to the last of the rooms they had rented. Everybody wanted to know what was going on, so they went in with them without even asking. But Neji didn't seem to notice their presence. He stared right in front of Shikamaru and gave him his most bloodthirsty look.
"Speak,"he said seriously.
So that was it. He had to do it, right now, right there. He wouldn't even bother suggesting speaking in private, because Neji didn't seem willing to hear him. He opened his mouth, but before he could get the first words out he lowered his head, he hesitated. Damn, it was hard.
"Now," Neji demanded, taking a step forward.
"I'm sorry," Shikamaru said lowly. "It's not easy to find the words…" He closed his eyes for a moment. "Neji…"
Damn, do it!, he told himself. But his voice seemed about to break.
"Just say it," Neji ordered, sounding more threatening than ever.
Shikamaru took one last breath, and spoke, without lifting his head.
"Your mother was murdered," he finally said.
A deafening silence came after. The only sounds came from the streets, and they seemed very distant. After a long minute, Shikamaru dared to look at Neji.
The boy was staring at him still scowling deeply.
"What?" He asked shortly.
The Nara stared at him, feeling anguish growing in his chest. He pressed his lips before continuing.
"She didn't die from an illness. She was poisoned… By the Main House."
It was almost imperceptible, but he could see Neji's body began to shake at hearing his words. The Hyuuga's frown got deeper, and he took a step forward.
"How can you say something like that?" He questioned with clear hate in his eyes.
"I…" Shikamaru started. He intended to say he had found evidence, but Neji cut him.
"How dare you mess with something as delicate as my mother's death?" He asked again, taking another step and shaking with rage. "What gives you the right to do that? Do you have no respect for anything?!"
His voice was getting louder with every passing second. Shikamaru feared there were more punches in his near future, but he knew he wasn't going to return any of them. He could completely understand Neji's anger, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid of it.
"Listen, I know it's horrible," he said, trying to be gentle. "But I know what I'm saying. I have proof. If you let me explain to you…"
"No!" Neji screamed, making everybody jump with surprise. He never lost his temper, but now he was clearly not in control of his emotions.
"Why should I believe anything you say? You can't even keep a stupid promise! Everything that comes out of your mouth are lies!"
Those words stabbed Shikamaru directly in the chest. He frowned, and would have closed his eyes at the impact of the phrase, but instead he took a deep breath.
"You have every right to be mad," he said with honesty. "But this is true. They have been producing poisonous seeds for years, and with them they have killed most of the non-Hyuuga spouses of the Branch House members. Most branch Hyuugas do not have parents, even if one of them was from outside the clan, isn't that right?"
Neji's eyes hesitated for a moment. He obviously knew what Shikamaru said was true. He shook his head, frowning again and tightening his fists.
"It can be true…" He whispered. His voice was still hard, but weaker.
Shikamaru felt his heart racing. He couldn't even imagine how much it might hurt to hear something like that. He felt guilty for being the one to tell Neji, and for not having done it before.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," the Nara said. "I just didn't know how…"
But he stopped when Neji lowered his head. His body tense, and he was shaking noticeably. Shikamaru wished everybody would go and leave them alone. The Hyuuga was very careful to not show his feelings to anyone, and he definitely wouldn't like being seen like this. But he didn't seem capable of controlling himself. Shikamaru felt he had to say something to make it better.
"Neji…" He tried taking a few more steps towards the boy.
Neji's body shivered, and he spoke again, though this time his voice sounded both angry and torn.
"So you are telling me…" He began. "The Main House killed my father… and my mother…?"
After the question, he lifted his head and met Shikamaru's eyes, and what he saw in them made the Nara's heart break. Neji's usual lilac eyes were now a diluted gray, like pools of dense mist. He had never seen them that color before, and he could only imagine what it meant.
He wished he could say it was all a lie, or at least just a theory, to erase that pain on Neji's face. But he couldn't do that. The reality was cruel, but there was nothing to do about it. So after a few seconds, he simply blinked slowly with sadness.
"I'm sorry…" He answered.
The Hyuuga's eyes widened, and he stood still for a few seconds. Then, his whole face contracted in anguish, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His body was shaking even more violently, and the fists at his sides were white from being so tight. He lowered his head and started breathing agitatedly.
Shikamaru felt like a monster. All this was his fault. Neji was suffering the pain of his mother's death all over again, but this time it was even worse. He wanted to kick himself, but he also just wanted to wrap his arms around the other boy and hold him. But if he did he would probably catch another fist to the face, not to mention what the rest of the team might think.
But he couldn't stand the sorrowful image of Neji, shivering like a leaf. Not knowing what to do, he stepped closer, until he was only one step away from the Hyuuga.
"Neji…" He said, but there were no words that could make the situation better. "Gods, I'm so sorry… I…"
The desperation was about to take the last of him, when he heard a low sob coming from Neji's mouth. The boy took his closed fists to his eyes and pressed them firmly, shaking and breathing with difficulty. With one more sob, he spoke with a broken voice.
"Shikamaru…" He said, making the Nara's heart tremble with sadness.
After that, he walked straight to Shikamaru, who thought he was about to receive another punch on the mouth. But instead, Neji buried his face on his chest, grabbing the fabric of his shirt with his shaking fingers and, with a heartbreaking sound, began to cry.
It felt like a bucket of cold water all over him. Neji. Hyuuga, Neji, was crying uncontrollably in front of his whole team, and it was his fault. He could at least have handled things better, to avoid exposing him like this. Shikamaru clenched his teeth, feeling the smaller body shivering against his, and he lowered his head with pang.
His teammates made no sound, and stood in respectful silence at the painful scene.
"We should go, guys…" Choji finally said, gesturing to the others to leave the room.
Nobody protested, they just started heading out slowly. Tenten hesitated for a moment, and approached a little, staring at the Hyuuga with a worried expression, but the boy's face was still buried in Shikamaru's chest, and he kept crying, unaware of anything besides the pain he felt.
"Neji…" Tenten whispered, reaching out a hand towards him, but she stopped before touching him. She didn't know what to say either.
"Don't worry," Choji told her tenderly, as he softly wrapped his big arm around her shoulders. "Shikamaru will take care of him."
After saying those words, the Akimichi gave his friend a compassionate look, that he returned with a sad nod of his head as a silent thank you. Choji turned around, pulling Tenten outside, and he closed the door behind them.
Shikamaru wound his arms around Neji's body and embraced him tightly. The Hyuuga fisted his shirt strongly and shook more violently. Shikamaru could feel his tears wetting his clothes as he kept crying, his sobs filling the silent room.
Hi!
I'm so so sorry for the long wait! I know it's been a very long time since last chapter. I really hope you enjoy the new one.
There's a few things I like to let you know. First one, I didn't feel good about Neji's past regarding Hisao. I felt he was too young when the incidents happened. So I changed it a bit, making it happen when he was fifteen. I hope you don't mind me making this change, but this is my first fic so I'm still figuring out my writing style, and I don't want to write things I don't feel comfortable with. So, hope you understand!
Second, as always, a special thanks to my awesome editor MirandaZ. This time she made more than correcting and editing. She actually helped me a lot in one part of this episode, so I must say that she is co-author of this chapter. Thank you infinitely for that!
Finally, I just wanted to mention that Neji's mother's song is a real song. It's called "The spinning song". I took the liberty to use it.
Well, that's all.
Until the next chapter! ^^