Troublesome Fate
By: Lone Ronin
Part 11: Hizashi's Legacy
His gamble failed, Taro prepared to face the consequences as he stood before Orochimaru and Kabuto, with Katsuobushi, Ryuku, Masako and Han kneeling next to him.
"It wasn't my fault, Orochimaru-sama. I gave Han a scroll to activate their cursed seals, but Kabuto sabotaged my plans, if anything, he acted against you." Taro countered.
"I had to stop your plans. You were going to kill Hyuuga Neji and the other bloodlines I was after for my research." Kabuto answered.
"That's a lie! I was going to catch them for Orochimari-sama." Taro tried to claim.
The room fell silent as Katsuobushi stood and walked up to Orochimaru and stood by his side and Taro realized he had been betrayed.
"I made you what you are Katsuobushi, how could you do this to me?" Taro asked the insect user.
"I'm a ninja, it's my nature." his former ally replied.
"Han, help me. If I die, you'll be cursed forever." Taro tried out in desperation.
"I know you can't lift my cursed seal, Katsuobushi told me the truth." Han replied, knowing he couldn't help Taro even had he wanted to.
Realizing how much trouble he was in, the medic was trembling now. He turned and ran down the hallway, knowing it was useless as Kabuto's glasses gleamed and Katsuobushi began to raise his arms.
Even in the darkness, it was still possible to make out the shadows cast by the insects. Hearing Taro's screams echoing through the hall, Han, Masako and Ryuku also tried to run, but a searing pain ran through them and the three of them collapsed.
"Please stop, Orochimaru-sama, I'll serve you well." Ryuku begged through gritted teeth.
"Under Orochimaru-sama's orders, I'm in charge of you three now." Katsuobushi informed them as he watched his new master punish them.
"Oh Masako, I wish we had never left home." Han whispered.
The lights were off in Subatsu's office as Neji opened the door and quietly crept in. He had snuck out of his house late at night to talk with his father's old teacher. The generally reclusive nature of most ANBU, combined with the fact that it was considered very improper to discuss anything of a personal nature with one unless they gave specific permission, had made Neji wary about approaching Subatsu, not sure if he would want to talk.
With no sign of the old veteran, Neji scanned the photos and documents in the frames on the back wall. At eye level were the few documents that showed when he had been promoted in rank, genin, chuunin and jounin, followed by an ANBU mask and that was it. Most ninja would have had more documents from when they had completed significant missions or been awarded other honors, but this wall was a total blank. The distinctive mark of ANBU, who could never discuss their missions.
Neji looked at the other major photos that ninja kept; the one of them with their first team when they were genin, and the photo from when they were jounin with their own first genin team. The first photo was quite disturbing, Subatsu didn't have any team members and he wasn't smiling. It was only him and his jounin sensei, whose figure was scratched out with black ink. It was very unusual; the bond a genin had with their jounin teacher was considered almost as important as their relationship with their parents. The second photo of him as a jounin, not yet badly scarred, with his own genin team was much more amusing, with a very young Gai giving a huge grin and hugging his teammates, his own father with a neutral expression, and his uncle Hiashi looking like a sourpuss.
"Are you enjoying my life?" Subatsu's voice at the door made Neji startle, realizing that the former ANBU had stood right in his blind spot.
Not sure how to answer this, Neji didn't reply, but just turned around and looked at him, keeping his face neutral to hide how unnerved he was at the realization that he probably had known about the blind spot. The former ANBU returned the mute expression for a moment as the moonlight seemed to illuminate Neji as he stood in front of the photo of his father and uncle with Gai, sharply reminding him of his age.
"Are you all right?" Subatsu finally broke the silence.
"Did you stand there on purpose?" Neji asked.
"Why do you ask? You were able to see me coming with that bloodline ability of yours, right?" Subatsu replied cryptically.
Neji studied the veteran carefully, but couldn't really tell from his body language if he had stood in the blind spot on purpose or if had just been a fluke. He had been expecting Subatsu to look intimidating with the burns and his missing fingers still visible in the moonlight, but instead he seemed uncomfortable, almost nervous to see Neji.
