Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Word-Collection	By : Infek Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1738 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Ghost
- 2-Kiss
- 3-Nail Polish
- 4-Bottle
- 5-Game
- 6-Bed
- 7-Scary
- 5
- 6
- 7
Word-Collection: Bed
Clenching the blankets, scrunching them in his fists until his knuckles bled white, the veins showing so clearly, Neji let out a hacking cough, all breath leaving him and his lungs hurting in his chest as if they would never draw in any more oxygen. He leaned forward, his clammy forehead resting on the mattress, closing his eyes and willing and praying that it would be over for now, Day after day wasted in bed, some days on the brink of unconsciousness as yet another high fever spiked, rendering him completely helpless, not even aware of hands placing cool rags on his forehead, cool hands trying to form some comfort. And then he would wake up, his two younger cousins smiling at him in some simple-minded way as if his victory to live to see at least one more day was the first step in winning a war. Another fever would make its ugly appearance soon, he knew. He detested them, detested this uselessness that had plagued him since he was born. Always sickly, always needing to be looked after. Never supposed to be born and merely a burden.
Despite Hiashi-sama’s most valiant efforts to keep him blissfully in the dark, he had heard the whispers, the servants doing a very poor job of hiding their opinion of him. Their touch always a bit harder when he needed their care, their eyes cold and unforgiving. He was an annoyance to them. Neji never uttered a word of protest since he couldn’t find it in himself to disagree.
Inhaling sharply, his lungs burned but at last he breathed a little easier. Even buried under his thick covers his dreadfully skinny body was shivering in cold but he was used to it. He glanced out the window, his red-rimmed eyes seeing the sun shining high. It was a beautiful sight. Stumbling onto his feet, having to sit down again as his mind spun so rapidly from the small lapse of vertigo, he tried again. Painstakingly slow, he made his way to the shōji, sliding it open and sinking to his knees on the bamboo hallway, nothing impeding the beautiful sight before his eyes. It had been ages he had been outside. Drawing the blanket closer over his body, he enjoyed a rare sight. Konoha was buzzing with activity around him, all pulling together to rebuild after the cruel attack by one that was called Orochimaru. He may have taken their Hokage’s life but he hadn’t taken Konohagakure’s spirit. He ached to be part of it.
[-]
Protesting the hands on his forehead, Neji tried to turn away but was unable to do so as strong hands held his body immobile.
“Calm down, Neji-kun.” He recognised that voice. “It’s Hiashi-sama. I know you remember me.” Trying to sound humorous, Hiashi knew he failed miserably. Day after day with a niggling worry in the back of his head, his nephew’s downtrodden fate never far from his thoughts. He had given up hope years ago that his deceased brother’s only child would ever find an escape from this nightmare and never-ending cycle of sickness. All the best healers in all of the Countries had seen to him, none able to provide any hope of relief, all deeming his body just too... weak. As one from the Hyūga-clan, a tribe priding itself on their iron determination, the words had been a defeat to hear for Hiashi. Even when Neji had just been born, he had been sick often and eerily quiet, causing his parents intense worry. And when Hizashi had been left to take care of Neji alone, nothing showed any room for improvement, if anything the bouts of fever intensifying in both strength and frequency.
To see his twin-brother say his farewells to his only child, a child too trapped in sickness to register his words had been heartbreaking and he had solemnly sworn that he would do anything he could to protect Neji. But this was no life. Neji was bound to this one room and with no expectation to ever leave it. The instances where his thoughts were clear and unhindered came rare now, his daughters trying to hide their grief but Neji wasn’t getting better. This sickness he had been born with was going to ruin him and soon it seemed.
“How is he?” His eldest daughter said softly. In everything she was frustratingly soft-spoken but now it didn’t bother Hiashi.
“He’s having another fever.” Hinata sat down on the other side of the bed, both staring at the occupant, fitful in his sleep and sweat drenching the sheets.
“He’s becoming fifteen soon...” Hinata whispered. Both were thinking the same thing but none dared to utter such ill-thought words. It is a miracle he made it this far.
“Yes, he is.”
“We should do something for his birthday.”
