Neji threw the bō up for the fifth time, as high as he could. He heard it spinning in the air for a few seconds and then descend again. As he had done the previous times, he caught it before it hit the ground.
He was getting better and better with the weapon, but he wouldn't stop until he felt it was like an extension of his arm. Despite of what he had thought before, he had to admit it had turned out to be very useful. Training with Shikamaru, he managed to keep the boy at a considerable distance with it. They had not yet done the test fighting against Zetsus, but he felt he would be able to do it. He just needed to keep practicing.
Neji remembered training with his team, trying to coordinate with them to work together. Sometimes it had been difficult, because his teammates had their own personalities. Lee was too reckless, and he usually threw himself at the enemies forgetting the plan, and Tenten used to be a bit lazy. Neji had dealt with both, forcing himself to control his temper and be tolerant. With Shikamaru that was not necessary. The boy was as committed to each task as he was, and remained positive and focused when they trained. It was so easy to work with him. They had never had a real argument. The few times when Neji got frustrated or exasperated only a little, Shikamaru responded with that sweet and relaxed voice, and with such kind words, that Neji calmed down immediately. It was hard to get mad at him if he was so gentle. Sometimes, even before the Hyuuga said anything, Shikamaru began to tell him the right words to take away his worries, like he could read his mind. Thas was probably a lot, but Neji was sure the boy was becoming an expert in reading his expressions. Even if he tried to control his reactions, the Nara saw through him. And it wasn't strange, because he had been looking at Neji, and only Neji, for almost two months. For many weeks, they had talked only among themselves, and had shared every moment of every day. In the same way that the Hyuuga was learning to detect every slight change in Shikamaru's voice, the younger boy was also beginning to know him better.
The Nara had discovered the bō could also serve as a good tool to climb. Neji had managed to climb trees alone, but sometimes it took him too long to find where to put his hands and feet. In an emergency, that could cost him his life. Instead, if Shikamaru went up first, then he could use the bō to help him up. In the same way, if Neji was up he could help the Nara to get up faster. They tried this many times, and realized that it was very practical. Doing this, they could get out of the Zetsus reach very quickly. So the bō was actually useful for both of them, as a team.
With this in mind, Shikamaru suggested it would be better if the two of them could carry the weapon, and they could easily pass it to the other when necessary. With clothes they found in the next villages they checked, they put together two holders to carry it on their backs, and added another one to hook it into the backpack. Also, using a few small sleigh bells that he pulled from inside an old toy he found, Shikamaru tied a ribbon to the tip of the bō, so Neji could hear it when he threw it at him. The sound was very subtle, but now that his sense of hearing had developed a little more, the Hyuuga could hear it perfectly when approaching through the air.
He threw the bō in the air again, thinking about the last weeks with the Nara. Their dialogues were sometimes very particular. By just resting one hand on his forearm, he could transmit something to Shikamaru. Like, pass me the water bottle, or it's time to go to sleep. The boy always got the message. And contact was become something so natural that Neji sometimes didn't even notice it. Not only for how they held hands every night. He had actually realized about it while they trained climbing trees with the bō. Shikamaru would sit in a high branch, and then reach the weapon to him. Neji would grab the other end, and jump softly to help the Nara lift him. Once at the same high, Shikamaru would take him by the waist to sit him between his thighs, clinging firmly to him so he wouldn't fall. In those moments, Neji could feel his warm chest against his back, and his strong arm around him, but he didn't feel uncomfortable at all. It wasn't easy to admit, but that was the closest he had been to anyone before.
"You haven't dropped it once in half an hour," Shikamaru said after a while of watching Neji throw the bō upwards again and again. The Nara was lying on the grass of the small clearing where they were camping, while Neji practiced. "I think you already got it".
The Hyuuga caught the bō one more time and then stopped. "Yes, you are right", he answered calmly. "And there is another thing I have been wanting to try".
He firmly took the weapon with both hands and buried it deep in the ground. After trying to move it a few times, to make sure it was stable, he started walking away.
"I don't see where this is going", Shikamaru said behind him.
Neji smiled but didn't stop walking. "You are about to", he answered.
When he considered he was far enough, he stopped and turned around. A gentle breeze was blowing that morning, and Neji could hear the sleigh bells clinking softly at the tip of the bō, so he could tell exactly where it was. He took a deep breath and prepared himself. If he missed, it could hurt a lot. When he finally felt ready, he started running forward.
He could only imagine Shikamaru's expression, watching him with confusion, and he hoped the boy wouldn't try to stop him. He focused on the sleigh bells sound, and extended his hand. In the moment he touched the bō, he held tight to it and lifted his feet from the ground. The impulse of the run was enough to make him go around the axis. Fortunately the weapon resisted. After two quick turns around it, he placed his feet on the wooden stick. The bō bowed with his weight, but didn't break. Neji waited for the right moment, when the stick began to straighten again. Then, he let go his hand, and took a powerful jump. He felt that he had reached a good height, enough to take a turn in the air before falling. When he finally touched the ground, the force was too much, and he had to kneel down so as not to lose his balance. But seconds later he was standing again, and totally unharmed.
