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Visitation	By : PrplGrl Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Shikamaru/Neji Views: 1697 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters; I make no money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Visitation
- 1
Visitation
Let me be empty/Oh, and weightless/And maybe I'll find some peace tonight
The stark walls were a dingy grey, many with large cracks running down them from age. The artificial light above flickered, as if the bulbs were ready to blow at any moment and several feet down the hall it appeared they already had. Hyuga Neji stared into that dark void they headed toward, carrying himself as any proud Hyuga would with his shoulders back and head high, but he struggled to keep his composure.
If any of the four ninja escorting him noticed, they didn’t point it out, to which Neji was grateful. He took even, full breaths as they walked calmly down the hall, heading to the maximum security area of Konoha’s prison. The air got heavier around them the farther they went, Neji observed Kotetsu shiver without looking away from their destination.
“Damn, why is it always so creepy down here?” he asked quietly, although his words bounced off the walls and amplified the sound, carrying his voice into the darkness before them.
“I know,” Izumo agreed, a slight tremor in his voice as he reached into his back pouch to receive a small lantern. “I don’t see why somebody can’t put some more lights at this end of the hallway.” The group stopped at the edge of the light while the Kamizuki tried to light the lantern with shaky hands.
“The added light will hurt his eyes,” Shikaku noted from behind Neji, his tone authoritative and firm as always. “We don’t want to make him any more uncomfortable than he already is.”
Neji repressed a shiver, the heaviness within his chest dropping slightly at the Nara’s voice. How can you still be so strong, Shikaku-san… when all I want to do is break? He closed his eyes a moment, taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders; stepping into the darkness never got easy it seemed. When he exposed his lavender orbs again, Neji held his gaze forward as Izumo finally got the lamp lit and they stepped out from under the artificial light, continuing down the shadow-filled hall.
Solid, thick steel doors lined these walls, and the Hyuga counted them as they went along as he always did. They would stop once they reached the sixth one, but he was never really sure why he bothered to remember which number door it was; the cell they headed toward was practically covered with seals and spells to keep the creature contained within.
The very thought made Neji frown and bile to rise to the back of this throat. He is not a creature… not yet. Pain began to slowly settle around his heart, but he pushed it back. Neji refused to let anybody see him like that, let alone the one he wanted to see the most. The jounin closed his eyes once more; please let me see you today.
“Here we are,” Kotetsu whispered, and Neji stopped with the others to gaze at the heavy metal door covered with no less than five sealing papers; one on each corner and one in the middle, right below the small viewing window but just above the feeding door along the floor.
The Hyuga had to slightly cringe when he noticed the dried red stains along the concrete that went under the small trapdoor. He is fed like an animal, he reminded himself, gazing back up at the door. He didn’t turn when a hand was placed on his shoulder and the ANBU that had been assigned to accompany him began talking.
“Remember to be careful in there, Neji-kun,” the masked ninja warned, voice somewhat familiar. “If anything happens, use this.” He placed a small piece of paper within the Hyuga’s palm. “You can use it to summon me in there in case the thing—”
“I won’t need it,” Neji whispered, only slightly bothered that his voice did not hold the strength it usually did. He tried to hand the summoning spell back to the sputtering ANBU.
“What do you mean ‘won’t need it?’ It’s dangerous in there! If you’re not careful, you’ll be—”
“Tenzou!” Shikaku hissed and a low growl reverberated from the cell.
“Oh man,” Hagane groaned, taking a step away from the door, “you pissed it off already.”
Neji remained still, staring at the seal-covered entrance with a vacancy in his gaze, hand stretched out toward the ANBU to give the summoning spell back. “I’ll be alright,” he whispered in the same tone, feeling the heaviness around his heart pulse.
“Neji knows what he’s doing,” the Nara voiced when the masked ninja didn’t recover the paper. “Just trust him, Tenzou. We can always break down the door if we have to.”