"I wanted to speak with you sooner, but I had promised Hiashi not to say anything until he was able to give you the scroll your father wrote to you."
Neji didn't reply as he continued.
"Just before he died, Hizashi approached and asked me to hang on to these for you." Subatsu reached onto a large shelf nearby, pulled out two wooden boxes warped with age and set them on the desk.
The first was about the size of a shoebox, while the second was slightly larger then a bento box.
Neji opened the larger box first to reveal a matching white tunic and trousers, with black belt and valuable ninja equipment. He could definitely put those to good use, but the value of the smaller box wasn't quite clear to him at first. The second box contained what seemed to be papers with the names of different stores and shops throughout Konoha, such as Ichiraku, but he couldn't understand the legal jargon or percentages that accompanied them.
"What are these?" Neji asked.
"Well, I don't know how the rules are with the Hyuuga now, but in your father's time, the rules governing the Main and Branch houses were much more strict. Branch members were forbidden to own any significant amount of money. So instead he and Hiashi went behind their father's back and bought promisary notes as a loophole and I hid them for him." The old veteran explained.
"Promisary notes?" Neji had never heard of that before, he had little interest in finance.
"If a business needs to borrow money to say, expand their shop, then they would borrow money and in return give the lender a note promising to pay back the loan with interest. You father would buy the notes because they had to be issued in his name, then whenever he wanted money, he would cash them in." Subatsu answered.
Neji briefly looked at the boxes, then glanced up at the retired ANBU. His expression seemed to hold a mixture of sadness and pain, full of the need to tell him something, but reluctant to do so.
"There's something else you want to tell me, isn't there?" Neji asked.
"Yes, you might want to sit down for this." Subatsu motioned to the chair across from his desk.
"It's something I've always regretted. When your father died, I tried to recover his body, but I failed." The veteran replied.
Hearing this, Neji gripped the chair. He felt himself go cold as Subatsu continued.
"It was a very sensitive time, Kakashi and I were the only ones left of our generation and your father's generation had lost many of their best. The long war with Kumogakure (Hidden Village of Rock) in Lightning Country had only ended a few years ago and the Hokage had just signed a bitter treaty, with both of us agreeing to remain out of each other's territories. I managed to track the group transporting Hizashi's body as to the edge of our borders, but it became more difficult to not be detected as I became less familiar with the terrain, and the Rock ninja began to suspect something was wrong. Just as I was about to enter their borders, a bird with a message from the Hokage instructed me to abort the mission, it was decided that the risk of being caught breaking the treaty was too high. I don't think Hizashi would have wanted the war to start all over again to simply bring him back."
"What do you think happened to my father's body?" Neji asked, dreading the answer.
Subatsu hesitated for a moment, knowing that the truth was difficult to hear.
"There are many medics out there who would be willing to pay a fortune in the black market for an intact adult body to study." He answered.
Hearing this, Neji literally felt sick, the sensation of someone grabbing his heart and squeezing it invaded his chest again. To think that his father had not only died so tragically, but that someone had bought his body to mutilate afterwards. He reached forward and grabbed the desk, too upset to speak.
"He agreed to die in order to ensure that the treaty would stay intact and he wanted to give the freedom that he never had. He knew that Hiashi, being considered part of the Main House, would be able to give you opportunities that he never could." The veteran continued.
Neji gripped the desk so hard his hand started to hurt. He could feel his grief starting well up again from where he had kept it hidden for so long. He didn't want to cry again the way he had when Hiashi had dragged him away from his father's body when they came to take it.
"Let it out, Neji, there's no shame." Subatsu spoke more gently to him then he had to anyone in a long time.
Neji couldn't hold it back any longer; he slumped over on the desk, sobbing quietly.
A few days after Subatsu's revelation to Neji (but unaware that it took place), Shikamaru stood in front of Chouji's favorite barbeque restaurant in his best yukata that he only wore to festivals, decorated with a swirling painted pattern of deer hiding in a forest of pines on a deep blue background, waiting for Neji and his friends. They were meeting for lunch, before he and Neji planned to spend the rest of the day together.