Hiashi smiled. She may not be forceful but she was so very kind, his eldest daughter. “I think he would like that.” Hinata smiled at her father at his words, praise so rare from him but she knew he loved her.
[-]
“So both Kiba-san and Akamaru are doing well now?” Neji asked eagerly. Hinata laughed softly as she stroked his long hair, absently noting they needed to cut the ends soon. Her cousin was always aching to know of her life, wanting to know every little detail and living vicariously through her.
“Yes, they’re both released from the hospital. Chōji-kun is also released. It was very sweet to see how relieved Shikamaru-san was.”
“Shikamaru-san?” Neji asked, turning his head slightly, Hinata used to the sight of his hollowed cheeks and feverish eyes.
“Yes, I told you he made Chūnin. He’s the only one. I don’t think he’s very happy about it.” Neji nodded, satisfied at this explanation and slightly embarrassed at the gentle reminder Hinata had told him this already. It became increasingly harder to remember things and he hated it.
“Can you hand me the picture?” Hinata leaned over a bit, grabbing the picture-frame she had given her cousin, in it a picture containing all the members from her last year at the Academy. It was a striking representation of their personalities with Naruto at the absolute forefront, his orange jumpsuit making him pop out, Shikamaru lazily leaning against the wall and looking for all the world asleep, she herself with a furious blush on her cheeks as she had found her crush not a metre away from her. All of them were dear to her and to Neji as well. Always wanting to know about her fellow Genin, even whilst never having met them able to describe their personalities quite well and judge their characteristics.
“Our Team went to see Kiba-kun today and he showed us all the dogs their family have.” Hinata talked and talked, about everything and anyone that came to mind, enjoying this moment where Neji would hum, showing he was actually listening instead of having to do this to fill the painful silence in the room as her cousin was unconscious on the bed again.
Tapping his finger on the glass, Neji went over all of the names in his head. Naruto. Loudmouth and Hinata’s crush. Sakura. Pink hair. Smart but a little bit ditzy. Ino. Very loud. Whines a lot. Parents have a flower-shop. Shikamaru. New Chūnin. Very smart. Very lazy. All of their names passed in his head. He didn’t even know them but he wished he did.
[-]
“Happy birthday, Neji-kun.” Tears slipped down her cheeks as Neji didn’t even respond, too enthralled by yet another bout of fever. Another birthday had come and gone where her cousin wasn’t even aware of it. The celebrations transpiring just outside of the hospital, welcoming their new Godaime Hokage rose up the hospital-walls but Hinata was in no mood to partake.
[-]
“Stop it, Neji,” Hiashi chastised as his nephew fiddled with the nasal cannula. Neji gave a very weak glare in return but at least letting his hands drop on the bed. He was as pale as the starched sheets. The day before his birthday, a servant had come rushing towards him, warning him something was wrong and as he entered Neji’s room, he had found him on the bed, only the reddened white of his eyes visible as he grasped weakly at his chest, his breathing far too rapid. That first night in the hospital Hiashi had spent trying to feebly comfort his daughters as nurses and doctors worked on him, trying to get him away from the brink of death. They had managed at least somewhat. Truth be told, they had only lengthened the time until they would need to do so again.
“What did the doctors say?”
“They said you are doing really well.”
“But I can’t leave the hospital in the foreseeable future?” Neji’s large eyes, even in their family a bit unusual with their hint of lavender, stared at him , unflinching.
“They haven’t told us anything about you coming home, no.”
Neji didn’t respond, resting his head on the pillow as if he was suddenly too tired to keep it upright.
“I’m going to die here, aren’t I?”
Hiashi chose not to comment. Neji was fifteen years old now and he was far from stupid. He had long since realised he was living on borrowed time.
“Would you like anything from home?”
Neji blinked rapidly to stop the tears. It was final then. Since having the ability to think logically, he had become quite aware of his situation. But now that it seemed to be unavoidable, it hurt a lot more than he had expected.
[-]
“Oi, Hinata!” Kiba screamed loudly, completely ignoring that they were in a hospital. Having just gone to visit his sister who assured her little brother she would be “home very soon, banging his head against the wall”. A weird assurance but he took it regardless. Shikamaru was lazily walking next to him, hands shoved deep in his pockets and a very deep frown on his face, far more severe than his friends were used to. Another mission under his command where one of its members got injured. Kiba had dragged him along to the hospital so Hana could yell angrily at their deer-boy about how it wasn’t his fault and it was part of their lives as shinobi. They would pull him through this.