There was a long pause, the silence beating hard against the Hyuga’s eardrums as the seconds ticked by. He found himself teetering on the edge, not sure if he wanted this to drag out longer before he made the treacherous journey into the room, or get it done and over with. What was worse, he realized, he didn’t know which choice made him a terrible person, his heart feeling heavier with the thought.
Finally, Tenzou sighed and took his spell out of Neji’s hand. Stepping in front of the Hyuga, the ANBU reached for the keys on his waist and put a particularly large, rusty one into the slot, turning it to the right and back and the lock made a hollow sound as it unlatched. Leaving the key in place, Tenzou then grabbed the long, horizontal handle, masked face turning to the young jounin. “I’m giving you forty-five minutes.”
Neji nodded once and moved to stand beside the Black Op; the door could not be opened more than what was necessary. A loud thud echoed down the hall as Tenzou turned the handle and pulled the heavy slab of metal out into the hall. Neji quickly slid into the cell; always astonished at how he was able to just walk across the threshold to this place, but always apprehensive prior.
The door groaned loudly as it was slammed shut behind the jounin, being latched and locked from the outside. He let his eyes adjust to the soft light of the small room; only a barely alive candle flickered to his right. Neji ran his gaze over the remnants of passed meals, old bones and a bit of decaying flesh, which sat in one corner amongst a dried puddle of blood. The far right corner of the cell, the Hyuga could see and just barely smell feces piled up; it looked like the cell hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Suppressing a disgusted shudder, Neji moved his visage to the opposite corner; where the cell’s occupant lay on a bed of old hay.
His breath hitched when two golden yellow, glowing eyes stared back at him and a terrible feeling of bloodlust washed over him. The candle wavered, casting the other in more shadows as it stood, its movements cat-like and slow as it walked on all fours to the middle of the cell, eyes never leaving the Hyuga for a moment.
Neji held the gaze, another wave of pain shooting through him as the light evened out, shimmering off the other’s dark, matted fur as muscles rippled and tensed, long tail whipping silently behind him as large cat ears perked toward the jounin. Even in the soft light, the other’s cat-like face was sharp in shadow. Although Neji could only see half of the furred cheeks and nose and blood-stained fangs, he could still see both of those glowing eyes as they stared hard at him.
A soft growl filled the room, the feline taking a half step toward the Hyuga.
Neji swallowed; however it wasn’t in nervousness, as he pulled a corner of his mouth up in a half-smile. This was the most painful of all. “Hello, Shikamaru.”
The creature roared and leapt at Neji, covering several feet in less than a second, large paws landing heavily on the wall with a loud crack on either side of the jounin, deadly claws digging into the concrete and growling menacingly.
Neji didn’t flinch; it was like this now and he had accepted that fact. He merely continued to stare into yellow eyes as those razor-sharp fangs neared his throat. A small part of him almost wished it would happen and end the torment of seeing Shikamaru like this.
“You don’t want to kill me,” he whispered with a slight shake of his head. “I know you want to see me, Shikamaru. Let me see you, too. Take control of it.”
The feline roared again, digging claws in deeper, fangs coming closer, but Neji didn’t falter.
“Concentrate,” he hissed, keeping his gaze upon those glowing eyes as they began to shimmer with emotion. It only took a moment before another roar tore through the cell, but it sounded strained as the large feline threw his head from side to side.
It was then Neji could hear it, the signs of the transformation. Bones cracked and popped as they began to shrink and reset themselves, black fur started to recede to reveal the tanned flesh beneath, the tail swaying in irritation shrinking into the other’s lower back. Neji waited patiently through the pained growls, knowing full well that switching from one form to another was a painful and timely process for Shikamaru, which the Hyuga was sure it got longer and more unpleasant each time the Nara was able to get control.
Neji tried not to focus on the excruciating hurt the thought caused within his chest.
When it was finally over, Shikamaru was leaning over him trembling, arms still stretched over the jounin’s shoulders, tanned flesh glistening with sweat as he breathed heavily into Neji’s shoulder.
