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Break to Breathe	By : Okami-Rayne Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Shikamaru/Neji Views: 1958 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: NARUTO and its respective characters were created and are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
BREAK TO BREATHE

by Okami Rayne

Chapter Twenty Three

[Dedicated to Chromde]

The Tsubasa led them deeper into the tangled bowels of the forest, through pathways cramped with thick, bulbous roots. Massive vines gnarled up from the ground, pressing in around the moving shinobi like the intestines of some woodland monster that had swallowed them whole.
"Man, this is like being inside one of Pervy Sage's toads!" Naruto exclaimed, squeezing around tree roots.
"What the hell is a Pervy Sage?" a Tsubasa ninja queried, frowning.
Neji shook his head, but kept his gaze forward, walking along one of the higher boughs to survey the group. His Byakugan eyes tracked the Tsubasa party below, watching them navigate the complicated routes without pause.
No easy feat, unless one was a native to the land.
Hanegakure's borders were like a labyrinth.
Without the Byakugan, or a guide, we would never have been able to traverse these walkways…
It would have taken hours. They'd have sooner found a fight than a route. As if sensing his thoughts, Kitori glanced over her shoulder from below. Neji paused as the kunoichi angled her gaze up towards him and signalled a change in direction with a curve of her palm.
The Hyūga nodded and turned, gracefully launching over to the next tree as their course changed. He heard a yelp from below.
"Careful, Naruto!" Sakura chided.
"I meant to do that," the Uzumaki grumbled.
"Yeah right," Kiba's voice carried in a snicker. "Oh hey, Shikamaru, you got a plan in the works or whatever?"
"Give me a break, Inuzuka."
Neji dropped his gaze to the group, flicking across the inverted figures until he located Shikamaru. The Nara walked beside Chōji, his eyes on the undergrowth, obviously attempting to avoid the tripwires of roots and vines.
Even with the monochrome of his dōjutsu, Neji could detect the tiredness in the other ninja's face – the half-mast of Shikamaru's eyelids seemed tense, almost a squint, as if he were fighting not to close his eyes altogether.
He needs to rest…
With his gaze on Shikamaru, Neji missed what Akamaru picked up on.
The dog issued a soft, growling whine from below.
Then, like the eerie shift of an eclipse, the light changed…vanishing.
Neji glanced up before the others, his Byakugan eyes penetrating the darkness as it began to thicken around them. The forest itself seemed to swell, pulsing and teeming with activity beyond the canopies, higher up.
Much higher…
Neji stopped walking, raising his index in the Snake seal as he extended the scope of his vision, scaling higher, higher…
There.
The Hyūga arched his brows, his moon-like eyes widening.
Naruto hadn't been exaggerating the Tsubasa's claim.
Hanegakure wasn't just in the trees.
It was crafted from them.
The village rested high above them, its entire framework constructed from massive boughs and gigantic branches. The Tsubasa's homes were nestled into and hollowed out from colossal trunks and timbers, mostly dome-shaped with larger edifices built like nests. Everything was interconnected by walkway systems set up via interlinking boughs and branches; these acted as bridges, connecting the village on all levels.
Neji skimmed the inverted blueprint in amazement.
It was an entire community built upon nature's foundations, but the Tsubasa had applied the ingenuity of grafting the environment without destroying it.
Incredible…
A soft crackle sounded at his ear.
Neji blinked from his engrossed surveillance, his fingers straying to his transmitter at the weak sputter of static. He readjusted the volume that he'd muted after the sonic blast of Naruto and Kiba's voices earlier.
"Yes?"
"Neji…" Shikamaru's tired voice filtered through. "Kitori says we're moving up – do you see it?"
"Yes."
"How far?"
"It's quite a scale."
"…Ugh…troublesome…"
"You could always ask Lee to carry you," Neji smirked, turning to walk back along the bough, picking a quick path back down to the hovering team.
"I'll crawl, thanks…" Shikamaru muttered.
Neji arched a brow, amusement lightening his eyes as he dropped down beside the lazy ninja. He schooled his expression back to its polished veneer as he straightened up, deactivating his dōjutsu to let Hinata take over.
"Crawl?" he echoed dryly, switching off his mic.
Shikamaru glanced across lazily, hooded eyes projecting boredom to cover-up the tiredness lingering there. The shadow-nin parted his lips to respond but stopped, then cleared his throat. Neji took the hint and turned just as Kitori stepped over.
"We will take a cage up," Kitori informed, signalling to one of her ninja. "Have them lower it."
"A cage?" Neji tried to keep the distaste from his voice, but it reached his eyes, the barest touch of flint in his opal orbs.
"Yes." Kitori turned and gestured to the large lift that descended from the canopies, very much shaped like a huge birdcage. "It's quicker than scaling the walkways by foot."
Neji eyed the 'lift' warily.
It made sense. But sense had nothing to do with the rattle of unease inside him, shaking up irritating things he didn't want to think about when he gazed at the cage-like lift.
Ridiculous…
Of course, it didn't help to have Shikamaru's steady gaze fastened on him. He felt that disturbing sense of exposure again. The Nara saw too much.
He needs to stop doing that…
Shaking his head, Neji watched Kitori approach the cage, opening it up and signalling for the teams to board it – a second cage was already descending.
Neji frowned.
"Scared of heights, Hyūga?" Shikamaru drawled, but his tone was softer, his words designed to lighten the tension Neji didn't realise he was emitting.
Neji turned his head a fraction, barely glancing over his shoulder. "Do you still want to crawl, Nara?"
Shikamaru snorted, swaying away from the tree he was leaning on. "At least I'll have an excuse not to move when I finally reach the top."
"This is true."
The Hyūga fell into step with the rest of the Konoha team as they filed into one of the cages with Kitori, a collective buzz of anticipation humming around them.
Neji didn't share it.
His attention became divided between the ache in his chest and the imminent conversation they would need to have with Ozuku Tsubasa. Completion of the mission within the next few days was imperative. He and Shikamaru would need to develop another strategy quickly, accounting for the new hand of players.
Neji slid his gaze across to the Nara.