Kiba instantly became worried as he saw the tense expression on Hinata’s sweet face, usually always adorned with a cute blush or a tiny smile.
“Hello, Kiba-kun, Shikamaru-san. What are you doing here?” Hinata said, long since used to Kiba’s exuberance but always warmed by his honest expressions and how he wore his heart on his sleeve.
“Hinata, stop it with the honorific,” Shikamaru groaned, already teased enough about his promotion. Seemed he had made another miscalculation in just two days as he winced when Hinata’s eyes filled with tears. She covered her pale eyes with her hands as she started sobbing. Loudly. Everyone in the hall was looking at them but Kiba hurriedly led her towards a bench, setting her down and waiting for her to calm down, Shikamaru’s eyes darting around, at least knowing better than to walk off and complain about how troublesome how all of this was. Even if it was.
“I’m sorry. It’s not you, Shikamaru-san,” Hinata hiccupped.
“Is it Neji-san?” Seeing her nod made Kiba sigh heavily. His teammate had told him and Shino a bit about her cousin who was always so sick and even for someone like him, it was clear that she cared very much for him but it didn’t bode well that she was now in the hospital.
“You know what, how about Shikamaru and I come with you? I’m sure Neji-san would like to meet some new people,” he enthusiastically suggested, successfully making Hinata smile.
“Really? Because you don’t have to of course. I’m sure you and Shika-“
“Shikamaru would love to. Wouldn’t you?” Don’t you dare disagree with me, deer-boy! Shikamaru sighed but shrugged then. Cloud-watching was out what with it being winter and otherwise he would have to go home and deal with his mother.
“Sure.”
Hearing a knock on his door, Neji called for the person to come in, already guessing who it was. Only Hinata knocked so timidly, very much copying the way in which she spoke. He smiled at his cousin as she peered her head in. He tilted his head sideways as she whispered something to another person before coming in.
“I met Kiba-kun and Shikamaru-san on the way here. Is it okay if they come in?” Now Neji’s interest was piqued. It would be the first time in his young life he would meet people outside of his family and caretakers. People he had imagined meeting, working with even if he had been born healthy. All these scenarios he had amused himself with when another day in bed passed.
Kiba didn’t even wait for permission but bounded in, all energy and fervour. It was great! Immediately he launched into a conversation, barely stopping to let Neji a word in but the smile on his face showed he didn’t mind very much.
Much like the shadows that favoured him, Shikamaru slipped into the room, settling into a seat opposite the bed and his eyes carefully taking in Hinata’s cousin. Everything about him screamed he was very sick, from the feverish red cheeks on a paper-white skin to his excruciatingly skinny body, his arms barely holding any strength. It was a miracle he was able to lift his arms.
“Hey, you didn’t even introduce yourself!” Kiba screamed at him.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes but bowed his head slightly. “Nara Shikamaru. And you are?”
“Hyūga Neji,” the boy smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.” Shikamaru inclined his head once more but left it at that. Kiba was much better to entertain someone with crazy and exaggerated stories. Much like Naruto, really. Shikamaru let his mind drift off, a bit perturbed when he saw the picture on the night-stand. Standing up, he walked over to it, lifting the picture closer to his face. There was the graduation-picture from the Academy.
“I-I gave it to Neji so he would know who I was talking about,” Hinata stammered in explanation. That’s when it clicked. Hinata had told them on the way here that her cousin always had been very sickly. Always meant probably always being kept inside, for protection and care. Never venturing outside and going to the park as a kid or going to school. Never risking your life to skip school and escape the wrath of Iruka-sensei, never feeling the sense of camaraderie that was steadily growing in their little group. Neji-san had had none of that, only able to listen to how others lived their lives. Probably the only explanation why he could stand Kiba’s relentless drone for ten whole minutes.
He could stand to be here for a bit longer.
