Note from the Author: Now before any of you say anything – yes, it is another of my most random pairings that I find utterly adorable. You're just lucky I haven't started writing KankyGaa fics yet.
Homesick
When someone fell in love with a ninja, his or her life was made up of happy moments between missions and anxious moments during missions. When one's shinobi lover is home, it's all relief and affection. And as soon as he or she steps from the gates, love degenerates – or regenerates – into worry.
Some people had constitutions much too weak to deal with this stress. Hyuuga Neji was not proud to say that he was very close to that border. It was bad enough when his friends were away on missions. He hated not being there to protect them.
Especially Shikamaru, but everyone knew how in love he was with him. Shikamaru was maybe the most important person in his life, and he tried with everything in him to be on every mission he had.
It didn't always work out that way, though. There were weeks of anxiety when Neji was all by useless worrying about Shikamaru. He never voiced his fears, never even outwardly exhibited the, but those who knew the focused boy knew that the level of distraction about him was his version of stress.
On the days Shikamaru was supposed to return from his missions, Neji could always be found lingering outside the gate. Those on guard duty knew he was simply keeping their reunion private, keeping the relieved smile for Shikamaru's eyes alone.
And when the Chuunin did appear on the path, sometimes injured but usually just weary, Neji always did smile, and they embraced there on the threshold of Konoha, Shikamaru's weight, his warmth, felt like love, and his lips were like a silent, soft "I missed you" against his own. Everything about the way his shoulders relaxed, his hands laced on Neji's back, his eyes fluttering closed, confessed how homesick he had been, and how lovely it felt to be back.
And holding onto him like that, Neji always realized that he had been homesick, too.
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Note from the Author: Jesus, I'm tired of typing. I'm glad this is the last one.