Recurring Nightmares
Shikamaru was aware the instant he woke up, but being as unbelievabley comfortable as he was, he kept his eyes shut and only sighed.
He remembered also within that second that it was Saturday, and allowed a small prayer to his new God. That wouldn't be too much, he didn't think. Waking up in such a pleasant mood was something that didn't happen so often to him, and he would push aside his ideals for a second to count his blessings.
He shifted to roll himself over, barely able to notice the fact that his bed felt really crowded over the protesting of his body at the movement.
Damn he felt so cozy, it's like he was covered up in a heat pack instead of just a blanket. Like he was snuggled up in some sort of little nest instead of an flat, empty mattress.
When he finished rolling over, and his forehead was resting against something that did not feel like a pillow, his eyes flashed open. The sight of a bare chest let the recollection come flowing back into him, softened and soothed by the serenity still gripping his very soul.
He stared still though, at the gently shifting, perfectly toned torso before him, resisting the urge to free his arm currently tucked between the two bodies just to run a hand over it, to make sure it was real. He knew it was, especially when a small groan escaped the body pressed tightly against him and the muscular arm draped across his hips squeezed tighter for a brief moment. But at the same time, it was so unexplainably surreal.
He smiled to himself and released a content sigh, trying not to chuckle to himself at the thought of cuddling with Hidan. Like a bi-polar teddy bear. One minute he was soft and sweet, and the next he was trying to kill you. It was good though, it just felt so natural, so right... even though he knew it was wrong..
The crease of his lips faded as he considered this thought, wanting to resist but unable to fight away what he knew to be the truth.
As happy as he was, as wonderful as he felt... it could not last. Shikamaru was a Jashinist, as was Hidan. It was a ticking time bomb of a relationship. Jashin was not a kind deity, he fed on chaos and destruction, on pain and misery. Every step that he and the zealot took toward each other was nothing but a stepping stone, building him up and up with the knowledge that inevitably, the foundation would crack and sooner or later he would come crashing down.
Jashin preyed on the human need to be happy, he dangled it on a string just in front of them until he grew tired of watching the pursuit and let them fall into his trap.
The dark haired follower clenched shut his eyes, as if the simple action would chase the concept away. He pressed himself even closer into the man beside him, wishing he could hide here forever from his pessimism.
Or... maybe because they were both desciples of the Slaughter God... Maybe he could grant this one favor. Maybe he could overlook it, reward them for all the shit they both continued to put up with thanks to Jashin. Yes... yes that could happen. The could definitely happen. He repeated this to himself over and over in his head.
Even if it could, even if it was nothing more than a hopeful delusion, he could believe it for now. He could convince himself of it and relish in it until the time came when he would have to face the music.
He re-opened his eyes, tilting his head up to look at the person spooning him. The smile returned to him as he studied the zealots face. Silver brows bunched ever so slightly in the middle, letting the man's usual irritated demeanor show through even in an unconcious state.
Honestly, he would never have thought he would think such a thing of a being he used to think was good for nothing but wreaking havoc and devastation, but he looked so cute right now that it was almost unbearable to keep staring. But at the same time he couldn'tbtear himself away, it was mezmorizing. How could someone like Hidan, someone so loud and obnoxious and rude and irritating, also be so comforting and gentle and... sweet even, in his own sort of way.
It was kind of strange too... in a way. Usually it had been Shikamaru in Hidan's position, holding Neji so possesively. It was strange to have the roles reversed... But not so strange that he was even going to consider doing anything about it.
It was good, he decided. This would work for him, he could live with this, he could be with Hidan. Maybe it had been an absurd idea before, but right now it made so much sense that he couldn't seem to recall why he had even been so opposed to it.
And as he stared at the pale, sleeping Jashinist, the man who very well may just be some sort of fallen angel, he suddenly realized something that made him simultaneously want to burst into tears of joy and scream until his throat bled.
Something he didn't even want to say to himself within his own mind.
This... it couldn't be true. He was just overloaded with a horomone rush from last night...
Perhaps he could be okay with feeling something for Hidan. But.. not this much, this was too much affection. This was bordering on love, and it terrified him. It was just mutual crush butterflies, it was just the oxytocin flooding his brain from being in a new relationship.
It wasn't love. It couldn't be love.
This wasn't some fairytale or chickflick... happily ever afters didn't happen. Solutions were only as permanent as the second in which they happen. It could leave at any moment...
Just stop thinking. Let it happen.
He took a deep breath, blinking slowly while he did. And when his vision returned he was greeted for only a split second by a pair of sleepy violet eyes.
Then he was grunting from the pain suddenly shooting up his backside.