After stopping the siege, Konoha settled into a routine of cleaning, preparation and celebration. Even though the fighting had badly damaged the eastern forests and damaged their defensive wall in many place, the floodwaters were now completely gone, replenishing the flat fields and forests. Now after just a week valuable new plants and crops had begun to push up from the soil.
Things were looking politically good for Konoha as well, having secured a strong alliance with Suna. Deciding that it was better to rest and complete diplomatic procedures since they were in Konoha anyways, Gaara had decided to stay until Temari and Kankuro recovered from their injuries at the hospital. Hoping to make a good impression on their guests, Tsunade decided that it was best to have a very lavish Victory Day celebration, as well as the chuunin exams soon after. Besides, everyone needed to try and enjoy themselves after the disruptive attack on the Leaf, not knowing when they would have to fight again.
November 10th was the Day of Victory, the biggest festival of the year, when the Fourth Hokage's victory against the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and the sacrifices of fallen shinobi were celebrated. In addition the candles and prayers for the dead, there was drinking, celebration and a dance re-enacting the defeat of the Demon Fox was going to be performed as a giant paper figure of the Kyuubi was burned in effigy amid fireworks, while a performer dressed as Yondaime set the paper Kyuubi alight at the height of the celebration. It was also the best opportunity for Neji and Shikamaru to enjoy a date together, when they both had the evening to themselves and there was no one around to interfere or interrupt.
Waiting for everyone to arrive Shikamaru found himself listening in on the underlying current of activity. Quite accustomed to being able to hear people's thoughts, the generally positive feelings and renewed sense of hope throughout the village felt good. Kouichi, his bat fluttered about town with the forest birds, while he could feel Neji approaching, as well his current and former teammates.
He continued listening while watching the sky, when a pair of arms twined gracefully around his chest and he turned around to see a familiar white-eyed face grinning back at him.
"Quit being troublesome, I know you're not Neji." Shikamaru said, annoyed.
"How did you know?" Yumi asked playfully as she transformed back to her normal self.
Wearing a short-sleeved kimono with butterflies darting in and out of a meadow instead of her typical medic's outfit and naginata on her back, she looked very cute.
"Neji's thoughts feel confident and smooth, sort of like a river, your thoughts feel like a hummingbird on a caffeine bender. Neji never grins, his skin is softer then yours and he likes to stick his hands up my shirt when he holds me that way." Shikamaru answered with a lazy half-smirk.
"Speaking of Neji, I've got the results for those tests you had before you left the hospital. I'm guessing you two are going to be taking advantage of the festivities tonight?" Yumi said as passed him an envelope.
Shikamaru quickly tore open the envelope, Yumi's hint not lost on him. Victory Day was also well known as a good time for debauchery as if one partner might have to leave for a mission and never come back.
"I don't see the reason for taking a test to confirm something I don't already know." Shikamaru commented as he scanned the results of his blood test.
In the days leading up to Victory Day, Neji had made it quite clear what he wanted to do, and although he was looking forward to it, the idea of anal sex worried him.
"Well, condom or not, you better make sure you go slow, and use lots of lube." Yumi advised.
"Do I even want to know?" Shikamaru asked, knowing by now that however sweet she seemed in the day, his medic teammate probably did things with her boyfriend that made whatever he was going to do with Neji that night look tame by comparison.
"Probably not." She answered
"You're so tense sometimes, you know? You'd be surprised how far a hug can go." The medic added as she gave him a big hug, just for the hell of it as Neji spproached them, earning a sweatdrop from him and Shikamaru.