He heard a whistle behind him. "Wow", Shikamaru exclaimed at his back. "I have to say it. That was pretty impressive, Hyuuga".
Neji turned around with a proud smile. "Thank you", he answered, and approached to the Nara to stand in front of him. "Did you make that sound?".
"What? This?", Shikamaru said, and repeated the whistle.
"Yes", Neji replied. That was an interesting thing. An idea started forming in his head. "You can whistle?"
"Well, yeah", the Nara replied, probably not considering it as an interesting fact.
"And can you make different sounds?", Neji kept questioning, sitting in front of him.
"I don't know", the Nara replied. "I guess I probably can. Why?".
"Well", Neji started explaining, while he combed his hair with his hands. "We could use them as signals. You know, different sounds, meaning different things".
Shikamaru went silent for a few seconds, and once more, Neji had the feeling that the boy was smiling. Because of how his voice sounded when he spoke, he was not mistaken.
"I like how you think", the Nara said, and then added with enthusiasm: "Let's give it a try".
They stayed there, sitting opposite each other on the grass, trying different sounds and giving them meanings. Some were very similar, but Neji could distinguish them by their small variations.
"I think this is going to work", the Nara said after a while. "And what about you? Can you whistle?".
"I can not", Neji answered sincerely.
"Well, it would be better if we both could do it", Shikamaru replied. "So you'll have to learn".
The Nara spent the next hour teaching Neji how to whistle. He had never tried to do it, and it was not as easy as he would had imagined.
"No, close your lips a little more", Shikamaru instructed, while Neji blew without getting any sound. He felt a bit stupid, but the Nara's soft laugh helped him relax. "No, no so much. Here, feel how I do it".
Shikamaru took Neji's wrist and put his hand on his lips. Then he whistled softly, and Neji felt his warm breath against his fingers. He tried to remember the position of Shikamaru's lips to imitate it correctly. The Nara lowered his hand, though he didn't let it go. Neji was already so used to the sensation that he barely noticed it.
"Now you try it", Shikamaru said, and Neji did, but again nothing but air came out. "Mmm, no", the Nara repeated, and took his other hand to Neji's face. He gently pressed his cheeks with his fingers, and the Hyuuga felt a soft heat spreading across his face. Fortunately Shikamaru didn't notice, or chose not to mention it. "Do it again", he said, without removing his hand. Neji did as told, and finally a weak sound came out. It was not very clear, but it was something. The Nara laughed softly again and lowered his hand. "Just keep practicing".
They continued throughout the day, sitting quietly on the grass. Shikamaru would make a sound, and Neji would try to imitate it, although it never sounded the same. When it began to get dark, they climbed a large tree to spend the night safely. Zetsus had no chakra, so if they came while they were sleeping, Neji wouldn't be able to perceive them. They had to stay out of reach all the time. The two boys settled on a thick branch and ate, chatting calmly.
"You had a good idea today", Shikamaru said when they finished their food. "I see why people used to call you a genius".
Neji heard him leaning his back on the thick trunk, so he slipped carefully through the branch and sat next to him. "I can not let you have all the good ideas", he answered calmly. Shikamaru chuckled softly next to him.
"I was thinking though", the Nara continued. "What about situations when we can't make sounds? Say, there are enemies nearby and they could detect us. These signals wouldn't work".
Neji considered the situation. If he wasn't blind, they could simply use hand signals like shinobis did in missions, but with him that was useless. He shrugged, feeling a little angry at himself.
"Mmmm", Shikamaru meditated next to him. "Let's see if this works". He took Neji's wrist and placed his hand over his thigh. Then, he put a finger in the center of his palm, touching it softly. "Let's say you're here, in the center. And I want to tell you there's a Zetsu in front of you". Shikamaru lifted his finger and put in a little higher on his palm. "Can you feel it?".
He could, and he could totally understand what the Nara was saying, so he nodded. "Really?'", the boy asked. "Let's say is more than one, and that I do this". He moved his finger to the left, and pressed three times against his skin. It only took Neji a second to get it.
"Three Zetsus, to the left", he answered, expecting to be correct.
Shikamaru let out a soft laugh. "Yes. You're amazing, without a doubt", he said, and Neji smiled broadly.
They remained there, sitting with their backs against the big tree, improving the new code. Neji felt Shikamaru's fingers sliding down his palm gently. He enjoyed the proximity, and the nice conversation. When they finally settled down to sleep, the Hyuuga realized he was actually very tired. He fall asleep quickly, holding Shikamaru's hand, as always.