"SHIT PINEAPPLE HEAD! DAMN!"
He looked back up at a stunned Hidan from his new position on the floor, in a sitting position now but with his face buried in his hands.
"What the hell did I do?" Shikamaru shrilled back, clearing his throat afterword to try to cover the embarrasig pitch his voice hit due to surprise.
"Fuck, you were all up in my face. Jashin you're lucky I didn't have a fucking knife on me."
Shikamaru felt his face burn as he realized for the second time now that he was naked. And he wasn't the only one either.
"You were the one with the deathgrip on me..." He halfway fibbed, pulling the blanket that had thankfully come with him to the floor tighter around him. He paused for a moment, realizing Hidan must have covered them up after he'd fallen asleep.
Hidan looked up at him then, surprising the Nara with the small amount of pain reflecting in his eyes.
"I... forgot it was you.." The shaken man admitted, and the small amount of irritation Shikamaru had was gone in that moment.
Is that why he'd looked troubled in his sleep? Because he'd mistaken Shika's presence for Kakuzu...
Well damn, so much for feeling good...
He forced a smile. "I gotta say I never took you for a cuddler..."
"Hey speak for yourself fucker! All crying on me last night. Why you always gotta make shit awkward!?"
Again Shikamaru had to resist a blush, but it was easy once he took a good look at himself. Dammit, he was covered in blood again. It would be nice if he could wake up just once after one of these sessions and not be grossed out...
"Ugh, I need a shower..." He muttered, choosing not to reply to the crying comment and pushing himself to his feet.
He was spared further embarrasment as he made his way to the bathroom, Hidan remained silent. He halfway expected him to try to take one with him.
He was glad the offer wasn't presented, because honestly he probably would have taken it. Seeing Hidan wet and soapy would make up for any discomfort it caused...
He turned the faucet and listened for any futher commentary from the zealot, but the silence persisted and he found himself smiling at the realization that this was the first time Hidan had actually spent the night here.
The fact that this didn't seem strange was even more calming. Until he started wondering where the hell the albino had been going each night, seeing as he'd told Shikamaru a few days ago that Itachi had wrecked his residence.
What was that about? Was the Uchiha trying to run him out of town? Or... given the talk they'd had last time he saw him, maybe he was playing matchmaker.
Damn, his friends (or the people he'd come to think of as friends) were all a troublesome group of crazies.
And apparently he fit in perfectly with them.
xx
After a good long shower and allowing Hidan to take one as well, Shikamaru stood staring at the couch. The thing was a mess. Honestly he didn't know if he should bother cleaning it up or just throw the thing away. Damn, it was a good thing he wouldn't have to worry about Neji finding out, the stupid hunk of furniture had cost almost a grand thanks to the Hyuga's expensive tastes.
"Do you not ever fucking use hairgel or what?" Hidan called out above the ruckus he was making, most likely destroying Shikamaru's medicine cabinet in his search for the previously mentioned item.
"I think Neji left some hairspray in that hall closet."
"Hairspray is for chicks, pineapple head.." Came the weary reply.
"Well fucking excuse me for not throughly planning for your overnight visit!" He snapped sarcastically. "Go get yours."
"Goddammit..."
Hidan emerged from the room with damp, touseled hair, and gave Shika a crooked half-grin when he noticed the gawking. He had nothing but a towel around his waist, and dammit if he didn't look good enough to eat right now.
"Looks better like that anyway.." the darker haired Jashinist sputtered out. The compliment was rewarded with a grin that was quickly masked.
"Yeah, well we both have our preferences. Stop drooling and gimme my fuckin pants will'ya?"
Shikamaru did so while making a face. "You're putting your bloody clothes back on?"
"Hey, excuse me for not bringing a goddam overnight bag with me!" Hidan mocked, "And no fuckin' offense but I'm not gonna squeeze into any of your scrawny-ass clothes."
The Nara surprised himself with a laugh before lighting up a cigarette. He was calling Hidan fat and being called scrawny in return. It was a complicated relationship, this one. Neji never took insults so well, though he usually had no problem dishing them out.
"Lemme bum one of those." His... hmm. Would he consider Hidan his boyfriend? Ew, those two words in the same sentence were just plain fucking weird.
"Last one." He tipped the cigarette toward the man who threw his hands up in the air.
"Fucking hell you're a terrible host pineapple head. Won't let me have your food, can't keep hairgel around like a normal person, and now you won't share your smokes. Why the shit do I keep coming over here!?"
"If you're gonna cry about it you can have this one. I'm gonna go get more anyway." Shikamaru droned, taking the smoking cancer stick and extending it.