Yumi just smiled as Ino, Chouji, Lee, Tenten and Roka caught up with the rest of them and they entered the restaurant. Lunch started well enough, the restaurant was packed with the smells and sounds of food being grilled and drinks being poured. Shikamaru sat next to Neji, who looked regal in his white yukata with a simple geometric pattern of navy diamonds on the belt and trim. In a contrast that seemed almost like the sky and the earth, Roka sat across from them, wearing a slate blue-grey yukata, which gave an odd sheen when the light shone on them in the right way. Chouji wore a yukata with pines and mountains held with a simple belt, as well as a sand colored vest with the Akimichi family crest on it. Lee wore a green yukata and of course his leg warmers could be seen peeking out from under the hem of his robes. Tenten looked lovely in her pink and gold full-length mandarin dress, while Ino's light purple kimono with blue satin edging had an intricate garden scene with flowers.
As their order arrived, Neji and Shikamaru quietly exchanged glances as their friends hit it off. As their thin slices of meats and vegetables cooked, Roka, Lee and Chouji were discussing their favorite restaurants, while Yumi, Ino and Tenten were going on about where they liked to shop for hair ornaments and how to apply make-up just right.
Shikamaru's attention was suddenly directed elsewhere as Neji picked up some food with his chopsticks and smirked, his tongue slipping out to lick his slice of beef in a suggestive manner before he ate it. Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly, then darted around to see if anyone was watching.
He suddenly became aware of Neji's foot sliding past his own under the table. Shikamaru tried to slip away discreetly, reluctant to show any outward affection, but Neji had only with one thing on his mind and really didn't care what anyone else thought.
"Tenten, what's going on?" Lee suddenly asked as Roka and Chouji both went for the same piece of meat at once.
"What do you mean?" Tenten asked.
"Shikamaru and won't look at you in the eye and he's acting really uncomfortable next to Neji, does he think that you and Neji are dating?" he was genuinely confused.
The table fell silent as everyone realized that Lee really didn't know that Neji and Shikamaru were an item.
"You really don't know??" Ino asked.
"Know what? What does everyone know?" Lee looked at the rest of them in earnest.
"Um, why don't you ask Shikamaru?" Yumi suggested.
"Why? Is Tenten dating him?" Lee asked as everyone else almost fell over.
"Shikamaru's gay and Neji is his boyfriend." Chouji finally said as he took advantage of Roka's hesitation to snatch the meat from the grill and eat it.
Everyone looked at Lee, not sure how he would react to this information.
It was an awkward moment as Lee blinked for a second or two.
"I would have never guessed." Lee answered.
That did it. Ino, Tenten, Yumi, Chouji and Roka all fell over in the restaurant booth.
"That was a great lunch!" Roka said as they left the restaurant.
"I think I ate a bit too much, I'm trying to watch my figure." Ino commented.
"I wouldn't worry about it, how often do we have a festival?" Tenten answered.
The banter went back and forth, as they walked around, enjoying the sights and sounds. Some vendors sold trinkets, while others had games of skill that offered prizes. There were colorful paper lanterns and strings of cranes and paper money everywhere for good luck.
Suddenly, a call from a nearby display got Roka's attention.
"Last call before we start the two-man team eating contest!" the announcer called out from the platform.
"Eating contest?" never one to pass up free food, that promptly had Roka's attention.
"But we just ate." Yumi pointed out.
"That never stopped me before." Roka replied.
"And you need two people." Ino added.
"I'll do the eating contest with you!" Chouji volunteered.
'This can't end well.' Yumi, Ino and Tenten's thoughts ran along the same lines as Roka and Chouji took their spots at the table.
They seemed to be up against some stiff competition, with lots of other teenage males at the table, eager to get started as the food was brought out.
"Okay folks, you and your partner have ten minutes to eat as many dumplings as you can. Ready?" The announcer got the crowd excited.
"That is gross." Yumi was appalled as Roka and Chouji gulped the food down.
"Well, I guess once in a while, the trendier Deadly Sins such as Lust and Wrath have to let Gluttony get some attention." Ino observed with a sweatdrop.
The crowd cheered as the contestants wolfed down the dumplings. It was borderline amusing watching as Roka and Chouji managed a good pace, but having just eaten lunch, it was impossible. As the contest ended and the prize was handed out, they both stumbled down the stairs from the platform, barely able to stand.
"Chouji, are you feeling all right? Do you need a bucket?" Shikamaru felt worried, seeing his best friend turning slightly green.