The Hyuga had to swallow the lump in his throat and close his eyes a moment to ease the burning sensation within them. Carefully, aware that the Nara’s skin would still be extremely sensitive, he wrapped his arms around the other’s still quivering torso and lowered them both to sit upon the dirty floor. It was several long, agonizing minutes before Shikamaru’s breathing evened out and Neji gently ran his fingers through the Nara’s dark hair, trying to sooth him as they sat in the low light.
A soft snarl left Shikamaru and he pulled back out of Neji’s arms, standing to move several feet away with his back to the Hyuga. “You need to stop coming here.” Shikamaru’s voice was slightly hoarse and strained, the sound grating against the pain already pulsing sharply against Neji’s chest. “One of these times, I will kill you.”
Neji sighed softly; they always had this conversation. The darkness within him twisted as he stood, asking the question he asked every time. “Why do you tell me this, Shikamaru?”
“Because it’s the truth!” The Nara turned slightly, glowing yellow eyes piercing through the shadows of his face to glare angrily at Neji.
Neji held the gaze; he hadn’t seen Shikamaru’s dark eyes in ages. As the curse took a tighter hold upon the Nara’s body and mind, more characteristics of the creature could be visible when he was able to repress it. Besides his glowing orbs, Shikamaru’s ears were longer, pointed back and covered in black fur, reminding the Hyuga of some old drawings he had once seen of ancient elves, and his teeth still held sharp, long, fangs that glimmered in the light as the Nara curled his lip up in a quiet snarl.
“I don’t know how much control I have left, Neji,” Shikamaru continued, yellow eyes flickering with the candlelight. “The next time I could easily rip your throat out. Don’t give my other side the satisfaction of taking your life.”
Neji shook his head. “That’s not possible, Shikamaru.”
The Nara blinked, face taking on a sharper look as his glare intensified. “Why wouldn’t it be?” he nearly growled.
Because I die a little bit each day I’m not with you. Neji closed his eyes and pushed the thought away, opening them with more strength than he really felt. “Because I love you,” he answered instead, “and I know you won’t hurt me.”
Yellow eyes widened for a moment before looking away with a soft snort. “Why are you always so sentimental?” he whispered.
A small smirk tugged at the Hyuga’s lips. “Why are you always so serious?”
Shikamaru raised his hand to run long fingers through his dark tresses. “…it’s not safe…. Nobody’s safe around me, Neji, no matter how much they care.”
Neji frowned and took a step toward the Nara. “Shikamaru?”
Shikamaru merely shook his head, voice sad. “It didn’t save my mother from being….” He let the sentence hang, the muscles within his arms and back flexing beneath bare flesh as he clenched and unclenched his hands.
The Hyuga took another step forward, pain coiling tighter at seeing his beloved talk about it. “That wasn’t your fault,” he tried to reason, knowing Shikamaru wouldn’t listen; yet another conversation repeated every time they would be together. “You didn’t have control over it then.”
“I lost control of it, Neji.”
Neji’s expression hardened. “And how were you to know a drop of blood would trigger a transformation? It could have been anybody, Shikamaru; Yoshino-san was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Don’t make it sound so random, damn it!” the Nara snarled. The air around him darkened as he turned to fully face the jounin, words soft and menacing as he spoke. “I remember everything, Neji. I saw her terrified face when I crashed through the window, could smell her fear as she ran toward the weapons chest, I heard her frantic heartbeat and piercing scream as I dug my fangs into her throat—”
“Stop it, Shikamaru!” Neji hissed, body tensing against the rising bile and pain inside him. He could never stand to see Shikamaru in this state, as he so coldly recalled the night he had attacked his mother. The Nara’s eyes had stopped shimmering, almost as if his very soul was being sucked from his body, and it made Neji want to cry.
Shikamaru released a short breath, glowing orbs glancing to the floor as he added, “I remember the taste of her blood most of all; I don’t think I’ll ever get it off my tongue.”
