Summery: Five years since the attack on Konoha, two geniuses who don't see eye to eye are captured by the Rain during a routine surveillance mission. Without the use of jitsus will Neji and Shikamaru be able to rely on each other for survival? Eventual NejiShika

To find the link to the Rain Nin Character Art: Check out my profile page. Their costumes are a bit to elaborate for me to literate without being confusing (smiles in embarrassment.)

This Naruto fic is in its pure unbeta'ed form. Special thanks to Faraway4today for helping me with the story and getting into the 'mode' of Shika and Neji's characters. I send you lots of strawberry marshmallows of happiness!

BE FOREWARNED! There is shonen-ai in this chapter! This is where the NejiShika word comes into play. Flames will be thrown in the fire to toast my marshmallows, posted in the next chapter to be rediculed, then deleted. So don't bother.

Ch. 5 During theNight

Neji could not clearly remember exactly when Shikamaru had fallen asleep in his arms. There was no feasible way to measure time in the windowless prison other than mentally ticking the minutes.

Unable to remain still with his agitation, Neji spent those unmeasured hours pacing the small cell. He tried to ignore the aching wounds where Hariyo had sliced out his flesh. (The medical nin had even went so far as to extract blood samples from his forehead seal.) His arm, thigh and torso had been bandaged where Hariyo had cut into him. The young Hyuuga knew that his wounds had only been dressed to keep his living body as reserves for further testing. For how much longer he will be kept for reserves, Neji did not want to dwell.

Tired of pacing, Neji strode over towards the sealed door where a platter of rice and a bowl of water had been left for the prisoners.

Neji stared at the board of rice. The rice seemed to stare back at him. Despite confirmation that neither the food or water had been tampered, he had no appetite. Either way, the food needed to go somewhere. With a small sigh, Neji's gaze shifted from the rice to his huddled companion in the corner of the room.

Shikamaru's had withdrawn into himself ever since he had awoken from a fitful sleep. He did not seem to fully acknowledge Neji's presence, and would not respond to his companion's voice. This left Neji guessing on of what sort of illusion Shikamaru was trapped in, though he guessed that it was some form of a cognitive illusion technique. Shikamaru had been in the grips of the illusion in the last several hours, and showed no signs of shaking it off. The once laid back Shikamaru possessed the appearance of an entirely different person; The Shadow Anbu was lost somewhere in the young man huddled in the corner, whose dull eyes no longer contained the spark of his former speculative self.

It worried Neji that his condition had not changed over the last few hours.

With the food in hand, Neji knelt down in front of Shikamaru. The young man did not seem to notice the Hyuuga's presence, and remained still with his knees drawn to his chest. Neji pushed the bowl of rice towards his silent companion. "Here, you need to eat."

Shikamaru lifted his gaze long enough to notice the platter, then turned away from the proffered food to stare at the floor.

Neji's mouth curled into a frown. "Nara, you have to eat. You need to keep your strength for when we escape." After receiving no response, Neji growled in frustration, his sympathy finally wearing thin. "If you're not going to eat, I will. I have no intention of remaining a prisoner in this place!" With a huff, Neji plopped down next to his companion and picked at a clump of rice. With his attention stubbornly fixed on the food, Neji almost did not hear Shikamaru's soft voice.

"Am I a failure?" The inquiry was whispered.

Neji paused with rice raised to his lips. The food forgotten, he scrambled over to look his companion in the eyes. It was the first time Shikamaru had coherently spoken in hours. "What did you say?"

The young Nara's eyes seemed a little less glassy. He blinked slowly as if trying to wake from a deep sleep, his voice halting uncertainly. "I...let them hurt you. I didn't...want–."

"I'm alright." Neji interrupted and motioned to his bandaged arms. "They cut me a little, but I've had worse." Neji gripped his companion's shoulders. "Focus on me and try to break free of this dream. Shikamaru, listen to me!"

"I-I saw the future." Shikamaru continued, his voice becoming hoarse. "You-you were dying, and I can't do anything to help you!" Shikamaru gripped his knees tighter as his body shook with emotion.

Its like he's in a dream that he can't wake from. Neji thought. A small part of him realizes that I have not...been disposed of yet.

Neji's hand reached out to gently lift Shikamaru's chin for their eyes to meet. "Nothing has been determined yet." Neji focused to look past the glazed eyes to reach the shinobi within the terrified young man. "We have to fight for a new future; If you allow fate to take control of your mind, then there will be no possibility of a different future." Neji smiled to himself. "It was Naruto that taught me so."

Shikamaru's eyes flickered as if the words had reached his troubled mind. Encouraged by this, Neji continued. "We're not going to die here, we have to plan for escape."

"Plan...strategize?" Shikamaru murmured.

"Yes." Neji nodded. "We have to strategize a way out."

"S'not...gonna work." Shikamaru's eyes glazed over as he began to fall back into stupor.

"No you don't!" Neji shook his companion's shoulders, his voice rising in panic. "Shit! Stay with me Nara, fight it! Don't leave me alone in here!"

"So...hard."