He woke up a few hours later, when a cold breeze reached him. The temperature had descended a lot, more than in the previous days. That meant winter was approaching. He moved a little in his place, trying to snuggle against the Nara's warm body. This caused Shikamaru to wake up, and he squeezed Neji's hand in a reflex.
"What happen?", the younger boy asked with a sleepy and startled voice.
"Nothing", Neji answered softly. "It is getting cold".
"Oh", the Nara replied, calming down. "Wait a second".
He felt Shikamaru sitting next to him and reaching for the backpack, without letting go his hand. Neji heard the boy struggling with the zipper for about a minute.
"Shikamaru?", he called in a whisper.
"Mmmm?", the Nara murmured, still focused on opening the backpack.
"You can let go my hand to open the backpack".
"What?", Shikamaru asked. He was obviously still half asleep. "Oh, right", he added, and Neji could hear the embarrassment in his voice. He laughed softly while the Nara used his boths hands to open the backpack.
Seconds later, he felt Shikamaru covering them both with the blanket they had found in the first village. Neji sighed softly, enjoying the warm sensation. He turned his back to the Nara to lie on his side. But suddenly he felt something was missing. And it was the touch of Shikamaru's hand. Without even thinking about it, he extended his arm, expecting that the boy would see it. The Nara did, and he immediately took Neji's hand again. It was nice to know that he was always paying attention to him.
The Hyuuga pulled from his hand to make him come closer. Without saying a word, Shikamaru lay down behind him, surrounding him with his arm. Neji felt his heart beating against his back, and the constant sensation helped him get back to sleep. He sank into his dreams, feeling protected by Shikamaru's embrace.
Two years went by. The world remained the same, almost deserted and hostile. The few people they had met had been aggressive, and they had to fight against them to prevent them from stealing the few things they had. Neji had become extremely skilled with the bō, and thanks to the perfect coordination between them, they were able to fight without the Hyuuga's blindness being a problem. They had faced all the wandering Zetsus that crossed their path, always leaving practically unharmed from every confrontation.
They had become close, very close. Shikamaru enjoyed being able to look at Neji without impediments, thanking that the Hyuuga couldn't see him staring. He loved watching Neji's face while he trained, while he talked, or even while he helped him prepare the food to cook. He made the most cute expressions when he focused, and watching him laugh at his jokes was just priceless. He had never felt so comfortable around anyone, but after two years, he was not surprised anymore.
Shikamaru bent down to pick up the lizard he had just killed. It was of a vibrant red and not very large, although it was chubby. He knew sometimes nature warned with its colours from being extremely poisonous, but he also knew that it was very frequently an illusion. It didn't look very healthy for him, but he hadn't found any birds and they were running out of food. He took the lizard by the tip of the tail, not liking it at all, and decided to take it to Neji to ask for his opinion.
They always took every decision together. About food, shelter, which path to take next. And they never, ever argued. After all that time, they functioned like a perfect team.
"I found a lizard", he said to Neji when he returned to the clearing where they were camping. He always moved a little away from their shelter to hunt, but the Hyuuga could always call him with a loud whistle. They had dozens of those signals they used to communicate through the distance. At hearing his voice, Neji turned around. He was kneeling on the floor, putting their things in the backpack. Shikamaru approached to him. "But I don't know if we should eat it. It's red and in could be poisonous. Besides, looks pretty disgusting".
Neji stood up and extended his hands towards him.
"Let me see", he said. Shikamaru gave him the dead lizard, already knowing that the boy saw everything through his hands. The Hyuuga inspected the animal, feeling it and studying its condition. "It doesn't have much meat," he said, while squeezing the lizard's stomach, causing its tongue to come out.
"Gross…", the Nara said, watching Neji manipulate the thing. The lizard had crooked horns and a frightening face. "This mother fucker was ugly".
The Hyuuga arched his eyebrows and the corner of his mouth arched into an approaching smile. Shikamaru could see a joke coming.
"Don't say that to him, poor thing", Neji answered, making a step forward. "He wants to be your friend. Say hi". A second later, he was approaching the lizard to Shikamaru's face.
The Nara raised his hands to keep the animal away from him. "Ew, get that thing away from me!", he screamed, though he was smiling. Neji laughed openly and stopped. They usually jocked like that, playing around just to have some fun. He was laughing as well, when Neji's face suddenly changed. He straightened and opened his eyes wide. "What?", the Nara asked immediately.
"Someone is coming", the boy responded. "Two people. They will be here soon".
Shikamaru took a second to think. It was okay, they were prepared for this situations. It was always better to avoid confrontation. They only fought if they had no choice.