Shikamaru had slouched against the cage, his back bowed into the natural curve of the bars, eyes closed and head tipped back, his hands slotted into his pockets. Chōji said something to him that Neji didn't pick up on, but the Nara didn't respond to whatever it was. Even when Chōji stepped away, Shikamaru didn't budge.
Neji watched him quietly as the other shinobi chattered animatedly, quizzing Kitori on the species of bird that occasionally fluttered past, stirring with the dawn. It then occurred to Neji just how sleep-deprived the team were.
This thought was made all the more apparent as he traced his eyes over Shikamaru's face, following the contours of the shadow-nin's profile. Rather than blatantly stare, he shifted his gaze down along the Nara's sharp jaw to the neckline of the Chūnin's black top. The memory of his fingers around Shikamaru's throat drew a sharp furrow between Neji's brows.
And what if I had gripped harder…? Could he have stopped me?
Neji's thoughts churned as the lift scaled higher through the canopies, but unlike the fog thickening in his mind, the darkness around the cage began to clear. Beams of milky light speared through the leaves, a dusty lance of it falling across Shikamaru's face.
The shadow-nin's eyes fluttered open slowly.
Neji instantly averted his gaze.
He transferred his focus to the outposts that became visible through the mesh of leaves. Tsubasa guards stood on crafted platforms as they patrolled the borders, birds perched on their shoulders.
"This is incredible," Sakura breathed out across the cage, her awe mirrored in her expression. "How did your people manage to create something this intricate?"
"You don't know?" Kitori blinked. "It was thanks to your First Hokage."
"Huh?" Naruto jerked from his gobsmacked stare. "What do you mean?"
Kitori smiled faintly, stepping over to Sakura and Naruto's side of the cage. "By the same means that Konoha was founded, Hanegakure was given life by the Shodai Hokage."
It was?
Neji arched a brow, glancing at Shikamaru. The Nara shrugged, displaying how much he really didn't care. Neji attempted not to smile and refocused on the conversation across the ascending cage.
"The Wood Release Jutsu?" Sakura queried.
"Yes." Kitori gestured around with a sweep of her palm. "We are grateful to him and honour his memory for the founding of our homeland. Without the First Hokage's unique kekkei genkai, we would not have been able to thrive."
Shikamaru snorted, muttering beneath his breath. "So they show their gratitude by severing their alliance to Konoha during the Third War. Nice."
Neji stepped over toward Shikamaru, making the movement seem subtle as he dropped his voice. "Remember what I said about antagonising these people?"
Shikamaru waved a hand, yawning. "Relax, Hyūga. I should tell her about your track-record for unprovoked abuse."
"You do realise that any injury you've garnered from me is because you've provoked me." Neji muttered, but his initial habit to react indignantly was tempered by a desire to banter instead.
"That's your word against mine," Shikamaru slipped his eyes shut, tilting his head back again. "Better get your fangirls at the Shogi House to fight your corner, Hyūga."
Neji's lashes flickered as he suppressed an eye roll, but his voice carried his smile. "This is coming from the man whose blonde teammate behaves like a cheerleader from the sidelines. And I'm not talking about Naruto."
"Ino." Shikamaru shrugged. "She's trouble."
"You'd trade her for another player?"
"Never said that."
Neji hummed as the cage came to a stop. "At least she demonstrates her faith in you. That says something."
"I told you before," Shikamaru said, slipping his eyes open when Kitori moved to open the cage. "Some things you earn without needing a strategy."
Neji pursed his lips.
Perhaps…
He didn't have time to let the thought burrow any deeper before Kitori was directing them over a crafted walkway, pointing ahead to their destination. Neji traced his gaze over the structure of the building, activating his dōjutsu to zoom in on a hanging sign splintered with age.
THE ROOKERY

Birdsong filtered gently through the open window of the guest room; a soft, inoffensive melody of airy twitters and playful chirrups.
Peaceful and pleasant.
"Ugh…make it stop…" Shikamaru groaned, his hoarse voice breaking Neji's focus.
The Hyūga arched a brow without raising his eyes from the map spread across the low table. He adjusted his kneel and reached across for a cup of tea steaming to the side of a stack of scrolls.
"Go to sleep," he said unhelpfully, taking a sip of the brew.
Shikamaru was currently sprawled on one of the two beds. The moment they had taken their respective rooms, the Nara had made a beeline for the nearest flat surface that wasn't the floor. He'd then flopped down without a word, just about making the effort to kick off his sandals and rip off his flak-jacket.
Neji, however, had showered, eaten, arranged a time to speak with Ozuku, ascertained the rest of their team were settled and debriefed and had even taken the opportunity to familiarise himself with the layout of the village.
He'd achieved all of this in the span of an hour.
An hour in which Shikamaru hadn't moved – but had managed to growl, curse and mutter bloody murder with regards to the harmless intervals of birdsong.
As if on cue, another flurry of twitters chorused.
Neji smiled. "Just ignore it."
"…Are you kidding me?"
"You can sleep through storms, but birdsong offends you?"
"I don't have an ear for music…" Shikamaru muttered dryly, another growl rolling around in his throat as a soft chirp whistled through the window.
The Hyūga sighed and set his cup of tea down, glancing across the guest room.
The shadow-nin lay with one long leg dangling off the edge of the bed, his other foot propped on the mattress. The Nara's elbow was visible just beyond the rise of his knee, indicating from Neji's viewpoint that Shikamaru was probably gripping his brow.
Neji's expression sobered.
He really should have fallen asleep by now…birdsong or not…
Releasing a slow breath, Neji rocked onto his feet and crossed the distance to the window. He drew the drapes sharply across the aperture, startling the birds into flight while simultaneously casting the room in a less abrasive light.
Turning on his heel he glanced across at Shikamaru. "Better?"
"Concussion might work," Shikamaru drawled, quirking his lip faintly, though his eyes were shielded by the drape of his hand.
Neji hiked a brow, noticing the bone-white knuckles of Shikamaru's fingers and the rigid press of the Chūnin's thumb as it dug into his temple. The fierce tension in Shikamaru's hand destroyed the impression set by the rest of the his body, which appeared completely relaxed.