Desperate to keep his friend conscious, Neji pulled Shikamaru's limp form up to his feet. "Lets walk for a bit, that should help you stay awake." With an arm draped over his shoulders for support, Neji led the young Nara around the small room. Shikamaru had great difficulty putting one foot in front of the other, so for the most part it was Neji dragging him around in circles. The Hyuuga could feel his wounds reopening from the strain of dragging Shikamaru's body. Neji merely gritted his teeth and continued to walk, desperate to keep his comrade conscious. A conversation seemed to be in order.

The words poured from his mouth in a half thought-out stream. "Remember the Chuunin exams all those years ago? I was unable to watch you fight but I heard that you took over three hours to deliver a strategy. Heh, after all that time you gave up the fight to that Sand nin. Despite everything else, you were the only one who became a Chuunin. Ironic eh? Though you proved to be a competent leader during our mission to recover Sasuke."

Shikamaru made a small sound that Neji interpreted as a whimper. The Hyuuga's wounds ached from dragging a semi-conscious body around, so he took the sound as a cue to gently ease Shikamaru to the floor.

With a grunt, Neji leaned against the wall next to Shikamaru. He glanced at his blood soaked bandages, and hissed in pain at what he saw. "Damn that Hariyo" he cursed under his breath. He had not received such wounds since the war with the Sound. Neji was never one for idle conversation, though now he could no longer stand the deafening silence of the room, and his voice seemed to comfort Shikamaru.

"Tenten died during the war with the Sound." Neji's pale eyes blinked as he recalled old memories. " Its so strange to lose a teammate. Hn, I was there when she died. We used to spar together, though I didn't know much about her outside of comradeship. For that I...regret not getting to know her better." Neji shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. "As comrades, I was so wrapped up in my own concerns that I never realized how little I knew about her until after she died." The Hyuuga sighed. "It is a mistake that I don't ever want to repeat."

Neji did not receive a reply from his silent companion. He didn't expect one. Lost in bittersweet memories of days gone by, he fell silent in his thoughts.

"I hate mistakes." Shikamaru whispered.

Neji was caught off guard, he did not count on Shikamaru actually listening to his personal rumblings. "Well..." Neji coughed to cover his embarrassment. "Everyone makes mistakes at one time or another."

Shikamaru shook his head slightly. "I think about avoiding mistakes all the time. I can't afford to make mistakes, ever."

"Why is that?" Neji pressed to keep Shikamaru talking.

Shikamaru closed his eyes. "I'm afraid of getting someone killed. Even during that rescue mission after you and Choji got hurt...I-I still think to this day what path I could have chosen...what different move I could have made to prevent it from happening."

Neji sighed. "Its natural to feel so. All team leaders fear for their subordinates' lives on a mission. As for that mission...what's done is done, we all came out alive and well in the end."

Shikamaru grabbed his head and shook it violently. "But it never should have happened! There's always another way, I'm just too stupid to see it!" A broken sob escaped. "And now we're here with no way out, and you're gonna die and I can't stop it!" Shikamaru buried his face into his knees, his lean frame shook with sobs.

Neji sighed in defeat, Shikamaru was back where he had started. There was nothing more for him to do, without Shikamaru's help they will never be able to escape. Neji had never felt so helpless. He made as if to move when a hand grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me!" Shikamaru's whispered.

Neji turned to see Shikamaru clutching his bandaged arm, his dark doe eyes full of pleading.

"Please, don't leave me alone."Shikamaru repeated. "I'm scared."

Something tugged at Neji's heart. He wanted to comfort Shikamaru; as to make that pathetic look dissipate by even a fraction. Slowly, he knelt down to be eye level with Shikamaru. "I won't leave you." He hesitated, then leaned forward to gently plant a kiss on the Nara's brow.

Neji ran his hand along the dark mussed hair that had mostly freed itself of the hairtie. Shikamaru closed his eyes and leaned into his hand. Neji frowned, a little unsure of what he can do to comfort his tortured friend. He ran a thumb over Shikamaru's tear streaked cheeks to coax his eyes open. Shikamaru's eyes remained as pleading as they were before. Pity and further concern washed over Neji, and he gave in to its resolve. He scooted closer and put his arm around Shikamaru to pull him close, to create comfort and warmth for both their sakes.

Shikamaru immediately snuggled against Neji, closing his eyes tightly. Neji sighed knowing that this was all he could do for the young man, to sit by his side and be the source of comfort Shikamaru was searching for.

Suddenly tired, Neji rested his cheek on the top of Shikamaru's head as he wrapped his other arm around the young man. Soon he fell asleep with the thoughts of tomorrow far from his mind. For now, it was enough to hold and to be held in someone's arms.

And thus the two prisoners slept as soundly as they could; for being with each other was the only comfort they possessed before they faced the uncertainty of tomorrow.

An tomorrow will prove to be a dark day.

I warned you of the NejiShika action! If you flame, you will be deleted then ridiculed at in my next chapter. So don't bother.

Extra special thanks to mah friend Sloan for helping me with the sappy bits while I was all mentally drained for ideas. (pelts you with heart shaped candy)

Next chappie involves Kuma taking a bit more interest in ourNeji, so be warned of the possibility of ratings going up.

Please R/R! It fills me with fanficing joy!