Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I still be writing fanfiction?

Authors Note: I read a couple of Shika/Neji -Neji/Shika stories lately and I'm seriously loving it. So that's why I decided to write one all about them.(Because there isn't enough of this pairing!) Read and review and I'll hand out cookies. No flames please.

Warnings: Shonen- ai of course! Why else?

Dreaming of a Sliver Feather

Nara Shikamaru walked down the corridor of the hallway of the hospital. His feet dragged slightly on the dirty pearly white floor. His face stern and serious. It wasn't his usual mask of laziness that he regularly puts on everyday. He couldn't right now, no he couldn't. There was too much chaoticness to be lazy. For one, he failed his first mission. Not only that, but casualties was high. Between Chouji and his pills that nearly killed him to Neji and his severely damaged body, how can anyone care less? Shikamaru's eyes gazed at his broken index finger. The only not to near death casualty.

Doctors and nurses walked passed him with all sorts of medical items to different patients. Trays after trays of needles and serums, it was enough to make the young teen crawl under a rock. He stopped mid way as he passed a little floral shop. An old woman with tan wrinkled skin and gray hair pulled back in a pony tail, was setting up new sets of fresh flowers, sorted from different variations. Not to forget, a crystal slim vase to boot. She poured the water carefully to each one handling the water kettle with care. Then she got a slightly larger vase from under her booth and started to arrange white roses and jasmines. It was a good mixture, Shikamaru thought. The white roses represented a cool yet calming tone, while the jasmines represented a mysterious shadow of the white roses. This description matches a particular Genin. He didn't need to say his name, for that he already knew. Neji. Hyuuga Neji. The stoic, cool, calm and yet stuck up character that always keeping away from others and to himself. He couldn't remember exactly when it happened because it was too troublesome at the time to be dealing with such things. Such things like love. Shikamaru thought it was pointless and, not to mention, a waste of time. He would see woman and girls of all ages, fantasying over the one they claim they love. Its stupid really. They go all out of their way just to impress a single person, who which may not be the one, but they still go out and do the same thing over again. Rinse and repeat until they get married. Its all useless. Either way, they just going to get divorced anyway, right?

However, the pre teen thought different this time around. Maybe it was the thought of sudden death? Or maybe it was the thought of losing of one's friend. Whichever it was, it hit him hard like a brick going against a window. His world began to shatter like the broken window or stormy clouds covering the blue sky, as he couldn't bare the thought of losing Chouji, his best friend, nor Neji, his...love life. Funny, Shikamaru thought, him out of all the genin, the laziest chuunin fell hopelessly in love with a guy that cares more about faith more than anything. Like that is going to go anywhere fast, but he couldn't help but think that it would go far, no, not think but know. What a strange feeling to be feeling at a crucial moment. Hm.

He made his way to the old woman, whom at the time saw the boy and she smiled brightly. She greeting him and waved her boney hand as a sign of 'come here'. Shikamaru stood in front of the small wooden table scanning the flowers again. His eyes fell once again on the white roses and jasmines. He didn't realize how beautiful the flowers were up close and the sent. . .the sent is overwhelming. The magnificent aroma filled the air and the pre teen nostrils. The sent was so calming and smooth, he could have fallen asleep right there on the hospital floor. Then take the flowers with him outside and watch the clouds roll by. He closed his dark brown eyes, seeing images flash by of his sensei, his team, the chuushin exam, of him becoming a chuushin, the mission and Neji. His mouth curved a frown. He can't even get a decent flashback without thinking of him somewhere down the line. How troublesome. Troublesome indeed to be obsessing over a guy who doesn't even like you in the first place. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the old woman.

"I see that you like this particular floral design, yes?" Shikamaru nodded. "Hm, what fine taste you have." the boy replied again by nodding. Fine tastes? Since when did ever Nara have fine taste? Oh that's right, ever since Neji came into the picture. The old woman smiled brightly at him and pushed the vase towards him. The boy raised an brow questioning the lady.

"Here," she said with her voice dried out, "Take it." Shikamaru started to protest but the elderly woman cut him off.

"There's no need to pay for it son. Sometimes people will give you a reward, that you don't need to question. Just simply take it and be graceful." She reached in her pocket and pulled out white feather that was strung on a sliver thin chain. She grabbed the boys hand placing the feather in his palm. Shikamaru paused and looked at the feather. It was glossy and soft to the touch. The color wasn't exactly white, it was a sliver purplish color that reminded him of Neji eyes. And he thought clouds reminded him of Neji piercing eyes. That's when he remembered something that he had forgotten since. A promise. He wasn't really for sure how it ended up that way, but both Neji and Shikamaru made a promise to each other. A promise that they wouldn't dare to break. The pre teen stared at the woman who turned her back getting more flowers from her little garden. He stuffed the necklace in his pocket and grabbed the vase. Shikamaru thanked the woman who just remain still.

"Don't get too careless and forget what is important for it will have an effect on others around you." he looked at the woman then at his feet.

"I know. . .I know."

---

Neji stared at the door when it closed on him. Continue to stare, trying to burn some sort of hole in metal. He clasped the feather necklace in his hand, holding it tightly and guarding it. He held on to the pale white rose, tracing it on his lips. His eyes soften as it began to water. He realizes that it could and may well be his last kiss from the lazy boy.

/ "I'm sorry Neji. I just don't think that this is the right time to be having a relationship and I think that . . .it wouldn't work out between us any way.. I will always care for you. See you in three years."

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I . . .I'm going somewhere to think things out."

". . .Shikamaru.. ."

"Yeah?"

"You better not forget me, or I'll hunt your lazy ass down."

"The same goes to you, cocky bastard."/

Neji gazed out the window, looking upon the clouds. Each one drifted away from the hospital going northward. For the second time in his life, he smiled.

"The clouds are high today, ne Shikamaru?"

End.

A/N: Just a lil short drabble