Neji took shaky breaths, easing the pain into a manageable ball within the pit of his stomach, feeling the wave of nausea slowly pass through his body to leave him slightly sweaty and shaking from the effort of keeping it back. His lavender orbs trailed down the Nara’s body as the candle wavered again and he quickly caught the sight of the scar on Shikamaru’s left arm. A glare touched his expression; that was the mark left behind by the creature who had given his love this horrendous curse. I will find it, his mind whispered. I will find it, Shikamaru, and we will be together.
“How,” Shikamaru said softly, lifting glowing eyes to lock gazes with lavender orbs, “can you still love a monster?”
A small smile reached Neji’s lips; this question he did not mind answering each time he was able to see his lover. “Because you are not a monster, Nara Shikamaru, and I loved you before this curse, I love you while you have it, and I will love you once it’s gone. I love you, Shikamaru.” He emphasized each word with a step toward the Nara until he was standing nearly nose-to-nose with him. “I can’t stop loving you anymore than you can stop loving me. That will never change.”
A few beats passed in silence, Neji gazing into glowing yellow eyes as they gazed right back. He would be nothing if not a pillar of strength, a small glimmer of hope for Shikamaru to hold on to. It killed Neji to see the emptiness within the Nara’s eyes, even if they were not the obsidian color he remembered waking up to on several mornings. Neji would not allow his love’s soul to parish in this dark place, all alone. You are never alone; please remember that.
Shikamaru released a rough-sounding chuckle as he looked away, smiling softly. “Always so sentimental,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair again.
A small wave of warmth eased the pain within the Hyuga as he matched the expression. “Always so serious,” he countered, reaching into his pocket. “Now come here and let me fix your hair.” He pulled out a light-colored hair tie as the Nara obediently turned around and sat down, Neji kneeling behind him. He put the band around his wrist and gently placed his hands into black tresses, lacing his fingers into the amazingly-still-soft strands and pulling them back to create Shikamaru’s customary ponytail. The tie would not hold once he transformed back, but Neji knew his lover appreciated the gesture; anything for a small semblance of normalcy.
Shikamaru’s feline-like ears brushed against Neji’s fingers as he gently pulled the remaining strands into the ponytail and pulled the stretchy band over his wrist to secure the black hair in place. “There,” he whispered, sitting back when Shikamaru turned himself around, glowing eyes soft as they locked gazes once more.
The Nara’s lips curled up in a smirk reminiscent to the one he usually had when he was slightly amused. “Well, do I look like my old self?” he joked and Neji was silently grateful for the lightening of tension around them.
He smiled as his eyes glanced back to the ears, now more noticeable without dark tresses falling around them. “The ears,” Neji stated slowly, choosing his words and tone carefully, “I think… might be an improvement.” An eyebrow rose questioningly upon the Nara’s forehead and Neji couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him. “Maybe now you’ll be forced to listen to me when I need to get you up.”
Shikamaru snorted out a laugh, reaching up to run fingers along his fur-covered ears. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to even sleep with how sensitive these damn things are.”
“Oh?” the Hyuga asked, amusement in his voice, almost surprising himself with how genuine it sounded… and how genuine it felt. “Just how sensitive are they?”
“I can hear every fly take a dump within a two mile radius.”
Both shared in a short laugh, the pain within Neji lifting away for a brief moment and letting him breathe. How he had missed this, being with Shikamaru and talking, laughing, sleeping together. He hadn’t been with the Nara long before he was burdened with the damnable curse and it had been shortly after that when Yoshino-san had been killed. Neji wished he had been more adamant back then that he and Shikamaru spend more time together, but how was he to know?
We are together now; that’s what matters.
The smile slid from Neji’s face as he sobered, noticing Shikamaru’s expression doing the same as they stared into each other’s eyes. The Hyuga felt that familiar spark ignite within his lower belly and failed to repress a shiver; it was already that time.
Shikamaru resettled himself, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him as he reached out to Neji. “Come here,” he whispered.