“Ah, there you two are! I have been searching the entire village for you,” Kotetsu chided softly. “Inuzuka-kun, Hyūga-kun, Tsunade-hime wants to see you for a mission-briefing.” The two young Genin immediately nodded, standing up. Shikamaru watched Kotetsu leave hurriedly, probably spurred on by their new Hokage whose temper was already infamous.
“I’m sorry, Neji, but we have to go. Are you sure you are going to be alright?”
“Of course.” Such an obvious lie, at least to those who looked for it. Shikamaru could see Hinata saw through it, her mouth tightening minutely, her hands momentarily stilling.
She leaned forward, hugging Neji firmly. “I will come see you the moment I get back.” Neji nodded with a small smile.
“Be safe and you too, Inuzuka-san,” Neji said. Kiba smiled, nodding eagerly before leading his team-mate outside through the window, towards Hokage Tower.
Shikamaru’s ever perceptive eyes noted Neji tiredly sinking down into his pillows, even just half an hour of conversation too exhausting for him. He had installed himself easily into the only comfortable chair next to the bed, so quiet but Neji rolled over in his bed, careful of the many tubes and wires attached to his body.
“Are you always this quiet?” A hint of curiosity, Neji not quite ready to admit defeat. Shikamaru respected that.
“Pretty much. And lazy too. But Hinata probably told you that already,” Shikamaru drawled, a yawn punctuating his words.
“She did. And also how smart you are. Congratulations on your promotion,” Neji added hurriedly, remembering suddenly. It was waved away like an annoying fly.
“Leave it. It’s a complete drag. All this responsibility,” Shikamaru sighed. It seemed his yawn was infectious as Neji repeated the motion. “If you want me to leave, just say the word, okay?”
“No, this is nice. I don’t get to meet a lot of people. What’s your family like?”
Shikamaru smirked. “Crazy.” And he talked. He talked about his family, about his years in the Academy where he drove Iruka-sensei mad by only getting the scores necessary to pass, not one point more. He talked more than he probably ever had in one sitting, finding a captivated audience.
[-]
Even after knocking on the door several times, he still got no reply. Mentally debating on how to proceed next, he finally decided and opened the door regardless, sticking his head in and finding Neji awake but not nearly as enthusiastic as when he first had met him. Listless eyes settled on him before Neji rolled his head and looked up at the ceiling.
“Hey.” He had been visiting him for a month now, for some reason coming back again and again. He didn’t understand it himself but he did understand that he enjoyed his company. Neji could be quite witty, his little comments usually very on point and offering a refreshing outlook on things that to him had become very ordinary. It wouldn’t be the case today, it seemed.
“...Hi.” Resting his upturned arms on the bed, Shikamaru supported his head on his hands as he stared, willing Neji to talk. “The doctor examined me again. It’s only getting worse.”
“Isn’t this what you expected?” Neji turned his head to him, tears in his eyes.
“Yes. But now that it’s confirmed I don’t know... I’m just angry. I’m just laying here, wasting time like I’ve always done. Nothing and everything has changed.”
He wasn’t good with death. He wasn’t one to offer words of comfort and he cringed at the idea of having to deal with someone who was crying. But Shikamaru couldn’t just up and leave. He wasn’t that free of emotions.
And so he remained seated as he let Neji talk. Selfishly, he thought to himself that compared to Neji, he really had no right to complain so much about his own life.
[-]
“Shizune-san, I need to talk with Tsunade-hime about something.” Shizune looked at the young Chūnin before him, easily recognised as a Nara-clansman. Ah yes, the young prodigy, the only one of his year to be promoted.
“Is this about missions? Because you would be better off at the missions-offi-“
“It’s about a friend. And doctors told him he was dying. But if Tsunade-hime could see him, maybe she could help. Everyone says she is the best medic-nin in all the Countries.” Despite the rude interruption, Shizune easily forgave him as it was clear this was more a matter of the heart and in such cases, decorum was often easily sacrificed.
“Can you give me all your friend’s information? Then I can bring Tsunade-hime to the hospital so she can see if there’s anything that can be done.” Shikamaru eyed her sceptically, an inherent trait of all the members of his clan as it wasn’t quite a promise.