Hmn…
"Do you have a headache?" Neji asked quietly, his brow tugging into a frown.
"Are you being funny, Hyūga?"
"No."
Shikamaru waved his other hand dismissively.
Neji didn't buy it for a second.
Shaking his head, the Hyūga rounded the bed and stepped over. "Sit up a moment."
"Hmn?" Shikamaru didn't move.
"Sit up."
Shikamaru lifted his wrist enough to glance up from under his hand, dark eyes shuttered and sleepy. "What?"
Neji dropped his tone. "Sit. Up."
"Why?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.
Why...
Neji hesitated.
The safest, quickest explanation was that Shikamaru had an unspoken advantage and Neji wanted to take it back. Just the thought of his breathing lapses caused Neji's jaw to tighten. Though Shikamaru had never said anything about those moments of weakness, it didn't make it any easier to stomach the fact that the shadow-nin had been privy to them. To assist Shikamaru with his headache might help even the score between them.
At least, this is what Neji told himself.
Tch. As if it matters…he needs to sleep…we then need to strategise…
Neji opted for a flat look in response. "You clearly have a headache and given that your head will be required within the next few hours, it would be helpful if it wasn't pounding – now sit up."
"Asking me to trust you with my head? After the abuse you've given it?"
Neji hesitated a moment, not entirely sure whether Shikamaru was being sarcastic or metaphorical. He guessed it was the former by the lazy smirk the ninja gave him and rolled his eyes in response.
"Idiot. Sit up."
Shikamaru sighed, dropping his hand away to prop himself up on an elbow. "I'm fine, alright? I'm just tired."
Neji tilted his head. "I can see that."
Shikamaru glanced away, which surprised the Hyūga.
Something was off.
It irked Neji that he couldn't place it. He was good at reading people, but Shikamaru had adopted a kind of personality hieroglyphic that he couldn't decipher or hope to interpret with his usual rationale. Rather than allow that frustration to irritate him, Neji knocked Shikamaru's planted foot off the bed, forcing the Nara to straighten up.
"Hey, watch it…" Shikamaru growled, but it was more tired than angry.
"Be quiet," Neji said softly, crouching down as Shikamaru slouched forward, propping his elbows on his knees.
Ignoring any awkwardness that might have threatened to sliver into the moment, Neji focused on the goal at hand.
Alleviate headache.
"Look up," he instructed.
Shikamaru raised his eyes rather than his head, offering a harassed look. Neji returned it, albeit with a little more poise. A fleeting battle of wills played out, in which Neji was the first to react to the unproductive impasse.
"Shikamaru…"
The Nara rolled his eyes, making to flop back. Neji caught him by the nape before he could, snapping his other hand up to lightly clasp the Chūnin's jaw, forcing it to close before the Nara could say anything.
"Be quiet and stay still."
Shikamaru scowled, swatting at Neji's hand. "Lay off, already."
"For God's sake," Neji snorted, sliding his palms to bracket the shadow-nin's face, which for some reason caused Shikamaru to go very still. "Don't move. That includes your mouth."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes beneath the heavy shutter of his lashes, but still wouldn't meet Neji's gaze. If this wasn't strange enough, the tension previously isolated to Shikamaru's hand and head, seemed to spread to a tense lock at his shoulders.
Neji frowned. "I hoped I would never have to use this irritating word of yours…but 'relax'…"
Shikamaru snorted softly, his half-mast gaze fluttering, but to Neji's surprise, the shadow-nin didn't offer a smart-alecky retort, which only added another question mark to Neji's mental archive.
Wonderful.
Neji drew a slow breath and slid his palms to either side of Shikamaru's head, fingertips pressing against the tense scalp while he settled his thumbs gently at the Chūnin's temples.
"Is it sharp or dull?"
"My head?" Shikamaru quirked his lip, muttering. "Sharp apparently."
"The pain, you idiot."
"That was a joke, Neji…"
Neji sniffed, shaking his head. "I can detect your sarcasm perfectly, but right now, I'd rather have your cooperation."
"Concussion, go for it."
Neji had to press his lips to flatten his smile. "I just might."
He dropped a knee to kneel between the Chūnin's legs and slowly began to brush his thumbs across Shikamaru's temples; light, sweeping strokes that he drew into small circles.
"Tell me if this hurts."
"Whatever." Shikamaru's eyes drifted shut, his breath staggering out slowly.
Neji frowned but focused on the gentle massage, gradually working a gentle pressure into the rub at Shikamaru's temples. All the while he let his gaze monitor the shadow-nin's face, searching for pain.
Another playful flurry of birdsong carried outside, but this time Shikamaru didn't react.
Neji smiled a little, not realising his own expression as he continued to observe Shikamaru's. He shifted his touch to the Nara's forehead, using the balls of his thumbs to press along the brow bones, following the shape of the often sardonically arched eyebrows before circling the orbital region.
He wasn't sure how long he knelt there, pressing small circles around the Nara's closed eyes before smoothing his thumbs back up to the other ninja's temples, the heels of his hands brushing the Nara's cheekbones. Whatever rigidity had been in Shikamaru's shoulders had fallen away, the knots of tension in his brow loosened by the press of Neji's thumbs.
The soft lull of Shikamaru's breath drew his own into a steadier, peaceful rhythm, completely calm – completely synchronised.
Neji blinked slowly, realising how relaxed he suddenly was.
He hadn't intended that.
However, Shikamaru almost looked as if he'd fallen asleep, which Neji suspected him to be completely capable of, even sitting up.
It wouldn't be the first time…by his own admission…
The Hyūga smiled, shaking his head. But then his smile smoothed away, leaving behind a residual sense of calm – the kind he hadn't felt in a long time.
Soon his pastel eyes traced over Shikamaru's face less intently, no longer searching for tension…just gazing.
Then something in his touch changed.
The press of his thumbs grew softer, sweeping in the lightest brush, no longer searching for pressure points…just contact.
Kami…what am I doing?
Neji swallowed thickly, frowning.
He almost jumped when Shikamaru's hands lifted to his arms, following them up until the Nara's long fingers closed lightly around his wrists.