Hidan's face twisted in digust. "I don't want your slobbery fuckin' cig you creep! Just cause I tolerate making out with you doesn't mean I wanna drink your spit."
Shikamaru just stared at him boredly. Did he have any idea how little sense he just made? It wasn't as if the spikey haired man sucked on them like a bottle.
"Whatever.." He muttered, returning it to his own mouth and inhaling. "I'm gonna go get more. You should go home and change." Smoke puffed out in time with each word, and Hidan grimaced.
"Well what the hell then?"
Shikamaru raised a brow in question.
"I mean like do I fucking come back or what?"
Shikamaru snorted and moved to the door, opening it as he replied. "You're a big boy Hidan, you don't need my permission to go do whatever you want."
"As you wish, my pinapple headed master."
If Shika were into dominatrix type shit, that sentance may have been interesting enough to pursue. But unfortunatly such a thing would inevitabley get out of hand if Hidan were involved.
So he only chuckled and locked the door behind him after his not-boyfriend but still boyfriend slipped out as well.
-o-
"Shikamaru!"
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Itachi's voice suddenly invaded his mind, causing the cashier handing his receipt to look at him funny, as if asking him if she needed to call the police.
He gave her an apologetic smile and snatched the peice of paper from her rediculously long acrylic nails, then collected his things and hurried out of the convenience store.
"Answer me, it's important." The bodiless voice said again.
Shikamaru finally stuffed the two packs in his pockets and juggled his fountian drink to take a look at his hand.
Shit, he was still wearing that ring...
Immediatly his entire body locked up. Oh god, if Itachi heard what they did last night because of that sudden surge of Hidan's chakra...
Oh Jashin... kill me now... NOT REALLY!
Hesitantly he pumped it into his rig finger and lifted it closer to his mouth.
"I'm here..." Ugh, why didn't he just blurt it out if his voice was going to betray him?
"I need to speak with you immediatly. Meet me at the diner on 6th near your apartment. Do not let Hidan follow."
"Uh.. okay. Be there in a minute."
It was a good thing he didn't have anythinf important to do, and a coincidence that he'd just half an hour ago sent the zealot away so he wouldn't have to come up with some excuse.
Then again.. Maybe Itachi knew that and had waited until now to contact him.
Christ, he needed to introduce cell phones to these two.
Hearing no more response, he sighed and tried to push the terror from him, it was making it a little hard to breathe.
If Itachi had heard all that in his head... oh fuck he could never look him in the eyes again. He couldn't even be around the older Uchiha anymore...
Well, he might as well just head there now. It wasn't as if he could avoid the man, he knew where Shikamaru lived after all.
xx
The trek there didn't take too long. With it being such a short distance he opted to just walk there. Though in the middle of the afternoon in a concrete jungle under a cloudless sky, he almost wished he'd been lazy and taken the air-conditioned car.
The little bell dinged as he entered and his nostrils were affronted immediatly by the smell of fried greasy foods and alchohol. Gross, this place was like a bar hiding behind the disguise of a family-oriented restaurant. Why the hell would regal, pristine Itachi Uchiha want to meet him here?
"Shikamaru."
His attention went to a booth situated back in the corner at the his questions were answered when he met the eyes of not one, but two Uchihas, the younger of which holding a glass beer bottle and looking as if he would rather be anywhere else in the world.
He always looked like that though... If Shikamaru remembered correctly.
He made his way over and pulled up a chair to the edge of the table, setting his drink on the table and making himself comfortable. At least for a second before he received a rough kick to his shin.
His eyes flicked to Sasuke, who only sneered.
"That's for attacking me for no reason, idiot."
"Sasuke..." Itachi sighed, " I already explained to you that he was not in his right mind. Let it go."
The younger just shrugged and shifted sideways on the seat, letting his feet dangle off the side, crossed at the ankles.
The elders attention landed on Shikamaru and he offered a small smile in apology. "He's had a few more than neccesary..." The brothers exchanged glances, seeming to have an entire conversation with nothing but their eyes, And Itachi finally turned back. "I ran across some interesting information regarding Neji Hyuga. I thought it might be useful to you."
The Nara let his eyes widen, dammit, Neji was out of his life now, And Itachi somehow seemed to inexplicabley know everything, so he wasn't going to delude himself by thinking he wasn't aware of the fact. If the sharingan user and also rumored best friend of Hidan really had destroyed the psychos residence in an attempt to get them closer, why the hell was he trying to bring his ex back into his life.
Itachi continued, unaware of Shikamaru's suspicion.
"The Hyuga's have a very, very large family tree, generations upon generations. Their heritage is strikingly similar to ours. Ancestors of Neji's have been dated all the way back to before legitimate records had started being kept."
