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"I'm sorry."
One dark eye slit upon languidly and regarded the rigid posture of the Hyuuga before him. The next few seconds ticked by with neither saying a word.
Shikamaru continued to look at Neji while the other towered unflinchingly over where he was currently sprawled out on the grass. Neji was not the type to willingly seek him out. It was also unlikely of him to start a conversation with an apology. Hell, it was out of character for Neji to even apologize at all.
Declaring the peacefulness of his afternoon gone, Shikamaru sighed and sat up in resignation. One hand floated up to his mouth and he took a long drag from the cigarette dangling loosely from it. "What for?" he finally asked, plumes of smoke wafting up to join the clouds he had been watching.
The Nara chewed the inside of his cheek in amusement as he watched dusky shades of pink dance across Neji's face. He waited patiently as the other coughed delicately, crossed his arms and then looked away while mumbling.
Curiosity piqued, Shikamaru lazily draped his arms over his knees and tried to catch Neji's eyes. "What's that?"
Neji's posture visibly stiffened and Shikamaru's brain racked rapidly through all the possibilities that would warrant an apology from the normally composed ninja. Huffing in determination, Neji fixed his lilac stare on a spot beside Shikamaru and scowled. "Lee found out."
Shikamaru tilted his head to one side, still uncomprehending. "Lee found out...what?"
"And they call you a genius?"
Shikamaru found himself biting down a laugh and the mounting tension broke. None of the others believed him whenever Neji's surprisingly snarky sense of humor came up in conversation and he loved that Neji was letting this side out more often. "Not when I just woke up." he smirked lopsidedly, laying back down and gesturing to make the other sit next to him.
Neji gave the bent blades of grass next to Shikamaru another considering glance before kneeling down carefully. He took the time to fold his robes neatly around him and clenched both hands on his lap. Looking straight at the horizon, he cleared his throat and sighed tiredly. "Lee found out."
"I heard you the first time."
Pale eyes pinned Shikamaru down sharply. "About us."
Another few seconds of silence.
More tendrils of smoke trailed upwards while Shikamaru took another drag. "How?" he finally said.
Neji's shoulders slumped forward ever so slightly but gave no answer.
Shikamaru cast a calculating look over the other man by his side before stubbing out his cigarette. "Well, it doesn't matter." he said while stretching his arms out. "You know I don't have a problem with it".
"I know."
"Someone was bound to figure it out sooner or later. You've got to give our friends more credit."
"I know."
"So...why the apology?"
"Lee approves."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at that and looked at Neji fondly, the other averting his gaze. "I assumed he would."
"Lee cannot keep secrets."
"Ah."
More silence. A soft breeze passed over the knoll and Neji carelessly tucked back a few strands of dark chocolate hair from where they had come loose from his ponytail. Shikamaru didn't notice he was staring until the Hyuuga cleared his throat again and ducked his head slightly.
Standing up suddenly in an attempt to cover his own embarrassment, the younger man stuck one hand in his pocket and held out the other towards Neji. Electricity shot through his palm at the contact and he hauled his lover up with more force than necessary. The momentum made Neji stumble forward and Shikamaru placed a hand lightly at the small of Neji's back to steady him. Realizing that he was one of the very select few that Neji allowed into his personal space, the Nara broke out into a grin. "So...", he said, bringing Neji just a tad closer and smiled wider when the other allowed himself to be maneuvered. They were roughly the same height and Shikamaru's stomach did wonderful swoops when Neji's downcast eyes raised upwards. A roughened hand gently cupped the back of Neji's pale neck. "I guess it's going to be a shitstorm of annoying questions from everybody the minute we get back to the village, then."
Neji exhaled slowly and started picking at one of the loose threads on his sleeve, blush definitely more pronounced now. "Probably. Lee kept exclaiming that he gives us his wholehearted approval of burning youth. I told him that it was ridiculous to give his approval a title of any kind then I tried to get him to keep his voice down but -"
Chapped lips cut Neji off before he could start mumbling uncharacteristic apologies again. A warm feeling settled over the shadow wielder to know that Neji, perpetually in control, could become just as flustered as anyone else. Shikamaru smiled into the kiss before pulling back to lean his forehead against the one he loved most. "Let's go."