"Stop…" Shikamaru whispered.
Neji stilled his thumbs, resting them at the Nara's temples.
Shikamaru released a slow breath. "Stop..."
"I have…"
The shadow-nin's eyes opened a little, crescents of deep-brown just visible beneath the dark sweep of his lashes. Their gazes met, but Shikamaru wouldn't hold the stare he normally had no trouble returning. Neji flexed his fingers gently, watching the movement draw a flicker to Shikamaru's eyelids.
But the Nara would not look up.
It wasn't submission, Neji knew that, but something undeniable pulled through his veins; a gentle simmer of heat. He tried to beat it back, but failed in the attempt when Shikamaru released a breathy sigh.
The warmth of it drew the Hyūga in.
He twisted his hands from Shikamaru's grip, curling his own fingers around the shadow-nin's wrists. Before Shikamaru could react, the Jōnin rose up slowly, sliding his knee onto the bed between Shikamaru's legs as he pushed forward, forcing the other ninja to tilt back.
Shikamaru shook his head. "Neji…"
Neji leaned down, his lips sweeping across the ones which parted around his name, the hoarse timbre of Shikamaru's voice pulling up more heat in his blood. He felt the shadow-nin go deadly still and took the opportunity to ease forward, pressing Shikamaru back against the sheets, pinning the Chūnin's wrists and taking possession of the lips that moved beneath his.
Their tongues brushed in a slick thrust.
That was all it took.
The second Neji caught a taste of Shikamaru, something woke up inside him.
Hunger.
Strong and instantaneous. It gnawed its way up from deep inside him; a starved, caged need. Rabid with the desire to consume…almost animalistic…almost impossible to control.
Control.
Neji tightened his grip at Shikamaru's wrists.
He dug his knee into the mattress, one foot still planted to the floor – his last anchor to reason. But he felt himself drowning as he slanted his head, deepening the kiss, plunging deeper into the moist cavern of the Nara's mouth, carrying that unique taste, smoky and forbidden, which only built his hunger for it.
He drank down the reverberating moan that rolled up from low in Shikamaru's throat. He only realised it was a protesting sound when he felt Shikamaru twisting his wrists sharply to break the grip on them.
The Nara jerked his head back from the electrifying kiss with a breathless pant.
"Shit…Get off me, Neji…"
Neji growled as he drew his head back, staring down through fierce opal eyes. "You have the audacity to come at me and dare get angry when I come at you?"
"That's not it…" Shikamaru gritted out, jerking a wrist free. "Get off."
Neji snared his wrist again, slamming it back down. "Afraid I might push you too far, Nara?"
Anger smashed through him like a torrent, anger that Shikamaru once again had a control he needed, anger that he had lost that control in the first place.
Damn him…and what he's doing to me…
Neji let the anger loop through him, hoping it would harden the lava of desire that had erupted between them. But he found a different kind of heat reflected back at him in the Nara's dark eyes – a similar anger, but from a different source.
Shikamaru's body tightened like a coil, any tiredness evaporating in the heat of the aggression that suddenly piqued between them.
"Get off me, now."
Neji glared back, arousal twisting into a knot of frustration low in his stomach.
Then he realised what he was doing.
Gods…what the hell is wrong with me?
Neji released Shikamaru's wrists, straightening up onto his knee, closing his eyes with a rattled sigh. That hunger prowled around inside him, circuiting his blood. He tried to tame it with some semblance of reason, clenching down on the urge to curse it, himself and everything else.
He felt a shift of movement as Shikamaru's legs tensed and the shadow-nin sat up.
"That's not it..." Shikamaru repeated, his words breathed softly against Neji's jaw. "I'm not afraid of you, Neji. You should know that by now."
The memory of his hand around Shikamaru's throat flashed forth as if summoned.
And you should know better than to trust me…
Neji scoffed, pulling a defence of arrogance across his face as he slipped his eyes open. But the look fell away when he caught the pinched, uncertain expression on Shikamaru's face.
Not for the first time, Neji felt his anger coast away on a ripple of something he couldn't wrap his head around. So quickly his frustration was pulled apart, as if by unseen fingers, leaving him struggling for a reaction, a response – anything.
Before he could lock their gazes, Shikamaru looked away, confusing the Jōnin again.
"Then why can't you look at me, Shikamaru?" Neji challenged, but his voice came out softer than he wanted it to.
Shikamaru shook his head. "Because it'll start…"
Neji tilted his head. "What will start?"
"What I can't stop…"
Neji's lips parted, but no sound came out.
Shikamaru's words stunned him into silence.
He stared intently at the averted eyes and, for the first time since this insane mess had started, he wanted Shikamaru to look at him.
The shadow-nin didn't. Wouldn't.
A strange feeling pulled across Neji's chest, it wasn't pain, but it was an ache. A different kind of ache; one that he didn't want to think about any more than the sharper, crueller stabs of pain that had begun to get worse.
"Look at me, Nara."
The shadow-nin didn't respond.
Neji gazed quietly at Shikamaru, tilting his head before reaching up to slide his fingers along the Nara's jaw, coaxing Shikamaru's face towards him.
"Look at me…"
Shikamaru craned his neck to escape the touch, but it only opened up his throat.
Neji acted before his brain could process his movement. He tilted his head and set his lips lightly to the pulse-point just beneath Shikamaru's jaw, raising his hand to cup the back of the shadow-nin's head to hold him still.
There was no demand in the contact; no aggression, no heat and no nudge toward something more than what it was – which may have been an apology.
Neji would never say it, after all.
He held the tender contact for a few heartbeats, feeling the soft throb of Shikamaru's pulse beneath his lips. He only questioned what the hell he was doing when he repeated the kiss to the other side of Shikamaru's throat, brushing his lips softly against the sensitive area.
Stop…
He drew back slowly, resting his hand at Shikamaru's nape as he tapped their foreheads with a sigh, his eyes drifting shut. They stayed this way long enough for Neji to realise that they were breathing in tandem again.
He felt Shikamaru's sigh against his lips. "Troublesome…"
Neji smiled slightly, sadly. "I know."