Shikamaru nodded, and actually found this conversation to be rather creepy. It's nice that Itachi cares, really, but doing background checks seemed to be going a little too far.. He grabbed his soda to nonchalantly take a drink, keeping his attention on the older of his two 'friends'.
As if reading his mind, Itachi continued. "I was trying to do more research on your new religion, actually. Seeing as now that you and Hidan are an item, you're going to be a regular part of my life. I wanted to be prepared to deal with two of you cult members running around. That's also why we're in this dingy hole instead of somewhere less, disgusting." His eyes flicked to Sasuke for a second before returning to Shikamaru, a mischevious glint now present. "I tried to contact you yesterday but Hidan was constantly present. Did you have a nice sleepover?"
Shikamaru's stomache lurched and the soda he had in his mouth nearly exploded through his nose. He quickly swallowed the soda, and that just sent him into a coughing fit after going down the wrong tube.
Sasuke let loose a drunken cackle, and Itachi seemed to be resisting laughter himself.
"You and that psycho? That's gross.." The younger said, suddenly serious as the heart attack Shikamaru wished he could have right now.
"Can we please not talk about it..." He groaned, finally regaining control of himself. "What were you saying about Neji's family history?"
Itachi cleared his throat as well, obviously satisfied enough with the Nara's reaction. "Anyway, I came across something... interesting. It seems to be that one of the Hyuga's, nearly two hundred years ago, was hung after being accused of practicing black magic."
Shikamaru considered this, piecing together everything the ex-Akatsuki member had said.
"You think he was a Jashinist?"
"That would make sense wouldn't it? Seeing that the records show that he did not die."
If he'd dared take another drink, he would have spit it all over the table, probably hitting both the Uchiha's in the process. Luckily enough for him he didn't. All he could do was gawk.
"I do not know if this has any relevance to your situation, but it certianly seems that this god of yours has his sights set on Neji Hyuga. I wasn't able to dig any deeper than that, seeing as any dealings with such things were considered taboo back then. But the fact alone that he could not be killed by any means, even decapitation, it seems, is enough of a reason to look into it." Itachi said calmly, looking at his nails as if he was as uninterested in the matter as his younger brother seemed.
"Where did you find this information?"
The sharingan user's eyes flicked up to him again, and he shrugged, traces of a smirk etched around his mouth. "Internet."
Shikamaru raised a brow, and Sasuke snickered as a pop and a fizz sounded. He took a quick swig of the beer he'd seemed to aquire out of thin air and wiped his mouth.
"Your honey-boo-boo told 'Tachi about the stuff you looked up. I helped him hack into our neighbors wifi so he could look it up too." Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed at his brothers confession, and Shikamaru chuckled. Don't dish it out if you can't take it.
"Shoulda seen him Nara," Sasuke said, slurring slightly. "' Which button is the internet? What's a browser? Who's google?' Phuckin pathedic..."
"I'll remind you that I was locked up in solitary confinement for ten years. I haven't exactly had time to sit down and waste my life learning of all this new technology as you have." Itachi snapped, and his brother flipped him off in response. "I think you've had enough." The older said sourly, snatching the now almost empty can from his sibling. Then turned back to Shikamaru wearily. "I apologize. He promised to mind himself if I indulged him."
"It's fine.. it's kinda nice to not see you two acting like robots."
The corner of Itachi's eye twitched, but he seemed to shake the comment off.
"It may or may not link to Hidan. I've never heard of another immortal. Tread carefully Shikamaru, You've gotten yourself into another fine mess." He stood then, and Shikamaru followed suit.
"I'm going to take Sasuke home, I think he's embarassed himself enough. Oh, and please remove the ring when it's not in use. I prefer not to have any more nightmares."
Shikamaru didn't even have time to blush before Itachi reached across the table and latched onto Sasuke's wrist, both evaporating into a flock of smokey ravens.
He slapped a hand to his forehead and let it slide down his face. Oh Jashin, could you possibley find any more bullshit to dump on my life?
He took a slow, deep breath. Well then, at least it was over with. Now it seemed he needed to talk to Hidan, which meant he needed to get home and... and what? Wait... apparently... until his fellow Jashinist returned, which he undoubtedly would.
It.. it was a lot of information to take in. One of Neji's ancestors was an immortal? And Itachi thinks Hidan is linked to it? It couldn't be... could it? It was true that Hidan couldn't remember who he was before immortality kicked in.. But.. He said his appearance had changed as well. They wouldn't have recognized him, not so long ago, as a Hyuga, if he were one...
And even if he were, wouldn't he have the byakugan? Even death shouldn't take that away..
