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-Kavbj

It's Like Peeling Onions

Chapter Three: Answers

"Nara."

Shikamaru lifted his head and tilted it to the side, looking at Hiashi through lazy eyes. He fixed his slouch a little but kept his hands shoved in his pockets. He did manage to conjure up enough energy to bow slightly. He wasn't about to start a feud between clans over something stupid. "Hyuuga-sama."

Looking at Hiashi standing under the late morning sun, it was easy to picture the shadow of his twin, and even easier to see where Neji got his looks from. Hiashi, however, was a lot more relaxed in his refined image, whilst Neji seemed to be made up of hard lines and smooth planes and high cheekbones.

Shikamaru had a feeling that over a decade of bitterness and resentment had done that to the Hyuuga prodigy.

"I've been told you wish to see my daughter."

Shikamaru hummed. "Yes. I need to speak with her on some important matters."

Hiashi nodded. "And may I ask what these matters are?"

He smirked. "I'm afraid it will be Hinata's decision as to whether or not she tells you."

"Very well then."

There was silence as Shikamaru waited just outside the gates of the Main House. Hiashi was studying him, but Shikamaru pretended to be unaware. He'd been on a handful of missions with Neji before; he was used to the strange sensation of such ghostly eyes trying to pull him apart.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Is Neji also home? I may need to speak to him later today."

"Unfortunately my nephew is unavailable at the moment. He is busy attending to some minor errands on my behalf."

"You would let your Branch Pet attend to matters that require the Head of the Hyuuga Household?"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed and Shikamaru battled against his inner rage. He'd only make things worse for Neji if he challenged his uncle. Still, it didn't surprise him that Hiashi was unaware of Neji's whereabouts. He only hoped that Hinata, Hanabi and Naruto hadn't copped too much shit for helping out.

"Shi-Shikamaru."

Leaning to the right, Shikamaru peered around Hiashi to see Hinata standing a few feet behind her father. "Yo, Hinata. Reckon we can talk for a bit?"

Eyes drifting down to where Hinata kept fidgeting with her fingers, Shikamaru tilted his head into his palm and lifted his tea to his lips. He blew the steam off the surface, watched if waft into the air, crawling in a fashion similar to his shadows, then took a sip. He followed Hinata's gaze, not surprised to see it resting on the guest room door.

Originally he'd intended to take her to somewhere they could sit comfortably, grab a bite to eat, whatever. Possibly drag Naruto into it too. He'd rethought that quickly. Neji would kill him if he found out he and Hinata were discussing his wellbeing in public, and Naruto was much too noisy. He'd get round to the blond loudmouth later on.

For now, Hinata was the one he'd deemed important.

"He's sleeping," Shikamaru said, for what was possibly the fourth time since he'd collected Hinata from the Main House. Truthfully, she'd saved him from what would have been a very cold and subtly cruel response from Hiashi, and he was secretly grateful. "He's getting there."

Hinata nodded stiffly and dropped her gaze to her hands. "Ano… what is it you wished to discuss with me?"

No stuttering, Shikamaru thought, rather impressed and kind of relieved. The stuttering played havoc with his patience, and he didn't want to snap at the poor girl.

"I a-assume it's ab-bout Neji-nii-san."

Or not.

He managed a small, hopefully appeasing smile, though he felt it was probably more of a smirk. "You'd be assuming right, then. I need answers."

She nodded slowly and started fidgeting. He clenched his jaw and held his cup a little tighter, fighting hard not to tell her to sit fucking still.

"Why was it activated?"

"I-I don't know."

"You don't know?" She flinched and he sighed. "Sorry," he muttered, "it was a bit of a crazy morning."

She shook her head sternly and finally met his gaze. "No, I'm sorry. And th-thankful."

He didn't need to ask what for, and he found the situation rather awkward, so this time he dropped his gaze and shifted uncomfortably under her stare. Damn it, no wonder she fidgeted so much. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, so you don't have any idea?"

"N-No."

He sighed and looked off to the side, finding his gaze being drawn to Neji's room. Damn it, now even he was calling it Neji's room.