"To the trees", he instructed with calm. Neji nodded, and knelt to finish putting their things in the backpack. Shikamaru tossed the lizard to the bushes, and lifted the bō from the ground. He walked to the Hyuuga, who help him put the backpack on, and then they approached to a tree. Shikamaru went up first, and then helped Neji with the bō. They sat over a branch, waiting for the strangers to cross the path below them. The Hyuuga touched his hand to tell him they were coming.
Shikamaru heard them speaking. They were two adult men, and they were arguing.
"There could be more Zetsus down this way", one of them said. "We should get back".
"But there could be people hiding in this forest", the other one answered, and Shikamaru felt he had heard that voice before. "We have to make sure".
Neji squeezed his hand softly, calling his attention. Shikamaru looked at him, and saw he was touching his ear. Yes, he thought. That voice is familiar. He squeezed the Hyuuga's hand too, showing he agreed.
The men kept talking, walking right under their feet. If they knew that person, it could be someone from Konoha. He needed to see the man's face. He turned Neji's hand up to slid his fingers through his palm. "Wait here", was the message. The Hyuuga frowned, not liking the idea, but he knew Shikamaru would call him if he needed him, and he would be ready.
Being careful not to make any sound, the Nara slid down the branch to peer through the leaves. He managed to distinguish the faces of the men. One of them was a stranger. The other one had familiar eyes and was chewing a small branch. Shikamaru opened his eyes wide, and felt his heart racing. He slid back to sit next to Neji and took his hand again. Over his palm, he wrote with his fingers the word GENMA.
The Hyuuga opened his mouth, as stunned as him. They had to make contact with the man, thought they had to be careful as well. Very quickly, they established a plan.
Seconds later, Shikamaru was silently sliding down the tree trunk.
"Let's go to the North now", Genma's voice sounded under him. When the two men turned to leave, Shikamaru jumped from the tree and landed in the ground, with practically no sound.
"There is a swamp in that direction", he said. The two men turned again with a startle. "I wouldn't recommend you going that way".
The stranger drew a sword from his hip and pointed it at the Nara's chest. Genma opened his eyes wide and dropped the branch he was chewing.
"Stay back!", the stranger exclaimed, ready to slash him, but Genma put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Wait!", he screamed, looking at Shikamaru with astonishment. "I know him!". The other man lowered his sword, and Genma made a few steps toward the Nara. "Shikamaru?", his old sensei asked.
The boy couldn't help but to smile a little. It was good seeing another comrade from Konoha after so long. "Hi, Genma-san", he answered calmly.
"Kami, you're alive", the older shinobi said, approaching a bit more and studying his face. "You survived during all this time. This is amazing. Are you okay?".
Shikamaru took a prudent step back, and Genma stop approaching. "I am", he replied, getting serious again. "But I must ask. Are you still friend, or did this apocalypse drive you crazy too?".
Genma's expression at his words was honestly sympathetic. "Of course I'm a friend", he said. "We have been searching for survivors. And you, have you been all by yourself for all this years?".
Gemma had always been a good man, as long as Shikamaru remembered, and he felt he could trust him. So he smiled softly again. "Not exactly", he replied, and then took a hand to his mouth to make a loud whistle. Seconds later, Neji landed next to him.
When the Hyuuga stood up, Genma's jaw dropped again.
"Neji!", he exclaimed. "You're here too! I can't believe this. I…", but he stopped at noticing the strange colour of his the eyes and the dark scars around them. "What happened to your eyes?".
Shikamaru saw the boy smiling softly next to him. "It is a long story", he answered. "Hello, Genma-san".
The man approached to them and put a hand on their shoulders. He looked genuinely happy. "This is so great, boys", he said. "You have to come with us. The Hokage will be so glad you're okay".
"The Hokage?", Shikamaru asked, filling his heart racing. "She's alive?"
"Yes, like many others", Genma explained. "We have a camp with survivors from different villages a few hours from here". He turned around and started walking, leading the way. "Some of your friends are there. Inoichi and Chōza's kids..."
"Ino and Choji?", Shikamaru questioned again. A strong wave of relief ran through his body at hearing that his teammates were safe.
"Yes!", Genma confirmed. "And also that girl from your team, Neji".
"Tenten?", the Hyuuga asked. Shikamaru saw his blind eyes filling with emotion.
"Yes, her", Genma said again. "Let's not waste any more time. We have to get back, they'll be so happy to see you guys".
Neji turned his face to Shikamaru, and the boy could see the mixed feelings reflected on it. He felt just the same. Their friends were alive, and there were more people from home, not far away from there. They were going to meet them soon. After so much time by themselves, those were huge news. He took the Hyuuga's hand and squeezed it gently. Neji returned the gesture, and smiled excitedly.
Hi everybody!
Like never, I'm on time! Hope you have enjoyed this chapter, I really like it. I love writing sweets interactions between this two, I hope you guys like reading them!
Thank you very much to my faithful readers. You're the best! ^^
Please, let me know what you think!