Gah, why was he acting as if he knew how things like this worked?
Baby steps...
He just needed to go home. First things first..
-o-
Nope. There was no one here.
Of course there wasn't... He'd told Hidan not to come over when he wasn't here.
He sighed, and quickly yanked the ring off his finger and tossed it tiredly into the small bowl of miscellaneous things that sat on the end table just inside his door, then trudged over to his chair. Collapsing into it, he sat in silence for a moment before pulling out his new pack of cigarretes. After packing them and opening th box, he popped on in his mouth and lit it, inhaling even deeper than usual.
"Mmm..."
He could feel the burn, the protesting of his lungs hurt so good, and the nicotene rushing his system was like a zap of energy, tugging on him and pulling him up from his chair absently.
...Wait... Nicotene doesn't do that...
He blinked, finding himself at the window, having pulled it open and just starting to crouch in order to climb out. What was this?
Again something pulled at him, an indescribable need to leave the apartment. A sudden rush of energy, of power.
Uh oh.. This was the same feeling he'd had before. The same rush that drugged his self-awareness and had him wanting to attack Sasuke and kill Neji.
Awe shit, he was having an episode, a Jashin attack. And there hadn't even been anything to bring it on this time!
He blinked again and shook his head, realizing he was on the ledge of the window, and his mouth fell open as he looked down, letting the cigarette fall free down to its doom.
HOLY SHIT! Jashin was trying to kill him! He was useless now that he had nothing to work his evil magic on, he was going to get rid of him amd end the burden and find another way to kill Neji!
He gulped and did his best to keep himself clinging to awareness. He couldn't let his body move on it's own, One more step and he would be falling again, falling down to the street that was already so broken and crumbled that City workers had closed it off temporarily to traffic.
At least he knew he wouldn't land on his car, but damn it was annoying having to park it around the side of the building...
'Stop resisting..' Came a whisper in his ear.
"Hell no! I already fell off this fucking place once I'm not doing it again! There's no way they'll overlook it a second time!" He panted out loud to the empty air. Someone below seemed to notice him, and had stopped to stare sideways, waiting to see if he was some shmuck trying to commit suicide or just another nutjob. Those were common in the city.
Damn! the ring wasn't on him! He could have called Itachi for help. Fuck, why did he have to remember to take it off? Why couldn't he have remembered last night? And then kept it on today... Shit, he was doomed.
'Stop resisiting...'
"NO!" He shouted, straining as once again the air was forced from his lungs and his eyes widened. There was a small ledge just below his windowsill, and as he panic'd to stay calm and continue fighting the unwilling movement of his body, his leg slowly uncurled from underneath him. So slowly, shaking violently as he willed his muscles to fight back, it continued moving.
Noo... oh please haven't I been doing better? Please don't kill me, please, please, please. I want to live!
Shikamaru's head tilted back, his body was running out of oxygen now, he couldn't do this much longer. His foot firmly planted itself on the outcropping barely big enough to stand sideways on. Damn, he couldn't fight it, he couldn't do it! He was going to pass out soon and then he really would plummet down to his death. Surely Jashin couldn't manipulate him if he was unconcious...
'Stop resisting...'
He struggled for breath, he struggled not to move, fighting an invisible demon. He couldn't win, there was no way.
Please.. I only just found happiness again.. Show mercy, just this once.. Please Jashin.
He closed his eyes, for fear they might spring a leak again. He couldn't die, not now. He had finally admitted to his feelings for Hidan. He had finally accepted it, He finally had friends and a psycho but amazing boyfriend. He had something to live for again, and now that he had it Jashin was going to take it away? Stupid cruel god, How could you get satisfaction from this...
Suddenly an image of Hidan flashed across his closed lids. They were sitting together on the tarp, that first night after Neji had come, circles made and blood offered and prayers concluded. Hidan looked at him with those unpigmented eyes.
"The first thing you gotta know is that Jashin is a crazy bastard sometimes." He had paused then to say a short apology to his God. "You just gotta trust him. Resisting pisses him off, if he wants you dead, you're gonna die. End of story. You just have to trust that he doesn't."
No.. Shikamaru thought to himself. I won't let you trick me, I won't let you kill me. Not after everything I've fucking suffered through because of you! He ripped his eyes open, but as if in a movie theater, Hidan's voice continued, like he'd only turned away from the screen.
"Sometimes he will want you to do things that you're literally thinking 'What the Fuck?' But after it's done you understand. You have to make yourself believe that he will take care of you. Fear is for the weak, fear is for the mortal. He wants your respect, but he does not want you to fear him, because that causes resistance. He wants undyeing loyalty."