Neji nodded and slowly crawled forward the foot or two that separated them and sat in the Nara’s lap, straddling his hips. He wrapped his arms around his lover’s neck, Shikamaru’s hands coming to rest on his waist as they both leaned in, lips touching in a chaste kiss.
The Hyuga could never hold back the gasp that escaped him, memories flooding his mind at how much he loved Shikamaru’s kisses and remembering he hadn’t had them for several months. He leaned in more, pressing his mouth against the Nara’s firmly and moaning softly when his lover’s slightly rough tongue came out to brush his lower lip.
A sensual tremor rippled down his back, parting his lips for Shikamaru and breathing heavily through his nose as that tongue plunged into this mouth. He had missed it, missed this feeling of completeness whenever he was with the Nara. Neji tried not to dwell on it, but he moaned again when one of Shikamaru’s hands trailed down to cup his backside, squeezing gently and pulling him closer. The Hyuga shivered again, feeling the heat and press of his lover’s fully engorged length against his inner thigh; it never did take much to get Shikamaru excited with the curse.
Neji released the shoulders his hands had been gripping and pulled back slightly, just enough so that their torsos were no longer flush against each other, their lips still locked as they continued to kiss, and began to quickly remove his shirt. Shaky fingers worked on the clasps and ties, pulling the pale cloth free from his flesh and dropping it behind him.
No sooner had the Hyuga placed his hands back onto his lover than Shikamaru’s mouth left his own, running lips and tongue down Neji’s neck.
The Hyuga leaned his head back with a breathy moan, loving the attention being given to his body, helping his lover when he reached up and removed Neji’s headband. That sinfully skilled tongue moved down along his chest, Neji hissing in pure pleasure as one of his nipples was swept into a hot mouth. He grasped the back of Shikamaru’s head, encouraging him as he sucked and very carefully nibbled the small nub.
Taking in short breaths, Neji pulled his lover’s face up for another passionate kiss, moving with Shikamaru as he repositioned them with the Hyuga lying on his back. Neji refused to release the Nara’s head, wanting to remain lip-locked with him for as long as possible, but he felt his lover’s fingers hook into the waistband of his pants and apron, pulling them down his legs and off. Neji let out a sensual moan, those hands immediately coming back to his exposed flesh and exploring his body. As if this was our first time.
The Hyuga pushed the thought away, not caring for the painfully sharp feelings it brought up, and focused on those glorious hands roaming down his sides, over his hips, along his thighs, and up to gently cup and fondle his sensitive sacks and hardened shaft. “Ah… Shikamaru,” Neji moaned into his lover’s mouth, thrusting his hips up into the fingers curled semi-tightly around his erection. He felt a shiver filter through the Nara and Neji opened his eyes to find glowing yellow orbs swallowing him up from the inside, making his very soul tremble with need, a lustful groan leaving him.
It was all the permission Shikamaru needed. He pulled away and, grabbing a hold of the Hyuga’s waist, turned Neji over. The moment it happened, Neji propped himself up on his hands and knees, spreading his legs for his lover. He panted, groaning quietly as one saliva coated finger entered him. Yes, yes, this is what I need. Neji licked his lips when another digit soon joined the first, grateful for the quickness his lover was showing. The Hyuga looked over his shoulder, once again being swallowed up by those glowing eyes as they watched him carefully. Sharp white teeth glistened in the low light, Shikamaru’s lips parted slightly as he gazed at the jounin beneath him, Neji wriggling his hips once the discomfort from his fingers left.
The Nara growled low in his throat, removing his hand from behind his lover and rubbed some of his spit over his engorged erection before positioning himself at Neji’s entrance.
Neji had to look away, and closed his eyes, a moan of pure happiness and pleasure leaving his dry lips as Shikamaru slowly entered him. Oh god yes! He moved back against his lover, ignoring the dull throb from being stretched too much; he was finally intimately connected with his love again and he would let nothing ruin it.
Once he was fully sheathed, Shikamaru remained still for a moment, the Hyuga feeling the heat from his lover’s chest against his back as Shikamaru bent over to match Neji’s position. The jounin shuddered when hot breath cascaded over the back of his neck and Shikamaru made what sounded oddly like a purring noise in response, starting to carefully thrust within Neji.