When Shikamaru woke, it wasn't to the sound of birdsong…but barking…
What…the hell…?
The shadow-nin slipped his eyes open with a scowl, his vision hazy with fatigue as he pulled his mind from the deep, drowsy fog of a dreamless sleep. For a moment he wondered if his mind had abandoned ship, leaving him drifting idly between sleep and awareness.
Another round of barks exploded from behind the door, followed by Kiba's voice.
"Shikamaru!"
Go away…
Shikamaru squinted, glancing across the dim room. The curtains had been left closed and the scent of something like sandalwood drifted in the cool air.
"Yo! Shikamaru!"
The Nara scowled, his heavy-lidded eyes tracing down to the crack beneath the door, the slot of light breaking up with movement from the other side. He watched the shift of shadows and heard the soft scratch of Akamaru's paws before the dog barked sharply.
"Hey, Shikamaru!" Kiba called. "Get up already!"
Not a chance.
Shikamaru snorted, rolled over and landed on the floor – hard.
Fuck…
The ungraceful thud caused Akamaru to stop barking, leaving Shikamaru to growl instead as he elbowed the flutter of sheets away from his face, glaring up at the bed as if it had somehow tilted and deposited him by itself.
"Hey!" Kiba shouted through the door. "You okay in there?"
Shikamaru dragged a hand across his face, flopping onto his back with a sigh as he stared up at the ceiling, noticing for the first time that it was a mesh of tightly-knitted vines, glossed over with some kind of sealant to prevent rot.
Guest room…Hanegakure…game plan…Neji…
Shikamaru tilted his head, frowning before he glanced up and across at the adjacent bed. Despite knowing what he'd find, he propped himself up on his elbows, lifting his head to scan the empty mattress. The sheets were untouched.
Figures he'd be up already…why didn't he wake me?
"Shikamaru!" Kiba called again, sounding a little concerned.
The Nara sighed, his shoulders sagging as he crawled back onto the bed, rolling off the other side and onto his feet. He traversed the short distance to the door in a few sleepy strides. Twisting the handle, he cracked the door open, planting his foot to prevent Akamaru from nudging his way inside.
Kiba flashed a feral grin. "Well look at you, you look like crap."
"Thanks," Shikamaru arched a brow, not bothering to open the door. "What is it?"
Kiba cocked his head in tandem with his mutt. "What do you mean 'what is it'? Time to get up and go."
"Go where?" Shikamaru blinked slowly, considering closing the door and crawling back into bed. The thought passed, however, when Naruto popped his head over Kiba's shoulder, grinning.
"To the aviary!" the Uzumaki announced – loudly.
"We're in a god damned aviary," Shikamaru growled, his attention drawn to the birdsong he'd been ignoring.
"Wait til' you see this one," Kiba grinned.
I don't give a crap…
Shikamaru allowed the sentiment to stamp itself onto his face. It didn't appear to have the intended effect of dousing Naruto's enthusiasm, or Kiba's persistence, so with a drawn-out sigh he fell back a step from the door, an unspoken invitation as he moved to get his sandals and flak-jacket.
"Why the hell are we going to an aviary?"
"Sakura's there," Naruto explained, strolling into the room with his hands folded behind his head. "Said it was worth seein' while Neji sorted out our guides with Kitori."
"Guides?" Shikamaru queried, glancing over his shoulder as he sat to tug on his sandals.
"Yeah, to show us around," Kiba nodded, bracing a shoulder against the doorframe. "Turns out this Ozuku guy is hosting some ceremony at their Temple, so Neji arranged for us to see him tomorrow."
One step ahead…
Shikamaru quirked a brow. "Ceremony?"
"Somethin' to do with birds," Naruto shrugged. "It's cool. Gives us some time to chill before we get serious."
Shikamaru tugged on his flak jacket, scowling. "So I could have still been sleeping right now?"
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, glancing at the bed. "You've been asleep for like, six hours."
"You say that like that's all I need," Shikamaru muttered, following the Uzumaki out of the guest room, trailing along behind Kiba and Akamaru.
This had better be good…

It was as remarkable as the rest of Hanegakure's construction.
Neji stared up into the autumn-blushed canopies, his eyes fastened on the towering green dome of the Temple, its huge sphere almost brushing the rustling leaves. Atop the massive sphere, carved from an enormous block of amber, sat the impressive sculpture of a bird set to take flight. It was a testament to the affinity the Tsubasa seemed to have with their winged companions; namely the master of the Fire Country's skies.
The Eagle.
"Kin-Washi," Kitori explained, following Neji's gaze up to the huge statue. "The Golden Eagle. Our clan's pride."
Neji hummed, his pale Byakugan orbs tracing the intricate carving of the wings, scanning the impressive mould of the beak and detail of the feathers.
A masterpiece, without a doubt.
"You have very talented people among your clan," Neji remarked, scanning down from the Eagle to the base of the Temple's dome.
The stone doors leading into the sanctuary were closed, two shinobi stationed outside, large birds perched on their shoulders. From within, Neji could detect only silence. He deactivated his dōjutsu, unwillingly to intrude on the ceremony beyond the doors.
Kitori moved to stand beside him, her long auburn hair braided into a plait that swayed in the breeze. "So do you, Hyūga."
"What does this ceremony involve?" Neji changed the subject, unwilling to dedicate his clan as a topic of conversation.
"Prayer, mostly." Kitori shrugged, her grey eyes tracing over the dome. "Our Priestesses sing…sometimes you can hear them in the mornings. My daughter had a lovely voice."
Neji tensed visibly, then glanced across at her. "If I had known…"
"But you didn't," Kitori shook her head. "You didn't know. It's not your fault. Even I know this…"
Neji couldn't help but wonder whether Kitori knew her daughter had been pregnant. The thought caused a tear in his mask, driving a furrow between his brows. He turned towards her.
"We will stop these rebels, Kitori. I cannot return your daughter to you, but I will do whatever is necessary to stop your son and end this rebellion."
"We appreciate that," Kitori nodded, her eyes still on the Temple. "I will pray for you."
Neji arched a brow. "Pray for me?"