All of his questions circulated around why the curse was activated, but if he couldn't even get that answered, then he'd remain clueless for a longtime yet. He debated telling her what Neji had said about them wanting to kill him, but didn't think frightening her and stressing her even more was such a good idea.

Fuck, this is so damn troublesome.

They sat in silence for the next ten or so minutes. Shikamaru's thoughts ran circles in his mind, like a continuous loop. They were all questions - questions he couldn't get answers to. If Hinata couldn't answer them, then he'd have to wait until Neji was awake and lucid.

But, let's be realistic here. He'll never answer me.

Eventually he'd settled onto the one question that had been bugging him from the beginning.

"Why me?"

Hinata glanced up from where she'd folded her hands on the low table. There was faint surprise in her pale eyes, and she smiled meekly. "Why y-you?" She licked her lips thoughtfully. "N-Naruto-kun suggested it. I th-thought it was al-also the best idea."

"That's it?" he asked in disbelief. "That's all there was to it? Granted, neither one of you were thinking all that clearly at the time, but there's got to be something better. It's been over a week now, Hinata."

"I'm s-sorry," she said quietly, ducking her head and lowering her gaze. "I c-can ask N-Naruto-kun to come - "

"Collect Neji?" Shikamaru scoffed and closed his eyes with a shake of his head. "That sounds stupid. Could you imagine Neji's reaction if he heard us talking about him like some shitty parcel?" he added, trying to calm her again.

She smiled weakly and politely lifted a hand to her lips, as though to make sure the laughter she was swallowing stayed down. She shook her head. "There re-really is no other re-reason." She smiled more strongly this time. It was soft and warm, and it made Shikamaru feel uncomfortable again. "It just seems right."

He sighed loudly and downed the last of his tea. It was lukewarm and disgusting. "Well, that's just fucked up. Guess I'll have to ask the idiot."

Hinata blinked. "Naruto-kun?"

Shikamaru smirked. "I was thinking Neji, but I guess I should ask both idiots." He sighed and ran his hands over his face with a groan. Peering through his fingers, he looked down at the wooden grain of the table. Hinata's quiet laugh made him smile before they were both quiet.

"Ano… I-Is there anything e-else I can help with?"

He furrowed his brow thoughtfully, not lifting his head just yet. Was there…? "Yes," he said, sitting up abruptly. "What does the curse affect?"

"S-Sorry?" She shook her head. "It targets the br-brain. Didn't you - "

"Yeah, I know that. But what exactly? Is there a particular area of the brain or…?" He looked at her seriously, then tilted his head contemplatively. He hadn't yet told her Neji had woken up. It wasn't exactly something to be excited about when the Hyuuga prodigy had been in shambles and damn near delirious. Still, he needed answers. "Neji's motor functions are pretty much gone - or, well, his control over them. Something's effed up his chakra control as well, because he almost burst my eardrums when he activated his Byakugan." Seeing her confused expression, he elaborated. "He screamed."

She nodded, then looked at him with wide eyes as she lurched forward. "Wait, Neji-nii-san woke up? When? Wa-was he ok?"

I thought I was asking the damn questions.

"Yes, this morning, no. That's why I need to know what the curse does."

Hinata licked her lips and shook her head slowly. "I d-don't - "

"Know," he finished. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah, figures."

He started when he heard her get up and his eyes snapped open. She was opening Neji's door and he pushed himself to his feet. "Hinata, wait. He's still asleep." Groaning, he stood and followed. Women were just troublesome, period.

Standing in the doorway, he crossed his arms over his chest and watched her tenderly brush loose strands of hair off of Neji's pale face. She was talking to him in hushed tones, murmuring so quietly that Shikamaru couldn't pick up on what she way saying. Turning to the side table, she picked up Neji's hitai-ate and ran her thumb back and forth over the leaf symbol whilst she gnawed at her bottom lip.