“Nara-kun, she may be the Godaime but first and foremost, she is a medic-nin, as you said. She won’t let one of the villagers so easily die.”
“It’s about Hyūga Neji. He’s currently in the hospital in room 313. His symptoms are recurring fevers which run so high he is sometimes unconscious, a lack of appetite, I suspect anaemia and respiratory problems as he sometimes has a very harsh cough which brings up mucus. Constant intense fatigue, bloodshot eyes. That is all what I could see but there probably is a lot more. The real problem is that he has always been like this, ever since he was born. He has basically never been healthy.” Trust a Nara to provide such detailed information.
“Never?” Shikamaru shook his head and she saw the worry in his eyes. He obviously cared very much about the fate of his friend.
“I will make sure Tsunade-hime sees him today.” Shikamaru for once bowed deeply in appreciation.
“Thank you, Shizune-san.”
[-]
He groaned in pain as yet another blood-sample was taken. He didn’t know what was going on even but he had awoken from yet another bout of very intense fever to find himself being examined and prodded all over again. He had hoped all this would finally be over as he was certain that all the results would end up with the same conclusion; there was none. All they could determine that something was destroying his body from the inside, breaking it down until there would be nothing left. And he was coming to terms with that, no longer cursing his fate but accepting the path that lay before him.
“I’m sorry, Neji-kun but maybe we can finally determine what is making you so sick,” Tsunade mumbled, the apology very absent as she was slowly drawing blood in through the syringe. Three whole days she had been locked up in here, it seemed but she wouldn’t rest until she had found what was causing this young boy to die and hopefully, in time to cure it. She needed to trust that with her extensive experience, she could at least come up with something. Three long days had already proven her wrong but she must have overlooked something.
Carefully wiping the little wound clean, she put a band-aid over it, her patient moaning as he fell asleep. The times where he was awake shortened every time it seemed.
[-]
The microscope provided the only source of light in the lab as Tsunade carefully looked at the blood-sample. She turned the knob of the fine focus ever so slightly, perusing every square millimetre.
“Impossible...” Brusquely sitting upright, she called for the ANBU perched just outside the window. “Tell Hyūga Hiashi-san to come to his nephew’s hospital-room as fast as possible!” She flew out the door, sprinting towards her new patient’s room. It was his own chakra poisoning him, so easily overlooked as it was something she hadn’t even heard of, a thought which wouldn’t even have occurred if it hadn’t been for the odd behaviour in the blood-cells. Infused by chakra that wasn’t supposed to be there. Rather than having two separate circulatory systems, Neji had been born with two which at points must have interlinked, connected and poisoning him even whilst still being in the womb. Something which should never have happened.
She entered his room, Neji’s forehead drenched in sweat, his long hair matted to his nape and his eyes screwed shut in pain.
“Come on, Hiashi-san, where are you?” Tsunade whispered hurriedly. Wiping Neji’s forehead down with a damp cloth, she sat by him although cursing any minute that passed.
“What happened!? Is he-“ It wasn’t often you saw a clan-head of a prestigious clan in such a mess but Tsunade would laugh about it later. It was clear that he cared very much for his nephew.
“He’s alive. And I think I found it. It’s his Keirakukei. Rather than existing independently, it has fused with his blood-stream and his own chakra has been poisoning him all his life.” Hiashi-san gripped the window-sill, unable to believe this. Neji and he had already talked about how he wished to be buried, and where. Right next to his parents where he belonged. He had already said goodbye to his nephew, had done so every time he had to go home, fearing that every time it would be for real. But now their new Hokage claimed she had found a cure.
His arms were gripped and he was forced to look up in brown and determined eyes.
“I need you to block all his tenketsu, save the ones surrounding his heart. This way we can stop the most of his chakra from poisoning him and it will give me time to find a more permanent cure.”
“Yes.” Hiashi inhaled deeply, mentally and physically preparing himself. He would need to be utmost careful since one single mistake would mean the difference between life and death. As a Hyūga-member, he knew perfectly which tenketsu would prove to be lethal and so he set to work, calming his mind and focusing on one tenketsu after another, rather than with an opponent striking forcefully, now gently creating a chakra-barrier in his nephew’s tenketsu, carefully avoiding those thirteen. The process took no less than two hours, Tsunade appreciating the miniscule movements since it gave far less room for mistakes.