Kitori smiled weakly, glancing across. "Why, did you think I would curse you instead?"
Neji shook off the immediate thought of the mark branded into his forehead.
What's one more curse?
He watched Kitori curl her fingers around a winged pendant settled at her throat, similar to the ones that Neji had glimpsed most Tsubasa shinobi wearing; an emblem of their clan.
"We are what we are. That doesn't change, Hyūga," she said. "My daughter's path was decided. I can only let Kin-Washi carry my prayers and hope she finds freedom in death."
Those words struck Neji like a dirge, tugging on chords deep in his chest. He ignored the immediate effect, shaking off the ghosts it stirred up.
Not now…
"Freedom?" Neji pressed.
Kitori's lips curved, a bitter twist that seemed to age her face. "What else do caged birds pray for?"
Neji's eyes narrowed as he scanned her profile, confused by the incongruence of this woman. She spoke of prayer and decided fates with a religious-sounding verbatim, then seemed to mock it with a thinly veiled bitterness. What disturbed him more was the fact that he recognised the look on her face and the acid in her words; as if they mirrored something back to him that he had no desire to be reminded of.
Kitori brushed her thumb over the feathered pendant, chuckling quietly. "I think I'm being a poor host. Come, I'll take you back."
She bowed her head to the Temple and turned sharply, striding back along the walkway they had crossed. Neji slanted his gaze back toward the large doors to the shrine, ignoring the stares of the shinobi guards, which were directed toward his forehead protector.
The Hyūga tracked his gaze back up to the massive eagle, a parting glance that suddenly froze. He cocked his head, his attention settling on an obsidian plaque just beneath the monument.
What is that?
Neji tilted his head back, the veins in his temples twitching before his Byakugan flared, vision tunnelling into a zoom as he focused in on the text carved into the tablet.
His eyes widened.
He knew those words.

"Whoa!" Naruto exclaimed, bouncing around inside the room like a demented kid in a candy store. "That's amazing!"
"It's a bird."
"It's frickin' awesome!"
"It's a big, pink, bird."
"Jeeze, Shikamaru, you could at least show a little more interest," Sakura chided from across the veterinary room.
Shikamaru shot the kunoichi a bored glance. "It's a massive, magenta, raptor?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, stroking a knuckle along the exotic-looking bird's feathers, smoothing down the plumage that seemed to ruffle in irritation whenever Shikamaru settled his gaze on the creature.
Yeah, that's right…I don't like you either…
The memory of scrubbing bird parts out of his clothes wasn't alleviated by the colourful array of plumage. No amount of fancy feathers was going to erase that memory any time soon.
Shikamaru cocked a hip against a crate, folding his arms loosely as he slouched, wondering why the hell it was necessary for him to be in a veterinary room when he could have been in bed.
Ugh, this is such a damn drag…
Their trip to the aviary had been cut short when a Tsubasa guide had informed them that the area had been cordoned off; something about the birds being agitated. Shikamaru hadn't really bought the story, but he didn't particularly care what the reason was, having been too relieved by the prospect of catching a nap instead.
Which also didn't happen.
The guide had led them over to a medical annex stationed a short walk from the aviary. Sakura had agreed to help examine some of the sick birds. The kunoichi seemed in her element and had befriended one of the vets, a skinny, aquiline-looking woman who currently held a clipboard in one hand and a feeding stick in the other, sliding medicine grains between the bars of the large birdcages lined up across the room.
Shikamaru yawned.
I really don't need to be here…
A loud squawk sounded, drawing the Nara's attention to the source of the sound.
Naruto.
The Uzumaki was flapping on the spot, scowling at a white bird perched on his head, pecking at his hair and tugging sharply on the sunny spikes.
"Made a friend?" Kiba grinned from the floor, sorting eggs into a small incubator.
"Get it off!" Naruto yelped.
"Quit yelling," Shikamaru grumbled.
"I tried to help it and it just attacked me!"
"They pretend to have broken wings to lure predators away from the nest," the vet, Isuka, explained, turning towards Naruto and gently offering her fingers as a perch for the bird. "He won't hurt you. Maybe peck you bald."
Naruto scowled, stepping away to fan his fingers through his hair. "Creepy."
Why. Am. I. Here…
Shikamaru sighed, about to close his eyes before Akamaru's tail smacked him on the leg, forcing his eyes to flicker open. He watched the dog brush past and lope towards one of the cages, whining and sniffing.
What's his problem?
Shikamaru arched a brow, shifting away from his slouch against the crate to step over to one of the large cages, his attention drawn to two sickly looking birds. Shikamaru's eyes widened. Most of their feathers had been plucked out, ugly sores marring their prickled skin.
"What the hell?" he murmured.
"Birds in cages can sometimes attack themselves like this," Isuka said, stepping over to tap her clipboard against the bars. "In fact, most caged birds seem prone to feather picking."
Naruto stepped over, peering over Shikamaru's shoulder. "Why?"
"Hard to say," Isuka sighed. "This kind of self-destructive disorder ranks as one of the most difficult and challenging conditions to diagnose and treat in avian veterinary practice."
"Well bein' cooped up has gotta do somethin' to your head," Naruto muttered, surprising Shikamaru with the possible accuracy of his statement.
"That's pretty accurate," Isuka confirmed aloud, drawing more of Shikamaru's reluctant attention. "The popular theory is that the root of it is usually stress, associated with captivity."
Shikamaru frowned. "Being trapped in a cage..."
Uncomfortable parallels began to form in Shikamaru's mind as he gazed at the caged animals, his eyes focused on the self-inflicted wounds.
Great, now I'm seeing you in birds, Hyūga…hell, I've lost my mind…
"Yes." Isuka nodded. "The frustration of not being free turns into this kind of behaviour."
"So why the heck do you keep them caged up?" Naruto said.
"Unfortunately, given what we're trying to achieve with this particular breed, they need to be kept in a controlled environment. It's necessary."
"Necessary, huh?" Shikamaru muttered, frowning.
"Of course," Isuka glanced at him. "Otherwise we wouldn't do it. Birds aren't meant to be in cages after all."