SHUT UP HIDAN! He tried to scream, remembering he had no breath with which to say it. Shit, little black specks were taking over his vision. This was it, in a few seconds he could black out. In a few seconds he would be gone and he would never wake up again. He would be dead, wrapped in the unforgiving cloak of darkness.
Please... He pleaded, feeling a few tears slip down his cheek. Please don't make me...
"PINEAPPLE HEAD!" Hidan's voice came again, so clear that he might thing he was actually standing there on the ledge beside him. "I'M TRYING TO FUCKING HELP YOU HERE! QUIT BEING A DICK!"
Stop it... Stop using him against me. First Neji, and now Hidan. It's not fair.. It's.. it's not..
Oh shit, here it comes, his muscles were going to fail him and he could only begin to fall before unconciousness would claim his mind, and then the hard ground broke his body.
Taking advantage of his weakness, his other foot jerked out from under him and stepped down to the ledge. His body crouched as he lost control of it, as he lost the ability to fight Jashin's will. Again the power flooded in to him, and he was allowed the smallest intake of breath ever in history.
It almost just made it worse. More! He needed more air or he would die! If Jashin wanted you dead, you were gonna die. It was true, he was defenseless.. He couldn't resist it, it was going to happen no matter what. Either he would die right now of asphyxiation or he could break every bone in his body falling on to the crumpled concrete below.
...Fine.. He surrendered. So be it. If I don't die then you're just going to torture me until I want to. So go ahead, kill me..
The blessed air blew back into him and his lungs inflated. He didn't even go into a coughing fit this time, what with the sudden rush of strength that erupted in his chest. His vision fogged over and he felt that familiar distance, like he was being pulled from his body only to watch.
Great, he got to watch himself die. Where's the popcorn?
His legs burned under him with the strength of coiled wire, and then before he could even register the fact that he was no longer on the windowsill, he had pushed off with such force that the stone that had been holding his weight crumpled and avalanched down the side of the building behind him.
In a heartbeat he had not only jumped across the entire intersection, but landed twice on two more buildings and pushed off, using the chakra in his feet to propel him like some mixture between a cheetah and a kangaroo over the tops of the buildings. He moved so fast that the wind stung his eyes, but holy shit he couldn't close them, this was exhilerating! He had to be moving at least 100mph... He'd never even gone that fast in his car! He didn't know it was possible to move that fast and not have the skin literally ripped from your body.
A small realization snuck into his thoughts as he pushed off from another three roofs. And he closed his eyes, it wasn't as if he were directing himself anyway.
Jashin.. thank you, and I'm sorry. I...I won't do it again. Just please don't try to choke me out any more...
the flashed open to reveal a huge building straight ahead. He was going to crash right through the glass wasn't he? Ah dammit, why did being a Jashinist always involve destruction of property? It was getting really, really hard to cover his tracks.
But he didn't go crashing through the window. The people in the conference room inside stared as he thunked into the side, purple-black chakra flaming around his feet to keep it from cracking. He felt his lips part in a sneer at the onlookers before he was running downward at a 90 degree angle. Down, down the side of what was probably a 30 story building, down the glass, past all the offices and workers that either jumped and stared slack-jawed or turned around too slowly to see him sprint by. Down onto the cement ground and without stopping he felt chakra pool into his hand and sharpen into a blade.
An animalistic roar ripped from his throat as he pulled back his arm and swung. And his inner self that was just sitting back watching all this happen gawked as his arm sliced straight through the 6 inch wall of brick and he entered into the large, empty building.
Skidding to a stop, his possesed body fought to feed air to his lungs. Shikamaru willed himself to look around, and his body actually complied while it recovered.
What was this place? It looked to once be some sort of storage facility, it was just a big, bare, empty room. But the walls and the floor were all caked with some disgusting grime, and the smell was nearly unbearable. God, it smelled like the time...
Wait.. It smelled like the hidden Jashinist chamber under Kakuzu and Hidan's house back in that little crap town. As the realization poured into his mind, his body started forward, heading right for the northwest corner with large, hurried strides. It wasn't long before he reached it and Shikamaru looked down, instantly seeing what probably would have been hidden to most people.
On the wall, disguised to look like some sort of grafiti was a Jashin symbol, the outside ring was made by a circling of words. 'Thy will be done.' And there was a large chunk of brick mising from the wall underneath it. He almost laughed to himself as his body reached down without hesitation, tucking his fingers into the crack and pulling. Shikamaru stared in wonder and hesitation and even triumph as the wall followed the movement, opening up into a door, that led into a pitch black stairwell.
It was then that the anger started trickling into him. And this time he wasn't sure if it was Jashin or not. He could hear Hidan's voice, echoing up to him, rage and psychotic glee both clearly evident.