Neji cried out, his pleasure-filled voice echoing in the dark cell as he moved against his lover, Shikamaru’s length rubbing roughly along his prostate and making his vision blur. He scratched at the dirty concrete floor, rolled his hips and encouraged the Nara to move faster and harder, to which Shikamaru had no problem fulfilling.
The force from Shikamaru’s thrusts jarred Neji thoroughly and he loved it. It really hadn’t been until after the Nara had been bitten by the stray cat and gotten the curse that the Hyuga realized how much he enjoyed rough sex. Of course they hadn’t tried it before Shikamaru had been infected; once Shikamaru had it, though, the sex was rougher, wilder, unrestrained, and Neji had been quick to fall in love with it. The realization unfortunately came too late, and they were only able to experience it a scant few times before Shikamaru had lost control and wound up within the grungy cell.
Another cry slipped past Neji’s lips, his arms starting to shake, threatening to give out as more and more pleasure coursed through his body. A quiet growl in his ear was his response before Shikamaru wound one arm around the Hyuga’s chest and pulled him up, pressing him against Shikamaru’s torso as he kept thrusting frantically.
Neji gasped and moaned loudly, the new position putting more pressure against his prostate and sending more wonderful tremors throughout his body. His eyes widened when Shikamaru wrapped his hand around the Hyuga’s leaking erection and stroked tightly.
“Sh-Shikamaru, no,” he tried to convey to his lover, hands reaching back to grasp the other’s moving hips. The heat within his lower belly kept building and building and he did not want to be pushed over that edge alone. “I’m going to….” He couldn’t finish the thought as he moaned again, Shikamaru slowing and grabbed Neji’s chin, turning his head so he could see the yellow eyes peer into his own.
“I want to see you,” the Nara whispered, voice rough and almost foreign to Neji as he nodded, kissing his lover over his shoulder before Shikamaru gently pulled out. Once again the Hyuga laid himself on the floor upon his back and spread his legs, shuddering pleasantly when Shikamaru settled between them and quickly entered him again.
The pace seemed inhuman; Neji only able to wrap his legs around the Nara’s hips and hold on. Their bodies slapped together, Shikamaru wasting no time in grabbing the Hyuga’s length and stroked with purpose, glowing yellow orbs gazing at the flushed jounin below him.
Neji tried to hold off, but having his love plundering his ass and rubbing his erection with those eyes staring down at him, the Hyuga found he really didn’t stand a chance.
The heat within him exploded; Neji threw his head back and cried out, his vision blanking out as his body rippled with delightful spasms, muscles tightening around Shikamaru. He felt the Nara speed up more, a snarl coming from him as he neared completion, body seizing and hoarse moan sliding from Shikamaru’s parted lips, spilling his seed deep within the Hyuga.
Neji released a pleased sigh at the feel of his lover’s ejaculate filling him. How I’ve missed this, Shikamaru…. Shikamaru collapsed onto Neji, gasping for air along the Hyuga’s pale neck.
Aside from their heavy breathing, silence settled in the room like dust, Neji wrapping his arms around Shikamaru’s shoulders and gently massaging the flesh there. Shikamaru had told Neji once that this was the time when suppressing the curse was easiest; in the afterglow, it seemed both the Nara and the bestial side of him were sated and calm and the jounin hoped to drag the moment out as long as he could.
It was only a few minutes later when the Hyuga felt his lover twitch beneath his touch, a familiar indicator that the post-orgasm high had passed and Neji allowed Shikamaru to rise and move away from him to sit on the floor several feet away, one leg bent up where he placed an elbow atop his knee, head hanging as he breathed deeply. The Hyuga sat up and watched him for a moment, the painful sadness starting to well up around his heart once more as he realized Shikamaru was probably just barely able to keep his transformation at bay. He sighed softly and gathered his clothes, putting them on in silence as he also began putting up his mental blocks; the only way he’d been able to survive leaving in the past.