Shikamaru's eyes softened a little at that, his gaze on the birds yet his mind on something else. "No…they're not."
"Isuka-san?" Sakura called, breaking Shikamaru's stare. "There's something wrong with this one, I think it might be in the chest cavity."
Isuka smiled kindly, stepping over. "Let me see it."
Shikamaru took the opportunity to move away from the birdcage and the miserable looking creatures bound within its captivity. He tried to pull his focus away from the confusing swirl shifting around in his head, namely the memory of those bruises on Neji's chest.
Dammit.
Latching onto anything else to focus on, he dropped his gaze to the bird Sakura held gently on the examining table. Isuka was tapping on its chest in a methodical pattern that caused the Nara's brow to arch.
"What are you doing?"
"EFT," Sakura explained, holding the bird steady.
Naruto piped up before Shikamaru could ask. "What the heck is that?"
"Emotional freedom technique," Isuka clarified, glancing at Sakura. "You know it?"
"I know about it," the kunoichi said. "Not how to perform it."
"Er…so what is it again?" Naruto rounded the table, staring down at the bird.
Shikamaru frowned. "EFT…why does that sound familiar?"
I've heard that mentioned before…crap…when was it…
"Well, I'm surprised Ino didn't mention it to you," Sakura snorted, rolling her eyes. "She was bugging Neji to teach her for medic training before Tsunade could teach me."
Shikamaru glanced up sharply. "Neji?"
"Yes, the Hyūga are the ones who developed it," Sakura informed, smoothing out one of the bird's wings. "While your clan provide most of the medical ingredients and remedies, the Hyūga sometimes contribute regarding the things we can't see."
Shikamaru glanced at the bird, then back up. "Wanna elaborate?"
"Tsunade-sama said that EFT addresses emotional causes or energy disruptions in the body." Sakura shrugged. "Traditional medicine doesn't really focus on this aspect, which is why Hyūga insight helps."
Shikamaru's eyes narrowed in consideration, watching the steady taps of Isuka's fingertips on the bird's sternum. Something odd began to crawl around inside him, an uneasy inkling.
Gonna need more than that…
It wasn't often he let instinct override his logic, but right now, there was something about this technique that Isuka was using, that was bringing back the vision of those bruises dotted across Neji's chest.
Am I reading too much into this?
"So you use this to work out emotional problems?" he queried, sounding a little sceptical.
"Yes," Isuka nodded. "Just like people, animals can have emotional problems that are expressed through disruptive behaviours or health issues, especially those that have been through a traumatic experience."
Traumatic experience…
Shikamaru frowned, falling quiet and allowing for Kiba to speak up from across the room.
"It's true," the Inuzuka said, scratching at Akamaru's head. "I've seen some pretty bad stuff with our clan's dogs. So you give the birds acupuncture for that?"
Isuka laughed. "That's actually a really good comparison. I guess you could call what I'm tapping here 'acupressure points', where certain points are stimulated on the body."
Shikamaru felt a horrible, icy knot in his stomach, making it difficult to think clearly for a moment. "I'm guessing you could also call them tenketsu or chakra points too, right?"
Sakura looked up, frowning.
Shikamaru avoided her eyes.
"Chakra points? Absolutely." Isuka nodded. "I can see why the Hyūga would be so good at this. By using the Gentle Fist and Byakugan, they can easily locate and tap on chakra points with their fingers to alleviate emotional or psychological strains."
"And could it be used to stop or shut down emotions?" Shikamaru asked.
Isuka glanced at him strangely, as if he'd just suggested something remarkably stupid – or dangerous.
"Well…in theory yes, if you went so far as to block those points," the woman paused, frowning. "But that would be harmful. This technique is supposed to locate pressure or pain to release it, let it go, rather than block it up."
"And if you did block those points up?" Shikamaru pressed, feeling that icy knot twisting tighter inside him.
"That can bring up a load of other health issues."
"Like blood clots," Shikamaru murmured, not realising he'd said it aloud, immediately recovering with a lazy arch of his brow as he looked up. "In theory…"
"Yes," Isuka nodded. "In extreme cases."
"Extreme?" Sakura echoed, glancing at Shikamaru.
"Well, the extremity being death." Isuka shrugged, continuing to tap along the bird's chakra points, completely oblivious to Shikamaru's glazed stare. "But that would never happen. No one in their right mind willingly blocks tenketsu."
Shikamaru lowered his gaze to the bird, staring for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Right."
"Shikamaru…" Sakura said softly, her voice layered with questions she couldn't ask in front of Naruto and Kiba.
Shikamaru glanced up at her, shaking his head subtly. But she wouldn't back down, staring back stubbornly. Shikamaru's eyes tensed with a warning that became more pronounced with every passing second ticking tensely between them.
Dammit, don't make this harder for me.
Before the tension could become obvious to anyone else, Sakura relented, lowering her gaze to the bird with a nod. It was way too close a call, but Shikamaru found that he couldn't blame her. However, he wasn't about to indulge her either, not that he probably needed to. She already knew too much.
Shit.
Shikamaru looked away, slid his hands into his pockets and turned in a lazy sway towards the door. "I'm gonna take a walk."
Naruto blinked. "Oi! But—"
"Leave it alone, Naruto," Sakura said quietly, but firmly.
Shikamaru didn't wait to see what the Uzumaki's response was.
He let the door clatter shut behind him.

He had no idea how long he wandered the interwoven pathways.
It could have been hours.
He crossed bridges of hollowed boughs in a directionless stroll that to any observer would have seemed relaxed and leisurely.
Inside, he felt like he was running, racing…but he couldn't get far enough away.
Shikamaru sighed, drawing his amble to a stop as his feet scuffed a familiar threshold. He glanced up, settling his gaze on the chipped sign hanging from the guest house.
THE ROOKERY
Somehow, some subconscious compass had led him back.
Great…
The place he'd aimed to avoid, his feet had taken him back to.
Figuring it was inevitable the Nara pushed down the urge to bolt in the opposite direction and slipped into the building. He passed through the large atrium of the guest house, a foyer dominated by a large tree that grew up through the floor and continued up into the ceiling. Small candles were set into grooves in the trunk, creating an atmosphere of peace that failed to make Shikamaru feel any less tense as he ascended the spiral of stairs.