"C'mon," he said. "He's not going to wake up. Leave him be for now, yeah?" It came out harsher than he intended and he tipped his head back with a noisy exhalation. "Sorry, Hinata. Your idiot cousin woke me at quarter to four in the morning," he teased, smirking at her. He was relieved when she smiled back weakly and stood.

She uncurled Neji's fingers and slipped his hitai-ate into his hand, then curled his fingers around it.

Just like when I found you that time…

"I'd like to return home now."

"I understand," he murmured, standing back to let her out of the room. "I'll walk you back."

He walked Hinata back home. The trip was taken in silence, and he was completely fine with that. His mind was too cluttered for him to be able to focus on meaningless, polite conversation. He bid her a quiet goodbye and as he turned to leave, he caught sight of an ageing Hyuuga. When Hinata immediately dipped into a low bow, he assumed it was one of the elders.

The elder looked past Hinata to stare at Shikamaru, and Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in response. He tilted his chin up defiantly. Something about his guy set him off.

It didn't last long though as the elder kept walking and Hinata straightened up and ran inside.

Humming suspiciously, Shikamaru dug his hands into his pockets and headed on home.

That evening he replaced Neji's glass of water per his mother's request, and balanced a plate of crackers and fruits on the edge of the side table. At some point, Neji's grip on his hitai-ate had slipped. Shikamaru bent to pick it up, then set it down quietly beside the glass of water. Grumbling about troublesome demanding women who had soft spots for troublesome Hyuuga Branch Pets, Shikamaru then moved into the connecting bathroom to grab the old towels and grab Neji some clean ones.

Just in case he decides to wake up again and destroy the bathroom this time, Shikamaru thought sarcastically.

It wasn't until he walked back on through the bedroom that he realised a pair of sleepy opalescent eyes had been following him the whole time.

He stared down at Neji, then realised he was staring and quickly averted his gaze. He cleared his throat. "Uh, hey."

Neji blinked slowly, then hummed and moved to push himself up.

Shikamaru moved faster, however, and gently held the Hyuuga down. "Not - not just yet. Just rest, yeah?" He straightened up and swallowed. "So, uh, how you feeling?"

"Shit," Neji muttered, eyes slipping closed. His fingers twitched and his smooth brow furrowed as he opened his eyes to white slivers.

No control is going to drive a person like you crazy.

Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, I can imagine," he said, suddenly feeling more confident. "Want me to get you anything?"

Neji shook his head. By now, his fingers had formed fists.

"Well, there's food and water just here. That woman you probably heard yelling at me will cook you something if you want. She's gotta be useful for something," he muttered under his breath. He watched Neji, noticing the distant look in the older teen's ghostly eyes as he stared out the window. "I talked to Hinata today. And your uncle, briefly."

Neji stiffened at the mentioning of Hiashi and Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. Ok, maybe he should have asked Hinata for more details as to what happened when the seal was activated.

"I'm going to see Naruto tomorrow. And I'll see Hinata again tomorrow, I think." He crossed his arms over his chest. "But they can't answer the questions I have. Not all of them, anyway."

Neji sighed. He sounded weary still, even after sleeping for so damn long. "And I can?"

"Well, you're the only one who knows why your seal was activated. So, wanna tell me or shall I just annoy the hell out of you until you do?"

"You're breathing, aren't you?"

"I'm quite alive, yes," Shikamaru agreed, his tone rather icy in response to Neji's jibe. "I'm surprised you are. You told me this morning that they wanted to kill you."

Neji hummed and rolled onto his side. He closed his eyes. "Don't remember."

Shikamaru shook his head and watched Neji lull back to sleep. "Of course you don't."

He caught both Naruto and Hinata in town this time, and seeing as his parents were home, found a quiet little ramen stand for them to eat at. If Naruto wasn't answering a question, he was eating. It worked well.

"Why me?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto chewed thoughtfully and waved his chopsticks throughout the air. "Dunno."

Shikamaru grit his teeth. "Seriously?"

Naruto shrugged. "Hey, Hinata, you gonna eat that?" he asked, clicking his chopsticks in her direction.

The girl blushed to her roots and stuttered out a no.