Keep your emotions hidden; show him only your strength.
Repeating the words within his mind, the Hyuga put the final clasp upon his shirt in place and returned his gaze to Shikamaru sitting on the floor. Sweat had started to run profusely down his face, muscles contracting beneath tanned flesh as he still fought the change.
Neji refused to allow the frown show on his face even as the pain coiled tighter across his chest. Don’t let him see you like that. His lavender orbs became serious as he said the words he’d said dozens of times to his lover, “I will find a cure.”
Shikamaru chuckled, but it was humorless. “Why do you tell me that, Neji?”
The Hyuga smiled softly, hoping those yellow orbs would see the hope within them when he finally gazed at him. “Because it is the truth.” And it was; not only Neji, but Shikaku, Chouji, Ino… all of their friends had vowed to finding a cure to the Nara’s condition, certain there was one to be found. The information gathered suggested that if the cat that had bitten Shikamaru originally could be located and captured there was a chance one could learn how to reverse the affects Shikamaru was suffering.
After two years the search had not been fruitful and life did have to move on, but Neji found himself unable to go any further without Shikamaru by his side. You have no idea how much I need you, Shikamaru.
“Right,” the Nara scoffed, eyes seeming to glow a bit more intensely looking away.
The smile quickly faded from Neji’s lips as he noticed the nails on Shikamaru’s hands begin to grow and sharpen in the dim lighting, his skin quivering as black hair started to slowly emerge.
The coil flexed painfully.
“Leave now,” Shikamaru hissed, clenching his hands into fists. “I can’t hold it back much longer.”
Nodding stiffly, Neji slowly turned and headed for the door, his heart giving an icy beat with each step; he hated doing this. He hated leaving Shikamaru in this dank room as he went through a painful transformation… all alone. Why can’t I do more to help him? he thought sadly.
“Hey, Neji,” the Nara’s hoarse voiced called out with a slight tremble.
The Hyuga stopped but didn’t turn around. He’d been able to leave without looking back in the past, no need to start now.
“I love you.”
The sadness pulsed. “I know,” Neji responded softly, wishing he had sounded stronger. He knocked twice upon the metal door, waiting as the lock was undone and unlatched, the heavy door squealing loudly as it was opened enough for the Hyuga to slip through.
He did just that, stepping into the hallway and giving his back to the four shinobi still positioned around the entrance.
Neji tried not to flinch when the door was shut, the sound of it being latched and locked again echoed loudly down the dark hall and within Neji’s soul, threatening the foundation of his mental blocks as it always did. The sadness beat heavily against his heart, shooting pain straight to his soul and overflowing inside his mind.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Keep it together; be strong.
A loud wail made them jump, Neji’s eyes whipping open as the sound was repeated and echoed endlessly around them. Shikamaru…. His screams of pain and utter torment tore at the Hyuga’s heart and he flinched, clenching his fists tightly as the sounds continued, each one tearing a new wound within Neji’s soul.
Be strong, he reminded himself, his nails biting into his palms, but that pain couldn’t compare to the one coursing through his very being as the screams turned into animalistic howls, sending wave after wave of darkness into Neji. His body began to tremble with the effort of keeping the overwhelming emotions at bay. Be strong….
A strangled sob left his frowning lips as he continued to fight, feeling streams of liquid fire running down his cheeks as more horrid noises emanated from the room beside him. Shikamaru… I can’t do anything. The hopelessness of his position hit Neji hard; he felt his knees buckle and another wave of pure agony washed over him.
He didn’t hear the others call out to him, didn’t feel Shikaku’s hands grasp his shoulders, all Neji was aware of was his scream as it echoed down the hallway alongside Shikamaru’s pain filled howls.
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness/Oh, this glorious sadness/That brings me to my knees
A/N: Lyrics belong to Sarah McLachlan from her song Angel. Written for the prompt "cruelty" on Y!Gallery for the club Birds and Clouds.
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Visitation