“And now?” Hiashi asked as he stretched his hands carefully, his eyes firmly on his nephew’s closed ones.
“Now we wait.”
[-]
“Is Shikamaru-kun coming to visit you later?” Hinata asked, admittedly a little bit teasing. Her cousin turned his head away but he failed to hide the smile on his red lips. With every passing day, Tsunade came closer to a permanent cure, in the mean time her father carefully examining Neji to ensure no other tenketsu had reopened, sealing off those that had. He wasn’t quite there yet but he was alive and for the most part, healthy. Her father worried too much to let Neji outside for too long but Hinata would often find her cousin in the garden attached to his room, engrossed in a book or soaking in the sunlight. And more often than not finding a certain lazy shinobi sitting next to him. She had often thought to herself that if others could see the effort Shikamaru went through for her cousin, they wouldn’t so easily call him lazy. But it wasn’t for her to tell.
Neji seemed to be glowing these days, his long hair healthy and shining, his skin pale but thankfully having lost that sick hue and with a bit more weight on his slender frame. He looked fantastic. She blushed as suddenly, a lot more question-marks appeared around this friendship he had with Shikamaru.
“I have to leave now. I’ll see you soon, Neji.” Her cousin nodded, waving as she walked inside, ready for another mission.
Neji refocused on the book on his lip, sitting on the window-sill so still sort of obeying his uncle by not going outside. Even if the window was wide open.
“Yo.” Trust Shikamaru to forego protocol and just travel across the roofs to get to his room.
“Hi, Shikamaru. How was your mission?”
Shikamaru nodded. “Fine, fine. A success and no one got hurt.”
“Told you you would be a good team-leader,” Neji rebutted easily, from what he could gather finding that Shikamaru indeed showed all the signs with his sense of responsibility and duty, not to mention his highly tactical mind.
“Why aren’t you outside?” Neji winced slightly.
“I made the mistake of coughing at the breakfast-table.” That was all the answer Shikamaru needed as he was unfortunately quite familiar with Hiashi’s overbearing nature. He had even yelled at him on several occasions. It had been so troublesome...
“And so this is...?” Shikamaru flicked a finger at the wide-open window.
Now, Neji gave a cheeky grin. “A compromise. Technically, I’m still inside.” Trust Neji to be resourceful.
“So, anyway, I brought you something.” Is Shikamaru blushing? Neji’s keen eyes noticed a suspicious amount of blood rising to his cheeks but decided to make no mention of it. The thought of getting a present took precedence over everything else.
“A present?”
Awkwardly scratching the back of his neck, Shikamaru launched into a well-rehearsed explanation. “Yeah, I was going to give it to you for your birthday but that is still months away and it’s troublesome to keep it for that long so, here.”
Neji blinked as a large and crudely wrapped present was shoved in his arms. It was stupid how his hands were actually shaking but this was fairly new to him. All his previous birthdays had either passed him by completely or he had been too sick regardless to get any enjoyment out of getting presents, despite his cousin’s best efforts to make the occasion memorable. Unwrapping it, he found a large blanket with a very odd print on it.
“No, you have to see the whole thing.” Shikamaru stepped inside his room without any qualms and grabbed the blanket, holding it up and showing Neji the entire picture on it. A forest with beautifully arched threes with rich green lush at the roots. “So you can be outside even when being outside.” Neji smiled widely, standing up and taking the blanket, wrapping it around his body. “Thank you, Shikamaru. I love it.”
His smile grew wider as the kiss he left on a warm cheek caused an even more furious blush.
Hiashi entered Neji’s room after knocking but getting no reply. Neji seemed to be firmly asleep and covered in something which certainly stood out in the otherwise fairly neutral room. This blanket seemed to be very much new but his nephew clenched it tightly around himself. His observant eyes noted the wonderful illusion of the forest. And the little deer hiding in the corner, just another part of the print but one with quite a bit of implication. It seemed he and Shikamaru-kun would need to have quite a chat about Neji and his future.
Note: Plot by Cheysuli’s Bunny Challenge #313

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