"Naruto, focus," Shiakamaru snapped. "Why'd you bring him to my place? One of you has to have a reason. I tend to stay out of problems that aren't my own."

He watched, amazed as ever, as Naruto slipped into the serious side of his persona. "Neji kinda really needs you at the moment, Shikamaru. In case the fact that he's barely been conscious for the past week or so isn't enough proof for you."

Hinata interjected before Shikamaru could retort with something snippy. "I-it was a-all for Neji-nii-san." She immediately dropped her gaze to her lap when both Naruto and Shikamaru focused their attention on her. "H-He holds you in hi-high re-regard, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru felt both of his brows shoot up to his hairline. "Are you kidding me?"

Even after that fucking failure of a mission?

She panicked at his response. "N-no! He really d-does!" She nervously pushed her hair behind her ears. "A-And at the ti-time, you seemed like the b-best choice. Y-your house isn't t-too ce-central, and it's qu-quiet. P-plus, y-you - "

"You've got a good head on your shoulders," Naruto explained, taking over for Hinata much to both the Hyuuga heiress' and Shikamaru's relief. "And, you'll keep your mouth shut."

Fair enough.

"Well, if I'm gonna help him get back on his feet, I need to know what happened."

Naruto and Hinata exchanged glances, but neither one of them said anything.

"One of you spit the damned words out already," he snapped. Bloody Neji Hyuuga was making him temperamental - wonderful.

Preferably Naruto. I'd like to hear all of it today, not by tomorrow evening.

As if tuning into Shikamaru's thoughts, Naruto spoke up. "They made Hinata watch - something to do with being the heir - then she made them stop, then sent Hanabi to get me, then we brought him to yours."

"Who activated it?"

"M-My father."

"Neji's uncle."

She nodded sadly.

"Neji's own fucking uncle? His dad's twin brother?"

"Y-Yes."

Well shit, I knew the clan was messed up… And at least now I know why he flinched when I mentioned Hiashi.

"47 seconds."

Naruto and Shikamaru both stared at the shy girl.

"What?" Naruto asked, signalling for the owner to prepare him another bowl of noodles.

"47 s-seconds."

"What's 47 seconds?" Shikamaru asked seriously, feeling that there was something behind this. "Hinata?"

"How l-long Neji-nii-san re-resisted." She swallowed nervously and fidgeted with her fingers. "H-He screamed 22 se-seconds l-later, and I sto-stopped them 84 seconds l-later."

153 seconds. Two and a half minutes. Of absolute agony.

"How long does it usually last? How long do they hold it for?"

"N-Not that lo-long. Usually ne-never m-more than a mi-minute." Tears were building in her eyes and Shikamaru almost started freaking out. He did not deal with tears, especially not when they were from girls. He always fled and left Ino to Choji whenever she started bawling. He loved her, but he couldn't do it.

"How long does it take to kill someone?" Naruto asked curiously. Shikamaru would have face-palmed at Naruto's bluntness, but then the blond shot Hinata a warm smile and she smiled back weakly, wiping away her tears.

Oh thank God.

"For s-some it's really qui-quick. For o-others, it's be-between two or th-three minutes. I-If they're str-strong, it's th-three to fi-five minutes." She looked at her palms. "I hate it," she whispered, her shoulders shaking. "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it."

While Naruto dealt with Hinata, Shikamaru slipped away and headed home.

It's quick for some. For others, it's between two or three minutes. If they're strong, it's three to five minutes.

"They wanted to kill me…"

Neji wasn't kidding. Surely they were aware of how long Neji could hold out - Shikamaru wouldn't be surprised if he was in the three to five minutes bracket, but then there was the terrifying realisation that the seal must have been activated for that long some time in the past for the elders to know how long Neji could hold out.

He almost ran back to Hinata to demand an answer, but chances were she didn't know.

There was a certain Hyuuga, however, who was sure to know.

"How long?" Shikamaru demanded, barging into the guest room. He slammed the door shut, blocking out his mother's voice as she called after him.