"You stupid little bitch! You just don't fucking get it do you!?"
Shikamaru stared straight ahead, starting down the flight of stairs and listening to Hidan's rantings.
"You're as good as dead. You fucking lost. there is nothing you can do to save yourself now."
Was he sacrificing someone? Damn he better not be.. Even though it was unfair to expect him not to. It was how he stayed alive..
But... but he was killing people Shikamaru. Get a grip! Don't let your affections cloud your judgement.
"You can do whatever the fuck you want to me but JASHIN HAS ALREADY DAMNED YOU! " Insane laughter interrupted the rantings before it was stopped with a pained grunt belonging to the same shouting lunatic.
Anger burst within Shikamaru again. Hidan wasn't sacrificing someone, he was in trouble. Someone was trying to kill him! Oh.. Oh hell no!
Fire exploded and suddenly he was sprinting his way down the murkey black stairway. Not Hidan, not his Hidan. He'd fucking kill them, he'd rip off their limbs and tear out their throat, vampire-style. The idiot deserved to die who thought they could fuck with his man and not have to worry about a pissed off and pumped up Shikamaru coming after them with fangs bared. He'd already had that happen once, and he'd lost Neji because of it. But Hidan was different, Hidan was probably enjoying whatever torture they were currently inflicting, he was probably getting a kick out of it. And he would get even more of a kick to see his dear Pineapple head bust up in there and crack some fucking skulls.
"GAAHHHOOHH Jashin! Ohh that's so good! " the zealots voice echoed up. FUCK! Why did these fucking hidden chambers have to have these stupidly long fucking pathways? Thankfully there was only one way to go, and not some stupid confusing maze of underground tunnels. But still, it was pissing him off, if it was even possible to be more pissed.
He understood now, what Jashin had wanted him to do. It was a rescue mission. Hidan was in trouble, and Shikamaru had become the new Kakuzu. Reaching in and plucking the idiots ass out of danger at the last second.
Well, Techinically Kakuzu had waited until he was dead already. But, he wasn't Kakuzu, he was Shikamaru Nara. He was but he wasn't. He wasn't an easy-going, cloud-gazing, lump of flesh and bone anymore. He was a badass, ass-kicking Jashinist that could fall from ten story buildings and not get hurt, that could sprint across rooftops at an impossible speed. The only thing that remained the same about him now was his name.
And he was going to carve it into the back of this stupid fuck's eyelids.
There was light peeking out around a large rectangle up ahead. Shikamaru squinted to see it better. A door? Who the hell would put a door way the hell down here? You'd think that nifty little secret entrance up all those stairs would be enough to deterr anyone, it wasn't as if an old wodden door would do anything but maybe add a little homeliness.
He strided up to it and in one motion pured charkra into his foot and kicked it open with all the force he had. The door not only opened, but flew off its hinges and sailed across the open room and crashed into the wall. Hidan shouted some startled profanity, and Shikamaru felt an maniacle smile stretch it's way across his face. He cracked his neck and stepped into the room.
His lungs protested against breathing in the dust that the whole door situation had stirred up, but he ignored it and squinted through the smokescreen. His fists clenched at his side and he stalked in further.
"Pineapple head? What the fuck!?" Hidan said, and Shikamaru's eyes flicked over to where the voice came from. His eyes only narrowed in further wrath as he took in the situation.
Hidan was tied up, and tied up well. He was suspended in the middle of the room with his hands down at his sides and his ankles secured together, toes dangling just a few inches from the ground. He had cuts and slashes all over him, his hair was disheveled, and blood was trickling from his mouth and nose.
A series of weapons were shoved through him in various places, and Shikamaru noticed a few metallic zip-strips around all four of his limbs and his neck. Chakra-blocking metal, he concluded, remembering the handcuffs he'd used on Sasuke. It would be kind of hot if the Nara wasn't currently pissed to all hell.
Hidan stared back at him, the emotion on his face indescribable, though Shikamaru's ego attributed it maybe to awe, seeing as the albinos mouth was hanging slightly open.
"What the fuck is going on here?" He said, hardley recognizing his own snarl of a voice.
Hidan's mouth bobbed open and close, violet eyes like saucers as they looked Shikamaru up and down. He just huffed, obviously that idiot wasn't going to be much help, so he tore his eyes from the pitiful scene and looked around. The room looked almost as if it had been an apartment, but a bomb went off inside. The walls were scorched and what looked to be furniture was laying broken and splintered in small bits and chunks all over the room. Everything was burnt to a crisp, except the small blanket that lay unrolled ont he floor with all manner of torture devises organized neatly on it.