"Not really." He answered, somehow able to keep it all down.
"I don't feel so good either." Roka replied, hanging onto a nearby tree to keep from falling over.
"You guys have no common sense." Tenten rolled her eyes.
"I have lots of common sense. I just don't listen to it a lot." Roka answered.
"Maybe you should give them something." Ino said to Yumi.
"I gave all my medicine for treating upset stomachs to Asahi before I came in preparation for the beer-chugging competition tonight." The medic answered.
On hearing this, Lee declared that all of them, except for Neji and Shikamaru, had to take Roka and Chouji in search of medicine, making it obvious that it was as much about allowing them some time together as it was about finding the former competitive eaters antacids.
"You both need to see Sakura right away. It is important that we seek out medical attention!" Lee said as he hoisted Roka on his shoulder and Chouji under his arm.
Ignoring Roka's protests as he hauled them down the street with the girls in tow, it made an odd sight. As they began to leave to give Neji and Shikamaru some privacy, Tenten noticed a commotion in the nearby street markets, as a middle-aged, balding, potbellied man with a droopy beard and mustache, scolded a tall but timid girl. She looked a bit older then Neji, with long black hair and bandages over her seal in a similar fashion, but she seemed to have Hinata's timidity, shrinking back as the man belittled her, her sad Hyuuga eyes poking out from under the bandages on her forehead.
"What's going on?" Tenten as Lee set Chouji and Roka down.
"I don't know, but I do know that the girl is Neji's cousin, Noyuuren, and that man is Neji's uncle, Hyuuga Yuroshi." Lee answered.
"He's a Hyuuga? But he doesn't have the Byukugan." Tenten noticed.
"From what I understand, he married into the Main House of the family and legally changed his last name to Hyuuga. I don't know the particulars of it, but I know that the Main and Branch houses have been fighting a lot." Though he sometimes had difficulty interacting with people on a personal level, Lee had a very good understanding of the dynamics of formal protocol and how people treated each other in regards to their status.
Watching the scene and Neji and Shikamaru went by, Tenten frowned, she didn't like it one bit.
Walking past the vendors setting up their wares for the festival, Shikamaru could see a large man confronting a tall girl with Hyuuga eyes and a bandaged forehead.
"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked Neji.
"That is my aunt's husband, Yuroshi." Neji frowned seeing his Uncle starting to become the trouble that he had always figured Yuroshi to be.
"And that's my cousin Noyuuren, she's a little simple-minded, but she means well. All she knows is how to cook and clean, Hinata told me she wanted to sell some cakes and puddings to earn some extra money." He added, referring to the tall girl.
"Why is shouting at her like that?"
"He's just bullying her because he knows he can get away with it, Hiashi hasn't been feeling well these past few days. Both him and my aunt have started making trouble. Noyuuren can't even read or write but, the Main House doesn't want to let her try selling anything, since they think it's the first step towards independence." Neji explained.
"Why are you wasting your time with this? You should back at the house preparing dinner for tonight." Yuroshi berated his niece.
"I just wanted to earn some money." Noyuuren replied as she fiddled her skirt.
"If you're going to do this, then you need to pay for the table and the other materials you used to make the food and the stall, since it all belongs to the Main house."
"But it's just an old table I found that was going to be thrown out anyway, and my mom gave me the fabric for the banner. Can't I pay you later tonight?"
"No, pay me now." He insisted.
Shikamaru could feel her distress as he and Neji approached the table.
'All I wanted was enough to buy something nice for mom, why does Uncle Yuroshi have to be so mean to me in front of all these people?' Noyuuren held back her tears, too afraid Yuroshi would humiliate her more to notice Shikamaru mentally counting up the value of everything at the stall.
Annoyed with his bullying, Neji looked ready to pick his uncle up and toss him into a building, but Shikamaru stopped him.
"He seems to care more about his money then his life, I have a better idea." He said as they walked up to the table.
"Hi, you must be Noyuuren, I was looking all over for your stall! Neji told about how great your cooking is." Shikamaru approached with a friendly smile.