Neji jerked awake, disorientated. He fixed his white eyes on the shadow-nin and frowned tiredly. "Pardon?"

He just woke up, he's practically been in a coma for the past week, his curse seal was activated, and he still sounds so polite and regal. Troublesome bastard.

"How long can you usually hold out? Hinata said there are three main brackets: quick, two to three minutes, or three to five minutes. Which are you?"

Neji shook his head and threaded his fingers through the length of his hair. "You talked to Hinata-sama?"

Shikamaru sighed noisily. "Yes, keep up. Which bracket, Neji?"

Neji's eyes closed as he exhaled. "I don't understand…"

Growling, Shikamaru crossed over to the bed and jostled Neji, forcing him awake. "Nap time's over, Neji. You said they wanted to kill you. How long can you hold out for?"

He could see it in Neji's eyes, see the cogs turning, the dust clearing, the memories returning, the fight building - everything. He'd worked with Neji before, but only now he realised how expressive those ghostly orbs could be.

"I'm at your house," Neji said slowly. His hand shot out, grabbing his hitai-ate. "Home. I need to return home."

"Hang on, Neji. Just - just calm down for a minute, will you?" He grabbed the older teen by the shoulders and forced him to lay back down again. "Answer my questions first and then I'll answer yours. How long?"

"Get off me."

"How long?"

"Nara!"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Fine then. How do they know how long you can stand it?"

Neji growled and tried to roll away. A pale hand snapped up, aiming for his nose, but Shikamaru dodged it easily. Neji's speed and reflexes definitely weren't what they were.

"How old were you, huh? When they thought 'hey, let's see how long Neji can last'?"

He was triggering something, that much was for sure, because he hadn't seen that dangerously calm mask shatter like it was now since their first Chuunin exam. Of course, the fact that Neji had pretty much been in a coma, had just been rudely woken up and interrogated, and had just recently had his seal activated probably accounted for it too.

And suddenly Shikamaru felt suicidal.

But his own mask of tranquility and boredom was dropping off. The Hyuuga clan's traditions had always pissed off his father, and he was beginning to think it was a hereditary trait, because nothing got to him this badly. Ever.

"They tried to kill you just the other week, didn't they? Maybe they tried when you were younger, and realised you were one stubborn bastard, so they had their fun pushing you, seeing how far they could take it."

"Shut up and get off me. Now."

"Still so calm," he mocked. He swung himself up onto the bed and straddled Neji when he sensed the older teen was building up to something. "Just like them, I'm sure, when they tried to kill you. You're not getting this, are you?"

"What's to get?" Neji snapped, glaring up at him.

"They tried to fucking kill you!" Shikamaru yelled, leaning in towards Neji's face.

"Why do you care?"

Shikamaru froze, face falling slack as he stared into narrowed pearlescent eyes. Why did he care? He didn't get involved in other people's problems. Ever. And yet, having to see Neji, weak and unconscious for the better part of the past 10 days, had set off so many triggers that suddenly he was willingly getting himself involved.

He should have taken up Hinata's offer when she said she would ask Naruto to come get Neji. But he didn't.

He should have taken Neji to the hospital day one, not listened to Hinata's begging him not to. But he didn't.

He shouldn't care so much. He shouldn't be getting attached to such a troublesome situation. He shouldn't be entertaining thoughts of helping Neji bring down his clan. He shouldn't be entertaining thoughts of making the Hyuugas pay. But he was.

If he wanted to, he could come up with some pretty lame excuses. The best one he could think of was that it pained him seeing Neji so weak like he was after the failed retrieval mission. Guilt made him do it. Guilt made him care. It worked, right?

Shaking his head, Shikamaru carefully withdrew from Neji. "You're right. I don't care." He pried Neji's hitai-ate from his pale fingers. "Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

I don't give a shit. I really don't. I swear I don't. It's too damn troublesome.

"Fuck it," he hissed as he left Neji's room and headed for his own. He glared down at Neji's hitai-ate and threw it down the hallway in a fit of frustration. "Maybe I do."