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The Shadow of a Bird's Wing

Summary:

After an annoyingly simple but difficultly manpower intensive mission, the hot spring destination provided a free week of relaxation for free with exceptions to accommodations. Recovery left resources scarce, so they made due for the time. Shikamaru and Neji were the last two to pick a partner for a room, and end up sharing the futon. Neither mind, though Hinata seems to have a warning for Shikamaru, and Shikamaru seems to have trouble with certain thoughts on the situation.

It blooms into something far beyond either of their expectations.

Notes:

Hey! No idea how long this will go or how it will end. Stay tuned. Probably will have smut eventually, I will warning mark the chapters. In general, expect snuggling, admissions, and a growing curiosity of feelings. I'll try to update tags as I go. There may eventually be a break off into a 'choose your own story' chapter thing, but we'll see. Some chapters will be very short, others very long, and I may post thousands of words at a time. Returning from a hiatus, as this is what I wanted to write other than my original plots and stories. Leave comments, I will get back to them promptly!

Chapter 1: My Turn with Silence

Chapter Text

The entire mess started with a group mission out to the Land of Iron. The mission? Secure a resort. The reward was simply enough to enjoy the springs afterward. The catch, was that their rooms were shared and the lowest quality to save the inn money after its recovery from bandits and feudal conflict.

Shikamaru and his team scarcely paid mind to the mission. Throwing their weight around sent the bandits packing or bound in ropes and off to a detention center. He stretched, popping his back as the warm water soaked into his skin.

He lingered at hours when the baths were clear of people. A little quiet went a long way, and with Naruto screaming and Choji snacking and Lee going on and on about his training…

“What a drag.” He mumbled, scratching his hair. The tie felt loose, so he pulled it free and snapped it around his wrist. The shuttering of the sliding wood door opening in closing prompted him to roll his head and stare through the steam.

Just before he could snap that it was ‘his turn’ with the quiet, he blushed and covered his face with one hand. What looked to be a mistaken woman had wandered into the spring, with thick, long, brown hair and skin like moonlight.

It wasn’t until the figure turned around that he realized he was ogling Neji Hyūga.

Shikamaru wouldn’t say it was the first time he’d blushed in front of the beautiful man, and perhaps in a private moment playing Shoji, Neji even noted that he knew he earned stares. Especially in his traditional Hyūga dressings.

Neji surveyed the pool, and for just one moment Shikamaru saw veins crease and pull tight under the skin around his eyes, and near his temples. They zero’d in on Shikamaru, and to his relief, relaxed. Neji came to enjoy the peace, and without even a nod, stepped toward the rocky pool to sit on the side.

He ditched the towel with grace, going so far as to fold it neatly. Steam hid Shikamaru’s curious eye, and what he wanted a peek at. He looked away, disguising his own embarrassment at his curiosity of how much ‘a man’ Hyūga was by rolling his head back on the towel to rest.

A comfortable silence fell between them. Occasionally, water lapped and jumped. Neji combed his hair in the steam, using the heat to pull it clean and straight. Hot water was more than enough for Shikamaru to consider himself clean, but knew Neji would probably wash off later.

The heat must’ve been getting to him. Shikamaru watched the man as he stood, leaning far over the ledge for the towel to rest over his head and wrap up his hair. He noted a fallen leaf stuck plainly to one muscular cheek as he leaned.

Neji paused, and snapped his gaze to him. “What is it?”

Shikamaru knew Neji trusted him; his stare was regarded almost like the Hyuga may regard another’s from his own clan. “Oh. Uh, got a leaf stuck to you.” Shikamaru scratched his damp hair with a frown, adverting his gaze. “I saw it fall.”

Which was true. Fifteen minutes ago. Neji surveyed his rear end and plucked it off with finely kept nails, discarding it with a hint of annoyance. “Thank you. That would have been annoying to catch in the water.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Please don’t mention it.

 

Shikamaru hung out for a while, but Neji’s small movements and little sighs when he stretched did things to his head. It was all his fault for being such a perv, and Neji’s for being so damn pretty.

He chose not to think about his preferences, and decided to try to think about any girl he liked.

Only...