"Who the hell are you?" Yuroshi asked rudely, then quickly backed off as he saw Neji approaching, knowing better then to cross him.
"Here, this should cover everything." Shikamaru ignored Yuroshi as he handed her a folded up set of bills.
Noyuuren gasped in surprise. The amount wasn't much, about the amount a genin might earn after two C level missions, but it was the most money she had ever held in her hand.
"Get something nice for your mother, I'll deal with him." Shikamaru whispered in her ear as he put the money into her hand.
'An angel came to help me.' He heard Noyuuren's thoughts as Yuroshi glared at Neji and Shikamaru, while she looked at the handful of money for a second before smiling.
"I've never held paper money before, thank you." Noyuuren whispered to him before she ran off.
"How dare you interfere! Don't turn your back on me!" Shikamaru didn't even look back as Yuroshi tried to push him around.
He just discreetly tucked one item from the stall into the pocked of his yukata, then walked a few feet from the stall before cupping his hands and calling out to the nearby crowd.
"Free cake and pudding!" Shikamaru shouted.
He and Neji watched as Hyuuga Yuroshi was trampled by the rush to grab the free food. In seconds the stall was bare and Neji's uncle was face down on the ground.
Yuroshi picked himself up and started to come after them, but before he could do anything, two pairs of hands grabbed Yuroshi and pulled him out of sight. When Neji saw Lee and Tenten tie Yuroshi up before sticking him in a large nearby public locker with special temporary seals that would release in about two hours, he couldn't help but smile. Neji and Shikamaru walked off, with a casual 'didn't-see-a-thing' look in their eyes.
"You know, just seeing that made it all worth getting out of bed today." Hiashi remarked to Subatsu as they watched the drama unfolding from a nearby rooftop.
It had been a long time since he had last spoken to his old teacher and he had being feeling quite sick that morning. But his concern about the uncertain future of the son of his dead twin brother, combined with some curiosity had compelled him get up and to try and find out about the chuunin who had caught Neji's eye.
"So what's the Nara like?" Hiashi asked.
"I wouldn't worry too much. If I had kids, I wouldn't mind if one of them brought Shikamaru home. Although, I've noticed when they're not looking at each other, they seem to be spending quite a bit of time looking in the general direction of some of Konoha's better love hotels." Subatsu mused.
"That really doesn't bother me, I'm more worried about the young ones who don't sow their wild oats then the ones who do. Gai waited until he an adult to enjoy his youth, and we all know how well that turned out!" Hiashi replied, content that his worries were put to rest, knowing Subatsu had given Neji his father's legacy and that this slightly younger teenager seemed to be a shinobi of good character.
Assured that Neji and Shikamaru were having a good time and tired of watching all the human activity, Kouichi soared high above Konoha, listening to the birds gossiping amongst each other. He picked up small bits of information about how the treaty between Konoha and Suna had gone well. Other birds chatted about the rumors they heard, such as some desert bird from the West passing through saying that Suna was having problems with their water supplies, that this northern tern saw the northern fields devastated when they should have been filled with the harvest, that an eastern shorebird had told a friend of theirs that citizens from a ninja village by the coast were going missing. When the bat finally tired even of this, he flew to the edge of Konoha and hung upside down in a guard tower, enjoying some peace and quiet.
While most of Konoha's residents were enjoying the festivals, some still had to work. Filling in for a friend, Kotetsu and Izumo sat at the guard tower overlooking the wall, unaware that Shikamaru's bat was watching them, bored as they munched on a few cakes and puddings, which Genma had been generous enough to grab for them down at one of the booths. Suddenly a barely audible rustling in the forest sent them on high alert as a green naga monster slithered through the bushes. Kotetsu and Izumo's well-placed kunai made the creature take off away from the wall, howling in pain.
"Third one today. My little brother's lazy-ass birds aren't doing their job." Kotetsu grumbled as Kouichi watched, ears twitching.
"We have a winner!" The vendor cried out as Neji broke the last bottle at the stand with a ball, earning a huge stuffed toy tiger.
