Neji than picked up the hair tie and wound his hair back through. Shikamaru saw dread cross Neji's face. " Why do you look so upset?" asked Shikamaru. " I don't want to go back." said Neji. Shikamaru could understand where Neji was coming from. " I'll be there for you." said Shikamaru. As he put a hand on Neji's shoulder. " Are you sensitive to chakra?" asked Shikamaru. Neji arched an eyebrow. He hadn't known where that question had even come from.
" Yes ever since I've been getting the re occurring bout of blindness I've been super sensitive to chakra." said Neji.
Shikamaru was not happy. He couldn't even wrap his mind around what he'd just heard " Are you telling me this blindness, happens even when you don't get hit in the back of the neck?" asked Shikamaru. " Yes. Because I've gotten hit in the back of my neck so many times, it results in the engorged vain you felt earlier, to sometimes fill with chakra if I'm not careful about where I direct it, for the use of my Byakugan, causing the vain to snap." said Neji. Shikamaru tried to process all he'd heard. " And again. No one noticed this not even your sensei?" asked Shikamaru.
" No, he noticed. But he knows me well enough to know I don't want him to bring attention to it. Because if he does, than my uncle will know." said Neji. Shikamaru squeezed Neji's shoulder in comfort. " We need to get back." said Neji. Shikamaru could see Neji was angst about going back to the village that used him. Shikamaru didn't have anymore time to think on on it. Shikamaru felt Neji's hand close around his wrist. Both let their hands drop from the others person simultaneously.
Neji suddenly had a blush stain his face. " Um would you mind dropping me off?" asked Neji. Shikamaru smirked and walked around to stand behind Neji. Shikamaru wrapped one arm around the top of Neji's chest bringing his backwards into Shikamaru's chest. With the other hand he formed the required 3 hand signs and they were gone in a puff of smoke.
They landed outside of the main Hyuuga compound. As very sad luck would have it, Hiashi was right outside. As soon as they landed, three things happened at once. Hiashi exclaimed " Neji." , Shikamaru dropped his arm from Neji and came to stand on his right side, and Neji's head snapped up so fast his neck cracked. No one but Shikamaru saw the minute wince Neji had produced at have his head move so fast right after such recent trauma. Neji stared at his uncle, not knowing what to say. Neji couldn't believe what he was seeing." I'll see you later Neji." said Shikamaru. Neji turned to face him and nodded. Shikamaru knew what that nod meant. Though to other people, it would seem Neji had just nodded. But that nod said more than Neji could ever put into words. Not only that, but it was in such a way that no one understood the silent language between them.
Shikamaru turned and walked away at a slow, but steady pace. Neji watched him go. Hiashi watched his nephew, intrigued by this sudden turn of events that led to them landing outside the main Hyuuga compound. Hiashi waited a few more seconds before saying " Neji, let's continue this conversation inside." and proceeded to walk to the compound with Neji trailing a respective distance behind him. Neji used the time to brace himself and slide his many masks back into place, becoming emotionless in less time than it took for glass to shatter.
Once inside, Neji knelt on the pillow conveniently placed on the floor on one side of a low table and looked at his uncle across from the table in front of him. Neji waited for the barrage of accusations and insults to start. They never did. " Neji." addressed Hiashi " What were you doing with the Nara boy?" Neji went ramrod straight. " He was passing by and saw I needed help with something. He demanded I let him help." said Neji. Their were no reasons to go into specifics. " I see." said Hiashi. As he pondered on how much of what he said was true.