He kept his eyes on the ground as he strolled along the level of the rooms, locating the one he was sharing with Neji. Not bothering to announce his presence, he turned the handle and shouldered open the door, freezing half-way into the room.
Pale eyes flicked across, locking on his wide, dark orbs.
Shikamaru hovered in a comical mid-step, gaze transfixed on Neji.
"Neji…what the hell are you doing?"
The Hyūga stood on the edge of a desk, balanced on the ball of his right foot, his left leg extended at an angle designed to steady his equilibrium – which was precariously tilting in favour of the floor. Perched on the end of his leg was a large bird, its gnarled talons hooked securely around his ankle.
"It flew in…" Neji explained, his voice tight with indignant embarrassment.
Shikamaru felt a bubbling sensation fluttering around in his chest, his expression starting to twist with the effort to contain his laughter. "Right."
"I was trying to get it out…"
"Right."
Neji glanced at his leg. "It won't get off."
"So wave your leg around."
"I can't."
"'Cause you'll land on your ass," Shikamaru smirked, carefully closing the door behind him so as not to disturb the bird pecking at Neji's sandal.
Despite knowing Neji would argue the opposite, Shikamaru assumed it had less to do with losing balance and more to do with the Hyūga's reluctance to startle the bird.
Soft spot for birds…figures…
"You got beat by a bird...that's kinda tragic, Hyūga."
Neji scowled. "Shut up. There's another one."
Shikamaru paused, arching a brow. "Where?"
As if on cue, a raspy squawk sounded from behind Neji's head. Shikamaru took a broad step to his right, catching the flash of large tail feathers that briefly fanned above Neji's head like a crown.
No way…
"It's in your hair…"
"Well done, Nara," the Hyūga growled. "Get. It. Out."
Shikamaru folded his arms and slanted against the wall, pressing a fist to his lips.
Neji shot him a feral glare. "It's not funny."
"I'm not laughing."
"You're a lying bastard, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru pressed his lips tightly, thumping his fist against them before he pushed away from the wall, strolling over. "Don't really wanna make this my problem."
"I don't care, just get it out."
"Seriously Hyūga, just shake them off."
"I can't."
Shikamaru stopped by the desk, glancing up at Neji. "What the hell do you mean, you can't?"
Neji's eyes flashed. "What the hell do you think they're holding onto me with? Adhesive tape?"
Shikamaru tried very hard not to smile, his voice drawling out. "Did they draw blood?"
"I'll draw your blood in a minute."
"Settle down," Shikamaru smirked, stepping up onto the chair beside the desk.
Neji wobbled again, scowling. Shikamaru tilted, locating the bird that had somehow buried itself into the dark mane of Neji's hair. Oddly enough, it completely ignored him.
Weird…
Slipping his fingers into the mocha stream, Shikamaru swayed the thick mass of hair aside, eyes widening a little.
"Shit."
"Exactly." Neji scowled. "Get it off."
"Hold still." Shikamaru frowned, his amusement falling away as he glimpsed the lock of the bird's talons at Neji's nape, the unusually large claws digging deep.
What the hell?
"Today would be nice, Shikamaru."
"Shut up a minute," the shadow-nin growled, reaching for the bird.
Sensing the cage of his fingers, the bird flapped its wings viciously, but it wouldn't release Neji, its claws tearing a little deeper. As thin ribbons of blood began to trickle along the Hyūga's nape, Shikamaru quickly closed his grip around the fluttering wings, forcing the bird to twist around and peck violently at his thumb.
Shit, it's not letting go…!
Neji hissed, abandoning his concern for the bird perched on his leg in favour of reacting to the one tearing into his neck. The Hyūga planted his foot back on the desk, forcing the bird at his ankle to take flight in a startled squawk. The minute it did, the one at Neji's nape released him, struggling fiercely in Shikamaru's hand until the Nara released it.
"What the hell!" Shikamaru growled, watching as the two birds circled wildly in the room before making a coordinated dash for the window, flapping out with high-pitched screeches.
What the hell was that?
Shikamaru snapped his gaze back to Neji when the Hyūga hopped down off the desk, slipping his fingers to his nape. "That was unpleasant."
"Unpleasant? More like unnatural."
Shikamaru stepped down off the chair, planting a hand on Neji's shoulder as he tugged the thick mane of hair aside once more, his eyes scanning the slashes on the back of Neji's neck.
"What the hell is up with the birds here?" the Nara frowned, brushing away the blood with his thumb, too concerned to realise the fact that Neji wasn't shoving him away as the Hyūga normally would have done.
"I'm not sure I want to know," Neji muttered, shaking his head before turning around, forcing Shikamaru to take a step back and release him. "You were supposed to be sleeping."
Shikamaru arched a brow, uncertain how to respond to the sudden shift of attention away from Neji and onto himself. "Yeah well, catchin' a nap is hard work."
"You'll have to work harder then." Neji smiled slightly, the look so foreign to his face that it took Shikamaru a moment to realise that he might have been staring. "You need to rest, Nara."
Shikamaru flicked his eyes away and around the room. "So do you. When was the last time you slept?"
"I needed to make arrangements."
"That's not an answer," Shikamaru said, glancing back.
Neji shrugged. "I'll sleep when I'm dead."
Shikamaru's face turned to stone at those words; that chill lodging in his gut again.
Neji cocked his head, lip still curved. "That was supposed to be a joke."
"I know."
"This is why I don't make them."
Shikamaru blinked, shaking his head. "No it's not that…"
The barely-there smile dropped from Neji's face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just—"
"Tired."
Shikamaru swallowed. "Yeah…"
He watched Neji scan his face, those pale eyes searching for cracks in his expression. He hoped he'd managed to catch himself in time, but just in case, he shuttered his gaze to a sleepy half-mast once more.
"Done giving me the troublesome onceover, Hyūga?"
Neji cocked his head the other way and did something more damaging than offer a retort or a glare…he smiled.
The knot in Shikamaru's gut turned colder.
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Break to Breathe