He and Shikamaru had spent the day playing games, eating treats from the vendors, looking that the market, performing traditional festival dancing to the drummers as they played, generally having a great time until the sun went down. Even though the celebrations were to continue all through the night, it was almost time for the biggest event of the evening.
Neji passed the toy on to some young children as the day faded into the evening and they made their way to higher ground and sat down to watch as the huge paper Kyuubi was carted out. Drums sounded as dancers dressed in old-fashioned ninja outfits came out.
"They're going to set the Kyuubi alight soon." Neji said quietly, half to himself.
"Kind of a waste of good paper and wood, if you ask me." Said Shikamaru as they laced their fingers together, watching the performance unfold.
The performer appeared in a cloud of smoke on top of the sculpture of the Frog King Gamabunta, dressed as Yondaime. To the audience, the dancer seemed fearless, gracefully leaping into the air and over the paper figure, pretending to slay it.
"That was a really kind thing you did for Noyuuren." Neji said while they watched.
"Thanks. Hey, that reminds me." Shikamaru said as he pulled the item he had tucked into his yukata from the stall, decided this was a good time to share the dainty little chocolate cake with him.
As the paper Kyuubi went up in flame amid the drums and fireworks, it was time for the final dance of the night, reenacting the Fourth's lament and sadness as he died destroying the Demon Fox. As they watched the dance, Shikamaru could see that something in the performance evoked a feeling of sadness in Neji.
Remembering the Yondaime's sacrifice made Neji think of his own father's death, in that both had made the choice to meet their end, something that many ninja were not able to make. Subatsu's words about how his father had wanted to give him the freedom he had never experience in his own lifetime made Neji realize that it was time to live for the moment, take full advantage of the fact that he and Shikamaru both finally had some time alone together.
From the way Neji was looking at him, Shikamaru could clearly see that he wanted to do way more then just hold hands. He responded by holding the cake in front of Neji's lips. Recalling Shikamaru's little trick with the sushi at the hospital, Neji firmly held Shikamaru's wrist still and took a big bite from the cake. Shikamaru ate his piece quickly, getting some of the whipped cream on his lips and fingers. Neji stopped him from wiping off the whipped cream, popping the younger boys fingers into his mouth. After licking the whipped cream from Shikamaru's face, they started kissing passionately, gently grasping at each other's arms and waists before they finally both came up for air with heavy breaths and swollen lips.
"Shikamaru?" Neji breathed softly.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Do you, want to go to the love hotel?" Neji panted as the celebrations finished and everyone began to filter off into the night.
"Thought you'd never ask." Shikamaru replied.
Getting to the hotel involved winding their way through Konoha's arts district, a beautiful old area of exclusive restaurants, hotels, expensive shops and teahouses in traditional architecture. As they rounded a corner, Shikamaru suddenly grabbed Neji's arm and started screaming before hiding behind him, encountering the only sour moment of the evening.
"What the matter, you've never seen a geisha before?" Neji asked, unfazed at the sight before them.
"No." Shikamaru answered as he refused to come out from behind Neji.
Having accompanied his uncle and cousin in the past to formal dance performances and plays, seeing his aunt in her full regalia before leaving to entertain at the teahouses was not a strange thing for Neji. But for Shikamaru, the sight of a woman in a garish kimono and elaborate hairstyle, with her face painted stark white, bright red lips and other features drawn in with makeup, was downright freakish. Her distinct Hyuuga eyes didn't help things much either.
"You know Neji, you should tell your friend, as this is the arts district, that a formal introduction would be a better way to greet a geiko then a scream." The woman said.
"Shikamaru, this is my aunt, Hyuuga Hiyoumi. Auntie, this is my friend Nara Shikamaru." Neji did his best to hide his annoyance at her condescending attitude.
"Nice to meet you." Shikamaru tried his best to be civil, but he couldn't hold back a fit of coughing from the generous amount of perfume she was wearing, which wafted off as she fanned herself.
Hiyoumi didn't seem very impressed with this friend of her nephew's either, who seemed to be choking on the scent of her favorite fragrance as she sized him up.