Hacksaws, drills, scalpels, bludgeons, maces, whips, lock-cutters... What the hell was this? Someone was literally planning to torture Hidan.
An impossible amount of further anger enveloped him to the point where he was just going to start using Hidan for a punching bag if this person didn't show themselves soon. If he didn't maim or kill something within the next five seconds...
"Shikamaru...?"
His chest clenched up and he turned slowly, grinding his teeth with eyes wide open in shock and rage. That voice, that stupid fucking voice... Oohh Jashin if he was behind this again.. he really might kill him. He really might just sacrifice his meddling, jealous, over-dramatic cunt of a soul.
Pale blue-gray eyes stared at him in confusion, silky brunette hair cascaded down his shoulders, out of its usual ponytail and let free to flow where it wanted. He was beautiful still.. or he would be, if not for the blood, blood that he knew was Hidan's, spattered across his clothes and his face, caking his right arm that held an equally bloody daggar. The sacrificial daggar Hidan had been showing Shikamaru only yesterday.
Son of a bitch.
"What.. what are you doing here? How'd you find this place?"
He took a step toward Neji, letting his killing intent flow like a waterfall from his eyes. He wanted the Hyuga to look into them and see his own death. He had nowhere to run this time, they were down here in this darky, dirty hole. In the same situation as two years ago, only the roles had been reversed and there was no Itachi Uchiha here to keep the peace.
"He's trying to kill me or some shit. Fucking idiot." Hidan finally spoke up, and Shikamaru's gaze only flicked to him long enough to give him a glare that commanded silence, before returning to Neji.
Neji stared back, unable to completley conceal his fear. "You.. you're having another fit aren't you?" He hesitated, waiting for an answer, as if Shika cared enough to give him one. "Shikamaru! Wake up! It's me!"
You little fucking rat. His eyes narrowed further, how dare he still try to play innocent. How dare he try to use Shikamaru's feelings against him. He left. He LEFT! Twice now! He left him alone, and now he was trying to act as if there was still any fucks left for shikamaru to give. He was torturing the man who had taken Neji's place and sitting there acting as if there was nothing wrong with this, as if the spikey haired Jashinist in front of him would just immediatly choose his side without even having to think about it as long as he was in his right mind.
I could kill you. He took another step. So easily. I could crush your pretty little head with my new strength.
More maniacal laughter rang out in the cave-like room. "You're FUCKED now princess! Oooh shit look at that! Pineapple head is PISSED! You better fucking run you worthless little athiest! Run for your pathetic little life!"
Neji looked back and forth between the the insane, laughing man and Shikamaru, desperation slowly overtaking his features. He took a step back, his breaths beginning to come faster.
"Shikamaru.. you don't understand. I can explain you just have to give me the chance."
"Shut up." The Nara growled, once more shocked to hear the ferocity in his voice. "I'm going to kill you.."
Hidan whooped at this and doubled his laughter, and Neji looked as if he'd been kicked in the crotch and then stabbed in the back.
"SHIKAMARU! WAKE UP!" He shouted, tears starting to pool in his beautiful, lieing eyes.
"REPENT HEATHEN!" Hidan shrilled, struggling against his restraints.
Shikamaru blocked it out, gathering his chakra. This was going to be put to a stop, right now. He had a choice to make. Neji or Hidan. The man he had loved for nearly 6 years of his life, who had left him and betrayed him. Or the man he wasn't sure if he loved or not who had taken Neji's place and stopped his heart from bleeding, the one who had previously tried to murder not only Shikamaru himself, but Neji as well.
Tough choice.
Not really.
-o-
A/N-
*dives behind a bookcase* DON"T KILL ME! You should be well aware of how evil I am by now. Cliffhangers are just irresistable. xD
Yeesss, Jashin is a cruel, heartless bastard. And I love him. So, will Shika actually go through with it this time? Has Jashin gained enough power over him to force him to do it?
YOU WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Which Imma start working on right away. :)
So yea, I warned you that shit was gonna hit the fan. But seriously folks, theres still a good bit of the story left, and it only gets more wild, so please for the love of Jashin, put on your seatbelts.
This chapter is irritating me. I feel like I got a little crazy with the one sentence paragraphs. But at the same time I can't mesh them together without it sounding.. just not right, in my head. So, forgive me for that, forgive me for typos. Um, I had a playlist written up somehwere around here but I can't for the fuck of me think of where the hell I put it so.. I guess this sentance was pointless. :D
Anywayyy, I lovvvvveee yooouuuu, Jashin loves you, and if you review I'll give you a fresh-made soul cookie! So.. like... review.
Like now.
Go.