He didn’t like girls. Oh, sure, he was friends with Temari, and she was more than tolerable. Hinata was sweet enough, and Sakura cared deeply for her friends. Ino was his long time teammate and probably best friend out of them all. Even TenTen proved to be a vital member to the team…

But he didn’t like them. And while he came to the conclusion he was just too personally invested in those close to him to form a romance, that didn’t explain why he noticed his attention slipping around the Hyuga.

Shuffling on a robe, he knocked his head against the cabinets. “What a drag. I want to lay down and sleep. But our rooms aren’t ready. And dinner won’t be for another hour.” He thought aloud, groaning again, and heading out into the hall.

He nearly bumped chest-to-face with Hinata, who was carrying a folded set of clothing.

“Oh!” She gasped, shuffling back with those astounding reflexes. “I’m sorry!”

“’s fine.” The cloth messily disturbed in her tight grip drew his attention. “Looking for Neji?”

“Ah, yes. I had this washed for him.” She smiled sweetly, tenderly. “His skin is sensitive to some detergents, so I made sure... Um!” She blushed. “Please don’t tell him I told you!”

Shikamaru smiled lazily to assure her he wouldn’t dare. “Not my business, and not my style to go throwing personal info around. He’s in the spring soaking.”

Hinata glanced up and around Shikamaru at the door, deflating. “Oh. Um, I don’t know where to put it… Our rooms have been picked. Two to a room, Shikamaru. The others already picked bunkmates.”

Shikamaru felt a spike of betrayal. “Even Choji?”

She nodded once with a short hum. “He and Naruto wanted to continue talking about uh, cup ramen.” The fond little giggle at Naruto’s name made Shikamaru feel sugar sickly, like he’d get ill just from her affection toward the man.

“Right. Guess I’ll just bunk with Neji then. No problem.” Neji was far from the worst roommate. Quiet, slept through the night usually, and was up and gone early so Shikamaru could sleep in alone.

Hinata frowned a bit. “Um, Shikamaru? Can you take this to him please, and pass on the news?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.” He took the folded robes almost gingerly. They smelled faintly like fresh forest, which he knew well. Washed only with hot water and care. “Yeah, I’ll let him know. You go ahead to the dining hall. We’ve got run of there, so people will gather for dinner I’m sure.”

“Okay. Thank you, Shikamaru.”

Hinata glanced back once, but her expression was unreadable. Typically in situations like this, Hinata and Neji shared a room. Everyone knew, but nobody talked about how protective Neji was of her, and of his sporadic night terrors. Not even Naruto, not even Sai brought it up.

Shikamaru walked back in the door and raised his brow. Neji sat in just his damp towel, brushing out his hair. A comb lay in his lap. Wordlessly he shrugged a shoulder, inviting Shikamaru closer.

“I overheard.” Neji stated calmly. “I would prefer if you did not tell anyone of that information.”

“Isn’t my business. As far as I know, I never heard it.”

“Good.” Neji stuttered in his even strokes. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” He set the clothing down. “Oh, your skirt is missing.”

“Hinata is mending it.” Neji replied. “And it is a thigh guard, Shikamaru. Not a skirt.”

Right, he thought with a little smile. He looked up, and only then did he realize Neji wasn’t wearing his forehead bandages. He had in the baths, usually did, but brushing out his bangs that were usually pinned underneath was impossible with the wrappings on top. Shikamaru realized he was staring at the pale green mark, and lazily shifted his head.

“It was cut by the bandits.” Neji stated quietly. The sudden softness to his voice implied he’d noticed. Shikamaru wished he had the guts to explain that it was surprise, not pity that caused him to stare.

“Looks like we’re bunking together tonight. I plan on sleeping as long as I can. So try to be quiet in the morning.”

“What do you mean?”

“You seem like the early to rise type.”

Neji paused, and stared at him oddly. “I can sleep in on a mandated vacation, Shikamaru.”

“Wanna make that a bet?” He broke into a grin, and stood up straight. He shoved his hands in the robe pockets and shuffled for the door. “Don’t take too long brushing out your flowing mane Rapunzel. Dinner’s in an hour, don’t get lost looking at yourself in the mirror.”

Neji just huffed the word ‘ridiculous’ under his breath, and went back to brushing. Shikamaru got half way down the hall before he realized Neji didn’t need a mirror to brush his hair. What a drag.