"Nara? Well, if you don't like perfume, I guess it's for the better you're a member of that lazy, unrefined Nara clan, because you'll never be able to be around a woman of class." Neji's aunt said as she continued to wave her fan.
"No ma'am, I think I'll be fine if I just avoid any ghost or vampire movies for a while." Shikamaru answered.
Hiyoumi was so shocked by his response, she didn't have time to answer as Neji quickly grabbed Shikamaru's wrist and dashed for several blocks to the love hotel, holding back his urge to laugh.
"Let it out, Neji, you'll feel better." Shikamaru said as they ran.
Neji finally couldn't hold it back any more, and laughed as they ran. It was a wild race through the streets, bounding over rooftops and over fences until they finally reached the hotel.
Entering the love hotel for the first time was an awkward experience. Besides knowing that people came here specifically to have sex, it was also completely unlike a normal hotel. The hotel was pretty distinct, with no windows and lots of discrete entrances and exits on all levels for both civilians and shinobi to come and go without being noticed. Inside, there was no bellhop or concierge, or even a person in the lobby, customer privacy and anonymity took place ahead of comfort or normalcy. What was present was a lit panel with instructions for ordering the room, food, toys and alcohol and a system of lit pictures indicating which theme rooms were vacant.
"Which room do you want?" Neji asked.
This simple question bothered Shikamaru. He didn't want the most expensive room, but he didn't want the cheapest one either. Who knew what other people before them had done in some of these places? His eyes wandered over the panels, noticing some elaborate operation and bondage rooms that were available at the higher end of the price range.
"I don't want to spend too much. Let's just go with something in the middle." Shikamaru finally said as he selected a plain room, somewhere between expensive and cheap, by pushing the corresponding button.
The key with the room number tag dropped out of a small opening at the bottom of the main panel like a bizarre vending machine. Unnerved at how surreal the hotel was, neither said a word as they made their way to the room indicated on the key's tag.
There was a washroom joining the bedroom a simple room with nice clean lines. There was only a bed with crisp, clean white and pale blue sheets, as well as a bed, chair and table, with an assortment of lotions similar items, but it was all they needed.
Shikamaru took the first step, slowly untying the belt of his yukata and partially slipping the garment off of his body. Neji quickly finished the job as they began kissing, pulling off his own yukata and allowing their top halves of their robes to pool on the floor.
Lying on the bed, Neji hesitated for a moment as Shikamaru gently tugged on his bandages, then he unravelled the ones on his left arm and leg, before allowing Shikamaru to unwrap the one on his forehead, which covered his seal. There was something very intimate about the gesture, revealing something that most Hyuuga Branch family members preferred to hide. It made Neji feel exposed, even though they were both still partially dressed.
He quickly pulled Shikamaru onto the bed as the younger boy played with his long silken hair. Grasping and clawing, they started to removed what was left of their clothing. Neji shifted his position on the bed until he was sitting behind Shikamaru, then he gently reached around and pulled the lower half of his partner's robe off before pushing it to the floor. He hesitated for a moment as he took the sight in; dark hair fanned out, eyes glazed with lust, chest rising and falling slowly with desire. Running his soft hands over the tanned, lithe body, Neji continued kissing, working his way down Shikamaru's chest, admiring his form as he gently gently began to push his legs apart...
There is a lemon here, but this being I can't post it here. However, you can find it at:
http :// yaoi. view/ 387548/ (delete the spaces). If this story is anywhere else, I didn't give it permission to be.
"Oh God, Ah! Neji!" Shikamaru screamed, feeling Neji biting down hard where his neck and shoulder met as they both climaxed.
Shikamaru collapsed, on the bed, feeling exhausted as Neji gently pulled out and curled up beside him, wrapping his soft hands around the other boy as they fell asleep.
Author's Notes: Victory Day is kind of based on Bon and Tanabata, to provide an excuse for a lemon scene. I've seen several people freak out at seeing a photo or on TV a geisha in full costume for the first time, hence Shikamaru's reaction.